A woman guest lecturer shaved off her head in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh on the occasion of International Women's Day demanding regularisation of her college job. Guest lecturer Neema Singh (42) is among the several teaching staff who have been protesting over the past several weeks demanding that the state government make them permanent employees. "To press for regularization of our jobs among other demands, Neema, who works in a college in Katni, and eight men guest lecturers shaved off their heads. We have been on protest since the last 90 days," MP Guest Lecturers' Union president Dr Devraj Singh told PTI. He said their demands include reinstatement of 2000- odd former colleagues who were sacked. "If the state government does not accept our demands shortly, we will go to New Delhi and tonsure our heads there," he added. Earlier, in a public meeting in Tikamgarh, senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia had extended support to the protesting guest lecturers and had asked his party to fulfill its manifesto promise of regularising their jobs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Domestic wood processing enterprises are urged to use more online commercial channels to find new markets and customers, especially during the COVID-19 epidemic. Tran Viet Tien, a leader of the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City (HAWA), said: With lots of new designs and models for their products, many local furniture firms still cannot find orders due to the current epidemic. Dzung Nguyen, CEO of HMD Information Technology, a member of California-based Yes4All firm said: Vietnamese furniture shipments will be available on Yes4alls sale channels in May at the latest." The CEO, who said Yes4All is active on Amazon and Ebay, declared that such shipments result from a long journey of negotiation and preparation between Yes4all and NCT, a local furniture brand specialising in exporting to European markets. With more than 10 years of experience in selling sporting goods online, Yes4All saw an opportunity in selling Southeast Asian furniture products to US customers. The CEO said: "Like kitchen utensils, furniture items can be sold online, adding it was time for furniture firms to join online distribution channels. Dzung said furniture chains has begun to list products on e-commerce sites like Etsy, Amazon and Wayfair. At the same time, Nguyen Ngoc Dung, Vice President of Vietnam E-Commerce Association (Vecom), said that e-commerce is the best solution for the wood processing industry, as the COVID-19 epidemic is "blocking" the industry to customers in China and also halting a lot of trade fairs around the world. Concerned about infection, many shoppers are avoiding traditional furniture showrooms. As a result, Dung said: "Going O2O (online to offline) will be the fastest way to adapt to current fluctuations." Access to cross-border shoppers O2O was a retail business model that combines both online marketing and introduction of products to attract customers to buy them at the stores (offline). According to the experts, IKEA's "interior tycoon" is a good example of the O2O model when it has applied virtual reality to the sale of furniture products. Acknowledging the benefits of O2O, HAWAs Tien mentioned one difficulty: Applying the O2O model is not simple, as it requires firms to spend more on human resources and technology. For example, Tien said: The 3D and VR technology that helps buyers see and experience the products is costly. More importantly, Tien said: No matter how much they spent on online channels, the businesses must never forget their offline systems, like showrooms and workshops. At the end of the day, the most important factor is the quality of the products and the real experience of the users, said Tien. Wood chips are Vietnams main export products to China, with a turnover of more than 972 million USD in 2019, or 79.2 percent of total export turnover of wood and timber products. Meanwhile, Vietnam imported wooden planks worth 400 million USD. The Government has set a target of 20 billion USD in wood exports by 2025 nearly double the current turnover. To achieve this goal, it will require fundamental changes in both business strategies in each enterprise and the development strategy of the whole industry. The industry meanwhile is also calling on the Governments support in institutional and policy environment to create the most favourable conditions for their business activities. In addition, the Government also needs to create a channel to promote Vietnams clean wood and timber brand./.VNS Local wood firms need to diversify suppliers to survive Local wood processing enterprises need to expand supply chains with a focus on seeking suppliers from domestic and overseas markets to ease disruptions from China due to coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, experts have said. Rachael Blackmore won her first two races at the Cheltenham Festival in 2019. Can she become the first woman to finish the meeting as top jockey 12 months later? Winning races motivates more than breaking boundaries but that won't stop Rachael Blackmore taking a wrecking ball, not just a hammer, to the glass ceiling, writes James Toney. It's 37 years since Caroline Beasley became the first woman to ride a Cheltenham Festival winner and just 12 months since Bryony Frost became the first to win a grade one race, with her victory in the Ryanair Chase. Last year Nico de Boinville's three wins secured him the top jockey title at the Festival - ending an 11 year run of the prize being scooped by an Irish jockey. Blackmore could well be the one to snatch it back. She boasts an enviable book of rides for trainer Henry De Bromhead, including Arkle favourite Notepad, Irish Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle and A Plus Tard, leading the market in the Ryanair Chase. Add to this novice chaser Minella Indo, who she rode to the biggest of her two Festival wins last year, and Aspire Tower, who topped the Triumph Hurdle market until an unfortunate fall at the Dublin Racing Festival. In addition, the absence of Gigginstown's top rider Jack Kennedy, who broke his leg at Leopardstown, will mean Blackmore will pick up plenty of rides for Gordon Elliott's crack team too. Gee Armytage rode two winners in 1987 to tie with Peter Scudamore in the overall standings, losing the title on countback through placed efforts. But Blackmore who still needs five more Festival wins to equal Nina Carberry, the leading all-time female jockey at the Festival has a real chance to go one better, a potential seismic moment for the sport. "Nina and Katie Walsh got rid of any stigma about women jockeys and they made it easier for me in many ways because of their achievements," she said. "They were great role models for me when I was starting out. "It's nice to have nice things written about you you just have to try and keep being that person. Being a woman makes you stand out a bit more perhaps and attracts people to you. "If you'd have told me when I first turned professional that I'd ride two winners at Cheltenham then I would have probably said that would be enough I'll retire happy! Story continues "But I was already thinking about the next year after last year, winning at Cheltenham is such an unbelievable feeling and it's never enough. "When you list the horses I have to ride this year, it's unbelievable. I feel like I am living a dream I never could have even dreamed of. "Cheltenham is where it all happens and the Tuesday will be bang, bang, bang. I know the anticipation and hype is huge and its where you want to be. "It's an incredibly hard week and this is where everyone wants to be riding winners. Every race at Cheltenham is extremely competitive, you don't get an inch off anyone and it's a unique track that you ride better with experience." Forget form lines, we're often told it's the blood lines that really matter in racing - and that is not just the horses. But unlike Carberry and Walsh, in who the DNA of the sport was imbibed since birth, Blackmore was the daughter of a dairy farmer and teacher, who grew up wanting to be a vet. "This isn't what I dreamed of as a little girl," she admits, though she famously beat Paul Townend, alongside Davy Russell arguably her main rival for top jockey honours, in a Pony Club raced aged 13. Blackmore's all-girl partnership with unbeaten star mare Honeysuckle could be the enduring tale of this year's Festival, the expectation only enhanced by another victory their seventh at the Dublin Racing Festival. That said, Bubbles, her childhood pony, will always be her first love. "Honeysuckle is pretty special, she's definitely as good as I've ever ridden," she adds. Horses are like people, with different characters and traits. Nine times out of ten, it's the horse that wins the race, not the jockey. "I'm just very lucky to have horses like Honeysuckle to ride, that's half the battle for a jockey." Eimir Blackmore, Rachael's mother, never got the chance to see her daughter graduate from the University of Limerick there was a race that day. She describes her mantelpiece as 'bereft' of that prized photo of her daughter in cap and gown, yet Blackmore may just provide something of an upgrade to replace it. Advertisement By Senator Danny Carroll Mar. 07, 2020 | PADUCAH By Senator Danny Carroll Mar. 07, 2020 | 05:08 PM | PADUCAH We kicked off week nine of the 2020 Regular Session with a visit from two special guests in the Senate chamber, Save the Children Action Network President, Mark Shriver and award-winning actress, Jennifer Garner. Many might not know that Jennifer Garner grew up in West Virginia where she witnessed the effects of generational poverty on children, similar to those we see in rural Kentucky. With the help of local advocates, Ms. Garner and Mr. Shriver are working to preserve funding for Save the Childrens early childhood education and literacy programs, which serve more than 12,000 children throughout the Commonwealth. It was an honor to welcome them to Frankfort. On a personal note, my wife, Teressa, had the honor of baking cookies which were presented to Ms. Garner and Mr. Shriver by Senate President Stivers and his wife, Regina. The Kentucky General Assembly crossed another mile marker this week by reaching the deadline to file new bills. Slightly less than 1,000 bills were filed286 Senate bills and 647 House bills. With the bill filing deadline on March 4 behind us, we now have a more complete view of the issues lawmakers will take up this year. There are sure to be tough decisions made, along with some compromises in the final weeks ahead. Senate Bill (SB) 2, the Senates proposed voter ID requirement, passed in the House on Tuesday with provisions. The Senate does not concur with these changes, and is therefore asking the House to recede its changes to the bill. If an agreement is not reached, SB 2 will then move to a conference committee for further discussion. A House measure relating to medicinal marijuana research passed in the Senate this week. House Concurrent Resolution 5 urges national drug organizations, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to expedite research into the potential therapeutic benefits and risks of using marijuana for health purposes. I am a firm supporter of this resolution as I strongly believe more research is needed to better understand the impact of marijuana on various medical conditions and its interactions with prescription medications. Women represented 40 percent of the computer science workforce in 1995. Today, that number is less than 25 percent. SB 193 establishes a goal of increasing participation in computer science courses by under represented groups, including females, minorities, students with disabilities, English language learners, and students whose families are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. SB 193 includes the number of computer science courses or programs offered in each school, as well as the nature of those courses or programs, and the number of instructors required. I am proud to support this bill and hope to see an increase in computer science participation upon its passage. Legislation to rein in surprise medical billing is also advancing to the House. SB 150 seeks to stop the practice by requiring insurers to cover surprise medical billing. This happens when a patient receives medical careoften unwittinglyoutside of their insurers network. Subsequently, the doctors or hospital bills the patient for the amount insurance didnt cover. SB 150 would require the state insurance commissioner to establish a database of billed health care service charges, and it would provide a dispute resolution program for medical insurers and providers to work out their differences over these out-of-network charges, not the patient. I am a co-sponsor of this important piece of legislation. A bill that would criminalize the doxing of minors, SB 182, also passed. By definition, doxing is the act of publicly identifying or publishing private information about someone, especially as a form of punishment, intimidation, or revenge. This legislation was brought after a Northern Kentucky student was doxed following the posting of a video of him with a Native American protester in Washington D.C. SB 182 is a commonsense step to address the growing problem of cyber harassment in todays digital-driven era, and would protect the privacy of minors. Other bills passing this week include: SB 21 allows veterinarians to report the abuse of animals under their care. Currently, veterinarians are prohibited by law from reporting abuse of animals under their care unless they have the permission of the owner or are under a court order. SJR 35 directs the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to establish the Task Force on Services for Persons with Brain Injuries. SB 115 amends the statute regarding the tuition waiver for Kentucky foster or adopted children to include graduate programs and extends the eligibility time period to 10 consecutive or non-consecutive semesters up to age 28. SB 136 requires home health aides who have not provided services to clients who have Alzheimers disease or other forms of dementia to complete four hours of approved dementia training. SB 148 Requires individuals applying to claim certain agriculture exceptions to first apply for an agriculture exemption number from the Kentucky Department of Revenue (DOR). The bill further requires that DOR develop a searchable agriculture exemption number database for sellers and retailers to use for verification. SB 159 sets regulations for the operation and maintenance of splash pads and to establish their separation from those of swimming pools. Thank you for staying engaged in the legislative process. It is an honor to serve you in Frankfort. If you have any questions or comments about these issues or any other public policy issue, please call me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or email me at danny.carroll@lrc.ky.gov. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve you in the Kentucky State Senate and value your feedback throughout the 2020 legislative session. Note: Senator Danny Carroll (R-Paducah) represents the 2nd District encompassing Ballard, Carlisle, Marshall and McCracken counties. Senator Carroll is the chairman of the Senate Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor Committee, as well as the co-chairman of the Program Review and Investigations Committee. He also serves as a member of the Health and Welfare Committee, the Judiciary Committee and the Medicaid Oversight Committee. First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva has made a post on her official Instagram page on the occasion of the International Women`s Day. In her post, the First Vice-President said: Dear women, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on the occasion of the International Women`s Day. I wish you the best of health, beautiful mood, bright and happy moments, and success in all your works. May the love of your close and loved ones be the source of inexhaustible energy for you. May your tenderness, kindness and wisdom be a reliable guardian of your homes and happiness! May God protect you and your loved ones. With love, Mehriban. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 22:34:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close As the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide has surpassed 100,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday called for joint global efforts to effectively halt the spread of the epidemic. by Xinhua writer Guo Yage BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- As the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide has surpassed 100,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday called for joint global efforts to effectively halt the spread of the epidemic. While more countries are following the WHO guideline and have switched to an anti-virus mode, China, which has made remarkable headway in its fight against the outbreak, is sharing its experience with the world and conducting active international cooperation amid a hike in global caseload. RISING CASELOAD By 1500 GMT on Saturday, data from the WHO showed that a total of 103,168 cases have been reported in 95 countries, areas or territories, with 22,355 being outside China. Among the four countries or areas reporting their first cases in the previous 24 hours, the case in Moldova involves a woman who returned to the country on Saturday by plane from Italy. Malta confirmed its first case in a 12-year-old girl who visited northern Italy in late February and early March with her family. Besides, the Maldives reported its first two cases in employees of its Kuredu Island Resort, whereas the transmission type of the first case in the Holy See, jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, is still under investigation. South Korean army soldiers in protective suits sterilize the Kim Kwangseok street in Daegu, South Korea, March 5, 2020. (Photo by Lee Sang-ho/Xinhua) Among some of the worst-hit countries, South Korea reported a total of 7,134 cases with 50 deaths on Saturday, up by 367. The country has raised its four-tier virus alert to the highest level, and designated Daegu, the epicenter of the viral outbreak in the country, and its neighboring county to the south, Cheongdo, as "special care zones." Japan has reported 463 local cases by Saturday, in addition to 696 cases linked to the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was previously quarantined near Tokyo. The Japanese government has announced that tests for COVID-19 will be covered under Japan's national health insurance system starting from Friday, and that it is planning to implement a special law valid until February 2022 to make better provisions to combat the outbreak and declare a state of emergency if necessary. Iran on Saturday reported a total of 5,823 cases with 145 deaths. The country has already shut down schools until April, while the authorities have advised people to avoid inter-city trips. By Saturday, Italy has confirmed 5,061 cases with 233 deaths. The government on Sunday decided to keep in quarantine the entire Lombardy region and a number of northern provinces, and close theaters, cinemas and museums across the country. Staff of Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education arrange boxes of masks donated by China in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 25, 2020. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua) STRENGTHENING MEASURES The WHO has recommended that affected countries immediately activate the highest level of national response management protocols, as well as prioritize case finding, testing and isolation, contact tracing, and the quarantine of close contacts. "Allowing uncontrolled spread should not be a choice of any government, as it will harm not only the citizens of that country but affect other countries as well," the WHO said Saturday in a statement. Amid the organization's warnings, many countries have rolled out control and prevention measures to tackle the challenge. As Egypt reported a dramatic increase of 33 new cases on Saturday, the Suez Canal Economic Zone announced the postponement of an international economic and investment forum previously scheduled for March 21-22. The Palestinian Health Ministry announced Friday a series of strict measures to be taken in the city of Bethlehem and the West Bank as a whole, including the closure of churches, mosques, schools and universities. It has reported a total 19 cases by Saturday. According to real-time data maintained by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, the caseload in the United States has topped 420 with 17 deaths as of Saturday night. A pedestrian walks past a "no masks" notice of a drug store in New York, the United States, March 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) The U.S. states of Washington, Florida, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Indiana and New York have all declared a state of emergency. Stanford University and the University of Washington have canceled on-campus classes. Besides, the U.S. government has announced a plan to bring the Grand Princess cruise ship in connection with the first reported death of COVID-19 in California to a non-commercial port and keep the infected passengers in quarantine at a U.S. military base. During a meeting on Friday, health ministers of the 27 European Union (EU) member states agreed to develop a coordinated approach to prevention and protection of people at risk, and establish coherent containment measures, including evidence-based advice concerning travel to and from risky areas. SHARING EXPERIENCE To find the best way to contain a further spread of COVID-19, many countries have turned their eyes to China's anti-epidemic experience. Chile announced earlier this week that it will send experts to China. "China's situation is extraordinarily important, because the measures they have applied -- mainly measures of public health, community awareness and controlling contact -- are working," said Chilean Health Minister Jaime Manalich. Bruce Aylward, an epidemiologist who led an advance team from the World Health Organization (WHO), speaks during a press conference of the China-WHO joint expert team in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 24, 2020. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli) Bruce Aylward, team leader of the China-WHO joint mission on COVID-19, told The New York Times that China's counterattack can be replicated but requires speed, money, imagination and political courage. Charles Powell, a member of Britain's House of Lords and chairman of the Said Business School at Oxford University, said other countries have tried to imitate China's response on a much smaller scale. "One is seeing how the Italian government is trying to isolate two parts of the country and whether it will work. I think people respect China's reaction," he said. In its latest move to push for global cooperation on fighting the outbreak, China announced on Saturday its decision to donate 20 million dollars to the WHO. Last week, Chinese health authorities held a video conference with experts from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Turkmenistan and the secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to share China's experience. Soldiers check people's information at a checkpoint in Lombardy region, Italy, on Feb. 27, 2020. (Xinhua) According to China's EU mission, two video conferences on COVID-19 have been held between officials and experts from China and the EU, with the first on Feb. 12 and the second on Feb. 26. Since a team of five Chinese health experts arrived at the Iranian capital of Tehran on Feb. 29, they have been learning the epidemic situation on the ground, exchanging experience with the Iranian side, and promoting bilateral cooperation on medicine and health. It sets "an excellent example of 'peer to peer' experience sharing," said Maria van Kerkhove, technical lead for the WHO's Health Emergencies Program, adding the WHO is looking forward to seeing more direct interaction of that kind. (Video reporters: Du Yang, Liu Qu, Li Xiaopeng, Li Baodong, Li Haitao, Pan Geping, Zhao Yuchao, Han Chong, Zhang Baoping, Jiang Xintong, Jiang Chao, Ali Jaswal, Tariq Hameed, Yu Jiaxin, Zhang Dailei, Liang Xizhi, Jiang Bowen, Lu Qinxin, Guo Wei, Lu Rui, Tian Ming, Jin Haomin, Ji Li, Roberto Ferranti; Video Editors: Ma Ruxuan, Chen Sihong) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 11:32:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Beijing reported two new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection on Saturday, both of which were imported cases, from Italy and Spain, respectively, local health authorities said Sunday. The two confirmed cases have been transferred to designated medical institutions for treatment in Beijing, said the municipal health commission. As of Saturday, a total of 428 infections had been reported in Beijing, including 13 imported cases from overseas. No new confirmed cases have been reported in 12 of the 16 districts in Beijing for more than 14 consecutive days. On Saturday, three imported cases of novel coronavirus infection were reported on the Chinese mainland. By the end of Saturday, 63 imported cases had been reported, according to the National Health Commission. A senior member of Donald Trump's administration has admitted that plans for disembarking a cruise ship on which 21 people are known to have the coronavirus are not "fully formulated". Ben Carson, the housing secretary, told ABC's This Week that plans on how to deal with the Grand Princess were yet to be completed. The ship, which has more than 3,500 people on board, is due to dock in Oakland, California on Monday after being anchored off San Francisco for several days. So far 19 employees and two passengers have tested positive for Covid-19. Another 24 people tested negative and one case was inconclusive. There are about 3,500 passengers on board. On Sunday it was announced that when passengers disembark in Oakland, those who need treatment will receive it at healthcare facilities in California while state residents "will go to a federally operated isolation facility" for testing and isolation. Non-California residents will be tested elsewhere in Texas or Georgia, where they will be quarantined for 14 days and crew will remain on the ship. Dr Carson, a former neurosurgeon, was asked by presenter George Stephanopoulos what the plan was for dealing with passengers and crew. He said: "As you know the vice-president met with the CEOs of the major cruise ship companies yesterday, and they are coming up with a plan within 72 hours of that meeting." Dr Carson said the plan would be in place by the time the ship docks, but added: "I don't want to preview the plan right now." Stephanopoulos asked: "Shouldn't you be able to do that?" The housing secretary replied: "I think it needs to come from a solitary source. We shouldn't have 16 people saying what the plan is particularly when it hasn't been fully formulated." Trump brags about his 'natural ability' for science The presenter responded: "OK, well you're the president's representative this morning but we'll move on." On Friday, Mr Trump said he wanted to keep passengers and crew on board so that US cases would not "double". He said: "They would like to have the people come off. I'd rather have the people stay. But I'd go with them. I told them to make the final decision. I would rather because I like the numbers being where they are. I don't need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn't our fault." California governor Gavin Newsom said the ship would be docking in Oakland on Monday after various locations had been considered, but said an exact time was yet to be determined, depending on currents and the state of preparations. Medical staff will be sent onboard to screen passengers. Foreign nationals on the ship are expected to be flown out of the country on private chartered flights. He said that 114 people in the state had tested positive and one had died a man who had previously been on the Grand Princess. Some 1,540 California residents who were on the previous cruise are being monitored and 12 have been confirmed as having Covid-19. The president has angrily rejected persistent claims that his administration has failed to get to grips with the threat of Covid-19, which has now infected more than 400 people in the United States and claimed 19 lives. He sent a Sunday morning tweet reading: "We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus. We moved VERY early to close borders to certain areas, which was a Godsend. V.P. is doing a great job. The Fake News Media is doing everything possible to make us look bad. Sad!" His top expert on coronavirus, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has warned elderly people with underlying health conditions to restrict their travel and avoid large gatherings. He told NBC's Meet the Press: "If you are an elderly person with an underlying condition, if you get infected, the risk of getting into trouble is considerable. So it's our responsibility to protect the vulnerable. "When I say protect, I mean right now. Not wait until things get worse. Say no large crowds, no long trips. "And above all, don't get on a cruise ship." Italy imposes quarantine on millions to contain coronavirus On Sunday Oregon became the latest US state to declare a state of emergency over the virus. Governor Kate Brown announced the move, which should make more funding available to deal with the threat, after seven more cases were confirmed in the state on Saturday night, bringing the total to 14. Meanwhile, Connecticut confirmed its first case of Covid-19. Two more were confirmed in New Jersey, bringing the total there to six. Manuals, Handbooks and Training Materials NEW!!! Digest of cases of international cooperation in criminal matters involving the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime as a legal basis (2021). Digest of cases of international cooperation in criminal matters involving the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime as a legal basis (2021). English Developed pursuant to UNTOC-COP resolution 9/3, the Digest represents the first and most comprehensive study of the practical use of the international cooperation provisions of the Convention, as documented in actual cases. The goal of the Digest is to present the fullest possible picture of the practical use of the Organized Crime Convention as a legal basis for international cooperation at a significant juncture: having already celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the adoption and opening for signature of the Convention and with the accumulated experience gained after 18 years since its entry into force. As such, the Digest fills a gap in the range of technical assistance tools developed by UNODC to support States parties in preventing and combating organized crime more effectively and in line with UNTOC requirements. The Digest also facilitates the sharing of relevant experiences of States parties and, on the basis of the lessons learned, the development of recommendations aimed at enhancing and increasing the use of the Convention as a tool for international cooperation to combat transnational organized crime more effectively. The Digest of cases of international cooperation in criminal matters involving the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime as a legal basis was developed by the Conference Support Section, Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch, Division for Treaty Affairs of UNODC, with the financial support of the Government of the People's Republic of China. Manual on Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition (2012) Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish This manual is offered in response to Conference of Parties resolution 5/8 entitled "Implementation of the provisions on international cooperation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime". In that resolution, UNODC was directed to develop a practical guide to facilitate the drafting, transmission and execution of requests for extradition and mutual legal assistance. The manual is intended for by central and other competent national authorities, policy makers and criminal justice practitioners including lawyers, investigators, judges and magistrates who are involved international legal assistance. Manual on International Cooperation for the Purposes of Confiscation of Proceeds of Crime (2012) English - French - Spanish The focus of the Manual is national efforts aimed at successfully preventing criminals from profiting from crime. Its primary purpose is to facilitate asset recovery in accordance with the provisions of the Organized Crime Convention. It is to be used in close conjunction with the companion Manual on Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition. Handbook on the International Transfer of Sentenced Persons (2012) English The nature of transnational organized crime means that it is increasingly common for criminals involved to be convicted and sentenced in foreign countries. This Handbook is designed to explain how transferring sentenced persons to serve their sentences in their home country can contribute to dealing with them fairly and effectively, and the cooperative process to facilitate their transfer. Manual on International Cooperation in Criminal Matters related to Terrorism (2009) Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish The objective of the Manual is to enable legal practitioners specialized in the fight against terrorism to act more effectively and more rapidly. As such, the manual provides practitioners with immediate answers concerning the tools they can use and the relevant types of international cooperation, such as extradition and mutual legal assistance, as well as give them practical advice concerning the difficulties and obstacles they may encounter. It is also intended for use as a educational tool in the training of legal practitioners in the fight against terrorism. Counter-Terrorism Legal Training Curriculum: Module 3: International Cooperation in Criminal Matters Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish The Curriculum is a platform for transferring the knowledge and expertise needed to strengthen the capacity of national criminal justice officials to implement the universal legal framework against terrorism. Module 3 of the Curriculum focuses on the international cooperation in criminal matters, in particular mutual legal assistance and extradition in terrorist cases. Digest of Organized Crime Cases (2012) English - French - Spanish - Italian On the occasion of the Tenth Anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, UNODC, the Italian and the Colombian Governments and INTERPOL decided to launch an initiative aimed at facilitating and assisting States in the implementation of the Convention by providing them with a compilation of illustrative cases of organized crime, and related "good practices" in investigative and prosecutorial techniques, as well as in international cooperation in criminal matters. The Digest is developed by the Implementation Support Section of the Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch of the Division for Treaty Affairs in cooperation with relevant units of UNODC, and in close cooperation with INTERPOL and from the sponsoring countries Italy and Colombia. In-Depth Training Manual on Investigating and Prosecuting the Smuggling of Migrants (2011) (Module 7. International Cooperation in Criminal Matters) English - French [Website] The Manual is the product of criminal justice expertise gathered from around the world. The diversity of those involved in the process of elaborating the manual reflects its target audience of criminal justice practitioners including investigators, examining judges, investigating judges, prosecutors, magistrates, law enforcement officers, border agents, and all other professionals who are involved in the criminal justice system. The purpose Module 7 is to discuss some of the general considerations that may apply to international cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of migrant smuggling. In light of the general approach taken by this module, it is important for criminal justice practitioners to understand the specific provisions of other relevant treaties and domestic legislation that may also be relevant to individual cases. Basic Training Manual on Investigating and Prosecuting the Smuggling of Migrants (2010) (Module 8. International Cooperation) Arabic - English - French - Russian - Spanish [Website] Conceptualized as a 'practical guide for law enforcement and prosecution on migrant smuggling', the overall goal of the Manual is to build the capacity of criminal justice practitioners to dismantle the criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling, secure the conviction of the criminals involved, raise awareness among criminal justice practitioners on the criminal nature of migrant smuggling, and improve cooperation between origin, transit, and destination countries. The Training Modules are designed to be used in the context of delivering technical assistance through training law enforcers and prosecutors on effective investigation and prosecution of migrant smuggling cases. The Modules are written in such a way that they can be readily adapted to the needs of different regions and countries, and can serve as the basis for upgrading or supplementing training programs of national training institutes. Anti-Human Trafficking Manual for Criminal Justice Practitioners (2008) ( Module 6. International Cooperation in Trafficking in Persons Cases) Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish - Portuguese [Website] In line with the Trafficking in Persons Protocol supplementing the United Nations Transnational Organised Crime Convention, the purpose of the Manual is to further facilitate the prevention of human trafficking, protection of its victims, prosecution of its culprits and develop international cooperation to achieve these targets. The manual addresses each phase of the criminal justice response to trafficking in persons, from identification of victims through investigations and prosecutions of trafficking, to the protection of victims. The manual consists of 14 modules that stand alone to meet the specific needs of criminal justice practitioners, and serve as a practical guide towards a more effective criminal justice response to trafficking in persons. Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime: Needs Assessment Tools (2016) Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish The purpose of the Tools is to provide guidance in assessing what should be done by States parties in order to ensure that the full potential of the Organized Crime Convention can be realized. The tools are to be used in the delivery of technical assistance, in particular in assessing the needs of States parties for technical assistance, with a focus on implementing legislation. At the domestic level, the tools can also enable experts, in particular policymakers and legislators, to assess the implementation of the Convention. Handbook on Identity-related Crime (2011) English - Spanish The main objective of the Handbook is to set out a range of options and considerations to be taken into account when addressing domestic criminal justice matters pertaining to identity-related crimes, including specific challenges in the field of international cooperation and potential partnerships between public and private sectors. The Handbook is intended for use by legislators, policy-makers, prosecutors and law enforcement practitioners, as well as other non-governmental stakeholders. The Handbook contains a comprehensive Practical Guide to International Cooperation to Combat Identity-related Crime. Mutual Legal Assistance Request Writer Tool (MLA Tool) Website The Mutual Legal Assistance Request Writer Tool (MLA Tool) was developed by UNODC to assist criminal justice practitioners in drafting expeditiously MLA requests, thereby enhancing cooperation between States and accelerating responses to such requests. In its revised and expanded version, the Tool is an HTML-based stand-alone application, capable of running on all devices. It provides guidance to practitioners through each step of the drafting process and further helps them draft MLA requests by filling in all appropriate and relevant information. The MLA Tool will be linked to the UNODC Directories of Competent National Authorities (CNA Directories) to enable retrieving CNA contact information for use in the preparation of MLA requests. The Tool will also be linked to SHERLOC in order to assist practitioners in getting easy access to a variety of constantly updated information such as national guides, legal provisions relating to international cooperation in criminal matters and other supplementary resources such as manuals, checklists of legal requirements and external links with custom templates and formats of other countries. The MLA Tool is currently available in English, but can be translated into other languages (UN official or other) subject to availability of resources. Similarly to its early version, the MLA Tool will be made available free of charge and will also be downloaded from the UNODC website as an open resource. ASEAN Handbook on International Legal Cooperation in Trafficking in Persons Cases (2010) English The MLA Tool was developed by UNODC to assist States to draft requests for international cooperation. The MLA Tool requires virtually no prior knowledge or experience with drafting requests for mutual legal assistance, by simply guiding users step-by-step through the process with a series of templates. The drafter is prompted to enter essential information so as to avoid incomplete requests that can cause delay or refusal. Once the user has entered all information, the tool consolidates all data entered and automatically generates a correct, complete and effective request for final editing, signature and submission. The MLA Tool is currently available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Bosnian, Croatian Montenegrin and Serbian. Model Laws and Treaties on International Cooperation Model Law on Extradition (2004) Arabic - English - French The model legislation on extradition was developed by UNODC to assist Member States in giving effect to the provisions of the model treaties approved by the General Assembly, in order to enhance effective international cooperation. The model law takes into consideration the developments occurred after the adoption of the model treaties, in particular the adoption of the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the 2003 United Nations Convention against Corruption. Model Law on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (2007) Arabic - English - French The model legislation on mutual assistance was developed by UNODC to assist Member States in giving effect to the provisions of the model treaties approved by the General Assembly, in order to enhance effective international cooperation. The model law takes into consideration the developments occurred after the adoption of the model treaties, in particular the adoption of the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the 2003 United Nations Convention against Corruption. Model Treaty on Extradition (General Assembly resolution 45/116, as amended by General Assembly resolution 52/88) English ( consolidated version ) The model treaty on extradition was developed by UNODC to assist Member States in giving effect to the provisions of the model treaties approved by the General Assembly, in order to enhance effective international cooperation. The model law takes into consideration the developments occurred after the adoption of the model treaties, in particular the adoption of the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the 2003 United Nations Convention against Corruption. Model Treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (General Assembly Resolution 45/117, as amended by General Assembly resolution 53/112) English ( consolidated version ) The model treaty on mutual assistance in criminal matters was developed by UNODC to assist Member States in giving effect to the provisions of the model treaties approved by the General Assembly, in order to enhance effective international cooperation. The model law takes into consideration the developments occurred after the adoption of the model treaties, in particular the adoption of the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the 2003 United Nations Convention against Corruption. Revised Manuals on the Model Treaties on Extradition and Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters English The revised manuals on the model treaties on extradition and mutual assistance in criminal matters were developed by UNODC to assist Member States in giving effect to the provisions of the model treaties approved by the General Assembly, in order to enhance effective international cooperation. The model law takes into consideration the developments occurred after the adoption of the model treaties, in particular the adoption of the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the 2003 United Nations Convention against Corruption. Model Treaty on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters (General Assembly resolution 45/118) Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish The model legislative provisions against organized crime were developed in response to a request made by the General Assembly to the Secretary-General to promote and assist the efforts of Member States to become party to and implement the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto. The model legislative provisions will facilitate the review and amendment of existing legislation and the adoption of new legislation by Member States and they are designed to be adapted to the needs of each State, whatever its legal tradition and social, economic, cultural and geographic conditions. Model Bilateral Agreement on the Sharing of Confiscated Proceeds of Crime or Property covered by the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 (ECOSOC Resolution 2005/14) English International cooperation could be expanded further to include agreements or arrangements on the sharing of confiscated proceeds of crime or property, taking into particular consideration article 14 of the Organized Crime Convention, but also article 5, paragraph 5, of the 1988 Convention. In that context, an intergovernmental expert group, convened pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 2004/24, met in Vienna from 26 to 28 January 2005 and prepared a draft bilateral agreement model on disposal of confiscated proceeds of crime covered by the above-mentioned conventions, for use by Member States as a framework for the conclusion of pertinent bilateral agreements. The Model Bilateral Agreement on the Sharing of Confiscated Proceeds of Crime or Property was adopted by the Economic and Social Council in 2005. Model Legislative Provisions against Organized Crime (2012) Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish The model legislative provisions against organized crime were developed in response to a request made by the General Assembly to the Secretary-General to promote and assist the efforts of Member States to become party to and implement the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto. The model legislative provisions will facilitate the review and amendment of existing legislation and the adoption of new legislation by Member States and they are designed to be adapted to the needs of each State, whatever its legal tradition and social, economic, cultural and geographic conditions. Model Law Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition (2011) (in particular Part Two, Section C on International Cooperation) Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish The Model Law was developed by UNODC in response to the request of the General Assembly to the Secretary-General to assist State Parties in strengthen their domestic legal framework in a manner consistent with the international legal regime on firearms. The Model Law represents a concrete help for policy and lawmakers to translate the treaty language of the Firearms Protocol into domestic legal provisions and help them in strengthening their legislative regimes on firearms in a manner consistent with the Firearms Protocol. Reports State of Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption: Criminalization, Law Enforcement and International Cooperation Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish [Website] The establishment and operation of the Mechanism for the Review of Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption have allowed for the collection, systematization and dissemination of an unprecedented wealth of information that is useful for furthering the goals of the Convention. The State of Implementation study is based on that information and contains a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of chapters III (Criminalization and law enforcement) and IV (International cooperation) of the Convention by the 68 States parties reviewed at the time of drafting as part of the first cycle of the Implementation Review Mechanism (2010-2015). Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (The World Bank + UNODC) [Website] The StAR Initiative is a UNODC/World Bank partnership aimed to prevent the laundering of the proceeds of corruption and facilitate more systematic and timely return of stolen assets. Among other work, the StAR has developed a broad range of publications and reports on various aspects asset recovery in corruption cases. A Timeline of Events Leading Up to the Coronavirus Outbreak in China Jan. 20 is possibly one of the most important dates on the timeline of Chinas coronavirus outbreak. Before that day, people in Wuhan were carefree and unconcerned about the virus, due to reassuring announcements from authorities. They werent wearing masks. They were visiting infected hospitals that dont separate fever patients. They were even enjoying massive banquets where over 40,000 people shared meals together. But soon after, Chinas top coronavirus expert, Zhong Nanshan, appeared on state media to confirm that the virus is actually contagious. Thats when the country started to panic. Authorities began taking drastic measures, but it still wouldnt stop the flood of tragic incidents from happening. While youre probably being bombarded with scary new updates every day, NTD would like to help explain the incidents leading up to Jan. 20 and discuss the idea that this public health event was not an accident. The disastrous outbreak and its cover-up were almost certain to happen under the countrys communist system. When could Chinas authorities have pulled the alarm, enacted preventative measures, and avoided the loss of life? Earliest Sign The earliest sign probably showed up in mid-November. Its actually been very long. We have been working under very bad protective measures for almost two months now, Dr. Wei, a physician in a Wuhan clinic told NTD on Jan. 22 in a phone interview. Dr. Wei said his clinic has been experiencing a surge of fever patients since last November. A research paper later published may have affirmed what he said. Commenting on the paper published by Lancet, Infectious disease expert Daniel Lucey told Science Magazine that if the new data is accurate, the first human infections must have occurred in November 2019if not earlier. Whistleblower Issues First Warning Fast forward to late December when information about a mysterious pneumonia outbreak was already circulating inside Chinas hospitals. Doctors warned families and friends to stay away from a place called the Huanan Seafood market and to be careful of a potential SARS-like virus. That includes Dr. Li Wenliang, who posted the lab test result of a coronavirus patient in a group chat of about 150 medics on Dec. 30, writing: 7 cases of SARS have been confirmed in the South China Fruit and Seafood Market and they were isolated in the emergency department of our hospital. Please tell your families to take preventative measures. Wuhan Doctor Li Wenliang warning friends in a WeChat group about the coronavirus. (Social media/screenshot) In later interviews, some doctors also revealed that healthcare workers were starting to become infected around this time, a significant sign that the virus could spread between humans. This should have alerted health experts. Health officials in Wuhan were indeed alerted. But instead of ramping up safety measures and alerting the public, on Dec. 30 they issued a document (pdf) forbidding all medical institutes or individuals from disclosing any information regarding the new disease. At midnight the same day, Dr. Li Wenliang was summoned by the police. They questioned him about why he was spreading rumors online. A few days later, Dr. Li was asked to sign a document reading, We want you to cooperate with the police, and listen to our reminder and stop the illegal act. Can you do that? Li wrote, I can. Letter of Admonition by Wuhan Public Security Bureau. (Public Domain) The 34-year-old whistleblower later died from the illness on Feb. 7. People attend a vigil to mourn for doctor Li Wenliang in Hong Kong, on Feb. 7, 2020. (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images) Public Announcement On Dec. 31, Wuhans health commission finally posted an announcement about the outbreak on their website. They confirmed 27 cases of the infection and said there was no evidence that the disease was contagious among humans. But according to a research paper written by Chinese officials, which was published later, the number of virus cases had reached at least 105 by the end of 2019. At that point, 15 people had already died. A media report also showed that one major hospital in Wuhan, Xiehe Hospital, was forced to transform an entire floor of the facility into quarantine space for contagious disease. Not knowing about the potential danger, Wuhan locals were still visiting the potential origin of the virus. One Chinese reporter saw the seafood market operating as usual on Dec. 31. None of the people the reporter talked with knew anything about the viral pneumonia and nobody was wearing masks. Compared to carefree residents in Wuhan, those with better sources of information started taking a completely different kind of approach. According to an internal document, a military-affiliated college in Wuhan started a de facto lockdown on Jan. 2. The document requires a strict check for anyone entering the campus. Visitors had to go through fever checking and people are forbidden to enter the campus if their body temperatures are over 100 F. On Jan. 4, the Hong Kong government activated a serious response level in reaction to the outbreak. This was nearly 20 days before Wuhan citys lockdown. On Jan. 6, the center for disease control in Shanghai acquired the complete gene sequencing of the new virus. They found over 89 percent similarity between the new virus and the deadly SARS virus that caused a pandemic in 2003. The information was sent to Chinas national CDC in an internal document. The center recommended that authorities implement preventative measures in all public places. Suppression of Data Then came an extremely quiet period for the coronavirus. From Jan. 6 to Jan. 17. Wuhan authorities reported almost zero new cases. The lull reassured the Chinese people. The mysterious pneumonia didnt appear to be a contagious disease. But there might be another reason behind the quietthis 11 day period was when authorities in Wuhan City and Hubei Province held their most important annual political meetings. Over 2,000 representatives of the people gathered to discuss the amazing achievements of 2019 and how 2020 will be a tremendous and promising year. The virus? It was barely mentioned. In an interview with Hong Kong media Initium, Professor of Sociology at Stanford University, Zhou Xueguang said that he was not surprised by the Wuhan governments response. He explained that downplaying negative incidents, especially during major political events, is the Chinese governments coping mechanism. He said, Only that the consequence of following their playbook was so disastrous this time, and that is something the officials didnt expect. Meanwhile, the reality of the situation was getting worse. According to an SOS post on Chinese social media site Weibo, a persons dad was confirmed to have viral pneumonia. But the Xiehe Hospital in Wuhan refused to admit the father due to a shortage of hospital beds. Another netizen posted that his entire family was infected. They went to the Tongji Hospital in Wuhan and saw that there were so many patients that some had to lie on the floor of the corridor. His father was also sent home to self-quarantine because there werent enough hospital beds. The post was later deleted. So were all other posts in the users account. Thats the week Wuhan authorities didnt report a single confirmed or suspected case. Spread Encouraged Everything seemed to be under control. On Jan. 17, Wuhans tourism bureau even issued over 200,000 free tourism tickets. It was an effort to entice people to visit the city, so they could experience the Chinese style and warm sentiments of Wuhan. Not only was the Chinese regime cracking down on the negative rumors, they were also working hard to prevent information from making its way out of mainland China. On Jan. 14, a group of Hong Kong journalists accompanied Hong Kong experts who were invited to conduct research on the virus outbreak. The reporters were later detained by Chinese police, who photographed their reporter IDs and asked them to delete all footage taken inside hospitals. From Jan. 12 to 16, an estimated over 3 million passengers left Wuhan by train, to visit other cities in China. On Jan. 18, Baibuting, a populous district in Wuhan, held an annual banquet to celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday. But three days before, staff from the neighborhood committee who were concerned about the outbreak asked if they could cancel the banquet. But district officials denied the request. Over 40,000 families eventually joined the banquet. If youre a resident of Wuhan, and youve followed the governments directive to not believe or spread conspiracy theories, heres what youd know about the coronavirus: First, there is zero infection among medical staff; Second, there is no evidence that the disease is contagious; And third, the outbreak is preventable and controllable. But on Jan. 20, for the first time ever, a Chinese expert said there was actually human to human transmission of the virus. The number of infected people exploded. Three days later, the entire city of Wuhan was put under lockdown. Over 50 million people were impacted. From NTD News The Kano State government has started ridding its streets of Almajiri as it begins to put into effect its recent ban on begging in the state. About 1500 of such young beggars have been taken off the streets, although some of them were rounded up a few months back. Those from outside the state have been sent back to their states origin. In a similar move to discourage street begging ,the Kebbi State government plans to involve 504 Quranic schools in the state in a World Bank assisted integrated programme to give the children proper education and care. Government has earmarked N70 per meal for the children and N500,000 grant to each of the pilot Quranic schools. The House of Representatives also plans to initiate reforms of the Almajiri system of education in the country. A member of the House, Dr Balarabe Kakale, from Bodinga/Dange-Shuni/Tureta Federal Constituency in Sokoto State (PDP-Sokoto), said the matter has been slated for debate on Thursday, March 12. Spokesperson for Hisbah in Kano State , (the states Sharia enforcer), Lawan Ibrahim Fagge, told The Nation by phone that 70 percent of the Almajiri who were apprehended on the streets by the Anti-bara unit of Hisbah over the last five months have been sent back to their states of origin including Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Borno and Yobe. Some of the young beggars are from Kano, Adamawa and neighboring countries of Chad and Niger Republic. He said that following governments ban on street begging some parents have voluntarily withdrawn their children from the streets. Fagge said: Those arrested children from Kano were classified. Those who can read and write the Holy Quran were identified while we await further directives from the governor. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates (Newser) Queen Elizabeth extended Meghan Markle and Prince Harry an invitation Sunday that marked their first public reunion since the quasi-royal couple left for Canada, E! News reports. It was simple: Come to a church service at the Royal Chapel of All saints in Windsor Great Park. "It was a really sweet gesture that the Queen asked them to church," a source tells People. "It's telling in the sense that these two are still her family. And as a family, they all love each other." The magazine reports that the Queen showed up "in a light blue ensemble with a matching hat" and Meghan in a "fascinator-style headpiece" with emerald earrings. Harry, of course, donned a suit and tie. Harry and Meghan are in England on a kind of "farewell tour" before giving up their royal titles and duties. story continues below Meghan also made a surprise visit Friday to Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham to talk about gender equityright before International Women's Day on Sunday, per USA Today. Her visit also marked the 50th anniversary of Britain's Equal Pay Act, which barred workplace inequity against women. "No matter how small you might feel, how low you may feel on the ladder or the totem pole ... you have a voice, and you certainly have the right to speak up for what is right," the Duchess of Sussex told 700 students gathered for her talk. She also invited males in the room "to continue to value and appreciate the women in your lives, and also set the example for some men who are not seeing it that same way." (See how the Queen gave a "nod" to the royal breakup.) The sale is key to meeting the governments disinvestment target of Rs 2.1 trillion in the financial year 2020-21. So far, the disinvestment exercise has fetched the government Rs 34,845 crore during the current financial year. IMAGE: Bharat Petroleum employees shout protest against the privatization on the PSU oil major. Photograph: ANI Photo. The government on Saturday invited bids for a majority stake in Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL), more than three months after the Union Cabinet approved the strategic divestment. Private companies with a net worth of over $10 billion (Rs 74,000 crore) will be eligible to bid by May 2. Based on the current market capitalisation of Rs 87,388 crore, the government stake of 52.98 per cent in BPCL is valued at around Rs 46,300 crore. This sale is key to meeting the governments disinvestment target of Rs 2.1 trillion in the financial year 2020-21. So far, the disinvestment exercise has fetched the government Rs 34,845 crore during the current financial year. The department of investment and public asset management made it clear that none of the public sector undertakings will be allowed to participate in the proposed stake sale. BPCL employees, however, can bid. They will be given the option to match the highest offer if their bid is within the 10 per cent band. The selected bidder will have to make an open offer to public shareholders for acquiring another 26 per cent. The open offer price (payable in Indian rupee) will be the highest of the negotiated price under the sale, weighted average price paid by the acquirer and persons acting in concert in 52 weeks preceding the public announcement for open offer, highest price paid by the acquirer for any acquisition during 26 weeks preceding the announcement or the weighted average price over 60 trading days prior to the date of announcement. Under the guidelines of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), the acquisition of an aggregate of 25 per cent or more shares or voting rights in a listed entity would trigger an open offer. Unlike the Air India sale, employees would not be given any stock option in the case of BPCL. But they can bid. For that, at least 15 per cent of the employees should participate in the bidding process. They can form a consortium with companies or financiers, but such partners cannot bid separately. The strategic disinvestment includes sale of the governments entire stake in BPCL comprising 1.14 billion equity shares and 52.98 per cent of BPCLs equity share capital. The divestment will also mean transfer of management control. BPCLs equity of 61.65 per cent in Numaligarh Refinery will be sold separately to a state-run oil and gas company, the bidding for which will be conducted in two stages. For the BPCL sale, bids will be allowed from consortiums of maximum four players, with the lead member having at least 40 per cent holding in the partnership. Each member in a consortium must also have a minimum net worth of $1 billion. The transaction adviser for the deal is Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India. The investor will get access to diversified business areas of the company including refinery, retail, lubricants, aviation, gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). BPCLs share of the countrys refining capacity is pegged at 15 per cent, while it has 25.77 per cent in the retail market, 25.67 per cent in LPG, 24.94 per cent in aviation and 22.29 per cent in lubricants. With more than 50 LNG consumers, BPCLs total refining capacity stands at 38.3 million tonne per annum (MTPA). According to the data available with the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, BPCL has 15,184 fuel retail outlets and 58 ATF stations across the country. The company has investments in upstream sector too with participating interests in 25 blocks. While 13 of these are located in India, another 12 are overseas. To the Editor: Re Anxious Times for Visible Jews as Communities Clash (news article, Feb. 17) and I Am a Haredi Jew, Not an Extremist (Op-Ed, Feb. 21): As a secular Jewish woman, I can dwell on the seemingly vast distance between my conservative Jewish upbringing and that of Haredi Jews. But now is the time for secular Jews to reach across that distance and build connection and solidarity. After all, although anti-Semitism takes different forms, it affects all of us. Last year, as I dropped my 2-year-old at his small neighborhood Jewish preschool in brownstone Brooklyn, I pulled back a makeshift covering on the door to find a swastika there, discovered (and covered up) by staff members minutes before morning drop-off. As a deputy commissioner at the New York City Commission on Human Rights, I helped develop a recent public awareness campaign to combat anti-Semitism. It features the names and faces of both Haredi and secular Jews smiling proudly at the camera. It was intentional, and no small feat, to make sure that New York Citys diverse and beautiful mosaic of Jewish communities were represented side by side. No matter the particulars of what may divide us, our shared heritage and common threat must unite us to say that we belong here and that anti-Semitism does not. Rappahannock Community College and the University of Mary Washington have signed a transfer agreement designed to improve access to higher education for associate degree students from the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. The agreement was signed Feb. 27 at UMW's Dahlgren campus in King George County by UMW president Troy Paino and RCC president Shannon Kennedy. RCC is the only higher education institution with a physical presence in the Northern Neck/Middle Peninsula. It has two campuses, one in Richmond County and one in Gloucester County, and three off-campus sitesone in King George. "Forty percent of RCCs annual enrollment consists of high school students taking dual enrollment coursework, the vast majority of who intend to apply that coursework toward credentials, certificates and degrees," said Miles McCrimmon, dean of dual enrollment and community outreach at RCC, in a press release about the transfer agreement. "With these specific pathways to UMW in place, we will be in a better position from day oneoften as early as tenth gradeto show how RCC coursework taken during and after high school can lead directly into majors at UMW and careers beyond that. The Pentagon has been issuing near daily announcements of new strikes against the Islamic militants of Shebab in Somalia, seemingly without affecting the Al-Qaeda affiliate's ability to destabilize the country, in what is looking like a new "endless war" for the United States. The Trump administration's plans to reduce its military presence in Africa while re-centering its efforts toward two key strategic competitors -- China and Russia -- are coming at the expense of French-led operations against jihadists in the Sahel region. So far, however, the war of attrition against the Shebab has continued unabated. "Al-Shebab is one of the biggest threats on the continent; they have aspirations to attack the (US) homeland," General Roger Cloutier, commander of US land forces in Africa, recently declared. Eighty-one people were killed when a Shebab car bomb detonated at a busy checkpoint in Mogadishu on December 28, 2019. By Abdirazak Hussein FARAH (AFP/File) "The danger that they pose has to be taken very, very seriously," he said during a recent Pentagon conference call. "So we are focused hard on Al-Shebab." The US Africa Command (Africom) on Friday announced an air strike on a Shebab target near the town of Qunyo Barrow, in southern Somalia. One Shebab fighter was killed, the statement said. It was the 20th strike against the Islamist insurgents by US forces in Somalia since the start of the year, after 64 strikes in 2019 and 43 in 2018, according to data from the New America policy center in Washington. To 'mow the lawn' "The phrase that people use is 'continue to mow the lawn,' right? Pull the weeds," US Defense Secretary Mark Esper explained late last year, in reference to air strikes against jihadists in Libya and Somalia. Somali soldiers like these on patrol in Mogadishu face Shebab militants estimated to number between 5,000 and 9,000. By Abdirazak Hussein FARAH (AFP/File) "And that means, every now and then you have to do these things to stay on top of it so that a threat doesn't grow, doesn't resurge," he said. But Shebab militants are estimated to number between 5,000 and 9,000, so even if US forces continued to eliminate one or two of their fighters every day, it could take years to kill them all -- assuming that no replacements are recruited. That makes it sound a lot like the sort of "endless war" that US President Donald Trump detests. In a first public report on the US military operation in Somalia published in February, the Pentagon's acting inspector general, Glenn Fine, recalled that part of Africom's stated mission is to ensure that by 2021, Shebab, the Islamic State in Somalia and other terrorist groups have been sufficiently "degraded such that they cannot cause significant harm to US interests." Shebab militants attacked the SYL hotel in Mogadishu on December 11, 2019, killing five people including three civilians. By Abdirazak Hussein FARAH (AFP/File) But, Fine wrote, "despite continued US airstrikes in Somalia and US assistance to African partner forces, Al-Shebab appears to be a growing threat that aspires to strike the US homeland." The inspector general's office operates independently within the Pentagon. In fact, on January 5, Shebab militants attacked a US-Kenyan military base in Lamu in southeastern Kenya near the border with Somalia, killing three Americans. Earlier, on December 28, Shebab fighters led one of the deadliest attacks of the decade in Somalia when a booby-trapped vehicle exploded at a busy checkpoint in the capital Mogadishu, killing 81 people. Futile effort? Some US officials have expressed concern over the lack of tangible results in a war that many Americans know nothing of, a war waged largely by aerial drones and a small force of elite ground troops. Somali military chief General Abdiweli Jama Gorod (C) visits Sanguuni military base, where a US special operations soldier was killed by a mortar attack in June 2018. By Mohamed ABDIWAHAB (AFP/File) General Stephen Townsend, Africom's commander, defended the US strategy when questioned in January by members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "I don't believe that it's whack-a-mole," or a futile and unwinnable game, he told lawmakers. "We're looking for ways to reduce their capacity wherever we can." Catherine Besteman of the Watson Institute, a research center at Brown University that each year calculates the cost of US wars, concluded in a report last year that foreign military intervention "has not ameliorated the impact of Al-Shebab activities and, if anything, has augmented its ability to control the local population." Nurses help a child wounded in the December 28, 2019 car bomb explosion in Mogadishu before being evacuated to Turkey for medical treatment. By Abdirazak Hussein FARAH (AFP/File) She said that Shebab benefit from a war economy by extorting locals and siphoning off international aid sent to the impoverished country. Amnesty International has reported that US air strikes have claimed many civilian lives, something the US military has denied. Amnesty said in a 2019 report that US air strikes -- which it said sometimes indiscriminately targets both Shebab and civilians -- had resulted in the deaths of farmers, workers and even children. The group accused the US military of showing "appalling disregard for civilians." Following an internal inquiry, the US forces did admit to responsibility for civilian casualties in one attack: the deaths of a woman and a child in a strike near the central town of El Buur in April 2018. Recent events in boys-only schools have captured both headlines and the publics attention. This has reignited public debate around single-sex schooling. I too have been observing with interest though with perhaps a little more than most. I was a teacher in a boys school for a number of years, as well as attending both co-educational and girls schools as a young person. A better approach would be to know your students and how they learn - rather than grouping them into pre-existing categories. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Teaching a new generation of teachers about the Victorian Curriculum this week, we spent considerable time discussing the educational goals for another generation, the young Australians who will sit in their future classrooms. Co-educational schools are more strongly positioned to achieve these goals than single-sex schools. My pre-service teachers have been examining how our curriculum fosters inclusivity through developing students understanding of values such as respect, civility, equity, justice and responsibility. Taking a serious view of three fresh coronavirus patients not disclosing their Italy visit, the Kerala government on Sunday warned of strict action, including prosecution, against those hiding such travel to affected countries and symptoms of the infection. The Health department said failure to inform authorities about travel history and symptoms would be considered a crime, while the state police separately said it was "illegal and punishable" if anyone hid such information. The warnings came on a day when Kerala reported five fresh cases of cornovirus, including three who had recent travel history to Italy but evaded health screening at the airport on their return about a week ago. The health department directed that those who come from coronavirus-affected nations should inform it at the earliest. "Otherwise, it will be considered as a crime. Those who come from abroad should be in-house surveillance for 28 days," a release from the health department said. The police said the symptomatic persons should inform the authorities concerned. "It is illegal and punishable" if anyone hid their travel history to the coronavirus-affected countries and did not reveal the symptoms of the virus, if any, a police release said here. "Strict action, including prosecution, will be initiated against them. Directives of various government agencies should be followed in this regard," it added. Kerala was put on high alert after the five fresh cases which came days after the southern state had successfully treated the country's first three coronavirus patients - medical students from Wuhan in China. Health Minister K K Shailaja said the three, a couple and their son, had evaded health screening at the airport on their return about a week ago and all the five hail from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district. Their two relatives, whom they visited, also tested positive for the virus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One of the world's largest facilities for producing clean-burning hydrogen marked its opening on Saturday, in a demonstration of northeastern Japan's revival from the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Located in the town of Namie, just north of the ruined Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the solar-powered hydrogen station can produce enough gas to fill 560 fuel cell vehicles a day. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the opening ceremony for the government-backed project, which involves Toshiba, Tohoku Electric Power and natural gas distributor Iwatani. For Abe's government, the effort's tie-in with the Olympic Games offers a high-profile chance to counter criticism of foot-dragging in the fight against climate change. Japan has taken heat for its reliance on coal-fired plants and its funding of them overseas. The partners look to eventually transplant the hydrogen production technology abroad. "Hydrogen can be produced in other countries with lower renewable energy costs and shipped to Japan," said Iwatani executive Manabu Tsuyoshi. A Toyota fuel cell vehicle. Liquefied hydrogen is easier to transport and can be immediately used as fuel for cars or electricity generation. Reuters The country still faces higher generation costs for renewable energy than for thermal or nuclear power. Officially named the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field, the facility will serve as a proving ground for technology developed by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, a Japanese government agency. Project costs total about 20 billion yen ($189 million). The facility makes hydrogen by decomposing water, using electricity generated from its solar power plant. It contains a total of 20 megawatt capacity of solar panels in an area of 180,000 sq. kilometers in Fukushima Prefecture. For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. FORT EDWARD The Village Board is hoping that an interested party will step forward to purchase a vacant property on Broadway that sits on a prominent corner. Matt Fuller, the villages attorney, said at the March 2 board meeting that he received a call from someone interested in the property at 140 Broadway. Fuller said he immediately called owner James Stackhouse. Stackhouse, who lives in Sullivan County, owes more than $30,000 in taxes on the property, according to Washington County tax records. Fuller said Stackhouse had walked away from the three-story attached row building. He was of the belief that the bank had foreclosed on him and he did not own the property, Fuller said. Fuller added that the bank has not taken the property. If we have someone interested in buying it, lets work out something as soon as possible, he said. Fuller said the village paid for the work to stabilize the structure. He doesnt want anything. He knows hes upside down. Hes just looking to walk away, Fuller added. The village does not want the roughly 50-year-old building to just sit there. I think it could be a good opportunity to get a good landlord or somebody that wants to do something. I know a few people have talked about it, said Mayor Matthew Traver. He said this would be a key property to redevelop and he hoped that the Promote Fort Edward group would also be involved. Fuller said perhaps some deal could be worked out with the county on the back taxes owed on the property to make everybody whole. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 2 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Gretchen Whitmer was also elected governor in 2018, in Michigan the heartland, where the battle between Biden and President Trump will be truly joined. Her campaign slogan was fix the damn roads, which isnt all that far from Bidens governing philosophy and won her some notice beyond Michigan. But her entire political career has been in Lansing; will voters be satisfied with a Biden understudy without foreign or national security chops? Officials at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and the Virginia Department of Health are working cooperatively, according to longstanding public health protocols, according to the release. The teams are in regular and close communication with federal, state, local and private sector partners. The department says 39 people have been tested so far in the state, with 7 results pending. Public health officials caution that evidence has not been seen of COVID-19 spreading in Virginia. The University of Virginia has posted information about precautions and plans, should a case arrive in the Charlottesville area, and has canceled outgoing study abroad trips for Spring Break, which began Saturday. President Donald Trump has stated that he is not concerned at the increased proximity of confirmed cases to the White House, saying weve done a great job, according to The Associated Press. Mumbai, March 8 : Marquee US private equity fund, Carlyle Group, which acquired a 26 per cent stake in SBI Cards from the GE group, has made a windfall gain of 8.5 times in 3 years. The share-holding in SBI Cards before the ongoing IPO was 74 per cent with the State Bank of India and 26 per cent with Carlyle group through its subsidiary CA Rover Holdings. Carlyle Group had bought 26 per cent share of SBI Cards from a GE group company at Rs 2,000 crore. After the IPO, the share-holding in the company will be 70 per cent SBI as the bank is diluting its shares. The share-holding of Carlyle will be now at 16 per cent as it is also diluting its shares and 14 per cent will be the new shareholders. At the issue price of Rs 750-755, the company's market cap will be Rs 71,000 crore. Analysts say that assuming if the Carlyle Group is also diluting the same percentage of shares as of the SBI, the worth of the group's shares will be approximately Rs 17,500 crore. This would mean a windfall gain for Carlyle group as in just 3 years, Rs 2,000 crore has become Rs 17,000 crore, which is a 8.5 times return. In the SBI Cards issue, there are two components. In the IPO, the money raised goes to the company, on the balance sheet while in the Offer for Sale, the money raised goes to promoters/early investors bank account. In the Rs 9,000 crore SBI Cards issue, the fresh issuance (IPO) is Rs 500 crore. So, out of Rs 9,000 crore proposed raise, only Rs 500 crore will go to the company. The rest of the amount, approximately Rs 8,500 crore via Offer for Sale, which means around 95 per cent of the money raised via this IPO process, will be taken home by the SBI and the Carlyle Group. The Carlyle Group will be taking home approximately Rs 7,000 crore home. So, with the Rs 2,000 crore investment, they will make Rs 7,000 crore now and still hold 16 per cent shares of this currently valued Rs 70,000 crore company. That totals to another approximately Rs 10,000 crore worth of shares. Analysts are making the point that the retail investors of the SBI are not even making even one-tenth of what Carlyle Group is making. They add that the need of the IPO is not to raise money for business expansion but to give exit to the Carlyle group with a handsome profit. Nearly a year after a Boeing 737 MAX airplane crashed into an open field shortly after takeoff in Ethiopia, House investigators released a report Friday blaming Boeing's engineering mistakes and "culture of concealment," as well as the Federal Aviation Administration's "grossly insufficient" oversight of the production of the aircraft for the tragedy. The report also applied to an earlier 737 MAX crash in Indonesia, which combined with the Ethiopian Airlines flight killed 346 people. The report highlighted the fact that Boeing avoided putting pilots through necessary training protocols and removed key references about the plane's flight control system which is believed to be the main cause of the crashes from official manuals during the FAA certification process for the MAX model, even after the Indonesia crash. The aircraft has been grounded for months and saw its production halt in January. Despite accusing Boeing of withholding information from the FAA, the report still chastised the agency for failing "to identify key safety problems," although some Republican lawmakers pushed back against criticism of the FAA's approval process, arguing the report was rushed and led to premature conclusions. Meanwhile, a draft report from Ethiopian investigators reportedly blamed the plane's design for last year's fatal crash, though it did little to acknowledge the possible role of Ethiopian Airlines and its flight crew. That lies in contrast to Indonesia's report last October which cited errors by Lion Air's workers and crew while also faulting Boeing's software. Read more at Reuters and The Wall Street Journal. More stories from theweek.com Trump retweets White House photo of him fiddling, says he doesn't know 'what this means' The U.S. doesn't have enough ICU beds or ventilators to deal with even a moderate coronavirus outbreak Is coronavirus really a black swan event? The Global Synthetics Monitoring: Analyses, Reporting and Trends (SMART) programme works with Governments to assist them in generating and analysing data on the situation with respect to... more The UNODC Early Warning Advisory (EWA) on new psychoactive substances was launched in June 2013 as a response to the emergence of NPS at the global level. The EWA aims to monitor, analyse ... more Chinese Woman Returning from South Korea Complains about the Quarantine Hotel Location: China Date: March 4, 2020 Background: South Korea did not implement rigorous border control in response to the coronavirus outbreak in China. As a result, in just a short period of time, the number of confirmed COVID-19 virus infected patients in South Korea has exceeded 5,000. Many Chinese in South Korea have chosen to return to China. Those arriving from South Korea at a Chinese airport are taken directly to a local quarantine site for a 14-day isolation. Woman: Now I have arrived at this hotel which is a designated quarantine site. Let me show you what it is like. It was like this when I entered this room. This is the so-called quarantine. Look at everything here. After the previous guest left, no one came to replace (these old dirty) stuff or tidy up the room, and I am to be quarantined here. Damn it, even healthy people would get a viral infection here. Who is the owner of this teeth brushing set? Come pick them when you see this video. Same situation here, look. This is the so-called quarantine. They charge 790 Yuan ($113.4) per day, and I have already made payments for the entire (14-day) quarantine period. The Chinese people in South Korea were scared when the tally of confirmed coronavirus cases kept rising in South Korea. As their only source of information regarding the outbreak in China is Chinese state media, which significantly underreported the figures, many Chinese in South Korea chose to fly back to China. Chinese authorities have used this opportunity to brag that China outperforms other countries in coronavirus control, and is now taking back Chinese citizens from other virus-hit countries. However, the first group of Chinese who flew back from South Korea have already found themselves in a helpless situation. In addition, the flights between the two countries will increase the burden on local public health services, and pose a higher risk of further coronavirus spreading in local communities. Suspected Coronavirus Patient Treated Like Criminals When Taken Away From Home A Chinese Airport Takes Strict Measures to Inspect Passengers From South Korea Beijing Citizen: Central Authorities Shift Responsibility The wish of a seven-year-old cancer-stricken Indian boy came true when Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan met him in a heart-touching gesture and posted their picture on social media. Abdullah Hussain from Hyderabad, suffering from third stage cancer, had expressed his wish on social media to meet his idol Sheikh Hamdan, following which he was featured in a TV report, the Gulf reported. Shaikh Hamdan is so cool, adventurous and so kind. I want to meet his pets and I want to see his dresses, Abdullah said in a video while carrying a banner that read: I am your fan Shaikh Hamdan. I want to meet you. I love Fazza. Speaking to Gulf following the family's meeting with Sheikh Hamdan on Friday, Abdullah's mother Nausheen Fatima expressed the joy and gratitude of the boy and his family. Abdullah is all smiles after meeting His Highness. It was my boy's biggest wish to meet him. Alhamdulillah, it has come true. She said the young fan has grown fonder of his idol after the meeting which went viral on social media after Sheikh Hamdan posted his picture with Abdullah on Instagram with the caption Met this courageous boy today. He has met his real life hero and all of us are so happy about this heart-touching initiative by the Crown Prince, said Nausheen. She said the family was touched by "Sheikh Hamdan's simplicity, kindness, the way he talked to Abdullah and his younger brother Ahmed, and his polite and playful nature." He first hugged Abdullah and said he is very happy to see him. He said Abdullah is very strong and advised us to encourage him to stay positive and always stand by him as a family. She said Sheikh Hamdan asked details about Abdullah's treatment and the plans ahead. He is very generous. It didn't feel like we were talking to the Crown Prince. Abdullah's father Mohd Tajamul Hussain, a businessman, had brought over a portrait of Sheikh Hamdan with a horse and golden replica of Charminar, an iconic monument in Hyderabad, for gifting them to the Crown Prince. Sheikh Hamdan received the gifts and posed for pictures with the family during the 15-minute meeting, said Nausheen. After that, the family spent more than an hour with Sheikh Hamdan's pets. Abdullah was also thrilled to see the giraffes, gazelles and elephants. He played with the elephants by feeding them and he also sat on the thigh of an elephant. Though he had been to zoos earlier, he had never got such a chance,Nausheen was quoted as saying. Nausheen shared the story of how it all began. Though his parents knew about Shaikh Hamdan and his mother was following him on Instagram, it was through YouTube that Abdullah first watched a video of Sheikh Hamdan, she said. It was in January after the grade one student stopped going to school due to his illness that he started spending his time watching YouTube videos. The family had discovered his disease in December after a lump appeared in his neck and started growing big. It was only after the surgery and biopsy that we got to know about his disease. He still doesn't know about it. After the news report came out, he was asking about cancer. We only told him that he has some bad cells in his body. Nausheen said Abdullah instantly became a Fazza fan. He kept on watching many videos about him and started saying he is his hero. He badly wanted to see him. During the exhausting course of chemotherapy, she said the parents took the name of Shaikh Hamdan and Avengers superheroes to divert Abdullah's attention to ease his pain. I used to say what if the Sheikh calls you soon and he would turn happy and hopeful. She said the family is grateful that their ailing son's wish has been granted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As a proud member of the Fraternal Order of Police, addressing working conditions for sworn law enforcement officers, I understand the importance of collective bargaining. Labor, collectively bargaining with management, is one of the most effective tools to ending the income inequality I see on a daily basis. With a strong system of collective bargaining, our unions will prosper, and the free-rider problem will correct itself, as members see strong reminders of the importance of membership. America does not need to attack and destroy our job-creators to lift the standard of living of ALL Americans. America needs to work at getting everybody a better deal a rising GDP, strong labor participation, and a better wage not by government mandate, but by empowering We the People to enrich ourselves. Americans fought to end government mandates from England over 200 years ago, and our shared experience proves that America does better, and enjoys a special place in the world, when government is smaller, leaner, and more effective at its vital functions. Government should be invisible, as it provides us with safety, security, and defense against our enemies. I ask for your support on May 5, 2020, and I promise that I will work tirelessly in Washington, D.C. to make our district prosperous, healthy and great. In November 2020, with your help and support, we can turn Indianas 1st Congressional District red again. Spencer Lemmons is a Republican candidate for the U.S. House 1st Congressional District. You can contact him at slemmons4congress@gmail.com. The opinions are the writer's. Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use. Error! There was a problem with reporting this article. This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it. Report Abuse Log In to report Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 (Natural News) Perhaps youve noticed that the World Health Organization (WHO) is tiptoeing around the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) crisis while intentionally avoiding actually calling it a global pandemic, which it now is. One of the reasons for this is that the WHO is playing the political correctness game in trying not to offend anyone, including Chinese people and liberals, some of whom are already crying racism over the fact that the media is correctly pointing out that this novel disease originated in Wuhan, China. While the WHO is keeping the public up to speed on the number and spread of infections, the globalist entity remains in opposition to classifying it as a largely unknown virus that has now spread to the four corners of the globe. Instead, the WHO has chosen to focus on individual trees as opposed to the forest, so to speak. As weve been reporting, WHO head Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has consistently downplayed the crisis in terms of both its severity and impact. The priority instead is one of propping up the all is well narrative to maintain business as usual, especially in communist China where critical data is also being covered up to perpetuate the illusion that the situation is fully under control. Amazingly, Dr. Ghebreyesus continues to hem-haw around, virtue signaling about how escalating the classification of the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) would create fear and stigma against China, negatively affecting its economy. Because the world has yet to see large-scale deaths, according to his data, Dr. Ghebreyesus believes that a pandemic declaration is currently unwarranted. Listen below to Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, explain how many deaths from the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) are indeed on the way, and to the tune of at least 2.1 million people in America alone: Consider this: if WHO declares pandemic, investors will lose $500 million Another thing not being mentioned by the mainstream media or government officials is the fact that the WHOs hands are tied when it comes to declaring a global pandemic due to money. As it turns out, the World Bank is currently holding hundreds of millions of dollars worth of pandemic bonds that are set to mature in July 2020. However, if the WHO declares a pandemic before then, these bonds will not get the chance to mature, costing investors about $500 million in lost returns. International financial elites purchased the bonds, in effect betting against a global outbreak of disease, and if they can get to July 2020 without a pandemic, the World Bank investors will get their initial contributions back, plus 7% interest on the bonds, reports NewsPunch. However, if a pandemic is declared, the investors will lose all of their initial contributions, which would go to help the fight against the pandemic. In other words, rich peoples potential monetary gains are once again taking precedence over human lives what else is new? Wealthy investors are essentially gambling on there not being a pandemic, and by golly if the WHO can make that happen artificially then the agency is apparently going to do that, humanity be damned. A similar situation occurred during the 2014 West African Ebola epidemic when needed monies took months to arrive because investor returns were dependent upon a delay. The result was that thousands of poor people needlessly died from the disease while the rich got even richer. The fact that human misery can be traded boggles my mind, wrote one perplexed NewsPunch commenter after learning the dark and hidden truth about pandemic bond trading. I guess a market can be made in anything. To keep up with the latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19), be sure to check out Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: CNBC.com NaturalNews.com NewsPunch.com Peru confirmed five new cases of the new coronavirus contagion on Saturday, raising the official count to six after announcing the first confirmed case on Friday morning. The news came after Paraguay confirmed the first case, with nine countries in Latin America with a COVID-19 outbreak. Peruvian Health Deputy Minister Nancy Zarpa said that four new cases were relatives from the first reported in Lima on Friday. The fifth is a resident of the Arequipa region who traveled to London and returned to Peru on the last days of February. The family affected by the outbreak includes four adults and one child. The person with the first reported case was revealed to be a LATAM Airlines pilot who traveled through Spain, France and the Czech Republic. More than 1,000 people discussed their future travel plans at the Kelowna International Airport Saturday, during the airport's 10th annual Spring Travel Show. Representatives from airlines, travel agencies, hotels and more were on hand to answer any questions travellers might have, including questions about the COVID-19 virus. It's really about talking one-on-one to individuals and get those real details that you're not going to find on the internet, said Sam Samaddar, YLW airport director. Obviously there are some concerns associated with travel with the COVID virus, but you can actually talk to people directly about that and how to keep yourself safe. Samaddar said they've seen a dip in travellers at YLW over the past month, but that could be a result of a number of factors. We've seen a slight decline but there has been a number of economic conditions throughout he country, when we look at the grounding of the 737 MAX almost a year ago now, followed by some of the geopolitical issues with Canada and China and then some of the trade issues with the blockade and other things like that, he said. I'm not really saying it's on one thing, but certainly we've seen a number of impacts that have affected travel through the airport and we've seen our numbers down slightly. Anuradha Shukla By Express News Service NEW DELHI: After intense grilling for over 20 hours, the Enforcement Directorate has arrested former Yes Bank Founder Rana Kapoor and sources in the ED claimed more questioning and arrests would follow in coming days, including of his family members. On Friday night, ED had conducted the raid on Kapoor's residence in Mumbai. It had also registered a case against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The arrest happened around 3 am on Sunday. Rana Kapoor, who was a co-founder of Yes Bank, will now be produced before a court at 11 am. The arrest comes after charges of alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement in the operations of the private bank surfaced and the RBI and Union government initiated action to control its affairs. The sources revealed that ED is investigating whether a dummy company owned by Kapoor and two of his daughters by the name of Doit Urban Ventures had received Rs 600 crore as kickbacks from DHFL in return for sanctioning of loans to the tune of Rs 4,450 crore from Yes Bank. Mumbai: Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrests #YesBank founder #RanaKapoor. Visuals from ED office where he was being questioned. pic.twitter.com/K7GSr7gCl1 ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2020 The investigating officer of the case had recorded Kapoor's statement under the PMLA when he was first interrogated on Friday night at his upscale residence in 'Samudra Mahal' complex in Worli area here. ALSO READ | Public money not for private loot, bring Yes Bank under government control: AIBEA He was brought to the ED office on Saturday noon for a fresh round of questioning. On Saturday, the agency widened its probe in the case as the premises of Kapoor's three daughters in Delhi and Mumbai were searched to gather more information and evidence. According to officials, Kapoor's wife Bindu and daughters -- Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Roshni Kapoor and Radha Kapoor -- are allegedly linked to some companies to which the suspected "proceeds of crime" have been traced. The central agency is also probing Kapoor's role in connection with the disbursal of loans to some corporate entities and the subsequently alleged kickbacks reportedly received in his wife's accounts. Other alleged irregularities are also under the agency's scanner including the one related to the alleged PF fraud in the Uttar Pradesh power corporation, they added. ALSO READ | Yes Bank crisis: PayNearby says functioning 'without any disruption' The CBI has recently taken over the investigation into the Rs 2,267-crore Employees' Provident Fund fraud in Uttar Pradesh, where hard-earned savings of power sector employees were invested in Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL). The ED action came after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday imposed a moratorium on the capital-starved Yes Bank, capping withdrawals at Rs 50,000 per account, and superseded the board of the private sector lender with immediate effect. Yes Bank will not be able to grant or renew any loan or advance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse any payment. As per the RBI's draft reconstruction scheme, State Bank of India will pick up 49 per cent stake in the crisis-ridden Yes Bank under a government-approved bailout plan. (With PTI Inputs) Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials conducted raids on three residential buildings being used for an elaborate birth tourism scheme in Southern California last week. The buildings were being utilized by a birth tourism ring called You Win USA Vacation Resort. The entity charged pregnant foreign women around $50,000 in return for shepherding them through the US visa and immigration process, with the understanding that they would exploit Americas birthright citizenship laws to ensure their children would be US citizens. Community members in the Irvine neighborhood described seeing groups of pregnant Chinese women arriving and living at the apartments where the birth tourism ring was keeping them. Court documents related to the bust of You Win USA Vacation Resort describe the birth tourism ring as having enabled more than 400 women give birth in the geographic United States in the past two years- at one Orange County Hospital alone. For 21-year-old Zulfikar Ali, who lost his father to terrorism when he was a toddler, the free IT and mobile technology course arranged by Romeo Force of the Army came as a blessing in disguise as financial constraints did not allow him to take up additional studies. Ali, a resident of the remote Khortwani village of Poonch, is the second year student in a three-year degree course in Electrical Engineering at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri district. After his father, Mohammad Bashir, was killed by terrorists in 2000, his mother raised him and his two elder siblings a brother and a sister and ensured his admission in the university despite acute poverty. "I am very thankful to the Army for the 24 days free course on IT and Mobile Technology... It was impossible for me to arrange an additional course to fulfil my academic dreams and walk out in search of a job with an additional certificate," Ali told PTI. He said despite all odds, his family scraped enough funds to send him to pursue an engineering course but in this competitive environment, a degree would not be enough to secure a good job. He also said the financial constraints did not allow him to take up any additional course. "Opportunity came knocking at my door when the university announced that Romeo Force in collaboration with Azure Skynet have organised a free course on IT and Mobile Technology. The certified course covered various concepts of cybersecurity," he said. He said the classes, which commenced on February 6, focused on providing students with hands-on experience on bug testing, website security and smartphone security. Armed with new knowledge, Ali is now more confident and skilled in his field and is grateful to Romeo Force for providing him with such an opportunity. He said 50 students like him availed the opportunity and successfully completed the course. Jammu-based Army PRO Lt Col Devender Anand said the course was part of "Operation Goodwill" undertaken by the Army to help students, especially from a humble background. "Army is conducting various activities under Sadbhavana (goodwill) in Jammu and Kashmir and reaching out to the local populace to mitigate their sufferings and help them overcome problems," he said. Lt Col Anand said the people are very appreciative of the efforts of the Army, whether it is medical camps, sports, education, awareness, skill development or organising events to strengthen communal harmony. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Olivia Cotes-James wants us to talk about menstrual health. Properly. No more euphemisms, no more opaque marketing, no more superstitions, and no glossing over cramps, bleeding, or pain: Reframing current attitudes is vital for female empowerment and health, as well as the environment, says the 29-year-old founder of LUUNA Naturals, which hails itself as Asia's first period care company with an all-female leadership team. She is not alone in wanting to change the conversation: Last year the UN warned that taboos around menstrual health were "disempowering" women worldwide, calling for action to end it. "Period stigma is the biggest barrier to the global advancement of women," agrees Cotes-James, adding: "Periods can still cause us to feel dirty, ashamed and frustrated. If menstrual taboos persist and society continues to devalue our fundamental female biology, what hopes do we have of ever being seen as equal?" On average women will spend up to eight years of their lives on their period, according to UNICEF. They are vital to the continuity of the human race, but myths and misconceptions still dominate worldwide. The arrival of menstrual cups, period underwear, which can remove the need for products entirely, and apps that track your cycle have led to a new culture of openness in a generation keen to verbalise the long-hidden realities of the female experience and reproductive rights -- from #MeToo and #ShoutYourAbortion, to miscarriage awareness campaign #Iamthe1in4 and #Trustaftertrauma, where women share their stories of obstetric violence. Bloggers and vloggers lay bare the realities of how period products work on social media. There is even a period emoji in the pipeline. - Myths and Misogyny - Normalising menstrual health can only be good for women's overall health, says Cotes-James, whose firm sells organic cotton pads, liners, and tampons, as well as medical grade silicone menstrual cups, but also works to help low income communities across Asia who don't have access to safe, hygienic products. She explains: "Instead of seeing menstruation as a powerful indicator of well-being we are taught to shun it. In doing so, we ignore vital signs of underlying health issues. For example, around 1 in 10 women have endometriosis, yet it still takes almost a decade on average to diagnose. "A huge part of this is the fact that we don't pay attention to telltale signs like how much blood we lose every month, or dismiss painful menstrual symptoms as normal because society has led us to believe that they are." Using a menstrual cup, could help women gauge if the amount of blood they lose falls within the normal range, she says, adding that open discussons about cramps, nausea, or pain, will help us understand whether there is an issue within our bodies. In parts of Asia, the situation is even more complex for women as deeply ingrained cultural and religious beliefs often add another layer of restrictions on them. In rural Nepal, women are still exiled to outhouses during their periods, despite the practice being illegal and resulting in deaths from exposure as well as sexual and animal attacks. In parts of South Asia, menstruating women are seen as unclean, spreading disease, and are forbidden from touching communal food, while across the region having a period renders people too impure to visit temples. - Period plastic pollution - Even among tech-savvy professionals in city centres, myths persist -- some fear using tampons is akin to a sex act, others believe virgins cannot use menstrual cups or believe they cannot swim or exercise during their period. LUUNA takes a multi-pronged approach to tackling this: With offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as London, the company hosts workshops, myth-busting meet-ups and frank discussions about period products, fertility, and menstrual health for women and men. Its social impact arm, The LUUNA Period Collective, collaborates with a network of local initiatives. For every cup sold, it donates one, but it also provides education in disadvantaged communities where poor sanitation, a lack of clean water, and restrictive cultural norms, add to the stigma. "For us social impact is not a seasonal campaign, it's at the core of what we do. Encouraging the use of plastic pads in low income communities does not solve period poverty, and it exacerbates another urgent issue -- plastic waste," she says. In the developed world, the average woman uses 11,000 disposable menstrual products over 30 years, according to the Women's Environment Network. Switching to a cup, which could last up to ten years, would potentially save billions from landfill where they can take centuries to decompose. - Fight for gender equality - Born in New Zealand but raised in the UK, Cotes-James now splits her time between Hong Kong and Shanghai. She's clear that while there are pronounced issues in Asia, universally women have been let down by inequality and archaic approaches to female reproductive health. There is five times more research into erectile dysfunction than Premenstrual Syndrome, for example, according to science forum ResearchGate, despite the latter affecting far more people. A 2005 study by the University of Pennsylvania found female pain is more likely to be underestimated. Cotes-James says it took her years to realise the painful symptoms she was experiencing during her period were actually an allergic reaction to the viscose and polyester found in some sanitary pads and tampons. For decades men have decided everything about periods -- from helming companies that make menstrual products and overseeing advertising of them, to setting legislation that taxes them as a luxury item and failing to require firms to declare what period care items are made of, she says. Growing public anger at such gender inequality is driving change -- India, Canada, and 13 US states have abolished the so-called tampon tax, while MPs in Scotland are backing a bill that will make period products free. But Cotes-James warns: "Our bodies are still subject to decision making by predominantly male-led governments. We deserve the final say over our bodies -- that includes everything from feminine care companies being required by law to disclose ingredients on packaging, to overcoming restrictive reproductive rights. That is one of the biggest challenges we face in the fight for gender equality and we are still a long way from that being the reality." ATHENS A fire broke out at a refugee center on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greeces firefighting service said Sunday, destroying a warehouse but causing no injuries. It was the second fire at an installation for migrants, after a reception center was burned down by unknown perpetrators last Monday. The warehouse, which contained furniture and electrical appliances, was destroyed, a firefighting spokesman said on condition of anonymity. The blaze at the refugee center comes amid a tense standoff between Turkey and the European Union over who is responsible for the millions of migrants and refugees on Turkish territory and the thousands who have massed recently at the Greek border. The migrants headed for Turkeys land border with EU member Greece after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government announced earlier this month that it would no longer prevent migrants and refugees from crossing over into EU countries. Greece has deployed riot police and border guards to repel people trying to enter the country and the Greek border area has since seen violent confrontations between them and the migrants. On Saturday, youths threw rocks at Greek police and tried to break down a border fence. In Istanbul on Sunday, Erdogan called on Greece to open its borders and allow the migrants to move on to other European countries. These people wont stay (in your country), they will move to other European countries, Erdogan said. Why dont you open your gates, too, let them go to other other countries, and rid yourself of this burden. The Greek government released a video purporting to show a Turkish armored vehicle trying to pull down part of border fence with a rope. It claimed the vehicle was partly purchased with EU border funds. The Associated Press could not verify the authenticity of the video. There was no immediate comment from Turkish officials. Erdogan will travel to Brussels on Monday to talk with top EU officials about a 2016 Turkey-EU agreement on containing the refugee flows to Europe that has now collapsed. Each side has blamed the other. The deal called for Turkey to halt the flow of Europe-bound migrants and refugees in exchange for up to 6 billion euros ($6.7 billion) in aid. Demetris Nellas is an Associated Press writer. A corporate site that promotes itself as the "go-to hub" for International Womens Day is out-ranking the United Nations' website on Google and potentially confusing organisers of events. The site internationalwomensday.com, which declares that "equality is not a women's issue, its a business issue", is the top-ranking organic search result for "international women's day". The company behind the site, Aurora Ventures, "works with stakeholders" to come up with business-friendly themes. This year it is #EachforEqual and previous themes have included #BalanceforBetter and #PressforProgress. A lot of International Women's Day celebrations involve cupcakes. Credit:AFP Meanwhile, the UN Women theme for 2020 is #GenerationEquality. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 The Ministry of Justice said public opinions and suggestions on a draft regulation on foreigners' permanent residence in China will be fully considered and absorbed before the regulation is officially issued. The remarks were made by ministry officials at a recent seminar jointly held by the Ministry of Justice and the National Immigration Administration in Beijing to solicit public opinions on the draft regulation, a ministry release said on Saturday. The draft regulation, which was published online on Feb 27 for public feedbacks, has triggered heated discussions. While many people believe the rules are necessary and timely, some also worry that foreigners may flood into China and take employment opportunities. Participants to the seminar, consisting of officials, community officers, experts and ordinary residents, believed that it is a common practice for many countries to attract talents, professionals and foreign capital to participate in their national construction, and to promote economic and social development by granting foreigners permanent residence qualifications, according to the release. They agreed that China needs to formulate such a regulation based on its current system and practices, to further standardize and improve the administration of foreigners' permanent residence, meet the needs of deepening reform and opening up, accelerate the construction of a modern socialist country, and promote exchanges between China and other countries. However, they noted that the draft regulation has triggered a huge amount of discussion on aspects such as whether the required qualifications and conditions for applicants on the draft are reasonable, whether there will be a large number of foreigners crowding out domestic employment and public welfare resources. Some said that certain articles of the regulation are not detailed enough, which may result in management loopholes in its implementation, according to the release. Therefore, participants at the seminar suggested that the draft regulation go through further evaluation and research to make the eligibility, conditions and procedures for applying for a permanent residence more rigorous. Officials with the Ministry of Justice at the seminar made it clear that the draft regulation is still in the stage of soliciting public opinions, and they would take a scientific, democratic and law-based principle to carefully and thoroughly study relevant public opinions, according to the release. Officials with National Immigration Administration said that while protecting the legitimate rights and interests of both Chinese and foreign people entering and leaving the country in accordance with the law, immigration authorities will also strengthen the inspection and repatriation of foreigners who enter or stay in the country illegally. France has banned all gatherings of more than 1,000 people in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Health Minister Olivier Veran said, as the French death toll reached 19. "All gatherings of more than 1,000 people are from now on banned," he said on Sunday adding that officials would issue a list of events considered "useful to national life" that would be allowed to continue such as demonstrations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dozens of schools have already been closed because of the virus. (PA) GCSE and A-Level students could see their exams postponed if coronavirus continues to spread, education figures have warned. Exam boards are said to be drawing up emergency measures over fears the outbreak will reach its peak during the busy exam period. The exam regulator Ofqual is working with the boards to weigh up potential scenarios and and consider alternative exam dates, according to The Times. A decision is expected to be taken shortly since GCSEs and A-level exams are due to start on May 11 and finish in mid-June. A man on the Jubilee line on the London Underground tube network wearing a protective facemask. (PA) We recognise that students, parents, schools and colleges will be concerned about the possible impact of coronavirus on the 2020 summer exam series, Ofqual said. Our advice is to continue to prepare for exams as normal. Our overriding priorities are fairness and keeping disruption to a minimum. The regulator is reportedly planning to allow pupils who underperform because of the virus special consideration when deciding their grades. While those unable to take an exam will reportedly be graded based on earlier papers. At least 40 schools with suspected victims have closed in recent weeks, despite the government advising against closures. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said schools should not be closing unless there is both a positive case and the school has had the advice to close from Public Health England. Official advice from Public Health England and the Department for Education states even if a case of Covid-19 is confirmed within a school in most cases, closure of the childcare or education setting will be unnecessary. And if a pupil has been in contact with a confirmed case, the advice is to self-isolate at home for 14 days. The rest of the school does not need to take any precautions or make any changes to their own activities attending educational establishments or work as usual, unless they become unwell, according to official advice. Five more coronavirus cases have surfaced in Kerala, where the first three cases of the killer virus in the country were reported. The five cases are from Pathanamthitta district. The three persons returned from Italy and their relatives tested positive for the virus, said health minister K.K Shylaja. The minister urged all the co-passengers of the three patients who travelled in the two flights from Venice to Doha and from Doha to Kochi, to immediately report to health authorities. The minister also requested the symptomatic women devotees not to participate in the Attukal Pongala in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. The first three Covid19 patients have been cured and discharged from hospital. There were no phone calls on her retreats no outside distractions at all, she said and she would speak only to a spiritual director for 30 minutes in a day. You really focus on what youre doing in your life, Cutting said of her silent retreats. I encourage everyone to take a week off for themselves. In the cave where Kates soul is trapped hang five coats for her different jobs: wife, daughter, mother, sister and child. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The problem is that Kate isnt one person. Were all so busy and often go through life without knowing who we really are or what our potential is, Cutting said of the storys deeper meaning. We dont realize were living for other people rather than ourselves. Judy Spring of the Baraboo Public Art Association, a vocal advocate of the Fall Art Tours who encourages local students to learn from local artists, learned about the graphic novel on Cuttings Facebook page. She is a gifted artist and has lived a remarkable international life, Spring said in an email. Shes just amazing. Some women activists saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to hand over his social media accounts to women as an "amazing initiative" to honour "real and not reel" women, while others called it an attention seeking move aimed to divert attention from issues plaguing the country. On the occasion of women's day, Modi said "seven women achievers" will share their life journey through his social media accounts on Sunday. Activist Monica Arora, who is the national convenor of Group of Intellectuals and Academicians, called it a move to honour the "real woman" who are "serving humanity" on the ground. "The selection of women has been amazing. A girl who has only 2000 followers on social media was chosen but she has been running a food bank for more than five years and feeding thousands and thousands of people. So the prime minister is honouring real woman and not reel women," she said. She said these were the women who were making a difference and serving humanity on the ground and added that the selection has been amazing. "Another woman is a bomb blast survivor. She is such a motivation. She is a person making a difference to the world. It shows you are making a difference to the world in whatever capacity you can that empowers women irrespective of caste or religion or age. It is very good," Arora said. Shilpa Puranik, member of NGO Bhartiya Srishakti said social media brings different kinds of people together which make it a good platform to spread awareness and that is what the prime minister did by handing over his social media platforms to inspirational women. "I appreciate his decision because it is important to create awareness on social media about women empowerment," she said. However, some activist called it an "attention seeking" move through which he wants to distract people from issues plaguing the country. Rights activist and CPI leader Annie Raja said if the prime minister is truly concerned about women empowerment, he should take steps against the rising cases of sexual harassment and abuse. "He should announce that women reservation bill has been passed on Women's Day. It is a distraction from talking about real issues. He should realise women would not be fooled," she said. Shabnam Hashmi, women rights activist and founder of NGO Act Now for Harmony and Democracy, called it a "drama" and said women's condition has worsened under his government. "It is all a new drama. There are lakhs of women who have lost their jobs. It is an attention seeking move because you can't answer what is happening in the country. Women have become much worse off then what they were six years ago," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The global number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, has surpassed 100,000, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported on Saturday. Italy, on Sunday, announced an unprecedented quarantine on its northern region of Lombardy and other badly affected areas as the country struggles to contain the viruss spread, with 1,247 new cases detected in the last 24 hours. WHO chief, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said the increasing cases is a sombre moment, and reminds all countries that the spread of this virus can be significantly slowed or even reversed through the implementation of robust containment and control activities. The disease, first detected in Wuhan, China in December, has spread to all continents except Antarctica. As at Saturday, cases reported rose to over 100,000 and the death toll has also steadily increased. Mr Ghebreyesus urged countries to continue efforts that have been effective in limiting the number of cases and slowing the spread of the virus. Actions include identifying people who are sick with the respiratory disease and bringing them to care, as well as following up on contacts, preparing health facilities to manage a surge in patients, and training health workers. Every effort to contain the virus and slow the spread saves lives, the statement said. Buying time Mr Ghebreyesus said all efforts are aimed at buying time for researchers working tirelessly on cure and vaccines to contain the disease. These efforts give health systems and all of society much needed time to prepare, and researchers more time to identify effective treatments and develop vaccines He said we must stop, contain, control, delay and reduce the impact of this virus at every opportunity. Allowing uncontrolled spread should not be a choice of any government, as it will harm not only the citizens of that country but affect other countries as well. Everyone can contribute whether in the home, the community, the health care system, the workplace or the transport system. Italy As the outbreak continues to spread throughout the globe, Italy, on Sunday announced an unprecedented quarantine on its northern region of Lombardy and other badly affected areas. The action will be affecting about 16 million people. Italy has become a hotspot for the ongoing Covid-19 as the disease has spread from the European country to other countries in Europe and Africa, including Nigeria. The steps being taken by Italian authorities are towards tackling Europes largest outbreak of coronavirus. Aljazeera reported that the Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, early on Sunday issued a decree that severely restricts the movement of individuals in the northern region and surrounding areas. The move comes as the country struggles to contain the viruss spread, with 1,247 new cases detected in the last 24 hours. Another 36 people also died as a result of the virus, taking the total to 233. Other countries In another development, the Czech Prime Minister, Andrej Babis, urged Italy to ban its citizens from travelling to Europe or abroad to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Advertisements I think its important that Prime Minister (Giuseppe) Conte calls on all Italians not to leave Italy at all, Mr Babis said in a televised address. He said its clear that Italy unfortunately doesnt have it under control. They (Italians) shouldnt travel to Europe because most of the cases in Germany, France, Spain have originated in Italy. Nigeria also recorded its only case of coronavirus in an Italian businessman who had flown into the country for business. Mr Babis also urged Czechs who are currently in Italy to return home. Meanwhile, Moldova confirmed its first case in a 48-year-old woman who recently returned from a trip to Italy. The person was taken from the airport with bilateral pneumonia, acute respiratory failure, fever, cough, general weakness, a health ministry statement said late on Saturday. Rev. Jesse Jackson Says Hes Backing Sanders for President The Rev. Jesse Jackson is backing Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for the Democratic presidential nomination, as Sanders is looking to make a comeback when voters in six more states go to the polls on March 10. With the exception of Native Americans, African Americans are the people who are most behind, socially and economically, in the United States, and our needs are not moderate. A people far behind cannot catch up choosing the most moderate path, Jackson said on March 8 in a statement to news outlets. The most progressive social and economic path gives us the best chance to catch up, and Sen. Bernie Sanders represents the most progressive path. Thats why I choose to endorse him today. Jackson, a longtime civil rights activist and former presidential candidate, appeared alongside Sanders at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on March 8. While mayor of Burlington, Vermont, Sanders backed Jacksons presidential campaign in 1988, in which Sanderss current rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, was an early Democratic candidate. I think with Rev. Jackson, I think we got a real boost in our campaign, Sanders told CNN on March 8. Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) addresses a campaign rally at Grant Park Petrillo Music Shell in Chicago, Ill., on March 7, 2020. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images) Jackson told news outlets that Bidens campaign hasnt reached out to him for an endorsement. The Biden campaign has not reached out to me or asked for my support, he added. The Sanders campaign has, and they responded to the issues I raised. His endorsement comes as the race for the Democratic nomination has narrowed essentially to just two front-runners, Biden and Sanders. Last week, during the Super Tuesday primaries, Biden surged in the delegate race and overtook Sanders with victories in several key states, including Texas, while Sanders won California, which has the most delegates of any state. Sanders is now focusing and campaigning in Michigan, which has about 100 delegates and will vote on March 10. Since Super Tuesday, Sanders has been escalating his claims that the Democratic establishment is working against him and his supporters by supporting Biden, who has tried to cast himself as a moderate in the face of Sanderss progressivism. On March 8, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) also threw her support behind Biden, after dropping out of the race several months ago. So I just wanted you guys to know, I have decided that I am with great enthusiasm going to endorse Joe Biden for the president of the United States, she said in a video. TORONTO - Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week: Housing starts Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. will release its preliminary housing start data for February on Monday. The reading on new home construction in Canada comes ahead of the start of the spring real estate season. Machin speech Mark Machin, chief executive of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, participates in a fireside chat with Nutrien chief executive Chuck Magro at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce on Monday. CPPIB recently participated in Waymos first external investment round. CN presentation Canadian National Railway Co. executives will present at the J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference in New York on Wednesday. The railway has been dealing with blockades in support of Wetsuweten hereditary chiefs in northern British Columbia who oppose a natural gas pipeline crossing their traditional territory. Transat AT annual meeting and results Travel company Transat AT will release its first-quarter results and hold its annual general meeting. The company is in the process of being acquired by Air Canada, but the deal is still waiting for regulatory approval. Household debt update Statistics Canada will release its national balance sheet and financial flow accounts report on Friday. The report includes the much-watched household-debt-to-disposable-income ratio which has been sitting at or near a record level in recent years. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2020. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Mar. 8, 2020. REUTERS In connection with the start of MH17 case criminal proceedings on March 9, Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne called on the Russian Federation to cooperate with the investigation. This was reported by the press service of the Canadian Foreign Ministry. "We continue to call on all states, including Russia, to cooperate fully with the Joint Investigation Teams [JITs] ongoing criminal investigation, consistent with the call for accountability and cooperation unanimously adopted in UN Security Council Resolution 2166," Champagne said. He welcomed the start of a criminal trial of four suspects accused of shooting down Malaysia Airlines MH17 flight on July 17, 2014. Champagne is confident in the independence and professionalism of the international investigation and the legal system of the Netherlands. Related: Kremlin doubts results of investigation into MH17 catastrophe Earlier, the Russian Prosecutor Generals Office handed over to the investigation in the Netherlands all the necessary materials in the case of a Malaysian Boeing 777 shot down over Donbas. The Netherlands rejected Moscows request to transfer Russia the right to try three Russian citizens identified as suspected of involvement in the 2014 Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash. The first court hearing in the case of the Netherlands against three Russian suspects and one Ukrainian is scheduled for March 9. Four persons involved in the case may be convicted in absentia in accordance with the laws of the Netherlands. Weather Alert SUB-ZERO WIND CHILLS LATE TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING Wind chills of near 0 to 10 below zero are likely late tonight into Tuesday morning. This will be from temperatures around 5 to 10 degrees across the interior areas combined with northwest winds of around 10 to 15 mph. For coastal areas, this will be from temperatures around 10 degrees combined with northwest winds of around 15 to 20 mph. If you need to be outside, be prepared for the wind and cold, and dress in layers and wear a hat, heavy coat, as well as gloves or mittens. Frostbite can occur in a short amount of time, so dress in layers and make sure all exposed skin is protected. The US Army said it was curbing its plans to adopt the Iron Dome missile defense system due to concerns about its compatibility with existing US technologies, scrapping its plans to buy two more batteries and explore long-term integration of the Israel-developed system. A central problem was Israels refusal to provide the US military with Iron Domes source code, hampering the Americans ability to integrate the system into their air defenses. Gen. Mike Murray, head of Army Futures Command, said the service identified a number of problems including cyber vulnerabilities and operational challenges during efforts last year to integrate elements of Iron Dome with the US Armys Integrated Battle Command System. It took us longer to acquire those [first] two batteries than we would have liked, Murray told the House Armed Service tactical air and land forces subcommittee on Thursday. We believe we cannot integrate them into our air defense system based on some interoperability challenges, some cyber challenges and some other challenges. Last year, the Army announced plans to acquire two Iron Dome batteries to provide US forces an interim cruise missile defense capability, as well as explore full adoption of the Israeli-developed system for a program called Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2-Intercept program. The Army earmarked over $1 billion for the project to pluck select Iron Dome components and integrate them with US militarys Integrated Battle Command System by 2023. The Israeli Missile Defense Organization and the Army last August inked a deal for two Iron Dome batteries. Soon thereafter, according to sources, Army officials repeatedly requested Iron Dome source code proprietary information detailing how the system works. Israel supplied engineering information but ultimately declined to provide the source code the Army said it needed to integrate Iron Dome components with US systems. 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Convening what he called an emergency conference, Netanyahu accused his opponents of trying to steal the elections by aligning with Arab-led parties he said were hostile to the state. The election results looked to extend the country's year-old political deadlock and weaken the longtime leader as he prepares to go on trial for corruption charges later this month. The embattled Netanyahu had been looking for a decisive victory in Monday's vote, and initial exit polls had indicated his Likud party and smaller religious and nationalist allies had captured 60 seats, just one short of a majority required to form a new government. Netanyahu triumphantly declared a huge victory. But a final count announced by the election commission determined that Netanyahu's jubilation was premature. Likud emerged as the largest individual party, with 36 seats, ahead of 33 seats for the rival Blue and White Party. But with his smaller allies, Netanyahu's right-wing bloc captured just 58 seats, well short of the 61-seat majority. While Netanyahu's opponents control a majority of seats, they are deeply divided, with a hard-line nationalist party and the predominantly Arab Joint List among them. The Joint List captured 15 seats, making it the third-largest party in parliament its best performance ever. Those divisions could make it difficult for Blue and White's leader, former military chief Benny Gantz, to establish an alternative coalition. If neither he nor Netanyahu can form a government, the country would head to an unprecedented fourth straight election. But even if he can't build a government himself this time, Gantz's party looks to be promoting legislation in the new parliament that would bar anyone indicted of a crime being able to lead a government. The proposal, which would seemingly enjoy a parliamentary majority, has raised the ire of Netanyahu and his allies. A personal, retroactive law that goes against the most basic principles in democracy, Netanyahu charged Saturday. We won't let it happen. We will exert all our moral power to make sure it doesn't happen. The long-serving Israeli leader is scheduled to go on trial March 17 on charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes. He is accused of accepting expensive gifts from wealthy friends and offering favors to powerful media moguls in exchange for positive press coverage. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and accused the media, police and prosecutors of conspiring to oust him. Netanyahu is desperate to remain in office. Israeli law does not require the prime minister to resign if charged with a crime, and Netanyahu can use the powerful post to rally public support and lash out at what he says is an unfair legal system and hostile media. In comments shortly after Netanyahu's statements, Gantz refrained from detailing his plans but showed no sign of bending on campaign promises to replace Netanyahu. I will establish a stable government that would heal from the hate and divisiveness," he said. Netanyahu lost. Most of the people decided they don't want him to continue and that is what they will get. Patna: Apparently irked by his recent populist rhetoric that tends to put the Nitish administration in a not-so flattering light, Janata Dal-U leaders are firing back at the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief asking him not to talk trash about his allies that are likely to weaken the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of which both parties are part of. "If Chirag Paswan or any other member of his party have anything to say about the Nitish government, they should say that in the proper forum instead of speaking in public. Such negative comments provide unnecessary ammunition to our opponents," said JD-U national spokesperson K C Tyagi in Patna on Saturday. Paswan, who became the party's president after his father and party founder Ram Vilas Paswan resigned from the post to hand over the reign of his party to his son, is on a statewide 'yatra' dubbed as 'Bihar First, Bihari First' to feel the pulse of Bihar voters ahead of this year's state Assembly elections. On Saturday, Paswan stood in support of the striking teachers saying he would include their demand of equal job-equal wage in his 'Vision Document' that is purportedly the LJP's roadmap to development. A few days ago, Paswan questioned the law and order situation in Bihar saying crime figures had reached a new high and the police were being proven ineffective in taming criminals in the state. He also slammed the state government for poor road and highway condition in Bihar a favorite talking point of Nitish Kumar whenever he feels the need to tout his success as the Chief Minister of Bihar. Earlier, he took shots at controversial BJP MP from Begusarai Giriraj Singh saying leaders like him were responsible for the stunning loss of the NDA in the recent Delhi elections. Not amused by Paswan's comments in the least bit, Tyagi said the LJP leader is obviously not familiar with the crime situation that prevailed during the previous Lalu-Rabri regime. "Ask the people of Bihar who had the misfortune of living through the previous administration. Everyone knows the law and order had collapsed and people were living at the mercy of the God. Today, things are nowhere near that situation and the police are much more equipped to deal with crime. So before someone complains about the law and order situation in Bihar, it would be nice to remember where it used to be," the JD-U spokesperson said. Another JD-U leader Ghulam Rasool Baliyawi also took exception to Paswan's comment on law and order saying if things were as bad as the LJP chief was saying then how was he able to carry out his 'Bihar First, Bihari First' yatra in the state without any fear. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Michael Martina and James Oliphant (Reuters) Detroit, United States Sun, March 8, 2020 19:37 673 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad20692bfc8 2 World #USA,#Elections,Bernie-Sanders,Joe-Biden Free For Bernie Sanders to remain competitive with Joe Biden in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination, he'll have to repeat what he did four years ago: Win the Michigan primary. This time around, that probably will be harder. Ahead of Tuesday's vote, Biden is showing strength with the same kinds of voters that Sanders, a U.S senator from Vermont, relied upon in his surprise defeat of front-runner Hillary Clinton in the state in 2016. Sanders goes into Michigan badly in need of a win after former Vice President Biden seized control of the race on Super Tuesday this week, winning a bevy of Southern states as well as Massachusetts, Minnesota and Texas and causing rivals Michael Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren to drop out. Michigan is the most competitive of the six states that hold nominating contests on Tuesday. It offers the largest number of the minimum 1,991 delegates a candidate needs to secure the nomination outright: 125. And it's a critical moment for Sanders to try to recapture momentum before the contest shifts to Florida and Illinois the following week. In addition to Michigan, Washington state, Mississippi, Miissouri and Idaho will be holding primary elections on Tuesday. North Dakota will hold caucuses. A Sanders loss in Michigan could give Biden an insurmountable lead as the state-by-state nominating process moves into friendly territory for the man best remembered as No. 2 in President Barack Obama's historic administration. The state also greatly matters for Nov. 3 general election. It flipped Republican in 2016, voting for now-President Donald Trump over Clinton by just over 10,000 votes. "Michigan is your got-to-win state," said Adam Hollier, an African-American state senator from Detroit who is backing Biden. Biden parlayed his popularity with black voters into huge gains on Super Tuesday, winning 70% of African-American voters in Alabama and Virginia and 60% in North Carolina and Texas, according to exit polls from Edison Research. They will be crucial in Michigan, where they comprise almost 14% of the population. Some areas of Detroit are 80% African-American. "When you look at what he did all across the South, those same demographics are going to be at play in Detroit," Hollier said. Sanders canceled plans to campaign in Mississippi this weekend, focusing instead on Michigan. Union labels Sanders may have better luck with union voters in manufacturing-heavy Michigan. He won the state's white working-class voters in 2016, and they remain a reliable part of his base. Richard Cassel, 28, lost his job as an auto engineer in Detroit last month. That same week, he walked into a Sanders campaign office and volunteered to work the phones. "For me, Biden is just more of the same. The middle class is working professionals, and everyone else is slowly drowning," Cassel said. But Biden has long-standing ties to labor unions and routinely talks about how the middle-class and union members built the nation. The powerful United Auto Workers Union has yet to endorse any candidate, but its spokesman, Brian Rothenberg, said it supports the idea of universal healthcare. Sanders has made a government-run healthcare system, Medicare for All, the heart of his campaign. "The high cost of healthcare is one of the impacts when you're bargaining, so universal healthcare would actually give you a better ability to bargain at the table," Rothenberg said. Not all of Sanders' positions play well with the state's unions, though. In particular, he has called for the closure of a 66-year-old crude oil pipeline that runs below portions of the Great Lakes, as part of his sweeping plan to swiftly end the US fossil fuel economy to fight climate change. "It's going to cost (Sanders) a lot of support in our union," said Terry Gilligan, business manager of Detroit Pipefitters Local 636. And two Michigan chapters of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union endorsed Biden on Friday. Sanders is running ads in Michigan criticizing Biden over his past support for global trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Biden, in turn, argues that he was a key player in the 2009 auto industry bailout that rescued jobs in the state. RURAL RUN In 2016, Sanders performed surprisingly well in the wealthy suburbs outside Detroit and blew Clinton away in rural counties. But there is evidence he wont do that again this time. On Super Tuesday, Biden consistently beat Sanders in suburbs outside of cities including Charlotte, North Carolina, and Houston. And in rural regions of Minnesota, a Midwestern state like Michigan with a largely white population, Biden smashed Sanders, 43% to 19%, according to exit polls. This weekend, Biden's campaign will deploy former presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar, a senator from Minnesota, to stump in Grand Rapids an area that Sanders won in 2016. Dawn Bryant, 40, a General Motors Co factory worker who was laid off earlier this year, said she was torn between Sanders and Biden. "I'm divided. I'm not sure. I'm going to keep watching and weighing my options on both of the candidates," she said. "It's a tough, tough call." PHILIPSBURG/MARIGOT:--- On Thursday evening, Honorable Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs & First Vice-President Honorable Valerie Damaseau honored 50 strong, influential women of St. Maarten/Saint Martin in what they termed the 1st Annual Oualichi International Women's Day Awards ceremony. The event though small and intimate, included local elected and appointed officials. Special honorees for this 1st official awards ceremony hosted by both governments were the late iconic women - former educator and lawyer Mrs. Mavis Brooks-Salmon and the Historian Daniella Jeffrey as well as former Ombudsman Dr. Nilda Arduin and Ms. Evelyne Fleming. Prime Minister Jacobs stated that this is a start of a wonderful trend that will continue for years to come, whereby we honor our wonderful, powerful, influential women of Oualichi/Soualiga who serve as role models for girls and women. Vice-President Valerie Damaseau highlighted the importance of giving women of St. Maarten/Saint Martin their flowers while they are alive to show honor for their contribution to the community throughout the past years. Though the event was slated to start since 2019, with Ms. Jeffrey playing a key role, both leaders felt it imperative to still show the honor of their contribution to the families of the late icons, Brooks and Jeffrey, for their contribution to the development of St. Martin and the inspiring role they played to countless women on this 37 square mile gem in the Caribbean, and beyond. Congratulations to all honorees. The list was very long, and the general public can look forward to women of influence being highlighted throughout the month of March 2020, concluded Prime Minister Jacobs. What does it take to rebuild your life when all you had is taken away? Ask those living in a tent at a relief camp set up by the Delhi government for families affected by the recent riots in Delhi, who are coming to terms with their homes and lives being flattened. Until last week, most of these families had a house, a bed, a fridge, a television set, a gas cylinder, clothes and other domestic paraphernalia all of which has now been taken away by mobs that ransacked their house, picking off every little thing they found lying about. When they could not find anything, they set the houses on fire before moving on to another house to steal, rob or set it on fire. Sitting inside a makeshift tent, 22-year-old Mohammed Shahrukh a carpenter by profession, says he does not know how he is going to start his life again. The rains on Thursday and Friday took away even the privilege of a dry mattress inside the tent for him to sit on. The mobs even stole my two gas cylinders, and all my utensils. They took all of my childrens clothes. They are now left with only one pair of clothes. How do we start again, wonders Shahrukh. In north-east Delhis Brijpuri, about a hundred Muslim families live in makeshift tents set up by the state government. Most families here are from Chand Bagh one of the areas hit hardest during the riots. In the violence between Hindus and Muslims, at least 53 have died so far, while over 400 sustained injuries. According to the Delhi Fire Services, at least 60 houses were set on fire between the nights of February 23 and 25, when rioting was at its peak. Over 1,000 vehicles most of them motorcycles and auto-rickshaws were burnt by mobs across different parts of north-east Delhi. Sitting next to Shahrukh in the Mustafabad eidgah camp is 71-year-old Mohammed Sharafat, a tailor, who said that when he went back to his house almost a week after the riots to assess the damage, he found that rioters had sawed his bed into multiple pieces. His television set, which he had for 28 years was mangled, while the single-door fridge and the mattress were gone. The bed was old. It was made of a dense block of wood and was heavy. They could not take it. You know what they did instead? They sawed the bed into many pieces. Who does that? How is that hatred born, he said. The Delhi Police have arrested and detained about 1,500 persons from both communities who were allegedly involved in the violence. Two special investigation teams that are probing the 531 different cases related to the violence are sifting through CCTV camera footage to identify rioters. At the womens section of the Mustafabad camp, people said the cramped, damp conditions led them to worry about contracting skin infections and other diseases. Hundreds of them are bundled into around 10 makeshift tents set up next to each other. Most women say mobs targeted their clothes and jewellery. Nagma, 22, has been wearing the same set of clothes since she fled her house on February 25. She says she has no other clothes to change into. She was about get married next week. Her father had bought her new clothes for the wedding. The rioters ensured that not a scrap of those garments remain. Now, sitting under nothing but a sheet of tarpaulin, she has nothing left to change into. All those things are gone now, along with the jewellery. Those rioters had enough time to rummage through our clothes and take what was new. Before leaving, they set the old clothes on fire, she said. Even so, lack of food, stolen clothes and broken television sets are a smaller concern, the families say. Their bigger worry is the fear of returning to the narrow lanes of north-east Delhi, their home for decades. For many like Shahrukh, though, whose homes have turned to ash, even that possibility is gone. He is now, as he says, merely an occupant of tent number 1. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Britain's parliamentary watchdog is investigating Prime Minister Boris Johnson amid questions over who paid for his recent Caribbean holiday, it was reported Sunday. The Observer newspaper said that Kathryn Stone, the parliamentary commissioner for standards in the House of Commons, had launched an inquiry earlier this week. Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds, with whom he recently announced he was expecting a baby, went on a trip to the privately owned island of Mustique over the New Year. In the register of MPs' interests, he claimed the 15,000 pounds holiday was provided by David Ross, a businessman and donor to his Conservative party. However, there was confusion after Ross initially denied handing over any money, and later clarified that it was a "benefit in kind". The main opposition Labour party urged the commissioner to investigate. Downing Street, which previously insisted that everything had been declared properly, declined to comment on of the inquiry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Luz Dary Silva died after suffering complications from lipo surgery A mum-of-two has tragically died after getting laser fat removal surgery to surprise her husband. Luz Dary Silva, 29, was rushed to hospital when her skin turned black after having laser lipolysis in Barrancabermeja, Colombia. Her sister, Nidia Patricia Silva, said she had wanted the surgery to surprise her husband on a trip to visit him in Spain. She reportedly paid 4million Colombian peso about 900 for Laser lipolysis, which removed the fat from her abdomen, hips and back, at the Cardio Fitness clinic. The procedure, which reduces localised fat deposits with surgery rather than using suction, was also set to define her six-pack and lift her bum. Luz was just 29 and had two small children But the next day, Luz who has one four month old and one seven-year-old child was rushed to the San Nicolas clinic with diarrhoea and low blood pressure. Her sister said that her skin was black and as a result she was transferred to the intensive care unit of the Magdalena Medio hospital. Luz tragically died three days post surgery. Doctors told local media that the bacteria Luz had in her body had spread and they speculated this had caused her death. The results of her autopsy have not yet been confirmed. The Cardio Fitness clinic is certified by the Health Department to carry out the procedures Luz had. In a statement, the clinic said they are investigating the case. It is unclear whether a legal investigation has been launched. *** Source: The Sun UK President Donald Trump slammed and snubbed Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday with an announcement he won't attend the annual St. Patrick's Day lunch in the Capitol this Thursday. It's the first time a president has skipped the traditional, non-partisan luncheon since George W. Bush missed it in 2003, shortly before the United States invaded Iraq. The luncheon - formally called the Friends of Ireland Luncheon - is hosted by the Speaker of the House, who is Pelosi, and honors the taoiseach of Ireland. President Donald Trump slammed and snubbed Speaker Nancy Pelosi when he said he won't attend annual St. Patrick's Day lunch at Capitol - the two are seen above sitting together at last year's lunch on March 14, 2019 in the U.S. Capitol Speaker Pelosi greets Trump at last year's luncheon President Donald Trump confers with Speaker Nancy Pelosi while departing the U.S. Capitol following the 2019 luncheon; Also pictured are Rep. Richard Neal and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar Leo Varadkar, the current taoiseach of Ireland, is traveling to attend it, as Irish leaders do every year. But Trump won't be there, Politico's Playbook reported. White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere said that it was Pelosi's actions that rendered the decision. 'Since the Speaker has chosen to tear this Nation apart with her actions and her rhetoric, the President will not participate in moments where she so often chooses to drive discord and disunity, and will instead celebrate the rich history and strong ties between the United States and Ireland at the White House on March 12. The relationship between our two countries has never been stronger, and the President looks forward to welcoming the Prime Minister of Ireland for the annual Shamrock Bowl presentation,' Deere said in a statement. Pelosi's controversial ripping up the text of Trump's State of the Union Address sparked fury from the White House. President Donald Trump leans over to talk with Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the Capitol steps at last year's event; Vice President Mike Pence, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, and Rep. Richard Neal listen in President Donald Trump and Melania Trump accept a bowl of Shamrock, presented by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during a 2019 St. Patrick's Day meeting at the White House, as Vice President Mike Pence looks on Relations between the two heads of the executive and legislative branches of government have been tense for months and grown colder since the speaker launched the impeachment inquiry in September. The Senate voted last month to acquit the president on the two articles against him. Trump refused to shake the speaker's hand when he arrived in the House chamber last month to give the State of the Union address. The last time the two met before that was an October 16 meeting on Syria at the White House, where she and other top Democrats walked out. The speaker's office slammed the president's decision to skip this week's luncheon. 'There has never been stronger support in the Congress and in the country for the U.S.-Ireland bilateral relationship. One would think that the White House could set petty, partisan politics aside for this historic occasion,' Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said. The president and the speaker have a fraught history of derailed meetings, going back to December 2018, when Pelosi met with Trump in the Oval Office to talk about a pending government shut down and funding for his border wall. The 15 minutes grew more and more contentious, culminating in a heated exchange between the two leaders - all in front of the cameras. 'Mr. President,' Pelosi told him at one point, 'please don't characterize the strength that I bring to this meeting as the leader of the House Democrats, who just won a big victory.' Pelosi was photographed walking out of the White House in an orange coat, putting on her sunglasses - yet another image of her that went viral. After the impeachment inquiry was over, Trump mocked Speaker Pelosi's faith at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. in February. 'I don't like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong. Nor do I like people who say I pray for you when they know that's not so. So many people have been hurt, and we can't let that go on,' he said. Pelosi, a devout Catholic, has repeatedly said she prays for the president. She was seated at the head table during Trump's remarks and shook her head at one point during them. She pursed her lips a few times as he spoke. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped apart her copy of President Trump's State of the Union address after he finished speaking Earlier, President Trump delivered an astonishing snub to Nancy Pelosi as he started his State of the Union speech, ignoring her as she offered him a handshake At last year's State of the Union address, Speaker Pelosi's side clap of President Trump went viral President Trump mocked Speaker Pelosi's faith during the National Prayer Breakfast last month Relations between the president and the speaker have been fraught, as shown at this October 16 meeting at the White House where Pelosi stood up to him and walked out of meeting Nancy Pelosi's walk out of the White House - in her orange coat and sunglasses - in December 2018 went viral after she and Trump had an argument in the Oval Office Meanwhile, President Trump will welcome Taoiseach Varadkar to the White House on Thursday, the administration announced last week, where they will discuss Irish-American relations. But the luncheon at the Capital is one of Washington's oldest and bipartisan traditions. It started in 1983, when Speaker Tip O'Neill had President Ronald Reagan to the Capitol for the lunch. Sometimes presidents have missed it but have sent the vice president to fill in. Vice President Mike Pence, who also serves as president of the Senate, is not scheduled to attend, Playbook reported. The lawyers for Princess Latifa, who was allegedly abducted by men working for her father Dubai's powerful ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said they are writing to Scotland Yard chief to launch a criminal investigation following a London High Court finding that the royal had kidnapped his daughters. Last week, a judge in the Family Court division ruled that the Sheikh had ordered and orchestrated the kidnap of Latifa, who had escaped from Dubai in 2018 before being snatched from a boat in the Arabian Sea. On two occasions in June 2002 and February 2018, the father ordered and orchestrated the forcible return of his daughter Princess Latifa to the family home in Dubai. In 2002 the return was from the border of Dubai with Oman, and in 2018 it was by an armed commando assault at sea near the coast of India, notes the court order by Judge Andrew Mcfarlane dated March 5. The ruling followed a long-drawn custody battle between the Sheikh and his sixth and youngest wife, 45-year-old Princess Haya. Sheikh Mohammed, who did not attend court, denies any wrongdoing. Radha Stirling, a lawyer who represents Latifa, told The Sunday Times' that she would be writing to the Metropolitan Police commissioner to raise the plight of the princess and her sister Shamsa, who was kidnapped from a street in Cambridge in 2000. Stirling said: The only logical step is for Sheikh Mohammed to face an investigation and trial. Heads of state cannot behave like criminal kingpins. The move follows a Cambridgeshire Police statement that it plans to review Princess Shamsa's kidnap case from back in 2000. An investigation into the alleged abduction of Shamsa Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum in 2000 was carried out by Cambridgeshire Constabulary in 2001. With the evidence that was available to us this was insufficient to take any further action, Cambridgeshire Police said. However, in light of the recent release of the judgment, aspects of the case will now be subject to review, the statement said. There are also reports of Queen Elizabeth II, who has a close relationship with the Dubai ruler for decades through their shared love of racing, distancing herself from the Sheikh. The 93-year-old British monarch will now reportedly make sure that she is not in a situation where she is likely to be photographed with him or his estranged wife Princess Haya, The Times' reports. As well as being the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed is vice-president and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven semi- autonomous states. He has said that the legal battle in the UK presents only a one-sided view and had tried to keep the High Court findings secret. But the case was ruled to be in the public interest, with the media embargo was lifted earlier this week. Dubai is a key intelligence and defence partner in the Gulf for the UK, with the UAE one of the biggest markets for British arms manufacturers, and the High Court ruling is seen as having a potential impact on relations. Downing Street released a readout from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's call with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi the de-facto leader of the UAE, on Friday as a sign of the UK's diplomatic overtures related to the region. They agreed to work closely together to strengthen our bilateral ties in areas such as trade and investment and counter-terrorism, and on global issues such as climate change ahead of the COP26 Summit in Glasgow this year, Downing Street said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WASHINGTON - What's milk? For Jason Gallion, the only full-time farmer serving in the Maryland state Senate, the question is a no-brainer. "It's always been assumed the definition of milk is that it's from a mammal," said Gallion, 43, whose first job at age 15 was milking cows on his uncle's dairy farm. But defining "milk" has become more complicated and contentious as almond, oat, soy and other plant-based alternatives compete for customers and dairy farmers struggle. The dairy industry wants the federal government to restrict use of the "milk" label to fluid "obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows." Legislation is pending on Capitol Hill, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating the issue. In the meantime, dairy advocates are pressing their cause in state legislatures. North Carolina was the first state, in 2018, to enact a law that could limit - eventually - what can be called milk. To avoid disruption of interstate commerce, the law won't take effect unless 11 of 14 other states pass similar measures. ADVERTISEMENT "If there's anybody in the whole wide world who deserves to make a living, it's dairy farmers," said North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, who took the idea for a state labeling law to lawmakers. "They milk cows two or three times a day, every day. They're very devoted to what they do." There's no intention to take plant-based beverages off shelves, Troxler said, but "'milk' needs to come out of the label. That's the first step. There also needs to be clear nutritional labeling." In Maryland, Gallion, a Republican, was in office only a few months last year when he heard about North Carolina's law. He had milked 60 Holsteins and Jerseys on his farm from 1999 to 2004 before switching to farming beef cattle and hay. Maryland's dairy farmers, he decided, needed protection, too. "I'm for truth in labeling," Gallion said. "Plant-based companies are making their money off the good name of milk. It's a fairness thing." Gallion's bill passed 36-10 in the Senate and 118-21 in the House, after the addition of the contingency that it will not take effect unless 11 other states pass similar measures by 2029. But some lawmakers staunchly oppose the bills. "Most consumers are intelligent enough to know it's coming from plants, not a cow," said Indiana state Rep. Justin Moed, a Democrat who represents an urban district in Indianapolis. He was an outspoken opponent of an Indiana milk and meat labeling bill last year that failed. "Who is being confused that oat milk is coming from a cow?" Moed said in an interview. "Is peanut butter coming from a cow? Valvoline could be mad 'olive oil' is called oil. Who's to say what oil is? I don't know where this ends." ADVERTISEMENT Milk labeling bills made it to several state legislatures this year, including Kentucky, New York, Oklahoma, Virginia and West Virginia. The Wisconsin Assembly passed two milk labeling bills last month, after holding them over from last year. They are pending in the state Senate. Last year, Louisiana, Nebraska and Pennsylvania passed resolutions urging the federal government to act, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Almost every year since 1975, Americans have drunk less cow milk than the year before, often because they believe plant-based milks are healthier, kinder to animals or more environmentally friendly. The average U.S. resident consumed 146 pounds of milk in 2018, according to the USDA, down from 247 pounds in 1975. Lower consumer demand for cow milk and generally lower prices paid to farmers for milk have forced many to leave the dairy business. Nationally, the number of dairy farms fell to 54,599 in 2017 from 64,098 in 2012 - a decline of nearly 15%, according to the USDA. But Clay Detlefsen, senior vice president for regulatory and environmental affairs for the National Milk Producers Federation, said the goal of the labeling effort is not to aid dairy farmers. "This is about consumers and nutrition," he said. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Agriculture guidelines call for adults to consume the equivalent of 3 cups of dairy products a day. The government recommends "fat-free and low-fat (1%) dairy, including milk, yogurt, and cheese, or fortified soy beverages (commonly known as 'soymilk')." The guidelines note that "other products sold as 'milks' but made from plants" such as almond, rice, coconut and hemp, may "be consumed as a source of calcium." But "their overall nutritional content is not similar to dairy milk and fortified soy beverages (soymilk)." The guidelines are updated every five years and a review is underway. ADVERTISEMENT A survey conducted by market research firm Ipsos in 2018 for the milk producers group found consumers mistakenly believed dairy milk and plant-based milk alternatives have the same nutritional content. Asked about protein, 77% of respondents thought plant-based milk had the same or more protein than dairy milk. In fact, the nutritional content of plant-based beverages sourced from nuts, legumes, seeds and grains varies depending on the source and the amount of water and other additives used in preparation. Fat-free and lactose-free milk typically have 9 grams of protein in a cup, compared with 1 gram of protein in a cup of almond milk. Soy milk, however, has almost the same nutritional value as cow milk. But cow milk typically has more sugar than unsweetened plant-based milks. In addition, some people are allergic to cow milk or find it hard to digest, so they choose plant-based milks. Nutritionists advise consumers to compare nutrition labels for calcium, Vitamin D and other nutrients. "Everybody realizes you can't milk an almond, but they're not aware of the nutritional differences," said Steven C. Ingham, administrator of Wisconsin's Division of Food and Recreational Safety. The Plant Based Foods Association, headquartered in San Francisco, actively fights meat and milk labeling efforts on behalf of producers of alternative foods. "I've never seen an issue take off like this one," longtime food issues lobbyist Dan Colegrove said of milk and meat labeling efforts. As a consultant to the association, Colegrove testifies at legislative hearings around the country. He argues labeling regulations for plant-based milks are unnecessary, "a solution in search of a problem," and violate First Amendment free speech protections for companies to label their foods with "clear, non-misleading terms." The association's voluntary guidelines for labeling recommend that labels clearly identify the main ingredient as part of the word milk and be labeled as "plant-based milk," he said. "Our member companies selling milk alternatives already use qualifiers such as 'non-dairy,' 'dairy-free,' 'plant-based,' and-or 'vegan' to make their labels clear to consumers," Colegrove said in written testimony to a Virginia Senate committee in February. But Vermont dairy farmers believe plant-based milk labels, marketing and even placement in grocery stores are confusing to consumers, said Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts, who grew up listening to Red Sox games while milking cows on his family dairy farm and had a career in TV broadcasting before state government. "They don't need to be chilling products that don't need to be chilled. It's wasted energy, if nothing else," he said. "Labels should be accurate and truthful." Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb cited the "proliferation of products made from soy, almond or rice calling themselves milk" when the agency announced its guidelines review in 2018. Gottlieb said the alternative products "are not the food that has been standardized under the name 'milk' and which has been known to the American public as 'milk.'" The FDA solicited public comments until January 2019, "and we are continuing to review the approximately 13,000 comments we received from a wide variety of stakeholders, such as plant-based food industry, dairy industry, public interest groups, and individual consumers," Nathan Arnold, FDA press officer, said in an email. "Until we finish reviewing, we don't have additional comment on the labeling of plant-based food product. In general, we expect all labeling to be truthful and not misleading," Arnold said. He said he did not know how long the review would take. Dr. Stephen Hahn has replaced Gottlieb as FDA commissioner. Asked about dairy labeling at his Senate confirmation hearing last November, Hahn said, "I'm in favor of clear, transparent and understandable labeling for the American people." He has made no other public statements on the topic since then. --- (c)2020 Stateline.org Visit Stateline.org at www.stateline.org Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A cluster of coronavirus cases found aboard a cruise ship in Luxor has stoked fears among staff members on other ships, driving several to quit The detection of dozens of coronavirus cases aboard a Nile cruise ship in southern Egypt drove some crew members on other ships to resign for fear of exposure to the rapidly spreading virus, tourism workers said. Egypt said on Saturday a total of 45 people on board the A-Sara in Luxor had tested positive for the new coronavirus, making the ship the site of the biggest cluster of cases so far in Egypt. The health ministry said the source of infection was a Taiwanese-American woman who had been on the same ship in January. The ship had been towed to a site some 20 kilometres away from the city of Luxor and placed under quarantine. "Everything is under control," Alaa, a staff member on the ship told Ahram Online on Sunday, while declining to elaborate or give any more details. A receptionist on the ship contacted by Ahram Online was also tight-lipped about the situation, saying that only health ministry officials can now comment on the matter. The country late on Sunday announced its first coronavirus fatality, a 60-year-old German tourist who had visited Luxor before he died in a hospital in the Red Sea resort city of Hurghada. The recent surge in cases and the isolation of those affected has caused panic among staff members aboard other cruise ships that operate on the popular route between the touristic hubs of Luxor and Aswan. "[Some] staff members want to leave [their job] and there are resignations. They are hearing what's happening and they fear for themselves and their families," said the director of another Nile cruise ship operated by the same company as the quarantined vessel. "We have seen at least five or six of our colleagues on neighbouring cruises resigning," the manager, who requested to remain anonymous, told Ahram Online. "Because there are foreigners [aboard], people are afraid to be infected." He claimed the fear is overplayed in the Upper Egyptian city, where awareness is inadequate. Health authorities tested all staff and guests on the ship for the virus, he said. Ahmed Kamel, a receptionist on another cruise ship in Luxor, said two crew members had resigned over the past few days, "because they were afraid to get infected." Until Friday, Egypt had detected just three cases of the flu-like virus in the country, including one Egyptian who Health Minister Hala Zayed said on Saturday was in "critical condition." Egyptian officials said 11 suspected cases among the 45 on the Luxor ship, who were all asymptomatic, later tested negative, and that all foreigners testing negative can leave the country one day after test results. Business as usual Sources on other Nile cruisers say business has so far been unaffected. The director of a cruise operated by Germany's Steigenberger said he heard about resignations but not on his operator's 22 affiliated cruises. "There is panic to a great extent; we cannot deny that. Some of [our] staff were considering resignation but we dissuaded them," said Ibrahim Kamal, director of the Steigenberger Minerva. To prevent infection, the ship has introduced stricter public health measures, including frequent sterilisation of the facility and efforts around hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. His cruise is one of three other ships contacted by Ahram Online who said their business has so far not been disrupted by the jump in new cases. They say their occupancy rate is near full and no cancellations have been made for upcoming trips. Egypt is heavily dependent on tourism, a main source of hard currency, and the winter months are peak season in the ancient cities of Luxor and Aswan. The countrys tourism industry has recently been showing signs of recovery from a slowdown in the wake of years of political instability. Mostafa Sayed, travel manager at Cairo-based tourist firm Nile Cruisers, which runs Nile trips to Luxor, said that about 25 percent of trips booked to the popular winter destination had been cancelled over the past few days. A temporary suspension of all flights to Egypt from Kuwait and Oman, announced on Saturday, has also hurt the company's bookings from the Gulf countries, Sayed said. Egypts ministers of health, tourism, and civil aviation on Sunday travelled to Luxor to check quarantine measures at the city's airport and toured archaeological sites, hotels and cruise ships in an attempt to reassure visitors that the city is safe. Those working in tourism and their families, Im telling you were monitoring [things] closely and you are safe with us, and together we can get through this time, Zayed told reporters in Luxor, while urging people to be cautious about reactions and dont exaggerate. You saw the numbers, the buses and the queues outsidetourism is very stable in Luxor, Khaled El-Enany, the tourism and antiquities minister, said. Search Keywords: Short link: Acutely aware of the economic devastation that foreign livestock diseases, particularly African swine flu, could inflict on agriculture, a federal agriculture official told local producers that more safeguards and rapid response plans are being put in place. "The goal is to keep out what's not here, and if it is here, to eradicate it, or if we can't, to contain it," Greg Ibach, U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, told a group Saturday at the Minnesota Pork headquarters. The visit was hosted by 1st District Congressman Jim Hagedorn, R-Blue Earth. He serves on the House Committees on Agriculture and Small Business. The discussion centered on swine flu but also touched on avian flu and foot-and-mouth disease. This week the USDA secretary announced new policies to react if a new disease is detected in America. When a disease is detected, the secretary will declare an extraordinary emergency, which will be nationwide rather than state by state. ADVERTISEMENT There will be an automatic 72-hour stop on any transporting of animals while the agency traces exposure. Transportation will then be opened in "safe zones." And plans will be implemented to destroy and dispose of affected animals on the farm rather than being transported to limit exposure. Finally, the government will reimburse farmers for disinfecting their facilities. Hagedorn noted that if African swine flu hits, it won't just affect hog producers but will ripple through all of agriculture and hit Main Street businesses. Garrett Luthens of Minnesota Milk agreed: "If anyone goes down, we all go down." Ibach said USDA is working with pharmaceutical makers on promising vaccines for African swine flu and foot-and-mouth disease. Prior to the meeting, Hagedorn and Ibach toured Compart hog farm near Nicollet. Jim Compart said he felt consoled by the safeguards the USDA is putting in place and said farmers need to do their part. "We have to be aware of our individual operations and what we bring in and out." ADVERTISEMENT He and other producers told Ibach that beyond disease, they need the USDA to do a better job at providing accurate weekly marketing reports on the number of hogs raised, sold, exported and what they sold for. Ibach admitted the marketing reports had weaknesses but said there have been improvements made recently. A representative of a company that makes over-the-counter veterinary salves told Ibach that his company has had to deal with fewer unnecessary regulations since President Trump took office. He said they are a low-risk manufacturer but in the past had to needlessly jump through regulatory hoops. China has lost millions of pigs in outbreaks of African swine flu, pushing its pork prices to record highs, forcing purchases of costly imports and roiling global meat markets. The United States, the top pork-exporting nation with 77.3 million hogs, could see the industry devastated if the disease arrives here. America has stepped up precautions, including adding more pork-smelling beagles at airports to sniff out pork sandwiches or other pork people may try to bring into the country. African swine fever has spread to Southeast Asia and eastern Europe, with cases found in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Korea, Myanmar, the Philippines, Poland, Belgium and Bulgaria. Meanwhile, Taiwan and other countries have been dealing with highly pathogenic H5N5 avian flu outbreaks that have been killing poultry since September 2019. Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease that causes illness in cows, pigs, sheep, goats, deer, and other animals with divided hooves. The disease has appeared worldwide and can spread quickly, causing significant economic losses for producers. ADVERTISEMENT --- (c)2020 The Free Press (Mankato, Minn.) Visit The Free Press (Mankato, Minn.) at www.mankatofreepress.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A Nigerian has tested positive to Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Washington, US, the Mayor of Washington DC, Muriel Bowser, has said. Today News Africa reported that Ms Bowser said the Nigerian man spent time in Washington DC and tested positive for Covid-19 at a hospital in neighbourhood Maryland. She said the Nigerian does not live in DC, but travelled to the area from Nigeria where he had been staying with relatives before he fell ill. She, however. did not give further details. Ms Bowser gave the information when updating the public on the first presumptive case in Washington. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Help India! Nikhat Fatima, TwoCircles.net Braving all odds, the students of Nizamia Tibbi College complete 60 days of their protests against CAA-NRC-NPR in the college campus, and continue to stay strong in voicing their dissent against the citizenship laws. Support TwoCircles When the CAA was first passed in December 2019, there were voices of protest from people all over India and soon the women of Delhi began their sit-in protest from December 15th 2019, at Shaheen Bagh despite the chilly winters of Delhi. The women of Shaheen Bagh sent across a wave of inspiration for protests in the country with more Shaheen Baghs emerging from every part of the country. Joining in were students, activists and professionals at the famous Tibbi College in the old city of Hyderabad, just a stones throw from the Charminar. These students, about a 100 of them studying medical, have registered an ongoing protest for over two months now. After their classes instead of heading home, they sit down under a tree in their college campus and continue to speak for saving their democracy. There is no leader for our protest, some senior students gave a call after the students in JNU and AMU were attacked by police and Hindutva groups and we all joined in the protest said a student protester from 1st year. Another student explained that they felt the need to not just express solidarity with the students from AMU and JNU but also protest against the Act that is unconstitutional. Their timings were initially from 3.30 to 8.00 pm in the night but some girl students who lived in the college hostel were facing problems due to hostel timing rules. In order to accommodate them, the protest timings were changed from 3:00 PM to 7 PM. But it was not that easy, shared Husna, a final year student, After a few days of protest, our Principal asked us to stop. Husna explained that there was pressure from some political parties and although the principal did not have objections in the beginning, he had to ultimately ask the students to stop. Husna said the pressure from authorities didnt damp their spirits as they were adamant to hold peaceful protests in the college campus. Talking about hostel rules, Asra, another student protester said, 15 girls from the hostel are not coming for the protest because their warden is not allowing them to participate. These are just a few examples of how attempts have been made to stall the protests, but these have not been strong enough to deter the students from their motive. The group of protestors at Tibbi College continues to gather after classes organizing discussions, news updates, sloganeering and skits on CAA. Many of them study together in the campus while others recite revolutionary poetry chanting slogans of Azadi. The students have maintained a planned schedule of these protests with specific timings for every activity. The chronology, one of the female protesters, explained is Pehle classes honge phir protest hoga, phir namaz padhi jayegi, open library hogi, aur raat mein candle march hoga (The chronology is that first we will have classes, then protests, then namaz, then open library and then at night we will have candle marches). When news of Tibbi College student protest spread, leaders from other student bodies of different universities visited their protest site and expressed solidarity shouting the Azadi slogans along with them. Other activists protesting against the CAA keep visiting them giving motivational talks and encouraging the students to keep protesting and stay strong. Mushtaq Mallik, Convenor of the Joint Action Committee of Hyderabad for the Anti CAA Protest visited the students but was ushered out after just 2 minutes. Prakash Raj, the renowned actor visited Hyderabad for a public meeting on January 20 and was eager to meet the students but was stopped by the police halfway to the site. Following the visit of many like him, the police barged into the Nizamia college campus, threatening to book cases against the Principal and protestors. But the spirit of students remained undeterred. The students have been registering their protests in innovative ways. They have adorned the campus with posters. They have painted the walls and floors with slogans and pictures depicting justice, freedom and peace and on day 55 of the protest, they held a signature campaign to register voices in support of condemning the CAA. Another day, the students tore copies of the Citizenship Amendment Act, and formed a human chain near the Charminar. They then took out a Tiranga rally and drew rangoli with patriotic and revolutionary designs and slogans. Students also recited shayari and poetry, especially Hum dekhenge by Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Aise dastoor ko subha e benoor ko by Habib Jalib. On January 30, the day the Father of the Nation was assassinated, these students enacted the scene of the assassination and paid homage to Gandhiji by remembering his teachings. Similarly, every day the students come up with something new to keep the protest alive and going, drawing inspiration from the Shaheen Bagh protest in Delhi. Every evening a policeman comes regularly to observe us, said Zubair Alam, a student of final year. Our peaceful protest will go on till the draconian laws are revoked, he said. This is sure enough with activists, doctors, research scholars and others coming regularly to express their solidarity. Even tourists from Turkey during their visit to the Charminar came in the college campus on seeing the protest banners. Daily and consistent protest by the students of Jamia Tibbi College is really appreciable and shows their concern and commitment to make the establishment roll back CAA NPR and NRC, said Sharifa Siddiqui, activist and counselor. Appreciating the efforts of the students of the Nizamia Tibbi College, Shiba Minai, activist-journalist said, Hyderabad may not be having its Shaheen Bagh but we have this students protest which is unique and interesting. Minai particularly lauded the students for being politically aware and responsible. She praised the students for coming up with creative ways to add to their protest and instead of just confining it to sloganeering. The fact that the protest is happening in the backdrop of Charminar which is representative of Hyderabad is significant and this is one of the best kind of protest happening across Hyderabad-Secunderabad, she added. Kathmandu, Nepal The 1,758-kilometre (1,092-mile) border between Nepal and India has always been known as one of the busiest human trafficking gateways in the world. Since a 2015 earthquake in Nepal which killed nearly 9,000 people, severely disrupted social and economic structures, and sank scores into destitution the numbers have risen sharply, with thousands of Nepalese being trafficked across the border and vanishing, never to return. Nepalese victims are plunged into the world of human trafficking in different ways. Some hoped to find jobs as domestic workers in India or Gulf countries but ended up being trafficked and raped in brothels abroad. Others were simply whisked away from their families and sold to brothels in India. Many others fall prey to another type of human trafficking: illegal organ harvesting in India. Research suggests that approximately 12,000 children are trafficked by strangers, neighbours and families to India every year mainly for sexual exploitation but also for work in fisheries, construction, circuses, domestic work, sweatshops, among many other forms of forced labour and exploitation, also including organ removal. Many trafficking victims never even cross the border; the danger is present at home as well. Women and girls from rural areas are promised work and trafficked to urban centres within Nepal. Instead, they end up forced into prostitution in one of the hundreds of singing restaurants, dance bars or massage parlours that function as fronts for brothels in Kathmandu. It is estimated that 11,000 to 13,000 girls and women work there, most of them underage. Nepals civil society is trying to fight back. Every day, border monitors, some of whom are trafficking survivors themselves, try to intercept and rescue potential victims at border posts, preventing them from being trafficked out of Nepal. Others raise their voices against the deep social stigma that pursues its victims at home. Human trafficking is a thriving business. It accounts for $150bn a year worldwide, with women and girls making up 71 percent of all modern slavery victims. Nepal is one of the most lucrative markets. From there alone, at least 54 girls and women are trafficked into India every day. The UNs International Labour Organization has warned that there are more than 40 million enslaved people worldwide more than at any time in history. Nepal accounts for only a fraction of the underground market in human beings, and the toll it takes. *Note: Not their real name Violeta Santos Mouras work in Nepal was supported by the Kim Wall Memorial Fund through the International Womens Media Foundation (IWMF) TPS=SI CERTIFICATO_RAW=C=US, O=Let's Encrypt, CN=R3 CERTIFICATO_SCAD=19-12-2021 01:05:30 HTML_BYTES=101940 DESTINAZIONE=https://republicwireless.com/ DOCTYPE=HTML 5.0 KEYWORDS_ESTRAPOLATE=phone, phones, republic, republic wireless, cell phone, wireless, plans ALEXA_POS=39436 IPs=23.227.38.32 CSS_BOOTSTRAP=//widget.trustpilot.com/bootstrap/v5/tp.widget.bootstrap.min.js HTML_LINGUA=en HTML_CHARSET=utf-8 HTML_TITOLO=Republic Wireless: No Contract Cell Phone Plan For $20 Per Month Republic Wireless HTML_DESCRIZIONE=Find out more about our most popular plan for $20 per month and see our range of affordable smartphones. 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OG_URL=https://republicwireless.com/ OG_TYPE=website OG_TITLE=Republic Wireless: No Contract Cell Phone Plan For $20 Per Month OG_IMAGE=http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0051/8301/2928/files/SocialAvatar_1200x1200.png?v=1552926950 OG_DESCRIPTION=Find out more about our most popular plan for $20 per month and see our range of affordable smartphones. You can also see if your current phone works with Republic Wireless, check your coverage on our nationwide network, and hear how our members save more with Republic. OG_SITE_NAME=Republic Wireless THEME-COLOR=#6ec45d CERTIFICATO_PAESE=US CERTIFICATO_O=Let's Encrypt CERTIFICATO_CN=R3 LIB_BOOTSTRAP_MIN=SI ASYNC=SI HTML5_FOOTER=SI CSS_INSTYLE=SI HTML5=SI MARK_LD_JSON=SI IMG_PNG=55 IMG_SVG=38 NUM_USOCLASSI=353 NUM_DIV=136 NUM_SPAN=42 NUM_IMG=21 HD_TRANSFER-ENCODING=chunked HD_CONNECTION=keep-alive HD_X-FRAME-OPTIONS=DENY HD_AGE=%2F Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 20:18:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Richard Brennan, emergency director for the Regional Office of World Health Organization (WHO), recognized Iran's full commitment to dealing with the novel coronavirus, official IRNA news agency reported Sunday. "After the first case of disease was reported on Feb. 19 in Qom, Iran took steps to fight the disease," said Brennan, who is currently visiting Qom, the hotbed of COVID-19 epidemic in the country. WHO has provided Iran with technical assistance and a committee was set up in the United Nations with the entity as its chair, Brennan said during his meeting with Bahram Sarmast, governor of Qom Province. According to a report by Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education on Sunday, at least 6,566 people in the country have been infected with COVID-19, of whom 194 have died. Highlights Manoj Thakur, a tea vendor has decided to offer tea free of cost to all women visiting his stall. He put up a banner which reads Free Chai for all the respected women. Manoj has been selling tea for 10-15 years. Manoj Thakur, a tea vendor has decided to offer tea free of cost to all women visiting his stall. He said that he took the decision as he wanted to do something special on International Womens Day. Thakur, has also put up a banner near his tea stall which reads--Happy Womens Day, We are celebrating March 9th 2020, 3 pm to 7 pm. Free Chai for all the respected women. Speaking to ANI, Manoj said, I have been selling tea for 10-15 years so I felt I should do something different and special on this Womens Day. Women customers visit here frequently. Our Prime Minister also used to sell tea, so I am inspired by him. No work is small or big. The women customers have given a positive response after they saw the banner which I have put here regarding this initiative, he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON San Antonio officials were informed Saturday night that about 100 passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship where at least 21 people are infected with the new coronavirus are headed to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland early this week for quarantine. City officials were told in a call around 7 p.m. with the U.S. Health and Human Services Department about plans to send only asymptomatic passengers from the ship, which has been idling off the coast of California for days as federal officials grappled with what to do with the nearly 3,000 people aboard. At least one former passenger of the Grand Princess, a California man, has died of the virus, health officials there have said. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Fire damaged a Mr. Burger restaurant north of Grand Rapids on Saturday, March 7. Firefighters responded about 5:25 p.m. to 5181 Northland Drive NE for the fire. Firefighters were told it started as a grease fire, but the exact cause was not immediately known. Smoke was coming from the roof as firefighters arrived. The fire was extinguished in about 10 minutes. The extent of damage was not immediately clear. A Michigan Department of Transportation camera in the area captured light smoke. Penalties handed out to companies for customer data breaches could soon soar with some potentially hitting hundreds of millions of pounds, legal experts say. The warning comes after airline Cathay Pacific was given a maximum fine of 500,000 for a customer data protection failure. It also followed an admission on Friday by Virgin Media that the personal details of almost a million of its customers had potentially been exposed. Airline Cathay Pacific was given a fine of 500,000 for a customer data protection failure Ryan Dunleavy, media disputes partner at Stewarts, said the maximum fine for breaches occurring before May 25, 2018, could be eclipsed by much larger penalties. The latest breaches under General Data Protection Regulation rules which have since come into force will lead to fines of up to 4 per cent of a companys global turnover. Dunleavy said he had read the details in Cathay Pacifics penalty notice and he suspected this was an instance where the regulator the Information Commissioners Office would impose a much higher fine if it were possible. He said: Fines can be eye-wateringly high under current rules, even for an incident which doesnt involve passwords or financial details of consumers. Virgin could be facing a fine of multiples of millions of pounds. A t least 10 people have died and 23 are missing after a hotel being used as a coronavirus quarantine facility collapsed in China. The seven-story building in the city of Quanzhou collapsed on Saturday night and authorities said 48 people had since been rescued. More than 1,000 people, including firefighters, police forces, and other emergency responders, arrived at the site to assist the injured. Pictures from the scene showed rescue workers clad in hard hats, goggles and face masks carrying injured people away to waiting medical staff. Of the 71 people inside the hotel at the time of the collapse, 58 had been under quarantine, the Ministry of Emergency Management said. According to state media outlet Xinhua, the owner of the building, a man surnamed Yang, has been summoned by police. The buildings first floor had been under renovation at the time of the collapse, the news agency said. News of the incident comes as the spread of COVID-19 continues to slow in China. According to data from Chinas National Health Commission (NHC), cases fell by roughly one half on Saturday from the day prior. The Ontario Liberal Party thanked interim leader John Fraser, and united behind successful leadership contender Steven Del Duca this past weekend at a convention in Mississauga. While I attended the convention as a delegate from York South-Weston in support of Londoner Kate Graham, like the thousands of Liberals that participated in the process, I left fired up and ready to fight alongside my fellow Ontario Liberal team. Del Ducas campaign put in the hard work for the chance to build the Ontario Liberal Party in preparation for what he describes as the fight of our lives. This is the first step down a long, hard road to the 2022 election. There is no telling what public crisis will arise next. We need thoughtful, sage, and experienced leadership at the helm of the Ontario government. At the same time, we need leaders with the energy and ambition required to address the long-term challenges confronting our province. As the Ontario Liberal Party builds a positive alternative vision for the province, I hope Del Duca empowers his former leadership opponents to continue leading on the issues they so passionately championed during this contest. Politics is a team sport, and the Ontario Liberal team may be small, but its mighty. Each candidate brought something to the fold that Del Duca would be wise to embrace. Graham sparked an intergenerational movement centred on well-being in public policy over partisanship. Her campaign emphasized the empowerment of local leaders as we collaborate toward healthy and inclusive communities across Ontario. Hers is a voice I look forward to hearing more of. Her courageous effort in this race (especially as a soon to be mother) brought me hope for my own ability to initiate positive change in my communities while growing a family. Im pleased Del Duca is committed to generational change among the roster of 2022 candidates. I hope we will see diversity, in all of its definitions, among those successful candidates. Candidates agreed on the need for an aspirational approach to how government resources are deployed in response to climate change, and adequate funding for mental health supports. Agreement can certainly be found on the need to ensure public transportation systems across Ontario are expanded in collaboration with municipalities to provide improved and fair service to underserviced areas. Michael Coteau is right, public transit should be free. Rather than strategizing fare evasion tactics, its time to rethink how we fund these systems entirely. It is also definitely worth adopting Coteaus commitment to lower the voting age to 16. Mitzie Hunter initiated thoughtful dialogue throughout the race on affordable housing and inclusive party reform, while using her voice effectively at Queens Park in an effort to hold the Doug Ford government to account. Alvin Tedjos proposals on basic income, affordable child care, and accessible post secondary education are game changers if done right. Brenda Hollingsworth bravely leapt into the race and brought refreshing perspectives to each debate, especially with regard to innovation in preparing Ontarians to reach their full potential in future economies. Of the over 3,000 Ontario Liberal Party members that came together to run the convention and elect the new leader, the stars of the weekend were the Liberal women working to shape a better Ontario. The collective energy of the women from across the province attending the convention was electrifying. The fuel they brought to the fire this weekend will power the party to and through 2022. From the dynamic Secretary General Christine McMillan, whose team delivered a successful convention with few resources, including a fitting tribute to political titan and former premier, Hon. Kathleen Wynne, to co-chair Hon. Chrystia Freeland, whose remarks reminded attendees of the societal challenges that lay ahead, and our need to rise to the occasion to face them head on. These women took the embers of an almost extinguished political party and fanned them back to a roaring blaze. It was inspiring connecting with organizers who sacrificed greatly to contribute their time, money, and energy to leadership campaigns over this past year, and see the neutral volunteers who let the convention shine. This International Womens Day, I hope they are getting some much deserved rest. Tiffany Gooch is a Toronto-based Liberal strategist and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: is a Toronto-based Liberal strategist and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @goocht Read more about: Kerala on Sunday reported five fresh cases of coronavirus, despite the state's efforts to curb the outbreak. Three of the new cases are people who travelled to Kerala from Italy recently. The government has said that it is strengthening preventive measures in the wake of the fresh cases. "Five people from Pathanamthitta district, who are in the isolation ward, have tested positive for coronavirus. Of this, three people including the parents and a son have travelled down from Italy and they did not report at the airport. They also visited some of the relatives near their ... Nigerian cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky, has returned back to social media and she claims she is now a changed person. The Nigerian transgender took to his Snapchat to say that she will not respond to reports of her arrest as she tagged it as a fake gist even though photos of her at the police cell leaked online. The controversial celebrity also recounted how her birthday party was cancelled because haters couldnt stand her. Bobrisky has also stated that she doesnt care because she is the strongest person on the planet on earth and nothing can bring her down. Read Also: Marriage Is Not A Do Or Die Affair Yul Edochie See full post below: Senator Elizabeth Warren made a cameo on Saturday Night Live where she bragged about helping to knock Michael Bloomberg from the presidential race. Warren, a senator from Massachusetts, dropped out of the Democratic presidential race this week after a disappointing showing in the Super Tuesday slate of primaries. During her appearance on SNLs cold open, Warren took questions from a satirical version of Fox News host Laura Ingraham who introduced the senator as the woman who savagely murdered Michael Bloomberg on live television. Warren then appeared on the screen and was greeted by thunderous applause by the live studio audience. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts (right) appeared on Saturday Night Live's cold open which featured a parody of Laura Ingraham's Fox News show. Ingraham was played by Kate McKinnon (left) Warren was applauded as she was introduced as the 'woman who savagely murdered Michael Bloomberg on live television' McKinnon later joined Warren as Warren at the end of the cold open She was then asked how she's been doing since dropping out. You know, I'm doing just fine, Warren responded. My friends and family have been so supportive, they've been calling nonstop, asking, Are you okay? What do you need? Were you electable? Ingraham, played by Kate McKinnon, the cast member whose repertoire also includes an imitation of Warren, then played a clip of the senators dog, Bailey, stealing a burrito. Ingraham introduced the video as footage of Warren eviscerating Bloomberg. Were you the dog or the burrito? Ingraham asked Warren. I was the dog, she said. The line generated several laughs. Warren's performance at the debate was compared to her dog Bailey's swiping a burrito. The viral clip earlier this week went viral on social media Bailey legit just swiped someones burrito. pic.twitter.com/MWr6ZeiJa2 Gabrielle Farrell (her/s) (@FarrellGabriell) March 5, 2020 The clip was a viral video of Warren's beloved golden retriever, Bailey, swiping a burrito just after the senator announced she was dropping out of the race. The funny clip featured Warren's husband, Bruce, and others trying to take the burrito out of Bailey's locked jaw. The incident, which took place at Warren campaign headquarters, was widely shared online, with social media rallying to Bailey's defense. Warren has been praised for her performance during the recent Democratic debates, in which she blasted Bloomberg for his company's treatment of women who complained of sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination. Bloomberg's poor responses to Warren's fierce criticisms are widely believed to have doomed any chance that the former New York City mayor had of seriously competing for the nomination. The fake Ingraham then asked Warren if she plans on announcing which of the two remaining viable candidates - Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden - she would endorse. Cecily Strong also appeared as a parodied version of Judge Jeanine Pirro, the host of a weekly Fox News show SNL also parodied Chris Matthews, the former MSNBC host who resigned after he was accused of inappropriately flirting with a female journalist. Matthews was played by longtime player Darrell Hammond The cold open also featured cameos and appearances by the Trump brothers, Eric and Don Jr, who are played by Alex Moffat (right) and Mikey Day (left) Well, it's tough, she said. Maybe I'll just pull a New York Times and endorse them both. In January, the Times made the unusual decision to endorse both Warren and Senator Amy Klobuchar for the Democratic nomination. Both candidates eventually dropped out of the race. Klobuchar, the senator from Minnesota, has already announced she is endorsing Biden. On SNL, Warren poked fun at her inability to attract a wide swath of voters. 'I'm so proud of our campaign,' she said. 'We built a wide coalition of teachers, preschool teachers, middle school teachers and teachers pets.' Waren said: 'Now I got time to do a little self-care, hanging out with my dog Bailey, prank calling big banks, drag racing Subarus, and avoiding Twitter.' Before she signed off, McKinnon rushed to join her only this time in the same identical outfit. When McKinnon thanked Warren for 'all that you've done in your lifetime,' the senator responded: 'I'm not dead, I'm just in the Senate.' The cold open also featured cameos and appearances by the Trump brothers, Eric and Don Jr, who are played by Alex Moffat and Mikey Day. Cecily Strong also appeared as a parodied version of Judge Jeanine Pirro, the host of a weekly Fox News show. SNL also lampooned Chris Matthews, the former MSNBC host who resigned after he was accused of inappropriately flirting with a female journalist. Matthews was played by longtime player Darrell Hammond. The couple identified as Jahanzaib Sami and his wife Hina Bashir Beigh from Srinagar were detained by Special Cell of Delhi Police, said a senior official. New Delhi: Delhi Police on Sunday detained two suspected Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) terrorists in Okhla who were allegedly actively involved in the recent anti-CAA protests. Informed sources, meanwhile, alleged that the couple was planning to carry out suicide attacks in the country. The couple identified as Jahanzaib Sami and his wife Hina Bashir Beigh from Srinagar were detained by Special Cell of Delhi Police, said Pramod Singh Kushwaha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell). The police recovered electronic gadgets and incriminating material promoting jihadi thought from their possession. "A couple, Jahanzaib Sami and Hina Bashir Beigh linked to Khorasan Module of Islamic State were apprehended from Jamia Nagar, Okhla. The couple was instigating anti-CAA protests," said Kushwaha. Informed sources told ANI that Sami came under scanner due to his activities on cyberspace which revealed his intention to carry out suicide attacks in the country. He was in "association with senior ISKP members in Afghanistan". He was earlier also in contact with Khurasan-based Huzaifa Bakistani (Amir of Wilaya Hind who has since been killed). During his interrogation, Jahanzaib Sami revealed that he was actively involved on various social media platforms calling on the Indian Muslims to unite and fight against the Indian establishment in protest against the CAA legislation, sources said. Sami also revealed he was trying to arrange firearms and ammunitions for his planned activities against the CAA. Sami told Police that he was actively involved in the propagation of recently published Islamic State magazine `Sawt al-Hind' (Voice of India) in the month of February 2020. Sami has also revealed that one of his close associates, Khattab, was in fact Abdullah Basith who is currently lodged in Tihar jail as an undertrial in Islamic State-related cases. Meanwhile, his wife Hina was also active on pro-Islamic State social media platforms under the name of Catijah al Kashmiri/Hannabee and played a role of facilitator in spotting talents on cyberspace and further motivating them. A boat carrying up to 113 migrants from Africa to Europe has been intercepted off the coast of Spain as it attempted to cross the Mediterranean Sea. The sub-Saharan migrants disembarked late last night at a port in Malaga, southern Spain after they were picked up as they attempted to cross the Mediterranean in a dinghy. Photographs show the migrants wrapped up warm in red blankets provided by rescuers as they wait to leave the Spanish boat before sunrise. People were then seen clinging to their blankets and coats as they were led across the port in single file, where they were assisted by the Spanish Red Cross. A group of women were later photographed being accompanied to a bus by Spanish police officers after their arrival at the port. Sub-Saharan migrants, who were rescued from a dinghy in the Mediterranean Sea, stand in a queue on a rescue vessel after their arrival at the Port of Malaga Photographs show the migrants wrapped up warm in red blankets provided by rescuers as they wait to leave the Spanish boat It was not immediately clear exactly where the migrants had set sail from. In 2018, Spain was the main point of entry for migrants to cross into Europe but the number of arrivals halved last year to 26,168. There has, however, been a recent increase in the number of boats heading towards the Canary Islands, which lie in the Atlantic Ocean near Africa's northeastern coast. Morocco, a coastal state in North Africa, received 140 million euros (121 million) in EU funds last year to crack down on illegal migrant crossings. Groups were then seen clinging to their blankets and coats as they were led across the port in single file, where they were assisted by the Spanish Red Cross The 113 migrants were intercepted by a rescue vessel as they attempted to cross the Mediterranean Sea near Malaga late on Saturday It was not immediately clear exactly where the migrants, said to be from sub-Saharan Africa, had set sail from This has led to an increasing number of people attempting to reach Europe by boat from Mauritania, whose coastline lies 600 miles to the south. Last month, rescuers in Spain were searching for two boats carrying dozens of migrants missing at sea between Western Sahara and the Canary Islands. A spokeswoman for Salvamento Maritimo, Spain's coastguard, said a rescue plane was looking for two boats carrying 53 people - combing a huge area of water between the island of Gran Canaria and Dakhla, a port in Western Sahara. A day earlier, two NGOs - Alarm Phone and Walking Borders - said 14 migrants, two of them children, had died near the coast of Morocco when their boat sunk while en route to the Canary Islands. A man wraps a blanket provided by a rescuer around his head and shoulders as he waits to disembark a rescue ship in Malaga, Spain In 2018, Spain was the main point of entry for migrants to cross into Europe but the number of arrivals halved last year to 26,168 There has, however, been a recent increase in the number of boats heading towards the Canary Islands, which lie in the Atlantic Ocean near Africa's northeastern coast The same day, Salvamento Maritimo rescued another boat in distress just south of Gran Canaria which was carrying 25 migrants, taking them to the southern port of Arguinerin. Spain has continued its efforts to send home those arriving illegally in the Canaries, with repatriation flights operated by Frontex, the European Union's border security agency, leaving for Mauritania throughout February. Spain and Mauritania, in northwestern Africa, signed a bilateral agreement in 2003 under which Nouakchott agreed to receive any repatriated migrants who passed through its territory en route to Spain, regardless of their nationality. Morocco, a coastal state in North Africa, received 140 million euros (121 million) in EU funds last year to crack down on illegal migrant crossings Migrant women, intercepted off the coast in the Mediterranean Sea, are led by Spanish police officers into a bus after arriving on a rescue boat at the port of Malaga, southern Spain Last month, rescuers in Spain were searching for two boats carrying dozens of migrants missing at sea between Western Sahara and the Canary Islands In the first six weeks of the year, the number of migrants reaching the Canaries soared to 1,008 - 15 times the level of a year ago when it stood at 66, government figures showed. The surge raised fears of a renewal of migrant traffic on a route taken by tens of thousands of people a decade ago. It comes as Turkey announced on February 28 that it would no longer abide by a 2016 deal to keep refugees on its territory. Istanbul accused the EU of falling short on commitments of financial support. Some 35,000 migrants have since massed on the border with Greece where they have been thrust back by Greek forces. I imagine we have hundreds, if not thousands, of cases in my state. I think we have no concept of the scope of this epidemic yet because we have not been able to test, Murphy said. We are doing a lot more screening in our state, but we do not have the ability to give a test to everyone who wants one, as the president said was the case on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 6) The first Filipino to contract the coronavirus in Hong Kong has recovered. The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong confirmed Friday that the Filipino patient has been discharged from the hospital. "She is healthy and has since returned to her employers home," Consul General Raly Tejada said in a statement. The patient, a 32-year-old Filipina domestic worker, was confirmed on Feb. 18 to have the coronavirus disease officially known as COVID-19. Two other Filipinos based in Hong Kong tested positive for the virus in February and March. Tejada said they are also expected to be released soon since they "remain health and asymptomatic." The new coronavirus has killed more than 3,300 people worldwide, mostly in China, since the outbreak began in Wuhan City in Hubei province in December last year. It has spread to at least 87 countries and territories, with nearly 98,000 people infected. In the Philippines, five coronavirus cases have been confirmed. The latest cases are two Filipino men, one of them has no history of travel outside the Philippines, making him the country's first local case. The other patient recently traveled to coronavirus-hit Tokyo, Japan. Earlier, three Chinese visitors tested positive for coronavirus infection in the Philippines one of them died, while the remaining two have since recovered and left the country. Married At First Sight's Cathy Evans has issued an apology for using a homophobic slur and joking about rape in a resurfaced Instagram post from 2014. In the now-deleted post, Cathy described a man she had encountered at the gym as a 'f**king f****t', before telling a friend 'he was raping [her] with his eyes'. The 26-year-old logistics investigator, who is paired with truck driver Josh Pihlak on MAFS, has since expressed her profound regret at using 'such offensive' language. Regrets: Married At First Sight's Cathy Evans (pictured) has issued an apology for using a homophobic slur and joking about rape in a resurfaced Instagram post from 2014 Cathy told Daily Mail Australia: 'I am so embarrassed for my use of such offensive and inappropriate language. It was a lapse in judgement at the time and I apologise for any hurt or offence I have caused.' She had left the comments alongside a photo of herself at the gym. She was 20 years old at the time and studying performing arts at Unitec Institute of Technology. Her caption read: 'Wish I was this tanned all year! Trained back today, any advice on how to deal with a f**king f****t who won't stop staring at me when I work out? 'Like not the normal "checking you out". It's like proper, "In my culture, women don't even come out of the house." Any advice I'll take, thanks.' Shocking: In the now-deleted post from six years ago, Cathy described a man she had encountered at the gym as a 'f**king f****t' Rape joke: After her friends commented on the post, Cathy added: 'I'm not joking but [the man] looks like he's raping me with his eyes' Throwback: She had left the comments alongside this photo of herself at the gym. She was 20 years old at the time and studying performing arts at Unitec Institute of Technology After her friends commented on the post, Cathy added: 'I'm not joking but [the man] looks like he's raping me with his eyes.' Cathy has since deleted the post after it was discovered by MAFS viewers. This is the only scandal to hit the part-time actress and YouTuber, who has so far proved to be one of the more popular brides on the current season. She has 112,000 Instagram followers as of Sunday, more than all of her co-stars. Apology: The 26-year-old logistics investigator, who is paired with truck driver Josh Pihlak (left) on MAFS, has since expressed her profound regret at using 'such offensive' language 'I am so embarrassed for my use of such offensive and inappropriate language. It was a lapse in judgement at the time and I apologise for any hurt or offence I have caused,' Cathy said At Sunday night's commitment ceremony, her romance with Josh started to fall apart when he suggested they might be better off friends. 'I'm worried that we're going to be just friends next week, and that's all it is going to be. I don't want to be negative, but there's a difference between what you want and what you feel. I have doubts,' said Josh, leaving Cathy blindsided. She responded: 'I actually walked into this commitment ceremony quite confident. I've tried not to think about too much of the future because it is quite overwhelming. 'But then I feel pressured to feel a romantic feeling in quite a short amount of time. You've given me an ultimatum by next week, and now I'm like, "Oh s**t"'. 'I have doubts': At Sunday night's commitment ceremony, Cathy's romance with Josh (right) started to fall apart when he suggested they might be better off friends Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 07:41:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Park Jung-min calls his mother, who lives in South Korea, in Qinyuan community of Suzhou Industrial Park in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, March 6, 2020. Park Jung-min, a 34-year-old South Korean national, runs a taekwondo studio in Suzhou Industrial Park. During the Spring Festival of 2020, Park stayed in Suzhou to accompany his pregnant wife. As many foreigners have returned recently, some communities in Suzhou Industrial Park have started to recruit volunteers who can speak foreign languages to help with the epidemic control work. Park signed up as a volunteer translator in Qinyuan community to help communicate with South Korean residents. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng) WineGlass Marketing was called out as the only Napa company listed as one of the top 250 a hyper growth company in the Inc. 5000 Series: Californias Top Companies, said a news release. The list, published on February 19, ranks the fastest-growing private companies in the state and represents cities from San Diego to Sacramento. WineGlass Marketing is a full-service direct marketing agency for the wine, beer and spirits industry. Its offices are located at 531 Jefferson St. The industries on the Inc. list are diverse and range from healthcare to construction, but Inc. reports their combined total revenues grew a collective $5.5 billion between 2016 and 2018, adding 26,000 jobs to California payrolls in the process. We are extremely proud about our growth because it is a direct correlation to the commitment of our clients and employees, Susan DeMatei, WineGlass Marketings president and founder, said. Growth can only be achieved if the foundation is solid so you can build upon it. Weve been blessed with dynamic and intelligent clients that have trusted us for years, and a talented and high-performing team who display a continual drive to provide excellent support to those clients. WineGlass Marketing was the only firm mentioned associated with the wine industry, said the news release. The marketing agency started in 2012 with one employee and three clients, but now employs 18 people and supports half a dozen subcontractors to service 50-60 clients a month. WineGlass Marketing is focused on wineries and wine-industry clients almost entirely in the North Bay, so the inclusion of a wine industry company in the Inc. 5000 Series California list is a refreshing contrast to the recent waterfall of news stories about tourist traffic falling off and a wine surplus driving down prices, said the release. There were five North Bay companies on the top 250 list: Two in Marin, two in Sonoma and WineGlass Marketing in Napa. WineGlass Marketing faced tough competition for this achievement as the advertising and marketing category was not only the biggest revenue generating industry tracked in Inc.s report, with a net growth of $1.1B, but also had the most on the list with 39 companies. The next most crowded industry was software with 33 and then healthcare companies with 22. Most companies on the list were located within Los Angeles (116) with the next populous area listing 60 companies in San Francisco. Demonstrators rallying on International Women's Day were assaulted by unidentified masked men in Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek, on March 8. Police said they had detained dozens of demonstration organizers and participants for their own safety, as well as three suspected attackers. Earlier in the week, a court banned all demonstrations in downtown Bishkek until July 1, purportedly as a measure against the coronavirus, although Kyrgyzstan does not have any confirmed cases. By Kim Jae-heun Shin Dong-bin, Lotte Group chairman The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise visit to a school to deliver an International Women's Day message to schoolboys to 'protect the women in your lives'. In one of her last solo engagements as a working royal Meghan, who also revealed that ten-month-old Archie is trying to walk, spoke with delighted pupils at the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham, east London, and met one of the women who fought an historic equal pay battle in the nearby Ford car plant. In a speech addressing the school's boys in particular, she urged them to 'continue to value and appreciate the women in your lives and also set the example for some men who are not seeing it that same way. 'You have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life, protect them. 'Make sure that they are feeling valued and safe and let's all just rally together to make International Women's Day something that is not just on Sunday, but frankly feels like every day of the year.' Meghan, Duchess of Sussex poses with school children making the 'Equality' sign following a school assembly during a visit to Robert Clack School in Dagenham In a speech addressing the school's boys in particular, she urged them to 'continue to value and appreciate the women in your lives and also set the example for some men who are not seeing it that same way She also told them the had the 'the right to speak up for what is right' as she urged them to follow in the footsteps of the Dagenham women in 1968. Although rumours had spread about the identity of their special guest, most of the pupils waiting inside and onlookers gathered at the school gates were audibly surprised when Meghan arrived on Friday, to be warmly greeted by headteacher Russell Taylor. Meghan smiled broadly at two of the school's youngest pupils, 11-year-olds Fiona Addai and Harvi Shehi, who both appeared shocked as she approached and asked their names. The duchess thanked Fiona after the youngster presented her with a small bouquet of purple and white flowers. Fiona later said: 'I was so happy, I thought I was going to faint.' Meghan, wearing black and tan shoes, black trousers, a white blouse and a tan blazer, was given a tour of the comprehensive school (she is pictured speaking to students) Meghan also marked the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act on her visit to the school. Her choice of location was noteworthy as strikes in the 1960s by female sewing machinists at the nearby Ford Motor Plant triggered the passing of the legislation. That struggle was depicted in the 2010 film Made in Dagenham. Meghan told around 700 pupils in an assembly: 'I think being able to be in Dagenham is incredibly profound... 'It is the best example of no matter how small you might feel, how low you may feel on the ladder or the totem pole, no matter what colour you are, no matter what gender you are, you have a voice and you certainly have the right to speak up for what is right.' Meghan, wearing black and tan shoes, black trousers, a white blouse and a tan blazer, was given a tour of the comprehensive school. She sat among Year 9 students in the library who had been studying women's literature and poems and tried to encourage one pupil to read her poem aloud, quietly praising her for her work. After seeing another student had been studying Maya Angelou, Meghan asked her why she liked the poet and said: 'She's incredible, isn't she?' Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (left) goes to embrace student Aker Okoye during a school assembly as part of a visit to Robert Clack School in Essex, on Friday in support of International Women's Day Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (L) embraces student Aker Okoye during a school assembly as part of a visit to Robert Clack School in Essex, on Friday , in support of International Women's Day Meghan also visited the school's art studio, where she was made an honorary member of the Robert Clack Debate Society and awarded a team jersey. After listening to some members of the team advocate for their future careers, including as lawyers and gynaecologists, Meghan said: 'It's incredibly impressive and I'm just so proud to be able to witness so much of this activism and this energy in this room. 'It's how we're going to see the impact in the world that we need, it's all of your voices as you said and being able to feel empowered.' Before taking the stage for the International Women's Day assembly, Meghan spoke to Geraldine Dear, one of the women involved in the Dagenham Ford strikes. Ms Dear said: 'She said it was an honour to meet me and I said it was the other way around. I said the girls should believe in themselves. 'I did ask her how Archie is and she said to me he's 10 months old today and he's just trying to walk.' Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visits the the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham on Friday to attend a special assembly ahead of International Womens Day Meghan lastly went into the main hall, where her introduction brought gasps of surprise before thunderous applause from 700 visibly stunned pupils. After the second of three standing ovations, Meghan told pupils: 'I thought that you knew I was coming, so I'm sorry for the surprise. 'It is such an honour for me to be here today. When we thought about what I wanted to do for International Women's Day this year, for me it was incredibly important to be with the women of our future. 'And that is all of you young women here, as well as you young men who play a very large part in this. 'I think specifically coming to your school made a lot of sense for me because of this social justice and the impact that it's rooted in.' The Duchess of Sussex later asked for a male volunteer to explain their view on the importance of International Women's Day. Head boy Aker Okoye, 16, jumped at the chance to take to the stage. Greeting her with what appeared to be a kiss on the cheek, he told his fellow pupils: 'She really is beautiful. I had to speak the truth there.' With a smile, Meghan praised Aker's 'incredible confidence'. Shortly before she left the hall to cheers and loud applause, Meghan had a photo taken with the students, who posed with their arms in an equals sign in reference to the International Women's Day campaign theme 'EachforEqual'. The email to Princess Cruises was peppered with typos and awkward grammar, but the warning was unmistakable. An 80-year-old passenger had tested positive for the new coronavirus after getting off the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Hong Kong. Would kindly inform the ship related parties and do the necessary disinfection, Princesss port representative wrote on Feb. 1, relaying a warning from Hong Kong health officials. Many thanks! Nothing happened. Princess says it believes the alert sat unread in unmonitored inboxes. Grant Tarling, the companys top doctor and the person in charge of responding to outbreaks, said he hadnt learned about the infection until the following day after being alerted to a post on social media. The fumbled alert was just the beginning of a broader breakdown by both the company and the Japanese authorities who quarantined the ship in Yokohama. Hobbled by confusion and mistakes, they played down the risk of infection, ignored best medical practice for evacuating passengers, and activated only low-level protocols for dealing with outbreaks. Ultimately, eight people died and more than 700 were infected, including some government officials. A warmer-than-usual spring could help combat the spread of coronavirus, it has been suggested. (Picture: Getty) A warmer-than-usual spring in the UK could help health services struggling to deal with the spread of coronavirus. Forecasters are predicting higher temperatures this spring, which would help slow the spread of the virus and also free up beds taken by those suffering from flu and other bugs associated with winter. The Met Offices three-month forecast said: For March-April-May as a whole, above-average temperatures are more likely than below-average temperatures. It added: Overall, the probability that the UK-average temperature for March-April-May will fall into the coldest of our five categories is less than 5% and the probability that it will fall into the warmest of our five categories is around 55% (the 1981-2010 probability for each of these categories is 20%). Winter weather can help the spread of respiratory illnesses, experts have previously observed. (Picture: PA) Englands chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty has previously said that dealing with an outbreak would be helped by putting it back in time into summer. He said: Putting it back in time into the summer period, away from winter pressures on the NHS, buying us a bit more time to understand the virus better, possibly having some seasonal advantage, is a big advantage. Read more: Families of cruise ship Britons call coronavirus quarantine a 'death sentence' Read more: GCSE and A-level exams could be delayed because of coronavirus Experts have also noted that winter weather can help the spread of respiratory diseases, with factors like respiratory infections like cold weather, humidity, and peoples activities during winter affecting epidemics. Simon Clarke, an expert in cellular microbiology at Britain's University of Reading, told Reuters: The reason why cold weather is presumed to cause spreading of coughs, colds and flu is that cold air causes irritation in the nasal passages and airways, which makes us more susceptible to viral infection. He told the news agency that the arrival of warmer weather could help alleviate the spread of coronavirus, adding: It's entirely possible that we might get a spring-time lull," said Clarke. "It's unlikely to make things worse, but we don't know for sure - it's an educated guess. Two people were overcharged up to 1,131 per month when their bank wrongly refused to give them access to a tracker mortgage, a ruling from the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) found, in a report published last week. This story didnt receive much high profile media coverage, maybe because it referred to ordinary people....The Times and RTE covered it, and must be acknowledged for doing so. Many people might say what has this to do with the Longford readers, but of course this is what the banks dont want highlighted, although legally it is beyond their lawyers, once published, and deserves to be printed. Everyone, who deals with a bank, should know these things, and act upon them. View banks with the caution merited. I know there are numerous other cases still winding their way through the courts. In one case, the bank offered 6,265 as compensation, perhaps thinking that the couple, who had been the subject of this ongoing terrible, stressful treatment, would accept and be glad it was all over, so to speak. However, the FSPO found that the total the couple were overcharged came to almost 64,000 between 2009 and 2015. 64,000!! Also read - Longford Leader columnist Mattie Fox: An acerbic point The interest that the couple were overcharged because of the higher mortgage varied from one month to the next, the FSPO found. Overall, it averaged at around 1,000 every month. An example of this was cited which included the overcharging of 1,131 in October 2014 and March 2015, while the bank wrongly refused to provide them with a tracker mortgage. The FSPO gave numerous examples of the precise amount overcharged on the mortgage payments of the couple after the bank refused to put them back onto a lower tracker rate to which they were entitled. Neither the couple or the bank were named in the FSPO decision. The regulator said the couple had agreed to a 34-year mortgage with monthly repayments of 1,554 per month. However, the FSPO found that the banks proposal of compensation was not at all reasonable due to the significance of the overcharge, and the considerable stress that it caused. The Ombudsman directed that the lender pay the couple an additional 45,000 in compensation. In several cases, Irelands banks moved people off their tracker rates knowingly, incorrectly. This couple, were one of the many who found themselves caught up in legal stress, during the tracker mortgage scandal, which in more than 40,000 customer accounts were affected after banks moved in 2008 to stop offering cheap mortgages linked to the European Central Banks (ECB) main rate. This caused such huge financial hardship to the banks customers, and resulted in at least 99 losing their homes. Yet, the banks still broadcast warm advertisements. Ill leave it to the reader to decide if this is another scandalous set of circumstances, or not. I wonder how have the couple at the heart of this matter feel having gone through years or hell, caused by the bank. Also read - Longford Leader columnist Mattie Fox: The changing face of Lent (CNN) Every morning, managers at Dealmed Medical Supplies meet to discuss which customers they can provide with face masks from their dwindling stock. On a recent morning, they decided a local hospital would get 10 boxes of masks fitted with N95 respirators, a total of about 200 masks. The hospital had requested 60 boxes. A request from a chain of dialysis centers also went on the "yes" pile. Dealmed, an independent medical supplier based in the northeast, a supplier of face masks, gloves and other protective equipment for hospitals, clinics and doctors' offices, has seen skyrocketing demand for masks since the outbreak of novel corouavirus, the company says it hasn't received any new supplies. The Chinese factories that usually make them haven't shipped any new stock in two months, Dealmed President Michael Einhorn said. We're absolutely going to run out, but we have contingency plans in place," Einhorn said. "We're trying to do the best we can for our customers." Industry experts say China is the world's largest global supplier of medical face masks. While the Chinese Commerce Ministry says it's not restricting exports of medical face masks, Dealmed isn't the only company facing a supply crunch. Medicom, a Canadian manufacturer, has three factories in China, but the Chinese government has requisitioned all production and nothing is being exported, according to the company's COO, Guillaume Laverdure. Factories in France and Taiwan are subject to official export bans. Laverdure said the company is trying to increase its capacity, and it's adding both equipment and staff at its US and French factories. For the moment, though, the company is prioritizing its existing customers, mainly medical distributors and some hospitals. "We estimate that around 80 percent of the face masks worldwide are manufactured in China," Laverdure said. "Overnight it was 80 percent of the world supply which was cut so that creates a huge demand on the existing production capacities outside of China." In the United States, the government has not officially banned mask exports or taken supply of the supply chain. The US Department of Health and Human Services has committed to buy 500 million N95 masks or respirators over the next year and a half in order to support domestic manufacturers, and build up the Strategic National Stockpile, the country's reserve of medical supplies for public health emergencies. Dealmed is working to find new sources of face masks outside of China. In the meantime, company officials are left with the constant question of who should get the ones they have left. Einhorn says he tries to make allocation decisions based on which customers are most vital to public health, and where the patients are the sickest and therefore the most vulnerable to this particular virus. "It's a moral decision, and it's not a position that we feel comfortable being in, but we're going to do the best we can," he said. Chandler Thornton and Kelly Burns contributed to this report. This story was first published on CNN.com 'With no shipments from China, medical mask suppliers have to choose whom to supply' The agency is likely to recommend that people who can consistently wear N95 or KN95 masks, rather than cloth masks, should do so. Coming Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. ET A Shenzhen Airlines Airbus A320 plane is seen at the Changsha airport in Hunan, Chona on Nov. 1, 2007. (MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images) Amid Virus Outbreak, China Suddenly Cancels Flights and Train Schedules in Major Cities Two major cities in Guangdong province recently cancelled most of their flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, drawing public speculation that the changes were precautions related to the novel coronavirus outbreak. A large number of passenger train routes in major cities across the country were also cancelled. Airlines stated public security issues, but didnt give details. State-run media quoted Air China staff who said: could be related to coronavirus outbreak. In recent days, local media reported several cases of novel coronavirus patients who died in Guangdong province shortly after being confirmed with the virus. According to flight-tracking websites, almost all flights from Shenzhen and Guangzhou to Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou were cancelled after 5:15 p.m. local time on March 5. Some of the flights to Tianjin, Nanjing, Shenyang, and other top Chinese cities were cancelled as well. On March 6, flights resumed but were delayed. On a popular Chinese railway ticketing website, all passenger trains departing from Hangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing city, Chengdu in Sichuan province, Zhongshan in Guangdong province, and many other major Chinese cities also stopped operations on March 6. Railway stations in Guiyang city of Guizhou province announced that the cancellations were due to force majeure, with no other details. On March 5, the newspaper owned by the Hangzhou city government, Metro Express, said it received readers phone calls complaining that their flights from Shenzhen to Hangzhou were cancelled. Hangzhou is the capital of eastern Chinas Zhejiang province, and is about 655 miles north of Shenzhen. The Metro Express then found out that the flights to Shenzhen were cancelled. The publication contacted the state-run airline Air China and was told that the flights were cancelled due to public security issues. Public security issues are relatively rare in daily civil aviation operations [in China], the Metro Express reported. When there are large-scale events or emergencies that might impact the safety of flights, airlines will cancel flights under the rationale of public security issues, it explained. The newspaper then spoke with a staff member at Air China, who said, the flight cancellations could be related to the coronavirus. The Metro Express soon deleted its report. Other Chinese media outlets also deleted their reposts of the original Metro Express article. U.S.-based China affairs commentator Tang Jingyuan said such large-scale cancellations are rare and could hint at a true emergency. Beijing authorities are trying to convince citizens that the coronavirus outbreak has calmed down and people can go back to work. Cancelling air flights can create a sense of panic. The government wont take this sort of action unless something extremely urgent is happening, Tang said in an interview. The Chinese regime has requested all businesses to resume production on Feb. 10, following an extended Lunar New Year holiday to prevent people from gathering and potentially spreading the virus. With increasing pressure from authorities, more businesses have resumed operations, though that has risked workers becoming infected. In Guangdong province, several such cases were reported. On March 4, a worker suddenly fell down while at a workshop in Shenzhen. Her co-workers shot a video of what happened. Some coronavirus patients have suddenly collapsed, and later died. On March 3, a bus was arranged to pick up migrant workers in Hunan province and return them to their hometown of Shantou city in Guangdong. When the bus arrived at its destination, it was discovered that a worker had died on the bus. Those sitting beside the deceased worker said the latter had a fever Meanwhile, a growing number of netizens from different provinces shared social media videos explaining that their cities have begun a second round of quarantine measures, with more strict rules. Since late January, Chinese cities have initiated lockdowns after the initial outbreak in Wuhan city, Hubei province became severe. Currently, in Hubei, most residents have restrictions on when they can leave their homes. UNODC celebrates World Wildlife Day with 'Sea of Shadows' screening in Brussels Photo: Stadtkino Filmverleih Brussels (Belgium), 5 March 2020 - The 3rd of March is World Wildlife Day, a day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world's wild animals and plants. This year, to mark World Wildlife Day, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) supported the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC) to hold a screening of Richard Ladkani's award-winning documentary 'Sea of Shadows' in Brussels. Sea of Shadows documents how Mexican drug cartels and Chinese traffickers join forces to poach the rare totoaba fish in the Sea of Cortez. Their deadly methods threaten to destroy virtually all marine life in the region including the most elusive and endangered whale species on Earth, the vaquita porpoise. Sea of Shadows follows a team of dedicated scientists, high-tech conservationists, investigative journalists and courageous undercover agents as well as the Mexican Navy as they put their lives on the line to save the last remaining vaquitas and bring the vicious international crime syndicate to justice. The documentary is a poignant case study on the role organized criminal groups play in wildlife crime, showing the inter-linkages between conservation, poverty alleviation and the challenges faced by law enforcement. Over 200 people attended the event in Brussels. The screening was followed by a panel discussion on criminal threats to biodiversity as well as solutions to tackle wildlife crime. The discussion was moderated by Antonio Ferrari, from UNRIC. Members of the audience asked questions and contributed to the discussion. Director Richard Ladkani highlighted the need for proper criminal investigations to protect endangered species worldwide. As a film maker, Ladkani said he felt obliged to raise awareness on worrying issues, showing hidden realities to inspire people to take action. He commented that political support and good governance are necessary in the fight against corruption and transnational organized crime, to bolster the efforts of individuals and organizations on the ground. Grace O'Sullivan, Green Party MEP, highlighted that the problem of vulnerability of species cannot be solved in isolation. She called on the new European Parliament to take strong action for the conservation of species, ocean health and protection of the environment. O'Sullivan invited everyone present to act against the mass extinction of many species the world is now witnessing because of illegal trade and transnational organized crime. She called on local government and authorities to step up their actions and guarantee sufficient strong law enforcement and infringement procedures against criminals. By taking on the responsibility of environmental challenges, schools, communities, local authorities, governments, NGOs and international organizations such as the United Nations should work together to guarantee future generations the right to a protected and healthy environment. Jenna Dawson-Faber, manager of UNODC's Global Programme for Combating Wildlife and Forest Crime, explained the need for an approach that goes beyond enforcement - a balanced approach focusing on demand, supply and livelihoods. She stressed the importance of smart partnerships and highlighted UNODC's close coordination with the CITES Secretariat, INTERPOL, the World Bank and the World Customs Organization under the International Consortium for Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC). As a Consortium, it forms a unique pool of technical and programming expertise, bringing the skills and knowledge of five organizations together to tackle wildlife trafficking. In closing, the expert panellists reiterated that we must work together and stop turning away from the problem of wildlife trafficking and biodiversity loss because we are now out of time. *** UNODC implements a comprehensive Global Programme for Combating Wildlife and Forest Crime, working with actors along the criminal justice chain to effectively investigate, prosecute and adjudicate such crimes. While each criminal market has its own drivers, beyond specificities there are common characteristics. The trafficking of totoaba, pangolins, ivory, rhino horn, high value tree species, amongst other examples, is only possible due to a series of common vulnerabilities. UNODC works to mitigate these vulnerabilities, by working with key actors to strengthen legislation and build capacity; prevent and mitigate corruption; strengthen regional and international cooperation; and conduct assessments to understand context, patterns and trends. UNODC works with countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America to address these issues and build their capacity to prevent and combat wildlife, forest and fisheries crime. Further Information UNODC Executive Director's Statement on World Wildlife Day UNODC on wildlife and forest crime UNODC Brussels Liaison Office Warren couldnt hold on to her lead. The big intervening event was an Oct. 15 debate in which Warren was pummeled by, among others, Biden, Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) for failing to explain how she would pay for the Medicare-for-all plan she had joined Sanders in supporting. It was an issue Sanders dodged by acknowledging hed raise taxes on the middle class but without offering many specifics. Warrens supporters have asked ever since if there was also sexism in Sanderss relative immunity from scrutiny on his numbers. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Mon, March 9 2020 Safety first: David Ward (right), president and chief executive officer of the Toward Zero Foundation, a charity working for a world free from road fatalities and serious injuries, briefs a delegate at the Third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Stockholm from Feb. 19 to 20. The Peoples Exhibition, held in parallel with the conference, showed the danger posed by global ignorance about road safety.(JP/Elly Burhaini Faizal) Traffic accidents contribute to a large percentage of deaths annually worldwide, with poor or little attention paid to road safety as the main cause. The Jakarta Posts Elly Burhaini Faizal, who recently attended the Third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Stockholm, Sweden, as a recipient of the 2020 Road Safety Reporting Fellowship from the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) in cooperation with the World Health Organization, filed her report on the conference and analysis of the importance of road safety. Traffic congestion and poor road discipline are apparently the common perceptions of people with frequent visits to Indonesia. While road infrastructure is poor in many parts of the country, lack of discipline among road users in respecting traffic safety regulations, including putting on safety equipment such as helmets, is a common phenomenon here. Worse is the fact that post-crash care has not been delivered to the extent it needs to be. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login An Iranian official claimed without evidence that the coronavirus epidemic could be an American bioweapon after some US officials said the same about China. Saudi Arabia said its cases were Irans fault. South Korea lashed out at Japan over travel restrictions and responded in kind. At a time of global crisis, when the new coronavirus has infected more than 100,000 people, killed more than 3,400, and all but shut down whole industries, the worlds scientists and public health officials are working together across ideological and national borders to try to stop the epidemic. But as the virus continues its rapid spread, political leaders in many countries seem to have seized on a different question: Who can be blamed? Outbreaks take place within the context of the real world, so of course theres always some level of politics going on, said Dr Keiji Fukuda, former assistant director-general of the World Health Organisation. But I think that what were seeing now is at a higher level of blame game than weve seen in the past. The accusations within countries and between them is often well-founded there really have been failed quarantines, inadequate equipment and training, and attempts to deny the crisis. But even when it is justified, experts say, the criticism can hinder efforts to pull together to face down the emergency. They said the urgent problems should be aired in a way that does not threaten cooperation while those that can wait should be set aside. Public displeasure with global leaders has spread nearly as fast as the virus itself, which has reached more than 80 countries. And when those leaders look to point fingers elsewhere, they tend to point in the most predictable directions, piggybacking on old hostilities. Donald Trump tried to deflect criticism of his governments response by pinning testing deficiencies on former president Barack Obamas administration. Mr Trump whose critics note that he has cut health programmes and made unrealistically rosy pronouncements about the new disease had a rare moment of accord with Hassan Rouhani of Iran. Both men claimed their enemies were cynically ginning up fear of the virus. Irans government at first insisted that all was well but now admits to thousands of infections, and outbreaks in several countries have been traced to people returning from Iran. But the sharpest reaction came from its regional adversary, Saudi Arabia, which forbids its people from travelling to Iran. In a statement made through the official Saudi Press Agency, the government on Thursday accused Iran of recklessly allowing the disease to spread. It said that five Saudis had visited Iran, helped by Iranian officials who did not stamp their passports, and had returned to the kingdom infected by the virus. The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Show all 11 1 /11 The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Visitors with suspected symptoms of the new coronavirus, inside of a car, bottom right, get virus test by members of medical team as others queue in their cars at a "drive-through" test facility at Yeungnam University Medical Center in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Workers move equipment into containers set up as a makeshift medical facility to accommodate COVID-19 patients at a hospital's grounds in Daegu, South Korea on Friday 28 February 2020 AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea People wait in line to buy face masks in front of a store at Dongseongro shopping district in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Medical workers wearing protective gears comfort each other outside a hospital in Daegu, South Korea, on 28 February 2020 REUTERS The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Medical staff in protective gears arrive for a duty shift at Dongsan Hospital in Daegu South Korea on Friday 28 February 2020 AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A South Korean health worker sprays disinfectant as part of preventive measures against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, at a residential area near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A man wears a mask and goggles as he waits in line to buy face masks from a post office near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea South Korean medical workers wearing protective gear visit a residence of people with suspected symptoms of the COVID-19 coronavirus to take samples, near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A South Korean health worker sprays disinfectant as part of preventive measures against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, at a residential area near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A South Korean army vehicle sprays disinfectant on a road to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 in Daegu, South Korea on Thursday 27 February 2020. AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Troops set up makeshift partitions and beds at the Armed Forces Hospital in Daegu South Korea 28 February 2020 EPA In Japan, more than 1 million posts on Twitter recently demanded that prime minister Shinzo Abe resign over his handling of the outbreak. He was largely invisible in the early weeks of the outbreak, and the governments lax treatment of the outbreak aboard a cruise ship allowed it to spread. On Thursday, Mr Abe imposed a 14-day quarantine on all visitors from South Korea and China. More than 90 countries have restricted travel from South Korea, which has the second-largest outbreak after China, but it was the move by Japan, historically Koreas nemesis, that struck a nerve. South Koreas government on Friday called the measures excessive and irrational, suggested that Tokyo had other motives than containing the outbreak, and said it would restrict Japanese visitors in return. We cannot understand Japans decision to take this unfair step without consulting with us in advance, South Koreas presidential National Security Council said in a statement. In Britain, opposition politicians are quick to note that a decade of austerity under Conservative governments has drained the health care system of resources, which they say leaves the country unprepared for an epidemic. Dr Fukuda, who now heads the University of Hong Kongs school of public health, said that widespread anger in Hong Kong at the governments refusal to bar arrivals from mainland China built on months of protests against that government for being too close to Beijing. Masks are being worn all around the world as seen here on Westminster Bridge in London (Getty) (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Facing a previously unknown, fast-moving virus, experts say, it is inevitable that even the best governments will be caught unprepared and make mistakes. We shouldnt be associating, oh, increase in numbers with failed government, said Dr Devi Sridhar, a professor of global public health at the University of Edinburgh. We should see that governments can be trying their best but still find it hard to contain this virus. In China, where the virus emerged in the city of Wuhan, the authorities were slow to react at first, denying that there was a problem and even punishing those who raised the alarm. Since then, the government has responded aggressively, all but halting the spread of the virus by locking down areas with more than 50 million people. This approach won international praise, and China has been touting its strategy as a model for the rest of the world. Yet within China, anger at the government continues to fester. When Chinese officials, including the one leading the central governments response, visited Wuhan on Thursday, locked-down residents shouted complaints out their windows. Everything is fake! one resident yelled, according to a video shared by Peoples Daily, a state-run newspaper. In a sign of just how much countries have struggled to rein in the outbreak, government officials themselves have been infected in China, France, Iran and Japan. The virus has especially roiled Irans government, with dozens of officials having fallen ill and an adviser to the supreme leader and a diplomat having died. Recommended Coronavirus cases in UK rise to 206 today The head of the WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, aired his frustration on Thursday with governments that he said have not taken the virus seriously enough, in his strongest public rebuke to date. This is not a time for excuses, he said. This is a time for pulling out all the stops. In some countries, the level of political commitment and the actions that demonstrate that commitment do not match the level of the threat we all face. But mindful, as always, of political sensitivities, the WHO leader was careful not to call out any countries or leaders by name. From the start of the epidemic, obfuscation has eroded government credibility. Experts fear that finger-pointing is also lowering trust in public health systems and governments when those are essential in overcoming the crisis. You can say, Its your fault, its my fault, said Dr David Heymann, a former chief of communicable diseases at the WHO. I think we have to just get on with it and accept where we are now. New York Times 6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) refuses to acknowledge that African-Americans are rejecting him and instead blames a corporate establishment conspiracy. Transcript via ABCs This Week: STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator Sanders, thank you for joining us. Boy, what a difference a week makes. When you joined us last Sunday, you were leading in delegates, look poised for a big lead coming out of Super Tuesday. Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, Michael Bloomberg all still in the race. How surprised were you by Super Tuesday, and how do you explain it? SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, one of the things that I was kind of not surprised by is the power of establishment to force Amy Klobuchar, who had worked so hard, Pete Buttigieg, who, you know, really worked extremely hard as well, out of the race. What was very clear from the media narrative and what the establishment wanted was to make sure that people coalesced around Biden and try to defeat me. So thats not surprising. We are taking on, George, as I think everybody knows, the establishment. Were taking on the corporate establishment. Were taking on the political establishment. And what you are seeing now just in the last few weeks is Wall Street, the healthcare industry, the billionaire class putting a lot of money into Joes campaign. Video: When @JoeBiden lost Iowa, he admitted they got beat badly and called it a gut punch. When @BernieSanders lost South Carolina and nine states on Super Tuesday, he blames a corporate establishment conspiracy. pic.twitter.com/jT8uz5F8qb Christopher J. Hale (@chrisjollyhale) March 8, 2020 It wasnt a corporate establishment conspiracy that forced the other Democrats out of the race. It was the overwhelming support of African-American voters for Biden. The former vice president piled up overwhelming support with African-American voters in South Carolina, and that pushed Buttigieg and Klobuchar out of the contest. Bloombergs inability to win on Super Tuesday with African-American voters pushed him out of the race. On Super Tuesday, late-deciding voters went 47%-18% for Joe Biden. There is no establishment conspiracy against Sanders because Bernie Sanders co-wrote the Democratic primary rules. Sen. Sanders is complaining about African-American voters rejecting him, and instead of doing a better job with these voters, he is acting like Donald Trump by claiming that the establishment is out to get him. If the campaign of Sen. Sanders doesnt turn it around on Tuesday, one of the big reasons why will be the candidates embrace of conspiracies, and refusal to see his own campaigns weaknesses. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Dear Minister Harris, I have concerns regarding the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and our country's early response to it. South Korea has the second highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases after China (6,593 confirmed cases on 06/03/20). 80,000 people have been tested. Whenever a new case is identified an emergency text message is sent to everyone letting them know where. Next a timeline is given of the person's whereabouts over the previous 48-72 hours so that if someone has been to those areas, they can present for testing. Those places are immediately shut down and sterilised. (This could be an invasion of personal privacy, but it shows the lengths some countries are going to). All schools and many businesses have been shut the past week and will remain shut next week. In Daegu, 1900 Shincheoji Church members at the epicentre of the outbreak were tested. 1300 had symptoms, 600 did not. Among those 1300 with symptoms, 87.5% were confirmed coronavirus. Of the 600 WITHOUT symptoms, 70% were confirmed with coronavirus. Contrast this with Italy: testing is now only on individuals showing symptoms. Here in Ireland after the first confirmed case Dr. John Cuddihy, director of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, said 'It is important to note that the risk of transmission through casual contact is low'. This is strictly probably true but very misleading as we know each person passes it to between 3 to 7 others and often do so before they realise they are a vector themselves. Approximately 80% suffer mild symptoms, 15% need hospitalisation and 5% require ICU. If 0.2% of Ireland's 5 million people contract this virus, that would mean 1,500 hospitalisations and 500 ICU admissions. Our secondary care system simply cannot manage it. We only have approximately 250 ICU beds in the whole country and they are at maximum capacity. Thankfully no deaths have been reported in those aged under 9 years. At this moment it only appears like cases in Europe are manageable. Ten days ago Italy was the only country in Europe with more than 100 cases. Today, 06/03/20, Italy has 3,858, France 577, Germany 578, Spain 386, Switzerland 214, UK 163, Netherlands 128, Belgium 109, Norway 108, Sweden 101). The first 2 cases were confirmed in Italy on January 31st. Now on March 6th, 35 days later there are 3,858 cases in Italy including a staggering 148 deaths and 351 in serious/critical condition. This equates to a doubling time of close to 3 days. In Ireland we are currently in the early phase of exponential growth. Exponential growth is a pattern of growth that shows greater increases with passing time. It is easier to understand when viewed on a graph (see below). The slope is gradual at first (allowing people to think that cases are under control). However, once a critical number is reached the graph bends steeply upwards as cases appear at quickening pace. I believe the critical number could be approximately 100 cases. In Ireland the testing criteria were changed yesterday morning after the confirmation last night of our first case of community transmission in Cork. The criteria now include those with fever of unknown cause plus other specific symptoms. This is to be welcomed. However, the testing criteria are still too strict. We will soon need to start testing anyone with any symptoms and even those without symptoms like is happening in South Korea or we will miss the potential for early identification of pockets of severe outbreaks. There are anecdotal reports of people returning from holidays in Italy over the past month with flu-like illness but not meeting the criteria for testing. This raises the possibility that coronavirus has been circulating undetected for the past 4-5 weeks. Around the world the strategy is containment but very soon will be mitigation. China (30% of the world's manufacturing) shut down almost all their industry in Hubei and the Greater Pearl River Delta. Japan has shut down schools. South Korea has closed schools and churches. Iran has mobilised 300,000 soldiers and volunteers. The US states of California, Maryland and Washington State have declared a state of emergency. Italy quarantined 11 towns in Lombardy and Veneto and is considering expanding the 'red zone'. France has banned gatherings larger than 5000 in a confined space. Sweden has banned gatherings larger than 1000. Schools have been closed in Italy and in Greece. Europe is moving towards mass quarantine and social distancing. The HSE is wisely promoting: - Wash your hands properly and often - Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when you cough and sneeze - Put used tissues into a bin and wash your hands - Keep hands away from face (nose, mouth, eyes) - Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces - Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell This advice is sensible and important. However, we must consider much more stringent measures. I believe these measures must be put into place in the next week or the virus may have spread too widely to contain. Consider that the doubling time of COVID-19 is approximately three days. We currently have 13 cases in Ireland, doubling every three days opens the possibility of 250-300 cases in 2 weeks time and greater than 1000 cases in 3 weeks time. Over the next few days people must be informed of the necessary social distancing measures so that they can prepare both psychologically and organisationally. We need to strongly consider the following: - Cancel all St. Patricks Day celebrations - Cancel all sporting events - Cancel large social events - Restrict all non-essential travel - Close all schools and universities and put in place home schooling measures - Early adoption of working from home where possible Once a total number of 100 cases has been reached in a country, it seems almost impossible to contain. Singapore and Hong Kong are the only two countries to hold their cases at around 100 (even Singapore reported 13 cases today). These are both city states so may have an advantage over other countries. I realise these are highly unpalatable measures for anyone to implement. As a doctor I am only looking at what needs to be done to save lives. The government is faced with the uncomfortable responsibility of balancing three areas: stopping the virus, keeping the economy going and avoiding overloading the hospitals. Strong leadership is required. Draconian measures like shutting down whole cities was what was required in China's worst affected regions. We must act quickly and decisively in the hope that we delay the spread until summer when warmer weather and sunlight may arrest COVID-19's growth. Failure to put in place these measures now will leave our most vulnerable citizens: the elderly, the immunocompromised and those with chronic diseases, requiring ICU beds and mechanical ventilation machines that will be simply unavailable. Our already understaffed and under resourced health system will be unable to cope. We need to take early and decisive heed of the lessons from China and Italy. This is more contagious and causes more ICU admissions than viruses we have seen before. It can spread before someone shows symptoms. Other countries have reacted too late to the extreme, unpalatable measures that will be required to reduce the peak number and speed of spread of this infection. Yours sincerely, Dr. Domhnall Heron GP Registrar STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Local high school artists have a chance to have their artwork featured in the U.S. Capitol for a year. Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn) will be accepting submissions for the 2020 Congressional Art Competition from Staten Island and South Brooklyn high school students. The theme of this years competition is Salute to Public Servants. Students are asked to submit artwork that honors those who serve the community. The Congressional Art Competition is a chance to show the entire country what Staten Island and South Brooklyn are all about, Rose said. The first thing I want people to know about our district when they see us represented in the halls of the Capitol is the way we respect our public servants. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our teachers, firefighters, soldiers, cops, paramedics, and everyone else who devotes their time and lives to making Staten Island and South Brooklyn a better place. I look forward to seeing how our students will put their talents to work honoring the heroes amongst us. Students are asked to submit their artwork by Monday, April 13, to the congressmans district office at 265 New Dorp Lane. The competition gives young artists an opportunity to showcase their talents, with one winning submission from each congressional district being placed on display in the U.S. Capitol for a year. Two runners-up will have artwork displayed in Roses Washington and district offices. The winner will also receive two round-trip tickets to the nations capital to attend the Congressional Art Competition Reception with winners from across the country. Winners will also be eligible for a $3,000 scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design. Artwork must be two-dimensional and can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. Accepted mediums include: Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc. Drawings: Colored pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal Collages: must be two-dimensional Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc. Computer-generated art Photographs The winning submission will replace Susan E. Wagner High School student and 2019 winner Autumn Ferrers picture of the Postcards 9/11 Memorial overlooking the Tower of Freedom, which has been hanging in the U.S. Capitol for the last year. For more information on submission requirements, students can visit Roses website or call the district office at 718-667-3313. For more information on submission requirements, students can visit the Congressmans website at https://maxrose.house.gov/forms/submitartwork/ or call the District Office at (718) 667-3313. FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Every time I take a shower, or sit on the toilet, I have to gather up my boxers (underpants) and my outside shorts and maneuver my wheelchair to my bedroom. I then must transfer from my wheelchair onto my bed. I put my boxers on my left leg, then pull them onto the stump where my right leg has been for 70 years minus two months, and lying on my back, arch myself with my head and my heels so my one good arm can pull the underpants to my waist. I then repeat it with my walking shorts - I have not worn long pants in over a year and because my one good arm will not allow me to draw the waist of my shorts to where they can be buttoned, I have a long belt I can pull through the loops and draw the waist of the shorts tight. I dont like it, yet I have no choice. This is my life today. This is every day. My right leg had to be amputated in mid-December because the antibiotics I have relied on for the last 30 years didnt work this time. The infection was horrible and my life since then has changed quite dramatically. I bet I have fallen 50 times. But I have gotten up 51 times and therein is something I need to share. Several weeks ago, I was talking to a Christian psychologist who is wonderfully helping me get a re-grip on my life after it went topsy-turvy -- and he asked me how much longer do I think I have before I die. First, I dont dare think about dumb stuff like that. Im far too busy living to get involved in dying. Yet in June I had a brilliant orthopedic doctor, who I know cares very much about me, predict I had between a year and 18 months to live if I didnt change a lot of what I was doing. Believe me, with what is now 3 months-to-9 months on that clock, I am still changing a lot of stuff because, once again, the antibiotics didnt work this last time. Whats next? How many days do I have left? I do not worry, nor give it a second thought, but I pray just the same. The reason I do not worry is because God is in charge. I am not afraid to die. I pray that Gods will be done. Thats because Im assured of everlasting life with my three dead brothers, my mom and dad and all my family, and a gazillion friends who the next time Ill see it will be with two good legs, a right arm that isnt flail, and the same laugh I have always carried. Every human on earth is going to die thats a fact but going out with a smile or a scowl is up to me. And you. Earlier this week I wrote something of a doomsday story, What Would You Do? that focused of the far-out presumption the coronavirus could be as bad as the Black Plague of medieval legend, where it killed everybody. I used C.S. Lewis as my storys base and I got a number of emails from those who like it, but who wanted more in a deeply personal way. I am not a preacher, nor a counselor. I can tell what has happened to me. I have found that Christianity, what costs absolutely nothing more than your hearts pledge, scares non-believers to death. One reason for this phenomenon is because non-believers watch how some Christians act, and their disgusting treatment of others, and rather than join the sacrosanct, the better course may be to drink fresh-squashed arsenic than be like such hypocrites. Trust me, I know ... and you know, what an embarrassment some morons can be. But lets forget the fanatics because not a one of them will have anything to do with your decision. That is, unless you allow them permission to successfully block you and, brother, the Devil loves it when he wins. Instead, lets look at you and me. In my article about C.S. Lewis I adored the raw truth in this quote: There is someone that I love even though I don't approve of what he does. There is someone I accept though some of his thoughts and actions revolt me. There is someone I forgive though he hurts the people I love the most. That person is me. How about this: quite nearly every Christian religion knows there is one God and He comes in three parts the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Its the same Trinity one body -- but dont get tied up in the particulars just yet. What I want you to know that while there is still and has always been only one God, that in the world today there are 270 large religious groups (Im a Presbyterian, for example) with many smaller ones. One source identifies 34,000 separate Christian groups. Oh, my mercy, there are five branches of Presbyterians alone in the phone book. Why? Because they all chose to believe differently but do not be dissuaded, there is only one God. One beautiful email that came to me was from a fellow struggler who described himself as an agnostic, explaining some college professor told him he could never become a Christian because of that. That points me to some deranged professor who is, in himself, is a very saddening abomination. Again, I am not preacher, but when you petition in prayer to Jesus Christ, no mortal including our beloved Pope Francis, can step between you and my Jesus. Oh, there are snake-handlers and heretics who claim they can, but they cant. I promise this and the Bible guarantees it. How about the Jews, the Catholics, and the very admirable Seventh Day Adventists who honor the Sabbath on Saturday? Im going to make this startlingly easy for you the color of the jersey of any tribe has zero effect on you getting into heaven. In my wanderings I have met Jews, Catholics and, flocks from independent churches and those of countless other stripe who have been among the greatest Believers I have ever known. Im begging you keep your eye on the Savior, He died so that your sins would be forgiven and forgotten. None of the tribes Methodist, Episcopalian, Baptist, Church of Christ had a one that did that, or who could have done it without the Father so focus only on the cross. While the different tribes often vehemently disagree over petty silliness, it is the cross, Easter, and the resurrection that cannot be challenged or deterred by any voodoo or fortune tellers or river-dipper or sack-cloth-and-ashes fan who walks among us. So, it all comes down to this: for many years I have been asked by friends and strangers alike about becoming a Christian. Well, over a couple of hundred times I have bowed out, emphatic that I believe I must play no role I it, but that instead its between the asker and the giver. I believe anyone who asks that their sins be forgiven, and if they believe Jesus died to take away all of our sins and, yeah, Im betting I have more marks against my name in St. Peters Big Book than you all you need to do is invite Him into your heart. Ill gladly help with the directions, but the invitation to Jesus in my opinion -- is a deeply spiritual rite of passage between God and the petitioner. I will in no way interject myself in the divine moment. I am overwhelmingly convinced this is a one-on-one deal, and later if we as humans slip up and fall, any apology is also just one-on-one. Thats the only way it works. Some religions require one must appear before a Board of Deacons, others insist upon the approval of the pastor and so forth, but I choose to not believe magic-and-mirrors. No mortal man can forgive sin, dole out holy judgement, or write a ticket to eternity. And guess what? Jesus said, All ye who come unto me I will by no means turn away. Thats in the Bible. Thats what I believe. So, what I like to do is to send Billy Grahams Four Steps and an Amen. Anyone can do it, be it 15 minutes away or six weeks to consider, but this is far and away the simplest, easiest, and very complete way of accepting Jesus into your life. Start to finish by Billy Graham is less than five minutes but your vow is infinite an eternity. You neednt tell a soul, and that red shirt you wore yesterday will still be red tomorrow but you will never be the same. The official handbook is really simple. As you read the Bible, you are going to find that every star player youll discover between Genesis and Revelations is every bit as broken as you and me. Whats say we try it? * * * BILLY GRAHAMS FOUR STEPS & ONE AMEN STEP 1 God loves you and has a plan for you! The Bible says, God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). Jesus said, I came that they may have life and have it abundantly a complete life full of purpose (John 10:10). STEP 2 Here's the problem: people are sinful and separated from God. We have all done, thought or said bad things, which the Bible calls sin. The Bible says, All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The result of sin is death, spiritual separation from God (Romans 6:23). The good news? STEP 3 God sent His Son to die for your sins! Jesus died in our place so we could have a relationship with God and be with Him forever. God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). But it didnt end with His death on the cross. He rose again and still lives! Christ died for our sins He was buried He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Jesus is the only way to God. Jesus said, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me (John 14:6). STEP 4 Would you like to receive Gods forgiveness? We cant earn salvation; we are saved by Gods grace when we have faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. All you have to do is believe you are a sinner, that Christ died for your sins, and ask His forgiveness. Then turn from your sinsthats called repentance. Jesus Christ knows you and loves you. What matters to Him is the attitude of your heart, your honesty. We suggest praying the prayer below to accept Christ as your Savior. PRAY NOW "Dear God, I know Im a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sin and that you raised Him to life. I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord, from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen." * * * Partner, if you just prayed that prayer with an honest heart, you just guaranteed yourself an eternal life. Ive had close friends scoff, saying What if the whole thing is phony; youve been believing on a dead man on a stick when anyone with a rational mind will tell you thats crazy. What are you gonna do when you die and learn the whole heaven and eternal life thing is a joke? The comeback, of course, is to smile at such a friend and counter: What are you gonna do when you croak and find the promise of Christianity is true and by then it will be too late for your train to stop at the right station? * * * NO SIN IS SO GREAT THAT GOD CANT FORGIVE IT There would come a day when Billy Graham, who led at least 3 million people to Christ in his altar calls and undoubtedly many more of the 80 million who attended his revivals, was asked how great a sin Jesus could forgive. The acclaimed pastor explained, In our own weakness as humans, we tend to grade sins. Heres a little sin on our scale, but over here theres a very, very heavy sin. We may see God as able to forgive the small sin, but incapable of forgiving the gross sinner. I dont believe that is true. An example: In June of 1943 a somewhat pudgy pastor joined the Army if hopes of ministering to Americas military. A farmers son from Missouri, Chaplain Henry Gerecke had no inkling that two years later he would be assigned to Nuremberg to serve as the spiritual mentor to a collection of men who were responsible for thousands upon thousands of deaths the worst of the worse answering for flagrant war atrocities and for the heinous horrors they committed for the Nazi Germany. Soon Gerecke would sink to his knees beside the likes of Wilhelm Keitel, Adolf Hitlers field marshal whose unquestioning obedience to his Fuhrer caused mass extermination in the Holocaust concentration camps. As the Evangelist Graham would write, Chaplain Gerecke recalled the sincere conversion to faith in Jesus Christ by some of these men who had committed despicable crimes; one of them a former favorite general of Hitler. At first the chaplain was very leery of confessions of faith. He said the first time he saw this criminal reading his Bible he thought, a phony. However, as he spent time with him, he wrote, But the longer I listened, the more I felt he might be sincere. He insisted he was very glad that a nation which would probably put him to death thought enough of his eternal welfare to provide him with spiritual guidance. With his Bible in his hand the German told the chaplain, I know from this book that God can love a sinner like me. Then there was this murderer from Tennessee who just several weeks ago was electrocuted in Nashvilles electric chair. The state of Tennessee executed Nicholas Todd Sutton by electrocution right after his last words: Im just grateful to be a servant of God, and Im looking forward to being in his presence," Sutton said. Dont ever give up on the power of Jesus Christ to take impossible situations and correct them. He can fix something that's broken. Hes fixed me. I want to uplift the name of Jesus Christ, Lord of Lords, King of Kings. Im just grateful to be a servant of God, and Im looking forward to being in his presence. And I thank you. Sutton, who was sentenced to life when he was 18, had his sentence heightened after he killed another inmate during the 40 years he was behind bars. The cynics claim his was an Eleventh Hour Show but those who knew him at the end including three different guards who told the Clemency Board he jumped between each and violent inmates to quell a certain horror say, Nope, he was a changed man. * * * AND THEN THERE IS THIS: ROY EXUM IS DEAD FROM OBITUARY REPORTS: Roy "Rock" Exum, 76, a resident of Willow Creek Nursing Home in Goldsboro, NC., died there Saturday (February 1, 2020). He was born September 14, 1943 in Wayne County to Eugene and Ethel Martin Exum and is survived by three children. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 PM in the James T. Haskins Memorial Chapel of the Haskins Funeral Home. Visitation will be held Friday from 2 PM until 6 PM. - - - One day this is going to me. And, just as surely, it will be you one day. Its like Shooter said in the movie, Hoosiers as he called for The Picket Fence: and, boys, dont get caught watching the paint dry. royexum@aol.com Thiruvananthapuram, March 8 : Five new positive cases of coronavirus have been reported from Kerala's Pathanamthitta district, over 100 kms from here, according to State Health Minister K.K. Shailaja. Speaking to the media after a high level meeting with health officials on Sunday, she said a family consisting of a father, mother and son after visiting Italy had returned to Pathanamthitta and had failed to report about their visit to the virus affected country. "They, however, did not report about their visit to Italy at the airport counter. After reaching their home in Pathanamthitta they never contacted the health authorities. Instead they visited their relatives home nearby. It was after two of their relatives developed fever and approached the district hospital that the infection was suspected. Following queries, the officials then got in touch with the Italy returned family. By then they also had developed fever. Following the tests, all the five people have turned out to be positive," said Shailaja. All the five have now been quarantined in a hospital. "We feel that this particular family failed to report and caused this. This particular family arrived on a Qatar Airways flight from Venice to Doha and from there reached Kochi on February 29 and took a car to their home in Pathanamthitta. So, all those who have travelled on that flight should get in touch with the health authorities," added Shailaja and said that every possible precaution has been taken and there need not be any cause for worry. "The people at large should adhere to protocols that have been put out and all those people, who are arriving from affected countries, should report to our health authorities, if not, they are not being responsible," said the Minister. It was on January 30th, a medical student from Thrissur studying in Wuhan, China, who became the first coronavirus positive patient in the country and soon two of her classmates also turned positive. All three of them have now recovered. According to the health authorities as on last evening there are 637 people under observation, of which 63 are in various hospitals, while the rest are quarantined at their homes. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) File image A Delhi court has granted bail to Kapil Baisala, arrested for firing in the air in southeast Delhi's Shaheen Bagh area during a protest against the new citizenship law. The court granted bail to Baisala on March 6 after hearing arguments from the lawyers appearing for him as well as police. "On considering the totality of facts and circumstances, the accused Kapil Baisala is admitted to bail on furnishing bail bond in a sum of Rs 25,000 with one surety in the like amount," Additional Sessions Judge Gulshan Kumar said. Baisala's counsel submitted to the court that his client has deep roots in society and there was no possibility of his absconding from the law. The application added that Baisala had clean antecedents and he had never been involved in any other case in past. "It is further submitted that the applicant has the responsibility of his wife and minor child. It is further submitted that no purpose will be served by keeping the accused in judicial custody," the application said. The police opposed the bail application, stating that the allegations against Baisala were very serious and the case was at an initial stage. On February 1, Baisala fired two rounds in the air at Shaheen Bagh, where an anti-CAA protest is under way, police said. After being overpowered by police personnel, Baisala chanted "Jai Shri Ram" and said, "Hamare desh me aur kisi ki nahi chalegi, sirf Hinduon ki chalegi (only Hindus shall have a say in our country, no one else)," as he was taken into custody by Delhi Police. That it was Rabbi Soloveitchik who understood this isnt a coincidence. As a young man in the 1920s, he had traveled from Eastern Europe to study philosophy in the University of Berlin. The city was then a center of Jewish intellectual and cultural achievement; Rabbi Soloveitchik would have met coreligionists who saw themselves as both German and Jewish, who had served the kaiser in the First World War and were patriotically committed to their countrys future. They would have spoken of the Enlightenment, and progress, and religious acceptance in their society. Then that very same society embraced a Haman-figure, and the lives Jews knew in Europe disappeared forever. Small wonder, then, that a rabbi who escaped this inferno would recognize the frightening implications of Jewish vulnerability inherent in Esthers tale. Why, then, is Purim marked as a holiday? If the conclusion of Esther is more nerve-racking than is often thought, what is the source of our joy? The answer, in part, is that it is this very vulnerability that makes Jewish heroism possible, and that is why, on Purim, we focus on the woman that gave this biblical book her name: it is Esther whom we celebrate. Precisely because of the constancy of Jewish vulnerability, we glorify Esthers initiative, courage, and wisdom to inculcate these same virtues in our posterity. Here we must understand how different the Book of Esther is from every other book in the Hebrew Bible. In this tale no mention is made of the divine; the Jews inhabit a world devoid of revelation. Whereas in every other scriptural tale political engagements are under prophetic instruction, in the Persian court God gives no guidance to the Jews facing a terrible danger. Esther, Rabbi Soloveitchik wrote, faced an unprecedented question: How can the Jew triumph over his adversaries and enemies if God has stopped speaking to him, if the cryptic messages he receives remain unintelligible and incomprehensible? In this sense, Esther is the first biblical figure, male or female, to engage in statesmanship. Previous heroes Moses and Elijah, Samuel and Deborah are prophets who are guided and guarded by the Divine, but Esther operates on instinct, reflecting a mastery of realpolitik. As Isaiah Berlin wrote in his essay On Political Judgment, great leaders practice affairs of state not as a science but an art; they are, more akin to orchestra conductors than chemists. Facing a crisis, they grasp the unique combination of characteristics that constitute this particular situation this and no other. Esther is the first scriptural figure to embody this description, emerging as a woman for all seasons, a hero celebrated year after year. Purim thus marks the fragility of Jewish security, but also the possibility of heroism in the face of this vulnerability. It is therefore a holiday for our time. Around the world, and especially in a Europe that should know better, anti-Semitism has made itself manifest once again. As Esthers example is celebrated, and Jews gather in synagogue to study her terrifying tale, we are reminded why, in the face of hate, we remain vigilant and why we continue to joyously celebrate all the same. Meir Soloveichik, the rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York, is the director of the Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. The agency is probing money-laundering and lending practices that pushed the bank to the edge Customers of Yes Bank queue up to withdraw money from their accounts at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in Mumbai. (AFP) Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor on money laundering charges in the early hours of Sunday, officials said. The banker was held under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) around 3 am as he was allegedly not cooperating in the probe, they said. Kapoor's arrest at the ED office in Ballard Estate followed over 20 hours of questioning by the central agency after it searched his residence on Friday night. The arrest comes after alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement in the operations of the private bank surfaced and the RBI and Union government initiated action to control its affairs. Officials said Kapoor, 62, will be produced before a local court during the day to obtain custody. The investigating officer of the case had recorded Kapoor's statement under PMLA when he was first interrogated on Friday night at his residence in Samudra Mahal complex in Worli here. Rana Kapoor was brought to the ED office at noon Saturday for a fresh round of questioning. On Saturday, the agency widened its probe in the case as the premises of Rana Kapoor's three daughters in Delhi and Mumbai were searched to gather more information and evidence. According to officials, Kapoor's wife Bindu and daughters -- Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Roshni Kapoor and Radha Kapoor -- are allegedly linked to some companies to which the suspected proceeds have been traced. The case against Kapoor is linked to the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL) as loans lent by the bank to the company allegedly turned into non-performing assets (NPAs), they said. A Rs 600 crore loan extended by DHFL to an entity is also at the centre of the ED probe, officials said. The central agency is probing Kapoor's role in connection with the disbursal of loans to some corporate entities and the subsequent alleged kickbacks reportedly received in his wife's accounts. Other alleged irregularities are also under the agency's scanner including one related to the alleged PF fraud in the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation, they added. The CBI recently took over investigation into the Rs 2,267 crore Employees Provident Fund fraud in Uttar Pradesh, where the savings of power sector employees were invested in Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL). The ED action came after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday imposed a moratorium on Yes Bank, capping withdrawals at Rs 50,000 per account, and superseded the board with immediate effect. Yes Bank will not be able to grant or renew any loan or advance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse any payment. As per the RBI's draft reconstruction scheme, State Bank of India will pick up 49 per cent stake in the crisis-ridden Yes Bank under a government-approved bailout plan. Greece confirmed 21 new cases of the coronavirus disease, officially known as COVID-19, on Saturday, while the total number of people infected with the virus reached 66, the Health Ministry said, Trend reports citing Sputnik. "The total number of people infected with the new coronavirus is now 66, and they are all of the Greek origin", the Ministry said. According to the health authorities, the majority of people who tested positive for the virus got infected while traveling to Israel and Egypt. The first case of COVID-19 in Greece was reported on 26 February - a woman, who returned from northern Italy, got infected with the coronavirus. On a global scale, as of Saturday, the number of coronavirus cases has exceeded 105,000, with more than 90 countries reporting infections. In addition, over 3,550 people have already died from the disease, while more than 58,000 have fully recovered. COVID-19 was first detected in China's Wuhan in late December and has since spread across the world. In late January, the World Health Organisation declared a global health emergency in light of the epidemic. African Leadership College (ALC), recognized as one of the most innovative universities in the world, honored its students at the Colleges second graduation ceremony, held at the Intercontinental Resort, Balaclava. The celebration gathered students, parents, faculty, staff, board members, corporate partners and benefactors from around the world who have supported ALCs vision since its inception. 109 students from 28 African countries, representing the 2015 and 2016 Cohorts, received their degree. This Graduation ceremony marked the official introduction of President Christopher OH Williams. Since January 2020, Williams was appointed as the first President of African Leadership University following the 6-year tenure of its Founder Fred Swaniker, who continues, as Chairman of the ALU board and CEO of the African Leadership Group, to drive a bold mission to create three million entrepreneurial and ethical African leaders by 2035. Williams now runs ALU campuses in Mauritius and Rwanda, where 1,300 students from over 40 countries are currently enrolled. In a world obsessed with finish lines the ALC Class of 2020 relishes starting lines, said Williams. They see others boundaries as their gateways and the worlds walls as their bridges. As others bend to pressure, these freshly minted young leaders will bend the arc of history. I couldnt be more proud of these young men and women or more optimistic about the limitless potential ahead of them. Fred Swaniker, proud Chairman of ALU Board, said: We stand today at an important crossroads in Africas history. This extraordinary group of young leaders came to us as change seekers and graduate today as difference makers. As they step into the world they carry with them the immense privilege and responsibility to push the boundaries of business, society and public policy and in doing so, they will transform Africa and make the world a better place for all of us. In June 2019, the inaugural cohort of 76 ALC graduates strode across the stage in Mauritius. These freshly minted leaders have already secured jobs at some of the worlds top companies, including Bain & Company (Nigeria), Dalberg (Ethiopia), Pernod Ricard (South Africa), Cellulant (Kenya), and PWC (Ghana), with 95% of career placements in Africa. The other 5% of career placements occurred in the UK (Facebook, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America Merrill Lynch), Vietnam (with Sanofi-the French Pharmaceutical giant), France (Atos), Estonia and Lebanon. From the 2020 graduates, figures show that they completed 200 internships; the majority of them have firm full time jo offers across Africa and internationally whilst 18 of them are graduating with firm full time job offers in Mauritius, namely in the Ciel Group and MCB. In 2021, 14 Mauritians will be graduating from the African Leadership University. The Keynote Speech was delivered by Dr Judy Dlamini, Founder & Executive Chairman of Mbekani Group that celebrated 20 years in business in 2016. Mbekani Group has operations and investments in different sectors of the economy. She is a non-executive director of SA SME Fund, an initiative between government and the private sector to create jobs and grow an inclusive economy. She is also Chairman of the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre and Chancellor of University of Witwatersrand. Hope Mukeli Mutua spoke on behalf of the graduating students. She is a Social Science student from Kenya who has immersed herself into life at ALC since she arrived on campus. She has been involved in projects like the ALU Editorial, ALU Arts Fest, and FemmePWR, among others. My time at ALU has been a really holistic learning experience. Ive grown not just as a leader but also as an individual who is brave enough to try new things. In fact, as a result of the support I got from my friends, faculty and even visiting experts in residence, I was able to accomplish so many of my dreams and ambitions. As I leave, I will truly cherish the diversity and support thats available here at ALU. Not only do I now have connections spread across Africa, but I have a community of friends who will be there to challenge, support and celebrate me as I grow. With regards to life after graduating, Im really looking forward to building my career in marketing and communications. Through my life purpose, I aim to help brands and individuals tell the stories that bring the most impact to their mission. The state-of-the-art ALC experience is distinguished by six foundational pillars that prepare students to learn how to learn for life and in doing so prepare them for the jobs of today and tomorrow. ALC does this by: 1) Intentionally and explicitly infusing the 21st Century Skills and Leadership Mindsets that local and global employers are seeking. 2) Handcrafting a Personalized Learning experience that unlocks each students personal missions and passions. 3) Grounding our program in the Values & Character that transform students into leaders. 4) Providing Career Development and Work Experience that begin their first day on campus. 5) Connecting our students with a Powerful Network of career-accelerating peers, experts, mentors and investors. 6) Sending a strong Stamp of Approval to potential employers seeking candidates with accredited and internationally recognized degrees that carry weight around the world. ALCs transformational approach has been recognized around the world as a model for 21st-century tertiary education. In 2019, ALC was highlighted by Fast Company magazine as the most innovative endeavor in Africa and among the top 50 most innovative organizations worldwide. In 2017, the New York Times proclaimed ALC one of the most important spots on earth where history is being made. And in 2016, CNN christened ALC as the Harvard of Africa. About African Leadership College Together with its sister campuses, ALC aims to catalyse three million ethical and entrepreneurial leaders for Africa and the world by 2035. It uses a personalized, student-driven, project-based and mission-oriented approach to create agile, lifelong learners who can adapt to a changing world. The Mauritius campus was inaugurated in September 2015 when it opened its doors to 75 students from 27 African nations. Today ALC serves more than 300 students representing 32 African nations. ALC Mauritius serves as the first site for African Leadership University (ALU), which also operates a campus in Rwanda. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires PORTLAND, Ore. -- Governor Kate Brown has declared a State of Emergency due to the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon. Governor Brown made the announcement at a press conference in Portland at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. Brown said she made the decision after consulting with the Oregon Health Authority. "I can also assure you that local and state health officials are working around the clock to address this crisis," Brown said. The State of Emergency will remain in effect for 60 days. "It can be extended until the public health threat of the virus is contained," Gov. Brown said. Oregon Health Authority director Patrick Allen says at this time there are 14 positive test results for COVID-19 in the State of Oregon. That includes 7 new presumptive cases. Allen says those cases are in Douglas County, Marion County, and Washington County. Allen says these cases are all community spread and spread due to contact with a previous case. None of the 7 new cases were spread due to travel. Allen says the Oregon Health Authority is working with licensed medical professionals to make more resources available in rural communities. Allen also says the OHA is expanding telemedicine, which allows health care providers to screen, evaluate, and treat patients without them having to go into a clinic or doctor's office. The OHA says that it is a good way to help limit exposure opportunities. This is still a developing story. Citizens of the Oglala Sioux Tribe are weighing two big issues this week. Tribal voters are being asked to legalize marijuana for medical and recreational purposes. They are also being asked to approve the sale of liquor at gaming facilities on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. I think its going to win by a landslide, Ricky Gray Grass, a tribal council member, told the Associated Press in reference to marijuana. Regardless of the outcome, marijuana is still considered illegal under federal law. Federal authorities could prosecute anyone -- Indian and non-Indian alike -- for possessing, transporting, selling or cultivating marijuana. Marijuana is also illegal under South Dakota law. Though the state generally lacks jurisdiction over the activities of Indians in Indian Country, authorities in the past prosecuted non-Indians who engaged in a marijuana business that was to be operated by the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. "When our people vote on whether to allow alcohol onto our homelands, my vote will be NO" Thank you to the Horse Nation, riders and support. No to Alcohol on March 10, 2020 (7am-7pm mst) Posted by Julian Bear Runner, Oglala Sioux Tribe President on Monday, February 24, 2020 As for alcohol, the issue appears to be just as contentious. President Julian Bear Runner is against it, according to a post on social media "When our people vote on whether to allow alcohol onto our homelands, my vote will be NO," Bear Runner said in encouraging a "NO" vote at the polls this Tuesday. In the past, tribal leaders have been vocal about the sale of liquor in the town of Whiteclay, Nebraska, which is right outside the border of the Pine Ridge Reservation. Many believed non-Indian businesses purposed targeted and exploited Indian people for decades while authorities ignored violations of the law in the small community. Sales were eventually halted in 2017 Tribal voters approved liquor sales in 2013 but the outcome was not accepted by tribal leadership. A follow-up vote in 2016 was called off at the last minute Read More on the Story Join the Conversation Related Stories A group of masked men attacked a demonstration against domestic violence in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. There were no immediate reports of injuries in the March 8 incident. Police arrived at the scene after most of the assailants had fled and detained several dozen demonstration organizers and participants. A local journalist told the AFP news agency that as many as 70 people were detained. RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported that journalists and human rights activists were among the detainees. A police spokesman told AFP that the protesters were detained for their own safety and because the demonstration had not been approved in advance by the government. The spokesman also said three suspected attackers were also in custody. New Delhi, March 8 : The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) here on Sunday wrote to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the possibility of spread of coronavirus through currency notes and urged her to take the required steps. It also urged the government to introduce policies for promoting alternative modes of payment and look at the possibilities of using polymer notes. "Various credible studies have revealed that currency notes carry major risk of containing various virus, which may lead to number of infectious diseases. In the wake of coronavirus and for other precautionary reasons, we request you to order 'a larger investigation' to assess the chances of diseases spreading via notes," said CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal. Although due precautions had been taken, avoidance of cash usage couldn't be avoided and thus could become one of the most easiest carriers for spread of virus. "Immediate steps should be taken to check spread of a virus through notes," it said. "We would like to suggest that countries like the UK, Australia and Canada have switched to polymer notes to reduce the risk of spreading infections through currency. Therefore, the possibilities of usage of polymer notes in India should also be examined," it said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Breaking a centuries-old tradition as the country deals with coronavirus outbreak, Pope Francis here live-streamed his prayers to giant screens in St. Peter's Square instead of addressing through Vatican palazzo window on Sunday. The pope appeared for a few seconds at a Vatican palazzo window to wave to the small crowd gathered in Saint Peter's Square. However, he did not make any comments there. His address was broadcasted live from the Vatican's apostolic library. "I am close through prayer with the people who suffer from the current coronavirus epidemic," the Pope was quoted by Vatican News. "I unite myself to my brother Bishops in encouraging the faithful to live this difficult moment with the strength of the faith, the certainty of hope and the ardour of charity," said the Pope who was tested negative for coronavirus. Italy is the European country hardest hit by the virus, with at least 4,636 reported cases and 197 deaths, most in the last week. Last week, the 83-year-old authority canceled a Lent retreat for the first time in his papacy, but the Vatican said he was suffering only from a cold. The Pope's contact with others has been limited in an effort to keep him from being infected. He has stopped celebrating the morning Mass before invited guests at the chapel in the Vatican hotel, where he lives. His age and history of respiratory infection - he had part of one lung removed when he was young - makes him especially vulnerable to the disease. Italy has recommended that older people remain at home. Also, the Vatican said it suspended its healthcare services to disinfect its facilities after a patient tested positive for coronavirus. Italy has temporarily closed all its schools, universities, cinemas and theaters due to the outbreak. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This article is part of our latest Museums special section, which focuses on the intersection of art and politics. FERRISBURGH, Vt. In a nation ripped apart by racial strife and economic inequality, Rowland and Rachel Robinson took a stand. It was the 1830s, a few decades before the Civil War. The Robinsons, devout Quakers and uncompromising abolitionists, ran a Merino sheep farm and orchard here, and joined a network of Northerners that helped form the Underground Railroad, aiding enslaved African-Americans in their quest for freedom. The Rokeby Museum is a preserved historic site and exhibition center on the Robinsons farm. It encourages visitors to use the polarized past to hold up a mirror to the political discord of the present. In recent years, the museums leadership has sharpened its focus on social justice, in deference to the values of the family that inspired it. Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Saturday blasted his predecessor, Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, for defending a government, which, according to him, has totally failed the country, humanity and God. Recall that had few days ago during an interview on AIT said that the kidnappers and insecurity have hindered projects in Rivers State. However, Wike in a statement on Saturday, said he is only concerned about what he described as the unfortunate criminal excuse that Amaechi gave for the refusal of the Buhari Administration to initiate and execute Federal Projects in Rivers State. The lies told by Amaechi against his own people is one of the many deficiencies of southern politicians, Wike said. It is disturbing that Amaechi still fits into the above category of hired hands despite using Rivers resources to fund the national campaign of APC in 2015 and serving as Director General of their campaign in 2019. It is regrettable that his relevance is tied to his capacity to run down his state and geo-political zone. Wike gave instances of other states in the Northern part of the country such as Kaduna and North east where bandits, kidnappers and insurgents have made their homes but yet there are presence of Federal Government projects. He also recalled that just recently, the Minister himself allegedly escaped death in Kaduna when bandits chase him away. As I write, nobody plies the Abuja-Kaduna Route, yet the Federal Government executes projects in that insecure state. Bandits have turned Kaduna into a killing field, but Amaechi usually sneaks into Kaduna to serve as its public relations officer. Across the South-West, bandits reign supreme, kidnapping and robbing with careless abandon. An alternative security agency, Amotekun has been established. Yet, Amaechis second office, is Lagos where he briefs the media on per second basis, on the Lagos-Ibadan rail line commenced by the Jonathan Administration. The North-East is the Headquarters of insecurity in Africa. Aside propaganda and photo manoeuvres, there is no Government security control in several parts of this zone. But the Buhari Administration cited about three military Universities and other projects in this zone. Amaechi justifies the siting of these projects because they are in the north. While northerners at the Federal level scramble for projects to their states, Amaechi spends resources and time to explain why his constituents should not benefit from Federal Governments patronage. PV: 0 In the Khasi tribe, an indigenous community of 1.3 million people living in the state of Meghalaya in northeast India, women enjoy a special status. A matrilineal society for centuries, it is one of fewer than 500 left in the world. But in a country where patrilineal structures are now more common and male children are preferred, it's a way of life at risk of disappearing. FRANCE 24's Clara Lecomte and Adil Bhat filed this special report. Children born into India's Khasi tribe bear their mothers' names, daughters inherit property from their mothers, and men move to their wives' homes after marriage. In the village of Kongthong, Policy Khongjee, a Khasi, has a three-month-old daughter Panjob who bears her last name. Her daughter will also inherit the family's land. "I was so happy when I had my first daughter because before that I only had boys," Khongjee says. Women's special status is not only within the family. In Meghalaya, Khasi women are on par with men when it comes to participating in economic activities. In the village of Kwheng, locals live off agriculture and silk weaving thanks to a cooperative run by some eight women. "In many parts of India women depend on men and their income to live," says Rikynti Syem, a member of the cooperative. "We Khasi women are responsible for the money in the family. When the man works he has to give what he earns and the woman is in charge of the expenses." While the tradition still survives, anthropologists say it could soon disappear. Women who quit the region for work and marry outside the Khasi community threaten the continuation of the matrilineal system. But a more recent threat has emerged: A men's rights group that has been trying to establish a patrilineal society. It wants to abolish a system it says is unfair in offering special privileges to women. Should the Khasi way of life change, it could signal a setback for women struggling to defend their rights in other parts of India. Click on the video player above to watch this special report. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. (Newser) A Republican member of Congress has posted a challenging, if not threatening, video on gun control. "I have just one message for Joe Biden and Beto O'Rourke," Rep. Ken Buck tweeted. "If you want to take everyone's AR-15s, why don't you swing by my office in Washington, D.C. and start with this one?" Buck has taken the weapon off his office wall and is holding it when he issues the challenge, which is a reference to something O'Rourke said last year in a presidential candidates' debate, USA Today reports. When he was asked about his plan to buy back assault weapons, the former Democratic House member said, "Hell, yes, were going to take your AR-15, your AK-47." Last week, Biden told O'Rourke onstage after receiving his endorsement in the Democratic race: "You're gonna take care of the gun problem with me. You're going to be the one who leads this effort." story continues below O'Rourke responded in a tweet that, "This guy makes the case for both an assault weapons ban and a mandatory buyback program better than I ever could." Biden's website says he'd work to prohibit "the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines" if he becomes president. On his website, Buck said the gun isn't loaded and is locked, per MSN. That prompted a Democratic colleague, Eric Swalwell, to tweet, "No one is coming for your inoperable gun, Ken." Telling the Colorado lawmaker not to "make threats of AR-15 violence," the father of a student killed in the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 tweeted that his daughter was killed by a bullet from an AR-15. Fred Guttenberg posted that he'd been in Washington the day before Buck posted his tweet. If had seen Buck's challenge to "come and take" his AR-15 when he was in town, Guttenberg said, he "gladly would have." (Read more Ken Buck stories.) By Express News Service KOCHI: With five persons confirmed with coronavirus in Kerala -- three coming from Italy and two of their relatives -- the Cochin International Airport has begun hectic tracing operations of all passengers in the Qatar Airways' Doha-Cochin flight and their secondary contacts and the airport employees who attended them on February 29. There were 182 passengers in the Doha- Cochin flight. At an emergency meeting chaired by Ernakulam collector S Suhas, held at the Kochi airport on Sunday, flights arriving from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore are be given dedicated parking bay and dedicated aero-bridge (parking bay 19 and 20, aero-bridge 1 and 2). It was also decided that the passengers arriving from Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore are be given dedicated health screen counters, immigration counters, hand baggage screening X-ray, registered baggage belts and also they need to be segregated from the other international arriving passengers (hand baggage screening X-ray, registered baggage belts (1 and 2). "No mixing is permitted between the passengers arriving from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and other passengers," said the CIAL spokesman. After the last passenger arrival of these flights, the disinfection process will be carried by CIAL Pest Management Team as per the direction of airport health officer inside the aero-bridge and later in the arrival areas (arrival health and immigration areas, customs areas, X-ray, baggage trolleys, washrooms etc). The meeting also decided to initiate a massive disinfestation at the airport. Officials said the three coronavirus infected passengers slipped as the universal screening (screening for all international arriving passengers) was started only on March 3, there were inflight announcements and intimation at immigration counters for the passengers who were coming from non-pandemic countries like Italy from were those passengers came. However, they failed to report their travel details before the officials. The government has also asked the passengers who travelled by Venice to Doha (QR 126) on February 28 and Doha to Kochi on February 29 to immediately contact the health department's helpline number (DISHA): 0471 2552056, 1056 (toll-free) Saudi Arabia plans to unilaterally increase oil output next month, a move that could further reduce prices, reliable sources told Bloomberg. Such a move could make matters worse for oil-dependent countries like Nigeria. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the price of crude reduced Friday after oil producers failed to agree on oil cuts at an oil producers meeting. Members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) resolved on Thursday to cut crude oil production by a combined volume of about 1.5 million barrels per day, to stop further reduction in international oil price. The cut would have been about 1.5 per cent of current global crude oil supplies of over 300 million barrels per day. OPEC said the burden of the cut would be shared with non-OPEC allies, led by Russia. However, on Friday, Moscow rejected the plan and said countries were free to export as much oil as they could from March ending when the current deal ends. Responding aggressively to the collapse of its OPEC+ alliance, Saudi Arabia plans to increase oil output next month, going well above 10 million barrels a day. Saudi Arabia is now really going into a full price war, Bloomberg quoted managing director for the Middle East at oil consultant FGE, Iman Nasseri, as saying. Already, Saudi Arabia has begun to show its mettle as it, on Saturday, slashed the price it sells crude into foreign markets. Saudi Arabia on map The price slash offered unprecedented discounts in Europe, the Far East, and the U.S. and enticed refiners to purchase Saudi crude at the expense of other suppliers, Bloomberg reported. The big price slash may be an effort to force Russia and other producers back to the negotiating table. According to the report, Saudi Arabia, the worlds largest oil exporter, has privately told some market participants it could raise production much higher if needed, even going to a record of 12 million barrels a day. Saudi production is likely to rise above 10 million barrels a day in April, from about 9.7 million a day this month, before going to as high as 12 million barrels. Thats the oil market equivalent of a declaration of war, a commodities hedge fund manager told Bloomberg. Nigerias Situation Nigeria makes most of its foreign earnings from oil. The current price of oil is already well below the $57 a barrel Nigeria benchmarked its 2020 budget, with planned daily production put at 2.18 million barrels. Currently, Nigeria produces about 2 million barrels daily. According to details on oil data site, international benchmark Brent crude slid 9.4 per cent to settle at $45.27 per barrel on Friday while Nigerias Bonny light sold at $46.33 per barrel sliding at about 10.8 per cent. With oil demand being overwhelmed by the coronavirus outbreak, if Saudi pumps more oil as it planned by April, oil prices will fall further, a move that could further affect Africas largest economy. This is going to get nasty, Bloomberg quoted Doug King, a co-founder of the Merchant Commodity Fund. OPEC+ is going to pump more, and the world is facing a demand shock. $30 oil is possible. Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed [PHOTO CREDIT: @FinMinNigeria] Last week, Nigerias finance minister, Zainab Ahmed, called for a review of the budget as she said the outbreak of Covid-19 (coronavirus) negatively impacted Nigerias oil revenue. Already, experts fear Nigeria could slide into a recession if the price of crude continues to slide. Between April and June 2016, Nigeria slipped into a recession caused by a critical fall in global oil price. Advertisements The oil prices fell from about $112 per barrel in 2014 to below $50 dollars per barrel in 2016. Since Nigeria recovered from its last recession, President Muhammadu Buhari promised to diversify the Nigerian economy from being oil-dependent. That, however, is still a long way from being achieved. Already, Nigerias ability to cushion any effect of global oil price has been weakened as the countrys Excess Crude Account dropped to about $71 million in February from over $2 billion in November 2018. Nigeria never prepared Reacting to the Saudi move and a potential drop in oil price, a financial analyst, Tope Fasua, said Nigeria is not prepared for the economic eventuality. He said if the oil price gets to $30 per barrel, it may mean a recession for Nigeria because the oil sector is a major part of the economy. All these other countries are prepared, they have enough reserves Saudi Arabia has trillions of dollars in its reserve shelving it for it sovereign wealth fund, Russia equally has quite a bit of reserve and sovereign wealth fund. Already Nigerian economy is in trouble, I think thats why they intended to borrow $22.7 billion loans because the loan is for every other budget item, he said. Gold Miner Found $2.5 Billion Dollars Worth of Uranium: California Insider Ron Kliewer, the president of Public Lands for The People, explains how he helped locate a uranium deposit in San Bernardino, California potentially worth $2.5 billion. Page Content Today we celebrate the International Women's Day, in the spirit of United Nations #GenerationEquality campaign, to drive actions that create the gender-equal world we all deserve. Gender inequality isn't only a women's issue, but a societal and economic one as it is essential for democracy, and for economies and communities to thrive. To make democracy work and policies effective, governments and work places - must be representative and reflect society at large. Ensuring gender equality is key to build a social and just Europe. We, locally and regionally elected representatives must lead by example in this respect. We call for a solid European framework to change practices and mindsets in order to fully respect and empower women. We need to tackle the root economic, social and cultural barriers women face, end gender-based violence and challenge gender stereotypes. In Europe today, we have made significant strides to bridge gender imbalance in politics, but we have a long way to go. There are 1 million local and regional elected officials in Europe, but only about 30% of those are women. Closing the gender gap locally will make our societies more democratic and inclusive at all levels. The EU needs to step up support efforts to include an equality perspective in all EU policy areas, and increase the share of women in decision-making, also in local and regional government. Our Committee has repeatedly drawn attention to the need to improve the gender balance in our national delegations, and will continue efforts to influence the Member States' nomination policy. Today, with our new mandate, we have 4 Chairwomen out of a total of 6 thematic commissions. Our Committee will continue to raise awareness and seek solutions to redress the imbalance in EU local and regional politics, and will work towards making gender parity reality within the Committee. Four Nigerian church elders held a Sunday service in their burnt church building on February 23, 2020, two days after Boko Haram militants abducted some of the churchs female members and set fire to the building. The terrorists rampage had destroyed churches, homes, schools and businesses, in the Christian village of Garkida in Gambi Local Government Area of Adamawa State on February 21. Heavily-armed militants stormed into the Ekklesiyar Yanuwa a Nigeria (EYNthe Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) during a womens fellowship meeting and kidnapped some of the Christian women and left the building a burnt out shell. A local Christian leader said that, in spite of their anguish and shock, the pastors decided to continue to meet together to show that church isnt the building razed down, but the Christians living the Christian body is the church. On the day of the attack, the jihadists approached the village in Adamawa State in about nine trucks, and more than 50 motorcycles carrying at least two persons on each, a local eyewitness told Barnabas. The attack lasted around six hours, during which two other churches were also set alight, a local market looted, a health centre burnt down and two ambulances destroyed. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Bernie Sanders has said he never expected to see a Nazi flag at a major political rally in his lifetime after a man unfurled a swastika during his speech at an event on Thursday. The Democratic presidential candidate, who is campaigning to become Americas first Jewish president, described the incident at his rally in Arizona as disgusting and horrible. Supporters of Mr Sanders immediately began booing when the flag was spotted and ripped it from the man, who was then ejected from the venue. We lost 400,000 people fighting that symbol, fighting Nazism, 6 million Jews were killed, other people were killed, Mr Sanders told CNNs Jake Tapper on Sunday. [It was] the most devastating war in the history of humanity and you have in the United States of America somebody who is an antisemite, [he was] yelling out vulgar things as well obviously, it is unspeakable, its disgusting. Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Show all 18 1 /18 Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Jessica Canicosa, a precinct captain for Bernie Sanders, waits to greet caucus voters at Liberty High School in Henderson, Nevada REUTERS Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Hotel workers at the Bellagio in Las Vegas get to grips with voting papers during the Nevada caucuses AFP via Getty Images Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A caricature of Bernie Sanders is projected on to a tree during a rally in Las Vegas EPA Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A woman waits to have a photo taken with Elizabeth Warren during a town hall meeting in Las Vegas REUTERS Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures The threat of coronavirus and other germ-borne illnesses was on some voters' minds at the Democratic caucuses in Henderson, Nevada Getty Images Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Former vice-president Joe Biden takes a selfie with a voter in Las Vegas ahead of the Nevada caucuses REUTERS Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Amy Klobuchar changes her shoes backstage after giving a speech in Exeter, New Hampshire AFP/Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A warmly-wrapped-up dog attends an Elizabeth Warren event at Amherst Elementary School in Nashua, New Hampshire AFP/Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Bernie Sanders, who romped to victory in New Hampshire against Hillary Clinton in 2016, talks to the media in Manchester Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Joe Biden was hoping to improve on his poor showing in Iowa in the New Hampshire primary Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Elizabeth Warren, renowned for giving time to supporters for selfies, works the crowd at the University of New Hampshire in Durham Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Joe Biden takes a selfie with a supporter and his child outside a campaign event in Somersworth, New Hampshire on 5 February Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders quarrel after a confrontation in a TV debate in which Sanders claimed that Warren was not telling the truth about a conversation in which she claimed he had said a woman could not win the presidency on 14 January AP Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Supporter Pat Provencher listens to Pete Buttigieg in Laconia, New Hampshire on 4 February Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Pete Buttigieg speaks at a campaign event in Concord, New Hampshire while awaiting the results of the Iowa caucus Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Elizabeth Warren is presented with a balloon effigy of herself at a campaign event in Nashua, New Hampshire on 5 February Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A Trump supporter rides past a rally for Amy Klobuchar in Des Moines, Iowa on 14 January AP Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A man holds up a sign criticising billionaires in the presidential race in front of Michael Bloomberg in Compton, Califronia. The former New York mayor skipped the first caucus in Iowa and instead campaigned in California on 3 February Reuters He added: I've got to tell you, I never expected in my life as an American to see a swastika at a major political rally. It's horrible. The Vermont senator said he did not see the flag at the time but was told about it soon after leaving the stage in Phoenix. Many of Mr Sanders family members were killed in the Holocaust during World War II. Video from the event also appeared to show the man, who has been identified as a local far-right stunt activist, performing a Heil Hitler salute before he was escorted out of the rally. Joe Biden, Mr Sanders rival for the 2020 Democratic nomination, denounced the flag-waver on Friday and expressed his support for the senator. I don't care who you're supporting, attacks like this against a man who could be the first Jewish president are disgusting and beyond the pale, Mr Biden said on Twitter. The American Jewish Committee (AJC), one of the oldest Jewish advocacy groups in the US, said it was grateful that the man was removed quickly from the venue. Nazi flags are symbols of pure hate and have no place anywhere in America, much less in a rally for a Jewish presidential candidate, the AJC said. Antisemitic incidents are at near-record levels in the US after surging in 2017, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Figures released in May last year showed 2018 was the third-highest year on record for assault, harassment and vandalism against Jewish people since the organisation began recording data in 1979. There were a total of 1,879 attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions across the US, the ADLs report said, including 11 people who were killed in a mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh the deadliest attack on Jews in US history. Researchers report an advance in the development of a blood test that could help detect pathological Alzheimer's disease in people who are showing signs of dementia. This approach could be less invasive and less costly than current brain imaging and spinal fluid tests. The blood test detects the abnormal accumulation of a form of tau protein known as phosphorylated-tau-181 (ptau181), which is a biomarker that suggests brain changes from Alzheimer's. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, was published on March 2 in Nature Medicine. Over the past 15 years, research advances in the development of biomarkers like tau protein have enabled investigators to more accurately diagnose Alzheimer's disease, select research participants, and measure response to investigational therapies. Tau and other biomarkers can be detected with PET scans of the brain and lab tests of spinal fluid. However, PET imaging is expensive and involves radioactive agents, and spinal fluid tests require spinal taps, which are invasive, complex and time-consuming. Simpler biomarker tests are still needed. "The considerable time and resources required for screening research participants with PET scans and spinal taps slow the pace of enrollment for Alzheimer's disease treatment studies," said Richard J. Hodes, M.D., director of NIH's National Institute on Aging (NIA), which funded much of the study. "The development of a blood test would enable us to rapidly screen a much larger and more diverse group of volunteers who wish to enroll in studies." An international team of researchers led by Adam Boxer, M.D., Ph.D., at the University of California, San Francisco, used the new test to measure the concentration of ptau181 in plasma, which is the liquid part of blood that carries the blood cells. The samples were collected from more than 400 participants from the University of California, San Francisco Memory and Aging Center, part of the NIA-funded Alzheimer's Disease Research Center; the NIH-supported Advancing Research and Treatment for Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (ARTFL) consortium; and a research study sponsored by Eli Lilly. Their analysis demonstrated that the ptau181 in plasma could differentiate healthy participants from those with Alzheimer's pathology, and differentiate those with Alzheimer's pathology from a group of rare neurodegenerative diseases known collectively as frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). "It has become clear that there are many possible biological pathways to dementia," said Roderick Corriveau, Ph.D., program director at NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which also supported the study. "Finding a blood test that specifically identifies the presence of Alzheimer's pathology in the brain should greatly help researchers develop better treatments for the many who suffer from dementia." In addition, the results with the plasma ptau181 test mirrored results with two established biomarker tests for Alzheimer's -- a spinal fluid ptau181 test and a PET brain scan biomarker known as amyloid protein. The research team, which includes the NIH's ARTFL-LEFFTDS Longitudinal Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (ALLFTD) research consortium that was announced last year, is now aiming to refine and improve the ptau181 blood test method. "Because of NIH's investments, we are poised to make dramatic advances in biomarker development for Alzheimer's disease, FTLD, and related neurodegenerative disorders," said Eliezer Masliah, M.D., director of NIA's Division of Neuroscience. In the future, improved biomarkers like ptau181 may help not just researchers but also physicians to detect and diagnose Alzheimer's and related neurodegenerative disorders earlier, when interventions are more likely to be effective. "This research is an example of how studies on rare diseases, in this case FTLD, may provide important insights into common disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, which affects millions of people," said Tiina Urv, Ph.D., program officer in the Office of Rare Diseases Research at the NIH's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), which also supported the study. A different international team, this one led by Oskar Hansson, M.D., Ph.D., at Lund University in Sweden and supported in part by NIH, reported similar findings. Using the same plasma ptau181 test, these researchers were able to differentiate between Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases nearly as well as they could with a spinal fluid ptau181 test and a PET brain scan for tau protein. In addition, they followed participants for several years and observed that high levels of plasma ptau181 among those who were cognitively normal or had mild cognitive impairment may be used to predict later development of Alzheimer's dementia. These results were also published today in Nature Medicine. Australians may be familiar with the story of Captain Cook, who claimed Australia for Britain over two hundred years ago. But long before that, Muslim Makassans from Indonesia sailed there regularly to trade with Aboriginal Australians. Now a full 15-metre vessel has been built to replicate the journey and rekindle those historic ties. Sheikh Wesam Charkawi's organization sponsored the voyage to promote identity and inclusiveness for Muslims in Australia. The biggest challenge was getting the ship into the water. The vessel then sailed for 25 days across 2000 kilometers with no engine, a journey that ended in the Gove Peninsula in the northeast. There the ship was greeted by hundreds of indigenous people with ceremonies of welcome. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-FOUNDER OF ABU HANIFA INSTITUTE, SHEIKH WESAM CHARKAWI, SAYING: "The whole community had rallied behind this event to come and watch this sail boat come in and when it made it, it poked its head over that horizon, ever so slightly and people could see its sails. You know you had fingers pointing out, 'look, look, there it is' and you just felt you were overcome. You couldn't help but be touched by that emotion that you know were sensing in your heart." Both Muslim and indigenous leaders want to share this history more widely. In Australia, Muslims make up less than 3% of the country's population. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-FOUNDER OF ABU HANIFA INSTITUTE, SHEIKH WESAM CHARKAWI, SAYING: "We ran a workshop with young people and we asked them what it meant to be an Australian and many people really could not identify with that concept. They felt that the discourse they currently hear on a daily basis - 'Go back to where you came from', or 'You don't belong here', 'Love it or leave it' - felt that it alienated them." For now, however, this voyage is providing Muslims a powerful sense of belonging -- and acceptance. Washington The first person to test positive for coronavirus in Washington, D.C., is the prominent leader of a historic Episcopal church in Georgetown, the church said Sunday. The Reverend Timothy Cole, rector of Christ Church Georgetown, was diagnosed at the hospital Saturday night and is in stable condition, according to the Reverend Crystal Hardin, the assistant to the rector, who spoke at a press conference outside the church Sunday. In an email to parishioners obtained by CBS News, Cole confirmed he has tested positive, and said services were suspended "out of an abundance of caution for the most vulnerable among us." All services were canceled Sunday, the first time the church has closed since a fire in the 1800s, Hardin said. "I can now confirm that I am the individual who tested positive for the Coronavirus," Cole wrote in his email. "First, I want to assure you that I will be okay. I am receiving excellent care and am in good spirits under the circumstances. I will remain quarantined for the next 14 days as will the rest of my family." The church was founded in 1817 and is a fixture of the upscale Washington community, with a congregation that includes many government officials. Cole has been rector of the church since 2016. christ-church.png Christ Church Georgetown on Sunday, March 8, 2020. CBS News D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the first known case of coronavirus in the nation's capital on Saturday, saying a man in his 50s was presumed to be infected. Cole was diagnosed with the flu several weeks ago, Hardin said, and told of the coronavirus diagnosis on Saturday. "We know that whether we meet here in person on a Sunday morning or whether we meet in spirit not one of us is alone because we have each other. We firmly believe that we are held in God's embrace through it all," she said. "We are praying for all those affected, all those who are in fear and all of the medical professionals and researchers and community members who are trying to find solutions." Story continues Cole himself informed the church of his diagnosis and confirmed he has not traveled internationally. Hardin said the church was working to notify parishioners of Cole's diagnosis and urged members not to panic. "Most people if they take the precautions recommended by the CDC, which can be found on their website, will remain in relatively good health," she said. "We just need to make sure we're doing what we can to protect the most vulnerable." The D.C. Department of Health said in a statement that it has been in contact with the church and "determined an individual's visitation to Christ Church Georgetown warrants precautionary measures." The department recommended "a temporary pause of services" and said it was "conducting an intensive investigation to identify any exposures to COVID-19 that may have occurred at the church," referring to the virus. There are more than 107,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus worldwide and 460 in the United States. Cases have been confirmed in 32 states and the District of Columbia. Delon Thornton, Carol Joynt, Stephen Smith and Melissa Quinn contributed to this report. Coronavirus in New York: New Rochelle mayor gives update from ground zero of state outbreak Joe Biden's turnaround on the 2020 trail Former FDA chief warns of economic impact of coronavirus outbreak Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 22:46:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China's listed securities brokers saw steady net profits growth in February, latest data showed. By March 5, 31 listed brokerage firms had announced their profits for February. Their net profits totalled 10.16 billion yuan (about 1.47 billion U.S. dollars) last month, and 25 firms saw their net profits surpass 100 million yuan. On a year-on-year basis, 18 securities brokers registered net profits growth in February. More brokerages have enjoyed the dividend from the country's capital market reform, which bodes well for the securities industry in the long term, an analyst said. China has pushed forward capital market reform in 2019, including introducing a landmark revision to securities law and launching the sci-tech innovation board, also known as the STAR market, which started trading in July. The Feb. 25 issue of the New Yorker included an article by writer Charles Bethea headlined Joe Bidens Last Stand in South Carolina. In it, Bethea described running into one of my old high school friends named Kevin Freel during the Democratic presidential primary campaign in South Carolina. Freel graduated from what was then St. Josephs High School in Toms River in 1967. Shortly afterward, his rather large Irish family relocated to Delaware. By the 1980s, he was running a highly successful Irish bar in Wilmington. He and his brothers got involved in local Democratic politics and before long he was friends with Senator Joe Biden. Two weeks ago he was campaigning door-to-door for Biden in Charleston, S.C. At the time, both he and the people at the New Yorker were pretty pessimistic about the former vice presidents chances. This might be Joes last stand, Freel told the writer. I figure I ought to stand with him. Freel was feeling a lot more chipper when I called him after the Super Tuesday results came in last week. Within four days, Biden had gone from also-ran to front-runner. Freel said one reason for the turn-around was Bidens decision to fight back against his opponents. He pointed to a passage in the article describing an encounter hed had with a voter in an African-American neighborhood. After the man said he was tired of watching Biden get pushed around by the other candidates in the debates, Freel asked, Should I call him up tonight and tell him when he gets to the debate tomorrow night to just knock somebody over? Freel didnt tell Biden that. But political consultant James Carville did, he said. The guy who told him to do it was Carville, he said. He basically said the same thing: You gotta get out there and start punching people. Whatever Biden did, it certainly worked. After that big win in South Carolina, Bidens two competitors in the moderate lane made a last-minute decision to drop out before Super Tuesday. That left Biden free to pick up the votes of all those Democrats who didnt want to see their partys nomination go to a senator who does not identify himself as a Democrat in the Senate. Thats Bernie Sanders. The Independent from Vermont was the early front-runner, but at last count he was down more than 50 delegates to Biden. Things could get a lot worse for him fast. Sanders will probably make it through the March 10 primaries, which include Michigan and five smaller states. But then comes St. Patricks Day. The big prize on March 17 is Florida, with its massive haul of 219 delegates. At the moment, polls show that the only Sanders thats popular in Florida is Colonel Sanders, who seems to have a restaurant at every interchange off I-95. As for Bernie Sanders, hes hovering in the polls close to the 15 percent margin below which he wouldnt win a single delegate. Thats hardly surprising when you consider the way Sanders seems to have systematically ticked off virtually all the voting blocs in the Sunshine State His Medicare-for-all plan may be popular with young voters. But seniors see it as a threat to the Medicare they already have. Then there are the Cuban-Americans. Sanders managed to poke them in the eye recently with his statements telling people to look on the bright side of the Castro administration, as former South Bend mayor Pete Buttagieg put it in the last debate. As for the pro-Israel voters, a group that includes both Jews and some fundamentalist Christians, his statements on the need to do something about the plight of the Palestinians might be good policy. But theyre not good politics. By the end of St. Patricks Day, Biden could have an insurmountable lead, Freel said. That will give me something to really, really celebrate. As for his fellow Democrats, that should give them something to think about concerning the current calendar. Biden was nearly counted out of the race after dismal finishes in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. Those two largely rural states might form a good testing ground for Republicans. But theyre a poor fit for Democrats. Freel recalled that in 1996, when his brother was secretary of state in Delaware, the Democrats there made a move to schedule their primary ahead of New Hampshires on the thoroughly reasonable grounds that the makeup of the Delaware electorate is more representative of the national electorate. But New Hampshire fought back in every way possible to protect its first-in-the-nation status. It got really ugly, he recalled. New Hampshire won and the Democrats got stuck with the current system of tearing their party apart every four years. As a Republican, Im not complaining. Im sure Ill find something to celebrate on St. Patricks Day, too Hartford students make deans list WEST HARTFORD, Conn. University of Hartford students have been named to the deans list for fall 2019. Local students include: Mirissa Schmeelke of Lake George; and Lydia Martin of Victory Mills. Martin makes fall deans list SCRANTON, Pa. Ruth C. Martin of Greenfield Center was among more than 1,600 students named to the University of Scrantons deans list for the 2019 fall semester. The deans list recognizes students that have a grade point average of 3.5 or better with a minimum number of credit hours during the semester. Martin is a senior occupational therapy major in the Universitys Panuska College of Professional Studies. Students make Champlain list BURLINGTON, Vt. Students have been named to the Champlain College deans list for achieving a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in the fall 2019 semester. Local students include: Mackenzie George of Glens Falls; Braeden Parenteau of Gansevoort; and Stuart Redmon of Glens Falls. OBrien excels in nursing program PITTSFORD Sarah OBrien of Queensbury has been named to the fall 2019 deans list at St. John Fisher College in Rochester. To be eligible for the deans list, a student must have attained at least a 3.5 grade point average for the semester. OBrien is a senior nursing major. Students graduate from SUNY Oneonta ONEONTA More than 300 graduates were recognized at SUNY Oneontas fall commencement Dec. 8. Students who completed the requirements for bachelors degrees, masters degrees and certificates of advanced study in the Dewar Arena of the Alumni Field House. Local graduates include: Kathryn Molisani of Queensbury, Bachelor of Science in history, cum laude; Anna Korniak of Queensbury, Bachelor of Science in biology, cum laude; and Rainey Cerqua of Schuylerville, Bachelor of Science in psychology. Ellis honored at SUNY Cortland CORTLAND Jaynie Ellis of Lake Luzerne has been named to the deans list and presidents list for the fall 2019 semester at SUNY Cortland. To be eligible for the presidents list, a student must be full time and have earned at least an A- in all courses. Ellis is a communications major with a concentration in journalism. University honors deans list students SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Western New England University named more than 730 students to the fall 2019 deans list. Local students include: Caleb J. Shine of Queensbury, mechanical engineering; Lukas J. Carrow of Queensbury, forensic chemistry; Donna M. Montgomery of Cambridge, communication/public relations concentration; and Jensen Marjorie Keough of Whitehall, BSW in social work. Nicolls returns from semester abroad MIDDLEBURY, Vt. Eugene EJ Nicolls, a 2017 graduate of Hudson Falls High School, has recently returned from a semester abroad with Middlebury College in Irkutsk, Siberia, in the Russian Federation. Nicolls was literally half a world away taking college courses at the local university in a city with 600,000 people. Nicolls was close to Lake Baikal, which is the oldest and highest volume freshwater lake in the world, and traveled there several times in his four months there. Nicolls is a Russian language major, with a minor in Arabic and Chinese. He attained the standing of college scholar (3.5 and above) for the fall 2019 semester for Middlebury College. He is the son of Pattye Nicolls of Hudson Falls. Springfield names presidents list SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Close to 500 students named to the fall 2019 presidents list at Western New England University. Local students include: Kassidy Gordon of South Glens Falls, forensic chemistry; Francesca Della Bella of Queensbury, secondary education/English; and Adam Monroe of Gansevoort, mechanical engineering/mechatronics concentration. Demko graduates from Fort Hays St. HAYS, Kan. Ernest Demko of Wilton is among the 921 students who earned degrees at Fort Hays State University in the fall 2019 semester. Demko earned a Master of Science in instructional technology. King honored at William Smith GENEVA Olivia King of Queensbury has been named to the deans list at William Smith College for the fall 2019 semester. King will study abroad in Aix en Provence, France, in the French Riviera for the spring semester until May. She is the daughter of David and Sarah King. Purchase College names deans list PURCHASE Purchase College announced that more than 1,300 students were named to the deans list for the fall 2019 semester. Students who have earned this academic honor have maintained a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and taken a minimum of 12 credits. Local students include: Blake Albano of Queensbury, new media; Jack Boggan of Cambridge, theater and performance, history; Makenzie Ellis of Lake Luzerne, arts management; Jaimie Gaskell of Greenwich, creative writing; Channa Goldman of Salem, creative writing; Alexis Kilburn of Queensbury, theater and performance; Nicole Laing of South Glens Falls, arts management; Emily Rainwater of Queensbury, arts management; Shyeann Rawson of Glens Falls, graphic design; Megan Stacey of Bolton Landing, new media, theater and performance; and Taylor Wood of Schuylerville, art history. Burke makes deans list at SUNY CortlandCORTLAND Kaitlin Burke of Bolton Landing was recently named to the deans list for the fall 2019 semester at SUNY Cortland. Burke is a speech therapy major. Scarlotta earns Curry honors MILTON, Mass. Logan Scarlotta of Gansevoort has been named to the deans list for the fall 2019 semester at Curry College. To earn a place on the list, full-time undergraduate studentsthose who carry 12 or more graded credits per semestermust earn a 3.3 grade-point-average or higher. Scarlotta is a member of the Class of 2023 and is majoring in accounting. Morrisville announces deans list honors MORRISVILLE SUNY Morrisville announced students who were named to the deans list for the fall 2019 semester. To be named to the deans list, a student must achieve an average of 3.0 to 3.99 for the semester and complete 12 credit hours. Local students include: Kylie Alexander of Hudson Falls; Danielle Aubrey of Granville; Mackenzie Buttles of Gansevoort; Katharine King of Middle Grove; Brittney Kunen of Granville; James Morrison of Shushan; Makayla Park of Middle Grove; and Brooke Spiezio of Cambridge. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 An inmate who died after being assaulted by another prisoner at Auckland Prison has been named by police. He was Blake John Lee, 25, of Rotorua, says Detective Inspector John Sutton. Police were called to the Paremoremo prison, in north Auckland, at about 3pm on Thursday following reports of an inmate-on-inmate assault. Lee received serious injuries and died at the scene, says John. A homicide investigation is underway and a post mortem examination will be carried out. Corrections chief custodial officer Neil Beales says the prisoner died in the prison yard. "The alleged perpetrator has been placed on directed segregation in the prison's management unit." Lee was serving a sentence of seven years and seven months in prison after being convicted of a brutal assault on his partner in 2017. At his trial, the Crown said Lee held his partner captive at their Rotorua home for hours and beat her. He also poked at her with a weapon similar to a butter knife as she tried to hide under a bed blanket. Blake's partner told jurors at his trial that she told him to "just stop". "I remember, like, just touching my leg just to see, like, why it was wet and, like ... I remember, like, holding my hand up to see why my hand was wet and I noticed it was blood, and so I was screaming that I was bleeding and that's when he went out and called his mum." Among the woman's injuries were a broken leg and a cut to her ankle. Lee's partner was eventually able to escape through a window and a neighbour called emergency services. At Lee's sentencing, a cultural report detailed his background that included an "extremely disadvantaged childhood". He was exposed to violence, drugs and gang culture from a young age. He went on to become a member of the Mongrel Mob. Lee unsuccessfully appealed his conviction and sentence. At the end of it's judgement, the Court of Appeal assessed Lee's prospects for the future. "...[A]t 25 years of age, Mr Lee is now firmly entrenched in a gang environment and there is no suggestion this is likely to change in the future. His prospects of rehabilitation are therefore low and the risk of future offending is correspondingly high." Corrections Association president Alan Whitley says he understands the prisoner had been stabbed. -Stuff/Edward Gay. When I kaput e go hard you, said he, To ever find man wey be like me How you take think say I want man wey be like you again, she answered. Dem talk say dem go show her hell but the mistake be say dem forget who get hell and who dey heaven. Some na bottom power, but plenty of we women e dey their head. Dem no be slay mamas dem be queen mothers. The wahala we mothers carry na wetin dem turn to wing carry fly. We fit push our daughters dem down but we no fit keep dem for floor. She will speak even when her voice dey shake...sometimes na her strength dey make man fear. We Naija women go rise, we go dey table, with hand wey dem wash put mouth for matter and progress go dey. *Onyedikachi Ponfa* Did you know that about 56 communities in the nations capital Abuja still practice killing of twins? I mean after going through the entire trimesters of pregnancy, a woman, mother, sister, a daughter has her twin babies killed...Ten years ago I lost my mother, she died due to loads of complications arising from a poorly managed health sector, possible misdiagnosis and more. Today women still die over the same reasons and more. On 8 March 1917 (23 February by the old Julian calendar), a hundred women in the textile factories in Petrograd decided to go on strike; they went amongst the other factories and called their fellow workers onto the streets. Before long, around 200,000 workers led by the women marched through the streets. Down with war, they cried, and no bread, no work. This strike set in motion a cascade of protests, which eventually broke the Tsarist state and inaugurated the Russian Revolution. Seven years before the start of the Russian Revolution, the German Marxist Clara Zetkin proposed to the 2nd International Conference of Socialist Women in Copenhagen (Denmark) that an International Womens Day be held each year. They chose 8 March to commemorate the March Revolution of 1848 in Europe, when the monarchies were forced to nominally accept universal suffrage. From 1911 onwards, it was socialist women who held rallies and demonstrations on 8 March as part of their campaign first for the franchise, and then after 1914 to end the war. They faced terrible repression, harshest perhaps in the Tsarist Empire. It did not stop them. When the entire editorial board of Rabotnitsa (The Woman Worker) was arrested before the 8 March 1914 protest, Anna Elizarova Lenins sister hastily gathered some comrades, produced the paper, and then saw to the distribution of twelve thousand copies on that day. For these socialist women, International Womens Day was a powerful rebuke against the brutality of the war and the indignity of patriarchy. In the midst of the events of 1917, Ekaterina Pavlovna Tarasova, a Bolshevik organizer, remembers that a woman worker told her, We who were nothing and have become everything, shall construct a new and better world. Come down to Africa, and Nigeria, The Women's War, or Aba Women's Riots (Igbo: Ogu Umunwanyi; Ibibio: Ekong Iban), was a period of unrest in British Nigeria over November 1929. The protests broke out when thousands of Igbo women from the Bende District, Umuahia and other places in eastern Nigeria traveled to the town of Oloko to protest against the Warrant Chiefs, whom they accused of restricting the role of women in the government. The Aba Women's Riots of 1929, as it was named in British colonial records, is more aptly considered a strategically executed anti-colonial revolt organized by women to redress social, political and economic grievances. The protest encompassed women from six ethnic groups (Ibibio, Andoni, Orgoni, Bonny, Opobo, and Igbo). It was organized and led by the rural women of Owerri and Calabar provinces. During the events, many Warrant Chiefs were forced to resign and 16 Native Courts were attacked, most of which were destroyed. It was the first major anti-colonial revolt by women in West Africa. In 1930 the colonial government abolished the system of warrant chieftains, and appointed women to the Native Court system. These reforms were built upon by the African women and have been seen as a prelude to the emergence of mass African anti-colonial nationalism. So let me ask, do you know Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala? She is a Nigerian-born economist and international development expert. She sits on the Boards of Standard Chartered Bank, Twitter, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, and the African Risk Capacity. The South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa just appointed her as a member of the countrys Economic Advisory Council. Now before we go far there was Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, very sure that name rings more than a bell, she was an activist, teacher, political campaigner, and founder of the Nigerian Women's Union. She was a total badass who went all out to fight for women's rights including something as basic as driving. She is the first woman to drive a car in the entire country. Apart from being one of the prominent leaders of her generation, she is also the mother of Afrobeat musician and political activist Fela Kuti. Margaret Ekpo she was Nigeria's first female political activist. Ladi Dosei Kwali the pioneer of modern pottery in Nigeria. She is also the first and only Nigerian woman to appear on a currency note. She is on the N20 note. How about Florence Nwanzuruahu Nkiru Nwapa, she was the first female writer in the country. She is also Africa's first female novelist to have an internationally published work in the English language. Grace Alele Williams was one of the first Nigerian women to obtain a PhD in Mathematics. She is also the first female vice-chancellor in Nigeria. I could not have forgotten the legendary Queen Amina, the Hausa warrior queen of the city-state Zazzau. There was Dora Akunyili - Former Minister of Information and Communication, Former Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of Nigeria. How about Obiageli Ezekwesili, popularly known as Oby Ezekwesili, a Nigerian chartered accountant and former Minister. Folake Solanke was the first woman to join the Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN). 38 years later, women make up only 4.2% of the entire organization. We have today, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Fola Coker, Joke Silva, several mothers, daughters and damsels across the arts, the creative, fashion, banking and politics. Despite these threatening resume of great women, and achievements, many of them not on this list as this is not really a honors roll call. Nigeria has a crazy Child marriage problem, with 43% of girls being married before their 18th birthday, and 17% before they turn 15. The prevalence, however, varies greatly by region. Nigeria's total fertility rate is 5.07 children/woman. Nigeria's high fertility rate continues to cause socioeconomic problems and fuels underdevelopment. With all the education, and civilization, and though a considerable reduction, Female genital mutilation is still commonplace causing our women, infertility, maternal death, infections, and the loss of sexual pleasure. How about Girl child labour, with large number of our daughters work as maids, shop helps and street hawkers. The use of young girls in economic activities that continues to expose them to the dangers and other problems such as sexual assault, missing classes, lack of parental care and exploitation is as common as bad air. This is tied closely to Domestic violence, which they go on to suffer either in marriages as wives or even as children. I could have paragraphs on sex for marks and other vices that are predominately linked with our mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters. The increasing drug intake and abuse across sections of the country by our women. The Slay queen industry and use your booty to get what you want industry. As we mark the Intl Womens Day I dare say in our badly managed nation our women are more economically excluded than men. They lack access to decent work, recognition and redistribution of unpaid care and domestic work, leadership and decision-making, access to resources, legal entitlements, and many others weigh them down. It is a silent crisis of womens economic inequality that constitutes a systemic and systematic violation of womens human rights. It prevails despite the accumulating evidence that economic empowerment yields benefits for women, businesses and the economy. I cannot begin to give you the statistics of wives who have become caregivers to their entire families; they are the bakery and the bread, the wheat and dough. And yet suffer all forms of violence, moreso mental and emotional violence than physical. Next time you see a woman, do you see a new nation, possibilities or a Nigeria that continues to stamp her feet on her women, and remain at the doldrumsonly time will tell. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has energetically pursued the full range of multilateral and bilateral diplomatic engagements since his impressive electoral success in May 2019. Some domestic, social, political and external commercial decisions and the methods adopted in implementing them though have partly pushed his foreign policy into defensive directions. In contrast, Modi was largely on the front foot in enlarging the scope and quality of Indias external engagements during his first term. He had quickly displayed imagination and flair in his external interactions, while firmly rooting policy in the national interest. Breaking from tradition, Modi invited South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) leaders, including former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, to his oath-taking ceremony in May 2014. This step signalled a desire to undertake an activist foreign policy and specially to take the immediate neighbourhood along on Indias developmental journey. He reached out, with a sure touch, to countries to the East and the West. The Act East policy indicated a more active and comprehensive relationship with the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean). The success of Modis approach was manifested in the presence of leaders of all its members on Republic Day 2018. Wisely keeping out of the quarrels of West Asia, Modi cemented relations with all its mutually antagonistic major states. Modis outreach to Africa and the Pacific Island states and his emphasis on the Indo-Pacific region showed a more confident and outwardly focused India. His deepening of ties with the United States, while maintaining the relationship with Russia, and his handling of the European states displayed a deft diplomatic mind. He also dealt with China firmly while seeking to expand the coincidence of interests. Modi also reconciled Indias concerns with those of the world on issues of global significance such as the climate crisis. In these years, Indias diplomatic machinery was busy giving concrete shape to Modis vision and implementing the decisions that flowed from the decisions that emerged from his interaction with his international peers. The diplomatic focus was outward. Now, as there are questions in important sections of global opinion about the domestic direction of the country, Indias political leaders and diplomats have to refute, clarify and explain. This is, of course, part of the diplomatic process but it expends diplomatic capital and takes some international attention away from issues, such as Pakistani terrorism, that India would like to remain in focus. Modis August 5, 2019, decision on the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was squarely within Indias domestic sphere. Pakistans objections were unwarranted because the changes did not really adversely impact Pakistans viewpoint on the issue, which in any case has been overtaken by events. Clearly, the informal consultations in the United Nations Security Council demonstrated, notwithstanding Chinas attempts, that the international community, barring a few states, is not interested in this aspect of J&K. However, the detention of political leaders and the communications restrictions raised questions that needed Indias diplomatic responses. India also had to reject United States President Donald Trumps repeated offers at mediation and also similar offers of the United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres though his predecessors had made similar offers in the past. The conferment of citizenship to foreign nationals is an exercise of sovereign power by any government within its domestic jurisdiction. The Modi government is correct in asserting that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act does not impinge on any Indians national status. It is also correct that non-Muslims have been discriminated, often persecuted in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. However, the Act, by itself, and due to the alarm it has caused among large sections of Indian Muslims as a supposed precursor to a National Register of Citizens exercise perceived as harming their interests, has raised a degree of international disquiet that India is moving away from its secular moorings. This has compelled Indian diplomats to refute allegations regarding a dilution of Indias constitutional commitments. In such situations, whatever may be the nature of the refutation, the very fact that it has to be made leads to inherently defensive diplomatic postures. According to the government, Indias decision, after years of negotiations, to refrain from joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership was on account of its interests and concerns not being taken on board. If a country feels so, it is undoubtedly the right step to take. However, it led to a feeling of disappointment in Asean and Japan about Indias overall approach not only to trade agreements, but to its economic orientation itself. This, at a time, when Modi has been pursuing a policy of making Indian industry part of global value chains and aggressively attracting foreign direct investments. Again, India had to clarify its position. It has to be examined if our trade diplomacy under political direction could have done a better job. Naturally, external criticism should never deter a government from making decisions which are right for the country. The question is if it should examine achieving the same objectives in ways that would not raise such doubts. That is always a prudent choice to make for it prevents going on the defensive. Vivek Katju is a former diplomat The views expressed are personal Coronavirus has led to a world-wide panic. But it has also spread an infodemic. A lot of misinformation about how it spreads and how it can be cured is doing rounds on social media, spreading further, unnecessary panic. Playing a massive role in spreading misinformation are many influential personalities and politicians. These people are passing on information and coming up with their own cures of COVID19, without any scientific backing or credibility. The spread of misinformation, fake news and ineffective cures, is almost as bad as the disease itself. Reuters Here is the compilation of absolutely ridiculous claims made by famous personalities. We bust the myths and tell what can ACTUALLY help prevent the infection or cause it. Yogi Ji, Yoga Se Ye Nahi Hoga So the biggest scientist the state of Uttar Pradesh has seen in a long time, its CM, Yogi Adityanath, was at a Yog Mahotsav in Rishikesh recently. There he said, The Indian tradition needs to be understood more deeply as it has tremendous things to offer through yoga. The world is waging a war against mental and physical illnesses. If these are cured, then no one will suffer from blood pressure, heart attack, kidney failure, liver failure or even coronavirus for that matter." Twitter Yogi ji, Yoga se bahut kuch hoga but coronavirus cure nahi. What could actually help prevent it: Needless to point out that one should not be in the vicinity of a person who is sick. Make sure you wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Trump's Claim That Coronavirus Will 'Miraculously' Go Away Has No Scientific Backing One can understand that world leaders do not want the residents of their nation to not panic. But that is no reason to spread information with no scientific backing whatsoever. In a rally in New Hampshire, Donald Trump said that the coronavirus will miraculously go away by April as temperatures rise. Unsurprisingly, he gave no scientific or medical explanation to support his theory. Twitter Scientists are indeed hoping that the effect of the virus will die down with rise in temperatures, but we cant know that right now. What causes coronavirus: The virus seems to be spreading from person to person among those in close contact. It may be spread by respiratory droplets released when someone with the virus coughs or sneezes. No, Coronavirus Is Not Spreading Due To 5G This has not been claimed by any famous personality, but a video of a lady claiming that 5G is majorly responsible for the spreading of COVID-19, has been going viral. No, this isn't a typo, this is exactly what she said in a video whilst talking about COVID-19. 5G causes coronavirus because its sucking the oxygen out of your lungs, according to a video being spread on Facebook. I want to but the fact people believe this bullshit is genuinely scary pic.twitter.com/kY3g5MJtu9 Tom Warren (@tomwarren) March 3, 2020 She started speaking about people passing out due to dry cough and pneumonia and how that's actually because of 5G. She then links this to the myths of 5G on human health and how this is the causal link for people getting affected in Wuhan. Electronic waves cause many kinds of problems, but 5G is certainly not the reason for Coronavirus spread. What might actually cause it: Recent travel from or residence in China Close contact with someone who has COVID-19 such as when a family member or health care worker takes care of an infected person. 'Gaumutra', 'Gobar' May Cure Coronavirus: BJP MLA In Assam Assembly Spoiler alert: It won't. We're not sure whether cows, their gobar, urine et al have magical healing powers, but none of these items cure Coronavirus. Not every problem that exists in the entire world - cancer, cold, flu, war - can be cured by gau mutra and gobar. So, it is not really surprising that one BJP MLA went on record to say the same about coronavirus. Suman Haripriya, BJP MLA, in Assam claimed that cow urine and cow dung are helpful in curing deadly diseases like cancer. Twitter "We all know that cow dung is very helpful. Likewise, when cow urine is sprayed, it purifies an area... I believe something similar could be done with 'gaumutra' and 'gobar' to cure coronavirus (disease)," she said. There is no scientific proof of whether cow urine or cow dung can do anything at all to cure illnesses, so it would be wise to not fall for such aimless, sans science claims. What can actually be helpful: Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth if your hands aren't clean. Chicken Does Not Cause Coronavirus According to an Economic Times report, Indias poultry industry has lost Rs 13 billion ($182 million) in three weeks, after social media was rife with speculation that chickens are a cause of the spread of coronavirus, denting demand for chicken and nearly halving prices, say industry officials. Millions of small poultry farmers have been hit by a sudden drop in sales. Twitter Soybean and corn producers have also been affected, with prices of both the commodities used in animal feed have fallen up to 8% in the past. It is true that ground zero of coronavirus is believed to be the meat market in Wuhan which sold live bats and rats. But the belief that the virus spreads through poultry is baseless. What you should avoid doing is sharing dishes, glasses, bedding and other household items if you're sick. Clean and disinfect surfaces you often touch. Stay home from work, school and public areas if you're sick. It is really important to strictly follow WHO guidelines on how to stay safe and prevent contracting the disease, instead of believing what people - no matter how up in stature - say. It is important to not panic and immediately go to the doctor and get tested if one notices symptoms of high fever and cold. Mike will bring us together, is one of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloombergs campaign slogans, invoking his claim that, in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he brought New Yorkers together. The together, however, did not include hundreds of thousands of New Yorks Arab Americans and American Muslims. For them, Bloombergs time in office was marked by a massive New York City Police Department (NYPD) surveillance programme that put individuals rights and freedoms at risk, weakened the foundations of our democracy, and seriously compromised our values as an open and inclusive society. A Pulitzer Prize winning investigation conducted by Associated Press reporters found that during Bloombergs tenure, the NYPD, working with a few CIA officials, monitored Arab and Muslim-owned businesses, mosques and mapped areas of the city where high concentrations of Muslims and Arab immigrants were known to live. In order to accomplish these objectives, the NYPD coerced and entrapped Muslims to act as spies. In one instance, the police scoured the records of taxi drivers looking for those who had unpaid tickets and other violations. Those who also had immigration status issues were given the option of acting as spies or facing possible deportation. Once turned into informants, they were then asked to go to popular gathering places (coffee shops, stores, etc), attend religious services, and other community events in order to report on who was present and what was said. This material was then entered into extensive surveillance files, even when the activities attended and the words spoken were innocent and protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. The compiled reports were categorised as SECRET. After the AP made them public, we learned that the contents of these reports were, in fact, trite. They were, however, dangerous, since they represented ethnic profiling at its worst and an extension of the long arm of the state into the normal everyday activity of communities. One report, for example, on Egyptian Locations of Interest, purports to map centres of activity or hangouts for Egyptian Americans that could be used as listening posts where informants could go to listen to neighbourhood gossip ... [and] get a feel for the community. The report goes on to present a demographic profile of where people of Egyptian descent live in New York City and describes, with pictures attached, all of the restaurants and other businesses where Egyptians and other Arab immigrants in the city congregate or shop. There is another similar report on Syrian Locations of Concern which includes such noteworthy information about a travel agency as, Observed a female named Rasha working in the travel agency, she recommended the Royal Jordanian Airline. The SECRET reports on these New Yorkers represented violations of the fundamental and guaranteed rights of citizens to be free of intrusive government surveillance as they go about their normal everyday activities. It must also be pointed out, especially after reviewing the reports, what an enormous waste of resources the entire effort had been. Not only did it alienate the Arab community from the police and the city government, it also expended countless hours of valuable labour to produce files and reports that were of no value. What we have since learned was that the net result of this Bloomberg programme has been zero: no arrests, no leads and no benefit to the effort to keep New York safe. Not a positive outcome for Bloomberg, who claims to be the data candidate. At the time the programme was uncovered, then Mayor Michael Bloomberg denied that any profiling was involved, saying, we dont stop to think about religion. We stop to think about the threats and focus our efforts there, ignoring the statements in the beginning of each of the SECRET reports that note that they are targeting specific ethnic and religious communities. Years later, Bloombergs response has actually been worse. In an interview with PBS Newshour this week, Bloomberg suggested it was natural to map entire communities and spy on their most mundane behaviour. Further, while his defenders claim that no court has ruled against the NYPDs mapping of Muslims and Arabs, the record suggests otherwise. An opinion by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals stated clearly that to infer individual disloyalty prove[s] group disloyalty and justify discriminatory action against the entire group is to deny that under our system of law individual guilt is the sole basis for deprivation of rights. The court noted that, We have been down similar roads before and invoked a series of past injustices that most Americans denounce today. By continuing to defend the NYPDs anti-Arab and anti-Muslim surveillance programme, Bloomberg firmly places himself on the wrong side of history, demonstrating that he still does not understand the damage done by the NYPDs behaviour. Trust was broken. A large segment of the Arab community lived in fear of law enforcement. And the programme placed at risk our constitutional rights to assemble, speak freely, be secure from unwarranted searches and enjoy due process. This is not Mike bringing us together. This is Mike targeting Arabs and Muslims and shredding the US Constitution in the process. *The writer is president of the Arab American Institute. **A version of this article appears in print in the 5 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: A man receives assistance in the a pre-triage medical tent in front of the Cremona hospital, in Cremona, northern Italy, on March 4, 2020. (Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images) Italy Announces Quarantine Affecting a Quarter of Population BEIJINGItalys prime minister announced a sweeping coronavirus quarantine early Sunday, restricting the movements of about a quarter of the countrys population in a bid to limit contagions at the epicenter of Europes outbreak. Shortly after midnight, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree affecting about 16 million people in the countrys prosperous north, including the Lombardy region and at least 14 provinces in neighboring regions. The extraordinary measures will be in place until April 3. For Lombardy and for the other northern provinces that I have listed there will be a ban for everybody to move in and out of these territories and also within the same territory, Conte said. Exceptions will be allowed only for proven professional needs, exceptional cases and health issues. Italys Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte speaks during a press conference held at Romes Chigi Palace, following the Ministers cabinet meeting dedicated to the corinavirus crisis, on March 4, 2020. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images) After the city of Venice canceled its cherished Carnival and governments warned citizens against travel to Italy, the country is facing a possible recession. Hotel occupancy rates in the lagoon city are down to 1 percent-2 percent. The surface of the Grand Canal is like glass because the boats that transport merchandise are not there. On the vaporetti (water buses), there are only five or six people, Stefania Stea, vice president of the Venice hoteliers association, said. A man wearing a protective mask walks past the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) in Venice, Italy on Feb. 28, 2020. (Claudio Furlan/Lapresse via AP) Italy on Saturday saw its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases since the outbreak began in the north of the country on Feb. 21. In its daily update, Italys civil protection agency said the number of people with the coronavirus rose by 1,247 in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 5,883. Another 36 people also died as a result of the virus, taking the total to 233. There was chaos and confusion in the northern Italian city of Padua in the Veneto region as word spread late Saturday evening that the government was planning to announce the quarantine. Packed bars and restaurants quickly emptied out as many people rushed to the train station in Padua. Travelers with suitcases, wearing face masks, gloves and carrying bottles of sanitizing gel shoved their way on to trains. A woman, wearing a face mask, pulls a trolley at Milans Central Station in Milan, Italy, on March 8, 2020. (Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images) Before Conte signed the quarantine decree, Stefano Bonaccini, president of the Emilia Romagna region, said parts of the decree were confusing, and he asked the premier for more time to come up with solutions that were more coherent. Around the world, passenger-packed cruise ships confronted their own virus problems. Officials in California were deciding Saturday where to dock the Grand Princess cruise ship, after 21 tested positive for the virus. There is evidence the ship now idling off San Francisco was the breeding ground for a deadly cluster of almost 20 cases during an earlier voyage. A California National Guard helicopter from the Moffett Federal Airfield based, 129th Rescue Wing deliver coronavirus test kits to the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of San Francisco, Calif., on March 5, 2020. (California National Guard/Handout via Reuters) Those that will need to be quarantined will be quarantined, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said. Those who will require medical help will receive it. President Donald Trump said he would have preferred not to let the passengers disembark onto American soil, but would defer to medical experts. In Egypt, a cruise ship on the Nile with more than 150 aboard was under quarantine in the southern city of Luxor after 12 positive tests. Also Saturday, the port of Penang in Malaysia turned away the cruise ship Costa Fortuna because 64 of the 2,000 aboard are from Italy. The ship had already been rejected by Thailand, and is now heading to Singapore. And in Malta, which reported its first case of the virus Saturday, the MSC Opera ship agreed not to enter the Mediterranean countrys port amid local worrieseven though there are no infections suspected on board. The ship continued to Messina, Sicily, where passengers were allowed to disembark after officials reviewed medical records. Egyptian health workers scan peoples body temperatures at Cairo International Airport on Feb. 1, 2020. (AFP via Getty Images) While many scientists say the world is clearly in the grips of a pandemica serious global outbreakthe World Health Organization isnt calling it that yet, saying the word might spook the world further. The virus is still much less widespread than annual flu epidemics, which cause up to 5 million severe cases around the world and up to 650,000 deaths annually, according to the WHO. In Iran, fears over the virus and the governments waning credibility has become a major challenge to leaders already reeling from American sanctions. More than 1,000 infections were confirmed overnight, bringing the countrys total to 5,823 cases, including 145 deaths. The government declared a sacred jihad against the virus: Wearing gas masks and waterproof fatigues, members of Irans Revolutionary Guard sprayed down streets and hospitals with disinfectants. A woman has her temperature checked as she enters the Palladium Shopping Center, in northern Tehran, Iran, on March 3, 2020. (Vahid Salemi/AP Photo) South Korea, the hardest-hit country outside China, reported 93 new cases on Sunday morning, taking the total to 7,134, with 50 deaths overall. Countries outside Asia stepped up efforts to control the outbreak. Saudi Arabia banned spectators at any sports competitions starting Saturday. The NBA and British sports teams are considering doing the same. I aint playing if I aint got the fans in the crowd, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said. Thats who I play for. Spain deployed police to enforce a quarantine. Austria confiscated 21,000 disposable masks that a Turkish company smuggled aboard a tour bus, seeking to profit from soaring demand. Turkish police, meanwhile, threatened legal action against social media accounts accused of spreading false virus information. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging older adults and people with severe medical conditions to stay home as much as possible and avoid crowds. Ambulances are seen in a staging area at the North Kirkland Community Center, which is a short drive from the Life Care Center of Kirkland, the long-term care facility linked to several confirmed coronavirus cases in the state, in Kirkland, Wash., on March 4, 2020. (David Ryder/Reuters) Most people who get the virus have mild cases, though the elderly face greater risks. Among the many new cases in Europe on Saturday was a doctor in Slovenia who was in contact with more than 100 people in a nursing home after a ski trip to neighboring Italy. Global markets were enjoying a weekend respite from market panic, but the world economy faced mounting damage. China, the worlds biggest trader, reported Saturday its exports tumbled 17.2 percent from a year earlier in January and February. Most people in Wuhan, China, still are barred from leaving their homes. By Joe McDonald and Angela Charton A fire broke out at a refugee centre on the Greek island of Lesbos on Sunday, causing considerable damage to a warehouse but no injuries, Greeces firefighting service said. It was the second fire at an installation built for migrants, after a reception centre was burned down by unknown perpetrators last Monday. The warehouse, which contained furniture and electrical appliances, was destroyed, a firefighting service spokesman told the Associated Press. An investigation into the fire is under way. Migrants stand behind a fence at the port of Mytilene on the Greek island of Lesbos (Panagiotis Balaskas/AP) The blaze at the refugee centre came amid a tense stand-off between Turkey and the European Union over who is responsible for the millions of migrants and refugees on Turkish territory and the thousands who have massed at the Greek border. Thousands of migrants headed for Turkeys land border with EU member Greece after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government announced earlier this month that it would no longer prevent migrants and refugees from crossing over to EU countries. Greece has deployed riot police and border guards to repel people trying to enter the country. The Greek border area has since seen violent confrontations between the migrants and Greek security forces, with officers in Greece firing tear gas to block the migrants and Turkish police firing tear gas back at their Greek counterparts. On Saturday, youths threw rocks at Greek police and tried to break down a border fence in a desperate attempt enter Greece. At least two migrants were injured in the skirmishes. Mr Erdogan will travel to Brussels on Monday to talk with top EU officials about a 2016 Turkey-EU agreement on containing the refugee flows to Europe which has now collapsed. The two sides have accused each other of failing to respect their commitments. The deal called for Turkey to halt the flow of Europe-bound migrants and refugees in exchange for up to 6 billion euros (5.2 billion) in aid for Syrian refugees on its territory, fast-track EU membership and visa-free travel to Europe for Turkish citizens. Story continues Migrants who arrived in Greece from Turkey sit outside a chapel in the village of Skala Sikaminias, on the Greek island of Lesbos (Alexandros Michailidis/AP) Mr Erdogan has demanded that Europe shoulder more of the burden of caring for refugees, accusing the EU of failing to disburse the money. He announced that Turkey, which already houses more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees, would no longer be Europes gatekeeper. The decision has irked EU countries, which are still dealing with the political fallout from a wave of mass migration five years ago. EU foreign ministers have criticised Turkey, saying it is using the migrants desperation for political purposes. Thousands of migrants have slept in makeshift camps near the border since the Turkish government said they were free to go, waiting for the opportunity to enter Greece. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 05:21:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese medical team members arrive at Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 7, 2020. A team of Chinese experts arrived on Saturday night in Iraq's capital Baghdad as part of China's assistance in confronting the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country. The team includes seven experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and is expected to stay in Iraq for one month to help the government tackle the coronavirus disease such as testing, treating and following up the cases. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) CAIRO, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A team of Chinese experts have arrived in Iraq to help fight the spread of COVID-19. As the epidemic continued raging in the Middle East, Egypt reported the first death from the novel coronavirus on Sunday. The seven-member Chinese team, which was sent by the Red Cross Society of China and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, arrived in the Iraqi capital Baghdad Saturday evening. They will stay in Iraq for a month to offer help in containing the COVID-19 outbreak, which has been nearly under control in China after over one-month nationwide campaign to stop its spread. "China has gained great experience in combating coronavirus. Iraqis can benefit from its prevention, control, detection and treatment of the disease," Tao Zhongquan, leader of the expert team, told Xinhua. For his part, Jasim al-Falahi, Iraqi deputy health minister, thanked the Chinese government for its help, which he said will "enhance prevention and control of the coronavirus epidemic in Iraq." This was the second team of Chinese experts sent to the Middle East to help fight the epidemic, since the first Chinese team arrived in Iran on Feb. 29. Iran, the hardest-hit country by the epidemic in the Middle East, also offered help to Iraq. In meeting with Iraqi Health Minister Jaafar Alawi in Baghdad, Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Iran was ready to share its experience with Iraq in combating COVID-19. Meanwhile, Iraqi Health Ministry announced two new deaths from the coronavirus and six new cases of infection, bringing the total number of the confirmed cases to 60, of whom six have died. In Tehran, Iran announced that the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country rose to 6,566, up from 5,823 on Saturday, of whom 194 have died, up from 145. Richard Brennan, emergency director for the Regional Office of World Health Organization, recognized Iran's full commitment to dealing with the coronavirus, the official IRNA news agency reported. Brennan made the remarks during a visit to the Iranian holy city of Qom, which reported the first COVID-19 cases on Feb. 19. Iran's flag carrier IranAir said Sunday it had suspended all flights to and from Europe, due to the "restrictions" imposed by Europe "for unknown reasons." In Cairo, Egyptian Health Ministry confirmed the first death from the COVID-19 in the country, which was a 60-year-old German man, who died in a capital in Egypt's Red Sea resort city of Hurghada. He travelled to Hurghada from Upper Egypt's Luxor city, where 45 of the 48 confirmed cases in Egypt were detected. In Beirut, the Rafic Hariri Hospital announced four more COVID-19 cases, bringing to 32 the total number of confirmed cases in Lebanon. In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia also announced four new COVID-19 cases, bringing to 11 the total number of confirmed cases in the kingdom. In a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Saudi Education Ministry announced the suspension of the schools and universities in the kingdom, starting on Monday. In Tunis, Tunisian Health Ministry announced the second confirmed case of COVID-19, who was a 65-year-old Tunisian national who returned from Italy recently. In Algiers, Algerian Health Ministry announced a new case of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 20, including 17 from a single family. The ministry called on Algerian citizens who intend to travel to the countries with the epidemic to "postpone their trips unless absolutely necessary and they must take all preventive measures to avoid infection." In Amman, Jordanian Health Minister Saad Jaber told reporters that the government decided to temporarily ban vacations abroad for expatriate workers and foreign students studying in Jordan to control possible outbreak of the coronavirus. School trips abroad and foreign travels by government staff will also be suspended, he added. In Israel, the Ministry of Health announced that 14 more Israelis were diagnosed with the coronavirus, bringing the total number of COVID-19 patients in Israel to 39. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the creation of an assistance fund of 4 billion new shekels (about 1.15 billion U.S. dollars) for the companies affected by COVID-19. Meanwhile, Israeli researchers, in collaboration with a Swedish pharmaceutical company that manufactures vaccines, are developing a vaccine to deal with the novel coronavirus, the Bar Ilan University (BIU) said Sunday. The BIU scientists are developing a system of harmless viruses containing various components such as the coronavirus envelope protein to test their response to substances and the efficacy of vaccines against the virus, the university said in a statement. Vice president Yemi Osinbajo has been appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to lead the presidential reform committee on power sector. This was made known in a statement by the governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai who would work as the head of the ad-hoc committee reviewing the ownership of the electricity distribution companies (DisCos). This new presidential working group will coordinate ad-hoc committee and other efforts on a national scale, and report progress fortnightly to Mr. President, the governor said. The presidential working group, which will meet weekly, commenced work at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, at a meeting at which the Vice President presided. Read Also: Osinbajos Son Holds Traditional Wedding (Photos) The key objective of the working group is to harmonise various efforts by the Federal Government and the 36 States, through the National Economic Council (NEC), on power sector reform and to oversee the design and implementation of a well-coordinated roadmap for the sector. The national working group will support critical financing initiatives with the World Bank Group, DFID and other key development partners. The group will also ensure that ongoing Federal and State initiatives are in sync with the Presidential Power Initiative being implemented with the German government and Siemens, and infrastructure investments of the TCN and the Ministry of Power. Congressman Ken Buck Twitter Colorado Congressman Ken Buck posted a video to Twitter Friday challenging former US Representative Beto ORourke and former vice president Joe Biden to come to his office and take his AR-15. It is obvious that the underlying message is a threat to the men that if they did try to take his gun, he would shoot them. I have a message for Joe Biden and Beto ORourke, if you want to take everyones AR-15s in America, why dont you swing by my office in Washington, D.C. and start with this one, Mr Buck said. Come and take it. Mr Buck grabbed the rifle off his wall as he delivered the message. Come and take it is a common refrain among far-right gun rights enthusiasts, though the phrase is often delivered as Molon labe, referencing the supposed response of King Leonidas of the Spartans to Persian King Xerxes I when he demanded the Greeks surrender their weapons. The Oath Keepers, which is classified by the SPLC as a far-right extremist group, produced a documentary called Molon Labe in 2013. Mr ORourke responded to the video on Twitter. This guy makes the case for both an assault weapons ban and a mandatory buyback program better than I ever could. These are weapons of war that have no place in our communities, in our politics or in our public discourse, Mr ORourke tweeted. This guy makes the case for both an assault weapons ban and a mandatory buyback program better than I ever could. These are weapons of war that have no place in our communities, in our politics or in our public discourse. https://t.co/ce5PvaxqMk Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) March 6, 2020 The bizarre video was likely prompted by a statement Mr Biden made suggesting that - should he win the Democratic nomination and the presidency - he would bring Mr ORourke into his administration to oversee gun control reforms. Story continues During a Democratic debate in the waning days of Mr ORourke's primary ambitions, he inspired the ire of gun enthusiasts when he said hell yes were going to take your AR-15, your AK-47. Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was killed in the Parkland, Florida school shooting, responded to the video as well. @RepKenBuck, had I seen this yesterday when in DC I gladly would have. My daughter died from a single AR 15 bullet. You may find joy in that, I dont. I will gladly come back to DC to discuss your AR 15 and removing it for safe storage. Do not make threats of AR 15 violence, he wrote. Mr Guttenberg was removed from the State of the Union address after shouting at President Donald Trump when he was talking about protecting gun rights. Mr Bucks AR-15 - which is decorated in an American flag gun wrap - does have a trigger lock, though it appears to simply be hanging on a pair of nails jutting from the congressmans wall. The NRA recommends that gun owners ensure their weapons are not stored in the open where individuals other than the owner could access them. Mr Bucks improper storage wasnt the only gun safety basic that he violated. One of Mr Bucks fellow Congressmen, Representative Ruben Gallego of Arizona, pointed out that the senator broke a basic rule of proper gun handling; he pointed it at someone he didnt intend to shoot. You literally flagged the cameraman. First rule of weapons handling, treat every weapon as if it were loaded, he wrote. Second rule, never point the weapon at anything you dont intend to shoot. Mr Gallego served as a Marine in Iraq. Mr Buck told the Washington Post in a 2015 interview that his weapon is legal and he always keeps the rifle unloaded and had the bolt carrier assembly removed prior to placing it in his office. That information would suggest that Mr Biden and Mr ORourke could, in fact, take his AR-15, as it is apparently unloaded and incapable of being fired. Perhaps Mr Buck intended to use it as a bludgeon. Read more Parkland father criticises lawmaker who wore gun to meeting Days after winning the top prize at the Berlin International Film Festival, Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof could end up in prison over his work, which has been branded by Iranian judiciary officials as propaganda against the state. But he refuses to back down. I do my best, and the effort is what makes one happy and satisfied, the feeling that youve been loyal to yourself and not a [tool] of the ruling repression," Rasoulof told RFE/RLs Radio Farda in a recent telephone interview from Tehran. I dont know what the future will bring, and Im not worried about it, said the 48-year-old filmmaker, whose most recent award came for his new drama There Is No Evil. What I know is that Im not willing to make films at any price," he said. "I do my best to make movies that I like." Iranian filmmakers face tough censorship rules. Those crossing officials' "red lines" face state pressure, and their films are not allowed to be screened in the Islamic republic. Authorities have accused Rasoulof of painting a dark picture of Iranian society and provoking despair. Rasoulof told RFE/RL in July that Iranian authorities want filmmakers to act as propaganda agents for the clerical establishment and repeat state-sanctioned narratives. He has refused to do so, instead taking on sensitive issues including the death penalty, which is at the heart of There Is No Evil. The film presents four interconnected stories of individuals -- from the executioner to family members of the victims. Rasoulof was was unable to personally accept the 70th Berlin International Film Festival's Golden Bear award on February 29. He has been banned from leaving Iran since 2017, when his passport was confiscated on his return from the Cannes Film Festival, where his film A Man Of Integrity won a top prize. Rasoulof told Radio Farda that the message of his drama is clear and simple: The role of individuals in a tyrannical society with despotic leaders. We cannot attribute everything to the leaders when we ourselves become agents of tyranny. Three days later, after winning the top prize in Berlin, Rasoulof was summoned to serve a one-year prison sentence that was ordered last year over the contents of his films, the director's lawyer, Nasser Zarafshan, said. Zarafshan told AFP on March 5 that he had advised his client not to turn himself in now due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in Iran, which has left more than 100 people dead and infected more than 3,500. Irans judiciary has said that 54,000 prisoners are being released temporarily to prevent the spread of the virus within the countrys frequently overcrowded prisons. Rasoulof has not publicly commented on his recent summons to report to prison, which, according to his lawyer, came in a text message. In an interview with Variety published on March 2, the filmmaker said he was informed via text message two months ago that an appeals court had confirmed his prison sentence. I am still checking my phone, still waiting for another text to inform me at what point this sentence is going to be executed, Rasoulof said. He also said that the travel ban he faces very clearly exposes the intolerant and despotic nature of the Iranian government. Rasoulof said increased tensions between Iran and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump have resulted in a conservative backlash. Trump withdrew the United States in 2018 from a nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers and subsequently reimposed tough sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy. The United States assassinated the top commander of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Qasem Soleimani, in an air strike on January 3, raising concerns of an escalating military confrontation between the longtime foes. Its impact on cinema is obvious, Rasoulof said of the high-risk standoff. Very recently, at the Fajr Film Festival [in Tehran], half of the films presented there were financed entirely by the power, by the government. More specifically, [by] the military investment that is behind this fund," he added. "So the independent film community is getting smaller and smaller." Amid the tensions, Iran's authorities have intensified their clampdown. In November, at least 300 people were killed in a state crackdown on antiestablishment protests sparked by a sudden rise in the price of gasoline. Rasoulof said filmmakers like him are being increasingly sidelined. Any independent filmmaker, even if they see themselves as being very subversive, they have no other choice but to work on projects that are financed by this military and security establishment. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Rasoulof said he was heartened by recent anti-government protests. "It is unheard of," he said. "For the first time, there is a popular anger among the Iranian people that even the government cannot ignore." Rasoulof and another prominent Iranian film director, Jafar Pahani, were detained in 2010. Both were later sentenced to six years in prison over a documentary on the disputed 2009 presidential election and the mass protests that followed. Rasoulofs sentence was reduced on appeal to one year in prison. Panahi was also sentenced to prison but hasnt begun serving his sentence. Authorities also banned Panahi from filmmaking for 20 years, although he has managed to make several films in Iran that have won accolades and top prizes at international film festivals. -- Radio Farda broadcaster Babak Ghafouriazar interviewed Mohammad Rasoulof (Natural News) A few weeks back, we warned that the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wasnt, and still isnt, testing very many people for the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19), which is why the infection numbers here in America remain far lower than whats being reported in other countries. We were initially written off as conspiracy theorists for claiming this, but guess what? The Atlantic, several weeks later its important to note, is now reporting the exact same thing. In a March 6 article entitled, Exclusive: The Strongest Evidence Yet That America Is Botching Coronavirus Testing, writers Robinson Meyer and Alexis C. Madrigal reveal that the CDC hasnt exactly been forthcoming with the American public about how many people the agency is testing for the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19), how many cases there are, and how serious the whole situation is turning out to be. In fact, the CDC is engaged in what we can only describe as a mass coverup of the truth, hence why tens of millions of Americans are still completely in the dark about whats transpiring. The Atlantic points out some of the major disparities, which we previously pointed out, between what the federal government is saying its doing, or going to do, and whats actually happening. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn, for instance, recently promised that nearly one million tests for the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) would be performed by the end of this week, while Vice President Mike Pence tossed out a roughly 1.5 million tests figure, which all sounds nice except for the fact that this didnt actually happen. Meyer and Madrigal correctly point out in their article that the actual number of Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) tests that have been conducted across our land has fallen short of those projections, despite extraordinarily high demand. The Atlantic could only verify that 1,895 people have been tested for the coronavirus in the United States, about 10 percent of whom have tested positive, they add, noting that local officials can still test only several thousand people a day, not the tens or hundreds of thousands indicated by the White Houses promises. Listen below as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, warns about how millions of Americans will soon be infected by the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19), if theyre not already, due to the total botching of this process by our assigned overlords: The United States has failed to contain coronavirus The Atlantic actually went to very great lengths to verify this data, reportedly calling the public health departments of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They also analyzed official statistics published online, as well as spoke with dozens of state officials, all of which led to one conclusion: That the government is systematically withholding the truth about its utter lack of testing, whether willful or due to inadequate capacity. The net effect of these choices is that the countrys true capacity for testing has not been made clear to its residents, The Atlantic article laments. This level of obfuscation is unexpected in the United States, which has long been a global leader in public-health transparency The figures we gathered suggest that the American response to the coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, has been shockingly sluggish, especially compared with that of other developed countries. Its nice to see at least one mainstream media outlet catch up to what weve been saying all along. Our hope is that more of them will soon recognize the complete and total failure of the system to handle this crisis in a way that actually seeks to protect the public against arguably the worst global emergency-in-progress that the world has ever seen. For more related news about the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19), be sure to check out Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: NaturalNews.com TheAtlantic.com Help India! Nazish Hussain and Musheera Ashraf, Twocircles.net In the wake of countrywide protests against CAA-NRC-NPR, India is witnessing a watershed massive movement led by women. From organizing to mobilizing to leading women are at the forefront, often gaining stronghold over their male counterparts. Never in history we have seen such a political scenario where women leaders are emerging from every nook and corner, every village and metro city of the country. Support TwoCircles To mark this International Womens Day (IWD) on March 8, we have featured 10 women across India who have not only contributed to the changed definition of women empowerment but have also changed the way an Indian Woman is perceived across the globe. Through our feature, we honor and celebrate the courage of some of these inspiring women those who have led the anti-CAA-NRC movement across India without any fear from state machinery. Sadiya Shaikh, Mumbai Sadiya, has visited several states to address anti-CAA-NRC rallies. She is a student of B.A at Rizvi college, Mumbai. Working to create awareness about NRC-CAA, she has shared the stage with the countrys foremost youth leaders Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and many other activists. Recently, Umar Khalid posted that Sadiya is only 17 years old, but one of the best speakers I have come across during the Anti CAA-NRC movement. Disturbed by the Jamia incident, she became a part of these protests to challenge the brutality of state sponspored violence on the students of Jamia in Delhi. I thought if we choose to be silent now then distorting the constitution and atrocities on students will become a norm,says Sadiya. She feels proud discussing that she had studied democracy as a subject but now, she says, I am practically trying to exercise what I was studying till now. She had always dreamt to be a part of Young India Challenge, this year she got selected but gave up just to be a part of these protests. This movement has brought a change in her, she reads more about history now and she feels more confident. She is just 17 years old so her father accompanies her on travels to another city or state to address protest gatherings. Ayesha Renna, Kerala Ayesha is a 22 years old student from Jamia Millia Islamia. Coming from a small town Kondotty, in Malappuram district of Kerala, she became the poster girl after her photo went viral a day after the 15th December police brutality on Jamia students. In the photo with two other women students and a student journalist, Ayesha can be seen warning the policeman against their brutal behaviour. Ayesha became the icon of Women in Hijab breaking the stereotypes and struggling for her rights. Ayesha is associated with a Kerala-based NGO called Yes India since 2016 which works for educational development of students belonging from marginalised sections. She started her protest for CAA-NRC on the very next day when the bill was passed in Parliament. She was the part of the JMI girls march to the parliament. Being a history student herself, she feels, For me, history is not linear and its not only about recorded events. She says that history is something which gives hope and energy in the age of political depression which is very similar to Nazi Germany. Being a woman born and brought up in Kerala, specifically in a Muslim populated district, Ayesha is breaking the stereotypical image framed by the popular culture where a Woman in Hijab is hailed as oppressed. She says My identity was always a subject of liberal saviours, the immediate possibility of a hijabi is limited into the immediate binaries of oppressed. Khalida Parveen, Hyderabad Khalida Parveen, a 64-year-old social activist from Hyderabad, was detained by the police while protesting. That did not dampen her spirits and since then, Parveen has been actively engaged in educating women about the impact of NRC and CAA by guiding them how to maintain peaceful protests. Muslim women have always been targeted for being inside their houses and not standing up for their right, this movement has shown that when necessary they can do every possible thing to safeguard their rights, says Parveen, who also runs an NGO with the aim to empower the nation by empowering its women. She has been arrested by the police during protests and has boldly faced it, advocating the weeding out fear psychology of police in society. She is currently working on the ground by reaching out to women in rural areas and slums to educate and aware them about CAA-NRC. Parveen sights every woman as a leader in these protests. Our responsibility is to keep fighting against these unjust laws, I am not afraid even if I die struggling for the rights of our citizenship adds Parveen. Her active participation in mobilizing women and appealing them to come out of their houses to protest has inspired many women, who see her as their role model. Aman Mohammadi, Saharanpur Aman Mohammadi, 27-years-old artist from Saharanpur, is pursuing her PhD in Theatre and Performance from JNU. She is a performer who does theatre mainly on socio-political issues. Moving around in the protests she noticed that, women are leading the protests but when it comes to performance, mostly male were seen. To counter this, she became a part of the newly formed Zanana Ensemble: Zanana ka Zamana. Anyone who identifies herself as a woman performer was open to join the group. The group has composed some very creative and engaging slogans, one of which is aya zanana ka zamana, hai zanana ka zamana, khub pakaya ghar mai khana, inquilab ko hai pakana The group did a musical protest Hawaon mein, yaaron jawaab milega, Fizaon mein, jawaab milega, which went viral on social media and was later covered by The Quint. They performed at several protest sites including Shaheen Bagh,Shahi Eidgah, Azad market, Inderlok and many more. Aman has been very active and vocal on social media about the empowerment and rights of women. This movement has brought up a beautiful form of resistance which is helping women to reclaim the space which was already taken by men, through this protest they are reclaiming these spaces says Aman Mohammadi. Aman was deeply moved by the spirit of resistance among the ladies of mohalla who have come together to establish Shaheen Baghs at different places throughout the nation. She opines that despite the patriarchal set up of our society this movement has been able to break many barriers, the women have come out and led these protests which will always be remembered. Shiba Minai, Hyderabad Shiba, originally a 33-years-old journalist from Hyderabad, has now become an activist and protester. She is known for kick-starting the momentum of Hyderabad protests and also called as the Lady Flash protester of Hyderabad. Shiba calls herself an Urban Freedom Fighter who is fighting for the rights of the citizens of India and humanity.Women have always been the backbone and very integral part of this society but were not acknowledged by the people because they were busy thinking that Muslim women are not capable, says Shiba. She thinks this movement has given a beautiful realization to people with traditional mind-sets about women belonging to the household. Shiba is the mother of a 3-year-old but she manages to be an active part of these protests, just like hundreds of other women who balance their daily routine with protest schedules across the city. According to her, now the protests are as important as having daily meals because there is nothing more patriotic than disagreeing with what is wrong and the voice of dissent is necessary. She says that by bringing the CAA into force, we have wasted our democracy and now women must fight to save India one more time by setting an example for women throughout the world. Shiba was also detained by the police amid the protests but this didnt stop her from voicing her dissent. She is very determined that these protests will surely bring victory and people like her will continue to resist even if it takes years. Swati Narayan, Mumbai Swati, originally from Mumbai, is a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Human Development, Ranchi. She is a distinguished activist having previously worked on social issues like Right to Food, Right to Education and Social Justice for more than a decade now. She has been actively working at grassroots level, working closely with different groups and organizations to mobilize and aware people. Swati says to have Muslim women and students at the forefront have been a completely new phenomenon. Through this movement they are countering fascism and patriarchy in the liberal establishment as well as right wing establishment, she says. She believes anti-CAA movement is a strong inflection point which will empower Muslim women beyond today. She hopes that this sisterhood which has emerged out of organic and pure movement should grow stronger and stronger. Rehna Sultana, Assam Rehna is a research scholar from Guwahati University, Assam. She is an academician turned full-time activist owing to the social circumstances at her place. Some people from her village started getting the notice for D-voter and would come to Rehnas family to help them understand about it. It was around that time she started enquiring about citizenship issues in Assam. Soon, she started helping people with the NRC process. In her village, people used to charge 1000 rupees per head for filling the form for NRC, which didnt even ensure that the form would be filled correctly. So, she started filling up forms for people free of cost. In the wake of CAA, she is now currently working to help people across Assam through awareness drives. Through her reach-out programmes, she is countering misconception and misinformation about citizenship laws. She informs people about the know-hows of producing documents and dealing with government authorities. Rehna hails from Bengal origin Muslim community in Assam and has been working for the upliftment of women by raising awareness against child marriage, domestic violence and education. Rehna says women and children have been worst affected as they are unable to produce the needed documents. Birth certificate and matric certificate are two important documents to prove citizenship. Most of the women get married early and can not complete their formal education to obtain even the class 10 certificate, she says. Rehna, who has been working tirelessly on the ground for women empowerment, believes education should be the top most priority for women. Dr.Shagufta Yasmeen, Ranchi She is an activist who runs a women empowerment group and recently have been very active in NRC-CAA protests. Jamia incident instigated her to join the anti CAA protest. She gradually started learning about the Act and then started the awareness program to inform people about it. There were many misconceptions about CAA-NRC among the people. Some students and a ladies group came together to initiate the awareness drive. This movement has empowered the women in many dimensions, this has made them more confident. Shaguftais very confident in saying that Our protest is a peaceful protest; it might take time but definitely it will be fruitful After her awareness sessions, people from all communities are coming and joining the protests. She considers women as more responsible and powerful which is the reason behind the success of these Anti CAA-NRC protests. It is the patience of women which has led to the strengthening of this movement and that is why everyday more people are joining the protest. Jacinta Kerketta, Ranchi Jacinta Kerketta from Ranchi is best known for her poetry which touches various social issues of Adivasi and Dalits. She is also a journalist and social activist. Working on the education of girls she has been travelling across the world, delivering her poetry on varied subjects including independent writing and environmental issues at the International level. Through her poetry she has also registered a protest against CAA-NRC at various public talks. Adivasis in this country have been struggling for dignified life which is yet to be actualized. Jacinta says CAA-NRC is not just Anti-Muslim rather it is also against Adivasis, Dalits and Women.For women to get empowered they need to pave their own way, aligning their own development with that of society. Only then we as society will get emancipation. Ladeeda Farzana ,Kerela Ladeeda, a 22 years old student of JamiaMilliaIslamia who hails from Mallapuram District of Kerela emerged as a face of resistance from the Anti CAA-NRC protests. She was seen as the one amongst the four girls protecting a male student from the police lathi-charge. Later, she has been to different states to convince people regarding CAA-NRC protests. Ladeeda became an icon of resistance and have been very active through the movement. She has been to many universities and protest sites to encourage people to participate in the protests. She was brutally trolled but she didnt give up. She is a role model for many of the student protestors. The fight for justice is incomplete, unless we have solidarity from people of all faiths, ideologies and communities, says Ladeeda. Hundreds of Egyptian gathered for hours on Sunday morning at the Central Public Health Laboratories in Abdeen in Downtown Cairo to get a lab test certification that proves they are coronavirus-free, a recent requirement for travel to Saudi Arabia. On Saturday, Nancy El-Gendy, head of the Central Department of Laboratories at the Ministry of Health, announced that starting on Sunday, Egyptian travellers to Saudi Arabia can obtain PCR lab test certificates from the central laboratory headquarters. According to El-Gendy, the fees for the test are EGP 1,000 for Egyptians and $70 for non-Egyptians. An urgent test, with results in 24 hours, costs EGP 2,500. Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday that travellers entering the country using a new or a pre-existing visa would have to present a PCR lab test certificate proving they are coronavirus-free. The crowd gathered outside the building on Sunday consisted mainly of Egyptians who work in Saudi Arabia and their families, many of whom told Ahram Online they were scheduled to return to the kingdom any time this week. Some of those waiting had flight tickets for Sunday night and Monday and were hoping to get their test results on the same day. The crowd was large enough that it was blocking traffic in El-Sheikh Rihan Street, where the main entrance to the laboratories is located, and blocking access to the building itself. Some laboratory employees at the scene were struggling to make their way through the crowds to access the building, while others could be seen watching the crowd from the windows. Several police trucks and cars were parked in the vicinity, and dozens of young police personnel were deployed in groups on the pavements. Police had barricaded both entrances to Abd El-Aziz Gawish Street, where the side entrance of the building is located, to prevent people from entering. Many in the crowd were sitting or sleeping on the pavements, while others had climbed trees or walls to get a glimpse of what was going on inside the building, or to communicate with workers inside. The building was scheduled to open its doors at 10am, but those waiting said that none of those queuing had entered the building as of 1:30pm. A man in the crowd whose flight to Saudi Arabia is on Wednesday told Ahram Online that he had left his hometown near Fayoum at 4am to be on site at 6am to get in line; however, it was nearly 2pm and the doors were not yet open. At one point, a young man in the crowd suddenly collapsed, likely due to the heat of the afternoon sun, and a group of people carried him to a nearby building belonging to the American University in Cairo. On another occasion, a man shouted that he couldnt find his wallet, and the crowd started to warn each other to guard their wallets and phones because there might be pickpockets present. As tensions built, some of those waiting began to bang and push on the buildings main door, but to no avail. When many people began to give up and leave, an indistinct announcement was heard over a loudspeaker. Some people said that the announcement was inviting women and children to enter through the side door to be tested, and some succeeded in getting inside, although others could not make it through the crowd. At 2pm, police started to place security blockades along the sidewalks of Sheikh Rihan Street in order to organise the waiting crowds into two queues outside the building. Search Keywords: Short link: The Ferrari Roma has made its first appearance in Bahrain at an exclusive launch event held at the Bahrain International Circuit. This follows its first global reveal during an exclusive event held in Italys iconic capital last November. With its distinctive flair and style, the car is a contemporary representation of the carefree, pleasurable way of life that characterised Rome in the 1950s and 60s. The Ferrari Roma offers discerning clients the finesse and refinement that brings the concept of la Dolce Vita (sweet life) right up to date. Not only is the Ferrari Roma an icon of Italian design, but it also represents the pinnacle of performance in this category, thanks to its turbo-charged V8 from the family of engines that has won the overall International Engine of the Year award four years running. In this version, the engine reaches 620 cv at 7500 rpm and is coupled with the new 8-speed DCT gearbox that was first introduced on the SF90 Stradale, says Ferrari. The Ferrari Romas dynamic development was focused on delivering superior driving pleasure and comfort thanks to the low vehicle weight and to the introduction of the latest evolution of the Side Slip Control. The Ferrari Romas chassis benefits from the technology developed by Ferrari for its new generation models; bodyshell and chassis have been redesigned to incorporate the latest weight reduction and advanced production technologies. In fact, 70% of its components are entirely new. The mid-front-engined 2+ Ferrari Roma has the best weight/power ratio in its segment (2.37 kg/cv), which enhances handling dynamics and responsiveness. To guarantee best-in-class aerodynamic performance whilst still retaining the Ferrari Romas stylistic purity, Maranello engineers developed several leading-edge technologies, most notably a mobile rear spoiler integrated into the rear screen designed to retain the cars formal elegance when retracted and guarantee the downforce essential for the cars extraordinary performance by automatically deploying at high speeds. The Ferrari Romas design took inspiration from the concept of sporty elegance celebrated in the most legendary grand touring Ferraris of the 1960s, front-engined cars with simple yet elegant forms and a 2+ fastback coupe design. The Ferrari Roma shares many of these characteristics and embodies an extremely modern design language; its pure, refined styling and perfect proportions cleverly conceal the cars power and sportiness. A new architectural concept for volumes and forms was developed for the Ferrari Romas cabin. The idea was to create two separate spaces or cells, one each for driver and passenger, in an evolution of the Dual Cockpit concept introduced on other cars in the range. The strikingly innovative look of this dual cockpit was achieved by extending the philosophy applied to the dash to the entire cabin. A cleverly balanced combination of elegance and sportiness brings a sense of exceptional refinement and unique character to the interior, thanks to a spare, modern design language that underscores the formal purity of both lines and volumes. Thus, the cabin is defined by elements that develop organically and as one around the whole concept of space and its perception, it said. Ferraris unparalleled quality standards and increasing focus on client service underpin the extended seven-year maintenance programme offered with the Ferrari Roma. - TradeArabia News Service SOUDERTON Plans for new playgrounds in Souderton Community Park have been completed, Borough Manager Mike Coll told Souderton Borough Council at its Jan. 3 meeting. "Where the former softball field was is where we are looking to install two playgrounds a playground for smaller toddlers in an age group up to five and a larger playground structure for... SQUALID: A man drags a cart with water in the overcrowded Moria migrant camp on the Greek Aegean island of Lesbos last week. Photo: Louisa Gouliamaki/Getty It is the kind of quiet little Aegean village that summer visitors might dream of during the long winter nights. But there was nothing quaint or charming about the tiny port of Thermi on the island of Lesbos last week, when a German journalist was beaten up by a bunch of hooded Greek thugs. Michael Trammer (25) was photographing a standoff with a dinghy full of refugees who had just crossed from Turkey, with locals determined to prevent them from landing when he was set upon by five or six young men in tracksuit bottoms and puffer jackets. They grabbed him, threw him to the ground and started kicking and punching him. "I wanted to get a photo of the people who were stopping people on the boat from getting off," he told reporters. "A group formed and they started harassing other journalists, then they split off and sprinted toward me." Mr Trammer, who was alone, was subjected to a 30-second attack during which his camera was thrown into the sea. He was left requiring stitches to his head. He left Lesbos the next day, fearing for his safety after receiving death threats on social media. The attack was just one of a series of assaults on journalists and aid workers on Lesbos in the last few days - the island's nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2016 for its handling of the refugee crisis now a distant memory. The island has seen a fresh wave of refugee arrivals in boats this week, arranged by smugglers on the Turkish coast. The exodus was prompted by Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after he announced last week that his government would no longer stop asylum seekers from trying to reach Greece by sea and by land. The announcement, apparently designed to extract more money from Brussels and diplomatic support for Ankara's military offensive in Syria, has resulted in violent clashes between refugees and Greek forces on the border with Turkey. On Lesbos, young men have targeted reporters and NGO workers because they perceive them as being sympathetic to the plight of the refugees. It is unclear if they are locals or outsiders from the mainland, possibly connected to far-right organisations. Last Friday there were reports that members of German and Austrian far-right organisations had arrived on the island. Their presence was deeply disconcerting for aid workers and journalists who were already feeling that they being made scapegoats. Lesbos, where 20,000 refugees and migrants are squeezed into the squalid Moria camp built to accommodate less than 3,000 people, has been on the front line since the great migration crisis of 2015, but the attacks and the makeshift road blocks set up by extremists represent a worrying new development. In another incident, four young women working for an NGO were stopped in their car by a group of men who dragged them out. The women escaped unscathed after another group of locals saw what was happening and intervened, giving the women sufficient time to get back into their car and drive away. On Monday, two German journalists were attacked on a road leading to Moria camp. Franziska Grillmeier and Julian Busch were left shaken when a group of men in hoodies and dressed in black emerged from the roadside. They blocked the car and began hurling rocks and sticks at it. "We tried to turn around and then they were jumping on our car and throwing stones and wooden sticks. We had to turn around in the car and drive away very fast," said Mr Busch. "They tried to open the doors and it was really aggressive - we were afraid." Giorgos Christides, a correspondent for Der Spiegel, the German news magazine, also came under attack when protesters who had built road blocks threw objects at his car. "We were beaten up, threatened, chased, harassed, attacked on social media, berated in the street and pursued by masked men on motorbikes. It went on like this for days," he wrote, saying he was relieved to leave the island. "I can understand the frustration of the locals. They feel abandoned by Europe. They seem to believe that the problems will disappear if the journalists and aid organisations disappear. "They want Moria shut down and for the migrants to be moved elsewhere." Even doctors treating sick and injured refugees have been targeted. A member of Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) was told by an angry group of people in Moria village, a couple of miles from the refugee camp, that if he did not pack his belongings and leave within a week, there would be "consequences". NGOs have expressed anger that their employees have been attacked, as have journalists' groups. "We note with great concern that certain groups on the island of Lesbos move in an organised manner to intimidate and attack journalists covering the flow of refugees and migrants arriving from Turkey," the Foreign Press Association of Greece said in a statement. Gulnoza Said, the Europe coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said: "Greek authorities must quickly and thoroughly investigate the attacks on reporters covering refugee movements on the island of Lesbos and ensure that they can continue their reporting safely and without fear." The tension has been building for years even if, in the past, Lesbos has shown itself capable of extraordinary solidarity with migrants and refugees. Islanders were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016 for their efforts to help those arriving on their shores at the peak of the refugee crisis. But the rise in tensions on islands like Lesbos has come as little surprise, said Dimitra Kalogeropoulou, Greece director for the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian organisation. "Local communities have been impacted by the government's policies toward asylum seekers, especially the containment policy, which has trapped over 40,000 people on the islands," she said. "Overcrowding on the islands is good for no one; local communities feel their islands have been transformed into giant prisons, while asylum seekers are forced to live in dangerous conditions." Not everyone on the island has turned against journalists and aid workers - many locals are appalled by the actions of the extremists. "Just after the attack happened there was an old lady and some men from the island who told me that they would take care of me and protect me," said photographer Mr Trammer. Dimitrios, an islander who asked not to be named in full because of the tensions on Lesbos, believes most islanders are outraged by the attacks. "Humanitarian relief is still the initial reaction towards the situation by the majority of the population," he said. Small bands of black-clad extremists do not represent the majority of islanders. "Most are civil and laid-back people, but they feel like they have been betrayed by the European Union and exploited by Turkey. "For some, this has hardened their views." Telegraph Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] The government will closely evaluate the aspect of national security before selling Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) to the highest bidder, in order to ensure that no hostile country gets direct or indirect access to Indias key energy assets, two people aware of the development said. The government on Saturday invited bids for the strategic disinvestment of the governments entire stake (52.98%) in BPCL, with May 2, 2020 as the last date for the submission of expressions of interest (EoIs). The current market value of the governments stake is Rs 46,298 crore. BPCL is crucial for Indias energy security by virtue of being the second-largest fuel retailer and the third-largest refiner in the country. It will, therefore, be sold to a domestic or foreign company or consortium only after a strict security evaluation, the people mentioned above said on condition of anonymity. This aspect has a mention in the notice inviting EoIs from interested investors, one of them said. The government shall evaluate the bids and approve the H1 bidder (highest bidder). The H1 bidder post receipt of security clearance, if any, shall be called the Confirmed Selected Bidder (CSB), the EoI guidelines document issued on Saturday said. Experts said India does not want one of its strategically crucial assets to fall directly or indirectly in the wrong hands. Investments from entities in China and Pakistan are often treated with suspicion because of their anti-India stances, CA Vijay Kumar Gupta, former Central Council Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) said. The EoI document is, however, silent on the disqualification of any bidder on the basis of nationality. According to the EoI details issued by the Department of Investment & Public Asset Management (Dipam), eligible bidders for BPCL include foreign and domestic entities with a net worth of about $10 billion. While the government allows employees of BPCL to participate in the proposed transaction, experts say that it would not be possible for them to meet the net worth criterion. It also allows central public sector companies to bid, provided that the governments equity stake in such companies is not 51% or more. After the EoI phase of the bidding, qualified bidders will be asked to make a financial bid in the second round. A consortium of not more than four firms will be allowed to bid, according to the guidelines issued on Saturday. The lead member of the consortium must hold 40% stake, and others must have a minimum net worth of $1 billion. While the lead member of the consortium cannot be changed, changes in other members of the consortium are allowed with certain conditions. The Government of India is proposing strategic disinvestment of its entire shareholding in BPCL comprising of 1,14,91,83,592 equity shares, which constitutes 52.98% of BPCLs equity share capital along with transfer of management control to a strategic buyer [except BPCLs equity shareholding of 61.65% in Numaligarh Refinery Limited, the document inviting EoIs said. Strategic disinvestment implies substantial sale of government shareholding in a public sector company along with transfer of management control. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP is the governments transaction adviser. BPCL, which is the sixth largest among Indian companies in the 2019 Fortune 500 list, has interests in upstream, midstream (pipeline, terminal, tankages) and natural gas businesses.It owns 14,802 fuel stations and 6,011 cooking gas agencies in the country, and has 52 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottling plants it distributes 21% of petroleum products consumed in the country by volume. BPCL operates four refineries in Mumbai (Maharashtra), Kochi (Kerala), Bina (Madhya Pradesh) and Numaligarh (Assam), with a combined refining capacity of 38.3 million tonnes per annum, which is 15% of Indias total refining capacity. The disinvestment of BPCL in 2020-21 is crucial for the government to achieve its budget target of Rs 2.1 lakh crore. The company was expected to be sold in 2019-20 to achieve that years budget target of Rs 1.05 lakh crore. The government, however, missed the FY20 window, forcing a downward revision in its budget estimate for 2019-20 to Rs 65,000 crore. Though three weeks are left in the current financial year, the government has so far got only Rs 34,845 crore through disinvestments According to the experts cited above, BPCLs current market valuation does not reflect its true value, and the sale is likely to command a significant premium, giving the government much more than the current valuation of its shares in the company. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 20 last year, approved strategic sale of five public sector companies, including BPCL. The other four companies were Shipping Corporation of India Ltd (SCI), Corporation of India Ltd (Concor), Tehri Hydro Development Corporation India Ltd (THDCIL) and North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (Neepco). A day after the Cabinet announced the intention for strategic disinvestment, BPCLs share price recorded a 52-week high of Rs 549.70 in the BSE on November 21, 2019. Its share price was the lowest in the year at 308.55 on August 23, 2019. It was trading at Rs 402.85 on Friday (March 6, 2020). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Nine News Media/Twitter Police in New South Wales, Australia, are urging people to not give in to violence amid the global coronavirus outbreak. Three women got into a fight over toilet paper, complete with screaming and hair-pulling, in the Woolworths Supermarket on Saturday. Video from the scene shows a woman saying, "I just want one packet." But the person with the cartful of toilet paper says, "No, not one packet." "We just ask that people don't panic like this when they go out shopping. There is no need for it. It isn't the Thunderdome, it isn't Mad Max, we don't need to do that," Acting Police Inspector Andrew New said. Panicked over COVID-19, shoppers are stocking up on groceries and basic necessities, leading to long lines and empty shelves at stores around the world. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Three women were caught on video fighting over toilet paper in an Australian supermarket. A trio of women got into a scuffle in an Australian supermarket on Saturday morning over toilet paper. The incident occurred at a Woolworths store in Chullora, New South Wales, and led to police being called to the scene, the Guardian reported. A video of the altercation was shared on social media by Nine News Australia and reveals the shoppers screaming and shoving each other over a cartful of rolls. "Get off me," a woman yells in the footage, which also shows one woman yanking another's hair. After they stop brawling, a woman says, "I just want one packet." But the person with the cart filled with toilet paper responds by saying, "No, not one packet." The video shows bystanders watching the brawl unfold as a pair of employees tried to separate the women, and calling the police. "Look at what you're doing" over some "tissues," one of the Woolworths workers can be overheard saying. Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) March 7, 2020 More than 101,000 people have been infected by the ever-worsening coronavirus outbreak, which has now affected every continent except Antarctica. The panic has triggered shoppers to stock up on groceries and basic necessities, leading to long lines and empty shelves at stores. Story continues In the United States, the demand for items, including face masks, hand sanitizer, oat milk, toilet paper, water, thermometers, and a variety of snacks has surged, according to Nielsen data. At the end of January, the sales of hand sanitizer spiked by 428% when compared to the same period last year. "We just ask that people don't panic like this when they go out shopping. There is no need for it. It isn't the Thunderdome, it isn't Mad Max, we don't need to do that," said Andrew New, an acting police inspector in New South Wales, according to the Guardian. Such violence "will not be tolerated" and those who are caught in tussles will end up in court, New stressed, adding, "There is no need for people to go out and panic buy at supermarkets, paracetamol and canned food or toilet paper." No one has been arrested, but police are asking for people to identify the women involved in the argument. Just days ago, Woolworths began rationing toilet paper and rice because shoppers were cleaning out their shelves. "We will not tolerate violence of any kind from our customers in our stores and we are working with police who are investigating the matter," a Woolworths spokesperson said. Saturday's incident follows Abdu Sharkawy, an infectious disease expert from Canada, going viral for saying that people's selfishness evidenced by the theft of face masks and hoarding of household items could make an already dire situation worse. "I am not scared of Covid-19," he wrote on Facebook. "What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic, stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world." Business Insider London, March 8 : The UK's Queen Elizabeth II is reportedly set to shun the ruler of Dubai after a High Court ruling found he kidnapped his own daughters and detained them for almost two decades, according to a media report. On March 5, Britain's most senior judges found that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), had "ordered and orchestrated" the abduction of his daughters, Sheikha Shamsa and Sheikha Latifa, and forced them to return to Dubai. Following the High Court ruling against Sheikh Mohammed, which accused him of abducting then 19-year-old Shamsa, in August 2000, and sister Latifa twice in 2002 and 2018, the Queen will now "refuse to be photographed with him or the princess in public", the Metro newspaper quoted the report in the Times daily as saying on Saturday. The Sheikh is said to have been on "respectful and friendly terms" with the British Royal Family for more than 20 years, the Times report said. If the monarch shuns him completely, it could have great consequences on the UK's relationship with the UAE, which the government was hoping to strengthen following Brexit, it added. The report comes as Cambridgeshire Police is set to launch a review of an investigation over the disappearance of Shamsa, now 38, who was abducted from the streets of Cambridge on August 19, 2000, and has never been seen in public since. The force probed the incident in 2001 but dropped the case after finding "insufficient evidence". "An investigation into the alleged abduction of Shamsa Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2000 was carried out by Cambridgeshire Constabulary in 2001. A review took place in 2017 and it was again concluded there was insufficient evidence to take any further action,' a Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson was quoted as saying "This is no longer an active investigation and we are not in contact with the victim... However, in light of the recent release of the judgement, aspects of the case will now be subject to review." The High Court ruling confirmed long-standing rumours over the Dubai ruler's daughters' welfare, which emerged following a child custody battle with his sixth wife, Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, the half-sister of King Abdullah II of Jordan. Princess Haya alleged her former husband Sheikh Mohammed launched a "campaign of fear and intimidatio" against her, and testified that she twice found a loaded gun on her bed and was threatened to be whisked away in a helicopter to a desert prison. She became "terrified" of her then husband and fled to her home in west London last year with their two children. Soon after, Sheikh Mohammed applied for a summary return to Dubai of daughter, Al Jalila, now 12, and son Zayed, eight. A licensed pistol owned by suspended Aam Aadmi Party Councillor Tahir Hussain was seized by Delhi Police on Saturday. The pistol has been sent for forensic test to ascertain whether it was used in the firing in the recent Delhi violence. Twenty-four live cartridges were also seized and send for forensics testing. Hussain was arrested by Delhi Police on Thursday for the alleged murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma, during the violence in north-east Delhi last week. A Delhi court had yesterday sent Hussain to 7-day police custody, in connection with the case. The Karkardooma Court court had earlier rejected the anticipatory bail plea of suspended AAP leader, observing that nobody had appeared from the accused side. The suspended councillor is an accused in the FIR lodged over the alleged killing of IB officer Sharma whose body was recovered from a drain in Chand Bagh on February 26 during the violence in northeast Delhi. The deceaseds father, Ravinder Kumar, on whose complaint the FIR was lodged, named the AAP leader as an accused. He has alleged that Hussain, whose office is located near Chand Bagh Pulia, had gathered men who were pelting stones and petrol bombs during the violence which led to tension and fear among the residents. At least 53 people including Ankit Sharma and a Police Head Constable Rattan Lal have died while around 200 people sustained serious injuries in the violence that raged for three days in north-east Delhi. Islamists threw stones, shoes and sticks at women as they marched through Pakistan's capital on Sunday to mark International Women's Day. Women and men joined the event in Islamabad, the largest rally in the country, for what is known in Pakistan as the Aurat March, which is the Urdu word for women. Dozens of men and women from local militant groups staged a rival rally just across from the women's march venue, according to one local official. Ahead of this year's event, organisers say posters and murals were vandalised, including one by the Islamists from the Red Mosque. Marches in other parts of the country were held peacefully amid tight security Officers blocked the Islamists as they tried to break through a cordon. A witness said the Islamists threw stones, bricks, sticks and shoes at the marchers. There has been an uproar in conservative circles over slogans used at the past two such events. Officers blocked the Islamists as they tried to break through a cordon to attack the marchers. A Reuters witness said the Islamists threw stones, bricks, sticks and shoes at the marchers. Religious groups are pictured protesting against the event These include 'My body, my choice', 'My body is not your battleground' and 'Stop being menstrual phobic'. Following last year's event, organisers said they faced a backlash including murder and rape threats. Ahead of this year's event, organisers say posters and murals were vandalised, including one by the Islamists from the Red Mosque. Marches in other parts of the country were held peacefully amid tight security. A court in the eastern city of Lahore allowed the march there to take place on condition that organisers and participants adhered to 'decency and moral values'. Oak Ridge: It is perhaps fitting that the search for Nazi collaborators living on US soil may have reached its conclusion on an unremarkable cul-de-sac. By many accounts, the man living there was also seemingly unremarkable not unlike other under-the-radar Nazi collaborators who have been found and prosecuted over the last half-century. The man, 94-year-old Friedrich Karl Berger, was ordered by a federal judge this week to return to Germany, where he remains a citizen and where he served as a guard in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. The home of Friedrich Karl Berger in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on March 6, 2020. Berger was ordered by a federal judge this week to return to Germany, where he had served as a guard in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. Credit:Jessica Tezak/The New York Times Since 1979, the Justice Department has hunted down collaborators in Nazi war crimes, with the intention of deporting them back to their home countries. It has been a race against their natural life spans. Eli Rosenbaum, a top official at the department's Human Rights and Special Prosecution unit, was among those who tried the case against Berger. After a two-day trial, an immigration judge issued the removal order against Berger, which officials announced Thursday. "Its all about housing," says Padraig O'Sullivan, who retained his seat in Cork north central last month. He's back in Dublin as government formation talks continue. And because hes not part of the negotiating team, hes knee deep in constituency work. At 35, he's considered one of the youngsters in his party, a former school teacher with a masters degree in politics, who has faced down three elections in the last year, after being elected in the local election, then taking Billy Kellehers seat in the by-election, then fighting for the job again just three months later. Although he doesnt fear another election, he says: "Dont tell my wife I said that, after the three elections weve had and were expecting a second child, shell kill me if she hears me saying that." Mr Sullivan considers himself progressive who ran for election for the first time as an independent before joining Fianna Fail, and has no strong family ties to any political party, he refers to his family as "mixed" when it comes to their politics, but says he found Fianna Fail a "natural fit". "I got involved in politics in 2011, electorally for the first time, that was the time when Fianna Fail were at their lowest support, but I genuinely feel that theyre the party that appeal to working class voters," he said. "Im a public sector worker for myself and as teacher, Fianna Fail are traditionally the party of education, that influenced me. "I would have seen in my community or heard about the positive things that contributed to our community from politicians from our party. "It just felt like a natural fit. I just found through all my community work and liaising with all types of politicians and Fianna Fail were a natural fit for me. I believe in social justice, and I believe that Fianna Fail has that kind of moral compass or social consciousness that reflects those values. "I would always class myself as left of centre, whether its through taxation or through social issues." Like almost all politicians in the Dail, OSullivan says housing is the primary issue on all his constituents lips. "Every politician will be telling you its housing, this not necessarily social housing, its affording a mortgage, its the rent, not everybodys looking for a council house or social house, some people are just looking to get a property," he said. "I think housing will have to be the main focus of the next government. Another big issue for Cork is the issue of special needs for children, waiting lists for consultants and psychologists. "As a teacher I got an awful lot of those concerns and trying to help families in those situations." On where his party goes next, Mr O Sullivan says concentrating on winning back younger voters and women should be a priority. "I come from a younger generation, and Sinn Fein is running far superior social media campaigns than any other party and I suppose thats evidenced in the amount of shares, likes and access to their different social media platforms. Undoubtedly look at the polls, anytime you do a demographic breakdown it shows that were not doing as well amongst younger people, as we are older people. "We need to make ourselves more appealing and relevant. The days of coming from long lines of Fianna Failers, those days are gone, people want policy, especially younger people. "Its wrong to believe young people arent that interested in politics." This artist's rendering shows the planned Schuylkill Yards development, with renovated One Drexel Plaza, future home to Spark Therapeutics in foreground. The red tower is comprised of three sections that pivot in response to their surroundings. Both face JFK Boulevard. Read more Dechert LLP, one of Philadelphias wealthiest law firms, where partners made $3 million each in profits last year, wants to move its headquarters into a virtually tax-free zone in the city. No way, responded officials who regulate Pennsylvanias so-called Keystone Opportunity Zones, where businesses pay virtually no state and local business taxes. Why is the state so opposed to Decherts proposed move into such a designated zone in West Phillys Schuylkill Yards? Because Dechert did the same thing back in 2005, when it moved from Center City into Cira Centre and reaped more than a decades worth of tax breaks. Now, with Cira Centres tax breaks having expired in 2018, Dechert is looking for another decade of tax breaks. And, the law firm contends theres nothing in the law that stops businesses from such zone hopping. Jeff Hornstein, executive director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, blamed the system. I dont think Decherts being greedy. Dechert is doing exactly what a rational, self-interested actor would do. Theyre lawyers. They know exactly how to play the law. So, Dechert has taken the state to court over its refusal. They can go wherever they want, but they shouldnt be rewarded for leaving the zone, said J. Michael Adams Jr., an attorney for the states Department of Community and Economic Development, speaking last month to a panel of Commonwealth Court judges considering Decherts appeal of the denial. The fight, experts say, exposes a critical flaw in a program created more than two decades ago to spur investment in economically distressed areas with abandoned, unused or underutilized properties. In Philadelphia, businesses have benefited to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars including an estimated $400 million at Cira Centre alone. Officials cant say how the city is benefiting because theres no system to evaluate the cost relative to job growth and incremental tax receipts. The last time there was any rigorous stock-taking was in 2014 when Hornstein was director of policy and financial analysis for former City Controller Alan Butkovitz. At the time, the agency looked at how much these zones have cost the city. It found that 617 businesses received city tax credits worth $384.7 million from 1999 through 2012. Two-thirds of them were partnerships or limited liability companies with no employees paying wage taxes, the citys main short-term payoff. The law In 1999, Pennsylvania was the second state in the nation, behind Michigan, to create such tax-free zones. One problem for state regulators is that the law setting up these zones does not say a company can get the tax breaks only once. The benefits are tied to a place (such as a land parcel or property), not a company. The omission exists not just because the benefits were originally aimed at areas of economic distress rather than specific companies, but also because the entire incentive program was conceived as a one-time bonanza. It was originally a once-and-done thing, Joseph Gladeck, a former state House member and primary sponsor of the bill that created the Keystone Opportunity Zones, said last week. But pressure soon mounted to do more zones, and Gladeck said he favored a second round, which happened in 2000. So, lawmakers kept going, creating more zones eligible for tax breaks. The land where Cira Centre stands was designated as an opportunity zone in 2002. . Not long before Cira Centre opened at 2929 Arch St., lawmakers also made it easier to qualify for the benefits. Originally a company had to either boost employment by 20% or invest at least 10% of its total revenue from the previous year. The new way to qualify just required a company to sign a lease covering the duration of the zone and to spend at least 5% of the previous years revenue on rent. Thats how Dechert qualified when it moved from what was then called the Bell Atlantic Tower at 1717 Arch St. The law firm Hornstein describes Cira Centre, which opened in 2005, as Philadelphias Cayman Islands because it is home to so many investment entities. The building, open for just eight of the 14 years covered by the city controllers 2014 report, accounted for $6.7 million in new wage taxes, or 17% of the $39.2 million total, according to the analysis. Benefit to businesses was $200 million in tax credits, or 77% of the total, the report said. Updated figures were not available, but state officials said in a court filing that it is reasonable to assume that the City made a roughly equivalent investment in Cira Centre from 2013 to 2018 as it did from 2006 to 2012." In other words, Cira Centre businesses received at least $400 million in tax breaks, not including the property-tax exemption for the landlord. Even as it enjoyed the tax breaks, Decherts employment at the Cira Centre headquarters fell to 461 last year, down from 700 when it moved there in 2005. The firm did not respond to a request for comment. Founded here in 1875, Dechert, now with 60 offices globally, had $1.14 billion in revenues last year, according to the Legal Intelligencer, an industry journal. Dechert is now looking to move to Brandywines planned JFK Towers at 3001-03 and 3025 John F. Kennedy Blvd. in Schuylkill Yards, which were made eligible for tax benefits in 2012. Philadelphia Councilmember Helen Gym described the law firm as an object lesson in why the program needs to be changed. Last time they netted a decade of tax breaks for moving just a few blocks up Arch Street," Gym said "Their current attempt to game the system is nonetheless shocking there is no excuse for the public to be subsidizing tax-free profits that reached an average of $3 million a year for each of the firms [equity] partners, while their cleaners and assistants are responsible for paying full wage taxes. The tax breaks for the vacant land west of 30th Street Station, where the new towers are expected to rise, is set to expire in 2022. It is likely that the respective property owner will request an extension of KOZ benefits before the current expiration date, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Commerce Department said. Brandywine, which is leasing the land from Drexel University, did not respond to a request for confirmation that it will request the extension. Zone hopping Gladeck said he had been proposing the establishment of economic development zones for bombed out areas since the 1980s, and never contemplated what officials are now calling zone hopping. "We never thought somebody would go from one zone to another, he said. The Community and Economic Development Department wouldnt say how many companies have moved from one zone to another. But as Cira Centre was nearing the end of its designation in 2018, "the department noticed an uptick in relocation applications, which could potentially undermine the purpose of the program, regulators said. And, that is why the department instituted its no zone hopping policy. While the law is silent on whether a company can get the benefits a second time, it does have a provision to claw back benefits from companies that leave a zone within five years. The state has recouped benefits from five companies, a spokesperson for the economic development department said. In other cases, companies have moved from one active zone to another. FS Investments, for example, in 2015 moved its headquarters from Cira Centre to South Philadelphias Navy Yard, another popular KOZ. To get the tax benefits at the new location, the company was subject to enhanced relocation requirements, the state said. Its not clear when Commonwealth Court will rule in the closely watched Dechert case. At the hearing, judges seemed split into groups. Some focused on whether the law explicitly prohibits zone hopping. What is your statutory foothold for your interpretation? Judge P. Kevin Brobson asked. Other judges were more interested in how Decherts move into a new zone with a new round of benefits would undermine the legislatures goal of promoting economic development in particular places. I think there could be a very detrimental unintended consequence, said Judge Ellen Ceisler. Joseph C. Bright, a Cozen OConnor attorney representing Dechert, discounted that notion: Once you build a Cira Centre, a handsome, attractive building, its going to attract other tenants, and in fact it does. Still, Rich Hudic a former state official who was the first manager of the KOZ program, was shocked to hear that Dechert might be able to move its headquarters to a new zone and get the benefits again. Youre kidding me, he said. Thats not what it was created for. Donald Trump's top expert on coronavirus has warned elderly people with underlying health conditions to restrict their travel and avoid large gatherings. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told NBC's Meet the Press: "If you are an elderly person with an underlying condition, if you get infected, the risk of getting into trouble is considerable. So it's our responsibility to protect the vulnerable. "When I say protect, I mean right now. Not wait until things get worse. Say no large crowds, no long trips. "And above all, don't get on a cruise ship." Dr Fauci said he did not believe the US would have to implement measures as "draconian" as the actions taken in Italy and China to shut down entire towns and cities. But, he added, "anything is possible". He told Fox News Sunday: "We have to be realistic. I don't think it would be as draconian as nobody in or nobody out. "But if we continue to get cases like this, particularly at the community level, there will be what we call 'mitigation', where we have to essentially do social distancing, keep people out of crowded places, take a look at seriousness, do you really need to travel, and I think it's particularly important among the most vulnerable." He added: "You don't want to alarm people, but given the spread we've seen anything is possible and that's why we've got to be prepared to take whatever action is appropriate to contain and mitigate the outbreak." Coronavirus: democrat lawmaker slams Trump's slow response in testing for Covid-19 California Dr Fauci also rejected claims that the Trump administration had overruled experts on recommending that elderly people should avoid air travel. More than 400 people across 30 states in the US have been confirmed as having Covid-19, with 19 deaths reported. On Sunday it was announced that the cruise ship Grand Princess, which has 21 known cases among the more than 3,500 passengers and staff on board, will be allowed to dock in Oakland, California on Monday. Passengers will disembark and be treated or quarantined, while crew will be assessed on board. Trump brags about his 'natural ability' for science The president said on Friday that he wanted passengers and employees to remain on board so that the number of cases in the US did not go up "because of one ship that wasn't our fault". Mr Trump reacted to sustained criticism of his administration's response to the crisis with a Sunday morning tweet, writing: "We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus. We moved VERY early to close borders to certain areas, which was a Godsend. V.P. is doing a great job. The Fake News Media is doing everything possible to make us look bad. Sad!" Two members of the Australian Defence Force have tested positive to coronavirus. It is understood one of the two members attended a defence force meeting at the Canberra headquarters on February 28. ACT health authorities say the second case is unrelated to the meeting and they did not travel to the capital. The ADF said it is taking a number of 'precautionary measures' is now in the process of tracking down those who the two individuals came in contact with. Two members of the Australian Defence Force have tested positive to coronavirus (Stock image) 'Defence is cooperating with NSW and ACT Health authorities to contact, isolate, test and support persons involved,' the ADF said in a statement on Sunday. 'Any defence personnel and those working in defence establishments who present with cold/flu-like symptoms will remove themselves from the workplace'. The ACT government told anyone who was on flights QF1509 or VA651 on February 28 to contact local health services. NSW confirmed on Saturday that a man in his 40s had tested positive for the virus on those flights but did not name them as a defence force member. ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Kerryn Coleman said there were no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canberra. Federal health minister Greg Hunt said those who had come into contact with either of the ADF members would be told to self-quarantine. 'We have a testing regime that is the equal of any in the world,' Mr Hunt said. 'My understanding is that contact tracing is coming in, the Defence Minister confirmed with me that two ADF personnel had tested positive. Currently three people have died as a result of coronavirus in Australia, with 78 cases currently confirmed Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt (pictured) announced on Sunday that 54 million face masks would be shipped to Australia before the end of April 'The ADF has put out a statement which indicates that everybody that has come into contact with them has been self-isolated and then they'll be subject to testing.' Mr Hunt also announced on Sunday that 54 million face masks would be shipped to Australia before the end of April to help deal with the increasing number of cases. The minister also described the death of a third Australian from the virus as a 'great loss'. The 82-year-old man died in a Sydney hospital overnight, after contracting the virus at BaptistCare 's Dorothy Henderson Lodge nursing home in Macquarie Park. Srinagar, March 8 : In a first major political initiative in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of article 370 on August 5, 2019, Apni Party, a new political party was floated by former PDP leader and minister Altaf Bukhari on Sunday. Bukhari, addressing a press conference at his residence here at Residency Road, said Apni party has been launched with the sole purpose of carrying out development in Jammu and Kashmir. Several new members of the party who quit different political parties, especially, PDP and the Congress like Usaman Majeed, Dilawar Mir, Javid Baig, Shoiab Lone, Ajaz Khan, Rafi Mir, Vikram Malhotra, and former chief secretary Vijay Bakaya, and Ghulam Hassan Mir and others were present at the launching ceremony. "The issues like self rule and autonomy do not figure on the agenda of 'Apni Party', he said. Its sole purpose is to strive for development and politics of truth." Flanked by the new members of Apni Party, Bukhari said Apni Party will not behave like dynastic parties and the president of the party will be elected on a rotational basis. He said he decided to form a new party to solve the problems faced by the people in absence of a political setup after the abrogation of Article 370. Condemning the slapping of Public Safety Act (PSA) on three former chief ministers, he said concerns should also be shown about Kashmiri youth and political workers detained under this stringent law outside J&K. On what was Apani Party's stand on the revocation of the Article 370, the former finance minister said the matter was pending before the Supreme Court. "If I don't accept the abrogation of Article 370, will the decision change?" he asked. "We must wait for the Supreme Court's decision." About his role being likened to former J&K Prime Minister Ghulam Mohammad Bakshi, who stepped in after Sheikh Abdullah was jailed in 1953 by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, he said Bakshi had an economic vision, and such a vision is the dire need of the present times. "People are facing a lot of problems, the need is to work to ease their difficulties," he said. "We have to do business with Delhi irrespective of who is ruling," he added. He said he was an individual driven by his own decisions. He said joining politics was his decision and he doesn't follow orders from others. "We want to end the mistrust between Srinagar and New Delhi," he said. "We are at a stage where Kashmir and Jammu both demand statehood and domicile rights for its citizens." "If we don't raise our issues, who will do it for us?" he asked. "We are the citizens of J&K first and after that we belong to political parties," he said. "Our party is a mixture of experienced ones and new faces." He said they are a regional party with a national outlook. What if you get stuck on the highway in a storm? Here are some tips As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ VANCOUVERAn out-of-town friend of mine, who is a bit of a foodie, recently visited, armed with a list of restaurants he wanted to try. Among them was The Mackenzie Room, a shabby-chic eatery that boasts Pacific Northwest cuisine, located in what one food reviewer described as the gritty fringes of Vancouvers Downtown Eastside. In fact, if you scroll through the hundreds of online reviews, you notice a pattern: fantastic food to be had there, just be mindful of the area. Its in a neighbourhood called Railtown, formerly Vancouvers Japantown, which includes a sprawling homeless encampment in a park across the street from the restaurant. Not located in the most desirable part of town, one reviewer wrote. Crazy dangerous location, wrote another. Took a taxi to the front door, said one person. True to billing, our five-course meal which included sea urchin pate with ink brioche and bison strips with grits and red eye gravy was superb. The service, we agreed, was impeccable. But during the meal, I noticed that curtains lined the restaurants large front windows. Those curtains obscured our view of the homeless encampment across the street that boasts dozens of tents and was the scene of the first homicide in Vancouver this year. (In recent days, city police seized a cache of weapons in one tent, including guns and knives, and reported that a man had been assaulted with an axe handle). The curtains weighed on my mind as we finished off our meal with a chocolate ice cream-espresso chantilly dessert, and gnawed at me after wed left for the night. Is there a place for higher-end businesses in low-income neighbourhoods? If were to be ethical consumers, should we be giving them our business? A few years ago, the Carnegie Community Action Project, a voice for those who live in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside, where more than half of residents are dependent on some form of income assistance, pensions or charitable service, issued a report on gentrification in the neighbourhood. It identified more than 150 retail businesses that, according to the reports authors, sought to attract higher-income residents or visitors. These businesses, they argued, were creating zones of exclusion areas that the predominantly lower-income residents simply could not afford to patronize. As wealthier people move into the neighbourhood, more spaces are devoted to offering amenities that cater to them, the report says. Grocery stores, banks, coffee shops, restaurants, salons, various retail stores, night clubs, stylish pubs, etc. begin to appear throughout the neighbourhood, and are priced beyond what people on fixed income can afford. The report cited examples of what things cost at some stores in the neighbourhood: $11 for a 16-ounce juice; $138 for mink eye lashes; and $5 for coffee. I spoke to Fiona York, the action projects co-ordinator, whose office is located inside the Carnegie Community Centre, a bold, Victorian-era building that is often dubbed the living room of the Downtown Eastside and where residents can still get a hot lunch for $2.25. She says the trend can be seen across all urban areas. A business moves into a lower-income neighbourhood, attracted by cheaper rents. If that business does well, then another business moves in. Slowly, it starts changing, she says. More and more people see that its desirable or workable, and they can get in from the ground up. York noted that a block away, a high-end hair salon had opened recently next door to the First United Church, which operates dozens of shelter beds. You see this real discrepancy or this dichotomy of businesses next door to shelters or people who cant afford them, she says. Its very striking. There is a school of thought that having a retail and housing mix is the best approach to revitalizing a neighbourhood, but York contends the inevitable effect is greater inequality. It changes a community in such a way that it does push people out or squeezes people into a smaller and smaller area, she says. When told of the curtains at the restaurant where Id eaten, she says it was indicative of businesses that want to have the benefits of being in a neighbourhood but are not really of the neighbourhood or part of the neighbourhood. Youre not acknowledging theres a fully fledged, three-dimensional, well-rounded community of people that are there. Christina Lee, a community researcher with the non-profit Hua Foundation, acknowledges the multitude of social challenges facing the area from the housing crisis to the opioid crisis should not fall on the shoulders of small business owners to fix. We recognize its not easy to run a small business in Vancouver. To rest the systemic issues on their shoulders is a little bit unfair to them, she says. That said, it is incumbent upon the newer businesses that have moved in to be a part of the fabric of the community, Lee says. She was the lead author of a report last year that found increasing polarization between newcomers to Chinatown, which has seen a rapid infusion of upscale bars, coffee shops and restaurants, and existing residents and businesses. There was very little crossover between patrons of traditional and non-traditional businesses, resulting in decreasing social cohesion, the report says. Lee told the Star some of the newer businesses invoke Chinatowns heritage. But she says she cant help but wonder: How closely connected are they to the actual community when theyre invoking the name and the history and heritage in their advertising? Are they hiring local people or sourcing their ingredients from local grocery stores? In other words, what are they doing to give back to the community that is more than just a mere handout and a way for them to feel good about their presence in the neighbourhood? It would appear some businesses are making attempts to do just that. The Mackenzie Rooms website has a page devoted to giving back. When the restaurant first opened, staff would distribute dozens of free homemade sandwiches to people in Oppenheimer Park across the street and surrounding areas. When the tent city went up just over a year ago, the restaurant shifted its weekly delivery to a nearby resource centre. I wanted to give the owners an opportunity to address some of the concerns raised, but they declined my invitation to chat. Reached by phone during dinner service this week, Antonio Cayonne, a partner, explains the reluctance. The public conversation is a hard one to wade into because, if Im being very honest, no matter which way things land, someones going to throw stones. Thats just the reality of it, he says. Cayonne says hes received comments from strangers on his Instagram page saying he should be ashamed for being in the neighbourhood. Thats hard. Someone who knows first-hand what its like to be the target of community backlash is Brandon Grossutti, owner of Pidgin, a high-end French-Asian restaurant that moved into the Downtown Eastside in 2013. After it opened, his restaurant was the target of sustained protests from anti-poverty activists for months. Speaking to the Star as warm afternoon light drifted into his dining room this week, Grossutti says one of the unfortunate outcomes of the protests was that the debate was framed in very black and white terms, with small business owners cast as the enemy, when efforts should have been focused, he says, on addressing underlying issues contributing to social problems in the area. He says he agrees with a lot of what protesters are advocating for, including better welfare rates, better health care and access to better housing. The more we pit one another against each other, the less we hold those in power accountable for the actual problems, he says. Those who are socially conscious, who have empathy for the plight of many that are vulnerable, now think of a restaurant or small independent business as evil whereas I would say 35 years of fing disgusting policy has led us to the issue were in right now. When you look at some of the major cities in the world, history has shown that concentrations of vulnerable people without any other form of business, economic or social diversity creates ghettoes, he says. Bankrupting independent businesses isnt going to make the Downtown Eastside a more viable place for anyone, he says. There needs to be a healthy balance in any community, so that people can work together to lift one another up. To that end, he says, his restaurant has, over the years, created jobs with low barriers for entry, partnered with local non-profits on fundraisers and dinners, and procured food and services, such as window cleaning, from local businesses. Erin Goodridge, the owner of GlosSalon, the new hair salon in Chinatown, says she knows her prices she charges a minimum of $50 for a haircut may be out of reach for some. But she says newer businesses such as hers are helping to bring more foot traffic into the area, which, in turn, is helping to bring new customers to longer established businesses. She says some of her clients, for instance, have gone over to buy items from traditional Chinatown merchants, such as the meat and herbal shops. Its maybe an area they never came to before, but now they are, she says. Goodridge says shes a regular customer at a nearby dim sum place and staff at that store come to her salon for haircuts. I think we can all come together and support one another. In 2014, the City of Vancouver published a planning document outlining strategies for future development in the Downtown Eastside that would not hurt low-income residents. One of the primary strategies was to manage the change as best as possible to reduce, as far as possible, the impact on low-income residents who have every right to be there and to live safely and feel like they belong there, side by side with others who might be more fortunate, says Tom Wanklin, a senior planner with the city. While acknowledging the city does not have the power to force businesses to adhere to the so-called social impact objectives, Wanklin says many businesses have taken the guidelines to heart, employing local people and procuring local goods. That said, We dont always get it right, he acknowledges, citing the displacement of some local-serving businesses due to new development. One of the most difficult, most powerful forces in the cities of the world is what they term gentrification. Development change is like the sun rising in the morning you cant stop it. You can put sunglasses on, which manages the impact of those rays, he says. We have to recognize this change is occurring in Seattle, in San Francisco and London. What were doing is mitigating wherever possible. The mitigation measures have not gone far enough, says a University of British Columbia PhD candidate who studies urban development. Zachary Hyde says he worries many of the newer businesses are creating barriers for residents, not only financially but culturally, because theyre catering to upper-class tastes as opposed to working-class tastes. After all his research, he also wonders whether the social-enterprise aspects of a lot of businesses the giving back they do are merely pre-emptive ways to deflect criticism and do nothing to overcome the negative consequences of gentrification. He says some eateries even like to play up the fact theyre located in rough-around-the-edges neighbourhoods as a way to create excitement for diners a phenomenon he refers to as adventure dining. But while he stops short of saying customers should not eat at these places, Hyde says consumers should have a core set of values and ethics when it comes to dining out. Their choices do have political implications, he says. Asked if she has ever dined at any of the newer restaurants in the area, Lee, the community researcher with the non-profit Hua Foundation, says she prefers to give her money to the aunties and uncles who run the older places. Because we work in Chinatown, were very close to the challenges, she says. For a lot of folks who dont necessarily have that familiarity to those challenges, it can be easy to look away or turn a blind eye. If we really want to see real tangible solutions to these problems, it involves people taking a second to look. I head over to the sprawling tent city at Oppenheimer Park to get peoples opinions. During my visit, good Samaritans pull up towing a trailer bearing a sign that says Jesus Loves You, ready to dish out trays of food. Chrissy Brett, who describes herself as camp liaison, says displacement is a real issue, but she doesnt begrudge business owners who want to set up in the neighbourhood or customers who want to eat there. Who am I to say if you have the ability to spend $100 on a plate that you shouldnt be able to celebrate or live your life. ... Who am I to say its wrong for them to be able to enjoy the things theyve worked hard for? That said, it would be her hope that these businesses make an effort to give back to the community in some way, maybe by partnering up with local community groups. My hope is there can be real reconciliation where we can see communities coming together. Its baby steps, she says. Sitting on a park bench in a hooded jacket, Willie Morris, who used to be homeless and returns to the park because this is everybodys living room, says she feels the areas newer businesses discriminate against low-income residents. She says she once tried getting a cup of coffee at one establishment but was turned away. Its like we dont belong, she says. Why dont they put themselves in our shoes for one day, one night. Hearing the various arguments makes me think again about the diners inside the restaurant, the ones behind the curtains, enjoying their pork chops with Asian pear and elk tartare. Did they think about what was on the other side of the windows? Did they take a cab out of the neighbourhood as soon as they were done eating? Theres an inescapable discomfort to the idea. At least its food for thought. Read more about: This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. HICKORY CORNERS, MI The latest expansion planed at the Gilmore Car Museum will transport visitors to another time without online shopping, smartphones or GPS. One thing it does have: muscle. The Gilmore Car Museum hopes to break ground in spring or summer 2020 for Gilmore American Muscle, a new muscle car exhibit that will be housed in a building reminiscent of an early-1970s era dealership, Gilmore Car Museum Director of Development Stacie Longwell Sadowski said. The 25,000-square-foot building will "build nostalgia from the outside, Longwell Sadowski said. As many as 40 muscle cars will be inside, put on display like they would be in a showroom. The exhibit will come complete with a sales managers desk, waiting area and a tube-style television playing vintage commercials, Longwell Sadowski said. Related: More photos of the Gilmore Car Museum Museum staff will work to select high-quality cars that tell the story or the time period well, she said. The new exhibit will add to the muscle cars already on display in an existing building at the museum. The exhibit will be much more than cars in a building, Longwell Sadowski said, and curators are working to include gear, artifacts, interactive exhibits, a timeline of the period and more. The projects start is contingent on the nonprofit raising a total of $5 million, she said. Some fundraising has already happened, and the organization plans to launch a public phase of fundraising later this year to help bring in the rest of the money. Once construction begins, it should take about one year to finish the work. The new exhibit is expected to open in 2021, Longwell Sadowski said. She called it a loose timeline, and said the museum is working with architects and contractors on the project now. Once the $5 million fundraising goal is reached, the funds will pay for the $3 million expansion. Another $1.5 million from those efforts will be used to increase the museum endowment, and the remaining $500,000 will be spent on professional exhibit design, Longwell Sadowski said. Any additional funds raised would be spent on enhancing the museum around the new building, including exterior enhancements and interactive displays inside, she said. She declined to say how much the organization has raised so far. The Gilmore Car Museum, which bills itself as North Americas largest auto museum, is located at 6865 W. Hickory Road in Hickory Corners, about 20 miles northeast of Kalamazoo. The Gilmore Car Museum started as a hobby for Kalamazoo businessman Donald Gilmore in 1963. Gilmore was chairman of the Upjohn Company at the time. The museum opened to the public as a non-profit museum in 1966 with 35 cars on display. Today, about 400 vehicles are on display, the organization said. The mission of the museum is to tell the history of America through the automobile. The Gilmore Car Museum is working to raise funds for a new muscle car expansion at its campus near Kalamazoo. Organizers hope the new muscle car exhibit will be another reason people want to visit the 90-acre campus, even if they use a modern camera or smartphone to help preserve those memories. Were really a gathering place so were hoping that this building with a facade looking the way it was will become another focal point for people, so they can pull their car up to take a photo," Longwell Sadowski said. The Gilmore Car Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Saturdays and Sundays, the museum stays open an later, with hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The museum is closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for youth age 7 to 17. Admission is free for children 6 and under and for active military with identification. Also on MLive: Kalamazoo-made film from 1987 will be shown in Kalamazoo, 33 years later From 1919 Model T to the family station wagon, unique car collection gets attention Huge waves batter Lake Michigan shoreline A disabled teenager drugged with morphine by her foster carer has been betrayed by Victoria's disability care system and now the judiciary, according to her distraught mother, who has relocated her family overseas. Susan Melinda Lizzul, 54, was ordered to complete a two-year Community Correction Order last week, after pleading guilty to one count of recklessly causing serious injury to the then-13-year-old Erin Kidd, who required 24-hour care for a significant cognitive impairment. Susan Lizzul was ordered to complete a two-year Community Correction Order. Credit: Lizzul, a trained nurse, admitted in the County Court to giving the powerful opioid to Erin. Dr Mark Nethercote, from Ballarat Base Hospital, said the girl would have died without urgent medical attention, according to a summary statement by the Office of Public Prosecutions. Highlights The video posted by Indian Forest Service official Susanta Nanda and has over 5,000 views. Nanda tweeted, Where will you find tolerance for each other, other than India? Nobody tries to run after, catch or hurt the lion. And the lion ignores the humans. At least once in your life, some of you may have wondered, what would I do if a lion randomly ran towards me? A video posted by Indian Forest Service official Susanta Nanda on his Twitter account shows a lion running berserk through a village, which the tweet identifies as Madhavpur in Gujarat. Though it is unclear when it was actually recorded since Nanda shared the 7-second-video it has collected more than 5,000 views. The recording shows a human-animal interaction, one that Nanda has praised by stating, Where will you find tolerance for each other, other than India? In the video, as the animal charges, most people quickly move aside while others partake in the all important task of recording the whole incident for the likes of ourselves. Nobody tries to run after, catch or hurt the lion. Simultaneously, the lion doesnt try to interact, in any form, with the many humans present on the street. Imagine someone charging at you at 80kmp Even Usain Bolt cant escape( Average speed-38kmp)from a charging lion. In such a situation, where will u find tolerance for each other other than India? Video from Madavpur village of Gujurat( VC-SM) pic.twitter.com/PLyOMq6oDv Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) March 7, 2020 Many Twitter peeps were concerned about the safety of the big kitty, to which Nanda responded by saying that it was pretty safe. Is the lion safe ?? Trusna Meher (@AiyanaAsin) March 7, 2020 What would you do in such a situation? Would you quickly run away, immediately pull your phone out to record the scary situation, or faint on the spot from anxiety? SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON State-owned Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) is in talks with the Indian Railways for an order to supply about 15.5 lakh tonnes of rail in the next financial year, a company official said. SAIL, under the steel ministry, is the country's largest steel-making company and as per an agreement, it supplies rails to Indian Railways. The Indian Railways had placed an order with SAIL for supply of 13.5 lakh tonne rails in the current financial year. Till February 29, the company produced 11.65 lakh tonne rails, according to SAIL. On asked about the Railways' order for 2020-21, the official said the company expects an order of 15.5 lakh tonne rails in the next financial year for which it is in talks with the Railways. A source said that generally, the Railways places its order by the last week of March or in the first week of April. Replying to an e-mail query sent to SAIL, the company said that "it has not received the order for rails for the financial year 2020-21 from the Indian Railways yet. However, SAIL is geared up to fulfil any order, which will be placed by the Indian Railways". According to official data, in 2018-19, SAIL supplied 9.68 lakh tonnes of rails as against the demand of about 14 lakh tonnes. In the previous year, the public sector undertaking supplied 8.74 lakh tonnes as against the demand of 11.4 lakh tonnes. During 2016-17, SAIL supplied 6.20 lakh tonnes as against the Railways' requirement of 10.05 lakh tonnes. In the preceding financial year, the steel maker supplied 6.46 lakh tonnes against the order of 8.12 lakh tonne. Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had earlier said that as part of the modernisation and expansion plan of SAIL, a 1.2-MTPA (million tonnes per annum) universal rail mill has been installed at the Bhilai plant to enhance the manufacturing capabilities of rails to cope with the increasing demand of Railways. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Its lunchtime at New Yorks Peninsula Hotel and comedians Steve Martin and Martin Short are musing on the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs recent exit from the Royal Family. I completely get them wanting to get out of a situation where theres no choice about the things youre doing, says Steve Martin. Retirement is not good for the soul, Steve Martin says. Im never going to retire. He turns to Martin Short: Ill wheel you around in a wheelchair and take you places Short looks at him. Well, I dont quite get it, he says. There are worse situations to be in. You live in a house that youve been given over 2 million just to renovate and thats the struggle youre going through? He grins. There are people in worse shape than they are. Anyway, now that Harrys not in England, someones got to come over, so thats what Steve and I are doing. For just as the Sussex duo have headed to North America to begin a new life, Martin and Short are crossing the Atlantic in the opposite direction for The Funniest Show In Town At The Moment a series of live dates in the UK and Ireland. And they promise their show a blend of comedy, incessant ribbing and banjo-playing will never let you down. A joke is only allowed in the show if its a 9/10 or a 10/10, says Short. And because Martys with me, we also allow a 7/10 joke too, adds Martin. The comics became firm friends after co-starring alongside Chevy Chase in the 1986 comedy Three Amigos, and while their easy banter translates well on stage, getting a straight answer from either of them proves virtually impossible. Do they still get nervous performing? I was much more nervous back then because I was going out alone. But now I go out with stupid over here, smiles Steve Martin, so its a lot easier. Back then the two Martins enjoyed huge successes both on stage and screen Short with his stints on the US show Saturday Night Live and in films such as Innerspace; and Steve Martin in Parenthood, The Pink Panther and Father Of The Bride. Martins absurdist stand-up was legendary his comedy albums went platinum, he played to packed stadiums and was, as he admits in his autobiography Born Standing Up, the biggest concert comedian in showbusiness, ever. He was like a rock star, says Short. Fame, Martin admits, was a curious phenomenon. I remember when I was first starting to become known, my agent said Im going to get a limo for tonights gig and I said, I dont need a limo to go to the gig. Thats ridiculous. The limo comes, takes me to the gig and then the next night, I say, Wheres the limo! At the height of his stardom in 1981, Steve Martin quit stand-up as he was burnt out and essentially depressed. He then moved to the big screen, where he enjoyed a string of hits including Roxanne, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with Michael Caine. While the movie roles may have slowed down in recent years (I lost interest in the movies at exactly the point the movies lost interest in me), with a personal worth estimated at $130 million, he doesnt seem unduly bothered. You know, I started to change and the movies started to change and there was no real creative need to do films. Also, it takes three months to make a movie and they always make them somewhere inexpensive like Arizona. I cant leave my family for three months. Its just out of the question. Martin, 74, and his wife Anne Stringfield, 48, have a seven-year-old daughter together Martin having become a father for the first time at the age of 67. He tries to arrange his tours so that hes never away from home for more than three nights, and while fiercely protective of his personal life he hasnt even revealed his daughters name publicly he nonetheless says that becoming a father is the greatest thing Ive ever done. Does having a child much later in life make him think about his mortality? Well, Ive been thinking about death since I was 20! he says. But I take care of myself. I exercise. Ive been a pescatarian for 40 years I havent eaten meat in that time. I think people go through phases of thinking about death, but of course I think about it more [since having a daughter]. I dont think about it at all, strangely enough, says Short. I know its coming and Im 69 years of age, so its definitely closer than when I was 39. Certainly if anyone had cause to ponder his own mortality, its Canadian-born Short. His formative years were permeated with loss. When he was 12, his older brother, David, died in a car accident; at 17, he lost his mother to cancer and at 19, his father died from a stroke. He suffered further anguish in 2010 when his wife, comic actress Nancy Dolman, died of ovarian cancer aged 58. The couple had three children (all now in their 30s) and a relationship that had lasted 38 years. How did they manage it? Well, they were a great couple, says Martin, interjecting on his buddys behalf. Tom Hanks used to say to her Dont you get tired of laughing at his jokes? and shed say, No, I thought it was funny. No matter if it was the 50th iteration of that joke, she would find it funny every time. And the rest of us would just stare at him. The year following Nancys death, Short and Martin were invited to interview one another in Chicago and had such a grand time, they did it again and again, honing their performance until it evolved into the Emmy-nominated 2018 Netflix special An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life. Working steadily, Short admits, helped him after the loss of his wife, but then I find that working is good anyway. Martin and Short's upcoming tour will be the first time the pair have performed together in the UK, although Short already possesses a rather unexpected link to Britain his cousin is the former Labour MP Clare Short Retirement is not good for the soul, Steve Martin agrees. Im never going to retire. He turns to Short: Ill wheel you around in a wheelchair and take you places. Their upcoming tour will be the first time the pair have performed together in the UK, although Short already possesses a rather unexpected link to Britain his cousin is the former Labour MP Clare Short (I remember when I met Elton John, the first thing he said to me was, Are you really her cousin?). Martin, it turns out, is also a fan of the Brits, in particular the work of Monty Python and Russell Brand. I really admired Russell as Id read his first book and loved his frankness and I wanted to meet him, he says. So one night, Im at the Oscars party. Its about 1am and I say to my wife Its getting late, lets go, and just as were walking out, in he comes. I said Aw, Im going out just as youre coming in and he replied, Its a metaphor. Martin, who knows a little something about humour himself, nods appreciatively. It was the fastest comeback Ive ever heard. The Funniest Show In Town is at the SSE Hydro, Glasgow, tomorrow and at the Royal Albert Hall from March 14-15, myticket.co.uk The South Korean envoy has expressed concern Samsung may suffer huge losses if 1,000 South Korean experts are isolated upon arrival in Vietnam. "If experts and engineers of Samsung Electronics enter Vietnam and are placed in quarantine for 14 days, this giant can suffer great damage," Ambassador Park Noh-wan told reporters in Hanoi Friday. Samsung needs to bring in another 1,000 experts to Vietnam to support production line operations, he said. Vietnam has suspended entry for those arriving from Daegu City and North Gyeongsang Province, South Koreas two largest Covid-19 outbreak areas, over the past two weeks. Those arriving from South Korea are automatically quarantined for 14 days as a preventive measure. The South Korean Embassy in Vietnam has proposed that the Vietnamese government adjusts its policy, allowing representatives of Korean businesses, including experts and engineers of Samsung and LG, to enter the country and not be quarantined. South Koreans with diplomatic and official passports should also be considered for this policy, Park said, adding that all people with a medical certificate issued by Korean medical authorities should be allowed to enter Vietnam normally. "The fact that they are in the isolated area will cause a lot of damage. We are very worried," Park said. Park said the number of South Koreans coming to Vietnam has plummeted after Vietnam halted visa waivers for South Korean nationals starting February 29. During the first two months of this year, only 100 South Koreans arrived every day, compared with the previous figure of 13,000, he said. The ambassador said that from March 7, Vietnamese airlines are suspending all flights to South Korea. Previously, there were 80 non-stop flights every day between Vietnam and South Korea, around 550 flights per week. About 170,000 South Koreans live in Vietnam now. "I hope that the two countries will take effective measures to prevent the (Covid-19) epidemic (from spreading) but not affect the two countries' long-term relations," he said. South Korea sent three emergency response teams to Vietnam Thursday to provide consular support to more than 270 citizens quarantined over the novel coronavirus outbreak. The teams plan to stay in Vietnam for a week starting Thursday, but they could decide to extend their stay if needed. They will discuss with Vietnamese authorities the possibility of lifting the quarantine, while helping citizens who want to return home and those facing visa and other consular problems. South Korea is one of Vietnam's biggest trade partners and investors. The country is the second largest feeder market of Vietnamese tourism, after China. Samsung, the worlds biggest smartphone maker, is the largest foreign investor in Vietnam, employing around 160,000 people. Samsung Electronics begun construction on a $220 million research and development center in Hanoi, the first of its kind outside South Korea, on Monday. Samsung Electronics said on Friday that it would temporarily move some smartphone production to Vietnam from South Korea, according to Reuters. The announcement was made after another of its Korean staff tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing it to temporarily close a factory in the southern city of Gumi in South Korea. Since late February, a total of six workers have tested positive at the factory complex in Gumi, close to the city of Daegu - the epicentre of South Koreas virus outbreak - leading to previous temporary closures at the plant. "Once the Covid-19 situation stabilises, we plan to move back the output to Gumi," it said in a statement. The global death toll from the Covid-19 epidemic had reached nearly 3,600 in 102 countries and territories by Sunday morning, mostly in mainland China (3,097), followed by Italy (233), Iran (145) and South Korea (50). The Vietnamese government has deployed various measures to prevent the spread of the virus, including requiring everyone coming from mainland China, Italy, Iran and South Korea, the worst-hit countries so far, to be quarantined for at least 14 days on arrival. As of Sunday afternoon, Vietnam has confirmed 30 Covid-19 infections, with the latest nine being foreign tourists. All the nine have been quarantined. A man drove himself to hospital after being shot in the head in Chicago, police say. The 28-year-old - who has not been named - is in serious condition, officials said. The man arrived in a small SUV and admitted himself into Stroger Hospital at around midnight on March 8 with a gunshot wound to the head, according to ABC 7. Cops believe the man was driving around the 1600 block of West Ogden Avenue, around a mile from the hospital, at the time of the shooting. The man couldn't tell police exactly where he was when he was shot. On March 8, an unidentified 28-year-old man walked into Stroger Hospital in Chicago with a gunshot wound to his head The location where the unidentified 28-year-old man was shot was about a mile from Stroger Hospital in Chicago This shooting marks a weekend where at least 13 people were wounded by gunfire throughout Chicago, according to NBC 5. Police are continuing to investigate the shooting. They have released no further details at this time. [March 08, 2020] Wells Fargo Donates $6.25 Million to Aid in Coronavirus Response The Wells Fargo (News - Alert) Foundation today announced up to $6.25 million in donations to support domestic and global response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) and to aid public health relief efforts. The philanthropic funding includes $1 million for the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emergency Relief Fund and $250,000 to the International Medical Corps for their work in more than 30 countries. The company will also donate up to $5 million at the local level to help address community-specific needs in the coming months. In addition, Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is committed to helping customers experiencing hardships, including from the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). If in need of assistance, customers can call 1-800-219-9739 to speak with a trained specialist to discuss options available for their consumer lending, small business and deposit products. "We recognize and appreciate the role of front-line health care providers as they apply their expertise on this fast-moving issue and care for the well-being of our communities," said Bill Daley, vice chairman of public affairs at Wells Fargo and chairman of the board of the Wells Fargo Foundation. "We also continue to monitor this situation closely for our employees, customers and the communities we serve and are prepared to adapt as needed." The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will use the donation to meet emerging needs, incluing additional support for state and local health departments, the global response, logistics, communications, data management, personal protective equipment, and critical response supplies, among other necessities. The International Medical Corps has more than 7,000 public health workers deployed against the coronavirus response across the globe and will utilize its donation to bolster staff training with clinical guidance and planning protocols on screening patients, enhanced infection prevention and control, and protections for health care providers. Wells Fargo has also activated assistance for employees via its WE Care Fund, which provides grants to Wells Fargo colleagues who face a catastrophic disaster or financial hardship resulting from an event beyond their control. This program is available to those affected by coronavirus and is intended to help team members, especially those with limited resources, get back on their feet with basic necessities. Wells Fargo recognizes the seriousness of concerns felt by customers and employees about the coronavirus COVID-19. The company's first priority remains keeping Wells Fargo employees and customers safe and well informed, while continuing to meet the needs of its customers. About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo's vision is to satisfy our customers' financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,400 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 32 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 260,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 29 on Fortune's 2019 rankings of America's largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200308005017/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Olathe Police Department is seeking the public's help locating Sreynara Sing.Sing is a 32-year-old Asian woman, approximately 5 feet, 4 inches tall and 110 pounds, with long black hair and brown eyes.She was last seen Tuesday wearing jeans and a dark-colored jacket.Sing may be in a 2013 burgundy Nissan Altima. (Natural News) President Donald Trump deserves high praise for a great many things, including turning around the moribund Obama economy, rebuilding our military, improving trade agreements, and providing lots of new opportunities for American citizens. But he also deserves praise and recognition for being a good president when it comes to quickly making decisions that protect our country and our people. He rarely gets any praise from the masters of the mainstream media, and that includes, of course, The New York Times. Just recently an opinion writer there, Gail Collins, attacked the president over his responses thus far to the outbreak of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), telling readers we should call it Trumpvirus because of his allegedly inept actions. But a reporter at the Times, science writer Donald G. McNeil someone in a much better position to comment truthfully and knowledgeably praised the presidents actions thus far and especially his early travel restrictions, which of course earned him more catcalls of racist! and bigot! from Democrats. In a piece titled, To Take On the Coronavirus, Go Medieval on It, McNeil also maintained that even more stringent methods are warranted: Quarantines and restrictive measures served a purpose in the old days. They can now, too. Observing that there are two ways to combat the spread of epidemics the medieval and the modern choosing the latter means that societies are simply surrendering to the power of the pathogens. Modern approaches include the adoption and implementation of policies that essentially acknowledge that viruses cant be stopped and that the best thing to do is simply soften the blow using todays technology like new vaccines, antibiotics, hospital ventilators, and thermal cameras to search for anyone with a fever. WHO now admits travel ban helped But, he added: The medieval way, inherited from the era of the Black Death, is brutal: Close the borders, quarantine the ships, pen terrified citizens up inside their poisoned cities. For the first time in more than a century, the world has chosen to confront a new and terrifying virus with the iron fist instead of the latex glove. At least for a while, it worked, and it might still serve a purpose. He is likely referring to the Chinese governments implementation of mass quarantines which reportedly included entire cities as a means, early on, of limiting the spread of coronavirus. But Trump imposed a travel ban on people coming from China a month ago, and when he did most of his usual critics on the Left and in the Democratic Party criticized him for supposed xenophobia now the president hates Asian people too, according to these people. (Related: Coronavirus spreads to NYC, Texas, New Jersey, Tennessee and Nevada as epidemic sweeps across America.) Now, they are criticizing him for being ineffective though fewer than a couple hundred people in America, as of this writing, are infected. And yet, as McNeil writes, it was Trumps travel ban early on that likely helped keep the spread from getting worse, at least sooner. The White House, in defiance of recent American history, also opted to go medieval by aggressive measures like barring entry to non-Americans who were recently in China and advising Americans not to go to China or South Korea, he wrote. That results in reduced port calls and air links to the virus epicenter and surrounding countries who are now dealing with much larger outbreaks. Officially, McNeil noted further, the World Health Organization opposed the Trump administrations travel restrictions and bans because it always does, as well as trade restrictions. Even as the WHO declared the outbreak a global emergency Jan. 30, its head, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, criticized the restrictions. But, McNeil notes, it now admits that they helped. WHO epidemic modeling teams say travel bans helped slow the spread outside China by two to three weeks, proving, again, that President Trumps decisiveness and leadership are among the best coronavirus defenses we have. Sources include: NewsBusters.org NaturalNews.com Panaji, March 8 : On the occasion of International Women's Day, Goa Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on Sunday urged Goans to pledge to protect the river Mhadei, "our mother", amid the ongoing interstate water sharing dispute between Goa and Karnataka. "River Mhadei is the lifeline for every Goan and it is the duty of each one of us to take a pledge on this Women's Day to protect our Mother. Let us all unite to stop any attempt by anyone to take away River Mhadei from us," Kamat said in his message on International Women's Day, which is celebrated globally on March 8. "Woman is a creator and River Mhadei is a creator as well. The nature of Goa exists only because of Mother Mhadei. Women power has always emerged victorious in times of grave crisis and I appeal to all the women to come forward to preserve and save the identity of Goa," Kamat, a former Chief Minister also said. Kamat's message comes at a time of growing discord between Karnataka and Goa over the sharing of the waters of the Mhadei, an inter-state river. The Opposition, led by Kamat, has also accused Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the BJP, of trying to sabotage Goa's chances in the running feud with Karnataka over the construction of the Kalasa-Banduri water diversion project across the river in the Southern state. An interstate water dispute Tribunal after hearing the over the two-decade-old Mhadei river water sharing dispute between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra, in August 2018 had allotted 13.42 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) (including 3.9 TMC for diversion into the depleted Malaprabha river basin) to Karnataka and 1.33 TMC to Maharashtra. Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra governments have challenged several provisions of the award. Goa has claimed that construction of the Kalasa-Banduri water diversion project, across the river, to divert water from the Mhadei basin to the basin of the Malaprabha river in Karnataka, would cause "ecological devastation" in Goa. Hours after news broke of the first confirmed coronavirus case affecting a U.S. service member in Europe, Pentagon officials announced that a Marine from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, near Washington, D.C., has tested positive for the disease. In a statement from the Defense Department released Saturday evening, officials said the Marine had tested positive for coronavirus, formally known as COVID-19, that same day, and is now being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. "The Marine recently returned from overseas where he was on official business," the announcement stated. "The Secretary of Defense has been briefed. The White House has been notified." Fort Belvoir is in Fairfax County, Virginia; the Marine is the state's first publicly announced case of the rapidly spreading virus. Related: A US Sailor in Europe Has Been Diagnosed with Coronavirus In an online statement, officials with the Virginia Department of Health said Gov. Ralph Northam had been briefed on the development. "Officials at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and the Virginia Department of Health are working cooperatively, according to longstanding public health protocols," officials said. "The teams are in regular and close communication with federal, state, local, and private sector partners." Risk of the disease's spread in Virginia remains low, officials said. News of the Marine's diagnosis comes the same day a sailor based in Naples, Italy was also confirmed to have coronavirus. There are now three confirmed cases affecting U.S. troops; a 23-year-old soldier in South Korea has also tested positive for COVID-19. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Read More: Found Wreckage of WWII Aircraft Brings Hope for ID of MIA Americans International Women's Day (IWD) has been celebrated for more than a century , starting from the early 1900s which saw revolutionary change, growth and the rise of radical ideologies. Since then, women from all over the world have fought for equality, from claiming their right to vote, to demanding equal pay and rights in the workplace. Progress has been made but women still face challenges, especially in certain areas such as business and finance. According to the Government's Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, female entrepreneurs could contribute 250billion to the UK economy if they started and scaled their businesses at the same rate as men. Unfortunately, this is not the case. According to a Government-led report, female entrepreneurs could contribute 250billion to the UK economy if they started and scaled their businesses are the same rate as men In a bid to tackle this, today, the UKs (first female) Science Minister, Amanda Solloway, has committed almost 3million and a package of business support to help inventions by women and young people like clean energy solutions and healthcare services. To celebrate International Women's Day, This is Money spoke to four female founders who have not only gone through the challenges that come with being a woman setting up and running her own business, but those that come with creating a product or service that focuses on making women's lives better. Valentina Milanova - Daye Daye is a female health research and development company that also manufactures sustainable tampons with a range that contains concentrated levels of whole plant hemp extract with naturally occurring cannabidiol - the first of its kind, and designed to tackle menstrual cramps. Founder Valentina Milanova is also on a mission to bridge the gender gap in medical research, raise the standards in female health products and service and normalise the conversation on female health. While reading about industrial hemp, Valentina discovered the plants fibres were more absorbent and the extract had analgesic properties. As a woman who has suffered with painful periods from a young age, she thought there could be a way to use the plant to help other women with the same issues. She says the biggest challenge she has faced as an entrepreneur is not being taken seriously. Daye's founder Valentina Milanova is on a mission to normalise the conversation on female health 'It has happened a lot,' she said. 'Initially by investors, and later on by people in the industry. But I used that to my advantage because not being taken seriously means youre also not seen as a real adversary in commerce, as a real competitor. 'This allowed me to move faster, prove people wrong, and bring a truly innovative product to market less than 12 months after I quit my full-time job and launched Daye.' Valentina found it particularly hard to find design engineers to build the tampon manufacturing machines, as most experts in the field were more excited about planes and trains and motorcycles, rather than female health products. She recalled: 'We turned to recruiting design engineering talent from the art world - people who worked on automated musical instruments and art displays. 'They have a really strong dedication to both female health and sustainability, as well as a very lean approach to machine building, so this ended up becoming a competitive advantage for us.' While developing the product, Valentina soon realised just how little attention is paid to female health, and particularly female pain. 'I learned that women were banned from participating in clinical trials until 1993 and that most over-the-counter painkillers or sleeping aids have never been tested on the female physiology,' she said. Daye reinvests its profits into clinical trials and product innovation for women's health 'I saw this as an opportunity to make a well overdue change, thats why at Daye we reinvest profits into clinical trials and product innovation - not only to clinically validate our products and services, but also to try and bridge the gender gap in medical research by constantly creating new products.' Meanwhile, Daye also hires its production staff through Working Chance, a charity that gives women from the criminal justice and care system the chance to find fair employment. Valentina added: 'This was a decision I made early on. You cant preach about female empowerment without following through on a local, immediate basis, as well as on a big vision scale. 'At Daye, we want to make an impact on the lives of millions of women, and were excited to start by making an impact on the lives of women in our immediate community where we are based in Bermondsey.' Commenting on what can be done to support female entrepreneurs, Valentina thinks there needs to be more women in venture capital and venture debt. She said: 'Right now, the capital for innovation is held predominantly by men, who can never try the products that female founders are likely to be working on. This inevitably creates a gap in the funding thats available for female founders. 'On the surface, tampons seem like a banal product - you can find them on any shelf and they havent meaningfully changed since the 1940s. But thats exactly where the opportunity is - to innovate a product that over 70 per cent of women in Britain use.' Cat Gazzoli - Piccolo Piccolo is a an organic and nutrition focused baby food brand, with a range of bio-based products made from renewable plant based materials with an aim to lower carbon emissions. Its founder, Cat Gazzoli, used to work with the United Nations food agencies in Rome, where she created campaigns and programmes promoting sustainable livelihoods for farmers, as well as promoting female parity and equal opportunities. This month, Piccolo launched its new range of infant formula. Despite breastfeeding her first daughter, Cat felt it was important to have a product which she could be 100 per cent confident in if she needed to turn to help with her new baby - due next month. Some women can't breastfeed for various reasons from being on medication to not being able to produce enough milk. Equally, a baby might not be able to take milk for other reasons. Despite breastfeeding her first daughter, Cat felt it was important to have a product which she could be 100% confident in if she needed to turn to help with her new baby - due next month Piccolo partnered with experts in infant nutrition to develop a natural formula which works for babies and parents. The company is now almost four years old and its products are stocked in all major retailers including some abroad. However as with every entrepreneur, Cat had to make her way through a range of obstacles to get to where she is today. Fortunately, Cat had the help of chef Prue Leith and environmentalist Jonathon Porritt as her mentors who helped her navigate the world of supermarkets and ensure she was making a difference by being a sustainable brand. 'They aided me in the transition from the world of non-profit to business,' she said. 'For this reason, I am particularly passionate about mentorship and encourage all females to have a mentor outside of the company to learn and discuss their work life and progression with, as its critical for their development.' 'I really believe in not being afraid to ask for help or say you dont know something. Its impossible to have every skill for a business; whats critical is knowing and acknowledging you cannot be everything to your business. 'Having a mentor to work through your strengths and weaknesses is paramount. I would advise to get going to share your idea with someone who you think will help you get on your new pathway and be supportive of the new business idea.' Along with support and mentoring networks, Cat also feels there is a need for more capital to be available for female founders. Piccolo's Cat feels there is a need for more capital to be available for female founders She added: 'Its time for the UK government to step up its efforts to help women access capital to fund business ideas and create jobs. 'I have been incredibly lucky in that my mentor, Prue, invested in the business when it was just an idea, but I was very fortunate to already know and work with Prue on charitable works on food education.' Meanwhile, Cat's passion for working with charities hasn't ended as Piccolo supports local families through its partnerships with charities Little Village and City Harvest, by providing baby food and essentials for those in need. 'I strongly believe that businesses no matter if a huge multinational corporation or a tiny kitchen table start-up like Piccolo was just two years ago all have a duty to help,' she said. 'If business leaders recognised the benefit to their employees, their customers and their brand reputation let alone to the cause theyre supporting and helping it would be a no-brainer. 'The commercial sector can have a larger impact on raising awareness and driving change within charities and cause led issues and leave a greater legacy. I hope we inspire other businesses to be brave, take a risk, and ultimately make a difference to those who need it most.' Christina Larkin - Chapter Chapter is an agency that helps female led online micro-brands grow through the use of physical retail while reviving the UK's 'flailing high streets by bringing excitement, innovation and discovery back into physical retail'. It also aims to make it easier for consumers to make better choices about the products they buy, through working solely with brands that are environmentally conscious, featuring products that are ethically sourced, and supporting founders from diverse backgrounds. Founder Christina Larkin developed the concept in 2018 after researching about what 'the store of the future' looked like. Christina Larkin developed the concept for Chapter after researching what 'the store of the future' looked like She found that the idea that the high street was dying - as has often been in headlines in recent years - wasn't entirely true and that many originally online brands grew significantly after going into a physical space. She said: 'One thing in particular piqued my interest and that was the move by hugely successful online businesses - such as Away and Skinnydip - to open physical spaces in prime retail locations. 'This was especially happening in the US and I wanted to know why. As I researched this I discovered they were using physical retail as a marketing channel and not (just) a sales channel. 'This was a total lightbulb moment for me. Of course physical retail is absolutely about marketing but a marketing channel that can immediately deliver sales as well. 'Change the way you think about IRL [in real life] retail and ensure you track its impact online and you suddenly have a model that makes sense for physical retail. One that the large legacy retailers are still struggling with.' At the end of 2019, Christina set up her first pop-up store called 'Women who Give a S***' (WWGAS) in Boxpark in Shoreditch for a month. All businesses that took part were owned and run by women and were ethical and sustainable. Focusing specifically on small, digital and often Instagram-only based operations, her main aim was to shake up the idea that bricks and mortar shopping was only for 'the big boys' and almost dead. 'WWGAS came about as I wanted to have a focus for which brands I would work with and who I wanted to help grow,' she said. 'Ive always been a feminist and the odds are still stacked against female entrepreneurs, so I wanted to start by helping female entrepreneurs. 'I then decided I only wanted to help the right kind of businesses grow so those ethically souring and producing their materials and products and who are trying to do right by the environment.' Chapter is - as of yet - entirely funded by Christina's own savings but as she has been asked to pop-up in New York and Berlin, she is aware that she may need to find funding soon in order to keep the momentum. At the end of 2019, Christina set up her first pop-up store called 'Women who Give a Sh*t' However, commenting on access to funding for female entrepreneurs, Christina said figures that stated less than 1 per cent of venture capital funding went into all-female founding teams in 2018 was 'shocking' and 'debilitating'. She added: 'There are pockets of great things happening (networking groups, workspaces, angel investing groups) but the most fundamental one is that the majority of finance available to start-ups is controlled by blokes, who (sub-consciously in many cases) look to invest in people like them, or ideas that make sense to them. 'For example theres been a wave of innovation in feminine hygiene products, but its been incredibly hard for the companies addressing this market to get finance. This is why I was so keen to get &sisters and Hanx featured in the pop up we did last year - both are fantastic examples of female-led brands looking to lead the change - in terms of womens health as well as environmentally. 'These kind of companies are hugely exciting and I'd say, investable, but put them in front of some 55-year-old man and he's simply not going to get it.' Over the next year, Christina hopes to have fully tested and proven that 'in-real-life' drives online traffic and sales for small brands while building an understanding of what format best works for the brands Chapter works with and Chapter itself. She said: 'By the end of 2020 I would like to be in a position where I understand the economics of what works best for both Chapter and the brands and be in a position to raise finance and scale so we can start to meet our hefty ambitions.' Celia Pool - DAME DAME was launched in 2015 with a focus on sustainability and less plastic waste for its sustainable organic cotton tampon range, which are free from toxins and synthetic materials. Last year, it went one step further and launched 'D' - the world's first reusable tampon applicator. A woman uses on average 12,000 tampons in her lifetime. Multiply that by the number of global tampon users and there is a huge number of waste being created that doesn't even include the tampons themselves. Celia Pool, co-founder of DAME said making the one change to a resuable applicator from a single-use one can make the greatest difference. 'Every year in the UK we throw away 1.3 billion tampon applicators, so we knew there had to be a better way,' she said. 'We launched on Kickstarter in Spring 2018 to see if the world was ready for D and the response was incredible, and timely, following the launch of David Attenborough's Blue Planet II.' Celia Pool of DAME said tampon users making one change to a resuable applicator from a single-use one can make the greatest difference to the amount of waste created globally But Celia said it was hard effectively changing the business proposition from one whose main offering were single-use products to a completely new product that went against it. She said: 'We had a lot to prove and we were very lucky that our investors were so supportive and believed in what we were doing. But it did mean that we had to deliver, and designing a world first product is not a quick thing. 'It took us two years to get it to market and that involved a lot of lean start-up tactics and good old-fashioned hustling along the way.' However, getting those investors in the first place was a challenge. Celia said there needs to be a better environment that encourages women to start and scale businesses at the same rate as men. 'This is where a bank's support is crucial. For example, while DAMEs product clearly resonated with the products target market, it was initially hard to get financial backing,' she recalled. 'Im a mother and Ive had investors turn me down for funding because I would be distracted. On other occasions, Ive had male investors not able to look me in the eye and engage with my pitch purely because of the subject matter. 'Male investors tend to back businesses they have experience and knowledge in. Its an issue many female-founded businesses come across, and International Womens Day is an important opportunity to raise awareness of this in the business community.' DAME offers work experience placements and teaches young people about starting a business The company got its big break to get the D applicator up and running after meeting the Barclays High Growth & Entrepreneurs team, whose funding meant it was able to manage its stock and meet the demands of high street retailers. Celia added: 'Barclays' team that works especially with entrepreneurs wants to help more female-founded business after finding that an environment that encourages women to start and scale businesses at the same rate as men could add up to 250billion to the UK economy. 'Access to funds means that we can press ahead with our commitment to making a big impact across reusables and massively reduce the waste from period products, which currently accumulates to a staggering 100 billion products thrown away a year.' In a bid to give back too, DAME also offers work experience placements through a charity which allows teenagers in London to go into its offices to learn about setting up a new business. State Bank of India Chairman Rajnish Kumar, during an interview with BusinessToday.In, said the rescue of YES Bank was necessary and that customers would be able to withdraw their money well before the April 3 deadline. He added that the restructuring plan for the private lender had also been received by the SBI. The SBI Chairman added that SBI's total initial quantum of investment in YES Bank would be Rs 2,450 crore and its exposure would be limited to Rs 10,000 crore, so to that extent, its ring-fenced, said Kumar. The RBI on Friday revealed a reconstructing scheme for the revival of the troubled bank. It said SBI had expressed interest to invest in the public lender and its reconstruction scheme. SBI would hold 49 per cent shareholding post the infusion. The restructuring plan had been received by the state-owned lender and that its legal team was working on it. Reiterating his earlier statement on fears around the RBI ban on cash withdrawals, Kumar said the depositors' money was not at risk at all. Also Read: YES Bank crisis: Rana Kapoor sent to three-day ED custody till March 11 Also Read: YES Bank ATMs up and running now; withdraw from others too If Joe Biden becomes president, his Secret Service code name should be Lazarus. His political resurrection from the South Carolina primary to Super Tuesday was nothing short of miraculous. In the space of the four days between those two events, he went from a candidate on life support to the clear front-runner. If he can do well or even OK in the remaining primaries, he should have enough delegates to the get the nomination at the Democratic convention in Milwaukee. Bernie Sanders still stands in the way, and its possible that he could enjoy a surge that would slow the Biden bandwagon. But Bernie has consistently bumped into a ceiling of support, and polls show that Elizabeth Warrens voters will not automatically fall in behind him even though she is more liberal than Biden. On Tuesday the Democrats have six more primaries, and Bernie must overperform in them or start to fall so far behind Bidens delegate total that he cannot catch up. Right now, it looks as if Democrats have reached the sensible conclusion that Biden has the best chance to beat Trump in November. But that wont be easy, for the reasons that have dogged Biden throughout this campaign and made him many voters second choice instead of their first: Father Time. Theres nothing wrong with being in your 70s in this campaign, since Biden, Bernie Warren and Trump have all reached that milestone. But of the four, Biden is clearly the least vigorous. At times, he just looks worn out and frankly not up to the most demanding job on earth. If he wins, theres no question he would be a one-term president, and no candidate has ever run for this office with that implied limit. The gaffes. This one galls some Democrats, and it should, because Donald Trump casually lies and distorts facts all the time. It seems unfair that Bidens occasional mistakes are compared with Trumps casual dishonesty. But somehow, Trump gets away with it for a lot of voters, who know hes stretching the truth but still like his instincts and attitude. When Biden tells an audience hes running for the U.S. Senate instead of the presidency, or that he was arrested in South Africa protesting apartheid (he wasnt) you squirm. You wonder how sharp he is, and whether he would have an episode like this during a summit. Not comforting. His style. Hes not a particularly good campaigner or debater. His supporters often hold their breath and hope he can just get through a session instead of dominating it. Theyre trusting that good enough will work in this election, where Democrats hope that a majority will think Trump has to go no matter who his opponent is. Bernies backers. If the Vermont socialist loses the nomination again by a slim margin to an establishment candidate whom many of them view as a borderline sellout, the Bernie Bros will be seething. A lot of them didnt vote for Hillary Clinton because of that resentment in 2016, and Trump eked out a slim victory. If a bunch of them stay home again in November for the same reasons, history could repeat. The enthusiasm gap. Say what you will about Trumps supporters, but they love their guy. They will go to his rallies and cheer until they are hoarse, and they will absolutely vote for him in November. Outside of Bidens family, no one adores him. Most voters, even most Democrats, basically think Biden is flawed but still better than Trump or Bernie. They support him as an obligation, not a passion. But if Nov. 3 is a cold, rainy day, some will be tempted to think about dinner rather than voting. The picture isnt all bad for Joe Biden. Most people realize that he is a decent, genuine human being. He clearly has a boatload of experience as a longtime senator and former vice president. He might not be another JFK or FDR, but he probably wont mess things up either. If you just want a president who doesnt tweet insults or cozy up to dictators, hes your man. And again, maybe thats enough this year. Still, he could lose in November just as easily as he could win. He is the Democrats best chance for victory, but they should be nervous about the prospect until the polls close. Thomas Taschinger, TTaschinger@BeaumontEnterprise.com, is the editorial page editor of The Beaumont Enterprise. Follow him on Twitter at @PoliticalTom A few months back, I penned a column a love letter, really about the World War II Club, aka The Deuce, in Northampton. The place had faced a lot of adversity due to a flood that caused a lot of financial stress to the club. Despite heroic efforts by staff and friends of the venue, it just couldnt make up lost ground and was put up for sale as the last hope of keeping it open. Very shortly after, I heard, off the record, that a buyer had made an offer. (Full disclosure: I am a dues-paying member of the club, which basically affords me some benefits I will never use; I simply wanted to do my part to help keep the place afloat.) Now the pending sale has been made public: Jim Olsen and Peter Hamelin of Signature Sounds, which owns and runs the concert venue The Parlor Room in Northampton, are hoping to close the sale and turn The Deuce into a live music venue. When I first heard this back in late 2019, I was thrilled. Jim has been a visionary leader in the city and overall area, from his days as program director at WRSI (now called The River) to organizing and running the Green River Festival to launching and growing the superb Signature Sounds label. Add in creating the intimate setting of The Parlor Room and offering shows like The Back Porch Festival at the Academy of Music, and its hard to think of anyone who has done more. There is only one hurdle left for this transaction: The neighborhood where The Deuce is located is not zoned for this type of venue. An upcoming vote by the city council will determine whether the zoning will be changed to allow the sale to proceed. To me, this is a no-brainer. Even if I wasnt a huge fan of the place already, I have to say that Conz Street, where The Deuce is located, is hardly a quiet suburban neighborhood. The senior center is across the street, and although seniors are not raising a ruckus on the regular there, it is an active joint at times. There are several busy businesses, such as Paradise Copies, Northampton Convenience, and the always hopping NETA (the marijuana dispensary that opened last year). Plus, The Deuce has been a bar there for decades. If anything, changing it to a concert venue run by the likes of Jim and Peter should make it even more welcome. And with all the talk of empty storefronts in town, does Northampton need one more? I hope the council saves The Deuce. It wont be called that anymore if its sold, but that is no matter. What matters is keeping the doors open and preserving a truly historic place in town. Scouting report On St. Patricks Day, Bo Fitz and the YankCelt Band will play another gig in their farewell tour, a series that has been going on since at least 2016. Its all in good fun, of course, as is the band, which pays this show at Theodores on 201 Worthington St. in Springfield. The show starts at 5 p.m, Also on St. Patricks Day, Brennans in Holyoke will feature The Blackthorne Band from Boston, followed by Darik and the Funbags. Brennans is at 173 High St. Also, on St. Patricks Day, Donovans Irish Pub at Eastfield Mall in Springfield welcomes Jimmy McArdle and Jerry Murphy from noon to 4 p.m. The Healys with Charlie Bongiovi will play an evening set beginning at 5 p.m. Reminder, The Sighs will headline a fundraiser for the St. Patricks Day Parade Committee on Friday, March 13. Tickets are $20 and the show starts at 8 p.m., with Holyokes Eddie Jackowski opening the show with an acoustic set. The Wherehouse? is located at 109 Lyman St. Do you have a cool event coming up at a local club? Send me a note about it at least two weeks in advance to geolenker@yahoo.com and Ill try to get it in this space. Sen. Ted Cruz is in self-quarantine after shaking hands with a person who later tested positive for COVID-19, he said Sunday. Cruz, R-Texas, briefly spoke with the coronavirus patient while attending the Conservative Political Action Conference last month in Maryland, he announced in a news release. The senator said he is quarantining himself at his home in Texas this week out of an abundance of caution. His short interaction with the infected person didn't warrant a quarantine under criteria from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, and medical officials told him it is unlikely he has contracted the illness. WHAT WE KNOW: As Houston's list of infected grows, here's what we know so far Im not experiencing any symptoms, and I feel fine and healthy, Cruz said. Given that the interaction was 10 days ago, that the average incubation period is 5-6 days, that the interaction was for less than a minute, and that I have no current symptoms, the medical authorities have advised me that the odds of transmission from the other individual to me were extremely low. Maryland authorities announced Saturday that a person who tested positive for the coronavirus attended the conference in National Harbor from Feb. 27 to March 1. Among the speakers were President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, neither of whom were believed to be in "close proximity" to the attendee who had coronavirus, White House officials said. CORONAVIRUS IN HOUSTON: All of the latest news, numbers and analysis to keep you up-to-date Doctors told Cruz that people who came in contact with him in the 10 days since the conservative conference shouldnt be concerned about transmission. The Houston Health Department also tweeted Sunday night that anyone who met and shook hands with Cruz at a local event on Saturday is not at an increased risk for infection. Cruz still urged everyone to follow the CDC's recommendations. "Everyone should continue to treat this outbreak seriously and be driven by facts and medical science," he said. "We need to continue to be proactive in mobilizing resources to combat this outbreak." NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here MONTREALQuebecs Health Department has announced another presumptive case of the novel coronavirus, bringing the total of confirmed and presumptive cases in the province to four. The new case was detected in the Monteregie region southeast of Montreal in a woman who returned from a cruise that included a stop in Mexico. Health officials contacted the woman after learning that other people on the ship had tested positive for COVID-19, and learned she was experiencing symptoms. A government spokeswoman says a test taken March 6 came back positive from Quebecs health lab. Authorities say theyre still working to track the patients movements from the time she returned to Canada on Feb. 25. Currently, the patient is resting at home in isolation. As of Sunday morning there were two confirmed cases in Quebec as well as two presumptive cases, which still need to be confirmed by the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg. There were also 10 people under investigation. Read more about: By Trend As a result of US sanctions, Iran's oil exports will continue to decline, Iranian expert on energy issues Mehrdad Emadi told Trend. According to Emadi, Iran's oil exports will be one-fourth of one million barrels. Emadi added that oil production in Iran will also decline by more than 50 percent compared to the time when the US imposed new sanctions on Iran (November 2018). Iranian expert said the decline in oil exports would have an impact on production. Thus, the demand for oil in the country will be significantly reduced. Over the past 23-24 years, Iran's oil wells will face a huge blow because they are not well managed. After the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), Iran's oil sector will face serious losses, he said. According to Emadi, US sanctions against Iran have a greater impact on the oil and petrochemical sector. Iranian expert said that economic growth in the world will not be 1 percent of 75 percent this year and it will not be divided equally between different sectors. Sectors with high energy consumption, aluminum, steel, car-building, tourism services are affected by the events in the world. "In the meantime, the oil market is very worried about sales. The result can be seen in future contracts on the London markets, he said. Emadi said that when they put it all together, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and even Russia had to make some changes. Regarding the rejection of a proposal to reduce production, the Iranian expert said that Russia is trying to push the US market for shale oil to keep oil prices low. In general, Iran has 125 oil fields and 59 gas fields. Iran's total hydrocarbon reserves are 836 billion barrels. With its technology equipment, it can produce 239 billion barrels. Iran can use 29 percent and 71 percent remain underground. US imposed new sanctions on Iran in November 2018. Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports, more than 700 banks, companies and individuals. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz While it may sound odd that the American military is sharing troop locations with its enemy of 18 years, the goal is to give the Taliban information that would allow it to prevent attacks during the withdrawal. Mr. Pompeo described the annexes last week as military implementation documents. That is part of it, but they appear to be much more. Because the documents lay out the specific understandings between the United States and the Taliban including what bases would remain open under Afghan control the details are critical to judging whether the United States is making good on its promise to leave only if conditions allow, or whether it is just getting out. The State Department has struggled to explain why the criteria for the terms, standards and thresholds for the American withdrawal could be known to the adversary but not to the American people or allies. In response to questions from The New York Times, the State Department issued a statement on Friday saying that the documents remained classified because the movement of troops and operations against terrorists are sensitive matters. We do not want, for example, ISIS to know those details, the statement added, referring to Islamic State fighters in Afghanistan. But another reason for the secrecy, according to several people familiar with the matter, is that the annexes leave the markers for peace remarkably vague, making it far from certain that the Taliban must convert into a counterterrorism force as President Trump suggested a week ago or that they are required to make complete peace with the elected government of President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan. Over 1,500 cases of violations of laws on wildlife protection were discovered within the 2013-2017 period. Believing that wildlife is the origin of many infectious diseases, ministries and non-profit organizations have repeatedly called on provincial peoples committees to take prompt action to remove wildlife black markets in their localities. Studies found that 70 percent of animal-to-human infectious diseases are sourced from wildlife and removing black wildlife market is a solution to fight Covid-19 epidemic. Trinh Le Nguyen, director of PanNature, a Vietnamese not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting and conserving diversity of life, cited a report released in 2019 as showing that at least 105.72 tons of elephant ivory (15,779 individuals), 1.69 tons of rhino horns (610 individuals), bone and skin of at least 228 tigers, and bodies and scales of at least 65,510 pangolins have been found in wildlife trafficking cases in Vietnam or related to Vietnam in the last 15 years. In the context of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak intensification, Vietnamese agencies have released notices and directives requesting local authorities to tighten their control over wildlife trading and consumption activities to prevent epidemics. Meanwhile, the report of the Wildlife Conservation Society Vietnam Program and the Department of Crime Statistics and Information Technology confirmed that during 5 years (January 2013 - December 2017), 1,504 cases of violations of the laws on wildlife protection were discovered, prevented and handled; 41,328 kilograms of wildlife and products were seized; and 1,461 violators and 432 defendants were brought to trial. In the context of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak intensification, Vietnamese agencies have released notices and directives requesting local authorities to tighten their control over wildlife trading and consumption activities to prevent epidemics. The recognition of the threats from wildlife trade, especially the possibility of transmitting disease from wildlife to humans, has disillusioned society, the community and individuals who have been using products derived from wildlife. This is also an opportunity for countries to review, amend and strictly enforce laws on wildlife conservation and prevent illegal wildlife trade. Nguyen said there are still many wildlife trade markets throughout the country, large and small, including ones trading endangered, precious and rare animals. Restaurants that serve dishes made of wild animals are still running. Investigations by local newspapers and some nature conservation organizations found that many wildlife raising farms have been used as screens to legalize illegally poached animals and put them up for trade. The Thanh Hoa Market in Long An province, a big hot spot in illegal wildlife trade, has existed for a long time despite the complaints by local people, and warnings by social organizations and press agencies. Local authorities show their incredible indifference to the existence of the illegal wildlife trade market, Nguyen said. Even with direct supervision on the spot by journalists, they still do not follow their law enforcement duties, he said. Thien Nhien WWF urges end to wildlife trade, consumption in Asia-Pacific The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has appealed for an end to the wildlife trade and consumption across the Asia-Pacific region amid the ongoing spread of COVID-19 and similar diseases in recent years. Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor being taken to a court after being arrested by Enforcement Directorate under money laundering charges, in Mumbai (PTI) New Delhi: Investments worth over Rs 2,000 crore, 44 expensive paintings and a dozen alleged shell firms are at the heart of ED's investigations against Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor who was arrested by the agency on Sunday on money laundering charges, officials said. The agency, official sources said, has also recovered documents that show some assets of the Kapoor family in London and the source of funds for their acquisition is now being investigated. The central probe agency that began action against the banker by raiding his upscale residence in south Mumbai on Friday is primarily investigating Kapoor, his wife and three daughters over a Rs 600 crore fund received by a firm allegedly controlled by them from an entity linked to the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL). The Kapoor's linked firm, DoIT Urban Ventures (India) Pvt Ltd, is alleged to have received the funds when Yes Bank had a exposure of more than Rs 3,000 crore loans to DHFL, already being probed for purported financial irregularities and diversion of funds. The bank, they said, allegedly did not initiate action to recover the NPA-turned loans from DHFL and the agency suspects that the Rs 600 crore funds were part of alleged kick backs received as quid pro quo in the firm controlled by the Kapoor family. The ED, officials said, is looking at finding the proceeds of crime during the raids conducted at Kapoor's residence and those of his wife Bindu and three daughters. It has stumbled upon investments worth over Rs 2,000 crore by the family and the active presence of about a dozen shell or dummy firms used to rotate alleged kick backs, they said. It has also stumbled upon 44 expensive paintings purchased by the family, some of which were allegedly purchased from politicians. Kapoor, 62, was arrested at the ED office in Ballard Estate in Mumbai under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after over 20 hours of questioning and he will be produced before a holiday court on Sunday to obtain his further custody. The ED, meanwhile, is also recording the statement of Kapoor's wife and daughters. The arrest of Kapoor, former MD and CEO of the private bank, comes after charges of alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement in its operations surfaced and the RBI and Union government initiated action to control its affairs. Ronaldinho handed imprisonment without bail in Paraguay Football Entered country illegally Ronaldinho and his brother Roberto were transferred to a prison in Asuncion on Saturday after a judge ordered them to be imprisoned without bail. The pair were arrested this week after the former Barcelona star entered Paraguay with a false passport. Ronaldinho is currently without his Brazilian passport due to an environmental fine he received in 2018. The magistrate, Clara Ruiz Diaz, explained the decision to give Ronaldinho imprisonment without bail to the media after the court session. "[There are] elements that indicate that [Ronaldinho] used authentic documents with false content," she said. Ronaldinho and his brother could remain in prison for up to six months as the investigation is carried out. Ruiz also explained why the pair weren't granted house arrest instead of imprisonment without bail. "There is a danger of escaping, a foreigner who entered the country illegally," she stated. Harry Shum, the former Microsoft executive vice-president of AI and Research, was appointed as an adjunct professor at Tsinghua University on Thursday. At an online appointment ceremony on Thursday, Qiu Yong, president of Tsinghua in Beijing, presented the appointment letter to Shum in Seattle. Harry Shum poses at the Global Innovation Exchange in Seattle. [Photo provided to China Daily] "We believe that having world-class experts like Shum joining us will not only have a positive influence on Tsinghua University but also contribute to the development of artificial intelligence in China and the world," said Qiu. It is the first time Tsinghua held such a virtual event due to the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak. Qiu added that artificial intelligence will bring tremendous changes to human society, and its influence on each of us will go beyond our imagination. Shum echoed at the Global Innovation Exchange in Seattle that, "The sudden outbreak of the novel coronavirus is a challenge faced by all mankind. We should gather talent from all over the world to solve our common problems with an open mind, a rigorous attitude toward learning and a spirit of perseverance." After the ceremony, Shum delivered an online lecture titled Engineering Responsible AI. Qiu Yong, president of Tsinghua University, presents the appointment letter during the online ceremony in Beijing on Thursday. [Photo provided to China Daily] The 53-year-old Shum announced in November that he would leave Microsoft early this year. He spent 23 years at Microsoft, having joined Microsoft Research as a researcher in 1996. In 2015, the Global Innovation Exchange was established by Tsinghua University and the University of Washington with the support of Microsoft. Shen was first appointed adjunct professor in Tsinghuas Institute for Advanced Study in 2005. So far, he has supervised 18 Ph.D students in the field of computer science and technology for the school. Months after his arrest on child sex charges, a former North Charleston pastor has pleaded guilty to assault and avoided jail time. Karey Montrel Heyward, originally charged with third degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor under 16, pleaded guilty Thursday to second degree assault and battery. Judge Markley Dennis sentenced Heyward in North Charleston to the maximum penalty of three years in prison, but suspended the punishment to 18 months probation, according to court records. It's unclear whether Heyward, who lives in Monck's Corner, still works in the ministry. He served at Eternity Church in North Charleston when he was arrested in July 2019. Police records allege that Heyward had inappropriately touched and spoken to a child several times between 2012 and 2015. A worker wearing a face mask makes insoles at the Zhejiang Xuda Shoes Co. factory in Wenzhou, China, on Feb. 27, 2020. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images) Businesses in Chinese City Reluctant to Reopen Due to Lack of Masks, Disinfectant: Internal Documents After business activities across China were halted in order to contain the spread of COVID-19, the Chinese regime, concerned about the impact on the economy, ordered all companies in non-virus-stricken areas to resume operations. The Epoch Times obtained internal government documents from Changchun city in northeastern China, wherein local officials complained that many companies were unwilling or unable to resume business due to the lack of supplies to protect against the spread of the virus: alcohol, disinfectant, and protective masks. Changchun is the capital of Jilin Province, located about 1,300 miles from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak. A Feb. 26 report issued by the Kuancheng district within the city of Changchun revealed that the [Jilin] provincial government and [Changchun] city government have required all businesses except restaurants and the construction sector to resume production by the end of February. District officials complained that the directive was not easy to accomplish. Its difficult to control and prevent the [coronavirus] epidemic. We dont have the channels to buy masks and other protective products, the document read. The district government said in the month of February it has provided 3,200 liters of alcohol [for disinfecting], 2,850 liters of disinfectant, and 3,500 masks to businesses to help them return to work. But it wasnt enough to meet the demand. The document revealed that in Kuancheng district alone, 104 large and mid-sized enterprises resumed productionrepresenting 63.8 percent of such types of enterprises in the district. By the Chinese regimes standards, a mid-sized enterprise is defined as a company with annual revenues of more than 20 million yuan ($2.9 million) and with 300 or more employees. The district government said in the document: More and more businesses will resume production to meet the request [from authorities]. The demand for protective materials is getting bigger and bigger. Its very hard for us, the district government, to meet the enterprises needs. Lacking Masks The broader area of Changchun also didnt have enough masks. The Epoch Times also obtained an internal report that the Changchun Health Bureau sent to the city government. Health officials reported what happened after the city mandated that all protective masks only be sold online, beginning Feb. 17. Physical stores would no longer be allowed to sell them, as required by Jilin provincial governor Jing Junhai. According to the report, Changchun residents must order online, then pick up their orders from designated pharmacies after presenting their IDs, phone numbers, and order confirmation notice. Each person is only allowed to buy five masks. On the first day [Feb. 17], we sold 10,000 masks to 2,000 people who booked online, the report said. That day, 1.023 million people tried to order masks online; only 0.2 percent of them succeeded. According to official statistics, Changchun has a population of roughly 7.49 million. Because of the high demand, the bureau decided to sell 20,000 masks per day on Feb. 22. The rule of five masks per person remained. Many residents tried to place orders. According to the document, every day, all masks were sold out within three and half minutes after the system opened to booking. Other Areas of the City In Yushu, a county-level city within Changchuns jurisdiction, 35 out of the countys 51 large and mid-scale enterprises resumed production, according to another document, dated Feb. 26, that The Epoch Times obtained. In total, 3,431 employees returned to work. Yushu county reported that it supplied 1,950 liters of disinfection products and 5,000 masks to these enterprises, but it still was not enough. In internal documents from the Nongan and Dehui county governments, they reported to the Changchun city government that not having enough masks is the key reason why enterprises cannot resume production. Some areas of China have deployed local police to force companies into resuming operations. Click here to download a selection of the documents. A large number of women between the age group of 19 to 29 years die during or before childbirth in India. According to Sample Registration System (SRS), as many as 34 per cent pregnant women, who were below the age of 30, died during their pregnancy between 2015-2017. According to UNICEF, India and Nigeria were accountable to one-third of the maternal deaths in 2017 globally. Both the countries reported approximately 35 per cent of the estimated number of maternal deaths three years ago. It also adds that India's maternal mortality ratio (MMR) per 100,000 live births stood at 35,000 in 2017. The figure is much higher than its neighbours Pakistan (8,300), Bangladesh (5,100), Sri Lanka (120) and Bhutan (24). According to World Health Organisation (WHO), the major complications that account for nearly 75 per cent of all maternal deaths are- severe bleeding (mostly bleeding after childbirth), infections (usually after childbirth), high blood pressure during pregnancy, complications from delivery and unsafe abortion. The vast majority of these deaths (94%) occur in low-resource settings or impoverished localities, and most could have been prevented. According to the Union Home Ministry, 37.6 per cent of pregnant women died during abortion in 2017. As many as 141 between age group 15-24 and 201 women between 25-34 age group, died due to abortive outcome. Other complications of pregnancy and delivery resulted in 1,160 deaths between 15 to 34 year age group. Deaths resulting from previous existing disease or disease that developed during pregnancy stood at 324 in 2017. Overall, 1,987 pregnancy-related deaths were registered between the age group of 25 to 34. Every year the Indian government offers conditional cash transfer to pregnant women via two major schemes -- Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) and Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY). In the union budget 2019-20, the Indian government allocated Rs 2,500 crore for PMMVY scheme. In FY 2018-19, Rs 2,400 crore was allocated to the scheme but the amount was eventually halved in the Revised Estimate (RE) to Rs 1,200 crore. The JSY scheme, which is essentially meant for poor and marginalised women, did not receive the same treatment in terms of budget allocation over the years. According to a report by Centre for Policy Research, in India, less than two-thirds of pregnant women (64 per cent) register for Antenatal Care (ANC) check-ups in their first trimester. Moreover, gaps in the availability of delivery facilities in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) - the first point of contact for pregnant women with a doctor were also palpable. A CAG report in 2017 found that 161 of the 514 PHCs surveyed did not have proper facilities for childbirth. All the 12 selected PHCs in Kerala and more than 50 per cent PHCs in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal, did not have facilities for delivery. Although the death ratio of pregnant women in India has witnessed a significant decline in the last 17 years, improper healthcare during pregnancy remains a major issue in India. Anubha Rastogi, Pratigya Campaign Advisory Group Member, and Independent Lawyer told BusinessToday.In that though there was a decline in maternal mortality rate, maternal healthcare in India is below satisfactory levels. "Women require special attention during this period (pregnancy) but a majority of our institutions lack even the basic necessities required during childbirth". She also highlighted her concern about Medical Termination of Pregnancy Bill, 2020, as unsafe abortion has always been one of the key reasons behind maternal deaths. According to Rastogi, the MTP Bill, which was tabled by Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan in the Parliament on March 2 was ambiguous. She said, "While the Amendment Bill is a welcome move as it will at least create a movement but it is very different from what was expected. The demands that were tabled by experts have not been included rightly by the government. The MTP Amendment bill is lacking transparency. Moreover, the appointment of a medical board in case of substantial foetal abnormalities as suggested by the bill is against the right to privacy and women's reproductive health." Although the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 aims to expand access of women to safe and legal abortion services, it remains to be seen what change will it bring to the maternal mortality rate of India. Also read: Women's Day: Why corporate boardrooms need more woman power One of Matt Gaetz's constituents has died of coronavirus just two days after the Florida Republican was accused of mocking the outbreak by wearing a gas mask in the House. Gaetz, a strong ally of Donald Trump who attended a dinner with the president Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend, was spotted on Wednesday wearing the gas mask ahead of the vote on an emergency spending bill to fight the virus. Just two days later and health officials announced the death of a man in Santa Rosa County, which falls under Gaetz's northwestern Florida district. A second elderly person in Lee County has also died. 'I'm extremely saddened to learn of the first fatality in our district from coronavirus, a Northwest Floridian residing in Santa Rosa County. Our prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time,' Gaetz said in a statement. But Rep. Bobby L. Rush had said Gaetz was 'making light of an epidemic that has killed 14 Americans.' He added: 'This is an absolute tragedy. It is also deeply saddening that when presented with an opportunity to lead, @RepMattGaetz chose to make a cheap joke about an epidemic that would ultimately claim the life of one of his constituents.' The deaths marking the first fatalities on the East Coast attributed to the outbreak in the United States, health officials said Friday. The number of US cases of coronavirus reached 442 on Saturday night, including 19 deaths. Gaetz, a strong ally of President Donald Trump, was spotted on Wednesday wearing the gas mask ahead of the vote on an emergency spending bill to fight coronavirus. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., fourth from right, and others, stand before a dinner with President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday Rep. Bobby L. Rush said Gaetz was 'making light of an epidemic that has killed 14 Americans' 'Reviewing the coronavirus supplemental appropriation and preparing to go vote,' Gaetz had tweeted ahead of a vote on the $8.3 billion bill to combat the spread of the virus. Gaetz, explaining his bizarre accessory, compared the House chamber to a 'petri dish' for incubating germs. 'We all fly in these dirty airports, we touch and selfie everyone we meet and then we congregate together,' the Florida congressman said. Among those who asked him to take the mask off were Ruben Gallego, a combat veteran and Arizona Democrat. The House sergeant-at-arms asked Gaetz to remove his gas mask in the chamber, citing rules against headgear. Gaetz initially protested as he walked off the House floor. 'There are provisions in the House rules that permit medically necessary headgear,' Gaetz said. Gaetz later acknowledged in a statement to The Hill that 'House rules do not explicitly allow medical headgear even at this time of heightened concern,' adding, 'This is a rule that should be revisited.' But other lawmakers slammed longtime provocateur Gaetz. Sean Patrick Maloney, a New York Democrat, told MSNBC he was mocking those who had died. 'It just shows extraordinary insensitivity to people who have lost loved ones and who are now scared about what's going on,' he said. And on Twitter users rushed to condemn Gaetz's actions, accusing him of trivializing the issue and making light of a 'pandemic that kills people'. Reflecting the urgency among lawmakers to address the growing coronavirus crisis, the House voted 415-2 to approve the bill devoting $8.3 billion to fight coronavirus, just hours after negotiators unveiled its contents. Under the bill, over $3 billion would be devoted to research and development of coronavirus vaccines, test kits and therapeutics. No vaccines or treatments for the virus are currently in place, but patients can receive supportive care. Rep. Bobby L. Rush said Gaetz was 'making light of an epidemic that has killed 14 Americans' Gaetz said that while the United States was gearing up in the production of virus test kits, 'we're not where we want to be. The vice president made that very clear that we've got to get more test assets in place.' In a bid to also help control the spread of the virus outside the United States, $1.25 billion would be available for international efforts. The fast-spreading virus that emerged late last year in central China is now in some 80 countries. It has killed more than 3,000 worldwide and rattled financial markets. State and local governments would receive $950 million to support their work in combating the respiratory disease. Indian Army on Sunday issued a tweet on International Womens Day to acknowledge womens role in the force. Making us Proud. General MM Naravane #COAS #IndianArmy & all ranks greet #Women on the occasion of #InternationalWomensDay. Women are omni present in our lives & form an integral part of #IndianArmy, the army tweeted with a hashtag #NationFirst. India began recruiting women to non-medical positions in the armed forces in 1992 and there are more than 3500 women in the military. According to a tweet by defence minister Rajnath Singh women made up just 2.5% of Indias armed forces, working in mainly non-combat roles, before 2016. As of Jan 2019, 3.89 percent of the army personnel comprised women, while 6.7 percent of the navy and 13.28 percent of the air force personnel were women as of June 2019, he had added. Singh tweet had come after the Supreme Court ordered the government in February this year to consider women for command roles in the army, rejecting the Centres push for limiting the roles that women officers should be allowed to perform in the armed forces. The top court, in a judgment hailed for creating a new equality paradigm in the armed forces, upheld a 2010 Delhi high court verdict and ruled that women officers who joined the Indian Army through Short Service Commission (SSC) are entitled to permanent commission, which has only been applicable to men so far, even if they have more than 14 years of service. This would allow women to get the same opportunities and benefits as their male colleagues, including ranks, promotions and pensions, and be allowed to serve longer tenures. Women could earlier serve for five years and their service could be extended by another five years. A policy revision in 2006 allowed them to serve for a maximum of 14 years as SSC officers. Women can join only through SSC and are not given ab initio permanent commission in any of the armed forces. In September 2008, the defence ministry decided to grant permanent commission (PC) to eligible SSC women officers in branches such as the Judge Advocate General and Army Education Corps. Until then, women in the armed forces were offered PC only in the medical wing. Apart from legal and education wings, the army from this year will grant PC to women in branches such as Signals, Engineers, Army Aviation, Army Air Defence, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps and Intelligence. After the Supreme Court order, women officers could command units in these branches, if found eligible. The IAF and Indian Navy also provide PC to women in select branches. Front-line combat roles were off-limits to them until the Modi government approved an Indian Air Force (IAF) plan in 2015 to induct them into the fighter stream. Warships, tanks and combat positions in the infantry are still no-go zones for women. Navy has women as pilots and observers onboard its maritime reconnaissance aircraft, which is a combat role. The United States, Israel, North Korea, France, Germany, Netherlands, Australia and Canada are among the global militaries that employ women in front-line combat positions. ComebackTown is published by David Sher for a more prosperous greater Birmingham. Click here to sign up for newsletter. (Opt out at any time) The Alabama legislature demands the federal government butt out! Our legislators proclaim liberty and states rightsyet they rule our cities with an iron hand that deny them the ability to govern. Gov. Kay Ivey just signed a bill requiring cities to get legislative approval for new occupational taxes, blocking a 1% tax passed by the Montgomery City Council last month. In recent years, lawmakers passed bills to block a pay increase for the Birmingham City Council and later to block a minimum wage increase approved by that same body. Lawmakers have also passed a law to prohibit cities and other government entities from moving historical monuments. Birmingham responded to the restrictive monument bill by placing a plywood screen around a Confederate memorial in Linn Park. A judge under the direction of the Alabama Supreme Court is requiring Birmingham to pay a $25,000 fine for obstructing the view of the monument. Now Alabama senators are considering legislation that would increase the penalty to $10,000 a day. If the bill passes, the city of Birmingham could face fines of $300,000 a month. Birminghams not going to win this fight. Birminghams options appear to be to remove the plywood, pay the fine, or spend a lot of money on a legal defense that it have already lost in the Alabama Supreme Court. But theres a much better option. Jefferson County got it right On April 23rd, 2018, I got a call from Jefferson County Commissioner David Carrington inviting me to a special event at 11 am the next day. The event was the unveiling of the new Justice is Blind mural in the lobby at the Jefferson County Courthouse. Three years ago it appeared Jefferson County was about to become embroiled in a racial controversy that no one wanted. There had been a mass shooting at a black Charleston, SC church by Dylann Roof, a self-described white supremacistfollowed by a nationwide call to remove images deemed offensive and racist. One of two original murals at the Jefferson County Courthouse (Photo: Frank Couch) There are two long-standing murals in the lobby of the Jefferson County Courthouse created during the Jim Crow era that depict African Americans picking cotton and performing manual labor. There was an immediate uproar to remove the murals. But the Jefferson County Commission was determined not to be sucked into the controversy. A mural committee was created and ultimately recommended the murals be expanded rather than removed. County Commissioner Sandra Little Brown explained The majority (on the committee) said we cant erase history. We cant take them down. Lets bring history up to date. The committee approved hiring Ronald McDowell of Tuskegee to create a new mural that would be more reflective of a modern day Jefferson County. The Justice is Blind mural is a compilation of symbols that represent the county and justice system. It includes a black and white Lady Justice and bald eagles hovering over black and white judges. The mural also includes an American flag, the Jefferson County logo and the exterior of the courthouse. The unveiling of the mural at the courthouse was a joyful event. A large diverse audience attended the celebration to hear speakers talk glowingly about the painting and how our community had come together. Birminghams best option Birmingham should consider following the lead of Jefferson County. Mayor Woodfin and the City Council should uncover the Confederate monument at Lynn Park and build a new monument to balance our history. Erect a monument of Martin Luther King, Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, or the children from the Childrens Crusade. Or possibly build a monument to represent the Birmingham of todayas Jefferson County did. Some folks may say the state is protecting its citizens from bad legislation. But this is a democracy and the voters of each city have the power to remove politicians who pass unpopular laws. Birmingham, dont get sucked into a brawl with our legislature. In 2015, the elected Montana Legislature passed a law giving Montanans a tax credit for donating to student scholarship organizations (SSOs), which help low-income parents pay for their children's private schools. The unelected Montana Department of Revenue felt it their duty to correct the will of the people by banning those scholarships from being used for religious schools. Kendra Espinoza, who wants her children to attend a religious school, fought the bureaucratic diktat, with her case ending up being heard presently by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court has predictably divided along partisan lines as to whether the specific exclusion of religious schools is discriminatory. But the arguments surrounding both discrimination and the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment are missing a bigger picture, and dangerously so in terms of the relationship between citizen and state. The underlying assumption as to the nature of the aforementioned tax credit is that this money is the rightful property of the state, which, through the SSOs, it "gives" the citizen through an act of statist benevolence. But this is a warped understanding of the money's origin. The monetary sum isn't "credited" to the donor in the manner of a credit card giving you sign-up spending bonus that wasn't yours to begin with. Those tax "credits" are actually untaxed monies that were worked for and belong to the donors. The amount donated isn't withdrawn from the state treasury, but is offset from the donors' year-end taxes. Per the legislation, the state merely abstains from collecting it from the donors...meaning it never wasn't theirs. Some may think this is splitting hairs, but the distinction is important. It is a crucial determinant to how we as a free citizenry perceive the nature of our relationship to property and our right to do with our property as we choose. More ominously, it shines a light on how entrenched bureaucracies perceive it. If Montanans disagree with granting parents tax breaks for more latitude in school choice, they are free to petition their legislators to overturn the program. But this prerogative belongs to the citizens and their legislators. It does not belong to the Montana Department of Revenue. By conceding the assumption that the state of Montana is funding these parents with state money rather than just collecting less of it, as if the money originated with the government and was rationed out to the workers (rather than with the citizen who first earned it and was then taxed), conservative justices are inadvertently conceding that all income (and by extension all resulting assets) is originally the property of the state. What citizens take home from each paycheck is whatever the government, in its arbitrary largesse, bequeaths to them. From this perspective, the current Montana income tax functionally serves not as a 6.9% tax, but as a 93.1% allowance. These are not the workings of a free republic, but of an unaccountable Deep State that decides for itself what constitutes what's the phrase? "to each according to his needs." This attestation that the Left regards private property as rationed public property, and not vice versa, is neither an exaggeration nor paranoia. It's in their rhetoric and, indeed, in their governance. President Obama referred to tax cuts as spending increases and referred to tax hikes as "savings" (and he did so often enough to rule out misspeaking or malfunctioning teleprompters). It was always subtle in his speeches, but it was there, and it was intentional. The only perspective from which his characterizations make logical sense is if the product of our labor belongs first to the government and then is allotted to us. In Obama's view, a tax cut isn't the workers having less of their money taken from them, but rather the government giving them (i.e., spending) more of what initially and rightfully belongs to the government. Sadly, it's safe to assume that the bureaucracy of Montana is probably one of the nation's least imperious. Yet the decomposing leviathans that Californians and Illinoisans obstinately refer to as their "civil" "services" can rest easy knowing that their respective legislatures will never pass any voucher bill with the word "choice" on it that doesn't relate exclusively to abortion or gender identity. Espinoza shouldn't have to waste time in court swatting away swarms of militant atheist bottom-feeders, who are just as fanatical as her state apparatchiks in their unwarranted confidence that they know what's best for everybody else. If the Montana government voted not to collect a specific amount of money from her SSO donors, then, logically, that specific amount never became state property and is still hers to spend as she pleases within the parameters of the legislation. She wouldn't be in court if the bureaucrats hadn't unilaterally decided that their proper role is to act as benign overlords making deeply personal decisions for the backwater rubes whom they cross the street to avoid. Taxation is a necessary evil that we tolerate in order to maintain a functioning government, a capable military, and paved roads. But a free society must rest upon the axiom that the income belongs first and foremost to its citizens before it can be taxed. The opposite of this, in which a self-appointed elite own our income and allocate it to us as they see fit, is the definition of slavery. A slave fortunate enough to have a lenient master is still a slave, regardless of how significant a portion of his own earnings his master grants him. By AFP ROME: A quarter of the Italian population was in lockdown on Sunday as the government took drastic steps to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus sweeping the globe, while Iran recorded another 49 deaths and the national airline suspended flights to Europe. Italy's COVID-19 death count is now 233, more than any other country outside China. The outbreak has now killed more than 3,500 people and infected over 105,000 across 95 countries and territories. ALSO READ | Bangladesh confirms first three coronavirus cases: Report Italy's measures, in place until April 3, bar people from entering or leaving vast areas of northern Italy without good reason, according to a decree published online. The quarantine zones are home to more than 15 million people and include the regions around Venice and financial capital Milan. Cinemas, theatres and museums will be closed nationwide. 'Bold, courageous' The World Health Organization praised Italy for its "bold, courageous steps", according to a tweet by its boss Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, however, urged Italy to ban its citizens from travelling abroad. The lockdown does allow for the return home of those who were in the affected areas but live elsewhere, including tourists. Flights appeared to be operating normally out of Milan and Venice airports and it was also business as usual at train stations. The borders with Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia remain open. ALSO READ | Iran reports 49 new coronavirus deaths, highest single-day toll Pope Francis, meanwhile, expressed solidarity on Sunday with the victims of the virus in his first livestreamed prayer and message from the Vatican. "I join my brother bishops in encouraging the faithful to live this difficult moment with the strength of faith, the certainty of hope and the fervour of charity," he said. Air and sea Iran reported 49 new deaths on Sunday, its highest toll for a single 24-hour period. This brings the number of those killed by the virus in the country since mid-February to 194, one of the highest tolls outside of China. The virus has spread to all of Iran's 31 provinces with 6,566 confirmed cases. Iran Air announced the suspension of all its flights to Europe until further notice, possibly in retaliation against Sweden's decision to block Iran flights from landing for fear of importing the disease. In the US, the contagion has spread to 30 states, killing at least 19 people, with New York announcing a state of emergency. Passengers on the US cruise ship Grand Princess, in which 21 of the 3,533 on board tested positive for the disease, will remain confined to their cabins in waters off San Francisco until Monday when she has been allowed to dock in Oakland. Meanwhile another cruise ship, the Costa Fortuna, was turned away by Malaysia and Thailand due to virus fears, an official said Sunday. The boat is carrying around 2,000 people, including dozens of Italians. Rome Italy's government on Saturday took the extraordinary step of locking down much of the country's north, restricting movement for about a quarter of the population in regions that serve as the country's economic engine. The move represents the most sweeping effort outside China to stop the spread of the coronavirus and is tantamount to sacrificing the Italian economy in the short term to save it from the ravages of the virus in the long term. "We are facing an emergency, a national emergency," Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said in announcing the government decree in a news conference after 2 a.m. Sunday. He called the measures "very rigorous" but necessary to contain the contagion and ease the burden on Italy's strained health care system. He said people traveling out of, or around, the locked-down areas would have the "obligation" to explain why to authorities. "This is the moment of self-responsibility," he said. Italy's outbreak, already the worst in Europe, has inflicted serious damage on one of the Continent's most fragile economies. It has led to the closure of schools and, by Saturday, it had infected the leader of one of the two parties in the governing coalition. The measures will turn stretches of Italy's wealthy north including the economic and cultural capital of Milan and landmark tourist destinations such as Venice into quarantined red zones until at least April 3. They will prevent the free movement of roughly 16 million people. By Saturday, Italy had more than 5,800 cases of the virus, 233 of them fatal, with increases of almost 800 infections and 49 deaths from the day before. Only China has had more people die after contracting the virus. As the government met late into the night Saturday, ministers insisted the proposals were merely a draft. Confusion spread about whether officials would actually block travel or only recommend against it. As soon as the draft became public, shocked regional and municipal leaders in the north argued that they were caught off-guard and that implementing the rules so suddenly would be impossible. Conte also announced early Sunday morning that the government would extend less restrictive measures previously imposed in the north, such as the closure of museums, movie theaters, discos and betting parlors, to the rest of the country. Critics of the government argued that the late-night meeting reflected a lack of coordination and communication with the country that had caused confusion amid the crisis. Conte said authorities would need to approve special travel permissions in or out of the designated areas for family or work emergencies. He said police would stop travelers to check on their reasons for leaving the locked-down areas. This would all be part of urgent measures to contain the contagion in the Lombardy region and 13 other districts in the Veneto, Piemonte and Emilia Romagna regions in the country's north. Funerals and cultural events are all banned under the measures. The decree requires that people keep a distance of at least one meter from each other at sporting events, bars and supermarkets. People with fevers, even if they had not yet been tested for the virus, are barred from leaving their house, Conte said. Police officers and soldiers would be empowered to enforce containment measures. Churches could remain open, but Masses would be off limits and the faithful would have to stay at least one meter apart from one another. The government decree essentially shuts down much of the northern region of Lombardy, Italy's largest and most productive, which accounts for a fifth of Italy's GDP. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Matteo Caroli, a professor of business management at Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome, said that if "the measures go beyond April, the situation will become systemic and the damage serious." Last week the government announced a huge support package of 7.5 billion euros ($8.5 billion) in addition to 900 million euros announced last week for families and business damaged by the virus. Leaked reports of the draft late Saturday night infuriated Conte and prompted panic in Milan but also resistance and anger from mayors and regional presidents across the political spectrum in the northern areas. Attilio Fontana, the president of the Lombardy region, and a prominent figure in the right wing League party, said the plan moved in the direction of containing the virus with decisive measures but also called the plan a "mess," according to Italian news agency ANSA, because it created confusion about what citizens could and could not do. Luca Zaia, the president of the Veneto region, which includes Venice and other cities marked for lockdown, said that the government had only notified him about the potential ban "at the last minute" and they had serious concerns. Since the region was kept out of discussions to draft the order, he said, "it's literally impossible" for the region to enact it so quickly. In addition to Asti, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro and Urbino, Venice, Padua, Treviso, Asti and Alessandria all in the north were set to be locked down. But there were clear signs that the virus was spreading southward. Earlier Saturday, it touched the top of Italian politics as the leader of the governing coalition's Democratic Party said he was infected. "Well, it's arrived," Nicola Zingaretti, the leader of the Democratic Party and the president of the region of Lazio, said in a Facebook video posted Saturday. "I also have the coronavirus." The infection of Zingaretti, who is based in Rome, provided proof that the virus was no longer a matter of northern exposure, and that the entire country was now grappling with a public health emergency. Let us be clear right from the start: there are no parts of Earth's surface that are safe from seismic activity and earthquakes. Some countries are near tectonic plate boundaries, and such disasters are more likely to happen in their proximity. Earthquakes can range in size from those strong enough to cause severe destruction to those so weak that humans can barely feel them. However, some countries are less likely to experience those same activities. No place is safe from quakes, but these countries come close enough. 8. Barbados Barbados While Barbados does experience natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslips, they are not so frequent for Barbados to be considered a dangerous location. Compared to the magnitude of earthquakes in places like Trinidad and Tobago and the Leeward Islands, this Caribbean country is still much safer. 7. Malta Malta The Maltese archipelago rests on the safer part of the African plate. After the British colonization of Malta, there have been very few epicenter activities in that part of the Mediterranean Sea. Malta experienced as little as seven earthquakes in the last 500 years. Because of such limited damage throughout its history and little known victims, Malta is considered a low-risk earthquake area. 6. Finland Finland The earthquakes in Finland are relatively weak, with their magnitudes usually ranging between 0-4 on the Richter Scale. Finland also doesn't have any active volcanoes to worry about, so their people are typically considered very lucky concerning the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. 5. Norway Norway Norway is also one of the countries where earthquake activity is sporadic and unusual. This Nordic country, located in the northwestern part of Europe, didn't experience any intense or dangerous seismic activity in the last ten years. 4. Sweden Sweden Every time you see a news headline that includes Sweden and earthquakes, you will also see comments about it being very unusual. Some western parts of Sweden do experience minor earthquakes, but they are usually too minor to cause any significant damage. One small earthquake a year isn't such a bad deal. 3. Andorra Andorra Andorra is a small country placed in the southwestern part of Europe, bordered by Spain and France. Usually, any earthquake activity that happens inside Andorra tends to be less than two on the Richter Scale, so Andorra is considered a reasonably safe place to hide from earthquake disasters. 2. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Since they are close to each other, Saudi Arabia also shares the geographical benefits of Qatar. Even though the country is prone to infrequent seismic activities around the parts near the Red Sea, they are seldom considered dangerous. No significant earthquakes or landslides happened in the last ten years in Saudi Arabia. 1. Qatar Qatar This small nation is the most common entry on every list of countries with the lowest risk of natural disasters. Qatar is considered a country least likely to experience cyclones, droughts, big floods, and earthquakes. The worst this country can hope to experience are sandstorms and negligible floods. It is far enough from any major fault lines, as well as volcanoes, which makes it one of the safest countries with the least seismic activities. The federal government will sign a new agreement with the US to boost Australia's emergency fuel stockpiles after reserves got dangerously low in 2018. Energy Minister Angus Taylor will sign a deal in Washington to secure access to America's petrol and crude oil supply. Australia has an international obligation to have 90 days worth of supply, but in August only had enough petrol and crude oil to last 28 days. Energy Minister Angus Taylor is set to sign a deal in Washington which would secure Australia access to the United States' crude oil reserves Mr Taylor will also meet with oil industry heads in Texas before visiting a renewable energy technology centre in Colorado. Car and truck drivers criticised the flagged deal with the US in August, saying any emergency supplies needed to be in Australia. 'It would not provide security for the Australian economy if there is a disruption to international supply chains,' Australian Trucking Association chair Geoff Crouch said last year. 'The proposal to meet Australia's fuel security obligations by tapping into the US reserve is, as a result, simply not viable. 'Australia must have emergency stockholdings that meet our international obligations and they must be in Australia.' At the time, Mr Taylor said emergency supplied would take up to 40 days to reach Australia from the US. Australia has an international obligation to have 90 days worth of supply and the move to an agreement was looked at after 2018 reserves were down to just 18 consumption days of petrol Mr Taylor (pictured) said it secure Australia's access to crude oil but also demonstrate the country as 'safe, reliable and stable' for investment in gas, hydrogen and emerging energy Mr Taylor also said on Sunday the government would be releasing a consultation paper for investment in renewable technologies in coming weeks. The Australian Government's interim fuel security report in 2019 found that at the end of 2018 Australia only had 18 consumption days of petrol in stock. The report also found Australia's fuel stocks were not available equally across the country and that there were significant regional variances. The strategic petroleum reserve, underground in the United States, is known as the world's largest emergency fuel supply with tens of millions of barrels. In a 2019 interview with ABC News, Mr Taylor said tapping into the US fuel stock reserve would be cheaper than creating one in Australia. 'The whole point of this is to minimise costs,' he said. 'What we don't want to do is establish a physical reserve at very high cost in Australia and pass on that cost to Australians at the bowser.' Australia has four major oil refineries, in Altona, Lytton, Geelong and Kwinana, but overseas crude oils can still be purchased at lower prices. After a row over whether authorities should or should not have revealed the name of an Irish school where a student tested positive for Covid-19, this weeks panel digs deeper in other potential privacy conflicts that may arise. Should health authorities be asking infected people for their Google tracked location? If things got really desperate, would they even look for dystopian tools, such as Clearviews facial identification database? The panel, which sees Sunday Independent deputy business editor Fearghal OConnor and Castlebridge chief executive Daragh OBrien join host Adrian Weckler, also debates whether remote working is actually a viable option for people in the longer term. Given that remote working tools have been around for a decade, why would people suddenly start to become interested in the practice now? India is getting to know who its real friends are, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is leading the defence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Government in New Delhi against flak from a section of the international community. Maybe we are getting to know who our friends really are, Jaishankar said on Saturday, amid continuing international criticism of Modi Government be it for communication restrictions and alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, or the new Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the recent violent clashes over it in North-East Delhi. He was asked at an event in New Delhi if India was losing its friends of late. His comment came just days after Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, called upon Modi Government to confront extremist Hindus and stop the massacre of Muslims. Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, too condemned the violence in the national capital of India, calling it a wave of organized violence against Indian Muslims. External Affairs Minister also criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet Jeria, for moving the Supreme Court of India, seeking to intervene as amicus curiae in the hearing on the petitions challenging the constitutionality of CAA. He said that the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had been proved wrong before. Tehran's strong statements on violence in National Capital Territory of India came as a rude shock for New Delhi. Iran in the past generally avoided publicly taking a critical stand on any internal matter of India. Though the religious leaders of the Persian Gulf nation sometimes made statements on the issue of Kashmir, the successive governments in Tehran refrained from taking the side of Pakistan and speaking against India. Over 50 people were killed in clashes between people supporting and opposing the CAA in the violent clashes that started in Delhi for several days since February 23. We have tried to reduce the number of stateless people through this legislation. That should be appreciated, Jaishankar said defending the CAA, which Modi Government brought into force in January after getting it passed by both Houses of Parliament in December. We have done it in a way that we do not create a bigger problem for ourselves. The CAA ensures citizenship to people of six non-Muslim communities Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist and Christian if they had to migrate to India from Muslim-majority Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh on or before December 31, 2014 to escape persecution on the ground of religion. Everybody when they look at citizenship has a context and has a criterion. Show me a country in the world which says everybody in the world is welcome. Nobody does that, he said, Look at America. Look at the Europeans. I can give you example of every European country. There is some social criterion, he said, apparently justifying the CAA allowing only non-Muslims from neighbouring countries to get citizenship in India. New Delhi strongly reacted to the rare move by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stating that no foreign party had any locus standi on issues pertaining to the sovereignty of India. How carefully they (UNHRC) skirt around the cross-border terrorism problem, as if it has nothing to do with country next door. Please understand where they are coming from; look at (the) UNHRC's record how they handled the issue earlier, External Affairs Minister said, accusing the UN rights body of going soft on the issue of Pakistan's export of terror to India. When the violence broke out in North East Delhi, US President Donald Trump was on a visit to India. He, however, refrained from taking it up with Prime Minister or making any comment about it during his press-conference in New Delhi. Two days after his return; Alice Wells, acting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, however, subtly nudged India to respect the right of peaceful assembly (to protest against the CAA). Our hearts go out to the families of the deceased and injured in New Delhi, she posted on Twitter. The US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which has been criticizing the Modi Government for enacting the CAA, expressed grave concern over violence in North-East Delhi. in a more straightforward manner. So did the US House Foreign Relations Committee and several other individual US lawmakers. American Senator and White House hopeful Bernie Sanders criticized American President for keeping mum even as violent clashes in North-East Delhi broke out at a time, when he, himself, was in the national capital of India. When Modi Government on August 5 stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and reorganized the state into two Union Territories, the US and the majority of the international community refrained from supporting the propaganda by Pakistan and China and rather endorsed New Delhi's view that it was an internal affair of India. Trump Administration as well as several US lawmakers and a section of the international community, however, conveyed concerns over communication blackout, restrictions on citizens and detention of political leaders in Kashmir. Turkey and Malaysia, which have been criticising Modi Government for it decisions on J&K, also lambasted India over the CAA and the violence in Delhi. While the issue of J&K was discussed in European Parliament, the British Parliament recently had a debate on the clashes in the national capital of India. There are sections of the world outside the media. I engage governments. I was in a room with 27 foreign ministers (of member nations of the European Union) in Brussels, whom I was talking to Point we make on CAA is that it cannot be anybodys case that a government and parliament doesnt have the right to set terms of citizenship, Jaishankar said on Saturday. We have tried to reduce a large number of stateless people we have in this country. Everybody, when they look at citizenship, has a context, added the External Affairs Minister. Less than two months ago, Brent Welder was tweeting #DropOutWarren at the Massachusetts senator trying to overtake Bernie Sanders in the 2020 progressive lane. Now the former Kansas congressional candidate is waiting to see if Elizabeth Warren, who officially ended her presidential run Thursday, sides with the Vermont Independent he strongly supports as the 78-year-old tries to recapture a sense of frontrunner momentum. "I don't think there needs to be any rush," Welder said. "And I do ultimately believe that shell do the right thing." Welder is among the Sanders supporters hoping Warren will join the progressives cause amid a tough calendar of primary contests that could further put the senator at a disadvantage against former Vice President Joe Biden. Michigan, Missouri, Idaho, North Dakota, Washington, and Mississippi will all vote March 10, and special attention is already being paid to the Midwestern voters. Michigans status as a general election flashpoint makes it a crucial proving ground for the remaining 2020 contenders. "He needs a big comeback next Tuesday," said longtime Democratic strategist Mark Longabaugh, who previously worked for Sanders in 2016 but switched to businessman Andrew Yang this cycle. "Youve got to focus on Washington state and you've got to focus on Michigan, maybe a little bit less so on Missouri. But I think youve got to win those two states that you carried last time." In Michigan, Biden won the endorsement of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday and announced plans to dispatch former 2020 rival Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) for events on Friday and Saturday before the former vice presidents event in Detroit on Monday. Sanders, who won the state in 2016, has events scheduled for Friday and Sunday. But Warrens departure doesnt mean her supporters will uniformly flood to Sanders, a reality that some of the Vermont Independents strong supporters quickly acknowledged. Story continues "I would say that I really hope that we can earn their support and we really stand with them on so many issues that I hope we can earn their support," said Michelle Deatrick, a Democratic National Committee member from Michigan who is backing Sanders. "But we respect their decisions." Chris Savage, chairman of the Washtenaw County Democratic Party in Michigan said it was presumptuous for some from the Sanders orbit to assume hed join with Sanders just because he supported Warren. Savage, who described himself as "radically left progressive, for the most part," said he endorsed the Massachusetts senator in his personal capacity and is voting for Biden. "I'm voting on electability quite frankly and I don't think that Bernie Sanders can beat Donald Trump," Savage said. Robert Mijac, a Democrat on Michigan's Macomb County Board of Commissioners who endorsed Warren, was stoic about his chosen candidate leaving the race Thursday. He, too, said hell probably vote for Biden when the primary comes. "I like Bernie, but I think Bidens going to have a better chance at beating Trump by far," Mijac said. "I don't think Berniewith the whole socialist thingI dont think that works well here." Gripes with Warren from some Sanders endorsers are also apparent as he plays catch-up with Biden. Curtis Wylde, a professional wrestler and DNC member from Missouri who supports Sanders, derided the moderate grouping around Biden as a centrist Megazord, and feels that Warren should have dropped out and endorsed Sanders. "I see Biden as a very flawed candidate," he said. "As flawed as Hillary Clinton, without as much excitement." He believes Donald Trump is "probably going to eat him for breakfast." But with Missouris primary approaching, he said he would have liked to have seen more of a Sanders ground game in his state. "I honestly don't feel the wave in Missouri towards Bernie that I did in 2016," he said. "Not that I dont feel it. I dont see it. I don't see the noticeable emotion from people or the support that I had seen. Although, that said, I don't see that for anyone here in Missouri." Earlier this week, the groundswell of support that catapulted Biden was almost immediately used as a subtle example by one of Sanders most prominent surrogates of what could have happened for progressives. Imagine if the progressives consolidated last night like the moderates consolidated, who would have won? Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tweeted late on Super Tuesday when Biden re-solidified his frontrunner status. After largely avoiding confrontation in earlier debates, hard feelings between Warren and Sanders became more clear as the primary season took shape. Warren sparred with Sanders in January over whether the Vermont Independent had told Warren during a 2018 meeting that a woman couldnt beat Trump this cycle (something Sanders has denied). As her campaign began to struggle, Warren took further shots at her fellow progressive but it couldnt help save her run. Warrens decision to avoid making a sharper contrast with Sanders earlier was seen as a strategic mistake by some that loomed large as she tried to find her way to victory in what was once a vast Democratic field. During the 2016 cycle, Warren held off from endorsing Hillary Clinton until the primary between the former Secretary of State and Sanders was essentially over. Warren did not immediately endorse a candidate after ending her bid Thursday, a contrast to her moderate rivals who quickly moved to Bidens side after they dropped out ahead of Super Tuesday. "(I) want to take a little time to think a little more," Warren said about declining to endorse on the day she dropped out. Warren continued to demur on an endorsement during an interview with MSNBCs Rachel Maddow Thursday night. Ill get up tomorrow morning and start thinking about that question, Warren said. Pressed by Maddow about if waiting to endorse could lessen the impact of an eventual endorsement, Warren remained focused. Its only been a day, Warren said. Just give me a little space here. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. GRAND RAPIDS, MI A group of economic and community development leaders say Michigans economy isnt working for everyone, and theyre urging state lawmakers and others to develop policies and programs to create rising income for all. The group, which calls itself Rising Income for All, says a significant number of households are experiencing declining or stagnant income despite a healthy economy with a low unemployment rate. Changing that, and ensuring that all Michigan families can earn a good living and pass on a better opportunity to their children, is the prime economic challenge of our times, according to the group. The state should establish as a mission rising household income for all, said Lou Glazaer, president of the Ann Arbor-based think tank Michigan Future Inc., and a member of Rising Income for All. In addition to Glazer, members of Rising Income for All include Birgit Klohs, president and CEO of The Right Place, a Grand Rapids-based economic development group, and Sandy Baruah, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber. In 2018, Michigans per-capita income totaled $48,423, which is 11 percent below the national average. In 2000, it was just 1 percent below the national average. On all these income measures, Michigan has done substantially worse than the rest of the country, Glazer said. Rising Income for All is not laying out specific policy recommendations designed to boost wages. But it is advocating that the state adopt a new way to measure whether Michigan households are earning enough to get by. It says Michigans unemployment rate, which was 3.9 percent in December, fails to do so. Specifically, the group wants the state to adopt the Michigan Association of United Ways ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed) measurement. The measurement captures households that dont earn enough money to pay for necessities such as childcare, housing, food, transportation, healthcare, a cellphone and taxes. According to the latest ALICE data, 43 percent of Michigan households dont earn enough money to pay for those items. Glazer called that statistic an alarm bell, and said theres an urgency to boost wages because "you cant have a good economy when 43 percent cant pay for basic necessities. In a letter released Sunday, March 8, the group says that in order to boost prosperity, people working in economic development, housing and workforce development must focus on creating policies and programs that lead to an economy that both grows and benefits all. Klohs said The Right Place which works to retain, attract and expand businesses in Kent, Ionia, Lake, Montcalm, Newaygo and Oceana counties has adopted a strategic plan that includes the goal of attracting or retaining jobs with an hourly wage of $26.35. Thats 20 percent higher than the average hourly wage in West Michigan, according to The Right Place. Klohs said she cant force businesses to pay their employees more. However, she said her organization and others can make the case that a businesses employee turnover rate will drop if it provides opportunities for its employees to advance and earn higher wages. Were doing well, Klohs said of Michigans economy, but not everybody is participating where they ought to." Read more: Driver seriously injured in U.S. 31 rollover crash Kent Countys first recreational marijuana shop opens next week After losing committee post over inappropriate behavior, Michigan senator says he didnt sexually harass anyone Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor By Express News Service KOCHI: The trial of the Thrissur Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) seizure case in which 103 counterfeit notes of Rs 2,000 denomination were recovered from a West Bengal native will commence at the NIA court in Kochi from March 25. The counterfeit notes originated in Bangladesh. In the first phase, the court will examine 17 witnesses in four sittings to be held from March 25 to April 1. Ali Hossain, 29, of Samserganj, Murshidabad, West Bengal, will face trial. The court has indicted him under section 120(B), 489(B) and 489(C) of IPC. There are 35 witnesses in the case, including a protected witness. The NIA court on Saturday asked the national agency to submit the statement given by a protected witness next week. After Ali sought legal aid, a counsel to represent him during the trial was appointed by the court. Alim Sheik hailing from Chapai Nawabganj district in Bangladesh is the second accused in the case and he is absconding. NIA is also in search of another Bangaladeshi identified as Aktharul who also is suspected to be a close aide of Alim. The related incident took place on August 19, 2018, when Ali was arrested by the police for attempting to make a payment with two fake currency notes in a shop in Thrissur. In the ensuing search at his rented house in Madapallur in Palakkad, 101 FICNs were recovered. The case was later taken over by the NIA. The probe revealed that Alim visited Ali and returned to Bangladesh in July 2018. He along with Aktharul returned with fake currency notes on August 12. After the arrest of Ali, Alim and Aktharul went absconding. In the first phase, the court will examine 17 witnesses in four sittings to be held from March 25 to April 1. West Bengal native Ali Hossain, 29, will face trial. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: The State Election Commission on Saturday announced the schedule for polls to local bodies, including MPTCs, ZPTCs, municipalities and panchayats. While elections to MPTCs and ZPTCs as well as municipalities will be conducted in a single phase, panchayat polls will be held in two phases. The MPTC and ZPTC polls will be held on March 21 and counting of votes will be taken up on March 24. For urban local bodies, polling will be held on March 23 and votes will be counted on March 27. When it comes to panchayats, polls will be held in two phases on March 27 and 29 and counting will be held on the same day soon after the end of polling. Re-polling if necessary, will take place the next day. The Collectors and SPs of the respective districts have been authorised to take a decision on the date of panchayat polls in their jurisdiction. State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar said that the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) had come into force with immediate effect. "No new schemes or old schemes influencing voters should be taken up until the completion of the whole election process. We are following the guidelines on the lines of the Central Election Commission," he said. ALSO READ| Model code of conduct may halt Andhra Pradesh govt's housing for poor scheme Services of govt staff enough to conduct civic polls, says SEC Stating that general and expenditure observers will be appointed, he said the services of government staff are enough to conduct the local body elections. If needed, we will utilise the services of village secretaries and Anganwadi staff. "But I dont think such a situation will arise. Village/ward volunteers will not be involved in the election process," the SEC said, ruling out the possibility of conducting elections to the newly formed panchayats now. ALSO READ| Reservation for urban local bodies in Andhra Pradesh ahead of polls finalised Meanwhile, the much publicised scheme intended to distribute about 26 lakh house sites to the poor people on March 25, marking Telugu New Year Ugadi, has been caught in a limbo with the SEC maintaining that any old or new government scheme that influences the voters cannot be taken up as the Model Code of Conduct is in force. "I will not comment on any specific scheme. Either it is an existing or new scheme that influences the voters should not be implemented and the Collectors should ensure it," the SEC said. Responding to the YSRC party colours painted on some government buildings, the SEC felt that it would not influence the voters. However, he was quick to add that there should be no political party colours on the buildings where polling will be held. As the issue of painting the YSRC colours on government offices is in the High Court, the SEC said that he could not comment more. ALSO READ| YSRC announces 34 per cent seats for BCs in Andhra Pradesh municipal polls Seats for BCs, announces YSR Congress AMARAVATI: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to provide 34% seats to BCs in the upcoming local elections. YSRCP MLA Jogi Ramesh and MLC Krishna Murthy said TDP blocked govt move to provide 34% quota to BCs but Jagan has decided to provide additional 10% to BCs Poll schedule MPTCs/ZPTCs Filing of nominations - March 9 to 11 Polling - March 21 Counting - March 24 Municipalities Filing of nominations - March 11 to 13 Polling - March 23 Counting - March 27 Phase I panchayat polls Filing of nominations - March 17 to 19 Polling - March 27 Counting - March 27 Phase II panchayat polls Filing of nominations - March 19 to 21 Polling - March 29 Counting - March 29 In route news this week, Lufthansa makes drastic cuts, but there are a few positive notes including new Southwest service to Hawaii from Oakland and San Jose; more Turkish Airlines flights to SFO; a starting date for Americans Seattle-Bangalore flights; new U.S. routes from Air Canada and Volaris; and more Delta and Alaska service coming at Seattle. On the negative side, coronavirus continues to batter airline schedules worldwide as bookings plunge: Lufthansa is cutting its schedule in half; United, Delta and American have cut back Italy service; American drops a Seoul route and Korean Air reveals more U.S. cutbacks; and Delta is shrinking its Japan schedules. Several airlines have overhauled change fee policies for reluctant customers. And theres airport news about Sacramento, New Orleans and Berlin. After announcing a 25% cut earlier in the week, Lufthansa said Friday that it is reducing its capacity in the coming weeks by as much as 50 percent of pre-coronavirus outbreak levels. Lufthansa, the largest carrier in Europe after discounter Ryanair, says it has suffered "drastic declines in bookings and numerous flight cancellations" and that the upcoming cuts should reduce the financial consequences of the slump in demand." The company, which operates SWISS and Austrian Airlines, also says its considering whether to suspend service of its 14 Airbus A380 superjumbo jets, one of which flies daily between San Francisco and Munich or Frankfurt. A few new routes: With so much airline service being eliminated or scaled back, its worth a reminder that some new routes are still being added although these days, all news about routes is subject to change without notice. Anyway, lets start with the positive news, led by Southwests route expansion scheduled for March 7. That includes the latest additions to the airlines Hawaii network, with daily flights starting on that date from Oakland to Lihue, Kauai and to Kona on the Big Island; and daily flights from San Jose to the same two destinations. Also on tap for March 7 is new daily Southwest service from Sacramento to Kahului, Maui. Elsewhere, Southwest is due to begin new daily Denver-Des Moines flights on March 7 along with twice-daily service between Atlanta and Memphis. And on March 8, Southwest plans to start twice-daily flights from Houston Hobby to Cozumel, Mexico. All great news for now, but keep in mind what Southwest Airlines' CEO Gary Kelly said Thursday on CNBC: that the carrier has experienced a very noticeable, precipitous decline [in bookings]. Its continued on a daily basis. New international service in the works includes news from Turkish Airlines that it will increase San Francisco-Istanbul capacity by adding a second flight three days a week this summer. The extra flight, using a 787-9, will depart SFO at 2:45 p.m. on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays from June 7 through October 4. Turkish also plans to boost its Chicago-Istanbul schedule from seven to 10 flights a week starting May 7. Meanwhile, we have new details on American Airlines recently announced intention to begin ultra-long-haul service from Seattle to Bangalore, India, as part of its newly expanded partnership with Alaska Airlines. Subject to government approvals, American filed plans to introduce the route on October 25, operating daily departures with a 787-9. On the same date, American will begin a daily 787-9 flight between Los Angeles and Seattle. In North American news, Air Canada said it will add new daily year-round service on June 15 between Vancouver and Orange County, California, with an A319. And Mexican low-cost carrier Volaris will begin twice-weekly A321neo flights in late June from Morelia to Sacramento, Portland and Seattle, along with weekly Oaxaca-Chicago OHare service. On the domestic side, Delta announced it will launch two new routes out of Seattle on June 8, including three daily roundtrips to Dallas/Ft. Worth and one to Columbus, Ohio, using new Airbus A220s on both routes. Delta will also add a second daily frequency from Seattle to both Austin and Orlando on that date. And Alaska Airlines said it will introduce a new daily 737 roundtrip between its Seattle hub and Cincinnati beginning August 18. More bad news: Now lets jump back into bad news the latest wave of coronavirus-related schedule and policy changes, which are plentiful this week. As we reported the other day, United said it expects to cut domestic capacity by 11 percent in April (including non-stops from SFO to New Orleans, Ft. Lauderdale and Bentonville, Ark.), mostly by reducing flight frequencies or downsizing aircraft, and to slash international capacity by 20 percent (including routes already cut.) And JetBlue expects to reduce its passenger capacity by 5 percent. Late Friday, El Al announced that it would make deep cuts to its schedule, including the elimination of its relatively new SFO-Tel Aviv flight. It's also laying off thousands of workers. This is an unprecedented crisis, a senior El Al official told the Ynet news site. The consequences of this crisis are huge and we are trying to do everything we can [to handle it], he said. Currently, United's SFO-Tel Aviv nonstop is still in operation. It looks like darker times lie ahead for the airline industry. The International Air Transport Association this week increased its estimate of 2020 passenger revenue losses worldwide from the previous $29 billion to $63-$113 billion as reservations dry up and cancellations continue to mount. That would make it the worst period for the airlines since the Great Recession. There were anecdotal reports this week that air travelers have been posting photos on social media of almost-empty airplane cabins and airport concourses. And while coronavirus wasnt totally to blame, it may have claimed its first airline victim: The U.K.-based regional airline Flybe, which was purchased last year by a Virgin Atlantic-led consortium, this week canceled all its flights and shut down. Across the Atlantic, northern Italy is now a coronavirus hot spot, and the government recommends avoiding unnecessary travel there. Subsequently, Delta suspended its New York-JFK Milan service at least through May 1 and pushed back the start of its seasonal JFK-Venice flights from April 1 to May 2. The airline will also trim its Detroit-Rome service during April from daily frequencies to three a week and will reduce Atlanta-Rome from five flights a week to four during March and April. American Airlines has suspended its daily Milan flights from JFK and Miami at least through April 24, and United has halted Newark-Milan service through March 14. South Korea remains the focus for new transpacific virus-related schedule changes. Last week, Delta, United, Hawaiian and Korean Air all cut back service to Seoul Incheon, and this week American Airlines did the same, suspending its Dallas/Ft. Worth-Seoul flights through April 24. Korean Airlines has added more service cutbacks to its earlier ones, filing plans to cancel Boston-Seoul, Las Vegas-Seoul and Dallas/Ft. Worth-Seoul flights through April 25 and to trim its Atlanta-Seoul schedule from seven flights a week to four, Chicago-Seoul from seven a week to three, and Los Angeles-Seoul from two flights a day to one. And Asiana Airlines has suspended its five weekly Seoul-Seattle flights from March 16 to 28. Japan schedules are also facing more shrinkage. Last week, we mentioned Uniteds plans to reduce its U.S.-Japan operations, and this week Delta got on board with its own. Effective March 7 through April 30, Delta is suspending its daily Seattle-Osaka flight, trimming its Tokyo frequencies from daily to five a week from Atlanta and Minneapolis/St. Paul, and reducing service from daily to three flights a week between Portland-Tokyo, Detroit-Nagoya, Honolulu-Nagoya and Honolulu-Osaka. Delta said it remains on track to consolidate all its Tokyo flights at close-in Haneda Airport at the end of March. Airline cancellation policies in flux: As airlines become desperate to keep bookings coming in, they are increasingly easing up on restrictive flight change and cancellation fees and policies; in fact, some airlines have relaxed those policies twice in just the past week. In the latest developments, United said passengers who book a flight from now through March 31 can change it for free over the next 12 months. Deltas most recent update said change fees are being waived for flights booked between March 1-31 and for international flights booked previously that are due to fly in March. American is also waiving change fees for flights purchased through March 31. Alaska Airlines said customers who buy a Saver fare through March 31 can cancel the trip and deposit the money into their My Wallet account; so can purchasers of nonrefundable first class or Main fares, but they can also make a one-time change for no fee. And Hawaiian Airlines is allowing fee-free changes to flights booked between March 1-16. Don't miss a shred of important travel news! Sign up for our FREE bi-weekly email alerts Airport news: No boarding passes, United Club, Berlin (finally!) In airport news, flyers departing SFO and Sacramento International dont have to show their boarding pass at TSA checkpoints anymore. Instead, TSA agents are now using a new ID verification system called Credential Authentication Technology. By scanning the travelers drivers license or other ID, the TSA agent can verify that the individual is ticketed to fly out that day, and can also check their identity against the governments Secure Flight database to make sure theyre not on the Do Not Fly list. The technology is being rolled out at a number of U.S. airports in the weeks ahead, including Seattle, Austin, Miami, Charlotte, Phoenix and Pittsburgh. United has added a new United Club to its network, this one in the new terminal at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International. The 6,000 square foot United Club is located near Gate C7, serving up complementary food and beverages, beer, wine and cocktails. The facility seats 95 and offers free high-speed Wi-Fi and plenty of power outlets and USB ports. United said it expects to open a new Polaris lounge at Washington Dulles this summer and another new United Club at Phoenix Sky Harbor later this year. Remember Berlin Brandenburg? Thats the name of the new airport for Germanys capital, located 11 miles south of the city center; it was supposed to open back in 2011, replacing Berlin Tegel, but it never did for a number of reasons including complications with its safety infrastructure. Officials kept pushing back the airports opening date again and again until it became a national joke, and as the years went by, people generally forgot it was there. But theyve been working on Berlin Brandenburgs (BER) problems all this time, and now its getting ready to open at last. Lufthansa said this week that all of its Lufthansa Group member carriers will move there from Tegel this fall. Austrian Airlines, SWISS and Brussels Airlines will commence operations at BER together with Lufthansa on 8 November. According to current plans, Eurowings will already have its first flight from BER on 4 November, the company said. Lufthansa added that passengers who encountered security checkpoint bottlenecks at Tegel will be relieved to find that BER has a centrally organized security checkpoint, more modern technologies at the control lanes and more spacious terminals (that) should make the processes more efficient. Read all recent TravelSkills posts here Chris McGinnis is SFGATE's senior travel correspondent. You can reach him via email or follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Don't miss a shred of important travel news by signing up for his FREE biweekly email updates! SFGATE participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. 10.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard No human being with a conscience, a belief in American values, or a semi-functioning moral compass would dispute the fact that Donald Trump is a despicable human being. Simply put, Trump should never have been allowed to occupy a place he has no right even visiting, and it is an opinion no small number of Republicans held prior to Trumps unlikely victory in 2016. That so-called victory enabled Trump to lead the GOPs long-running assault on America, its people, and its constitutionally-protected democratic institutions. It is easy to lay all blame on Trump for Americas rapid demise as a representative democracy, but the real blame belongs to Republicans in Congress. Trump is only executing policies Republicans have advocated for decades, and they willingly allow Trump to violate constitutionally-mandated procedures to maintain his loyalty to their causes. No matter how one assesses the current state of American politics, it is no exaggeration to claim that Republicans have willingly abdicated their constitutionally-mandated responsibility to hold the leader of the Executive Branch to his sworn oath to support the nations founding document. The sad truth is that the assault on the Constitution, and the American people, began long before Trumps poorly-attended inauguration. And, they will continue unabated regardless of Trumps absurd tenure in the Oval Office. There is little doubt that if a Democrat in the White House acted like the rule of law and the Constitution did not apply to them, congressional Republicans would have impeached and removed them with extreme prejudice. This is certainly true because when Republicans were convinced that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would easily win the 2016 presidential election, they announced plans to spend the next four years investigating the same issues they spent the previous four years investigating only to find nothing. Their goal was to quickly impeach Hillary Clinton after she was sworn in office after the election. Instead of holding Trump to account for, among other things, violating the Emoluments Clause, Anti-nepotism Statute, and the so-called Take Care Clause, Republicans in Congress sat on their hands and enabled Trumps corruption. Despite the Constitution clearly stating it is the obligation of Congress to, for example, impose tariffs, congressional Republicans looked the other way when Trump began his trade war with allies and opponents alike. It is not that they are ignorant of Trumps crimes, Republicans just dont care because he willingly signs any Republican legislation that crosses his desk and duly appoints every hyper partisan religious conservative Moscow Mitch McConnell submits to infect the federal judiciary. There is no better proof that McConnells flagrant disregard for the Constitution is on par with Trumps than his refusal to allow then-President Barack Obama to fill a vacant seat on the Supreme Court. McConnell also led his partys concerted efforts to obstruct any other of President Obamas choices to head federal agencies, as well as nominate officials to fill vacant positions on the federal judiciary. The Constitution is clear in how SCOTUS and judicial vacancies are to be filled, but McConnell, like Trump, doesnt adhere to the document he swore a so help me god oath to support and defend. Although there are many theories regarding why Republicans continue supporting and protecting Trump from facing the consequences of leading a corrupt administration, it is most likely that Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman called it correctly. Republicans willingly support Trumps lies, racism and authoritarian tendencies simply because Trumps primary agenda is the Republicans agenda; raiding the Treasury to further enrich the already wealthy. And, if any American believes Republicans are finished using Trump they are beyond delusional. The theocrats in the GOP cannot control Americas women without Trumps assistance in creating what Republicans and their religious right supporters demand a Christian-run judiciary founded on the Christian bibles Ten Commandments.. It is almost certain that Republicans know well that Trump should have been impeached and removed from office before he could inflict serious damage on the country. Instead, they have sat idly by and allowed Trump to implement policies, including those put in place by Republican administrations, to sate his vile xenophobic acolytes and evangelical sycophants lusting for an American Christian theocracy. It is obvious to any decent American that to preserve what remains of American values Trump has to go. However, it is just as crucial to put an end to Senate Republicans led by Mitch McConnell. Moscow Mitch and his cohorts in the GOP will continue abusing the Constitution and the American people to further enrich the already wealthy and corporations. If McConnell and Trump remain in power Americans can prepare for and expect a proper annihilation of domestic social programs and any policy intended for the general welfare of the people. Some might wonder why Republicans failed to convict Trump after he did the GOPs bidding with tax cuts for the rich and began a vicious deregulation frenzy, but Trumps announcement on Thursday signaled why Republicans still need him in the White House. He said he would fulfill the GOPs long-standing dream of slashing Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to reduce the trillions-of-dollars the Republican tax cuts added to the deficit. Americas women may as well prepare to accept their fate as official third class citizens, because with McConnells valuable assistance Trump has created a federal judiciary Hell-bent on eliminating any and all semblance of a womans fundamental human right to self determination regarding her own body. In that sense, like giving the rich and corporations the keys to the Treasury, Trump and his Republican enablers have given the religious right the federal judiciary they demanded to eliminate a womens right to control their own bodies. Of all the vile things one might say about Donald Trump, it is that he is the personification of a hardline, nasty Republican. Over at Esquire Charlie Pearce summed up best the major problem plaguing America today. Mr. Pearce wrote that: Trumpism is Republicanism inflated with poison gas. If Democratic candidates for any office fail to remind voters of that simple fact, then they can expect Republicans to do well in November regardless of Trumps chances of re-election. It is the non-cooperative and irresponsible approach of the three persons with travel history to Italy which resulted in five more Covid-19 cases in Kerala. All the five cases are from Pathanamthitta district. Despite repeated instructions being given by the health authorities to the public who visit virus-hit countries, the three persons, a couple in their 50s and their son, hid their travel history to Italy. They travelled in the Venice-Doha Qatar airlines QR 126 flight and from Doha they took another Qatar Airlines flight QR514 to reach Kochi. They reached Doha on February 29 and landed in Kochi on March 1 morning. But they evaded the health desk at the airport. All five have been admitted to the Pathnamathitta general hospital and are under observation. Their condition is stable. The authorities came to know about their travel history only when two of their family members having fever and other symptoms visited the hospital. Though the medical practitioners asked the three persons to shift to the hospital, they ignored the direction saying they had no health issues. Later, their swab samples were taken forcefully and sent to National Institute of Virology which tested positive for the virus by Saturday night, said health minister K. K Shylaja. The minister made it clear that the practice of hiding travel information will be considered a crime. Those who come from countries like Iran, Italy, South Korea and China should report to the health department immediately. Contact tracing of the Italy returned family has already started which will be completed. The co-passengers in the two flights in which the patients travelled, who are in Kerala now, should immediately report to the nearest health centres or contact the helpline number, she said. Meanwhile, the health department has stepped up surveillance and alert has been issued in Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam districts. Since the family landed at Kochi airport, Ernakulam district collector S Suhas convened an emergency meeting at the airport on Sunday. Though three medical students from Wuhan University were infected with virus in the state, local transmission could be prevented through timely detection and effective intervention. The three students have been cured and their home quarantine period also is over. Hannah Clarke's best friend has shared a tear-jerking letter in memory of the slain mother and her three children as grieving loved ones prepare for their funeral. The 31-year-old mother was murdered by her husband Rowan Baxter, 42, who set her car on fire while she was dropping their children Laianah, aged four, Aaliyah, six, and Trey, three, off at school in Brisbane last month. The youngsters died at the scene while Hannah succumbed to her horrific burns at Royal Brisbane Hospital later that day. Baxter killed himself at the scene. Ms Clarke's closest friend Nikki Brooks penned an open letter to the mother-of-three ahead of the family's funeral on Monday. Ms Clarke's (left) closest friend Nikki Brooks (right) penned an open letter to the mother-of-three as devastated loved ones prepare to farewell the family at Friday's funeral Hannah Clarke (left) died after her husband Rowan Baxter (right), 42, set her car on fire while she was dropping their children Laianah, aged four, Aaliyah, six, and Trey, three, off at school The three young children and their mother died after being doused in petrol and set alight 'I can scarcely believe it's been just a few weeks since you so tragically left us, the splitting of our hearts deafeningly loud, and the ache of your absence is so heavy it's hard to bear. How could this world keep turning without you and our little angels?' Ms Brooks wrote in the letter, published by Now To Love. 'You always made me laugh even when I knew deep down you were hurting more than any of us could imagine. Over the years we sure made some mischief, but we always had each other's backs.' She apologised to Ms Clarke for not being able to protect her and promised she would cherish the memories they created before her life was cut short. Ms Clarke shares a big smile while holding her son Trey, three, at the beach 'You carried the weight of the world on your shoulders, and we all wish now we could've lightened your load. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. That light will shine forever in the next place you go. I'll never forget you my brilliant friend,' she wrote. Meanwhile, the mother of murdered mother Allison Baden-Clay, Vanessa Fowler, has spoken of the similarities between the quadruple murder-suicide and the killing of her daughter. She noted both women were 'strong and determined and loving mothers', but suffered horrific emotional abuse prior to they were killed. Ms Baxter and her daughter pose and smile to the camera. The pair were brutally killed by Baxter Gerard Baden_Clay and Allison Baden Clay whose body was found dumped near a creek in April 2012 'A lot of people, as we were, are looking for the physical signs,' she told The Australian. 'We didn't see bruises on her body and broken arms and legs, and we thought ''well it can't be that bad''. But of course there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes. 'I think the same was with Hannah Clarke - there was this gradual power and control over her and the gradual lowering of her self-esteem and all that emotional abuse. That was very much what happened with Allison as well.' The body of Allison Baden-Clay was discovered in Kholo Creek Bridge in April 2012 after her husband Gerard reported her missing. An investigation later revealed he had killed his wife in their Brookfield home and dumped her body near a creek before calling the police. He was charged with her murder nearly two months later and found guilty in 2014 after a one-month trial. Allison Baden-Clay (pictured) was killed by her husband in their Brookfield home and dumped her body near a creek before calling the police Baxter pictured with his three young children who he'd end up dousing in petrol and killing Mourners during a vigil to remember murdered mother, Hannah Clarke and her three children at Bill Hewitt Reserve in Camp Hill on February 23, 2020 Lloyd and Suzanne Clarke, parents to Hannah Clarke, attend a vigil to remember murdered mother, Hannah Clarke and her three children at Bill Hewitt Reserve in Camp Hill on February 23, 2020 BRISBANE MURDER-SUICIDE: HOW COWARDLY RAMPAGE UNFOLDED JANUARY, 2020 Queensland Police officers are called to a family violence incident that allegedly involved the couple. WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19 - EARLY MORNING: Rowan Charles Baxter, 42, is spotted filling a jerry can with fuel at a local service station. 8.20AM: Baxter dives into his estranged wife Hannah Clarke's white Kia Sportage as she was preparing to do the school drop off on Raven Street, Camp Hill, a wealthy suburb of Brisbane. He douses Ms Clarke, 31, and their three children - Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three - in petrol and sets the car alight. Neighbours hear an explosion which sounded like a 'gas bottle' blast. At least four explosions followed. Baxter grabs a knife from the SUV and stabs himself in the chest. He tries to stop neighbours from saving his wife and children before dying in the street. Ms Clarke escapes the burning car and screams: 'He's poured petrol on me.' Horrified witnesses see her skin peeling off her body. One heroic neighbour hoses her down in an attempt to save her life and suffers burns himself. She is rushed to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in a critical condition. WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Ms Clarke dies in hospital from the horrendous burns she suffered in the quadruple murder suicide. Advertisement Run off the road, bashed with a fire hydrant and left to die: Mother of woman, 24, killed by her evil ex reveals why the murder-suicide of Hannah Clarke and her kids will haunt her forever The heartbroken mother of slain mum Tara Brown has spoken out on the murder of Hannah Clarke while calling for tougher laws to curb domestic violence. Natalie Hinton lost her daughter when she was killed in a brutal domestic violence attack on the Gold Coast in 2015. Ms Brown was 24 years old when she was ran off a road by her estranged boyfriend who then bashed her to death with a fire hydrant cover. Ms Hinton told the Gold Coast Bulletin the horrific murder of Hannah Clarke and her children last week forced her to relive the painful memories of losing her daughter. Natalie Hinton, the mother of slain mum Tara Brown, has called for tougher laws to help protect victims of domestic violence, in the wake of Hannah Clarke's horrific death. (Pictured: Ms Hinton at a protest organised by The Red Rose Foundation in Brisbane last week) Killed by their partners: Ms Hinton said Ms Clarke's murder brought back the painful memories of losing her 24-year-old daughter Tara (right) - who was bashed to death by her estranged partner Lionel Patea (right) 'It brought it all back. It was very similar to Tara's case,' she said. 'Because it was once again a most public display of domestic violence murder. 'Every domestic violence murder brings it flooding back for me, but because Hannah's was so similar in circumstances it was a big hit last week... We need a new law that will stop these men.' Ms Clarke, 31, was killed in Camp Hill, Brisbane, on February 19 after her husband Rowan Baxter, 42, doused her and their children in petrol before setting their car alight. He then took his own life by stabbing himself in the chest. It later emerged Baxter had a history of abusing and controlling his wife and had breached a domestic violence order against him weeks earlier. Police also revealed they had been called to the family home in the past over domestic violence incidents. Lionel John Patea pleaded guilty to bashing his former girlfriend Tara Brown (pictured together) in September 2015 Ms Brown had been hiding from Patea at the time of her death and had a domestic violence order against him Friends said Ms Clarke made the decision to leave her husband and move in with her parents in December, sending Baxter into a downward spiral. During the time of Ms Brown's death, she had been hiding from her partner and daughter's father, Lionel Patea, a former Bandidos bikie, at a safe house and friends' homes. TARA BROWN'S CHILLING EMERGENCY CALL In the call, which left senior police officers traumatised, Ms Brown was heard repeatedly asking Patea to stop the attack that ended in her death a day later in hospital. Ms Brown phoned emergency services after she left the Nerang childcare centre, on Queensland's Gold Coast, where she had dropped off her daughter about 8.45am. Just 40 seconds later, the 24-year-old mother was heard begging for Patea to go away and then a huge crashing noise rings out. The noise was the moment Patea used his car to deliberately run Ms Brown's off the road. Advertisement She had taken a domestic violence order against him just days earlier. On September 8, 2015, the day of her murder, Ms Brown had just dropped off her three-year-old daughter Aria at daycare when Patea chased down her hatchback with a four-wheel-drive. Patea ultimately rammed the back of Ms Brown's car, forcing her down an embankment and trapping her inside the overturned vehicle. He used the metal slab weighing 7.8kg taken from the side of the road to repeatedly bash her head, causing 'non-survivable' brain injuries. Emergency operators listened helplessly as the mother cried for help - as more than a dozen 'thumping' sounds were recorded over the phone. It was later revealed Patea had learned Ms Brown had been seeing another man and had threatened her in the days leading up to her death by holding a pair of scissors to her throat. For two days after the attack Patea stopped her from seeing her daughter before she informed her boss, who took her to speak with police where she applied for a temporary protection order. Baxter doused the family in petrol before setting them on fire in Camp Hill, Brisbane. Ms Hinton said her daughter's case and Ms Clarke's murder were both horrific public displays of domestic violence murder She also contacted a women's refuge in her attempts to escape from the abuse. The pair had been in a relationship for four years. Ms Hinton is now advocating for harsher laws that will help protect women from obsessive and abusive partners. The grieving mum was among the hundreds of people who rallied outside Parliament House in Brisbane last week calling for more action to protect victims. 'We can all do something. Please don't stand and watch - stand and listen,' Ms Hinton said. 'We need to come together as a whole, a community, a nation, a government. 'Talk to your children, educate them. This is not right.' For 24/7 confidential support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 DETROIT, March 7 (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders will campaign in the Midwest on Saturday, as the two prepare for a showdown in Michigan, Missouri and four other nominating contests next week. Sanders, who was until recently the front-runner in the party's race to face Republican President Donald Trump in November, is trying to regain momentum after Biden received a rush of endorsements from party establishment figures following his strong 'Super Tuesday' showing this week. He has ramped up attacks on Biden in recent days, including at a rally in Detroit on Friday night, where he criticized the former vice president's voting record on the Iraq war and trade deals. The two White House hopefuls will face off on Tuesday in Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Washington state, North Dakota, and Michigan, where a big win for Biden would deliver a major blow to Sanders' hopes of becoming the nominee. SANDERS FOCUSES ON MICHIGAN On Saturday, Sanders begins a weekend of campaigning in the crucial battleground state of Michigan, which offers 125 of the 1,991 delegates needed to win the nomination. Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, will hold a rally in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, and a town hall focused on racial and economic justice in Flint. On Sunday he is set to visit Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. Speaking to a crowd of more than 6,000 in downtown Detroit on Friday, Sanders, 78, continued to assail Biden for voting for the war in Iraq and trade deals, including the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he said had cost millions of American jobs in Michigan and other battleground states. "Now, if we are going to defeat Trump in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, it will be very hard for a candidate who voted for these disastrous trade deals," Sanders said. Sanders questioned whether Biden could generate enough energy and enthusiasm to prevail against Trump. But he also called Biden a friend, and said both were in agreement that they would support the other against Trump should the other win the nomination. BIDEN CAMPAIGNS IN MISSOURI Story continues Biden, 77, is expected to campaign on Saturday in St. Louis and Kansas City, where he is scheduled to be joined by U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, a former Congressional Black Caucus chairman who endorsed Biden in September. Showing continued momentum following his Super Tuesday wins, Biden's campaign said on Friday it had raised about $22 million in five days. "What we can't let happen is (to) let this primary become a negative bloodbath," Biden said on Friday, adding that he was going to consider how to respond to an increasingly adversarial campaign run by Sanders. (Reporting by Michael Martina and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) TDT | Manama Yaqoob Al Awadhi, the CEO of NGN global information systems said that the current plight of Coronavirus represent a favourable opportunity to accelerate the implementation of the work at home policy in Bahrain, especially while taking preventive measures by limiting public gatherings, and it is unclear whether these measures would have been tightened in the future by disrupting the work of some government and private agencies compared to what happened in schools and universities. Last September in Bahrain, we witnessed a serious trend towards implementing work at home policy. The Civil Service Bureau held in October 2019 an introductory workshop for managers and heads of human and financial resources in government agencies on the implementation of the trial period of government work at home policy. A trial period that started last November and lasted for two months, and included about 200 employees within 83 job titles, Mr Al Awadhi said. He called for moving forward with this trend in Bahrain, as it would contribute to reducing government expenditures, increasing productivity and speed of service provision, in addition to increasing job satisfaction, employee affiliation, excellence and innovation in government work. British officials are currently studying a series of stringent measures, including that workers may be required to stay at home for up to three months as the UK anticipates the spread the Coronavirus within weeks, Mr Al Awadhi added. He pointed out that with the spread of the Coronavirus in different regions in the world, giant corporates such as Google and Twitter are asking some of their employees around the world to work at home. A recent survey showed that a third of companies managers in GCC started planning to direct half of their employees to work at home, indicating that, according to that survey, Bahrain recorded the highest rate of remote work plans in 38 per cent of companies. As the CEO of NGN, Mr Al Awadhi stressed the importance of providing the necessary technical environment for work at home and said that Bahrain may become a forerunner in creating a single platform that serves all government agencies whose employees can work at home, and the private sector can benefit from this platform or build a similar one. In every ordeal lies opportunity, there is no doubt that we must invest in opportunities while tackling coronavirus, including speeding up plans and creating new ones that help us to develop our business and society, such as the effective application of home-based business policy in the public and private sectors, Mr Al Awadhi concluded. WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases Coronavirus confirmed cases in India reaches to 39 India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Mar 08: The total number of people who have tested positive for novel coronavirus in India stands at 40 with one more person reported positive in Tamil Nadu. Earlier in the day, five more people from Kerala, three with recent travel history to Italy, have tested positive for coronavirus following which the state has been put on high alert, Health Minister K K Shailaja said on Sunday. The three, a couple and their son, had evaded health screening at the airport on their return about a week ago and all the five hail from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district, she said. "As of now their condition is stable. But there is need to take extra care", the minister said. As a matter of abundant caution, two nonagenerian members of the family will be shifted to the Kottayam Medical College hospital, she added. The three, who had returned from Venice, had not informed authorities that they had come back from Italy. When two of their relatives had sought treatment at private and taluk hospitals with virus symptoms, the health authorities came to know about the travel history of the people who returned to Italy. They had evaded screening at the airport and were reluctant to get admitted at the hospital initially, she said adding they had at first refused to cooperate with health officials and were forcefully admitted to the isolation ward of the Pathnamathitta general hospital and are under observation. They were admitted to hospital on March 6 and their tests had been confirmed on Saturday night, she said. "The Italy-returned family hid their travel details from the health authorities. Such practises have to seen as a crime. Those who come from countries like Iran, Italy, South Korea and China should report to the health department immediately," Shailaja said. The government also released the flight details of the three persons who travelled from Venice. They took the Venice-Doha Qatar airlines QR 126 flight on February 29 which reached at 11.30 pm. For one and half hours they were at the Doha airport and took another Qatar Airlines flight QR514 to Kochi and arrived at 8.20 am on March 1 and took a private car to their home at Pathnamthitta district. All the passengers who travelled in the two flights should get in touch with health authorities, the minister said. The report of the five new cases comes a day ahead of "Attukal Pongal" festival in Kerala on Monday when thousands of women from various parts of Kerala and outside, including foreigners are expected to participate. There need not be any concern with regard to Pongala. But persons showing any symptoms of the virus should keep away from the ritual, she said. Devaswom officials would be asked to ensure that people with fever or any other symptoms do not participate in the festivity. Medical stall and ambulances will be stationed near the temple complex. "Video clippings of the festivities would also be taken," the minister said. Earlier, India's first three positive cases had been reported from the state. All the three patients, medical students from Wuhan, have been treated and discharged from hospitals. The fixed dose combination of anti-HIV drugs- Lopinavir and Ritonavir - has been used with other drugs in China with varying results, but not in India yet. Two suspected coronavirus patients undergoing treatment at a hospital were 'high viral-load cases', the Jammu and Kashmir administration said on Saturday, while announcing an immediate suspension of all biometric attendance in the Union territory. The administration also announced the closure of all primary schools in Jammu and Samba districts till March 31, an official spokesperson said. The two patients with a travel history to coronavirus-hit Italy and South Korea had fled the hospital's isolation ward on Wednesday shortly after their admission, but were brought back within hours. Their samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. The government appealed to the public to fully cooperate wherever quarantine was advised. Meanwhile, q 45-year-old man tested positive for Coronavirus on Saturday, making him the first person in Tamil Nadu to be reported of having the disease. A resident of Kancheepuram, he had returned to India from Oman and is currently in the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) in Chennai. His symptoms included a fever and cough. When he started developing difficulty breathing he consulted a doctor and was referred to a hospital in Chennai. When his uneasiness persisted, he was moved to the isolation ward in the RGGGH on Wednesday. His samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for testing soon after and the results were received on Saturday morning. The Louisiana NAACP will ask the disciplinary arm of the state Supreme Court this week to investigate state Attorney General Jeff Landry over his private business dealings with a since-convicted visa fraudster, for evidence of a violation of ethics rules for attorneys, an official with the advocacy group said. A draft of a complaint that group leaders said they will lodge Monday with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, which investigates lawyers for the high court, is based on the findings of an investigation by The Times-Picayune and The Advocate published Feb. 14. +5 Exclusive: Jeff Landry-owned firm imported workers with the help of felon who broke immigration laws Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, who has railed against loose borders and lax immigration policies during his four years as the states The report found that companies owned by Landry made dubious claims and submitted questionable documents to federal regulators while seeking guest-worker visas for hundreds of Mexican workers in 2017. The NAACP alleges that Landrys actions violated a rule adopted by the state Supreme Court that defines attorney misconduct in part as the commission of a criminal act especially one that reflects adversely on the lawyers honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer, according to a draft complaint the group released Saturday. The draft complaint includes no new information. It simply asserts that Landry violated the rule in question, and then attaches the newspapers reporting as an exhibit. A subsequent story by WWL-TV is attached to the complaint as well. Eugene Collins, president of the NAACPs Baton Rouge chapter, said the group plans to file the complaint Monday. Visa fraudster Marco Pesquera was in federal crosshairs amid deal with Jeff Landry companies Marco Pesqueras world, which was built on lying to the U.S. government, had begun to unravel by summer 2015, two years before he partnered wi The Attorney Disciplinary Board investigates complaints against lawyers and can recommend sanctions to the Louisiana Supreme Court, which has the final authority to discipline lawyers or strip them of their licenses. Those sanctions can range from a private admonishment to permanent disbarment. We believe that (the attorney general) violated the misconduct (rule) ... so were going to file that and ask that the review board actually review the complaint and launch an investigation into what he did, Collins said. Landry could not immediately be reached for comment. Landry and his brother, Benjamin, sought federal permission to bring in hundreds of Mexican welders and pipefitters to work on industrial projects in Texas and Louisiana including the massive Cameron LNG project in Hackberry after partnering with Marco Pesquera, a Houston labor broker whos now serving a three-year stint in federal prison for visa fraud. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up 'Fake news': AG Jeff Landry dismisses questions over importing of Mexican workers Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry played the fake news card outside the U.S. Supreme Court this week, in a terse dismissal of questions A company wholly owned by Jeff Landry, Evergreen Contractors LLC, was ultimately paid millions of dollars for work on the Cameron LNG project. Pesquera said no American workers were hired on the project, a contention Landry and his spokespeople have carefully avoided addressing. The attorney general has denied wrongdoing and dismissed the story as fake news at his second public appearance since the newspaper published its investigation. Neither Landry nor anyone in his camp has challenged any facts in the story, though they have claimed the report was misleading. The Landry brothers ignored repeated interview requests and did not respond to dozens of detailed questions submitted before the storys publication. But the attorney general took a pre-emptive swipe at the story, posting a 10-minute video of his brother painting the story as a politically motivated attack. Questions linger over AG Jeff Landry's lack of required contractor license for welding gig A company owned by state Attorney General Jeff Landry had far exceeded Louisianas $50,000 work limit for contractors to operate legally witho To be eligible to hold office as attorney general in the state, a person must be 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for five years, and an attorney admitted for the past five years to the practice of law in Louisiana. Editor's note: This story was amended March 8 to reflect that Landry made a public appearance Feb. 27 at Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Opelousas as part of a Bible-reading marathon. MORE COVERAGE: +5 Labor leaders rip Jeff Landry's importation of Mexican welders, pipefitters: 'He needs to resign' Labor unions that have been left out of major construction projects in southwest Louisiana are blasting Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry Jeff Landry and his brother attack story before publication in unusual pre-emptive strike In an unusual pre-emptive move, state Attorney General Jeff Landry posted a video Wednesday that sought to rebut an investigation into his bus Timeline of key events in the Landry brothers' business dealings with Marco Pesquera Jeff Landry has been an elected official for most of the last decade. He has also owned several businesses during that time. Here are some of A man kidnapped by a breakaway armed group of suspected Bru Revolutiory Army Union (BRAU) was rescued and seven militants arrested on Sunday from the remote Bagcherra-Riflemara area in Assam's Hailakandi district, a police official said. Raju Mishra, hailing from Ramnathpur village, was kidnapped on March 2 by the armed BRAU militant group, now under ceasefire, from close to Assam-Mizoram border area under the Ramnathpur police station's jurisdiction, the official said. A case was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act, District Superintendent of Police Pabindra Kumar Nath said. Mishra has been safely rescued by the district police from the BRAU militant outfit at remote Bagcherra-Riflemara area, under Ramnathpur police station, close to the inter-state border after continued combing operations in the deep jungles, Nath said. He said seven militants have been arrested and produced in the court in connection with the kidnapping case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Beirut: Lebanon's prime minister says the government will suspend payment of $1.2 billion in loans, marking the crisis-hit country's first default on its sovereign debt amid ongoing popular unrest. Hassan Diab made the announcement in a televised address to the Lebanese people, saying the country would seek to restructure its massive debt. The $1.2 billion Eurobond matures on Monday. The default marks a new chapter in the crisis and could have severe repercussions on the tiny country, risking legal action by lenders that could further aggravate and push Lebanon's economy toward financial collapse. The currency has already lost up to 60 per cent of its value on the dollar on the black market, and banks have imposed crippling capital controls on cash withdrawals and transfers. Lebanese military clash with protesters in February. Credit:Bloomberg Diab said Lebanon's debt had reached $90 billion or 170 per cent of GDP, making it one of the highest in the world. The total debt and interest Lebanon had to pay back in 2020 was at $4.6 billion Jefferson County Democrats on Super Tuesday elected their third county chair in seven years. It was a three-way race, and the winner avoided a runoff by a fraction of a percentage point. Historically, the job attracted much less attention. For nearly three decades, the same person was in charge and rarely had a challenger. Now comes Chair-elect Joseph Trahan, the youngest person told hold the position in recent memory. Hes expected to assume the seat in July after the countys party convention, but hes already started talking with local leaders about how to hit the ground running. He sat down with The Enterprise last week to talk about the recent primary and his goals for the election season ahead. >> Related: Jefferson Co. Democratic Party chair steps down Q: What do you think our local turnout in the primary means for our county? A: I think it means Democrats in particular are ready to get Donald Trump out of office. Im confident that the Jefferson County Democratic Party collectively will get behind whoever our candidate is, whether thats Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders. That participation was clear. Q: Whats your first priority as party chair? A: Meeting with interim chair Ava Graves to discuss the transition of leadership. I look forward to working with her to ensure our county convention will go seamlessly. Ive also already made it a point to reach out to leaders here in Port Arthur like Mayor Thurman Bartie and Commissioner Michael Shane Sinegal to discuss the possibility of opening a satellite office in Port Arthur to have some direct Jefferson County Democratic Party representation to make it clear that Port Arthur is in fact a part of the Democratic Party, not just Beaumont. Of course, fundraising is a key thing, too. I look forward to meeting with various party donors to discuss my vision and my hope to be able to host our annual Blue Gala. Its my intent to carry on that tradition and be able to raise enough funds to ensure that Democrats win up and down the ballot in Jefferson County in November. >> Related: Trahan's slight majority could hold in Dem chair race Q: What was the response to the first conversation about a satellite office? A: When I spoke to Commissioner Sinegal, he said it was already on his mind and he was very excited to hear me bring it up. I also already have discussed it with Port Arthur business owners and other leaders. Q: What are other strategies you intend to employ to include the entire county? A: The biggest thing is making it a point to attend as many organizational meetings for civic groups as possible going back to area churches to express appreciation to those who voted for me and let them know Im not just going to show up for a vote and not be ingrained in community affairs. I want to better coordinate with Lamar University Greek Life as well as Lamar Democrats to try and get out the vote there. I actually spoke to a woman who works at Lamar who was pushing hard to have voting take place at the Montagne Center on Election Day. She indicated to me that 254 people came out to vote at that polling location. That may not seem like a lot, but it was more than a 200 percent increase from the last time we had voting there. Ill be partnering with her to continue that momentum. Q: How do you specifically engage the Hispanic community in Jefferson County that many feel has been left out for too long? A: During my campaign I made it a point to engage with community activists in the Hispanic community. I met with area business owners. I made myself available and I provided campaign material in Spanish. All of that was to grab the attention of the Hispanic community and let them know Im thinking about that crucial voting demographic that hasnt felt engaged or included by either party. Moving forward, one of the things Id like to do is go to members of the Hispanic community with their community leaders and work to co-sponsor events with business owners. Before the November election we want to educate people, ensuring we have bilingual people at our events, on what the different positions mean and even bring in some of the voting machines. Id like to work with Carolyn Guidry to let them walk through a mock election so they know how to deal with the system, to quell intimidation or uncertainty so theyre more emboldened to vote. >> Related: Local Dems debate more than presidential politics on Super Tuesday Q: How would you want to include the two people you ran against for party chair? A: Ive always said Im willing to work with anyone who works with me in good faith. Ava and Paul (Martin) both contacted me on Election Night congratulating me on my victory and indicated they were willing to work with me and support the party. I think we will continue to have a professional working relationship because we all have the same goal: to elect Democrats in Jefferson County. We want to include them on committees, get them opportunities to spearhead any events theyre interested in and keep those communication lines open. Unfortunately, as with anything with politics, youre going to have people who wont work with you. Their ego gets in the way, their feelings get hurt because they didn't get the results they wanted. While Im willing to leave that door open, I wont permit the abuse either. So again, thats why Ive always had that caveat. Im willing to work with anyone who wants to work with me in good faith. Q: During the campaign you talked about setting up permanent committees within the party. Which committees come first? A: The committees I talked about include fundraising, event planning, candidate scouting and volunteerism. To me, its all part of a bigger picture. On candidate scounting, we have to have viable, well-known candidates to represent us well on the Democratic side and be ready for the election ahead of time, not scrambling last minute to find somebody. I want to have an event-planning committee because its crucial that we have as many events geared to communities in Beaumont, in Port Arthur and surrounding areas, that we have rallies and the Blue Gala. All of that will take a team effort so I want a committee to help carry that load. In terms of fundraising, first and foremost thats a priority. We cant have a headquarters, we cant have a get-out-the-vote effort without money. Thats something that Im looking not only to spearhead myself as the chair, but also lean on some of my supporters such as Congressman Nick Lampson and County Clerk Carolyn Guidry to open those doors and make those introductions so we can have enough money to have a successful November election. Then the last one is volunteerism. Thats going to go beyond the election cycle. One of the biggest things I talked about in the campaign is getting back to community-centered leadership. That means not continuing this perception that political people only show up during election time and then theyre nowhere to be found. With a volunteer committee, we can have direct activity with area food banks, adopt-a-street and other programs. We can clean up trash, especially in neighborhoods that have been strong supporters of the Democratic Party over the years, and help people learn more about the democratic process and the importance of voting and the representation it can provide. That, to me, will strengthen the bonds with voters that already are a part of the party and grab the attention of the more apathetic voter that feels like the two-party system has abandoned. We need to rearrange the thought process of What is the president going to do for me? to What can our county officials, our municipal officials, do for you? And we need to educate them that when you vote in the right people with the connections and wherewithal to do a good job, your community will start to reflect that in a positive way. Q: How can people who may not have previously been involved get involved with the party? A: They can follow our Facebook page, add me personally on Facebook and message me so we can go get coffee and I can invite them to a meeting. For example, we have the Southeast Texas Young Democrats. I was attending their meeting yesterday and we had so many new faces. So I think we need to connect people who are interested with groups that are associated with the Democratic Party, like the Young Democrats, Democratic Women of Southeast Texas and Progressive Democrats of Southeast Texas. We have something for everyone. We also have to be able to use social media strategically to target voters. Thats part of how we can better engage people. kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/KaitlinBain MADISON, Wis. (AP) Sexual misconduct allegations made against a retired Wisconsin Catholic priest who was acquitted last year on charges he sexually assaulted an altar boy are not credible, the Diocese of Madison said. The diocese announced Saturday that William Nolan will return to his previous status as a retired priest of the Madison Diocese in good standing. The announcement comes after the church's investigation into two separate allegations made against Nolan and his acquittal during a weeklong trial in September on charges that he sexually assaulted an altar boy over several years, starting in 2006. Bishop Donald Hying said Nolan is owed "the presumption of innocence and right to a good name," especially after his acquittal and the lack of evidence found in support of the allegations against him. Nolan will be allowed to minister publicly as a priest again, the diocese said. Nolan formerly presided over a parish in Fort Atkinson, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of Milwaukee. The Diocesan Sexual Abuse Review Board began its investigation after Nolan's acquittal on charges involving the altar boy, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. The other allegation, which the review board also looked into, involved a single incident with a 21-year-old man in 2012, the diocese said. Both claims were made public in May 2018, and Nolan had been on leave since. The board decided unanimously that there is no credibility for either of the allegations after finding significant inconsistencies that included "impossibilities involving timing and location in one of the allegations." The church's investigation involved several interviews, police and church files and other materials collected from the trial, the diocese said. As is normal for retired priests in the diocese, Nolan will not have any parish assignment. He said he will not seek "any public ministry in a parish setting," according to the diocese. Britain's flood-battered regions are to receive a 5 billion boost in this weeks Budget as Boris Johnsons Government ramps up its spending on high-profile infrastructure projects. Chancellor Rishi Sunak will use his first Budget on Wednesday less than a month after taking over at the Treasury to announce 336,000 properties in England will benefit from a doubling to 5.2 billion by 2024 of money for flood defences. And in an interview on Sky Newss Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme this morning, the Chancellor will pledge that the Government stands ready to give the NHS whatever it needs to combat the coronavirus outbreak. Chancellor Rishi Sunak will use his first Budget on Wednesday to announce 336,000 properties in England will benefit from a doubling to 5.2 billion by 2024 The announcement about the boost for flood-hit areas comes after a winter in which the UK has been battered by some of the worst storms in recent memory. Communities struggling to recover from the damage will be able to claim from a 120 million Winter Defence Fund designed to repair flood defences as quickly as possible. Mr Sunak is expected to release substantial funds to help combat coronavirus although his plans have been complicated by the fiscal restrictions negotiated by predecessor Sajid Javid, who announced in November that the Government would balance the current budget within three years. This leaves limited room for increased spending without tax rises and restricts official borrowing to capital expenditure only. It means that if Mr Sunak wants to boost the NHSs capacity to fight the epidemic, such as by paying for extra nurses, he will have to bend the rules by classifying it as capital spend. A Treasury source said the Budget could be summed up in a sentence as: Deal with the short-term challenge of coronavirus, then lay the foundation for a decade of growth. The new coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, have spread to more than 80 countries and territories around the world, killing thousands. Below are March 8 updates. For March 9 updates, click here. US Cases Rise to More Than 500 The number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the United States has risen to over 500, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. More than half the states are reporting at least one case of the virus, according to reports. In recent days, Kansas, Missouri, and the District of Columbia announced their first cases of the viral infection. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus-linked deaths in the country grew to at least 21 on March 8 as authorities said the risk of Americans contracting the virus remains low. Of the 21 deaths, the majority have occurred in Washington state, which reported a total of 18 fatalities; Florida has reported two deaths, while California has reported one, as of press time. Read more. Chinese Funeral House Director: Hospitals Sent Bodies Marked Unidentified Pneumonia A Chinese funeral house director complained that local hospitals kept on sending bodies to them, indicating that they died from unidentified pneumonia. He is worried that those bodies might carry coronavirus. My people only know how to burn the body. They have very little medical knowledge, A Jining funeral house director told the Chinese-language Epoch Times on March 7. The hospitals wrote the death reason is unidentified pneumonia. It scared my people. Read the full story here. Ted Cruz Self-Quarantining After Coming Into Contact With Coronavirus Patient Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said he would self-quarantine after interacting with a person at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) who was later found to have contracted the COVID-19 coronavirus. Cruz, in a statement on Sunday night, wrote that he was informed over the weekend that he briefly interacted with the COVID-19 patient at the conference, which also featured a speech from President Donald Trump, in late February. Im not experiencing any symptoms, Cruz said, and I feel fine and healthy. The senator from Texas noted that his interaction with the patient was brief, or less than a minute. Medical authorities told him that the odds of contracting the virus were extremely low, according to his statement. Read the full story here. Rep. Mark Walker on the Coronavirus Economic Fallout Oregon Declares State of Emergency Oregon Governor Kate Brown declared a 60-day state of emergency on Sunday as coronavirus cases in the state doubled to 14. We will do everything in our power to keep Oregonians safe, Brown said at a news conference. Nebraska Reports First Case Officials in Nebraska confirmed the states first COVID-19 coronavirus case and took the woman, who had recently traveled to the United Kingdom, to a biocontainment unit on March 6 night. The 36-year-old woman is very seriously ill and was in the Methodist Hospital in Omaha before she was taken to the unit via an ambulance, officials told local news outlets. The unit is located at the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus, and Associated Press photos showed officials in biohazard suits and masks transporting the woman inside an isolation pod into the ambulance. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and health officials announced the unnamed woman is the first COVID-19 patient in the state, reported the Omaha World-Herald. Between Feb. 18 and Feb. 27, the woman was traveling in the UK with her father before she contracted the virus, said a state infectious disease expert, Dr. Robert Penn, in the report. Read more. Top US Health Official Warns Older Americans: Dont Get on a Cruise Ship The countrys top infectious disease expert on Sunday warned older Americans and those with underlying health problems to stay off cruise ships and limit air travel amid the worldwide COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. If youre a person with an underlying condition and you are particularly an elderly person with an underlying condition, you need to think twice about getting on a plane, on a long trip, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday. And not only think twice, just dont get on a cruise ship. This will be a recommendation, he stressed. Read more here. Grand Princess to Dock in California on Monday Princess Cruises has said on its Twitter page that its Grand Princess cruise ship currently quarantined offshore will be allowed to dock in the Port of Oakland, California, on Monday. #GrandPrincess Update: The logistics plan went into further review by the state and federal authorities and the ship will not berth in Oakland on Sunday. It will now be Monday time to be determined. Princess Cruises (@PrincessCruises) March 8, 2020 The cruising company has been coordinating the docking of the ship with state and federal authorities after 21 people on board tested positive for COVID-19. Princess Cruises said 45 of the more than 3,500 people on board were tested in the first round. Those infected will be transported to medical facilities in California for monitoring upon arrival in Oakland. 10 Dead at Collapsed Chinese Quarantine Hotel Ten people have died and 23 remain trapped after the collapse of a hotel that was being used to quarantine people under observation for the coronavirus in the Chinese city of Quanzhou, authorities said on Sunday. More than 70 people were believed to have been initially trapped in the seven story building, which collapsed on March 7. As of 16:00 Beijing time on Sunday, authorities had retrieved 48 individuals from the site of the collapse, with 38 of them sent to hospitals, the Ministry of Emergency Management said. Of the 71 people inside the hotel at the time of the collapse, 58 had been under quarantine, they added. Australia Confirms 3rd Death A man in his 80s has died after contracting coronavirus in his Sydney aged care home, bringing Australias nationwide death toll to three. The 82-year-old was on Wednesday confirmed to have COVID-19 after he picked up the virus from an infected aged care worker in her 50s at BaptistCares Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Macquarie Park. He died overnight in hospital, chief health officer Dr. Kerry Chant said. The mans death follows that of a 95-year-old woman and fellow Dorothy Henderson Lodge resident and a 78-year-old man in Perth. Some 74 Australians have tested positive to the coronavirus, and figures are expected to further climb. Read more here. Coronavirus Quarantine Hotel Collapses in China, At Least 6 Dead Six people have died and 28 remain trapped after the collapse of a hotel that was being used to quarantine people under observation for the coronavirus in the Chinese city of Quanzhou, authorities told a media conference organized by Quanzhou authorities on Sunday. They said that 71 people were believed to inside the seven storey Quanzhou Xinjia Hotel building at the time of collapse around 7:30 p.m. local time on Saturday evening. Of the 71 people, 58 had been under quarantine, the authorities told the media. A video stream posted by the communist regime-backed Beijing News showed rescue workers in orange overalls clambering over rubble and twisted steelwork carrying people toward ambulances. I was at a gas station and heard a loud noise. I looked up and the whole building collapsed. Dust was everywhere, and glass fragments were flying around, a witness said in a video posted on the Miaopai streaming app. I was so terrified that my hands and legs were shivering. Read more here. Italy Orders Lockdown of Northern Provinces Italy imposed a virtual lockdown across a swathe of its wealthy north on Sunday, including the financial capital of Milan, in a drastic new attempt to try to contain a rapidly spreading coronavirus. The unprecedented restrictions, which will impact some 16 million people and stay in force until April 3, were signed into law overnight by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The new measures say people should not enter or leave Lombardy, Italys richest region, as well as 14 provinces in four other regions, including the cities of Venice, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia and Rimini. There will be no movement in or out of these areas, or within them, unless for proven, work-related reasons, emergencies or health reasons, Conte told a news conference in the middle of the night after hours of confusion over his plans. Read more here. Maldives confirms first 2 cases, 2 resort islands locked down The Maldives has curbed movement on several resort islands, authorities said on Sunday, after the country reported its first two cases of coronavirus. The two infected people, who are both staff at the Kuredu Island Resort, tested positive late on Saturday. They are believed to have caught the disease from an Italian tourist who has returned to Italy and tested positive there. There are more than 1,400 people on the island, split equally between guests and staff, according to the tourism ministry. These two cases which tested positive are from a resort. They are employees of the resort and are now quarantined, said Ali Waheed, the tourism minister of the island nation, the economy of which is heavily dependent on foreign tourists. The period for the temporary restrictions will be decided by the medical teams. Right now, we have identified people who were in contact with the patients and they are in self-isolation along with secondary contacts. At this time we can say that these individuals will be monitored for fourteen days. Waheed said the country was still deciding whether tourists who were not in contact with the patients would be allowed to leave. It has banned passengers originating from or who had transited through or spent any time in Italy in the preceding 14 days, effective from Sunday. Officials at the Kuredu Island Resort were not immediately reachable for comment. The Maldives Health Protection Agency (HPA) said on Sunday it had introduced temporary restrictive measures on a second island after an Italian national developed symptoms at the Sandies resort on Bathala island. It was unclear how many people were on the island. It added two French nationals on a third island who showed symptoms of the disease had tested negative, and restrictions on travel there had been lifted. Malaysia Bans Cruise Ships From Entering Countrys Ports Malaysias Health Ministry and Transport Ministry have announced a ban on any docking of cruise ships in the countrys ports due to the increase in COVID-19 cases. The temporary restriction will go into effect immediately and will stay until further notice, according to the Penang Port Commission and Port Klang Authority. There are currently two cruise ships, one American vessel off the coast of California and an Egyptian vessel on the Nile River, that have been placed under quarantine after passengers on board tested positive for COVID-19. Last month, Princess Cruises Diamond Princess vessel was quarantined multiple times in a Japanese port after the virus was detected on board. More than 700 of the 3,700 passengers and crew ended up contracting the virus, with six elderly passengers having died from the virus since. Meanwhile, Malaysia has detected a total of 93 cases after 10 more were confirmed on Saturday, according to the health ministry. First US Marine Tests Positive After Returning From Overseas The first U.S. Marine has tested positive for the novel coronavirus after returning from official duties overseas, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman confirmed in a Twitter post on Saturday night. The Marine, assigned to Fort Belvoir in Virginia, is currently being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Hoffman said after the test results came back positive earlier in the day. Secretary [Mark] Esper and the White House have been briefed, he added. For updates from March 7, click here. Melanie Sun, AAP, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. From The Epoch Times President Donald Trump struck a defiant tone as he spoke about the COVID-19 outbreak at his Mar a Lago resort in Florida, where he hosted his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro (R) US President Donald Trump signaled Saturday that he has no intention of halting campaign rallies despite surging coronavirus infections, as a case was confirmed for the first time within miles of the White House. The president struck a defiant tone as he spoke to reporters about the outbreak at his Mar a Lago resort in southern Florida, where he was hosting his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro. "We will have tremendous rallies and we're doing very well, and we've done a fantastic job with respect to that subject," Trump responded when asked if his "Keep America Great" campaign events would continue. Trump's remarks came as the number of cases confirmed across the United States leapt past 400, with 19 deaths confirmed so far, mainly in the west coast state of Washington. Meanwhile health authorities announced the first confirmed case in the nation's capital -- a Washington DC resident in his 50s with no history of international travel and no close contacts with anyone known to be infected. US President Donald Trump insisted during a visit to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the risk of having many people in close proximity "doesn't bother me at all" Asked if he was concerned that the virus had spread to within a few miles of the White House, Trump replied: "No, I'm not concerned at all." The president had already insisted as he visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday that the risk of having so many people in close proximity "doesn't bother me at all." The CDC warns on its coronavirus web page against people congregating in crowds and encourages the elderly, in particular, to stay home as much as possible. Trump has been holding rallies -- which attract many senior citizens -- at a rate of more than one a week recently, often as counter-programming to Democratic primary contests or debates. However, his website currently indicates "no events scheduled" for the coming days, without giving a reason. Trump has been heavily criticized for repeatedly contradicting the advice of his administration's own experts in his public pronouncements about the coronavirus. At a freewheeling news conference at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, the president claimed falsely that tests for the virus were available for anyone who needed one. The event was intended to update the public on the epidemic. Instead, the president made headlines by calling the governor of the worst-hit state, Washington, a "snake," revealing that he preferred to keep sick Americans on a stranded cruise ship to keep the infection numbers down, complained about CNN and revealed that he was surprised to discover that people could die from the flu. More than 100,000 people have been infected globally by the new coronavirus, with more than 3,500 deaths announced so far, mainly at the epicenter in China. Trump's potential Democratic challengers for the presidency in November, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former vice president Joe Biden have also continued to hold campaign events attracting large crowds during the crisis. AN EVENING WITH PAT METHENY State Theatre, March 8 He doesn't call them bands, he calls them projects, and guitarist Pat Metheny has spent 44 years shaping them around specific compositional ideas and collective sounds. This project was different, again: a combination of players with whom to revisit some of the older material; the pieces that made him one of jazz's beloved acts across those 44 years. More recently this group has recorded one of Metheny's most ambitious albums, From This Place to play which they needed an orchestra, so here they were tripping back down memory lane. Pat Metheny revisited the material that made him one of jazz's most beloved acts at his State Theatre show. Credit:Stuart McKay But the guitarist doesn't really deal in nostalgia not when the alternative is unleashing the creativity of four exceptional musicians, with a brief of reimagining his pieces. And one of those musicians is Australian: bassist Linda May Han Oh. As many antipodean musicians know, making a dent in New York's jazz scene is as hard as denting a diamond. Only a handful have done more than survive. In touring her homeland as a member of Metheny's band, Oh has made as big an impression as any, and for good reason: she shone, even in this company. Her soloing could be potent, lyrical, poignant or even profound, and with drummer Antonio Sanchez she provided ample ignition for Metheny. Costco Customers Say Goodbye to Free Samples Amid Coronavirus Outbreak Costco has suspended distribution of its free samples as the coronavirus outbreak has now spread to at least 25 states, according to multiple reports. Due to the outbreak of coronavirus, there are no food product samples, a Costco representative in Nashville, Tennessee, told NBCs Today. It is not clear whether the sampling is being discontinued throughout the chain or just at select locations. A USA Today report said Costco store representatives in California, Washington state, and Florida said they did not know when free samples would once again be on offer at Costco. The move by Costco to cut free samples follows a report that Trader Joes changed how its employees distribute food samples to customers, according to an internal memo leaked last week and viewed by Business Insider. Under the new rules, Trader Joes employees are reportedly required to serve samples, as well as a utensil, directly to shoppers, rather than have them sitting on platters. Customers, meanwhile, are supposed to use utensils to eat the free samples instead of needing to use their bare hands. Increased Disruption More than half of the 50 U.S. states have reported cases, including the first cases in Virginia and Connecticut on Sunday. According to a COVID-19 case update from 3:53 pm ET by Johns Hopkins, there were 484 confirmed infections in the United States, including 20 deaths. As the outbreak spreads in America, daily life has been increasingly disrupted. Concerts and conferences have been canceled, colleges have told students to stay home and take classes online, and there have been multiple reports of panic buying. While videos have circulated on social media showing crowds of customers lining up outside Costco and, once inside, rushing to stock up on toilet paper, the extent of the panic buying in the United States has not hit extremes like in Italy, Europes biggest COVID-19 hotspot with some 16 million people now under quarantine. Videos posted on social media showed consumers in Italy coming to blows in disputes over goods, while other posts show rows empty shelves. Still, there appears to be a growing sense of urgency among Americans to stock up on staples and prepare for lengthy home quarantines. Im buying some flu therapy and pain killersIf I wait until next week there may be nothing left, said Dean McKnight, an engineer in Austin, Texas, as he motioned to shelves at an HEB supermarket that were empty of several over-the-counter medications, primarily flu treatment for children. McKnight told Reuters he worked in Hong Kong and China during the SARS outbreak and knows first-hand the stresses that snowballing fears of a pandemic can cause, but said he is not panicked. We got an extra months worth of inhalers for my wife, but were not stocking up on medications or food as if we expect to need to secure several months of supplies right now, he told Reuters at the end of February. Amid increased demand for goods like bottled water and disinfectants, Costco said it has struggled to maintain adequate levels of stocks. Were getting deliveries daily, but still not enough given the increased levels in demand on certain key items, said Costco CFO Richard Galanti, according to USA Today. Some Costco locations have imposed limits on how much toilet paper or paper towels people can buy, according to the report. File Photo: This photo taken on March 8, 2018 shows Philippine soldiers standing next to their armoured personnel carriers as they man a checkpoint along a highway in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province on the southern island of Mindanao. (Photo: FERDINANDH CABRERA/AFP via Getty Images) MANILA, Philippines (AP) Philippine troops have killed at least 14 Muslim militants aligned with the Islamic State group in a weeklong offensive in a southern province that also left four soldiers dead, a regional military commander said Saturday. Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said an unspecified number of militants, including gunmen belonging to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, were wounded in clashes in the towns of Ampatuan and Datu Hoffer Ampatuan in Maguindanao province. The bodies of five of the slain militants were recovered by government forces, he said, adding that 10 soldiers were wounded in the fighting. The Islamic State group claimed that militants killed 43 soldiers using explosives while repulsing the recent military assaults in two Maguindanao villages, but Sobejana said the claim was untrue. Government forces launched air strikes and artillery fire on an encampment of the militants in Salman village in Ampatuan on Monday after receiving intelligence that the gunmen were plotting attacks, the military said. Troops later assaulted the encampment and another group of armed militants in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, seizing firearms, ammunition and homemade bombs, the military said. The largest Muslim rebel group in the southern region, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, signed an autonomy deal with the government in 2014, ending decades of separatist insurrection. Its leader and many of its commanders have been appointed to govern a five-province autonomous region under a transitional setup, but smaller hard-line armed groups, including some that have been linked to the Islamic State group, have continued to fight the government. Bangladesh on Sunday confirmed its first three cases of coronavirus in the country, according to a media report. The affected-- two men and a woman-- were found positive for the coronavirus infection on Saturday, the Dhaka Tribune reported. "Among them, two of the victims had recently returned from Italy while the other is a relative of one of the returnees," Meerjady Sabrina Flora, the director of Institue of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Africa: SA geared to deal with Coronavirus South Africa is geared to deal with Coronavirus, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, told community members in KwaZulu-Natals Umngungundlovu District on Sunday. Speaking at a community engagement session at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall, the Minister who largely spoke in isiZulu, said a collective effort as well as good basic hygiene habits are needed in order tackle to the virus. He said while the South African healthcare system is facing challenges including the shortage of nurses, the country is capable of dealing with the virus. This one is an emergency. We are ready to deal with it as an emergency, so thats what we need to make people understand, he said. The Minister engaged community members including religious leaders, business and civil society in an effort to allay fears, educate stakeholders and respond to questions about the virus. Fighting [the] virus is not [the responsibility of] a medical team only, its the community [as a whole]. We have the responsibility to stop the virus from spreading, thats the message for today, said the Minister. He said health professionals in the country are competent to manage the virus. The health professionals both in the public and the private sector are fairly competent to manage the virus. All we need is for people to always cooperate. [People] must keep their hands clean and practice good hygiene, said the Minister. The Department of Health has activated an emergency operations centre to deal with Coronavirus. There is dedicated staff working exclusively on Coronavirus. Provinces have also activated outbreak response teams. Hospitals in all provinces have been equipped and are prepared to receive potential Coronavirus cases. These hospitals have been identified as centres for isolation and treatment. The department announced the following hospitals as centres for isolation and treatment of people infected with Coronavirus: Polokwane Hospital in Limpopo Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mpumalanga Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, Steve Biko Hospital and Tembisa Hospitals in Gauteng Grey's Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal Klerksdorp Hospital in the North West Kimberly Hospital in the Northern Cape Pelonomi Hospital in the Free State Livingstone Hospital in the Eastern Cape Tygerberg Hospital in the Western Cape Repatriation of South Africans On the issue of the repatriation of South African from Wuhan City in China, the Minister emphasised that the group is not ill. The group that were getting from Wuhan are not ill, weve not had a South African who had an infection from China, told community members. The session with community members followed an earlier confirmation of a third case of Coranavirus. It was announced earlier today that the wife of South Africas first confirmed Coronavirus patient, has tested positive for the virus. According to doctor of the confirmed first patient, the man was in a jovial and upbeat mood. She confirmed that this patient is responding well and is now asymptomatic. At the right time, as determined by the treating doctors, the patient will be retested to check his recovery progress, said the Minister.-SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. A devastated mother has spoken about the grief of losing her only daughter after in a horror motorbike crash caused by a drunk rider. Carli Rustand was celebrating her 24th birthday in March 2012 when she hopped on the back of a motorbike after a night out in Perth. The rider was an off-duty soldier who Carli had met through a mutual friend that night. 'It never, ever occurred to me that our daughter would take such a risk. She was such a responsible, mature person,' her mother Terri Rustand told Daily Mail Australia. Terri Rustand (pictured right) has spoken out about the devastating loss of her daughter Carli (pictured left) who died in a motorbike crash on her 24th birthday in March 2012 'Carli was waiting for a taxi when this guy came out and persuaded her to go for a quick ride around the block on his new Harley Davidson motorbike. 'Unfortunately, he took off with her into Perth CBD. She didnt have her phone, bag or even her shoes with her.' The 24-year-old man skidded and lost control on Riverside Drive at about 1.40am, instantly killing Carli when he slammed into a pole. Mrs Rustand and her husband Alan received the devastating news at 9am when police visited their home. She said they were shocked as 'Carli was not a risk taker' and hadn't yet got her own driver's licence. The motorbike driver recorded a blood alcohol reading of .107 after the crash and was initially only going to be charged with drink driving. Mrs Rustand spoke with detectives and found out the soldier had only held his bike licence for four days prior - and was also the son of a Perth police officer. Carli's family fought to increase the severity of his charges and wrote to the Commissioner of Police. Carli (pictured left) died instantly when the motorbike driver crashed into a sign pole The soldier was eventually found guilty of dangerous driving occasioning death and served just seven months of the fifteen that he was sentenced. Mrs Rustand has given speeches to several schools on risk-taking behaviour since her daughter passed away. 'If I can stop just one family from going through this nightmare I will,' she said. Carli donated her organs in a generous final act, with her eyes given to two people in need. This was an issue close to her heart, as her father has an incurable degenerative eye disease. 'Thanks to her corneas two people have regained their sight,' Mrs Rustand said. The number of people in France diagnosed with Covid-19 jumped by 336 to 949 yesterday - the biggest daily increase France has seen. Another seven people died, taking the total to 16. Most have been over 70 years old. Italy also saw its biggest daily increase. The number of cases rose by 1,247 in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 5,883. Another 36 people also died as a result of the virus, taking the total to 233. The entire province of Lombardy has been put into quarantine and Nicola Zingaretti, leader of Italy's Democratic Party, one of Italy's ruling coalition parties, yesterday tested positive for the virus. The Pope will give his next two public blessings via video to prevent crowds gathering as a precaution against the spread of the virus. At 83, recovering from a cold and with part of one lung removed due to an infection when he was young, Francis would be at risk if he were to catch the virus. The virus has so far caused eight deaths in Spain and infected over 400. Thirty people have recovered from the virus. Home quarantines have been placed on parts of the Basque Country, with fines for breaching quarantine ranging from 3k to 600k. The number of cases in Germany jumped by more than 100 yesterday, reaching 795 by mid-day. The total is more than 10 times larger than it was a week ago. The UK confirmed 209 cases - 184 in England, 16 in Scotland, seven in Northern Ireland, two in Wales. The total number of infections climbed past 7,400 in Europe yesterday - more than doubling in just a few days. President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday extended his wishes on International Womens Day as he called for reaffirming the pledge to ensure safety and respect for women. On International Womens Day greetings and best wishes to women in India and across our planet. This day is an occasion to celebrate the untiring efforts and crucial role of women in building a better society, nation and world, the President tweeted. On International Women's Day greetings and best wishes to women in India and across our planet. This day is an occasion to celebrate the untiring efforts and crucial role of women in building a better society, nation and world. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 8, 2020 Let us reaffirm our pledge to ensure safety and respect for women, so that they can move forward unhindered according to their wish in the direction of fulfilling their hopes and aspirations, he wrote. Union home minister Amit Shah also tweeted on the occasion, saying he bows to the Naari-Shakti who have time and again played a defining role in shaping and nurturing our society. Greetings on International Womens Day. I bow to the Naari-Shakti who have time and again played a defining role in shaping and nurturing our society. Women have always been the torch bearers of our lives, their selflessness and sacrifices in any role cannot be put in words. pic.twitter.com/1ahzlcktu4 Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 8, 2020 Greetings on International Womens Day. I bow to the Naari-Shakti who have time and again played a defining role in shaping and nurturing our society. Women have always been the torch bearers of our lives, their selflessness and sacrifices in any role cannot be put in words, Amit Shah tweeted. Due to PM @NarendraModis visionary leadership, India is witnessing a new era of women led development. Women are now leading from the front. Schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Mudra yojana for women, Toilets under SBM, PM Ujjwala have brought holistic changes in their lives, he added. Due to PM @NarendraModis visionary leadership, India is witnessing a new era of women led development. Women are now leading from the front. Schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Mudra yojana for women, Toilets under SBM, PM Ujjwala have brought holistic changes in their lives. Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 8, 2020 Union HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank too wished women on International Womens Day On the occasion of International Womens Day, I extend my best wishes to all the women. We are working towards women empowerment by the way of the new education policy. Today, Beti Padhao, Beti Bacho is reaching newer heights, Nishank was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Sports minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted a video of Fit India to talk about Womens Day. On the #InternationalWomensDay, I would like to salute all the women athletes of India who have brought laurels for India, he posted on Twitter with hashtags #SheInspireUs #SheInspiresMe and #FitIndiaMovement. On the #InternationalWomensDay I would like to salute all the women athletes of India who have brought laurels for India#SheInspireUs #SheInspiresMe #FitIndiaMovement pic.twitter.com/wlwoRV97yE Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) March 8, 2020 The International Womens Day is observed every year on March 8 to celebrate womens movement and struggle for equality. The theme for International Womens Day this year is I am Generation Equality: Realizing Womens Rights, according to the United Nations Women. A question mark has arisen over the continuation of a marriage assistance scheme for minority women in Karnataka, started during the Congress rule, in view of non-allocation of funds for it in the budget presented by the BJP government. Reacting to it, the opposition Congress in the state hit out at the BJP and said it has proved that the party "is anti-minorities." In a notice issued on Saturday, the director of minorities had asked the secretary of minority welfare, Haj and Wakf, deputy commissioners of all districts and panchayat officers not to accept any application under the Bidaai scheme, also known as Shaadi Bhagya, with immediate effect. "It is hereby informed not to accept any application under the Bidaai scheme because the finance department has not reserved funds under the Bidaai scheme in the budget 2020-21. Hence, receiving applications under the scheme must be stopped with immediate effect and the pending applications shall be mandatorily sent to the directorate in the prescribed format by March 9, 2020, said the notice. The scheme was aimed at providing financial assistance to the poor minority women, divorcees and widows belonging to Muslim, Christian, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities of the state for their marriage purpose. Under the scheme, Rs 50,000 each was given to the beneficiaries at the time of marriage to purchase essential items. Reacting, the Karnataka Congress said the BJP has proved that it is anti-minorities and demanded that the notice must be withdrawn. By scrapping the Shaadi Bhagya scheme, which was started by the Congress government, the Karnataka BJP government has once again proved that it is anti-minority. They (BJP) have falsified their own slogan Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. The circular must be withdrawn immediately, the Congress tweeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Brendan Pierson (Reuters) New York, United States Sun, March 8, 2020 08:08 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad20690c27c 2 Entertainment Harvey-Weinstein,sexual-abuse,film,Hollywood,united-states,MeToo,jail Free Former movie producer Harvey Weinstein should get a prison sentence that reflects not only his conviction for sexually assaulting two women, but a "lifetime of abuse towards others", New York prosecutors said in a court filing on Friday. Throughout his adult life, Weinstein has shown a "staggering lack of empathy, treating others with disdain and inhumanity," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance's office said in a letter to Justice James Burke, who is scheduled to sentence Weinstein on Wednesday. "He has consistently advanced his own sordid desires and fixations over the well-being of others," prosecutors wrote. "He has destroyed people's lives and livelihoods or threatened to do so on whim." Prosecutors did not recommend a specific sentence in the filing for Weinstein, who faces a maximum sentence of 29 years in prison. Donna Rotunno, a lawyer for Weinstein, had no immediate comment. On Feb. 24, a jury found the former movie mogul guilty of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and of raping onetime aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013. The jury of seven men and five women acquitted Weinstein on the most serious charges, which carried a potential life sentence. Those charges relied on testimony by actress Annabella Sciorra, who said Weinstein raped her in the early 1990s. In addition to Haleyi, Mann and Sciorra, prosecutors called three more women to testify against Weinstein, portraying him as a serial predator who had manipulated women with promises to open doors in Hollywood, coaxing them to hotel rooms or private apartments, and then overpowering and violently attacking them. Throughout Weinstein's trial, the defense said regret drove his accusers to reframe consensual encounters as crimes. Weinstein's lawyers zeroed in on friendly messages and ongoing contact between the women and Weinstein. More than 80 women, including famous actresses, have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct stretching back decades, fueling the #MeToo movement against sexual abuse and harassment. He denied the accusations and said any sexual encounters were consensual. In Friday's filing, prosecutors listed more than a dozen accusations going back to 1978, when they said he sexually assaulted an employee of his Buffalo, New York-based music company in a hotel room. The prosecutors argued Justice Burke should consider the alleged incidents even though they were never criminally charged. They also accused Weinstein of verbally and physically abusive behavior in the workplace dating back to the 1990s. Weinstein is awaiting sentencing in New York's Rikers Island jail, where he was moved Thursday after a 10-day hospital stay following his conviction. He still faces sexual assault charges in Los Angeles, which were announced just hours after his New York trial began on Jan. 6. Dozens of women have also filed civil lawsuits against him. In his budget address, Governor J.B. Pritzker called for agency consolidations and the elimination of excess boards and commissions, pointing out that substantial savings were available. He pointed out that "effective government demands efficient government" and on this he is surely correct. The governor also correctly pointed out that "One of Illinois most intractable problems is the underfunding of our pension systems", but sadly he called a constitutional amendment to empower changes to the pension system "a fantasy." The governor asserted that "the idea that all of this can be fixed with a single silver bullet ignores the protracted legal battle that will ultimately run headlong into the Contracts Clause of the U.S. Constitution." Well, the governor is setting up straw men. A properly drafted amendment would pass U.S. constitutional muster. And, in any event, the governor needs to show more creativity and energy in wrestling with this challenge. He can do better than simply throw up his hands over what he acknowledges to be such a great challenge. Just by way of example: The governor can implement incremental pension reform himself as part of his plan for agency consolidations and reorganizations. HAMILTONTwo people are dead and two others are injured after a shooting at Sam's Tavern on Barton Street East early Sunday. Hamilton police spokesperson Jackie Penman said a male and a female were killed in the 5 a.m. shooting at the lower city bar. Two other males were taken to hospital and are now in stable condition, she said. The major crime unit has taken over the investigation. No arrests have been made, Penman said just after 9 a.m. Police are asking the public to avoid the area around the Barton Street bar, which is west of Sherman Avenue North, during the investigation Sunday. Officers will be canvassing the neighbourhood for witnesses and video. A police news conference is expected at 3 p.m. Traffic is restricted along Barton between Sherman and Birch Avenue, and along Chestnut Avenue between Barton and Cannon Street East as police investigate. The area, and Sam's Tavern specifically, has been the scene of violence in the past. In November 2016, a man was sent to hospital with serious injuries after a stabbing at the bar. The US Trade Representative (USTR) has decided that it will classify developed and developing countries in accordance with its own criteria and consider the trade ratio of the countries when classifying. New rules The US on February 10, 2020 released an official announcement about the updating of the list of developing and least developed countries in the anti-subsidy law. The country will classify countries in accordance with its own criteria, not the criteria set by the WTO. With the WTOs criteria, the countries with GNI per capita of less than $12,375 will be considered developing countries. Meanwhile, USTR decided that to be listed as developing countries, they not only have to have GNI per capita below $12,375, but also have to satisfy other requirements in terms of trade and membership status. While the WTO classification method considers social development indicators, such as infant mortality, illiteracy rate and life expectancy, USTR does not. Because of the changes in the classification method, some countries, including Vietnam, are no longer listed as developing countries. Because of the changes in the classification method, some countries, including Vietnam, are no longer listed as developing countries. One of the important criteria that USTR considers when classifying countries is the proportion of trade. The countries with trade accounting for more than 0.5 percent of global trade will be considered developed countries. Meanwhile, the figure is 2 percent under WTO rules. Meanwhile, Vietnams trade proportion was 2.5 percent in 2018. According to Bao Viet Securities (BVSC), the most noteworthy point of the USTRs updating is that the classification method will be valid in the anti-subsidy duty law, but it wont affect the classification in other laws. In other words, the impact of the USTRs decision will be only seen in the imposition of anti-subsidy duties, and there wont be influences to the other preferences that Vietnam and other developing countries now enjoy. Effects Seafood and textile and garment are believed to be the two industries to suffer direct impactfrom anti-subsidy and anti-dumping laws. The US is currently the largest market for Vietnams seafood exports. It consumes more than 17 percent of total seafood exports. Even without the USTRs new classification rules, shrimp and catfish, the two major export items, have been facing anti-subsidy lawsuits over many years. The seafood sector has been warned that it will meet difficulties this year because of the Covid-19 epidemic, which has led to a sharp fall in demand. As for the textile and garment sector, the downward trend in fiber prices in the world market may stop because of the strengthening of legal basis to conduct anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations. The recovery of the fiber prices, if any, will support business results of yarn producers such as Soi The Ky JSC. Kim Chi A small, not-again shudder rippled through the federal political class over the past week when three Conservative leadership candidates said they were willing to tip the country into another election this fall. Peter MacKay, seen as a front-runner, tossed it out in a fundraising letter: Canadians have lost faith in this government. Protests, shutdowns, economic decline, and job losses with more to come. Canada is a great country, but were being held back by failing government. We need an election in October. Sarnia MP Marilyn Gladu had already served notice of a similar intention in a Facebook post a few weeks ago. Erin OToole, who received the gift of an endorsement from Alberta Premier Jason Kenney this week, said: As soon as I become leader, I will table a motion of no confidence in the government. So thats pretty clear. Serious contenders for the Conservative leadership believe that their first priority is to topple Justin Trudeau when Parliament resumes in the fall. The Conservative leadership vote itself takes place in late June. Presumably the winner of the contest will use the time on the summer barbecue circuit to make the case for Trudeaus immediate defeat. Something about this sounds very familiar. It is, in fact, exactly the kind of mood that federal Liberals were in about 11 years ago, when they were in a remarkably similar position to the Conservatives of today. In 2009, Liberals had just gone through a second consecutive election defeat after losing power a few years earlier. Theyd tried one leader Stephane Dion who hadnt delivered them the swift return to office that so many expected. Many Liberals were surprised to discover in the 2008 election that Canadians did not loathe Stephen Harpers first term as much as they did that voters were actually willing to re-elect Conservatives in spite of all the impassioned Liberal arguments about how Harpers team was wrecking the country. Conservatives would come to call this Harper derangement syndrome the condition in which every act by Harper would tip Liberals into a righteous fury. That condition has now turned upside down, and these days, its Liberals accusing Conservatives (or others) of suffering Trudeau-inspired derangement. Whether applied to Harper then or Trudeau now, the implication is the same that normal, non-deranged Canadians arent looking for the first available opportunity to find a new prime minister. Diehard partisans, yes, but ordinary voters who have just put the last nasty campaign behind them? Maybe not so much. Again, this was the state of things in Liberal-versus-Conservative politics in 2009, when Liberals replaced Dion with new leader Michael Ignatieff. It was an uncontested race and by summer of that year, Ignatieff and his team felt ready to take on Harper and put the country in a quick do-over of the election of 2008. Famously, and to his eventual regret, Ignatieff ended the Liberals summer retreat in 2009 with the threat: Mr. Harper, your time is up. It actually was an empty threat it required New Democrats or the Bloc Quebecois to vote no-confidence in Harpers minority government too. Liberals were surprised again to find that other opposition parties werent all that keen at the prospect of another election. Harper managed to hold off facing another election for almost two years after Ignatieff told him his time was up. In his book about his brief, unpleasant time as Liberal leader, Ignatieff refers to this gambit as a debacle and warns: Voters punish politicians who look like theyre playing games or changing their tune. I looked like both and paid the price. MacKay, Gladu and OToole may not have read Fire and Ashes, Ignatieffs book, but they may want to revisit history when they consider the lets try it again with another leader plan. They may also want to consult with three players the New Democrats, the Bloc Quebecois and most importantly, Canadians themselves. Conservatives, with 121 seats in the Commons, would need the 32 MPs of the Bloc and the 24 MPs of the NDP to get a vote of no confidence passed against Trudeaus 157-seat Liberal caucus. Theyd also have to assume that Canadians were as giddily interested in an election do-over this fall, and a different result. Those are a lot of ifs. Neither the NDP nor the Bloc appear keen at the moment to go into another campaign. More to the point, Im suspecting that Canadians wouldnt enjoy the sequel any more than they enjoyed the 2019 campaign. The prospect of a fall election may not be entirely deranged, but it might not be all that realistic or wise either. Susan Delacourt is a columnist covering national politics based in Ottawa. Reach her via email: sdelacourt@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @susandelacourt Read more about: (Natural News) On March 5, Washington Department of Health Secretary John Wiesman publicly announced that the number of Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) cases in the Evergreen State had nearly doubled compared to the day prior, jumping from 39 confirmed cases to 70. The bulk of these cases, 51 to be precise, are in King County where Seattle is located, while another 18 cases have been identified in nearby Snohomish County. The remaining single case is said to be in Grant County. Since that time, the overall number of Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) cases in Washington, according to the official count, has jumped even further to at least 85. This includes 58 total cases in King County, 22 cases in Snohomish County, and one case each in Jefferson, Grant, Clark, Kittitas, and Pierce counties. The day the number of Washington cases nearly doubled, King County had also made an announcement encouraging its employees to work from home rather than come in as part of self-isolation protocols. Workplaces should enact measures that allow people who can work from home to do so, the county stated. Taking these measures can help reduce the number of workers who come into contact with COVID-19 and help minimize absenteeism due to illness. King County is also encouraging sick people to avoid going out in public period, and especially to avoid visiting hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, and other similar types of facilities whenever possible. If you need to go, limit your time there and keep six feet away from patients, a statement from the county reads. Listen below as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, offers insights into the coming medical martial law protocols that will soon sweep the American landscape: Students across Washington are beginning online classes as coronavirus panic spreads Not long after Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, so did King County. Vice President Mike Pence, President Donald Trumps coronavirus czar, is expected to travel to Olympia, Washingtons capital, to meet with Gov. Inslee. Meanwhile, students in the Northshore School District are set to begin online classes as all area school facilities are closed for at least 14 days. Everett Community College and Washington State University, both located in Everett, were also closed over the weekend for special Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) cleaning, and the entirety of their remaining and respective semesters will also take place online rather than in actual classrooms. All sorts of businesses, organizations, and other institutions across Washington are likewise canceling large events and other planned gatherings, instead encouraging their would-be attendees to engage in social distancing. Many area churches and religious centers are grappling with whether or not to shut down services and meetings, while sporting events are similarly being canceled. The effects of all this disruption will, of course, have a domino-like effect. You can expect massive economic failures, potentially at a scale never before seen in American history, at least within the lifetimes of anyone currently living. Over in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) crisis, the situation has devolved into hell on earth according to at least one on-the-ground doctor there whos witnessing firsthand how the communist Chinese regime is bungling containment efforts, perhaps intentionally. Never fear, joked one commenter at The Epoch Times about our own governments mishandling of this crisis. Your government has it all under control and will tell you whatever information they think you need to know when they think you need to know it. They only have your best interests at heart and obviously, they know best, this same commenter added in jest. To keep up with the latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19), be sure to check out Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com HeraldNet.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com Italy's death toll from the new coronavirus shot up by 133 to 366 Sunday while the number of infections rose by a single-day record of 1,492 to hit 7,375. Italy has recorded the most deaths of any country outside China and the second-most COVID-19 infections in the world. The majority of the deaths were in the Lombardy region in northern Italy, the civil protection agency said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The World Health Organization on Sunday saluted Italys genuine sacrifices after the government put a quarter of the population under lockdown to try to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus. Over 15 million people in northern Italy woke on Sunday to find themselves cut off from the rest of the country, after the government imposed strict measures to slow the epidemic. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte decided to limit movement in and out of the north, including Venice and the financial capital Milan, for nearly a month. The government & the people of Italy are taking bold, courageous steps aimed at slowing the spread of the #coronavirus & protecting their country & world, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a tweet. They are making genuine sacrifices. @WHO stands in solidarity with Italy & is here to continue supporting you. With more than 230 fatalities, Italy has recorded the most deaths from the COVID-19 disease of any country outside China, where the outbreak began in December. Romes new rules came shortly after the news the number of people infected had jumped by over 1,200 in a 24-hour period. @WHO stands in solidarity with Italy & is here to continue supporting you, the director-general said. MOSCOW -- For almost six years, Russias most respected pollster has tracked public opinion about the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which killed all 298 people on board and further damaged Russia's badly frayed relations with the West months into the war in eastern Ukraine. One statistic has remained robust: the high proportion of Russians who say that their country is not to blame, despite a large and mounting body of evidence compiled by international investigators, journalists, and open-source researchers pointing to a major Russian role in the shoot-down over the conflict zone. The Levada Center polling shows that about 60 percent of Russians consistently blame the July 2014 disaster on Ukraine or volunteers fighting on its side of the war against Russia-backed separatists in the region known as the Donbas, which has killed more than 13,000 people since it began that April. In general, the situation has changed only very slightly, said Aleksei Levinson, a senior Levada Center researcher who has led its work on Ukraine and who published the results of the pollsters latest survey on MH17 in February. But with the trial of four suspects set to start in the Netherlands on March 9, Levinson emphasizes another finding: In the latest poll, 62 percent of respondents agreed that Russia should compensate the families of MH17 victims if the Dutch-led investigation leads the international community" to the conclusion that Russia was responsible. The four defendants in the upcoming trial -- three Russians and one Ukrainian -- were identified as a result of the ongoing probe by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which comprises representatives from Ukraine as well as the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, and Malaysia -- all of which lost citizens when the passenger jet was shot down during a routine flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. But Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov, and Leonid Kharchenko will not be in the dock when the trial begins. Having refused to face prosecutors, they will be tried in absentia -- amid a dogged information campaign emanating from Russia, which has portrayed their prosecution as a politically motivated stunt. Once again the Russian side is subject to absolutely groundless accusations aimed at discrediting the Russian Federation before the international community, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on the day the JIT named the four suspects in June 2019. The Kremlin has repeatedly sought to cast doubt on the objectivity and findings of the investigation. But the Levada poll results add a twist, suggesting that the Russian government's denials of involvement could eventually run up against the results of the trial in the eyes of Russian citizens -- not just those in Ukraine and elsewhere who, based on the probe and other information, blame Moscow and the military advisers it allegedly dispatched to eastern Ukraine with the missile that downed MH17. This survey shows that Russians understand how important the MH17 case is for the relatives, in spite of the poor information theyve received about the disaster from Russia, Dutch lawmaker Chris Van Dam told the Dutch newspaper Trouw in February. According to Levinson, the survey is the latest testament to the gradual dissipation of Russia's Crimea consensus: the rally-round-the-flag effect that followed Moscows seizure of the Ukrainian peninsula in March 2014 and led to a spike in patriotic sentiment -- and support for President Vladimir Putin -- for several years. Other recent surveys by the Levada Center show that anti-Western sentiment has drastically decreased. Antipathy toward the United States has more than halved since 2015, with positive views of the former Cold War adversary rising almost fourfold. Positive opinions of the European Union have seen a similar increase. This shows the erosion of a strong anti-Western position, and other results corroborate that, Levinson said. He added that the large number of respondents prepared to accept the outcome of the MH17 trial a scenario Levadas polls have not addressed until now -- correlates with a growing number who believe the JIT will hold a fair trial. Russians views on the MH17 downing closely correlate with general opinions about the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, where the Russia-backed separatists seized parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces after a Moscow-friendly Ukrainian president was pushed from power in February 2014 by protests in Kyiv. The majority of respondents say Russia should not yield to Western sanctions aimed at changing its foreign policy toward Ukraine, meaning that the denial of responsibility for the downing of MH17 remains almost the default stance. In the latest Levada survey, which was conducted in October 2019 and January 2020 on behalf of Leiden University, only 2 percent of respondents said that the Russian armed forces were culpable -- unchanged from the proportion blaming Russia in a differently worded Levada poll question in 2015 -- while 7 percent blamed Russian volunteers or the Russia-backed separatist forces. These figures represent a marginal view however you look at it, Levinson said. Levinson does not comment on what factors may have influenced the widespread assertion that Russia is not responsible, which flies in the face of evidence made public by the JIT, various journalistic probes, and independent investigative groups such as Bellingcat. But Russian state TV, a major shaper of public opinion, has from the outset sowed confusion about the incident and broadcast official Moscows repeated denials. In the hours that followed reports of the catastrophe on July 17, 2014, several Russian state news agencies claimed the separatists had shot down a Ukrainian An-26 military plane in the area. Updates to those stories became increasingly muddled after it emerged that MH17 had crashed in the location where the separatists had reportedly downed the Ukrainian military aircraft, giving the false impression that two planes had gone down. In the days following the downing of MH17, Moscow would launch a campaign to push conspiracy theories and so-called alternative facts. It has not only denied involvement in the MH17 disaster but has also denied involvement in the war itself, despite ample evidence that that it has provided troops, arms, and other support to the separatists. The JITs years-long criminal investigation has since concluded that MH17 was shot down by a surface-to-air Buk missile from Russia's 53rd Antiaircraft Missile Brigade, fired from territory held by the Russia-backed separatists. It found that the launcher was brought into Ukraine from Russia before the shoot-down and taken back across the border shortly afterward. The indictment the JIT issued in June 2019 paved the way for the four suspects to be tried on murder charges for their alleged roles in the crime. In announcing the first criminal charges in the MH17 case, investigators said evidence showed a direct line of military command between the separatists and Russia. To back up the claim, they played phone calls of the suspects discussing the Buks movement and other key aspects of the incident by telephone, via social-media chats and a computer image reconstruction of events. In 2015, almost half of Russians questioned told the Levada Center they backed the idea of creating an international tribunal with Russia's participation. Levinson said the majority believed Russia would be exonerated and Ukraine's complicity would be proved. But that July, Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution to create the tribunal, the only nation to do so. "There can be no reason to oppose this [draft resolution] unless you are a perpetrator yourself, then-Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said at the time. The JIT was formed as an alternative. For Levinson, the latest survey shows that public opinion may be shifting. And Russians are not ignorant of the experiences of other countries faced with a rapidly growing trove of incriminating evidence. The final question Levinsons team asked respondents to the recent survey related to another passenger jet that was shot down: Ukrainian Airlines Flight PS752, whose crash after takeoff from Tehran on January 8 killed all 176 people on board. Iranian officials acknowledged responsibility three days later, asserting that the plane was shot down by mistake. Moscow's reaction to that incident, which included a staunch defense of Iran, was for many redolent of the obfuscation campaign it launched following the downing of MH17, and brought into stark relief the parallels between Iran's admission of guilt and Moscow's dogged denials throughout the past five years. "I didn't want to believe it until the last. A full remake of July 17, 2014," Gleb Pavlovsky, a former adviser to Putin, wrote about Irans confession at the time. "But the Iranians admitted it -- a strong nation." It appears that most Russians back that judgment. When Levada asked whether admission of guilt by a state is a sign of weakness or strength, more than 80 percent of respondents said it was a sign of strength. Since the Soviet collapse in 1991, the question of media representation both ways, in Russia and in Africa, has attracted unprecedented concern and discussions. Over the years, nearly 30 years after the Soviet era, Russia has not encouraged African media, especially those from the south of Sahara, to operate in the Russian Federation. Interestingly, the Russian Foreign Ministry's Information and Press Department has accredited media from Latin America, the United States, Europe and Asian countries, and only two African media came from the Maghreb region (Morocco and Egypt) in North Africa. An official information presented during the first Russia-Africa Summit held in October 2019 explicitly shows the degree of priority given to African media. Some 300 news bureaus from 60 countries are currently operating in Russia, including 800 foreign correspondents and 400 technical personnel, while there are African news bureaus from Egypt and Morocco, according to Artem Kozhin, who represented the Russian Foreign Ministry's Information and Press Department, at the panel discussion on media. According to his interpretation, this extremely low representation of African media hardly meets the level of current dynamically developing relations between Russia and Africa. "We invite all interested parties to open news bureaus and expand media cooperation with Russia," Kozhin said at the gathering, inviting Africa media to Moscow. In practical terms, the Russian officialdom has not encouraged and supported the idea of African media that could, in a way, present the positive developments and its related emerging economic opportunities in the Russian Federation to the general reading public, political elite and business community in Africa. However, the highly successful spade-work was the first Russia-Africa Summit. That appreciably marks the turning point in Russia's new strategy of returning to Africa and promote various significant initiatives to facilitate development on the continent. But observing and analyzing carefully post-summit developments, media cooperation has still been relegated to the backyard. Significantly, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has to layout some new mechanisms and adopt a more favourable approach that could readily attract African media to operate in the Russian Federation. Russia and Africa need to examine every sphere based on shared partnership interests and redefine a practical approach to realizing whatever plans on media cooperation. Media and NGOs, as instruments for improving adequately public knowledge, especially on the developments and emerging opportunities, have not been persuaded to match the desired future objectives and policy goals. The stark reality is that Russia needs Africa media and Africa needs Russian media, in order for them to enlighten ties in the economic shperes, to promote a better understanding among African elites and the middle class through media reports. Russian and African Ministries of Foreign Affairs have, so soon, forgotten about the questions raised at the panel discussion on media in Russia-Africa gathering in Sochi. What issues are currently encountered in the formation of the modern media landscape? What role does the media play in Russian-African relations? What are the prospects for collaboration in the information sphere? What needs to be done to develop a Russian media agenda in Africa? What is the role and place of Russia in the information space of Africa today? What role can African media play in promoting further Russia's image in Africa? Last year, the Russian Ministry of Justice requested that all foreign media organizations must declare their sources of finance for their operations in the Russian Federation. The State Duma backs restrictions of foreign capital in media and information resources. In addition, both Federation Council and the State Duma enacted legislations that banned foreign NGOs from operating in Russia. These legislations and administrative directives have drawn criticisms from rights groups and many academic experts that such moves would restrict media freedoms. Consequently, it has created little interest among most African media operators to expand their representation to Moscow, there are absolutely no African NGOs operating in the Russian Federation. Further, the plausible impact of the continous absence of African media in Russia means Africans will get their stuff from alternative sources. It also means creating the grounds for what Russians frequently referred to as "anti-Russian propaganda in Africa by western and European media" and, of course, Russians will consistently continue making complaints about widening information gap between Russia and Africa. The Foreign Ministry published the text of Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov's speech on official website where he highlighted the problems facing the development of Russia-African ties at a session on Urals-Africa economic forum in Yekaterinburg. "One must admit that the practical span of Russian companies' business operations in Africa falls far below our export capabilities, on one hand, and the huge natural resources of the continent, on the other," Bogdanov said. According to him, one of the major obstacles has been insufficient knowledge of the economic potential, on the part of Russian entrepreneurs, needs and opportunities of the African region. "Poor knowledge of the African markets' structure and the characteristics of African customers by the Russian business community remains an undeniable fact. The Africans in their turn are insufficiently informed on the capabilities of potential Russian partners," Bogdanov stressed in his speech at the forum. During the Russia-Africa Summit, Professor Alexey Vasiliev, the first appointed Special Representative of Russian President for Relations with Africa (2006-2011) and currently the Head of the Center for African and Arab Studies at the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (2013-2020), told the audience there in Sochi: "Africa is largely unaware of Russia, since African media mainly consumes information the Western media sources and then replicates them. And all the fake news, the Rusophobia and anti-Russian propaganda, spread by the western media, are repeated in the African media." "Measures are needed to enable us to better understand each other," suggested Professor Vasiliev, who regularly advises the Presidential Administration, the Government of the Russian Federation, both chambers of the Federal Assembly, and the Russian Foreign Ministry. Professor Vladimir Shubin, the Deputy Director of the Institute for African Studies, explained in an interview with me that political relations between Russia and Africa as well as the economic cooperation would attract more and more academic discussions, and such scholarly contributions, in essence, would help deepen understanding of the problems that impede building solid relationship or partnership with Russia. In order to maintain this relationship, both Russia and Africa have to pay high attention to and take significant steps in promoting their achievements and highlighting the most development needs in a comprehensive way for mutual benefits using appropriately the media, according to the professor. "African leaders do their best in developing bilateral relations," he added. "Truly and passionately, they come to Russia more often than ten years ago, but a lot still has to be done; both Russian and African media, in this case, have a huge role to play." Perhaps, one of the reasons why some African leaders have "written off" Russia has been the lack of information about Russia, or rather plenty of distorted information they have received from the Western media coverage of Russia, Professor Shubin concluded. Similarly, Bunn Nagara, a Senior Fellow of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies, member of the Valdai Discussion Club, observed that "Russian businesses face a number of challenges. First, there is little information available internationally about the opportunities and possibilities for partnerships between Russian and foreign businesses." "Russia is a large country spanning both Europe and Asia. So, it can do much to bring Asian and European business linkages together and build on them. Better public relations and improved information dissemination are very important. To do this, it needs to do more in spreading more and better information about its achievements, the progress so far, its future plans, and the opportunities available," Bunn Nagara said. Early October 2019, the Valdai Discussion Club released an ebook titled "Russia's Return to Africa: Strategy and Prospects" jointly or collectively authored by Vadim Balytnikov, Oleg Barabanov, Andrei Yemelyanov, Dmitry Poletaev, Igor Sid and Natalia Zaiser. The Valdai Discussion Club was established in 2004, with a goal is to promote dialogue between Russian and international intellectual elite, and to make an independent, unbiased scientific analysis of political, economic and social events in Russia and the rest of the world. The authors explicitly suggested the need to take steps in countering Western anti-Russia cliches that are spreading in Africa and shaping a narrative whereby only dictators and outcasts partner with the Russians. Therefore, efforts to improve Russia's image must target not only the continent's elite, but also a broader public opinion. It would be advisable to create and develop appropriate media tools to this effect. Media and NGOs, working with the civil society, have to support official efforts in pushing for building a positive image and in strengthening diplomacy. Displaying an attentive and caring attitude towards the African diaspora in Russia, the key objective is to overcome racist stereotypes that persist in marginal segments of Russian society. Helping highly qualified educated migrants to integrate through employment. This will, in addition, showcase and shape public opinion about Africa in the Russian Federation. According to the authors, building a more and consistent positive public opinion within Russia and Africa should be considered extremely important at this stage of relations between Russia and Africa. Should Russia assist other countries for political purposes only? Will the recipient countries be willing to lend Russia their political support, and can they be trusted? Should Russia build its partnerships exclusively based on the principle of economic expediency? The authors wrote: "Russia will have to answer these questions as it moves towards implementing its African strategy. Its experience in working with public opinion and governments across Eurasia to shape public perceptions will come in handy in Africa." The irreversible fact is that there is the need to have an informed African society, and this has to be done largely, systematically and necessarily through the media. Africa has the largest number of young people, who look at the world with open eyes and are ready for cooperation with partner countries. This is a good opportunity to inform the young generation, bring them together through knowledge from Russia, Eurasia, and Africa. President Donald Trumps administration did not want to go through with a suggestion from health officials that it recommend elderly and physically fragile Americans avoid flying on commercial airlines because of the new coronavirus, an unnamed official tells the Associated Press. The suggestion had been made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but White House officials said that it should be nixed from the governments recommendations. On Friday, the CDC advised older Americans and those with serious medical conditions to stay home as much as possible and avoid crowded areas, but didnt make a specific mention of flying. Advertisement Administration officials disputed the APs story, with Katie Miller, the press secretary for Vice President Mike Pence, characterizing the piece as complete fiction, insisting that it was never a recommendation to the Task Force. On Saturday, Pence had called on older people with serious health problems to practice common sense and avoid activities including traveling on a cruise line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even as the administration disputes that particular story, there are several insider accounts of how things unfolded in the White House as the coronavirus began spreading around the world that show how key opportunities were wasted to try to slow the spread of the new virus. While health officials tried to get the administration to sound the alarm about the new virus, the White House was more focused on trying to minimize the risk in order to prevent a negative effect on the financial markets and sparking panic. The confused signals from the Trump administration, they say, left Americans unprepared for a public health crisis, notes the New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement Trump, in particular, frequently said things were under control when that was far from the truth. That had dire consequences. The Washington Post explains: The repeated false claims by the president that the virus was being contained exacerbated the problem. They made it difficult for public health officials to lay out the need to prepare for what happens next, even after most experts had begun to fear the virus was already here and spreading. There was also a ripple effect, with health officials and others not taking the threat as seriously as they should have because Trump kept on making faulty assurances, such as his claim at a Feb. 26 news conference that within the United States, the number of cases was going to be down to close to zero. Advertisement Trump is none too happy about all these stories about how his administration has dropped the ball on the coronavirus response and let his anger be known in a Sunday morning tweet. We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House, Trump wrote. The Fake News Media is doing everything possible to make us look bad. Sad! Advertisement Advertisement Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor was handed over to the Enforcement Directorate till March 11 by Mumbai's Special Holiday Court on Sunday. While making a request for five-day custody of Kapoor, the ED made a "verbal submission" to the court detailing the alleged financial irregularities of Yes Bank and DHFL. As the ED believes that Kapoor took advantage of his position to benefit his daughter's companies, hence custody of Kapoor is needed to investigate his and his daughters' role in the matter, said the lawyer representing ED. The agency argued in court that many family companies are involved and there are also some cases of quid pro quo made out of the case. "We need a throughout the investigation and need to confront all these people to the accused," the lawyer representing ED said. On the allegations made by the investigative agency, Rana Kapoor told the court that "Despite going through medical treatment, I have been cooperating with the agency whenever needed." He also said that the DHFL was given a loan as it was a triple-A-rated company. "My daughters received money as part of empowering women scheme and their companies are performing well and are paying off the loan on time," he added. He also alleged that he was made to sign 7-page documents and he is being specifically targeted by the ED. Meanwhile, the Yes Bank founder also told the court that he was taken to two hospitals by the ED as he was having "hallucinations." After listening to both the arguments, the court sent Rana Kapoor to the custody of ED till March 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Telangana government on Sunday presented a tax-free budget for FY 2020-21, proposing an expenditure of Rs 1,82,914.42 crore. Out of this, the revenue expenditure is Rs 1,38,669.82 crore and capital expenditure is Rs 22,061.18 crore. It is estimated that surplus in budget estimates is Rs 4,482.12 crore, while the fiscal deficit is Rs 33,191.25 crore, state Finance Minister T Harish Rao said in his Budget speech. The schemes which got major allocations include Rythu Bandhu investment support scheme for farmers (Rs 14,000 crore), Aasara social security pensions (Rs 11,758 crore), two-bedroom houses for poor (Rs 10,500 crore) and Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration (Rs 10,000 crore). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ambulance Victoria said a toddler has been flown to the Royal Children's Hospital in a critical condition. The child's condition later improved to stable. A woman believed to be in her 30s was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital by road in a stable condition. The scene of the crash in Kallista on Sunday. Credit:Nine News The vehicle, which had five occupants, ran off Sherbrooke Road after being struck by the tree just after 2.30pm near Owen Street. Three people died after a falling tree hit their car in Kallista on Sunday afternoon. On July 14 last year a father and son were killed after a large gum fell on their car during strong winds as they travelled in Yarra Ranges Shire towards Sherbrooke. Assistant Commissioner for road policing Libby Murphy said Sunday's accident was a complete tragedy. "Our reconstruction just confirmed that while that car was travelling up the hill, a tree has fallen on top of the car and that has resulted in the car being pushed down an embankment and ... in the death of three people in that vehicle," she said. "Its really sad. This is one of those instances where the people actually havent done anything ... theyve been driving along and done nothing to cause the collision. "We usually see something like drugs and alcohol involved but on this occasion its just one of those awful things thats ended up in a complete tragedy." UAE government has reviewed a series of construction and development projects in the country worth Dh2 billion ($544 million). The "Follow-Up Committee of the Initiatives of the UAE President" meeting was chaired by Jaber Mohammed Ghanem Al Suwaidi, the General Director of the Court. The committee also approved several major projects including the construction of 379 residential units at Al Khawaneej district in Dubai, located between Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road, at an investment of Dh501 million. During the meeting, Al Suwaidi was briefed about the progress of the Sheikh Khalifa Specialist Hospital Project in Fujairah. The project, being developed at a cost of Dh865.9 million, is due for completion in February next year. The 292-bed hospital, which covers an area of 83,965 sq m, will help in the treatment of victims of disasters and serious accidents, it stated. The committee also approved two environmental projects worth Dh119 million, which are part of a series of comprehensive national waste management projects. These include the restoration of the Julfar landfill in Ras Al Khaimah and the construction of a central sewage treatment plant in Dibba Al Fujairah and the upgrading of landfills in Al Hail, Dana, Al Bidiyah and Hilla in Fujairah. The committee also discussed the upgrading of the city landfill in Umm Al Quwain, besides giving approval for road, lighting, flood water and sewage plant projects in many regions in the country.-TradeArabia News Service Young activists and their older counterparts explain why they are uniting to fight for womens rights in Pakistan. Thousands of women have marched across Pakistans main urban centres to mark International Womens Day. It is the third successive year that the Aurat March, womens march, has been held in the country. The theme for this years march was Mera Jism, Meri Marzi (My body, my choice), which according to the organisers manifesto, is about demanding a society without exploitative patriarchal structures and control of economic resources, the right of women to make decisions about their own bodies, and ending harassment, forced religious conversions and the sexist portrayal of women in the media, among other things. The marches were organised by a collective that includes Womens Action Forum, a womens rights organisation, Womens Democratic Front, a socialist-feminist organisation, and Hum Aurtein, a feminist group. The women who are emerging are shattering all those [patriarchal] ideas. They are just not going to take it any more. This is very unsettling for a lot of people, explained Ammar Rashid, president of the Punjab chapter of Awami Workers Party, a left-wing political party that supported the marches. The thought of a womens march advocating womens rights shakes patriarchy to the very core. Fatima Hassan is a student activist who attended the march in Karachi. Im a young woman [and] Im here today because I dont feel comfortable walking alone at night, she explained. And Im here for all those women who couldnt be here today. In recent months, Pakistan has seen a wave of protests by women demanding equality, students demanding the reinstatement of student unions and ethnic groups demanding their rights. Tooba Syed is the political representative of the Womens Democratic Front and one of the organisers of the Islamabad march. She feels that all of the recent protest movements have one thing in common: they are being led by the countrys progressive youth. And among the youth, women are becoming particularly vocal, she says. The space for women is growing. I see many more women engaging today than I did perhaps five years ago. I remember being the only woman at some protests and sometimes I would be joined by maybe two or three more women but today that has changed. The backlash But if more women are feeling empowered to come out and march, it has not come without a backlash. Some of the signs carried at last years marches attracted a lot of animosity. Among them were posters addressing unwanted sexual advances, explicit photos women receive from men online and even the correct way for a woman to sit. As this years march approached, those who opposed it became more vocal. Maulana Fazl ur Rehman, the leader of the religious right-wing political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), asked law enforcement bodies to take action to stop the marches. If they want to bring awareness to the issues that are faced today in society, if they are associated with rights for women granted to them in Islam and the constitution we have absolutely no problem with that. What occurred last year was against the norms of culture and society. So much so that I cannot even bring myself to speak of them, he told Al Jazeera in a telephone interview. At least three petitions were filed in courts across the country with the aim of stopping the marches. A petition in Islamabad was filed by JUI-F and Umme Hassan, wife of the Muslim leader from Islamabads Lal Masjid. None of the petitions was successful. Lawyer Azhar Siddique, one of the petitioners whose case was dismissed by the Lahore High Court, argues that the entire movement is part of a Western agenda to ruin the culture of Pakistan. I have worked for womens rights more than these people [the marchers]. And where in Pakistan other than a few places has there been discrimination against women? he told Al Jazeera. Nighat Dad, a lawyer and one of the organisers of the march in Lahore, disagreed. Is it not true that children are raped and killed every other day? Is it not true that girls are deprived of education? Is it not true that women who have to walk to their workplaces are harassed on the streets? Is it not true that women face the double burden of making money as well as taking care of children and the entire household? If all of this is true, then why create such a stupid drama about one or two posters? she asked. They dont want to hear or see women taking to the streets against economic injustice and patriarchal violence that are both tied in together, Dad added. According to the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (2012-13), almost 32 percent of women have experienced physical violence in Pakistan and 40 percent of ever-married women have suffered spousal abuse at some point in their life. These numbers are likely to be an underestimate as, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), one in two Pakistani women who have experienced violence never sought help or told anyone about it. According to Human Right Watch, 32 percent of primary school age girls are out of school in Pakistan, compared with 21 percent of boys. By ninth grade, only 13 percent of girls are still in school. Silencing There are other types of opposition the organisers must navigate. On March 3, in Islamabad, a mural of artwork made by people involved with the womens march was destroyed by students from a nearby religious school within hours of it going up. Posters for the womens march were ripped off walls in Lahore [Amal Awais Chughtai/Al Jazeera] On February 23, in Lahore, posters made by march volunteers and participants were torn down. Recently, an exchange between Khalil ur Rehman Qamar, a well-known television serial writer, and writer Marvi Sirmed, that was aired live on a debate-style show on Neo News went viral. In it, Qamar shouted abuse at Sirmed over the My Body, My Choice slogan. Neo News CEO Nasrullah Malik subsequently apologised to Sirmend on social media. @marvisirmed Please accept my sincere apology on the incident which happened today on our screen. Being Head of NEO NEWS I am extremely sorry for that and strict action will be taken. We condemn the behaviour of Khalil Qamar. Nasrullah Malik Executive Director NEO NEWS Nasrullah Malik (@NasrullahMalik1) March 3, 2020 Men like Khalilul Rehman Qamar want to deflect attention from the fact that the global economic crisis is begetting social movements pioneered by women and that is why they make so much noise about a select few placards, said Dad. The foundations of patriarchy stand challenged today and since these foundations are so fragile, their guardians have jumped into action and are resorting to every measure in their capacities to ensure that women are back to being silenced. Al Jazeera attempted to reach Qamar for a comment but was unable to. A mural that was defaced in Islamabad [Asad Hashim/Al Jazeera] Religious parties In advance of Sundays marches, a smaller rally of approximately 300 people was held on Saturday night in Sukkur, in the southern province of Sindh. Arfana Mallah has been an activist in Pakistans Sindh province for more than 20 years. She is from Womens Action Forum, a leading womens rights organisation, and one of the co-founders of the Sukkur rally. She chose Sukkur because, according to data compiled by Womens Action Forum, in the last year there have been at least 50 forced conversions and marriages of women from religious minorities in the city. The slander on social media against us is insufferable, she said. There are thousands of posts they are putting up constantly against us, and saying we are vulgar and immoral women and its acceptable to kill us for the sake of honour. She believes Pakistans powerful right-wing religious parties are particularly concerned by the womens movement for equality because they cannot control it. And if women step out of [the limited role they allow them] what will they have left to define chastity on? she said of these parties. Pushpa Kumari is an activist from Hyderabad who works to stop forced kidnappings, conversions and marriages of Hindu girls who attended the march in Karachi. She said many of the girls affected are between the ages of 10 and 14. Those girls cannot be here today, she said. Those girls are broken down so much that there is nothing left. There are two girls from my family who were kidnapped; we dont even know if they are alive, she added. Hindu community activist Pushpa Kumari attended the march in Karachi [Alia Chughtai/Al Jazeera] They dont know the women of Pakistan In February 1983, a group of women marched through the streets of Lahore, despite martial law which prohibited gatherings of more than two people. They were met by police who hit them with batons and arrested them. The protest was against the law of evidence, which would reduce the testimony of a woman to half that of a man. Farida Shaheed was there that day in 1983, and today she helps younger women protest. She says the marchers were called immoral back then too. The only difference then, she adds, is that people seemed particularly alarmed by women having short hair, whereas that does not seem to be such a concern now. There is a so-called politics of respectability, she explained. What is respectable and what is not, what is permissible and what is not is a debate. My fundamental question is, who defines what is respectable and what is not? The problem is that these people dont seem to know the women of Pakistan any more. They are completely mistaken about where this country and its women are. We have incredibly talented, innovative, powerful, active young women and they are coming together with the older and we are all united, she said. Nadira Hasnain was nine years old when Pakistan came into being in 1947. She sat perched on a chair near the stage at the Karachi rally. How society has evolved frightens me, she explained. In my family and growing up in a newly made Pakistan, the education of women wasnt questioned. The safety of women wasnt an issue. Nadira Hasnain says she attended the march in solidarity with all those girls who dont get a chance to be educated [Alia Chughtai/Al Jazeera] Ghinwa Bhutto, the wife of Murtaza Bhutto, the slain brother of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, also attended the march in Karachi. Finally, spring is here, she told Al Jazeera. This movement, along with other movements, is a sign that people are getting stronger and the rulers are getting weaker. The people want discourse. There is a change in what people are willing to accept. Being gay, lesbian, gender issues, socialism, progressive politics this is all being slowly accepted and absorbed by the people. "When I laughed nervously and said nothing, he followed up to the makeup artist. 'Keep putting makeup on her, I'll fall in love with her.' " Looking back, I can't help but think that, despite the warnings he received from management, maybe he needed more. At times I, too, was frustrated by his tendency to maintain his show's excitement level by talking too fast sometimes for his own good. It became an in-house joke during my appearances, for example, that we had to stop tape and redo his introduction of his panel on four or five occasions because he accidentally called me "Clarence Thomas." He is, by no means, alone in making that mistake. Still, it came to mind when he was jeered on several news sites Friday for accidentally identifying black Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina as Jamie Harrison, a black Democrat who is running to unseat the state's other Republican senator, Lindsey Graham. Awkward. Yet some people are puzzled that I find such slips more amusing than insulting when they happen to me. I'd like to see less punitiveness and more forgiveness in our very diverse society before everyone is too afraid to want to talk to each other at all. For now, the best lesson for the rest of us in Chris Matthews' sad break with his network may be to urge us all to speak up, amiably but frankly, when we see our friends' words digging the grave of their own careers. Clarence Page writes for the Chicago Tribune. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Allahabad high court has taken suo moto cognizance of the Lucknow administrations move of putting up hoardings with pictures of those accused of violence during the anti-CAA protest in December last year. Taking cognizance of the Lucknow administrations move, the HC bench, headed by chief justice Govind Mathur, decided to hear the case on Sunday (March 8). District magistrate and divisional police commissioner of Lucknow were asked by the court to inform it about the law under which such posters/hoardings were put up on the streets of Lucknow. The police have put up several hoardings across Lucknow identifying those accused of violence during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in December last year. The names, photographs and residential addresses of the accused are listed on the hoardings, sparking fear among those named on the hoardings. The accused have also been asked to pay for the damages to public and private property within a stipulated time, or have their properties attached by the district administration. The move attracted strong reactions from protestors, ordinary citizens, politicians, legal experts and social activists, who slammed the idea of public shaming although some voices were in favour of the administration. A Bangladeshi policewoman in Dhaka wears a mask to guard against the novel coronavirus, Feb. 4, 2020. Updated at 5:14 p.m. ET on 2020-03-08 Bangladesh on Sunday announced the first cases of COVID-19 detected on its soil, joining nations grappling with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus that has now infected more than 100,000 people around the globe, according to the World Health Organization. The Philippines meanwhile was moving to declare a public health emergency after confirming the first locally transmitted case, and as cases of infections in neighboring Malaysia were on the verge of breaking the 100 mark amid a surge in confirmed cases this past week. The first three cases confirmed by Bangladeshi health authorities Sunday included two people who recently returned from Italy, a global hotspot of the virus that first broke out in Chinas Hubei province. We have confirmed three cases of novel coronavirus in Bangladesh. Of them, two are men and the other is a woman, Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora, director of the state-run Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, told a news conference in Dhaka. Two of them came from Italy. The other patient is a family member of one of the infected persons, she said. Another three people suspected of being infected with the virus were under quarantine, she added. The trio who tested positive for COVID-19 were being treated at a local hospital. Their condition is stable, Dr. Flora said. Health Minister Zahid Maleque assured citizens that the government was ready to protect the public from the viral threat within the South Asian nation. We have adequate preparations to face the coronavirus. We have arranged quarantine facilities at all government hospitals even at the upazilla [sub-district] level, the minister told BenarNews on Sunday. We urge people not to get panicked. Just maintaining cleanliness will help protect us from coronavirus infections, he said. Late Sunday, Bangladeshi officials announced that due to the overall situation across the globe caused by the coronavirus outbreak, they were rearranging a program of big celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the countrys founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (pictured). Well hold the Mujib Year programs by making rearrangements, and well conduct the programs across the country accordingly, said Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, the chief coordinator of the committee organizing the series of events around the celebration, according to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangtha (BSS), the state news service. A grand ceremony scheduled at the national parade ground in Dhaka for March 17, the late founders birthday, would be held later, and other commemorative programs would be observed while avoiding massive public gatherings, BSS quoted Chowdhury as saying. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Mujibur, who was assassinated in a coup detat in 1975. A man wearing a facemask as a preventive measure against the novel coronavirus walks past a banner with the image of Bangladeshs founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, March 8, 2020. [AFP] World surpasses somber milestone In Geneva on Saturday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that cases of COVID-19 had topped 100,000 worldwide. As of Sunday, the number had exceeded 105,000 in at least 101 countries and territories scattered in six continents, with most cases concentrated in China, WHO said. At least 3,500 people have died of the disease worldwide, according to WHO's latest information. The U.N. agency marked the milestone as a somber moment, calling on leaders at all levels of society across the globe to step forward and commit to stopping the virus from spreading farther. We must stop, contain, control, delay and reduce the impact of this virus at every opportunity. Every person has the capacity to contribute, to protect themselves, to protect others, whether in the home, the community, the healthcare system, the workplace or the transport system, WHO said. In Manila, Philippine health officials on Saturday confirmed a sixth case of COVID-19 in the country. The patient was a 59-year-old woman married to a man whose illness was announced Friday. Officials on Saturday confirmed that the 62-year-old husband was the first person in the country infected through local transmission. The Department of Public Health was exhausting all its efforts to identify others who may have come into contact with the confirmed cases to ensure that this localized transmission does not progress to community spread, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said. In early February, the Philippines was the first country outside China to record a death from the coronavirus. On Saturday, health authorities in Thailand confirmed two new cases, which pushed the nationwide total to 50. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia announced six new cases on Sunday, bringing the country's overall number to 99. The new patients were all part of a large cluster of COVID-19 cases recorded in recent days and who were connected to one patient, a 52-year-old Malaysian man who had visited China in mid-January, officials said according to reports. And in Jakarta, the Indonesian health ministry announced Sunday that two more people, both Indonesian citizens, had tested positive for the virus, bringing the number of cases detected nationwide to half a dozen. Reports said one of the two new cases was a man in his thirties, who had worked as a crewmember aboard the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship docked in Japan that was hit hard by the virus. The second new case was a man in his fifties who was infected locally in Jakarta, Reuters quoted Health Minister Achmad Yurianto as saying. Expert: Bangladesh at high risk Although Bangladesh until Sunday had not detected the virus within its borders, the country already was feeling an economic pinch from it, and at least seven members of the countrys massive overseas migrant workforce had tested positive for COVID-19 in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. During the outbreak the Bangladeshi ready-made garment industry, the engine of the nations economy, has suffered big losses that have yet to be quantified through actual numbers, industry sources told BenarNews last week. Global fears around the spread of the virus have disrupted the sectors supply chain, which relies heavily on fabrics imported from China, they said. Elsewhere, China-backed infrastructure projects, such as the construction of the Padma Bridge Bangladeshs biggest public works project have slowed as a side-effect of the outbreak. For weeks, Chinese engineers and employees working on the bridge have been stuck back home in China due to travel restrictions tied to COVID-19. According to a local public health expert, Bangladesh is at high-risk for exposure to the virus because of the mobility and global reach of its expatriate workforce, which numbers in the millions. Thousands of Bangladeshis have been working in different countries where infections have been reported, Dr. Kanak Kanti Barua, the vice chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka, told BenarNews. A big number of expatriate Bangladeshis remain in back-and-forth movement. So, we should not be surprised, he said, commenting on Sundays announcement of the countrys first COVID-19 cases. He added: Rather, we are lucky enough that the infection comes late. BenarNews staff in Washington contributed to this report. The CBI has registered an FIR against Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor, DHFL and DoIT Urban Ventures for alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption, officials said on Sunday. Kapoor, 62, is in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The agency is likely to carry out searches in Mumbai soon, according to sources who did not wish to be identified. It is alleged that DoIT Urban Ventures (India) Pvt Ltd, a firm linked to the Kapoor family, had allegedly received funds of Rs 600 crore when Yes Bank had an exposure of more than Rs 3,000 crore loans to the scam-hit DHFL, which is already under probe, they said. Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL) has already been booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for siphoning off over Rs 2,200 crore of PF funds of Uttar Pradesh power sector employees. It is alleged that the bank did not make enough efforts to recover the funds and the funds received by DoIT Ventures are suspected to be kickbacks for the lenient attitude of the bank, the sources said. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday imposed a moratorium on the capital-starved Yes Bank, capping withdrawals at Rs 50,000 per account, and superseded the board of the private sector lender with immediate effect. Yes Bank will not be able to grant or renew any loan or advance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse any payment. As per the RBI's draft reconstruction scheme, State Bank of India will pick up 49 per cent stake in the crisis-ridden Yes Bank under a government-approved bailout plan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A temperature screening station seen at the Singapore Cruise Centre on 5 March 2020. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore) SINGAPORE The Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed 12 new cases of COVID-19 coronavirus infection as of noon on Sunday (8 March), taking the countrys total to 150. Nine of the latest cases are linked to a private dinner function held at SAFRA Jurong on 15 February said the ministry in a news release. The number of cases linked to the event now stands at 30. Of the remaining new cases, one is linked to a previous case; one is an imported case and another has no links to other known cases. There are currently six known clusters of cases within the country. To date, 90 people who have been infected with the coronaviruses have been discharged from hospital. Most of the remaining 60 cases are in stable condition or improving, while nine are in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU), said MOH. The ministry said that as of noon on Sunday, 3,649 close contacts of infected persons had been quarantined 3,034 of whom have completed their stint. MOH also provided updates on the details of the more recent cases: Case 139 Case 139 is a 71 year-old Singaporean man who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions and is warded in an isolation room at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH). He is related to Cases 140 and 142, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong event cluster. The man had reported the onset of symptoms on 3 March and sought treatment at a general practitioner (GP) two days later. He presented at NTFGH on 6 March and test results confirmed he was infected with COVID-19 the next day. Prior to being admitted to hospital he had mostly stayed at his home at Jurong West Street 81, said MOH. Case 140 Case 140 is a 62-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is also currently warded in an isolation room at STFGH. The woman is related to Cases 139 and 142, and is also linked to the SAFRA Jurong event. She reported the onset of symptoms on 28 February and sought treatment at a GP clinic the next day and on 5 March. Story continues She presented at NTFGH on 6 March and test results confirmed she was infected on the afternoon of the next day. Prior to her hospital admission she had gone to work at Landom Distributions, located at 31 Jurong Port Road. The woman also lives at Jurong West Street 81, said MOH. Case 141 Case 141 is a 69 year-old Singaporean man who has no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He is also warded in an isolation room at NTFGH. The man reported the onset of symptoms on 1 March and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on 3 March and 6 March. He was taken to NTFGH by ambulance on 6 March, where test results confirmed he was infected the next day. Before being admitted to hospital he had gone to work at Nanyang Technological Universitys (NTU) Innovation Centre has at 71 Nanyang Drive. The man is a member of the cleaning staff employed by NTUs cleaning services vendor and stays at Jurong West Street 64, said MOH. Case 142 Case 142 is a 26 year-old Singaporean man with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He is also currently warded in an isolation room at NTFGH. The man is related to Cases 139 and 140, and is also linked to SAFRA Jurong cluster. He reported the onset of symptoms on 5 March and presented at NTFGH the next day. Test results confirmed he was infected with COVID-19 the following day. Prior to being admitted to hospital, the man had gone to work at First Page Digital Singapore at 144 Robinson Road and also visited The Aperia Mall at 12 Kallang Avenue. He also stays at Jurong West Street 81, said MOH. Case 143 Case 143 is a 42-year-old male Singaporean man who had been in Thailand from 4 March to 6 March. He is currently warded in an isolation room at the National University Hospital (NUH). He is related to Case 132, a 37-year-old female Singapore permanent resident who had been in London from 23 to 27 February. The man, who stays at Tanglin Road, reported the onset of symptoms on 5 March while he was in Thailand and returned to Singapore the following night. Upon his return, he went straight from Changi Airport to NUH, where test results confirmed his infection the next day, said MOH. Case 144 Case 144 is a 58 year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is also warded in an isolation room at NTFGH. The woman is a contact of Case 140, and is also linked to SAFRA Jurong cluster. She reported the onset of symptoms on 3 March and had sought treatment at a GP clinic on the same day and on 5 March. She presented to NTFGH on 7 March, and test results confirmed her infection the following day. The woman is a hairdresser and works out of her home at Jurong West Street 74. She had attended to customers after the onset of symptoms, said MOH. Case 145 Case 145 is a 67-year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is also linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster. The woman is a contact of Case 107, a 68 year-old Singaporean woman who had been in Jakarta from 11 to 14 February, and Case 134, a 56-year-old female Singapore citizen who had been in Malaysia on 21 February. Her infection was confirmed on Sunday morning and she is currently warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), said MOH. Case 146 Case 146 is a 64 year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is also a contact of Case 134, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong Cluster. Her infection was confirmed on Sunday morning and she is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. Case 147 Case 147 is an imported case involving a 64-year-old male Indonesian national who arrived in Singapore on Saturday. His infection was confirmed on Sunday Morning and he is currently warded in an isolation room at the NCID, said MOH. Case 148 Case 148 is a 67-year-old Singaporean woman who had been in Indonesia from 11 February to 14 February. She is a contact of Case 107 and is also linked to the SAFRE Jurong cluster. Her infection was confirmed on Sunday morning and she is currently warded in an isolation room at the NCID, said MOH. Case 149 Case 149 is a 62-year-old Singaporean man with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He is also linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster. The mans infection was confirmed on Sunday morning and he is currently warded in an isolation room at the NCID. Case 150 Case 150 is a 53 year-old Singaporean woman with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. She is a contact of Cases 115 and 134, and is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster. Her infection was confirmed on Sunday morning and she is currently warded in an isolation room at the NCID. Case 135 Case 135 is a 40-year-old male Singaporean man with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He is currently warded in an isolation room at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). The man reported the onset of symptoms on 26 February and sought treatment at two GPs on 3 and 5 March. He presented at SGH on 5 March and his infection was confirmed the next day. Prior to being admitted to hospital he had gone to work at ST Electronics at 100 Jurong East Street 21. He stays at Telok Blangah Crescent, said MOH. Case 136 Case 136 is likely to be an imported case involving a 36-year-old Italian man who is a Singapore Work Pass holder. He had recently travelled to the US from 7 to 22 February and to Italy from 23 February to 29 February. The man returned to Singapore on 1 March and reported the onset of symptoms on the same day, after which he presented at Raffles Hospital. Test results confirmed his infection on 6 March and he is currently warded in an isolation room at the NCID. Prior to his hospital admission, he had mostly stayed at his him on Tanjong Pagar Road, said MOH. Case 137 Case 137 is a 60-year-old male Singaporean man with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He reported the onset of symptoms on 5 March and was referred by MOH to NCID on 6 March as he had attended the private dinner function at SAFRA Jurong on 15 February. Test results confirmed he was infected on the afternoon of 6 March. Prior to being admitted to hospital, he had mostly stated at him home at Jurong West Street 41. Case 138 Case 138 is a 26-year-old Singaporean man with no recent travel history to affected countries and regions. He is a close contact of Case 66 and a family member of Cases 83 and 91, and is linked to the cluster at The Life Church and Missions Singapore. The man was quarantined from 15 February to 6 March after he was identified to have been a close contact of previous confirmed cases. Test results confirmed that he was infected on 6 March. After his quarantine ended, the man visited SAFRA Punggol at 9 Sentul Crescent. The man stays at Rivervale Drive, said MOH. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Related stories: COVD-19 case regularly took part in Teck Ghee RC group activities: PM Lee COVID-19: Singapore confirms eight new cases, four from SAFRA Jurong cluster COVID-19: Some in SAFRA Jurong cluster continued normal activities with symptoms for days MOH official COVID-19: Singapore confirms single-day high of 13 new cases; total 130 Singtel disinfects office floor after staff gets COVID-19 COVID-19: Premature to make conclusions about virus variants - MOH official COVID-19: SG Clean Taskforce set up to ensure long-term hygiene standards COVID-19: 10 discoveries about the coronavirus COVID-19: Singapore confirms 5 new cases including Frenchman; new SAFRA Jurong cluster; total 117 Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday hit out at Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government over hoardings with names, addresses, and photos of those who were accused of violence during protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).The hoardings were put up at prominent intersections in Lucknow. Cornering Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Priyanka alleged that the BJP government in the state has started considering themselves above the Constitution. "The attitude of the BJP government of Uttar Pradesh is such that the head of the government and the officials, who are following his footsteps have started considering themselves above the Constitution made by Babasaheb Ambedkar," the Congress general secretary tweeted in Hindi. She asserted that the High Court has told the government that the said officials are not above the Constitution and their's accountability will be fixed. "The High Court has told the government that you are not above the Constitution. Your accountability will be fixed," she wrote further. Priyanka's response comes after the Allahabad High Court has decided to hear the case related to hoardings put up by Uttar Pradesh government at 10 am on Sunday, despite it being a holiday. Taking suo moto cognizance of the matter, the court of Chief Justice Govind Mathur has summoned the District Magistrate and Divisional Police Commissioner of Police of Lucknow in this case.On Thursday, the district administration put up hoardings with photos and addresses of 53 anti-CAA protesters at prominent crossings across the city.The hoardings included pictures of Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas, Darapuri and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar, all of whom were named as accused in the violence that swept the state capital on December 19 last year.Activist Deepak Kabir has said that the hoardings put up by the government bearing names of anti-CAA protesters is creating an atmosphere of fear. He said that people whose names are mentioned in posters can be lynched anywhere."It is shameful. There was no need for that. The government is creating an atmosphere of fear. People whose names are mentioned can be lynched anywhere. The environment after Delhi violence is not safe. Government is putting everyone at risk," Kabir told ANI. Uttar Pradesh Minister Mohsin Raza alleged that people whose names are put up in hoardings destroyed public properties. "Photos have been put off those people who tried to create unrest under the garb of the Citizenship Amendment Act. They harmed people of the state and tried to destroy public properties. Now damages will be recovered from them," he said.Former IPS SR Darapuri termed the administration's action as 'unconstitutional' and said that the government is trying to defame protesters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several people were reportedly injured as social and religious conservatives clashed with International Women's Day demonstrators in Islamabad on March 8. RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal reported that participants in a conservative demonstration called Modesty Walk threw stones at demonstrators holding a march to mark International Women's Day. Ismat Shahjahan, head of the Women's Democratic Front, which organized the march, said four participants suffered head injuries, while three others were less seriously hurt. Police intervened to stop the violence. About 1,000 people participated in the Islamabad Women's March. The Women's March was being held under the slogan, "My body, my choice." Conservative groups, including the Jamaat-e-Islami political party, criticized the initiative as threatening traditional Muslim values. Many women participating in the rival Modesty Walk wore burqas and chanted, "Our bodies, Allah's choice." Women's March events were also held in Quetta, Lahore, Karachi, and other cities. Much of Pakistani society is strictly patriarchal and dominated by strict codes of "honor" that control women's choices regarding marriage, reproduction, education, and other issues. About 1,000 Pakistani women each year are murdered in so-called "honor" killings, often by their own relatives. With reporting by AFP New Delhi, March 8 : Yes Bank announced late Saturday that its debit cards can be used for withdrawing cash at other bank ATMs also. The move comes after long queues were seen at Yes Bank ATMs and branches and numerous complaints by customers that they were not being able to withdraw any money. Earlier, the government had announced a moratorium that only up to Rs 50,000 can be withdrawn. "You can now make withdrawals using your YES BANK Debit Card both at YES BANK and other bank ATMs. Thanks for your patience," the bank said on Twitter. The recent crisis on Yes Bank has revived the memories of demonetisation which brought the whole nation into queues outside the banks and ATMs. People were seen standing in queues outside the ATMs to take out their hard earned money which has got locked up with the bank following the crisis. "The bank shut down suddenly and it was announced that only 50, 000 can be taken out. When I tried to take out cash from other bank's ATMs, the attempt failed. Now, I have come here to see if I can take out the money from here," said Krishna, standing outside a Yes Bank ATM in Sector 18. Speaking to IANS, Anil, said: "It is a time of difficulty as we are facing a lot of problems because of the lack of cash as it is becoming problematic in fulfilling our daily needs. "However, it's not exactly same as that of demonetisation but it has brought back the memories of the dark days." Another person standing outside the Yes Bank ATM in Sector 18, Noida, Rahul, said: "I am so disturbed as I cannot even take out my salary. I am not able to pay my house rent and because of this it becomes embarrassing to face my landlord." This is the awe-inspiring moment that a U.S. submarine broke through several feet of ice to surface in the Arctic Ocean during a training drill. The USS Toledo is taking part in the biennial Ice Exercise - a three-week drill to assess operation readiness in the Arctic region. The ice where the fast-attack nuclear submarine broke through the surface was around 16 inches thick. The awesome moment U.S. Naval fast-attack submarine smashes through thick ice in the Arctic Ocean has been captured on video Footage shows the moment the Los Angeles class fast-attack submarine USS Toledo surfaced in the Arctic Ocean earlier this week The Naval submarine is taking part in a biennial three-week Ice Exercise to test military readiness in the Arctic region In a mezmeising video taken earlier this week, the Los Angeles class submarine breaks through a sheet of ice covering the Beaufort Sea, north of Alaska, before coming to a stop at the surface. Sailors are then seen coming out of the hatch of the vessel while others clean ice off the massive rig. 'The Arctic is a potential strategic corridor - between Indo-Pacific, Europe, and the U.S. homeland - for expanded competition. The Submarine Force must maintain readiness by exercising in Arctic conditions to ensure they can protect national security interests and maintain favorable balances of power in the Indo-Pacific and Europe if called upon,' said Vice Adm. Daryl Caudle, Commander, Submarine Forces. 'ICEX 2020 provides the opportunity for the Submarine Force to demonstrate combat and tactical readiness for sustained Arctic operations in the unique and challenging Arctic environment.' ICEX 2020 is a three-week drill to assess operation readiness in the Arctic region. USS Toledo surfaces through the ice at Ice Camp Seadragon during Ice Exercise 2020 The Navy say the exercise helps maintain regional stability while improving capabilities to operate in the Arctic environment. Sailors can be seen peeking out the top of the vessel 'The United States Submarine Force has been operating in the Arctic for decades, as our Navy is called upon to protect United States sovereign rights, the Submarine Force is expected to play a large role in our Arctic defense. Exercises like ICEX 2020 provide us with the opportunity to train and integrate the undersea domain into our Arctic defense,' said Caudle. The USS Toledo is one of two submarines taking part in the biennial Ice Exercise along with another US sub, the USS Connecticut from Bangor, Washington state. The Navy has set up a temporary camp on the ice in the Beaufort Sea about 150 to 175 miles miles north of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Known as Ice Camp Seadragon, it was established on a sheet of ice in the Arctic Ocean, known as an ice floe. Seadragon will serve as a temporary command center for conducting submarine operations and under-ice navigation exercises. ICEX 2020 plays out amid emerging competition for the Arctic in an era of melting sea ice, which is opening up new transportation and resource extraction opportunities across the area The camp consists of shelters, portable tents, a command center and infrastructure to safely house and support more than 45 personnel at any one time. The camp serves as a temporary command center for under-ice navigation, torpedo exercises and research. The camp gets its namesake from USS Seadragon (SSN-584), the first submarine to transit the Northwest Passage. During the transit, Seadragon conducted the first hydrographic survey of the Northwest Passage and became the first vessel to navigate under an iceberg. Since the success of Seadragons Arctic navigation initiatives, Arctic operations have been a crucial part of the missions conducted by nuclear submarines. The vessels will conduct multiple Arctic transits, a North Pole surfacing, scientific data collection and other training, the Navy said. The exercise required approval for possible unintentional disruptions to marine mammal activities such as feeding, nursing and breeding. In its application to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Navy said it will install portable tracking equipment for submarine training and testing near the ice camp. The last Arctic exercise by the U.S. Submarine Force was conducted in 2018. Death toll in Italy jumps by more than 130 in the past 24 hours, as Riyadh shuts schools and universities. The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Italy has jumped by at least 133 in the past 24 hours, bringing its total to 366. Italy imposed a quarantine in Lombardy and other severely affected areas, affecting some 16 million people as it stepped up efforts to tackle Europes largest outbreak. The move came as the country struggles to contain the viruss spread, with 1,247 new cases detected in the last 24 hours a 25 percent surge. As of Sunday, Italy confirmed 7,375 infections. Meanwhile in Saudi Arabia, authorities locked down the eastern Qatif region in a bid to contain the fast-spreading virus. Riyadh also said it was suspending all public and private schools and universities across the country from Monday until further notice. Also on Sunday, Iran reported 49 new coronavirus fatalities over the past 24 hours, bringing its death toll to 194. The number of people diagnosed with the new coronavirus now exceeds 106,000 worldwide with several new countries reporting their first cases. Nearly 3,600 people have died. In Doha, taking over from Ramy Allahoum, this is Hamza Mohamed. Here are the latest updates: Sunday, March 8 20:30 GMT Qatar bans arrivals from 14 countries Qatar has temporarily barred travellers from 14 countries starting March 9 as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus, the government announced on Sunday. The ban covers China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria and Thailand. Qatar Airways had already suspended flights to and from Italy. Qatar reported three more cases of the virus on Sunday, bringing the total there to 15. 18:25 GMT US state of Oregon declares state of emergency Oregon declared a 60-day state of emergency on Sunday as coronavirus cases in the state doubled to 14. We will do everything in our power to keep Oregonians safe, Kate Brown, Oregon governor, said at a news conference. 18:00 GMT France reports three new deaths, toll hits 19 France reported three new coronavirus deaths on Sunday, taking the countrys death toll from the outbreak to 19. As of Sunday, the total number of confirmed cases stood at 1,126, according to health officials. France has also banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people over virus fears. 17:30 GMT Italy: Coronavirus death toll in Lombardy region jumps to 366 The death toll from coronavirus outbreak in the northern Italian region of Lombardy has risen to 366 from 154 in the past 24 hours, according to a local official. Lombardy has borne the brunt of a nationwide contagion. The latest national death toll figures are due to be released later in the day. As of Saturday, Italy has confirmed more than 5,880, according to WHO. 17:00 GMT Switzerland: Patient dies from virus, death toll hits two Swiss health officials reporting a patient infected with coronavirus has died, bringing the national death toll to two. The patient died in hospital in Liestal, officials say. As of Sunday, the number of confirmed cases in the country stands at 281. 15:10 GMT Iraq protesters call for protective medical items to fight virus Protesters gathered in the centre of Baghdad on Sunday to demand more help from the government to prevent the spread of coronavirus. They called on Iraqs ministry of health to provide further supplies of face masks and gloves for members of the public. Demand for protective medical items, such as masks, gloves and gowns, is booming as the virus spreads in Iraq. The country currently has more than 30 confirmed cases of the virus. 14:40 GMT Cancel big public events to stop virus spread: German health minister Germanys health minister, Jens Spahn, said all public events with more than 1,000 participants should be called off as the country battles the spread of coronavirus. Given how fast things are developing, that should change quickly, he told DPA news agency. On Sunday, Germany had a total of 847 confirmed cases, according to the countrys official disease control institute. 14:30 GMT Netherlands: Coronavirus death toll jumps to three The death toll from coronavirus infections in the Netherlands has jumped to three, after health officials reported two more fatalities. The National Institute for Public Health said the deceased were two men, aged 82 and 86. The two had previous medical problems before they were infected with the virus, according to officials. The Netherlands registered its first fatal case, an 86-year-old man who died in a hospital in Rotterdam, on Friday. The total number of infections in the country increased to 265 on Sunday, from 188 a day earlier. Health authorities said 131 of these patients had recently been to Italy, the country at the heart of Europes largest coronavirus outbreak. 14:20 GMT Royal Air Maroc suspends flight to Venice, Milan Moroccos state carrier, Royal Air Maroc (RAM), has suspended flights to Italys Venice and Milan. The two cities are currently under lockdown by Italian authorities due to a coronavirus outbreak. In January, the airline suspended direct flights to Beijing [Regis Duvignau [Reuters] Flights will resume on April 8, the airline said in a statement. In January, the airline suspended direct flights to Beijing. 14:10 GMT Trump: Fake news media making US look bad amid virus spread US President Donald Trump said fake news media is doing everything possible to make Washington look bad as the country steps up efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus. We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus. We moved VERY early to close borders to certain areas, which was a Godsend, Trump said in a tweet. We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus. We moved VERY early to close borders to certain areas, which was a Godsend. V.P. is doing a great job. The Fake News Media is doing everything possible to make us look bad. Sad! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 8, 2020 The US has confirmed more than 210 cases. Meanwhile, a top public health official said signs of the virus spreading through the country was not encouraging and warned Americans may need to think carefully about attending large gatherings if it continues. I think were getting a better sense [of the scope of the outbreak] as the days go by, Anthony Fauci, the head of the infectious diseases unit at the National Institutes of Health, told broadcaster NBC. Unfortunately, that better sense is not encouraging because were seeing community spread. Washington state is considering whether mandatory measures may be needed to curb social gatherings and contain the spread of coronavirus, Governor Jay Inslee said on Sunday. We certainly are contemplating requirements for what we call social distancing, Inslee told on CBS. We are contemplating some next steps, particularly to protect our vulnerable populations, and our nursing homes and the like, and we are looking to determine whether mandatory measures are required, he added. 13:30 GMT Saudi Arabia: Authorities cordon off Qatif region Saudi Arabia has cordoned off a region in the countrys Eastern Province in a bid to contain the coronavirus spread. Given that all 11 recorded positive cases of the new coronavirus are from Qatif it has been decided to temporarily suspend entry and exit from Qatif, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency. Qatif is a stronghold of the kingdoms Shia minority. Riyadh confirmed a total of 11 cases most of them were people returning from religious pilgrimages to Iran. 12:30 GMT Qatar records three new coronavirus cases Qatars public health ministry announced three additional coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 15. The patients were admitted to the Communicable Disease Center and are in complete isolation, the ministry said in a statement. All those who were sharing the accommodation were subjected to quarantine, including all people who came in contact with the patients to make sure they are healthy and that no infection was transmitted to them, the ministry said in a statement. The patients accommodation is also being subjected to a thorough examination and is tracing the three individuals movements. 12:10 GMT Moscow threatens prison for those who fail to self-isolate Moscow city authorities threatened prison terms of up to five years on Sunday for people failing to self-isolate in their homes for two weeks after visiting countries hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak. The city government had announced a high alert regime and imposed extra measures on Thursday to prevent a spread of the illness in the Russian capital. Those who return from China, South Korea, Iran, France, Germany, Italy and Spain and other states showing possible unfavourable signs of coronavirus should self-isolate themselves at home for 14 days, Moscow city hall has said. 12:00 GMT Hong Kong records third coronavirus death Honk Kongs Hospital Authority said a 76-year-old woman passed away after falling ill from coronavirus, becoming the third person to die from the infection in the semi-autonomous territory. The patient had developed fever, shortness of breath, cough and abdominal pain on February 28 and was admitted to hospital the same day. Four more cases were registered on Sunday, bringing the total number of infections to 114. 11:40 GMT Vietnman coronavirus cases jump to 29 Vietnams health ministry confirmed nine additional cases, bringing the the total number of infections to 29. The new cases include eight foreign tourists who arrived in the capital Hanoi from London on Monday. Following a swift response, authorities were able to treat the first 16 patients who tested positive for the virus. The ministry said 101 suspected cases were put in quarantine while an additional 23,228 people were being monitored. 11:15 GMT Iran death toll climbs to 194 Irans death toll from the coronavirus climbed to 194, up from 145 the previous day, healty ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said in a televised address. There have been 743 people who have been added to the total of those infected by COVID-19 through lab test results, he said. In the past 24 hours, we have had 49 people who have died from this illness so we have at least 194 deaths until now. The cumulative number of cases in the country, which has been hardest hit by the virus in the Middle East region, totalled 6,566. 11:00 GMT Number of coronavirus cases in South Africa rises to three The wife of the first patient to be infected with the coronavirus has tested positive for the virus, South Africas health ministry said in a statement, bringing the number of confirmed cases to three. To date, all three confirmed cases belonged to a group of 10 tourists who travelled to Italy, according to the statement. All those who may have come into contact with the infected individuals have been traced, except for one person who was not in South Africa. 10:00 GMT Saudi Arabia confirms four more cases Saudi Arabias health ministry registered four new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections to 11. It separately announced a general amnesty for those who violate a travel ban to Iran. So far, 125 people have come forward. 09:50 GMT Czech PM: Italy should ban citizens from travelling to Europe Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis urged Italy to ban its citizens from travelling abroad to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Its clear that Italy, unfortunately, doesnt have it under control, Babis said, also calling on Czechs who are currently in Italy to return home. They [Italians] shouldnt travel to Europe because most of the cases in Germany, France, Spain have originated in Italy. 08:45 GMT Bulgaria registers two additional cases Bulgaria has reported two additional cases, bringing the total number in the country to four. Todor Kantardzhiev, head of the National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, said two men from the northern city of Pleven and two women from the central city of Gabrovo tested positive for the virus. Neither had travelled recently or been in contact with someone returning from a country with a coronavirus outbreak, according to Kunchev. 08:25 GMT Bahrains Formula 1 Grand Prix closed to fans Bahrains Formula One Grand Prix scheduled to take place later this month will be restricted to participants, organisers said in a statement. Given the continued spread of Covid-19 globally, convening a major sporting event, which is open to the public and allows thousands of international travellers and local fans to interact in close proximity, would not be the right thing to do at the present time, read the statement. 08:10 GMT Moldova confirms first coronavirus case Moldova has registered its first confirmed case in a 48-year-old woman who recently returned from a trip to Italy. The person was taken from the airport with bilateral pneumonia, acute respiratory failure, fever, cough, general weakness, a health ministry statement said late on Saturday. 07:20 GMT US cruise ship allowed to dock in Oakland, California The coronavirus-stricken Grand Princess cruise ship has been given the green light to dock in Oakland, the tour operator said in a statement. Grand Princess will proceed to the Port of Oakland on Sunday to begin disembarking guests who require acute medical treatment and hospitalization, the Princess Cruises tour company said. Guests who are California residents will go to a federally operated facility within California for testing and isolation, while non-Californians will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states. The vessel, which has been stranded off the coast of California for four days, recorded 21 cases on board, including 19 crew and two American passengers. Of the 3,535 people on board the Grand Princess, 21 have tested positive for the virus [California National Guard via AP] 06:30 GMT Maldives records first two cases The Maldives has reported its first cases of the novel coronavirus in two employees working at a tourist resort. They are believed to have caught the disease after coming into contact with an Italian tourist who tested positive upon returning to Italy. The two are in stable condition and are in quarantine at a facility outside the capital, Male. This is Ramy Allahoum in Doha taking over from my colleague, Kate Mayberry. Sunday, March 8 05:55 GMT Death toll rises to six in China hotel collapse The death toll in a hotel collapse in China has risen to six with 28 still missing, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management. The building in Quanzhou, which was being used to house people under observation for the coronavirus, collapsed on Saturday evening. As of 11:30am in Beijing (03:30 GMT), rescuers had found 43 people in the rubble 36 have been sent to hospital while one did not need medical treatment. 05:40 GMT Malaysia, Thailand bar cruise ship Thailand and Malaysia have barred the Costa Fortuna, which has about 2,000 people on board including dozens of Italians, from docking at their ports. Malaysian officials say there are about 64 Italians on board. The Star, a local newspaper, reported earlier on Sunday that Malaysian ports had banned all cruise ships following a directive from the Ministry of Transport. The Costa Fortuna is now said to be on its way to Singapore. 05:01 GMT First case of coronavirus in US capital A man in his 50s has tested positive for coronavirus in Washington, DC, the first case in the US capital. On Saturday, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said the man started exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 in late February. He was admitted to a Washington, DC, hospital on Thursday and appeared to have no history of international travel and no close contacts to any other confirmed cases in the US, Bowser said. With his test yielding presumptive positive, DC Health has started its investigation in keeping with CDC [Centers for Disease Control] guidelines, Bowser said. The investigation includes tracing the mans movements, though the mayor declined to specify where the man lived. 04:30 GMT 10 dead in China quarantine hotel collapse State media in China say at least 10 people died in the collapse of a hotel in Quanzhou that was being used for coronavirus quarantine. An estimated 23 others are believed trapped in the rubble. Rescuers pulled 48 people from the wreckage, of whom 38 are alive, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on social media. The building in the coastal city of Quanzhou had been repurposed to house people who recently had contact with patients confirmed with COVID-19, the state-run Peoples Daily newspaper reported. At least four people have been confirmed dead after a hotel in the eastern city of Quanzhou that was being used for coronavirus isolation collapsed on Saturday evening [Xiao Fan/EPA] 03:25 GMT Italy quarantine will apply to 16 million people; remain until April 3 Italys Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte says the government will enforce a strict quarantine in the state of Lombardy and 14 other areas in the north, affecting a total of 16 million people. We want to protect the health of all citizens, Conte told a news conference in Rome. We are aware that this will create unease and that these measures will be a sacrifice, big and small. But this is the time to be responsible. We should not counter these measures or dodge them, we must think about protecting our health, the health of our loved ones, the health of our parents but mainly the health of our grandparents. The quarantine will be the most extreme outside China, which sealed off Hubei province in January. Nobody will be allowed to move in or out of the designated territories, although exceptions will be made for reasons of health, professional needs and exceptional cases, Conte said. 02:45 GMT South Korea to ration face masks South Korea is to start rationing face masks from Monday, limiting the number each person can buy each week. South Koreas Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Sunday issued a public message, asking citizens to actively cooperate with the efforts to make sure healthcare workers and sick people have access to enough masks. Even if you feel inconvenient, I ask you to show a mature sense of civil awareness, based on concessions, consideration and cooperation so that people who really need face masks can buy them, he said, according to Yonhap news agency. The government has imposed export restrictions on masks and urged factories to increase production. 02:15 GMT Rescue efforts continue at collapsed hotel in China Rescue efforts continue at the collapsed hotel in the southeastern city of Quanzhou. Chinese media say that 49 people had been rescued at 00:20 GMT. About 20 people are feared to be trapped in the rubble. The hotel, which opened in 2018 and had 80 rooms, was being used to house people in isolation over fears they may be infected with the coronavirus. Latest on hotel collapse in east China's Quanzhou: 49 rescued as of 08:20 am, March 8 (local time). Further rescue is under way https://t.co/eFN3AhHBYe pic.twitter.com/rP3Wgd15jt China Xinhua News (@XHNews) March 8, 2020 02:00 GMT Hubei issues digital clean bills of health for people to get back to work Chinas Global Times has reported that the province of Hubei, where the coronavirus first emerged late last year, has issued its first green digital health certificates clean bills of health that will allow people in the still sealed-off province to return to work. Epicenter #Hubei issued its first batch of "green code" as digital health certificates for citizens to return to work amid the #epidemic, the code is applicable in every city in the province and citizens who got the certificates can then apply for vehicle permits pic.twitter.com/KDr6YSrNt1 Global Times (@globaltimesnews) March 8, 2020 01:45 GMT Conservative Political Action Conference confirms attendee tested positive Organisers of the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, said an attendee of its annual Washington, DC-area conference last month has tested positive for coronavirus. A New Jersey hospital tested the person, and CDC confirmed the positive result, said a statement by the American Conservative Union, the host of the event. The conference was attended by numerous high-profile conservative political figures, including President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The organiser said the affected person had no interaction with Trump or Pence and did not attend events in the conferences main hall. The conference took place from February 26 to 29. 01:36 GMT Elderly man becomes Australias third COVID-19 death An elderly man has died in a hospital in Sydney after being confirmed to have COVID-19. He is the third person in the country to die after being diagnosed with the coronavirus. Australia currently has 74 confirmed cases, but authorities worry it is spreading within the community. Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt said on Sunday the government had secured an additional 54 million face masks to help protect medical workers. The masks are scheduled to arrive in Australia between now and the end of April, he added. 01:27 GMT South Korea reports 93 more cases of coronavirus South Korea, the country grappling with the largest outbreak outside China, reported 93 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday morning. While that was lower than the previous day, the authorities have said numbers could fluctuate as more people are tested. South Korea now has 7,134 confirmed cases of the virus. A couple wearing face masks ride a tandem bicycle around a park in Seoul on Saturday. More than 7,000 people in South Korea have been diagnosed with the virus [Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo] 01:17 GMT Bulgaria reports first cases of coronavirus Bulgaria has reported its first cases of coronavirus in a 27-year-old man and a 75-year-old woman. Neither had travelled recently or been in contact with anyone returning from a country with a coronavirus outbreak, Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kunchev told journalists. Samples from two patients a man from the northern town of Pleven and a woman from the central town of Gabrovo tested positive, said Todor Kantardzhiev, director of the National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases. They had been admitted to hospital several days ago with severe respiratory problems. Their condition has improved and both will undergo further tests overnight to verify the result. Authorities said they had already tracked down and started testing approximately 40 people who were known to have been in contact with the two people. 01:15 GMT Argentina confirms first COVID-19 death in Latin America Argentina has reported its first death from COVID-19, the first in Latin America. Paraguay, Colombia, Chile and Peru have announced their first confirmed cases of coronavirus in recent days, and several cases have been confirmed in neighbouring Brazil. Daniel Ferrante, secretary of health planning of the city of Buenos Aires, and Sergio Auger, director of the Hospital Cosme Argerich, speak outside Hospital Cosme Argerich after the first death from COVID-19 was confirmed in Argentina [Mariana Greif/Reuters] 00:42 GMT China cases continue to slow The spread of the coronavirus continues to slow in China. The country reported 44 new cases on Saturday, most of them in Hubei where the outbreak originated. There were only three cases elsewhere on the mainland, in people who had arrived from overseas. A further 27 people died from COVID-19, bringing the national toll to 3,097. 00:35 GMT New York state declares emergency as US death toll rises New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus after the number of confirmed cases there rose by 13 to 89. It allows expedited purchasing and expedited hiring, which is what we need right now, Cuomo told a news conference. More than half of US states have now reported cases of the virus, which causes COVID-19. Two more people in the western state of Washington died from the disease on Saturday, bringing the total death toll across the country to 19. 00:00 GMT Italy planning to impose unprecedented quarantine Italy is set to impose an unprecedented quarantine on the northern region of Lombardy, including Milan, as it steps up efforts to tackle the coronavirus. According to a draft decree seen by Reuters, under the new rules, people will not be able to enter or leave Lombardy, which is home to some 10 million people, as well as 11 provinces in four of Italys 19 other regions. All museums, gyms, cultural centres, ski resorts and swimming pools will be closed in the targeted areas, according to the decree. The government is appealing to a sense of responsibility among all Italian citizens, Sabina Castelfranco, an Italian journalist based in London, told Al Jazeera. I think Italians are very concerned [about the virus]. The governors of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna, another region affected, have expressed reservations over the plan, so Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has not yet signed it. That could happen on Sunday. So far, only a few limited areas of northern Italy, known as red zones, have been quarantined. Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras live updates on the coronavirus outbreak. Im Kate Mayberry reporting from our bureau in Kuala Lumpur. Click here to read all the updates from March 7. CONCORD From the youngest pre-cubs to Eagles, dozens of scouts had what may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They attended a presentation given by Congressional Medal of Honor recipient David Bellavia. In addition talking about his experiences, and interaction with the youngsters, Bellavia spent a generous amount of time greeting everyone who wanted an up close and personal chat. This included this rarest chance to hold the medal itself. Those in the younger generation were enthusiastic about getting a photo or handout signed. But parents and a few other adults attending seemed even more impressed, perhaps with a greater understanding of the distinction. The visit, which took place at Garnet Valley Middle School, was hosted by BSA Troop 191 and Siloam United Methodist Church. The latter, represented by Lucy Davis, has had a charter for scouts that extends nearly 90 years. Troop 191 Scoutmaster Chris Hays initiated the contact with the Medal of Honor Foundation after attending a World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia. At that event we went to a program to learn about the Medal of Honor. I later reached out to the organization which then arranged for David Bellavia to come, said Hays, who has three sons in the troop. When we talk about bravery and honor, there is no higher award. It is not something you win or want. It is something you are recognized for. David Bellavia has continued to give back to veterans, and to help people understand, Hays said in his introduction, referring essentially to the challenges of service and warfare. Staff Sgt. David Bellavia, a native of Buffalo, New York, served in the United States Army from 1999-2005. The Medal of Honor citation far more extensive -included details of the acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on Nov. 10, 2004 (astonishingly his 29th birthday), while serving as a squad leader in support of Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah, Iraq. Caught in a house fight with heavily armed insurgents, the squad was able to exit, but Bellavia re-entered in order to assault the enemy, ultimately clearing the house. Bellavia received a Silver Star for his actions. After a gap of 15 years and further investigation, it was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. He is the only Iraq War veteran thus far to be awarded this honor, and now is among the 71 living Medal of Honor recipients. He commented that he did not know the selection criteria and process, which were very secretive. Just prior to Bellavia speaking to the group, a brief video showed portions of the actual house fight, captured on camera. It also included the White House ceremony on June 25, 2019 where, as Bellavia later explained, he had included 32 men with whom he served. It was supposed to be limited to five, he said he was told, but he was not going without them. This idea of teamwork was just one of the many themes of the evening as Bellavia covered a wide range of topics. Not the least of these was a respect for Vietnam veterans who returned from the war without the welcome later military have received. Once settled into a situation he obviously finds comfortable, Bellavia engaged youngsters in dialogue, asking questions and providing insights and encouragement. He asked several what are you good at? then explaining the importance of competency. The building block of competency is character, he said. The next step was teaching what they knew, and being the kind of nice person from whom others wanted to learn. This concept of doing ones job resurfaced as he talked about his team and the absolute necessity for everyone to know and do their job. This was hand-in-hand with putting the unit, community and country before yourself. When talking about the events of that November day, Bellavia said it was the PG-13 version. That did not stop a few boys from asking about weapons, injuries and allusions to death. Bellavia handled the topics deftly, but spoke clearly about the origin of fear, and how its managed. Your brain is like a parent with a 2-year-old who will try to save the child every day, he said about the presence of danger. Since the scouts ages were from about 7 through late teens, including several who had already achieved the rank of Eagle, the questions and curiosity were wide-ranging. Several had already earmarked the military as a destination. The military will make you a better person, Bellavia said, referring to his colleagues as family. There were many veterans among the adults including parents and scout leaders. Their respect was based on a different level of understanding. This has been a good experience for all ages, showing a little bit of reality, said Lucy Davis, who has remained with the BSA after the passing of her husband, Bill. Providing a plug for scouting itself, she added, This group has gone on due to a tremendous amount of dedicated men. The willingness of David Bellavia to travel from his home and family and be available for a motivating evening would clearly include him in those ranks. The result, in black and white on the letter, was clear: bowel cancer. It was advanced stage four meaning it had already spread. The chance of a cure, I knew, was small. I felt a wash of sadness, and then something else: intense anger. In fact, I was furious. This wasnt my bad news, as such. You see, Im a GP, and the letter concerned a 57-year-old patient lets call her Karen. The mother-of-two had first come to see me in January, complaining of blood in the stools and loose bowel movements. She said it had happened on and off for a few months, but it just hadnt worried her enough to seek help. In 2018, following pleas from cancer experts, the Department of Health and Social Care pledged to take steps to lower the bowel cancer screening age from 60 to 50. Yet, were still waiting. By 50, an individual has double the risk of developing it than at 40 The cancer was now in Karens lungs, liver and ovaries. The odds were she wouldnt survive for long. But my fury wasnt for how cruel fate can be. It was because I knew that it could have been avoided had the Government delivered on its promises to screen all over-50s for bowel cancer. Given its advanced stage, theres every likelihood the tumours in Karens bowel had been developing for many years. A simple test could have picked that up at an early stage, when we could have saved her. In 2018, following pleas from cancer experts, the Department of Health and Social Care pledged to take steps to lower the screening age from 60 to 50. Yet, 18 months later, were still waiting. Tragically, if Karen had been living a few hundred miles north, in Scotland, where the screening age is 50, its likely shed be cured. Instead, she missed out on a chance for her cancer to be picked up early, and shes facing a likely death sentence. She isnt my only patient with such a story and Im sure there are hundreds, if not more, across the country. By the age of 50, an individual has double the risk of developing bowel cancer than at 40. It is estimated that nearly 5,000 fiftysomething Britons who get bowel cancer every year could be saved thanks to early detection from screening. So why is the Government dragging its feet? Patients are dying when their cancer is preventable Over the past decade, the Government has made great strides in reducing the toll of bowel cancer in the over-60s. And this is largely down to screening. From 2006, from the age of 60 and then every two years until the age of 74, every Briton receives a DIY test kit in the post. The original test that was sent out was called a faecal occult blood test (FOB). It looks for traces of blood in stools that might not be noticed just by looking. A positive result would warrant further investigation usually a colonoscopy, a procedure that involves a camera on a long, thin flexible tube being threaded through the bowels. In its first ten years, the programme detected 25,000 cases of bowel cancer that may otherwise have been missed. Every year, bowel cancer (cell, above) is responsible for 1,200 deaths in 50-to-59-year-olds many easily avoidable. Public health campaigns often focus on telling patients not to be embarrassed to report bleeding, a sign of the disease. But the truth is, without screening, its the Health Service that is failing the public Many these would have been at an early stage, when the disease has 90 per cent cure rate. Screening prevented a further 81,000 by spotting pre-cancerous growths. But the FOB test wasnt perfect. As many as half of those who received the test didnt do it. And it involves collecting samples of stool on three separate occasions, which for some people can take weeks. In addition, not all bowel growths bleed meaning the test could throw up false negatives. And if you had red meat the night before, the blood you ate could trigger a false positive test result. In 2016, a new more accurate test became available. Known as the faecal immunochemical test, or FIT, it also checks for undetected blood in the stools but requires just a single sample. But rollout has been painfully slow. My own practice began offering it only last year, and Im aware that in some areas of the UK, patients are still being sent the old FOB test. In August 2018, the UK National Screening Committee scientists who evaluate the latest research on cancer detection recommended that the screening age be dropped to 50. The original age, 60, was decided on based on the best evidence at the time. But newer studies have shown that bowel-cancer risk really begins to rocket from the age of 50, making testing every two years from this age a no-brainer. The Government agreed to the new screening age. The problem is, it still hasnt happened. The NHS has said that many extra staff need to be trained to implement the change. In the meantime, I keep seeing patients such as Karen, who are dying of preventable bowel cancer. New test offered by just 50% of surgeries This isnt the only way the NHS is failing bowel-cancer patients. In 2013, a one-off test was introduced in some parts of England for people over the age of 55. The bowel scope involves a thin tube with a camera being inserted in the back passage, to check for small growths called polyps, which could turn cancerous. What's the difference... between residential care homes and nursing homes? Both have trained assistants to provide care and, usually, accommodation for vulnerable people who cannot look after themselves. Residential care homes provide 24-hour support for those whose needs are primarily related to age-related health issues. Nursing homes are staffed by at least one or more qualified nurses on duty, supported by care assistants, who provide round-the-clock help to people with significant health conditions or severe physical disabilities. Advertisement But only about half of all GP surgeries in England currently invite patients for the ten-minute test. This means many over-55s miss out on a potentially life-saving check and have to wait until they are 60 to be screened. In Scotland, where the screening age is 50, twice as many cancers are picked up than were done using the old system, and four times as many pre-cancers, according to studies. The Scottish system also has more people completing the test an average of 64 per cent, compared to 50 per cent in England. Every year, bowel cancer is responsible for 1,200 deaths in 50-to-59-year-olds many easily avoidable. Public health campaigns often focus on telling patients not to be embarrassed to report bleeding, a sign of the disease. But the truth is, without screening, its the Health Service that is failing the public. Admittedly, with 7.5 million people in England aged between 50 and 59, reducing the screening age will incur extra costs for the NHS. But perhaps, along with the Prime Ministers promise of 6,000 new GPs, tens of thousands of new nurses and 40 new hospitals, he can also fund vital endoscopy and colonoscopy services, which diagnose bowel cancer after patients get concerning results from FIT or FOB test. Extra costs may well be balanced by the savings made on expensive cancer treatments. And if health chiefs need more convincing, perhaps theyd like to meet Karen while shes still with us. The M-Word: Everything You Need To Know About The Menopause, by Dr Philippa Kaye, is out now (Summersdale, 9.99). YOUNG people are particularly engaged with the twin issues of climate change and biodiversity loss and rightly so. It is, after all, their natural inheritance and that of their likely offspring which is being squandered. However, it may not be enough simply to march the streets on behalf of the planet, or to start reining in the consumption that is particularly damaging to the Earth. We in both the wealthy and the less advanced parts of the world are going to have to rely to an increasing extent on people with practical skills in areas such as scientific research and engineering. These skills will be required for the construction of the sea walls, the renewable energy facilities and the electric vehicles which we will require and for the new medical treatments that will be needed to tackle the diseases that may spread as a result of overpopulation, environmental degradation and mass migration. In an era when it will no longer be business as usual, clever and determined people will be required for the construction of the New Jerusalem. Take the profession of engineering. We are simply not producing enough graduates in this vital field. Engineers Ireland has just published its latest annual barometer of the profession. It makes for interesting reading. The survey reveals that the employment of engineers in Ireland remains on a strong upward curve, with an annual growth rate of 11%. More than 5,000 jobs in the sector are expected in Ireland, this year. However, engineering firms are finding it more and more difficult to recruit the talent they require. Take civil engineers and construction project managers. According to the report, shortages of graduates are likely to be exacerbated in the coming years. This is also the case in production design, in quality control, automation and among civil, electrical and chemical engineers. Across much of Europe, there are similar shortages. The profession needs to sell itself more vigorously. This has begun to happen. Is the school system falling down when it comes to recruiting people into what tend to be difficult subjects? Could schools be making much more of new technology and outside experts including tutors? Are enough firms and organisations being enlisted in the task of steering young people towards Stem subjects? There is evidence of progress in that the numbers sitting science and maths for the Junior Cert have been on the increase. The numbers taking maths have risen from around 32,000 in 2014 to almost 37,500 in 2019. There remains a gender gap in certain subject areas. Whereas 49% of Leaving Cert maths students and 63% of biology students are girls, just 28% of physics students are female. Girls accounted for 44% of Stem subject takers at Leaving Cert level last year. The rewards for those with the necessary application and perseverance can be considerable. A graduate engineer can expect to earn 33,000 a year, starting off, with annual income rising to around 50,000 within six to 10 years. In a wider sense, there is much to play for both in terms of our domestic economy and in the fulfilment of global goals related to poverty reduction and economic development. In 2015, the United Nations unveiled a plan aimed at drastically reducing global poverty by 2030. The plan takes the form of a series of sustainable development goals, or SDGs. Irish diplomat, David Donoghue, played a central role in the crafting of the plan. Engineers are central to sustainable development and are uniquely placed to help the world meet critical goals including ending poverty, protecting the plant and ensuring prosperity for all, he said and believes that Irish educators can play a big role in providing people with the skills required in areas such as combatting climate change and the promotion of clean energy and water quality. Donoghue brother of novelist and screenwriter, Emma Donoghue has served as Head of the Anglo Irish Secretariat and as Permanent Representative at the UN. He spent several years there negotiating the sustainable development goals. It was not a straightforward process as he makes clear. There are 17 goals set out along with 169 sub-goals covering areas such as lifelong learning and sanitation, clean water and clean energy, efficient transport. The goals are not legally binding. Smaller countries would not agree to put themselves into a straightjacket. The task is to ensure that all of this amounts to a lot more than a warm bucket of spit to paraphrase a former US vice president, John Nance Garner. Much horse-trading went on as the negotiations reached their conclusion at the UN. Donoghue has since retired from the diplomatic service, but he continues to work on the project in an unpaid capacity. Almost five years on, the momentum has been sustained, although no country not even places like Norway are close to living up to the ambitious promise of the 2015 declaration. That said, the project has allowed countries to address issues of development in a more disciplined way. It took a year or two for countries to get used to the fact that the goals are interconnected. There is a global reporting mechanism. The enthusiasm is palpable. As Donoghue makes clear, the private sector has a key role to play in the implementation phase. The amount of financing required is enormous: five to seven trillion dollars a year up to 2030. Public-private financing will play a role. The carrots for business are obvious. Enormous markets could be opened up. Changes are taking place. Cities have spotted enormous opportunities they are forming networks to promote the goals and many universities are resetting their priorities around them. The SDGs are the only uncontested global framework around. And he adds, many of the biggest opportunities opening up could be on offer to an engineering profession which is crying out for fresh expertise and legs. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said efforts are underway for the return of Indian pilgrims from Iran's Qom city and follow up arrangements are being discussed with the Iranian authorities. Jaishankar also said no case of coronavirus has been reported among the Indian fishermen in Iran. Tagging a tweet of NCP chief Sharad Pawar in which he urged Jaishankar to see that the Indians stranded in Iran in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak get medical help and general assistance, the External Affairs Minister said efforts are underway for return of the Indian pilgrims from Qom in Iran. "Efforts underway for return of Indian pilgrims in Qom #Iran. Screening process has started and follow up arrangements are being discussed with Iranian authorities. This is top priority and Embassy team @india_in_iran is fully engaged on this," Jaishankar responded in a tweet, tagging Pawar, Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Shashi Tharoor. "In the wake of the alarming Covid-19 issue, I voiced my concerns to Dr. S. Jaishankar ji, Union Minister of External Affairs regarding more than 40 Indian citizens stranded at Qom city in Iran. They are distressed and in urgent need of medical help and general assistance," Pawar had tweeted. In another tweet, Jaishankar said the Indian embassy in Iran is in close touch with Indian fishermen and no case of coronavirus has been reported among them. "Our Embassy @India_in_Iran continues to maintain close contact with Indian fishermen in #Iran. No case of #COVID19 reported among them. Ensuring that they have adequate supplies. Will continue to monitor their welfare," Jaishankar said, tagging Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, DMK president M K Stalin and Tharoor. Iran is among the countries grappling with the outbreak of coronavirus. Iran's health ministry on Sunday reported 49 new deaths due to novel coronavirus, the highest toll within 24 hours since the start of the outbreak in the Islamic republic. The new count brings the number of those killed since mid-February by the virus in that country to 194, one of the highest tolls outside of China where the disease originated. The virus has spread to all of Iran's 31 provinces with 6,566 confirmed cases. Iran has closed schools and universities until early April, as well as suspended major cultural and sporting events and reduced working hours across the country to slow the contagion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Since the Monroe County Board of Supervisors took a stance on Feb. 26 to establish Monroe County as a Second Amendment sanctuary and to send a message to Madison and Washington that reads loud and clear, Here in Monroe County, We The People will not tolerate unconstitutional changes to the Second Amendment, I am reminded once again why I am so glad that we live in a constitutional republic and not an Athenian democracy, where 51 percent of the population does not possess the power to abolish the rights of the other 49, especially after reading a column written by a La Crosse Tribune journalist where she explains in her own opinion why Monroe County was ultimately wrong in passing the resolution that protects the civil liberties of those that live in Monroe County. Although I appreciate this journalist exercising her First Amendment right to express her opposition to the Second, there are a few points she made that are easily debunked and should be addressed. First off, she starts her column by pointing out the most recent tragedy in Milwaukee where five employees of Molson Coors Brewing Co. fell victim to an active shooter the same day the Second Amendment Sanctuary resolution was passed in Monroe County. She then proceeds to use this tragedy as a means to oppose the action taken by the county board. However, I would like to understand how this event has anything to do with the resolution passed in Monroe County and furthermore, what specific gun measure would have stopped this mass shooting? Mandatory buybacks of AR-15s would have done nothing as this shooting was carried out with handguns (the most regulated type of firearm on the market). Red flag laws would have done nothing as a judge in the 1990s dismissed a charge made against the shooter in which the shooter was accused of brandishing a firearm at an SUV. So, if that judge dismissed the shooters case then, how can one suggest that the judge would have ordered the confiscation of his firearm if red flag laws had been in place? Also, the shooter portrayed no signs of violent behaviors since that incident and was actually described as being nicer than most clients and a well-adjustedman by attorney Stephen Gabert who represented him in a car accident case. So, Im interested to hear exactly what gun law would have prevented this tragic incident. However, its quite obvious there is no current or proposed law that would have stopped this man from carrying out his egregious intentions. Next, the journalist from the La Crosse Tribune continues her opposition to Monroe County passing its Second Amendment Sanctuary resolution by suggesting that the resolution contradicts Monroe County Sheriff Wes Revels statement where he makes it clear that the resolution passed does not ask for law enforcement to ignore or nullify the current gun laws. However, the Tribune journalist insisted that the resolution does, in fact, call for the nullification of current gun laws by citing my personal position on the Second Amendment when I stated at the board meeting that I would not use hunting as a reinforcer for my support of the resolution as that is not the intent of the Second Amendment; the Second Amendment was established as a means for the civilian populace to resist government tyranny. Being that I am not an author of the resolution, I dont know how or why the journalist from the La Crosse Tribune would use my personal stance as a means to debunk the intent of the resolution. She then proceeds to contend my perspective on the Second Amendment (which happens to be the same perspective as the founders of our republic) by stating that my rifle would do nothing against a government that possesses their own assault rifles, armor, jets and nuclear bombs. First off, it concerns me that this journalist would imply the U.S. would nuke itself in response to a civilian resistance, and I agree with her statement that suggests my single firearm would do virtually nothing against a tyrannical government. However, I am very positive that the other 100 million gun owners in America would be very effective against a military that contains only 1.3 million members. Also, if she believes that its virtually impossible for a civilian army to effectively resist their national military, I would kindly point her attention to the Middle East where there has been little to no progress made against civilian armies in Iraq and Afghanistan despite the technological superiority that the United States military has at its disposal, and the same can be said for the failed war in Vietnam. In fact, the United States itself was formed as a result of ragtag civilian soldiers taking up arms in defense of their liberties and defeating the British Empire in 1783, which was the most powerful empire in the world at that time. So, the notion that the American People would not stand a chance against their government in the event that it were to become tyrannical is easily debunked as history has illustrated. After this contention, the Tribune journalist insists that we should regulate guns the same way we regulate cars, which would be completely unconstitutional and furthermore, is an incomparable policy proposal as the amendment in the Bill of Rights that states, The right of the people to keep and bear a motorized vehicle simply does not exist. She also states that we should revoke a persons license to own a firearm once that person has proven themselves to be a safety concern to society, just like those who drive drunk get their drivers license revoked for some time. However, it appears she has forgotten that simply revoking ones license for drunk driving does nothing from stopping that individual from operating a motorized vehicle in their continuous disregard for the rule of law, and the same can be said for those who use firearms to carry out their evil acts. Lastly, she ends her column by stating, If the people of the city of La Crosse want to say no carrying guns at the grocery store, they should be allowed to do so. This contention actually contradicts a study conducted by the Crime Research Protection Center, which found 96 percent of all public mass shootings that have occurred between the years 1998 and 2015 were in gun-free zones. So in reality, the journalists words would be more accurate if they read, If the people of the city of La Crosse want to say you should be defenseless from a potential threat at the grocery store, they should be allowed to. After all, restricting a law abiding citizen from carrying their legally owned firearm in places that are prime targets for mass shooters, makes themselves and the people around them nothing more than sitting ducks. All in all, I appreciate that this journalist took the time to express her opposition to those of us here in Monroe County that are willing to uphold, defend, and protect the constitution of the United States as written and as intended by its framers. I also appreciate that she took the time to inform us that she will not be coming back to Monroe County any time soon. It is in this, that I would like to again express my sincerest gratitude that we live in a constitutional republic and not an Athenian democracy where individuals like the La Crosse Tribune journalist possess the freedom to publicly insist that we should enact laws that would infringe upon our right to keep and bear arms while at the same time possessing no comprehensive knowledge of firearms. However, at the end of the day, our individual liberties are protected under the constitution and safe from the rule of the mob. Brett Larkin is a resident of Tomah and candidate for Monroe County Board of Supervisors. Love 48 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 5 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The in Bihar on Sunday reminded its ally of the "promise" to help the party win a Rajya Sabha berth from the state where it lacks adequate numbers in the assembly to win a seat in the Upper House on its own. In an evocative statement issued to the media here, AICC in-charge of Bihar, Shaktisinh Gohil quoted a verse from the Ramacharitmanas to buttress his point that "the virtuous never betray a promise once made". He also recalled "a press conference of the Grand Alliance (comprising five parties) during the Lok Sabha elections last year" where Tejashwi Yadav, heir apparent of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, had spoken about helping the get a Rajya Sabha berth "from its own quota". With 100 seats between them in the 243-strong Bihar Assembly, the RJD- combine seem poised to wrest two of the five Rajya Sabha seats for which elections will be held from the ruling JD(U)- alliance. Tejashwi Yadav had made the announcement as a gesture aimed at placating the national party, which had been sore over getting a raw deal in the seat-sharing arrangements. Of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Congress had expressed the desire to field its candidates in 15 but had to settle with nine upon insistence from the RJD that some ground be ceded to accommodate newer and smaller allies like RLSP, HAM and VIP. Moreover, the Congress had felt particularly mortified at the RJDs refusal to give up its claim on Darbhanga, which was won in 2014 for the by Kirti Azad whom Rahul Gandhi had inducted with much fanfare and, understandably, an assurance that he will be fielded from the same seat. The RJD fielded Abdul Bari Siddiqui, in the process alienating its own multiple term former Darbhanga MP Mohd Ashraf Fatmi, who ended up parting ways with the party and crossing over to Chief Minister Nitish Kumars JD(U). Siddiqui, a veteran politician, lost the seat by a huge margin to debutant Gopalji Thakur. Meanwhile, the Bihar BJP took potshots at the Congress charging its rival with resorting to "emotional blackmail" and trying to "defraud" a Rajya Sabha seat from the RJD. "It is an old habit of the Congress party... it is taking recourse to emotional blackmail to defraud a Rajya Sabha seat from the RJD. It will be interesting to see if Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri Devi fall into the trap", tweeted Nikhil Anand, sharing a report on Gohils statement. Filing of nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections comes to a close on March 13 next. The RJD at present has a total of four members in the Upper House, including one from adjoining Jharkhand. The partys founding president, who is away in Ranchi serving sentences in fodder scam cases, is keeping his cards close to the chest. Speculations are rife that he may use the Rajya Sabha vacancy for sending yet another member of his family to the Upper House where his eldest daughter Misa Bharti also holds a seat. However, some RJD sources claim that he could choose someone like Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, the partys national vice president and former Union minister, in an attempt to assuage the old guard who has been feeling slighted over the clout that his unripe children have come to enjoy. Names of probable Congress candidates, in the event of it getting a chance, doing the rounds include actor-turned- politician Shatrughan Sinha and former Lok Sabha Speaker and the partys Dalit face Meira Kumar. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor under money laundering charges in the wee hours of Sunday, officials said. The banker was held under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) around 3 a.m. as he was allegedly not cooperating in the probe, they said. Mr. Kapoor's arrest at the ED office in Ballard Estate followed over 20 hours of questioning by the central agency after it raided his residence on Friday night. The arrest comes after charges of alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement in the operations of the private bank surfaced and the RBI and Union government initiated action to control its affairs. Officials said Mr. Kapoor, 62, will be produced before a local court during the day to obtain custody. The investigating officer of the case had recorded Mr. Kapoor's statement under the PMLA when he was first interrogated on Friday night at his upscale residence in 'Samudra Mahal' complex in Worli area here. He was brought to the ED office on Saturday noon for a fresh round of questioning. On Saturday, the agency widened its probe in the case as the premises of Mr. Kapoor's three daughters in Delhi and Mumbai were searched to gather more information and evidence. According to officials, Mr. Kapoor's wife Bindu and daughters -- Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Roshni Kapoor and Radha Kapoor -- are allegedly linked to some companies to which the suspected "proceeds of crime" have been traced. The case against Mr. Kapoor is linked to the scam-hit DHFL as the loans lent by the bank to the company allegedly turned NPAs, they said. A Rs 600-crore worth loan extended by the DHFL to an entity is also at the centre of the ED probe, officials said. The central agency is also probing Mr. Kapoor's role in connection with the disbursal of loans to some corporate entities and the subsequent alleged kickbacks reportedly received in his wife's accounts. Other alleged irregularities are also under the agency's scanner including the one related to the alleged PF fraud in the Uttar Pradesh power corporation, they added. The CBI has recently taken over investigation into the Rs 2,267-crore Employees' Provident Fund fraud in Uttar Pradesh, where hard-earned savings of power sector employees were invested in Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL). The ED action came after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday imposed a moratorium on the capital-starved Yes Bank, capping withdrawals at Rs 50,000 per account, and superseded the board of the private sector lender with immediate effect. Yes Bank will not be able to grant or renew any loan or advance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse any payment. As per the RBI's draft reconstruction scheme, State Bank of India will pick up 49% stake in the crisis-ridden Yes Bank under a government-approved bailout plan. Also Read: SBI sets Rs 10,000 crore boundary for Yes Bank investment: Chairman Rajnish Kumar Also Read: YES Bank crisis: How SBI executed a perfect 'rescue plan' A woman wearing a protective mask crosses Piazza Duomo with her bicycle in Milan on March 2, 2020. (Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images) Italy Orders Lockdown of Rich North to Try to Halt Coronavirus ROMEItaly imposed a virtual lockdown across a swathe of its wealthy north on Sunday, including the financial capital Milan, in a drastic new attempt to try to contain a rapidly growing outbreak of coronavirus. The unprecedented restrictions, which will impact some 16 million people and stay in force until April 3, were signed into law overnight by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The new measures say people should not enter or leave Lombardy, Italys richest region, as well as 14 provinces in four other regions, including the cities of Venice, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia and Rimini. There will be no movement in or out of these areas, or within them, unless for proven, work-related reasons, emergencies or health reasons, Conte told a news conference in the middle of the night after hours of confusion over his plans. We have to limit the spread of the virus and prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed, he added. However, it was not immediately clear how fiercely the order would be policed and at first light on Sunday, flights appeared to be operating normally out of Milans two airports and Venice airport, while rail operators were still selling train tickets. According to the decree, all museums, gyms, cultural centers, ski resorts and swimming pools will be shut in the targeted zones, while leave was canceled for health workers as Italys hospitals sag under the pressure of the virus. Restaurants and bars will be allowed to open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time and only if they can guarantee that customers are at least one meter (yard) apart. People visit Piazza of Duomo, virtually deserted as Italy battles a coronavirus outbreak, in Florence, Italy, on March 7, 2020. (Jennifer Lorenzini/Reuters) The government enacted the draft just hours after officials had announced that the number of coronavirus cases had leapt by more than 1,200 in a 24-hour periodthe biggest daily rise since the epidemic began in the country two weeks ago. Deaths due to the infectious virus had also risen, by 36 to 233, while the number of patients in intensive care climbed to 567, up 23 percent from the day before. Of the 5,883 Italians originally infected, 589 have fully recovered. The northern regions of Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto represent 85 percent of all cases and 92 percent of recorded deaths. Conte said the original quarantine zones that affected 11 towns that were at the epicenter of the outbreak, would now be lifted. However, he urged anyone who had a fever not leave their homes even if they did not know if they had coronavirus. People wearing protective masks walk through Florence as Italy battles a coronavirus outbreak, in Florence, Italy, on March 7, 2020. (Jennifer Lorenzini/Reuters) Some local Italian politicians had pushed back against the measures, which were leaked to the press on Saturday afternoon before being agreed with regional governors. The head of Lombardy Attilio Fontano said the proposals go in the right direction, but added they were a mess. The head of the neighboring Veneto region, Luca Zaia, said: We have seen these measures at the last minute. We did not help to draw them up, and now we are being asked to give our assent almost at once. It is literally impossible. By Crispian Balmer and Angelo Amante 15-year old boy with coronavirus symptoms sent to hospital in Chennai for observation India oi-Madhuri Adnal Chennai, Mar 08: A 15-year old boy who arrived here from the US via Doha on Sunday was diagnosed with fever during screening at the airport and was sent to a hospital for observation, airport sources said. The boy, who arrived along with his father had some symptoms associated with fever as well and was sent to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, they said. Authorities sent him to RGGGH after examining him in a special ward set up in the airport. Tests will be done as part of the observation protocol to ascertain if the boy has coronavirus, sources added. The father and son duo hail from Tamil Nadu. Coronavirus confirmed cases in India reaches to 40 as one more test positive in Tamil Nadu Earlier, the Tamil Nadu Government said that one person from the state has tested positive for Coronavirus infection. NEWS AT 3 PM MARCH 8th, 2020 State Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said the patient was a 45-year-old male who was travelling from Oman. Due to the stringent screening process, the doctors identified and isolated the patient for further treatment at Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital, Chennai, said the minister. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 15:34 [IST] EAST HAVEN A town man was sentenced to two years in prison for his involvement with a drug trafficking ring that distributed heroin and cocaine in the region, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for Connecticut. Pedro Orta-Rivas, 51, pleaded guilty in November to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin and cocaine . An investigation headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the New Haven Police Department revealed Malbin Rubiera-Herrera, also known as Chaca, acquired fentanyl, heroin and cocaine from sources in Connecticut and New Jersey and distributed the drugs through a network of associates in the greater New Haven area, officials with the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a release, attributing it to court documents and statements made in court. Orta-Rivas helped to broker narcotics transactions, distributed drugs for the organization, and collected monies owed. Prosecutors sought a prison term of 46 to 57 months in the case, in accordance with federal guidelines, according to a sentencing memorandum from Assistant States Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.and U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham. Prospectors noted that Orta-Rivas had been involved with the drug trafficking ring, which distributed kilogram quantities of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine, for at least four months and communicated regularly with Rubiera-Herrera, arguing he should receive a guidelines sentence in the case. Orta-Rivas was perhaps not the most culpable of the defendants, but he was entrenched in the (operation), fully aware of the amount of narcotics that Rubiera-Herrera was distributing and significantly involved in a number of different planned and executed drug transactions, Kaoutzanis and Durham said in their memorandum. In his role as a runner and facilitator, he ensured the success of the drug trafficking organization and it is that conduct that mandates a within-Guidelines sentence. Defense attorney Michael L. Moscowitz argued in his sentencing memorandum for Orta-Rivas to be released or serve a shorter term in prison. He said Orta-Rivas, released on bond in the case, had continued to seek employment and conducted himself as a responsible individual during that period. He argued he was unlikely to re-offend in the future, noting he had never previously been incarcerated, and was working for Rubiera-Herrera to pay off an car-related debt. As a civilized society we must despise the crime but the question is must we despise the (sinner)? Mr. Orta Rivas... was a runner who reported to Mr. Rubiera-Herrera and did not arrange any drug transactions, Moscowitz said in his memorandum. Mr. Orta Rivas like many other individuals, is a fallible person struggling, with the implication of knowing good and evil. But I ask the court not to give up on Mr. Orta Rivas but give him the chance to be that productive individual he is capable of being. Look at him not what he has done but what he can be. Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer imposed the two year sentence, to be followed by three years of supervised release, Friday in U.S. District Court in New Haven, according to the release from the U.S. Attorneys Office. Orta-Rivas is scheduled to report to prison April 7. Rubiera-Herrera pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine and a quantity of heroin in June, according to federal judicial records. He has not yet been sentenced. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has called for the inclusion of women in the peace talks with the Taliban, the mission said here on Sunday on the occasion of the International Women's Day. The UNAMA said in a statement that with anticipation building that the door for intra-Afghan peace talks will open, women's advocacy groups and activists across Afghanistan have focused on developing strategies to protect and advance the gains they have made in social, political, civic and economic life. "These strategies, backed by the United Nations and coupled with the growing recognition that women must be included in any formal peace negotiations, are expected to yield results: country-wide and community-level ownership, along with the full and meaningful participation in political decision-making among all members of society," the statement said. The UN mission in Afghanistan marks International Women's Day under the global theme of "I Am Generation Equality: Realizing Women's Rights" to leverage individual and collective efforts to make gender equality and women's rights a living reality, the statement said. "To create a peaceful and inclusive society, it is essential that Afghan women have access to education, healthcare and decent work, and that they are fully represented in all areas of political decision-making, from parliament to the peace table," Tadamichi Yamamoto, special UN envoy and head of UN mission, was quoted in the statement as saying. "While we have seen significant progress on women's rights in Afghanistan, including formal legislation and national action plans, we continue to see powerful social and political pushback," he said. "This situation must change for Afghan women, and for the benefit of Afghanistan as a nation," Yamamoto noted. Recognising that Afghanistan will be more resilient in the face of conflict when gender equality is prioritised, the UN will continue to support all efforts toward gender equality and all opportunities for women to reclaim their rightful place in all areas of society, the statement said. The US and the Taliban signed an agreement on February 29 in Doha, Qatar with the stated aim of "bringing peace to Afghanistan" more than 18 years after American forces pushed the group out of power. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jacksonville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Cory M. Fisher, 29, homeless, was arrested at 6:50 p.m. Thursday on a warrant accusing him of driving while license is revoked and criminal trespassing. THEFTS, BURGLARIES Someone took a lawn ornament from a yard in the 900 block of North Prairie Street between 10 p.m. Thursday and 4 a.m. Friday. The decoration was valued at $100. Calhoun County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Aaron K. Johnson, 40, of Batchtown was booked into the Greene County Jail at 7:10 p.m. Feb. 29 on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence, illegal transportation of cannabis, violation of liability insurance law, improper signaling and not wearing a seat belt. Greene County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Danny J. Newingham, 51, of Patterson was booked into the Greene County Jail at 7:52 p.m. Tuesday on a battery charge. Jaken L. Farris, 26, of Roodhouse was booked into the Greene County Jail at 11:38 p.m. Sunday on a charge of having no valid drivers license. Nickolas L. Gray, 20, of Greenfield was booked into the Greene County Jail at 8:52 p.m. Feb. 26 on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended. Greenfield Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Omar A. Garcia-Prado, 26, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was booked into the Greene County Jail at 1:44 a.m. Tuesday on charges of speeding and driving while license is revoked or suspended. Timothy R. Baggett, 32, of South Roxanna was booked into the Greene County Jail at 6:19 p.m. Feb. 28 on a charge of driving while license is suspended or revoked. Roodhouse Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Angel Jo Gettings, 27, of Roodhouse was booked into the Greene County Jail at 11:35 a.m. Thursday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and causing a child to be endangered. Sandra E. Fishel, 54, of Roodhouse was booked into the Greene County Jail at 11:39 p.m. Monday on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Lawrence L. Seymoure, 51, of Roodhouse was booked into the Greene County Jail at 10:47 p.m. Monday on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Kevin L. Murrow, 37, of Roodhouse was booked into the Greene County Jail at 8:09 p.m. Feb. 26 on a violation of a court order. Terry P. Gibson, 29, of Roodhouse was booked into the Greene County Jail at 4:19 p.m. Feb. 26 on a burglary charge. State police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Trevor W. Hardwick, 38, of Patterson was booked into the Greene County Jail at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday on a possession of methamphetamine charge. White Hall Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Dorothy A. Brown, 36, of Fairfield was booked into the Greene County Jail at 6:44 p.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hypodermic syringe and possession of drug paraphernalia. Patricia Hillman, 39, of Roodhouse was booked into the Greene County Jail at 1:23 a.m. Sunday on charges of driving under the influence, improper lane use and illegal possession or transportation of liquor by a driver. Scott County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS David L. Wilson, 36, of Jacksonville was booked into the Greene County Jail at 2:40 a.m. Tuesday on an attempted burglary charge. Compiled by David C.L. Bauer and Darren Iozia North Korea has fired at least one unidentified projectile, the South Korean military said early Monday local time. Pyongyang has repeatedly fired projectiles over the past year and bragged about developing a new strategic weapon as relations with the Trump administration have soured. North Korea and the U.S. failed to restart talks at the end of last year, after Washington refused to respond to Kim Jong-Un's demands for concessions. President Donald Trump has sought to convince the North to give up its nuclear arsenal, banking on a personal relationship he has tried to develop with Kim as well as pressure through sanctions. Trump has held two summits with Kim and met him at the de-militarized zone between the North and South. However, Washington and Pyongyang have proven unable to strike a deal, with the North refusing to give up its nuclear arsenal and the U.S. refusing to roll back sanctions. North Korea's decision to fire the projectile comes as the region is hit hard by the coronavirus, which first emerged in China. South Korea has been hit particularly hard, with more than 7,300 confirmed cases and 50 deaths. The U.S. and South Korea have called off joint military exercises due to the outbreak of the virus. The U.S. Army has restricted travel to South Korea and prohibited foreign troops from taking part in exercises, according to Reuters. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 18:00:12|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HAVANA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Significant progress has been made in implementing preventive measures nationwide, although no COVID-19 cases have been reported in Cuba to date, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Saturday. Taking into account the fact that the virus has hit neighboring countries, a practical plan of COVID-19 prevention has to be "strictly implemented", Diaz-Canel said during a meeting held in the eastern city of Holguin. Surveillance over the spread of the virus, early detection of patients, communication and people's participation are among the key factors for combating the epidemic, he added. On the sidelines of the meeting, Diaz-Canel praised China's efforts to fight the epidemic. "Chinese scientists have worked with a high sense of responsibility, not only for the well-being of the Chinese people, but also for that of humanity," the president said. Meanwhile, Health Minister Jose Angel Portal said sanitation and available transportation are key to overcoming the epidemic. "It is of paramount priority to improve surveillance on COVID-19" as well as guarantee in a timely manner that health facilities are in a good condition, he said. Cuba has reinforced passenger controls at airports, ports and marinas, and recently approved a national emergency plan as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is increasing worldwide. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Sunday announced the names of Arpita Ghosh, Mausam Noor, Dinesh Trivedi and Subrata Bakshi as the party candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls. In a tweet, the West Bengal chief minister said in keeping with her "constant endeavour" towards women's empowerment, she was proud that half of the TMC nominees for the March 26 polls were women. While Noor lost from the Malda Uttar seat in last year's Lok Sabha polls, Ghosh had unsuccessfully contested from Balurghat and Dinesh Trivedi from the Barrackpore constituency. Bakshi did not contest from Kolkata Dakshin, the seat he had won in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. TMC sources said Banerjee's decision to nominate two women for the Rajya Sabha polls was part of her objective to bring more women in parliamentary politics and delegate responsibility. Rajya Sabha polls to the five seats of West Bengal will be held on March 26. The election for the fifth seat will be a litmus test for the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Congress tie-up in the state. According to the distribution of seats in the West Bengal Assembly, the ruling TMC will get four seats to the Upper House of Parliament, whereas a joint candidate of either the CPI-M-Congress or the TMC-Congress will have to win the fifth one. The Congress had earlier taken the TMC's support for the elections of their candidates Pradip Bhattacharya and Abhishek Manu Singhvi to the Rajya Sabha. Since the Lok Sabha poll debacle, the CPI-M and Congress have been unitedly fighting against the TMC and the BJP in the state. The fifth seat was held by Ritabrata Bandopadhyay, who was elected as a CPI(M) nominee in 2014, but was expelled from the party in 2017. Since his expulsion and post-2019 Lok Sabha polls, the CPI-M's West Bengal unit does not have any representation either in the Lok Sabha or in the Rajya Sabha. This has happened for the first time since the party's inception in 1964. With just eight MLAs, the BJP is not a contender in the Rajya Sabha polls. The number of coronavirus cases rose to 39 in India on Sunday as five more people tested positive in Kerala, including a couple and their son who had flown from Italy and evaded airport screening, prompting state authorities to warn of action against those hiding travel history, while other states too introduced stricter measures to check the spread of the disease. As the Centre denied entry to cruise ships till March 31 in the wake of the coronavirus scare, a cruise ship with a Panama flag 'MSC Lirica' was turned back at the New Mangalore Port on Saturday. After Sikkim, the Arunachal Pradesh government has also decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners to check the spread of coronavirus. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said his government will request the Centre to impose a ban on travelling to countries that have recorded a large number of coronavirus cases. In Assam at least 400 people have been quarantined after they came in contact with an American tourist who tested positive for the new coronavirus in Bhutan after travelling through the state recently, state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja said the state has been put on high alert in the wake of the five new cases, reported more than a fortnight after India's first three coronavirus patients -medical students from Wuhan- were discharged from hospitals in the state. The minister said the couple in their fifties and their 24-year old son had taken a flight from Italy to India on February 29 and evaded health screening at the airport. The two others affected are their relatives, Shailaja said. The new cases are from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district, where all public programmes and religious gatherings have been called off. The minister said all the passengers who travelled with the infected family in the Venice-Doha Qatar airlines QR 126 flight on February 29 and Qatar Airlines flight QR514 from Doha to Kochi that arrived at 8.20 am on March 1 should get in touch with health authorities. The airlines, in a statement, said it was working with Indian health authorities in this regard. An operation has been launched for tracing all passengers on the flight and their secondary contacts and the employees who attended to them on February 29, a Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) statement said The state health department said failure to inform authorities about travel history and symptoms would be considered a crime, while the state police separately said it was "illegal and punishable" if anyone hid such information. "Strict action, including prosecution, will be initiated against them. Directives of various government agencies should be followed in this regard," a police release said The Kerala government, however, has decided to go ahead with "Attukal Pongala," one of the largest all-women religious congregations to be held on Monday, while issuing fresh guidelines including asking those coming from abroad especially from the affected countries to make the offering in their hotels itself. "As of now their condition is stable. But there is need to take extra care", the minister said. Two nonagenarian members of the family will be shifted to the Kottayam Medical College hospital as a precaution, she added. The three, who had returned from Venice, at first refused to cooperate with health officials, following which they were forcibly admitted to the isolation ward of the Pathnamathitta general hospital. The number of COVID-19 cases in India, which was just six till last Tuesday, now stands at 39 including 16 Italians. The figure also includes the three Kerala patients who were discharged last month following recovery. In Tamil Nadu, a 15-year old boy who arrived in Chennai from the US via Doha with his father was sent to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai as he showed some symptoms associated with fever during screening at the airport, officials said. Twenty-seven people, who came into contact with a 45-year-old coronavirus patient in the state, have been placed under home surveillance, state Health Secretary Beela Rajesh said. A diabetic man died in the isolation ward of a hospital in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Sunday, a day after he was admitted there with suspected symptoms of coronavirus following his return from Saudi Arabia. According to doctors, he was admitted to the hospital with fever, cough and cold. Though test results of his blood and swab samples for novel coronavirus were awaited, it can be said that Janarul Haque died probably of diabetes, Director of Health Services Ajay Chakraborty told PTI. The samples of 258 people admitted in hospitals for suspected exposure to novel coronavirus in Maharashtra have returned negative and they have been discharged, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Sunday. He said 15 people are still under observation in Mumbai and Pune. Maharashtra has not reported any positive case of coronavirus so far. In Rajasthan, the condition of a coronavirus-hit Italian couple admitted at SMS Hospital for treatment is improving, a senior official said in Jaipur. The Italian man was tested positive for coronavirus on March 2, while his wife too was tested positive a day later. Isolation facilities are being augmented in several hospitals across the country. The Union Health Ministry has asked the AIIMS administration in Delhi to designate a part of the new emergency wing for setting up of isolation beds for suspected COVID-19 patients. Six other AIIMS have been directed to keep an isolation bed capacity between 12-15 for coronavirus patients, which can be scaled up to 30 if need arises, an official said. Besides, the ministry has asked the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Jhajjar and Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry to keep such beds. The Delhi government has ordered DTC and cluster buses, metro and hospitals to be disinfected on a regular basis as a precautionary measure to deal with the novel coronavirus, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said 168 isolation beds had been set up at 25 hospitals for coronavirus patients. He appealed to the people in Delhi to inform the government if any person in their neighbourhood had returned from abroad in the last 14 days. The chief minister, who chaired a state task force on Sunday, said the government was fully prepared to deal with the novel coronavirus, adding that people do not need to panic. He also said he will meet Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday to request a ban on travel to countries where a significant number of COVID-19 cases have been reported. The Union Health ministry has made 52 laboratories functional for testing samples while 57 labs have been designated for helping in sample collection to enhance the capacity for diagnosis and detection of the virus. As of March 6, a total of 4,058 samples from 3,404 individuals have been tested by the network, officials said. The number of novel coronavirus cases stood at over 105,800 including 3,595 deaths, across 95 countries and territories. China, where the epidemic emerged in December, had 80,695 cases, of which 3,097 were fatal. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said efforts are underway for the return of Indian pilgrims from Iran's Qom city and follow up arrangements are being discussed with the Iranian authorities. Jaishankar also said no case of coronavirus has been reported among the Indian fishermen in Iran. Responding to tweets by NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other leaders on the issue, the External Affairs Minister tweeted : "Efforts underway for return of Indian pilgrims in Qom #Iran. "Screening process has started and follow up arrangements are being discussed with Iranian authorities. This is top priority and Embassy team @india_in_iran is fully engaged on this." The cabinet secretary held a review meeting where it was decided that in view of rising cases in France, the US, Spain, dedicated aerobridges for flights from these countries should be put in place at airports. Dedicated aerobridges are in place for flights from China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Iran, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Nepal and Indonesia. During the review meeting, it was also stressed that people need to be made aware about the use of masks. The ministry said that if a person is healthy, they only need to wear a mask if they are taking care of a person with suspected infection. People should also wear masks if they are coughing or sneezing, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) THE Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE) said it strongly supports the tax reforms under the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Reform Act (Citira). The local bourse said the Citira provision that gradually lowers corporate income tax to 25 percent by 2024 and 20 percent by 2029 will be considerably beneficial to Philippine corporates. Once the corporate income tax reaches this level, the country will be within the same corporate income tax range as its peers in the Association of Southeast Asian region. This will make the Philippines an attractive investment destination for new foreign and domestic businesses and encourage existing companies to expand their operations, the PSE said. All these will redound to job creation, higher income, increased spending and more money in circulation, a cycle that can continue indefinitely as a result of the multiplier effect, it added. The PSE said it commends the imminent countryside development through fiscal incentives that will be granted to businesses in less developed areas through Citira. The fiscal multiplier effect in these areas will help boost economic growth in third or fourth class municipalities, it said. It noted that while Citira provides fiscal incentives, governments revenue raising mandate is still upheld with the time-bound and performance-based conditions for the said incentives. The PSE also urged the Senate committee to prioritize immediate the passage of the Citira bill as it looks forward to jumpstart its short-and long-term benefits to Filipinos. (PR) Google and Facebook could face a full-blown investigation into their iron grip on digital advertising in a move that might even lead to the internet giants being broken up in the UK. The Mail on Sunday can reveal that senior staff at Britains competition watchdog are pushing for an investigation over concerns that the two American firms have become too dominant. In a scathing 283-page report by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in December, Google was found to control more than 90 per cent of the UKs 6 billion search market for adverts that appear when internet users are trying to find information. Facebook was found to control nearly half of the UKs 5 billion display market for adverts that appear as web-page images that users are encouraged to click on. The watchdog stopped short of launching a full market investigation on the back of its study, hinting it might instead recommend tighter regulations such as forcing Google and Facebook to share data with rivals to boost competition. In a letter sent to Lord Tyrie after he became CMA chairman, seen by The Mail on Sunday, Lord Howard (pictured) criticised the ability of a relatively small number of large international companies to earn super profits because of the dominant position they occupy in their market places But now sources say senior CMA figures feel this does not go far enough and are still pushing for an in-depth probe that could open the door to a major crackdown. At the end of a full market investigation, the CMA can order companies to be broken up to improve competition. This would represent the most drastic action available to the watchdog and could see Google and Facebook forced to sell parts of their businesses. The competition watchdog, which is chaired by former Tory MP Lord Tyrie, is set to publish its final report by July 2. An investigation would deliver another blow to Google, which also faces two separate US probes into its dominance of online advertising one by the Department of Justice and the other by a coalition of the legal chiefs from all 50 states. Last night, former Conservative Party leader Michael Howard called on Lord Tyrie to be tough on the tech giants. In a letter sent to Lord Tyrie after he became CMA chairman, seen by The Mail on Sunday, Lord Howard criticised the ability of a relatively small number of large international companies to earn super profits because of the dominant position they occupy in their market places. He added: They have done this by buying up potential competitors, lobbying for regulations which skew the playing field in their favour and generally using their dominant power to the advantage of their shareholders and detriment of consumers. The only remedy for this is much tougher and more vigorous competition policy. I realise that there are legal constraints on your ability to deliver this but I would urge you to do whatever you can to invigorate the UKs competition policy in order to contribute to this objective. Last night, former Conservative Party leader Michael Howard called on Lord Tyrie (pictured) to be tough on the tech giants Lord Tyrie served as Shadow Treasury spokesman under Michael Howard while the Tories were in Opposition between 2003 and 2005. Lord Tyrie took charge of the CMA in 2018 and the watchdog has since taken a robust stance on Silicon Valleys tech companies. Its interventions have included launching an investigation into Amazons deal to buy a stake in British takeaway delivery company Deliveroo. A full-blown probe into digital advertising would be the clearest signal yet that Lord Tyrie plans to crack down on the tech giants. Critics argue Google and Facebook have created a duopoly in digital advertising that has stifled competition and forced up prices for firms, which pass the extra costs on to consumers. In its interim report, the CMA said it was concerned Google and Facebook were both now so large and have such extensive access to data that potential rivals can no longer compete on equal terms. It added: Weak competition in digital advertising can increase the prices of goods and services across the economy and undermine the ability of newspapers and others to produce valuable content, to the detriment of broader society. Richard Kramer, a senior analyst at technology research firm Arete Research, urged the CMA to launch a full investigation. Doing a deep dive would potentially put a lot of data into the public domain that should see the light of day, he said. In March last year, a separate Government-commissioned review by Harvard economist Jason Furman, a former adviser to Barack Obama, found that web giants had bought more than 400 smaller companies over the past decade. The move to swallow up rivals was described as a killer strategy to extinguish competition. In a statement, the CMA said: Our online platforms and digital advertising market study is still ongoing and, as such, no final decision has been made. In our interim report in December, we consulted on not carrying out a market investigation, on the basis that making recommendations to Government for regulatory reform would be the most effective way of tackling the concerns we identified. Ultimately, the final decision will be made by the CMA board before the deadline of July 2, taking into account the responses to our consultation, market developments and the Governments emerging position on regulatory reform in this area. Vietnams COVID-19 infections have risen to 29 after the Ministry of Health confirmed eight new cases, all foreigners, on Sunday. The nationalities of the new patients have not been revealed. Four of them are staying in the northern province of Quang Ninh, two in the northern province of Lao Cai, and two in the central city of Da Nang. The eight patients boarded the same flight VN0054 from London to Hanoi as patient No. 17 N.H.N. The plane landed at Noi Bai International Airport in the Vietnamese capital on March 2. N., 26, tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Friday, after she had been through immigration without a fever. The woman had traveled to Lombardy (Italy), Paris (France), and London (England) before the flight back to Hanoi. Her chauffeur and aunt, who had close contact with her, caught the virus after taking N. to the hospital for testing in a car. The Truc Bach neighborhood in Hanoi has been quarantined as patient No. 17 lives there. Photo: Chi Tue / Tuoi Tre Vietnam has confirmed 29 positive novel coronavirus cases so far, including 10 on the flight VN0054, the two catching the virus from patient No. 17 in the car, and one Vietnamese returning from South Korea. The other 16 thirteen Vietnamese, two Chinese nationals, and one Vietnamese American had fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26. Patient No. 17 was confirmed after Vietnam had reported no infection since February 13. Nine localities in Vietnam have recorded COVID-19 cases so far, namely Ho Chi Minh City, Khanh Hoa Province, Vinh Phuc Province, Thanh Hoa Province, Ninh Binh Province, Quang Ninh Province, Hanoi, Da Nang, and Lao Cai Province. The patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Khanh Hoa Province, Vinh Phuc Province, and Thanh Hoa Province have walked out of the hospital free of the virus. The London-Hanoi flight carried 201 passengers, of whom 48 are Vietnamese. They have traveled to different provinces and cities in Vietnam upon their arrival in Hanoi. Vietnamese authorities are tracing the passengers on board the flight. The flight crew and those in contact with the patients have been isolated. COVID-19, which first surfaced in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 105,800 people and killed more than 3,600 globally, according to statistics. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! (Newser) A woman in Florida faces charges after officials said she registered voters as Republicans without their consent. Cheryl Hall was working for Florida First, the New York Times reports. The group is bankrolled by an organization that backs President Trump, America First Policies. Hall was charged Thursday with 10 felony counts of submitting false voter registration information in Lake County and released on $20,000 bond. At least six of the new voters are Democrats or independents. The local elections supervisor suspects she turned in another 109 forms with false information. The voters' names were correct on the forms, but birthdates, Social Security numbers, and other information were wrong, causing the forms to be kicked out automatically by the county's election database. story continues below "It's just really bizarre," Alan Hays said. "I don't know what part of her imagination was convinced she could get away with this." The handwriting on some falsified forms doesn't match Hall's, leading Hays to suspect other Florida First workers might have been involved. Three new voters have reported changes they didn't approve since the case became public, Hays said. Investigators, however, said they don't think the organization itself is behind the fraud, per the Miami Herald. Lake County, which is near Orlando, has already begun early voting for Florida's presidential primary, which is March 17. Florida First's director said the organization is working with county officials "to ensure every voter is properly registered to vote." (Read more voter registration stories.) By PTI DUBAI: The wish of a seven-year-old cancer-stricken Indian boy came true when Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan met him in a heart-touching gesture and posted their picture on social media. Abdullah Hussain from Hyderabad, suffering from third stage cancer, had expressed his wish on social media to meet his idol Sheikh Hamdan, following which he was featured in a TV news report, the Gulf News reported. "Shaikh Hamdan is so cool, adventurous and so kind. I want to meet his pets and I want to see his dresses," Abdullah said in a video while carrying a banner that read: "I am your fan Shaikh Hamdan. I want to meet you. I love Fazza." Abdulla is a 7 years old with 3rd stage cancer from India , his wish was to meet Sheikh Hamdan and today that wish was fulfilled. We hope to see him well soon, Stay Strong. pic.twitter.com/6CSHFgVSvC (@groupfazza) March 6, 2020 Speaking to Gulf News following the family's meeting with Sheikh Hamdan on Friday, Abdullah's mother Nausheen Fatima expressed the joy and gratitude of the boy and his family. "Abdullah is all smiles after meeting His Highness. It was my boy's biggest wish to meet him. Alhamdulillah, it has come true." She said the young fan has grown fonder of his idol after the meeting which went viral on social media after Sheikh Hamdan posted his picture with Abdullah on Instagram with the caption "Met this courageous boy today." "He has met his real-life hero and all of us are so happy about this heart-touching initiative by the Crown Prince," said Nausheen. She said the family was touched by "Sheikh Hamdan's simplicity, kindness, the way he talked to Abdullah and his younger brother Ahmed, and his polite and playful nature. "He first hugged Abdullah and said he is very happy to see him. He said Abdullah is very strong and advised us to encourage him to stay positive and always stand by him as a family." She said Sheikh Hamdan asked details about Abdullah's treatment and the plans ahead. "He is very generous. It didn't feel like we were talking to the Crown Prince." Abdullah's father Mohd Tajamul Hussain, a businessman, had brought over a portrait of Sheikh Hamdan with a horse and golden replica of Charminar, an iconic monument in Hyderabad, for gifting them to the Crown Prince. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohd Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince - a royal leader with a human touch, full of kindness. Meets 7 years old Indian boy battling cancer pic.twitter.com/lMI9HUEbXe ASHISH MEHTA, LAWYER (@theashishmehta) March 8, 2020 Sheikh Hamdan received the gifts and posed for pictures with the family during the 15-minute meeting, said Nausheen. After that, the family spent more than an hour with Sheikh Hamdan's pets. Abdullah was thrilled to see the giraffes, gazelles and elephants. "He played with the elephants by feeding them and he also sat on the thigh of an elephant. Though he had been to zoos earlier, he had never got such a chance,"Nausheen was quoted as saying. Nausheen shared the story of how it all began. Though his parents knew about Shaikh Hamdan and his mother was following him on Instagram, it was through YouTube that Abdullah first watched a video of Sheikh Hamdan, she said. It was in January after the grade one student stopped going to school due to his illness that he started spending his time watching YouTube videos. The family had discovered his disease in December after a lump appeared in his neck and started growing big. "It was only after the surgery and biopsy that we got to know about his disease. He still doesn't know about it. After the news report came out, he was asking about cancer. We only told him that he has some bad cells in his body." Nausheen said Abdullah instantly became a Fazza fan. "He kept on watching many videos about him and started saying he is his hero. He badly wanted to see him." During the exhausting course of chemotherapy, she said the parents took the name of Shaikh Hamdan and Avengers superheroes to divert Abdullah's attention to ease his pain. "I used to say what if the Sheikh calls you soon and he would turn happy and hopeful." She said the family is grateful that their ailing son's wish has been granted. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor under money laundering charges in the wee hours of Sunday, officials said. They said Kapoor was placed under arrest around 3 am under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was allegedly not cooperating in the probe. Rana was questioned by the ED sleuths for over 20 hours after the central agency raided his residence on Friday night. He will be produced before a local court during the day to obtain custody, the officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The NASA sign at the entrance of Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida. Read more For the first time in four years, NASA is hiring new astronauts. The job application opened last week for the "Artemis generation" of space explorers. The Artemis program's goal is to return to the moon by 2024 - and land the first woman on it. As the job description notes, "Extensive travel required." The competition is sure to be fierce. The last time NASA sought astronauts, 18,300 people applied for 14 slots. (That is an acceptance rate, as The Washington Post noted at the time, of a one-twelfth of a percent.) This time, the requirements are a bit stricter. You must be a U.S. citizen and have a bachelor's degree in science, math or engineering. Plus, NASA is looking for a master's degree (in physical; computer or biological sciences; engineering; or math) or at least a few years of PhD work in one of those fields; if you're a medical doctor, that works, too; or if you're enrolled or a graduate of a test pilot program. Applicants who make it through this process enroll in a two-year evaluation program. Graduation from astronaut boot camp requires the completion of spacecraft systems training, Extravehicular Activity (EVA) skills training, robotics skills training, Russian language training, aircraft flight readiness training and more, NASA says. The third and fourth cases are also a husband and wife, who are in home isolation and doing well, state health officials said. The man was previously hospitalized at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed one of those two cases, and the state is waiting on confirmation of the other. Illinois and other states are doing their own testing and sending positive results to the CDC for confirmation. In a historic signing ceremony with the top U.S. diplomat and the Taliban's co-founder, the U.S. and the militant group agreed to begin to end America's longest war. The deal will commit the U.S. to begin withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, in exchange for the Taliban sitting down to peace negotiations with other Afghans and severing ties with terror groups like al-Qaida -- which the Taliban harbored ahead of the Sept. 11 attacks, prompting a U.S. invasion and over 18 years of war. While many of the steps in the deal are conditioned on actions from both sides, there are some immediate impacts as the ink dries in Doha, Qatar, where chief U.S. negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad, his deputy Molly Phee and their team have spent over a year and a half negotiating with the Taliban's representatives. US signs historic deal with Taliban, triggering troop withdrawal from Afghanistan The text of the agreement was released Saturday, although there are annexes that will not be made public, according to two senior U.S. administration officials, who said they do not include any U.S. commitments, only enforcement mechanisms. A weeklong deal to reduce violence will continue, the officials said, as the U.S. immediately draws down its approximately 13,000 troops in Afghanistan to 8,600 and closes five military bases within 135 days. U.S. officials, including Gen. Scott Miller, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, have said that new number is still sufficient to carry out their mission. PHOTO: In this handout photo taken and released by Afghanistan's Ministry of Defence office on Feb. 26, 2020, Commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan Gen. Austin Scott Miller shakes hands with a young boy, in the city of Kabul. (AFP PHOTO / Afghanistan's Ministry of Defence) There will also be an immediate release of prisoners, with the U.S. committing to facilitate the release of as many as 5,000 Taliban fighters held by the government and up to 1,000 people from "the other side" held by the militant group, all before March 10. Three months after that, all remaining prisoners are supposed to be released, with Taliban fighters committing to abide by the new agreement. Any withdrawal of U.S. forces beyond 8,600, however, is contingent on the Taliban meeting its commitments, according to the deal, but it sets out a timeline for a full U.S. and NATO withdrawal within 14 months. That includes not just U.S. service members, but any contractors, trainers and non-diplomatic civilian personnel. Story continues It is "an aspirational timeline for withdrawal that is entirely conditions-based, and it will depend on their performance as we judge their performance," a senior administration official said of the Taliban. MORE: US, Taliban deal 'historic opportunity,' but women's rights up to Afghans: Pompeo Explicitly, withdrawal is tied to the Taliban meeting its counterterrorism commitments, where the group agrees "to prevent any group or individual, including al-Qaida, from using the soil of Afghanistan to threaten the security of the United States and its allies." That means not giving them safe haven on Afghan soil, legal status like asylum or documentation such as visas or passports. While the deal outlines that the Taliban must "instruct" its members "not to cooperate" with groups like al-Qaida that threaten the U.S., the Taliban do not outright repudiate al-Qaida in the agreement. "People are concerned about the historic relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaida. We think this is a decisive and historic first step in terms of their public acknowledgement that they are breaking ties with al-Qaida," the senior administration official told ABC News. PHOTO: In this June 16, 2018 photo, Taliban fighters ride in their vehicle in Surkhroad district of Nangarhar province, east of Kabul, Afghanistan. Many Afghans view Saturday's expected U.S.-Taliban peace deal with a heavy dose of well-earned skepticism. (Rahmat Gul/AP, File) There will be verification mechanisms in place to ensure that happens, the official added, including "our military and other asset presence on the ground," but those aren't detailed in the agreement that was released. Instead, the U.S. commits to removing sanctions on and rescinding rewards for the capture of Taliban leaders by August 27 -- and to lobbying at the United Nations Security Council to remove U.N. sanctions by May 29. MORE: Top US commander: Political talks with Taliban 'absolutely' key part of any endgame in Afghanistan war It's not explicit in the agreement, but the senior officials said any further U.S. troop reduction is also tied to the Taliban's behavior in Afghan peace negotiations, although it is not dependent on any particular outcome of that process. "If the political settlement fails, if the talks fail, there is nothing that obliges the United States to withdraw troops," said a second senior administration official, before adding that President Donald Trump still has the "prerogatives as commander-in-chief" to withdraw U.S. forces as he sees fit. PHOTO: U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jason N. Bobo helps secure a helicopter landing zone as a CH-47 Chinook helicopter prepares to land Southeastern Afghanistan, Dec. 29, 2019. (Alejandro Licea/U.S. Army) Aiming for March 10, per the agreement, those peace negotiations will bring together the Taliban and representatives of Afghanistan, including government officials, civil society leaders and women, the senior officials said, to determine the future Afghan government and a "road map" for the country. But government officials will attend in a "private" capacity, as the Taliban still refuses to recognize the government or the constitution -- a concession that has angered many Afghan officials. Esper was in Kabul to sign a joint declaration with President Ashraf Ghani and his rival and chief executive Abdullah Abdullah to reassert U.S. support for the Afghan government and commit Ghani, Abdullah, their supporters and others to backing the next steps. Expected to take place in Oslo, Norway, the negotiations will be facilitated by the U.S., along with the United Nations, Norway, Germany, Indonesia and Uzbekistan, among others, the first senior official said. The agreement requests that the U.S. ask the U.N. Security Council to endorse the deal, too. MORE: Agreement to reduce violence in Afghanistan set to begin, leading to US-Taliban deal Both senior officials cautioned those talks could be delayed, especially as post-election squabbling between Ghani and Abdullah continues. Khalilzad will return to Kabul after the signing ceremony to push them to select an inclusive delegation to the negotiations, but it may prove difficult as Abdullah continues to claim to have won the presidency, five months after the votes were cast and 11 days after Ghani was declared the winner despite concerns over the count. The signing ceremony Saturday came only after a weeklong truce to reduce violence across the country was deemed successful. The Taliban agreed not to undertake major attacks, while the U.S. and Afghan security forces pledged to hold any airstrikes or raids on Taliban facilities, according to the second senior official, who said the reduction showed the Taliban had "both the commitment and the capability to enforce" that kind of truce. PHOTO: Youth release balloons and pigeons as they celebrate the reduction in violence, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Feb. 28, 2020. (Noorullah Shirzada/AFP via Getty Images) With the deal signed, there will be a further reduction of violence, the first senior official said, that is supposed to last as the Afghan peace negotiations take place. That is not mentioned in the deal, but it does call for a "permanent and comprehensive ceasefire" to be an agenda of Afghan negotiations, down to the dates and "modalities." Both senior administration officials said the U.S. will push the parties to reach a ceasefire as quickly as possible -- and for the protection of women's and minorities' rights, which critics say should have been a precondition all along. MORE: Afghan female leaders urge Trump administration to stand up for their rights in Taliban peace talks But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday, "Our mission set there has been much broader than that," later adding, "the Afghans will drive the solution," including on women's rights. Senior officials have said the U.S. will use its financial assistance as leverage to ensure those protections make it into the new government. After almost two decades of fighting, the agreement opens the door to the U.S. and the Taliban working together, saying they will "seek positive relations with each other and expect" after Afghan negotiations, to create a "new post-settlement Afghan Islamic government" -- a possibly transformative new chapter for Afghanistan. What's inside the US deal with the Taliban to end war and bring home troops originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Coronavirus cases in the UK have today rocketed to 273 in the biggest increase yet after ministers warned 100,000 Brits could die from the deadly bug. Medical experts are now expected to recommend the government move into its second delay phase in a desperate attempt to stop the killer virus. The Department of Health and Social Care today confirmed 273 people had tested positive with coronavirus up from 209 yesterday. The jump of 64 cases comes after the worst case scenario of 100,000 deaths were revealed by the Sunday Times overnight. One official who has been involved in the planning said: The central estimate of deaths is about 100,000. Everyone has been focusing on the worst case but this is what the experts actually expect to happen. Some of those people would have died of other flus. The death toll remains at two after two elderly patients in Milton Keynes and Berkshire became the first to die from the disease in the UK. Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who sits on the Cobra committee, today said a 100,000 coronavirus death toll was a worst case scenario. Among the 100,000 are those most likely to die from seasonal flu, which averaged 17,000 over the past five years. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak showed signs of faltering Saturday as Florida reported the United States' first deaths outside the West Coast, Washington, District of Columbia, confirmed its first case, and Italian leaders were scrambling on a plan that could lock down an entire region including Venice and Milan after reporting 1,000 new cases in 24 hours. The virus' exact reach remains unknown. Late Saturday, the American Conservative Union announced that an individual who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference less than two weeks ago had tested positive for the virus. President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and a number of other top White House officials had appeared at the four-day event in Maryland. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said neither Trump nor Pence was in "close proximity to the attendee," but ACU chairman Matt Schlapp told The Washington Post on Saturday that he himself interacted with the infected person at the event. The precise chronology could not be learned, but Schlapp did shake Trump's hand on the stage on the last day of the conference. "I think we have to be calm and see what occurs here and hope our friend gets better," Schlapp said. White House officials appeared to minimize the risk but said they were taking precautions. "The President's physician and United States Secret Service have been working closely with White House Staff and various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First Family and the entire White House Complex safe and healthy," Grisham said in a statement. The virus has now spread to at least 29 U.S. states and 99 countries, according to a Washington Post analysis. At least six U.S. governors have declared states of emergency. There are now 370 confirmed cases in the United States and at least 19 deaths, including the addition Saturday of two in Washington state and two in Florida. Florida officials had not known one of the two people was infected until after the death. At a White House news conference Saturday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn were unable to say how many Americans had been tested for the novel coronavirus. The two officials had figures only from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health labs, and said the CDC so far has tested 1,583 people, and that the CDC and public health labs combined have performed 5,861 tests so far. By comparison, South Korea has reported testing 10,000 people per day. "At this time, the risk to most Americans from covid-19 remains low, but that risk can be higher for those who may have exposure to confirmed cases and for those who have traveled to affected areas," Azar said. "At this time, most Americans don't need to change their day-to-day lives but should stay informed and practice good hygiene." Until this weekend, all of the confirmed U.S. coronavirus deaths had been in Washington state and California, but that changed Saturday when the Florida Department of Health confirmed two deaths. Officials said both patients were senior citizens and had traveled internationally. One patient, in Santa Rosa County, had been previously confirmed to have the virus. The other, in Lee County, tested positive only after death, according to Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. As of Saturday, more than 270 people were being monitored for symptoms in Florida, and results of some 80 tests were pending. There were growing signs Saturday that U.S. companies and institutions were bracing themselves for a long and painful disruption of their operations. Amtrak announced it was canceling its nonstop Acela service from Washington to New York until May 26. Stanford University moved all of its classes online for the winter quarter. SalesForce, the largest private employer in San Francisco, instructed its California workforce to consider working remotely for the month of March. Overseas, the first U.S. service member in Europe - a Navy sailor based in Naples - contracted the novel coronavirus, the U.S. military's European Command said Saturday. U.S. citizens on a Nile River cruise tested positive for the virus and are being held in Egypt. Among them is Matt Swider, an editor at Tech Radar in New York, who said he and at least three other Americans were taken on an Egyptian military aircraft to a hospital. American tourists are quarantined in a hotel in the West Bank. The virus continued to wreak havoc overseas. With a dramatic surge in new cases, particularly in its Lombardy region, Italy was on the verge of dramatically expanding its no-entry zone to include a broad northern area. The changes would be the most serious step taken anywhere outside of China to contain the coronavirus outbreak, according to local media. The measures would at least temporarily transform the nation, locking off much of the northern part of the country, with people allowed to exit or enter Lombardy and 11 northern provinces only for emergency reasons, according to a draft decree. Such changes would cut off the daily high-speed rail connections between Milan and Rome; bring an absolute halt to tourism in Venice; and essentially bring Italy's economic heartland to a standstill. In China, meanwhile, a hotel that was used to quarantine people suspected of having the virus collapsed, trapping about 70 people, according to the People's Daily, an official government news outlet. Many were later rescued. White House officials continued Saturday to urge calm as the Trump administration faced escalating criticism for playing down the gravity of the situation and failing to make test kits available sooner. "This is a dynamic and constantly evolving situation - not just day-by-day but hour-by- hour," Hahn said. "So I also recognize that this and other factors may have led to confusion around the diagnostic tests." Though top U.S. officials could not say how many Americans had been tested for the coronavirus, they said that as of Friday night, 1.1 million tests had been shipped to non-public health labs. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, of New York, which has a total of 76 confirmed cases in the state, declared a state of emergency and blasted the Trump administration for not testing more aggressively. He accused Trump officials of creating more anxiety by sowing confusion about the country's testing capacity. "I think the anxiety and the fear is a bigger problem than the virus," he said. One of the biggest logistical problems confronting officials is what to do with the Grand Princess cruise ship, which has at least 20 people on it with coronavirus and is lying off the California coast. Carnival Cruise Line, which runs the company, said it had no clearer indication of where the ship would end up. Company officials said they had been in touch with federal and state leaders as well as the Port of San Francisco, the ship's original destination. Frustration, however, was mounting over the uncertainty about when the ship would dock and where, as well as the lack of an established testing regimen for passengers and crew members. "Our guests who expected to disembark today still do not know what to expect next," Jan Swartz, the group president of Princess Cruises and Carnival Australia, said on a conference call with reporters Saturday. "We understand that discussions are ongoing with the various government authorities, and so we await a decision as to where we will be berthing the ship," Swartz added in response to a question. She later said: "We need to get the ship into a port as soon as possible." In Washington, officials were still trying to determine the potential implications of the CPAC attendee's diagnosis. White House officials would not say whether any other senior administration officials who attended the event were being tested. In addition to Trump and Pence, a slate of Cabinet officials, including Azar, Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attended the event. White House staffers who spoke at CPAC included outgoing acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney; Larry Kudlow, the director of the National Economic Council; counselor Kellyanne Conway; and senior advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. - - - The Washington Post's Miriam Berger, Chico Harlan, Hannah Dreier, Hannah Knowles, Meryl Kornfield, Lateshia Beachum and Faiz Siddiqui contributed to this report. With a novel range of connectable dog toys, Dublin startup K9Connectables is aiming to take a bite out of the 100 million UK dog toy market. Backed by a recent 550,00 funding round, the company is also chasing the even larger 711m UK dog treat market with a range of low-calorie dental treats which are designed to fit into the toys. Since setting up in 2016, the company has launched three different types of toys and a range of four snacks, developing sales to 500 stores in Ireland and the UK. Using funding provided by Connollys Red Mills dog food manufacturers and Enterprise Ireland, it is now adding ten new products to its range and is set to release the first of these in May. Founder and CEO James McIlvenna is an industrial designer who designed LED light fixtures for a Chinese company until his dog ate his wedding album. Deciding that his dog needed more stimulation, he designed some toys for him and got them 3D printed. Discovering that most existing toys were quite rudimentary, he set out to develop something more complex which would challenge his dog and enable them to hunt and work for food. Making the toys connectable was the difference dogs have to break them apart to get their reward. I worked with dog behaviour experts veterinary professionals and a team of dog owners and we printed and tested over 100 prototypes before we were happy with the design. Although making dog toys started out as a hobby, he saw potential for a business, carried out market research and put together a business plan. In 2016 he, his wife Lauren McIlvenna who worked in marketing, and 3D printing engineer Diarmuid Kelly set up the company and applied for patents and trademarks on the first product securing 50,000 in funding from Enterprise Ireland. They found a Chinese manufacturer to produce 600 toys for them. "Looking at 600 toys in the spare bedroom I worried that we wouldnt be able to sell them but with the magic of social media they sold quickly and we ordered more," said Mr McIlvenna adding that they had sold 30,000 toys by the end of the 2017. In the beginning, sales were mostly online, but when Mr McIlvenna got a positive response from his local pet store, he began ringing pet stores around the country, building up a customer base. By 2018, sales were going so well and Mr McIlvinna gave up his existing job to devote his full attention to selling dog toys, focusing his efforts on the very sizable UK market. It was in 2018 that he developed the connectable toy concept further by getting Connollys Red Mills to manufacture bone-shaped treats, which can be used in conjunction with the toys. Finding two distributors in the UK Mr McIlvenna got an account with a large UK Chain, Pets Corner which has 150 stores. Because dog owners spend more on dog treats than on toys, he says the K9 dog treats have proved very significant for the company. "Customers buy six to ten bags at a time and since we launched them 18 months ago we have sold 50,000 bags." By 2019 all three founders were working full time in K9 which now has 60% of sales in the UK and 20% Ireland, with smaller level of exports to Denmark, France, Holland and New Zealand. The next step in 2019 was fundraising which was needed to develop the brand and the product range. "Competing against international brands with hundreds of products, we wanted to make our brand more significant." They used the 550,000 funding to take on two additional staff and to invest in R&D to create ten new products. The first of these, called the Kibble Connector, is set for launch in May while another, which promotes dental hygiene, will be released later. "We plan to launch three products in the summer and another three in the autumn," said Mr Mc Ilvenna adding that K9s goal is to achieve a turnover of 1 million this year. A report by the City Press claims that kidnappings are increasing exponentially in South Africa with syndicates earning over R1 billion last year. An anonymous SAPS general told the City Press that these kidnappings were overwhelming the police and were threatening South Africas national security. The families of victims never report the crimes as they are threatened not to do so, said the general. In most cases, families of victims simply choose to pay the ransom and never involve the police. Police working with syndicates National police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo also confirmed that several police officers have been arrested in connection with kidnappings. I can confirm, without a fear of contradiction, that a number of police officers have been arrested for colluding with kidnappers, said Naidoo. But I cannot tell you the number, as I do not know it. The City Press claimed that the number of police officers arrested was at least 14. Targeting wealthy locals and foreign nationals The SAPS general said that wealthy South Africans and foreign nationals were being targeted by the syndicates particularly those from Asia, as well as those from neighbouring countries. People in South Africa allegedly arrange fraudulent documents for foreigners wanting to travel to the country, and once theyve crossed the border, these foreigners are flagged by police. That is how they get kidnapped. The abductors contact their families in Asia, demanding a ransom for their release. Kidnappers frequently ask for over R1 million, said the general, and almost always want the ransom to be paid in Dubai via the Hawala banking system an international remittance system that has allegedly been used to launder money and finance terrorism. Another police officer told the City Press they believe the incidence of kidnappings will increase due to victims families being willing to pay the ransoms. This officer was also worried that the perpetrators could have ties to terrorist organisations. Insufficient police support The anonymous general said the kidnappings were not being managed efficiently in part due to there only being five members in the polices kidnapping unit. The capacity of the crime intelligence team is small and wholly insufficient to investigate such a big national threat, said the general. Kidnappings are on the rise, but we are more reactive than proactive because we are always forced to deal with kidnappings that have already taken place. There is a lack of investigation capacity and most of the cases are not going anywhere in court. Irregular SAPS tenders This is not the first time SAPS has been accused of irregular dealings this year. In January 2020, a report issued by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane found a longstanding tender between SAPS and vehicle-tracking company Tracker to be improper. The allegation that the agreements entered into between SAPS and Tracker results in Tracker improperly benefiting from state resources is substantiated, Mkhwebane said. However, Mkhebane later released a second statement clarifying that the investigation, findings, and remedial action was directed at SAPS alone, and that Tracker was not implicated in any wrongdoing. Any comment or finding which may create the impression that there was any impropriety on the part of Tracker is regretted, said Mkhebane. Specifically, the suggestion that Tracker has improperly benefited from the use of state resources is regretted. New Delhi: Congress` Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has raised objection on the appointment of Sanjay Kothari as Chief Vigilance Commissioner as his name was not shortlisted by the search committee. "The natural course would be to set aside the proceedings of the search committee and start the entire process de novo," said Chowdhury in a letter to the Prime Minister. The Congress leader, who is also one of the members of the selection panel for the CVC, said he has raised the same before the Prime Minister and the high-powered statutory committee. Chowdhury claimed that the Prime Minister had also agreed that the procedure was vitiated. He said a member of the Search Committee being recommended for the post of CVC was "manifestly arbitrary and undermined the institutional integrity." "This has implications for other autonomous bodies as well which strictly follow a similar procedure with regard to the appointment of their Directors/Chairpersons such the Director, CBI, Lokpal, the office of the Chief Information Commissioner and so on," he said in the letter, adding it was an unprecedented deviation from established practice. He said the office of the Chief Vigilance Commissioner is a highly important one and the selection process for the same must conform to the rigours of the CVC Act, 2003 as well as the various judgments of the Supreme Court which have repeatedly stressed the need for transparency especially in the appointments of the CVC. The wife of South Africa's first novel coronavirus patient tested positive on Sunday becoming the third confirmed case in the country, the health authority said. All three of South Africa's confirmed cases were in a group of 10 people who had travelled to Italy, the health minister said in a statement. Italy has seen the most deaths from the COVID-19 disease of any country outside China, where the outbreak that has now killed more than 3,500 people and infected over 105,000 worldwide began in December. Authorities said they had successfully traced all the individuals who went to Italy, although one of the group was not in South Africa. The test results of the other six group members were expected within 48 hours. South Africa reported its first case on Thursday. On Sunday the health ministry reported that the patient was now "upbeat and jovial", and asymptomatic. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The actor Jeremy Irons has said that university students are 'crazy' to ban controversial speakers, in a warning over free speech on campus. The 71-year-old - who is Chancellor of Bath Spa University - said he gets 'very depressed' when people are banned from talking to students because some disagree with their views. It comes after the former Home Secretary Amber Rudd was 'no platformed' by students at Oxford University this week. The actor Jeremy Irons (pictured) has said that university students are 'crazy' to ban controversial speakers, in a warning over free speech on campus She had been invited to speak there by a student society on Thursday but the event was cancelled minutes beforehand because of protests over her links to the Windrush scandal. Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph this week, the Oscar winning actor Irons said: 'I think it's right that all views should be examined and certainly acceptable to discuss. 'I get very depressed when I see that certain outside speakers are barred. I think this is crazy.' He added that universities are about discussion, disagreement and forming opinions as well as testing new ideas. During the interview Irons also warned that England is in danger of becoming a 'nation of philistines' as drama, dance and music are squeezed out of the school curriculum. It comes after the former Home Secretary Amber Rudd was 'no platformed' by students at Oxford University this week Ministers are now looking at increasing the powers of the university regulator to give it the authority to censor student bodies which fail to protect free speech. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has since threatened intervention against institutions that fail to defend democracy. He also ordered Oxford University to take 'robust action' over 'no-platforming' the policy of refusing to host particular speakers because they might cause offence. His threat came as politicians from all parties condemned the treatment of the former home secretary as 'appalling' and 'disgraceful'. The barring of Amber Rudd came after Oxford historian Professor Selina Todd was blocked from appearing at a feminist festival last weekend following threats from trans-rights activists. Oxford University said it 'strongly disapproves' of the decision to dis-invite Miss Rudd and said she should have been given the opportunity to speak. Ms Rudd branded the move 'rude' and 'badly judged' on Twitter. Nevada Mom Shoots Husband, 2 Teenage Sons at Home: Police A Nevada woman shot her two teenage sons and her husband in what police have described as a murder-suicide. Joan Huber, 53, is believed to have killed her 50-year-old husband, Adam Huber, before shooting their two sons last week in Reno, authorities told the Reno Gazette-Journal. The case is still being investigated, and police said there is no known motive in the shooting. The Washoe County Medical Examiner confirmed the identity of their sons as Adam and Michael, who were 17 and 16, respectively. Authorities went to the familys home on March 3 at around 11 a.m. after friends said they had not seen the couple or their children for several days, according to officials, NBC News reported. The Irish Times reported that Joan Huber, the daughter of a local county politician, is originally from Killarney in Ireland. I know them to be a good, hardworking honest family and pillars in the community and the type of people you would like to be friends with, local politician Danny Healy-Rae was quoted as saying by the news outlet. In Reno, a neighbor described the family as quiet and polite. The murder-suicide was the last thing that she would have ever imagined in a million years, the unnamed person told the Reno Gazette-Journal. Sgt. John Silver, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal, said that investigators are attempting to find more details in the case. We dont know what led up to this, Silver said. We didnt have prior calls or anything like that. The two teen victims went to Damonte Ranch High School, leading the Washoe County School District to issue a statement about the shooting. Two of our students died following a domestic situation in their home, Principal Darvel Bell said in the statement to parents, according to News4. Reno Police are investigating the case, and because this is an active investigation, I am not able to share any more details with you now. Bell said that it has been such a difficult year for all of us, and I appreciate your extraordinary courage over these past few months. Our counselors, district-level crisis team, and community partners will be on our campus tomorrow and will be providing any resources our students and staff members require. They will stay with us for as long as we need them. Counseling and emotional support of staff and students will be our top priority, Bell said. Suicide Hotlines If you are in an emergency in the United States or Canada, please call 911. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255. Youth can call the Kids Help Phone on 1-800-668-6868. In the United Kingdom, call Samaritans at 116 123, Papyrus at 0800 068 41 41, or Childline at 0800 1111. In Australia, the suicide prevention hotline at Lifeline is 13 11 14. You can also visit the Lifeline website at lifeline.org.au. Youth can contact the Kids Helpline by phoning 1-800-551-800 or visiting headspace.org.au/yarn-safe If you are in an emergency in India, call Befrienders IndiaNational Association at +91 33 2474 4704. Jesse Jackson, the legendary civil rights leader and presidential candidate, endorsed Bernie Sanders on Sunday as the Vermont senator fights back against Joe Biden. Jackson's blessing came ahead of Tuesday's primary in Michigan, a contest he won in his 1988 presidential campaign. Sanders won Michigan in the 2016 Democratic primary - a victory that shocked rival Hillary Clinton's camp. Jesse Jackson endorsed Bernie Sanders for president on Sunday; the two men are seen together in Grand Rapids, Michigan Bernie Sanders and Jesse Jackson peek out at the crowds awaiting them in Grand Rapids ahead of their rally there Jesse Jackson, arriving for a campaign rally the Vermont senator, said in his endorsement Sanders would heavily consider having a black woman as his running mate Bernie Sanders waits to be introduced at a campaign rally in Grand Rapids; he is fighting hard to win Michigan, a state that he won in the 2016 Democratic primary Former 2020 Presidential Candidates' Endorsements FOR JOE BIDEN Kamala Harris Amy Klobuchar Pete Buttigieg Michael Bloomberg Beto O'Rourke Deval Patrick John Delaney Tim Ryan Seth Moulton FOR BERNIE SANDERS Bill de Blasio Marianne Williamson Advertisement He has campaigned there heavily to repeat the win and reclaim the frontrunner status from Biden, who surged ahead in the Democratic primary after a strong showing in the Super Tuesday contests. 'The most progressive social and economic path gives us the best chance to catch up and Senator Bernie Sanders represents the most progressive path. That's why I choose to endorse him today,' Jackson said in a statement. He campaigned for Sanders in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Sunday. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will campaign for Sanders in Michigan on Sunday also. Jackson could also be a boon for Sanders in Illinois, which holds its primary on March 17. The reverend has strong ties to Chicago and his son used to represent a section of the city in Congress. Additionally, Jackson still carries heavy influence in the African American community and could help Sanders combat Biden's strong support among that voting bloc. 'As I think you well know, Jesse has been one of the great civil rights leaders in the modern history of this country,' Sanders said Sunday on ABC's 'This Week.' Jesse Jackson during the 1988 presidential campaign, when he won Michigan Jackson's blessing could help Sanders cut in to Joe Biden's support among African American voters Bernie Sanders told Fox News he would not consider dropping out if he loses Michigan on Tuesday But Sanders said if he loses the state in Tuesday's primary he's not dropping out of the primary race. 'I certainly would not consider dropping out,' he said on 'Fox News Sunday.' Sanders said on Sunday that he would not linger in the race if it couldn't be warned but he also noted the next two Tuesdays have big states voting. 'Look, we will fight for every vote that we can, as were -- as we try to win this election. Im not a masochist who wants to stay in the race that can't be won,' he said on ABC's 'This Week.' 'But right now, that's a little bit premature. Let's not determine what will happen on Tuesday, what will happen in future,' he said. 'We have a long, long way to go to the Democratic nomination and we're going to fight for every vote that we can get,' Sanders noted. Jackson, in his statement announcing his support for Sanders, noted Biden never asked him for his endorsement. 'The Biden campaign has not reached out to me or asked for my support. The Sanders campaign has,' he said in his statement. He noted the Sanders' campaign responded to his concerns on voting rights, taxes needed on the wealthy, renewing a U.S. Civil Rights Commission, and having a single payer health care plan. Jackson also noted 'Senator Sanders acknowledges Rev. Jackson's challenge to put an African American woman on the 2020 Democratic presidential ticket and will give it the highest consideration. Senator Sanders has also agreed to make sure that black women are in his cabinet and are at the highest levels throughout his administration should he be elected president.' Sanders said he is 'proud' of the endorsement. 'What Rev. Jackson understands is that we have to move aggressively to wipe out all forms of racism in this country and we need an economic agenda that speaks to the needs of working people, not just the billionaire class,' he told CNN's 'State of the Union.' 'I think with Rev. Jackson -- I think we got a real boost in our campaign.' Your browser does not support the audio element. A 61-year-old Vietnamese man has tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after he boarded the same flight as a woman who was recently infected with the virus. N.Q.T., who resides on Truc Bach Street in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, has become the 21st confirmed COVID-19 case in Vietnam, the Ministry of Health announced on Sunday morning. He was on flight VN0054 traveling from London to Hanoi on the early morning of March 2, the same flight as N.H.N., a 26-year-old Hanoi woman who tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Friday evening. N. seemed to have concealed her travel history when carrying out immigration procedures at Noi Bai International Airport in the Vietnamese capital. She had visited Italy and France, where there have been confirmed infections, before flying to Vietnam from England. N., who also resides on Truc Bach Street, was the 17th confirmed case of the COVID-19 in the Southeast Asian country. During the flight, T. was sitting in the 5A seat, while N.s seat was 5K. The man is now being isolated and treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi. People who had close contact with T. were brought to a quarantine area on Sunday morning. On Saturday, N.'s aunt, 64-year-old L.T.H., and chauffeur, 27-year-old D.D.P., became the 19th and 20th COVID-19 patients in Vietnam. Earlier the same day, a man returning from Daegu, South Korea was confirmed as the country's 18th COVID-19 patient. N.'s neighborhood has been disinfected and isolated. Those in contact with her have been quarantined while Vietnamese authorities are tracing the other passengers on board the flight VN0054. COVID-19, which first surfaced in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 105,800 people and killed 3,605 globally, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. Vietnam has so far confirmed 21 infections, including 18 Vietnamese, two Chinese nationals and one Vietnamese American. Sixteen of the patients have recovered and been discharged from the hospital. Fridays confirmed case was the first reported infection in Vietnam since February 13. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Crisis-hit Yes Banks founder Rana Kapoor was sent to Enforcement Directorates custody till March 11 by a special holiday court in Mumbai on Sunday, hours after his arrest by the agency. The central agency had arrested Rana Kapoor around 3am on Sunday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) related to Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL). Before that, he was questioned for hours. ED had taken the Yes Bank founder to the Ballard Pier office in south Mumbai on Saturday morning for questioning. Kapoors house was also raided by the agency on Friday night, a day after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) put Yes Bank under a moratorium and capped withdrawals for its depositors at Rs 50,000 till April 3 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON By Trend Presently, FINCA Azerbaijan non-bank credit organization is in the process of negotiations with the relevant structures within CLARA project and plans to take advantage of this program in the near future to accelerate the lending process, Acting Head of FINCA Azerbaijan PR and Marketing Department Zaka Guluyev told Trend. "CLARA system, specially designed for lending for the agricultural sector, will provide FINCA Azerbaijan with high-quality analysis of applications," Guluyev added. "FINCA Azerbaijan is introducing an innovative FINCARD system, through which a client withdraws the amount from the card," acting head of the department added. "A client may use this amount at his/her discretion by withdrawing money partially or at once, as well as for various non-cash payments." "FINCA Azerbaijan has been connected to ASAN finance system and provides customers with more accessible information," Guluyev said. "This digital solution allows us to be closer to customers and make decisions on loans rapidly." "FINCA Azerbaijan provided more than 7,000 customers with microloans in 2019," acting head of the department said. "Over the reporting period, more than 15 million manat ($8.8 million) was issued to customers, of which more than 75 percent was allocated to the individuals living in villages and engaged in agricultural activities." "Since the creation of FINCA Azerbaijan, it has issued the loans worth more than $1 billion," acting head of the department said. "These resources have been allocated to support small and medium-sized businesses in Baku and districts of the country." FINCA International has been operating in Azerbaijan since 1998. There are 16 branches of the organization in Baku and the country's districts. It is part of FINCA Impact Finance, a global network of 20 microfinance institutions and banks that render the innovative financial services to the low-income customers to help them expand their funds. FINCA Azerbaijan, the country's leading non-bank credit organization, offers a variety of loan products to encourage small businesses to increase their revenues. The organization pays more attention to the agricultural loans. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Tens of thousand of photographs have been taken by Do Trong Hoai An during his trekking trips throughout the country over the last 37 years, half of which relate to environmental protection. With a camera, a backpack and a motorbike, An is always ready to set off for any alley or side street to capture the images of people picking up litter, protecting the environment, cleaning up streets or participating in rescue campaigns. Do Trong Hoai An An said the job is hard because he has to travel at any time, day or night, and it is dangerous because he may be assaulted and his camera may be damaged when he works. An has good and bad memories of his trips. One day, he crossed the sea to Con Dao Island to capture the images of a huge garbage dump on Bai Nhat beach. If the press had not disclosed the existence of such a huge garbage dump, if there had been no photo as evidence, the garbage dump would have not been removed. If so, Con Daos people would still have to bear pollution and Con Dao would lose tourists, An said. The living environment quality related to the huge dump in Con Dao which had existed for 20 years caught the special attention from the public in 2018-2019. The sight of millions of flies perching on thousands of square meters of rubbish, children "living on garbage"; the scene of dirty water leaking from the dump to the sea all were recorded by An. With a camera, a backpack and a motorbike, An is always ready to set off for any alley or side street to capture the images of people picking up litter, protecting the environment, cleaning up streets or participating in rescue campaigns. The trip to Con Dao was quite hard, but it emotional. The photos of Bai Nhats waste were displayed at the "Let's protect the living environment" competition organized by the Vung Tau City Photography Association. Thanks to the trip and the exhibition, An, the environment photographer, has become better known. Ten years ago, when An went to Vung Tau City, he met a group of young people sitting on the beach, drinking and eating crabs while shouting and screaming. Hey, young people, please dont drop litter, he said. Is the beach yours? We like to drop litter, the men replied. Then he stopped and talked to the men. Everyone needs to have awareness about protecting the environment to protect the beautiful beaches, he said. An said while other photographers come to romantic places to take pictures at weddings or parties, Ans work sites are garbage dumps and polluted beaches. Thien Nhien Environment hero Nguy Thi Khanh receives US$2 million award With her initiatives and great efforts to help protect the environment, Nguy Thi Khanh has become the first Vietnamese Climate Breakthrough Project awardee. 08.03.2020 LISTEN The Parliamentary ambition of Mr Alfred Obeng Boateng, a former Managing Director (MD) of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company( BOST), is likely to hit a snafu following his eligibility crisis. Mr Obeng, founder of the Approachers Series, a flourishing publishing house and ready companion for second- cycle schools in those days, became the MD of BOST when the New Patriotic Party (NPP), won the 2016 general election but was booted out of office in 2018 over numerous allegations of corruption, malfeasance and abuse of office. A petition was subsequently lodged at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ)against him. The case has not yet been determined. While at it, Mr Alfred Obeng expressed intentions to contest his party's primaries to go to Parliament to represent the people of Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai. Thus when NPP opened nominations for the 2020 party Parliamentary primaries, true to his words, the former BOST MD picked nomination forms to file to contest the primaries and was cleared by a vetting committee chaired by Mr. FF Anto, who is head of the NPP National Parliamentary Vetting Committee, Zone 4 comprising Central, Western and North Region. The committee virtually treated Mr Alfred Obeng Boateng with kid gloves without putting him to any rigorous scrutiny or grueling bout of queries to vouch for his eligibility. This has made some concerned party members start having fears that NPP might not be able to file a credible candidate for that seat. In a petition dated February 27th and penned by one Richard Mensah Gyapong of Sefwi-Bekwai in the Bibiani -Anhwiaso -Bekwai Constituency, he is drawing the attention of the FF Anto Committee, to rescind its decision on Mr Alfred Obeng Boateng. Mr Gyapong, who is a member of the NPP with registration number WR1615100292, is among others reminding the Vetting Committee; that CHRAJ under Article 216 of the 1992 Constitution is mandated to investigate complaints of fundamental abuse of human rights; injustice and corruption as well as the abuse of power of a person in the exercise of his or official duties. Having regard to what characterized his administration while in office as Managing Director of BOST, therefore Mr Alfred Obeng is not qualified to seek to be elected to go to the August House of parliament, he averred. Furthermore, the petition said it all over the media both mainstream and new media that one Samuel Maeutir Amudxi of Accra has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice to probe Mr Obeng for corruption and abuse of office and that the hierarchy of the party cannot feign ignorance or knowledge of this. Concluding, Mr Gyapong submitted that given what he has enumerated, if Mr Alfred Obeng Boateng, is allowed to contest and win, then what happens if CHRAJ upholds the reliefs being sought by the petitioner in respect of the allegations levelled against him. The answer is moot- the NPP will not have a Parliamentary candidate for Bibiani- Anhwiaso -Bekwai constituency. Source: The Punch Newspaper Email: [email protected] 5 Teenagers Charged With Gang Assault And Robbery Of 15-Year-Old Girl In Brooklyn The New York Police Department has charged five teenage boys in connection with a gang assault and robbery of a 15-year-old girl in Brooklyn on March 5 after footage of the attack was caught on camera, The New York Post reports. The five boys, aged between 14 and 17, turned themselves in to officials on March 6 under the supervision of their parents. Police are still searching for other suspects, according to the publication. Police said the assault may have been in retaliation for a fight earlier in the day where the victim allegedly beat up another girl at school. However an NYPD spokesperson told Fox News that the accused were likely motivated by robbery. Footage of the disturbing incident was caught on a security camera and shows the victim walking along Utica Avenue in Crown Heights on Thursday when she was ambushed by the teenagers in broad daylight. Officials said the incident took place at at 4:10 p.m local time. OUTRAGE:this is sickening video of a 15 year old girl viciously attacked by a group of school children. One young man takes the sneakers right off the unconscious victims feet. The teenager is in the hospital recovering. We CAN NOT allow this behavior in our community. #Speakup pic.twitter.com/VLLb91fDOM NYPDBrooklynNorth (@NYPDBklynNorth) March 6, 2020 The video shows the group punching and kicking the girl and stomping on her head, as she lies helpless on the pavement, before running off with her wallet, cellphone, and sneakers. The footage was shared on Twitter by Assistant Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, Commanding Officer of the NYPD, who called the attack sickening, and confirmed that the teenage girl, who was left unconscious in the attack, is in hospital and recovering. We CAN NOT allow this behavior in our community, he added. A later tweet by officials confirmed the girl has since been released from hospital and is recovering with her family. All five were charged as minors with robbery and assault and were awaiting arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court as of March 7. A judge denied prosecutors request for $10,000 bail on each suspect, and instead released the boys on their own recognizance. However, the judge imposed curfews on each suspect, and ordered them to stay away from the victim, the New York Daily News reported. One of the mothers of the attackers told the publication that she had made her son turn himself into police after seeing the footage herself. When I saw the video I literally wanted to kill him with my own hands. I was very, very p****d off, Donna Howell said. He didnt want to go at first and I said, No youre going to go, youre going to turn yourself in.' The mother said she left the house to run an errand, and returned to find her son had walked and turned himself in [to police]. Earlier this year, New York Police Department Commissioner Dermot Shea attributed a spike in crimes in the city in the first three weeks of the year to the new bail reform laws that came into effect on Jan. 1. Shea told reporters he believes the rise is linked to the implementation of the new bail reform laws (pdf) that abolished cash bail for defendants arrested for many misdemeanors, including assaults without serious injury, and other nonviolent felonies, and include specific provisions encouraging courts to release defendants on recognizance while their cases are pending. The courts decision to release a defendant must also not be based on an assessment of the defendants future dangerousness or risk to public safety, the law states. If you let out individuals that commit a lot of crime, thats precision policing in reverse, and were seeing the effects in a very quick time, and that is why were so concerned, he said, adding that you have to have a situation where dangerous individuals or individuals that repeatedly commit crimes and victimize people are kept in, and if judges dont have that ability, I think were all in trouble. Rajesh Asnani By Express News Service RAJASTHAN: In Udaipur, an ordinary tea-stall owner is making extraordinary waves. To kidney patients in Rajasthan with no money for treatment, Jitendra Singh Shekhawat alias Kaju Bhai is no less than God. Shekhawat found instant fame 12 years ago when he came to the help of Kanta Luhaar, a poor woman on the verge of death. He not only convinced her husband to donate a kidney but also raised the needed Rs 4.27 lakh for the transplant by virtually begging door-to-door. Now much savvier, he has expanded his work using the social media and digital platforms to help people across the state and to interact with the benevolent souls who could help the cause. In the dozen years of advocacy for kidney patients among the poorest of the poor, Shekhawat has been able to motivate family members of 64 patients for kidney transplants which are an expensive, complicated and difficult procedure. About 50 of these patients were not financially sound. So, he worked to spread awareness and raise over Rs 1.38 crore to help them get back on their feet. Jitendra Singh Shekhawat For the poor, kidney problems are akin to death as the treatment and transplants are expensive. People have to even sell their homes to get this done. Around 50 of the 64 people motivated for transplant by us had no money, Shekhawat says. Helping such patients became the larger purpose of his life after Shekhawats elder son died due to kidney failure. It was my misfortune that I could not donate my kidney to my son as the operation was to be held in Ahmedabad and I had no money. I came to Udaipur to raise Rs 5 lakh by any means. But my son had an attack and died during dialysis. I decided that I will help whoever needs kidney treatment in Udaipur city, he said. He set out on a unique struggle and laid the foundation of the Lake City Kidney Care Centre in Udaipur, involving hundreds of commoners and philanthropists. Today, the foundation is helping patients in every possible way handling 13 kidney transplants each year with donations. Udaipur has 6,334 kidney failure cases but just 125 kidney donors. We counsel families to donate kidneys to their relatives, he adds. His special way of raising funds for kidney diseases is by publishing photographs of kidney patients in the newspapers and appealing for financial help. Social media campaigns are also run to draw peoples attention to the cause. We give the account details of the patient and the hospital in our campaigns so that they can be benefitted directly, said Shekhawat. To Jamna Das, Shekhawat is God. Das had given up hope after hearing about the expenses involved in a kidney transplant operation but came to know about Shekhawat. Later, Rs 3.5 lakh was raised and deposited in his bank account. In a happy ending, he got kidney transplantation from his mother in 2017. He came as an angel to save me, he says. It is the result of Shekhawats campaign over a decade that complicated kidney transplant procedures are now available in Udaipur as well. Earlier, the nearest kidney transplant centre was in Ahmedabad but now we have got three procedures done here at the Geetanjali Hospital, Shekhawat adds. Shekhawat, says The only goal of my life is to save people with kidney disease till I am no more. Vow to save lives Shekhawats elder son died due to kidney failure after being born with only one kidney which was damaged due to medicines that he took. He had neither money nor the means to treat him. He vowed, no other person would die if he could help it. A group of Nigerian women activists have called for programmes targetted at improving the health of women in the country. The group said empowering women will enhance the countrys workforce and economy. The coalition of Women in the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH@Scale) said this at a press briefing held on Sunday in commemoration of the 109th International Womens Day (IWD). The event is marked every March 8 to advance the cause of women all over the world. Speaking at the briefing, Gloria Shoda said maternal mortality, adolescent pregnancy and access to sexual and reproductive health are some of the important aspects of womens health that have an impact on development. Womens sexual and reproductive health and rights are human rights, and are fundamental to womens autonomy and well-being, she said. According to the National Demographic Health Survey 2018, 6.9 per cent of Nigerian women of reproductive age (15-49) are acutely malnourished and 3.8 per cent severely malnourished. The speaker said the Nigerian government should promote womens rights and provide women with accessible, affordable, good quality sexual and reproductive health care and services. Mrs Shoda, from the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), called on the government to invest and ensure accountability of programmes geared towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5) Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. To meet womens health care needs, barriers to achieving gender equality should be removed, she said. Some of the barriers include lack of womens education, illiteracy, lack of mentoring of younger generation, harmful traditional practices, early marriage, gender-based violence, and negligence of women with special needs. Women have poor representation in leadership positions in government, including health boards (Health management boards, primary health care boards etc), she said. The Women in PACFaH@Scale believe that if these barriers are removed by fully funding, implementing and ensuring accountability, every Nigerian woman will have access to affordable and qualitative health care. Call to action The coalition in a statement made available to journalist after the briefing made the following demands: 1. All tiers of government in Nigeria should fund, strengthen and ensure accountability of the National and State Primary Health Care Boards. 2. The government should ensure the provision of minimum service package in all primary health care centres. 3. The government at all levels should provide emergency transportation to pregnant women and newborns in need and provide funds for operational cost as well as collaborate with relevant organisations such as NURTW. 4. National Assembly should pass laws on the 35 per cent affirmative action for women involvement and inclusion in governance. 5. The government should also provide training to birth attendants on essential newborn care and provide appropriate equipment. 6. Community leaders, gatekeepers, traditional and religious leaders, and other well-meaning Nigerians should promote voluntary blood donation to assist women in need. 7. All state governments should enforce that women are given six months of maternity leave, with full pay. Pledges for voluntary contributions in 2017 amounted to US$ 361.9 million. The distribution of the funding was as follows: - Earmarked or special-purpose funding: US$ 357.8 million (98.9 per cent) - Non-earmarked or general-purpose funding: US$ 4.1 million (1.1 per cent) Since 2010, general-purpose funding has decreased by 75 per cent, while special-purpose funding has increased by more than 50 per cent. A greater predictability of available funds and a more flexible budgetary structure by increasing the amount of non-earmarked contributions would allow UNODC to: Strengthen crucial research efforts that support the needed evidence-based approach of its work; produce essential reports as the World Drug Report, annual reports on world crime trends and many other substantive publications and evidence-based tools produced by UNODC on a regular basis as a crucial support; Reinforce advocacy campaigns to raise awareness of UNODC work and partnership building efforts that will substantively broaden and strengthen public and private support for the tackling of the world's drug problem and crime; Strengthen the field office network that plays a key role in providing technical assistance to the most needed countries and that would imply a major contribution of UNODC to the "new generation" of UN Country Teams proposed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Thanks to voluntary contributions, UNODC operates in 73 countries through 17 Field Offices and 56 Programme/Project offices with the majority of its staff based in the field. UNODC works directly with Governments, international organizations, other UN entities, private sector and civil society groups to develop and implement integrated programmes that assist the countries and regions we work in to meet their international obligations under the drug control treaties; the UN convention on Transnational Organized Crime; and the UN Convention against Corruption; as well as the international instruments on terrorism prevention. As a result, most of these have reached near universal adherence. Investing in tangible results Results of voluntary contributions and the integrated programmatic approach of UNODC are providing substantive support for achieving different SDGs, as UNODC is the custodian of 15 SDG indicators on its own or jointly with other agencies. The Organization is specifically focussing on the SDGs in close relation to its work, such as SDG 16, with its targets of promoting the rule of law through addressing transnational threats such as organized crime, trafficking, terrorism and corruption; SDG 3 with its emphasis on combatting drug use, dependence and related HIV; SDG 15 on wildlife crime, as well as SDG 11 on safer cities. Some concrete examples of UNODC support: Drug prevention, treatment and care are at the core of UNODC's mandate. In 2017, UNODC health programmes in communities reached over 125,000 beneficiaries; assisted 150 NGOs to improve their drug and HIV/AIDS service delivery in over 60 countries; and assisted 24 countries to address HIV in prisons reaching at least 300,000 people. Since 2003, UNODC has contributed to over 700 additional ratifications by assisted Member States of the 19 international conventions and protocols related to terrorism. It has also trained over 28,000 criminal justice and law enforcement practitioners through technical assistance initiatives on a broad range of legal and criminal justice aspects related to terrorism prevention. UNODC plays a key role in fighting human trafficking and migrant smuggling. For example, in 2017, UNODC provided technical assistance to 4,000 practitioners from Government and civil society in 80 countries. In 2018 the Organization published the first Global Study on Smuggling of Migrants, according to which at least 2.5 million migrants were smuggled in 2016 alone. The Study complements UNODC's existing support to Member States, as it highlights potential avenues for strengthening measures against migrant smuggling, and can help to inform effective criminal justice responses. The Organization's Programme on Wildlife and Forest Crime has supported more than 30 Member States to adopt appropriate national legislation to effectively investigate, prosecute and punish wildlife crime offenders, including dealing with money-laundering and confiscated assets derived from criminal enterprises. UNODC is one of the partners of the global campaign that has reached nearly 4.5 million people, raising awareness about illegal wildlife trade. In the last thirteen years, the Container Control Programme (CCP), jointly developed by UNODC and the World Customs Organization (WCO), has been leading into seizures of tons (mt) of illicit substances and goods. As an example, by the 3rd quarter of 2017 especially trained Port Control Units of the CCP registered seizures of more than 200 tons of cocaine, among other controlled substances, since the inception of the CCP Program (2003). More than 200 tons of cocaine would represent an approximate market value of more than US$ 9 billion in Europe (average) and more than US$ 5.5 billion in the United States. The Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) continues to showcase the innovative and effective technical assistance UNODC is providing to help Member States to confront transnational organized crime at sea. As an example, maritime law enforcement teams that UNODC has helped to build have disrupted the flow of ISIL fighters between Yemen and Somalia, saved lives of migrants in the waters of the Gulf of Aden, freed hostages and enforced fisheries laws that are vital for Somalia's economy. In support of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) UNODC has so far supported 164 countries out of the 184 States Parties which participate in the review mechanism. This support included assistance to countries to complete their reviews and identify recommendations to fully meet the UNCAC requirements on criminalization, law enforcement and international cooperation; and in 11 countries with regard to the UNCAC requirements on preventive measures and asset recovery. UNODC assists Members States to trace and confiscate proceeds of crime and corruption. For example, the establishment of the 13 country Asset Recovery Interagency Network of Southern Africa since 2016 has frozen, confiscated or preserved assets linked to criminal activities valued at US$ 100 million. List of pledges for the period 01 January to 31 December 2017 LIST OF PLEDGES | for the period 01 January to 31 December 2017 (PDF) Oil prices plunged last week as OPEC and its allies failed to reach an agreement on production cuts, and as prices look set to continue cratering, some are warning about the impact on the broader economy. "Crude has become a bigger problem for markets than the coronavirus," Adam Crisafulli, founder of Vital Knowledge, said Sunday. "It will be virtually impossible for the [S&P 500] to sustainably bounce if Brent continues to crater," he added. Crisafulli noted that oil is "critical" to the U.S. economy. Many people are employed by the industry, and highly leveraged oil and gas companies are key to the fixed income market. "The sector is like the 'FANG' of credit, esp. high yield, given the enormous amount of debt it has outstanding," he said. Oil prices have been suppressed since the coronavirus outbreak stoked fears about a slowdown in demand for crude. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude has dropped 32% this year, while international benchmark Brent crude is down 31%. Many on the Street expected OPEC to step in with deeper production cuts in an effort to prop up prices. But after talks collapsed Friday OPEC ally Russia refused to agree to the proposed additional output reductions of 1.5 million barrels per day there could now also be issues on the supply side. The 13-member cartel and its allies, known as OPEC+, also failed to reach an agreement on extending the current production cuts. This means that on April 1, when the current agreement expires, each nation effectively has free rein over how much crude it pumps. On Saturday Saudi Arabia announced massive discounts to its official selling prices for April, and the nation could theoretically pump up to its capacity of 12.5 million barrels per day. "As from 1 April we are starting to work without minding the quotas or reductions which were in place earlier," Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters Friday at the OPEC+ meeting in Vienna, before adding, "but this does not mean that each country would not monitor and analyze market developments." The U.S. military, particularly the army and marines, have a problem with their current supply of combat zone trucks. The new JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) is more combat vehicle than combat zone transport. While many hummers had armor added, or were produced with armor after 2003, most were not. That was because the armor protection was only needed in the combat zone. Even then only vehicles that spent a lot of time outside base areas in the combat zones needed armor. The JLTV costs more than twice as much as a hummer and is more expensive to operate, mainly because of fuel costs. There are also higher costs for maintenance and replacement parts because JLTV is a heavier vehicle that wears out many components faster. What this meant was that JLTV was a specialized vehicle that was too expensive to replace hummers on large scale The army saw this coming a decade ago, as it was preparing to pull its troops out of Iraq. Most of the smaller force in Afghanistan was withdrawn three years later. At that point, China became the primary military threat. North Korea was also a threat and a unique one. For decades North Korean threatened to attack South Korea again as it did in its failed 1950 invasion. By 2014 the army was convinced its next war would be a more conventional one where roadside bombs and mines would not be as much as a problem as in Iraq and Afghanistan. But plans were already underway, since 2005, to replace the hummer with a heavier, better protected and more expensive vehicle. By 2015 it became clear that the original JLTV purchasing plans were off target. A hummer-like vehicle would be needed in the future and in larger numbers than the JLTV. This was realized in 2010 when the army tried to get over $10 billion to rebuild over 50,000 older hummers to like-new condition. That was turned down although five years later a smaller program was permitted that cost about two billion dollars. But this only produced 11,000 rebuilt hummers, which was not enough to replace the many that were going be retired because of wear and tear. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan had accelerated wear and tear on hummers and shortened their useful lifespans by a decade or more. Some refurbishment money was provided but not enough to replace eventual losses. Meanwhile, the military realized it had overestimated the need for JLTVs and underestimated the need to replace many hummers with hummer-like vehicles. Current plans are to buy militarized pickups and other light trucks. These would be of more rugged construction than most commercial models and have combat protection in the driver cabin. This would include bulletproof glass and blast-resistant seats and cabin floors. These could cost about as much to maintain as regular pickups and be cheaper to buy than hummers while able to function like a hummer with a deployed army unit. In home bases, mainly in the U.S., civilian trucks are often used around the base and get the job done at much less cost than combat zone hummers and larger trucks. The army is still planning to buy as many as 50,000 JLTV vehicles but is seeking a second supplier as well as planning to reduce the number it will order in the next few years. The army bought the intellectual rights to the JLTV from Oshkosh in 2016 and can legally use another firm to produce them. With two or more producers, there will be price competition or prosecutions for price-fixing. The military has noted that single source items tend to cost more than when there are two or more suppliers available. The U.S. originally sought to develop a new hummer-like a vehicle with better and built-in bomb/mine protection. The JLTV came out of that and it was to replace armored hummers and MRAP (Mine Resistant Armored Protected) vehicles. MRAPs are basically heavy (8-20 ton) trucks equipped with armor and V-shaped bottoms (to deflect explosions). Work on armoring hummers and building smaller MRAPs revealed that you could get MRAP level protection on smaller vehicles if you used the right design features. Trial and error during the most intense period of the Iraq war (2003-8) made it clear what worked. At the same time, JLTV was still in development and eventually incorporated that combat experience. That produced a vehicle not much heavier than an armored hummer but with protection similar to a larger and heavier MRAP. Mass production for JLTV began in late 2019 with most of those vehicles going to the U.S. Army, which currently plans to buy 49,000 vehicles to replace armored HMMWV (hummer) vehicles as well as many armored trucks (MRAPs). As of 2020, about 16,000 JLTVs will be in service. Thousands of American soldiers and marines already have experience with JLTV because low-rate production began in 2015 with orders for 657 vehicles, and that has since been increased so that the American military (mainly the army) can get their personnel used to the new vehicle. These users also provided a lot of feedback, which is understandable as the initial JLTV design was based on a lot of troop feedback and online discussions, especially on message boards only accessible to the troops, about what worked and what didnt in combat, especially with regard to armored hummers and using MRAPS. The military wanted to avoid relearning lessons about vehicle protection learned and forgotten after World War II, Korea and Vietnam. That means constant feedback from users and that is most important before mass production begins. The Oshkosh L-ATV was selected as the winner of the JLTV design competition. The Oshkosh JLTV was a light armored vehicle that provides a high (MRAP) level of protection against roadside bombs and mines while also carrying a crew of two and up to 2.3 tons of passengers or cargo. Top road speed is 112 kilometers an hour and it has a hatch in the top that allows for installation of a manned machine-gun or a RWS (remote weapons system). Range on internal fuel is 480 kilometers and it has an improved suspension for a smoother ride off-road. The diesel engine can also generate 70 kw of electrical power. Oshkosh won the competition mainly because its design was much more reliable than the other competitors and also met all the protection (against bombs and mines) requirements. The initial order was for 16,901 vehicles costing about $400,000 each. There are eight models, which is normal for vehicles like this and reflects different needs (basic personnel carrier, scout, ambulance, cargo and so on). About a quarter of the first JLTVs are for the U.S. Marine Corps. Additional vehicles will be built for foreign and non-military customers. Because the U.S. is producing this new vehicle design, incorporating a lot of expensive new tech, the per-unit cost is lower than most nations can match by developing their own comparable vehicle. That was a major attraction for the British and other potential export customers. The first export customer, Slovenia, ordered 38 in late 2018 with the first one arriving in 2021. Lithuania and Montenegro also placed small orders. Several other nations are considering JLTV, including Britain, which would buy two thousand or so. Export versions sell for up to $400,000 each depending on accessories. Buyers like Britain order vehicles that allow for a lot of substitution of some American components with British equivalents and the use of British accessories. The American designer and manufacturer, Oshkosh, has been promoting the JLTV to military and police organizations worldwide and already has several other NATO allies discussing JLTV acquisition. As JLTV enters service in 2019 it signaled the end of an era, or did it? The HMMWV (hum-V or hummer) was an iconic and revolutionary vehicle and the most innovative military transport to show up since World War II. About half the annual sales of HMMWV vehicles went to the U.S. Army, with the rest going to other branches of the American military and foreign customers. Nearly 290,000 hummers have been produced so far, in dozens of variants and versions. The last army hummer order was in 2012. The army plans to continue using most until at least 2030 with some lasting until 2050. By then most will have been retired because they are worn out. Now the problem is that the army cannot afford to replace all hummers with JLTV. The 6.4 ton JLTV that replaces the 4 ton armored HMMWV (2.4 tons unarmored) is heavier because of the JLTV being more robust and better protected. The hummer itself replaced the 1.1 ton jeep and the 3 ton M37 "3/4 ton" truck in the 1980s. The JLTV marks a notable design direction for tactical vehicles. The JLTV is designed to absorb combat damage and be quickly equipped with two different armor kits. In effect, the World War II concept of the unarmored light vehicle for moving men and material around the battlefield has been radically changed by the Iraq War and, to a lesser extent, Afghanistan. This began in Iraq, where it was demonstrated that you can fight your way through a hostile population on a regular basis and defeat a guerilla force constantly attacking your tactical and logistical vehicles. This has never worked before but it worked this time, in part because U.S. troops promptly armored their hummers and trucks and quickly developed "road warrior" tactics that defeated roadside and suicide bombs. Even though these bombs created a lot of American casualties, the overall U.S. death rate in Iraq and Afghanistan was a third of what it was in Vietnam and World War II. This was in large part because of the armored hummers and trucks. Few people outside the military noted this event, a watershed moment in military history. But it was recognized within the military and produced this sharp shift in design philosophy for tactical trucks, and the result is the JLTV. The U.S. Army began replacing the World War II era vehicles with the HMMWV in 1985. This was the first new unarmored combat vehicle design since World War II when the jeep and ton truck was introduced. The HMMWV was expected to last for three decades or more. But that plan changed once Iraq was invaded. As expected, hummers wore out a lot more quickly (in five years) in combat than during peacetime use (14 years). So the army and marines began developing, ahead of schedule, a new vehicle to supplement the hummer in combat zones. In addition to being built to better survive mines and roadside bombs, the JLTV will be able to generate more electricity for operating all the new electronic gear and recharging batteries. There is also an automatic fire extinguishing system and jam-resistant doors. Like the hummer, JLTV will be easy to reconfigure, for everything from a four-seat, armed scout vehicle to an ambulance, command vehicle, or cargo or troop transport. The plan was always to have the hummer continue in use outside of the combat zone, where most troops spend most of their time. But the JLTV will be built to better handle the beating vehicles take in the combat zone, including a design that enables troops to quickly slide in armor and Kevlar panels to make the vehicles bullet and blast-proof. Before the JLTV entered mass production in 2019 the army and marines already realized that future wars would more likely require fewer JLTVs and more hummers or similar unarmored two-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicles. JLTV orders would have to be reduced. Another factor that drove this new outlook was the shrinking procurement budgets after 2010. There would simply not be enough money to buy the number of JLTVs initially planned. At the same time, the elderly hummers had to be replaced with something. China also noted the development of the JLTV and the success of armored hummers and MRAPs. China openly copies a lot of foreign military equipment designs, often in many variations because multiple manufacturers get involved. While the Chinese military thought the American hummer (HMMWV) was a useful design, it was not adopted widely. The basic tactical vehicle in the Chinese military is the BJ2022 (Brave Warrior or Yongshi). The BJ2022 entered service in 2007 after being developed as a joint venture between a Chinese firm and Chrysler. Because of that American connection, the BJ2022 was legally based on the Jeep Cherokee (but a bit larger). BJ2022 comes in two versions, with one being a bit longer and serving as something similar to the old American ton truck. Most of the BJ2022 are basically much updated World War II American jeep designs that borrow much from SUV and four-wheel drive innovations. The basic version can carry a payload of 500 kg (half ton) and seats four. The longer version carries 750 kg and seats up to eight. These are four-wheel drive vehicles that have manual transmissions and are mainly used on roads or flat terrain. Chinese hummer-like vehicles are popular with Chinese and foreign special operations troops. The Chinese armed forces are not buying a lot of these vehicles (a few thousand or so a year at most) although civilian versions became popular with Chinese and export customers. The most popular of these hummer clones comes from Dongfeng, which initially produced some hummers under license. Dongfeng has since produced a number of hummer variants, including armored models equipped to handle RWS. These were nicknamed Mengshi (east wind warrior). The latest of these, the CSK-181 is an eight ton armored hummer design similar to the new American JLTV. One characteristic of the Chinese hummers is the built-in night vision cameras (one in front and one in the back with a flat-screen display for the driver to use) and satellite navigation system. Although China tried Russian and European designs in their search for a new tactical truck (similar to the American hummer), they finally settled on a hummer clone of their own. China still uses the Russian and German designs for most of its tactical vehicles but it is also buying a growing number of locally made hummer clones. China got their hands on an American hummer (M998 HMMWV) in 1988. Initially, Chinese military officials felt the hummer was too expensive. But the performance of the hummer in the 1991 Gulf War, plus the growing presence of the American civilian version of the hummer (especially those brought in by oil companies for use in remote areas), changed minds. By 2003, two Chinese companies were producing hummer clones and the Chinese Army adopted one of them as the EQ2050. Within a decade an armored version was developed as the EQ2058 followed by several other variants, including a longer 6x6 vehicle. Zane Kuramoto has been one of the faces of World Vision as it seeks donors to respond to humanitarian crises. Having run its marketing department, he was recently seconded to be global director of content. After Glenn Kuramoto was hired by World Vision, he sought a deal with the Docklands printing group. The group would get the lucrative contract but it was asked for a trip to Bali for Mr Kuramoto snr. After the contract was awarded, Docklands received a demand for monthly payments to him. Hi Guys, Following are my thoughts on compensation for my part in delivering the [World Vision Australia] Account to Docklands [printers]. Glenn Kuramoto, father of World Vision executive, Zane Kuramoto, in an email to printing contractors.. Emails sent by Glenn Kuramoto suggest he was paid $3000 a month over a number of years. His son, Zane, in his senior position at World Vision, extended the printing contracts, which had the effect of delivering his father further windfalls. There is no suggestion Zane knew of, or was party to, his fathers corruption. Zane said last week he was confident he would be cleared of any wrongdoing. He declined to answer specific questions, including the appropriateness of suggesting his father get a job with the charity. In December 2018, World Vision transferred the printing contract from Docklands to a closely aligned company, the Waratah Group. The group was also owned by Mr Chalmers and Mr Kernahan. In late 2019, Waratah itself collapsed, owing staff, the tax office and creditors millions of dollars. After this, World Vision transferred the printing contract to another business, Finsbury Green. This business employs both Mr Kernahan and Mr Chalmers. The scandal is the worst faced by World Vision Australia in its history and will rock the charity sector and federal government, which funds it along with tens of thousands of Australians. Trust is a key component in maintaining relationships with donors. Claire Rogers when she was appointed CEO of World Vision in 2017. Credit:Jason South The NGO was led by Tim Costello until 2016, when Ms Rogers, a former ANZ bank executive, took the helm promising to bring World Vision, Australias best-known humanitarian agency, into the 21st century. Its board, which includes former NSW Police chief commissioner Andrew Scipione, was briefed on the allegations last week. The scandal is exposed in dozens of files. Emails sent from Glenn Kuramotos Gmail account show he told Mr Chalmers and Mr Kernahan one a director and one a part-owner of the Docklands operation that he expected personal payments in return for "delivering the WVA (World Vision) account to Docklands". On May 6, 2013, he wrote: "Without my involvement in the RFP (request for proposal) and tender process, I don't believe Docklands would have been invited to submit (its successful tender proposal)." He told Mr Chalmers and Mr Kernahan that they had been given the inside running in the World Vision tender process: "The document was written in a way that it gave Docklands a definite advantage to win the contract," he wrote. In doing this, it placed me in a pretty vulnerable position, but due to my loyalty to Docklands, it was a risk I was prepared to take. As I believe it was to [sic] good an opportunity for Docklands and myself. As it turned out, the risk was worth taking and hope the contract grows to the predicted 4-6 million. CFO Gordon Allison told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald that the cost of printing and mail distribution in 2019 was $2.5 million. In the same email, Glenn Kuramoto demanded ongoing kickbacks that would be financed by the money World Vision paid Docklands. How does 1% of the $4-6 million i.e. $40,000-60,000 pa for the length of the contract, Mr Kuramoto snr wrote to Mr Chalmers and Mr Kernahan. One email from Mr Chalmers about the kickback request states: delete after reading. In another 2013 email, Mr Kuramoto snr demanded that Mr Chalmers and Docklands pay for him and his wife to fly to Bali. Invoices and emails, along with the testimony of an insider, suggest that Mr Chalmers wired Mr Kuramoto snr a $3000 monthly payment over several years. For instance, an invoice for $3000 for consultancy fee marked 00085 was sent in August 2018 to Mr Chalmers. Documents show that in 2016 and again in 2017, Zane Kuramoto, in his senior position at World Vision, signed off on a year-long printing contract extensions for Docklands. Mr Chalmers signed the contract extension documents on behalf of Docklands. The contract was transferred to the Waratah Group the following year and then to Finsbury Green in 2019, with both companies closely aligned to Mr Chalmers and Mr Kernahan. Mr Chalmers denied any impropriety. He claimed the Bali trip for Glenn Kuramoto was given prior to the printing contract tender process, however, company files show it was given after his firm began seeking the contract. When Mr Chalmers was asked why he arranged free flights to Bali for Mr Kuramoto snr, he said: Thats got nothing to do with anything. While Mr Kuramoto snr emailed Mr Kernahan his demands for secret payments, there is no evidence that the former AFL star and former Carlton president had direct involvement in any misconduct. Mr Kernahan declined to answers questions but said in a text message he was shocked and needed to do some investigation on what youre talking about before responding. While Mr Bradley was a shareholder or director of the key printing firms tied to the scandal, there is no suggestion he had any involvement in misconduct. Mr Kuramoto snr told The Age and Herald that Zane had got him the job advising World Vision about the printing contract and associated tender process and documents. When quizzed about corrupting the contract process, an apparently shocked Mr Kuramoto snr said: I dont know what to tell you. He then hung up. In a Sunday afternoon announcement to staff, Ms Rogers said she was resigning as CEO of World Vision Australia over the "personal costs" of the role. David Drysdales long wait for a first European Tour victory continues after the Scotsman was beaten in a play-off by Jorge Campillo at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. The 44-year-old was playing in his 498th event and had a 10-foot putt on the last to finally enter the winners circle 21 years after making his debut. That attempt missed on the low side but he was closer still on the first two trips back up the 18th, making his birdies after Spaniard Campillo had drained two long efforts to pile on the pressure. Routine pars followed for both men on the next two play-off holes but, at the fifth attempt, Campillo rolled home from around 20 feet and this time Drysdale could not match him as his long wait for a European Tour trophy was extended. Campillo entered the day in the lead and was in control on the back nine, leading by two stood on the 17th tee despite dropping a shot on the previous hole. His tee shot on the penultimate hole went a long way right, however, and the double-bogey dropped him to 13 under alongside Drysdale to set up the play-off. Im just so proud right now of the way I played in the play-off, Campillo told europeantour.com. I hardly missed a shot and I was able to make some putts. I hit some good shots coming in in the middle of the round but you have to be patient, you have to try hard. I knew I was going to make some putts. It was a tough win but Im glad I pulled it off. Its a great par four, 18. A tough hole. David was hitting some great shots into the hole and I had to make some putts. Three birdies out of six on 18 to win is something to be proud of. Drysdale carded a level-par 71 one better than Campillo in regulation play to finish a shot ahead of Swede Niklas Lemke, Finn Kalle Samooja and Dane Jeff Winther. Englands Chris Paisley finished three shots out of the play-off after a closing 68, one ahead of countryman Marcus Armitage and Scotlands Scott Jamieson. In a way, I can understand why. I remember being in my early 20s to early 30s. The economic insecurity, the financial impatience. It sometimes seemed like there was a secret to success I didnt know. And there are a lot of 20 to 30 somethings in America right now, who no doubt feel this way as well. For some, the idea of a government that provides for their needs without personal risk to ease the burden of financial insecurity is clearly attractive. Unfortunately, I believe the price of this sought after security is the loss of true prosperity, and doubly unfortunate is the concept of Socialism in implementation has never actually been pulled off successfully. This week America got a chance to stand against the idea of Socialism. The stand could not have come from the American political right, because it would have offered no additional insight. It needed to come from the American political left, which it did. After Tuesday, I believe the Socialism debate is thankfully now over for now. Markets were unsurprising relieved, and to me the stock market rally on Wednesday felt a little more satisfying than most other recent up days. Opinions are solely the writer's and are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Stock investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Marc Ruiz is a wealth advisor and partner with Oak Partners and registered representative of LPL Financial. Contact Marc at marc.ruiz@oakpartners.com. Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 THE department of foreign affairs and trade is advising against all "non-essential" travel to northern Italy. Italy has imposed a virtual lockdown across a swathe of the northern part of the country, including the financial capital Milan, in a drastic new attempt to try to contain a rapidly growing outbreak of coronavirus. The department of foreign affairs and trade is now advising against travel to northern Italian regions. "For the moment, we are advising against non-essential travel to the regions of Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna," advice from the department of foreign affairs and trade states. The unprecedented restrictions, which will impact some 16 million people and stay in force until April 3, were signed into law overnight by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The new measures say people should not enter or leave Lombardy, Italy's richest region, as well as 14 provinces in four other regions, including the cities of Venice, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia and Rimini. Expand Close Masked up: Silvia waits for customers in a tobacconist in San Fiorano, a town on lockdown in northern Italy. Photo: Marzio Toniolo via REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Masked up: Silvia waits for customers in a tobacconist in San Fiorano, a town on lockdown in northern Italy. Photo: Marzio Toniolo via REUTERS "There will be no movement in or out of these areas, or within them, unless for proven, work-related reasons, emergencies or health reasons," Conte told a news conference in the middle of the night after hours of confusion over his plans. "We have to limit the spread of the virus and prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed," he added. However, it was not immediately clear how fiercely the order would be policed and at first light on Sunday, flights appeared to be operating normally out of Milan's two airports and Venice airport, while rail operators were still selling train tickets. According to the decree, all museums, gyms, cultural centres, ski resorts and swimming pools will be shut in the targeted zones, while leave was cancelled for health workers as Italy's hospitals sag under the pressure of the virus. Expand Close A woman wearing a protective face mask walks with her luggages inside Milan's main train station as Italian authorities prepare to lock down Lombardy to prevent the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus in Milan, Italy, March 7, 2020. REUTERS/Alex Fraser / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A woman wearing a protective face mask walks with her luggages inside Milan's main train station as Italian authorities prepare to lock down Lombardy to prevent the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus in Milan, Italy, March 7, 2020. REUTERS/Alex Fraser Restaurants and bars will be allowed to open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (0500-1700 GMT) and only if they can guarantee that customers are at least one metre apart. Read More The government enacted the draft just hours after officials had announced that the number of coronavirus cases had leapt by more than 1,200 in a 24-hour period - the biggest daily rise since the epidemic began in the country two weeks ago. Deaths due to the infectious virus had also risen, by 36 to 233, while the number of patients in intensive care climbed to 567, up 23% from the day before. Of the 5,883 Italians originally infected, 589 have fully recovered. Expand Close Prepared: Medical personnel in the pre-triage medical tent at Cremona hospital, northern Italy. Photo: MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prepared: Medical personnel in the pre-triage medical tent at Cremona hospital, northern Italy. Photo: MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images The northern regions of Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto represent 85% of all cases and 92% of recorded deaths. Conte said the original quarantine zones that affected 11 towns that were at the epicentre of the outbreak, would now be lifted. However, he urged anyone who had a fever not leave their homes - even if they did not know if they had coronavirus. Some local Italian politicians had pushed back against the measures, which were leaked to the press on Saturday afternoon before being agreed with regional governors. The head of Lombardy Attilio Fontano said the proposals "go in the right direction", but added they were a "mess". The head of the neighbouring Veneto region, Luca Zaia, said: "We have seen these measures at the last minute. We did not help to draw them up, and now we are being asked to give our assent almost at once. It is literally impossible." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, March 8, 2020 14:33 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad20691d123 1 National antifeminist,women-empowerment,feminism,conservative-Muslims,sexual-violence-bill,family-resilience-bill Free Maimon Herawati is an accomplished woman who believes in equal opportunity for women. She finished her Master's degree at Abertay University in the United Kingdom in 2003, securing tenure as a lecturer of mass communication science in West Java's Padjadjaran University and then juggling her family life with her social and political activities. She has participated in various activities in her community, including a Free Palestine movement. Maimon is one of many empowered women who has been politically active but has worked against the feminist movement in Indonesia, including by protesting against a bill that is intended to eradicate sexual violence. Such women have been in a cultural clash against Indonesian feminists on several other issues, like the Pornography Law and, most recently, the family resilience bill. The two warring groups both have highly educated women as members who express their opinions with confidence, are politically active and have made achievements in their lives. However, at some point, these empowered women who fight for women's empowerment have parted ways. Read also: People's sex lives none of your business, Komnas Perempuan tells court Antifeminist groups claim the sexual violence bill is pro-adultery since it only criminalizes nonconsensual sex. They said the bill should instead prohibit all extramarital sex, consensual or not. Objections by the antifeminist group have halted deliberations over the bill, triggering protests from women's rights activists. The bill's supporters said they believe that since it defines more types of sexual violence than the prevailing Criminal Code, it would end impunity for sexual violence perpetrators and provide more help to survivors. Neng Dara Afifah, the author of Muslimah Feminis: Penjelajahan Multi Identitas (Muslim Feminists: Multi-Identity Exploration), said the antifeminist movement had become counterproductive to gender mainstreaming efforts. "What they are doing is a form of betrayal of feminism, which has allowed them to access the public sphere and eventually express their ideas," said the Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University lecturer. Maimon disagreed. She said she could be active politically because Islam allowed women to be so. Islam, she said, introduced gender equality some 14 centuries ago, long before feminism did. Islam, which emerged from Arabian society during the so-called Age of Ignorance, had elevated women's dignity from being considered merely as property to having the right to inherit and secure their own property, Maimon said. She said she refused to be associated with feminism because "the idea came from the Western world, which is antithetical to Islamic values". Maimon said that one of the basic principles of feminism that collides with Islamic principles is the notion of "my body is mine", meaning women possess full authority over their own bodies, no one else has the right to control them and they can wear whatever they want over their bodies in public. However, in Islam it does not work that way, Maimon explained. "My body is not mine. It's a mandate from God, so I cannot just do what I please on my body," she said. Another prominent figure among conservative Muslims is Euis Sunarti, a professor of family studies at the Bogor Agricultural Institute. Euis said feminism was problematic for Indonesia because its "liberal" values conflicted with the values of Islam, which were adopted by a majority of Indonesian citizens. Feminism, she claimed, does not recognize the "division of roles" between men and women, husbands and wives. If a husband works and earns a certain amount of money, the wife should also do the same to achieve the goal of equality, Euis said. "In fact, it does not have to be that way. If a married couple is committed to building a family and have children, then who should focus more on raising the kids?" Euis asked. She suggested mothers as the ones giving birth should take more responsibility in child-rearing but added that that did not mean mothers could not "actualize" themselves by participating in public affairs. Women's rights activist Nursyahbani Katjasungkana clarified that feminism did not put money or power above all, but instead "fights for equal rights between men and women, inside and outside their homes". Instead of applying gender stereotypes to domestic roles, Nursyahbani said, feminism actually promoted "cooperation within households" by which both parties were encouraged to play active roles in taking care of domestic affairs, "unlike the rigid role of husbands and wives as stipulated in the 1974 Marriage Law". Article 31 of the law regulates that "husbands are the heads of the households and wives are homemakers". Article 34 further states that husbands are obliged to fulfill the family's needs, while the responsibility of wives is to properly manage domestic affairs. "We want to eliminate the rigid legal norms because they're inconsistent with the social reality, where many women actually act as breadwinners in their respective families," said the founder of the Indonesian Women's Coalition and the Legal Aid Foundation of Indonesian Women Association for Justice. Editor's note: This article has been updated to clarify Euis Sunarti's statement about the role of mothers. Sofia Vergara recently bid farewell to her Modern Family co-stars after 11 seasons. But the Colombian actress is settling in quite well with her new America's Got Talent family. She put on a cool display Saturday in Versace as she arrived for an AGT taping in Los Angeles. Bundled in Versace: Sofia Vergara put on a cool display Saturday in Versace as she arrived for an AGT taping in Los Angeles The 47-year-old draped a $2.35k V Barocco print puffer coat over her shoulders, printed with the signature Versace gold baroque print. It was paired with a skintight black sweater, tucked into faded high-waisted jeans with chunky black platform heels. She carried a large black leather Chanel purse as she stepped out of her car and made her way into the studio. Vergara recently signed on for the competition series in its 15th season, following the controversial firing of Gabrielle Union. Black and gold: The 47-year-old draped a puffy black jacket over her shoulders, printed with the signature Versace gold baroque print Serving body: It was paired with a skintight black sweater, tucked into faded high-waisted jeans with chunky black platform heels Fellow judge Heidi Klum recently told Us Weekly about Vergara: 'She was nervous coming in, obviously, because when you do something I guess for such a long time She said, "Its like Im the new kid in the school."' But the supermodel gave Vergara some useful advice: 'I said, "But you have all great classmates. We all love you and theres nothing you can do wrong here. Just speak your truth."' Klum was also spotted cutting a chic look as she arrived at Saturday's taping in Los Angeles. Back in black: Heidi Klum was also spotted cutting a chic look as she arrived at Saturday's taping in Los Angeles Plunging neckline: She teased her decolletage in a retro long-sleeve black jumpsuit, which was unbuttoned down the chest for a plunging neckline Fan favorite: The 46-year-old accessorized with black reflective aviators, a gold necklace with matching bracelets and rings and a pair of black open-toe stilettos. She carried a black leather handbag over her shoulder as she waved to fans with her pointed black manicure She teased her decolletage in a retro long-sleeve black jumpsuit, which was unbuttoned down the chest for a plunging neckline. The 46-year-old accessorized with black reflective aviators, a gold necklace with matching bracelets and rings and a pair of black open-toe stilettos. She carried a black leather handbag over her shoulder as she waved to fans with her pointed black manicure. Howie Mandel kept it casual in a black hoodie as he wore a black bike helmet and carried his own roll of toilet paper. Always prepared: Howie Mandel kept it casual in a black hoodie as he wore a black bike helmet and carried his own roll of toilet paper New look: Heidi shared a black and white video with a beard and crown filter of her and Sofia later in the evening By Ken Ritter, Associated Press LAS VEGAS Health officials in Las Vegas said Thursday that the tourist destination has its first case of coronavirus a man in his 50s who recently returned from a trip to Washington state. The patient has been hospitalized in an isolation unit, said Dr. Fermin Leguen, acting chief of the Southern Nevada Health District, which includes the city of 2.6 million residents that draws more than 40 million visitors a year. He said the diagnosis was made Wednesday based on lab results after the man sought treatment for respiratory distress. As of Saturday afternoon, health officials had not yet received official results from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The case puts Nevada on the list of states with cases of the virus that causes COVID-19. Washington state has been hit hardest, with 16 deaths. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak urged residents and tourists to remain calm and follow guidance from health officials about ways to stem the spread of the virus. We must all do our part to prepare and prevent not panic," the governor said. Nevada and our local health authorities are taking this situation very seriously and have been preparing for weeks in anticipation of a presumptive case." Investigators are tracking down people who had contact with the man since he returned home from Washington, including family members and a school-age child. The patient also made a recent trip to Texas. We have not been in touch with every single person, said Kimberly Hertin, a district health investigator. Leguen said it appeared the man contracted the virus elsewhere, not locally. About 200 people were being monitored statewide, he said. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Lent may be the season of sacrifice, but it brings a once-a-year treat for Santa Feans: the tacos de pescado at El Chile Toreado. On Lenten Fridays, the popular food stand on Early Street offers a feast of four fish tacos for $9.95. Spicy tilapia, seared on a grill that might just have magical flavor powers, is tucked into corn tortillas, scattered with corn kernels and heaped with pico de gallo and El Chile Toreados potent salsa verde. It might be difficult to remember Jesus wandering and starving in the desert while youre scarfing down such a meal. Eating fish on Fridays, or any other day, turns out to be no problem in Santa Fe, which boasts a wealth of year-round fish taco options. As I made a recent survey to track down the best, I was heartened to sample several different and mostly delicious takes on the Baja California export. Fish tacos made their way into the U.S. in 1983, when San Diego surfer Ralph Rubio opened a stand based on a recipe hed picked up on a trip to San Felipe, Mexico. At La Pina Loka, the recently opened taco-and-burrito shack on Cerrillos Road, owner Luis Ortiz is churning out hefty tacos ($8.50 for four) that adhere closely to the classic Baja recipe. Ortiz batters and fries substantial fillets of cod, which are slathered with a tangy chipotle crema and cradled by soft corn tortillas from nearby Alicias Tortilleria. (Many of the fish taco faithful swear by flour tortillas, but corn dominates around these parts.) La Pina Lokas addictively crunchy fish is topped with shredded green cabbage, flecks of cilantro and ample wedges of ripe avocado. Alongside lime slices and a whole roasted jalapeno, Ortiz supplies two knockout salsas: a herby tomatillo and a fiery chile de arbol with complex spices. Was it the nutty flavor of pepitas that lingered on my singed tongue? Ortiz is keeping silent on his recipes, and rightfully so no other tacos around town approach his distinctive flavors. A stretch of North Guadalupe Street could be called the fish taco corridor, what with stalwart Bumble Bees Baja Grill and relative newcomer Taco Fundacion on the same block. When longtime Santa Feans think fish tacos, they usually think Bumble Bees, and for good reason. Their mahi-mahi or salmon tacos ($4.50 each) are ideal for those who prefer their fish grilled, not fried. The charcoal-kissed fish is layered with a jalapeno-cilantro-green onion-lime mayo, slivered cabbage and juicy pico de gallo over two corn tortillas. The two tortillas are strategically key: Youll need one tortilla to cradle the taco filling and the other to catch what falls out. With a side of cilantro-lime rice ($1), one taco makes for a satisfying light lunch. Taco Fundacion, in comparison, may need to up its fish taco game. We were less than impressed with the Fundacions $3.50 battered fish (the counter person couldnt tell us what kind), which tasted more like fryer than fish. It came with a gloopy avocado crema, as well as limp iceberg lettuce instead of cabbage. Over in the Railyard, Palomas sophisticated fish taco ($6) uses a large house-made blue corn tortilla to wrap a crispy chunk of excellent Baja sea bass. In addition to a chipotle mayo, and sweet green and purple cabbage, we loved the zingy cilantro crema. El Sabor at the Alley Lanes & Lounge in the DeVargas Center offers the most unusual venue for standout fish tacos. Post up at a round table beside a picture window facing the lanes and take notes on each bowlers form while you await chef Ever Pazs signature fish tacos ($14 for four). Lumps of cod are cooked in a spicy red sauce, set off by a lightly pickled cabbage and cilantro slaw, and garnished with semicircles of avocado. A side of smooth tomatoey salsa is deceptively fiery at its finish and the salty fish makes a simpatico companion to a draft of Bells Hazy IPA, with its tropical fruit and peach notes. Heres a little (fish) food for thought: The relative freshness of seafood in the 505 gets a bad rap. Local wholesalers such as Above Sea Level make it possible for Santa Fe chefs to get fish shipments less than a day behind the coasts. And the FDA recommends that even fish eaten raw should be frozen first, so there is little call for snobby hand-wringing about eating fish in the high desert. Jesus should have been so lucky. Assuming the private bank issues 20 billion shares at Rs 10 apiece (with face value of Rs 2 each), the total capital raise will be Rs 20,000 crore. And for its 49 per cent stake, SBI will need to put in about Rs 10,000 crore. IMAGE: Account holders queue up outside Yes Bank to withdraw money in Mumbai on March 7, 2020. Photograph: PTI Photo. State Bank of India (SBI) is ready to invest up to Rs 10,000 crore for a 49 per cent stake in YES Bank as part of a bailout and revival plan. The bank would initially invest Rs 2,450 crore, but was ready to invest the additional amount if required, SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar told reporters in Mumbai on Saturday. I have already set the (investment) boundary of Rs 10,000 crore, Kumar said, adding this was based on the assumption of higher capital requirement by the bank. Assuming the private lender issues 20 billion shares at Rs 10 apiece (with face value of Rs 2 each), the total capital raise will be Rs 20,000 crore. And for the 49 per cent stake, SBI will need to put in about Rs 10,000 crore, Kumar said, while elaborating his plans for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-initiated reconstruction scheme. The bank was already in touch with other investors to pump funds into the struggling lender. Twenty-three potential investors have approached us to invest and they include some very good names, he said. According to him, those planning to invest more than 5 per cent in the bank will come under the fit and proper criteria formulated by the RBI. Depending upon the interest from other investors, SBIs final investment amount would be determined, he said. The legal and investment teams of SBI, Kumar said, were in the process of conducting due diligence on the draft restructuring plan for the private bank and would approach the RBI on Monday with responses. With SBI being a national institute of importance, it needed to step in and protect YES Bank from collapse, he said. Responding to questions whether SBI was being pressured by the government to carry out a rescue of YES Bank, Kumar said the private bank needed to survive. The failure of YES Bank would have consequences for the Indian economy, he added. The SBI chairman said the bank had sufficient capital as its capital adequacy ratio (CAR) was 50 basis points in excess of the RBIs norms. The CAR of the bank stood at 13.73 per cent, with the tier I component being 11.59 per cent at the end of December 2019. Kumar added that the government wont be required to step in with funds to save YES Bank. The interest of SBI shareholders will not be compromised, he said. He also ruled out merging YES Bank with SBI. Kumar said YES Bank would be treated as any subsidiary or associate bank in the SBI stable. SBI would maintain an arms length distance with YES Bank and would let its independent board run the bank, he said. The SBI chairman, however, assured depositors of YES Bank that their money was safe and that once the moratorium was lifted, they would be able to access their funds freely. On a lighter vein, Kumar said he told the same to his nephew also who had an account with YES Bank. Yesterday, when all this news was there, I received the first call from my nephew. He has an account with YES Bank. I have asked him not to worry. New Delhi, March 8 : Former Law Minister and Congress veteran Hans Raj Bharadwaj, who passed away here on Sunday evening, was considered an "old classical secularist" of the party but was also forthright in questioning its leaders and its stand on various issues. Bharadwaj, 82, died of a cardiac arrest at Max Hospital where he was admitted last week. Serving as Minister in the governments of Rajiv Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh, he was Governor of Karnataka from 2009 to 2014, during which he was involved in various controversies. Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid told IANS: "He was a very independent minded person and I have a deep affection for him because he gave me a lot of knowledge." He said that Bharadwaj was a person of very strong opinion. "He was an old classical secularist of Congress party and was also bit impatient with modern times," he said. Bharadwaj was very "set" in his ways and did not get along with people flexible with their ideologies, he added. "He was very impatient with them... He was a very fine person. He had an uncanny ability to manage the legal system and reach out to enormous number of lawyers. He will be missed dearly," the Congress leader said. Bharadwaj had questioned the leadership ability of Rahul Gandhi in 2018, saying: "I don't consider Rahul Gandhi a leader yet. He'll understand when he gets a post." He also said that Gandhi was learning and he will become a leader when public accepts him. He had also targeted the party for indulging in politics of religion as the reason of its failures. Bharadwaj had his share of controversies during his tenure as Law Minister in the UPA government. In the 2G scam, a special court dealing with the case remarked that Bhardwaj's conduct while dealing with the issue relating to granting of new 2G licences was against all established canons, discipline and protocol of government working. In 2017, special judge O.P. Saini, while ordering acquittal of former Communications Minister A. Raja and others in the spectrum allocation scam, had expressed discontent on the conduct of the former Law Minister and termed the Law Ministry's opinion on the issue as completely outlandish. The court had said the Ministry's opinion to refer to an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) the matter connected with the issue of new licences and allocation of spectrum to dual technology applicants, led to unnecessary controversy. Bhardwaj had also got into the controversy after he lashed out against the Congress on a comment made by Union Minister P. Chidambaram about "poor drafting" of the now-scrapped Section 66A of IT Act, alleging Chidambaram was trying to target him. Bhardwaj's stint as the Governor of Karnataka was also marked by controversies as he twice tried to dismiss the government when B.S. Yeddiyurappa was Chief Minister and even sanctioned his prosecution on corruption charges - a process later struck down by the state high court. The BJP accused him of corruption and for allegedly appointing tainted people as Vice Chancellors of universities. During his gubernatorial stint, he had also held additional charge of Kerala for a short time. (Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in) UNODC's Children's Program, GLOK42, was developed to promote a worldwide coordinated response to children and adolescents at risk of using drugs, and youth affected by drug use dependence. The Program goals include: Addressing the health and social consequences for children Preventing drug use Treating drug dependence Facilitating positive re-integration into and contribution to the larger community. The Program's main strategies are: Large scale mobilization (including the involvement of government ministries, members of the civil society, academics, media and high ranking personalities), Reduce the risks of developing drug use disorders Provide appropriate treatment strategies tailored to respond to the specific needs of this age group. Countries reached by the Children's Program: Afghanistan Bangladesh India Liberia Pakistan Iran Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Turkmenistan The project is based on a foundation of policy statements in support of children: Political Declaration and the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction and Measures to Enhance International Cooperation to Counter the World Drug Problem (General Assembly RES S-20/3) adopted at UNGASS on Drugs (1998); United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (The Riyadh Guidelines) (UNGA RES 45/112, Annex, section IV); UN Guidelines for the Prevention of Crime (pdf; Economic and Social Council Resolution 2002/13, annex) SDG (Target 3.5) UNGASS Outcome Document 2016 (pdf) Through UNGA RES S-20/3, UNODC has been mandated by the UNGA to identify and disseminate the best practices/strategies in all areas of demand reduction, including drug abuse prevention, and to support capacity building and strategy development in these areas. Why is the Program useful? It provides a model, within a strong framework of evaluated strategies, that can be adapted to support Member States for the scaling up of services to meet the needs of those affected by drug use, particularly children and adolescents at risk and/or those affected by drug use dependence and its health and social consequences. The focus is on science-driven public health approaches in drug control as the springboard for existing good practices. Meeting the needs of children presents a challenge due to the limited availability of specific research on the effectiveness of psychosocial and pharmacological interventions. Social constructs such as denial, stigma and ideological considerations are barriers to provide interventions that target children and adolescents. The Children's Program provides technical assistance to national and local authorities working to address the needs of children and young adolescents within a planned system of integrated and mutually reinforcing activities. To have a deeper understanding of the Program GLOK42, and moreover of the target beneficiaries, geographical areas of implementation, evidence, about the model and about the results obtained by the pilot programme, you can consult the document issued by the UNODC in March 2014: Preventing Illicit Drug Use and Treating Drug Use Disorders for Children and Adolescents (pdf). By ANI COIMBATORE: In bid to help the cancer patients who have lost their hairs while undergoing treatment, as many as 80 girls of a private college in Coimbatore have donated a portion of their hair which will be used to make wigs for the cancer patients. Many girl students told ANI that they cannot financially support the cancer patients but by donating hairs they are doing whatever they can to bring some happiness on the faces of such patients. "I am here to donate my hair to the patients who are suffering from cancer. This idea came to my mind as I couldn't support cancer patients economically," said Vinothini. "Minimum of 8 inches is cropped when we donate hair but I am going to donate more than that. Nearly 80 members have registered till now but many others will also enroll. Nearly 200 people will donate hairs," she added. Students here donated a portion of their shiny and thick locks of hair which will be used to make wigs for cancer. Iranian state TV today confirmed that 194 people have died from the killer coronavirus and 6,566 are now infected in the Islamic Republic. As the Persian New Year approaches, the Health Ministry warned Iranians to avoid large gatherings and stay at home, as fears of the spreading bug intensified. Regime spokesperson Kianush Jahanpur said 49 people died from the disease today, while 743 people have been added to the total number infected. Meanwhile, Iran Air has suspended all flights to Europe until further notice, the official IRNA news agency reported, citing the Civil Aviation Organisation. No mention was made of coronavirus as a cause by the company, which instead cited 'restrictions' imposed by European authorities for 'unknown reasons'. Pictured: a medic treats a patient infected with coronavirus, at a Tehran hospital, March 8 Pictured: a medic treats a patient infected with coronavirus, at a Tehran hospital, March 8 Pictured: a nurse wears protective gear in a ward dedicated for people infected with coronavirus at a hospital in Tehran, March 8 The European Aviation Safety Agency banned Iran Air aircraft from European airspace on February 3. The ban covered an Airbus A321-200 and two Airbus A330-200 planes that had not undergone upgrades for authorisation to fly in Europe. On March 2, Sweden said it was temporarily suspending Iran Air flights on the advice of health officials who said Tehran was 'not in control' of the outbreak. The carrier, whose fleet is hit by US sanctions reimposed after Washington quit a nuclear deal with Iran, operates flights to multiple European destinations including Paris, London, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Vienna and Rome. Tehran MP Fatemeh Rahbar was buried today after dying from coronavirus. Relatives mourned as men in protective suits carried her body to Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery. Iran has one of the highest numbers of deaths from coronavirus outside of China. It is the epicentre of the current outbreak in the Middle East. Pictured: paramedics treat a patient infected with the new coronavirus in Tehran, March 8 Pictured: a nurse wears protective gear in a ward dedicated for people infected with coronavirus at a hospital in Tehran, March 8 Pictured: medics treat a patient infected with coronavirus, at a Tehran hospital, March 8 Pictured: nurses make a heart sign with their hands, in a coronavirus ward in Tehran, March 8 Most of the cases reported in the region are either people who were in the Islamic Republic, or contracted the virus from people who had visited Iran. As a result, several countries have closed their borders with and stopped flights to Iran. Iranian border guards were spotted wearing protective masks at the Shalamcha Border Crossing with its ally Iraq, after Baghdad closed a border crossing. Guards were photographed hosing the crossing down with disinfectant. On Friday, Sunni power Saudi Arabia called on citizens to declare visits to Shiite power Iran in the past 14 days, as part of measures to contain the outbreak. The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority said: 'If you were in Iran in the past 14 days, take the initiative and declare it; protect your health and the health of your family.' Pictured: a member Iranian Border Guards wears a protective face mask inside the Shalamcha Border Crossing, after Iraq shut a border crossing to travelers between Iran and Iraq, March 8 Pictured: a worker in a protective suit sprays disinfectant near the gate of the Shalamcha Border Crossing, after Iraq shut a border crossing to travellers between Iraq and Iran, March 8 Pictured: a member Iranian Border Guards wears a protective face mask inside the Shalamcha Border Crossing, after Iraq shut a border crossing to travelers between Iran and Iraq, March 8 Pictured: a man in a protective suit sprays near Shalamcha Border Crossing, March 8 Members of Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority usually keep their visits to Iran secret, as a bitter rivalry between the two foes has led to regional instability. Riyadh and Tehran are conducting proxy wars against each other in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, as the pair struggle for mastery of the Middle East. Their quarrel is exacerbated by religious differences, as both powers accuse the other of persecuting and oppressing their minority sects. Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran in 2016, after the execution of Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr prompted hostility from Tehran. Pictured: relatives mourn over the body of Fatemah Rahbar, a lawmaker-elect from a Tehran constituency, who died over the weekend, at Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery, March 8 Pictured: men wearing protective gear carry the body of Fatemah Rahbar, a lawmaker-elect from a Tehran constituency, who has died, at Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery, March 8 Pictured: men wearing protective gear carry the body of Fatemah Rahbar, a lawmaker-elect from a Tehran constituency, who has died, at Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery, March 8 On a bright but chilly Tuesday morning at the Longview homeless campsite, volunteers and campers alike seemed to agree on one thing: the need for more rules. Tammy, a camper who declined to give her last name, was digging through a pile of items spilling out of her tent at the camps front entrance on Alabama Street. As homeless advocate Shawn Nyman approached, Tammy eagerly told her she was cleaning up her space. I love when we walk in and everyone says Im doing some cleaning, Nyman said to nearby camper Jim Nichols. The campsite, which opened in December to move homeless campers away from Longview City Hall, has frustrated community members and officials who have called it an eyesore that allows campers to live in squalor. The campsite is set to close for cleaning, at least temporarily, on March 30. And a Cowlitz County ad hoc committee still has not located the next site. However, multiple campers and volunteers on Tuesday said they would prefer to stay at the Alabama Street location and, in effect, have officials abandon attempts to create the second camp site. Luke Keilwitz, pastor at Evergreen Terrace Gospel Chapel in Longview, said the most cost-effective solution is to keep the Alabama Street camp but increase maintenance and oversight. This site is completely adequate. It just needs to be fixed up with assigned spaces and solutions to the drainage issues, he said Tuesday. Its the best possible place for everyone involved. It might not be what everyone wants, but more people can come together here at this site. However, Longview citizens have been vocally opposed to the site and have asked the city to close it. City Manager Kurt Sacha on Thursday said Longview has done its part in setting up the initial camp and its time for another jurisdiction to step up. When asked what the chances are of Longview extending the camp past its 90-day deadline, Sacha responded, Id say zero. Ive been very clear from the onset that I do have a concern regarding the public health aspects of the site. I believe we need to get in there and it needs to be cleaned up. Still, retired minister John Steppert on Friday said he would ask the council to delay closing the camp until a viable alternative is in place. The worse thing that could happen to these people, would be for them to be evicted come March 30th. What theyve worked on creating, will be destroyed. This is their home. This is where they find a sense of emotional and physical support. This is their support system! Steppert wrote in a letter to city leaders. He said one woman camper told him the camp is close to bus service, Walmart, a convenience store and police protection. If these campers are forced to leave by March 30, chances are they will end up right back at City Hall, Steppert wrote. This is a moral issue and we have a moral obligation to do what is right, decent, humane, just, toward these fellow citizens of ours. With the March 30 deadline rapidly approaching, efforts to find a second location in the county stalled last week. Officials learned the preferred site at the old Coal Creek landfill site in West Longview would require nearly a year of permitting due to wetlands protections. The county ad hoc committee looking at campsite locations is scheduled to meet on Friday. I think everybody involved with the ad hoc committee realizes were running up against the deadline that Longview put out there, Cowlitz County Chief of Staff Axel Swanson said Wednesday. Were all partners. We want to work with them. Thats why we set this (committee) up. We need a drill sergeant At the Alabama site, a rainbow of tents lined the fences and along a path of loose gravel last week. Makeshift shelters made of planks occupied some spots. Piles of clothing, plastic crates filled with cardboard and bikes spilled out of some tents. Numerous overflowing shopping carts were scattered about. Some spots, however, were relatively neat. One even had a vase at the tents entrance with bright yellow plastic flowers. A few weeks ago, after a lot of rain, the campsite was just a big freaking mud pit, Nyman said. Despite numerous campers and several portable toilets, and occasional clumps of dog poop, the camp itself did not give off a malodorous scent on Tuesday. Before entering the camp Tuesday, Nyman estimated there were 70 campers. But after visiting on Tuesday, she said it looked like the numbers had increased to 100. Nyman, who has been to the camp 20 to 30 times, said she saw some new faces. What I struggle with is that people are okay that people are living like this as long as they pick up their garbage, Nyman said. Jon, a 51-year-old camper who declined to give his last name, said hed like to see outside supervision of the camp, or at least training for campers so they can police themselves. He feels safe in the camp, but others dont. He said the campsite needs designated spots so people cant hoard so many things. He could pack up and move in a day. That happened overnight, Jon said, pointing to an overturned grocery cart surrounded by garbage and muddy clothes. We need a drill sergeant to come in. He said hes been homeless for two years. His roommate and neighbor were drug addicts who were stealing from him. When he called the cops on them, they beat him up and smashed his car. He had to walk from Kelso to the hospital in Longview. Before he can get his job back as a machine operator, Jon said he wants to have a drivers license and a car so he can be a dependable employee. Gregory Majerus, another camper who said he was going on 70, said he became homeless after falling down a stairwell, causing a brain injury. Asked if he liked the Alabama Street campsite, Majerus responded, Hell, no. Is that a joke question? Nobody wants to be here, he added. Point me to the woods. Whats next? Swanson said the Cowlitz County commissioners have made it clear that they want the next campsite to be designated with rules, structure and a code of conduct. It would need to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and have trash disposal, toilet facilities and security. County staff plan to present a campsite model based on research from other designated sites to the ad hoc committee on Friday. Sacha said Longview doesnt have the money to contribute to a more managed site. The city already has spent about $40,000 to install fencing around the Alabama site and spends about $2,000 a month to rent portable toilets and washing stations. He added that if other jurisdictions dont take turns hosting campsites, Longview is not going to be the only host for these encampments in the future. The Kelso City Council last month voted not to support another no-barrier, unsanctioned, unhosted campsite. City Manager Andy Hamilton Wednesday said the council seems on board with the countys plan for a hosted and regulated campsite. When you say hosted, the next question is what does that mean? Hamilton said. I think it means something different for everyone. That could mean a volunteer, one of the groups already in existence or a security presence, he said. In addition to locating another campsite, the county also is planning to create a crisis response team, Swanson said. The group would consist of medical, behavioral health and housing specialists who could go into the campsite and assess what help people need. Most of the team could include existing service providers in the community, but the county would likely have to fund at least one position to coordinate the efforts. A 20-year-old man at the Alabama site who declined to give his name said having somewhere to sleep, such as tiny houses, would encourage people to go look for work. People who sleep outside are often afraid they will be turned away from jobs if they smell bad or look dirty, he said. Hes been at the campsite since he got out of jail in January, but hes been homeless for three years. Things are calmer at the back of the campsite, away from the entrance, he said. Camper Tammy had a similar idea: Let homeless people have first crack at abandoned homes in town. Many people are homeless because rent is too high, she said. She cant get enough money together to pay three times the rent to put a deposit down on a rental place. Tammy, now 45, has been on disability since she was 18. Ive been working with Love Overwhelming for two years. Ive exhausted all the resources, she said. After a while you just start to give up. You start to lose faith. The only thing that keeps me going is I have an 11-year-old in Vancouver who I want to see. Otherwise I would be in a morgue by now. Love 5 Funny 2 Wow 3 Sad 17 Angry 18 London: The scope of a new roundup of Saudi royals widened on Saturday with word that a fourth senior prince has been detained under orders from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to two Saudis close to the royal family, in a sign that he is determined to crack down on even whispers of dissent. The wave of arrests has ensnared a former head of army intelligence, Prince Nayef bin Ahmed, as well as at least three other senior princes, all detained on Friday. The full extent of the roundup is still not clear. The arrest of Abdulaziz bin Salman the last surviving full brother of King Salman, has stunned observers. Credit:AP Crown Prince Mohammed, 34, has already consolidated his power as the de facto ruler of the kingdom in the name of his ageing father, King Salman, 84. But the arrests offered new evidence of how far the crown prince would go to lock down potential opponents within his family, stirring new fear within its ranks, according to several people close to the family. The most senior family member detained was Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, the father of Prince Nayef and the last surviving full brother of King Salman. The arrests of both father and son stunned the royal family because Prince Ahmed's closeness to the king had so far appeared to provide him a measure of immunity. Kuwait: Who is not worried in today's time due to the rising of Corona. Only the fear of corona is spread everywhere. This disease has also killed many people where Kuwait has stepped back from the medical certificate made compulsory for Indian travelers. The certificate was made mandatory due to the Coronavirus. Corona spread fear in 94 countries, Indians stranded on Egyptian cruise According to the information received, the Civil Aviation Authority of Kuwait has canceled its order. However, Kuwait has suspended flights to India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Syria, Philippines, Lebanon, and Egypt. Pakistan may face losses up to USD 6.1 million due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak Indians found infected in UAE: An Indian is also said to be involved in 15 new cases of coronavirus reported in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Health Ministry said in a statement that out of 15 new cases, 13 victims are those who have recently come to UAE from abroad. The ministry said in a tweet, 'The UAE confirms the recovery of two people. While 15 people from different countries have been found to test positive. The total number of cases in the country has increased to 45.' Three princesses detained in accusation of coup In any case, I would submit that Sanders most important contribution to American life is that he has almost single-handedly forced the Democratic Party leftward. He has never, not once, forsaken his deeply held beliefs that income inequality is an American scourge, that tax breaks for the rich come at the expense of the poor and middle class, that the failures of our health care system are shameful, and that students should not bear lifelong debt for their educations. His intransigence alone is his crowning achievement. Would Biden, who helped make it almost impossible for students to discharge college debt, have even mentioned the issue at his victory speech in California on Tuesday night had Sanders not pushed him in that direction? As for the candidates who appear to be the also-rans of the Super Tuesday field: Im sad that Elizabeth Warrens star has dimmed. She is such a decent human being, such a tenacious fighter for economic policies that favor the working and middle classes. When she needed to be harsh on the debate stage as she was against Michael Bloomberg she was devastating. When the moment called for conciliation, she was brilliant. She was organized, well-funded and seemed to have moved past the early stumbles over her heritage. Why did she never catch fire? The owner of an Antioch dog training company faces up to 10 years in prison after being convicted this week on four felony counts of animal cruelty, according to the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office. Garry Reynolds, 39, was found guilty for the neglect of and unsuitable living conditions for four dogs left in his care. The jury in the case also found Reynolds not guilty on three counts of felony animal cruelty. Antioch officials began investigating the case in 2018 after police received a report of a Doberman named Gunnar's death at a property Reynolds was renting. When officers arrived at the property, they found rotten raw chicken meat in several dogs' kennels, urine and feces around the house and improper use of the house's ventilation system despite extremely warm weather in Antioch at the time. Several dogs were also kept in small rooms or stacked kennels in the house's kitchen. Garbage littered the inside and outside of the house as well, according to the district attorney's office. In total, nine dogs were removed from the property. "Garry Reynolds took advantage of his customers and his ownership style contributed to the maltreatment of these dogs and the horrible death of Gunnar," said Deputy District Attorney Arsh Singh, the case's prosecutor. "The defendant claims to be a premier dog trainer yet showed no sign of remorse and did not accept responsibility for the dogs under his care." Reynolds' former co-defendant in the case, Devon Ashby, took a misdemeanor animal cruelty plea deal in the case and would ultimately testify for the prosecution. Reynolds faces up to 10 years in state prison for the conviction and because he has prior strike offenses. Reynolds will be sentenced this spring. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. An iconic balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet, virtually deserted as Italy battles a coronavirus outbreak,in Verona, Italy, on March 7, 2020. (Alberto Lingria/Reuters) Italy Places 16 Million People on Quarantine Over Coronavirus Head of Italy's Co-governing Democratic Party Infected Italy introduced drastic new measures to fight the coronavirus epidemic, including a quarantine on 16 million people in the wealthy northern part of the country. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree on Sunday that effectively will place millions of people on lockdown. The entire Lombardy region as well as 14 other provinces are now facing government-mandated travel restrictions, including Milan, Venice, and Parma. There will be an obligation to avoid any movement of people who are either entering or leaving the areas placed on lockdown, Conte said, according to CNN. Even within the areas moving around will occur only for essential work or health reasons, he remarked. Italy has recorded more than 230 deaths and thousands of infections, representing the most fatalities outside of mainland China and most inside Europe. Reports have said that the head of the co-ruling Democratic Party, Nicola Zingaretti, was infected with the virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease. This is a national emergency, Conte remarked to reporters. Our objectives are twofold: to contain the spread of infectionswe cant afford itand we have to take action to prevent the overloading of our hospitals. A tourist visits Milans Duomo cathedral, as it reopened to the public for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak in northern Italy, in Milan, Italy, March 2, 2020. (Yara Nardi/Reuters) People wearing protective masks walk through Florence as Italy battles a coronavirus outbreak, in Florence, Italy, on March 7, 2020. (Jennifer Lorenzini/Reuters) Those who are found breaking the rules could face as many as three months in prison. Quarantine zone residents cannot travel inside of it, employees are asked to take a leave from work, and elderly people and other high-risk groups should stay home. Under the new measures, people are not supposed to enter or leave Lombardy, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro and Urbino, Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano Cusio Ossola, Vercelli, Padua, Treviso, and Venice, the BBC reported. Officials from Italys southern regions told people from the north to stay away. Dont come back to Puglia, and if you are already on your way, turn back, said Michele Emiliano, governor of the southern region of Puglia, according to the Wall Street Journal. You are carrying a virus that has already brought northern Italys health-care system to its knees. Like other southern regions, Puglia on Sunday imposed a two-week quarantine on anyone coming from the north. The World Health Organization, in a Saturday statement, said that allowing uncontrolled spread should not be a choice of any government, as it will harm not only the citizens of that country but affect other countries as well. We must stop, contain, control, delay and reduce the impact of this virus at every opportunity. Every person has the capacity to contribute, to protect themselves, to protect others, whether in the home, the community, the healthcare system, the workplace or the transport system, the statement added. By 6:15 a.m., Terri Feil and her husband, Dave, had showered, packed and passed their temperature screenings with flying colors. They were itching to leave when there was a knock on the door. Personnel outfitted in protective gear were delivering their breakfasts a signal that their departure Monday was not going as planned. No, no, no, the Feils protested. Were leaving today. Just following orders, the workers said, and left. My husband and I looked at each other, and we went, Oh no, oh no, Feil said. There is something wrong. After two weeks under quarantine in a spartan hotel room at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, the Feils would be marooned for yet another day. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio, Bexar County in battle with the CDC over evacuees Terri, 64, and Dave, 69, had been away from their home in Houston for about two months. Their cruise on the Diamond Princess was disrupted by an outbreak of the new coronavirus, which spread among the thousands of people on board. Confined for days on the ship while it was docked in Japan, they were eventually evacuated with 142 other Americans to Lackland. Evacuees at risk of carrying the coronavirus arrive at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland aboard a chartered Boeing 747 on Feb. 7, 2020. Evacuees at risk of carrying the coronavirus arrive at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland aboard a chartered Boeing 747 on Feb. 7, 2020. Photo: Billy Calzada /Staff Photographer Photo: Billy Calzada /Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 19 Caption Close There is something wrong: Inside the delayed release of the Diamond Princess evacuees 1 / 19 Back to Gallery Unlike a dozen others in their group, neither had developed symptoms of the virus. When Monday came, their scheduled departure day, they thought they would finally be free. But they would be among more than 100 evacuees swept up in a political and legal battle between local officials and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC team in charge of the quarantine, having determined the group was healthy, was prepared to let the evacuees go March 2, as indicated on their federal orders. By then, however, local officials had lost confidence in the agency. Two days before the Diamond Princess quarantine was to be lifted, the CDC had released an earlier evacuee. That person had been infected with the coronavirus and appeared to have recovered, but was later found to still have the virus in her system. Furious, city and county officials insisted that the former cruise passengers should stay put until they could be retested for the virus, in the event that they, too, could still pose a risk to others. With the clock ticking, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff mounted an all-out offensive: declaring public health emergencies, then seeking a court order to block the evacuees from leaving the base, a move that failed. In the end, local officials didnt have the authority to force their will on the federal agency. By the time the ordeal was over, some of the evacuees were upset with the CDC for not immediately disclosing what had happened with the other evacuee and how it might affect their departure. Others were frustrated with the local officials who, in their minds, had needlessly extended their confinement. No matter where they directed their ire, all could agree that they were drawn into a situation larger than themselves. For Terri Feil, the scenario felt like something out of the movie Groundhog Day. Its just a nightmare that you keep waking up to, she said. Ready to go The day before, Terri Feil said, everything appeared 105 percent ready to go. About 4 p.m. Sunday, March 1, the Feils and the other evacuees used their government-issued cellphones to dial into a conference call with the CDC team in charge of their care, part of the daily routine to get information and ask questions about their quarantine. During the call, officials talked about preparations for their release the next day, which had been dubbed Operation Return Home. According to a packet distributed to the group, a final round of temperature checks would begin at 6 a.m., and those who had been medically cleared would receive a green wristband and a document rescinding their quarantine. A flow chart indicated a series of stations the evacuees would visit before boarding buses that would take them off the base. There was no mention of the chain of events that had unfolded just hours earlier. About 2 a.m., an ambulance modified for infectious disease control had been dispatched to a Holiday Inn Express near the airport. Emergency responders were to pick up a guest, a woman had been evacuated to Lackland in early February from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the global epidemic. On ExpressNews.com: Calm the panic: With impending release of cruise ship evacuees, San Antonio health officials begin pivot to community coronavirus plan The woman was the first person in San Antonio and the only one in her evacuee group of 91 to test positive for the coronavirus. Shed been hospitalized since Feb. 11, but even after she was no longer symptomatic, the virus continued to circulate in her body for an unusually long period of time. When she was retested, her swabs came back negative on Feb. 21 and 25 and she had been deemed safe for release, according to the CDC criteria in effect at the time. She was released from quarantine on the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 29. Later that evening, the results came back from a third set of samples, this time showing she still harbored low levels of the virus. By then, the woman had come into contact with at least 21 people at the hospital and the hotel, along with an unknown number of people at North Star Mall, where shed gone for about two hours to eat and shop. It wasnt clear whether she was infectious. Still, in the middle of the night, the CDC ordered her return to isolation at the Texas Center for Infectious Disease. By Sunday morning, officials with San Antonio and Bexar County had learned what happened. They would spend the rest of the day discussing what to do next. Based on what happened with this patient, they wondered, how were they to know something couldnt go wrong with the other evacuees? Meetup at the mall Back at Lackland, Terri Feil just wanted to know how she and her husband would get home. Because they live in Houston, it didnt make sense for the Feils to go the airport and get on a plane. Their 45-year-old son, David, a police officer in Houston, planned to drive the 200 miles to San Antonio to take them home himself. Throughout Sunday, she kept asking the federal team the same question: Where could their son pick them up? The handout theyd been given just said: Local Drop Off: After 10:00 am. Location provided to individuals. No matter how many times we asked, they said that information would be forthcoming, that they did not want it leaked to the press, Feil said. On ExpressNews.com: Not a question of if, but when: U.S. health officials gear up for community coronavirus spread About 4:45 p.m. Sunday, the text came through: The drop-off point was 7400 San Pedro an entrance to North Star Mall near the Cheesecake Factory. Feil, a retired IRS agent, and her husband, who has a military background, were perplexed. Wouldnt it be conspicuous to take people weighed down by large suitcases to a mall? At the time, they had no idea it was the very same public place where the Wuhan evacuee had gone a day earlier. Nonetheless, by the time they went to bed that night, their minds were at ease. As far as they knew, they would be sleeping in their own beds the next day. Watching, waiting, wondering Linda Levell, 71, and her husband, Jim, 72, also awakened early Monday in preparation for their trip back to Vincennes, Ind. If the delivery of breakfast was a warning sign, what came next was confirmation of their fears. During a conference call about 8:30 a.m., the evacuees were told that for the time being, their release was on hold. That morning, local officials had begun raising questions with the CDC about whether it was safe to allow the evacuees to disperse into the community. About 10 a.m., Nirenberg and other local officials held a news conference. Some evacuees watched from their rooms. Nirenberg lambasted the CDC for its screwup and said hed do everything in his power he didnt specify how to ensure the Diamond Princess passengers were not released until they were retested. Hours passed, and anxiety mounted. On ExpressNews.com: Victims of circumstance: Cruise ship passengers quarantined at Lackland faced chaotic trip home Still wearing masks, some evacuees filtered into the parking lot outside the hotel complex at Lackland, forming a line with their suitcases along the curb. The Levells room was at the back of the hotel, so they couldnt see the parking lot from their windows. By late morning, their friends, who were housed at the front, told them the buses had left. We were all very frustrated and wondered what was going on, said Levell, a retired kindergarten teacher. As the day progressed, Feil said she felt sadder and sadder. The couple, having put it off as long as they could, called their son to tell him. He was already close to Sealy, about 50 miles west of Houston. Still, he insisted on getting to San Antonio, even with the release very much in question. He returned home, packed an overnight bag and got back on the highway. He checked into a hotel about five miles from the base, planning to wait there as long as necessary. Seeking a flee to freedom Other evacuees, including Levell, were making their own calls to state and federal officials and journalists, in a bid to expedite our flee to freedom. Some of their pleas were heard by members of San Antonios congressional delegation, who in the early afternoon got on the phone with the CDC, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department and attorneys for the federal government. Those on the call knew that some evacuees had retained their own lawyers and were considering suing the government for unlawfully holding them against their will. The federal lawyers seemed to agree that the evacuees had a point they were asymptomatic and many had already tested negative for the virus. The quarantine orders specified 14 days. Legally, it appeared the federal government did not have grounds to hold them longer. Officials in San Antonio were forging ahead with their own plans. By early afternoon, the mayors office had issued the public health emergency declaration, which allowed the Metropolitan Health District to compel quarantine and isolation of the public, and even take over private property for such efforts if necessary. It banned the movement of any evacuees through the city. On ExpressNews.com: With cruise ship evacuees, Lackland coronavirus quarantine grows to 234 A few hours later, Bexar County Wolff declared a similar emergency. About that same time, the evacuees were directed to dial into another conference call. It was with Rear Adm. Nancy Knight, leader of the CDCs Division of Global Health Protection and the person in charge of the Diamond Princess quarantine at Lackland. One evacuee, who sounded frustrated, asked why Knight had not explained the situation with the Wuhan evacuee earlier. Levell thought Knight answered with great knowledge and great grace, as she always did. If anyone wanted to know about the Wuhan evacuee, Levell figured, they could simply turn on the TV. The CDC was trying to negotiate with the government. When youre in a situation like that, you tell the people youre representing what they need to know, Levell said. On ExpressNews.com: Two more Diamond Princess evacuees at Lackland test positive for coronavirus, bringing confirmed cases to 8 Terri Feil, who had indeed found out via the media, had a different viewpoint. Like Levell, she thought the CDC had taken good care of them until that point. All of that good went to hell in a hand basket, Feil said. When you are dishonest with people, you lose everything. You lose all confidence in them, she said. If they had told us, if they had given us a clue, instead of making us feel like, what did we do, what did we do wrong? Carol Williams, a CDC spokeswoman, would later say the evacuees were given updates about a rapidly evolving situation as details became available. Throughout Monday, the city of San Antonio continued to push for an extension of the quarantine. In federal court, officials attempted to obtain a temporary restraining order to prevent the evacuees from leaving. The effort was shot down by a U.S. district judge, who wrote in his order that while he shared the concerns raised by city officials, he had no authority to overrule the CDCs quarantine criteria. Local officials also had no jurisdiction to go onto federal property. Another knock, this time welcome That evening, many of the evacuees were drained from the unrelenting stress of the day. Resigned, Feil had already changed into her pajamas when, about 9:15 p.m., there was a loud knock at the door. It was man holding two manila envelopes. He asked whether they were listening to the third conference call of the day. I have here in these envelopes your releases from this facility, Terri Feil remembers him saying. Feil said she went ballistic, jumping up and down in excitement. She and her husband dialed into the call. On ExpressNews.com: Diamond Princess evacuees finally head home, despite local officials efforts to extend their coronavirus quarantine Levell remembers hearing Knight say she was hopeful they could leave the next day without being stopped by city officials. If people wanted to leave that night, they could be picked up at one of Lacklands gates. The Feils opted to leave immediately. While Terri threw on some clothes, her husband called their son, who was directed to drive to one of the nearby gates. A van arrived to take them and another couple to the meeting point. The four of us were gone, and we were not going to give anybody an opportunity to change their mind, Terri Feil said. They got into their sons car around midnight and pulled into their driveway in Houston about 3:30 a.m. The Levells didnt leave until the next day. When they walked past the chain link fence surrounding the hotel, Levell was touched when the federal team burst into applause the same gesture as when they first arrived. As soon as they were through airport security, the Levells headed to a bar for Bloody Marys. Political pawns The evacuees arrival had been similarly chaotic and politicized when some of the American passengers from the ship tested positive for the virus just as they were being evacuated. To Levell, what happened with their departure from Lackland was an overreaction by local officials. Unlike the Wuhan evacuee, theyd never been sick. There was a lot of hysteria over that, she said. That didnt have anything to do with us. We were totally different. We felt like we were being political pawns. Theres no question about that. She also was upset to hear local and state officials criticize the CDC employees, who had just had been our advocates for two weeks. In the time Levell was quarantined, the virus had reached across the country, killing at least 19 people as of Saturday. If the virus becomes more widespread, Levell would not fear the prospect of being quarantined again, only at home next time. At least there, she would have her family and other comforts. The Levells are now wading through stacks of mail and bills. Were just trying to transition back into our life, which wont ever be the same after this situation, Levell said. Lauren Caruba covers health care and medicine in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | lcaruba@express-news.net | Twitter: @LaurenCaruba - Ghana has recorded a second suspected case of Coronavirus after a lady showed symptoms - The USA-based Ghanaian was at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for a procedure - She exhibited a high grade of fever and was immediately quarantined - Her samples have been taken to The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research for further checks Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Information reaching YEN.com.gh indicates that a second suspected case of COVID-19 or Coronavirus has been recorded at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra. The reports had it that a Ghanaian woman based in USA was in the country to undergo a certain procedure at the health facility. Preliminary tests run on her showed that she had a high-grade fever and was immediately quarantined for further investigations. READ ALSO: National Cathedral: If we have to break the whole of Accra to build so be it - Lawrence Tetteh Her samples were sent to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) for investigation. The woman is said to have returned from the United States of America to Ghana for a medical procedure. The Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Badu Sarkodie said in an interview on Accra-based Citi FM that the suspected patient reported to the KBTH on Thursday afternoon, MArch 5, 2020. Yesterday, information reached us in the evening that there is a suspected case in Korle Bu and tests have been taken to know exactly what it is. Indeed, it is suspected to be COVID-19 and samples have been taken and sent to Noguchi Memorial Institute. I have been informed that they are actively working on it so we are waiting for the report. This person is a Ghanaian citizen who was living outside the country and has come to the country for a medical procedure, he said. READ ALSO: 63rd Independence Day: Security personnel and masqueraders engage in 'jama' competition (video) He said Noguchi is expected to complete the tests on the latest case by close of day. This is the second time the KBTH is recording a suspected case of the deadly disease. The first one which involved two Chinese nationals tested negative after examination and testing by the Noguchi Medical Research Institute. However, reports coming in following the suspicion is that the samples turned out negative for the deadly virus. The Ghana Health Service (GHS) had earlier said 33 suspected cases of Coronavirus in Ghana had all tested negative. This one adds up to the number to make it 34. READ ALSO: Mahama shows romantic and poetic side to Lordina on her birthday (photo) Ghana marks her 63rd Independence today, what makes you proud to be a Ghanaian? | #Yencomgh Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh New Delhi: Air India, like every year, is celebrating International Women`s Day in its traditional style by operating several all-women crew flights on its international and domestic routes including the non-stop Delhi to San Francisco flight. "Women cockpit and cabin crew of Air India are operating both wide and narrow-body aircraft to all corners of the world and across the nation to salute woman power in sync with our socio-cultural ethos," an official statement read. Air India is perhaps the only single airline to operate so many domestic and international flights operated and supported by only its women employees - reiterating the equal role and opportunity that women deserve in every organisation, the statement informed. "It is a moment of pride and honour for Air India as our women employees are leaving their mark in the annals of the aviation sector on a global scale. I would like to congratulate our women crew for operating so many flights on various international and domestic routes," Air India spokesperson was quoted as saying. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Jessica Baldwin Phillips, the new executive director and CEO of Historic Richmond Town, documented her passion for American history early in life -- in a love letter she penned to George Washington when she was 12 years old. Just for fun, she recalled with a mischievous smile and a giggle, when asked why she poured her heart out to our nations first president. Today, Phillips, 36, resembles a kid in a candy store as she strolls the historic grounds of New York Citys most comprehensive interpretive village. Its a one in a million, said Phillips, who has been in the role for 18 months. I feel very lucky. She proudly pointed out the new renovations to the Guyon House Colonial Tavern, a two-story clapboard building that suffered heavy damage in April 2018 when it was struck by an SUV. Phillips eagerly oversaw its repair and the rebirth of the Tavern Concert Series that had been put on hold throughout the complicated process. Her face lit up as she entered the Tin Shop, a former grocery store that dates to the 1850s -- though she said shes hesitant to pin down a favorite structure on the 100-acre Richmond site. We have a tinsmith she boasted, while gesturing toward the many artifacts and supplies stocking the shelves. Her name is Annie. Her father is our carpenter. And, though the historic structures on the grounds more than 40 in total, if you count outhouses have steadily attracted visitors through the years, its the living, breathing demonstration of Staten Islands history she said shes focused on expanding. A skiff dating to 1890 is on display in the Historical Museum at Historic Richmond Town. (Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel) In fact, when the Brooklyn resident and mother of two first strolled the massive grounds and enjoyed Eggers ice cream with her family at Richmond Town a short time after submitting an application for her current position, thats exactly what she thought was missing. I saw new lamps and new roads, the beginning flames of growth, said Phillips, noting that Eggers, a longstanding Staten Island institution, is a perfect fit. But there was nothing to do. There were no people. That changed with the addition of several new programs and the rebirth she triggered in others, said Kevin Fisher, a 10-year member of the board of directors and its current president, who said the hiring of Phillips is the accomplishment hell be most proud of when he steps down in June. Honestly, if you look back five years, and you came to the campus, there werent many people there, Fisher said. Now, theres always people there. Its a park. Its Parks Department property. Thats the way it should be, and thats what were really proud of. Longstanding programs, like an apprentice program, have been refreshed and improved, and others, like an annual barbecue cook-off, and Oktoberfest, variety shows, a food and wine festival and the Richmond County Fair, which is held annually on site and is its largest fundraiser, are getting updates and, as a result, more and more interest from the community, he said. Shes expanded all of these things and brought more life to it, Fisher explained. The transformation was particularly eye-opening in 2019, when the Summer Open Village program kicked off with the help of $5,000 in seed money from the office of City Councilman Steven Matteo. During that summer, Phillips vision came to light and the historic village came alive with live demonstrations by period artisans and tradespeople including a blacksmith and a basket maker -- seven days each week, from July through September. Summer Open Village will continue this year. It was a game-changer attracting visitors, who poured in to surround themselves with the living history of 18th-, 19th- and early 20th-century New York City. A 45% increase in attendance brought in enough revenue to finance three new full-time staffers, originally hired on a temporary basis, Phillips said, and it was also enough to finance more initiatives. It was a test, she said. But we saw the success. We took risks, but the community has been very receptive. With great integrity head carpenter Patrick Corbett from Fifty Three Restorations Inc. restores the Guyon House Colonial Tavern after it was damaged by a vehicle in April 2018. (Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel) The school program currently hosts between 30,000 and 35,000 school children a year, she said, adding: Ive been so encouraged by the communitys love for this site. Yet, behind the crafts, events and tours, Phillips holds steady on the less-exciting business end including balancing a $1.8 million annual budget, Fisher said, and management of Historic Richmond Towns three other properties. These include: Decker Farm, New Springville, the citys oldest working farm; the 350-year-old Billiou-Stillwell-Perine House, Dongan Hills, Staten Islands oldest structure; the Judge Jacob Tysen House in Livingston. Its no mean task, Fisher said. She brings real business acumen, Fisher pointed out, noting that Historic Richmond Town is a not-for-profit enterprise that gets about half of its funding from the city Department of Cultural Affairs. Its a very complicated job because there are a lot of stakeholders; four properties in four different political districts. Its part of the Department of Cultural Affairs, but sits on Parks Department property. Every decision concerns a lot of stakeholders. In order for programs to flourish and expand, Phillips said, You need to make money. Looking ahead 10 years, Id like to see it busy all year long, said Phillips, who was executive director of the Fraunces Tavern Museum in lower Manhattan for five years before accepting the position on Clarke Avenue. And Id like to see the entire campus active, with things for all ages to do. Funding from Councilman Joseph Borelli financed capital improvements, making it possible for Historic Richmond Town to exhibit more artifacts during the villages 40th anniversary and beyond. Historic Richmond Town possesses 40 vintage vehicles and more than 60,000 pieces, Phillips noted. Its so wonderful that these politicians support this mission and they see the community value, she said. (Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel) And though only 20% of the 100 acres has been developed for community use, Phillips said shed like to see that change. In a respectful manner, she emphasized. This place was founded by historic preservationists, and we are here to serve the community. Phillips grew up in upstate Dutchess County, N.Y., and hadnt even heard of Staten Island -- much less Historic Richmond Town -- until adulthood. She met Staten Islanders while attending Marist College, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., in the early 2000s. It was there, too, that the history major (who also holds a masters degree in public history from the State University of New York at Albany) realized that her nations fascinating history must have a place in her future, she said. Everyone else in her family was drawn to law or technology careers, she said. While growing up, theyd all be playing video games, she recalled. But Id hide in my room and read books about history. In her current role, she mixes that love with the business of tackling city permits, meeting with preservationist groups and board members, and balancing budget demands that grow and change with the properties. Success begets success, Fisher said, acknowledging the overwhelming costs involved in preserving centuries-old structures. If you gave me $50 million, I could spend it just renovating these buildings." Yet, there wont be a pricey black-tie gala to fill that bill at Historic Richmond Town. Here, the fund-raising takes a family-friendly spin. The Richmond County Fair is our gala, Phillips said of the annual event that features vendors, carnival games, food and a four-day stage music festival, attracting thousands of people of all ages. Its the peoples gala, she explained. And thats just the way she wants it. Dozens of sexual assault survivors and their allies lined up to share intimate details of their trauma on Thursday night as the House Judiciary Committee, for the first time since 2006, voted 8-1 to give victims of childhood sex abuse unlimited time to sue their perpetrators and the institutions that harbor them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed grief over the death of former Union minister and Congress veteran Hansraj Bhardwaj. "Anguished by the passing away of former Minister Shri Hans Raj Bhardwaj," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted quoting Modi. "My thoughts are with his family and well-wishers in this hour of grief. Om Shanti," the tweet said. The former Union law minister died after a cardiac arrest at a hospital here on Sunday evening. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A couple wearing face masks rides a bicycle at a park in Seoul, Saturday, March 7, 2020. AP A total of 103 countries and territories were enforcing or planning to impose entry restrictions or tougher quarantine procedures on people from South Korea over coronavirus concerns, foreign ministry data showed Sunday. The tally, as of 2 p.m., remains unchanged from late Saturday's figure, but the number of countries and territories barring the entry of travelers from all of Korea rose by one to 37, according to the foreign ministry website. Saudi Arabia was moved to this list as it now bars the entry of people who have been in Korea, Japan, Italy and Azerbaijan in the past two weeks. The Middle Eastern nation had imposed the ban for China, Taiwan and a few others, whereas for Korea, it had only barred the entry of tourists. Six other countries were either planning to enforce or already imposing an entry ban on people who have been in two of Korea's southeastern areas -- Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province -- where the bulk of COVID-19 infections have occurred. Some of them apply the ban to a few other nearby cities and counties as well, like the Maldives, which imposes the ban on Korea's second-largest city of Busan. Italys cases have nearly tripled from about 2,500 infections last Wednesday to more than 7,300 on Sunday, and deaths rose to more than 360. In the Lombardy region of Italy, which has been locked down, classes, conferences and even funerals are banned, and people are required to keep a distance of one meter from one another. The shutdown of Italys economic powerhouse could be a test for the West: Can Chinas heavy-handed measures, which it says is a success, work in a place fiercely protective of personal liberties? Californians are on edge as a cruise ship crisis begins at their shore on Monday. After 21 people on board tested positive, the Grand Princess part of the same company that runs the Diamond Princess is to let passengers disembark at the Port of Oakland, to be hospitalized if needed and quarantined if not. Here are the latest updates and maps of where the virus has spread. The fatality rate: The World Health Organization has estimated the rate at 3.4 percent, shocking experts but the real rate is elusive. Heres why. Elsewhere: In China , 10 people have died and dozens are still trapped after a hotel used as a quarantine building collapsed. The owner is under police custody. New York declared a state of emergency, as the states caseload rose to 105 on Sunday from 89 on Saturday. Oregon, with just 14 cases, followed suit on Sunday. In Iran , where dozens of senior officials are sick, a senior adviser to the supreme leader and a member of Parliament died after contracting the virus. Saudi Arabia is canceling all classes at schools, universities and technical institutes, and has cut off access to Shiite Muslim towns and villages in the east of the kingdom in an attempt to contain an outbreak there. What to know: Heres how to quarantine yourself if you need to; how to protect a family member in a nursing home; and how to stock your pantry in case of closings and restrictions in your area. If you havent already, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter. PORTLAND, Ore. -- Governor Kate Brown has declared a State of Emergency due to the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon. Governor Brown made the announcement at a press conference in Portland at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. Governor Brown says she made the decision after consulting with the Oregon Health Authority. "I can also assure you that local and state health officials are working around the clock to address this crisis," Brown said. The State of Emergency will remain in effect for 60 days. "It can be extended until the public health threat of the virus is contained," Brown said. Oregon Health Authority director Patrick Allen says at this time there are 14 positive test results for COVID-19 in the State of Oregon. That includes seven new presumptive cases. Allen says those cases are in Douglas County, Marion County, and Washington County. These newest cases are all examples of "community spread," apparently due to contact with a previous case. None of the seven new cases were spread due to travel. On Saturday, Jackson County and Klamath County public health officials announced presumptive positive cases in Jackson and Klamath counties. Click here to learn more about those cases. Allen says the Oregon Health Authority is working with licensed medical professionals to make more resources available in rural communities. Allen also says the OHA is expanding telemedicine, which allows health care providers to screen, evaluate, and treat patients without them having to go into a clinic or doctor's office. The OHA says that is a good way to help limit exposure opportunities. Click here to learn more about the spread of Coronavirus in the state and ways the CDC suggests to stay healthy. RUNNING MATE: Joe Biden at a campaign rally in LA last week with his wife Jill leading the applause. Photo: Chris Carlson/AP Joe Biden is now the frontrunner to take the US Democratic Party's nomination to run against Donald Trump later this year. And he's a strong contender for the White House. But he must be ready to counter the voter suppression tactics that derailed the party in 2016. His performance last week on Super Tuesday - winning 10 out of 14 states, taking Massachusetts and Texas against the odds, and increasing the turnout of his strongest demographics - has given him phenomenal momentum. Although the race with Bernie Sanders isn't over, he is now the likely winner. He has proven his significant support among older and black voters is resilient. He's shown he can energise those voters to turn out in numbers. And he's secured the support of almost every high profile, moderate Democrat. He is, however, not a flawless candidate. And Trump knows that. We already know what a Trump-Biden election campaign will look like. Any modern political campaign has a series of communication objectives loosely grouped into three areas - boosting the turnout of your base, converting wavering swing voters and depressing the turnout of your opponents' supporters. We are already familiar with the Trump approach to the latter. They'll be dusting off the 2016 playbook to deploy the exact same voter suppression tactics used successfully against Hillary Clinton. Four years ago Trump's campaign had a clear strategy. They did everything they could to ensure that certain segments of the Democratic base, black voters, white woman and young liberals, didn't turn out for Clinton as they had for Obama in 2012. It worked. By targeting Clinton on areas such as alleged corruption, her capacity for the role of president and her past comments about minority groups, they suppressed turnout among key voter groups in swing states like Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina. Contributing strongly towards Trump's victories there, it led to his overall electoral college victory. Trump will seek to replicate these attacks on Biden because, to win, he needs a certain cohort of potential Democratic voters to look at the ballot paper and think "why bother voting - they're all the same". If Biden is nominated, Democrats can predict the Republican strategy: attack Biden on perceived corruption, capacity for the role, and his historic record and comments about key minority groups. All designed not to convert voters to Trump, but to win the turnout war. None of this is guesswork. It's already started. Trump and the Republicans have invested significant time embroiling Biden in an alleged corruption scandal focusing on his son's role as a board member of a Ukrainian energy company. No evidence has been found of any wrongdoing by either Biden. Yet Trump declared live on Fox News last Wednesday that Biden Junior "will be a major issue in the campaign - I will bring that up all the time". They did the same to Clinton in 2016. Trump used the term "crooked Hillary" in six out of 10 of his most retweeted tweets and allegations of corruption in the Clinton Foundation and controversy around deleted emails dominated the 2016 campaign. Another constant trope from Trump was that Clinton didn't have the "stamina" to be president. Trump surrogates like Rudy Guiliani were baldly feeding baseless far-right conspiracy theories of a hidden medical condition by directing people to search for "Hillary Clinton Illness" on Google. In the aftermath of Super Tuesday, Giuliani posted a video of Biden mistaking his sister for his wife behind him, saying "It is obvious this man is cognitively impaired." Is this point gaining traction? Of course it is. Trump picked up the thread at a campaign town hall last Thursday - saying there was "something going on" with Biden in reference to verbal missteps he's made while campaigning. One of the most significant factors in Clinton's loss was the drop in turnout among black voters in swing states. They turned out for Obama in 2008 and 2012 but not in 2016. This helped Trump bring traditional Democratic states to the Republican side. Biden has strong backing from these voters. His comeback is being driven by them. Trump knows he'll need to dent that support - and his campaign will use tried-and-tested means. In 2016, they targeted ads, directly quoting Clinton referring to some African American children as "super predators", to black voters in swing states. Biden also has a history of racial gaffes. Last summer at a campaign event he said that "poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids", and his opposition to busing, an initiative to reduce racial segregation in schools in the 1970s, has already been exposed in the past year. He was also one of the authors of the now controversial 'Clinton Crime Bill' in 1994 - a series of initiatives that some have linked to the increase of mass incarceration of minorities. His support among African Americans is a strength. White women will be important to both men in November. Trump won this demographic in 2016 but a recent Fox News poll suggests he will perform worse with female voters this time out. Trump aimed to suppress Clinton's vote with women by associating her with her husband's past. In advance of the second presidential debate, he invited three women who accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault or harassment to a live streamed press conference. Likewise, one of his most direct attacks on Biden so far has been the sharing of a doctored version of a video where the former vice president was responding to allegations of his unwanted physical contact with women. Trump's video includes a cut-out of Biden walking around in the background - at one point massaging his own shoulders. All of these problems can be applied, more dramatically, to Trump himself. Which is part of the plan. Rather than trying to change the minds of certain voters about his worst traits, he's making sure those traits are also associated with his opponent. The goal isn't conversion or persuasion; it's apathy or ennui. Countering these attacks isn't easy. Particularly given not all of them are unsubstantiated. And much of it is outside of Biden's control - he will be relying on voters seeing him as more trustworthy and authentic than Clinton. But his choice of running mate could blunt the effectiveness of these voter suppressing attempts. In 2016, Tim Kaine didn't help Clinton address any of the weaknesses Trump subsequently exploited. Kaine was a moderate Democrat who doubled down on existing Clinton strengths. In hindsight, he was a mistake. If Biden wins, he must pick a running mate who widens his appeal and provides an energetic, progressive presence. Stacey Abrams, who almost became a Democratic governor in the strongly Republican Georgia, or Kamala Harris, the senator and former candidate who took Biden to task on his opposition to busing, would be strong picks. Both would attract progressive voters and act as a firewall against losses of support among African American or female voters. For now, all indicators point to Biden being the Democratic nominee. Trump's strategy will be similar to four years ago. What remains to be seen is how Biden defends himself against the president's obvious plays. Seeing missiles coming doesn't mean you can survive their impact. Protesters marking International Women's Day in ultra-conservative Pakistan on Sunday came under attack with stones and sticks, reflecting the movement's challenge in a society where females are still put to death under ancient "honour" codes. During a march in the capital, Islamist counter-protesters hurled sticks and stones at the women's rights demonstrators, causing some injuries and forcing a crowd of people to seek cover before the police intervened. Tension had risen in Islamabad when about 1,000 women and men gathered to call for greater reproductive and other rights. They carried signs including "Be a Man Support Women", and "Let's Work For a Day Where Women Walking in the Streets Feel Safe". The march ended at a park alongside a separate "anti-feminist" Islamist rally, where women's faces were veiled and one large sign read: "We Claim That Only Islam Gives Rights to Women". The duelling protests were separated by a line of police and a flimsy barrier. Amnesty South Asia called on Pakistani authorities to hold accountable those who attacked the women's rights marchers. "The horrific attack on the #AuratMarch, which includes stones being hurled at peaceful protesters, represents the very violence women are protesting against today", Amnesty tweeted. Pakistan's Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, also in a tweet, said "local Administration is taking actions against those who attacked the peaceful protesters with stones, sticks etc violating the law". This year's tensions follow last year's second annual Women's Day "Aurat (Women) march", which sparked a backlash including rape and death threats. In a society where women have been shot, stabbed, stoned, set alight and strangled for damaging a family's "honour", marchers have been accused of promoting Western, liberal values and disrespecting religious and cultural sensitivities. "The women in Pakistan are considered property by their male counterparts," said Tahira Maryum, 55. "There is nothing vulgar in asking for your rights." At the Islamist counter-protest, dozens of women in burqas held their own placards including one saying "Anti-Feminist", while shouting, "Our bodies, Allah's choice". AFP saw several men throwing sticks and stones at the women's march. Ismat Khan, a 33-year-old woman, said women's rights activists were "naive" and being exploited by non-governmental groups and "the Jewish lobby". "We are free and to live our lives are according to Sharia," she told AFP. In Lahore, several hundred women and men took to the streets chanting slogans including: "Give me what's mine" and "We want freedom", while more than 1,000 people gathered at a park in the southern port city of Karachi, chanting slogans, beating drums and singing. "We are not scared of mullahs (religious leaders). Let them be jealous of us," said Anis Haroon, a veteran women's right activist in Karachi. - 1,000 killings annually - The nationwide "Aurat march," from the Urdu word for women, also saw a group of women gather in the southern city of Sukkur near the Indus river. The waterway is where the bodies of women who have been slain in "honour" killings are sometimes dumped. This year, anti-march campaigners filed unsuccessful court petitions to try to ban Sunday's events, and a religious political party warned it would stop the march at "all costs". Much of Pakistani society operates under a strict code of "honour", systemising the oppression of women in matters such as the right to choose whom to marry, reproductive rights and even the right to an education. According to estimates, at least 1,000 women fall victim to honour killings in Pakistan each year. Rights activists have long fought against the patriarchal notion of "honour". In neighbouring Afghanistan, frequently rated one of the world's worst places to be a woman, a handful of people took to the streets to mark Women's Day. University graduate Tahmina Ghoori said that while urban Afghan women have seen some progress since the end of Taliban rule in 2001, they still face many challenges due to "gender inequality and the misogynistic views in our society". She was especially worried about the possibility of the insurgents returning to power on the back of a US-Taliban deal signed last month. The inundation of Europe with Muslim migrants intent on permanent settlement is unprecedented in world history. Europe, which has accepted vast numbers of the migrants, has become an epicenter of Islamic terrorism replete with alarming levels of migrant crime, including Muslim sex slave gangs and sharia-controlled "no-go" zones. Faced with this reality, four Central European countries Hungary, Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia have adamantly refused to accept Muslim refugees, earning criticism from the European community and prosecution by the European Court of Justice. But now, with Turkey threatening to open its border and inundate Greece with thousands more Muslim refugees, the European community appears to have paused in its ongoing acceptance of migrants and pledged to protect Greece's border. It illustrates the threat that has existed from the beginning from the mass movement of Muslims from the Middle East and North Africa. Some view the migration as a "humanitarian crisis" and call critics "xenophobes" or "racists" who lack compassion. Others question the motivation for the sudden refugee onslaught and ask why Europe must shoulder responsibility and absorb the mass exodus when proximate, affluent Muslim countries have not offered assistance. They see, instead, a planned invasion or hijra, a 1,400-year-old Islamic doctrine modeled after Mohammed's migration from Mecca to Medina. It is designed to subvert and subdue non-Muslim societies and pave the way for total Islamization, in this case, of all Europe. It began in 1990, when the U.N. high commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) established a liaison with the European Union (E.U.) and its executive branch, the European Commission (E.C.), to monitor the asylum and migration process. This led to resolutions and recommendations on refugee policies by the European Council, heads of state of E.U. member-nations that determine overall E.U. political priorities. In 2015, E.C. president Jean-Claude Juncker unveiled a proposal to redistribute Muslim refugees flooding Europe to all E.U. member-states. The European Council followed with a plan that gave refugees the right to settle in E.U. member-states based on each country's economic and demographic circumstances. All were required to participate, with substantial fines to be imposed against countries that rejected refugees. The E.C. edict was particularly problematic for the Visegrad (V4) countries Hungary, Poland, Czechia and Slovakia, four Central European countries with a combined population of 64 million, constituting the fifth largest economy in Europe. Unlike the rest of Europe, they had only recently recovered their sovereignty after suffering under the Iron Curtain and resisted delegating power to a central authority. They balked at the E.U. refugee resettlement policy, unwilling to jeopardize national security and their cultural and religious traditions. The V4 countries clearly identified the stark reality facing the continent. They recognized that the asylum-seekers were infiltrated by ISIS and other terrorist groups, included refugees resistant to assimilation, and represented a drain on national resources. The countries preferred to provide aid to migrants in or near their countries of origin. Polish leader Dominik Tarczynski affirmatively stated that Poland would not accept a single Muslim illegal migrant. He proudly points to his country's record of safety not one Islamic terrorist attack. Tarczynski has compared Muslim immigrants to Polish immigrants, pointing out that "zero Poles" have blown themselves up in any country in the world for their religion or out of hatred. Deflecting charges of "racism" and "nationalism," he defends his policy that has protected his countrymen. For this, he has been vilified by E.U. leadership. Tarczynski acknowledges that Poland has taken in two million Christian Ukrainians, but he defends himself against charges of "Islamophobia" by plainly stating that Poland chooses to be a Christian country free of the problems facing the rest of Europe struggling with Muslim migration. His country is not responsible for conflicts in Syria or Iraq, he has said, and has pointed out that wealthy Arab countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, well equipped to accept Muslim refugees, do nothing to help their co-religionists. Government officials from Hungary, Czechia, and Slovakia have all adopted similar restrictions. Current V4 leader and Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has maintained that the "refugee crisis" is a well funded, well organized invasion and that NGOs are serving as human-smuggling groups. According to Orban, Hungarian intelligence discovered that 95% of the migrants were military-age men in military-style group movements. Few are innocent women and children who suddenly appear when the media are present. Orban has financed a "Hungary Helps Project," which provides aid directly to churches and charities to assist migrants to remain in their own countries. The funds are earmarked for persecuted Christians, a population typically ignored by other governments and the media. For the past five years, the V4 have remained at the forefront of an effort to stem massive Muslim migration into Europe. They have collectively refused to accept any compulsory long-term refugee resettlement quotas set by the E.U. and notably remain virtually unaffected in a continent rife with Islamic terrorist attacks and sharia-compliant no-go zones. In 2017, the European Commission took Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and charged them with breaking E.U. law by refusing to accept asylum-seekers under the E.U.'s mandatory migration quotas. The three countries were criticized for reaping the benefits of the union while failing to meet their humanitarian and political responsibilities. The ECJ denied that legitimate security concerns existed and cited legal obligations to follow E.U. policies. Leaders in Hungary, Poland, and Czechia responded that their security and cultural cohesion were threatened by the E.U.'s refugee plan and denied that legal grounds existed to impose such quotas. The ECJ will rule on the matter later this year. So it stood until just recently, when Turkey opened its border to Greece and threatened Europe with the arrival of several million refugees. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's president, threatened the invasion following the E.U.'s lack of support for Turkey's military incursion into northern Syria. Thousands of so-called asylum-seekers from Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Morocco, and several East African countries have traveled to the Turkish border in recent days. President Erdogan has gone so far as to make a formal announcement about the open border and supply buses and maps to facilitate the latest crossings, despite a 2016 agreement with the E.U. to prevent refugees from illegally entering Europe. Greek authorities claim that Turkish soldiers have used wire-cutters to open the borders and that Turkish police have provided the "refugees" with tear gas canisters to be used against Greek police blocking their passage. Reports from Greece also allege that freed prisoners have been escorted to the E.U. border in Turkish police cars and that Turkey has deployed 1,000 policemen to halt any pushback of migrants. All this has sorely tested the E.U.'s tolerance for the migrant problem, and government officials are condemning the onslaught. They have agreed to help Greece and mobilize a Frontex force to protect the border. Suddenly, the Greek border is a European border, and the E.U. is expressing solidarity with the rest of the continent and a willingness to mobilize the necessary operational support to fortify the defensive actions of the Greek authorities. It remains to be seen if this new development represents a volte face of the E.U.'s 2015 policy on refugee resettlement or is a temporary moratorium to slow the tide of migrants into Europe. It certainly lends credence to the Visegrad Group's characterization of Muslim migration as an invasion and a serious threat to Europe's way of life. Australians who run out of toilet paper amid a shortage in response to coronavirus concerns should be using gum leaves or hosing off in the shower, says Pauline Hanson. The One Nation party leader said people who live in the outback have traditionally used gum leaves instead of toilet paper and that stocking up shouldn't be a priority. She said even if people were to run out of gum leaves, cleaning themselves in the shower would always be another alternative. 'If you can't do that then get in the bloody shower and wash yourself down for Christ's sake,' she told The Today show on Monday morning. Two women got into a heated debate when one attempted to take a bag of toilet paper off the other, despite having her own trolley full In the past week, Australian supermarkets have been stripped bare of essential supplies - including toilet paper and hand sanitiser - as people prepare for a potential coronavirus pandemic. There have been at least 81 confirmed cases of the disease in Australia, including three people who have died, while more than 109,000 people have been infected globally. Authorities believe the situation will get worse before it gets better, and the disease has the potential to infect tens of thousands more people on home soil. Regardless of the potential outbreak, Ms Hanson doesn't believe toilet paper should be stockpiled. 'I'm still trying to come to the understanding about what is the correlation between coronavirus and toilet paper,' she said. 'I still don't get it.' Pauline Hanson said people could use gum leaves or their showers to clean themselves during a toilet paper shortage She went on to describe people who have contributed to the hype and the shortage as idiots. 'They're idiots. People have become so precious these days,' she said. Coles and Woolworths introduced stringent limits on people buying toilet paper in response to the hysteria. In Coles, shoppers can only buy one packet at a time, while Woolworths customers can buy two. Hand sanitiser, and in some cases certain foods like rice, are also restricted until manufacturers can begin to meet demand. There have been at least 81 confirmed cases of the disease in Australia, including three people who have died Senator Hanson said if anything, coronavirus should serve as a 'wake up call' to the Australian government and businesses. 'They need to have a hard look at themselves about encouraging manufacturing and industry in Australia,' she said. 'This is a wake up call... Make ourselves reliant instead of relying in products from overseas.' Australia closed its borders to China in the wake of the crisis, and have since also restricted travel between Iran and Korea. The decision was made in response to the spike in cases in the regions and the threat posed to Australia. Globally, at least 3,802 people have died of coronavirus - primarily in mainland China, where the outbreak originated. Boxes of face masks provided by the Chinese Embassy in Seoul to help patients with symptoms of the COVID-19 are stacked in a building of the Ministry of Education's National Education Training Institute complex in Daegu, March 2. The embassy said Saturday that the Chinese government will provide about 1.1 million masks to Korea to help the country fight the COVID-19 spread. Yonhap By Jung Da-min China will provide face masks and anti-contamination suits to Korea to help it fight the coronavirus epidemic, according to the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, Saturday. The embassy said Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming met with Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Kim Gunn, Friday, and delivered his government's message. "Ambassador Xing told Deputy Minister Kim that Beijing will provide 100,000 N95 masks, 1 million surgical masks and 10,000 medical anti-contamination suits and, if needed, 50,000 diagnostic kits, to support the Korean government and citizens in dealing with the COVID-19 spread," a statement by the Chinese Embassy said. It said Xing expressed gratitude for the Korean government's previous support and aid when the COVID-19 situation became severe in China. "Xing said China is willing to upgrade the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries by carrying out agreements made between the leaders of the two nations and reinforcing cooperation." Pakistan uses fake Islam is in danger narrative as main theme of its terror indoctrination How Pakistan used almonds to fund terror and back-stab Indias good-will on LoC trade Pakistan violates ceasefire along Line of Control India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 08: The Pakistan Army on Saturday shelled and fired on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, a defence spokesman said. The firing from small arms and mortar shelling from across the LoC began at 1.30 pm. In retaliation, the Indian Army gave a befitting reply, he said. Two killed after Pakistan army attacks 5 unarmed Indian civilians along LoC There are no immediate reports of any casualty on the Indian side. Cross-border shelling was going on when the reports last came in, the spokesman said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 10:44 [IST] Dearborn, Mich. The Democratic presidential primary is down to two major candidates, and it shows. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders are spending their first weekend as their party's last top White House contenders increasingly taking aim at one another. Each wants to show he's the best choice before six more states Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota and Washington vote on Tuesday. It reflects the new contours of a race that once featured 20-plus Democrats. An increasingly bitter matchup could endure for months as Biden and Sanders compete for the right to face President Donald Trump in November. "We have a two-person race," Sanders said Saturday in Dearborn, a Detroit suburb with one of the nation's largest Arab American populations. "And all over this country, people are asking themselves which candidate can best defeat Trump. I have zero doubt in my mind that, together, we are the campaign that can beat Trump." Campaigning in St. Louis, Biden took a number of veiled swipes at Sanders, even as he called on Democrats to rise above Trump's division. He told the crowd that if they wanted to nominate a "lifelong" and "proud" Democrat, they should pick him. Sanders has run for office as an Independent and identifies himself as a democratic socialist. "If you want a nominee who'll bring the party together, who will run on a positive progressive vision for the future, not turn this primary into a campaign of negative attacks because that will only reelect Donald Trump if we go that route if you want that, join us," Biden said. Winning, he added, "means uniting America, not sowing more division and anger." The former vice president also knocked Sanders' weeks of suggestions that he is the candidate who can prompt record voter turnout in November and defeat Trump, saying that actually "we're the campaign that's going to do that." Sanders argues that no Democrat will win the presidency "with the same-old, same-old politics of yesteryear." And in a sign of how biting the contest may become, Sanders supporters including his campaign manager raised questions about Biden's stamina after he gave a seven minute speech in St. Louis. At his second stop, in Kansas City, he again gave a truncated version of his stump speech, speaking for a little over 15 minutes. Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir issued a tweet noting Biden's short speaking time and highlighting the fact that Sanders had three campaign events on his schedule, "each speaking engagement extending for close to an hour." Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. That prompted swift online push-back from Biden allies. Democratic strategist Guy Cecil, who leads the party's largest outside spending group, tweeted, "Spreading conspiracy theories online won't help your candidate" but "it will help Donald Trump win in November." But the focus on Biden's age is somewhat ironic given that the 78-year-old Sanders is actually a year older than Biden. Sanders, who has served in Congress since 1991, says he's bucked the establishment of both parties for decades with unpopular stands that now give him the credibility to lead a political revolution "from the bottom up." Sanders is pledging to increase Democratic turnout by drawing younger voters, minorities and working-class people to the polls even though they tend to vote in lower concentrations than many other Americans. Strong support among Hispanics lifted Sanders to victories in Nevada and California, but Biden trounced him in South Carolina and throughout much of the Deep South that voted during last week's Super Tuesday. Biden especially ran up the score with African Americans. Some activists are disappointed that a once diverse field of women and minorities has dwindled to two white men in their late 70s. But in Dearborn, Sanders, who is Jewish, said he was inspired by so many Arab Americans backing him. "I see people coming together from so many different backgrounds. It is beautiful," he said. He also joked about his age, saying, "Sometimes people say, 'Bernie, you're 33 years of age. How do you keep going?'" Top advisers expect Sanders to finish strong in Washington. Still, he canceled a trip to Mississippi to focus on Michigan, Tuesday's largest prize. He made a stop in Chicago's Grant Park on Saturday afternoon, and declared that he has a different vision than Biden, "And the American people are going to hear about it." Sanders will spend the rest of the weekend in Michigan, while Biden is in Missouri and Mississippi. Sanders said repeatedly that he and Biden are friends and that, if he's not the nominee, he will support Biden against Trump. But, he added, "In the remaining months, I intend to make it clear what my views are and what Joe Biden's are." The campaign is being conducted as the country is contending with the coronavirus outbreak. The AFL-CIO said Saturday that it was canceling a scheduled presidential forum set for Thursday in Orlando. TROY A string of videos that track two suspects in the Christmas Week 2017 killing of four people in a Lansingburgh apartment from that Rensselaer County neighborhood to Schenectady is expected to be vital evidence when the County Court trial starts Monday for one of the men. Its been more than two years since James White, 39, of Schenectady was charged with nine counts of first-degree murder and four counts of second-degree murder for his alleged role in fatally stabbing Brandi Mells, 22; Shanta Myers, 36; and Myers' two children: Jeremiah Myers, 11, and Shanise Myers, 5, in their basement apartment at 158 Second Ave. The videos set a timeline for the quadruple homicide, according to court papers filed by White when he unsuccessfully sued Judge Debra Young last year to overturn or delay her rulings in his murder case. The videos show two men believed to be White and his accomplice Justin Mann walking up a driveway to 158 Second Ave. at 7:37 p.m. Dec. 21 without any backpacks, according to Whites filing. The two men then walk back down the driveway about an hour and 40 minutes later at 9:19 p.m. carrying a black backpack, a light-colored bag and a black garbage bag with what was believed to be a flat screen TV, according to the legal papers. The next time anyone went to the apartment was five days later when shortly before 1 p.m. Dec. 26, the day after Christmas, the bodies of the four victims were found tied to chairs, police said. City police described the crime scene as one of the most horrific they've ever encountered and kept members of the department away from it. Mann identified White as the person who killed the two women and two children. Mann, 26, of Schenectady pleaded guilty in April 2019 to four counts of second-degree murder in a plea deal. Mann agreed to testify against White in exchange for a sentence of 25 years to life, which will give him the opportunity to apply for parole. In addition to the 13 murder counts, White also was indicted for one count of burglary, one count of robbery and two counts of criminal possession of stolen property. The top murder count carries a maximum sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole. Judge Young, at the request of the prosecution, issued an order of protection to keep White away from Mann as both are being held in the county jail. Prosecutors worried that White would try to influence Mann. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. The court papers tell how the two men were tracked through videos recorded by a Troy city street camera riding a bicycle to a CDTA bus stop. They were then seen putting the bike on rack and taking the bus to Schenectady where they got off in Hamilton Hill and left with the bike. Schenectady police were able to locate the bike outside Manns home and linked him through a police report to White, according to court papers. White has taken an active role in his own defense. Hes requested two changes in defense attorneys, leading to the replacement of Assistant Public Defender Greg Cholakis, and then Steven Sharp. Current defense attorney Kurt Haas asked to be removed due to starting a new job, but White wanted him to stay on. Chief Assistant District Attorney Matthew Hauf not only has turned over copies of papers and evidence to Haas but has also supplied White with his own copies to review at the county jail. The turnovers in defense attorneys and Whites complaints that he was not given enough time to review the evidence led to the delay. Jury selection begins Monday and is expected to last three to five days. The entire trial may last three weeks. AS the death toll staggers at over 3,000, it is worrying for all citizens that those in auth Three women have emerged as the top candidates in the race to become Paris mayor, all but ensuring that one of the world's most prestigious civic offices will remain in female hands. Incumbent Anne Hidalgo, the conservative Rachida Dati and centrist Agnes Buzyn could not be more different in temperament nor career paths, yet each embodies key components of the city's social mosaic. - Anne Hidalgo - Paris's Socialist leader has been at the helm since 2014, after serving as deputy mayor of the world's most visited city since 2001. Hidalgo was born in 1959 in San Fernando, a town in Andalusia, Spain, to an electrician father and a mother who worked as a seamstress. Two years later the family moved to Lyon in southeast France -- Ana became Anne and citizenship came when she was 14. "One day in second grade, my teacher told me, 'little Spanish girls don't make it to the top of the class.' That only made me want to take up the challenge," she told the Parisien newspaper this month. Her term as Paris mayor began with a baptism of fire -- the 2015 jihadist attacks at Charlie Hebdo and then the Bataclan concert hall, which shattered the city's famed joie de vivre. Hidalgo pushed ahead with her signature plan to reduce automobile use, including a controversial move to turn a key riverbank highway into a promenade. Opponents accused her of a high-handed approach, a claim she brushes off by saying she wants to move quickly. She has also suggested that sexism underlies much of the criticism. "I don't like people walking all over me. Certain things infuriate me, I can't stand lying, but I am honest and forthright," she told Le Parisien. Challenges have mounted, however, as residents complain about increasingly dirty streets and a proliferation of rats, migrant camps, and costs of living that are driving some 12,000 people out of Europe's densest city each year. - Rachida Dati - Dati, who burst onto the national scene as justice minister under president Nicolas Sarkozy, was born in 1965 in the drab industrial town of Saint-Remy, north of Lyon, and raised in social housing in nearby Chalon-sur-Saone. Daughter of a Moroccan father and Algerian mother, Dati's success made her a poster child for France's promise of integration and merit-based social opportunity for all. The second of 11 children, she would help her siblings with homework while juggling her own studies and part-time jobs, including caregiver at a local hospital. She racked up diplomas in law and business, and has worked as an auditor in both the private and public sectors, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as well as a public prosecutor. But Dati became a divisive figure in rightwing circles after becoming justice minister, with both allies and critics noting a blunt manner and self-assuredness of someone who has reached the highest ranks by sheer force of will. She is currently the focus of a corruption inquiry over allegations she was paid 900,000 euros ($1 million) by the disgraced former Renault boss Carlos Ghosn for fictious advisory work. She has denied the charges. - Agnes Buzyn - A born-and-bred Parisien, Buzyn was a successful doctor who suddenly entered politics when she was picked as health minister after Emmanuel Macron swept to the presidency in 2017. Her maternal grandparents came to the city from Poland in 1929, and during the Nazi occupation of World War II they spirited her mother away to eastern France where she was hidden by a French family. Her father, also from Poland, survived Auschwitz and became an orthopaedic surgeon before arriving in France in the 1950s. As a student, she travelled to the US where in her own words "I discovered hard rock... I'm a fan of Linkin Park, Metallica." The leukaemia specialist was just 30 when named director of haematology at the renowned Necker hospital, and later became head of the national cancer institute. Since entering government she has faced a simmering revolt among overstretched hospital workers, and is now facing her first electoral battle after declaring her last-minute candidacy as replacement for Benjamin Griveaux, brought down by a sex-video scandal. "Politics is violent and at times painful, but when you've had to give horrible diagnoses to families, to children, it's really much less serious," she said last month. When negotiating for members, unions are allowed to only negotiate for wages, benefits and working conditions. Many teachers use those wages to pay for school supplies which the districts do not supply, because of budget cuts, to educate the students. They use those benefits, such as health care and sick leave, to stay well and to recover from the illnesses that students bring with them and infect their fellow students and their teachers. Working conditions include the number of students per class room, class size. Did you know 15 is considered ideal but is seldom seen. They also cover the number of classroom aides to assist the teachers with students with special needs. Based on their education, many teachers could make far more in the private world than teaching. A New Jersey couple said they are stuck on a cruise ship circling off the coast of California, after 21 cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed onboard. Karen and Harry Dever, from Moorestown, have been quarantined inside their room since 1 p.m. Thursday. Originally scheduled to leave Hawaii and stop in Mexico, the ship has been circling in international waters for several days after leaving Hawaii. So far, 19 crew members and 2 passengers have been diagnosed with novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Karen Dever told NJ Advance Media that life onboard the quarantined ship wasnt as bad as it could be. The couple is in a room with a balcony, so theyve been alternating watching reruns of Love Boat with sitting outside and getting fresh air and sunlight. Passengers were given free wifi on Saturday, and Dever was able to order a few drinks from room service. Meals are being delivered to their cabins, and have generally been fine, with two exceptions: dinner on Friday didnt come until 11 p.m., and Sundays breakfast was horrible, Dever said. Not sure if theyre getting down to the bottom of the storage bin or not, Dever joked. While isolation might be manageable, the lack of information has been frustrating. Dever said passengers were first told theyd be let off in Oakland, California, on Sunday. Less than 20 minutes after that announcement, friends messaged the couple to say theyd seen news reports that disembarking was pushed to Monday. The frustrating thing is, we dont know whats happening next. Its in the hands of the federal government, and I dont think theyre handling it well at all, Dever said. She planned on contacting her congressman Sunday. Theres a lot of people worse off. We met a couple from Nebraska where he is in the middle of chemo, there are people with oxygen with them, there are families with young children, which I cant imagine being stuck in a room with little kids who cant understand why they cant go out and play, Dever said. Dever has mostly accepted whats been happening, saying, I know this is serious but I cant be more upset, theres nothing I can do. Neither Dever nor her husband have any underlying health conditions, and are confident they would be fine if sickened. The Devers ordeal onboard is likely almost over, but theyre still a long way from home. Although the ship will dock some time on Monday, healthy non-California residents are told it could take several days to get off board. After that, Dever doesnt know where theyll be sent. Sick passengers will be taken off the ship first and taken for treatment and hospitalization, Princess Cruises, which sails the Grand Princess, said in a statement posted to Twitter. California residents will be taken to a federally operated facility within the state for testing and isolation, while passengers from other state will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states, the cruise line said. Crew members will be quarantined and treated on the ship, the cruise line said. The ship will leave Oakland as soon as passengers have finished disembarking, and will remain elsewhere for the duration of the crews quarantine, Californias Office of Emergency Services said in a statement. Over 1,000 of the ships passengers are from California. The Port of Oakland will be sealed off as passengers disembark, the office said in a statement. No one will be quarantined in the city, and no passengers will be released into the general public, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said. While California has declared a state of emergency because of the coronavirus, cases in New Jersey have been limited so far. Six New Jersey residents have been diagnosed as of Sunday afternoon, with 27 still awaiting results. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK Gas prices dropping in N.J. as coronavirus concern cuts into oil production N.Y. rabbi who tested positive for coronavirus held services in N.J., state officials say Uncharted territory': How 1 N.J. school district plans to teach kids remotely during potential coronavirus closure Coronavirus phone safety tips: Heres how to clean and sanitize your smartphone. Most N.J. Catholic churches ban communion wine Coronavirus outbreak: The week the virus spread to N.J. Yankees get coronavirus warnings from doctor in pregame lecture Nonstop Acela trains between Washington and New York suspended due to coronavirus SXSW canceled because of coronavirus concerns Trump signs $8.3B bill to combat coronavirus outbreak in U.S. Coronavirus deaths have N.J. nursing homes on high alert Are kids immune to the coronavirus? What parents need to know. Coronavirus symptoms: What should I do if I think I have been infected with COVID-19? To prevent coronavirus, airports, bus depots, and PATH trains intensify cleaning Coronavirus outbreak begins to impact March Madness $45 for 2 bottles of hand sanitizer? Watch for coronavirus price gouging Will warm weather stop the deadly coronavirus from spreading? Coronavirus panic is growing. Heres what you need to know. Will you be paid if your boss tells you to stay home because of coronavirus? If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, enter your email address below. Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieKausch. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. DANBURY A free dental clinic planned for later this month at the Western Connecticut State Universitys ONeill Center has been postponed out of an abundance of caution over the potential spread of coronavirus. The CT Foundation for Dental Outreach announced on Satruday it is postponing its CT Mission of Mercy free dental clinic that was scheduled for Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21. Josephine Bicknell, executive director of CFDO, said the decision was made out of an abundance of caution because of the coronavirus. We are mindful of COVID-19s risk and want to limit potential exposure to both our patients and volunteers, Bicknell said in a statement. The organization is in the process of identifying dates to reschedule the clinic. Volunteer registration will be reopened for the event once new dates have been selected. The decision was extremely difficult to make, Bicknell said. However, we felt it was the best one for everyone involved. The news of the postponed clinic comes just one day after it was announced a hospital employee at Danbury and Norwalk hospitals had tested positive for coronavirus, and the same day that it was announced a physician who rounded at Bridgeport Hospital also tested positive for COVID-19. Both hospital employees are Westchester County, N.Y., residents. Officials said their exposure to the virus was linked to the outbreak in New Rochelle a city in Westchester County. Nine people being tested for COVID-19 in Connecticut. There have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus among Connecticut residents. Pennsylvanias bloated House and Senate has 253 lawmakers making between $88,610 and $138,327 a year, plus perks and benefits, with thousands of staffers at their disposal. Even with all the resources at its disposal at an annual price tag of roughly $360 milion, the General Assembly has been declining in productivity when it comes to enacting meaningful legislation. Considering all this, one would think legislative leaders would be forthcoming regarding how its money is being spent. The people footing the bill might like to know. But that is hardly the case. While the Legislature is not subject to most of the transparency laws that relate to local government, it is supposed to make its financial records public. Yet when a pair of news organizations requested records relating to legislative spending, the House and Senate turned over documents that were redacted so heavily that it was impossible to get a clear understanding of the purpose behind the listed expenditures. The redactions primarily concealed with whom legislators were meeting, and why. Legislative officials said the information was kept secret based on legislative privilege, an obscure clause in the state constitution that they said protects lawmakers ability to speak and debate without retribution. This is deeply wrong. For one thing, it is not in lawmakers interests to keep this information secret. Just look at some of the material that was initially redacted but later made public. A great example relates to two breakfast meetings totaling $1,623 that outgoing House Speaker Mike Turzai held last year. The unredacted records revealed that the speaker had met with Eagle Scouts. Keeping information on government spending secret only leads people to think the worst, especially in this era of conspiracy theories and general deep suspicion of political leaders. It also further erodes public trust in government, which Pennsylvania can hardly afford. And if lawmakers really do have something to hide, thats an even bigger problem. We have serious doubts that the framers of Pennsylvanias constitution intended the clause in question to be an excuse for hiding relevant information from taxpayers. The point of it, according to good-government advocates, was to allow lawmakers to speak freely in official proceedings. Read the text of the clause and it seems clear enough: The members of the General Assembly, it states, shall in all cases, except treason, felony, violation of their oath of office, and breach or surety of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the sessions of their respective Houses and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House they shall not be questioned in any other place. Yet thats the cited reason for blocking much of the information requested by Spotlight PA and The Caucus, a pair of independent Pennsylvania news organizations that were seeking records covering all legislative expenses, except salaries and benefits, from 2017 through 2019. It was part of their collaborative effort to document the spending of the Legislature. What could be of greater interest to the public than that? We understand the need to protect personal information such as bank account numbers and home addresses. But we object to blacking out information about meetings lawmakers and staff spent money to conduct. Constituents have a right to know with whom their legislators are meeting, and why. David Cuillier, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Arizona and president of the National Freedom of Information Coalition, offered an excellent analysis of the situation in Spotlight PAs report on this situation: They (lawmakers) need to buck up, have some backbone, and be accountable. We couldnt agree more, and we congratulate our colleagues at Spotlight PA and The Caucus for pushing to get this information out to the public. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. #LADScanmakeit! Phuket boys advance in Red Bull Challenge Can you, yes you, travel for seven days across Europe with Red Bull as your only currency? Thats right, Red Bull, that sweet syrup packed with a punch made popular all across Thailand originally under the name Krating Daeng, literally translating to Red Bull in Thai, and later given a touch of the bubbly across the pond to compete in the soda-obsessed West. Community By Sean Kelly Sunday 8 March 2020, 11:00AM Red Bull may give you wings, but it certainly cannot pay a tab, or a taxi fare, or even a room for the night. Or can it? Thats what three young lads raised in Phuket hope to achieve in the coming weeks but they need your help. Leon Carpenter, Angus Hamelton, and Danny James, who all spent their formative adolescent years here in Phuket and attended BISP, are representing team L.A.Ds (Get it well wait for you) in the Red Bull Can You Make It challenge. So how does it work? First, teams across many nations submit a video and attempt to garner as many votes as possible. Next, a select number of teams that amassed enough votes, advance to the next round that is selected by judges and based on things like the teams social media presence, public support and the overall marketability of the teams. Team L.A.Ds has already made it past round one, with the final round taking place this week, and thats where you the reader come in. The #LADScanmakeit! According to official Red Bull rules, finalist teams will receive complimentary flights to one of five starting points throughout Europe. Each team must relinquish all credit cards, cash and mobile phones. Teams will take off at the same time, each with a total of 24 cans of Red Bull to use as their only currency, and must reach Berlin within one week. Think Normandy but less barbed wire, bullets and blood and more caffeine, taurine, inositol and B vitamins. So what are the rules these lads must play by? According to Red Bull, teams will earn points on their journey in three ways: Completed Checkpoint Challenges, Social Score and Completed Adventure List Challenges. As the lads learned in BISP, a code of honour is essential to maintain positive character and compete with distinction. The Red Bull Can You Make It? code of honour states that teams are not allowed to earn, accept or use any form of currency other than Red Bull. No use of personal or borrowed mobile phones, computers, tablets or other devices, except for the officially supplied event device. Teams must use this officially supplied event device to upload photos, videos and other content along their journey and track their progress. No use of frequent flyer miles or pre-organised modes of travel, so that buddy you helped out on Couchsurfing.com or that smelly backpacker in elephant pants making their way to Chang Mai is of no assistance to you now. A personal favourite rule, and notice the operative word, No severe sabotage of the other participating teams. Being an international event, teams must act in accordance of the law in each respective country, no parting of the team at any time meaning that all travelling and checkpoint challenges much be completed as a threesome, although time may be allocated for bathroom breaks as an exception. Each team must visit a minimum of six checkpoints and any violation of any of the rules will result in immediate disqualification. The team will then be responsible for its own safe transportation back home. Got it? Still think you can make it? The L.A.Ds know they can. The Phuket News spoke with the L.A.Ds prior to the final vote and were excited to see them move on the next level. We now hope we can all help their march to Berlin. Next Monday (March 9) is D-Day for all finalists as they learn whether they survived to make the final cut. We will then know if we will participate in the competition from April 21-28, said Angus. We made the top 53 in voting, and a panel of judges at Red Bull now decides who the top 13 are, presumably based on video quality, character bio, and other factors like social media ground swell, he added. Make no mistake about it, these globetrotters are Phuket boys. I was born and raised in Phuket and went to BISP for 17 years, graduating in 2018. Due to my upbringing I consider Thailand my home, having spent the majority of my life there. Growing up in Phuket allowed myself, as well as Angus and Danny, opportunities for adventure and activities that may have taken us out of our comfort zone which is perfect preparation for this event, said Leon. I lived in Phuket for 14 years, said Angus, and Im a dual national with both a British and a Thai passport. I went to school at BISP for 12 years (with a four-year stint at boarding school in the UK), spending lots of time travelling between countries and struggling with boarding school, which I believe has really pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me how to grapple with new challenges, all whilst Thailand has managed to kept itself as my home. Danny told The Phuket News, I personally came from South Korea back in 2011 and instantly fell in love with the laid-back but still exhilarating Phuket lifestyle. I went to BISP for all of my nine years in Phuket and am thankful for all the opportunities I was provided there. When asked about preparedness for the wild and wacky obstacles and checkpoint activities Red Bull is likely to throw at the L.A.Ds, Leon said, Id say were all very sporty individuals, however, we also enjoy activities such as wake boarding, rock climbing, surfing, flow boarding. Asked about their experience with multicultural situations and the patience gained in Thailand that could prepare them from all that is Europe, with its many linguistic layers, Angus said, Yeah, I think thats one thing weve all learnt, having lived in a country that isnt our own most of our lives, is patience and acceptance that we wont always be able to communicate quickly but I feel we are very adaptable in that sense. As a confident group of individuals, we see the adventures list and challenges as an area in which we can achieve quite well. As a group, we have been working together from a young age, and our chemistry and team dynamism I believe will allow us to tackle problems in unique ways. On top of this, we have seen the social media reaction to our push for votes and our success through the voting phase gives me faith that we can also achieve good social media interaction during the event. Whilst with the race part, I imagine the key will be our adaptability and improvisation that will carry us. The boys got a nice bump of 200 votes to push them over the edge and remain a contender for the March 9 vote thanks in part to The Phuket News and the sharing of the story on social media. Most definitely the push from The Phuket News helped us reach a market we wouldnt have access to, as well as social media like Facebook Instagram and Snapchat, where posts are so easily shareable and resulted in a lot of support from our friends around the world in places such as Australia and the US, said Angus. Our parents also played a big part in helping promote us. I think they want to see us take part in the challenge as much as we do, he concluded. New Delhi: At least 22 Indians, who are stuck in Iran, on Sunday (March 8) sought help from the central government urging to take steps for their immediate evacuation. According to a report, all the 22 Indian citizens are trapped in Iran's Busher hotel and work at a shipping company. All these citizens are from different states, including Jammu, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. "Respected sir. we 22 seafarers in Bhushar Hotel (IRAN). Kindly rescue us from IRAN. Due to flight cancellations, we were unable to come. We communicate Indian Embassy Bandar Abbas but we did not get any help from them. Kindly rescue us from IRAN," read a statement, by one of the citizens. Earlier on March 6, the Health Minister informed the Parliament that efforts are on to bring back Indians stranded in Iran. Iran on Saturday reported 49 new deaths from the novel Coronavirus and 1,076 fresh cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall tolls to 194 dead and 6,566 infected. "More than 16,000 people are currently hospitalised as suspect cases," health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in a televised news conference as he announced the tolls. He added that 2,134 of confirmed cases have recovered from the illness. The Islamic republic is battling one of the world's deadliest outbreaks of the disease outside China, where it originated. Iran's capital Tehran remains the worst-hit province in the country, with 1,539 confirmed cases, though the situation is worsening in northern provinces. More than 300 of the new cases were reported in Mazandaran province, a top tourist destination north of Tehran on the Caspian sea. IranAir has stopped all flights to European destinations, the official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday, citing a statement from the Civil Aviation Organization. "With attention to the restrictions that have been placed on (IranAir) flights by Europe for unclear reasons all IranAir flights to European destinations have been suspended until further notice," IRNA reported, citing the statement. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 7 directed officials to identify locations for sufficient quarantine facilities and make provisions for critical care as he reviewed the Coronavirus situation. The total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India stands at 39. Lab tests say suspicions have not been confirmed. Six residents of Chernivtsi region who had earlier been admitted to a local hospital with certain symptoms of the novel coronavirus turned out to be clean of covid-19, according to the press service of the Chernivtsi Regional State Administration citing data from the virology lab at the Center for Public Health in Kyiv. "Test results for coronavirus in six Chernivtsi region residents who were admitted to the infectious unit of the regional clinical hospital are negative," the press service told UNIAN. "Also, no covid-19 has been confirmed in persons who had been in contact with them," the statement says. Read alsoWHO deploying mission to Ukraine as part of preparedness for COVID-19 As UNIAN reported earlier, on March 3 the first case of coronavirus in Ukraine was confirmed in Chernivtsi the man who contracted the coronavirus had just returned from Italy with his wife. Doctors hospitalized the man, while his wife went for self-isolation at home before also being admitted to one of the city's medical facilities. She currently has no symptoms of covid-19. On March 7, another person with suspected coronavirus infection was hospitalized in Chernivtsi. It was reported that a patient with signs of an infectious disease arrived from a country where cases of covid-19 had earlier been recorded. We're a family of seven living in Georgia where Andrew's working as a professor at GSU. You can read more about us here VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascent Industries Corp. (CSE: ASNT) (Ascent or the Company) announces today that the Company has implemented its first amended and restated consolidated plan of compromise, arrangement and organization (the Plan) under the Companies Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). Distributions under the Plan, as well as the issuance of common shares of Ascent that were to be issued pursuant to the terms of the Plan, are now complete. The Company was unable, however, to obtain a further extension of the stay of proceedings provided by the order obtained by the Company on January 28, 2020. Accordingly, the stay of proceedings expires on March 6, 2020 and the Companys CCAA proceedings will conclude upon expiry of the stay. APPLICATION FOR MANAGEMENT CEASE TRADE ORDER As previously reported by the Company, Ascent was advised by the British Columbia Securities Commission that, pursuant to CSA Practice Guidelines, cease trade orders are not issued against reporting issuers who are subject to a stay within CCAA proceedings. However, with the expiry of the CCAA stay of proceedings, the Company expects that it will no longer fall within the scope of the aforementioned CSA Practice Guidelines. Upon exiting from CCAA, the Company will not have filed the following continuous disclosure documents prior to the filing deadlines prescribed under National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations (NI 51-102): (i) its audited annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018, including the related management discussion & analysis, and accompanying CEO and CFO certifications (collectively, the "Annual Filings"); and (ii) its interim financial statements for the three month period ended March 31, 2019 and related management discussion & analysis and accompanying CEO and CFO certifications; (iii) its interim financial statements for the three month period ended June 30, 2019 and related management discussion & analysis and accompanying CEO and CFO certifications; and (iv) its interim financial statements for the three month period ended September 30, 2019 and related management discussion & analysis and accompanying CEO and CFO certifications (items (ii), (iii) and (iv) are collectively referred to as the Interim Filings). Story continues Accordingly, the Company will be making an application to the British Columbia Securities Commission and other applicable securities regulators under National Policy 12-203 (NP 12-203) requesting that a management cease trade order (MCTO) be granted in respect of the late filing of the Annual Filings and Interim Filings. If the Company receives the MCTO, it is anticipated that for the duration of the MCTO is in effect, the Companys directors and senior officers and such other persons as determined by the securities regulators will not be able to trade the Companys securities. There is no guarantee, however, that a MCTO will be granted. If the MCTO is granted, the Company intends to comply with the provisions of the alternative information guidelines as set out in NP 12-203 for so long as it remains in default due to the late filing of the Annual Filings and Interim Filings, including the issuance of bi-weekly default status reports by way of press releases. With respect to the preparation and filing of the Annual Filings and Interim Filings, the Company has engaged Kingston Ross Pasnak LLP (KRP) as the successor auditors of the Company following the resignation of MNP LLP as the Companys auditors which took effect as of February 28, 2020. The Company and its management are committed to working closely with KRP to complete the filing of the Annual Filings and Interim Filings as soon as possible, and ahead of the filing deadline of April 29, 2020 for its audited annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019. CORPORATE UPDATE On January 28, 2020, the Company entered into a loan agreement (the Loan Agreement) with Enhanced Pet Sciences Corp. (the Borrower) pursuant to which the Company agreed to loan the Borrower the principal amount of US$500,000 (the Principal Amount). Pursuant to the terms of the Loan Agreement, the Company agreed to permit the Borrower to subsequently advance the Principal Amount by way of an intercorporate loan to its 60% indirectly-owned subsidiary, AgTech Scientific Group, LLC (AgTech). The Principal Amount under the Loan Agreement shall be repaid by the Borrower on December 31, 2020. Interest on the Principal Amount accrues at a rate of 8% per annum (non-compounding). In support of the Borrowers obligation to repay the Principal Amount, three major shareholders of the Borrower (the Guarantors) each have provided the Company with guarantees along with one Guarantor providing collateral security for the Borrowers obligations under the Loan Agreement. The Company holds a minority equity position in the Borrower, pursuant to a CAD$360,000 investment completed in 2017 and 2018 and the Company views this loan as further support of the AgTech business operations. This strategic alliance with AgTech follows the Companies previously disclosed intention to focus its efforts and resources in the US hemp CBD industry. AgTech operates a hemp derived CBD production facility in Paris, Kentucky, including a two million square foot greenhouse and a purpose-built extraction facility to house industry standard ethanol extra and recovery machines. Management of the Company is in discussion with AgTech with a view to future business collaboration. The Company will make further announcements with respect to these discussion as and when appropriate. The Company confirms that there is no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed as of the date of this press release. BI-WEEKLY DEFAULT STATUS REPORT The Company provides this default status report pursuant to National Policy 12-203 - Cease Trade Orders for Continuous Disclosure Defaults ("NP 12-203") and applicable policy of the British Columbia Securities Commission. As noted above, the Company has not filed the Annual Filings and the Interim Filings prior to the filing deadlines prescribed under NI 51-102 as of the date hereof. As previously reported, Ascent is required to file bi-weekly default status reports in accordance with NP 12-203 until such time that the CCAA proceeding is concluded or until the defaults in filing the Annual Filings and Interim Filings are remedied. Other than as disclosed in this press release, the Company reports that there have been no material changes to the information contained in its last bi-weekly default status report dated February 20, 2020. Furthermore, there is no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed. The Company confirms that, since its last bi-weekly default status report dated February 20, 2020, there have been no failures by it in fulfilling its stated intentions with respect to satisfying the provisions of the alternative information guidelines under NP 12-203. About Ascent Industries Corp. The Company's operations currently include facilities in the United States. In the United States, the Company holds licenses in Oregon (for processing and for distribution of cannabis to any licensed entity in the state) and in Nevada (for cultivation and for production, processing and wholesale distribution of cannabis). THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (THE "CSE") HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. NEITHER THE CSE OR ITS MARKET REGULATOR (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE CSE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the Company entering into a strategic partnership in connection with its U.S. operations, the anticipated timing of the completion and filing of the Annual Filings and Interim Filings and the application by the Company for a MCTO. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, Ascent assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. For further information: Mark Lotz CPA, CA. Director, CFO and Interim CEO ir@ascentindustries.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 19:12:15|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close A man wearing a mask stands at Milan Central Railway Station in Milan, capital city of Lombardy region, Italy, March 8, 2020. Italy has locked down the northern Lombardy region and 14 nearby provinces, including the financial capital Milan and tourist hotspot Venice, in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Sunday. According to a government decree that goes into effect until April 3, unprecedented restrictions will be taken as preventive measures, impacting some 16 million people in the north, which accounts for over one-six of the country's population. (Photo by Daniele Mascolo/Xinhua) ROME, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Italy has locked down the northern Lombardy region and 14 nearby provinces, including the financial capital Milan and tourist hotspot Venice, in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Sunday. According to a government decree that goes into effect until April 3, unprecedented restrictions will be taken as preventive measures, impacting some 16 million people in the north, which accounts for over one-six of the country's population. The decree came after the Civil Protection Department confirmed a total of 5,883 coronavirus infections in Italy on Saturday, with its largest daily increase of more than 1,200 since the outbreak began in the north of the country on Feb. 21. The death toll from the virus in Italy has risen to 233, and the northern regions of Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto account for 92 percent of recorded deaths. Residents of the lockdown areas are "obligated to avoid any kinds of movement, whether in or out of the region," Conte told a press conference. "It is strongly recommended that people with any respiratory symptoms or fever ... stay in their homes, limit social contact as much as possible, and contact their doctors," he said, adding that those who tested positive "are absolutely forbidden from leaving their homes." The decree also shuts down museums, theaters, cinemas, night clubs, places of worship, ski resorts, gyms, swimming pools, schools, universities and other public places in the region. "Bars and restaurants are allowed to operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. as long as owners ensure that consumers observe a distance of personal security of at least one meter," Conte said, warning that venues will be shut down if owners violate the restriction. The decree also calls on employers to put workers on leave, and suspends leave for medical and technical staff "whose activities are required," with hospitals under pressure over the virus. "We are facing a national emergency," Conte said. "We have two objectives: to contain the spread of the infection ... and to avoid overburdening our hospitals." Conte said Italy is producing more intensive care machines and equipment. "Today we have already had 320 new intensive care machines, and we are ready to produce 500 such machines per month." QUEENSBURY As state officials deal minute-to-minute with attempting to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak, Capital Region officials now must try to follow a possible path of infection here, after a CVS pharmacist at its Main Street location in Queensbury tested positive for the virus. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday that 16 more cases of coronavirus had been identified, bringing the state total to 105. But the entrance of coronavirus into a retail space paves a clearer way for the virus to spread among strangers adding a new wrinkle in public health response to the illness. In a statement Sunday, CVS said the pharmacist, a resident of Saratoga County, and his immediate co-workers have been quarantined and will be on paid leave. The store was also closed for disinfection and sterilization Saturday, and reopened Sunday morning. A manager there Sunday referred all questions to a company spokesperson. The 57-year-old pharmacist, who has no symptoms, contracted the virus from a 52-year-old Saratoga County woman who had attended a conference in Miami, and had contact with a person from Pennsylvania who also tested positive. The two were the first in upstate New York to be identified as having the virus. The majority of the state's cases are in Westchester County. CVS said it is working with county and state health departments to contact patients who picked up medication on Monday, March 2, and Wednesday, March 4 the days the pharmacist worked. The retail chain said customers contacted will be asked to monitor their health, and will be offered the ability to pick up a replacement prescription. However, the Warren County Health Department said the customers are considered to be at low risk for contracting the novel coronavirus and "the prescriptions dispensed from this store do not represent a risk to our customers," according to CVS's statement. The Warren County Health Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment Sunday. Warren County has provided a phone number for residents to call with questions at 518-761-6580. Warren County Supervisor Claudia Braymer, who represents the city of Glens Falls, posted on Facebook on Sunday about the case and alerted residents that if a CVS patron develops a fever or a cough, they should contact their physician and let them know what dates they patronized the pharmacy. "This call should be made BEFORE they go so the provider can provide any special instructions before they arrive," Braymer wrote. "Asymptomatic people do not need to be tested." But such a development has naturally caused some customers to wonder if they could get sick from handling items provided to them by the pharmacy despite reassurances from the company and county health officials. The virus is passed through the release of droplets produced by sneezing or coughing, which can then be transferred to another person if the infected person coughed or sneezed on their hands without washing them. "I was in the CVS yesterday I picked up a perscription (sic). I did get it from a young guy. I paid beforehand. And didn't touch anything. I should be ok right? I only touched the bag. I cannot believe how close this is," one man wrote on Facebook. Another woman on Facebook questioned how long the virus had been lingering in the store. CVS said in its statement that it is helping to contact possibly affected customers "as a matter of precaution." Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. On Sunday, the day the store reopened, Cheri Mackey, who frequently visits the Queensbury location, said she wasn't concerned about coronavirus. "I don't feel I'm in the risk category it's older people with chronic diseases and younger people whose health is compromised, like with cancer treatments," said Mackey, who is a retired nurse. "I think there's a lot of people that have it but don't know yet." Another customer agreed with Mackey. "I'm not nervous; I think at some point it's just fear-mongering," said Rebecca Cash, a local teacher. "I think the flu is worse than the coronavirus, and I'm not in the age bracket." Meanwhile, Cuomo attempted to calm public fears Sunday, reiterating that it is important to get positive tests and have people quarantined to avoid the mass shutdowns of schools and businesses that have happened in other countries. He reminded residents that healthy people would likely develop only flu-like symptoms, and would not need hospitalization. "The facts do not justify the frenzy," Cuomo said. China has recorded around 25% drop in Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions since the first week of February amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, according to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). The spread of COVID-19 to the United States (US) and Europe has led to a significant reduction to both airline capacity utilisation and global oil demand. Experts believe that the health care crisis, which is likely to result in a significant slump in the economy but may also lead to a marginal bend in the global CO2 emissions curve, albeit briefly. The CO2 emission reduction in China is mainly due to coal consumption in the worlds most populous countrys power plants falling by 36%; coal throughput at the largest coal port declining by 29%, oil refinery utilisation capacity reducing by 34% and low output among major industrial sectors which may have decreased by a range of 15% to 40% during the same period, said the analysis published in Carbon Brief, a United Kingdom-based portal on climate change. Every year during the Chinese New Year in February, China closes major installations, construction sites for a week leading to a reduction in energy demand but this year the usual fall in energy use has been prolonged amid no sign of a rebound. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agencys (ESA) pollution monitoring satellites also showed a significant decrease in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations over China between February 10 and 25. There is evidence that the change is at least partly related to the economic slowdown following the outbreak of coronavirus, a NASA Earth observatory analysis said. The NASA maps with NO2 values across China from January 1-20, 2020 [before the quarantine] and February 10-25 [during the quarantine] show a perceptible reduction. According to the analysis, the reduction in NO2 pollution was first recorded near Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak in central China, but eventually spread across the country. This is the first time I have seen such a dramatic drop over such a wide area for a specific event, Fei Liu, an air quality researcher at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center is quoted saying in the analysis. Similar drop in NO2 over several countries was recorded during the global economic recession in 2008. There may be a reduction in CO2 emissions globally because of the massive impact of COVID-19 on the aviation sector and business in general. According to OAG, a UK-based travel data provider, the scheduled airline capacity globally between January and April as compared to last year was 40.8 million fewer seats. OAG data also shows that scheduled air line capacity more than halved between January 20 and February 10 but it has recovered by 50% from February 24 to March 2. But Hong Kong and South Korea continue to record steep declines. According to the International Energy Agencys oil market report for February, global oil demand has been hit hard amid the widespread shutdown of Chinas economy. Demand is now expected to fall for the first time in over 10 years. We have cut our 2020 growth forecast by 365 kilo barrels per day (kb/d) to 825 kb/d, the lowest since 2011. Lower-than-expected consumption in OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] trimmed last years growth to 885 kb/d, the report has said. Data shows that the steep rise in CO2 emissions is likely to be curbed and may also bend the curve, albeit briefly. A graph by the Global Carbon Project shows CO2 emissions dropped leading to brief bends in the emissions curve during the oil crisis in the mid-19070s and 1980, after the first Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report in 1990, during the SARs (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak in 2003 and the global financial crisis in 2008. The global crises have thrown up a pattern: travel can be optimised and underlined the importance of maintaining local supply chains which can reduce global CO2 emissions. Many of the travel restrictions in place in China have come at a tremendous human and economic cost -- people not being able to access health care, go to work among others. However, there has also been impressive adoption of video conferencing, remote working and other modern solutions in businesses, which are a real alternative to commuting and business travel. There is a possibility that once the crisis is over, we will see a permanent change in using these solutions to reduce the need to spend time, money and fossil fuels on travel, said Lauri Myllyvirta, a Finland-based lead analyst of CREA. But it is difficult to assess how the COVID-19 outbreak has impacted emissions in the US and Europe because the restrictions in these countries are nowhere close to China. Besides the impact on flights and freight ships to and from China, the impact in the EU [European Union] and the US isnt anywhere near on the same level. Global supply chains have been affected but most of the emissions from those are in China and in countries supplying commodities to China. The measures implemented elsewhere, with the exception of those five cities in Italy, arent anywhere near as dramatic as those affected in China, with factories, construction sites, freight lines etc shut for weeks, Myllvyirta added. In terms of reducing air pollution, there is a lesson, said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director of the Centre for Science and Environment. These are crisis induced changes that people have made. The cumulative impact of economic slowdown and travel restrictions on air quality can be seen. The lesson is in the long run where we need policies to reduce travel intensity and distances to have a similar effect. The way of connecting with each other and work will have to change, she said. If we want a respite from the climate change mess... we need net zero emissions by the middle of this century. This is for a reasonable chance of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius... even if we have a temporary, minor dip in CO2 emissions due to the current epidemic, it will not help, said Roxy Mathew Koll, senior climate scientist at Climate Research Lab, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. Most analysts worry that once Beijing has weathered through the current crisis, a round of retaliatory emissions will follow. So, for China, the story is: significant short term emission decline [at the expense of economic growth, with many medium-to-long-term uncertainties, and a potential of further embracing heavy industries, said Li Shuo, senior climate and energy policy officer at Greenpeace East Asia who is based in Beijing. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON To curb the spread of the virus, authorities are urging people to regularly wash their hands, avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home when ill. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, patients are thought to be the most contagious when they are the most symptomatic, but some spread may be possible before people are visibly sick. Assam on March 7 quarantined 127 people who came in contact with an American tourist infected with the coronavirus. According to reports, a 76-year-old American citizen had visited Guwahati and tested positive for the virus when he travelled to Bhutan last week. As per reports, an Italian tourist is also among the 127 people who has been quarantined. Media reports say that the Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati where the American tourist stayed before flying to Bhutan has been sanitised. Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: Hotel Used For Quarantine Collapses In China, 70 Feared Trapped As per reports, 23 staff members from the hotel with whom the American tourist came in contact have been asked to self-quarantine themselves. All the staff members were screened on Saturday and none of them showed any symptoms of the infection. In Jorhat district of Assam, where the American tourist stayed on a river cruise MV Mahabaahu was also checked and 22 guests and 29 crew members have been sent into isolation. According to reports, the Assam government informed that they screened around 585 passengers at Guwahati airport out of which 112 are foreign nationals and none of them tested positive for coronavirus. At least 200 people were screened at Assam's Kaziranga National Park and none of them tested positive either, local media reported. Read: Civilian Entry Restricted At India, Bangladesh Joint Retreat Ceremony Due To Coronavirus Coronavirus outbreak The new coronavirus also known as COVID-19 has claimed more than 3,500 lives across the globe and has infected over 1,00,000 people around the world since it first broke out in December 2019. China is the most affected country in the world as experts believe that the virus originated from a seafood market in Wuhan city, the epicentre of the disease, where animals were being traded illegally. According to reports, at least 500 people have died outside mainland China, which makes it the worst disease outbreak of the 21st century. Italy, Iran and South Korea are the most affected countries outside China, where 233, 145 and 4 people have died respectively as of March 6. Read: Pope Francis Set To Deliver Sunday Prayers Via Livestream Amid Coronavirus Scare Read: J&K Police Organises Coronavirus Awareness Programme After First Case Was Reported Lead Image Credit: PTI SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A cruise ship in a holding pattern 50 miles off the coast of San Francisco was still awaiting clearance from authorities to dock, Princess Cruises officials said Saturday afternoon. The more than 3,500 passengers aboard the Grand Princess, who had expected to disembark Saturday in San Francisco, have instead been asked to stay in their rooms, cruise officials told reporters during a telephone press conference. Princess Cruises is awaiting direction from federal, state and local authorities on where they will be able to dock, said Jan Swartz, group president of Princess Cruises. There's no word on when the decision will come, but Swartz said, "We need to get the ship into a port as soon as possible." The guests aboard the Grand Princess are receiving meal deliveries in their staterooms by room service, and additional TV, movie and other programming channels have been added for them, said Jan Swartz, group president of Princess Cruises. The Grand Princess was headed from Hawaii to San Francisco before it was halted over concerns about the virus. It remains off the coast of California while authorities determine a "non-commercial port" for it to dock. Officials said Friday that 46 aboard the ship were tested for the virus, and 21 were positive -- 19 of them crewmembers. Earlier this week, a Placer County resident died from COVID-19 after returning from a cruise to Mexico on the Grand Princess. A critically-ill 70-year-old woman with a non-COVID-19 medical emergency was transported by Coast Guard cutter Saturday morning from the cruise ship, authorities said. The ship's captain notified the Coast Guard that the woman needed treatment and the Centers for Disease Control recommended she be moved, the Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard cutter Tern took the passenger and her husband to awaiting emergency crews and CDC personnel at the Coast Guard Sector San Francisco on Yerba Buena Island. The woman was in stable condition on Saturday, the Coast Guard said. On Friday night, a Coast Guard helicopter delivered facemasks and other protective gear provided by Princess Cruises to the cruise ship. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Elliott Young Young is a member of the Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing and a professor of history at Lewis & Clark College. More than seven years after the city of Portland committed to enacting dozens of police reforms in a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, the city still has work to do to satisfy the federal judge overseeing the case. Last month, U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon refused to approve amendments to the agreement, citing the inadequacy of the new Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing, which is intended to provide community oversight of police. As a member of the committee, I have to agree with Judge Simon that there is a long way to go. But the issue is less failings with the committee than the fact that the agreement does not mandate any specific outcomes. We can check off every paragraph of the agreement and conclude the city is in substantial compliance, yet policing on the street still seems as questionable as ever. The agreement is focused on having the city and the Portland Police Bureau do trainings and set up procedures for oversight. But there is not one paragraph that dictates benchmarks for the city to meet. In fact, Dennis Rosenbaum, the compliance officer overseeing the agreement for Portland, admitted at a public forum in September that outcomes were not part of his analysis. The record on outcomes is mixed at best. The DOJ points to a 24% decrease in use-of-force incidents as evidence of success. However, Portland Police Bureaus own data suggests no such thing. Since consistent data began being reported in September 2017 through September 2019, applications of force which can be several strikes on the same person have risen and declined, but there has been no significant reduction in the average over these two years. The demographics of the people who have been subject to that force are disproportionately black, homeless and those in a mental health crisis. For the past two years, half of use-of-force incidents involved people who are homeless, even though they make up just 3% of the populace. People suffering from mental illness were subject to 15%, and black people accounted for 28% of such encounters with the police, again wildly disproportionate to their representation in the city. Over the past two years use-of-force against homeless people has spiked and fallen, but again there is no clear downward trendline. It is important to remember that the settlement was created because Portlands policing of people with mental illness was found by the DOJ to be unconstitutional. The fact that 60% of the people killed by police in Portland in 2019 were in a mental health crisis suggests that while the Portland Police Bureau has implemented training programs, it continues to kill a disproportionate number of people with mental illness. Share your opinion Submit your essay of 500-700 words on a highly topical issue or a theme of particular relevance to the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and the Portland area to commentary@oregonian.com. Please include your email and phone number for verification. The story from Portland polices traffic stops data is equally disturbing. The latest data shows that black drivers and pedestrians are stopped by Portland Police officers at three times their rate in the general population. The disproportionate targeting of black people by police can be seen in every report issued since 2013. The recent revelations about the involvement by Portland police with the unconstitutional racist harassment of Michael Fesser in West Linn suggests that the problem is much deeper than we may have been led to believe. If the police are supposed to have mechanisms in place for oversight and accountability, why did it take two years, and only after a successful civil lawsuit, for the Portland police to investigate this incident? At the hearing in front of Judge Simon, Rev. LeRoy Haynes from the Albina Ministerial Alliance said it best: We have made some substantial quantitative progress, but we are far from achieving the intent of the settlement agreement. In our own statement to the court, the community-oversight committee concluded there is a still a long way to go to fulfill the spirit of the agreement. To achieve real change in policing in the city, the DOJ and the city should establish benchmarks for substantive outcomes. Portlanders want nondiscriminatory policing and fewer violent interactions with the public, not just more trainings and public meetings. By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 07, 2020 | 05:57 PM | FRANKFORT Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear spoke at the Capitol today regarding the states first confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) yesterday.While new cases are ultimately expected, Beshear noted that there is currently no one else who has tested positive for the virus.The person diagnosed with coronavirus is from Harrison County. As of now, they are being treated at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center."We are prepared for this. Harrison County is prepared for this. We are going to get through this," Beshear told reporters. "The threat to Kentuckians is still low. I declared a state of emergency yesterday to ensure we have every tool necessary to respond to this."Kentucky has plenty of coronavirus testing kits to serve the public. Gov. Beshear reiterated the importance of staying calm, explaining that Kentuckians should continue to take proper precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. Harrison County Schools is expected to close for at least part of the upcoming week. Beshears office explained that temporarily canceling classes was the school districts individual choice. No school or business has yet been asked or recommended to close.Beshears office and health officials recommend that people with increased risk for coronavirus, including older adults and people with chronic medical conditions, stay at least 6 feet from others and stay home as much as possible. They should avoid crowds and wash their hands frequently.The Kentucky government will be changing its own sick leave policy to allow even new state employees to take any necessary sick leave. The governor encouraged businesses in the state to also adjust their policies in order to allow ill employees to stay home and remain paid.UK HealthCare executive vice president for health affairs, Dr. Mark Newman, said that UK is prepared to take any patient with COVID-19, although the virus is often mild enough that most people can be treated in their own communities or may not need to leave their homes.If Kentuckians develop a high fever or cough and are concerned about the virus, they can call the newly established state hotline for more information at 1-800-722-5725. Kentucky has also established a website: kycovid19.ky.gov Daren Tang, a civil servant from Singapore, serving the United Nations since a long-time, has defeated China's nominee to lead the Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a vote that followed weeks of vicious diplomatic sniping between Washington and Beijing. Institut Montaigne, a Paris-based think tank, in one of its report, stated that Daren Tang received 55 of the votes cast by 83 member countries to 28 for China's candidate, Wang Binying. The voting took place in Geneva on March 4. One of the major reasons behind China's loss on a global stage may be that the mainland has most often been accused of stealing IP rights. "China is also a growing force in the area of patenting and intellectual property: both as a contributor and as a problem to innovation since it is the country most often accused of stealing IP rights," the report said. The Office of the United States Trade Representative, which led a seven-month investigation into China's intellectual property theft and made recommendations to the Trump administration, estimates that "Chinese theft of American IP currently costs between $225 billion and $600 billion annually," it added. The result, however, will be confirmed by the organisation's general assembly in May, according to The New York Times. The Geneva-based agency received more than a quarter of a million new patent applications in 2018, when the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei topped the list of applicants. "We are very pleased with the election outcome," America's ambassador in Geneva, Andrew Bremberg, told reporters. The decision is "a clear demonstration of the importance of protecting intellectual property and the entire independence of WIPO," Bremberg said, using the organisation's acronym. While a trade agreement reached between America and China early this year included pledges by Beijing to halt some of the practices that Washington has objected to, it did not allay the administration's deep misgivings at the prospect of China's candidate taking the top job at the intellectual property organisation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor under money laundering charges in the wee hours of Sunday, officials said. They said Kapoor was placed under arrest around 3am under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was allegedly not cooperating in the probe. Rana was questioned by the ED sleuths for over 20 hours after the central agency raided his residence on Friday night. The raids came a day after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) capped depositor withdrawals from the troubled bank at Rs 50,000 for a month and superseded the board of the private sector lender with immediate effect. Yes Bank will not be able to grant or renew any loan or advance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse any payment. Kapoor will be produced before a local court during the day to obtain custody, the officials said. The ED is investigating Kapoor's role in connection with the disbursal of a loan to a corporate entity and the subsequent alleged kickbacks reportedly received in his wife's accounts. Some other alleged irregularities are also under the agency's scanner, added officials. The case against Kapoor also has links with the DHFL probe as the loans lent by the bank to the company allegedly turned into Non-Performing Assets (NPAs), said the officials, adding other alleged irregularities are also under the agency's scanner. Earlier on Friday, the State Bank of India (SBI) said it will pick up a 49% stake in Yes Bank under a government-approved bailout plan, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman assuring depositors that their money is safe. A day after imposing a moratorium on Yes Bank, the RBI issued a draft reconstruction scheme for the private sector lender and said the SBI has "expressed its willingness" to make an investment. Yes Bank has been struggling to raise capital. It sought to raise $2 billion initially during this fiscal, which was then pruned to $1.2 billion as it could not rope in a single investor. The bank had also deferred the announcement of its financial results for the third quarter ending December. It had told stock exchanges that it will publish the same on or before March 14 this year. The news about Megxit has been dominating the headlines recently. With the springtime almost upon us, everyone is anxious to see what will happen when the split is actually official. Although Meghan Markle hasnt been a royal for that long of a time, she has made a statement with what she believes in and the causes that she supports. It is no secret that Markle and Prince Harry have spent the last few weeks in Canada. They have started to make steps to enjoy the quiet, peaceful life that they have been longing for ever since they got married. However, until the end of March 2020, the couple is technically still members of the British royal family. Their royal duties are not quite over. Ever since they announced their decision to step back, it is true that Markle and Prince Harry have been laying low. While we dont really know what to expect once Megxit is officially final, we do know the details of one of the duchesss last duties as a royal. She has done so much humanitarian work in the past Meghan Markle | Jeremy Selwyn/WPA Pool/Getty Images Markle has been known for the extensive humanitarian work that she has done. Long before she ever even met Prince Harry, the former actress has used her fame to make a positive difference. According to Harpers Bazaar, Markle was a counselor for One Young World, an organization that encourages leaders to do the best that they can in order to promote positive change. She has been a well-known feminist ever since she was a child; royal fans are surely aware of the story of how she once wrote a letter to Proctor and Gamble after being offended by the wording in one of their commercials for dishwashing detergent. Markle has always been dedicated to her role as a philanthropist. This is something that is unlikely to change after she is no longer able to use her royal highness title. A feminist even after becoming a royal Being a feminist is something that Markle is beyond proud of. Even after she married into the British royal family, she was adamant about supporting womens rights. According to E! News, she has supported womens charities for years and loves every second of it. It wasnt long ago that Meghan made a secret visit to Justice for Girls in Vancouver. On this venture, she took the time to discuss the importance of womens leadership. She also talked about the power and the impact determined young women are able to make when their voices are heard. It is no surprise that one of Meghan Markles last royal engagements will be for womens rights Her days as an official royal are winding down, but Markles schedule isnt clear just yet. Given her past, it is really not a surprise to anyone that one of her last engagements as the Duchess of Sussex will be for womens rights. According to Oprah Magazine, Markle will attend an event for International Womens Day in early March. There is no doubt that it will be both wonderful and emotional for Markle, as it is a cause that is near and dear to her heart, as well as one of her final duties. We cant wait to see how things turn out. We know that Markle will leave a lasting impression on everyone that she interacts with at the important event. Several organisations around the world are opting for different measures to prevent the spreading of Coronavirus. From companies letting their employees work from home to schools coming up with creative curriculums, everyone is on their toes to keep themselves safe from it. According to Indo Asian News Service, a private school in the holy city of Varanasi has come up with a list of dos and don'ts, and given it the most creative name ever - 'karo na' (don't do) list. Twitter The school has introduced a brand-new class for the students - one that educates them on how to stay safe from the virus and teaches them about the precautionary measures they need to keep in mind. A teacher of the school, Jayashri Gupta, said, "We have started these extra classes from Saturday. We are informing the children about the symptoms of the coronavirus and how to avoid the infection by listing what is not to be done - karo na. Reuters The main agenda behind naming the class in such a 'pun'-derful way is because it sounds more appealing to students and that helps in getting the message across clearly. The 'karo na' list includes precautions like avoiding handshakes, hugs, and tiffin and water bottle-sharing. It also asks the students to not share towels or handkerchiefs with each other to avoid falling sick. The children are encouraged to frequently wash their hands and if they feel unwell, to immediately inform their parents or teachers about the same. All in all, they are taught to practice basic and proper hygiene in school as well as at home. Since Varanasi attracts a large number of tourists every year, it is important to teach the local people about being safe from the virus. The teacher also said, "We have decided to keep the children educated on this issue so that they can convey the information to their parents also." It is extremely important to educate children on the dangers of the virus because they are not as careful of their actions as adults are, and it is always better to be safe than sorry. The crack at the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, has widened. ... The crack at the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, has widened. Embattled National Chairman, Oshiomhole is fighting to remain the party leader amid ongoing legal battles as well as opposition against him by governors and top chieftains. On Saturday, the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) condemned the invitation to an Emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) slated for Wednesday, 17th March, 2020. The meeting was announced by Hon. (Chief) Victor Giadom, the Deputy National Secretary of the party. A joint statement by Babatunde Ogala, National Legal Adviser, Lanre Issa-Onilu, National Publicity Secretary and Waziri Bulama, National Secretary, stated that the APC constitution provides how a NEC meeting shall be convoked. It said that Article 25 (B) (i) and (ii) noted that the NEC shall meet every quarter and or at any time decided by the National Chairman or at the request made in writing by at least two-thirds of the members of the NEC provided that not less than fourteen (14) days notice is given for the meeting to be summoned. Without prejudice to Article 25(B)(i) of this Constitution the National Working Committee may summon an Emergency National Executive Committee meeting at any time, provided that at least seven (7) days notice of the meeting shall be given to all those entitled to attend. Neither the National Chairman nor the resolution of two thirds of the members of the National Executive Committee has directed nor made any request to summon a National Executive Committee Meeting of the Party. The said Victor Giadom is not vested with any Constitutional Powers to convene any meeting of the National Executive Committee. Neither has he been so directed by the National Chairman, the statement read. The NWC disassociated itself from what it described as illegal and unauthorized Notice of Meeting of the National Executive Committee. It advised NEC members to ignore the said Notice and/or invitation as a product of mischief that should not be given any probative value. Highlights RBI assures depositors across banks in India RBI says media reports questioning solvency of banks are flawed Current panic triggered by Yes Bank crisis that led to cap on withdrawals The Reserve Bank of India has dismissed concerns about safety of bank deposits in the wake of the Yes Bank financial crunch crisis and issued an assurance on Sunday that all deposits were safe since RBI monitors all the banks as per its mandate. The banking regulator said sections of media had made a flawed analysis triggering concern about solvency of banks based on their market capitalization figures. Concern has been raised in certain sections of media about the safety of deposits of certain banks. This concern is based on analysis which is flawed, a tweet from RBI said on Sunday. The bank further clarified that solvency of banks is internationally based on Capital to Risk Weighted Assets (CRAR) and not on market cap. RBI closely monitors all the banks and hereby assures all depositors that there is no such concern of safety of their deposits in any bank, said the following tweet from the central bank. RBIs moratorium on the crisis-ridden Yes Bank limiting withdrawals to Rs 50,000 for a month had triggered panic among account holders who lined up before branches and ATMs to withdraw their money. RBI Governor later assured account holders that their money was safe with Yes Bank and the intervention to resolve the crisis has been done at a large level ruling out a piecemeal solution. Government also stepped in to assure depositors and said that Yes Bank account holders in need of exigency fund could also follow the RBI guidelines and draw up to Rs 5 lakh in the designated period. Medical emergencies, higher education funding, wedding expenses and other unspecified emergencies are mentioned as examples of exigencies were withdrawal up to Rs 5 lakh is allowed. RBI had to place a similar moratorium on Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank last year that had raised questions about the safety of ordinary citizens money in bank deposits. The PMC crisis has forced the government to consider amendments to the Banking Regulation Act to bring cooperative banks under effective RBI supervision. ALSO Read: SBI would need to invest $331 million in Yes Bank rescue: Report But as officials played down the impact of the virus, there were signs the epidemic was burrowing into Egypts tourism dollars. Hossam el Shaer, the head of the chamber of tourism companies, told an Egyptian newspaper Sunday that foreign tourist bookings have fallen by as much as 80 percent from the same period last year. The news coincided with a sharp drop in the Egyptian stock market, forcing the suspension of trading in 25 hard-hit companies. By PTI NEW DELHI: Eight-year-old climate change activist Licypriya Kangujam has turned down Prime Minister Narendra Modi's honour of joining the #SheInspiresUs campaign ahead of International Women's Day on Sunday. On Friday, the government took to Twitter to share the story of the eight-year-old as an inspiration. "@mygovindia @LicypriyaK is a child environmental activist from Manipur. In 2019, she was awarded a Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Children Award, a World Children Peace Prize, and an India Peace Prize. Isn't she inspiring? Do you know someone like her? Tell us, using #SheInspiresUs". Responding to the government's tweet, Kangujam said: "Dear Narendra Modi ji, Please don't celebrate me if you are not going to listen to my voice. Thank you for selecting me amongst the inspiring women of the country under your initiative #SheInspiresUs. After thinking many times, I decided to turn down this honour. Jai Hind!" ALSO READ | I call our leaders to take action: Licypriya Kangujam, 8-year-old climate change activist from Manipur Kangujam is also known as Indian 'Greta', after being compared to award-winning Swedish teenage environment activist Greta Thunberg, for her passion towards the fight against climate change. The #SheInspiresUs is a social media campaign dedicated to women "whose life and work will help ignite motivation in millions". On March 3, Modi had tweeted, "This Women's Day, I will give away my social media accounts to women whose life and work inspire us. This will help them ignite motivation in millions. Are you such a woman or do you know such inspiring women? Share such stories using #SheInspiresUs". By Kang Seung-woo The government's quick and loud response to Japan's entry restrictions on Korean citizens and anyone traveling from Korea to Japan, due to the coronavirus epidemic, is raising some eyebrows given that it has not taken any retaliatory action against the more than 100 countries imposing similar or stricter measures. First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young announces a set of 'countermeasures' against Japan's decision to impose new restrictions on visitors from Korea traveling to the country over coronavirus fears, at the foreign ministry in Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap Diplomatic experts say Seoul's tit-for-tat response to Japan was driven less by quarantine needs but more by a political motive ahead of the upcoming April 15 general election. Less than a day after the Shinzo Abe administration unveiled its travel restrictions including halting a visa-free entry program for Korean nationals, Thursday night, the government from the presidential national security director to the prime minister and the foreign minister stepped up criticism of the decision. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha herself summoned Japanese Ambassador to Seoul Koji Tomita, Friday, to protest the move a rare case for the top diplomat to call in an ambassador instead of a vice minister. And a few hours later, the foreign ministry abruptly held a press briefing to announce "countermeasures" including suspending a visa-free entry program for Japanese nationals, and applying special entry procedures for all foreigners traveling from the neighboring country, which will take effect today. It also raised its travel advisory alerts for Japan to Level 2, which advises Koreans to refrain from visiting the country. However, such retaliatory actions are in sharp contrast to the government's response to other countries which have banned or restricted the entry of people traveling from Korea due to the surge in coronavirus cases here particularly China. A total of 18 Chinese provinces and cities toughened entry restrictions on travelers from Korea, without prior notice, quarantining nearly 900 people as of Sunday. WASHINGTON The Trump administration on Saturday continued sending contradictory signals about its response to the coronavirus, as a top federal health official appeared to walk back President Donald Trumps claim that anyone who wants a test can get a test. The health and human services secretary, Alex Azar, cautioned that only those who have gone through a doctor or medical professional can be approved for a test, a message that appeared to undercut Trump, who delivered his promise Friday as he toured the Atlanta headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You may not get a test unless a doctor or public health official prescribes a test, Azar said at an off-camera briefing at the White House. That is our medical system in the United States, in the same way that you may not get a cardiac medicine if your doctor doesnt prescribe that. Azars comments were another instance of key officials in recent days correcting or clarifying Trump, who has sought to project calm and preparedness as the coronavirus continues to spread in the United States. More than 100 new cases were announced in the United States on Saturday, including two deaths in Washington state and dozens of new cases in New York state. The communications clash between the president and top officials overseeing the federal governments response to the coronavirus could obscure valuable knowledge about it, said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, author of The Public Health Crisis Survival Guide: Leadership and Management in Trying Times. Things change in a crisis the advice may change in a crisis, said Sharfstein, a former top FDA official who teaches a class on the topic at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. And so its really important for the public to have confidence in the messages and the messengers so that they understand and believe new information and advice. Azar on Saturday defended Trumps phrasing, saying it reflected a recent shift by federal health agencies, which have loosened testing regulations. The CDC on Wednesday lifted all restrictions on testing for the coronavirus. What the president said yesterday at the CDC, that is consistent with what the FDA and the CDC are saying which is we as regulators, or as those shipping the test, are not restricting who can get tested, Azar said. We are leaving that to the professional judgment of doctors and public health officials. Trump used shorthand to make that point, Azar said. What he meant to say is were not in the way of that, Azar said. And he knows the numbers. We brief him daily. Azars assertion echoed one made by Vice President Mike Pence at a White House news conference Friday evening, in which the vice president said that doctors treating potentially symptomatic Americans could contact local officials and have state labs do the testing. During a visit to mask producer 3M in Minnesota on Thursday, Pence acknowledged the constraints of testing. We dont have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward, he said. In recent weeks, Trump has remained publicly upbeat, minimizing the potential consequences of the virus, which he has said could disappear this spring in warmer weather. A vast majority are going to be fine, the president said Friday about Americans who have the virus, portraying it as similar to the flu. Im not concerned at all, the president said Saturday when asked about the coronavirus getting closer to the White House. In private, White House officials have cast Azar as alarmist. On Friday, Trump characterized the governments testing aptitude as amazing and called the CDCs test perfect, statements that have been roundly disputed by scientists and health officials who have expressed alarm over the speed with which the CDC has tested and over the quality of its tests. Consistent messaging, Sharfstein said, helps with the fear of the unknown. Testing is a more confusing topic than it can seem, he said. People can be overly reassured by a negative test or overly panicked by a positive test. Having a thoughtful approach to testing is important. The number of people who can be tested for the coronavirus and the number of tests available are fluid, federal officials said Saturday at the White House briefing. Dr. Stephen Hahn, the FDA commissioner, said that 1.1 million tests had been shipped to private health labs as of Friday evening, and hundreds of thousands more were being surveyed for quality at the CDC on Saturday. He said that between public health labs and CDC tests, the total number of samples that have been tested was more than 5,860. Pressed over whether an ill person who consults a doctor and is recommended for a test can get one in a timely way, Azar said Saturday that theres no reason that should not happen. Doctors and patients across the nation have painted a much different picture of availability, clamoring for tests they believe are in short supply. In California, only 516 tests had been conducted as of Thursday. Health officials in Washington state have more cases than they can currently process. In New York City, officials have pleaded for more test kits from the CDC. State officials facing a growing number of cases criticized the Trump administration this weekend for what they described as its contradictions. Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York said that he was battling mixed messages from the federal government. You have the president saying anybody who wants a test can have a test, its beautiful, he said on MSNBC. You have the vice president saying we cant do the tests. We dont have the capacity. That confusion, I think, adds to the fear and the frustration of people, because if government doesnt know what its doing, well then people feel theyre really alone, Cuomo added. After Pence visited Washington state this week to signal the administrations support for the state, where 14 deaths have been connected to a nursing home in the Seattle area, he praised its governor, Jay Inslee. Trump then called Inslee a snake. Let me just tell you we have a lot of problems with the governor, Trump said in Atlanta on Friday. So Mike may be happy with him, but Im not, OK? Inslee wrote on Twitter that it was important for leaders to speak with one voice. I just wish the president and vice president could get on the same page, he said. Trump has also sought to contain public alarm by registering fewer cases of the coronavirus, a decision that public health experts say risks misleading Americans about where the virus has spread. The president said he would prefer not to let 3,533 people on a cruise ship held off the coast of San Francisco disembark onto U.S. soil, even if they were placed into quarantine, in part because it would inflate the number of American infections. Nineteen crew members and two passengers of the ship have tested positive for the coronavirus. Two passengers, Cookie Clark, 76, and her husband, Joe Clark, 81, of Oakdale, California, said they had been watching the news constantly and were angry when they heard Trump say Friday that he preferred the ship not dock in the United States. As American citizens, we have a right to be back on U.S. soil, Joe Clark said. Cookie Clark, a retired realtor, said she was appalled. Were just numbers to him, she said. Josh Michaud, an associate director for global health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, said that it was in the publics interest to know where cases of the virus were as soon as possible. Thats going to be the foundation for developing an effective response. You need to know where the disease is to erect the resources, Michaud said. If you dont, youre flying blind. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. In the annals of Hindi cinema in the last 100 years, there have been several inspiring female characters -- characters made famous by actors such as Nutan, Meena Kumari, Nargis and Waheeda Rehman to name a few. However, in more recent times too, makers have been creating female characters that are likely to stay in our collective consciousness for a long time. Whats more not all of them are lead characters and thats where the beauty lies. On Womens Day, we decided to list our five favourite female characters from Hindi films who were fierce, brave, liberated, and complex: Anarkali, Mughal-e-Azam We begin with the oldest entry on this list and also perhaps the most iconic. With heartbreaking lines on her lips, and the ethereal movements of her feet, Madhubala cast a spell so strong with her Anarkali in Mughal-e-Azam that even 60 years later, none has come close to break it. Of course, the character herself was written in golden ink that bled straight from the hearts of its genius writers. Anarkali was the kanees who dared to love. Since the day she was born to the day she died, her destiny was written for her--to stay in her cage. First, her social standing, her lesser birth kept her at an arms distance from the glittery and the opulent, the ones she danced for. Then, when she dared to dream and to love a prince, she was once again put in a cage of cold stone, this time, to death. Anarkali dared to hope and find love in a place where she knew only death awaits her. Nevertheless, she stood tall for her love, against an unrelenting emperor and the cruel world which punishes something as pure as selfless love. Her end may have been tragic but years later, she is one of the biggest icons of love to the world. Also read: Neha Kakkar shows pictures of her swanky Rishikesh bungalow and the tiny home she was born in: I always get emotional Shabana, Baby Taapsee Pannu played Shabana Khan in undercover cop drama, Baby. The 2015 film was largely an Akshay Kumar show, but Taapsee had a small but show-stealing role. As Shabana, she is part of team headed by Akshay alongwith Rana Daggubati and Anupam Kher, who must not only prevent terror attacks on India but attempt the audacious -- bring Pakistan based terror mastermind alive to stand trial in India. Taapsees Shabana has few scenes but in those she steals the show -- as a woman who must play vulnerable, to finding herself in a real vulnerable spot and then finally rely on her martial arts training to fight back, Shabana was a delight to watch. Not only, because as a woman, it gave tremendous delight to see a woman in combat, stopping at nothing, it proved a point that with training and discipline, one could make oneself second to none. In Shabanas fist fight with a character by actor Sushant Singh, there were a number of moments when he had the upper hand. But what was rewarding to watch was a depiction of a woman, not usually seen on Indian screen. Taapsee had trained in Israeli martial arts Krav Maga for the scene and it clearly showed. Gone was the image of a damsel in distress, here was a woman in fighting chance of victory and that was what was so rewarding. Piku, Piku Strength doesnt always need to make big statements; it doesnt have to be heroic. Often, you spot it in mundane, everyday faces -- the girl on the bus, the domestic help or the executive feverishly typing away on her phone. Piku (played by Deepika Padukone) is dear to me because it is so real; she is so real. Her father Bhaskor (Amitabh Bachchan) is an ever complaining hypochondriac who has brought up his girl right. He is all for her sexual independence but she doesnt need or want his approval. The slice-of-life film offers its most sparkling moments when it shows just how similar the father-daughter duo is, often through the questioning eyes of the third angle of this triangle, the outsider Rana Chaudhry (Irrfan). Her career is stuck in a rut, her love life is non-existent. However, she knows she will fight her way out of this because, honestly, what else can one do? Piku puts one feet in front of the other each day, her gruff exterior being her shield against the world. She doesnt win or lose, she just lives. What could be a better message? Reena, Lust Stories Manisha Koiralas Reena, the femme fatale protagonist of the best segment in the Netflix anthology film Lust Stories, perfectly encapsulates how far Hindi cinema has come in its portrayal of women. Reena was neither the devi women are usually depicted as in Indian films -- overcompensation, perhaps, for how they are treated in real life -- nor was she a vamp. She was an adulterous, vindictive woman who took her life into her own hands after surviving unspoken and unseen unfairness. In an industry accustomed to providing male actors with heroic entry shots, director Dibakar Banerjee gave Reena a powerful exit -- the final statement in a film about gender dynamics and patriarchy. Shashi, English Vinglish English Vinglish chronicles the journey of Shashi Godbole (Sridevi), a devoted wife and mother with a small catering business of her own. Despite efficiently managing her home and business, her teenage daughter treats her with contempt for her inability to speak English, and even her husband makes jokes at her expense. As Shashi sneaks around the alien New York to take a four-week crash course in English, she conquers her fears and earns the respect of her family. Her journey to discover her identity and self-worth has grit and determination is filled with love and compassion. Follow @htshowbiz for more It remains unimaginable to me that darkness in Nigeria has come to stay. Nigeria has always been a leader to other African countries in the past, but lately the country has been living on past glory with its lackadaisical attitude towards things that propels progress. Darkness has gained momentum and Nigeria continues the unrealistic ambition of building a modern industrial state with energy from generators humming in homes, shops, offices and every imaginable human location, it is like having a fairy tale that doesn't work in reality. Since independence, the government continues to introduce policies and programs they claim are for the benefit of the citizenry but which if properly examined, would compound sufferings of the masses while fortunes of political leaders multiply. Since those in authority are largely not accountable to the citizenry, the latter lacks the courage to effectively challenge the former to account for their stewardship. A case in point is the sorry story of our power sector. The federal government in 2001 launched a set of power reforms in the country, which subsequently led to the unbundling, and privatization of electricity generation and distribution companies. Prior to the privatization of the power sector, the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) was the government regulatory body solely responsible for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in Nigeria. NEPA was, however, characterized by infrastructural decay, lack of sustained investment, inadequate funding, government monopoly, corruption and an under-skilled workforce. The government of Nigeria then inaugurated the Electric Power Implementation Committee (EPIC), which drafted the National Electric Power Policy (NEPP) in 2001 and, in turn, led to the enactment of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (ESPR Act) in 2005. As part of the ESPR Act, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was established as an independent electricity regulatory body while the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was incorporated as the initial transitional holding company of the 18 successor companies (including 6 generation companies, 11 distribution companies and 1 transmission company) created from the defunct NEPA. Subsequently, between November 2013 and November 2014, the privatization of all the generation and distribution companies was successfully completed, while the government retained ownership of the transmission company. The NBET buys electricity from the generating companies (Gencos) through Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and sell to the distribution companies (Disco) through vesting contracts. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) wheels this power to the 11 distribution companies across Nigeria who then distributed to home and businesses. This Chain, however, is fraught with challenges. Gencos who sell to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading plc. (NBET) barely get 30 percent of their market invoice, which constrains their ability to buy gas from companies, fix faulty turbines and make additional investment. Discos who buy from NBET and sell to end-users, including residential building and factories remit far less than they collect. However, recent assertions from the press reveal that it was sold to friends and people without the capacity and expertise to run such critical sophisticated enterprises. Lately, there have been talks on the increase in electricity tariff; the bill was signed into law last year to take effect from April 2020. Electricity tariff has increased by more than 300 percent in the last four years, according to a recent investigation. Although the government has always predicated increases in tariffs on the need for the appropriate cost for better service delivery to the citizens, consumers continue to rue poor services. Within the period of time, electricity generation has remained poor while distribution has been even poorer. At some times too, the national grid had collapsed completely several times. This shows increased electricity tariffs without conscious efforts by service providers to effectively maximize their resources, as well as embark on sustainable debt recovery initiatives to improve their financial positions and there is no guarantee they will meet the yearnings of consumers for improved service delivery. The various tariff reviews for all categories of consumers except those consumers classified as residential (R1) ranged from 59.7 percent for consumers in Ikeja to 77.6 percent in Enugu. Under the new order, electricity consumers in Ikeja who used to pay about N13.34 per kWh since under the 2015 MYTO, when the last review was carried out, will from April 1 this year pay N21.80 per kWh, the same as their R2 counterparts. Their counterparts in Enugu, who used to pay about N17.42 per kWh, will, under the new order, pay about N30.93 kWh from January 1. Their R2 and R3 counterparts, who paid about N19.31 and N27.11 per kWh since 2015, will now be paying N34.28 and N48.12 per kWh. Residential (R2) and R3 consumers in Ikeja, who have been paying N13.34 and N26.5 per kWh since 2015, will now pay N21.30 and N21.80 per kWh. Residential consumers are those categorized as those using singe phase and three-phase meters and electricity consumption of about 50 kWh on-premises with flats exclusively for residential purposes. Recently the power sector has come under huge criticism from different quarters. The General Secretary of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Joe Ajaero, at the Union 6th Quadrennial 11th National delegates conference warned of imminent collapse in the power sector next year. To avert the collapse he said there is a need for a review, noting that Nigeria's power sector reform was a mere cliche and a context for grand corruption; the reform is not driven or guided by a patriotic motive, but by selfishness and greed. The general public is made to believe that NEPA/PHCN was unable to work efficiently because of the incompetence and corruption in its staff, but this is to benefit few people as the sector still remains in crisis. The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, had earlier last year expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of electricity distribution companies in the country, stating that there was need for a substantial change of strategy in order to meet electricity needs of homes and business, while TCN believes that power outage is due to gas constraint, transmission wire issue and low demand by electricity consumers. December last year, there was a round table on Nigeria energy crisis organised by the Senate, the Senate president, Ahmed Lawan said "from the electricity power reform of 2005 to the privatization of the Gencos and Discos and what is happening today, we know that everything is fraud and if we continue to play the ostrich over the next ten years, we would remain where we are". This statement reveals crystal clear that the power sector is in a quagmire. I have tried to consider that for over 59 years, all the Military heads of state and President who have ruled this country have not won the war against darkness, and more painfully it has become a colossal hindrance to our progress. In fact, our president recently said that electricity in Nigeria has been a generational problem. Despite spending about US$20 billion in the last 16 years in the electricity sector, Nigeria is only able to generate less than 4,000 megawatts of electricity for a population of over 200 million people. In contrast, South Africa with a population of 52 million people generates 44,000 megawatts; Ghana generates 2,300 MW for it's 30 million people, while Brazil generates a total of 150,338MW for its 211 million people. These were countries that ones had power outages but know are better than Nigeria, for instance, Ghana recently celebrated 20 years of uninterrupted power. In Nigeria most transformers are old and malfunctioning it takes eternity to replace, you pay heavily for one and all through that year there would be more power outage than ever before, and since prepaid meter have not been equally distributed, which by right every flat is supposed to have, is like adding more petrol to the fire of Nigerians problem. The poor power infrastructure in Nigeria has resulted in multiple nation-wide outages with the national grid collapsing at least three times in the second half of 2019 alone. He (Ahmed Lawan) added: "We know the consequences. Even our citizens who have the capital would rather relocate to Ghana produce whatever they want and bring them back to Nigeria to sell. Where does this leave our country? It leaves our country in a mess, in fact, a dumping ground that it is already. Consequently, businesses which rely on generators to operate, say about 30 to 40 percent of their cost of production is tied to sourcing alternative power sources. How would they survive? Most of the Small and medium enterprises are running on losses, also the poor maintenance and health costs, policy inconsistency, non-availability of gas, infrastructure vandalisation, and sabotage are some of the reasons that have contributed to the failure of the power sector. Consequently, per capita electricity usage in Nigeria remains 136 kilowatt/hour, which is one of the lowest electricity consumption on a per capita basis in the world. The World Bank reported that companies in Rwanda were said to have incurred the least losses in business when power went of, compared to $29 billion that our economy loss due to erratic power supply last year. The oil and gas, according to analysis of the NBS revealed that since 2016, foreign capital has slumped by 51 percent at an annual average, also accounting for a paltry 0.44 percent of total foreign investment in the first 9 months of 2019 for an industry which is the major contributor and cause of growth to the Nigeria GDP, boosting capital inflow through bold reforms in the sector is the key to unlocking its potentials. The reality within these industries and foreign exposures into Nigeria further buttresses the reason why we are still lagging behind fellow African peers. Stock market is not looking viable for investment and structural challenges facing the Nigerian manufacturing sector due to our deplorable state of infrastructure, outlook for capital is still bleak. Only 41.1 percent of the country's 200 million people have access to electricity and 51.4 percent of this population residing in rural-urban areas, the World Bank survey reports that as many as 322 organized private sector companies in Nigeria shut down between 2009 and 2014. With this reality staring at our face, one must ask - Are consumers King in Nigeria? What has happened to all the money put into power, even for Mambila power station alone, that have taken 40 years and yet not able to function? Why do citizens pay more, and the government wants them to still pay more by increasing tariff whereas the ones paid have not been supplied. What was signed in 2013 (the privatization of PHCN) was it for the good of Nigerians or who? What are they fighting for; I mean those in the value chain? After the splitting of PHCN, We were promised that power generation would increase to 12,000MW, yet we only generate between 3000 to 4000MW, I rest my case, it's time for the 9th Senate to do the needful or posterity will judge. Victor is a 300 level student of the department of Mass communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He can be reached at [email protected] . Universities across the US are places where students live and work in close quarters -- and where international partnerships are a point of pride. But now, the same details that are selling points in campus brochures have become focal points of a different sort as colleges brace for a possible pandemic. Temporary campus closures, enrollment dips and program cancellations are all possibilities -- though it's too soon to know whether the novel coronavirus will force a large number of US universities to take such extreme steps. Already university leaders are scrambling to deal with problems popping up as the virus spreads. And some schools have canceled in-person classes. Officials say there's little doubt the effects will intensify, and they're doing everything they can to plan and prepare. "Everybody is really feeling this as such a tremendous disruptor, creating this huge sense of anxiety and uncertainty," said Cheryl Matherly, vice president and vice provost for international affairs at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. "It reminds you in a very real way that universities are truly international crossroads, where all the ways that a disease like this could have an impact are coming to bear." Whether or not you're at a college or university, the virus is threatening to disrupt everyone's daily life -- if it hasn't already. But on campuses across the US, the impact could be particularly acute. Here are five reasons why. There are more than 1 million international students at US universities. And more than a third of them are from China American universities started feeling the first ripple effects of the novel coronavirus soon after the disease began spreading in China. More than 360,000 foreign students in the United States are Chinese; that's more than a third of the total international student population. And for many, fears of the impact the virus is having on friends and family in China have taken an emotional toll. "One of my grad students said to me she couldn't bear to look at her phone anymore," Matherly said. "There were so many terrible things happening, and how stressful that is when she's sitting here in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania." The US government's imposition of travel restrictions threw things into further flux, not just on US campuses, but for Chinese students thousands of miles away who were trying to return to them. "I'm basically stuck in China right now. ... I have no idea when I'm going to be able to come back," said Benjamin Cai, a 25-year-old graduate student in software engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. US officials have described the travel restrictions as a valuable tool that helped slow the spread of the virus. Cai is one of a number of students who told CNN the suspension of visa processing in China has left them in limbo. "My research funding has been suspended, too," said one Ph.D. student in molecular biology who asked to be identified only by his last name, Yang, because he feared he could face repercussions for speaking out. More than 830 international students from China were in their home country when the virus outbreak happened and have not been able to come or return to the United States, according to results from a survey of US colleges and universities released Thursday by the Institute of International Education. It's a small fraction of the total Chinese student population. But beyond uncertainty over the effect the coronavirus could have on individual students' academic careers, American universities are facing an even bigger question: How long will the coronavirus crisis last? And could it impact future enrollment of Chinese and other international students -- something many schools have come to rely on financially? School officials say it's too soon to say. But they're already coming up with contingency plans. "We're looking at everything from if this doesn't resolve itself, do we offer students the opportunity to defer their admission to January or the next fall? Do we try to offer some online courses? Do we try to offer courses somehow in country?" said Robin Kaler, associate chancellor and director of public affairs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "We're trying to be as innovative as we can in terms of finding solutions to this." More students are studying abroad than ever The virus is spreading at a time when studying abroad is more popular than ever. More than 340,000 Americans studied abroad for academic credit in the 2017-2018 school year, according to the Institute of International Education. As the new coronavirus spreads, many universities have already canceled programs in China, South Korea and Italy. Some are looking at bringing students back from other parts of the world, too. "Everyone's kind of bracing for the mass cancellations that are about to happen," said Blake Daugherty, a sophomore at Dartmouth College. His internship in China was canceled as a result of the coronavirus, he says, and many of his friends who'd been planning to study abroad in Europe are worried their programs will be called off soon, too. Italy, where the number of novel coronavirus cases began climbing late last month, is one of the top study abroad destinations for US students. More than 36,000 Americans studied abroad there for academic credit during the 2017-2018 school year. Kiely Westhoff spoke to CNN from her nearly empty apartment in Florence, Italy. The junior at the University of Colorado was packing up her things and still processing the news that she'd have to leave. "It's been very emotional and shocking to find out this way, and it escalated very quickly, and none of us were really expecting it. ... It still doesn't feel real," she said. For students forced to cut short semesters they'd spent years planning, it's a devastating development. And for universities, the situation presents a host of logistical problems they're trying to solve. Chief among them: how to handle the prospect of an influx of students returning to campus after housing arrangements have already been made and classes have started. Some universities are considering offering online classes or shorter spring courses as they plan for the thousands of students soon returning to the US. US universities have been working hard to expand their global reach Hosting visiting scholars, planning conferences that bring together experts from around the world and research partnerships that span the globe are all regular parts of campus life -- and now areas the novel coronavirus is threatening to disrupt. "This is coming at a time when universities have been so focused on becoming more internationalized. There are just more points of intersection," said Matherly, the immediate past president of the Association of International Education Administrators. "We're all now kind of scrambling to determine how to manage through these very real impacts on a very interconnected system." "I don't think there really is such a thing as a domestic campus anymore. All of our members have some level of international engagement," said Brad Farnsworth, vice president of the American Council on Education, which represents about 1,800 colleges and universities. Farnsworth said his organization has been fielding calls from schools across the country with concerns about coronavirus. "Every campus we're talking to is coming up with a plan for dealing with the virus," he said. Already major academic events have been canceled as a result of coronavirus fears. The American Physical Society called off its March meeting days before the 10,000-person conference of physicists was set to start in Denver. With a large number of attendees coming from outside the US, organizers decided the risk was too great. Farnsworth said he expects national meetings will continue to be a big issue confronting academic institutions. "I think everybody is looking at their upcoming travel schedule and really asking themselves, 'Should I be doing this? How do I weigh the risk?'" he said. But even as the novel coronavirus fuels concerns over the prospect of canceled conferences and global partnerships lurching into limbo, it's also spurring more opportunities for international collaboration. As they work to study coronavirus and develop treatments, researchers at American universities are teaming up with counterparts in China and around the world. Viruses have been known to spread on college campuses It's no secret that college campuses can be environments that are conducive to contagion. "Any place where you have people living in congregate settings, using dining halls, eating in groups of large numbers of people, with lots of social activities, you're going to have potential for outbreaks of infectious diseases," said Dr. Donald Milton of the University of Maryland at College Park. Milton, a professor of environmental health, has been investigating how respiratory infections spread on campus for years in a study dubbed C.A.T.C.H. -- short for Characterizing And Tracking College Health. And now he's using his research expertise as he advises university administrators on how to prepare for the novel coronavirus. "We're very actively monitoring the situation and trying to be responsive as things move along. ... We've upped our surface cleaning regimens and have been thinking about what would we do if we needed to quarantine somebody, planning all of that," he said. With such concerns in mind, the American College Health Association, which represents campus health facilities across the country that care for millions of students, recently raced to pull together new coronavirus guidelines. One goal for the guidelines, which were released this week: pushing universities to prepare now, while they still have a chance. "This was turned around with lightning speed. ... We knew that window of time was closing," said Dr. Jean Chin, who chairs the association's coronavirus task force. "You want to make sure people understand the gravity without scaring them. And you just want people to plan," she said. The guidelines advise schools to evaluate their emergency and business-continuity plans, educate and train staff, stock supplies and develop screening tools and clinical protocols. Universities in China shut down campuses as part of the country's coronavirus response, and professors there have increasingly turned to online teaching so students can continue their studies. Professors at Italian universities have also moved their classes online. And more universities in the United States may find themselves considering that approach as well, depending on what happens in the coming weeks. Some already are. Starting Monday, classes will stop meeting in person at the University of Washington. "For the remainder of the quarter, instructors have been asked to conduct classes and/or exams remotely, as possible, until the quarter concludes on March 20," the school said in a statement Friday -- making it the first large university in the United States to move classes online amid concerns over the virus. The university said it was following public health agencies' recommendations to avoid bringing large groups of people together in close proximity. Officials said they plan to resume normal class operations on March 30 when the spring quarter begins, "pending public health guidance." Other universities have announced they're taking similar steps. Stanford University said Friday that it was canceling in-person classes for the final two weeks of its winter quarter and moving instruction online "to the extent feasible." And the University of Southern California said it's temporarily moving classes online from March 11-13 to test technology and prepare for the possibility of a longer-term disruption. So have rumors and racist incidents Many universities can draw on past experiences handling outbreaks of other illnesses like the common cold, influenza or meningitis. But Chin said there's one thing the health association's coronavirus guidelines deal with that's different from past outbreaks: reports of xenophobia. "Even with Ebola, there wasn't a lot of that," Chin said. "But with this one, campuses were seeing some xenophobia and micro-agressions and behaviors that we just don't feel are appropriate." As the first murmurs of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China began to spread, so too did reports of racist incidents on college campuses across the US and around the world. Students at the University of Albany landed in hot water last month after holding a coronavirus-themed party. And the University of California at Berkeley issued an apology after a post on its health services' Instagram account about "managing fears and anxiety" around coronavirus listed xenophobia as a common reaction to the virus, drawing a fierce backlash online. Chin said there are a number of concrete steps schools can take to stop xenophobia from spreading. "They're straightforward," she said. "We're talking about getting messaging from the highest levels of campus to speak out about what a healthy campus climate should be." Economic shock waves from the coronavirus outbreak have curbed carbon pollution from China and beyond, but hopes for climate benefits from the slowdown are likely to be dashed quickly, experts say. As governments prepare to spend their way out of the crisis, including with large infrastructure projects, global warming concerns will be little more than an afterthought, dwarfed by a drive to prop up a stuttering world economy, they say. Preparations for a make-or-break climate summit in November are already off track, with host Britain focused on its Brexit transition, and the challenge to its health system of the gathering epidemic. Like an unintended lab experiment, the global health emergency demonstrates the cause-and-effect relationship that drives global warming. In the four weeks up to March 1, China's discharge of CO2 fell 200 million tonnes, or 25 per cent, compared to the same period last year, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) -- equivalent to annual CO2 emissions from Argentina, Egypt or Vietnam. As the country's economy slowed to a crawl, coal consumption at power plants in China declined by 36 per cent, and the use of oil at refineries by nearly as much. Other major economies are bound to sputter too. The outbreak has already drained stock markets of USD 9 trillion in value, and could end up costing the global economy up to USD 2.7 trillion, according to Bloomberg Economics. "When you turn off the global fossil fuel economy, greenhouse gas emissions go down, air quality improves," said Jon Erickson, a professor of sustainability science and policy at the University of Vermont. But any climate silver lining will be short-lived, experts warn. "The emissions reductions we see now because of the epidemic are temporary, not structural," said Imperial College London's Joeri Rogelj, a lead scientist on the UN's climate science advisory panel, the IPCC. "If anything, it makes mitigation efforts harder, because it reduces our resources to invest in the transformations needed for climate change protection." There are already signs that Beijing -- impatient to reboot China's economy -- will rain down cash on carbon-intensive infrastructure projects, as happened after the global recession in 2008, and again in 2015. "Initial announcements of stimulus have had no environmental emphasis whatsoever," noted Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at CREA. Proposals to further loosen controls on new coal power plants show that concerns about debt and emissions are being brushed aside, he told AFP. "A round of cheap credits and a blind eye to inefficient polluting industries will lead to 'retaliatory emissions', setting China back on the goal of enhancing its climate targets," said Li Shuo, a climate policy analyst with Greenpeace East Asia. A surge in state-directed capital spending a decade ago slowed China's clean-energy transition and amplified the horrendous pollution episodes in the winter of 2012/13. Globally, CO2 emissions in 2010 from fossil-fuel combustion grew nearly six per cent, more than offsetting the modest decrease the year before, notes Glen Peters, a scientist at the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research. The coronavirus fallout highlights how hard it will be to reach the Paris Agreement temperature targets of capping global warming at under two degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels, and 1.5C if feasible. Earth's surface has already warmed more than one degree. To turn a corner, the world needs a combination of growing GDP and falling CO2 emissions -- but historically growth and emissions have moved in lock-step. IMF head Kristalina Georgieva predicts the coronavirus will knock at least half a percentage point off projected global GDP growth in 2020, originally forecast at 3.3 per cent. The UN, meanwhile, has said that CO2 emissions must drop eight percent annually over the next decade to meet the 1.5C Paris goal, and by about three percent per year to hold the line at 2C. Experts say only a sustained global economic meltdown -- or an internationally coordinated, war-footing transition to a carbon neutral economy -- could come close to slashing carbon pollution that quickly. One is as unpalatable as the other is unlikely. But so far only the electricity sector has seen a -- very modest -- decoupling of emissions and economic growth. "I'm sure the global economy will get back on the fossil-fuel train as soon as it possibly can," said Erickson of the University of Vermont. As for the upcoming COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, the kind of non-stop shuttle diplomacy carried out by France for nearly two years ahead of the successful 2015 Paris talks is not happening, analysts say. China -- the world's largest carbon polluter with 29 per cent of global emissions -- also has a crucial role to play, but is likely to be distracted. "There is a risk that the main objective for Beijing will be the resolution of its health crisis," predicted Sebastien Treyer, director of the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations in Paris. Last week Preliminary UN climate meetings in Bonn and Kampala were cancelled or postponed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks at a news conference to announce the first presumptive positive case of the coronavirus, technically known as COVID-19, in Washington, Saturday, March 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Read more Virginia has its second presumptive case of coronavirus, health officials announced Sunday, bringing the total number of cases in the Washington, D.C., area to seven. The person is a resident of Fairfax County in their 80s who "traveled on a similar Nile cruise" as other patients who have tested positive, the Virginia Department of Health said. The resident showed signs of a respiratory illness on Feb. 28 and was hospitalized Mar. 5. The person is in stable condition. This announcement comes less than a day after the state announced its first presumptive positive patient - a U.S. Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir. The Marine had returned recently from "official business" overseas, tweeted Jonathan Rath Hoffman, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs. State officials have scheduled a news conference on the two presumptive cases at 1 p.m. at the Stacy C. Sherwood Center, 3740 Old Lee Hwy. On Thursday, Maryland health officials announced that three individuals in Montgomery County - a couple in their 70s and a woman in her 50s - tested positive for the virus after returning home from a cruise on the Nile. On Saturday, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the District of Columbias first two presumptive cases: a man in his 50s who is hospitalized and who is not known to have recently traveled overseas or come into contact with confirmed patients, and a visitor who stayed in D.C. before testing positive for the virus in a Maryland hospital. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Two white men leading the Democratic presidential race are courting the support of Michigans black and brown voters to pull out ahead in the next round of primary contests next week. The most diverse Democratic presidential field in American history has narrowed to former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who are virtually tied in the delegate count leading into Michigans March 10 primary. Both candidates are relying on a diverse coalition to help them win Michigan, making a major play for African American voters in metro Detroit in the last days of the race. Michigan Democratic Party Chairwoman Lavora Barnes, the first woman of color to run the state party, said candidates are rightly putting more emphasis on the important segment of the Democratic base. Biden and Sanders will each visit Detroit, home to the largest percentage of black Americans in the country, before polls open Tuesday. I think this is how you push to win a primary, is to come into Michigan and have these conversations, Barnes said. In the end, its going to be a large segment of the black population that comes out to vote and that makes a big difference. The long road to Joe A group of voters who met with MLive at Triumph Church in Detroit this week said Biden has emerged as their favorite, but its been a winding road back to the former vice president. For many of them, it all came down to who they believe can beat President Donald Trump in November. Dwayne Lyons, a community relations specialist for the city of Pontiac, said he was rooting for U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., to become the first woman president. Lyons later thought billionaire and former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg had the resources necessary to take on Trump. At first I thought Biden seemed to be a little withdrawn -- slower, Lyons said. I didnt see him responding quickly. So I kind of thought, I dont know if hes really in it to win it. I was concerned about Biden at first." Bloomberg and Warren dropped out this week, leaving the remaining candidates scrambling to win over Lyons and thousands of Michiganders who spoiled their absentee ballots. Yvonne Smith, 66, of Clawson, attended Warrens March 3 rally in Detroit. Smith said Democrats have tried to appear as though they are appealing to African Americans in this election cycle, but shes not easily swayed. Its going to take more than plastering their latest picture with Obama, at least to get my vote, Smith said. Youve got to let me know that when youre (president) my issues are going to be addressed, really addressed and not just all this lip service to what you think I want to hear, to get me to vote for you and then forget about me once you get an office." Biden appears to have a strong reputation among black voters in Michigan. A Glengariff Group Inc. poll of 600 likely Michigan Democratic voters found African Americans view Biden favorably by a 66-point margin. Barack Obama had better numbers than that, but not by a whole lot, said Glengariff pollster Richard Czuba. On the campaign trail, Biden touted his relationship to President Barack Obama, decades of experience working with black communities and work in Detroit during the 2008 financial crisis. A campaign spokesperson said people in the African American community have a long history with Biden and resonate with his vision. I think he has shown the ability to bring the people together from that Obama coalition, said Pontiac Mayor Deirdre Waterman. He is the banner carrier ... Weve lost a lot of gains that have been made in terms of social-economic policies that were established. Obama hasnt endorsed any candidate as of March 6, but his image has been a valuable commodity among candidates. Sanders and Biden have touted their relationships with Americas first black president in campaign ads. Flint resident Terrance Sales, 49, said hes rolling with Biden based on the strength of his experience and relationship with the former president. I dont trust Bernie," Sales said. "I just dont. Brandon Masters, a 30-year-old Pontiac resident, attended Sanders Detroit rally Friday. Masters said he wanted to be an example that Sanders has black supporters. Most people assume that all African Americans are for Biden when thats not necessarily the case," he said. Some question Sanders electability Eugene Watson, of Detroit, plans to vote for Sanders. I figure we need something different. I like what Bernie Sanders is talking about, so Im going to vote for Bernie, Watson said. He just seems more honest than the rest of them to me. Sanders was considered the favorite to win Michigan after Biden failed to pick up the first four primary states, but Bidens campaign is building momentum after winning nine of 14 available states on Super Tuesday. Biden owes much of his success to black voters who propelled him to double-digit victories in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and Oklahoma. National polls taken during the last year found Biden has a majority of support among older African American voters. Sanders has more support among younger black voters, as he does with voters under 30 overall. Carol Prince-Hundley, 11th District chair for the Michigan Democratic Party, said Sanders goes too far. The 73-year-old said socialism is unacceptable for many voters her age. Branden Snyder, executive director of Detroit Action, said theres a clear generational split among the black community. His organization is working to expand the Democratic electorate with first-time voters and people of color to create a multicultural populist movement." Older black folks are looking at Biden as a choice because of the argument of electability, Snyder said. I think for a lot of younger folks who are bearing the burden of student loans, who are bearing the burden of a job market that has opened but people still cant really afford to live, you just see a need for fundamental change versus protecting the status quo. LaGina Washington, a 29-year-old Inkster city councilwoman, originally supported U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., with the hope that she would become the first black woman in the White House. She is holding out hope that Biden picks Harris or another woman of color to add some much-needed diversity on the ticket. Harris and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., made their first campaign appearances in Michigan at events hosted by African American organizations. Harris told a mostly-black crowd at an NAACP fundraiser that pundits are wrong to suggest only white men are capable of winning Michigan. Less than one year later, its all but assured that a white man will win the state, though Tulsi Gabbard continues her long-shot campaign. As a black woman, it makes me sad that the black folks have come off of that stage, said Barnes, the Michigan Democratic Party chairwoman. A lot of that is about how tough it is out there to raise money in this process. Its just always been tougher for candidates of color to succeed when it comes to raising money, and weve gotten better and better at it, but it still remains a threshold." Candidates focus on Michigan Both Biden and Sanders are tightening their focus on Michigan with only a few days left before the March 10 primary. Biden hadnt held a public event in Michigan since meeting lawmakers and black community leaders at Detroit coney island in July 2019, but thats about to change. The former vice president is coming to Grand Rapids and Detroit on Monday and sending surrogates to the state for several events leading up to Tuesday. Biden also picked up a slate of high-profile endorsements, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus, and U.S. Reps. Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield; Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly; and Haley Stevens, D-Rochester Hills. Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, the states first black lieutenant governor, also endorsed Biden Friday. Sanders won Michigans 2016 primary without the support of voters in the states more diverse areas. Sanders lost the city of Detroit by 46 percentage points, dropped the surrounding Wayne County by 22 points and also lost Oakland, Genesee, Saginaw and Berrien counties, which each have concentrations of black voters. Sanders has argued his policy focus on economic justice and social inequality will create a grassroots multigenerational, multiethnic revolution. The campaign held 1,500 events in Michigan, including a recent meeting with Detroit faith leaders at the Nazarene Baptist Church. Sanders held eight public visits in the state before this week and four more scheduled before March 10. Sanders also assembled surrogates who represent communities of color. He picked up endorsements from U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, several state legislators representing Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Detroit and the mayor of Benton Harbor. Sanders message has been consistent, its been authentic and its been genuine, Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, D-Dearborn said. He has the most diverse coalition of support, more than any other candidate. Theres a reason hes winning the Latino vote, the Arab vote, Muslim vote, and every age group below the age of 65, regardless of his age. Lyons expressed some concern that Sanders young supporters wont unite behind Biden. The Glengariff poll found voters who call themselves democratic socialists are more likely to hold a negative opinion of Biden. I am concerned with is that those who win Bernie win will come back to their homes and dont vote at all, Lyons said. If Bernie does not win Im asking him to still come out and support the Democratic ticket so that we ultimately can have a new president." Waterman, the Pontiac mayor, said shes glad the Democratic Party seems to be consolidating around Biden instead of cannibalizing itself. She believes Democrats can win back Michigan, but it will depend on whether the party can keep a focus on how it will improve the lives of voters. Its not about ideologies, its about how it affects my life and mobilizes the voters and voters that are appealing to their particular self-interest, she said. Smith, previously a Warren supporter, said regardless of who wins the nomination, Democrats cant assume black voters in Michigan will always be behind them. The Democratic Party has not been able to win without the black vote, thats very clear, Smith said. But have they kept their promises to the black vote once theyve gotten into office? Read more on MLive: 4 p.m. Monday is the deadline for early voting in Michigans presidential primary A complete guide: How to see Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders campaign events in Michigan this weekend and Monday Bernie Sanders says Joe Biden cant take on Trump at Detroit rally before Michigan primary The big question for Michigan Democrats: Is Biden or Sanders more likely to beat Trump? Joe Biden has Michigan Democrats fired up, Amy Klobuchar says in Detroit area Gretchen Whitmer to give Michigan a voice in Joe Biden campaign strategy Bernie Sanders talks Flint water crisis, recovery at town hall meeting Government at all levels should put in place structures that would ensure the effective implementation of womens rights, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has said. The associations call is in commemoration of the International Womens Day (IWD) 2020. The country Vice President/National President, FIDA Nigeria, Rhoda Tyoden, made the call in a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday morning. The event which is marked every March 8 is intended to advance the cause of women all over the world. This years theme of the IWD is An equal world is an enabled world. while the global campaign slogan is: #EachforEqual. In the statement, Mrs Tyoden commended governments effort towards protecting the rights of women in Nigeria, but however added that more needed to be done. Despite great strides made towards attaining gender equality, there is ample evidence to show that much more needs to still be done in the aspect of living free from violence and discrimination; education; to own property; vote, and to earn a fair wage and enjoy political appointments, she said. She said that despite the passage of laws such as Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 (ACJA) and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 (VAPP), the country still experience challenges in implementing the laws, creating enabling structures to ensure the effective implementation of womens rights. Mrs Tyoden noted that the theme for this year is apt as it aligns with the UN Womens new multi-generational campaign Generation Equality. With this, she said that gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable society. The female lawyer further added that Nigeria can only achieve such prosperous society when both men and women enjoy the same rights and opportunities across all sectors of society. Nigerian women must be allowed to enjoy greater economic empowerment and participation; more opportunities in leadership positions and decision-making, better opportunities for a girl child education, more women in political appointments, and women allowed to inherit and own property to mention a few. It is also key that the different behaviours, aspirations and needs of women and men are valued, favoured and allowed to grow and flourish. Women can be anything they so desire without limitation and should not be stifled by stereotyping and old labour laws that are limiting and discriminatory against women, she added. According to Mrs Tyoden, FIDA will continue to engage, discuss, collaborate and review ways of further promoting gender equality in the country while setting new standards on practical ways for greater forward growth. The association condemned the recent attacks on the character and invasion of privacy of a Justice of the Supreme Court, Mary Odili. READ ALSO: They also criticized the human rights violations and discrimination against Justice Akon Ikpeme by her non-appointment as the substantive Chief judge of Cross River State. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Cross River government refused to confirm Ms Ikpemes appointment as a chief judge because she was said to be from neighbouring Akwa Ibom State. These are successful women who have reached the pinnacle of their careers yet their basic rights are still denied or infringed upon, Mrs Tyoden said. FIDA, therefore, called for full implementation of the newly enacted laws which promote gender parity and the putting in place of facilities, machinery and structures enabling the implementation of the laws amongst others. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: It appears that stage is set for expulsion of Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy from the State Assembly. A ruckus created by Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy just when Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was about to commence his reply to the debate on Motion of Thanks to the Governors Address in the Assembly saw Rao making a case for the expulsion of the MLA from the membership of the House on Saturday. Rao requested Speaker Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy to conduct an enquiry into the "blatant lies' of the MLA and his insipid comments against two ministers in the Assembly on Saturday. ALSO READ| Telangana Assembly witnesses war of words between MLA Rajagopal Reddy and Minister E Dayakar Rao Rajagopal Reddy had alleged that the Mission Bhagiratha was not implemented in his Munugode Assembly segment despite government spending Rs 50,000 crore on the scheme. "There are no tap connections to individual houses in several villages in my segment," Rajagopal Reddy alleged. Replying to Rajagopal Reddy's charge that the Mission Bhagiratha programme of supplying safe drinking water to all households had made tardy progress, Rao produced evidence of the MLA affixing signature to the resolutions of gram panchayats in his constituency of Munugode wherein it was highlighted that all the 12,000 odd houses in 334 habitations had received water under the programme. "We took the signatures of all the MLAs concerned. In Munugode 334 habitations got piped water supply under Mission Bhagiratha and Rajagopal Reddy even endorsed it," the Chief Minister said while submitting the letter signed by the latter to the Speaker. Rao demanded stern action against the MLA for misleading the House and requested the Speaker to consider if such a member was allowed to continue. "There should be some stern action when the member tell blatant lies in the House," he said. Butterflies of all colors and sizes danced in the air around them, but Makaya and Abel Hayess eyes were glued to a single spot in the butterfly atrium: a plate piled with sliced fruit. Four butterflies crowded around a mango. Three huddled on a banana. The children stared at the insects in silence, until 7-year-old Makaya raised her arm, pointed at the plate and announced, Wow, thats a lot. Yeah, her 3-year-old brother agreed. The toddler then shouted a demand at the creatures: Eat! Eat! After a few moments, a smile spread across his face. Theyre eating all the food! he yelled. They suck the food, his older sister corrected him. Dozens of families gathered Sunday in the San Antonio Zoos butterfly atrium officially the Caterpillar Flight School to spend the start of Spring Break immersed in nature. On a busy day at the zoo, some 5,000 people show up. During Spring Break, that number grows to between 8,000 and 13,000, said Hope Roth, the zoos vice president of marketing. She didnt expect coronavirus concerns to affect those numbers. Really, we already had so many hand-washing stations, Roth said. But were keeping a birds eye on everything, of course. Families spent Sunday enjoying the zoos longtime favorites Timothy the hippopotamus, Lucky the elephant and Bubba the Komodo dragon as well as a number of new attractions to kick off the zoos Jungle Boogie Break. Scattered across the zoo were DJ booths with names such as the Jaguar Jam Stage and games including cornhole and life-sized Tic-Tac-Toe on the new Great Lawn. Patrons also enjoyed the zoos latest interactive exhibit, Kangaroo Krossing. Each day around noon, Cowboy the Rhino, the zoos mascot, hosts a dance party at the Beastly Beats Stage. On Sunday, Ashley and Kevin Luby wheeled their 2-year-old son, Noah, over in a stroller to take in the tail end of the festivities. The little boy waved furiously as the plush rhinoceros, dressed in Safari gear, approached his stroller. With an outstretched hand, the mascot made a fist. Then he and the 2-year-old fist bumped. Noahs parents lifted him out of the stroller so he could give Cowboy a hug. The little boys face lit up. He likes rhinos, his dad said. Noah waved goodbye to Cowboy as his parents carried him to another exhibit, Flamingo Mingle. The exhibit opened last year, so this will be the first Spring Break when families will have the chance to feed the zoos flock of Caribbean flamingos. Zoo staff members place a handful of pellets in a bowl of water so children can learn firsthand how flamingos filter feed and often splash water as they eat. Another family favorite was the newest exhibit, Kangaroo Krossing, featuring 10 female kangaroos, six of whom have joeys baby kangaroos that hide in their mothers pouches. Eventually, families will be able to touch and feed kangaroos in a petting zoo-like setting. But since the exhibit opened just last week, the kangaroos still are a bit shy. There was a joey, 8-year-old Carson Cameron said. But he was too lazy to come out. The boys mother, Katarina Cameron, had a different take: He was pretty comfy in his mommys tummy. Marina Starleaf Riker is an investigative reporter for the San Antonio Express-News with extensive experience covering affordable housing, inequality and disaster recovery. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | marina.riker@express-news.net | Twitter: @MarinaStarleaf The average salary on offer is 65,000, in what Fennelly described as one of the biggest cluster of tech companies outside Dublin (stock photo) Tech firms in the south east are struggling to fill almost 700 jobs and have begun a campaign to highlight the region's affordability to potential employees. As many as 40 firms have open vacancies, said Elaine Fennelly, CEO of Crystal Valley Tech, the representative body for more than 120 tech companies in counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Wexford and Waterford. South Mall in Cork City is one of the countrys top blackspots for illegal parking, with more than 3,000 motorists fined for parking offences on the street last year. Figures obtained from Cork City Council show over three times as many cars are detected for parking offences on one of Corks busiest streets compared to Dublins Mespil Rd, the busiest location for clampers in the capital. A total of 3,055 motorists were issued with fines for parking illegally on the busy one-way thoroughfare which runs between Grand Parade and Parnell Place up 32% on the previous year. A record of 31 motorists on South Mall were issued with parking tickets on November 24 alone last year. The latest figures from Cork City Council show there was a sharp increase in the detection of illegal parking across the city during 2019, with the number of fines issued up 44% over the previous year. A total of 42,694 parking tickets were issued to motorists in the city last year more than 13,000 more the 2018 figure. Income from parking fines was up 37.5% to 1.54m. The top 10 blackspots are: South Mall: 3,055 fines; St Patricks St: 1,687; Wellington Rd: 1321; Morrisons Quay: 1,289; Corn Market St: 1,132; Connaught Avenue: 923; Father Mathew Quay: 783; Grand Parade: 706; Copley St: 675; Lower Glanmire Rd: 583. More than 570 roads and streets in the city and inner suburbs are monitored by the citys parking wardens. Revenue from on-street parking also increased by 8% to just over 3.25m. There are around 8,000 paid on-street parking spaces in Cork with approximately 1,800 in the city centre area. The number of parking fines issued in other busy areas including St Patricks St and Wellington Rd more than doubled last year. The number of fines issued for parking illegally on Victoria Rd jumped from 63 in 2018 to 427 last year. The combined income of 4.8m from parking fees and fines is the highest level of revenue in the past decade. A spokesperson for Cork City Council said last years increase in the number of motorists being caught parked illegally was due to the filling of vacant traffic warden posts. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 17:57:00|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HANOI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Police of the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi have arrested three Vietnamese men for transporting 20 cakes of heroin weighing over 6 kg, Vietnam News Agency reported on Sunday. The police caught red-handed a 27-year-old man from the northern Dien Bien province transporting the drugs in Nam Tu Liem district, Hanoi, on Saturday afternoon. Expanding investigation, the authorities arrested two accomplices, a 31-year-old man from Dien Bien province and a 52-year-old man from northern Cao Bang province, the news agency reported. Under Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine are punishable by death. Making or trading 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal drugs also faces death penalty. CLEVELAND, Ohio Little Fires Everywhere, Celeste Ngs acclaimed 2017 novel set in Shaker Heights, was well on its way to becoming a series when veteran TV writer-producer Liz Tigelaar was approached about handling the delicate transition from printed page to streaming drama. By the time Tigelaar got the phone call, Oscar and Emmy winner Reese Witherspoons production company, Hello Sunshine, already had secured the rights to Ngs second novel. And Kerry Washington already had come on board to co-star with Witherspoon in the limited-series adaptation that streaming service Hulu will premiere Wednesday, March 18. All of this already was in place when Tigelaar was asked to be the executive producer, show runner and lead writer for Little Fires Everywhere. As intimidating and challenging as this task would seem, it still had to be an immediate and enthusiastic yes, right? Well, not so fast. First, she had to read the book. I was given this whole package all at once, Tigelaar said during a telephone interview. They told me to read the book and if I liked it, it was mine. I have a small child, and I put him to bed and started reading Celestes book. Lexi Underwood as Pearl and Gavin Lewis as Moody in Little Fires Everywhere, which Hulu premieres Wednesday, March 18. Erin Simkin/HuluHulu And she kept reading. Then, suddenly, she stopped. Tigelaar was only 100 pages in when she reached for her phone. I called them and said, I already know that Im in, she said. Celestes writing made such an immediate and profound connection and really touched me. There were parts of the book where I didnt even realize that I was crying until the tips of my hair were wet and tears were rolling down my face. So it did end up being one of the easiest and quickest decisions I ever made. Ng, who grew up in Shaker Heights, won the prestigious Pushcart Prize in 2012 for her short story Girls at Play. Her first novel, Everything I Never Told You, followed in 2014. Three years later, Little Fires Everywhere was collecting an imposing stack of rave reviews. The New York Times described Little Fires Everywhere as an utterly engrossing, often heartbreaking, deeply empathetic experience. The Boston Globe called it delectable and engrossing . . . a complex and compulsively readable suburban saga that is deeply invested in mothers and daughters. It would be very tough not to connect to Celestes writing, Tigelaar said. Shes such a beautiful writer and she did a wonderful job drawing on her own experiences in this world. And theres so much resonance and relevance to what she writes. The creator and executive producer of the CW series Life Unexpected, Tigelaar has worked on such series as Brothers & Sisters, American Dreams, Once and Again, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Bates Motel and Nashville. We all fell in love with this book and everything was about doing this book justice, she said. The combination of Reese, Kerry and Celeste creates high expectations that are intimidating. So you put your head down and do the work and you assemble the right team. One of the first things I did was hire writers with specific life experiences, so collectively we had the team that could do justice to this book. That team included two writers from Ohio: Shannon Houston and Rosa Handelman. Shannon grew up on the border of Shaker Heights and Rosa grew up in Columbus and spent a lot of time in Shaker, Tigelaar said. So both of them had a great perspective for us on everything from what the town is like to Ohio weather. Like the novel, this Hulu series is set in the 90s and opens with fire engines rushing to find a grand Tudor-style Shaker Heights home engulfed in flames. Arson is suspected because theres evidence of an accelerant and because little fires had been set throughout the house. The Richardsons, Elena (Witherspoon) and Bill (Joshua Jackson), are further alarmed because their troubled daughter, Izzy (Megan Stott), is missing. The rest of the series is a flashback that charts the path that led to this inferno. It starts with Elena, a part-time reporter for the (fictional) Shaker Times, noticing a blue car with belongings strapped to the roof. Inside the car is artist Mia Warren (Washington) and her teenage daughter, Pearl (Lexi Underwood). Mia Warren (Kerry Washington) and her daughter, Pearl (Lexi Underwood), in the Hulu limited series adaptation of Little Fires Everywhere, Celeste Ngs 2017 novel set in Shaker Heights. Erin Simkin/HuluHulu The seemingly perfect world of the Richardsons appears far removed from the unsettled existence of Mia and Pearl. But when Elena offers to rent a duplex apartment to the mother and daughter, Pearl begins to interact with the Richardsons four children: Izzy, Lexie (Jade Pettyjohn), Trip (Jordan Elsass) and Moody (Gavin Lewis). Theres something both noble and heartbreaking about a common theme of parents wanting to do best by their children but sometimes being unaware of the damage they may be causing, Tigelaar said. Thats a story really threading through this series. But the teen characters are hugely important. A lot of the writers on this are parents, but I think we often related more to the teenagers than the adults. None of the episodes were filmed in Ohio, but Tigelaar and her team did make a scouting trip to Shaker Heights before production began in May 2019. We meaning me, the director, the production designer took a trip there to be able to experience Shaker Heights, she said. We went to the high school. We went to Shaker Square. We took it all in so we could location scout here and find places that felt really similar. For the record, the Tudor-style house used for the Richardsons home is in the Los Angeles residential neighborhood of Hancock Park. The Warrens duplex is in Pasadena. And doubling for the shops of Shaker Heights is a downtown stretch in Monrovia, California. Celeste came out and saw the house we were using for the Richardson house, Tigelaar said. And later she sent us a picture of a house in Shaker Heights that looked exactly like it. I hope we honored it in our recreation. Witherspoon, Washington and Tigelaar each are listed as executive producers on Little Fires Everywhere. Ng has a producers credit. The whole time I could e-mail her and ask her any possible question, Tigelaar said. But she also came into the writers room, and that was amazing. Celeste not only visited the set, we put her in the show. Shes in a book club scene where theyre reading The Vagina Monologues and shes very uncomfortable with the direction of the discussion. For Tigelaar, it all went back to that initial connection she made with the book and the reasons it had such an impact. Its a hugely resonant book in so many ways, thematically and plot-wise, she said. It deals with how we feel about immigrants. It deals with sexuality. It deals with the choices women make. It deals with race and class and prejudice and bias. It deals with the nature of art and identify. And it explores how people who think of themselves as progressive and openminded might have more biases than they realize until a mirror is held up to them. I hope this show holds up that mirror, and that, by the time you get to the end, your initial gut reactions might have changed. Recent TV stories by Mark Dawidziak: Dispatches from Elsewhere is immediately intriguing show for AMC Better Call Saul still one of TVs best shows, as fifth season proves Schitts Creek is a quirky comedy that hits home in heartwarming fashion Carol Kane takes aim at drama as weapons expert in Amazons Hunters Northeast Ohio murder cases featured on cable crime shows Edie Falcos Tommy features Northeast Ohio actors Michael Chernus and Russell G. Jones Terry Jones brought many gifts, including Spam, to the Monty Python lunacy machine Another person who is close to the royal court stressed that the arrests did not signal any disruption. It was due to an accumulation of behaviors, and the leadership lost patience with them, he said. Theres no transition or any drama. The person, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not specify what the behaviors were. Moreover, the rise of Darknet technologies has enabled any individual to access crypto-markets that exploit standard postal and commercial shipping services. Finally, the challenge is made even greater by the proliferation of sophisticated concealment measures, corruption, limited resources, complex and diverse port processes, and systems and a lack of trust and coordination between state agencies and actors in the private sector. Thus, this situation poses grave dangers to international security and to the international trade supply chain which is vital for sustainable development. "If the enemies of progress and human rights seek to exploit the openness and opportunities of globalization for their purposes, then we must exploit those very same factors to defend human rights, and defeat the forces of crime, corruption, and trafficking in human beings." This is how PDP is punishing its rebels BJP's shameless power play in J&K recipe for disaster, says Kapil Sibal Senior PDP leader and former minister Javed Mustafa Mir resigns from the party Badge of honour if standing up for my People makes me separatist, says Mehbooba Mufti PDP leader quits, to join Bukhari led party India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Srinagar, Mar 08: PDP leader and former minister Ashraf Mir resigned from the party and will join a new outfit being floated by former finance minister Altaf Bukhari. Bukhari, who also left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last year, is expected to announce the new formation here on Sunday. "Yes, I resigned from the PDP today and join Bhukhari led party," Mir told PTI. NEWS AT 3 PM MARCH 8th, 2020 Mir, the former MLA from Sonwar, was a minister in the Mehbooba Mufti-led cabinet. Mir had defeated NC leader Omar Abdullah in the 2014 assembly polls. Abdullah also contested from the Beerwah constituency in central Kashmir's Budgam district, which he won. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 9:14 [IST] From the New York Times we learnit is no surprisethat Bernie Sanders, the socialist from Vermont from Brooklyn who until recently was leading the Democratic presidential pack and may yet end up the nominee, allowed himself and his office (mayor of Burlington, Vt., at the time) to be used by the Soviet Union as part of a propaganda operation intended to undermine and discredit U.S. foreign policy. During the Cold War, Sanders was what Lenin called a useful idiot. Useful is of course a matter of perspectiveSanders has never been of any use to the United States, then or now. If we are to judge by glowing coverage in such Russian propaganda outfits as Sputnik and RT, Sanderss usefulness to Moscow is experiencing a second life. For most of the 20th century and all of the 21st to date, the American Left has operated from the assumption that what is principally wrong with the world is American dominanceAmerican economic power (exploitation), American military power (imperialism), American assertiveness (warmongering), American culture (consumerism), etc. Conveniently for the Kremlin, that was the view in Moscow, too. Sanders may not have been the ideal channel for Soviet propagandathe mayor of New York City would have been betterbut allies, even allies of convenience, were hard for the Soviet Union to come by in Sanderss day, what with the gulags and the purges and the hunger-terror and all. Sanders spoke glowingly about the Soviet Union after his honeymoon there. Like many a useful idiot before him, he reported that he didnt see much economic privation, as though they would have let him see it. Sanders is a strangely incurious man. He praised the impressive Soviet metro stations, but he apparently never gave a thought to the millions of peasants who were intentionally starved to death when the Soviet authorities seized grain harvests to exchange for the hard currency needed to pay for those and other vanity-propaganda projects. Story continues While he drank and sang folk songs with the KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti is how you say Gestapo in Russian), Sanders never once mentioned the name of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the Russian dissident, novelist, historian, and Nobel laureate whose works were at that time forbidden in the Soviet Union. Sanders never met Solzhenitsyn, who lived in exile only a short drive away from Sanders on the other side of the tiny state of Vermont. Not that Sanders wasnt a man of culture: he praised the men who kept the gulags full for keeping the price of theater tickets low. It is worth meditating for a moment on the fact that Sanders and his socialist agenda today speak for a considerable part of the Democratic Party. He is, as of this writing, the No. 2 presidential primary candidate, behind Joe Biden, and before last Tuesday, he was the leading candidate. They talk about democratic socialism, but their hearts are never far from the prison camps. The Times reports that Sanders supporters, frustrated with Internet forum moderators who censured them for their threatening jokes, recently demanded: Are all references to gulags to be considered violent content? Cant we have just a little bit of murder? A little bit of repression? (The Timess excellent reporting on these matters gives one the impression that the paper is trying to make up for its own useful idiocy in an earlier era, with Walter Durantys parroting of Soviet propaganda, for which it was awarded a Pulitzer Prize.) But Sanders is not the only useful idiot among contemporary Democrats. There are those who have been remarkably solicitous of every left-wing dictator on the world scene from Fidel Castro to Hugo Chavez (and their legatees), who confess the creed of socialism, who believe that American power is the ailment from which the world suffers: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the dingbat Trotsky of Yorktown Heights; Ilhan Omar, the Jew-hating weirdo from Minneapolis; Rashida Tlaib, the Jew-hating weirdo from Detroit; the Jew-hating weirdo from Brooklyn; the millions of Democrats who support them . . . etc. Joe Biden may very well vanquish this strain of the party from a purely electoral point of view. But, as the frontrunner, it is incumbent on him to refute it morally as well as politically. Of course he will not do sohe will ally himself to it, profit by it, and attempt to subordinate it to his own ambitions. Biden is not a very bright man, but he is smart enough to realize that anybody who is not living in Delaware, or was not living in 1991, knows his name for one reason and one reason only: In 2008, the Democrats thought they needed a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency unobjectionable old white man on the ticket. Biden presented them with a brain free of contour and a soul infinitely plastic. If he had a single patriotic bone in his body or an ounce of courage in his soul, he would speak to the shift in his party. But who said that every idiot had to be useful? More from National Review They say the dead are never dead to us until we have forgotten them. And Karen O'Neill will never forget her mother Hilda, who died 14 years ago of a heart attack at the age of 56. "Nothing I could say could express how powerful an impact she had in my life. She was funny, brave, opinionated, strong, wise beyond her years. She had a level of ingenuity that knew no bounds. She gave me a strong sense of self. She believed there were no limits to what I could achieve. She didn't believe I was put on this earth to pass through, that I was going to do something that would change the world somehow." Karen adds that Beekon - "a 5 per cent alcohol natural honey refresher" she launched in 2017 with her wife Helen Kennedy - "is in part a legacy play in honour of her. Something I can say I created. That has her DNA written all over it. If she was given the love, encouragement and opportunities that I was afforded thanks to her, she too would have changed the world somehow." "Beekon is not another beer, cider, wine or gin. It's a honey refresher, a new category of drink - it doesn't exist anywhere in the world. Perfect for the conscientious consumers who seek better in their world," gushes Helen. Meeting Helen and Karen in Bar 1661 on Green Street last week, you realise they are not two people you will encounter every day of the week. They are as entertaining as their story. They describe themselves as "two Nanny McPhees" when it come to their respective nieces and nephews. They have two dogs, Buffy and Lola; they live with in Churchtown, and they also have a weekend retreat in Duncannon, Co Wexford. When they met in March 2008 at a business lunch in Dax - quickly followed by a first date at the Ireland v Italy Six Nations game - Helen had just come out of a seven-year relationship with another woman. Karen "had been straight. I was closeted gay, clearly." Karen continues: "I genuinely believe that when I met Helen it was love at first sight. I believe that you can meet somebody irrespective of gender and fall in love with them." Prior to meeting Helen, Karen had "been dating guys but it was never something that I got into my flow." And the flow started upon meeting Helen? "For me, but it didn't flow for Helen!" laughs Karen. "It was unrequited for a while. But I held on!" "It was persistence against resistance!" laughs Helen. "Helen was having none of it!" laughs Karen. After the break-up of her previous relationship Helen needed some space, but, she says, "Karen was not going to let that happen!" Karen expressed her feelings to Helen, and within a few months, it grew into "something". In 2009, they went travelling to South America for three months. Karen returned to a big promotion as the global head of cider for Heineken, based in Amsterdam; Helen left her job in sales in Dublin and they moved to the Netherlands. (So much for resistance, Helen!) On January 23, 2010, Karen asked Helen to marry her on Dun Laoghaire pier. Karen got the engagement ring specially made in New York. On September 15, 2012, they were married in Amsterdam, with 90 family and friends at the wedding. Helen spent her redundancy package money on a wedding ring, also bought in New York. Asked to describe Helen, Karen says: "Helen has an unbelievable ability to make everyone in her company feel like they are the only people who matter. She has a gentle nature that only wants to do good by people and the planet. She cares more than most about the stuff that matters most." Helen is not, however, a secular saint. When I asked Karen what Helen is like to live with, she laughed: "Grumpy and non-communicative in the morning. I bring her coffee and let the sun shine in and she's always grateful. She doesn't like to be rushed. And I'm always in a rush." They learned to meet half-way. Helen's the homemaker. She's learning to play the piano. She makes her own clothes. "She's great at being in the moment, which centres me and my monkey mind," confides Karen. Asked what Karen - a gargantuan bundle of personality - is like to live with, Helen laughs and says: "Because she has so much energy she does a lot more than me around the house, which is great! Karen is a bit of a Monica [from Friends] so the house is always spotless; besides the bleach she tries to sneak into the toilets it's a win-win for me! "Luckily she's also a great cook; if she wasn't we'd be living on beans on toast, which I love! I try to help her to be in the moment. I'm bringing her to a one-day retreat in the Rainforest spa in Wicklow at the end of March - if I don't press pause she wouldn't stop. It's so important to enjoy the moment, enjoy the journey as much as we can." "Helen is a hippie at heart," says Karen. "If she could roam bare-foot in a commune for the rest of her time, growing her own veg, she would. Helen cares more about our community and planet than anyone I know - 11 years ago when I first met her she used to try to educate me about single-use plastics and fast fashion when no one understood the concepts. "I thought she was nuts. Our only tiff was over my compulsion to use bleach. I've even been caught concealing it in our home behind her back. I'm over bleach now. "She abstained from buying clothes in 2019. She can't listen to mainstream radio any more - it just pains her too much to hear all the damage that is being done to the world. She has signed herself and our little dog Lola up to be a therapy dog, visiting an old folks' home weekly to bring them some love and affection. That's Helen - full of compassion and care." Helen (from Bray, went to St David's in Greystones, then UCD) says of the love of her life Karen (from Waterford, went to the Mercy in Waterford, then WIT and Smurfit Business School): "She thinks the word NO means Negotiable Opportunity. I love that about her. She sets herself quarterly challenges that scare the bejaysus out of her - it prepares her for the challenges in business. "A few years back she signed up to do a triathlon and only had eight weeks to train for it. She didn't know how to swim at the time, so in those eight weeks she trained hard and learned how to swim, which is an incredible feat! "When she got out of the Shannon, it was like she'd won gold at the Olympics, I was so proud of her as I'd taught her to swim!" They run Beekon together, which they are almost as excited about as they are about each other. "To cope with the always-on Beekon pressure," says Karen, "we manage our energy, not our time. There are times when we need to take the foot off the pedal, take a morning off or just take time out to recharge, and being entrepreneurs we've given ourselves the freedom to do just that." "Beekon moved from being a project of interest to a business with intent, that I was going to devote myself to, in October 2018. It was at this point I knew that I had a liquid that was good and a brand that was compelling." For two years prior to this, Karen worked with the master brewer Joe Kearns, "who is a genius. We collaborated with about 12 different types of honey and yeasts to create the taste that is Beekon." Karen left the corporate world as she was "done creating superficial campaigns that lacked meaning and purpose". Her love of "all things bees was ignited in my global cider role. Bees are essential to the pollination of the orchards - it's the start of the production process as such. I ask myself daily one question, indeed my entire brand strategy is one question: 'How would a bee do it?'" Karen tries to approach all things Beekon "like a bee. We have so much to learn from bees. The more I learn, the more I am in awe. If we showed up in life a little more like bees and how they selflessly work for the good of their hive or community, I genuinely believe life would be so much more fulfilling and happier." Karen became "obsessed with making a product that was 100 per cent natural, free from any additives, sulphites, preservatives or colourants, something that large organisations are reluctant to do due to recipe and cost controls." Karen has a dream - "that everywhere Beekon is sold, something is happening to help the bees". beekonbatches.com Cherokee Nation Its hard to believe 10 years have already passed, but this month, U.S. Census postcards will show up in mailboxes across Cherokee Nation and the United States. Once you receive one of these cards, you will be able to fill out the 2020 census. Its important for all Cherokees to do so, and Im asking for our citizens to participate. With that in mind, Deputy Chief Bryan Warner and I launched the #CherokeeNationCounts campaign to help Cherokees complete the census accurately. The census is used extensively to distribute funds to tribal, state and local governments. At Cherokee Nation, we estimate that for each Cherokee who isnt counted, its a loss of about $50,000 in federal funds over the course of a decade. If we arent all counted, we leave money on the table. Those dollars are used for things like building homes for our elders, providing essential health care and training Cherokees for good jobs. That is why we must do everything we can to bring that essential funding home to northeast Oklahoma. During the last census in 2010, some parts of Cherokee Nation had a weak census participation rate, with Sequoyah and Adair counties showing the lowest participation. This year, we are reaching out to Cherokees about filling out the census no matter where they live, but we are focusing the most attention on these previously hard-to-count areas. Besides the financial benefits, the census determines how many representatives we have in our state legislature and the U.S. Congress. Census data is used by tribal and nontribal governments to better understand the demographics and needs of the people they serve. It is also used by private industry to decide where to invest and expand operations. For all these reasons, ensuring a complete count of Cherokees is one of the best things we can do for the next 10 years of our Nation and the next generation of our people. Besides filling out the census, Cherokees also must correctly identify themselves as citizens of the Cherokee Nation. We can do that by checking the American Indian or Alaska Native box, then writing in Cherokee Nation when it asks for our principal tribe. If the adults in your household are not all Cherokees, its important to list the Cherokee in the household first on the census. When you fill out the census, be sure to list everyone living in your household as of April 1, including toddlers and infants, foster children, extended family and nonrelatives. Children under the age of 5 are historically likely to have been undercounted in previous censuses. All information that you fill out on the census is completely confidential. Your personally identifiable information will never be shared outside the Census Bureau, not even with other government agencies. Responses to the census will have no effect on anyones housing, benefits or custody arrangements. This year the Census Bureau is encouraging as many as possible to complete the survey online, but those without easy access to internet can do it by phone, mail or in person with a census worker. In coming months, we will send information and census helpers out to community meetings and other public events across the Cherokee Nation. You can reach out with questions about the census by calling 918-430-3488, emailing censusinfo@cherokee.org or visiting census.cherokee.org Chuck Hoskin Jr. is the 18th elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the largest Indian tribe in the United States. He is only the second elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from Vinita, the first being Thomas Buffington, who served from 1899-1903. Prior to being elected Principal Chief, Hoskin served as the tribes Secretary of State. He also formerly served as a member of the Council of the Cherokee Nation, representing District 11 for six years. Join the Conversation Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 15:15:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TIANJIN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- On what is supposed to be a day to take a break and celebrate, women on the front lines of the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak in China have been busier than ever. March 8 is International Women's Day, a chance for men to honor their female partners for their contributions to the families and society. And this year, the celebration takes on special significance. A SICK NOTE NEVER USED Zhang Jian, 37, as usual, put on a red vest and a mask early in the morning and began her daily inspection in a community in north China's Tianjin Municipality. She works at least six hours a day, from distributing leaflets with epidemic prevention information, taking temperatures of local residents and conducting disinfection of the community of over 2,600 households. Zhang is a cancer patient. She suffered from breast cancer with axillary lymph node metastasis in 2017 and still needs to take pills and get an injection every month due to her mastectomy. Worried about her physical condition, her husband got her a 30-day sick note but Zhang had no time to take even a single day off. She had been working for over 40 days in a row. "Everyone is overloaded. If I ask for leave, my colleagues will be stressed out," she said. There are only nine workers in the community, each taking care of about 300 households. They also take turns with eight other personnel to work as "gatekeepers" to register the movements of vehicles and personnel in the community. Zhang said that grid-based workers have built the first line of defense against the coronavirus. "To protect local residents is to defend ourselves. I will stick it out," she said. "Some residents have given us cakes, umbrellas and porridge as a token of appreciation, which warms us from the winter cold," said Zhang. ENDLESS INCOMING CALLS Zhang Ying, 45, has been on duty around the clock over the past month. As a psychological consultant, her soft tone has soothed many that encounter stress or depression amid the epidemic. "Psychological assistance is a placebo for those suffering from mental stress. And our hotline is like a life-saving straw that can help ease panic and make them feel secure," said Zhang Ying. Once a man called and burst into tears for over 20 minutes, worrying about his wife being diagnosed as a suspected COVID-19 patient. She quietly listened to him vent his emotions and offered him psychological guidance. The man eventually calmed down. The man rung again about two weeks later to express his gratitude, saying that it was the call that had helped him pull through. Zhang Ying sometimes receives over 20 calls a day. The inquirers include parents and children of frontline medics, confirmed COVID-19 patients, and close contacts under quarantine. "Negative emotion may cause more serious consequences than the epidemic. I will try my best to help people fight against the coronavirus with my expertise," said Zhang Ying. AN UNUSUAL HONEYMOON Twenty-eight-year-old Cui Mengwei's battlefield is in the lab. She is a laboratory technician of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Hexi District in Tianjin. Though not on the front line of medical treatment, Cui's work is extraordinarily crucial in the treatment of a patient as rapid and effective screening of nucleic acid samples can help win precious time for the treatment of patients and medical isolation of close contacts. She works with the virus for four to five hours every day with a heavy hazmat suit and medical goggles. Her face is left with blood-red marks after a day's work and she often has to put the outfit on again before the marks have faded. Cui just got married in January, and the couple had planned to celebrate the Spring Festival in her husband's hometown Beijing, a Chinese tradition. But she canceled the plan and threw herself in the lab after the novel coronavirus outbreak. "I look so handsome, Mom, don't I? Can you tell which one is me?" She once texted her mother a photo of herself with her colleagues at work. "Of course I can," her mother replied over the phone, in a broken voice. Cui's husband also stayed to accompany his bride. On a snowy night, when Cui finally got off work at 4 a.m., she found her partner snoring inside the car covered with thick snow. "I arrived at 1 o'clock and had a good sleep already," he smiled. "I was deeply moved and felt very sorry," she said. "Many of my colleagues are women of the same age as me, all of them are responsible and passionate youngsters," said Cui. At least 10 people have died after a Chinese hotel being used to quarantine people under observation for coronavirus collapsed. Some 71 people were trapped when the building in the southeastern city of Quanzhou collapsed on Saturday evening, Chinas Ministry of Emergency Management said. The ministry said 38 people had been rescued and sent to hospitals, while 23 remain missing. Photos from the scene showed rescue workers in hard hats, goggles and face masks carrying the injured away to waiting medical staff in white overalls and surgical masks. A rescue force of over 1,000 people arrived at the site on Saturday night, authorities said. Of the 71 people inside the hotel when it collapsed, 58 had been under quarantine, the authorities added. The cause of the collapse was under investigation and the owner of the building, a man surnamed Yang, had been summoned by police, the state media outlet Xinhua said. Two supermarkets on the first floor of the seven-storey building were undergoing remodelling and a pillar reportedly deformed a few minutes before the collapse, Xinhua reported, quoting a housing and development official. Built in 2013, the building was later converted to a 66-room hotel that opened in June 2018, Quanzhou authorities said. Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty Show all 10 1 /10 Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A man wearing a face mask crosses a road in Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Reuters Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A view of the empty entrance to the UniversitA Cattolica (Catholic University) in Milan, northern Italy, on 24 February, 2020. EPA Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty Empty streets in Daegu, South Korea, on 23 February, 2020. EPA Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty Empty streets in Daegu, South Korea, on 23 February 2020. EPA Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A lone sanitation worker sits near the closed Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, on February 24, 2020. Reuters Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A view of a deserted street in Codogno, northern Italy, on February 23, 2020. EPA Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty Italian police officers set a road block in Codogno, Northern Italy, on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. AP Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A supermarket closed in Codogno, one the northern Italian towns placed under lockdown, on February 23, 2020. EPA Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A lone cyclist wearing sanitary masks pedals in the center of Codogno, Northern Italy. LaPresse via AP Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty An empty road at the entrance of the small Italian town of Codogno on February 23, 2020. AFP via Getty Most Chinese cities are isolating people who had travelled from the worst-hit Hubei province for 14 days. China has confirmed more than 80,000 cases of coronavirus, representing about 75 per cent of the global total, and more than 3,000 people have died there of the disease. Right now, it seems to me, there are two reasons still to head out to the theater, at least as long as the local authorities deem it safe and you take good care of yourself. One is to laugh and escape the news, to participate in what one hopes is a new spirit of American unity in the face of a global existential crisis. The other is to partake of a work of real substance a piece of art that can help us articulate the next way forward for this riven country, or better understand what progress means for someone else, even if that way may not be our own. For a man who has sold 45 million records and performed to stadiums full of fans since the age of 17, Ronan Keating is surprisingly anxious about his latest venture. Aged 43 he is releasing an album, Twenty Twenty, which will mark two decades in the music business as a solo artist, following the break-up of his massively successful band Boyzone. Its a compilation of reworked classics (Life Is A Rollercoaster and Loving Each Day) and some roaring new tracks. Friends from way back, such as fellow boy band survivor Robbie Williams, and those from more recent times, Ed Sheeran and Emeli Sande, have collaborated. For a man who has sold 45 million records and performed to stadiums full of fans since the age of 17, Ronan Keating (above) is surprisingly anxious about his latest venture He should be sitting back in his seat with the smug grin of a man who knows hes giving his audience exactly what they want. It is his 11th solo record, less of an album and more of a statement of his achievements to date. God no, he says. I dont feel like that at all. I feel incredibly anxious. Its taken a year to finish; Ive agonised over every track and then you have something you are really proud of and you worry its going to flop. He pauses. Its massive insecurity. It goes with the job. Am I relevant? Does anyone want me any more? Keating leans back and laughs because he is fully aware he might be sounding, as he would say, like a total eejit. Theres a thin line between artistic vulnerability and taking yourself too seriously, as he knows to his cost. We are sitting in a west London hotel. He is wearing a waistcoat over a T-shirt that shows off his bulked-up arms, the result of hours in the gym. He looks good: his dirty blond hair is expensively tousled, Beckham-style, and he has the pale golden skin of an extensively travelled man. Underneath it all, however, he is still the working-class son of a Dublin lorry driver and a hairdresser. Keating has been famous for almost two-thirds of his life. He has had to deal with massive issues under the spotlight: the death of his mother from breast cancer in 1998; splitting up his band in 2000 to go solo; the shocking loss of bandmate Stephen Gately, who died in 2009 from a pulmonary oedema; the scandalous implosion of his choirboy image when he had an affair with a backing dancer; and his subsequent split from Yvonne, his first wife and the mother of his three eldest children, in 2010. He cannot and does not complain of having had a rough ride. As with insecurity, having to deal publicly with grief, loss, shame and scandal goes with the territory. As a teenager in a world-famous boy band, his introduction to celebrity was a baptism of fire. Initially I would just drink, he says. Im Irish. Thats the culture. There were no cafes when I grew up, just pubs. On Sundays, after mass, my folks would go to the pub for a couple of drinks and me and my sister and brothers would be left in the car park with a ton of other kids whod also been left there by their parents. Wed have a riot. A lot of life was focused around pubs, so I drank. After his mother Marie died, he started drinking a bottle of Jack Daniels a night until his then wife, Yvonne, pulled him out of it. And then you get older. You learn to deal with your stresses and keep going. Keating's new album is a compilation of reworked classics (Life Is A Rollercoaster and If Tomorrow Never Comes) and some roaring new tracks. Ed Sheeran collaborates on a song Emeli Sande also features on Keating's new outing. The album will mark two decades in the music business as a solo artist for the former Boyzone star Friends from way back, such as fellow boy band survivor Robbie Williams also make an appearance on the new record Album insecurity aside, Keating is a happy man. He is worth around 20 million and has been married since 2015 to Australian-born TV producer Storm, who is due to give birth to a baby girl imminently. The couple already have a two-year-old son, Cooper, and he is also dad to Jack, 21, Missy, 19, and Ali, 14, from his first marriage. Five kids, he says. Like my mam and dad. When I was Jacks age I was married and had him! Storm recently said in an interview that she would be booking him in for a vasectomy as their family was now complete. Im not having the snip, he laughs. I dont have the time Ive too much to do. Keating works constantly. Every morning he is up at 5am for his Magic radio show with Harriet Scott. The album comes after a 16-month Thank You & Goodnight world tour with Boyzone, which ended last October. A few hours after we meet, he heads to Indonesia for three days of promotion. Last week he flew to Australia (where he was a judge on the Australian X Factor) to take part in the mammoth Fire Fight charity concert to raise money for those affected by bush fires. Every night when hes home he insists on cooking for his kids. It keeps me calm, he says. I have a glass of wine and I like the methodical process of cooking. Keatings album will sell because it is a good one. It will not, as he knows, compete with the likes of his mate Sheeran, who performed at his wedding and who plays guitar on his new version of When You Say Nothing At All, which he sings with American country star Alison Krauss. Its their time for the big gigs and the madness, he says. Ive had my time and now its different, but its an achievement just to be here. Ronan Keating with his second wife, Storm. He has been married to Australian-born TV producer Storm since 2015 and she is due to give birth to a baby girl imminently His collaboration with Williams, The Big Goodbye, came about in particularly poignant circumstances. Williams wrote it after hearing of the death of Stephen Gately but did not tell Keating about it until a decade later. When I listened to it I was in tears, says Keating. Its obviously very emotional. We changed it so it worked as a duet. Boyzone were the Irish Take That. Five Catholic working-class schoolboys Keating, Shane Lynch, Stephen Gately, Mikey Graham and Keith Duffy brought together by Louis Walsh, who masterminded their career. We were unprepared, unbelievably naive and totally clueless in the early years, he recalls. When Walsh told Duffy he could be in the band but he wasnt allowed to have a girlfriend, the confused teenager responded by saying: Ill have to say no then, Louis, because I cant be gay. Keating bursts out laughing at the story. We are very close but we fight. I remember once seeing a dustbin flying through the air backstage Boyzones image was of five angelic choirboys. In reality they drank like navvies, fought like dogs and camped it up with Gately, whose homosexuality was initially a secret. After seven years, the band split amid rows, recriminations and Keatings decision to go solo. They didnt speak for years and the Gatelys death brought them back together. Keating ploughed on, bagging awards, number ones and pumping out best-selling albums. He also co-managed Westlife, with Walsh, an even bigger Irish boy band than Boyzone. Nevertheless, as a musician he felt unworthy. Id spent a lifetime in a band being told I was just this performer. You dont feel like an artist, certainly not a musician. In the Nineties it was Britpop and pop bands. You knew your place. I dont remember Oasis being rude because we had that Irish connection but Damon Albarn and Blur were rude. And you feel it really badly. In recent years he has started to believe in himself. You start to realise you have proved yourself when youve been in the business 26 years, he says. Having the likes of Sheeran, Sande, Williams and Shania Twain work with him on his album felt like an acknowledgment of his success. He tells me about the GQ Awards in 2017: Stormzy was there and he came running over and asked to take a selfie. Then I bumped into Liam Gallagher in the gents, we had a chat and he shook my hand. When Stormzy got his award, after hed thanked everyone, he said, This has been an amazing night I even got a selfie with Ronan Keating! Then Liam went up to get an award and said, You might think youre special Stormzy but I didnt just get a selfie with Ronan Keating, I shook his hand. Everyone in the industry was clapping and I felt accepted. It was a real moment for me. Ronan Keating with his first wife, Yvonne, on their wedding day in 1998. We got married very young, he says Keating has found his place, even though it is no longer on a celebrity pedestal. Being stripped of his good-boy status after a six-month affair with backing dancer Francine Cornell was, in many ways, a relief. He was never a saint. None of us were, he says. We are all human. Humans make mistakes. He and his ex-wife have a good relationship now and he is close to their three children. We got married very young, he says quietly. When Boyzone reformed for a final tour in 2018 he admits it was not without its issues. Of course there were rows, he says. We spent three years without speaking after Boyzone split, and then, when Stephen died, everything changed. Were not mates, we are brothers. We are very close but we fight. Back in the day I remember seeing a dustbin flying through the air backstage, but I think one of the biggest rows we ever had was on this tour. We were in Japan. I was doing my vocal warm-ups 40 minutes before we were due on stage and suddenly everything kicked off. There was a moment where we nearly didnt go on stage and that would have been it. He has ordered a vegetable omelette from the waiter. No cheese, no mushrooms, he says. When the omelette arrives, he cuts into it and a stream of mushrooms slide out. Keating grins. Life, he says. Youve got to laugh. Twenty Twenty is out on May 1 Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Kolkata, March 8 : A suspected Coronavirus patient, who returned from Saudi Arabia, died in the government Medical College in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Sunday, a senior official said. Two other suspected Conoravirus patients were admitted in the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Beliaghat here during the day. One of them, also a resident of Murshidabad, had returned from Saudi Arabia during the day and was diagnosed with fever during thermal screening at the NSCBI airport. The ailing youth at the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital breathed his last early evening on Sunday. The 33-year-old, a resident of Nabagram, fell sick while returning home on Saturday after flying to the NSCBI Airport here earlier in the day from Saudi Arabia, where he used to work as a cleaner. As he was running a fever, and complained of respiratory distress, his family members took him to the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital in Bahrampur on Sunday where the doctors admitted him at an isolation ward after a preliminary check-up. "One of the doctors who examined him felt it is a suspected case of coronavirus. So we admitted him considering the symptoms and the fact that he has returned from abroad. But he also had uncontrolled blood sugar, which could have also caused his death," Hospital Medical Superintendent cum Vice Principal Debdas Saha told IANS over phone. His throat swab sample was collected and sent to National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), but he passed away before the report could arrive. "It takes at least a day to get the report. So, there was no way we could get it today," said the hospital official. According to the victim's family members, he had been staying in Saudi Arabia for the past five years. But over the past two years, his blood glucose levels had gone up. Recently, the levels increased further, following which his employers sent him home. Arrangements were being made for the Muslim man's last rites by following the standard protocol given by the state Health Department for coronavirus patients, said Saha. The family members of the victim and all others who came in contact with him are likely to be quarantined as a precautionary measure and kept under observation. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) A 15-year old boy who arrived here from the US via Doha on Sunday was diagnosed with fever during screening at the airport and was sent to a hospital for observation, airport sources said. The boy, who arrived along with his father had some symptoms associated with fever as well and was sent to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, they said. Authorities sent him to RGGGH after examining him in a special ward set up in the airport. Tests will be done as part of the observation protocol to ascertain if the boy has coronavirus, sources added. The father and son duo hail from Tamil Nadu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It had been argued in the EFSAS Commentary of 06-09-2019 titled Strange negotiations in an incongruous environment do not portend well for peace in Afghanistan that the talks that the United States (US) was engaged in with the Taliban represented basically an acceptance of defeat by the US, its willingness to renege on the promises, both articulated and implied, made to the people of Afghanistan, and in its rush to get out of Afghanistan its sheer lack of interest in, or commitment to, the prospects of long-term peace in the country. On 29 February, the US confirmed all of this when it finally and formally signed an agreement with the Taliban in Doha. The Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a State and is known as the Taliban, and the United States of America that was signed by the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, the chief US negotiator in the talks with the Taliban, and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's political chief, outlined a series of commitments from the US and the Taliban related to troop levels, counterterrorism, and the intra-Afghan dialogue that were ostensibly aimed at bringing about a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire. The US Taliban agreement essentially has four points: a 14-month timeline for withdrawal of all US and NATO troops from Afghanistan; a Taliban guarantee that Afghan soil will not be used as a launchpad that would threaten the security of the US and its allies; the launch of intra-Afghan negotiations by 10 March; and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire. The US also pledged to lift sanctions against the Taliban and work with the United Nations to lift its separate sanctions against the group. In the initial phase of the agreements operation, the US would reduce its forces in Afghanistan from about 13,000 to 8,600 within 135 days, with US allies also drawing down their forces proportionately. The US Taliban deal stipulated that 5,000 Taliban prisoners and 1,000 Afghan security force prisoners would be exchanged by 10 March, when the talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government are due to start. In essence, from the US perspective the agreement was nothing more than a dressed-up surrender and a face-saving exit for US forces from the longest war in US history. For the Taliban, it was a victorious achievement that fulfilled its most vital and immediate wish the withdrawal of US and other foreign forces from Afghanistan. With this huge impediment out of the way, the Taliban firmly believes that the route for it to Kabul has been paved and smoothened. The confidence of the Taliban on this count was evident from Taliban chief Hibatullah Akhundzadas statement of 29 February that the Islamic Emirate believes in maintaining positive bilateral relations with the world and especially with the regional countries and is committed to the principle of good neighbourly relations with its neighbours. The implication of the Taliban speaking of future ties with other countries before the prescribed intra-Afghan talks have even commenced was not lost on keen observers of the region. The US Taliban agreement legitimized the Taliban as the key player in Afghanistan and catapulted the outfit, that till recently was widely accepted to be a terrorist group, into one that had not only driven the mighty Americans out of their country but had also signed an agreement as an equal with the most powerful country in the world. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attended the signing in Doha, as did representatives from Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The mood in the Taliban camp following the signing of the agreement was upbeat, and their jubilation was palpable. Taliban fighters in Afghanistan celebrated the signing, hailing a victory, while in Doha, chief Taliban negotiator Abbas Stanikzai emphatically asserted that there is no doubt we have won the war" " this (is) why they are signing a peace treaty. At the Doha signing ceremony, Abdul Ghani Baradar said that he hoped that with the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan the Afghan nation under an Islamic regime will take its relief and embark on a new prosperous life. The Taliban released a statement soon after in which it called the deal a termination of the foreign occupation. It added, The accord about the complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan and never intervening in its affairs in the future is undoubtedly a great achievement. President Donald Trumps revelation on 29 February that he would be meeting personally with Taliban leaders in the not too distant future buoyed the Taliban spirits even further. CNN quoted Muhammad Suhail Shaheen, a member of the Taliban negotiation team, as saying that the Taliban had accepted Trump's invitation for talks in the US. He added that Trump had set the agenda for the meeting and of course this will be shared with us through proper channel and we will have own opinion about that. And then it will take place. In Washington and Kabul, however, there was little celebration. A discernible sense of foreboding pervaded. In Doha, Pompeo told the media that while This is a hopeful moment, but it's only the beginning. There's a great deal of hard work ahead on the diplomatic front. He added that the US will closely watch the Taliban's compliance with their commitments, and calibrate the pace of our withdrawal to their actions. This is how we will ensure that Afghanistan never again serves as a base for international terrorists. Pompeo sought to temper expectations from the agreement by pointing out that there will be a temptation to declare victory. Victory for Afghans will only be achieved when they can live in peace and prosper. Victory for the United States will only be achieved when Americans and our allies no longer have to fear a terrorist threat from Afghanistan. Trump, meanwhile, impervious to the considerable criticism that the agreement generated within the US, claimed that Everybody wanted this to happen, and that If the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan live up to these commitments, we will have a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan and bring our troops home. He added that We'll be very much hoping that they will be doing what they say they're going to be doing. Trumps insecurity about where precisely the agreement would lead to found reflection in his words. Claiming that US troops had been killing terrorists in Afghanistan by the thousands, Trump averred that it was now time for someone else to do that work and it will be the Taliban and it could be surrounding countries. His opinion on how the Taliban would treat the deal going forward was loaded with negativity and included a direct threat. He said, I really believe the Taliban wants to do something to show we're not all wasting time. If bad things happen, we'll go back with a force like no-one's ever seen. This certainly was not language that is normally used to project optimism regarding a freshly brokered deal that has been touted as highly advantageous. The criticism of the agreement in the US was scathing. Rep. Liz Cheney said in a statement that releasing thousands of Taliban fighters, lifting sanctions on international terrorists, and agreeing to withdraw all US forces in exchange for promises from the Taliban, with no disclosed mechanism to verify Taliban compliance, would be reminiscent of the worst aspects of the Obama Iran nuclear deal. Rep. Cheney led a group of 21 other Republican lawmakers in expressing serious concerns about the agreement and sought assurances from Pompeo and Esper that you will not place the security of the American people into the hands of the Taliban, and undermine our ally, the current government of Afghanistan. James Dobbins, who served as Special Envoy for Afghanistan during the Bush and Obama administrations, felt that All of the conditions in Afghanistan militate against a successful peace process, while Daniel Feldman, who served in the State Department's office for Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2009 to 2015, underlined that The fact that we could fully withdraw before any sort of negotiated settlement is finalized - let alone implemented - between the Taliban and the Afghan government leaves us with virtually no leverage to help ensure that Afghanistan is on a sustainable and peaceful path, and particularly imperils the gains that women and civil society have made there. Brett McGurk, the administration's former Special Representative to the coalition against the Islamic State, asserted that The withdrawal provisions in this Afghanistan agreement seem far more comprehensive than advertised. It's a TOTAL withdrawal of ALL American and NATO forces within 14 months. That would likely produce a gradual collapse of the state, civil war, and the Taliban back in Kabul. Meanwhile, in Kabul, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in a joint ceremony with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on 29 February concluded a separate Joint Declaration between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United States of America for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan. The intention behind this declaration was to demonstrate continuing US and NATO support for the constitutional government of Afghanistan, and to provide military and civilian assistance to achieve mutual security goals. The Afghan government had sought this reassurance because it is not a party to the US Taliban agreement. This joint US declaration with the Afghan government also stipulated a parallel commitment from the Afghan government to fight terrorist groups that threaten the US. After the signing of the declaration, Esper cautioned, This is a hopeful moment, but it is only the beginning. The road ahead will not be easy. Achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan will require patience and compromise among all parties. President Ghani, on his part, said that Afghanistan was looking forward to a full ceasefire, and that his government was ready to negotiate with the Taliban. An agreement that one party has been constrained to conclude with the sole purpose of getting out of a tight situation can never be favourable to that party. Whether the US acknowledges it or not, the plain fact is that the US has achieved little, if anything, in strategic terms by signing the deal with the Taliban. It has literally handed over all the cards to the Taliban and left its supposed ally, the Afghan government, in a highly unenviable position. The controversial and contested results of the last Presidential election have left the Afghan polity in disarray, with divisions running deep. Even a united political dispensation in Kabul would have quite a task keeping the empowered Taliban at bay. A highly polarized and divided political class stands little chance. It is hardly surprising, given the advantageous position that the Taliban has negotiated itself into, and the US has succumbed to, that barely 3 days after the signing of the agreement it has started unraveling and is coming off at the seams. As early as the day after the signing of the agreement, President Ghani on 1 March rejected a major clause of it. He said, The government of Afghanistan has made no commitment to free 5,000 Taliban prisoners prior to the stipulated commencement of his governments talks with the Taliban. He added, It is not in the authority of the United States to decide, they are only a facilitator. Ghani was right in asserting this as the relevant section of the joint declaration between the US and the Afghan government only stated that To create the conditions for reaching a political settlement and achieving a permanent, sustainable ceasefire, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will participate in a US-facilitated discussion with Taliban representatives on confidence-building measures, to include determining the feasibility of releasing significant numbers of prisoners on both sides. Handing over the 5,000 prisoners to the Taliban even before the talks start would, in any case, be viewed as daft by Ghani as that would substantially reduce his already diminished leverage with the Taliban if and when the direct talks begin. If Ghani sticks to his guns and the US refrains from pressurizing him using its economic and other leverages, the US Taliban agreement could fall apart on this issue alone. Meanwhile, the Taliban had announced on 2 March that it was, after a weeklong reduction in violence, resuming normal military operations against Afghan forces but would hold back on attacks on foreign troops. An Afghan Ministry of Defence spokesman informed on 4 March that in the past 24 hours there had been clashes between the Taliban and Afghan security forces in 9 provinces, including Helmand. The US responded to this provocation by conducting an airstrike against Taliban fighters in Helmand province on 4 March. The future of the agreement in a milieu such as this so soon after the signing does not bode well. Amidst the din of all these influential American and Afghan voices, a large section of common Afghans is by and large unheard, in disbelief, and apprehensive. This is especially true of the women, who had suffered immeasurably during the Taliban rule at the turn of the last century. The Afghans had not invited the US into their country, nor had they asked US troops to remain in the country for close to two decades. It was the US, on account of its own longing and drive to ensure accountability for the US lives lost in 9/11, and to safeguard its long-term security interests, that barged into Afghanistan and chose to remain there. A Taliban takeover, or at the very least dominance, of Afghanistan appears to be the most likely outcome if the US and allied troops depart from the country in the agreed upon 14 months. The people of Afghanistan, especially the youth and women, had by virtue of the US presence and influence grown up in a country where basic freedoms were available to them, despite the war that raged across the country. This was a major and welcome change from the dark days of the Taliban regime. It would certainly have behooved the US to question its values, sense of responsibility and fairness towards the Afghans prior to tamely agreeing to all but hand over the country and its people to the mercy of the very same Taliban once again. The government leader spoke highly of the textile groups business and production in Vietnam, and added that in his meetings with Chinese leaders, the two sides mentioned Texhong as an example of Chinese firms operating in Vietnam which make important contributions to bilateral relations. For his part, the Chinese official said the attention paid by the PM, ministries and localities of Vietnam to the company as well as the countrys fight against the COVID-19 epidemic is encouraging the group to move positively toward expanding its investment in Vietnam, with an addition of US$500 million this year. He expressed his hope that the Government, ministries and localities of Vietnam, especially Quang Ninh province will quickly finish procedures related to the transport of goods and materials, and help a limited number of high-level managers and experts of Texho to work in Vietnam. The official also pledged to implement the provisions by Vietnamese authorities on the fight against the epidemic. PM Phuc said the government will direct Quang Ninh province to consider the proposal and extended his regards to workers of the Chinese projects in Vietnam. He also extended sympathies from leaders of the Party, State and people of Vietnam to their Chinese counterparts over the losses caused by the epidemic. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said that 100 countries are now reporting coronavirus cases with more than 100,000 people reported as being ill. "While very serious, this should not discourage us," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "There are many things everyone, everywhere can and should do now." Tedros praised Italy for "taking bold, courageous steps aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus (and) protecting their country. They are making genuine sacrifices." He said the WHO "stands in solidarity" with Italy and "is here to continue supporting you." Travel into and out the areas will be highly restricted until early next month, as the country seeks to slow the tide of fatalities from the virus. Museums, theaters, cinemas and other entertainment venues have also been ordered to close. Italy has also asked retired doctors to return to service to help treat coronavirus victims. The northern part of the country includes the Lombardy region and the financial capital, Milan. In addition, Italy is closing off 14 other provinces, including Veneto, home of Venice. Italy's coronavirus death toll spiked Sunday by 133 to 366, the most in any country outside China. With the growing health risks, Rome imposed a new emergency decree, locking down the northern part of the country with a quarter of Italy's population. In the U.S., where there have been at least 19 deaths, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter, "We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus. We moved VERY early to close borders to certain areas, which was a Godsend. V.P. is doing a great job. The Fake News Media is doing everything possible to make us look bad. Sad!" Surgeon General Jerome Adams told CNN that U.S. health officials want Americans, especially older people, to "rethink getting on a cruise or a long-haul flight" in an effort to limit their risk of being confined with someone who might have the coronavirus. Adams said that by Monday the U.S. expects to have two million test kits available. "If you're health care provider thinks you need a test, you'll get it," he said. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, urged Americans to take the threat of the coronavirus seriously. "You have to look at any large gathering" and consider the possible consequences of attending, he said on NBC's "Meet the Press" show, and specifically advised against going on a cruise vacation. In a break with centuries of tradition, Pope Francis did not deliver the annual Angelus prayer live Sunday in Saint Peter's Square. The Vatican, which has already reported one coronavirus case, is hoping to keep crowd size down in the tiny city-state in its attempt to stop the virus. The pontiff instead utilized 21st-century technology and delivered the prayer "via livestream by Vatican News and on screens in Saint Peter's Square," the Vatican said. Iran said Sunday the coronavirus has killed 49 more people in the last 24 hours, bringing its death toll to 194. The Middle Eastern country has 6,566 confirmed cases. In China, a hotel used to quarantine people with the virus collapsed Sunday. At least six people were killed in the incident. The virus first erupted in China late last year. Reuters reported that at least two federal health screeners at Los Angeles International Airport had tested positive for the coronavirus and have been ordered to self-quarantine until March 17. The news agency said screeners, many of them federal workers, had already "asked their supervisors... to change official protocols and require stronger masks." The Grand Princess cruise ship, hit by a coronavirus outbreak, is scheduled to dock in Oakland, California, Monday. The ship has been held at sea since last week when San Francisco refused to allow the ship to return there because of the outbreak. The Grand Princess is carrying more than 3,500 passengers and crew. Worldwide, there were more than 106,000 infections Sunday, while the death toll has surpassed 3,500. Bahrain has announced it will hold its Formula 1 Grand Prix later this month, but without any spectators. "Given the continued spread of COVID-19 globally, convening a major sporting event, which is open to the public and allows thousands of international travelers and local fans to interact in close proximity would not be the right thing to do at the present time," the Bahrain International Circuit said Sunday. "Its like a weird Venn diagram, where shes good at what Im not good at and vice versa. But then we have overlap where we just get along," says Wilson who co-owns Thistle, a flower shop that opened over the summer in the former La Buena restaurant building on East 22nd at South Fourth Avenue, with Victoria Martino. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - In the soft glow of the ultrasound machine in the dimly lighted exam room, Dr. Craig Towers offered his patient this assessment: "Your baby is doing great!" But Emily Lenderman barely registered the good news. The 22-year-old was miserable. A raging staph infection had overrun the right side of her face, her skin was clammy and dark bags shadowed her eyes. Her head lolled side to side. Towers didn't need a drug test to confirm Lenderman, 14 weeks pregnant, was in the throes of opioid addiction, and this morning still showed the effects of having used the drug the day before. That was why Lenderman had driven 70 miles to see Towers, one of the few physicians who specializes in treating drug-addicted pregnant women. Over the last decade, Towers has helped hundreds of patients wean off highly addictive opioids before giving birth - a surprisingly controversial approach to treating addiction. His methods have sparked backlash from the medical establishment over whether detoxing is too risky and whether pregnant patients should even be given the option of getting clean. Looking at his watch - he had 20 other addicted patients on his schedule - Towers scooted his stool a little closer, and locked his gray-green eyes on Lenderman's. He needed her full attention. ADVERTISEMENT If she chose to detox and managed to stay off drugs completely through delivery, he said, her baby would not be born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS, the painful, wailing withdrawal suffered by babies of opioid users. But there were hazards. The biggest: She could relapse. "Then you are probably getting stuff on the street, possibly the wrong dose, and you could overdose and you can die," he said. "If that happens, you are not here, and the baby is not here." The other option, Towers said, was to follow national guidelines that recommend taking opioid maintenance medications, such as buprenorphine or methadone, for the duration of her pregnancy. The danger of overdosing was lower, but the chances of her baby developing NAS were higher. "This is your choice," he said. "I will treat you either way. I'm not judging you. It's your pregnancy, your life." A 64-year-old who speaks in the cheerful inflection of the late actor Jimmy Stewart, Towers is an unlikely rebel, having published more than 100 papers or studies on pregnancy, disease and addiction. He became interested in obstetrics because it required a unique mix of skills: internal medicine, surgery and research. There was also something magical about it all. "I remember my first delivery," he said. "It was early one morning, and I was there in the delivery room. And this head was coming out, and I thought the mother was going to split apart. And then she pushes out this thing that is alive, and I caught it. A living thing." ADVERTISEMENT Towers grew up in Downey, outside Los Angeles, and graduated in 1984 from the University of Kansas Medical School. He eventually returned to Southern California and took a job as an obstetrician specializing in high-risk pregnancies. In 2010, he moved here, joining High Risk Obstetrical Consultants, a practice affiliated with the University of Tennessee Medical Center. He focused on women struggling with diabetes, hypertension or other complications, and is most proud of helping a woman who had suffered six miscarriages give birth twice to healthy babies. Not a year into the job, he began confronting patients addicted to opioids. They were on the leading edge of a nationwide epidemic. Today, as many as 35,000 pregnant women are abusing opioids, a drug that can lead to fatal overdoses and wreak havoc on immune systems. Nearly 20,000 babies are born in withdrawal every year. Those babies may also suffer long-term developmental and learning problems. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists had long warned that it was too dangerous to wean pregnant women off the drug. "Abrupt discontinuation of opioids in an opioid-dependent pregnant woman can result in preterm labor, fetal distress, or fetal demise," the college declared. Instead, the college's guidelines said doctors should prescribe opioid maintenance medications until the birth. Accordingly, Towers would reject the pleas of women who asked to detox, the medical term for getting off drugs. "Many were upset by that answer," he said. "It kind of depressed them." Towers did some research to craft a brochure he could give patients about the dangers of detoxing. What he found shocked him: There was no evidence, he said, that detoxing was hazardous to fetuses. The guidelines were based on two case studies of individual patients in the 1970s who lost their fetuses; Towers suspected those incidents were unrelated to detoxing. Studies in Australia showed there was no risk to fetuses at all. The only danger, the studies showed, involved a woman relapsing, overdosing and dying. Towers thought he could manage that hazard. If the women consented, he put them on maintenance medications as recommended, but then tapered down their doses to zero. ADVERTISEMENT Since 2012, Towers said, he has treated nearly 1,800 opioid addicts and successfully weaned 850 women off the narcotic through delivery. Among those patients, none experienced detox-related miscarriages or stillbirths, he said, and no babies were born in withdrawal. About 450 patients relapsed after detoxing or were not able to fully detox; about 400 followed the national recommendations. More than half of the babies born to those two groups of women developed NAS, he said. He published a study in 2016 on his findings, and in 2017 the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists amended guidelines to permit experienced doctors to help their patients taper off opioids, though it still recommends physicians follow its more conservative approach to drug treatment. Some experts are wary about encouraging women to detox during pregnancy. They say Towers is too bold, pointing to relapse rates of between 40% and 60% for opioid addicts. Such women could die from overdoses. They also say that national data do not support Towers' conclusion that detoxing leads to reduced chances of NAS because so many patients relapse, ultimately exposing their fetuses to opioids. "Detoxing is not superior to medication," said Dr. Mishka Terplan, an expert in obstetrics and addiction medicine who has written extensively on the topic. Terplan, who is working on a large-scale study to assess the merits of detoxing while pregnant, said he recommends doctors use maintenance medications, though he believes physicians can help some patients detox on a case-by-case basis. Towers says he evaluates each patient to see if she can handle detoxing and has taken steps to reduce the chances of relapsing. His clinic has stepped up access to mental health counseling and ensures specialists are present to help women connect with jobs, social services, even rides. In 2017, he began prescribing naltrexone, a drug that combats drug cravings. In the last few years, he said, the relapse rate of his detoxing patients has dropped from 1 in 5 to 1 in 10. Towers' busiest day is Tuesday, when as many as 25 addicted women show up for appointments at his fourth-floor office in a building attached to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. On one such day last August, he was a blur of a lab coat - hustling up and down the halls, in and out of exam rooms, reviewing charts and ultrasound results, checking on patients' progress in their pregnancies and drug treatment. Many aspects of his exams were typical of any obstetrical appointment - ensuring babies were the right size, and their heads pointing down. He opined on the best elixir to take for diabetes tests. "Trust me," he told more than one patient, "I have tasted them all, and the fruit punch and berry are the best ones." But the exams all eventually turned to patients' struggles with opioids or other drugs. He congratulated a 30-year-old who seemed to have turned a corner after two overdoses. He told a woman it was OK that she hadn't been able to fully wean off the maintenance medication. And he comforted a 27-year-old patient near tears because another obstetrician would not let her detox. "They told me I could kill my baby if I stopped," she said. Towers did some math. The patient was 27 weeks pregnant, and that gave them just 10 weeks to taper down before her before delivery. "We're going to have to be a little aggressive with this," he counseled. She succeeded and later gave birth to a NAS-free child. Over the years, Towers has learned an overriding truth about his patients: They are suffering. Many show scars of deep psychological and physical abuse. Most feel shame at exposing another life to drugs. Even after detoxing, many carry the weight of a question they are afraid to ask: Did they harm their babies? Handling such patients requires the most gentle of bedside manners. Halfway through his Tuesday clinic that August afternoon, Towers checked on Kayla Daniell, 25, and could see she was doing much better than when she had entered his care six weeks earlier. A longtime addict who had started using drugs to cope with past sexual abuse, Daniell was now clean. Even so, the physician could see she was anxious. He knew precisely why. "Your baby is doing great," he reassured her. "Just great." Daniell exhaled deeply, relieved. Six weeks later, she delivered a healthy girl. To Towers, each such birth is a victory, a data point in a growing data set that he believes rebuts critics and proves his approach is safe and effective. It keeps him going, even when he should probably think about slowing down. Last May, feeling intense chest pain, he saw a cardiologist and learned a major artery was 95% blocked. He received a stent. While he has cut back some, he has refused to give up his opioid clinic. There are too many Emily Lendermans to help. It was an afternoon in late October when Lenderman, now 23, walked briskly into the exam room for a routine follow-up. He had first seen Lenderman in August when he had locked eyes with her and asked if she wanted to detox. Lenderman successfully completed a detox program and by this appointment seemed to be a wholly different person. Her face was clear and bright, her hair perfectly combed. She laughed when her mother cracked a bad joke, and she peppered the ultrasound tech with questions. For the first time since Lenderman could remember, she was planning for her future. She wanted to become a nurse. Towers was pleased by her progress and that of her pregnancy. But he could tell she remained unsettled. "Your baby is doing great!" She smiled broadly: "You're a lifesaver." Three months later, in January, Lenderman gave birth to Luke, a healthy baby boy. --- (c)2020 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL), Doit Urban Ventures (India) Limited, DHFL promoter Kapil Wadhawan and YES Bank founder Rana Kapoor for cheating and criminal conspiracy under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 7, 12, and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR says that Rana Kapoor extended financial assistance to DHFL to get "substantial undue benefit" for himself and his family members via companies held by them. Earlier, India Today TV had reported that the YES Bank matter was taken up by CBI director and others who are part of the BS & FC unit (specialised unit which looks into bank fraud case) on Saturday. Notably, during April to June 2018, YES Bank invested Rs 3,700 crore in the short-term debentures of DHFL. This loan later turned into non-performing assets. As per the allegations, DHFL's Wadhawan simultaneously paid kickbacks worth Rs 600 crore to the Kapoors in the form of a loan of the similar amount to Doit Urban Ventures, a venture owned by his daughters -- Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Roshni Kapoor and Radha Kapoor. It has been alleged that YES Bank allegedly did not initiate action to recover the NPA-turned loans from DHFL. Also Read: YES Bank crisis: How SBI executed a perfect 'rescue plan' Apart from the CBI, the ED is also probing the links between DHFL and the Kapoors. Investments worth over Rs 2,000 crore, 44 expensive paintings and a dozen alleged shell firms are at the heart of the ED's investigations against Kapoor, who was arrested by the agency on Sunday and later sent to three-day police custody by a Mumbai court. The agency, official sources told PTI, has also recovered documents that show some assets of the Kapoor family in London and the source of funds for their acquisition is now being investigated. Also read: YES Bank crisis: Rana Kapoor sent to three-day ED custody till March 11 Also Read: SBI sets Rs 10,000 crore boundary for Yes Bank investment: Chairman Rajnish Kumar The couples children, Erika, 11 and Lyndsey, 13, who attend Hanover Middle School, Hannah, 15, who is enrolled at Hanover High School, and the familys exchange student from Germany Delia Ostertun, 15, were warming up with the parents. The older three were part of the Key Club team. This is the first year the girls were participating. The prime accused in the Pranay Perumalla honour killing case, Maruthi Rao, on Sunday allegedly committed suicide in Arya Vysya Bhavan in Hyderabad, the police said. According to the police, the main accused in the contract killing of Perumalla, was allegedly found dead in Arya Vysya Bhavan in Khairatabad in Saifabad police station limits. Saifabad Deputy Commissioner of Police speaking over the phone to ANI said, "Maruti Rao was found dead in the morning. He has committed suicide, the case has not yet registered. Further investigation underway." Rao was an accused in the murder which had taken place on September 14, 2018, by allegedly paying Rs 1 crore to a contract killer in September 2018 to murder Pranay. Pranay was married to his daughter Amrutha. The police said that Rao was opposed to the inter-caste marriage. Meanwhile, his daughter said, "We have no clarity yet, my father might have committed suicide due to regret after they killed Pranay. I never spoke to him nor saw him after that. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In this file photo taken on Feb. 24, 2020, Harvey Weinstein arrives at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City. The disgraced former movie mogul was taken to New York's notorious Rikers Island jail on March 5, ten days after he was convicted of rape and sexual assault. AFP Harvey Weinstein deserves a harsh sentence for having ''trapped women into his exclusive control'' so he could sexually assault them in a cycle of abuse going back to the 1970s, prosecutors told a judge in a filing on Friday. With the disgraced former movie mogul facing sentencing next week for his conviction on rape and sexual assault charges, prosecutors detailed a litany of allegations starting with a claim by a woman that she woke up in the middle of the night in a Buffalo, New York, hotel room in 1978 to find Weinstein on top of her and ''forcing himself sexually on her.'' Prosecutors said that encounter fit a pattern that continued for decades: Weinstein getting young women alone in hotel rooms and other settings before sexually attacking them, often while trying to trick them into thinking it was a path to stardom. Based on ''a lifetime of abuse toward others, sexual and otherwise,'' prosecutors said they are seeking a sentence that ''reflects the seriousness of the defendant's offenses'' and punishes him for ''his total lack of remorse for the harm he has done.'' One of Weinstein's lawyers, Arthur Aidala, declined comment on Friday. He said the defense would file a response on Monday. The letter comes in advance of Weinstein's sentencing on Wednesday for his conviction last month on one count of criminal sex act for forcibly performing oral sex on a woman in 2006 and one count of third-degree rape for a 2013 attack on another woman. His lawyers had contended at trial that any sexual contact was consensual. On the criminal sex act count, Weinstein faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 25 years in prison, while the third-degree rape count carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison. The judge could have the sentences run concurrently. The 67-year-old Weinstein was moved Thursday to an infirmary unit at New York City's notorious Rikers Island jail complex after undergoing a heart procedure at the hospital where he'd been held since his conviction last month. (AP) GENESEE COUNTY-- Heres a look at all of the bond proposals in Genesee County that voters will see on their ballot Tuesday, March 10. Davison Community Schools proposal Davison Community Schools is asking district voters to pass a $71,390,000 bond for upgrading facilities, security improvements, building additions and instructional technology. If passed, the bond would raise tax rates with a 2.9-mill property tax for a maximum of 24 years, according to ballot language. This means a $2.90 increased tax annually for every $1,000 of taxable value for residences and businesses. Davison schools asks voters to pass $71M bond Our bond is really focused on three areas: renovations here at Davison High School, Superintendent Kevin Brown said. "Its an aging building, about 50 years old, still using the original boilers, still in need of roof replacement. Security -- which we know is very important throughout the district. We want to focus on sight lighting and secure entry and other things that add safety and security to our students and staff. Instructional technology is the third area that we really want to focus on with this 2020 bond. Security improvements include better outdoor lighting and a corridor between high school and alternative education. The bond would also support the construction of a new west entrance to Davison High School, and a new performing arts center that would increase audience capacity and feature improved sound design. Flint Community Schools proposal Flint Community Schools is asking voters to approve a $30,620,000 bond that would go directly toward eliminating the deficit of the district, according to ballot language. The bond would allow the district to pay off a $22 million loan taken out in 2014 in seven years instead of 18, according to the district. Flint schools bond proposal is 2nd of its kind in Michigan since 1994, expert says This tax proposal was made possible after Detroit Public Schools faced massive debts and building deficits in 2016, prompting a change in state law. After Detroit, Flint is the second district to place this bond on local ballots, said David Arsen, Michigan State University professor of education policy and administration. I would say this is a creative measure by the local district to try to balance the books and put itself in a sounder financial situation, but I also think by doing so -- that is to say by asking voters to pay for this outstanding debt -- it lets the state off the hook for things the state really is responsible for, Arsen said. Flint superintendent outlines tax proposals at public meetings Mott Community College proposal Mott Community College is asking voters to approve an $80 million bond that would go toward continuing the colleges authority to issue bonds for capital improvement projects. The new bond millage is estimated to be .79 mills, for the life of the bonds. This means a home that is valued at $80,000 would pay $31.60 per year under the proposed bond millage levy, a home valued at $140,000 would pay $55.30 and a home valued at $200,000 would pay $79 per year, according to Larry Gawthrop, Chief Financial Officer for the College. Mott Community College $80M bond proposal to appear on March ballot The college has historically been a good steward of fiscal resources," Gawthrop said. We are pleased to be able to offer the voters a slight reduction of the levy of the current debt levy. Without the past support of the community in bond authorizations, MCC would not have been able to maintain and improve its facilities to best serve our students. Bonds would be used to renovate, remodel, improve, equip and re-equip college buildings and sites and other buildings used by the college for instructional purposes, the release states. It would also go toward acquiring buildings and sites for buildings, and the construction of building and building additions. The maximum number of years each series of bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is 20 years. More related news: Davison schools asks voters to pass $71M bond Flint schools bond proposal is 2nd of its kind in Michigan since 1994, expert says Flint superintendent outlines tax proposals at public meetings Flint school board votes to get bond proposals on March ballot Meeting postponed as Flint school board seeks more options to reduce deficit The rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer in New Jersey. The state is ninth on the list of most unequal states when it comes to income inequality, up three spots from 2016, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The middle class in New Jersey has been on the decline for several years, pushing its residents to either ends. Expediting that decline was the Great Recession: Between 2007 and 2013, the state lost more than 100,000 households who made between $25,000 and $100,000, according to Census data. Households below and above that range grew. Michael Merrill, director of the Labor Education Action Research Network (LEARN) at Rutgers University, said the New York metropolitan area, including New Jersey, was once "a concentration of manufacturing industries. Then as manufacturing declined, it was not replaced by other industries, he said. The middle class was hollowed out and the inequality kept growing. According to the most recent data, that gap is still on the rise. The Census Bureaus metric, called the GINI index, measures income inequality across the United States. It assigns a value between 0 and 1. 0 would mean complete equality: Wealth is distributed equally between all households. The closer a score is to 1, the more wealth is concentrated among just a few people and the larger the income inequality. For New Jersey, that number was 0.48 from 2014 to 2018, the most recent period for which data was available, up from 0.46 between 2006 and 2010. States like New York, Connecticut, Louisiana, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Georgia and Illinois have GINI indexes higher than New Jersey. Merril said New Jersey leaders have made efforts to fix inequality at the state level, but have fallen short. For example, the tax overhaul pushed by President Donald Trump two years ago offered major tax cuts to the wealthy: Anyone making over $418,000 pays only 35% on their income taxes, instead of the previous rate of 39.6%. The plan also scrapped the estate tax and gave large corporations a tax cut, down from 35 percent to 21 percent. At the moment, the response of the national government to a financial crisis has been to bail out the rich, not to support the poor," Merrill said. And thats not going to fix the problem. Trickle down economics doesnt work to solve income inequality problems, those things take on a life of their own and become a self fulfilling negative spiral. In New Jersey, most of towns with the highest levels of income inequality are concentrated in Essex, Hudson and Mercer counties, with Essex leading the pack. The leading county is also one of the most economically segregated: towns like Millburn, with a median household income of $214,449 one of the states highest, is a mere 11 miles away from Newark, where the median income is $37,642, one of the states lowest. Wildwood in Cape May County has the highest GINI index in New Jersey 0.64 making it the most unequal place in the state, according to the data. Thats a marked jump from 2006 to 2010, when it was 0.50. In this Shore town of 5,073 people, 60.2% make under $50,000 a year and 26.7% make between $50,000 and $100,000. Another 13.1% have a six-figure salary or higher. The median household income is $33,031, about two-fifths of that in New Jersey. 24.5% live in poverty, more than double the rate in the state. Check our lookup tool to see if your town has grown less or more unequal since 2006. Disha Raychaudhuri may be reached at disha@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Disha_RC. The government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said ministers are considering "more extreme" action Forty-eight new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the UK over the last 24 hours, taking the total number to 164. Health officials said 20,338 people have now been tested in Britain, with 20,175 confirmed as being negative. The increase in cases comes as a second person in the UK has died after contracting coronavirus. And the number released by the Department of Health was 47 new cases on Friday - but another case has since been confirmed in Northern Ireland. Five new cases have also been confirmed in the Republic of Ireland, taking the number there to 18. The number of confirmed and suspected cases globally passed 100,000, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the outbreak. It says there have been more than 3,400 deaths. The government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said ministers were considering "more extreme" action including the isolation of whole households during the coronavirus outbreak. Sir Patrick, who is helping to coordinate the UK's response to the COVID-19 virus, told Sky News: "Self-isolation is possibly usually within houses, it means that you stay in your room, you get things delivered to it and stay there for 14 days. "Household isolation would mean the household - that's obviously a more extreme move." But he stressed it is "important these measures aren't taken too early". Sir Patrick confirmed the government is preparing to move to the "delay" stage of its four-phase approach to tackling the disease, adding a UK outbreak would likely take 12 weeks to peak and maybe "another 12 weeks to go away again". The four stages of UK's coronavirus response: In its 27-page plan to deal with a major outbreak, the government said in a worst case scenario up to 80% of the population could become infected, with people hospitalised with pneumonia and a relatively high death rate among the elderly and frail. Story continues However, Sir Patrick said he expected it "to be less than that". He described coronavirus as "very infectious" and "more dangerous than flu", but added it was a "million miles" from diseases such as ebola. "For 98-99% of people, this is going to be a mild illness," he said. "For a smaller number this can turn into a serious pneumonia. And for a smaller number again this can lead to death, particularly in the elderly and those who have got other co-existing medical problems," he added. On Thursday, a woman in her 70s became the first person in the UK to die after testing positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus. A church in Devon has been closed after a parishioner was diagnosed with coronavirus, while the Bhaktivedanta Manor Hare Krishna temple, near Watford, closed its doors after a member tested positive. Also, Facebook is closing its London offices until Monday and telling staff to work from home after an employee was diagnosed with COVID-19. The worker who was diagnosed with the virus was normally based in Singapore, the company told Sky News, but had visited the London offices between 24-26 February. Hand-washing remains the central advice - but the government has also said it would consider closing schools, encourage working from home and the reduction of large-scale gatherings to slow the spread of the disease. People should wash their hands for 20 seconds and use soap and water or hand sanitiser - and cough or sneeze into tissues. :: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker In other developments: Virus Outbreak: Global Emergency - Watch a special Sky News programme on coronavirus at 6pm weekdays Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 13:33:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ROME, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Italy closes theaters, cinemas, museums across the country as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread, according to a decree signed Sunday by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. A new coronavirus was detected in the samples of two employees of the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who tested passengers for symptoms of the illness at the Los Angeles International Airport, California, as Reuters reports. Both health workers whose test results proved positive were involved in the care and screening of passengers arriving in the United States from China and other countries. The employees of CDC were ordered to voluntarily comply with the quarantine regime until March 17. As we reported before, in the coming weeks, member countries of the European Union expect a surge in the number of cases of infection with the coronavirus Covid-19. EU Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides stated this. In her view, the upcoming surge will be a test for health systems. At the same time, the Commissioner emphasized the need to show solidarity and act together. As of the morning of March 7, in the laboratory of the Center for Public Health of Ukraine's Healthcare Ministry, 16 samples of materials were examined; all studies yielded a negative result. Abiys ideas are great, but we see that he is surrounded by chameleons of the past regime, said Isak, who, like an enormous but uncounted percentage of Ethiopians, is unemployed. He gets jobs unloading trucks every once in a while but relies mostly on the largesse of family and friends. He supports an Oromo nationalist party that promises to bring wealth back to Oromo areas that its leaders say was hogged by smaller but more powerful ethnic groups under the previous government. tamp Working with a financial advisor can help you get a better handle on your investments and other assets. Some prefer a turnkey asset management program or TAMP for handling their clients assets. Its important to understand what a TAMP could mean for you and your portfolio. Turnkey Asset Management Program, Explained Turnkey asset management programs offer a streamlined way for advisors to manage client accounts. Some advisors oversee all of the associated tasks that go along with managing client assets on an individual basis. A TAMP allows advisors to outsource certain tasks so they can focus more of their time and energy on others. For example, a TAMP may handle things such as reporting and accounting. As a result, the advisor can concentrate on attracting new clients or helping existing clients fine-tune their financial plans. A TAMP can also help financial advisors help with due-diligence tasks. Those include investment research and selection, portfolio rebalancing and maximizing tax efficiency. In exchange, advisors pay a fee to the firm offer turnkey services. This fee is typically based on a percentage of the total assets under management the advisor has with the firm. Types of TAMPs There are five basic models TAMPs can use to operate and each one has characteristics that make it unique. Heres how they compare. Mutual fund wrap accounts A mutual fund wrap account offers multiple mutual funds. Their fees wrap around all of a clients mutual fund trading activity. As a result, an advisor can design a portfolio of mutual funds tailored to a clients investment goals. This type of TAMP structure offers a simplified way to manage client assets while reducing fees. Exchange-traded fund wrap accounts This type of wrap account resembles a mutual fund. However, investment choices are limited to exchange-traded funds. Cost-efficient ETFs give this type of wrap account slightly lower fees compared to a traditional mutual fund wrap account. Story continues Separately managed accounts (SMA) A separately managed account is designed for investors with higher levels of investable assets and it operates similarly to a mutual fund with one key difference. Rather than pooling money together from other investors, all of the investments in an SMA are owned by a single investor. Unified managed accounts (UMA) A unified managed account holds various investments inside separate sleeves. So you may have one sleeve for stocks, one for mutual funds and another for bonds. Each sleeve is managed in a way thats designed to maximize return potential and tax efficiency. Unified managed household (UMH) This type of TAMP account is designed for managing investments for multiple individuals within the same household. So for example, parents and adult children may hold assets together in a UMH. This type of arrangement is generally designed for high net worth and ultra-high net worth families. TAMP Advantages for Advisors tamp Advisors who use turnkey asset management services primarily reap the benefit of having more time to focus on activities that can directly correlate to better serving their clients. That, in turn, could result in increased profitability if the advisor begins receiving more referrals. Working with a TAMP could also save advisors money since theyre not having to make what could be a substantial investment to set up an in-house management team. Instead of having to pay additional employees and other operating expenses to outsource tasks in-house, the advisor can pay a single fee to the outside asset management platform. TAMPs also make it easier for advisors to oversee multiple client accounts in one place. A turnkey program can offer a dashboard allowing the advisor to view all of their clients assets, which is another time-saving advantage. How Does a TAMP Affect Your Investments? If your advisor is working with a turnkey asset management program, your first question might be what it means for you directly. There are some key questions to ask your advisor, starting with how it may affect the fees you pay. Remember, your advisor pays a fee to the TAMP for its services. So its important to understand if and how any of those costs pass on to you as part of what your advisor charges. Your advisor may not add anything to their fees to make up for what they pay to the TAMP. But its always a good idea to review your advisors fee schedule so you understand exactly how theyre paid and what youre paying them for. Next, you should discuss with your advisor how the TAMPs investment strategy aligns with your own. Ideally, the advisor should know how a turnkey program selects investments. That should prevent others from steering you toward investments that dont match up with your needs and objectives. Additionally, the advisor should know whether any potential conflicts of interest exist within the TAMPs investment selection process. A TAMP can hamper an advisors ability to select investments. This isnt necessarily a bad thing but it could be detrimental to your portfolio if the programs choices affect the way your advisor shapes your overall financial plan. The Bottom Line tamp A TAMP could help your financial advisor better manage your assets and their business. Does your advisor rely on this type of service? If so, its important to understand what advantages (or disadvantages) that might offer you. Consider talking to your financial advisor about it and seeing if its right for you. Investment Tips Consider connecting with a financial advisor. If you dont have one yet and you need help managing your finances or investments. Finding an advisor doesnt have to be hard, SmartAssets free tool matches you with financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. If youre ready to be matched with local advisors that will help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. Your advisor may pass on TAMP costs to you as part of their advisory fee. Consider what thats worth to you. Specifically, look at what benefits you might be reaping in terms of your investment performance. Also, consider the quality and level of service youre receiving from your advisor. Then, determine whether it justifies the added costs. Photo credit: iStock.com/grinvalds, iStock.com/mdphoto16, iStock.com/GlobalStock The post What is a Turnkey Asset Management Program (TAMP)? appeared first on SmartAsset Blog. Even as India is struggling to combat the rising number of Coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in the country, a shocking case has emerged where a three-member family from Kerala hid their recent travel history to Italy and passed on the deadly virus to two more people. AFP The incident came to light on Sunday after the Kerala Government confirmed that five more people in the state had tested positive for Covid-19. According to Kerala Health Minister, KK Shailaja, the three-member family had recently travelled to Italy, one of the worst-hit countries. Read more To Combat Coronavirus, Arunachal Pradesh Takes Extreme Measure The Arunachal Pradesh government has temporarily suspended PAPs to foreigners in order to keep a check on coronavirus. Officials have confirmed this. AFP Foreigners require Protected Area Permits to get into the state as it borders China. Read more After RBI Imposed Restriction On Yes Bank, Founder Rana Kapoor Arrested For Money Laundering Things are going from bad to worse for Rana Kapoor, the founder of the crisis-hit Yes Bank. On Sunday morning, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over money laundering charges. BCCL They said Kapoor was placed under arrest around 3 am under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was allegedly not cooperating in the probe. Read more Shaheen Bagh Shooter Kapil Gujjar Granted Bail By Court After Delay In Filing FIR A Delhi court has granted bail to Kapil Gujjar, who was caught by locals and handed over to police after he opened fire near the Shaheen Bagh anti-CAA protest venue on February 1. He was granted bail on Saturday by Additional Sessions Judge Gulshan Kumar on a bail bond of Rs 25,000 and a surety of similar amount. Read more Less Than 6 Months After It Was Inaugurated, A Gurugram Flyover Built At Rs 14 Cr Has Caved In A large portion of a flyover at the Delhi-Jaipur rail line near Pataudi in Gurugram, collapsed on Saturday, allegedly due to poor construction. The flyover caved in on Saturday after seasonal rains. While no loss of life has been reported, the flyover has now been closed for vehicular traffic. ANI What is even more shocking is that it was newly-constructed and was inaugurated by the Haryana Public Wealth Department in September 2019. Read more Telangana Man Who Got Husband Of His Daughter Killed Because He Was A Dalit, Commits Suicide Maruthi Rao, the prime accused in the sensational Pranay Perumalla honour killing case in Telangana, was found dead in what appears to be a case of suicide. According to the police, the body of Rao was found in the Arya Vaishya Bhavan in Khairatabad on Sunday morning. The wife of Rao had claimed that he had been missing since Saturday. Police said they have not registered a case and it appeared that Rao had taken his own life. Read more By AFP BARCELONA: A daredevil French climber scaled one of the tallest skyscrapers in Barcelona without a harness on Thursday in what he said was a protest against panic over the deadly coronavirus epidemic. Bystanders and police watched as Alain Robert, dubbed the French "Spiderman" for his exploits in climbing buildings around the world, climbed up and then descended the 145-metre (475 foot) Torre Agbar, a glass-covered office building known for its night-time illuminations, completing the feat in 47 minutes. A climber known as the "French Spiderman" made it to the top of a 38-story building in Barcelona, in an effort to bring attention to what he described as the "paranoia" around the coronavirus. Authorities briefly detained him after his 20-minute climb. https://t.co/tFLFwnXSaU pic.twitter.com/iBJF46fcUd ABC News (@ABC) March 5, 2020 Police detained the 57-year-old when he reached the ground while onlookers applauded his feat. "What is more contagious today is not the coronavirus, it is fear. There are probably some three billion people who are scared because of this disease, which after all, we can't control," he told AFP TV before starting his climb. "There is a certain analogy between what I do, climbing without a rope, which can cause some fear. And the same happens with coronavirus. In my case, we can talk about a fear that is controlled, domesticated." Robert is famous for his daredevil approach to scuttling up buildings with nothing more than some chalk on his hands and climbing shoes on his feet, often to promote a political message. He has conquered more than 100 structures worldwide including Dubai's Burj Khalifa complex, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Malaysia's iconic Petronas Twin Towers, and the Sydney Opera House without safety equipment. Worldwide around 3,200 people have died from COVID-19, with more than 90,000 infections -- with China, South Korea, Italy, Iran and Japan the worst affected. Russia employs in Ukraine a combination of efforts often referred to as "hybrid warfare." There are "plenty of military lessons" for the U.S. in Ukraine, which is now into its sixth year of a Russian invasion that has cost more than 14.000 Ukrainian lives and displaced millions, says Volodymyr Yelchenko, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States. "This is real war going on in the middle of Europe and this experience is different from Syria or Afghanistan or Iraq, so this is probably something which the U.S. military doesn't have experience with," Yelchenko said in an exclusive interview with Military Times in Washington. Yelchenko said he has heard from people inside the Pentagon that "they really enjoy learning from Ukrainians, who are on the front line, about their own experience. I think this is very valuable" for the U.S. military. The "full spectrum" of Russian military doctrine has been on display in Ukraine since the Russians took over Crimea in 2014 and are engaged in ongoing bloodshed, assisting its proxy forces in the east. Read alsoUkraine responds to Lavrov's offer for both countries to appoint ambassadors That doctrine includes the use of conventional forces like mechanized infantry backed by armor and artillery, special operations forces, assassination and bombings, electronic warfare, cyber attacks, and the weaponization of information. It is a combination of efforts often referred to as "hybrid warfare." Michael Carpenter, a former deputy assistant defense secretary responsible for Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia and the Baltics, offered a take similar to Yelchenko's. "We learn more from how Ukrainians fight this hybrid warfare with the Russians than we do through any other means," said Carpenter in an interview with Military Times. "And so in terms of how Russia uses electronic warfare, how they use artillery systems, how they do reconnaissance, how they use their special operations forces, all of this is of very high value to not just our intelligence community, but to our military, in terms of understanding what we need to do to prepare in the event that we're either facing Russian proxy forces, in some theater of war, say in the Middle East or elsewhere, or in the event that a NATO ally is engaged with Russian forces directly." To counter the Russians, Yelchenko offered Military Times a wish-list of weapons systems that they would like from the U.S. At the top of the list are Patriot anti-missile systems. "Ideally, of course, we dream to have the Patriot system but it's too expensive," said Yelchenko. "To cover Ukraine, we probably need four to six, which is billions of dollars." Included in recent European Defense Initiative funding is $250 million that the U.S. Congress authorized for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which can be used to replace any "weapons or defensive articles" provided to Ukraine by the U.S. government. Such funding became a flashpoint in 2019, eventually becoming a central issue in the impeachment of President Donald Trump, who was acquitted in the Senate. Among other items, the Ukrainians would like are more Island-class patrol boats. Lots more. "It is not my opinion, this is what our defense ministry and navy are saying all the time that to at least be able to contain Russia's movements in the Black Sea, we need like between 30 to 40 Island-type ships," said Yelchenko. There's a long way to go for that wish to be fulfilled. Read alsoU.S. Department of Defense orders Javelin missile systems for Ukraine "As you may know, there were two of those delivered to train last year," said Yelchenko. "And there are three [coming] in July. So we're talking about five ships in two years, but we need 30 minimum." Ukraine wants "even smaller things" like more Javelin anti-tank weapons, sniper rifles and grenade launchers, said Yelchenko. The weapons were among the long-sought-after lethal aid finally delivered by the Trump administration. "All of this is very effective on the front lines," he said. The family of the second person to have died in the UK to coronavirus has paid tribute to a "truly loving and wonderful" husband, dad, granddad and great-granddad. In a statement on Saturday, they said their 83-year-old relative was "dearly loved" and that he "would go to any length to support and protect his family". They also confirmed they could not yet begin making funeral arrangements during the "whole nightmare" because they are being kept in isolation themselves as a precaution. The statement said: "This whole nightmare is not something that we or our loved one asked for. "As we are in isolation currently, we cannot arrange for him to be put to rest and with all the activity that is going around with regards to everyone's concerns, we cannot grieve him as we would wish to." The family went on to say their elderly relative was admitted to hospital on Monday and was removed from the ward for further testing. On Thursday, he was confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19, and died shortly thereafter "with us all present at the hospital with him". The statement then stressed that although the patient had the illness, his cause of death had not yet been confirmed. It also rejected claims made in earlier reports that said the family had criticised the hospital for the time taken to move him from the ward, and said it had not spoken to any media outlet prior to Saturday evening's statement. Addressing some of the "hurtful comments" the family had since received, it added: "People should perhaps put themselves in our shoes and think how they would feel with some of the hurtful comments that are being made. "We would not wish this experience on anyone and we would ask that you have respect for us and allow us to grieve." A statement from Milton Keynes University Hospital - where the man died - said it had "followed, and [will] continue to follow, all national guidance on the identification and management of patients with suspected COVID-19." Story continues It added: "This includes when to test and when to isolate patients as a precaution against the possible spread of infection. "Guidance changes week-to-week given the evolving nature of COVID-19 in England, and we keep abreast of all updates. "We have stringent infection control protocols in place; and are working closely with national agencies, including Public Health England, to ensure we are doing everything possible to safeguard all those using the hospital at all times." It then confirmed that it was working to "undertake extensive contact tracing" to identify anyone who had been in close contact with the victim. It comes after 45 more people were diagnosed with COVID-19 in the UK on Saturday in one of the biggest daily rises - taking the national total to 209. The vast majority of confirmed infections of COVID-19 are in England. They include 38 in London; 30 in the South East; 25 in the South West; 26 in the North West; 18 in the North East and Yorkshire; 17 in the Midlands; 16 in the East of England, and 14 where the locations have not yet been established. In Cornwall, a second case has been confirmed - a resident of the county who had travelled to northern Italy, which has been severely hit by the global outbreak. A resident of Leicestershire is also one of the latest cases. There have been five more infections in Scotland, taking the number of cases there to 16. Two new cases have been reported in Lanarkshire, with an increase of one case in Lothian, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and Grampian. The Department of Health said as of 7am today, some 21,460 people have been tested in the UK, of which 21,254 were negative. The 83-year-old man who died on Thursday was the second person to die from the virus in the UK. It following the death of a woman in her 70s who lost her life in hospital in Reading, Berkshire, also this week. They were both thought to have had underlying health conditions. The UK's deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries has told Sky News that the country "has planned for pandemic flu for many, many years". She added: "It's important at any time of year, particularly in winter, that if you have elderly relatives and are particularly unwell yourselves, you should avoid visiting them." The government has been urging people to refrain from stockpiling - amid reports that some supermarkets are running out of toilet roll, painkillers and certain non-perishable goods. Health Secretary Matt Hancock stressed that the government is "working to makes sure that if people are self-isolating, they will be able to get the food and supplies that they need". In China - the epicentre of the outbreak - a hotel used to house people in quarantine has collapsed, trapping about 70 people. It happened in the city of Quanzhou, in southeastern Fujian Province. So far, at least 23 people have been rescued. Meanwhile, a coronavirus-hit cruise ship with more than 3,500 people on board, including 140 Britons, which is off the Californian coast, has been directed to a non-commercial port for testing. It comes after 21 people on the Grand Princess tested positive for the illness. In other developments: Virus Outbreak: Global Emergency - Watch a special Sky News programme on coronavirus at 6pm weekdays Virus Outbreak: Your questions answered #AskSkyNews at 12.30pm weekdays :: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker More than a year after the botched Harding Street raid, which left two people dead and five officers wounded, we still dont know the full extent of the rot in the Houston Police Department. Chief Art Acevedo is convinced that its a case of a bad apple infecting an otherwise air-tight department. But as Harris County District Attorney Kim Oggs review of cases tainted by former Houston narcotics officer Gerald Goines expands, thats increasingly difficult to accept. The chief needs to do more than give us his word. He can start by releasing to the public the departments now-completed audit of HPDs narcotics division. It should be clear by now that the taint on the department due to the botched raid is so large that only radical transparency can restore its standing and regain the public trust. Goines stands accused of lying on affidavits to put innocent people in jail. He has been charged with two counts of felony murder as a result of the raid. Already, the revelations have profoundly shaken faith in not just the police but the entire Harris County criminal justice system. Prosecutors dismissed dozens of active criminal cases and announced a review of more than 14,000 past cases handled by Goines and other members of the narcotics squad. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said 69 defendants convicted based solely on Goines testimony might have their cases overturned. Two brothers whose convictions relied on Goines casework have been declared actually innocent. Otis and Steven Mallet, who were arrested in 2008, were convicted and sent to jail. Ogg said defendants whose convictions between 2008 and 2019 relied in substantial part on Goines involvement would be entitled to a presumption the former Houston police officer provided false evidence. Justice dictates that we continue going through questionable cases and clearing people convicted solely on the word of a police officer we can no longer trust, Ogg said in a statement. When the only evidence of criminal culpability is the testimony of an untrustworthy officer, we are going to work as fast as possible to right the situation. Every case Goines touched is now suspect and should automatically be subject to review. That would be a major step toward rebuilding the trust shattered by Goines misconduct. But the real fixes start inside HPD and with Acevedo, who needs to scrutinize his department with an unblinking eye and determine how Goines was allowed to get away with unscrupulous behavior for so long. Acevedo has made a start in that direction with a series of changes such as ordering narcotics officers to wear body cameras and the creation of a new unit to carry out high-risk warrants. Last week, he announced reforms that include tighter oversight and signoff from supervisors for narcotics operations, stricter controls on confidential informants and payments, and requiring high-level approval for no-knock raids. But Acevedo has yet to release the results of a completed audit of the narcotics unit. The chief told the Editorial Board that he is waiting until the ongoing criminal and federal cases against Goines are complete. The important thing to remember is that our No. 1 responsibility is to justice for the individuals involved here, Acevedo said, referring to Rhogena Nicholas and Dennis Tuttle, the homeowners killed in the Harding Street raid. He is right. Nicholas and Tuttle deserve justice. But so do the many others who are harmed by police misconduct good cops who will have to endure heightened scrutiny and reduced trust, people who rely on and are in danger from a tainted department and defendants such as the Mallet brothers who were convicted on false evidence. Acevedo should release the audit results as soon as possible. He must look at wider reforms and investigate the role that race plays in arrests and policing. (An analysis by The Appeal, a criminal justice-focused news outlet, found that in 591 cases in which Goines was the main officer, 94 percent of the defendants were black.) Acevedo also needs to admit that the failings in HPD may not be limited to one rogue cop something he refused to consider in our interview with him. This is isolated and not reflective of the overall character and integrity of this department, Acevedo told us, saying that investigations have looked at a wide spectrum of HPD employees and the cases they worked and found no broader pattern. Its one thing for the chief to say thats true, and another to say it and then back it up with a detailed report of what the auditors found. Corruption is a cancer that rarely stays put. Removing one crooked officer is important. For HPD to move past this scandal, and restore public trust, we have to be sure no malignancy remains. Peoples freedom is being lost because of this, says Jay Jenkins, a Houston-based policy attorney with the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. Goines spent years in the narcotics division. He trained people who are now mid-level supervisors. If Acevedo wont make the audit of the department public, then it will be time for a new, independent audit of the department. Two Irishmen have been charged with conspiracy to facilitate illegal immigration after 10 migrants were found in a lorry in Belgium last Thursday. Wayne Sherlock (39) and Eoin Nowlan (48), from Dover in the UK, appeared at Canterbury Magistrates' Court yesterday and were remanded in custody. Four men were arrested as part of a UK National Crime Agency investigation into a crime group suspected of transporting migrants into the UK in the back of lorries. As well as Mr Sherlock and Mr Nowlan, the lorry driver (64) and a man (30) in Co Antrim were arrested last Friday. The lorry driver has been remanded in custody and the man from Co Antrim has been released on bail. Last Thursday, two adults and eight children from south-east Asia were found in the back of a lorry carrying tyres near Ghent in Belgium. The driver was arrested and the following day the two Irishmen and a man from Co Antrim were also arrested and held in custody. Properties in Northern Ireland and Kent were also searched and two suspected firearms were seized in Kent. "Our close working with our Belgian partners in this instance has led to the safeguarding of a number of migrants who had been put in a very dangerous situation, and we are grateful for their support," said Gerry McLean, UK National Crime Agency regional head of investigation. "We have seen only recently in Essex the tragic consequences which these types of attempts can have." West Flanders prosecutor Frank Demeester said human trafficking using lorries was "very dangerous". "This kind of human smuggling is very dangerous, and the operation proves once more that international cooperation works in the fight against this type of organised crime," he said. "In the fight against human smuggling, the UK is obviously an important partner as being the country of destination." Bigg Boss 13: Asim Riaz and Jacqueline Fernandez's song Mere Angne Mein, which was slated to release on March 8, will now release on March 9. However, instead of the date change, fans are disappointed with the makers for this reason. Bigg Boss 13: Asim Riaz, who shot to fame with his impressive stint in Bigg Boss 13, is all set to feature in a music video titled Mere Angne Mein opposite Jacqueline Fernandez. As exciting as it sounds, fans are rooting for the Bigg Boss 13 contestant ever since the music video has been announced. Amid heightened expectations and excitement, T-Series announced a few hours back that Mere Angne Mein featuring Asim Riaz and Jacqueline Fernandez, which was slated to release on March 8, will now release on March 10. This means that the fans would have to wait a little longer for the song release. However, this is not the reason they are disappointed. In the comment section of the post as well as on Twitter, fans have expressed that T-Series should give credit to Asim Riaz and mention his name too on the poster alongside Jacqueline Fernandez. They have also demanded a solo poster for Asim as the song is touted as his debut song. When Asim Riaz shared the songs poster on his Instagram account, his lady love Himanshi Khurana commented that the face is enough, everyone knows the name, hinting at the credits controversy. Along with Himanshi Khurana, Jacqueline Fernandez and Asims brother Umar Riaz also commented on the post wishing him all the best. Also Read: Bigg Boss 13: Sidharth Shukla calls Shehnaaz Gill his stress buster Also Read: Mujhse Shaadi Karoge: Shehnaaz Gill, Paras Chhabras swayamwar to go off air? Soon after Asim Riaz and Jacqueline Fernandezs song Mere Angne Mein release, the former will be seen in another music video with Himanshi Khurana, which is slated for a release on March 18. Also Read: Bigg Boss 13: First poster of Asim Riaz, Jacqueline Fernandezs song Mere Angne Mein released For all the latest Entertainment News, download NewsX App Dont go out. Dont shop. Dont go to school. Dont consume. The urging from womens activists is clear, but it remains unclear whether Mexico will really go a day without women on Monday. After a year of increasingly heated and frequent protests over gender violence in Mexico, the call for women to strike has captured growing interest in recent weeks. It has also generated an intense debate about whether becoming invisible for a day will be a political statement, a diluted effort because some bosses have authorised paid time off or an ineffective way to push for change. The discussion has gone beyond the usual circles of feminist collectives, public figures and social networks to become a conversation topic in the streets of Mexico, even for those who dont feel empowered to skip work. Marta Patricia Ramirez, a housewife, said the national call to strike has inspired her to take action in her own neighbourhood. She has organised an event on Monday with neighbours to discuss harassment and abuse because one of them is having a bad time. Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico Show all 10 1 /10 Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico Journalists record as police spray fire extinguishers during a protest against rising femicide in Mexico on 14 February 2020 AP Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico Protesters face off against a line of riot police during a march against femicide in Mexico City on 14 February AFP/Getty Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico A masked protester stands in front of the president's palace in Mexico City during a protest against rising femicide rates acros the country on 14 February AP Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico People march in the streets at a protest against femicide in Mexico City on 14 February Reuters Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico A protester wields a street sign during a march against femicide in Mexico City on 14 February AP Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico A protester holds up a copy of 'La Prensa', a newspaper which is subject to demonstrations after publishing grpahic photos of murdered woman Ingrid Escamilla EPA Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico Protesters destroy a van belonging to newspaper 'La Prensa' during a protest against femicide in Mexico City on 14 February EPA Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico People march in the streets at a protest against femicide in Mexico City on 14 February Reuters Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico A protester spray paints the shields of riot police officers during a protest against femicide in Mexico City on 14 February EPA Femicide protesters march on president's palace in Mexico Protesters batter a van belonging to newspaper 'La Prensa' during a protest against femicide in Mexico City on 14 February EPA Jesica Solis, a dentist, wont open her office. Marta Perez told her husband that she wont do any household chores on Monday and that their 18-year-old daughter will stay off social media. A Facebook group called A Day Without Women has more than 320,000 Mexican members who debate and inform each other about the possible consequences of not going to the office, hospital or school that day. A message to the group says a woman staying indoors on Monday is meant to simulate her death to show those close to her what would happen if she were to suddenly disappear or die at the hands of a man, like the thousands who are killed each year in Mexico. Government data say 3,825 women met violent deaths last year, 7 per cent more than in 2018. That works out to about 10 women slain each day in Mexico, making it one of the most dangerous countries in the world for females. Thousands more have gone missing without a trace in recent years. Murders of women in Mexico are often accompanied by sexual violence and stunning brutality. Some women are burned. Some are mutilated. The ferocity of the killings has earned them a special label: femicide. Very few cases result in convictions. We dont want more simulation, we want action, said Maria de la Luz Estrada, coordinator of the National Citizens Observatory of Femicide. Enough already. Ms Estrada expects more than 20,000 women to march against the violence in Mexico City on Sunday, which is International Womens Day, with smaller marches and demonstrations throughout the country. She also endorses the strike. We are going to strike out of indignation but also as a memorial and because we hope this can change, she said. Women in countries such as Argentina and Chile have staged strikes in previous years and will do so again Monday. In Mexico, major banks, media companies and law firms have joined the call to action. The Coparmex business confederation encouraged its more than 36,000 member companies across the country to take part. Some private schools have cancelled bus services that depend on female nannies to walk children to their front doors, and some enlisted fathers of schoolchildren to give classes in the absence of female teachers. It appears public hospitals and schools that heavily depend on female personnel will open, perhaps with fewer employees on hand. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at first accused conservative political opponents of being behind the strike as a way to criticise his government. But he later invited federal employees, including men, to participate in the strike, promising no reprisals. Not all women support the action. Some say it is pointless or part of a feminist agenda that seeks to legalise abortion throughout the Roman Catholic country. Im not interested in the strike, it wont change anything. Men havent changed in years, said Maria Isabel Garcia, who works as a cleaner. Veronica Tebar, an accountant, said she was unsure what to do Monday. She is put off by efforts to seek permission to strike, saying the idea is to show employers what happens when a valued worker doesnt show up. Millions of Mexican women with precarious employment cant afford to lose a days pay, much less their jobs, and dont have partners to take on childcare duties for a day. Im a single mother with two girls in my charge I cant rest, Teresa Laguna said while cleaning meat from a bone at the butchers shop where she works. But strike for us, you who can. Associated Press Sumi Sukanya Dutta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: At a time when a large number of Indians are worrying about a probable outbreak of a coronavirus epidemic, a new study has suggested that the best way to mitigate the epidemic is not through travel restrictions, but through early detection, public health interventions and behavioural changes. The study by US, Italy and China researchers observed that the travel ban imposed on Wuhan on January 23, the epicentre of the outbreak that spread globally, at best had averted the spread in mainland China by 3-5 days and internationally by a few weeks. The study noted that by early February, airlines had begun restricting international flights to and from China; but computer modelling of the real-world spread of the virus suggests that a large number of infected individuals travelled internationally without being detected. Those individuals triggered fresh outbreaks elsewhere This finding is consistent with the emergence of COVID-19 outbreaks in countries across the world, including Italy, Republic of South Korea and Iran in the second half of February, the team of 17 researchers noted in the paper, The effect of travel restrictions on the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak that has just been published in the journal Science. The study has also put a question mark on measures like thermal screening at the airports as the virus has a long incubation period of 2-14 days and even more in some cases. We were not able to find reliable data sources on the effectiveness of containment measures in place in Mainland China before January 23 it said.Researchers also cautioned that their findings were based on preliminary parameters relating to the incubation time for the virus, and prior knowledge about coronavirus epidemics. NEW SUSPECTS PUNJAB Two men hailing from Hoshiarpur, who returned from virus hotspot Italy, where nearly 10 people have died, have tested positive in the preliminary test. But final report from National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune awaited. The two are admitted to the isolation ward of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar J&K Two suspected coronavirus patients with high viral-load kept in isolation at the Government Medical College, Jammu. The two patients with a travel history to Italy and South Korea had fled the hospitals isolation ward on Wednesday shortly after their admission, but were brought back within hours. Their samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune 108 swab samples of Indians in Iran arrived on a Mahan Air flight from Tehran. The samples are being tested at the laboratory in AIIMS, the health ministry said 7 Kuwait on Saturday suspended operations of all flights to and from India and six other countries Bangladesh, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt for a week 52 laboratories made functional for testing samples 57 labs designated for helping in sample collection TAKING A HIT The first-ever Kaziranga Utsav, scheduled during March 12-15, postponed Several states,, including UP and J&K, have announced suspension of all biometric attendance Kashmir on Saturday ordered closure of all primary schools from March 9 in four districts, including Srinagar, in the valley until further orders Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu has called for cancellation of Khelo Indias first winter games chapter, which starts in Jammu and the ski resort of Gulmarg in Kashmir Valley Ask any of your Gen X working mother mates what they would most like for themselves on International Women's Day and my money's on a one-word answer: sleep. Closely followed by "someone to be me for the whole of next week". Preferably two people. No day spa required, no mindfulness workshop or pedicure or post-yoga brunch in P.E Nation tights; only the chance to switch off for 24 hours from the perpetual motion of womanhood, circa 2020. To sit on the couch and ... spread out. There is certainly an appetite for it. When American Gen X journalist Ada Calhoun turned her viral essay on why many of her contemporaries are battling with feelings of anxiety, stress and overwhelm into a book released last month, it became a New York Times bestseller. Credit:Dionne Gain In Why We Can't Sleep Calhoun described how, living a middle-class life stuffed with multi-faceted engagement never expected of (or afforded to) women of the past, many she spoke with were emotionally struggling. This was apparent across cultural demographics. Meghan McCain showed off a double dispenser of hand sanitizer kept on the set of The View on her Instagram account on Friday, amid ongoing worldwide focus on sanitary workplaces amid the spread of the coronavirus. The TV personality, 35, shared a shot of a plastic bottle, to which someone affixed a note that read, 'Is it worth losing your job if you steal this?' The Phoenix, Arizona native wrote, 'Seen backstage,' tagging the show's handle and adding the hashtags #coronavirus and #contagion. The latest: Meghan McCain, 35, showed off a double dispenser of hand sanitizer kept on the set of The View on her Instagram account on Sunday, amid ongoing worldwide focus on sanitary workplaces amid the spread of the coronavirus The daughter of late U.S. Senator John McCain has been outspoken on many aspects amid discussion of the virus and the governmental response to it. She said on the February 27 edition of the ABC series that she did 'not like the politicizing of this' after her colleague Sunny Hostin said she believed President Donald Trump had appointed Vice President Mike Pence in a supervisory role to set up a 'fall guy' should things go bad with containing the outbreak. After the audience clapped in support of Hostin's remark, McCain said in response, 'I don't know why anyone would clap about that because if crap goes wrong, it's going to be bad for all of us ... so clapping, because this is bad.' Earlier in the show, McCain said she was 'not comfortable with [Pence] in charge' based on his 'really bad record when it comes to health record' in his home state. Taking a stand: The daughter of late U.S. Senator John McCain has been outspoken on many aspects amid discussion of the virus and the governmental response to it Political chat: McCain (with colleague Sunny Hostin) spoke with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez last month on the show She noted, 'In Indiana, he actually hurt HIV patients because he halted needle exchanges, and it really impacted HIV outbreaks in Indiana, so I think for that reason alone, I think it's really simple.' McCain said the person who should be in the supervisory role is 'someone with a medical and virus background should be in charge of a potentially-deadly and lethal virus, and medical outbreak in the United States of America.' On Saturday, McCain clashed with a congressional candidate in her home state of Arizona named Josh Barnett, after he responded to a post she made praising Sen. Elizabeth Warren from the viewpoint of a 'hardcore conservative.' Clash: On Saturday, McCain tangled online with a congressional candidate in her home state of Arizona named Josh Barnett Barnett, a self-described pro-Trump Republican, responded, 'I think your definition of "hardcore conservative" and my definition of it are not the same,' to which she said, 'Yeah if sucking trumps a*** every second, of every day, youre right, Im not.' She later noted her credentials and the powerful platform she has. 'I think you should take a look at how you just [mansplained] to me my political identity,' she wrote. 'I am a national conservative co-host of the most watched American daytime talk show. 'I know who I am and what I believe. I dont know why this is so threatening to some men such as yourself.' Ranks of tourist buses idle under a burning sun while once-bustling theme parks lie empty -- from above, striking images reveal the hollowing out of Thai tourism due to the effect of the new coronavirus. Chinese tourists -- 10 million of whom were expected to visit this year -- have abandoned Thailand, staying at home as a health crisis sweeps the globe, or under quarantine by their government. The attractions around Pattaya, a Thai tourist resort close to Bangkok which for several years has made its money from mainland tour groups, are struggling for survival. Beaches are quiet and shopping malls deserted as an economic malaise settles over a kingdom heavily dependent on tourist spending. "The situation is very bad, there are very few tourists left," said Songsak Srimuang, a 27-year-old tattoo shop manager. "Maybe I'll go back to my hometown and go back to farming." Pattaya, like the capital Bangkok, is fuelled by migrant labour from poorer Thai provinces as well as neighbouring countries. Economic growth is forecast to shrink to as low as two percent this year. As tourism is eviscerated by the virus, Thais in spin-off industries fear the worst. "I make 1000 baht ($30) a day, it's not enough to earn a living," Pattaya ice-cream seller Rasmee Thapa, 28, told AFP. Hotels and shops are shutting down, while those that stay open rely on Western expats and Russian tourists who are still holidaying. "Usually there are many tour buses but now it's nothing," said waitress Kochawan Greeglang, 30. "If this keeps... the bar will have to close down and I wont have anywhere else to work." Thailand has confirmed 50 cases of the virus, with one death. burs-apj/fox Chandhini R By Express News Service ERODE: Over the years, women have made giant strides in empowering their lot. What was once considered out of reach is now settled firmly in their grasp. Driving was once such domain. While perception shift has ensured that no one gapes in surprise when a woman is behind the wheels, A P Sathy (40) has taken the skills a notch higher by making money out of it too. Sathy has been driving tourist taxi for eight years now. She has completed more than 600 trips to places across south India, including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Hailing from a small village in Erode's Gobichettipalayam, Sathy holds an MPhil in internal business and was an aspiring civil servant. On Women's Day, TNIE spoke to this inspiring person, who overcame various struggles to establish an independent life of her own. Sathy said, "I was the only child of my parents. My mother cannot speak, and my father abandoned us at an early age. We lived with my grandparents. I grew up facing a lot of issues just because I was a girl. I wanted to become a civil servant and completed my master's degree from Gobichettipalayam. Later, I moved to Chennai to do MPhil, all the while preparing for my UPSC examination for five years." However, her life took a turn, and she was forced to pick up a job to take care of her mother. Sathy cleared the UPSC preliminary exam, but had to come back to her home town after her grandparents passed away. "I worked with a construction company for a while. During that period, I started driving my brother's car. When my friends visited me, I took them to Ooty in car. That was my first long trip. My friends identified my ability to drive safely and encouraged me to start a business. My sister-in-law supported me to buy a car. I started driving in 2013," she added. There were detractors too. Some could not reconcile to the fact that a woman had taken up this profession; some others began a malicious campaign, advising prospective customers to avoid hiring her. Sathy took these critics in her stride. "I do not just drive my customers to places, but also ensure that I am hospitable. I also guide them throughout the tour. I have a lot of women customers because they feel like I am one of their family," she said. One of her customers, Vanitha said that Sathy is an inspiration. "She's ready to drive both day and night. She has taken families, friends groups on long trips," she says. Sathy now is a familiar face among taxi drivers in Gobichettipalayam and a lot of them take her advice on maintenance of car and mileage. "I want women to be independent. Today, I am independent and earn a decent living. I have also taught a lot of women driving and they feel empowered. Although driving was not my dream job, I realized it was my calling. The moment I get on to a car, I leave all my worries behind and ensure my customers are happy," she signs off. In a poor farming village in Ivory Coast, women are celebrating a new development that is allowing them to send their children to school instead of working in the country's cocoa plantations. Until now, many families earning less than a dollar (a euro) a day had no choice but to send their offspring to work beside adults in the fields. Crippling poverty is a major factor in the widespread use of child labour in Ivory Coast, which is the world's top cocoa producer. But now with the help of a Swiss-based foundation, women in plantations around Kokoti-Kouamekro are turning to a network of small savings banks with the goal of protecting children. The International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) has been working since 2007 towards the goal of ending child labour in Ivory Coast and neighbouring Ghana. The ICI identified 200 child workers out of 900 people on the plantations of Kokoti-Kouamekro, a village of some 2,000 people in the Taabo region, 200 kilometres (125 miles) from Abidjan. The foundation decided to back about 30 women in an association called Bakpa-elai, which watches out for children's interests. It helped create a "feminine cell for economic reinforcement (Cefrec)", the formal term for the women's bank. Since 2018, the ICI has set up 14 Cefrec units in the cocoa-growing parts to specialise in savings and credit with the aim of promoting children. These local units opened the way for numerous money-making activities, including small shops and other business concerns, in Kokoti-Kouamekro and other villages. Paying the workers With seeds, boots and machetes supplied by the ICI, the women of the village association chose to save almost one euro apiece, after harvesting and selling yams, cassava, corn and other food products. Village women are also attending classes, with the emphasis on literacy. By ISSOUF SANOGO (AFP/File) The collected money was placed in a box that requires three "key keepers" with joint access, to reduce any risk of embezzlement or temptation. People who are late for weekly financial meetings are fined. "In one year, we mobilised about 3.8 million CFA francs (about 5,800 euros / $6,500), and spent two million, with a positive balance of 1.8 million," said Patricia Kouadio Amami, the president of the association, clad in a multicoloured dress and headscarf. "Thanks to our bank, we pay the people who work on the land in place of the children we used in the past. One of us has even been able to buy a computer for her student son," Amani said. Empowered by working together, women are also challenging traditions in a rural culture where the father of the family makes all the decisions. The number of women members of the Bakpa-elai association in Kokoti-Kouamekro doubled in one year. "I find the women formidable," said Marcel Amani, a cocoa planter. "We used to send the kids out into the fields. Since the women created this association, all that has stopped," he told AFP. "They deserve our respect." Child trafficking The women have also begun classes in reading and writing, but the innovation that most attracted the children was a school canteen. "The attendance rate has increased," said Lou Horyphine Koffi, head of the school. "The canteen contributes greatly to keeping the child in school." "The women of Kokoti-Kouamekro have shown that they are capable of finding solutions to their problems by their own resources," said Euphrasie Aka, West and Central Africa coordinator of ICI. Still, Ivory Coast is a major regional hub for child trafficking from neighbouring countries, some of whom come in search of work. More than 1.2 million children were taken on by Ivorian cocoa plantations in 2013/2014, according to the ICI. "We're going to note a worsening of the problem in absolute terms," Aka told AFP ahead of the release of a new ICI report planned for April. "A high number of producers has emerged on the basis of the rise in cocoa prices... which implicitly leads to a high number of child workers," the organisation said. She jetted off to the Maldives earlier this week for a romantic getaway with boyfriend Ryan Mahoney. And Kerry Katona looked radiant as the couple continued to lap up the sunshine at their five star resort on Saturday. The former Atomic Kitten, 39, kept it casual in a white and beige lace caftan which showcased her bronzed skin and offered a glimpse of her toned physique. PDA: Kerry Katona, 39, looked radiant as she and boyfriend Ryan Mahoney continued to lap up the sunshine at their five star resort in the Maldives on Saturday She hid her newly-dyed tresses under an oversized straw hat which had a black ribbon tied around the rim. Kerry piled on the PDA with her 30-year-old fitness trainer boyfriend as the pair held hands, shared a joke and even leaned in for a cheeky kiss. Ryan flaunted his rib tattoos as he walked around the resort topless having opted for a simple pair of black swimming trunks. All smiles: The former Atomic Kitten kept it casual in a white and beige lace caftan which showcased her bronzed skin and offered a glimpse of her toned physique Hand-in-hand: Kerry hid her newly-dyed tresses under an oversized straw hat which had a black ribbon tied around the rim It comes after Kerry hinted she was ready to take the next step with her beau. The television personality shared a video on Instagram alongside the caption: '@ryanmahoney_7 you better get down on your knee!!!! Such a waste not to in a place like this!!! I've got a few spare rings at home you can use.' The mother-of-five has so far documented her time in the Maldives including her arrival at the airport wearing a face mask after telling her followers that she was taking no risks amid the coronavirus outbreak. But it is not yet known how long Kerry will be staying on the South Asian island. Smooches: The TV personality piled on the PDA with her 30-year-old fitness trainer boyfriend as the pair held hands, shared a joke and even leaned in for a cheeky kiss Wedding bells? Kerry has already hinted that she is ready to take the next step with her beau In 2018 Kerry confirmed she rekindled her relationship with her ex Ryan Mahoney. She branded the hunk a 'godsend' in her column for new! magazine as he supported her following the death of her ex-husband George Kay in July last year. Kerry also insisted the on-off couple are trying to keep their relationship out of the spotlight before adding: 'He's been a good friend to me and over the last few months we just decided to give it a go. 'He's been a godsend recently when I've needed him most. We're settled, committed, my kids love him and so do I. 'In my mind, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. So this time I'm finally dating a man who has a job, his own money, and is very happy to stay out of the media.' Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. We literally can't think of one celebrity who would say no to playing the role of Batman in a stand-alone Batman movie. Well, there is someone. And it's none other than, BenAffleck who left his role as Batman in the DC Extended Universe, attributing the departure mostly to his loss of passion for the character. In a recent interview with GQ, American actor Ben Affleck opened up about why he gave up a lifetime opportunity. But be aware, the actor doesn't regret passing up the opportunity at all. "'Would you want to direct and star in a solo Batman movie? I found that I had lost my enthusiasm or passion for it. This should really be made by somebody for whom its their wildest dream come true and, for me, it had become something different and it was clear to me that it was time to move on," said Affleck." And surprisingly, Affleck doesn't regret passing up this opportunity at all. In fact, the actor revealed how he has the fondest memories of portraying the role of the iconic superhero. "But I do have some really fond memories, particularly of Batman v Superman, and how exciting that was. And how energizing it was and how much fun we had. Well, till the time there are no regrets of any sort, we are happy for Ben Affleck on living on his own terms and hope that Robert Pattison who will now be essaying the role will be able to create the same magic. Hundreds gathered Sunday at the site where Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed last March, killing all 157 on board, for a ceremony symbolising the country's emergence from a year-long period of mourning. The crash of the Nairobi-bound Boeing 737 MAX six minutes after takeoff on March 10, 2019, triggered the global grounding of the MAX and the worst crisis in Boeing's history. The traditional ceremony of the Oromo ethnic group -- Ethiopia's largest -- involved prayers, songs and offerings to the dead. It took place near the field southeast of the capital, Addis Ababa, where the plane came down. Most of those attending came from villages near the crash site in the Oromia region, where the Oromo are concentrated. Those killed in the disaster came from more than 30 countries. But Shifaraw Hinsermu, who coordinated Sunday's ceremony, said residents of nearby villages felt compelled to honour them, even if they didn't know them personally. "We believe human beings are created by God. God creates all equally. That's why the Oromo people give respect to all humanity," Shifaraw said. "They don't know anyone from the 157 deceased. They only know that they are human." As the ceremony started, men on horseback rode around the fenced-off point of impact. Some carried black flags signifying grief, while others carried white flags signifying renewal. Later, women pulled white garments over their black mourning clothes, bringing the mourning period to an end. "Sisters, fathers and daughters died here," one of the women mourners, Fantaye Desalegn, told AFP. She had participated in multiple ceremonies at the site over the course of the year, she said. "Even if it's the end of the mourning (period), we will never forget them," she added. "We'll remember them in our hearts." Back in the capital, families of Ethiopian victims attended a prayer service at Holy Trinity Cathedral. And the loved ones of foreign victims began arriving in Ethiopia ahead of a private ceremony at the crash site planned for Tuesday. It is unclear what kind of permanent memorial might be constructed at the site. Ethiopian Airlines originally intended to use the anniversary to announce the winner of a design competition for a memorial, but the plan drew pushback from some victims' families who objected to what they perceived as a rushed timeline. Abraham Sime, who drove from Addis to attend Sunday's ceremony at the crash site, said he hoped the government would build better roads, schools and clinics in the area to reward local residents for the respect they afforded victims of Flight 302. "From the moment the plane crashed they spent their days here, they spent their nights here," he said. "They were hosting programmes related to the grief here for the last one year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 22:31:50|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close People visit the exhibition "Wonderland" at the Te Papa National Museum in Wellington, New Zealand, March 8, 2020. The three-month exhibition "Wonderland" ended on Sunday, which displayed more than 300 objects and props related to the famous British literature "Alice in Wonderland". (Xinhua/Guo Lei) Saigon senior students review their lessons for the national graduation exam in June 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran. 73,000 twelfth grade students in Saigon are allowed to stay away from classes until March 15 instead of returning to school Monday amid rising coronavirus fears The latest announcement was made on Sunday night by HCMC authorities in the context that the country has recorded 14 new infection cases over the past three days, raising the countrys total to 30. On Friday, city authorities have approved the decision to allow all 12th graders to return to school on Monday while kindergarteners, students from first to eleventh grade and students at language, IT, tutoring and soft skill centers would continue to have their break extended until the end of next week. HCMC, the biggest city in Vietnam, has nearly two million students from kindergarten to continuing education and vocational training colleges. High school students, especially 12th graders, have greater pressure to keep up with their study plans as they will have a high school graduation exam this summer. The exam was held in June in previous years but has been rescheduled for July this year. National high school exams are seen as a seminal event in the country, with success or failure having far-reaching impacts. The exams not only award a high-school certificate, but also decide admissions to universities and colleges. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said at a recent government meeting that "students should return to school only when safety is ensured." Earlier, Vietnamese cities and provinces had allowed their students to stay away from classes until the end of February, instead of going back to school on February 3 after the Lunar New Year break. High school seniors in 59 provinces and cities across the country have officially resumed classes on March 2 after a prolonged break of more than a month, owing to fears over the spread of the coronavirus. The countrys two largest metropolises Hanoi and HCMC, Tien Giang Province in the south and Thai Binh Province in the north are the only four localities in the country to have students at all levels stay away from classes until March 8 or 15. As of Sunday, 40 provinces and cities around the country, including Hanoi have kept their students away from classes until the end of next week as the number of coronavirus cases in Vietnam has risen quickly. On Friday, Nguyen Hong Nhung who returned from Europe was confirmed positive for Covid-19, becoming Hanois first infection case and Vietnam's 17th after the country going 22 days with no new infection. A day later, a 27-year-old man returning to Vietnam from South Koreas Daegu City became the 18th while Nhungs personal chauffeur and her aunt were the 19th and 20th cases. On Sunday morning, a 61-year-old Hanoian on the same flight as Nhung was confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus. The man, the nations 21st Covid-19 infection, lives in the same neighborhood as her in Ba Dinh District. The 18th patient hails from Thai Binh Province and is under treatment in Ninh Binh Province, northern Vietnam, while all the remaining four new Vietnamese patients reside in Hanoi. The same day, nine foreigners whod flown in from London on the same flight as Nhung were confirmed positive for coronavirus. Ho Chi Minh City has recorded three coronavirus infections so far, two Chinese and one Vietnamese American. All of them have recovered and been discharged. The Covid-19 outbreak has thus far spread to 103 countries and territories around the world, with the death toll climbing to 3,649. We were hoping the trial could have been funded as part of a City Deal as it is an ideal partnership approach Perth has the chance to show the world how this new transport can help build a 21st century city. We remain hopeful." Professor Newman said the WA government continued to work with the Curtin group on other potential applications for its trackless tram research. South metro jobs go begging as projects fall off the list The Curtin group was not the only one to pitch projects. A prominent advocacy group representing a third of the Perth metropolitan area, the South West Group, also took part in the consultations and presented a list of potential projects that would yield significant jobs and financial benefits across an area stretching from Rockingham to Fremantle. The projects proposed include new Fremantle-Cockburn and Fremantle-Murdoch rail links as well as port facilities and a freight terminal at Kwinana's Western Trade Coast project, a 3900-hectare primary industry and logistics hub. According to the South West Group, the projects would add $16.7 billion to WA's economy and create 32,780 jobs. The group has operated for decades as a co-operative between the Cockburn, East Fremantle, Fremantle, Kwinana, Melville and Rockingham councils, representing almost half a million residents. In recent years it has taken a more prominent advocacy role, last year claiming some credit for getting WA better represented on the Infrastructure Australia priority list. In July 2018, the group registered its interest with the DPC in coming to the table to discuss a City Deal in its region, director Tom Griffiths said. At the federal level, weve engaged with [Cities] Minister Tudges office and they are also aware of our long-standing interest in collaboratively working up a City Deal, he said. When Minister Tudge held roundtables in November 2018 he asked major organisations for their advice on planning for our future the organisations around the table were unanimous in saying that a fair and transparent process with clear criteria was essential for assessing the greatest need and evaluating best use of public money. The group subsequently engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers to prepare a 60-page report detailing a list of industry-supported projects that could unlock the economic potential of the region. The groups report was intended as a starting point for discussion with state and federal governments, Mr Griffiths said. But lack of engagement with the proposals had disappointed them. Most City Deals in the eastern states are for multiple cities across large areas and are the result of extensive consultation with the councils concerned. For example, the South East Queensland City Deal is led by a group of mayors and covers priority areas including infrastructure, jobs, liveability and housing. The Western Sydney City Deal also covers a large tract of land across eight councils, all of which collaborated on the plan which includes a regional rail link, agribusiness precinct, a regional educational institute and major liveability program. But in October the WA government announced a Perth City Deal would focus on increasing Perth's population density in line with other capitals to stimulate hospitality, retail and general economic activity. WAtoday understands the decision to call for universities' interest in relocating to the CBD was not the result of any consultation process the quoted stakeholders were aware of, but was instead led by two political advisors in the Premiers office. Meanwhile, Mount Lawley residents have voiced strong objections to their area losing desirability, diversity and vibrancy to provide those benefits for the city centre. A spokesman for Infrastructure Australia said planning for the Perth City Deal included the industry roundtable and ongoing consultation. "The Australian and Western Australian governments have agreed to focus on the Perth city centre for the Perth City Deal, using the deal to create an energised CBD," he said. The department did not respond to specific questions about whether it was possible there would be further elements to the Perth deal. 'Captains calls' and people's projects The McGowan government came to power in 2017 promising to end the politicisation of infrastructure funding that had been a hallmark of the state and federal Coalition governments. After former prime minister Tony Abbott labelled himself the "infrastructure prime minister" he announced several multi-billion-dollar road projects for the 2014 federal budget, nicknamed captain's calls. These were the East-West link in Melbourne and the WestConnex toll highway project in Sydney. The Australian National Audit Office later found neither project was properly assessed before winning the funding. Loading Perth Freight Link was another captains call and WAtoday reports before the 2017 state election, based on documents obtained through Freedom of Information, revealed hasty planning, with business cases cobbled together by public servants to justify the project to Infrastructure Australia retrospectively. IAs assessment found Perth Freight Link was shortlisted and a business case constructed without investigation of alternative cheaper options, with limited reliance on evidence, and significant weaknesses in the business case and traffic modelling. Commentary speculated the political need to make the most of the massive funding gift took precedence over the business case, dubbed the cocktail party approach. WAtoday also published opinions from peak property, business, engineering and construction bodies all calling for an independent body to identify and prioritise major projects. WA Labor, then in opposition, promised it would if elected give WA an 'Infrastructure WA' body in line with the other states. More than two years later, in July 2019, it formed this independent body to vet infrastructure proposals of state significance, and form an overarching 20-year priority list of major projects to inform decision-making. It has not yet begun drafting this strategy, having spent the past seven months drafting a preliminary 'discussion paper'. A spokesman for the state government said the private sector had been engaged throughout the Perth City Deal process to "ensure the specific needs and growth opportunities of the local business community are considered in the shared vision of Perths City Deal". SEATTLE A week after a deadly coronavirus outbreak was reported inside a nursing home in the Seattle suburbs, officials from the long term care center said on Saturday that 70 staff members were out sick with symptoms resembling coronavirus and six residents were also ill. A federal strike team of nurses and doctors arrived Saturday to support the staff at the long-term nursing home, Life Care Center of Kirkland, Wash., where officials have announced the deaths of 13 residents and a visitor who were infected with the virus. Tim Killian, a spokesman for the care center, praised the workers who continued to show up even as 70 of the nursing homes 180 employees have developed symptoms. The amount of work and stress that these staff and employees and caregivers are under is tremendous, Mr. Killian said. They truly are heroes. Earlier on Saturday, Mr. Killian said that the center was still unable to get all of its staff members tested for coronavirus. The home had received 45 virus testing kits, Mr. Killian said, which was not enough for the 63 remaining residents and dozens of staff members. Most of us wish we could take breaks from our families. Prince Harry actually did it. Earlier this year, he and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex announced that they were stepping back from their jobs as senior royals and moving to North America part-time. As the monarch of the UK and Harrys grandmother, that must have been a hard pill to swallow for Queen Elizabeth II. But on Harrys final tour of royal engagements before he officially leaves his role as a working royal, he has made it quite clear that he and his dear ol gran are still on good terms. Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images) Why did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle step down? After an especially rough year for Meghan and Harry, the two decided that the best thing to do would be to take a step back from the limelight. The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly, Harry said during a speech at the dinner for supporters of Sentebale in London. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges. And I know I havent always gotten it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option. What I want to make clear is, were not walking away, and we certainly arent walking away from you. Details of Megxit Though the exit was announced months ago, it wont actually go into effect until April 1. Buckingham Palace gave a statement on how the royal family will move forward. As agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from royal duties, including official military appointments, the statement read.They will no longer receive public funds for royal duties. With The Queens blessing, the Sussexes will continue to maintain their private patronages and associations. While they can no longer formally represent The Queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty. The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family. After a year, this dynamic will be reassessed to ensure that it is still working for all parties involved. How are Prince Harry and the Queen now? Recently, Prince Harry and Meghan returned to the U.K. for a number of engagements and appearances before they step back from their duties officially. Harry addressed attendees at the Endeavour Fund Awards and expressed how glad he was to be back in England. Meghan and I are so happy to be back here with you, to celebrate each and every one of you for your achievements, your service, and your resilience, he said. For some, the military community represents a brotherhood or sisterhood that no other organization can provide, and for others, its a way of life which you never want to leave. For a lot of us, its both. But he made sure to reinforce how devoted he was and still is to his grandmother before ending his speech. Being able to serve Queen and Country is something we all are rightly proud of, and it never leaves us. Once served, always serving! he said. The Italian government has signed two decrees that will quarantine more than 15 million people, or a quarter of the population, for nearly a month, to try to stop the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. France, Europe's second-most contaminated country after Italy, has seen its infections increase to close to 1,000 cases. In a press conference overnight, Prime Minister Guiseppe Conte announced that movement into and out of the regions around Milan, the country's financial capital, and Venice would be severely restricted until 3 April. People will only be allowed in or out of the zones for professional or emergency situations. Those who violate the restrictions can be punished by fines and jailed for up to three months. These measures will provoke discomfort and imposes sacrifices, but this is the moment to be responsible, said Conte, saying the measures are to protect the health particularly of the elderly who are most affected by the coronavirus. With these measures we will succeed in containing the epidemic, he promised. Italy has recorded 233 deaths from the virus, and 5,883 infections, making it the country with the most deaths after China. One metre apart People in the quarantine zones will be advised to stay at home as much as possible. Schools, museums, gyms, theatres and cultural centres will be closed. Bars and restaurants can stay open, but only during the day, and they must ensure that everyone is seated at least a metre apart. The decrees also close cinemas, theatres, museums and discotheques in the entire country. The unprecedented measures come after the World Health Organization (WHO) urged Italy on Friday to keep "a strong focus on containment measures". The measures add to decisions already made to close schools and universities in the whole country until mid-March. The government on Saturday also announced it was recruiting 20,000 hospital staff, to increase its intensive care facilities from 5,000 to 7,500 beds, and to double the number of spots in pulmonology and infectious disease centres. France on the defensive French President Emmanuel Macron has called an emergency defence meeting for Sunday evening to address the growing threat of the disease. The latest official figures show 949 infections in the country, with 16 deaths. The national assembly announced a third positive test of the virus in a lawmaker, the Elisabeth Toutut-Picard of the ruling LREM party. She spent Friday night in hospital, but is now home where she must stay for two weeks. In the Haut-Rhin and Oise departments, two hotspots for the virus, all schools and day-care centres will be closed as of Monday for at least two weeks. Large events throughout the country continue to be cancelled, in order to avoid groups of people who could transmit the virus to each other. Hillary Clinton said in a new interview that Joe Biden's path to the 2020 nomination looks similar to hers back in 2016. What Joes victories on Super Tuesday showed is that he is building the kind of coalition that I had basically, Clinton said in an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS that aired Sunday. Its a broad-based coalition, she said. I finished, you know, most of the work I needed to do for the nomination on Super Tuesday, and then it kind of lingered on. And I think Joe is on track to doing exactly the same thing: putting together a coalition of voters who are energized. Biden stunned election observers last week on Super Tuesday when he won a swath of states by better-than-expected margins against his main rival Bernie Sanders. Four years ago, Clinton also built up a small but significant lead on Super Tuesday when she faced off against Sanders, who stayed in the delegate race through June. Clinton told Zakaria she would support Sanders if he became the nominee, but she wasnt sure he would make that request. She also repeated her contention that Biden would make a more effective Democratic nominee. I dont know if hed ask me to campaign for him, Fareed, because I have no idea what he is thinking about for a general election campaign, she said. As Ive said many times, I do not think hes the strongest nominee against Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton on "Fareed Zakaria GPS." (Screenshot: CNN) In the interview, Clinton also addressed the new four-part Hulu documentary, Hillary, that traces her life as a young lawyer, first lady, secretary of state, senator, and then the first woman to win a major partys presidential nomination. It couldnt have come out at a better time, she said of the documentary, while pointing to the withdrawal of most of the women running for the Democratic nomination this year. (Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota dropped out last week; Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii remains in the race but has struggled to gain traction.) Story continues We no longer have a woman in the presidential race, she said. There are a lot of reasons for that. We started off with I think six, and now have none. But Clinton said some of the reasons for the current absence of a woman in the race come from unconscious bias, come from the social norms that people are still trying to struggle with, that we're going to have to be more open about if we want to see more opportunity, real opportunity, in every aspect of life and society for your daughters and my granddaughter. Clinton further said even though the Democratic nominee is likely to be a man, she would personally love to have a woman on the ticket. But she noted that a pragmatic decision may also be made based on electability. Whoever the nominee is has to take a really hard look at the Electoral College: What will help him because thats who its down to what will help him win the Electoral College, she said. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has led to a wave of tech conference cancellations in the Middle East, with a majority of them in the UAE, as cases of the illness climb past 50 in the Gulf trading hub. A handful of technology-related conferences were suspended over the last two weeks in Dubai alone and the numbers are growing after the deadly virus spread to the Gulf country from its regional epicenter in Iran. One of the latest conferences to be cancelled is the Gulf Information Security Expo and Conference (GISEC), the regions largest cybersecurity event, which has been moved from 68 April to 1-3 September this year. Whilst the UAE remains completely safe for travel, and has deployed the strictest medical and hygiene protocols, we fully recognise that for some specific shows, we have a high majority of key participants significant to the events programme that are unable to travel due to restrictions in their home countries, according to a notice on the shows website. One of the first big shows to be cancelled was research firm Gartners IT symposium/Xpo, which was to be held 2-4 March in Dubai. Gartner has not set a new date for the conference, but e-mailed the following statement to all participants: Ensuring the health and safety of our customers and employees is our highest priority. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, we believe this is the right decision given the evolving public health risks. Another high-profile technology summit, Ai Everything, is being postponed from 10-11 March to a later date that will be announced over the next few weeks. Dubai World Trade Centre, which organizes the event, said the decision was made in light of the global development around the COVID-19 virus, and that it was closely monitoring the situation. Similarly, the Capacity Middle East conference, held in Dubai for the subsea networking infrastructure sector, is also being postponed from the first week of March to a new date later this year, according to its organizers, Capacity Media. The position has changed rapidly this week as we are in a period of unprecedented volatility, they said on the event website. Elsewhere, GEO 2020 a Bahrain geoscience conference with a strong tech component has been rescheduled from 16-19 March to September. The Middle East Petroleum and Gas Conference (MPGC), originally scheduled for 30-31 March, also held in Bahrain, will be rescheduled as well. Coronavirus has far-reaching impact The respiratory illness, which was first detected in Wuhan, China three months ago, has now spread to Asia and Europe, leading to travel bans, cities being locked down and some of the steepest falls in global market indices. Around the world, the virus has infected more than 98,000 people, resulting in 3,390 deaths. It now threatens to impact businesses across all sectors. The current situation with coronavirus will continue to disrupt supply chains in Asia and other countries that are being impacted by the spread of the virus, said Elizabeth Parks, President of IoT market redsearch consultancy Parks Associates. The Middle East will see a disruption in manufacturing as the countries work to contain the spread of the virus, Parks added. Saudi Arabia temporarily halted Umrah pilgrimage, where Muslims from around the world travel to the Islamic holy site of Mecca. Other GCC countries including UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain have introduced travel restrictions to limit the virus spread, with authorities urging residents to stay indoors. Due to these travel-curbing measures and plunging oil prices, Gulf countries are staring at the prospect of lower economic growth rates this year. At the same time, large events such as conferences, concerts and exhibitions will continue to be limited until the virus is contained, says Parks. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 01:39:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Palestinian Mohammed al-Naffar works inside his shop in Gaza City, March 1, 2020. Mohammed al-Naffar, a local citizen in the blockaded Gaza Strip, has succeeded in spreading Italian and Ethiopian coffee among the Palestinian people in the coastal enclave. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) by Sanaa Kamal GAZA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Mohammed al-Naffar, a local citizen in the blockaded Gaza Strip, has succeeded in spreading Italian and Ethiopian coffee among the Palestinian people in the coastal enclave. The 28-year-old father of a child has established a project to prepare and sell more than 150 kinds of Italian and Ethiopian coffee. Al-Naffar called his project "Cupresso" in reference to an abbreviation of the two words "cup" and "espresso". "Coffee is the most popular drink among the Gazans," al-Naffar told Xinhua, while he was preparing a cup of Italian coffee. As customers are not familiar with all kinds of the coffee in the world, he started the project to let the people recognize other kinds of coffee at one place. The young man said that more than 150 kinds of Italian coffee are available now for the Gazans, as well as more than 33 types of Arabica Coffee. Now, coffee plants are cultivated in over 70 countries. Arabica Coffee and Robusta Coffee are the two most commonly grown. Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed, and dried. Dried coffee seeds are roasted to varying degree, depending on the desired flavor. In the past, the Gaza markets were only selling four types of coffee, such as Indian, Colombian, Brazilian, and Robusta coffee, al-Naffar said. "I am so proud because I just brought more kinds to my people." He added that although Israel imposed a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip, which negatively affected the majority of industries, it does not affect the coffee world in the strip. "The people here cannot give up on the coffee, because it is a part of their traditions," the 24-year-old Yasmin Ahmed spoke to Xinhua, while she was checking the kinds of coffee in al-Naffar's classic shop. She added that she is a coffee lover, and she prefers to try all kinds of coffee in the blockaded strip. "Travel restrictions imposed on the Palestinians prevent us from touching other cultures such as coffee," she said. "You will get a great feeling when drinking either Italian or Ethiopian coffee," she said, adding that it feels like visiting that country one day. She explained that she drinks at least five cups of coffee a day, especially as she spends more than 12 hours every day at work. The young woman and most of the costumers prefer the "green coffee, especially the Ethiopian one," al-Naffar said, adding that it tastes classic and delicious. The average price of the coffee is between 12 U.S. dollars and 50 dollars per kg, al-Naffar said. "It is suitable for the majority of the Palestinians." Gaza people consume around seven tons of coffee per day, the Ministry of Agriculture in Gaza said in a press statement on World Coffee Day, explaining that the strip imports about 2,500 tons of coffee beans annually. Rishi Sunak will vow to end patchy mobile phone reception and slow broadband in this week's Budget. The Chancellor will announce a 1billion deal with telecoms firms to boost 4G coverage in rural areas. More than 280,000 properties and 10,000 miles of roads are expected to benefit from better phone signals. The biggest improvements are likely to be in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Whitehall sources said the money would 'see poor and patchy mobile coverage become a thing of the past'. Mr Sunak will also confirm a 5billion investment to achieve faster broadband across the UK by 2025. Rishi Sunak will vow to end patchy mobile phone reception and slow broadband in this week's Budget (pictured, the Chancellor having his make-up done for the Andrew Marr Show) During December's election the Conservatives pledged to bring full fibre and gigabit-capable broadband to every home and business in Britain within five years. Gigabit broadband, which is 40 times faster than standard superfast broadband, will be rolled out to the hardest-to-reach 20 per cent of the country, the Treasury said. Mr Sunak said: 'We are committed to levelling up across every region and nation in the UK and that is why we are making the largest ever public investment into broadband. This investment delivers on our promises to the British people, boosting growth and prosperity across the country.' Mr Sunak, who became Chancellor last month following Sajid Javid's resignation, yesterday refused to confirm whether he will stick to the fiscal rules of the Conservative manifesto when he delivers his Budget this week. He said that he believes 'very much' in the responsible management of public finances, but declined to comment on whether the Government will abide by its election pledges. The Chancellor will announce a 1billion deal with telecoms firms to boost 4G coverage in rural areas (pictured, Mr Sunak in Downing Street, February 2020) The Conservative manifesto for the election stated the party would not borrow to fund day-to-day spending and would ensure debt is lower in five years' time. Mr Sunak said he could not 'comment on the exact forecast until Wednesday', though he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: 'I believe very much in the importance of fiscal responsibility, about responsible management of our public finances. 'It's because there's been very strong management of public finances over the last ten years by successive Conservative chancellors who have made some difficult decisions that means I can sit here today and say I will invest what it takes to get us through this because our public finances are in a good spot.' Mr Sunak yesterday said around a fifth of HM Treasury staff will move to a new 'economic campus' in the North as part of its bid to spread prosperity throughout the country. Offices will also be opened in Northern Ireland and Wales. He told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme: 'We believe in making sure that wherever you live in this country there is opportunity for you. 'That's what levelling up means in practice, it's not just about building a road here or a railway station there, it's about ensuring that everyone can fulfil their dreams, so it is spreading that opportunity. 'I want to make sure that the Treasury is at the front foot of that.' Artists who responded to FII's open call for submissions have created imagery that encompasses a number of themes, including representation, empowerment, and solidarity. The emphasis is on images that show women as strong and resilient beings as opposed to stock photos that portray them as hapless victims. Shame should be the domain of rapists, not their victims, says Japleen Pasricha, founder of Feminism in India (FII), an intersectional feminist platform for writers. FII recently created a database of 10 images that can be used by the media when reporting on violence against women, in lieu of stereotypical representations that depict them cowering in fear or shame, or in an attitude of torment and hopelessness. This imagery, Pasricha notes, is problematic as it reinforces the shame and victimisation of women. The database emerges after FII ran a year-long campaign #GBVinMedia (gender-based violence in media) analysing how rape and sexual violence were reported in the mainstream media. FII campaign manager Asmita Ghosh says they found sensationalist headlines and images, victim-blaming language, and trivialisation of the crime through the use of words like sex scandal. But FII wanted to go beyond commenting on these lapses, to helping change the prevalent narrative. The platform launched a toolkit in 2019, a 30-page manual with ethical guidelines for the media on writing about rap and other gender-based violence. They also held seminars and workshops, reaching out to media professionals and students with their findings and recommendations. In researching and preparing the toolkit, Ghosh realised that one of the major issues with the mainstream medias manner of reporting on rape was the type of imagery used. It wasnt just about the images, but it was a big part of the whole problem, she says. Since FIIs campaign was geared towards not only identifying problem areas in the conventional coverage of gender-based violence, but also offering suggestions to rectify the same, Ghosh and Pasricha felt imagery was something that could be tangibly changed. Using better language and headlines would be a long-drawn process. But changing images that is easily doable, Ghosh says. FII then issued an open call to artists and received many submissions. Among the artists to contribute their work was Srishti Sharma, a Delhi-based freelance cartoonist and illustrator. Spurred by the lack of appropriate imagery, Sharma says she created artwork that is mostly how I feel the scenario should be after rape. This meant shunning the conventional, triggering tropes of a fearful girl or woman surrounded by bloodied hands reaching for her out of the darkness, and the use of colours like black and red. We need to understand how visuals impact the way we think, says Sharma. For Aasawari Suhas Kulkarni, a graphic designer and writer from Aurangabad, inclusivity and representation were the guiding forces behind her submissions. Non-binary people are still very much considered the other in India, she says. Also, women are rarely shown in a position of command, standing up against injustice, coming together for a cause. I wanted to portray those left out of the narrative, as a part of something bigger. In one of Kulkarnis artworks, women protest, holding placards saying Stop. Another depicts solidarity among women. Both works defy conventional gender norms and stereotypical portrayals, reflecting Kulkarnis thought that if sexist narratives are to be changed, we need to apply feminist principles to design and art. For Kerala-based artist Marva Kulsumbi, her work drew on her memories of reading the newspaper as a child, and being disturbed by the images used in reports of violence against women. Every time I read something on gender violence, there was always this sad or scared girlthe victim, Kulsumbi observes. Her first illustration for FII is a reminder of the Kathua rape case. The second depicts workplace sexual harassment. Victims are often scared to come out because their entire career is at stake. And rape alone is not sexual harassment; it could also be somebody trying to stroke your hands at work. Thats what I wanted to point out, she says. A completely under-represented section of the populace in coverage or depictions of gender-based violence are tribal women. Fine Arts student Sunidhi Kothari wanted to address this oversight through her submissions. Its important to talk about them because they have been ignored and theyre still being ignored. Id like the world to care more about them. Theyre facing issues that weve never heard of, Kothari told this correspondent. All the images have been made available by FII for media organisations to download and use under the Creative Commons License 4.0, with attribution to the platform and the individual artists. The images we have created show women as strong and resilient beings, FIIs Asmita Ghosh concludes, fighting against gender-based violence through protests and by speaking out. Sorry! This content is not available in your region I taly's coronavirus death toll leapt by 133 to 366 as the country imposed draconian quarantine measures in an attempt to contain thew outbreak The total number of cases in Italy, which has become Europe's worst hit country, leapt 25% to 7,375 from 5,883 on Saturday. The head of the Italian Civil Protection Agency said that, of those originally infected, 622 had fully recovered, compared to 589 the day before. Some 650 people were in intensive care against a previous 567. More than a quarter of Italys population have been placed in mandatory quarantine as the government attempts to stem the spread of the coronavirus. A couple kiss in Milano Centrale railway station in Milan on March 8, 2020 / AFP via Getty Images Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree just after midnight, which affects about 16 million people in the countrys prosperous north, including the Lombardy region and at least 14 provinces in neighbouring regions. The measures will be in place until April 3. Two girls pose in Piazza Duomo holding signs dedicated to March 8th women's day / Getty Images It came after the Department of Health announced that more than 270 people in the UK have now tested positive for coronavirus in the UK. As of 9am on Sunday, 273 people had been diagnosed with Covid-19 an increase of 67 from the 206 cases confirmed at 7am on Saturday. A person has his temperature checked at the entrance of the Dacia Arena stadium in Udine, Northern Italy / AP It represents the largest day-on-day increase in diagnoses. 13-Year-Old Killed, 5 Others Injured in Baltimore-Area Shooting A 13-year-old boy was killed, four other children were wounded, and a 19-year-old man was injured in a shooting after they left an event outside of Baltimore, according to local officials. The gunfire broke out at around midnight on Sunday in Rosedale, said the Baltimore County police. This level of violence is unacceptable. We had children that were shot last night, Police Chief Melissa Hyatt told The Associated Press. And an adolescent lost his life for some senseless and unknown reason. According to officials, the shooting occurred in the 6200 block of Kenwood Avenue. Police received a call about a parking lot disturbance, and when they arrived on the scene, six people were found shot, WBAL reported. One person was dead at the scene, and five others were taken to nearby hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, officials told the news outlet. We just received multiple calls shortly after midnight for the disturbance in the parking lot. When the officers arrived, it was a pretty big scene and they were trying to figure out what happened. But, with multiple victims at the hospital, its going to be an ongoing investigation, said Sgt. Vickie Warehime of the Baltimore County police. Detectives told WMAR the shooting victims had attended an event at the Triple Threat Elite Dance studio, and when they left, several suspects approached them before they opened fire at the group. The suspects fled the scene before officers arrived, and no motive in the case was provided. An altercation ensued and then multiple shots were fired toward the group, Hyatt told AP. Anyone with information should call the Baltimore County Police Homicide Unit at 410-307-2020. An Australian man who contracted coronavirus went to work at a major hotel and visited a nightclub despite being told to self-isolate, health authorities have said. The man, who is in his 20s, was confirmed as the second case of coronavirus in Tasmania, Australia, on Sunday after being tested on Friday. Mark Veitch, Tasmanias director of public health services, said the man experienced some cold-like symptoms on 27 February after returning to Australia from Nepal via Singapore. Although he was told to self-isolate while he waited for his test results, the man went out to a restaurant and club that night and went to work the next day, according to the public health director. Mr Veitch said it was unclear why he did not self-isolate when he was asked to by health officials. It's our belief that he did understand the requirements, he said. It is unacceptable to continue activities in public or attend work while waiting for the coronavirus virus test results. A statement from the Tasmanian Department of Health has said anyone who is aware of having a notifiable disease, such as Covid-19, must take all reasonable measures to prevent transmission and not knowingly or recklessly place others at risk. There are options to prosecute in the Public Health Act for putting other people at risk, Mr Veitch added. The patient worked shifts on seven days at the Hobarts Grand Chancellor Hotel and its restaurant after he began experiencing cold-like symptoms, although not all shifts involved contact with the public. The mans activities over the past week may have resulted in casual contact with members of the public in various settings, the department said. The risk of catching coronavirus in such settings is low. Nevertheless, the hotel has contacted all staff who worked with the man, advising staff members to ring a public health hotline if they are considered to have been in close contact of him. The Grand Chancellor Hotel has been approached for comment on the case. Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Show all 11 1 /11 Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Ben Gurion International airport, Israel Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Daxing International Airport, Beijing AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Haneda Airport, Tokyo Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Changsha Huanghua International Airport, China Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Daxing International Airport, Beijing AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Haneda Airport, Tokyo Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam AFP via Getty There have been 114 tests for coronavirus in Tasmania and two positive results, as of Sunday. Sarah Courtney, Tasmanias health minister, has said the government is considering stronger measures to ensure self-isolation requests are followed. We want to see Tasmanians kept safe, kept healthy, so it's unacceptable that you do not follow the advice and indeed today I have asked the director of Public Health for further advice on whether or not we need to strengthen measures to ensure compliance with self-isolation, Ms Courtney said. I send a very strong message to Tasmanians, if you have been asked to be in self-isolation, you must comply with that. It is very serious and it is very irresponsible if you do not comply with self-isolation. The federal health minister Greg Hunt has also called on Australians to be their best selves after reports of panic buying and concern about shortages of medical supplies in recent days. There have been some things which have occurred in recent days which have not been our best selves, Mr Hunt said. This is the moment [for Australia] to be its best self, and for Australia to be the nation and the community we know it can be... We will get through this together. Despite continuous attacks and killings of Sangh workers in Left-ruled Kerala, the highest 4,500 shakhas are held in the state daily, RSS Joint General Secretary Krishna Gopal said on Sunday. A shakha, a congregation of Sangh workers, is the smallest unit of the saffron organisation and its backbone as well. Speaking at a prayer meeting for the late P Parameswaran here, Gopal said the veteran Sangh worker took up the challenge to stand up against the Communists in the 1950s when they were at their peak. The Communist ideology was on rise in Russia, China and Cuba and it also got a foothold in Kerala, Gopal said adding that thereafter more than 500 Sangh workers were killed and 1,000 were handicapped. "Despite killings of Sangh workers, Parameswaranji stood up to the challenge, continued to work and showed that Hindutva's philosophy is of inclusiveness, unlike Communism which targets those who are opposed to its ideology," he said. Gopal said Kerala now is a state where 4,500 shakhas are held daily, the highest in the country. Speaking at the prayer meeting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Parameswaran always thought about country, society and the organisation before him. Shah said though he never got a chance to work with Parameswaran, he met the veteran RSS worker several times and every time he learnt something from him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australians with flu-like symptoms are being told by state leaders to get tested for the novel coronavirus in an escalation of health advice that threatens to inundate the medical system. The comments comes as Health Minister Greg Hunt encourages unwell healthcare workers and others who may have had contact with virus carriers or been in a high risk area to get themselves tested. An 82-year-old Sydney man was confirmed on Sunday as the third Australian to die with COVID-19. The number of cases nationwide stands at 77, including two Australian Defence Force members who tested positive for the virus on Sunday. Health Minister Greg Hunt with medical experts on Sunday. Credit:AAP NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Victorian Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams on Sunday urged anyone who had a cough, runny nose or sore throat to stay home and get themselves assessed. More than 10,000 tests for the coronavirus have been administered so far. When air safety investigators release an interim report on the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max sometime before Tuesday, they are likely to place the blame on the jet's automated flight control system as well as on the pilots and their training, but it's unclear yet which side will bear the brunt. Experts in the U.S. are waiting to see if a transcript of the cockpit voice recorder is released, saying it will be used to train pilots across the globe on what to do when a software glitch causes an in-flight emergency. The transcript may not come until the final report, which is expected later this year. The crash on March 10, 2019 that killed 157 people came almost five months after a similar Max owned by Lion Air crashed off the coast of Indonesia, killing 189. After the Ethiopia crash, aviation authorities across the globe grounded the Max until Boeing proves it has fixed the flight control software. The crash forced Chicago-based Boeing to post its first annual financial loss in more than two decades, and shined a floodlight on the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which allows employees of aircraft makers to make key decisions in the process that permits planes to fly. Criticism has also been directed at Ethiopian Airlines' pilots. ``It was pretty clear from the get-go they really didn't understand what was happening to the airplane,'' said William Waldock, a safety science professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. ``When they tried to correct, they actually made it worse.'' Last week, a U.S. House committee said a ``culture of concealment'' at Boeing and poor federal oversight contributed to both Max crashes. At the root of the crashes is Boeing's software called MCAS, an acronym for Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System. It automatically lowers the plane's nose to prevent an aerodynamic stall. Initially, pilots worldwide weren't told about the system, which Boeing said was needed because the Max had bigger, more powerful engines that were placed further forward on the wings than previous-generation 737s. Still, Boeing's big selling point for the plane was that it was essentially the same as older 737s and therefore little pilot training was needed to switch to the new aircraft. That's likely to be where investigators find fault with Boeing. There's little doubt that MCAS triggered the chain of events that caused both crashes, but Ethiopia's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will have to determine if the pilots could have saved the airplane had they followed proper procedures, said Peter Goelz, a former U.S. National Transportation Safety Board managing director who is now an aviation safety consultant. A preliminary report released in April by the Ethiopian agency indicated that MCAS pushed the jet's nose down based on faulty readings from sensors outside the plane. The agency found that pilots were inundated by multiple alarms but _ at least initially _ followed procedures to deal with an MCAS problem. They cut off power to the system, but because they failed to slow the plane from takeoff speeds, they couldn't take the next step: manually turning a wheel that would move a stabilizer on the tail to point the nose back up. One sensor measured the plane's speed at 575 miles per hour (925 kilometers per hour), which some experts believe put too much force on the stabilizer, making manual movement nearly impossible. The pilots apparently turned MCAS back on shortly before the final, fatal nosedive. ``There is considerable speculation that had the pilots immediately reduced their speed, they would have been able to manually control the runaway (stabilizer) and the flight may have turned out differently,'' Goelz said. Ethiopian Airlines insists the carrier's pilots went through extra training required by Boeing and the FAA to fly the 737 Max 8. The airline's CEO said the pilots trained on ``all appropriate simulators,`` rejecting reports that they weren't adequately prepared to handle the new aircraft. While former Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg agreed that MCAS didn't work properly, he said the crash was caused by a ``chain of events.'' Critics, including members of Congress, accused him of blaming foreign pilots. That's where the Ethiopian investigators will have to walk a fine line, Goelz said. He's waiting for the cockpit voice recorder transcript, which he says will tell Flight 302's story. Indonesia investigators, he said, only released a summary. ``It would help in terms of setting up training regimens going forward,'' Goelz said of the transcript. Last fall, the NTSB, which investigates aircraft crashes, issued a report questioning whether Boeing and the FAA underestimated how a blizzard of visual and audio warnings would slow the pilots' ability to diagnose a problem and respond in time to avoid disaster. ``I don't think there's any question that MCAS is going to bear the brunt of this,'' Goelz said. ``But I think there has also got to be some acknowledgement that the pilots missed a step.'' Search Keywords: Short link: The man shot while he sat in his car on a main suburban road in Melbourne's south-east has been identified as 25-year-old Kevin Passanise. Mr Passanise was sitting in his car on Shrives Road in Narre Warren South at about 5am on Saturday when he was shot in the upper body. Kevin Passanise. He was transported to hospital where he underwent surgery and remains in a critical condition. Police are yet to establish a motive for the attack and are calling for public assistance in solving the mystery. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Chevron is seen at the company's office in Caracas By Marianna Parraga, Humeyra Pamuk and Matt Spetalnick (Reuters) - The U.S. government is preparing to impose new measures as soon as next week to stifle Venezuela's oil exports, including a move not to renew Chevron Corp's license to do business with state-run company PDVSA, sources familiar with the matter said. The United States imposed harsh sanctions on Venezuela in early 2019, in an effort to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro, whose 2018 re-election was considered a sham by most Western countries. Venezuela's oil exports have dropped by one-third since then, but more than a year on, Maduro remains in power, backed by Venezuela's military as well as Russia, China and Cuba. Frustrated by the socialist leader's grip on power, the Trump administration has increased pressure on Venezuela's oil industry in recent weeks. The U.S. Treasury Department last month blacklisted Geneva-based Rosneft Trading, a unit of Russia's oil giant Rosneft , for conducting business with PDVSA and warned global energy firms that more such measures were expected. Now, U.S. officials are targeting oil-for-fuel swaps and loan repayments through oil deliveries, threatening to close off the last areas left open by the government for firms still dealing with PDVSA. According to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Washington has already told some of PDVSA's customers to stop oil-for-fuel swaps if they want to fully comply with new sanctions. Companies taking Venezuelan oil as repayment for debt could also have to cease those transactions. A 90-day period set by Washington to wind down foreign purchases of Venezuelan oil ends on May 20. "The United States is asking us to follow a policy of zero Venezuelan crude going out, zero fuel going in. So swaps so far allowed would have to end by the wind-down period deadline," an executive from one PDVSA customer said. One of the sources said the measures were likely to come late next week but another cautioned a final announcement could still be several weeks away. Story continues Chevron is the largest U.S. company still in the country, operating with a waiver that allows it to continue producing oil with PDVSA in several joint ventures, and also trade cargoes of Venezuelan crude in international markets. Its license expires in April. Chevron spokesman Ray Fohr said the company is "hopeful" its license can be renewed. PDVSA and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. U.S. special envoy for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, declined to comment. The U.S. Treasury did not comment beyond repeating that the license expires on April 22. "Chevron is a positive presence in Venezuela," Fohr said. The company's share of production from its joint ventures with PDVSA averaged some 35,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2019, representing about 6% of the country's total production. "If Chevron is forced to leave Venezuela, non-U.S. companies will fill the void and oil production will continue," he said. Senior State Department officials had argued against cancelling Chevron's license for now, but the White House has backed the idea of taking action, one of the sources told Reuters. Buyers in China, India and Europe continued importing after sanctions last year, so Venezuela's oil exports did not fall as much as some U.S. officials expected. Washington recently said it will go after customers in Asia, as well as intermediary firms that have helped hide the origin of the crude. In recent days, major Indian refiners Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy began planning a reduction in purchases of Venezuelan oil starting next month. The United States in January 2019 recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the OPEC nation's legitimate interim president. Maduro has dismissed Guaido as a puppet of the United States. (Reporting by Marianna Parraga in Mexico City, and Humeyra Pamuk, Alexandra Alper, Matt Spetalnick, Timothy Gardner and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Editing by Tom Brown) The rescue team earlier managed to pull 50 people out of the debris of the collapsed Xinjia Express hotel, two people have been killed, local media said on Sunday, Trend reports citing Sputnik. The hotel was used as a quarantine site for people infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), that originated in Hubei province last December. Patients confirmed with coronavirus from Hubei, the city of Wenzhou, and Zhejiang province were hospitalised there. The cause of the collapse has not yet been confirmed. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 20:46:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A medical worker of medical teams from Henan takes part in rope skipping competition in a hotel in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, March 8, 2020. The first batch of medical teams from Henan Province to Hubei held fun games to celebrate the International Women's Day at their resident hotel in Wuhan. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) : Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday emphasised on educational and economic empowerment for women and said no country could progress if they were denied equal opportunities. Delivering his address at the inaugural of iWIN (International Women Network) on the occasion of Womens Day here, he said, "It was the duty of each one of us to see that no girl was left out of school." An educated woman would possess skills, self- confidence and could become a better parent, an official press release quoted Naidu as saying. She would also provide better nutrition and hence ensure that her children are healthy, he said. In this aspect, the Vice-President expressed happiness over the tremendous impact of Beti Bachao, Beti Padao on increasing the gross enrolment ratio of girls across all levels. Calling for a change in mindset, the Vice-President said there was an urgent need to make boys respect girls from a young age. He said women were always given a respectable place in Indian culture and traditions and we need to go back to our roots. Noting that life always needs women, Naidu, in his trademark style, said- First, it is Vidya (education), then Lakshmi (wealth) and finally it is Shakti and Shanti (peace) Describing spiritual symbols, the Vice-President said, "Whether we chant the Gayatri (mantra) or read the Gita (epic), or we do Vandana, Puja or Aarti with Shraddha towards God to pray, we are still with women. Maintaining that the greatest human values are feminine, Naidu said, When we grow older we want Karuna (compassion) or Mamta (love). From those who are angry with us we want Kshama (forgiveness). It is a womans world, he said. Observing that even after seven decades of Independence, there were still reports of gender discrimination, atrocities and violence against women, the Vice-President stressed that there should be zero tolerance towards such social evils. He called for meting out swift punishment to those who commit crimes against women and said that political will was required to curb crimes against women rather than merely bringing a new bill. On the need for a special emphasis on education and empowerment of rural women, the Vice-President said promoting literacy among rural women and nurturing the spirit of entrepreneurship among them would pave the way for their economic empowerment. He also called for giving equal rights to women in ancestral property, including that of the agriculture land and said that there was an urgent need to bring in uniformity in laws across the country in this regard. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan was among the dignitaries who were present. Earlier in the day, the Vice-President attended the Womens Day calebrations organised by Durgabai Deshmukh Mahila Sabha (Andhra Mahila Sabha) here. Addressing the gathering at the event, he called upon the youth to draw inspiration from the life of visionary leaders such as Durgabai Deshmukh who dedicated her life in the service of nation at a tender age of 12. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This article was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. WASHINGTON A federal judge has ordered the United States military to have a panel of American and foreign doctors examine a Saudi man who was tortured at Guantanamo Bay to determine whether he should be released from the prison there and sent home for psychiatric care. The 25-page opinion issued Friday by U.S. District Judge Rosemary M. Collyer is a departure from the courts usual deference to the military on medicine at the wartime prison at the U.S. Navy base in Cuba. It also gives foreign doctors a decisive say in determining, for the first time, whether to release a detainee from Guantanamo Bay. Judge Collyer wrote that she was granting a request by lawyers for the prisoner, Mohammed al-Qahtani, to compel the United States to apply an Army regulation designed to protect prisoners of war and to create a mixed medical commission made up of a medical officer from the U.S. Army and two doctors from a neutral country chosen by the International Committee of the Red Cross and approved by the United States and Saudi Arabia. Mr. Qahtani, who is in his 40s, had a history of profound mental illness and psychiatric hospitalization in Saudi Arabia before he left in 2000 or 2001. He was captured along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and subjected to two months of continuous, brutal interrogation by the U.S. military inside a wooden hut at Camp X-Ray at Guantanamo in late 2002 and early 2003, after the military closed that particular detention facility. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th March, 2020) The launch of a Russian Soyuz-ST carrier rocket with a French optical-electronic reconnaissance satellite CSO-2 from the Kourou space center in French Guiana has been postponed until the end of April-May due to a problem with the Frigate upper stage, the US spaceflightnow.com outlet said on Saturday. In February, a Sputnik source in space and rocket industry announced that the launch of CSO-2 was scheduled for April 10. The launch of the UAE optical-electronic spy satellite Falcon Eye 2 that was scheduled for March 6 from the Kourou space center has also been postponed until April. A Sputnik source in the Russian space industry said on Friday that the launch had been postponed due to the need to replace a Frigate booster on the rocket. On December 19, the Soyuz-ST carrier rocket with the French spy satellite CSO-1 was launched from the Kourou space center in French Guiana. It was the first of three satellites that will form the Optical Space Component for the French government and be launched with the Soyuz over the next few years In June 2015, Russian space agency Roscosmos signed contracts with France's Arianespace and the United Kingdom's OneWeb to carry out a total of 21 commercial launches from Kourou, as well as Russia's Baikonur and Vostochny cosmodromes to bring 672 satellites to space with the help of Soyuz rockets. Since 2011, there have been 23 Soyuz launches from the Guiana Space Center. AROUND 145 artisans and techies converged in Cebu over the weekend for the Making Futures, a global conference for the craft sector, the first held in Southeast Asia. The British Council in the Philippines and the United Kingdom-based Plymouth College of Art (PCA) organized the event from March 6 to 8, 2020 to discuss the role of the craft sector and artisans in creating a sustainable future. Pilar Aramayo-Prudencio, British Council country director, said the conference provided a venue for artisans, designers, researchers and techies from across the globe to collaborate. The event was aimed for the participants to develop a strong international crafts community that is in touch with cultural heritage and open to innovation and development, Prudencio said. We see leaders and makers of the craft sector as change agents that redefine the role of craft towards a more sustainable future, she said. Some of the issues discussed at the event were the dwindling natural resources, the struggles of craft enterprises and the importance of leadership in sustaining the craft sector. While challenges continue to threaten artisans and practices such as weaving, a paradigm shift seems to be taking place, acknowledging the role of culture in holistic, sustainable development. A study commissioned by the British Council found that interventions from government and private stakeholders as well as a renewed interest from consumers have helped propel the craft sectorparticularly handwoven textilesback into the limelight. The international conference pioneered by the PCA runs every two years. The Department of Trade and Industry Design Center of the Philippines and the Department of Science and Technology Philippine Textile Research Institute also supported the event. Cebu, the host of the event this year, was recognized as one of the new creative cities by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2019. (CSL) Click here to read the full article. In the pursuit of acoustic excellence, bespoke craftsmanship is the holy grail. There are endless prefabricated possibilities when searching for the perfect electric bass guitar. However, bass players will tell you that there isnt anything quite like making your sound unique with an instrument of your own construction. One of one sound, from a one of one instrument. Though the first bass guitar was built in 1935 by Audiovox, it was not until 1951 that it became popular with musicians, en masse, thanks to Fender and the Precision-Bass, or P-Bass for short. In 1960, Fender added to the bass guitar options with the Jazz bass. This version was meant to focus more heavily on the upper and middle ranges of bass playing, in contrast to the P-Bass, which stuck to the depth of the lower tones. More from Rolling Stone What You Need to Know About Electric Bass Guitar Bodies There are two varieties of bass constructions: solid-body and hollow-body, each with their own nuances. The main difference in each design is with reference to resonating chambers. Solid-body guitars are able to be amplified louder without kicking much feedback, they can produce longer sustain than hollow-bodies, and because of their lack of resonating chambers, their design can be nearly as creative as your brain can dream. Hollow-body guitars have a classic sound association; think jazz or folk, and genres that tend toward a more acoustic tonality. Where solid-body guitars offer those deep, rich, entrancing low frequency vibes, hollow-body constructions offer warmer low-tones and a slightly more soulful approach, depending on who you ask. There isnt a right or wrong design choice, it is purely a matter of tonal preference and design aesthetic opportunities. Our list provides a simple starting point for bodies to consider. Story continues See where your favorite artists and songs rank on the Rolling Stone Charts. Sign up for Rolling Stones Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 1. Fender Alder Precision Bass Fenders solid body is made from alder wood and is a prototypical bass body for any newbie looking to become a bass connoisseur. This unit comes with pre-drilled holes for easy mounting and an elegant glossy finish. The body is configured for a traditional split single-coil pickup. Alder wood, meantime, has wonderful qualitative hallmarks, creating balanced tones, with rich and clear sound. Fender is one of the best-known names in guitars, and this bass guitar body is crafted at Fenders workshop in Ensenada, Mexico. PROS: Already stunningly painted. CONS: Limited finish options. Courtesy of Amazon 2. Unfinished PJM Bass A stunningly simple base model design that leaves room for endless customization potential. Well-made and crafted from a durable, solid wood body, the uncoated design lets you select your paint and finish of choice. Pre-drilled holes make it easy to add your components. PROS: Lighter body weight than others making it extra easy to slap the bass. CONS: Some users have remarked the body needs some extra sanding. Courtesy of Amazon 3. Electric JB Bass Guitar Solid body construction makes this jazz-esque guitar a great starting place for a custom rig. There is minimal sanding required, and the neck and controls fits easily into the grooves provided. What we like: the sculpted curves make this a sophisticated choice for building your bass guitar. Sound is warm and nuanced. PROS: Modeled after super premium guitars of the genre. CONS: Some users have remarked the solid body design makes for a heavier overall build. Courtesy of Amazon https://www.aish.com/tp/i/sacks/568608441.html Kol Nidrei, the prayer said at the beginning of Yom Kippur, is an enigma wrapped in a mystery, perhaps the strangest text ever to capture the religious imagination. First, it is not a prayer at all. It is not even a confession. It is a dry legal formula for the annulment of vows. It is written in Aramaic. It does not mention God. It is not part of the service. It does not require a synagogue. And it was disapproved of, or at least questioned, by generations of halachic authorities. The first time we hear of Kol Nidrei, in the eighth century, it is already being opposed by Rav Natronai Gaon, the first of many Sages throughout the centuries who found it problematic. In his view, one cannot annul the vows of an entire congregation this way. Even if one could, one should not, since it may lead people to treat vows lightly. Besides which, there has already been an annulment of vows ten days earlier, on the morning before Rosh Hashanah. This is mentioned explicitly in the Talmud (Nedarim 23b). There is no mention of an annulment on Yom Kippur. Rabbeinu Tam, Rashi's grandson, was particularly insistent in arguing that the kind of annulment Kol Nidrei represents cannot be retroactive. It cannot apply to vows already taken. It can only be a pre-emptive qualification of vows in the future. Accordingly he insisted on changing its wording, so that Kol Nidrei refers not to vows from last year to this, but from this year to next. However, perhaps because of this, Kol Nidrei created hostility on the part of non-Jews, who said it showed that Jews did not feel bound to honour their promises since they vitiated them on the holiest night of the year. In vain it was repeatedly emphasised that Kol Nidrei applies only to vows between us and God, not those between us and our fellow humans. Throughout the Middle Ages, and in some places until the eighteenth century, in lawsuits with non-Jews, Jews were forced to take a special oath, More Judaica, because of this concern. So there were communal and halachic reasons not to say Kol Nidrei, yet it survived all the doubts and misgivings. It remains the quintessential expression of the awe and solemnity of the day. Its undiminished power defies all obvious explanations. Somehow it seems to point to something larger than itself, whether in Jewish history or the inner heartbeat of the Jewish soul. Several historians have argued that it acquired its pathos from the phenomenon of forced conversions, whether to Christianity or Islam, that occurred in several places in the Middle Ages, most notably Spain and Portugal in the fourteenth and fifteenth century. Jews would be offered the choice: convert or suffer persecution. Sometimes it was: convert or be expelled. At times it was even: convert or die. Some Jews did convert. They were known in Hebrew as anusim (people who acted under coercion). In Spanish they were known as conversos, or contemptuously as marranos (swine). Many of them remained Jews in secret, and once a year on the night of Yom Kippur they would make their way in secret to the synagogue to seek release from the vows they had taken to adopt to another faith, on the compelling grounds that they had no other choice. For them, coming to the synagogue was like coming home, the root meaning of teshuvah. There are obvious problems with this hypothesis. Firstly, Kol Nidrei was in existence several centuries before the era of forced conversions. So historian Joseph S. Bloch suggested that Kol Nidrei may have originated in the much earlier Christian persecution of Jews in Visigoth Spain, when in 613 Sisebur issued a decree that all Jews should either convert or be expelled, anticipating the Spanish expulsion of 1492. Even so, it is unlikely that conversos would have taken the risk of being discovered practising Judaism. Had they done so during the centuries in which the Inquisition was in force they would have risked torture, trial and death. Moreover, the text of Kol Nidrei makes no reference, however oblique, to conversion, return, identity, or atonement. It is simply an annulment of vows. So the theories as they stand do not satisfy. However it may be that Kol Nidrei has a different significance altogether, one that has its origin in a remarkable rabbinic interpretation of this week's parsha. The connection between it and Yom Kippur is this: less than six weeks after the great revelation at Mount Sinai, the Israelites committed what seemed to be the unforgivable sin of making a Golden Calf. Moshe prayed repeatedly for forgiveness on their behalf and eventually secured it, descending from Mount Sinai on the Tenth of Tishri with a new set of tablets to replace those he had smashed in anger at their sin. The tenth of Tishri subsequently became Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, in memory of that moment when the Israelites saw Moshe with the new tablets and knew they had been forgiven. Moshe's prayers, as recorded in the Torah, are daring. But the Midrash makes them more audacious still. The text introducing Moshe's prayer begins with the Hebrew words, Vayechal Moshe (Ex. 32:11). Normally these are translated as "Moshe besought, implored, entreated, pleaded, or attempted to pacify" God. However the same verb is used in the context of annulling or breaking a vow (Num. 30:3). On this basis the Sages advanced a truly remarkable interpretation: [Vayechal Moshe means] "Moses absolved God of His vow." When the Israelites made the Golden Calf, Moses sought to persuade God to forgive them, but God said, "I have already taken an oath that Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be punished (Ex. 22:19). I cannot retract what I have said." Moses replied, "Lord of the universe, You have given me the power to annul oaths, for You taught me that one who takes an oath cannot break their word but a scholar can absolve them. I hereby absolve You of Your vow" (abridged from Exodus Rabbah 43:4). According to the Sages the original act of Divine forgiveness on which Yom Kippur is based came about through the annulment of a vow, when Moshe annulled the vow of God. The Sages understood the verse, "Then the Lord relented from the evil He had spoken of doing to His people" (Ex. 32:14) to mean that God expressed regret for the vow He had taken - a precondition for a vow to be annulled. Why would God regret His determination to punish the people for their sin? On this, another Midrash offers an equally radical answer. The opening word of Psalm 61 is la-menatzeach. When this word appears in Psalms it usually means, "To the conductor, or choirmaster." However the Sages interpreted it to mean, "To the Victor," meaning God, and added this stunning commentary: To the Victor who sought to be defeated, as it is said (Isaiah 57:16), "I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry, for then they would faint away because of Me- the very people I have created." Do not read it thus, but, "I will accuse in order to be defeated." How so? Thus said the Holy One, blessed be He, "When I win, I lose, and when I lose I gain. I defeated the generation of the Flood, but did I not lose thereby, for I destroyed My own creation, as it says (Gen. 7:23), "Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out." The same happened with the generation of the Tower of Babel and the people of Sodom. But in the days of Moshe who defeated Me (by persuading Me to forgive the Israelites whom I had sworn to destroy), I gained for I did not destroy Israel.[1] God wants His forgiveness to override His justice, because strict justice hurts humanity, and humanity is God's creation and carries His image. That is why He regretted His vow and allowed Moshe to annul it. That is why Kol Nidrei has the power it has. For it recalls the Israelites' worst sin, the Golden Calf, and their forgiveness, completed when Moshe descended the mountain with the new tablets on the 10th of Tishri, the anniversary of which is Yom Kippur. The forgiveness was the result of Moshe's daring prayer, understood by the Sages as an act of annulment of vows. Hence Kol Nidrei, a formula for the annulment of vows. The power of Kol Nidrei has less to do with forced conversions than with a recollection of the moment, described in our parsha, when Moshe stood in prayer before God and achieved forgiveness for the people: the first time the whole people was forgiven despite the gravity of their sin. During Musaf on Yom Kippur we describe in detail the second Yom Kippur: the service of the High Priest, Aharon, as described in Vayikra 16. But on Kol Nidrei we recall the first Yom Kippur when Moshe annulled the Almighty's vow, letting His compassion override His justice, the basis of all Divine forgiveness. I believe we must always strive to fulfil our promises. If we fail to keep our word, eventually we lose our freedom. But given the choice between justice and forgiveness, choose forgiveness. When we forgive and are worthy of being forgiven, we are liberated from a past we regret, to build a better future. Shabbat Shalom. NOTE 1. Pesikta Rabbati (Ish Shalom), 9. CONNECT WITH THE CHIEF RABBI Download the Chief Rabbis new iPhone and iPad app via www.chiefrabbi.org for mobile access to his video study sessions as well as his articles and speeches. Alternatively, search for Chief Rabbi in the App Store on your iPhone. SUBSCRIBE TO COVENANT & CONVERSATION To receive Covenant & Conversation and other news from the Office of the Chief Rabbi direct to your inbox each week, please subscribe at www.chiefrabbi.org. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 15:28:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China has stepped up efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Here are the latest developments: -- A total of 44 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 27 deaths were reported on Saturday on the Chinese mainland. The deaths were all reported in Hubei Province. Among the 44 new infections, 41 were in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province and epicenter of the outbreak. The other three cases outside Hubei were imported from outside the Chinese mainland, including two in Beijing and one in Gansu Province. By the end of Saturday, 63 imported cases had been reported. -- The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,695 by the end of Saturday, including 20,533 patients who were still being treated, 57,065 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,097 people who had died of the disease. -- China's transport system is expected to see millions of migrant workers finish their return to their workplaces in early April after a prolonged Spring Festival break due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. The latest official data showed that 78 million migrant workers have already returned to their jobs. In the provinces of Guangdong and Zhejiang, 70 percent of migrant workers from other provinces had made it back to their workplaces. -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Saturday that more will be done to ensure that the country's livestock and poultry businesses will meet their output and supply targets this year despite the novel coronavirus epidemic. Since the outbreak, measures have been taken to boost production resumption and help firms in accessing feed and finding buyers. ROSEBURG, Ore. -- 'Move Oregons Border for a Greater Idaho' hosted a petition rally Saturday morning at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. RELATED: PETITION RALLY SET FOR MOVE OREGONS BORDER FOR A GREATER IDAHO INITIATIVE The purpose of the rally was to gather the community together in hopes of urging leaders to move Douglas County to Idaho. Michael McCarter is the president of 'Move Oregons Border.' He said Saturday's rally was a call for representation. The decisions that are being made out of the state legislature predominately are for urban areas like in the Northwest section of Oregon and we would like to be part of it as citizens of Oregon, McCarter said. Valynn Currie is the chairman of the Douglas County Republican Central Committee. "I hope that this movement gets legs, takes hold and that it pushes forward," Currie said. "I think its a message to Salem that the rural counties are tired of being walked on and ignored. Theyre trying to take away our livelihood. Others would like to see greater representation within government leadership. Its a sign of hope for Oregon people to be able to get out from under the yolk of Portland and Salem politicians that just don't have the same values anymore that we do here in rural Oregon, said rally attendee Richard Vandervelden. Only those who are actively registered to vote in Douglas County are allowed to sign the petition. The deadline to do so is August 5. Douglas County needs 2,955 signatures to get on the November ballot. A morning concert at the Mullins Center on the University of Massachusetts campus kicked off the traditional Blarney Blowout weekend at the school Saturday. Rap artist Lil Tjay and a DJ entertained a crowd of over 1,500 students, but headliner Meek Mill decided he did not want to perform after arriving at the Mullins Center. Despite Mills cancelation, UMass officials said the audience left the venue in an orderly manner. The concert was part of the Universitys anti-violence efforts during non-school sanctioned, off-campus parties celebrating the last weekend before Spring Break. Amherst police had its entire force on the streets, along with officers from Ludlow, Easthampton, Greenfield, Northampton and Palmer, as well as the State Police. Groups of officers maintained order at residential complexes along North Pleasant and Meadow streets north of the school campus, while others moved about residential neighborhoods adjacent to the campus. University spokesperson Ed Blaguszewski said police made about 20 arrests, mostly for noise complaints, disorderly conduct and alcohol infractions. Police said gatherings across town were largely peaceful. The majority of arrests were made at two locations. The University said in a press release that more than 70 student parties were registered through the Party Smart program, a joint initiative of the University and Amherst police. Gatherings visible in the area appeared to be individual house parties with perhaps 60 to 80 people rather than large-scale gatherings common earlier. In past years, the Blowout saw drunken crowds numbering in the thousands roaming residential areas in North and East Amherst. In 2014, more than 70 people were arrested as police in riot gear fired tear gas to bring a crowd of more than one thousand people under control at complex on Meadow Street. At the conclusion of this years Blarney Blowout, the Amherst Fire Department reported that emergency medical personnel treated six students at the Mullins Center concert with two of those transported to the Cooley Dickinson Hospital. No arrests were made at the Mullins Center. Three people were transported to the hospital with alcohol-related issues from town parties. One person was transported from the campus. UMass Amherst Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Brandi Hepher LaBanc said refunds for all tickets to the Meek Mill concert will be made available. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (March 8) greeted the nation on International Womens Day and signed off from Twitter, handing over his social media accounts to seven women achievers to celebrate the special day. "Greetings on International Womens Day! We salute the spirit and accomplishments of our Nari Shakti. As Id said a few days ago, Im signing off. Through the day, seven women achievers will share their life journeys and perhaps interact with you through my social media accounts," tweeted PM Modi. Greetings on International Womens Day! We salute the spirit and accomplishments of our Nari Shakti. As Id said a few days ago, Im signing off. Through the day, seven women achievers will share their life journeys and perhaps interact with you through my social media accounts. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2020 "India has outstanding women achievers in all parts of the nation. These women have done great work in a wide range of sectors. Their struggles and aspirations motivate millions. Let us keep celebrating the achievements of such women and learning from them. #SheInspiresUs," he said in another tweet. India has outstanding women achievers in all parts of the nation. These women have done great work in a wide range of sectors. Their struggles and aspirations motivate millions. Let us keep celebrating the achievements of such women and learning from them. #SheInspiresUs Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2020 On Tuesday (March 3), the prime minister had announced that he would be handing over his accounts on various social media platforms to inspiring women to mark International Women's Day. "This Women's Day (March 8), I will give away my social media accounts to women whose life & work inspire us. This will help them ignite motivation in millions," he had tweeted. Later on Sunday, the prime minister will interact with the winners of Nari Shakti award after President Ram Nath Kovind gives away the awards at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Notably, the Nari Shakti awards are given to individuals, groups, institutions in recognition of their exceptional work towards the cause of women empowerment. A member of the Crafteria community kitchen in the 16 West Marketplace building has started serving lunch to the downtown Roanoke crowd. Scoony's Seafood is a new venture from brothers Clarence Hilton and Eric Hilton. Clarence Hilton said the family has ties to the Tidewater region, giving them a taste for seafood. "Im going to introduce my flavors to the public and have fun doing it too," Hilton said, noting that opening a seafood restaurant has been a longtime dream of his. The menu includes fish and chips, shrimp, hush puppies and coleslaw. Hilton said the brothers are confident in their product but don't have experience in the restaurant business. That made joining the Crafteria's community kitchen appealing. The Crafteria, which operates a maker's market selling handmade goods, also has a lease on the building's kitchen space. It operates as a community kitchen, giving food entrepreneurs access to a commercial kitchen for a relatively low fee, explained Mark Lynn Ferguson, Crafteria co-founder. The community kitchen has other members, Ferguson said, but Scoony's Seafood is the first to sell fresh food on site. Ferguson said he's excited to add another food option to the building, which also houses Wok n Roll Kitchen and Little Green Hive. "The atmosphere there is perfect for what we're trying to do," Hilton said. Scoony's Seafood is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In her speech, Mrs. Nguyen Phuong Nga said the honour is to recognise the FVFAs active contributions to strengthening solidarity, friendship and cooperation between the two peoples. Founded in 1971, the association has stood side by side with the Vietnamese people in the struggle for national reunification and construction and defence over the past five decades, she said. At the event (Photo: VNA) The FVFA has offered support to the Vietnamese people via humanitarian and charity projects, such as the one on cooperation with Vietnamese women in six communes of Hoa Binh province and Hanoi during the 1996-2003 period, and another on credit for women in four communes of Son La province from 2001-2007. In Finland, the FVFA regularly holds fund-raising activities in support of Vietnam, seminars popularising the country, its culture and people, as well as offers consultations to Finnish individuals, organisations and businesses that want to explore cooperation opportunities with Vietnamese partners. Mrs. Nguyen Phuong Nga expressed her belief that the FVFA will continue serving as a bridge linking Finnish and Vietnamese peoples, and partnering with the Vietnamese people in national development process. FVFA President Mauri Raveala, for his part, affirmed the basic task of the association of introducing Vietnams culture to Finnish people and assisting the Vietnamese people via charity projects for the poor. He also pledged that the FVFA will continue making positive contributions to promoting friendship between the two countries in the time to come./. WASHINGTON Dont expect to see any Biden-Booker yard signs this fall. Former Vice President Joe Bidens Super Tuesday surge and subsequent wave of endorsements make him the frontrunner in the race for Democratic presidential nomination. And that makes it less likely that U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and will be on the ticket. And it doesnt look much better for Booker if Democrats wind up picking Bernie Sanders. Just ask the oddsmakers. Two online betting sides, Betonline.ag and USBookies.com, just made Booker, a former presidential contender, a long shot for the vice-presidential nomination. Both gave him odds of 25 to 1. Booker checks a lot of boxes, said Dave Mason, sportsbook brand manager for Betonline. Hes moderate, African-American, young, energetic. That being said, we really think thats going to be a woman. The four favorites on both sites were women: U.S. Sens. Kamala Harris of California (who just endorsed Biden Sunday morning), Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and former Georgia state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams. Heres why Booker is unlikely to be picked for vice president. Biden doesnt need him. During his unsuccessful run for president, Booker touted his ability to get black voters to the polls. He kept stressing that the falloff in black turnout from 2012 to 2016 helped doom Hillary Clintons candidacy. But Biden doesnt need any help. Building on the reservoir of goodwill he filled up from serving as vice president under President Barack Obama, Biden rode black support to a landslide win in South Carolina. That victory resurrected his presidential campaign and led to his Super Tuesday successes. Biden clearly has all the African American support that he needs, Democratic consultant Glenn Totten said. Bet on a female candidate for veep Democrats owed their 2018 midterm election successes in part to strong support among female voters repelled by President Donald Trump. The partys share of the womens vote grew to 59 percent in 2018 from 54 percent in 2016, according to network exit polls reported by CNN. Putting a woman on the ticket could solidify that support among female voters. What (Biden) needs is a dynamic woman," Totten said. "The backbone of the Democratic Party is clearly female. Others could turn red states blue for Biden Abrams might make the Democrats more competitive in Georgia and help the party in two U.S. Senate races in that state. Klobuchar could boost Democrats in midwestern states, whose switch to Trump from Obama sealed the GOP win four years ago. Former Housing Secretary Julian Castro from Texas or Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto could help Biden appeal to Hispanics, another key voting bloc for Democrats. New Jersey is solid blue, with or without Booker on the national ticket. Booker went after Biden Trying to attract attention to a lagging campaign, Booker took aim at Biden in June, demanding an immediate apology for the pain after the former vice president positively discussed his relationships with two segregationist senators. Booker then went after Biden for his role in passing the 1994 crime bill, blamed for a sharp increase in the countrys prison population, mostly people of color. Biden responded by calling out Booker for his stewardship of the Newark Police Department. The U.S. Justice Department appointed a federal monitor after a three-year investigation. Booker also suggested during a later debate that Biden might have been high for not supporting legal marijuana. He might be a better cheerleader than candidate Booker may be the Democratic Partys most gifted orator since the late New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, and his speeches invariably lift audiences out of their chairs and onto their feet. But Booker can do that just as easily as a convention keynote speaker and a surrogate on the campaign trail rather than the tickets No. 2. How about Bernie-Booker? Nah. Sanders blasted Wall Street. Booker took in $3.7 million from employees in the securities and investment industry for his Senate campaigns. Sanders went after the drug companies. The pharmaceutical industry, with its large presence in New Jersey, has been a strong financial supporter of Booker. Sanders, who is Jewish, boycotted the American Israel Public Affairs Committees annual legislative conference. Booker, who counts pro-Israel supporters among his largest sources of campaign cash, got a standing ovation from AIPAC delegates after addressing the group. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Inmates in four Italian prisons have revolted over new rules introduced to contain the coronavirus outbreak, leaving one prisoner dead and others injured, a prison rights group said. Prisoners at jails in Naples Poggioreale in the south, Modena in the north, Frosinone in central Italy and at Alexandria in the northwest had all revolted over measures including a ban on family visits. Rights group Antigone on Sunday said an inmate had died at the Modena jail, though the circumstances were not yet clear. "We had already warned tensions were growing in prisons, and that we feared it could end in tragedy," it said in a statement following the revolts. "All necessary measures must be taken to ensure prisoners their full rights, stopping this escalation of tension and preventing others from dying. One death is already too much," it said. At Modena, near Bologna, two prison officers were injured and around 20 staff members had to leave the prison. At Frosinone, south of Rome, police were called in to restore order after about 100 prisoners barricaded themselves into a section of the prison. The protesting inmates drew up a list of demands, including the right to have visits from their loved ones, and tried to negotiate with the prison management, the Agi agency reported. Families of some of the inmates at Poggioreale, a suburb of Naples, gathered outside the prison to support them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) GREENSBORO Swali Joy decided to spend her Saturday morning working with her son on an assembly line. But this assembly line wasn't in a factory, it was in the gym at Christ United Methodist Church. And the Joys were working to make a unique product a meal that would be sent across the world to a community that was malnourished. She and her son poured soy protein, dried vegetables and rice down a funnel into a small plastic bag. Once they filled enough bags, a "runner" took them across the room to a table where the bags were weighed, packaged and loaded into a truck. Each bag made up one meal. Volunteers packaged at least 60,000 meals on Saturday at the Greensboro church. The meals were later shipped across the globe to communities in need through the international nonprofit Rise Against Hunger based in Raleigh. The group has joined with other international organizations to set a goal to end world hunger by 2030. "Ending hunger is a real, possible thing," said Darron Stover, Raleigh community engagement manager for Rise Against Hunger. One way to do that, Stover said, is engaging local communities through packaging programs. "We can build machines to pack meals," he said. "But it doesn't engage people in the fight to end hunger." Over 200 people from all ages came out to package meals at the church. Some enjoyed the packing so much they stayed for a second shift. The volunteers sang along to "Sweet Caroline," while dancing and raising their plastic-gloved hands in the air. Joy volunteered after learning about the organization through her job in Winston-Salem. She was drawn to the mission of Rise Against Hunger. She is from India, where 14.5% of the population is undernourished, according to the Indian Food Banking Network. Joy sees food packaging as an opportunity to give back to her home country. Stover said the company has an international office in India that recognizes specific areas of need in the country. Joy brought her youngest son to the event, to show him that he could make an impact. "It's an opportunity to teach them how important it is to give back to society and show them how good it makes you feel," she said. A gong rang out to show volunteers each time they hit 1,000 meals. The volunteers would clap and cheer every couple of minutes. Working next to Joy was Melissa Randleman, who has been volunteering with Rise Against Hunger for five years. Both of her daughters are in Girl Scouts and attended the packing day with their troop leader. The work Rise Against Hunger does globally is important to Randleman, who wants to support organizations that "empower women and families around the world." Stover said Rise Against Hunger is focused on nourishing young women so they can have better educational opportunities. Randleman's oldest daughter has been coming to the Rise Against Hunger event at the church since she was 5. "She truly loves it," Randleman said, "and understands why it's so important to do her part locally, knowing her part is helping those around the world." It's official: Murray State becomes member of Missouri Valley Conference Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 12:21:04|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- An attendee at last week's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which U.S. President Donald Trump also attended, has tested positive for COVID-19, the American Conservative Union (ACU) said on Saturday. The exposure occurred prior to the conference held in National Harbor, U.S. state of Maryland, just south of Washington D.C., said the ACU, a conservative grassroots organization, in a statement. A New Jersey hospital tested the person, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the positive result, said the statement. "The individual is under the care of medical professionals in the state of New Jersey, and has been quarantined," it said. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the gathering, which took place from Feb. 26 to Feb. 29. Also present at the event were a number of administration and cabinet officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, and newly-appointed White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement Saturday that the White House is aware of the attendee testing positive for the virus. "At this time there is no indication that either President Trump or Vice President Pence met with or were in close proximity to the attendee," Grisham said in a statement. "The president's physician and United States Secret Service have been working closely with White House Staff and various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First Family and the entire White House Complex safe and healthy." Grisham also said people should continue to follow the CDC's guidance on travel and public gatherings, "which includes staying home if you feel ill, as well as frequently washing your hands with soap and water." The news emerged as Washington D.C. and neighboring state of Virginia respectively confirmed first cases of COVID-19 on Saturday. In a press conference Saturday night, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said a D.C. resident in his 50s exhibited symptoms of a respiratory virus in late February. He was admitted to a hospital in the District on March 5. The patient had no history of recent international travel, nor had he been exposed to anyone with a confirmed case of COVID-19, according to Bowser. The mayor said D.C. health authorities are investigating the man's contact with other people before he went to the hospital. A U.S. Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Virginia, tested positive on Saturday for COVID-19 and is currently being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, according to a Pentagon spokesman. "The Marine recently returned from overseas where he was on official business," tweeted Jonathan Rath Hoffman, adding that Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and the White House have been briefed. As of Saturday night, more than 420 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the United States with 17 deaths, according to real-time data maintained by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. T J S George By The hills are alive with the sound of slogans. Weve sung for a thousand years Inquilab Zindabad. The heart still wants to sing Hindustan Hamara. The halls fill the soul with the sound of Jai Hind, now said at the end of every speech. Above and beyond all this has emerged a new call that puts fire into our hearts. Its a call that works on the mass mind, a call that boils the blood, a call that sums up the thrill-filled, Trump-approved, Modi-led, Shah-engineered Bharat: Goli Maaro. Goli Maaro Salon Ko. What dynamism! What awe! What patriotism! Flag-waving, saffron-blessed admirers of our one and only Amit Shah marched to his mega show in Kolkata last week, chanting Goli Maaro. Earlier Union Minister Anurag Thakur had set the pace by clapping his raised hands and prompting Goli Maaro cries from the audience. When a reporter asked him about this, he denied it. You are lying, he told the reporter and asked him to go and get better information. It requires a special kind of lunacy to deny something that is there on video for anyone to see at any time. Hate speeches by Anurag Thakur and others had a direct bearing on the riots that rocked Delhi and killed more than 40 people less than a fortnight ago. Barely a week after the Delhi killings, Home Minister Amit Shah chose to travel to Kolkata and deliver a hate speech of his own. Mamata, he charged, was allowing riots in West Bengal by opponents of the Citizenship Act. He called on people to oust Mamata and said the BJP would capture the state with two-thirds majority next time, the same majority he said he would win in the recent Delhi elections. Amitbhais skin must be the thickest in India. The big irony in the Home Ministers speech in Kolkata was the statement that people who wanted to create a divide in the country must fear the National Security Guard. The BJP and Amit Shah himself are the biggest forces trying to create a divide in the country. Their whole strategy is based on creating a divide and gaining political points from it. In many situations, the strategy has succeeded. But there is no sign that Shah, or the BJP, or its activists such as Anurag Thakur care about the National Security Guard, let alone fear it. It is the NSG that fears them. Mamata, for her part, said Goli Maaro slogans wouldnt be allowed in Bengal. This was after the BJP workers had marched to the Shah meeting shouting that slogan. She described the Delhi riot as state-sponsored genocide, and accused the BJP of trying to impose the Gujarat model of riots across the country. She promised to take stringent action against those who chant murderous slogans in her state. She arrested three Goli Maaro shouters. But that was just three drops in the Hooghly. The fact has to be faced that Indian politicians have pushed democracy into a confrontationist conundrum that helps only the dictatorial elements in power. The will of the authoritarian in power overrides everything else. Note how Justice S Muralidhar was given midnight transfer orders for wanting FIRs filed against VIP hate speakers immediately and not a month later, as the VIPs wanted. He also spoke frankly about high-decibel rabble-rousers dressed up as TV news anchors. He said all this in a country where the unsaid matters more than the said. For three days Narendra Modi said nothing about the Delhi riot. Then he said something loftily philosophical. Amit Shah heard Goli Maaro shouts by his Kolkata mob and said nothing. And some say, as Anurag Thakur did, that they did not say what they said. Lying comes easily to our ministers. The citizen has to adjust to the realities of life in Goli Maaro India. In Gurugram, the Hindu Sena activists walked through main thoroughfares like Civil Lines and Sadar Bazar chanting Goli Maaro. Policemen were present everywhere but took no action. Our police are the worlds most sensible. They beat up people who inconvenience the Government, and look elsewhere when the Government Goli Maaros the people. Remember the golis that maaroed Kashmiris? Pellet shooting was a political invention of Indias political police. It left a generation of Kashmiris with lacerated skins that could not be set right. With that, India lost Kashmiris for good. Now the Government seems determined to lose other Indians, too. When power corrupts a government, it is not just a tragedy. It is a sin. A dozen new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Singapore, taking the total number of people infected by the deadly virus in the country to 150, the Health Ministry here said on Sunday. Out of the 12 new cases reported, nine are in critical condition in the intensive care units of hospitals. The latest infections bring Singapore's total number of COVID-19 cases to 150. A total of 60 of them are still hospitalised, though their health is improving, the ministry said. One of the new cases is a 42-year-old male Singaporean who had been in Thailand from March 4 to 6. He showed symptoms on March 5 while he was in Thailand. He returned to Singapore on March 6 night and went directly to the hospital from Changi Airport. Another patient is a 64-year-old male Indonesian national who arrived in Singapore on March 7. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on March 8 morning and is currently kept in an isolation room of a hospital. The other cases involve people whose family members had been infected by the coronavirus, according to Channel Asia report. The coronavirus outbreak which first originated in China in December last year has infected over 101,000 people and resulted in more than 3,500 deaths worldwide. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WASHINGTON Utah Sen. Mitt Romney says he will support a subpoena to interview a witness and obtain records related to Burisma, the gas company in Ukraine linked to former Vice President Joe Bidens son. The push comes as Biden has emerged as a front-runner to challenge President Trump in Novembers election. Romney, the lone Republican who voted to convict Trump in last months Senate impeachment trial, was in a position to play spoiler on the Homeland Security Committee. The panels chairman, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, plans a vote Wednesday to proceed with an investigation of Hunter Bidens activities in Ukraine, but will need every Republican vote to issue a subpoena. North Bergen is considering redeveloping a series of residential properties on 50th Street, some of which are suspected of having illegal apartments. The 4-acre stretch of land includes an empty lot at the corner of Kennedy Boulevard and a number of properties on 50th Street, according to a preliminary investigation published in November. The new development would likely be residential, said JP Escobar, a spokesman for the township. The scope and extent of the project would only be determined after the area is studied by the NB Planning Board to determine if it is an area in need of redevelopment, Escobar said. The North Bergen Planning Board is holding a public hearing on the matter Tuesday, in which it will review the investigation that was compiled by Lisa Phillips of Phillips Land Use Consulting. The zone being studied is two blocks away from the Bergenline Avenue Light Rail stop, making it a desirable location for redevelopment, the preliminary investigation said. It includes 23 properties, 17 of which have homes. All but three are overcrowded due to possible illegal apartments, according to the paper. Several lots have a common owner. Throughout the last decade, there were seven reports related to illegal apartments in the area. One of the properties includes an auto repair shop that was reported as illegal in 2014 and seems to have expanded since then, the report states. The township is not seeking to exercise eminent domain powers. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal High on Canyon Road, past the galleries selling Southwestern art, lies an oasis of modernism. It is the home of artist Bette Ridgeway, who uses a plastic cup rather than a brush to apply paint to her canvases. Ridgeway, who celebrated her 80th birthday on Jan. 28, moved to Santa Fe in 1996 from Virginia and has never looked back. Within a week of her arrival, she found a place to live, a studio where she could work and lined up her first gallery show. It was magic, she said. A native of Tupper Lake, New York, a hamlet in the Adirondacks, Ridgeway studied the visual arts with an emphasis on graphic design at Russell Sage College in Troy, New York. But it was on-the-job training at an advertising agency in Albany, New York, where she was hired as a professional designer, that taught her more than she learned in school, she said. This was my art boot camp, Ridgeway said. As she sat in the gazebo decorated with citrus hues outside her home on a warm winter afternoon, Ridgeway looked back on her six-decade career, which is reaching new heights. She has just completed her largest and most significant work to date, a corporate commission for The Boro, a residential/retail/office complex in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Ridgeways poured painting, which was commissioned by The Meridian Group/Rockefeller Group/Gensler Architects, measures 15 feet high by 21 feet wide. Virginia was home to Ridgeway for many years, when she lived in Old Town Alexandria and had a country place in the Shenandoah Valley. Before becoming a full-time artist with her move to Santa Fe, Ridgeway was executive director and CEO for Very Special Arts. Founded by Jean Kennedy Smith, the organization was the arts answer to the Special Olympics founded by Smiths sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver to encourage the achievements of mentally and physically challenged athletes. Very Special Arts brought music, art, drama and dance to the disabled. Although her early influences were French impressionist painters, it was a chance meeting with abstract impressionist artist Paul Jenkins through Very Special Arts that led Ridgeway to develop her style of poured painting. But although Jenkins was her mentor, he was not her teacher. She experimented on her own and sent Jenkins slides for nine years before he told her that he thought she was ready for a show. In an artist statement, Ridgeway said, The best artists learn by themselves. Painting is a solitary experience, and to achieve excellence in painting requires time and patience. Asked to explain her technique, Ridgeway said, Gravity is my medium. But getting the whoosh depends on the density of the paint, the velocity of the pour and the angle of the pour. Applying layers of paint is also an important part of her process, she said. Adding water to the mix creates texture. To create her giant paintings, the pint-sized artist uses ladders and an assistant. Though she is comfortable with oil paint, Ridgeway eventually shifted to acrylic because she found it more versatile. She applies many layers of thin, transparent acrylics on unstretched linen or canvas to produce an effect that looks similar to traditional watercolor. She calls her technique layering light. In addition to giant poured paintings, Ridgeways house is filled with cell-cast acrylic works and fabricated metal furniture that she has made over the years. The lower level of her house also contains a rack of silk scarves that use her distinctive style. But it is work with canvas that takes up most of her time and energy. In a time of life when some people are slowing down, Ridgeway appears to be gaining momentum and garnering more recognition in the art world. In 2017, Art Tour International magazine named Ridgeway one of the Top 60 Contemporary Masters of the Year, an award it also bestowed upon her in 2015 and 2013. Her recent kudos are too numerous to mention, but in 2013, she was invited to participate in the inaugural London Art Biennale and, in 2016, she received the Leonardo DaVinci prize in Rome. While her giant poured paintings seem more suited to banks, hospitals and universities, where they do hang, than as decorations in a rambling adobe home, Ridgeway said she has never gotten the cold shoulder for her modernist work in the City Different. Santa Fe is the third-largest art market in the country, after New York and Los Angeles. There is acceptance of many styles of art here, she said. Texas colleges are slowly becoming more selective, a glance at the latest U.S. News & World Report's 2020 Best Colleges roundup shows. The the rankings and consumer advice company's roster of strong schools from across the state encompasses educational institutions that range from private to public and small liberal-arts schools to sprawling, Texas-sized campuses. Its latest data shows that some of the most difficult schools to gain acceptance are mostly situated in larger cities: Houston, Dallas, and Austin. HEALTH: Rice sends employee nasal swab to CDC for coronavirus testing Of course, some college towns also feature highly sought-after universities, including Texas A&M University at College Station, which subscribes to the Top 10% Admits program, as does the University of Texas although UT now only rakes the top 6 percent. That rule offers criteria that gains applicants automatic admittance, barring special circumstances, and can differ slightly from school to school. To qualify for A&Ms program, applicants must have attended a Texas high school, rank in the top 10 percent of the graduation class on or before the application deadline and must satisfy the State of Texas Uniform Admission Policy. They must also complete the new foundation plan with the Distinguished Level of Achievement. That measure, implemented in 1997 and originally introduced as Texas House Bill 588, applies at several Texas schools, including Texas Tech, UT Dallas, University of Houston, Texas State University and University of North Texas. Its important to note that independent publications offer their own sometimes differing statistics when it comes to educational data. For instance, school data site Niches roundup of college acceptance rates in Texas tend to deviate roughly a few percentage points from U.S. News data. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday extradited Sunny Kalra, an accused in the Rs 10-crore PNB bank fraud case, from Oman. The Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice against Kalra in 2016. It is alleged that Kalra, in his capacity as the director of White Tiger Steels Private Limited, availed a loan of Rs 10 crore from PNB and did not repay it. According to officials, Kalra also removed all his goods thus making it impossible for the bank to recover the amount by seizing them. The agency had taken over the investigation of the case in 2016.Both (Kalra and his wife) were absconding since the registration of the FIR, a CBI spokesperson said. The agency had filed a charge sheet more than a year after taking over the case on December 22, 2016 against Kalra, his wife and three PNB officials then chief manager, manager and AGM of the bank. The Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice against Kalra on May 31, 2016 which led to his location being traced to Muscat, where he was apprehended by local enforcement agencies, the officials said. With Interpols help, the CBI was in regular contact with the NCB, Muscat for the deportation of Kalra, an official said. He added that Kalra was deported as a result of coordination between the NCB Muscat, the Indian Embassy at Oman and CBI. A patient is transferred into an ambulance at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington on March 7, 2020. (Karen Ducey/Getty Images) US Death Toll Hits 21 as Coronavirus Cases Top 500 The number of coronavirus-linked deaths in the United States grew to at least 21 on March 8 as authorities said the risk of Americans contracting the virus remains low. Of the 21 deaths, the majority have occurred in Washington state, which reported a total of 18 fatalities; Florida has reported two deaths, while California has reported one, as of press time. In recent days, Kansas, Missouri, and the District of Columbia announced their first cases of the virus. Meanwhile, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the country has risen to over 500, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at John Hopkins University. More than half the states are reporting at least one case of the virus, according to reports. Some states have also declared emergencies over the virus, the most recent being announced in New York. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams urged Americans on March 8 not to panic about the spread of the virus, an outbreak that first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December. Weve been saying this all along, initially we had a posture of containment so that we could give people time to prepare for where we are right now, Adams told CNNs State of the Union. Now were shifting into mitigation phase, which means were helping communities understand, youre going to see more cases, unfortunately, youre going to see more deaths, but that doesnt mean that we should panic. Washing hands frequently, covering any coughs, and staying home if one is sick are all precautions that individuals should continue to follow to protect themselves, Adams said. Top U.S. administration officials have repeatedly said that the risk of Americans contracting the virus remains low. Most of the fatalities in Washington, the state with the most coronavirus-linked deaths in the country, took place in King County, and involved older people with underlying health conditions. Life Care Center, a nursing home in the county, is on lockdown over cases of COVID-19, and a number of staff members and residents have exhibited flu-like symptoms. Fourteen of the deaths have been from the nursing home. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said March 8 that elderly and vulnerable Americans should travel less and avoid large groups of people. If you are an elderly person with an underlying condition, if you get infected, the risk of getting into trouble is considerable. So its our responsibility to protect the vulnerable, he told NBCs Meet The Press. When I say protect, I mean right now. Not wait until things get worse. Say no large crowds, no long trips. And above all, dont get on a cruise ship. This will be a recommendation, Fauci said. If youre a person with an underlying condition and you are particularly an elderly person with an underlying condition, you need to think twice about getting on a plane, on a long trip. Fauci said while authorities are getting a better sense of the scope of the outbreak, he added that unfortunately, that better sense is not encouraging because were seeing community spread. In a March 7 statement, The American Conservative Union, which organizes the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) confirmed that an attendee had tested positive for coronavirus, with the exposure occurring before the conference. The individual is now under care in New Jersey and has been quarantined. CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp confirmed he had brief contact with the individual. The individual had no interaction with President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence. On the last day of the conference, Schlapp shook Trumps hand. In a Twitter post, Schlapp wrote that the attendee, who is now sick, did not attend the event when Trump delivered his remarks. As the effects of the virus hit the U.S. economy, the Federal Reserve, in a rare emergency step, cut short-term rates by half a percentage point on March 3. Economist Stephen Moore said on March 8 that the growing fallout wouldnt be long term. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) also recently granted tariff exclusions for face masks and other medical supplies imported from China. I just see this as a real short-term pause in the growth that Trump has created, Moore said on John Catsimatidiss radio show. Once we get this thing contained, the economy will roar back to life. In another development, the Grand Princess cruise ship, held at sea and barred from returning to San Francisco last week due to a coronavirus outbreak aboard the vessel, has been directed to the nearby Port of Oakland. The ship, carrying some 2,400 passengers and 1,100 crew members, is due to reach Oakland, across San Francisco Bay from its original home port destination, on March 9, with the arrival time yet to be determined, Princess Cruises said in a statement. The late-night announcement capped four days of uncertainty surrounding the vesselwith 21 coronavirus patientsand the fate of 3,500 people returning from a cruise to Hawaii. Another area that has seen a major jump in confirmed coronavirus cases is New York state, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency on March 7. Over the weekend, Cuomo announced dozens more confirmed cases of the virus. As of March 8, Cuomo said the total number of virus cases in the state was 105, including 82 in Westchester County. Reuters contributed to this report North Chinas Tianjin and the city of Anyang in Central Chinas Henan province both reported two new cases of the highly transmissible omicron variant over the weekend. Both cities have launched new rounds of mass testing and designated more Covid-19 risk areas to control the spread of the virus Jan 10, 2022 06:18 PM KALISPELL Every autumn for 24 years, Kalispell resident and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Board Chairman Ryan Busse has traveled to the wide-open spaces of Northern Montanas Hi-Line to hunt, where few people reside and healthy wild game populations roam. Hes scaled the entire remote Hi-Line in search of deer, elk and antelope, but hes recently started pursuing game elsewhere after Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks detected Chronic Wasting Disease, a fatal disease that affects deer, elk and moose, in 2017. Busse doesnt want to worry about encountering an infected animal, whose symptoms could include zombie-like characteristics such as drooling, stumbling, excessive thirst and a lack of coordination. So hes sticking to areas without a known CWD presence. FWP also requires hunters to stop at check stations to test their game for CWD presence, a hassle that Busse avoids by hunting in areas where the disease is not present. Since Busse is spending less time in the north-central part of the state, hes also taking his money elsewhere. Over the last two decades-plus, hes stayed in hotels from Cut Bank just east of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation all the way to Glasgow in the plains of Eastern Montana. He and his hunting partners have eaten at numerous local restaurants, stocked up on supplies at local businesses and dropped by local bars. Busses reluctance to hunt in a CWD-prevalent area reflects some other hunters attitudes toward the disease, which is slowly spreading across Montana. Different states have been experiencing this, Montana Office of Outdoor Recreation Director Rachel VandeVoort told the Flathead Beacon. The spread and the existence of this disease is not only in Montana, but across the country, and has the potential for massive ramifications. You have direct dollars from hunters spending money in local hotels, eating meals and spending on sporting gear. In 2018, FWP detected 23 positive mule deer (2% prevalence) and three positive white-tailed deer (1% prevalence) along the Hi-Line, ranging from Shelby to Culbertson. This caused FWP to add this area to their priority sampling area in 2019, along with southeastern Montana, the Philipsburg area and the Libby area. After surveillance in Libby, FWP detected a 13.1% prevalence in Libby, within a 10-mile radius of downtown, and a 3.5% prevalence outside that radius, according to FWP Region 1 Wildlife Manager Neil Anderson. Many people are impacted by whats called CWDs ick factor. Hunters are reluctant to fill their freezers with a CWD-infected animal, even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has no reported cases of CWD infection in humans through infected meat consumption. Still, while there is no evidence that CWD can infect humans, FWP does not recommend consuming infected animals. VandeVoort says that when hunters see a clearly diseased animal, they will probably ask themselves, Do I really want to shoot that or eat that? Busse isnt as concerned about human transmission since there arent any confirmed cases, but that future possibility scares him. If that ever is verified, then I think were in a whole new sphere of worry, Busse said. VandeVoort is concerned that CWD will impact the already declining participation in hunting, which may have even broader and more long-term consequences on the countrys public lands. Wildlife conservation is also significantly funded through excise taxes on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment. VandeVoort is concerned how these long-term effects will impact public lands since the North American Model of Conservation is funded by hunters and anglers. Fewer opportunities mean fewer license sales, fewer gear purchases and less money thats cycled back into fish and game management, she said. Declining participation worries Busse, too. If CWD degrades our experiences (on public lands), it represents a potential dire consequence for Americans and how they respect and value public lands, Busse said. With the CWD prevalence below 5% in Montana, Anderson says it hasnt caused much impact on populations yet, but as the disease spreads, FWP could issue more licenses in an effort to reduce the density. Theres not a whole lot of tools in the toolbox for managing CWD, Anderson said. If we have areas like we do in Libby where we have this pocket of CWD, (we) reduce densities and keep it from spreading and slow it down. While FWP continues to manage CWD and its spread, some hunters in Montana are already altering their hunting habits with different locations, and Busse worries about what that means for future generations of hunters. My largest fear is not the reporting and the social stigma Im worried about herd health (and) how it will dictate hunter participation, Busse said. If there are less deer and elk or less healthy deer and elk, thatll mean less opportunities Well hunt less. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Renault Samsung XM3 / Courtesy of Renault Samsung By Nam Hyun-woo The Renault Samsung XM3 is garnering favorable responses for its build quality and cost-efficiency and this is expected to help the company pick up momentum in its bid to manufacture the XM3s heading for the European market at its plant in Busan. Renault Samsung will launch the XM3 on the domestic market, the vehicle's first release territory, today. The company initially planned to hold a large launch event and test drive session March 4, but changed this to multiple small test events due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The XM3 is a 4.57-meter long compact crossover, which is designed, engineered and built by Renault Samsung based on the Renault Arkana and the Renault XM3 Inspire show cars. Upon its launch, the five-seater drew keen attention with its cost, allowing drivers to enjoy engines used for Mercedes-Benz vehicles at prices starting from 20.83 million won ($17,489). The XM3 comes in two gasoline engines the economic 1.6 GTe and the performance-centric TCe 260. The latter was developed by Daimler and the Renault-Nissan Alliance, and is also used for the Mercedes-Benz A180, A200 and CLA models. Though the 1.6 GTe model represents a much more affordable price range, starting from 17.19 million won, the majority of customers are showing interest in the TCe 260. According to Renault Samsung, it has received more than 6,400 pre-orders since Feb. 21, and more than 80 percent of these were for the TCe 260. During a test drive around the outskirts of Seoul, Friday, Renault Samsung offered the TCe 260 and the vehicle showed how the collaboration between two auto giants was successful. The 1.3-liter, four-cylinder engine created enough torque for low-speed acceleration, while its chassis and suspension had a balanced combination between stability and ride comfort. Despite its affordable price, the XM3 also offers adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, park assist and a slew of other advanced driver assistance systems and safety features, which are typically available in vehicles in the higher price range. The inside of the Renault Samsung XM3 / Courtesy of Renault Samsung Your browser does not support the audio element. Thirteen out of 20 people who arrived in Ho Chi Minh City after boarding the same flight as N.H.N., Vietnams 17th patient of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), have tested negative for the virus. They include four Vietnamese and nine foreigners, who have stayed at Eden and Liberty hotels in the southern metropolis, the citys center for disease control and prevention confirmed on Sunday. The agency is now waiting for the test results of seven other passengers. Although they have tested negative, these passengers still have to stay in a quarantine area for 14 days. About 85 people who have had contact with the group of 20 passengers have been asked to monitor their own health conditions at their homes and refrain from going outside and interacting with others. N., a 26-year-old resident in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday evening. She had traveled to Italy, France, and the United Kingdom before returning to the Vietnamese capital on flight VN0054, operated by national carrier Vietnam Airlines, on March 2. The flight carried 201 passengers, of whom 48 are Vietnamese. They have traveled to different provinces and cities in Vietnam upon their arrival in Hanoi. Vietnamese authorities are tracing the other passengers on board the flight VN0054. On Sunday morning, N.Q.T., a 61-year-old Hanoi man, tested positive for COVID-19 after he boarded flight VN0054 with N.. T. was sitting in the 5A seat, while N.s seat was 5K. N.'s aunt, 64-year-old L.T.H., and chauffeur, 27-year-old D.D.P., were also infected with the disease on Saturday. COVID-19, which first surfaced in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 105,800 people and killed 3,605 globally, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. Vietnam has so far confirmed 21 infections, including 18 Vietnamese, two Chinese nationals, and one Vietnamese American. Sixteen of the patients have recovered and been discharged from the hospital. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Mr. Boehner and Mr. Ryan considered Mr. Meadows an irresponsible agitator who cared only about getting attention for himself and nothing at all about governance. Rather than making progress, they believed, Mr. Meadows cared only about making a point. But to his admirers, Mr. Meadows puts principle above pragmatism even at a cost to his own party. Its a great move by the president, Representative Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, said on Saturday of Mr. Meadowss appointment. Mark Meadows is the best strategist in Washington, and hes a great wartime consigliere and were heading into election season. Mark understands the presidents electoral coalition and his unique ability to cut through the normal morass of Washington to get things done. While unpopular among establishment Republicans, Mr. Meadows has a genial manner that has helped him forge unlikely relationships with some Democrats, who say that unlike Mr. Trump, he can vigorously argue issues without making it personal. And he has cultivated good relationships with reporters, becoming a comfortable and regular television presence. Among his most notable friends across the aisle was Representative Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland, who died in October and was a top target of Mr. Trumps racially charged attacks on Twitter. Mr. Meadows gave a moving eulogy at Mr. Cummingss memorial service that talked about the value of the unexpected friendship. I would describe Mark as an unusual empath just in terms of how he can relate to people, Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington State, another Democrat with whom he has a good relationship, said on Saturday. We do disagree on so many things, yet I do think hes someone who makes things about policy and not people. Ms. Jayapal, a co-chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, emphasized that she considered Mr. Meadowss policies destructive but appreciated that he treated others with decency and respect. I dont see Mark Meadows being able to change the president on that, she said. I dont think thats possible. And if he thinks thats possible, hes probably kidding himself. It just makes me sad because he will end up being corroded. Born on an Army base in Verdun, France, to a soldier and a civilian nurse, Mr. Meadows, 60, grew up mainly in Florida, a self-described fat nerd and an aspiring weatherman in a family without much money. But he later lost weight and became a businessman in Florida and North Carolina, where he owned a restaurant for 20 years before going into real estate. He ran for the House in 2012 as an outspoken critic of the Republican establishment. Chicago police reported that investigators said they believed there was a fight during the party at a home around 4:30 a.m., and someone inside a car fired multiple shots as people left the house. According to police, all six people wounded are in good or fair condition. The cost of the PCR test is EGP 1,000 for Egyptians, and $70 for non-Egyptians Nancy El-Gendy, head of the Central Department of Laboratories at the Ministry of Health, said that issuing certificates for the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests for travellers to Saudi Arabia is set to start on Sunday. According to the Arabic edition of Ahram News website, El-Gendy added that the PCR certificates will be issued from the central department at the Health Ministry's headquarters, in downtown Cairo. Earlier, Saudi Arabia decided that people wishing to travel to the kingdom using a new visa or a pre-existing valid visa are required to present a PCR lab test certificate proving they are coronavirus-free. Saudi Arabia reopened on Saturday the area around the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, reversing one of a series of measures introduced to combat the coronavirus outbreak. Last week, Saudi Arabia suspended the year-round umrah pilgrimage and announced the temporary closure of the area around the Kaaba . El-Gendy noted that the cost of the PCR test is EGP 1,000 for Egyptians, and $70 for non-Egyptians, adding that everyone has to present the passport and travel ticket to undergo the test. Search Keywords: Short link: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Several hours after declaring a state of emergency in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday night 13 more people tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). As of Saturday, there are 89 people with coronavirus in the state, 11 of whom are in New York City. The majority of the cases are located in Westchester, where 70 people have tested positive. In addition, four cases have been found in Nassau; two in Rockland; and two in Saratoga. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** Mayor Bill de Blasio broke down seven new cases in the city: Two additional family members of an Upper West Side man in his 50s tested positive -- his wife and 11-year-old daughter. They are currently in mandatory quarantine and are mildly symptomatic. A male Uber driver in his 30s is currently hospitalized in Queens. He is not a TLC-licensed driver, and primarily drives on Long Island. Two women in Brooklyn in their 60s and 70s became symptomatic after returning from a cruise from Egypt with a known confirmed case of COVID-19. They are both at home in mandatory quarantine. A male in his 30s from Brooklyn is currently in the hospital in serious condition after returning from a trip to Italy. Additionally, a Manhattan man in his late 50s tested positive after spending time with a COVID-19 positive person on a recent trip to Chile. He is symptomatic and under mandatory quarantine. De Blasio warned New Yorkers they are focused on people over 50 and those with chronic underlying health conditions. Help us keep them and everyone else safe. Practice good hygiene like washing your hands with soap and water, and if you feel unwell, stay home and call your doctor. We have now been testing around the clock, Cuomo said during the press conference. We are aggressively testing, following up leads because we want to find as many people who tested positive so that we can get them out of circulation. There have been no confirmed cases reported on Staten Island at this time. The Advance reported on Thursday there are a handful of individuals quarantined on Staten Island with suspicious symptoms. A press conference will be held Sunday afternoon with more updates, de Blasio stated via Twitter. RELATED LINKS: Mandatory quarantine? Precautionary? A look at N.Y.'s coronavirus measures Staten Island University Hospital to independently run coronavirus tests next week Coronavirus: New cleaning protocols set for schools across New York MTA to fully disinfect subways, buses every 72 hours to combat coronavirus Cuomo orders insurance companies to waive cost sharing for coronavirus testing Coronavirus preparation on Staten Island: What you can do Student safety: Heres how NYC schools are working to combat coronavirus Who is most at risk for coronavirus? How to protect yourself from deadly coronavirus What are the symptoms of coronavirus? Student safety: Heres how NYC schools are working to combat coronavirus Port Authority ramps up cleaning efforts at airports amid coronavirus Regular deep cleaning of Staten Island Ferry planned to prevent coronavirus MTA to fully disinfect subways, buses every 72 hours to combat coronavirus Staten Island Chinese restaurant owners say coronavirus fears hurting business Coronavirus can linger on surfaces, so use these precautions, CDC says Topless activists from Extinction Rebellion blocked Waterloo Bridge in London on International Womens Day. On Sunday, a group of 31 women formed a human chain across Waterloo Bridge to highlight the disproportionate impact of the climate and ecological emergency on women. The activists said they chose the location otherwise known as The Ladies Bridge because many of the welders, stonemasons and labourers that built it during the Second World War were women. The women taking part in the protest were topless to symbolise the vulnerability of women around the world in the face of climate breakdown, and had the words climate rape, climate murder, climate abuse, climate inequality and climate justice written on their bodies. In a Facebook page for the event, the organisation stated it believes it will be women who disproportionately suffer from the effects of the climate crisis. The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Show all 20 1 /20 The best placards from #March4Women 2020 The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Getty Images A spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion said: A January 2020 report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature found that climate breakdown and environmental degradation are driving an increase in violence against women. The report found that deforestation and the degradation of land mean women have to travel further to collect the things they need, like firewood, and are exposed to violence, rape and abduction when they make these journeys. UN figures indicate that 80 per cent of people displaced by climate change are women. The activists at Waterloo Bridge called on women in the UK to recognise the climate crisis will soon be a reality faced by all women if decisive action is not taken. Sarah Mintram, a former teacher who took part in the protest, said: Its mainly women in poorer countries in the global south that are experiencing the increase in violence but this will be the reality for all women if the climate and ecological crisis continues to go unaddressed. We are here to raise the alarm about what is happening to our sisters around the world and to tell women in the UK the climate and ecological emergency is your issue it will affect you as a woman if we do not persuade our government to take urgent action starting now. The protesters later joined the events organised by Womens Strike Assembly at Oxford Circus. The protest was part of a wave of Extinction Rebellion International Womens Day actions around the world. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Export of jewelry from Turkey to world markets has exceeded $664.2 million from January through February 2020, which is 28 percent more compared to the same period last year, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend on March 6. Turkeys export of jewelry made up 2.3 percent of the total export from January through February 2020, the ministry noted. "In February 2020, Turkey exported jewelry to world markets worth $372.3 million, which is 49.7 percent more compared to the same period of 2019," the ministry said. During the reported period, export of jewelry from Turkey has made up 2.5 percent of the countrys total export. "Over the last 12 months, i.e. from February 2019 through February 2020, Turkey has exported jewelry worth $4.2 billion," the ministry added. Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia arrives for the 178th meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna, Austria, on March 6, 2020. Alex Halad | AFP | Getty Images Oil prices plunged to multi-year lows on Monday as tensions between Russia and Saudi Arabia escalate, sparking fears on the Street that an all-out price war is imminent. The sell-off in crude began last week when OPEC failed to strike a deal with its allies, led by Russia, about oil production cuts. That, in turn, caused Saudi Arabia to slash its oil prices as it reportedly looks to ramp up production. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude and international benchmark Brent crude on Monday posted their worst day since 1991. WTI plunged 24.59%, or $10.15, to settle at $31.13 per barrel. It was WTI's second worst day on record. International benchmark Brent crude slid $10.91, or 24.1%, to settle at $34.36 per barrel. Earlier in the session each contract fell more than 30%. WTI dropped to $30 while Brent traded as low as $31.02, both of which were the lowest levels since Feb. 2016. "This has turned into a scorched Earth approach by Saudi Arabia, in particular, to deal with the problem of chronic overproduction," Again Capital's John Kilduff said. "The Saudis are the lowest cost producer by far. There is a reckoning ahead for all other producers, especially those companies operating in the U.S shale patch." On Saturday, Saudi Arabia announced massive discounts to its official selling prices for April, and the nation is reportedly preparing to increase its production above the 10 million barrel per day mark, according to a Reuters report. The kingdom currently pumps 9.7 million barrels per day, but has the capacity to ramp up to 12.5 million barrels per day. "We believe the OPEC and Russia oil price war unequivocally started this weekend when Saudi Arabia aggressively cut the relative price at which it sells its crude by the most in at least 20 years," Goldman Sachs analyst Damien Courvalin said in a note to clients Sunday. "The prognosis for the oil market is even more dire than in November 2014, when such a price war last started, as it comes to a head with the significant collapse in oil demand due to the coronavirus," the firm added. Goldman cut its second and third quarter Brent forecast to $30 per barrel, and said that prices could dip into the $20s. Saudi Arabia's price cut followed a breakdown of talks in Vienna last week. On Thursday, OPEC recommended additional production cuts of 1.5 million barrels per day starting in April and extending until the end of the year. But OPEC ally Russia rejected the additional cuts when the 13-member cartel and its allies, known as OPEC+, met on Friday. The meeting also concluded with no directive about the production cuts that are currently in place but set to expire at the end of the month. This effectively means that nations will soon have free rein over how much they pump. "As from 1 April we are starting to work without minding the quotas or reductions which were in place earlier," Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters Friday at the OPEC+ meeting in Vienna, adding, "but this does not mean that each country would not monitor and analyze market developments." Oil prices have already moved sharply lower this year as the coronavirus outbreak has led to softer demand for crude. A potential supply glut could pressure prices further. By Trend Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for financial contribution to the global fight against coronavirus (COVID-19), Trend reports on Mar. 7. "Thank you so much, Ambassador Vagif Sadigov, your government and the people of Azerbaijan, for your financial contribution to the global COVID-19 response. WHO is grateful for your solidarity. Together, for a safer world," Ghebreyesus tweeted. The Azerbaijani government, as a contribution to international efforts to prevent the risk of the spread of coronavirus infection in the world, has decided to provide voluntary financial assistance in the amount of $5 million to the COVID-19 Fund as part of the WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP). Azerbaijan highly appreciates the efforts of WHO in the fight against the COVID-19 virus on a global scale, and takes into account and applies the WHO recommendations in connection with this disease. On March 8, 2020, a delegation of experts from the WHO are set to arrive in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan remains one of the countries, least affected by the rapidly spreading coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The country's official structures are applying necessary measures to prevent any possible exposure of coronavirus. Azerbaijan has also imported necessary medical equipment to carry out coronavirus tests. Member of the Operational Headquarters created under the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers in connection with coronavirus Yagut Garayeva said on March 5 that at least 500 people have been quarantined in the country. Until now, no deaths from the disease have been recorded in the country. Azerbaijan's official structures have also set up quarantine centers in the country's districts, which would allow to react faster to the possible outbreak due to joint borders. Azerbaijan shares border with Iran, where coronavirus is currently spreading rapidly. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Nine foreigners were confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Sunday, taking Vietnams total to 30 so far, with 16 having fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital last month. The foreign patients include seven from the UK, one from Mexico, and one from Ireland, according to the Ministry of Health. Four of them are staying in the northern province of Quang Ninh, two in the northern province of Lao Cai, and two in the central city of Da Nang. The other, tracked in the central city of Hue, is healthy and shows no sign of a fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Their ages range from 50 to 74 years old. The nine traveled with Vietnamese patient No. 17 N.H.N. on the flight VN0054 from London to Hanoi. Their plane, operated by national carrier Vietnam Airlines, landed at Noi Bai International Airport in the Vietnamese capital on March 2. N. tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Friday, after she had been through immigration without a fever. The 26-year-old woman had traveled to Lombardy (Italy), Paris (France), and London (England) before the flight back to Hanoi. Her chauffeur and aunt, who had close contact with her, caught the virus after taking N. to the hospital for testing in a car. Vietnam has confirmed 30 positive novel coronavirus cases so far, including 11 on the flight VN0054, the two catching the virus from patient No. 17 in the car, and one Vietnamese returning from South Korea. The other 16 thirteen Vietnamese, two Chinese nationals, and one Vietnamese American had fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26. Patient No. 17 was confirmed after Vietnam had reported no infection since February 13. Ten localities in Vietnam have recorded COVID-19 cases so far, namely Ho Chi Minh City, Khanh Hoa Province, Vinh Phuc Province, Thanh Hoa Province, Ninh Binh Province, Quang Ninh Province, Hanoi, Lao Cai Province, Da Nang, and Hue City in Thua Thien-Hue Province. The patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Khanh Hoa Province, Vinh Phuc Province, and Thanh Hoa Province have walked out of the hospital free of the virus. The London-Hanoi flight carried 201 passengers, of whom 48 are Vietnamese. They have traveled to different provinces and cities in Vietnam upon their arrival in Hanoi. Vietnamese authorities are tracing the passengers on board the flight. The flight crew and those in contact with the patients have been isolated. The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 105,800 people and killed more than 3,600 globally, according to statistics. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Highlights Italian couple arrived in India to marry according to Indian customs The wedding party told to return when heading to the wedding venue in Bikaner Officials later said the instruction was an inadvertent communication error After 20 years in a relationship, an Italian couple chose to get married according to the Hindu rituals in Bikaner, but coronavirus outbreak put paid to their plans as they along with their friends and family were told to return to Delhi while on the way to Bikaner. Andrea Belli, 56, and Antonella Scano, 50, visited Bikaner as early as February last year to finalise the venue, a music band, dinner for about 150 guests, a priest and a mare for the wedding scheduled for March 7 this year. The couple and the rest of the wedding party landed in Jaipur on March 3 and, after a stay of two days here, which included shopping for the bride to be, they headed for Bikaner on March 5. ALSO WATCH | Coronavirus: Kerala reports five new positive cases On our way to Bikaner, we were told that the Italians need to return to Delhi and report to the deputy chief mission at the Italian Embassy. We were told that the state government had told all district collectors to push back Italians, said Mahendra Singh Shekhawat of Hotel Kishan Palace, where the grooms side was scheduled to stay. Shekhawat was travelling with the Italians from Jaipur to Bikaner. The instruction Shekhawat referred to had been issued on March 4 by the department of medical and health. The couple and their relatives had no option but to cancel the wedding and return home. Meanwhile, the health department order was withdrawn and the additional chief secretary of health the department, Rohit Kumar Singh, said it was due to an inadvertent communication gap. The revised order reads: There were no instructions of Government of India (GoI) to advise tourists from Italy to go back to Delhi and contact the embassy. The GoI directions were only meant to ask the Italian nationals to contact their DCM, in case they were facing any difficulty or anxiety on account of their 17 compatriots, who travelled in Rajasthan during February 21-28, having tested positive for COVID-19. Bellis sister, Paola Belli, who has a Portuguese passport, came to Bikaner to clear the dues. My brother and his finance, both lawyers, decided to tie the nuptial knot in Bikaner according to the Indian customs and traditions. All the wedding ceremonies including Mehendi, Yagopaveet (sacred thread), Baarat, Jaimal, Phere and Kanya-Daan were planned in traditional manner but it all got spoiled, she said. She said she was upset. I am very upset because the dreams of the couple were ruined due to the misunderstanding and confusion amongst the Indian authorities, she said. Paola Belli said from the ancient time, Indian culture, customs and traditions have left an impression on foreigners and a large number of Europeans and Americans have been so much inspired by Indian culture that many of them have solemnised marriage as per Indian rituals and traditions. KIGALI Rwandas Tourism Board Strike Deal with Tanzania to Promote Tourism and jointly market the two countries as complementary destinations in their latest efforts to offer the tourists expansive adventure space. The Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) and Rwanda Tours and Travel Association (RTTA) are behind the deal that was sealed recently to encourage tourists to spend more nights and money within the two East African partner states. The partnership was signed between the Rwanda Tours and Travel Associations (RTTA) and the Tanzania Association of Travel Association (TATO) with the major objective of increasing the length of stay and money spent by travelers to Rwanda and Tanzania. The key objective of TATO and RTTA strategic partnership is to increase the length of stay of tourists visiting Recently, Tour operators from both countries engaged in a Business-to-Business (B2B) networking event in Kigali, Rwanda, where they deliberated the opportunities after Tanzania tour operators having visited various tourist sites. TATO members visited Volcanoes National Park with mountain gorillas, did kayaking and boat riding on Lake Kivu and canopy walkway in the Nyungwe Forest, among other tourism spots visited, as part of their mission to explore tourist products in Rwanda. Its now possible to book a Rwanda Tanzania combined a safari with no difficulty. The two countries formed a joint effort to promote tourism products in Rwanda and Tanzania as a one safari package. Ariella Kageruka, the Director General of Chamber of Tourism Rwandas Private Sector Federation, urged the operators in these two EAC countries to reinforce their network and exchange their experience about tourism business opportunities. The new strategy will design travel itineraries that cut across two Rwanda and Tanzania giving visitors a chance to explore tourist attractions in the two countries on one trip. Fortunately, Rwanda and Tanzania offer different tourism products, which give them a comparative advantage. TATO and RTTA are tourism bodies that bring together all travel and tour operators in Tanzania and Rwanda respectively. Tourism is presently one of the leading economic sectors that earn a lot of foreign exchange for a different tourism destination. In Rwanda tourism alone contributes contribute over 50% of the countrys Gross Domestic Product through the sale of gorilla permits and other tourism activities in Rwanda. While in Rwanda, TATO members engaged in Rwandas top tourism products such as gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park, canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park, kayaking and boat riding to Lake Kivu. Also, the two partner states agreed to strongly promote the conservation of wildlife and culture in their respective countries. Over the years, Rwanda and Tanzania have seen an increased number of tourist arrivals, which created a need for the extensive market to attract more visitors to come and explore the two countries. Tourism is undeniably a new frontier to move east African continent out of poverty playing as a source of formal and informal employment opportunities with the long value chain. The new partnership will help TATO and RTTA to promote tourism products in Rwanda and Tanzania as a combined package. In the meeting, travel operators from Rwanda and Tanzania shared their travel experiences and it was surely a good moment. Related Donald Trump will not attend this years St Patricks Day lunch on Capitol Hill because Nancy Pelosi will be there. The lunch, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has been held every year since 1983 and has only been skipped by presidents four times since then, Politico reports. The last time it happened was when George W Bush decided not to attend in 2003, shortly before the start of the Iraq War. White House spokesman Judd Deere told Politico: Since the Speaker has chosen to tear this nation apart with her actions and her rhetoric, the president will not participate in moments where she so often chooses to drive discord and disunity, and will instead celebrate the rich history and strong ties between the United States and Ireland at the White House on 12 March. The relationship between our two countries has never been stronger, and the president looks forward to welcoming the prime minister of Ireland for the annual Shamrock Bowl presentation. Usually vice presidents have stood in when a commander in chief has been unable to attend, although Mike Pence will not be going either. Tensions between Ms Pelosi and Mr Trump have escalated dramatically over the past year. In September she launched an impeachment against the president for trying to pressure Ukraine into interfering in the 2020 election by digging up or fabricating dirt on his political opponents. In October she walked out of a White House meeting on the situation in Iraq. And In February she ostentatiously tore up a copy of Mr Trumps controversial State of the Union address as he finished delivering it to a joint session of Congress. Following Mr Trumps acquittal on impeachment charges by his allies in the Senate, he lambasted her at a prayer breakfast they both attended, accusing her of religious hypocrisy for having said that she prayed for him. Ms Pelosis spokesman, Drew Hammill, said: There has never been stronger support in the Congress and in the country for the US-Ireland bilateral relationship. One would think that the White House could set petty, partisan politics aside for this historic occasion. The BJP and the Congress sparred over crisis-ridden YES Bank, with the ruling party asking the latter to clarify if they knew of the banks loans growing manifold. BJPs information and technology wing in-charge Amit Malviya put out a tweet taking potshots at the Gandhi family. Every financial crime in India has deep link with the Gandhis. [Vijay] Mallya used to send flight upgrade tickets to Sonia Gandhi. Had access to MMS [Manmohan Singh] and PC [P Chidambaram]. Is absconding. Rahul inaugurated Nirav Modis bridal jewellery collection, he defaulted. Rana [Kapoor] bought Priyanka Vadras paintings...Malviyas tweet read. Also Read| Decoding the YES Bank crisis | HT Editorial This elicited a sharp response from the Congress, which termed the charge fake. The Congress said Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra had sold an M F Husain painting of her father Rajiv Gandhi to Yes Banks Rana Kapoor for Rs 2 crore and the entire amount was disclosed in her income tax return of 2010. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was a diversionary tactic by the government, and said that the banks loan book rose from Rs 55,633 crore in March 2014, the year Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, to Rs 2,41,499 crore in March 2019. Why did the loan book rise by 100% in two years after demonetisation i.e from Rs 98,210 crore in March 2016 to Rs 2,03,534 crore in March 2018? Were PM and FM sleeping, ignorant or complicit? he asked. Vietnam has confirmed four new cases of coronavirus outbreak on March 7 taking the total nationwide tally to 21. Out of the four cases confirmed on Saturday, two of them are linked to a previously confirmed case who is a 26-year-old woman who travelled to the United Kingdom, Italy and France in February, as per reports. Another patient who is infected with COVID-19 is a 27-year-old Vietnamese national who recently returned from South Korea on March 4, according to the reports. The Vietnamese government reportedly said that a case confirmed on Sunday is a 61-year-old man in the capital city Hanoi. However, no information about the fourth person has been released yet. READ: Mideast Stock Markets Sharply Drop On Oil, Coronavirus Fears Visa-free travel suspended for Italians Authorities in Vietnam have temporarily suspended visa-free travel for Italians. According to reports, the suspension has been in effect from March 2. This action has been taken due to the growing concerns amid the coronavirus outbreak. As per reports, the Vietnamese government stated that visa-free travel for Italians was suspended due to the growing COVID-19 infections in Europe. The death toll in China reportedly stands at 3,097 followed by South Korea at 50. While Italy reported 233 death cases, Iran's toll stands at 145. READ: Coronavirus Outbreak: Macao Repatriates Its 57 Nationals From Wuhan Over 3,000 dead; over 1 Lakh infected In an effort to curb the spread of the deadly virus, Vietnam on February 28 reportedly announced that it will also suspend issuing visas to South Korean nationals. According to international media reports, the Vietnamese government said that the measure aims to help the nation contain the spread of COVID-19 outbreak and limit the impact of the epidemic on society. In another announcement, foreign nations who have previously visited South Korea would be subjected to 14 days mandatory quarantine upon arrival in Vietnam. The new coronavirus that is believed to have originated in a local seafood market in Wuhan has claimed nearly 3600 lives across the globe and has infected more than 100, 000 people. The confirmed cases in South Korea, Italy and Iran 7134, 5883 and 5,823 respectively. READ: Guj: Samples Of 42 Suspected Coronavirus Patients Test Negative READ: Coronavirus: Five New Cases Reported In Kerala, One In Tamil Nadu; Total Rises To 39 2022-2019 | 2018-2016 CRIMJUST holds side-event to promote integrity in border management 16 December 2021 - During the Conference of the States Partiers to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the CRIMJUST Global Programme hosted a hybrid side event on Integrity in Border Management co-organized with AIRCOP, the European Union and G5 Sahel, to highlight how enhanced institutional integrity and accountability are paramount to ensure effective border management. Read More CRIMJUST - Operation Azure targeting synthetic opioids trafficking in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean results in 18 arrests and the seizure of over 480 kg of drugs 7 to 8 December 2021 - With a total of 125 illicit drug seizures, Operation Azure saw law enforcement officers from 10 countries intercept illicit drugs and disrupt synthetic opioid trafficking across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Read More CRIMJUST delivers twelve trainings as part of Operation Azure in Bogota, Colombia, to strengthen institutional capacities against synthetic opioid trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean 4 to 15 October 2021 - The CRIMJUST Global Programme carried out twelve capacity-building activities in Bogota, Colombia, in partnership with UNODC Forensic Science and Laboratory Section, to law enforcement officials, forensic experts, prosecutors and judges to Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Dominican Republic, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay. Read More l Leer mas UNODC launches Operation Azure to prevent synthetic opioid trafficking in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa 17 September 2021 - The growing availability, proliferation, and high potency of synthetic opioids has blurred the traditional security, health and legal standards used to prosecute and adjudicate drug trafficking cases. Against this backdrop, the CRIMJUST Global Programme is launching a global operation to help countries profile and prosecute the diversion and trafficking of synthetic opioids via parcels. Read More GIFP programmes CRIMJUST and AIRCOP deliver an inter-regional training on Special Investigative Techniques 22 - 23 June 2021 - The CRIMJUST Global Programme and the AIRCOP Communications Project, UNODC programmes funded by the European Union under the framework of the Global Illicit Flows Programme, delivered an online training on the special investigative technique of controlled deliveries for AIRCOP Joint Airport Interdiction Task Forces (JAITFs) officials and prosecutors from Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, Colombia, El Salvador and Costa Rica, in partnership with the Network of Ibero-American Antidrug Prosecutors (RFAI). Read More CRIMJUST and SIMCI deliver flagship technical training to support 19 CRIMJUST beneficiary countries across Africa, Central America and Brazil strengthen their institutional responses to cocaine trafficking 26 June 2021 - The EU-funded CRIMJUST Global Programme and the Integrated Illicit Crops Monitoring System (SIMCI) delivered two trainings in June 2021 on cocaine production and trafficking investigations to some 325 law enforcement officials and prosecutors from 19 countries across Africa, Central America and Brazil to support countries develop effective institutional responses to illicit drug markets. Read More With the support of the European union, UNODC donates narco-testing kits and presents the course on Asset forfeiture for the FELCN 10 June 2021 - Thanks to funding provided by the European Union in Bolivia, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) donated equipeent and delivered a course on Asset Forfeiture to the Special Force against Drug Trafficking (FELCN), to support the fight against transnational illicit drug trafficking in the Plurinational State of Bolivia. Read More / Leer mas CRIMJUST holds side-event at the 30th session of the CCPCJ to showcase the judicial outcomes resulting from inter-regional criminal justice cooperation between Bolivia and European counterparts 19 May 2021 - The CRIMJUST Global Programme hosted an online side-event organized by the European Union, under the framework of the Global Illicit Flows Programme (GIFP), in partnership with the Plurinational State of Bolivia at the Thirtieth Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Cooperation (CCPCJ) to launch the release of a manual on transnational criminal justice cooperation as well as to showcase the judicial outcomes of three Inter-regional Investigative Case Forums, involving Belgium and Bolivia, as well as Spain and Bolivia following significant seizures of cocaine originating in Bolivia. Read More UNODC and CRIMJUST host online training on Inter-regional Cooperation Asset Recovery 10-12 May 2021 - Within the framework of EU funded CRIMJUST Global Programme and Global Illicit Flows Programme (GIFP), UNODC and RFAI facilitated an online training on Interregional Cooperation on Asset Recovery, which main objective was to promote transnational cooperation as well as to enhance capacities for undertaking financial and asset investigations into drug trafficking. Read More UNODC CRIMJUST Research Segment presents findings on "The Changing Face of the Global Cocaine market: Reading the Trends to Respond with Foresight" during side-event at the 64th Session on the Commission on Narcotic Drugs 14 April 2021 - The UNODC Drug Research Section hosted an online side-event at the 64th Session on the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, within the EU-funded CRIMJUST Global Programme, to shed light on recent and current observed developments in the global cocaine market. Read More UNODC CRIMJUST and SIMCI launch online version of their technical training to strengthen institutional responses to drug production and trafficking 22-26 March 2021 CRIMJUST and UNODC's Integrated System for Monitoring Illicit Crops (SIMCI) implemented a five-day online training, in daily sessions of two hours, on cocaine production and trafficking investigations to 73 prosecutors and investigators from Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. Read More UNODC CRIMJUST and the Global Programme on Cybercrime develop series of trainings on "Cyber Elements of Drug Trafficking" 22-25 March 2021 The EU-funded CRIMJUST Global Programme, in partnership with the Global Programme on Cybercrime, jointly implemented an online regional training for 21 investigators and 9 prosecutors from South Africa, Ghana and Nigeria on "Cyber Elements of Drug Trafficking" to enhance criminal justice practitioners' capacities to carry out online investigations and to prevent cyber-enabled drug trafficking crimes. Read More UNODC CRIMJUST Research Segment organizes first Expert Meeting of Strategic Analysts on Cocaine Trafficking and Markets 2-3 December 2020 UNODC Drug Research Section held the first expert meeting on cocaine trafficking and markets ahead of the release of the Global Cocaine Report. Read More CRIMJUST hosts series of meetings for national stakeholders and partners to showcase 2020 achievements and align 2021 priorities November 2020 The EU-funded CRIMJUST Global Programme, hosted an onboarding meeting for newly supported countries on 18 November, and its Annual Meeting 24-25 November to discuss its progress during 2020 and identify its key priorities for the upcoming year. Read More UNODC Country Office in Bolivia, under the framework of CRIMJUST, presents E-learning and B-Learning introductory course on asset forfeiture to national judicial authorities 14-15 October - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), within the framework of the EU-funded CRIMJUST Global Programme, presented the Introductory Course on Asset Forfeiture, available in E-learning and B-learning modalities, to the Supreme Court of Justice and the Attorney General Office's of Bolivia in the city of Sucre. Read More | Leer mas CRIMJUST replicates training on controlled deliveries and webinar on synthetic drugs for Lusophone countries October 2020 - The CRIMJUST Global Programme, in partnership with the Ibero-Amreican Network of Anti-Drug Prosecutors (RFAI) and the Network of Anti-Drug Prosecutors of CPLP delivered two online activities for Lusophone countries, a training on controlled deliveries as well as a webinar on new psychoative substances, synthetic drugs and precursors. Read More CRIMJUST and RFAI facilitate side-event on "Controlled Deliveries: Trans-regional Criminal Justice Cooperation in Action" during the Conference of the Parties 12 October - During the 10th session of the Conference of Parties, the CRIMJUST Global Programme and the Ibero-American Network of Anti-Drug Prosecutors hosted a side-event to promote the use of controlled deliveries as a tool of criminal justice cooperation commemorating the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Read More CRIMJUST holds training aiming to strengthen capacities of Argentinian prosecutors and law enforcement officials on proceeds of crime 28 September - 2 October - The CRIMJUST Global Programme held a second online training on "Strengthening capacities of criminal justice institutions in the recovery of proceeds of crime", in partnership with the Ibero-American Network of Anti-Drug Prosecutors (RFAI) of AIAMP and the Office of the Public Prosecutor in Argentina.. Read More CRIMJUST launches a four-part series of webinar on the importance of studying and responsible to the illicit drug market through a gender lens 23 September - The CRIMJUST Global Programme, funded by the European Union under the framework of the Global Illicit Flows Programme, held a webinar on "Victims and Participants: women along the drug supply chain, experiences from Colombia" discussing the role of women in drug production and trafficking. Read More CRIMJUST and AIRCOP pool resources together to deliver online training on ethics and integrity for law enforcement officials in Cabo Verde, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria 19-21 August - The global programmes CRIMJUST and AIRCOP, implemented by the United Nations on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and part of the EU-funded Global Illicit Flows Programme, joined efforts to deliver a series of country-specific trainings on ethics and integrity in law enforcement to AIRCOP Joint Airport Interdiction Task Forces (JAITFs) officials from West African countries. Read More CRIMJUST and RFAI organize webinar on the evolution of the synthetic drugs and opioids markets 19 August - The Global Programme CRIMJUST, in partnership with the Ibero-American Network of Anti-Drug Prosecutors (RFAI) of the AIAMP, organized a webinar on the evolution of the synthetic drugs and opioids markets to over 450 attendees from 26 different countries from across Central and South America and the European Union via the Microsoft Teams platform. Read More UNODC strengthening of police responses to gender-based violence in Mexico proven to have strong positive impact July 2020 - The UNODC Liaison and Partnership Office in Mexico, with the support of the Embassy of the United States of America in Mexico and within the framework of the Global Programme CRIMJUST, began the implementation of the Program for Strengthening the Security of Groups in Situations of Vulnerability in 2016. Read More CRIMJUST, in partnership with the Iberoamerican Network of Anti-Drug Prosecutors, delivers series of online courses on controlled deliveries 18-21 May - The CRIMJUST Global Programme and the Iberoamerican Network of Antidrug Prosecutors have band together to deliver four online trainings on controlled deliveries to tackle transnational drug trafficking. Read More Dominican Republic, Spain and Panama review the state of the criminal justice cooperation during Inter-Regional Investigative Forum in Santo Domingo 17-18 February- CRIMJUST organized an Inter-regional Investigative Case Forum in Santo Domingo, bringing together law enforcement officials and prosecutors from Spain, the Dominican Republic and Panama to review cocaine seizures and to discuss opportunities to enhance criminal justice cooperation between the three countries. Read More CRIMJUST supports follow-up Inter-regional Investigative Forum between Spain and Ecuador 13-14 February- CRIMJUST held an Inter-regional Investigative Case Forum between Spain and Ecuador in Guayaquil, involving 14 prosecutors and law enforcement officials, to review the current state of their criminal justice cooperation and to identify opportunities to strengthen their collaboration. Read More Fifth CRIMJUST Project Steering Committee and Coordination takes place in Brussels 20 January- Implementation agencies, partners and donors met at the UN House in Brussels, Belgium, to review CRIMJUST's impact and achievements to date, as well as to coordinate its further implementation. Read More CRIMJUST in parternship with UNODC COCOL held an all-female training for Institutional Reinforcement against Cocaine Production and Trafficking in Colombia 02-06 December - The under-representation of women in criminal justice institutions has a negative impact on numerous aspects of drug responses. UNODC CRIMJUST, with the support of SIMCI, took this issue head-on by implementing a capacity building course for female law enforcement officers and prosecutors. Read More CRIMJUST supports meeting between focal points from the Network of Prosecutors of the CPLP to discuss drug trafficking 04-06 December - The CRIMJUST programme organized a meeting between prosecutors from the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) in Lisbon as part of its efforts to foster inter-regional cooperation among prosecution agencies. Read More CRIMJUST aligns efforts with UNODC Opioids Strategy to hold an Expert Meeting to validate guidelines for judiciary and forensic experts handling criminal cases involving synthetic opioids 21 November - Under the UNODC Opioids Strategy, the CRIMJUST program organized an expert meeting to review the guidelines for prosecutors, judges and forensic experts for cases involving synthetic drugs. Read More CRIMJUST organizes Investigative Case Forum between the Republic of Ecuador, the Republic of Colombia and the Kingdom of Belgium 06-07 November - Law enforcement officials and prosecutors from Ecuador, Colombia and Belgium met in Bogota to discuss current cocaine trafficking trends affecting their respective countries as well as to assess the current state of their criminal justice cooperation. Read More CRIMJUST welcomes investigators and prosecutors from across Africa and Brazil for an Inter-regional Drug Case Forum 29-30 October - As part of its efforts to strengthen criminal justice cooperation beyond interdiction activities, CRIMJUST held an Inter-Regional Investigative Drug Case Forum in Accra, Ghana, bringing 31 law enforcement officials and prosecutors from across Africa, Brazil, Spain and Portugal. Read More Law enforcement officials and prosecutors from Bolivia and Belgium meet for the second CRIMJUST Investigative Drug Case Forum 22-24 October - Law enforcement investigators and prosecutors from Bolivia and Belgium met in Antwerp, to strengthen cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of transnational drug trafficking cases involving both countries. Read More CRIMJUST holds its first Investigative Case Forum between Ecuador and Spain 01-03 October - CRIMJUST held its first Investigative Case Forum between Ecuador and Spain in Madrid, marking its strategic shift from enhancing national capacities to strengthening criminal investigation and judicial cooperation along drug trafficking routes. Read More CRIMJUST holds Fourth Technical Training for Institutional Reinforcement against Cocaine Production 23-27 September - CRIMJUST held a five-day technical training for law enforcement and judicial officials from across Latin America and the Caribbean to strengthen institutional understanding of the technical and chemical processes involved in coca bush cultivation and cocaine manufacturing. Read More Cabo Verde, USA and UNODC implement Basic Investigation Techniques Training for Law Enforcement officers in the island of Sao Vicente 09-13 September - A training on Basic Investigation Techniques, focused on Investigation Methodology and Interview Techniques, was carried out to strengthen criminal investigation capacities of police and public prosecutors. Read More | Ler mais UNODC ROPAN and CRIMJUST hold workshop to combat money laundering in the Dominican Republic 31 July-02 August - UNODC ROPAN, under the framework of CRIMJUST, held a workshop on measures to combat money laundering and strengthen institutional integrity in the fight against drug trafficking for 30 prosecutors. Read More CRIMJUST presents activities at the 2019 Law Enforcement Advisor Meeting in Vienna 26-29 August - CRIMJUST Head of Global Programme, Glen Prichard, and Programme Officer, Daniela Baptista were among the experts to speak at the 2019 Law Enforcement Meeting in Vienna. Read More CRIMJUST holds workshop on asset recovery in Panama 24-25 July - UNODC ROPAN, under the framework of CRIMJUST, held a two-day workshop on asset recovery in the city of David, Panama, underscoring the importance of depriving organized crime groups of their illicit proceeds. Read More CRIMJUST joins regional meeting to discuss key findings of UNODC study on tramadol trafficking 24-25 July - Nigeria and Regional Office for West Africa organized a meeting in Lagos on 24 and 25 July 2019 to discuss the findings of a study on tramadol and other pharmaceutical opioids trafficking in West Africa funded by the European Union (EU). Read More CRIMJUST and Peru join efforts to strengthen national counter-narcotics strategy 23-25 July - UNODC officers from CRIMJUST and the Integrated Illicit Crop Monitoring System Project (SIMCI) travelled to Peru for a four-day mission to explore potential pathways to further support the country in its efforts to counter cocaine trafficking. Read More UNODC ROPAN and CRIMJUST offer judicial update on criminal justice and prosecution of organized crime in Panama 22-23 July - UNODC ROPAN and CRIMJUST, in collaboration with Project PANZ41 "Consolidation of the Criminal Procedure Reform in Panama", held a workshop to take stock of the implementation of the accusatory criminal system in Panama. Read More Ghana Detective Training School officially adopts CRIMJUST training program on integrity and ethics 15-17 July - The Detective Training School of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service officially adopted the CRIMJUST Training Program on Ethics and Integrity, meaning a two-day module will now be integrated in each of its training cycles, with a view of strengthening a climate of integrity within the institution. Read More CRIMJUST to provide support to Ecuador during post-seizure phases of investigations 12-16 July - In an effort to facilitate cooperation and information exchange between criminal justice agencies for effective action in drug trafficking cases, the CRIMJUST team met with senior officials from Ecuador, including prosecutors, government representatives, and Anti-Narcotics Police, in Guayaquil and Quito. Read More Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 01:47:02|Editor: yan Video Player Close CAIRO, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A 60-year-old German man died of COVID-19 infection on Sunday, becoming the first victim killed by the novel coronavirus in Egypt, Egyptian Health Ministry announced. The man, who arrived in Egypt 7 days ago, passed away in a hospital in Egypt's Red Sea resort city of Hurghada, Khaled Mujahid, the ministry's spokesman, said in a statement. The German citizen showed symptoms of a high temperature when he arrived in Hurghada from Luxor governorate and went to the Hurghada General Hospital on Friday evening, the statement said. The man, who tested positive for the COVID-19 on Saturday, refused to be transferred to the designated isolation hospital, it said. Suffering from respiratory failure caused by acute pneumonia, the man's condition worsened and passed away on Sunday, it added. After the man's death, the health ministry immediately took all necessary preventive measures and the hospital was sterilized in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organization. On Saturday, Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed announced 33 new cases of COVID-19 infection onboard a Nile cruise ship in Upper Egypt's Luxor city, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Egypt to 48. The minister said that 45 of the 48 cases were discovered on the cruise ship. ANM Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. with the support of Millennial India International Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture and the Embassy of India in Baku is organizing the 7th edition of BEST OF INDIA - Biggest Exclusive Indian Product Trade Show in Baku, Azerbaijan, during March 06-15, 2020 from 11:00 AM to 07:00 PM at Baku Sport Hall, 26a M. Huseynov street (old Neftchilar avenue), Baku, Azerbaijan. The series of shows held overseas have consistently presented Indian industrys high quality goods, services and technologies in varied industrial sectors to the world. The Best of India - An Exclusive India Product exhibition has a participation of about 60 companies from India showcasing high quality Products and Services including Rice, Tea, Spices, Gifts & Handicrafts, Home Furnishing, Textile & Garments, Jewellery, Cosmetics. A major attraction in the event is the Exhibition of Khadi and Village Industry products displayed by the Embassy of India to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Khadi, also known as muslin or mulmul, is a hand spun and hand woven natural fibre cloth, made by Indian artisans. Cotton, wool & silk and combinations of these natural fibres make Khadi, which is symbolic of self-reliance of rural people in India. Apart from business and commerce, the event is also focusing on portraying the rich Indian cultural heritage through the folk dances etc. all adding to Best of India Experience. Entry to the exhibition is free. The Best of India show was inaugurated by H.E. Mr. B. Vanlalvawna, Ambassador of India to Azerbaijan and Mr. Anil Trigunayat, President, MIICCIA Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi on March 06, 2020 at 1600 hrs. Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) graced the event. Earlier, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Millennial India International Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (MIICCIA), New Delhi and The Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI), Baku in order to jointly promote trade. The MOU was signed by Mr. Anil Trigunayat, President, MIICCIA and Mr. Niyaz Ali-Zada, President, ACCI in the presence of Mr. B. Vanlalvawna, Ambassador of India to Azerbaijan at the premises of ACCI in Baku on March 05, 2020. India and Azerbaijan enjoy close friendly relations based on historical links and growing bilateral cooperation. Total bilateral trade turnover between India and Azerbaijan has reached US$ 1092 million in 2019. India and Azerbaijan have growing cooperation in capacity building under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme which provides fully paid training programes for Azerbaijani profesionalls and students in Indian institutions. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertys (RFE/RL) Afghan Service, known locally as Radio Azadi, has launched the Azadi Courage Fellowship to mark 18 years as an independent and trusted news source in Afghanistan. Giti Sediqi and Mahnza Noori, top graduates of Kabul Universitys journalism faculty, have been selected as the first fellows in the program, which will provide them training and mentoring in professional journalism on broadcast and digital platforms, with a focus on politics and current affairs. The fellowship is for six-months at Radio Azadis Kabul bureau. Social issues are very important for us, but there are very few female voices in current affairs and politics in the Afghan media, said RFE/RL Afghan Service Director Qadir Habib. That is why it is important that our fellows receive this training, to raise their profiles in these areas. The fellowship program honors three Radio Azadi journalists, Sabawoon Kakar, Abadullah Haninzai, and Mahram Durani, who were killed in coordinated suicide bomb attacks in Kabul in April 2018. It is funded by the purse attached to the United States Agency for Global Medias (USAGM) Burke Award, which Radio Azadi received in 2019 in recognition of its colleagues courage. RFE/RLs Afghan Service, which reports in Dari and Pashto, is an online pioneer and media leader in Afghanistan, reaching 25 percent of the adult audience nationally. Its YouTube channel has more than 41 million views and over 127,000 subscribers. Couple with IS links detained from Delhi, they allegedly instigated anti-CAA protests India oi-Mousumi Dash New Delhi, Mar 08: The Delhi Police on Sunday detained a couple from Kashmir with alleged links to the Islamic State. The couple are from southeast Delhi's Jamia Nagar and belong to the Khorasan module of the ISIS. On Sunday, the Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pramod Singh Kushwaha said that the couple, identified as Jahanjeb Sami and wife Hina Bashir Beg, was apparently instigating anti-Citizenship Ammendment Act (CAA) protests in Delhi and was trying to exploit the ongoing situation. The Islamic State(IS)-Khorasan Province is the Afghanistan-based affiliate of IS. The couple was detained in an early morning operation after inputs were shared by the Intelligence Bureau(IB). Meanwhile, probe is underway and several agencies are questioning them. Several palces in the national capital- Jamia and the neighbouring Shaheen Bagh in national capital's Okhla have been witnessing protests against the contentious citizenship law for over three months now. The protest began after alleged police attacks on the students of Jamia Millia University on the night of December 15, 2019. Reportedly, the CAA grants citizenship to Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists, and Jains from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014. It has become controversial largely because it excludes Muslims. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 19:14 [IST] Seoul: North Korea fired three unidentified projectiles off its east coast on Monday, South Korea's military said. A missile launched from near North Korea's eastern coastal town of Wonsan in 2019. Credit:AP Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement it has detected the three launches made from a town in the North's South Hamgyong province. The statement said South Korea's military is monitoring North Korea for possible additional launches. In recent days, North Korea said leader Kim Jong-un supervised two rounds of live-fire artillery exercises in its first weapons tests since late November. On Friday, Tahlia Giumelli revealed she was rushed to hospital by ambulance after an attack of what she calls a 'silent but painful' disease. The 25-year-old fiancee of NRL star Tom Burgess shared a message for her fans via Instagram Stories, revealing the traumatic event but insisting she was okay. Alongside a photo of Tom by her side in a hospital bed, the model wrote: 'When family dinner turns into a family trip to the hospital via the ambulance. On Sunday, Tahlia Giumelli (right) revealed she was rushed to hospital by ambulance after an attack of Crohn's disease. She shared an Instagram Stories photo with her fiancee, NRL star Tom Burgess (left), sitting by her side 'Crohns attack midway through dinner. Crohn's disease is silent but painful,' she added. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract. It can cause abdominal pain, diarrhoea and anaemia, as well as life-threatening complications. The model wrote: 'When family dinner turns into a family trip to the hospital via the ambulance. Crohns attack midway through dinner. Crohn's disease is silent but painful' Better: Tahlia insisted that she was on the mend after receiving treatment in hospital. 'After some pain meds and fluids home and feeling fine again,' she told her fans in the Instagram post However, Tahlia insisted she was on the mend after receiving treatment in hospital. 'After some pain meds and fluids, home and feeling fine again,' she told her fans in the Instagram post. Speaking to Body and Soul in 2017, Tahlia described her battle with the disease, and how understanding fiance Tom is about her illness. Helpful fella! Speaking to Body and Soul in 2017, Tahlia described her battle with the disease, and how understanding fiance Tom is about her illness 'I'm pretty honest and this is something I wouldn't hide. Tom was really understanding,' she said. 'He's been a good support through and through from the beginning - he's always encouraging me. He's amazing.' The Miss Universe Australia 2018 finalist also revealed she has to avoid certain foods to avoid flare ups. She said: 'Tom was really understanding. He's been a good support through and through from the beginning - he's always encouraging me. He's amazing' 'No onion, no garlic, no mushrooms. The hardest is no red meat or avocado. I love avocado. I can't have anything high in fibre or fructose,' she explained. Tom and Tahlia became engaged in December last year while they were holidaying at a farm to celebrate their three-year anniversary. In August last year, the pair welcomed their first child together, daughter Sophie. iStock(FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas) -- Four people are dead as a result of a suspected murder-suicide early Sunday morning. The incident occurred at approximately 5 a.m. when authorities in Fort Bend County, Texas, responded to reports of a shooting at a home west of Houston. When the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office arrived they discovered four people shot to death inside the home. The circumstances around the deaths have not yet been disclosed and the identities and ages of the suspect and victims is currently not known. Sheriff Troy Nehls is expected to provide updates on Sunday. Investigations into the incident are currently ongoing. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. The fighting at Orsha saw the first battlefield use of the Red Armys experimental battery of BM-13 multiple-launch rocket systems. Later in the war, these fearsome weapons were lovingly nicknamed Katyusha (Little Kate) after a popular wartime song. As Warfare History Network writes, the development of these weapons began well before the war, in 1938, with a small trial run of 40 systems built by the time of the German invasion. The prototypes of BM vehicles had mounted launchers at right angles to their long axes; however, this proved very unstable and the launch rails were remounted lengthwise. First Combat for Stalins Organ The command staff of the first field battery, headed by Captain Ivan A. Flerov, included two civilian advisers to train the crews, A.I. Popov, one of the creators of the launch platform BM-13, and D.A. Shytov, one of the developers of the M-13 round. The first battery consisted of nine launch systems in three firing platoons, a fire direction platoon with one 122mm howitzer for fire correction, an ammunition platoon, a transportation platoon, a POL (petroleum, oil, and lubricants) platoon, and a medical detachment. One volley of this battery delivered 112 132mm M-13 rockets with high explosive or fragmentation rounds. The highly mobile battery numbered 44 trucks, allowing the transport of 600 rounds of ammunition and enough fuel, POL, and food for at least three days of operations. The first application of the Katyushas firepower was directed at Orshas railroad station. While not intended for pinpoint accuracy, the new weapon system delivered a devastating amount of fire over a wide-area target, destroying several trains and causing significant German casualties. The success of its first combat deployment kicked the production of BM-13 systems into high gear, and close to 10,000 systems of all types were produced by the end of the war. In addition to the original BM-13 models, there were multiple variations of 81mm BM-8 systems, some of them mounted on jeeps, and heavy BM-31 launchers for 310mm rockets. The special place of the Katyushas in the Soviet arsenal earned them the official title of Guards Mortars. The Germans called them Stalinorgel, meaning Stalins Organ. In the early stages of the war, the Soviets took great pains to safeguard these weapons, with the immediate security of Katyusha batteries provided by detachments of NKVD (secret police) troops. In cases when a launch vehicle became disabled and retrieval was impossible, it was blown up in place to deny the Germans an intelligence coup. Battery commanders were responsible with their lives for the destruction of disabled launch vehicles. Just such a fate befell Captain Ivan Flerovs battery. Caught in a cauldron at Vyazma in October 1941, with his vehicles immobilized by marshy terrain and out of ammunition, Flerov ordered them blown up. When fewer than a third of the batterys soldiers made it out of the encirclement alive, Captain Flerov was not one of them. Further Development of the Katyusha Katyushas were inexpensive and uncomplicated to produce and easily mounted on many platforms, initially including only trucks but quickly progressing to tanks, tractors, armored trains, and even small naval vessels. Later in the war, many Lend-Lease tanks, which the Soviet specialists did not consider to be up to the task of armored warfare on the Eastern Front, were used as mounting platforms. However, American Studebaker two-and-one-half- ton trucks were highly regarded for their off-road performance, and thousands of them were used as mounting platforms for Katyushas. The end of World War II did not end the Katyushas service. Thousand of them were exported to Soviet client states during the Cold War and were built in several countries under license. American forces faced them during the Korean War and decades later in Iraq. Wendy Campbell Cama has been inducted into the Illinois State University College of Business Hall of Fame. She is a partner in the financial institutions practice at Crowe LLP, a public accounting, consulting and technology firm with offices worldwide. Cama is the partner leading the Northeast Audit Practice, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont and Washington, D.C. She specializes in audits of financial institutions and also holds the roles of office managing partner for the New York office, serves on the firms management team, Inclusive Excellence Council, and recently completed a six-year term on the firms board of directors, service the past three as chair. Cama was selected as one of NJBIZs Top 50 Women in Business in 2016 and is active in the New York Bankers Association, New Jersey Bankers Association and Financial Managers Society. She is a member of the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Union County, New Jersey, and Junior Achievement of New Jersey. She is the daughter of Bob Campbell of Franklin and the late Nancy Campbell. Jessica Boozer and Megan Hopps have joined the team of HSHS Medical Group, offering primary care for patients of all ages at HSHS Medical Group Multispecialty Care-Jacksonville, 1745 W. Walnut St. Boozer completed a Master of Science degree in nursing at Chamberlain University in Downers Grove. She earned her bachelors degree at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Boozer is certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Hopps completed a Master of Science degree in nursing and her bachelors degree at St. Johns College of Nursing in Springfield. She also earned her bachelors degree in psychology at Western Illinois University in Macomb. Hopps is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. Land of Lincoln Goodwill has received a three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities International, marking the highest level of accreditation available. The commission is an independent accreditor of health and human services. Compiled by David C.L. Bauer Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 22:39:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The novel coronavirus rapidly ravaged Iran over the weeks amid concerns about Iranian government's response to the issue. As the number of patients infected with COVID-19 is increasing and the death toll is feared to rise, the Iranian government said that it is responding to the outbreak of the virus at multiple levels. DOMESTIC LEVEL In a recent meeting with the representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the capital Tehran, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said that his country has no plan to isolate any district or city over COVID-19, but it will quarantine individuals. On March 5, Iran announced the launch of National Mobilization Plan to combat COVID-19. Based on the plan, all the Iranian medical and health institutions as well as the Basij (volunteer) forces are gathered under Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education for mobilization to deal with the virus' spread. Iranian Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki said that 300,000 medical teams will conduct family-to-family testing and quarantine patients in their homes. The patients would be hospitalized for further treatment if their conditions worsen, Namaki added. According to a report by Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education on Sunday, at least 6,566 people in the country have been infected with COVID-19, of whom 194 have died. Worries emerged about the country's lack of equipment. Iran "is unable to purchase testing kits from abroad because of U.S.-imposed sanctions," Ramin Fallah, a board member of Iran's Association of Medical Equipment Importers, was quoted as saying by Iran's Labor news agency (ILNA). "Many international companies are ready to supply Iran with the testing kits, but we can't transfer them money," Fallah added. However, the Iranian officials have ensured that the country's medical centers have been equipped with enough supplies. The number of laboratories for testing the viral infection across the country has increased, and the management has become more efficient and organized, said Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Center of Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Besides, the authorities are now limiting travels between major cities by setting up checkpoints. They have ordered the hotels and touristic lodges to suspend service to visitors considering upcoming Iran's new year. People are also asked to stop unnecessary gatherings, stay at home, sanitize hands regularly, use face masks and distribute health information through the social media. The Iranian authorities have halted Friday prayers in major cities across the country. Schools and universities have been closed until early April. A court in the capital Tehran on Saturday started trial of a group of people who are charged with hoarding health supplies linked with COVID-19. Police have also banned the use of Hookah in coffee shops and tea houses. Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Council of Economic Coordination has made decisions to assist the country's small businesses as the outbreak of COVID-19 has partially damaged the country's economy. The Iranian senior officials made a series of decisions including a temporary ease on tax payments, customs debts and bank arrears of the micro business sectors. INTERNATIONAL LEVEL Iran has also taken steps in dealing with the problem at the international level, Iran's Foreign Ministry said. The ministry has sought help from the countries and international health organizations through its missions abroad, said Abbas Mousavi, Iranian Foreign Ministry's spokesman. As a result, Iran recently received a large consignment of aid from the WHO, the minister added. The WHO said that it has supplied Iran with diagnostic kits and protective equipment for healthcare workers. It has also sent 7.5 tonnes of medical supplies to support 15,000 healthcare workers and 1,000 kits capable of screening nearly 100,000 people. In addition, the United Nations Children's Fund, China, Turkey, as well as the European countries, have also provided medical supplies to Iran to help contain the coronavirus, Mousavi added. The French envoy to Tehran said that France, Germany and Britain would also send additional aid to Iran worth nearly 5 million euros (5.56 million U.S. dollars) through the WHO and other UN agencies. In the meantime, Iran put pressure on the U.S. over its sanctions against the country. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday slammed what he called U.S. "medical terrorism" against Iran. Rouhani has also slammed the U.S. sanctions against the country, saying that if the United States really wants to help Iran in fighting the novel coronavirus, it should lift sanctions against Iran including the bans on the imports of medical supplies. The drag of the coronavirus on the global economy is massive. While the real tragedy is lives lost, the economic effect is a hugely significant secondary consideration. Businesses around the world are feeling serious pain. A recession might be in the offing. And yet some companies are benefiting from the crisis. Not because they necessarily sought to but because they happen to have the right product or service. Zoom Video which provides conferencing that obviates the need for in-person meetings, is one. Clorox, which of course produces bleach, 409 and other cleaners, has seen its stock rise 13% year-to-date (while the market is down over 9%), is another. And then theres Purell, maker of the famous hand sanitizerwhich must be selling like crazy, right? Thats probably the case as its sold out all over the place, yet we dont really know because Purell is owned by a private company, GOJO Industries. So whats up with Purell and GOJO? We did some digging around and found out. First, while the Akron, Ohio-based company says its ramping up production, it declined to tell us by how much, or how much Purell it sold last year. In fact GOJO wouldnt answer any of our questions and instead sent us a Q and A prepared for media that it said we could attribute to GOJO spokesperson Samantha Williams. It reads: ...orders of the companys products have increased very significantly. We stepped up production in January and are continuing to bring additional capacity online to meet this heightened demand should it continue...We have added shifts and have team members working overtime. I bet they are. The communique also notes that GOJO employs about 2,500 people and manufactures Purell products at facilities in Wooster and Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and France. (You have to wonder if these employees would be exempt from a work-from-home order.) Bottles of Purell hand sanitizer sit on display. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Next question, how effective is Purell against the coronavirus? The company states that Purell...kills 99.99% of most common germs that can make you sick. Sounds impressive, but note the phrase, most common germs. Does that include COVID-19? No one really knows. Story continues In fact, on January 17, just as the coronavirus was becoming a global news story, the FDA sent Purell a letter warning the company about statements in its FAQ sections of websites which suggested that PURELL Healthcare Advanced Hand Sanitizers are intended for reducing or preventing disease from the Ebola virus, norovirus, and influenza. The FDA noted it had no evidence that Purell is effective against those diseases. The FDA stated: ...we are not aware of evidence demonstrating that the PURELL Healthcare Advanced Hand Sanitizer products as formulated and labeled are generally recognized by qualified experts as safe and effective for use under the conditions suggested, recommended, or prescribed in their labeling. Williams told FOX Business at the time the company immediately took action after receiving the letter and "have begun updating relevant website and other digital content as directed by the FDA." So does Purell do anything to prevent COVID-19? The active ingredient of Purell is really just 70% ethanol or ethyl alcohol. Experts generally agree that a solution containing in excess of 60% alcohol can be effective in some instances, like for wiping down a tray table on an airplane, and maybe as a hand sanitizer. Actually, that distinctionsurfaces versus handsfalls under the auspices of the EPA, in terms of the former, and the FDA for the latter, as the GOJO Q and A reflects. Check this out: ...under the EPAs Emerging Pathogen guidance, our PURELL Surface Spray can be used to kill COVID-19 on hard, non-porous surfaces when used in accordance with the directions and a 1-minute contact time. But it goes on to say, The FDA, which regulates hand sanitizer, and the EPA, which regulates surface disinfectants, have different rules. The EPA permits manufacturers to answer questions about efficacy against viruses. Tanya Crum, an assistant professor of biology at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois says that soap and water is always best, but that if youre somewhere where soap and water is not available, having hand sanitizer is great. I wouldnt use it first, I would use it just in case or second. Crum also says that Theres varying effectiveness in terms of hand sanitizer killing viruses, but thats because COVID-19 is a virus with a capsid protein or whats called a coat, it may be easier to kill with a hand sanitizer. Potentially good news there for Purell. Purells humble beginnings GOJO has an all-American backstory. The company was founded in 1946 by Goldie and Jerry Lippman (and is still controlled and run in part by family members). Goldie and Jerry worked in tire and aircraft factories in Ohio during World War II. They found they had a hard time washing tar and other greasy stuff off their hands after work, and so the couple worked with a chemist at Kent State to develop a hand cleaner. (The first product was GoGo, Goldie's nickname, but another company had already used the name, so the founders came up with GOJO, with the "G" standing for Goldie and the "J" standing for Jerry, according to company history.) Later Jerry came up with the first-ever portion-control dispenser, for which he was granted a patent in 1952. The company proudly reports: Every soap dispenser on the wall today, anywhere in the world, is a descendant of that first dispenser Jerry invented! GOJO didnt create Purell until 1988, but it has become the company's flagship product. Pfizer distributed Purell for a time in the 2000s, a business that was bought by Johnson & Johnson, but GOJO reacquired Purell from J&J in 2010. Smart move. Along the way somebody put Purell dispensers in nearly every elevator bank in nearly every office building in America. Purell hand sanitizer dispenser at the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 05, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) People certainly are crazy for Purell now. Stores are sold out. You cant buy it onlinewell you can but for ridiculous prices. This week, U.S. Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass) sent a letter to Amazon demanding it take action to stop third-party sellers from price gouging Purell. Reuters reports that a box of small Purell bottles that usually sells for $10 was listed online for $400, he said. One third-party seller listed a bottle for $600 on Wednesday afternoon. However, the Amazon brand of hand sanitizer was listed for $8.25 for a large bottle. GOJO disavows the gouging, saying (twice!) in its Q and A: ...we feel strongly that there is no place for price-gouging, especially during times of elevated public health concern. Reuters reports that Amazon called the price-gougers bad actors. There is no place for price gouging on Amazon, a spokesman said in a statement. We continue to actively monitor our store and remove offers that violate our policies. For most of us the coronavirus could turn out to be a nightmare. For Purellnot that the company wants it and not that its product is any sort of panaceaCOVID-19 is already a dream come true. This article was featured in a Saturday edition of the Morning Brief on March 8, 2020. Get the Morning Brief sent directly to your inbox every Monday to Friday by 6:30 a.m. ET. Subscribe Andy Serwer is editor-in-chief of Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter: @serwer. Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Read more Cleveland, Ohio Vivien Chien did not set out to write Asian-American mysteries. She was asked. An agent approached me and said someone was looking for an Asian-American mystery series, says the Cleveland writer, who met the agent through the Sisters in Crime mystery writer society. At the time, Chien, a 1999 Valley Forge graduate, had only written one novel, and it was sitting unread in a dresser at home. She decided to take a chance. They like my proposal and I ended up getting a three-book contract. It was later renewed for three more books. They, it turned out, was the prestigious genre publisher, St. Martins Press. Her first book, Death by Dumpling, was published in 2018, establishing Chien and her Noodle Shop Mystery series as a new voice in the industry to watch. It earned positive reviews and introduced the world to Lana Lee, Ho Lee noodle shop owner and amateur sleuth. More importantly, it brought needed diversity to the cozy mystery world. I dont think I would have written that series if the publisher hadnt originally asked, says Chien. I had not planned on putting so much emphasis on an Asian-American character, that was not my original focus. She was almost immediately glad she had taken up St. Martins challenge. I didnt realize how much it was going to mean to people. After I started writing, I realized people were really craving this type of book, characters like Lana Lee. People began reaching out right away and saying how much it meant to them to see an Asian-American character. Death by Dumpling has been followed by four more cheekily-named books, including Dim Sum of All Fears, Wonton Terror and Murder Lo Mein. Chiens latest, Egg Drop Dead (St. Martins Paperback, $7.99, 336 pages) was released last week. Chens says her protagonist is based on her own life experiences (not solving murders, we hope). I made Lana a mixed-race character because reading about people myself was lacking from my childhood, she says. Born to a mother from Taiwan and Italian-American father, Chien (who uses her mothers maiden name), grew up mostly around her Chinese family after her parents divorced. It was all Asian at home, she says. I dont know if I could have written a full Asian character, she says. Im not sure if I would have been able to give it the personalized touch. Lana is a combination of people I have known and little pieces of myself. After graduating from Valley Forge, Chien went to college to study psychology, She dropped out and eventually went back to Tri-C to study writing. Again, she quit before graduating, but she had a good reason: a book deal. Growing up in Parma, she didnt visit AsiaTown too frequently, but it was a part of her and her half-sisters lives. Today, the bustling area downtown provides a colorful, authentic backdrop to her series. Lanas family restaurant and the Asia Village shopping plaza are fictional, but many of the places featured in her series are real, including Li Wah. I wanted to create a place separate from what already does exist, and yet be able to take the characters into places that do exist so that they could be a part of the community, says Chien. Even though my plaza is fake, Ill have Lana and her friends go to Siam Cafe or Li Wah for Dim Sum. places I would go with my mother and sister. Chiens latest book begins when Lanas first-ever catering event, at the home of Donna Feng, the sweet-and-sour owner of the Asia Village shopping plaza, turns deadly. The fizzy read finds Lana investigating, while simultaneously trying to keep Ho Lee running, deal with her difficult mother and trying to find time for her boyfriend, a police detective. Lana isnt just a stand-out in the cozy mystery world for her cultural background. Chiens character is a fresh, modern heroine in a sometimes stodgy genre. The solution to the mystery leads Lana to dig into Donnas past, a past that winds back to China. The result is a satisfying, realistic book that is both successful mystery and a lively journey into Clevelands Asian-American culture with a refreshingly believable sleuth. Chien, who has just turned in the sixth book in her series, says shes not sure what is next for Lana. I write by the seat of my pants, so I have no idea where I am taking her next --but I hope she has a very long life. Ill keep writing about her as long as everyone will have me. London, March 8 : The UK's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle received a standing ovation after they arrived at the Royal Albert Hall here for one of their final public engagements before stepping back as senior royals. At the the Mountbatten Festival of Music on Saturday night, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wore matching red, Prince Harry in the mess uniform of the Royal Marines and Markle in a cape dress, the Metro newspaper said in a report. Harry, in his role as Captain General of the Royal Marines, and Meghan met five members of the Royal Marines before taking their seats in the royal box of the famous South Kensington venue. The Duke and Duchess also meet performers during the interval. Videos and images circulating in the media showed the couple laughing and joking with the crowd before heading on to the stage to meet more attendees and musicians. This last week has been busy for the Duke and Duchess as they look to wind down public life and begin their next chapter as private citizens on March 31, the Metro newspaper said in the report. They returned to the UK to attend Thursday's Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House in central London in what was Meghan's first public appearance since their announcement in January that they were stepping back as royals in order to become financially independent. Earlier that day, Harry was spotted at Buckingham Palace with the Prince having held a 'heart to heart' with the Queen. "In addition to the official engagements the Duke and Duchess are conducting over the course of the next few days, they are also meeting privately with several of their patronages," the Metro newspaper quoted the couple's spokesperson as saying. The Duke and Duchess are expected to join the Queen and other royals at the Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey on March 9, in what is expected to be their final official appearance as HRHs. The Sussexes had not been seen together on an official engagement since January 7 when they visited Canada House in London to thank the Commonwealth nation for hosting them during their festive break. The following day, they made their announcement. Grammy-nominated rapper DaBaby was caught on camera brutally assaulting a female fan on Saturday night. Just as the performer, whose real name is Jonathan Kirk, 28, was making his way to the stage a woman tried to attract his attention by waving her cellphone at him as he was passing by. DaBaby did not react well to the attention grab and responded violently, punching the woman twice, squarely in the face. DaBaby looked to have hit a woman in the face in video footage that was taken on Saturday night at the Whiskey North in Tampa, Florida The rapper was making his way on to the stage and it appears as though the woman was trying to film him The woman fell backwards and appeared to lose her footing as the rapper continued to walk on by at Whiskey North in Tampa for his 'Up Close N Personal' tour. DaBaby later went on Instagram and asked for an alternate angle of the altercation along with the woman's name In the moments before the punch, the woman had been waving her phone at the rapper in order to get a photograph with the star. But within an instant, DaBaby swung his right fist followed by his left, sending the woman backwards and into the arms of other fans who were standing behind her. The crowd appeared to be so angry at what had happened that the show was cancelled before it had even begun and the rapper left without performing a single song. Later, he took to Instagram to share a video of the incident and asked for fans to send him video of an alternate angle of the altercation. 'I got $10,000 for whoever got a good angle of shawty hitting me in my eye with her phone,' he said. 'Who know shawty government name so my lawyer can get active?' he asked. DaBaby, who's best known for his single Suge, has had a number of problems this year. In January, he was arrested on a battery charge in Miami after arguing with a music promoter over payment for a performance. DaBaby was arrested in January in Florida over an alleged assault DaBaby had been in South Florida for a New Year's Eve performance at a Miami Beach nightclub. DaBaby approached the music promoter, who said he'd made an agreement with and the man told police he had given him $30,000 but when the rapper counted it, he claimed it was $10,000 short. When the rapper demanded the money, an argument broke out and he punched a man who was with the music promoter. The man who was assaulted told investigators that one of the men with DeBaby took his cellphone, a bank card and $80 in cash. While he was being booked, it was noticed that a warrant was also out for his arrest in the state of Texas, also on a battery charge. A week earlier, DaBaby Kirk was handcuffed and cited in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, on charges of marijuana possession and resisting an officer. Police in that case said officers working outside the concert venue, Bojangles Arena, noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from the van that brought him there. Officers say they approached the vehicle and could see marijuana in plain view through the windows by using their flashlights. Officers said they waited until after the concert and approached DaBaby as he was exiting the venue around 11pm, but he walked away and refused to speak to them. They eventually detained him in handcuffs and searched his vehicle. His problems have continued into 2020. Last month, a video showed DeBaby pushing a hotel worker into a chair. DaBaby was seen walking into the hotel with his team before pushing the worker against a wall and speaking to him angrily. The rapper explained the altercation as having occurred when a hotel worker asked if he could take a video of the star, to which he declined the request. Jonathan Lyndale Kirk aka 'DaBaby' is pictured in LA last month. During that trip he is alleged to have assaulted a hotel worker, although they declined to press charges Footage of DaBaby emerged last month of him appearing to assault a hotel worker in LA Last May, another of the rapper's fans was also viciously beaten by a security guard after appearing to ask the performer for a photograph. Victim Donald Saladin, 22, who raps under the name Don Trag, was seen being savagely beaten outside Centro Nightclub in Lawrence, Massachusetts, by the rapper's aide. It was not clear at the time how the attack was triggered, but in footage that later emerged, it appeared to happen after Saladin had asked DaBaby for a picture. DaBaby was nominated in 2019 for best rap performance and best rap song for 'Suge.' Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Mar, 2020 ) :Pakistan's ambassador designate to Poland Malik Mohammad Farooq has urged Pakistani businessmen to take advantage of business opportunities in Poland. The trade volume between the two countries is close to US $ 360 million. Pakistan also has strong mutual relations including defense and trade ties with Poland. Trade links can be further enhanced in the fields of textile, oil and gas, railway machinery, leather, bed sheets, telecommunications, food and education. Ambassador-designate made these remarks during his visit to the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI). While talking to the Chamber's President Saboor Malik, the ambassador said role of Chamber of Commerce is very important for promoting bilateral trade. Malik Mohammad Farooq said Pakistan's trade with Poland is very low despite high potential. Poland is geographically located in the middle of Europe. It is the hour of need that the business community should accelerate efforts to promote trade with Poland. He assured that his embassy would cooperate with the private sector in these efforts. On this occasion, President Chamber of Commerce Sabor Malik gave a short briefing on the ongoing activities of the Chamber to the Ambassador- designate. He said the Chamber of Commerce and exchange of the delegation is very imperative to improve the ties between the two countries. Non-traditional sectors, information technology, Gems and Jewelery and tourism can also be promising sectors for business opportunities, he added. He urged that Pakistan embassy and commercial section should use their office effectively in identifying promising sectors and stressed that Polish investors should setup joint ventures in Pakistan in tourism, IT, textile and other sectors. Group leader and former president Sohail Altaf urged that embassy should double its efforts in promoting true and positive image of the country and assured full support of chamber in this regard. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 8) A fourth Filipino has tested positive for the new coronavirus in Hong Kong, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed Sunday. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido Dulay said in a tweet that a Filipino worker tested positive for the virus that causes coronavirus disease, formally known as COVID-19, but is not showing symptoms. The Filipino worker is in a quarantine facility in Hong Kong for treatment, Dulay added. In a separate statement, the DFA said the female Filipino worker is in good spirits and is currently admitted in a hospital along with two other Filipinos with the virus. The first Filipino to test positive for the new virus in Hong Kong has recovered and has been discharged from the hospital, the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong confirmed Friday. The new coronavirus, which was first reported in Wuhan, China, has infected more than 105,000 worldwide and killed 3,599. In the Philippines, six cases and one death have been reported. Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor's daughter Roshni, who was headed to London by the British Airways, was stopped from leaving the country at the Mumbai Airport on Sunday. Earlier, Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued a lookout notice against Rana Kapoor and his family including his wife Bindu Kapoor, daughters Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Radha Kapoor and Roshni Kapoor. Rana Kapoor was handed over to the Enforcement Directorate till March 11 by Mumbai's Special Holiday Court on Sunday. While making a request for five-day custody of Kapoor, the ED made a "verbal submission" to the court detailing the alleged financial irregularities of Yes Bank and DHFL. As the ED believes that Kapoor took advantage of his position to benefit his daughters' companies, hence custody of Kapoor is needed to investigate his and his daughters' role in the matter, said the lawyer representing ED. The agency argued in court that many family companies are involved and there are also some cases of quid pro quo made out of the case. Rana Kapoor, who was taken to the ED office for questioning under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Saturday, was arrested in the wee hours of Sunday. The agency had conducted raids at Kapoor's residence located at 'Samudra Mahal' residential tower in Mumbai on Friday and registered a case under the PMLA against him. On Thursday, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had said a moratorium has been imposed on Yes Bank, stressing that the bank's financial capability has undergone a steady decline largely due to the inability of the bank to raise capital. During the period of moratorium, the Yes Bank Ltd will not, without the permission in writing of the RBI, make in the aggregate, payment to a depositor of a sum exceeding Rs 50,000 lying to his credit in any savings, current or any other deposit account. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh on Sunday decided to scale down preparations for the birth centenary celebrations of its founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, hours after three coronavirus cases were detected in the country. The year-long celebrations were scheduled to open amid massive festivities at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka on March 17. The grand opening was expected to be attended by several foreign dignitaries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The planned celebrations for the Mujib Year have been rearranged in view of worldwide outbreak of coronavirus," Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told reporters. "We will convey about the rearrangement of the planned opening of the celebrations to the foreign dignitaries, leaving it to them if they would come," he said. His remarks came after attending a meeting on the 'Mujib Year' celebrations chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina directed the organisers to scale down the planned festivities, but the new venue for the inauguration of the celebrations is yet to be decided, chief coordinator of the celebration committee Kamal Abdul Naser told reporters. Bangladesh has also invited former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Nepal's President Bidhya Devi Bhandari to address an extraordinary parliamentary session to mark the celebrations. "There will be an opening function avoiding the mass gathering," Naser said referring to the premier's directive at the meeting at her official Ganobhaban residence. He said the foreign dignitaries, including the heads of state who were scheduled to attend the opening, were now expected to join the Mujib Year celebrations at a convenient time during the year-long celebrations. Bangladesh on Sunday reported three cases of coronavirus. Two persons brought the disease from Italy, infecting the third one on their return home, officials said. The infections, the first reported cases in the country, have come four days after Dhaka restricted entry of the people from major coronavirus-prone countries without a virus-free medical certificate. After the cases were detected, the authorities decided that people coming from China, Italy, South Korea, Singapore, Iran and Thailand must stay in quarantine for 14 days for medical clearance. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, as he celebrates his 63rd birthday anniversary. In a telephone call Sunday afternoon to his deputy, the president commended Mr Osinbajos loyalty and dedication to the administration. Details of the phone call were contained in a statement by Mr Buharis office. President Buhari noted that the intellectual capacity of the vice-president has impacted positively on the overall accomplishments of Federal Government, most notably, in the economic and social intervention programmes. The president joined family members, friends and associates of Mr Osinbajo in wishing him joyous birthday celebrations. He also prayed Almighty God to endow the vice president with greater wisdom and long life to continue to serve the nation and humanity. Mr Osinbajo, a law professor, has been Nigerias vice president since 2015. A company that makes replacement lenses for cataract patients has been put up for sale by its private equity owners with a price tag of up to 400million. City sources said Rayner Surgical Group, the only British manufacturer of intraocular lenses, could be about to change hands for between 300million and 400million after buyout specialist Phoenix Equity Partners appointed bankers from NM Rothschild to carry out a strategic review of the business. The move comes amid a flurry of dealmaking in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Rayner Surgical Group, the only British manufacturer of intraocular lenses, could be for sale In one case last week, US giant Thermo Fisher bought Qiagen, a Dutch diagnostics company, for $11.5billion (9billion). Rayner was founded in 1910 when John Baptiste Reiner and Charles Davis Keeler opened their first opticians in London. The company became pioneers in making lenses and devices used for cataract surgery when it teamed up with Sir Harold Ridley, a consultant ophthalmologist who led the first implant of an intraocular lens in 1949. Phoenix Equity Partners bought a stake in Rayner in 2017 with a view to helping the company expand in the US and creating a new production facility in Worthing, West Sussex, where Rayner has its headquarters and current factory. Sources familiar with the situation said the private equity firm had decided to look at a sale after receiving several approaches for the business. Phoenix declined to comment. New Delhi: The Allahabad High Court has reserved its order till Monday (March 9) afternoon in the case against Uttar Pradesh government's decision to put up posters of those who were allegedly involved in violence during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in the city. The hearing was presided by a two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha, the court will pronounce its order at 2 pm on Monday. Taking suo motu cognizance in the matter, the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Govind Mathur had asked the Lucknow Police Commissioner and Lucknow District Magistrate to appear before the court at 3 pm on Sunday (March 8). The court has said the Uttar Pradesh government that the hoardings do not mention that under which law these posters have been put up across the city and this is a violation of Right to Privacy. On March 6, Lucknow police had placed hoardings of 53 people accused of vandalism and arson during the anti-CAA protests in the city on December 19, 2019. Notably, the hoardings also had the addresses and photos of the accused and were put up at prominent places in the city. A total of 100 hoardings are put up at all major crossings across the city. The accused rioters have already been issued recovery notices for damaging public property worth Rs 1.55 crore. In case of failure to pay the recovery amount, the properties of the accused would be confiscated. About 34 passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship off the California coast are expected to be transported to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia, for quarantine once the ship docks, according to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. In statements Saturday night and via Twitter Sunday, Kemp said he had learned that 34 Georgia residents and possibly additional U.S. citizens from the eastern U.S. currently aboard the ship "will be securely transferred to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia." The passengers are expected to arrive late Monday or early Tuesday at Dobbins, where they would undergo testing and be quarantined for exposure to the coronavirus, or COVID-19, Kemp said. Kemp said he was confident that Dobbins would provide a site for high-quality care "while keeping Georgia families safe, and our state stands ready to assist our federal partners if requested." The 94th Airlift Wing public affairs office at Dobbins, about 20 miles northwest of Atlanta, did not immediately confirm Kemp's remarks, but said in a statement that the Defense Department was coordinating with the Department of Health and Human Services on "lodging requirements for quarantine operations for the passengers currently aboard the Grand Princess." "As with previous efforts, DoD would provide housing and HHS would be responsible for the aspects of the quarantine," the statement said. A Pentagon spokesman also did not immediately confirm that cruise ship passengers were headed to Dobbins, but noted that military bases had been used previously to quarantine suspected cases of coronavirus. Multiple military installations, including Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and Travis Air Force Base in California have previously been used to house U.S. citizens returning from China or from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was off the coast of Japan. The Defense Department has also previously said that no DoD personnel would come in contact with suspected coronavirus patients, whose care and monitoring would be the responsibility of HHS and the Department of Homeland Security. California's Office of Emergency Services officials said in a statement Sunday that a joint state and federal effort would get underway Monday to disembark passengers from the Grand Princess in the port of Oakland. The ship will stay in port only for as long as it takes to disembark the passengers, according to the statement, and the crew will remain aboard to be treated in quarantine. "Passengers who require acute medical treatment and hospitalization will be transported to health care facilities in California," officials said. California residents among the passengers who don't require immediate treatment are set to be taken to a thus-far unspecified "federally-run isolation facility" in California. Those passengers who are not California residents "will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states," OES officials added. On CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said the government was "still working" to determine which federal facilities would be used to quarantine the Grand Princess passengers. The ship is carrying more than 3,500 passengers and crew, and thus far a total of 19 crew and two passengers have tested positive for coronavirus, Vice President Mike Pence said at a news conference Saturday. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. #8 RE: Gathering Egreat A5/A10Pro/A8Pro/A11/A13 models Feedback / 08-03-2020 11:35 - , - , . DiGiPulse.ru | - VK. . : Dear Egreat fans , Due to the spreading Corona-Virus around the world . Here is some advise we would like to share it with you guys to fight with new Corona-Virus , hope it can be helpful to ALL of you :-) 1. Please spend more time to stay at home ; 2. Avoid any kind of contact to strangers ; 3. Always keep distance with people , at least more than 1 Meters ; 4. Wash your hand more times ; 5. Always keep your masks on when you are out ; 6. Get more disinfectant at your home ; 7. Get more indoor exercise when you stay at home ; This should be help to prevent new virus . Thanks to our government , China is getting better every days , wish you the same with us . If you guys need any help , Egreat always here with you :-) Best regards . Richard & Egreat Teams , . - , - , . DiGiPulse.ru | - VK. . ( 08-03-2020 11:44 .) Investigators on Sunday recreated the crime scene along with accused Shahrukh Pathan at Maujpur in northeast Delhi where he had allegedly opened fire during the recent communal violence in the area, police said. The crime branch of Delhi Police, probing the murder cases registered during the riots, tried to find empty shells at the spot, officials said. Pathan, 23, whose picture showing him pointing a gun at an unarmed policeman during the violent clashes went viral on social media, was arrested on March 3 from Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district. A court here sent him to police remand for four days that ended on Saturday, following which the court sent him to three more days' police custody. Police have registered a case against Pathan under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act. On Friday, the pistol that he pointed at a police official during the communal violence was recovered from his house, according to police. On Saturday, the UP Police arrested in Shamli district an alleged drug trafficker who is suspected to have helped Pathan in escaping to Haryana after the riots. In the viral video, Pathan, a resident of northeast Delhi's Ghonda, could be seen pointing his pistol at the policeman on the Jaffrabad-Maujpur road on February 24. The good quality semi-automatic pistol used by Pathan was bought from Munger in Bihar, according to police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea has released more than 3,600 people quarantined over the new coronavirus, reports said Sunday, as the disease spread to 95 countries with over 100,000 cases worldwide. Pyongyang has imposed strict restrictions and closed its borders to try to prevent an outbreak -- and insists it has not had a single case of COVID-19. Around 3,650 people quarantined in Kangwon and Chagang provinces were released as of Thursday, North Korea's state radio reported according to Yonhap agency. It follows official KCNA agency stating on Friday 221 out of 380 foreigners who were under "strict medical monitoring" had been discharged from isolation. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned last month of "serious consequences" if the virus reaches his country, which has banned tourists and suspended international trains and flights. Pyongyang, subject to multiple international sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, has a weak medical infrastructure and analysts say prevention is its only option. Kim sent a personal letter to President Moon Jae-in on Thursday to "comfort" South Koreans fighting the coronavirus outbreak raging in the country. South Korea -- which reported 93 new cases on Sunday -- has the largest number of cases in the world outside China with 7,134. Two more people died, bringing the death toll to 50, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of coronavirus cases has risen worldwide to more than 100,000, with 3,500 dead across 95 nations and territories. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) To get to the other side. Thats why on March 7, 1965, John Lewis and Rev. Hosea Williams led 600 people out of Brown Chapel, in Selma, Ala., and toward the Edmund Pettus Bridge, which they planned to cross in a march to Montgomery. To get to the other side. Lewis was the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, or SNCC, and Williams was on the staff of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Martin Luther King Jr.-led organization which had, in January, begun a campaign in Selma for voting rights. On this Bloody Sunday, King was in Atlanta as the marchers silently approached the crest of the bridge where they were confronted with state troopers and police. Told to disperse, the marchers, still silent, stood their ground. The troopers slowly advanced before charging and assaulting the marchers with clubs and tear gas. Among the injured was Lewis whose skull was fractured, just one of the many beatings hed receive as a young civil rights leader fighting to get to the other side. The civil rights movement was about people trying to get to the other side of the second-class citizenship to which theyd been confined. The Selma campaign succeeded in leading to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. During the 2008 presidential race, Lewis, by then a congressman, said, Barack Obama is what comes at the end of that bridge in Selma. He wasnt only referring to Obamas unimaginable ascent to the White House but of all things possible when blacks arent barred from the ballot box. On Feb. 29, black voters in South Carolina revived Joe Bidens presidential campaign so energetically as to propel him to Super Tuesday dominance and overtake Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders as front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination. That black voters, especially older black voters, may be carrying Biden to victory has bewildered and angered supporters of other candidates, specifically those of Sanders, who have gone on social media to dismiss these voters as centrist, establishment, ignorant of their own self-interests and low-information voters. This would be laughable if it werent so insulting to generations of Americans who shed and lost lives for the right to vote. This was the Emmett Till Generation of African Americans, who were teenagers during the 1950s and who saw what was done to one of their peers, were haunted by pictures of his battered and bloated corpse but still risked their lives to move this nation to the other side of its racism and violence. The fondness many black voters have for Biden for serving by the side of the nations first black president isnt so strong they wouldnt abandon him if given the option of a stronger candidate to take on President Donald Trump. But as his campaign stumbled through the first months, none of the other candidates convinced these voters that they could do the one thing which matters most to them: defeating Trump. Black voters went with Biden, not because they agree with him on all issues or have forgotten about votes harmful to them, but because they believe hes the best vehicle to get this nation to the other side of a toxic, vindictive and destructive presidency, to a place that resembles normalcy. They understand that if ever there were a presidential election that isnt about policy but values, that isnt about where you stand on a specific issue but where you stand on preserving our democratic institutions, its this one. Two events are associated with the Selma campaign, Bloody Sunday and the triumphant march from Selma to Montgomery from March 21-25, 1965. But something happened in between. On March 7, in the aftermath of the attack on Lewis, Williams and the other marchers, U.S. District Judge Frank Johnson, concerned about their safety, issued an injunction against another such march. The next day, King, whod issued a call for clergy to come to Selma, led 2,000 people, a third of them white, to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, which was again blocked by troops. King led the marchers in prayer, but not wanting to violate the injunction, turned around and led them back to Brown Chapel. It wasnt a revolutionary or progressive decision by King and earned him the scorn of many, especially SNCC members, who thought it cowardly to turn around and a retreat from principle. King wanted to cross the bridge that day but knew the attempt would endanger lives and the cause. On March 17, Johnson ruled in favor of the marchers and, four days later, they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge to begin the five-day, 54-mile march to Montgomery. The word citizen has no greater meaning and commands, no higher obligation, than it does when we vote and are politically engaged. There will be more bridges to cross to get to November and beyond. Walk together, children. Dont you get weary. Cary.Clack@express-news.net Banks, state governments and superannuation funds are among those calling on the federal government to pay super on paid parental leave amid new data showing the gender super gap almost triples before the average woman turns 40. At the age of 25, the average woman has 9.1 per cent less in super than her male counterpart, but by the time she turns 39, the gap has grown to 24.6 per cent. Paying the super guarantee on paid parental leave has been suggested by several groups. Credit:Louise Kennerley This sharp divide only worsens later in life, with the gap peaking for average workers aged 55 to 59 years old at 40.4 per cent, the research from Industry Super Australia shows, leaving men retiring with $90,000 more in their super on average. Women in Super, Industry Super Australia, AMP, COTA Australia, the Financial Services Council, the Victorian government, the West Australian government, Maurice Blackburn lawyers, the Australian Council of Trade Unions and Chief Executive Women are among those who have called on the federal government to consider requiring the super guarantee to be part of paid parental leave in submissions to the retirement income review. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Its down to two old white guys for the Democratic presidential nomination: Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. Not the look that the party of inclusion had in mind for the year 2020, but it is what it is. The voters have spoken. Sen. Elizabeth Warren dropped out of the race the other day, following a disastrous showing on Super Tuesday. Warren didnt win a single contest, and even finished third in her home state of Massachusetts. Warrens departure shone a light on the fact that the women who sought the Democratic presidential nomination this year are now out of the ring. Except for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, even though some like to conveniently forget about her. Gabbard has taken shots at Hillary Clinton in the past, so the Hawaii congresswoman isnt somebody that establishment Dems can champion. Gabbard isnt the right kind of female Democratic presidential candidate. She simply wont do. Warren leaving the race led House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others to say that there was an element of misogyny to it all. Even Warren alluded to as much. Really? Warren couldnt even win her home state in the primaries. Are all those enlightened, liberal Massachusetts Democrats sexist at heart? If you cant deliver your own home state in an election, theres something seriously wrong. And it goes way beyond gender. Also conveniently forgotten is that Warren was actually the frontrunner in this race for a while, but then got knocked back to earth when she couldnt really explain how she was going to pay for her universal health care plan. Or how she was going to pay for universal day care either. Sanders is going to find himself in the same predicament once Biden gets a hold of him in the next debate. One thing Warren had going for her was her utter demolition of Mike Bloomberg during the debates. Bloomberg was the absolute perfect target for Warren: A billionaire with a spotty past on crime and womens issues. Bloomberg had no answer for Warrens broadsides. He looked positively unprepared. But it didnt help Warren on Super Tuesday. Bloomberg actually did win something that night, even if it was the low-voltage American Samoa caucus, while Warren walked away empty-handed. There were also high hopes for Sen. Kamala Harris of California early in the campaign. And Harris did get a look after smacking down Biden on busing during a debate. But Harris bounce didnt last. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota couldnt break through either, even though she lasted longer than a lot of people thought she would. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Marianne Williamson were pretty much non-starters from the beginning. Playing the knee-jerk sexism card puts Dems in the bad position of scolding their own voters. Much in the way that establishment Dems are sticking spears in Bernie Sanders supporters. Its a good way to alienate the people that youre going to need in the fall against President Donald Trump. It also doesnt take into account the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate and their campaigns. And have Pelosi and the rest forgotten that the party nominated Hillary Clinton four years ago? While some may not have voted for Clinton in the general election because of her gender or because of negative preconceived notions about her, that shouldnt cloud the fact that Hillary was a lousy candidate who lost to an eminently beatable opponent. Clinton could never articulate an overall message to voters; failed to sense the populist winds that were boosting Sanders and Trump that year, and she didnt campaign in important battleground states. Blame the candidate and the staff before you blame gender. If Dems didnt vote for women for president this year, party leaders should just ask them why. They might learn something. KYODO NEWS - Mar 8, 2020 - 21:35 | All, Japan Many of Japan's local governments are concerned about a shortage of volunteer interpreters and translators to support foreign residents and tourists during times of disaster, having made limited progress in addressing the issue highlighted by natural disasters in recent years, a survey showed Sunday. Disasters including massive floods triggered by typhoons last year have exposed a difficulty in having enough language professionals to assist non-Japanese speakers as the country promotes inbound tourism to boost the economy and draws more foreign workers to alleviate the labor shortage. (Photo taken Feb. 28, 2020 shows Duong Hong Phong, a Vietnamese studying in Japan, showing an emergency mail he received when a major typhoon hit eastern Japan in October 2019.) In the Kyodo News survey of all 47 prefectures, 70 percent of them said they are short of registered volunteer linguists to provide safety, relief services and other important information in different languages. Of the 47 prefectural governments, 32 said they expect to see a shortage of Vietnamese interpreters and translators. Japan has seen a sharp rise in Vietnamese residents in recent years due to an increase in technical intern trainees from the Southeast Asian country. The number of Vietnamese living in Japan stood at about 370,000 as of June 2019, rising over fourfold in five years largely due to more Japanese companies entering the fast-growing Vietnamese market and resulting in increased interest in Japan among young people. Government-affiliated foundations, which work with prefectures to promote international relations at local levels, make volunteering arrangements with people who speak foreign languages. Around 8,000 foreign language volunteers are registered with the foundations across the country to offer their disaster relief services to prefectural governments. In Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo, for instance, 635 people have registered to offer English interpretation or translation and 116 for assistance in Chinese, but there are only seven Vietnamese-speaking and two Nepali-speaking volunteers. Local governments are generally in need of more Tagalog and Indonesian interpreters and translators, the survey also showed. Minoru Naito, associate professor of global studies at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies' graduate school, said prefectures need arrangements to mutually dispatch volunteers and provide interpretation though an online video system given the limited number of foreign language speakers available for disaster relief. Local governments will be better prepared if training programs are provided for such volunteers so that they can help foreigners with legal, medical and public service matters, he said. A 24-year-old man was stabbed to death after being chased outside an east London nightclub in another night of violence in the capital. Ricardo Fuller was attacked outside the club on Ilford High Street at around 5am on Saturday. He was rushed to an east London hospital where he died six hours later. A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and last night remained in custody, the Metropolitan Police confirmed. Detectives believe Mr Fuller had 'attended the club where an event was taking place.' Ricardo Fuller was attacked outside a nightclub on Ilford High Street at around 5am on Saturday (Pictured: Police at the scene) It is thought he went outside 'when he was attacked and chased' before he made his way back inside the nightclub and police were called. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: 'Police were called approximately 05:05hrs on Saturday, 7 March to reports of a man suffering stab injuries inside a nightclub in Ilford High Road. 'The victim was taken to an east London hospital for treatment; he died in hospital at 11:41hrs. Next of kin have been informed. 'A postmortem examination will be scheduled in due course.' Mr Fuller is the 19th person to be killed in the capital this year, and his death comes just days after another man died of his injuries after being stabbed while on a night out with friends in Kingston, south-west London. A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and last night remained in custody, the Metropolitan Police confirmed Detectives believe Mr Fuller had 'attended the club where an event was taking place' (Pictured: Police at the scene) Mr Fuller's death brings the number of murders in the capital up to 19 so far this year Archie Beston, 19, was attacked in the early hours of February 29 outside a John Lewis department store. He was taken to hospital suffering from a stab injury but was pronounced dead on Friday. A 20-year-old man charged with possession of points and blades and affray, and another man, also 20, charged with causing grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving are due to appear at Kingston Crown Court on March 26 in connection with the stabbing. Archie Beston, 19, died on Friday after he was attacked in the early hours of February 29 in Kingston An 18-year-old man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder has been bailed. Detective Chief Inspector Helen Rance said: 'Archie's family have been left utterly devastated by the sudden loss of their son, who was very much loved and had his whole life ahead of him. 'We know that there are a number of people who witnessed the incident outside John Lewis in Kingston on the early hours on Saturday morning. 'I am urging anyone who has any information or mobile phone footage to come forward so we can identify those who committed this horrendous attack.' The head of the Met's south-west basic command unit Sally Benatar said: 'This is a senseless and tragic loss of a young life and my thoughts are with Archie's family and friends at this very sad time. 'We are determined to work with our communities and local partners to do everything we can to take weapons off the streets of south west London and to prevent violence in all its forms.' "For Scripture says, 'Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,' and 'the worker deserves his wages.'" From the Christian Bible, 1 Timothy 5:18 (New International Version). By Deauwand Myers In other words, workers deserve fair wages for their labor. Seems the ancient world was far ahead of Marx some 2,500 years ago. More on that later. The burgeoning pandemic of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) sweeping the planet, but particularly in China, Korea and Japan, has laid bare some hard truths about how societies behave and governments deal with crises. Autocracies like China, quasi-fascist dictatorships like North Korea, and advanced democracies like Korea, Japan, and America don't seem well-equipped to competently deal with pandemics. Though China has the political might to shut down entire provinces, and Japan and Korea have sophisticated, universal healthcare systems, institutions meant to handle biomedical emergencies on a national scale aren't as well-organized and funded as they should be. China's response is the most maddening. You'd think after SARS, (also originating from Chinese wet markets, where exotic animals are illegally caught, caged and sold for food) the government would have thoroughly banned the re-creation of said markets. Under President Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist Party has created a vast and sophisticated police state, mainly used to suppress political dissent and enforce "harmony." With that amount of resources, why can't the government apply that same security apparatus to the safeguarding of the Chinese food and drug supply? Two reasons: First, the party and Xi are shortsighted. Xi's priorities are more about burnishing his ego as the supreme leader (even outlawing Winnie the Pooh because people joked Xi resembles the cartoon character) and consolidating the party's political power. This shortsightedness is obvious: What's more disharmonious to a society than allowing an environment where new viruses can spread, basically shutting down the global economy and causing thousands, and potentially millions, of sicknesses and death? Worse, is it not destabilizing to hide this virus's spread from the Chinese population and the world community? Secondly, even Xi has admitted that too many Chinese people believe in the naked pursuit of wealth above all else. This has created millions of people who seek profits regardless of the consequences. Poisoning baby formula, adulterating meat products, and the ravaging of China's natural environment are just some of the more recent examples. Police states and the pursuit of wealth just don't mix. Back to 1 Timothy 5:18. Just like in China, Korea, Japan, lots of other countries have discovered what I've said for years: Working hard is a sham. Koreans are discovering that working 60 or 80 hours a week for a meager salary and little time to enjoy life is unbalanced and cruel. The work culture in Korea is particularly brutal, as it is in Japan and Mexico, which have the longest work hours of any advanced democracy, coupled with low participation in paid vacation. America though, fetishizes working hard in ways these other countries do not. The "gig economy," where everyone is contracted out with no benefits, unreliable work hours, and so a person must cobble together jobs to eke out a living, is hailed as some great boon for the American economy. That's a lie. Now that this novel coronavirus has broken the work cycle in many countries, the East Asian countries and America have to wrestle with some uncomfortable, but necessary questions. For all the gig economy and hourly workers with only inconsistent, non-unionized sources of income, what do all those people do for money if they have to abstain from being a Lyft driver or line cook or waitress? With no benefits, how do they cover health costs if they have contracted the coronavirus, or a family member does? If schools close down in America, as they already have in most of Korea and Japan, what do the parents do for childcare if they are still working? Will one parent stay home? What about single parents? Will they have to choose to take care of their child or pay rent and buy food? At least Korea has universal healthcare; America infamously does not. Korea has a modicum of paid paternal and maternal and sick leave mandated by the state. But after that paid leave is exhausted, then what? How long will the world be under quarantine? This virus has taught us a few things, not least of which: The social safety net is thin in Korea and laughable in America. It exposes that working hard does not equal financial security. It never has. The neoliberal ideals of turning every person into a private corporation, and diminishing the coffers of the state for individual wealth works great for the few, not the many, and not for anyone when major crises emerge. There needs to be a balance, and ordinary folks need to stop being worked to death. Deauwand Myers (deauwand@hotmail.com) holds a master's degree in English literature and literary theory, and is an English professor outside Seoul. The love story of Miryalguda couple Amrutha and Pranay which ended in tragedy after the father of girl, Maruthi Rao, hired contract killers to eliminate Dalit son-in-law took an interesting turn on Sunday. Maruthi Rao, the prime accused in the murder of 24-year-old Dalit boy Pranay in Miryalguda, was found dead inside a room at Arya Vaishya Bhavan in Hyderabad. The police who found him dead in the room suspect suicide. However, they are not concluding anything yet and probing the reason for his arrival to Hyderabad. The body was sent to Osmania Hospital in Hyderabad for post mortem. It may be recalled that Maruthi Rao, the deceased had paid Rs 1 crore to contract killers to get rid of Pranay, who hailed from Dalit community. Maruthi Rao was against his daughter Amrutha marrying Pranay. Pranay was killed just outside the hospital where the couple had gone to get a check-up done on Amrutha, who was pregnant at the time. The police had named eight people in the chargesheet including Maruthi Rao. Media men were quick to rush to Amrutha to get her reaction on her father's death. A calm and composed Amrutha told the press that she had cut off all communication with her father since the murder of her husband. She also said that the she learnt about her father's demise only through the media and was waiting for confirmation from her relatives before she could offer any more comments. These are difficult days. At times, it feels like the world is shuddering to a halt. There are fewer people as I wind my way to and from work every day and night on public transport. The high street where I work is quieter than it has been for a long time and local restaurants are lucky to be half full. We seem to be edging ever closer to inevitable lockdown, confined to our homes while waiting for the coronavirus hurricane to abate. It's hardly a backdrop from which to wax lyrical about investments and talk about wealth building, but I'm going to give it a go so persevere with me. The coronavirus has caused the FTSE to nosedive but Jeff Prestridge argues there are bargains to be found First, the bad news. However you look at it, there is no doubt that coronavirus is going to impact adversely on our economy and the wider global market. Company earnings are going to fall and profits will be trimmed and in some cases coronavirus will be the straw that finally breaks the camel's back. For sure, airline Flybe will not be the only corporate casualty, although some experts say the airline was a basket case long before the virus wrapped its evil claws around the globe. Other companies large and small are likely to fall by the wayside despite assurances from the Government in the past few days that it will do all it can to help business through the difficult months ahead, including the provision of 'emergency loans'. We will probably learn a lot more about the Government's plans on Wednesday when new Chancellor, Rishi Sunak presents the Budget please, Chancellor, no tax increases. Markets all over the world are in the red thanks to the coronavirus scares Yet, according to the experts, coronavirus is unlikely to be with us for long, peaking in May and June. Maybe then the economy will move into recovery mode and by this time next year we will have moved on. I do hope so. For investors with Isas and self-invested personal pensions, coronavirus has already impacted on their wealth, triggering sharp falls in stock markets, not only here but in Asia and the United States. And according to some commentators, further corrections cannot be ruled out maybe, 20 per cent from here. Yet, no one really knows. For every investment bear, there is an investment bull. According to a straw poll by wealth manager Interactive Investor, most investors (53 per cent) are currently taking the falls on the proverbial chin and leaving their portfolios untouched. Only 10 per cent have so far reduced their exposure to equities and gone into cash. The Asian markets were even worse hit by the news as the virus disrupted supply chains For those investing for the long-term in other words, most of us weathering the storm is the best way forward. As Peter Hargreaves, co-founder of wealth manager Hargreaves Lansdown said last week, timing the market selling high and then buying back when it has reached the bottom is 'invariably pure luck'. 'Time,' he added, 'is far more important than timing in investment.' In other words, it's better to be in the market for the long term rather than constantly diving in and out. The interesting slice of Interactive Investor's research is that 35 per cent of its investors have been exploiting market falls to buy shares, investment trusts and investment funds that are significantly cheaper than a week ago. It's a brave strategy, but it shouldn't be discounted. Investment fund managers often use stock market corrections to buy equities that they like on the 'cheap'. It's a tactic that veteran fund manager Colin Morton, of investment house Franklin Templeton, has been using in recent days (see opposite). He's been adding to stakes in companies he knows will come out of the other end of the coronavirus crisis the likes of Legal & General that reported some impressive 2019 results last week, BP and Shell. Interestingly, he hasn't sold a single holding within his fund just used any cash within the fund and money coming in from new investors to buy more equity exposure. Of course, it's not Mr Morton's personal wealth he is risking, although he does have money tied up in the fund. But as Ben Yearsley, a director of Shore Financial Planning, told me last week: 'It might seem nerve-racking seeing your investments fall sharply but that is part and parcel of long-term investing. Embrace the dips and use them to buy into the market.' So, do a 'Morton' a strategy most investment managers are currently employing. One of the best ways for investors to pick up stock market bargains is to invest in quality investment trusts. Listed on the stock market, these vehicles are invested in a portfolio of shares, so offer investors diversification. They are managed by some of the best investment brands in the country the likes of Aberdeen Standard Life, Baillie Gifford, JP Morgan and Janus Henderson. Also, investment charges do not tend to bite too deeply into investor returns. Some have also been around since time immemorial or as Annabel Brodie-Smith of the Association of Investment Companies more eloquently puts it: 'Some investment trusts have survived two world wars, the Great Depression, the bursting of the technology bubble in 2000, the 2008 financial crisis and continue to help investors meet their needs.' Well said. What makes some of these trusts more appealing now is that their share prices do not reflect the value of their underlying assets essentially a result of falling stock markets and the fact that more investors have been selling shares in these trusts than purchasing them. The technical term is that the shares of these trusts stand at a 'discount' to the value of the underlying assets. Bigger discounts than for a long time. When markets bounce back (fingers crossed), investors in these trusts should not only benefit from the rise in share prices, but from a narrowing of these discounts. A form of performance top-up. Opposite are six investment trusts that currently sit at a discount, have meaty assets under management of more than 500million, have been around for more than 30 years (reassuring) and have solid long-term investment records. Long term, they should not let you down, but there will be many bumps along the way, especially over the coming weeks and months. So, for Bravehearts only and to be held as part of a broadly diversified investment portfolio... jeff.prestridge@mailonsunday.co.uk Scottish Mortgage Managed by: Baillie Gifford Current share price: 5.69 Stock market code: BLDYK61 Annual total charge: 0.37% Investment performance over One month One year Five years 3.5% +20.7% +143% Why you should consider it: This 8.8billion trust, a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index, invests in high growth companies from across the globe most are listed but some are unquoted. Its investment record is exemplary. Jason Hollands, of wealth manager Tilney, says the trust is a 'stellar performer' and has 'very low ongoing charges'. Latest price and charts Murray International Managed by: Aberdeen Standard Life Current share price: 10.46 Stock market code: 0611190 Annual total charge: 0.69% Investment performance over One month One year Five years 11.6% 5.4% +30.6% Why you should consider it: This 1.4billion trust, like Scottish Mortgage, is invested worldwide and has been around for more than 100 years. Dzmitry Lipski, head of investment research at Interactive Investor, describes the trust as 'high quality' and likes the fact that it provides an attractive income, equivalent to 4.8 per cent a year. He adds: 'In times of stock market volatility, investors are often reminded of the fact that boring can be beautiful. Global investment trusts such as Murray International wear that boring label very well.' Latest price and charts Henderson Smaller Companies Managed by: Janus Henderson Current share price: 8.81 Stock market code: 0906506 Annual total charge: 0.42% Investment performance over One month One year Five years 16.7% +8.0% +74.3% Why you should consider it: The fund has seen its share price fall sharply in response to the potential economic impact stemming from coronavirus. But Interactive Investor says it remains one of its 'super 60' rated funds. Lipski says: 'The trust has a well-diversified portfolio of more than 100 holdings and represents a good long-term pick.' It also provides a half-decent income, equivalent to just under 2.5 per cent. Lipski warns the trust's share price could suffer short term if the outlook for the UK economy deteriorates markedly. Latest price and charts Ballie Gifford Japan Managed by: Baillie Gifford Current share price: 6.61 Stock market code: 0048583 Annual total charge: 0.7% Investment performance over One month One year Five years 16.4% -9.1% +54.2% Why you should consider it: The Japanese stock market has been badly hit by fallout from coronavirus, resulting in trusts invested in Japan experiencing sharp price falls. Baillie Japan has not escaped this, seeing its share price fall 14 per cent over the past month. Laura Suter, personal finance analyst at wealth manager AJ Bell, says the trust is 'not for the risk-averse' but is well run with the managers carrying out meticulous research including company visits before making investments. Familiar trust holdings include Sony, SoftBank and research company M3. Latest price and charts Finsbury Growth & Income Managed by: Lindsell Train Current share price: 7.98 Stock market code: 0781606 Annual total charge: 0.66% Investment performance over One month One year Five years 10.7% +3.3% +52.4% Why you should consider it: Run by Nick Train a long-established fund manager this 1.7 billion trust invests in UK equities. Top holdings include drinks giant Diageo, luxury goods company Burberry and Unilever. Jason Hollands, of wealth manager Tilney, says Train has a 'fantastic track record' as an investment manager. With the shares down more than 9 per cent over the last month, he says they represent a 'buy'. Latest price and charts By Trend Iran is to open a new hospital with 137 beds in Langeroud County in Gilan Province due to the increasing spread coronavirus in the country's northern province, said a Langeroud MP. "Coronavirus is spreading more rapidly in Gilan Province, comparing to other provinces. There should be more facilities to control and fight the disease," said Mehrdad Baouj Lahouti, Trend reports citing ILNA. The current human sources are not sufficient for fighting the coronavirus spread in the province and the health minister should send more doctors to Gilan, he said. There are not enough nurses and hospital staff to provide services and current forces are not able to do more since hospitals are full, added Lahouti. "We seek to open a hospital in Langeroud County in next two weeks or 10 days. The hospital was previously expected to be inaugurated in Fajr ceremony in February," he said. The MP said that currently there is only one hospital in the county. "Equipment is being transferred to the new hospital called "Shahid Hosseinpour" and half of the equipment has already been installed, he said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners to check the spread of coronavirus, officials said on Sunday. Foreigners require PAPs to enter the state that shares a border with China. Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar directed all PAP issuing authorities to suspend the issue of permits till further orders, they said. "It is learnt that Covid-19 positive cases have been detected in India and the numbers have been increasing. It is also learnt that the spread of the coronavirus in India is primarily from visitors who had history of travelling abroad recently or through tourists who have visited India," the government order said. "In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) in Arunachal Pradesh, it has been decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permit (PAP)...," it added. The move comes days after Sikkim announced similar curbs on visit of foreigners. The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has also shut its borders to foreign visitors for two weeks in an effort to limit the impact of the disease. The virus that first emerged in China in December last year has spread to 97 countries and has infected 102,180 people, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker. More than 3,500 people have been killed due to the virus so far. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Born out of the contentious debate over same-sex marriage, the religious discrimination bill was always going to attract its fair share of attention. The Morrison government has now released two drafts of the bill and, based on the response from a broad array of groups, appears no closer to finding the right balance. Much of the bill is reasonable and follows existing laws against discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age and disability. It follows such precedents as prohibiting discrimination against a person because of their religious belief in such cases as being denied employment because, for example, they are Muslim or Buddhist. But then, in a remarkable about-face, the same bill sets about giving religious organisations and individuals the ability to override such precedents so long as it's in good faith with their doctrines, tenets, beliefs or teachings, including the right to discriminate against someone to avoid injury to the religious susceptibilities of adherents to the religion. Attorney-General Christian Porter said last year he was convinced about the "achievability" of passing a religious discrimination bill. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Human rights groups lambasted specific provisions that protect a person making discriminatory comments under the shield of it being a genuine "statement of belief". They also took aim at the move to diminish the ability of larger companies to restrict employees expressing their beliefs outside of work clearly a nod to the controversy ignited by Israel Folau's inflammatory remarks on gay people and the extension of rights for health professionals to conscientiously object to providing health services on religious grounds. Participants in the action demanded that Parliament ratified the Istanbul Convention, and advocated for gender equality in society. The "Women's March" rally has been held at the Mykhailivska Square in Kyiv. The rally is held on International Women's Day, March 8, for the third year in a row. As stated on the event page on Facebook, the participants in the rally demand that Parliament ratify the Istanbul Convention, and advocate for gender equality in society. "Ukraine has done a lot in the field of criminalizing domestic violence, but the adoption of laws has not completely solved the main problem the systematic use of violence against women and children, and in many cases police inaction. That is why we are on the march. To make the government hear about our problems, ratify the Istanbul Convention, and reduce the number of violent crimes, ensuring proper law enforcement response and protection of victims," the report said. Read alsoZelensky congratulates women on March 8 Participants are carrying posters saying "Discrimination is expensive," "Different but equal," "Women must be equally represented in power," and others. More than 1,000 people are registered for the march. The Istanbul Convention is an international treaty Ukraine signed back in 2011. It imposes various obligations on the government to criminalize violence against women and domestic violence, prosecute offenders and offenders, protect victims, oblige law enforcement to respond to various forms of violence, and educate citizens about the inadmissibility of violence. At the same time, international bodies, in particular the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), as well as the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, are entitled to monitor the implementation of the said Convention. First Lt. Hugh Conor McDowell was following protocol when he told his light armored vehicle driver to leave the road where they were training on a California base and head into the nearby six-foot-tall grass. It's a tactic officers learn at the Light Armored Reconnaissance Leaders Course. The threat of improvised explosive devices is higher along roadways, and Marines can make use of vegetation to camouflage their vehicles. McDowell, a 24-year-old platoon commander, and six other Marines in the vehicle were participating in a May 2019 training exercise at Camp Pendleton, California. The lieutenant was standing in one of the vehicle's turrets to help guide his driver and spot mock enemy fighters who might be lurking nearby. But the grass was thick, and the private first class driving the eight-wheeled vehicle slowed to a walking pace, struggling to see more than a few feet in front of him. When he hit the brake pedal after another Marine told him to stop, it was already too late. The 12-ton vehicle was already rolling, pinning and killing McDowell as it flipped. The Marines got no warning that a virtually invisible, two-story drop was hidden in the thick vegetation. There were no signs on the training range alerting them it was there, and the maps they used to prepare for the exercise did not reference the potential danger. Related: Army Chief: Seat Belts Could Have Prevented Soldier Deaths in Military Vehicle Accidents Michael McDowell, the lieutenant's father, said action must be taken to improve safety on military training ranges. His son was one of at least 15 troops killed in vehicle training accidents last year. "We are seeking safety measures, which do not at all -- I repeat at all -- affect preparedness or readiness," he said. "... We are spending billions and billions on drones, missiles, planes, ships, et cetera, but the very small budget stuff -- range safety, vehicle reliability, driver training -- are neglected. "It makes absolutely no sense." Kimberly Weaver, whose 20-year-old son, Army Spc. Nicholas Panipinto, died from injuries after his Bradley Fighting Vehicle rolled on flat ground in South Korea in November, agrees. Panipinto's accident occurred just two weeks after another service member, Marine Pfc. Christian Bautista, was killed in a separate vehicle training mishap in Bridgeport, California. More must be done to prevent the "100% avoidable" accidents, she said. "[Nicholas] always wanted to fight for his country," Weaver said. "... He's going to be incredibly missed. He was not just my son, but my best friend and my soulmate. We grew up together. "It's very difficult, and I just can't let anyone sweep this under the rug." A Mandated Probe The Government Accountability Office is in the midst of a sweeping Army- and Marine Corps-wide investigation into vehicle training deaths. The probe was mandated by Congress after Michael McDowell, his wife and his son's fiancee, Kathleen Isabel Rose Bourque, lobbied members of Congress to dig into the troubling trend of military rollover deaths. Instead of finalizing details for the September 2019 wedding Bourque and McDowell were planning in Maryland, the Marine's fiancee was scouring military news sites to create a database of the accidents dating back to 2012. Every time a new headline hit about another service member dying in a vehicle training accident, she said she relived the moment she learned of McDowell's death. The family began meeting with members of Congress and their staffs to push for action to prevent the tragic mishaps. "We need people from both sides of the aisle to actually recognize this systemic problem and try to find a damn solution so it can end," Bourque said. "Because I will tell you: Every single time I see one of those articles come up online that another person has been killed in a rollover, it rips my heart out, because I am brought back to that very first day when I found out my lover was dead." Marines with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, drive light armored vehicles during Deep Strike II in River Valley, California, Sept. 13, 2017. (Cpl. Justin Huffty/Marine Corps) Cary Russell, director of the defense capabilities and management team at the Government Accountability Office, said they're looking into military-wide policies on vehicle safety and analysis, how accident data is collected and reviewed, and how training ranges are inspected for safety, among other topics. Since the review, which began in October, is ongoing, Russell could not disclose the types of vehicles they're investigating or the specific installations they're visiting. The Army and Marine Corps have been cooperative throughout the process, he added. Russell's office serves as an independent government watchdog. The work its doing now is similar to the investigation it conducted after a spike in military aviation deaths following the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. First Lt. Hugh C. McDowell, 24, died on Thursday during a vehicle accident at Camp Pendleton, Calif. McDowell was a platoon commander with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. (Marine Corps) Congress responded by pouring money into preventing aviation accidents, which rose 40% between 2013 and 2017, resulting in the deaths of 133 troops, a report by Military Times found last year. Michael McDowell said Congress can't wait until the GAO's report on ground-vehicle mishaps is complete to act. "We don't need to wait until the fall when the inquiry is over and the report is published and Congress gets it and we get it and there are hearings," McDowell's father said. "That takes time. There are people dying in between." The McDowells and Bourque have worked closely with Rep. John Garamendi, a California Democrat who chairs the House Armed Services subcommittee on readiness. Garamendi's office did not respond to a request for comment by press time, but Russell said he was one of several lawmakers to request the GAO investigation. Garamendi told CBS News last month that the military needs to know that members of Congress are watching how they address vehicle rollovers and other accidents. "We're not just letting this go," he said. 'Absolutely Infuriating' Many of the recent investigations into military vehicle accidents that killed service members remain out of public view, including the one that killed Panipinto in South Korea. That makes it difficult to know what recommendations were made to prevent similar mishaps and whether military leaders have acted on them. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville told lawmakers this week his service is committed to preventing fatal mishaps. "We cannot have that many accidents, and we cannot lose soldiers in training," he said. Many casualties from tactical vehicle rollover accidents could have been prevented if soldiers had been wearing their seat belts, he added. As the Army gets back to using large vehicles for ground maneuvers, it requires renewed training on tactics many haven't used before, McConville said. Weaver, Panipinto's mom, said she wants to see young soldiers tasked with driving Army vehicles getting more simulator training before they're operating them in real-world situations. She also wants the military to look at possible redesigns for vehicles with high rollover rates. Troops deserve better training, she said, and the military must ensure anyone operating vehicles is licensed to do so. Her son was in the Army for less than two years at the time of his death, and didn't have a lot of experience driving the vehicle he was in at the time of the accident. "Every time I would talk to him, he would be doing everything other than training," she said. "As I research these deaths, it is a common similarity that the others hadn't been enlisted for long either." Panipinto had to be medically evacuated to a nearby base since there was no hospital on his installation. Weaver said she'd like to see training done on bases that at least have trauma-level facilities and blood banks. Army Spc. Nicholas C. Panipinto, 20, died on Nov. 6, 2019, from injuries sustained when a Bradley Fighting Vehicle overturned at Camp Humphreys. (U.S. Army photo) And like Michael McDowell, Weaver said vehicle maintenance likely needs attention. Marine Corps officials say several training changes have been made in the aftermath of the LAV accident that killed McDowell. That investigation recommends crews get appropriate maps and imagery of the areas in which they're training and that 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion continue rehearsing rollover drills. The investigation findings should also be briefed to the light-armored reconnaissance community, it states, so Marines can learn from it. Officials with 1st Marine Division, McDowell's parent command, and Training and Education Command, which oversees training for Marines Corps-wide, did not respond to questions by press time about whether those recommendations were implemented. The families of Panipinto and McDowell are committed to pressing military and congressional leaders to help prevent other fatalities. "He shouldn't be dead," Bourque said of McDowell. "There is absolutely no reason that Conor should be dead. His birthday is on March 11 -- he should be turning 25. You know what I'm going to be doing? I'm going to be going to Arlington [National Cemetery's] section 57. "It's absolutely infuriating," she added. Both families remember the Marine and soldier as patriots determined to serve. They joined the military to fight for their countries, Weaver said, and shouldn't have died in training. "There are so many families going through this ... and it feels like nothing is being done," she said. "We need to band together." Bourque said she'll do whatever she can to prevent other families from experiencing training deaths. "I'm never going to stop fighting for Conor," she said. "I promised him, 'I will always fight for you. I will always fight for us. I will always protect you. I will always protect us.' I couldn't protect him then, and I don't know if I can protect him now. "But I'll be damned if I can't protect somebody else." -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Read more: Training Not to Blame for String of Fatal Vehicle Rollovers, Marines Say A top Italian doctor has admitted the coronavirus outbreak has driven his countrys hospitals to the brink of collapse and warned colleagues in other nations not to underestimate the threat. The doctor, a leading cancer specialist, described how Italian hospitals are crowded with sick people and struggling to cope, sparking fears the NHS will also soon become overwhelmed. The NHS has the lowest number of hospital beds per 1,000 people of any European country, prompting concerns intensive care units and general wards will quickly be swamped if there is a large influx of coronavirus patients. The viruss death toll in Italy leapt to 233 yesterday after the largest daily increase in fatalities since the outbreak began. Italian healthcare staff of the infectious diseases department of the Padova Hospital wear protective suits and face masks as they swab people waiting in line in front of a Civil Protection tent due to the Covid 19 Coronavirus outbreak A view of tents near the Padua Hospital that will be used for patients hits by Coronavirus (Covid-19), in Padova, Italy Officials said 49 people had died in 24 hours, while more than 4,600 cases have been reported in total. Alarmingly, doctors in Italy report that about ten per cent of those testing positive for the disease are being admitted to intensive care units, putting immense pressure on the hospitals. In a stark email to colleagues across Europe, the doctor, who wishes to remain anonymous, wrote: It is true that most patients have flu-like symptoms and recover, but there is a significant proportion not only old people who develop acute unexpected severe respiratory distress requiring breath assistance and intubation [inserting an airway tube]. The doctor said he first thought the Italian government over-reacted to coronavirus, but that almost all the intensive care beds in the Milan region were now filled with virus patients, so that other normal medical conditions cannot be adequately managed. Hospitals are crowded with sick people, while emergency rooms are empty because people are afraid to go there, he wrote, adding that outpatient visits in the regions hospitals were likely to be cancelled from tomorrow as colleagues around the country reported an alarming shortage of doctors and nurses, making them unable to cover duties and shifts. Where I work, routine surgeries for breast, kidney and colon cancers and other procedures are postponed or reduced because of the shortage of intensive care assistance, he wrote. My concern is whether and for how long our system can tolerate this. People wear medical masks as a precaution against coronavirus in central London, England on Saturday With just 2.5 hospital beds per 1,000 people, the UK lags far behind the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average of 4.3. Lifesaving equipment such as ventilators will have to be drawn in from operating theatres, while sick patients may have to be sent by ambulance to intensive care beds miles away. Dr Nick Scriven, of the Society For Acute Medicine, said: Hospital bed occupancy now rarely drops below 90 per cent so any surge will cause problems. Under the first phase of the NHSs strategy, routine operations will be cancelled to free-up beds and hospitals will open ghost wards rows of beds in areas not usually used as wards staffed with locum doctors and nurses. My worry is staff, Dr Scriven added. A large proportion of NHS staff are young with families. If schools close theyre going to have to look after their children. Theres also the risk of staff illness. But Ganesh Suntharalingam, president of the Intensive Care Society, said: The UK is starting from slightly further behind other countries because we have less intensive care beds per head of population. That means to cope, we will need to adapt. We have the hardware not necessarily in intensive care but we have life-support equipment in other areas. We will have to work flexibly with other teams to provide the right levels of care. Im confident we can achieve that. According to the official wording, flights were canceled "due to restrictions imposed by Europe for unknown reasons" AP photo The Iranian Ministry of Health has reported 49 new deaths from coronavirus in the past day, March 7. This is stated by Radio Liberty. Thus, the total number of deaths from coronavirus in Iran has reached 194. Now more than 6 500 infection cases have been confirmed in the country. IranAir, a local civilian carrier, said it canceled all flights to Europe due to "restrictions imposed by Europe for unknown reasons." Related: Ukraine has three closed versions of UIA plane crash in Iran, - official Earlier we reported that at least 210 people died from the coronavirus in Iran; four MPs and seven officials were infected. This became known from reports of the BBC, Iribnews and the New York Times. Officially, Iran claims 34 dead from coronavirus, but sources in the country's health system reported other data, BBC reports. Journalists have information about the death of at least 210 people in Iran from a coronavirus, which is six times the official statistics of the Iranian government. At the same time, the representative of the presidium of the Iranian legislative body, Asadullah Abbashi, informed Iribnews about the infection of a group of MPs. According to him, tests for coronavirus showed a positive result among several parliamentarians, but some of them should be re-tested. Therefore, the Iranian Ministry of Healthcare did not name the exact number of infected MPs. In February 2020, LeeAnne Locken announced she is leaving the Real Housewives of Dallas after four seasons to focus on her philanthropic work. Cary Deuber, an original RHOD housewife who demoted herself to friend in Season 4, claims Locken got fired, like me. Regardless of how they departed, two new housewives have allegedly joined the show. Deuber already showed support for the rumored additions on Twitter. Cary Deuber | Charles Sykes Cary Deuber left Real Housewives of Dallas after three seasons In April 2016, then 40-year-old certified registered first nurse assistant, Cary Deuber, debuted on Real Housewives of Dallas as an original housewife alongside LeeAnne Locken, Tiffany Hendra, Stephanie Hollman, and Brand Redmond. Deuber starred as a full-time cast member and did not get along with Locken because she spread rumors that her husband was gay. The RHOD star also introduced Kameron Westcott to the series, and she became a full-time housewife in Season 2. Due to the success of the luxury medical-grade esthetic facility she runs with her husband, Lemmon Avenue Plastic Surgery and Laser Center, she chose to return to the series only in a friend capacity. Real Housewives of Dallas' Cary Deuber Gives Us A Sneak Peek of Her New Reality Show Based Around Lemmon Avenue Plastic Surgery! #RHOD pic.twitter.com/NPfOtK7CXO Randy Haas (@Randy_Haas) July 17, 2019 Additionally, Minted Media has greenlit a show revolving around the medical practice, tentatively titled Plump It Up, and she would like to focus on that upcoming project rather than RHOD. However, on the Out in the Wild podcast, DAndra Simmons implied the business owner was fired by the network and did not demote herself. For Season 4, Deuber was replaced by Guadalajara-native Kary Brittingham. LeeAnne Locken left Real Housewives of Dallas after four seasons The first four seasons of RHOD seemingly revolved around former pageant beauty and model, Locken. Not only did she fight with nearly every other housewife, or threaten them, but her long engagement to Rich Emberlin without a set wedding date became a frequent topic of discussion as well. In the final season, she bumped heads with Brittingham and made racially insensitive remarks about the newcomer as well as called her a chirpy Mexican. With all the love in heart thank you for the years of laughter and love! https://t.co/NOMhcjvB3n LeeAnne Locken (@LeeAnneLocken) February 26, 2020 The comments, and her Julio Iglesias defense, upset many viewers who demanded her firing. In February 2020, Locken revealed she and Bravo mutually parted ways, and she would not return to the series. Deuber commented on the situation and claimed the Infinity Dress maker got fired, like me. Cary Deuber seemingly approves of the rumored new housewives joining the series According to Real Housewives insider, The Bravo Boy, realtor Jennifer Long and associate professor Tiffany Moon, M.D. will join the cast following Lockens dismissal. Moon, a friend of Simmons, teaches Anesthesiology and Pain Management at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and parents two young daughters with her husband, owner of successful accessories store, Sam Moon. Long, a friend of Kameron Westcott, owns several commercial properties in Dallas alongside her husband, David, and they parent a two-year-old daughter together. Awww love you! I think theyre going to be great love seeing other boss ladies win Cary Deuber (@CaryDeuber) March 5, 2020 Even though the women are heavily rumored to join the cast, Bravo has not made the official announcement yet. A fan tweeted she wants the new ladies as well as Deuber back now that Locken is gone. The first nurse assistant responded, I think theyre going to be great with heart emojis. She added, Love seeing other boss ladies win. While Deuber didnt say anything about her return, she seemingly supports the newcomers. Real Housewives of Dallas Season 5 presumably airs later this year. Guwahati: At least 400 people in Assam have been quarantined after they came in contact with an American tourist who tested positive for the new coronavirus in Bhutan after travelling through the state recently, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday. In a series of tweets, Sarma said tests for five persons have been done so far and results have come negative. "State Health Dept has traced more than 400 contacts in different places including MV Mahabahu (cruise ship) and resorts where he stayed. Teams of doctors and microbiologists have been keeping a close watch on these people who have been quarantined," he tweeted. A 76-year-old American tourist tested positive for COVID-19 in Bhutan, the first such case in the country, after travelling through Assam recently. On Saturday, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Pijush Hazarika said the river cruise ship MV Mahabahu, on which the US tourist had travelled from Guwahati on Brahmaputra has been quarantined at a distance away from docking Neamatighat in Jorhat district. According to the management of the hotel, where the US national had stayed on March 1 before taking a flight to Paro International Airport in Bhutan the next day, the second floor of the building with 18 rooms was sealed and sanitised. Sarma said the health department has taken all possible measures to combat the virus. "In the aftermath of an American tourist declared positive for coronavirus while in Bhutan, state health officials have swung into action," he added. "So far, 5 tests done and all are negative. Even partner of American tourist is reported to be negative. Appeal to all in #Assam not to panic and observe all protocols including personal hygiene. With your cooperation, we will safely sail through these turbulent times," Sarma said. A couple hailing from Srinagar were arrested here on Sunday with the police claiming that they are members of Islamic State's Khorasan module and were instigating anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in the national capital. They have been identified as Jahanzaib Sami (36) and his wife Hina Bashir Beg (39) and were apprehended from Jamia Nagar area on Sunday. While they were picked up by police earlier in the day from Jamia Nagar, they were placed under arrest at 8 PM. "They were involved in instigating anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell)Pramod Singh Kushwah. A statement issued by police said they were member of the banned terrorist outfit Islamic State and "propagating its ideology of hatred against non-Muslims and thereby also inciting Muslims to kill non-Muslims". "They are also inciting Muslims to take up violent struggle against the state. They are also inciting Muslims against recently legislative Parliamentary Act of CAA," it claimed. Four mobile phones, one laptop and one external hard-disc were among the materials seized from their house. Police claimed that it came to light during their interrogation that the couple have created "several anonymous ids on several social media platforms such as Telegram, Facebook, Threema, Sure Spot, Instagram, Twitter etc and propagating the ideology of banned outfit ISIS and circulating material against government established by law for enacting Citizenship Amendment Act". Officials said they belonged to the Islamic State's Khorasan module. The Centre had issued a noticifaction in June 2018 banning the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham-Khorasan (ISIS-K), an Afghanistan-based affiliate of the IS, after finding that they were radicalising Indian youths for 'global jihad' and encouraging terror acts on Indian interests. The ISIS-K is also known as Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP)/ISIS Wilayat Khorasan. On the ISIS-K, the notification had said that it promotes and encourages terrorism in the Indian sub-continent and has been committing terrorist acts to "consolidate its position" by recruiting youth for "global jihad" and to achieve the objective of establishing its own "caliphate" by overthrowing democratically elected governments. It "considers India and the Indian interests as its targets and is engaged in activities of radicalising and recruiting Indian youth for terrorist activities," it said. February 18, 2020 Dave Carney , 520-723-3172 COOLIDGE, AZ In celebration of National Poetry Month, Casa Grande Ruins will host a poetry workshop and open mic on April 22nd, 2020 featuring poet Jodie Hollander. The workshop is from 9:00 am 12:00 pm and will focus on the significance of place in poetry. No experience necessary. A journal and writing utensil will be provided to participants. Reservations are limited and available on a first come/first served basis. Email cagr_ranger_activities@nps.gov for more information. Later that evening we invite the public to join us from 5:00 pm 6:00 pm for an open mic. You do not have to participate in the workshop to attend the open mic. These events take place during National Park Week and on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. About the workshop: Place may be defined as a geographical location, an internal state, or perhaps a poetic meeting of the two. Using the extraordinary beauty of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, this workshop will guide participants in crafting an original poem that responds to their surroundings. In addition, the class will center around how to structure and develop poems and the creative process that is involved. It will also look at meter and line breaks and consider how sound works as a gateway to the senses and how musicality creates its own kind of meaning within a poem. About the Instructor: Jodie Hollander was raised in a family of classical musicians. She studied poetry in England, and her work has been published in journals such as The Poetry Review, The Yale Review, PN Review, The Dark Horse, The Rialto, Verse Daily, The New Criterion, Australias Best Poems of 2011, and Australias Best Poems of 2015. Her debut full-length collection, My Dark Horses, is published with Liverpool University Press in the UK and Oxford University Press in the US. Hollander is the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship in South Africa, a Hawthornden Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Humanities Grant in Italy, and a MacDowell Colony Fellowship. She currently lives in Colorado. These events are sponsored by Western National Parks Association, a nonprofit education partner of the National Park Service. Visitors tax-free purchases in WNPA bookstores help WNPA provide direct support to 71 NPS units across the American West. More information can be found at www.wnpa.org. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is located at 1100 W Ruins Drive, Coolidge AZ, 85128. There is no fee for the workshop or open mic, and entrance to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is free. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument protects the multi-story Great House and the ruins of other ancient structures built by the people of the Sonoran Desert over 800 years ago. The monument is open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, May through September, and from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, October through April, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Independence Day holidays. Directions and additional information are available on the monuments website, http://www.nps.gov/cagr. You may call (520) 723-3172, or follow us on Facebook by searching for Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. -NPS- PHOENIXA musicians lifelong passion for his art gives him the ability to appreciate and feel connected to the work of other musicians, no matter how different their work may be. Such was the case at the Phoenix Orpheum on March 7, 2020, when flamenco guitarist Monte Perrault attended Shen Yun Performing Arts and took in the classical Chinese dances for which the company is renowned, as well as the original musical scores played by a live orchestra. It was nice to see the beauty of that culture, and also I would say the beauty and the precision of all of that [in Shen Yun] was really nice. Im a musician. So I appreciate it. I play flamenco guitar, Perrault said, referring to the beauty and precision of traditional Chinese culture, which Shen Yun is on a mission to revive. I am a professional. So we work with dancers, tooFlamenco dancers from Spain. So, Im aware of what it takes to make all of that happeneverybody has to study for years and years and years. Shen Yun is based in New York state where the artists from its seven touring companies train and create an all-new show each year. It is known around the globe for its rigorous standards and exacting skills, even by the high standards of the classical Chinese performing arts world. Yes, beautiful, precision, such excellent exquisite movement with all the dancers, Perrault said. Of course, the choreography, super cool. And then kind of the humor and some very poignant spirituality that was brought out was really nice, too. So all those things. And of course their presentation, the music, super, super good, world-class, and the dancers too. Perrault found the scale and professionalism of their orchestra and cast especially impressive. They are really top, really really nice, he said. All those positionsthe orchestraand also the Chinese musicians with their specialized instruments. All of them have to practice their whole life to perform that way. I was kind of amazed actually that you have all those dancers and all the musicians theyre performing their whole, studying all their lives And to have that many musicians and that many dancers in one show, that was really, really nice. Shen Yuns orchestra uniquely blends a classical Western style of orchestral sound together with select Chinese instruments and melodies. According to Shen Yuns website, Traditional Chinese music emphasizes the expression of inner feelingsthe ancients always used musical instruments to relate their states of mind. Western music, meanwhile, focuses on the overall effect of the musical ensembleand to achieve that, arrangement and harmony are of utmost importance. Shen Yuns music combines these approaches to capture the essence of both East and West. What came to mind for Perrault while listening to the orchestra is that somebody had to write all that music. That was amazing. Somebody had to write it all to go along with the dance. It wasnt like music came first and the dancers interpreted the music. It looked like it was put together kind of, the music to support the dance, and maybe back and forth. So that was nice. Perraults musical sensibilities proved correct: Each year, Shen Yuns artistic director composes original scores for the entire performance. The Flamenco guitarist found an aspect in Shen Yun that piqued his interest, a spiritual discipline he hadnt heard of before: Falun Dafa. Falun Dafa is an ancient meditation practice that teaches truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. I enjoyed it, he said. Perrault learned not only learning of Falun Dafas existence but about the persecution, its followers endure in China today at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. Im going to look it up and check [it out]. Lastly, Perrault couldnt help but marvel at the amount of effort that Shen Yuns artists and their affiliated arts schools exhibit. Really nice to see Chinese culture. And interesting that its that organization that big, the school that teaches all that dance if they have [seven] companies. Thats amazing. Super amazing. With reporting by Yawen Hung and Brett Featherstone. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. The number of people infected in the UK continues to rise. More than 270 people have tested positive for Covid-19. Here is all you need to know today: What is the scale of the problem? In the UK, 273 people have tested positive for Covid-19 as of 9am on Sunday, up from 206 cases reported at the 7am on Saturday. Three people, all with underlying health conditions, have died after testing positive for the virus. Globally, the number of coronavirus cases has passed 100,000, with more than 3,500 deaths. Most of them have been in China. How bad could it get? Half of all coronavirus cases in the UK are most likely to occur in just a three-week period, with 95% of them over a nine-week period, according to Englands chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty. Prof Whitty said he had a reasonably high degree of confidence that 1% is at the upper limit of the mortality rate for the virus, although Wuhan in China, which has a weaker health system, had seen an 8% to 9% mortality rate for those aged 80 and over. What is the Government doing now? The UK response is in the delay stage, which means measures can be ramped up to delay its spread, with possibilities including school closures, encouraging greater home working, and reducing the number of large-scale gatherings. However, officials say closing schools would possibly only have a marginal effect, adding that children do not appear to be as badly affected by Covid-19 as other groups. What is the UK Government recommending people do on returning from infected regions? People returning from Hubei province in China, Iran, locked-down areas in northern Italy and special care zones in South Korea in the past 14 days should immediately self-isolate at home and call NHS 111. Those returning from a number of other areas, including the rest of China and Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, should self-isolate if they develop symptoms of a cough or fever or shortness of breath. Story continues It also said those returning from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Burma and other parts of Italy should self-isolate if they show symptoms, even if they are mild. How do I self-isolate if I am asked to? If you are told to self-isolate, you should stay at home and not go to work, school or public places. You should also not use public transport such as trains or buses, or take taxis. You should try to avoid close contact with family members and do not have visitors to your home. However, it is fine for friends, family or delivery drivers to drop off food. A shopper wearing a face mask walks past empty shelves as toilet roll is sold out, in an Asda store in London (Yui Mok/PA) What about a vaccine? Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited a Bedfordshire laboratory on Friday as the Government pledged an extra 46 million for research into coronavirus vaccines and rapid diagnostic tests. He hopes a vaccine can be developed within the year. Vaccines have been developed and researchers are starting to test them on animals, but tests can take months to see if any potential vaccine can be used on humans and there will then have to be trials on humans. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has convened a group of experts to fast-track promising tests, drugs and vaccines. The UK Government is also putting 40 million into trying to find a vaccine and is also aiming to improve treatments for patients with the disease. A clinical support technician extracts viruses from swab samples at Glasgow Royal Infirmary (Jane Barlow/PA) What is a coronavirus? Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars). The strain that has recently emerged is a new strain that had not been previously identified in humans. The respiratory disease it causes has been named Covid-19 by the WHO. Where did it come from? Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people, the WHO says. The first cases identified were among people connected to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China. How is it spread? Experts believe the virus is spread in cough and sneeze droplets. The virus can survive on surfaces for several hours, but it is unclear exactly how long for. Government scientists say a small proportion of people will pass on the virus while having no symptoms themselves. People have been advised to wash their hands with soap and hot water more often (Philip Toscano/PA) What steps can I take to protect myself? Wash your hands with soap and hot water more often. Do this for at least 20 seconds each time. The NHS says people should also wash their hands when they get home or arrive at work. Hand sanitiser can be used if soap is not available. Anyone with coughs and sneezes should catch them in a tissue, which is then put in a bin. Wash your hands afterwards. People should also avoid close contact with people who are unwell, and avoid touching the eyes, nose or mouth if their hands are not clean. Should I avoid public places? Most people can continue to go to work, school and other public places. The current Government advice states mass events and public gatherings should not be cancelled, and people should continue to act normally for now. People only need to stay at home and self-isolate if they are advised to do so by 111 or a health professional. Anyone with coughs and sneezes should catch them in a tissue (Yui Mok/PA) What are the symptoms? Initial symptoms include fever, cough, tightness of the chest, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. More severe cases can cause pneumonia, sepsis and septic shock, which can lead to death. There are no specific treatments or vaccines but symptoms can be treated. Are some groups more at risk? The UK Government says most cases appear to be mild and those who have died in Wuhan appear to have had pre-existing health conditions. The Government says the elderly and people with pre-existing illnesses would be at highest risk. Overall, around 1% of people who become infected might end up dying but this is significantly higher among people over 80, officials said. But officials say the great majority of people will recover from this virus, even if they are in their eighties. Joe Bidens primary sweep exposed the breach between the black intellectual elite, called the Talented Tenth by W.E.B DuBois, and working-class blacks who voted for the former vice president in huge majorities on Tuesday. People without tenure. A few days before, 100 black professors and intellectuals endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders. In 2016, some of the same black intellectuals and professors, whose media prominence does not reflect their influence among blacks, endorsed the Green Party, or advised blacks not to vote for Hillary Clinton in states that she might win, or even advised blacks to stay home. Thousands of youthful black voters followed their advice. They lacked knowledge of the sacrifices that blacks have made to obtain the vote. The bloody record includes at least two massacres, which, unlike the Selma, Ala., civil rights marches of 1965, were not televised. Last week, when Michael Bloomberg addressed the historic Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma the staging ground for the civil rights march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge 55 years ago, when protesters were attacked by state troopers some church-going blacks stood and turned their backs to him because of the policy of stop and frisk that he supported when mayor of New York. When he joined in the commemorative march across the bridge, he was booed. This was a sign that his candidacy was doomed. But even those who protested Bloomberg viewed stop and frisk as a measure that humiliated millions of black and brown men without mentioning the most pernicious aspect of stop and frisk: 16,000 women were also subjected to it. Some women accused the New York Police Department of using the measure as an excuse to invade their private parts, a form of sexual assault. Shari Archibald was one of the women, and she was interviewed by the Times: Ms. Archibalds interaction with the police occurred shortly after she had left work. The two uniformed officers drove up in a squad car and stopped her as she fished inside her purse for keys to her house on Walton Avenue in Morris Heights, she said. Ms. Archibald, a 21-year-old hairdresser, said the encounter was made worse by the number of people out on the street that night. There were a lot of guys from the neighborhood outside, she said, and here is this officer squeezing one of my sanitary pads in front of everyone. One officer, she recalled, lifted up her long tank top and lightly brushed his hand over the elastic waist of her spandex leggings. They instructed her to pinch the shirt fabric between her breasts and yank at her bra. Stop and frisk came to an end when federal Judge Shira A. Scheindlin ruled in August 2013 that the Police Department not only had violated the Fourth Amendments guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures, but had also violated the 14th Amendment by resorting to a policy of indirect racial profiling. For her bravery, the judge was criticized by an appellate court and the defenders of the practice. Her opponents argued that without stop and frisk, crime rates would increase. They didnt. Recognizing the wonderful writing in her 195-page decision, the 30-year-old PEN Oakland, of which I am a member, presented the judge with the Adelle Foley Award in 2016, named for the late Oakland poet and humanist. She was unable to attend the ceremonies but sent a gracious acceptance message. She wrote: ...there is no place in America for the shooting of innocent African-Americans and Hispanics by police officers that we have witnessed in unprecedented numbers (and violence) during the past few years beginning in Ferguson, Missouri and most recently in Charlotte, North Carolina! There is also no place in America for the police to stop and search people on the streets, or in their housing projects or their apartment buildings, based on little more information than their race or the neighborhood in which they live. The last I read, our Constitution and our Bill of Rights apply to all Americans not just white Americans. Finally, someone commented on how stop and frisk treated women. Eddie Glaude, a regular on Morning Joe. A black man. Ishmael Reed is an American poet, novelist, essayist, songwriter, playwright, editor and publisher. He is the author and narrator of Audibles nonfiction bestseller, Malcolm and Me. (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Fridays gathering of oil ministers from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their international allies broke up in disarray. The collapse of talks reveals deep divisions over how to deal with the slump in oil demand triggered by the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Saudi Arabia demanded that Russia share in a proposed reduction of a further 1.5 million barrels a day, insisting that OPEC wouldnt reduce supply without the support of non-members. Russia demurred. Maybe Vladimir Putin just didn't like being told what to do by a 34-year-old prince who's run his country for about as many months and his older brother who's been energy minister for just half a year. Whats become clear is that by making any OPEC output cut dependent on the participation of non-OPEC allies, the group effectively cemented Russias full control over the whole process of supply management, as I warned more than a year ago. This isnt the first time OPEC+, which controls almost half of the worlds oil production, has been an uneasy partnership, but it is by far the most damaging. The partnership remains on life-support. But this meeting was not just about making a further output cut. It was also meant to ratify an extension of the current agreement between the 20 nations to remove as much as 2.1 million barrels a day of oil from the market. That deal, reached in December, expires at the end of this month, leaving members free to pump as much as they wish from April 1. And thats just what Saudi Arabia is gearing up to do. State-owned oil monopoly Saudi Aramco, delayed setting official selling prices for April after the meeting collapsed. When it published them on Saturday, it slashed its flagship Arab Light crude by the most in 20 years, signaling that it may try to push as many barrels into the market as possible. Bad as they are, things may not be quite as bad as some fear. Dont expect the full volume of OPEC+ cuts to return immediately and swamp the market. Most members are already pumping at, or close to, capacity. Aside from Saudi Arabia, which could add more than 1 million barrels very quickly, the only other countries with the ability to boost output by more than 100,000 barrels a day are the United Arab Emirates and Russia. Story continues Russia didnt reject further output cuts just because its oil companies are reluctant to pump a bit less out of the ground. After all, they havent exactly stuck to their commitments so far, and at the last meeting they even secured an exemption for condensates volumes of light oil extracted from gas fields which is one of the areas of growth in Russian output. Had they wanted to do so, there was plenty of room for Russia to accept an output cut and implement it only in part, if at all. One reason for refusing to play ball may be disagreement over how best to deal with a sudden sharp, but temporary, drop in oil demand. By allowing oil prices to fall, the Russians may be hoping to spur demand. Its difficult to see that having much impact on consumption, though, when factories are closed, airlines are slashing flights and roads are emptying. Cheap oil wont ease fears of the Covid-19 virus. But it may encourage countries like China and India to build up their strategic stockpiles. Both are creating buffers along similar lines to the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve to protect themselves from any future supply disruptions. China already seems to be pouring vast amounts of crude into storage tanks and underground caverns. Flows of crude from the Persian Gulf nations are down from their record October level, but theyre still pretty much on trend with shipments since the start of 2017. Volumes from West Africa are holding up, too. And amid the collapse in its oil consumption, China has emerged as the biggest buyer of crude from the Kurdish region of Iraq. It took four out of every 10 barrels shipped last month after buying nothing from the region as recently as October. But there is also a bigger geopolitical dimension to Russias withdrawal from the output-cutting pact, just as there was to its joining. Participation served President Putins ambitions to rebuild Russias influence in the Middle East. Withdrawal is aimed at punishing the U.S. for its repeated attacks on Russias energy interests through sanctions, which have stifled Arctic offshore exploration and shale development, prevented the completion a gas pipeline to Europe under the Baltic Sea, and targeted the Venezuelan business of Russias state-oil producer Rosneft. Saudi Arabia led OPEC in a war on shale in 2014, when it introduced the pump-at-will policy. It failed then, capitulating as oil prices collapsed a year later. But U.S. producers from Exxon Mobil Corp. to Continental Resources Inc. are already being hammered and now may be a more auspicious time to launch an attack. Even if it fails again, Russia intends to make sure that U.S. oil companies share the pain of the collapse in oil demand. Saudi Arabia appears wiling to help it. The next few months will be ugly. To contact the author of this story: Julian Lee at jlee1627@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Melissa Pozsgay at mpozsgay@bloomberg.net This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners. Julian Lee is an oil strategist for Bloomberg. Previously he worked as a senior analyst at the Centre for Global Energy Studies. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Sinn Fein has been accused of "sulking" over its failure to form a Government, as the party was criticised for not responding to a letter from Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin. Senior Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen made the remarks as he claimed that the snub suits Sinn Fein's narrative of giving "the impression they're being left out". He also ramped up pressure on Fine Gael over Government formation talks which he said need to accelerate due to the threats posed by the coronavirus outbreak. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has insisted his party is preparing for opposition and will only enter Government as a last resort. But as he heads off to the United States for St Patrick's Day festivities at the White House, another senior figure, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, has signalled wriggle room in Fine Gael's stance. Writing in the Sunday Independent, Mr Donohoe acknowledged that Fine Gael got a "clear message" from voters in the election. But he makes an impassioned defence of the political centre, saying "this may be our last opportunity to save it". Since the election, Sinn Fein has repeatedly claimed its voters aren't being respected by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael's refusal to enter Government talks with the party. Mary Lou McDonald's party has so far failed to pull together a coalition of left-wing parties and Independents. Mr Martin wrote to Ms McDonald two weeks ago, offering to meet to discuss why the two parties aren't compatible in terms of forming a Government. He has not yet received a response. The pair clashed on their first day back in the Dail. Mr Martin said he could not go into Government with Sinn Fein because of its "efforts to legitimise a murderous sectarian campaign" of the Provisional IRA. Ms McDonald said she "did not care" what he thinks about her party. Mr Martin's attacks against Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail's own manifesto were criticised by some TDs at a meeting of the parliamentary party last Thursday. Fianna Fail sources have claimed Mr Martin's standing in the party has been diminished since the election and that there has been rumblings about his continued leadership among the grassroots. Mr Cowen said that Mr Martin's continued leadership of the party is "not in question at this time", adding that he has a mandate to negotiate a programme for Government. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar revealed last week that he, too, had written to Ms McDonald seeking to discuss policy and the deadlock surrounding Government formation. Sinn Fein says she has responded to this letter. Mr Cowen hit out at Ms McDonald's failure to reply to Mr Martin. He said: "It would appear Sinn Fein cannot build a functioning minority, never mind a majority," and adding "its sulking is not credible" given that it did not respond to his party leader's letter. He claimed that the Sinn Fein manifesto was unachievable, despite its ambitions and the expectation it created with voters. Mr Cowen said there hasn't been scrutiny of whether they could abolish property tax, student fees, or the USC for workers earning up to 30,000 as promised. Sinn Fein deputy leader Pearse Doherty responded by saying it was Ms McDonald who first wrote to Mr Martin. He said: "We will be in further contact." He added: "Sinn Fein said we would talk to everyone after the election and that remains our position." "It is Fianna Fail who have tried to exclude Sinn Fein from Government formation talks. Barry Cowen knows this," Mr Doherty said. He added that Sinn Fein has had "extensive discussions with other parties and Independents to form a Government for change. That is our objective." Mr Doherty said his party's manifesto was fully costed. He claimed Mr Cowen has not yet come to terms with what he described as Fianna Fail's "dismal performance" in the election. There were discussions between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael last week. Fine Gael ministers have since said it's still their party's intention to go into opposition. Mr Cowen said a Dail majority is crucial if the next Government is to deal with the issues facing the country and the best path to achieving this is a deal between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Greens and Independents. Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Going Dark Julia Ebner Bloomsbury 16.99 Rating: By day, Julia Ebner worked for the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue, monitoring the online behaviour of extremist groups from Islamic jihadists to Neo-Nazis. Heavy stuff, yet Ebner, 28, still felt it was only scratching the surface of these organisations. So for two years, she devoted her spare time to going undercover in every kind of group, from the all-female Trad Wives who call their husbands Captain and urge women to submit to men, to the pro-Isis MuslimTec, which taught her how to hack all kinds of digital systems. Most of these encounters were in forums, with Ebner assuming an online persona, but her Aryan appearance and fluent German (shes Austrian-born) meant she was able to masquerade as a member of the alt-right (white extremists), for instance spending an evening in a Mayfair pub with a gang from the white nationalist group Generation Identity, where a middle-aged man complains: You get fired here if you are a Nazi. For two years, Julia Ebner devoted her spare time to going undercover in every kind of extremist group, from the all-female Trad Wives to the pro-Isis MuslimTec As a result, we learn a fair bit about how neo-fascists are working on wooing the mainstream, by for example dressing smartly. Rules for a Unite the Right march in Charlottesville in the US included: If your appearance is seriously lacking (morbidly obese, disfigured etc be honest) please do not go to the rally and instead spend the time working on yourself. In contrast, Ebners inevitably less insightful about Islamist groups. Still, as she points out, despite their polar ideologies, these groups share the same modus operandi: Their leaders created protected social bubbles to encourage antisocial behaviour in the wider world. Often Ebner is so repelled by her subject matter, or frightened of being uncovered by these thugs, that her encounters never really come alive. Take her date in Cambridge with a fairly handsome man she meets on WASP Love, a white supremacist dating site with the motto Love your race! Procreate! IT'S A FACT The Ku Klux Klan, formed by six former Confederate officers after the US Civil War, derives its name from the Greek for circle, kyklos. Advertisement He tells her that white identity is very important to me but were left with no idea of why this might be so. In Germany, she meets an image consultant who runs workshops on how to be a nice Neo-Nazi but frustratingly she doesnt attend one. In truth, Ebners subtitle is misleading. The odd pub outing aside, extremists dont have social lives, preferring to whip each other up from behind computer screens, the lack of real-life contact destroying all empathy. The book ends with the 2019 murder of 51 people in mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, shot by an alt-right activist who live-streamed his killings on social media. A few of the forums he frequented suddenly realised that online racist jokes can have horrific real-life consequences. But many more praised the killer, turning his footage into videogames. Within days, 23 more people were murdered in copycat shootings in the US. Unless business, governments and society unite to fight this online extremism, Ebner warns, the future is dark. : Sneha Mohandoss, who made the first post on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's twitter handle on International Women's Day, said she was proud to have got the "huge opportunity" and was able to put across her message of feeding the homeless to a wider section of people. Mohandoss, a Chennai resident, who launched her 'Food Bank,' an initiative to provide food to the homeless in 2015 said she was very happy and proud to have got the opportunity. "I think if there is a word better than proud to convey what I feel. It was a huge responsibility since the Prime Minister himself provided the opportunity which has to be used appropriately and the message should correctly reach the people. Every word counts and I believe I have used this opportunity rightly," she told PTI here. Through the PM's twitter handle, the message has reached a wider section of people, she said. On her work, the 27-year-old said she does not solicit or accept money from anyone and was dependent on contributions in kind and support of volunteers to cook and supply food to the beneficiaries. She said she believed she would get more support for her initiative in areas like food preparation, storage and supply in view of the opportunity she got to send across her message through the Prime Minister's social media account. Asked how she got the opportunity, she said she was shortlisted by the Prime Minister's Office after a volunteer nominated her name and it was shared by many on the social media. "I received a call from the PMO that I have been shortlisted. I was told that I will be the first person to tweet and I felt our effort has paid off," she said. Be it the Chennai floods of 2015 or cyclone Gaja, it was the Food Bank's dedicated volunteers who took upon themselves the task of getting raw materials for cooking food and sending it to those who needed it, she said. "It is the work of volunteers. I am not the only one who is behind providing food to the homeless." Food Bank has 18 chapters including those in Delhi, Pune, and Hyderabad and a volunteer from South Africa has also been working, she said. "Our policy is not to collect money and our volunteers everywhere stick to it," she said. Depending on contributions, the number of beneficiaries vary and in a month 'mass cooking,' was being done to feed the homeless, she said adding in Chennai, there are about 100 volunteers and across the country there are more than 500, she said. In her tweet in the Prime Minister's handle, she said, "You heard of food for thought. Now, it is time for action and a better future for our poor. "Hello, I am @snehamohandoss. Inspired by my mother, who instilled the habit of feeding the homeless, I started this initiative called Foodbank India. #SheInspiresUs." In her 2.37-minute video clip, she said, "The basic motto is to fight against hunger and create a hunger-free nation."In a unique social media initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday handed over his accounts on various platforms to seven woman achievers from different fields to share their life journeys and messages on the International Women's Day. From a farmer to activists working in the fields of sanitation, disability rights, water conservation and fighting hunger to somebody dedicated to reviving Kashmir handicraft industry, women used Modi's accounts which enjoy a huge following, to share their stories and spread their messages. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It will be mandatory for sanitary napkin manufacturers to provide disposal bags from January 2021, said Prakash Javadekar, union minister of environment, forest and climate change and minister of information and broadcasting. Javadekar was in the city on Sunday to interact with sanitation workers of Pune Swach, a wholly-owned workers cooperative, on the occasion of International Womens Day. The minister said there is still no mechanism to dispose off sanitary napkins in the country. We have observed that production and usage of sanitary napkins and diapers have increased in the country, however, they are still being discarded in a way which is harmful to waste-pickers. From January 2021 onward it will be mandatory for all sanitary napkin manufacturers to provide degradable disposal bags for each napkin, said Javadekar. The rule is already in existence, but is not being followed by the manufacturers, added Javadekar. The minister also said collection of garbage and its disposal will be made compulsory. We have to ensure that decentralised model is followed wherein garbage by educational institutes and housing societies should be disposed at the premises itself. There is a rule for picking of garbage and disposal for municipal towns, this rule will be made compulsory for all the habitations with more than 3,000 population. With steps like these the dream of Swachh Bharat of Prime Minister Modi will be realized said Javadekar. There is a need to call sanitation workers as Swachh sevika. We should address the sanitation workers as Swachhta Sevika from this International Womens Day as they are doing a great service to the nation, said Javadekar. No fewer than one person has been confirmed dead with several injured as a building belonging to a keystone bank collapsed in Palm Grove area of Lagos state on Saturday. According to reports, the building was said to be under construction when it caved in with numbers of labourers trapped in. Read Also: Four Killed, Several Trapped As Uncompleted Building Collapses In Delta In his reaction to the unfortunate incident, Dr Oluwafemi Oke, Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency,(LASEMA) said rescue operation is still ongoing. Upon arrival at the scene, it was discovered that a single-storey building belonging to the Keystone Bank collapsed while being renovated. It was reported that a single male labourer lost his life from the incident. Recovery operation ongoing. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced a slew of measures to tackle the spread of the deadly coronavirus and said the national capital is fully prepared to deal with the virus. The number of infected people in the country has now risen to 34. Although five people in Kerala were also reported to be infected on Sunday, yet the Union health ministry is yet to confirm these cases and is waiting for the report from NIV, Pune. Out of those infected, 14 are Italian tourists who have been kept at the Indo-Tibetan Border Polices (ITBPs) quarantined facility in Chhawla in Delhi. Two other Italian tourists in the same group had tested positive for coronavirus in Jaipur. There are three cases of coronavirus in Delhi so far and we are alert. There is no need to panic, Arvind Kejriwal said during a press conference. Kejriwal said three people have tested positive for coronavirus and one is suspected to be infected with the virus in the national capital. All those people who had come in contact with these infected people are also being investigated, he added. The first patient came in contact with 105 people, the second with 168 people and the third came in contact with 64 people. All these people have been quarantined and their samples have been taken, he said. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief also ordered that buses run by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), cluster buses, Metro and hospitals to be disinfected every day. Kejriwal appealed the citizens Delhi to approach authorities if anybody from their neighbourhood has come back from a foreign trip in the past 14 days. I request everyone if you know any person who has just returned from abroad, then inform the Delhi government. Our team will contact them and they will be put on surveillance after some general investigation, he said. The chief minister said now 25 more hospitals will be able to test samples for coronavirus in the Capital, up from the two, which had the facility earlier. He also said that 168 isolation beds are being set up at 25 hospitals in the city sate for coronavirus patients. The Delhi chief minister also appealed to employers to let their workers who have been quarantined to go on a paid leave so that their livelihood is not affected. Giving details about screenings at the airport, he said there are 40 doctors of the Delhi Government who are checking flyers So far, thermal screening of more than 140,000 people has been done, Kejriwal said. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday visited the US Southern Command, where he signed a defense agreement with the United States enabling joint development of military capabilities, officials said. The agreement, which was also signed by Admiral Craig Faller, the head of the Miami-based command, aims to clear the way for future joint projects "to improve or supply new military capabilities," a Brazilian defense ministry statement said. It came a day after Donald Trump hosted Bolsonaro, a right-wing populist who identifies politically with Trump, at a dinner at Mar-a-Lago, the US president's Palm Beach, Florida resort. Afterward, the two discussed the crisis in Venezuela and reiterated their support for opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom they recognize as that country's acting president. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday accused the two of plotting a conflict in Venezuela to justify a military intervention. The US-Brazilian defense agreement "reduces bureaucratic processes" in the sale of military goods in their respective countries, the Brazilian statement said. It said it also opens the US market to military products from Brazil, and facilitates sales to NATO member countries by the South American country. Brazil is not a member of NATO, but the United States has designated it a major non-NATO ally. In March 2019, the two countries signed a technology safeguards agreement enabling US space lanches from Brazil's Alcantara Launch Center. Blaze at refugee centre on Lesbos amid tense standoff between Turkey and EU over responsibility for migrants. A fire broke out at a refugee centre on the Greek island of Lesbos as Greece announced further restrictions towards asylum seekers in response to a migration surge enabled by Turkey. Sundays incident at One Happy Family, a Swiss-operated family care centre for refugees, was the second fire at an installation built for migrants after a reception centre was burned down by unknown perpetrators last Monday. The warehouse, which contained furniture and electrical appliances, was completely destroyed, a spokesman for the firefighters told The Associated Press news agency on Sunday on condition of anonymity, because an investigation into the fire was continuing. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Al Jazeeras John Psaropoulos, reporting from the camp in Lesbos, said the building was destroyed. It could be an accident, but at a time of high political tension on the island where right-wing groups have clashed with volunteers and NGOs helping the refugees, there is also a suspicion that this might not be, said Psaropoulos. 200307103833369 The blaze at the refugee centre took place amid a tense standoff between Turkey and the European Union over who is responsible for the millions of migrants and refugees on Turkish territory and the thousands who have massed recently at its border with Greece. Thousands of migrants headed for Turkeys land border with EU member Greece after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government announced earlier this month that it would no longer prevent these people from crossing into EU countries. Greece has deployed riot police and border guards to stop people trying to enter the country and the Greek border area has since seen violent confrontations. Earlier on Saturday, the Greek Minister for Immigration and Asylum Notis Mitarachi told Skai TV state support for refugees would be drastically reduced, and that they would be asked to leave camps after securing protected status. Accommodation and benefits for those granted asylum will be interrupted within a month. From then on, they will have to work for a living. This makes our country a less attractive destination for migration flows, the minister said. Many migrants have reported crossing into Greece, being beaten by Greek authorities and summarily forced back into Turkey. Erdogan will travel to Brussels on Monday for talks with top EU officials about a 2016 Turkey-EU agreement on containing the refugee flows to Europe that has now collapsed. Each side has blamed the other. The deal called for Turkey to halt the flow of Europe-bound migrants and refugees in exchange for up to six billion euros ($6.7bn) in aid for Syrian refugees on its territory, fast-track EU membership and visa-free travel to Europe for Turkish citizens. Erdogan has demanded that Europe shoulder more of the burden of caring for refugees, accusing the EU of failing to disburse the money. He announced that Turkey, which already houses more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees, would no longer be Europes gatekeeper. EU foreign ministers have criticised Turkey, saying it is using the migrants desperation for political purposes. When Christy Sigmon thinks about fierce mascots, a beagle doesnt really come to mind. But that was the mascot she inherited when hired as principal nine years ago at what is now Albuquerques Janet Kahn School of Integrated Arts. I remember when I was chosen for this job, lying in bed thinking to myself, I am a beagle? Why in the world would any school choose a beagle for their mascot? she said. After all, there are scorpions, tigers or even dragons representing other schools the fighting beagle is a tougher sell. Sigmon would learn that what the beagle lacked in ferocity, it made up for in sentimentality. Beagles, and one famous beagle in particular, have a long history with the school that was originally called Eubank Elementary School. The image of Charles Schulz Snoopy has long been part of the schools tradition. To preserve this history and pay homage to the schools roots, Sigmon has sought for years to obtain official approval to continue using Snoopy on the schools logo. Late last month, she finally achieved that, having been granted permission to display the iconic beagle. Schulzs letter When Sigmon arrived at the school, a longtime staff member told her the history of Snoopy at the school, beginning with the legend of a letter. She had said that when the school was built in the 50s, that this was one of the last entities Charles Schulz gave permission to use Snoopy, Sigmon said. At one point, there was a hand-written letter by him saying it was OK to use Snoopy as our mascot. Retired staff confirmed to Sigmon that they had seen the letter, but its whereabouts were unknown. Albuquerque Public Schools administration didnt have it, and over the years despite file sortings and clean outs the letter never turned up. Sigmon reached out to the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Peanuts Worldwide LLC to see if they had any record of the letter. They didnt. With the letter a mystery, Sigmon and her staff shifted efforts around 2013 to secure permission to keep using Snoopy, emailing Peanuts Worldwide LLC several times over the years. Finally, on February 28, an email came back with the news they were hoping for. The school was granted permission by a contracts manager at Peanuts Worldwide to continue using Snoopys likeness. Peanuts Worldwide could not be reached for comment. Over the years, as the school has morphed, it has become increasingly important to the principal to pay homage to the tradition and history of the original school, to recognize the thousands of students who had walked the halls. Weve had grown adults middle-aged, older folks take pictures on our steps, because this is their elementary school, she said. According to APS master plan records, the school was built in 1956, just a few years after the Peanuts character Snoopy made his comic strip debut in 1950. Since then, it has become a pre-kindergarten through fifth grade magnet school focusing on arts integration, and its name was changed to Janet Kahn to honor the late educator, who was a champion for arts in schools. And more change is coming. With a facility rebuild in the works, the schools original building is slated to be torn down. Knowing the buildings days are numbered, Snoopy is a way to keep the old school alive. Snoopy is a bridge to the old school, Sigmon said. The schools logo, designed by a teacher, has theater masks and a music note with an artsy Snoopy, donning a beret, paint brush and pallet proudly in the middle. Sigmon said she hopes to incorporate the logo on the walls and the flooring when Janet Kahn gets its new facility, something she hasnt wanted to do without authorization. The pup may not be as tough as others, but hes definitely unique. How many road runner mascots are there? How many jackalopes or bears? Sigmon said. Theres only one Snoopy. A team of the Uttar Pradesh child rights body has visited Muzaffarnagar district to inquire into the alleged atrocities on children in violence during protests against the amended citizenship law last December. The team, led by Uttar Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Chairman Vishesh Gupta and member Jaya Singh, visited the affected area and recorded statements of some people. They has visited the Sadat hostel and Islamia Inter College on Arya Samaj Road, where violence took place. Talking to reporters on Saturday evening, Gupta said the team had visited on the directive of the Supreme Court in connection with alleged atrocities on children during the violence on December 20. It would submit its report to the apex court through the state government. A person was shot dead and several people, including police personnel, were injured, and properties torched as violence broke out in the district during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office issued the following report on its February 2020 activity: During the month of February five additional members joined the Sheriffs Office to include Danielle Powers, our new Records Clerk and Deputy Sheriff Recruits Joshua Green, Abby Murphy, Donald Helmer and Brian Kelly. Congratulations to each of you in your new careers with the Sheriffs Office! The Sheriff attended the Union Springs Fire Departments annual awards banquet where he was able to be a part of the ceremony to recognize Rick Waldron for 45 years, Mike Selover for 35 years and Sean Van Houten for 15 years. The Sheriff was also asked to be a guest at both the Fleming Station 2 Fire Department Banquet and the Sennett Fire Banquet in February, which he was honored to attend. On February 5th, seventeen children from the community were welcomed to our ranks as Honorary Junior Deputies. These children were chosen by parents, school personnel and other community members for being great examples of children who are kind, compassionate, caring and giving. The children were thrilled to meet the Sheriff, Undersheriff and Custody Officer Campanello who attended the ceremony where each Junior Deputy was given a certificate, badge and patch. The Sheriffs Office announced three Boater Safety Courses which are free to the public. These are to be held on March 14, March 28 and April 4. Additional details are on our web sites calendar. Bring a bagged lunch/snacks as the class is eight hours. Deputies Baim and Slobe were honored to show Marcellus Bear Den Pack 166 around the Sheriffs Office and Public Safety Campus. Custody Officer Mario Campanello and Navigation Officer Tracey Baldwin were honored by the Auburn Elks Lodge for their service. The new centralized arraignment part (CAP) court official opening was on February 18th. Local leaders were invited to the ceremony to include Judge Doran, Assigned Counsel Administrator Lloyd Hoskins, Assemblyman Manktelow, and more. The centralized arraignment part will streamline the arraignment process. Detectives Guarnieri and Stewart were on detail for Operation Safe Child at the Seward Elementary Schools Family Fun Day to register children. The Village of Moravia monthly town meeting was attended by Sheriff Schenck in his ongoing efforts to reach all the townships and municipalities in Cayuga County. The Cayuga County Jails Custody Officer Thomas Fred Whiting retired after 22 years of service. Thank you for your years of service. For the month of February our Law Enforcement Division recorded the following statistics: CALLS FOR SERVICE 1330 TICKETS 96 TRAFFIC STOPS 303 CIVIL & WARRANT ATTEMPTS 203 ARRESTS (PENAL/WARRANT ARRESTS) 24 DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED ARRESTS 4 MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS 79 For the month of February our Custody Division recorded the following statistics: AV DAILY POPULATION 136 ADMISSIONS 63 DISCHARGES 79 AVG DAILY OTHER JAIL INMATES BOARDED 0 AVG DAILY FEDERAL INMATES BOARDED 41 AVG DAILY PAROLE VIOLATORS HELD 26 INMATES TRANSPORTED TO NYSDOCCS 19 INMATE MEALS SERVED 12,695 For the month of February our Civil Division recorded the following statistics: CIVIL PAPERS SERVED 234 MONIES RECEIVED $112,305.45 MONIES REMITTED TO TREASURER $10,848.61 Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 A 12-year neighbourhood dispute that came at a cost of a marriage and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal bills may finally be over. The incredible feud between three neighbours in a quiet Sydney street returned to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal last week for its latest act. The ongoing battle involving Jeanette Minifie, her ex-husband Noel Plumb and their neighbours Anthony Saba and Stuart Maxwell has shocked the suburb of East Ryde, in the city's north. There has been 'a history of discord and animosity between the parties', NCAT heard last week. But an order that Ms Minifie rip down a fence she illegally erected in an effort to give her more 'privacy' from a neighbour may put to bed the war that seemed set never to end. Jeanette Minifie (pictured) was last week ordered to pull down a fence she illegally constructed over 'privacy concerns' with a neighbour. It was the latest installment in a 12-year feud between three homes in the quiet suburb of East Ryde, in Sydney's north-west Ms Minifie and her ex-husband Noel Plumb's dispute with their East Ryde neighbours started in 2008. The bad blood began when Mr Saba, who lives over their back fence, cut down some trees - incensing Mr Plumb. Over the years that followed it became increasingly personal between Mr Plumb and Mr Saba, before escalating to new levels in 2011 at which point police were forced to intevene. Police took out an apprehended violence order (AVO) against Mr Plumb in a bid to protect Mr Saba, but it was later set aside in court. Mr Plumb became so invested in the feud with Mr Saba that it would cost he and Ms Minifie their defacto marriage. After the AVO was taken out against him by police, he also sought a restraining order against Mr Saba. In an affidavit tendered to court, Ms Minifie claimed Mr Plumb became 'obsessed' by the battle with Mr Saba with also severely impacted his mental health. As part of their split, Mr Plumb agreed to hand over his quarter-share of their marital home to Ms Minifie who in return allowed him to continue living on the property. But when Mr Plumb's attempt to take an AVO out against Mr Saba was unsuccessful, he was ordered to pay $232,187 in legal costs to his opponent - however the house no longer in his name, he was unable to do so. Upset at being out of pocket, Mr Saba then commenced court proceedings against Mr Plumb. A look at the neighbouring properties of Ms Minifie and Mr Plumb, Mr Maxwell and Mr Saba in the quiet suburb of East Ryde, in Sydney's north He claimed in the proceedings that Mr Plumb and Ms Minifie's relationship breakdown was a sham, with his neighbour Mr Maxwell supporting his case and providing an affidavit in which he claimed to have seen the ex-couple entertaining guests and 'talking to each other'. A TIMELINE OF THE NEIGHBOUR WARS: 2008: Mr Saba cuts down trees on his property, angering Mr Plumb 2011: The dispute escalates following an 'incident' that sees police called 2012: Mr Plumb's obsession with his feud with Mr Saba sees a breakdown in his relationship with Ms Minifie 2014: Mr Plumb sells his quarter-share of their home to Ms Minife, but can still live at the property 2015: Mr Plumb fails in his attempt for an AVO against Mr Saba and is ordered to pay $230,000 in legal costs, but he cannot afford it 2016: Mr Saba alleges Mr Plumb and Ms Minifie are faking breakup so that he does not have to pay legal costs 2017: Ms Minifie wants a fence sitting between her and Stuart Maxwell's home to be raised, but he disagrees. A tribunal ordered them to split the cost but she began building a fence illegally 2020: NCAT rules Ms Minifie must pull down the fence. Advertisement Mr Maxwell - who lives on the eastern side of Ms Minifie's property - also claimed in the proceedings he had seen her hanging out her ex-husband's washing. Mr Saba's case was dismissed by the NSW Supreme Court, but the dispute did not stop there. After hearing that her neighbour could see over her fence and feeling that her privacy was compromised, she moved to build a higher divide between their properties. Again the two neighbours could not agree on the type or height of the fence, so the NSW tribunal ordered them to provide each other with quotes and split the cost. Ms Minifie then began constructing her own fence - which she was last week told to pull down. In his decision, tribunal senior member Phillip Boyce admitted such disputes were commonplace in the community. 'As is sadly not an unusual occurrence in dividing fence disputes that come before the Tribunal, there was a history of discord and animosity between the parties over various issues pertaining to their relationship as neighbours,' he said. Despite claiming the tribunal finding against her was 'surprising', Ms Minifie's lawyer Paul Glissan said she would not be taking the matter further. 'It was an absolutely enormous neighbourhood battle going on between Mr Saba and Mr Plumb... it's exceptional, really,' Mr Glissan told The Sydney Morning Herald. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday asked the vice-chancellors of Odisha universities to maintain transparency in the recruitment of teachers and maintain discipline in the campus. These were part of the suggestions made by Patnaik while interacting with the VCs of 11 public universities here. Patnaik also urged them to elevate the varsities to higher levels of academic excellence. For enhancing the reputation of the state public universities, I would suggest to maintain transparency in the recruitment of teachers, encourage teachers for research and publication, he said, adding that discipline must be maintained at any cost. Interference of outsiders in the varsity campuses must not be tolerated, he said, adding, non-students and unauthorised persons should not be allowed in the campuses. The chief minister also said that results should be published on time and no delay should be tolerated from the next academic year. He also told the VCs to ensure quality education in the affiliated colleges. The vice-chancellors, senior officers and faculty members must make surprise visits to affiliated colleges from time to time. Make efforts to achieve higher NAAC rating and NIRF rankings in the coming cycle of assessment and ranking, he said. The chief minister also assured the VCs that there will be no constraints of funds and the state government will support the universities in all possible ways. A Marine in Virginia tested positive for the novel coronavirus Saturday, making him the first service member stationed in the U.S. to contract the disease and the third American service member to be infected. Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Rath Hoffman confirmed that an unidentified Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County was diagnosed. The service member was recently overseas conducting official business. It is unclear which country he was visiting. Officials confirmed that an unidentified Marine Corps soldier assigned to Fort Belvoir (pictured) was diagnosed with coronavirus on Saturday 'A U.S Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir, VA tested positive today for COVID-19 and is currently being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital,' Hoffman wrote. 'The Marine recently returned from overseas where he was on official business. Secretary Esper and the White House have been briefed.' Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam also responded to the news on Twitter. Northam wrote: 'We are working closely with federal, military, and local partners to respond to a COVID-19 case at Ft. Belvoir.' He reminded residents that coronavirus infection rates in Virginia are low and to follow designated health protocol. 'The risk to Virginians remains low, but please continue to stay aware and take basic health precautions,' Northam added. Jonathan Rath Hoffman revealed the Marine soldier is being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and is being isolated according to CDC guidelines Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said the state was in conversation with federal, military and local colleagues to adequately respond to the disease Fort Belvoir released an official statement on the matter Sunday morning. They say the Marine is being isolated. 'Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and the Garrison staffs are in regular and close communication with federal, state, local and private sector partners. 'Efforts are underway in coordination with military and local health authorities to determine how and where the patient was exposed to the virus. 'Military and public health officials have not seen evidence of COVID-19 spreading in Virginia at this time; and as stated by the CDC, the threat to public health and the risk of exposure to the virus is low.' In response to the coronavirus outbreak, the Army, Air Force and Navy are screening new recruits for the disease in an effort to stop it from spreading among the armed forces. Two American service members overseas contracted coronavirus earlier this month. The Pentagon said on Wednesday that a soldier in the U.S. Forces Korea contracted the coronavirus while stationed in South Korea. Officials said the soldier is in the city of Daegu with his wife and small child, who also have been diagnosed with the illness. On Saturday, a U.S. Navy sailor in Naples, Italy, tested positive for coronavirus. A deployed solider in Kuwait is also being monitored for coronavirus. Naples is far outside of the northern Italy 'red zones' (seen in the map above) that have been locked down in the outbreak Both South Korea and Italy have become hot spots for coronavirus infections, with South Korea reporting 7,134 cases and Italy seeing 5,883 infected persons. In the U.S., there are more than 400 infection cases and 19 deaths as of Sunday. 31 states and the District of Columbia reported at least one confirmed or presumptive positive case, with those cases totaling 372. Including those infected people repatriated from abroad, and those trapped aboard the quarantined cruise ship Grand Princess off San Francisco, the total is at least 442. Since January, novel coronavirus cases in the U.S. have quickly topped at 437 infected people and the outbreak is continuing to spread People wear protective masks and cover their faces whilst riding the subway in New York as 19 deaths have been reported Washington state had the most cases with 103, including 16 deaths, followed by New York with 105 cases and California, with 81 cases and one death. Florida, which reports 11 cases, has also seen two fatalities. In the interior of the country, a number of more sparsely populated states reported their first cases on Saturday, including Missouri, Indiana, Minnesota and Nebraska. In Nebraska, there were dramatic scenes as a woman who tested positive for the virus was rushed from a community hospital to the nation's leading biocontainment unit at he University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha. The 36-year-old Nebraska resident was photographed being transported to the facility in a hi-tech isolation pod late Friday. A woman who tested positive with the coronavirus is brought to the University of Nebraska Medical Center on Friday. She was transferred from Omaha's Methodist Hospital in an isolation pod inside an ambulance The woman, who is the first person in Nebraska to test positive to coronavirus, is 'very seriously ill', according to doctors who spoke with Omaha.com Saturday. A chest CT scan conducted yesterday showed the coronavirus is evolving into acute respiratory distress syndrome (ADRS). The syndrome, which is characterized by a rapid onset of widespread inflammation in the lungs, is often fatal. People with ARDS suffer severe shortness of breath and often are unable to breathe on their own without support from a ventilator. The woman reportedly traveled to England with her father February 18 to February 27. She began to feel ill on February 25, two days before she flew back to the United States. Doctors say they are still trying to piece together where she went and who she had contact with in the 10 days since she arrived back from overseas. Cases of coronavirus began with the first diagnosis on January 21 and escalated to 437 by March 7 In New York state, officials have confirmed 13 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday evening, taking the total number of residents infected to 89. Cases are expected to rise higher still amid fears that 40 doctors, nurses and medical staff in a Queens hospital may have been infected by an Uber driver, after he walked into the hospital and later tested positive for the virus. Seventy of New York state's 89 cases are based in Westchester, where a Manhattan attorney was first struck down with the virus earlier this week. Forty-five new cases have been uncovered since Friday, with the majority related to the New Rochelle lawyer who was diagnosed as New York state's first case earlier this week. There are seven new cases in New York City - taking the total to 11. Disturbingly, there are also signs of wider spread, with two cases now confirmed in Saratoga County in the northeast of the state - hundreds of miles away from any other cases. There are still thousands of New York state residents awaiting the return of coronavirus test results. By declaring a state of emergency, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that he is able to free up $30 million that can be used for testing and the purchase of protective gear for healthcare workers. Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency on Saturday as coronavirus cases skyrocket across New York 'I'm not urging calm,' Cuomo stated. "I'm urging reality. I'm urging a factual response as opposed to an emotional response... that people understand the information and not the hype.' He added that, at present, there is no need to cancel large gatherings in any part of the state. President Donald Trump said Saturday night he was not 'concerned at all' about how close the coronavirus was coming to the White House. 'No, I'm not concerned at all,' the president said when asked about it after an attendee at CPAC was confirmed to have the disease and the first case was detected in Washington D.C. 'We've done a great job.' And he said his campaign rallies, which include thousands of attendees, will continue even as other major gatherings - such as SXSW and next week's AFL-CIO gathering for the Democratic presidential contenders - have been canceled. President Donald Trump said Saturday night he was not 'concerned at all' about how close the coronavirus was coming to the White House as he met with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro 'We'll hold tremendous rallies,' he's said in response to a question from DailyMail.com at Mar-a-Lago during a meeting with the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. The coronavirus is getting closer to the president and his circle after an attendee at the 2020 Conservative Political Action Conference tested positive for the disease. The American Conservative Union announced that one person at the event last month where President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence made speeches was diagnosed with the deadly virus. The ACU insisted the patient had no contact with either Trump or Pence at the conservative gathering in National Harbor, Maryland. Joe Biden attended attended a predominately African-American church Sunday in Mississippi, just two days ahead of the state's primary, and credited black voters for his redemption in the polls. Biden, 77, was welcomed by applause at New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, where he was accompanied by NAACP national president Derrick Johnson and Rep. Bennie Thompson. The three men sat in the front row of the congregation and sang along to the popular hymn 'Victory in Jesus.' Thompson, who hails from Mississippi, first endorsed the presidential hopeful on Thursday. WATCH: Joe Biden speaks at New Hope Baptist Church Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at the New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson ahead of Tuesday's primary elections. Posted by Clarion Ledger on Sunday, March 8, 2020 Joe Biden (center) attended a church service in Jackson, Mississippi, Sunday with Democratic U.S Rep. Bennie Thompson (right) 'Our nation is aching for the kind of moral leadership that can end today's division and hate and bring our country together. Joe Biden has spent his whole life serving something bigger than himself, fighting beside us in every fight that matter,' Thompson said in a statement. '...I know in my bones: Joe is the steady leader we need to move us beyond these uncertain times.' Biden's campaign said he visited New Hope Baptist Church (pictured) to not only speak, but worship with the congregattion At New Hope Baptist Church, Thompson called Biden 'the Comeback Kid' while introducing him to parishioners. 'We know what it means to be picked out, to be picked on. We know Joe. Im going to give him another name,' Thompson said. Biden's 'comeback' has emerged after he struggled to secure votes in states like Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. He seemed to find solid footing in South Carolina after he was boosted above Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders with several votes coming from black voters. He's also found a foothold in southern states like Alabama. 'If I am the comeback kid, which I ain't there yet, but if Im the comeback kid, theres only one reason I've come back - the African American community all around the country,' Biden said to the congregation. 'This isn't just an election, this is a battle for the soul of America.' Biden (pictured): 'If I am the comeback kid, which I ain't there yet, but if Im the comeback kid, theres only one reason I've come back - the African American community all around the country' During a speech, Biden mentioned former President Barack Obama several times and said the country was at 'an inflection point' that reflected the Civil Rights era more than 50 years ago. He cited the mistreatment of marginalized and oppressed groups over the last three years as the catalyst. Biden also touched on the 2017 Unite the Right white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where three people died and more than 33 were injured. He said: 'I underestimated that hates never defeated. It only hides.' Biden (pictured) found himself back in front of the Democratic candidate race after winning South Carolina against Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren New Hope Pastor Jerry Young mentioned that several politicians 'make a pit stop at church,' but Biden's campaign assured that the former Vice President planned to worship with the congregation not just share a speech. The Clarion Ledger reports that Biden spoke for 15 minutes near the end of service and ended by thanking the residents of the South. 'You're the reason I'm back. Nobody else. You're the reason,' said Biden. Following the church service, Biden was seen speaking with local Mississippian's during lunch at Pearl's Southern Cooking. He appears to have enjoyed a meal of spaghetti, Macaroni and Cheese and a biscuit. Biden is scheduled to appear at Tougaloo College, a historically black college, with actress Vivica A. Fox and former Gov. Deval Patrick. During his campaign, Biden has snagged several endorsements from Mississippi Democratic politicians, state lawmakers and former presidential nominee candidates. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden (pictured) sits for lunch at Pearl's Southern Cooking restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi Several Mississippi lawmakers agreed to publicly endorse Biden for the 2020 election Former Gov. Ray Mabus, who served as Secretary of the Navy under the Obama administration and is from Mississippi, announced he was endorsing Biden A photo shared from Mississippi Senator David Blount showed several senators signing to publicly endorse Biden in the 2020 election. Thus far, nine former presidential contenders have publicly backed Biden for the election. Kamala Harris became the most recent example on Sunday when she released a video statement. 'I believe in Joe. I really believe in him and I have known him for a long time. One of the things that we need right now is we need a leader who really does care about the people and who can therefore unify the people. And I believe Joe can do that,' she said. Harris added that although she is disappointed by the lack of female candidates running in the presidential election, she believes Biden has the power to pull ahead of President Trump. 'Like many women, I watched with sadness as women exited the race one by one. Four years after our nominee, the first woman to win the nomination of a major party, received 3 million more votes than Donald Trump but still lost, we find ourselves without any woman on a path to be the Democratic nominee for president,' she said/ 'This is something we must reckon with and it is something I will have more to say about in the future. But we must rise to unite the party and country behind a candidate who reflects the decency and dignity of the American people and who can ultimately defeat Donald Trump.' Kamala Harris endorsed Joe Biden on Sunday for president in a video months after dropping out of the race Pete Buttigieg endorsed Joe Biden's presidential campaign at Chicken Scratch in Dallas, praising Biden's leadership and ability to beat Donald Trump Other former candidates who have endorse Biden include, Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg, Michael Bloomberg, Beto O'Rourke, Deval Patrick, John Delaney, Tim Ryan and Seth Moulton. While Biden is currently leading the polls for the Democratic nomination, Bernie Sanders, 78, trails close behind with ardent supporters. Sanders was set to make a campaign stop in Mississippi, but cancelled earlier this week to visit Michigan. The Vermont politician has received endorsements of his own, including actor Danny Glover, and was the Democratic front-runner until South Carolina. Joe Biden has raked in endorsements in his bid to beat Bernie Sanders, who he will face off against in upcoming primaries Sanders announced that civil rights leader Jesse Jackson was formally backing him. Jackson was appearing with Sanders in Grand Rapids and planned to say that Biden had not reached out to him for endorsement while Sanders had. According to prepared remarks released by the Sanders campaign, Jackson said he chose the Vermont senator after the campaign offered responses on 13 issues Jackson raised, including protecting voting rights, increasing funding for historically black colleges and universities and committing to putting African Americans on the Supreme Court. 'Right now, our focus is here in Michigan, where we think we have the agenda that can win this state. And, also, with two people in the race -- now, it's Vice President Biden and myself -- we have the opportunity to contrast our voting records, our vision for the future,' Sanders said in an interview with CNN's 'State of the Union.' The Democratic race has become centered around Biden and Sanders, as the country awaits 32 more states to cast their deciding ballot. An all-Republican municipal council in Morris County has quashed a pro-gun resolution sweeping through conservative parts of New Jersey. The unexpected outcome in Mount Olive is another sign that Republicans in New Jersey are not necessarily unified in opposition to gun control. Mayor Rob Greenbaum said he supports red flag laws, background checks and requiring training before someone is allowed to purchase a weapon. I do not believe in unfettered gun ownership, Greenbaum, a Republican, told NJ Advance Media. Greenbaum said the 7-member council made the right call in not voting on the resolution at a meeting last month, after it became apparent there was not enough support to move it forward. The original version would have declared Mount Olive a Second Amendment sanctuary, a word choice in several resolutions that recently prompted a cautionary letter from State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to county prosecutors. Council President Joe Nicastro was among those raising concerns. The wording of it, I didnt like, Nicastro said, referencing concerns that some might conclude, falsely, that gun laws might not apply in Mount Olive. Greenbaum said the council agreed to consider a watered-down version that did not include sanctuary, nor list any objections to gun control. Nicastro, though, said he decided not to put it up for a vote, following a lengthy discussion that made it clear it would not gain approval. Greenbaum said proceeding with the resolution would have been divisive. It serves no purpose. Weve worked very hard in Mount Olive to create a cohesive community. Taking a position on something that half the community would be against, I saw no benefit," Greenbaum said. Council Vice President Alex Roman, who introduced the resolution, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past three months, at least six county freeholder boards, and governing bodies in numerous municipalities, have approved various versions of non-binding resolutions expressing support for the Second Amendment. While the resolutions have prompted objections from Democrats, in some cases Republicans have raised concerns. The Monmouth County freeholder board approved a resolution Feb. 27 but only after cutting out a section objecting to additional gun restrictions. Freeholder Lillian Burry, who introduced the resolution, explained the redaction by saying she supports a bill, sponsored by five Democratic state lawmakers, that would bar those convicted of animal cruelty from possessing a firearm. The municipal council in Stillwater, in Sussex County, approved a resolution in January, with Mayor Lisa Chammings, a Republican, casting the lone dissenting vote. Chammings said that while she supports the Second Amendment she was not comfortable with the part of the resolution criticizing red flag laws allowing for the removal of weapons from someone deemed by a judge to be a threat to themselves, or others. Greenbaum was re-elected as mayor in Mount Olive in 2019. He did not face a Democratic opponent. I do support gun ownership. I just believe there needs to be responsible restrictions, Greenbaum said. I would certainly take a position in favor of Second Amendment rights if I thought what the government was doing had gone too far, Greenbaum said. Mount Olive is home to 29,000 and is the largest municipality in the legislative district represented by Assemblyman Parker Space, a Republican from Wantage in Sussex County. Space voted against New Jerseys red flag law, which took effect in September, and has been voicing support for the resolutions. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/08/2020 ADVERTISEMENT [ Spoilers Warning: This report contains spoilers that reveal if Lisa and Usman are still together and if the : Before the 90 Days couple has married]. ADVERTISEMENT So did Lisa and Usman split or are they still together? Did the get married? ADVERTISEMENT Steven Rogers is a senior entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and been covering the reality TV genre for two decades. couple Lisa and Usman are close to meeting on Season 4 of : Before the 90 Days, so what happened once Lisa arrived in Nigeria? Has the couple split or are they still together and possibly even married?Lisa, a 52-year-old hospice caregiver from York, PA, and Usman "SojaBoy," a 30-year-old rapper from Nigeria, have been featured on : Before the 90 Days' fourth season since the show premiered February 23 on TLC.Lisa said Usman had contacted her on Facebook two years prior and videochatted with her right away to prove he wasn't a catfish.Lisa was in love, and so she planned a trip to Nigeria so she could meet Usman in person. It would be her first trip out of the United States.Lisa, who previously divorced an unfaithful and verbally-abusive man, said leaving the marriage was the best thing for her and her 15-year-old daughter, whom Lisa said she worked hard to support financially.Usman is apparently an entertainer in Nigeria who has over 20,000 followers on Instagram.Lisa therefore didn't understand why this Nigerian celebrity had feelings for her, but she revealed Usman had written a song for her that confirmed his love.Lisa said their relationship was built on trust but she had an issue with the "thirsty" women who followed him on social media.Lisa was not okay with women telling Usman they wanted and admired him. She therefore demanded Usman tighten up his social-media profiles after seeing some flirty comments had been left by women, such as heart emojis. (Sounds like fellow star Angela Deem !)Lisa revealed Usman had already proposed marriage to her and so they planned to wed once she traveled to Nigeria and then apply for a spousal visa so Usman could move to the United States.Lisa told the cameras Usman had fulfilled all of her desires other than physical intimacy, and so she knew sex would be great because she was going to have unprotected sex with him.Lisa said they loved and trusted each other, and unprotected sex was something he had never experienced before."He'll teach me his Nigerian ways, and I'll teach him my American ways," Lisa bragged in a confessional, adding that Usman had been tested for STDs and was clean.Lisa was warned Usman would tell her anything she wanted to hear in order to come to America and receive a Green Card, but Lisa believed otherwise."I feel like this is an opportunity for me to have a love that I have never experienced in my life," Lisa gushed."But the one thing I am worried about are his female fans, and I need to make sure he has been faithful to me. But I won't know until I travel to Nigeria and see him face to face."In the second episode of the series, Usman promised Lisa that he loved her and she shouldn't worry about his fans, but she knew the temptation for him to cheat was always there.Usman told Lisa they could hold hands in public but not in his family's house since he's Muslim. Lisa, a Christian, admitted her biggest fear was Usman's mother not giving her a blessing to wed.Usman said his mother feared Lisa was taking him to the United States so he could be a slave, which appeared to shock Lisa, but Usman was certain his mother would accept her and grow to love her as well.Lisa asked Usman to be by her side 24 hours a day once she arrived in Nigeria. She expected them to have quality time, with none of his friends around to steal the attention she wanted from her man."If my life is one week [or] one month with this man, I've lived a full life," Lisa told her friends before she left America.Lisa's friends were worried about her safety in Nigeria and being kidnapped or something like that, but Lisa gushed, "If I die in Nigeria, I'll die a happy woman because I'll be with the man I love."Lisa planned to attend a premiere party with Usman for his new music video, and she couldn't wait."He's absolutely the man of my dreams. If this is a scam, it's going to break my heart and I will not recover from it," Lisa said in a confessional.Lisa and Usman are reportedly still together and got married!Photos of what appeared to be Lisa and Usman's wedding ceremony leaked online last year by Starcasm.One picture appeared to show the couple holding their Nigerian marriage certificate.Lisa reportedly chose not to wear any makeup on her wedding day at Usman's request, and Lisa changed her name to Usman's mother's name when she got married.Based on posts Lisa has made on Facebook, she and Usman reportedly began dating in June 2018 and then got married on August 30, 2019.Usman also shared a post on Facebook in December 2019 that showed a screenshot of a text message Lisa had sent him in which she talked about converting to Islam, Starcasm reported."Wasn't for your mom or anyone in our lives, not even you," Lisa allegedly wrote, "this was a decision that I made for myself."Lisa reportedly received her fair share of backlash on social media after revealing she's married to Usman, but it doesn't really seem to phase her!Lisa is clearly feisty and won't take insults from anyone.When one fan reportedly wrote to Lisa, "I wish you were faithful tho," she reportedly replied, "What do you mean my husband is faithful to me. Keep moving."Lisa then went off at the online troll and, according to Starcasm, wrote, "She is a typical Nigerian b*tch an ppl from my husband area wonder why he married a WHITE AMERICAN WOMAN. FACT STANDS I AM A GOOD WOMAN SO LET MY HATERS COME @USMAN SERIOUSLY ILL F**KING MAKE HER CRY."The commenter went on to say Usman had been "f-cking around" on her, advising Lisa to get checked for sexual transmitted diseases."Jealous much b*tch? Get in line to kiss my white a**," Lisa reportedly responded."You mad bc I married Usman Sojaboy no wonder Nigerian men are choosing to marry anyone but a Nigerian woman like you."In addition to being a musician, Usman is also reportedly an actor in Nigeria.Want spoilers? Click here to visit our Spoilers webpage! BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8 Trend: Azerbaijans border combat positions on the state border with Armenia in the direction of Gazakh districts Gushchu Ayrim village were subjected to intensive shelling from large-caliber guns and sniper rifles by Armenian Armed Forces units located near the village of Voskepar of Armenias Noyemberyan district at 14:00 (GMT+4) on March 8, Trend reports citing the State Border Service. "The provocation was suppressed by return fire and as a result, shelling from combat positions of the Armenian Armed Forces at Azerbaijans border combat positions was suppressed. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Four people were shot and injured, including one juvenile, after police say a man opened fire on dozens of partygoers leaving a house early Saturday morning in Southwest Albuquerque. Isaiah Perez, 22, was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Saturday afternoon on several felonies, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, child abuse resulting in great bodily harm, shooting at a dwelling or occupied building and tampering with evidence. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said one of those shot was critically injured. He did not give the extent of the injuries to the other three people or provide the age of the juvenile. According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court: Officers responded after midnight to the 1700 block of Rayo del Sol SW, near Coors and Arenal, where four people had been shot during a house party attended by more than 60 people. The barrage of bullets had gone through the walls of three houses and nine vehicles. Among those shot was a woman who was hit in the foot after a bullet went through a wall and a boy who was struck in the arm and thigh. Perez returned to the scene to get his car and was arrested. He told police he had gone to the house party earlier and run into a man he had issues with. Perez told police he beat the man unconscious before he was sucker punched by the mans relative, sparking another fight. As Perez was leaving, a man handed him a fully loaded handgun. Perez then opened fire at dozens of people leaving the home. (Perez) shot the gun until it was empty and handed the gun back to the unidentified male, an officer wrote. Officers did not find the gun used, and Perez would not tell them where it was. Perez has had numerous run-ins with police over the past several years, mostly for reckless driving and serious traffic violations. But on July 4, 2019, he was charged after he was allegedly caught stealing tires with 19-year-old Izaiah Garcia who would later be charged in the murder of Sean Markey, a 17-year-old Sandia High student killed when police say Garcia opened fire outside a homecoming party. Most recently, detectives were surveilling Perez in December, calling him a possible suspect in a shooting. The court document doesnt specify which shooting. An APD spokesman said that case involves a shooting at a mobile home park that left three people wounded, including a teenage boy who was critically injured by a stray bullet as he slept in bed. Sen. Kamala Harris, whose presidential campaign peaked when she criticized Joe Biden on a debate stage for his 1970s opposition to mandatory busing to integrate schools, endorsed the former vice president Sunday for the Democratic presidential nomination. I believe in Joe. I really believe in him and I have known him for a long time, Harris, D-Calif., said in an early morning tweeted video. We need a leader who really does care about the people and who can therefore unify the people. And I believe Joe can do that. Harris made her endorsement three months after ending her own presidential campaign and five days after Biden finished second to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in her home states primary, when her endorsement could have been more powerful. Californias other senator, Dianne Feinstein, endorsed Biden in October. Harris didnt make a final decision to endorse until after Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., ended their campaigns, out of respect to the two senators, according to a source close to Harris. The polling high point of Harris campaign came in June, after she pointed out during a presidential debate that as a senator, Biden worked in the 1970s to oppose mandatory busing to integrate public schools. She criticized that and Bidens past comments about his ability to work with people from across the political spectrum, including senators who had endorsed segregation such as James Eastland of Mississippi and Herman Talmadge of Georgia. It was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country, Harris said to Biden at the debate. You also worked with them to oppose busing, Harris continued. There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools and she was bused to school every day. And that little girl was me. Harris lived in Berkeley as a child. Harris polling spike was short-lived. Support for her campaign went into a decline after the next debate, when Biden and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard criticized actions she had taken as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general. But all that was forgotten on Sunday. I am supporting Joe because I believe that he is a man who has lived his life with great dignity, Harris said in her endorsement. He is a public servant who has always worked for the best of who we are as a nation, and we need that right now. Biden thanked Harris for her endorsement in a tweet Sunday, saying, Youve spent your whole career fighting for folks whove been written off and left behind and no small part of that alongside Beau, his late son. From our family: thank you. Harris will campaign with Biden on Monday in Detroit in advance of Tuesdays primary in Michigan. With its 125 delegates, it is a state that is suddenly crucial to both Bidens and Sanders campaigns, after Biden won 10 of 14 contests on Super Tuesday to take the delegate lead for the nomination. Sanders upset Hillary Clinton in Michigan in the 2016 primary, even though pre-election polls showed him far behind. Harris is the ninth former presidential candidate to endorse Biden. In response, Sanders said Sunday that the establishment is working to make sure people coalesced around Biden and try to defeat me. One of the things I was kind of not surprised by was the power of the establishment to force Amy Klobuchar, who had worked so hard, Pete Buttigieg, who had really worked extremely hard as well, out of the race, Sanders told ABC News. Were not going to get the support of most elected leaders, not most governors, not most senators, Sanders said. But we are winning the support of grassroots America because we have an agenda that speaks to working people. On Sunday, the Rev. Jesse Jackson endorsed Sanders in Grand Rapids, Mich., saying, I stand with him because he never lost his taste for justice for the people. I stand with him because he stands with you. Even though Sanders defeated Clinton four years ago in Michigan, he will face an uphill climb on Tuesday, said Vincent Hutchings, a professor of political science at the University of Michigan. Biden remains popular among African American voters, make up about one-fourth of the states Democratic electorate, Hutchings said. Bidens connection to the (Barack) Obama presidency is strong with many African Americans, Hutchings said. There is very little Sanders can do to dislodge that. Harris is one of two African Americans to drop out of the Democratic race who have endorsed Biden, joining former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. One political analyst doubted Harris backing would have a major impact. Harris certainly cant claim to be an early and enthusiastic endorser, said Jessica Levinson, director of Loyola Law Schools Public Service Institute in Los Angeles. She waited until after it might have really mattered after her (former) rivals dropped out and after her state voted. She didnt exactly lead the charge for Biden. San Francisco Chronicle politics editor Trapper Byrne contributed to this report. Joe Garofoli is the San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli With the Yes Bank placed under moratorium, the people are worried about keeping their savings in banks. The safety of bank deposits has become a major issue among customers. As soon as the news of the moratorium of Yes Bank broke out, customers rushed to the bank to enquire about the issue and several people withdrew cash from their account. The city has only one Yes Bank branch on Kalidasa Road in Jayalakshmipuram. Sudha, a private company employee, who has her salary account in Yes Bank, said that initially, she was worried about her money but, she managed to withdraw the needed amount. I was not able to transact cash, either through ATM or netbanking. I managed to get cash, by presenting a cheque at the bank counter, she said. Shambavi said, I was shocked to see the news of moratorium. If this is the case with banks, what is the difference between private moneylenders and banks? Is it safe to keep money in banks? If we are restricted to use our own money, what is the use of saving money? she questioned. Questioning the withdrawal limit of Rs 50,000, Anoop, another customer, said that the system is worst. What is the security for the amount? If we are not able to withdraw money from our savings account, what is the use of keeping money in banks? What is the guarantee for our money? I am trying to transfer money to my parents account for monthly expenses, but, failed. What is the use of having bank accounts and online system? he asked. A businessman was worried about the moratorium imposed on withdrawals from the bank. I need a minimum of Rs 15,000 a day for my transaction. Now, I am allowed to withdraw Rs 50,000 per month. The authorities are asking for proof to withdraw Rs 50,000, he told. Nagappa of Jayalakshmipuram had opened an account in Yes Bank, a few months back and had deposited some of his savings for his daughters education and marriage. I had an account in another bank. But, I shifted to Yes Bank. Now, I am worried about the money, he said. However, Yes Bank authorities claimed that the moratorium is temporary and the issue will be solved within a few days. The customers need not worry as the money is safe with the bank. Not only customers of Yes Bank, but others too faced the heat as ATM, net and mobile banking services were hit. Manoj, a customer of State Bank of India (SBI), who uses PhonePe, an App, said, the governments are promoting digital payment. But, they failed to ensure quality service. I am trying to transact through the application, but, the system is blocked. Why does the government allow inefficient organisations to handle the applications? he asked. NEW SOUTH WALES: 61 January 25 Three men aged 43, 53, and 35 who had recently travelled to China contracted the disease. Two flew in from Wuhan while the other arrived in Sydney from Shenzhen, south China. They were treated in isolation at Westmead Hospital. January 27 A 21-year-old woman is identified as the fourth person to test positive for the illness in NSW. The woman, a student at UNSW, flew into Sydney International Airport on flight MU749 on January 23 and presented to the emergency department 24 hours later after developing flu-like symptoms. March 1 A man in his 40s is confirmed as the fifth coronavirus case in the state and a woman in her 50s as the sixth. Both returned to Sydney from Iran. March 2 The 41-year-old sister of a man who had returned from Iran with the disease was one of three confirmed cases. The second locally-acquired case was a 53-year-old male health worker who hadn't travelled for many months. The other new case is a 31-year-old man who flew into Sydney on Saturday from Iran and developed symptoms 24 hours later. March 3 Six more cases are confirmed in NSW. They included a 39-year-old man who had flown in from Iran and a 53-year-old man who arrived from Singapore last Friday. It also included two women aged in their 60s who arrived in Sydney from South Korea and Japan respectively. A man in his 30s who returned from Malaysia to Sydney on Malindo Air flight OD171 on March 1 was also one of the six. A 50-year-old carer was the final of the day's six people diagnosed with coronavirus. The woman is a carer at a nursing home in Macquarie Park in Sydney's north. She had not been overseas and contracted the virus in Australia. March 4 A 95-year-old woman died at a Sydney hospital on Wednesday night after developing a respiratory illness from the coronavirus, bringing the death toll to two. A Macquarie University lecturer tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday after returning from Iran. A further six cases confirmed on Wednesday evening. They included an 82-year-old aged care resident from the Dorothy Henderson Lodge, where the 95-year-old woman was staying. The new cases include a female doctor who works at Liverpool hospital, a female patient from the Northern Beaches, a male from Cronulla, a woman who returned from the Phillippines and a woman in her 70s. March 5 A health care worker, who attended the same conference as the doctor from Ryde Hospital, also tests positive. A boy from Epping Boys High School is diagnosed with COVID-19 forcing the school to temporarily close. A Goulburn resident who had recently returned from Singapore and travelled on to Darwin was also diagnosed with the virus. A fourth resident, aged 94, from the Dorothy Henderson Lodge aged care facility in Macquarie Park was also diagnosed. March 6 Two more workers at the Dorothy Henderson Lodge aged care centre are diagnosed with coronavirus. A 24-year-old female and 21-year-old male have now been confirmed as cases at the facility. An 18-year-old female has also been diagnosed. March 7 Six new cases are diagnosed. This includes a man in his 50s and a woman in her 40s, who are a close contact of a previously confirmed case. Also included was a man in his 40s and a woman in her 40s, both family members of a previously confirmed case. A man in his 20s, also a close contact of a previously confirmed case, was also included. A man in his 70s, who returned from Italy and who exhibited symptoms a day after returning. NSW Health is contacting flight passengers on flight number QR908 which left Doha on 1 March. A second male in his 40s, who is a known close contact of a previously confirmed case, is being tested. He travelled on two domestic flights on 28 February while symptomatic but before he had been identified as a close contact. Another man in his 60s who recently returned from Italy and a second man in his 40s who is a known close contact of a previously confirmed case, were confirmed late Saturday. NSW Health says the man in his 40s travelled on two domestic flights on 28 February while symptomatic. March 8 A female care worker in her 30s at Ryde Hospital is among new cases in New South Wales. She had been in contact with a case in Macquarie Park aged care facility which had already been confirmed. Another woman, in her 50s, was the other person confirmed to have caught the disease. She had also been in contact with a previous case. An 82-year-old man, who contracted the coronavirus from an infected aged care worker at BaptistCare's Dorothy Henderson Lodge in his Sydney, died on Sunday. A man in his 70s was diagnosed after presenting to Sydney's St Vincent Hospital on Friday. He hadn't recently travelled overseas and the source of his infection is not known. A man in his 40s who recently travelled overseas was confirmed on Sunday night as NSW's 40th case. No other details about the case are available. March 9 St Patricks Marist College in Sydney's north west is forced to close after two students in grade 10, one boy and one girl, are diagnosed with coronavirus. Both fathers of the year 10 students, aged in their 50s have also tested positive, including a third member of the ADF. The father of the male St Patricks Marist College student is diagnosed with coronavirus. He is also the third Australian Defence Force member to test positive. A grade 7 student at Willoughby Girls High School was another confirmed case on March 9. The girl's mother, who is Iranian, was also diagnosed. Woman aged in her 30s was diagnosed on Monday having recently returned from the Philippines. NSW Health is establishing her travel movements and identifying any contacts who may require self-isolation. March 10 Cases confirmed on Tuesday March 10 include a woman in her 20s who had contact with a previously confirmed case at Ryde Hospital and a woman in her 40s who recently returned from South Korea. NSW Health is separately working to establish how three others were infected: two women in their 30s and 40s and a man in his 70s. Two other cases are related to the outbreak at the Dorothy Henderson Lodge nursing home in Macquarie Park. Another case was confirmed. A man in his 70s, a woman in her 30s and a woman in her 40s test positive, as well as three other people. VICTORIA: 21 January 25 A Chinese national aged in his 50s becomes the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in Australia. The man flew to Melbourne on China Southern flight CZ321 from Wuhan via Guangzhou on January 19. He was quarantined at Monash Hospital in Clayton in Melbourne's east. January 29 A Victorian man in his 60s is diagnosed with the coronavirus. He became unwell on January 23 - two days after returning from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak. The man was confirmed as positive on January 29 and was subsequently seen by doctors at the Monash Medical Centre. January 30 A woman in her 40s is found to have coronavirus. She was visiting from China and mostly spent time with her family. She is being treated at Royal Melbourne Hospital. February 1 A woman in her 20s in Melbourne is found to have the virus. February 22 Two passengers taken off the Diamond Princess cruise ship test positive. February 25 Another passenger taken off the cruise ship tests positive. March 1 Victorian man confirmed to have coronavirus after the 78-year-old was evacuated to Melbourne from a Darwin quarantine centre. It is confirmed a Victorian woman in her 30s has tested positive for coronavirus after flying from Malaysia to Melbourne via Indonesia. March 4 Victorian man in his 30s confirmed to have coronavirus after returning from Iran. Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the man was 'almost symptom-free' after self-isolating March 7 A doctor working at a clinic in Toorak, Melbourne has been confirmed to have coronavirus and is now in isolation at home after returning from a trip to the US. The doctor came into contact with around 70 patients who have been told to self isolate. March 8 A woman who arrived in the state from Indonesia has tested positive March 9 Authorities confirmed on Monday two new cases in returned travellers from the United States. A third case was diagnosed on Monday in a passenger who recently returned from Iran. One of the cases is a woman in her 50s who returned from Tehran via Kuala Lumpar on MH0149, arriving on March 6, and is in hospital in isolation being treated for pneumonia. March 10 A man in his 70s who returned to Melbourne from Singapore on March 6 at 12.15am on flight EK404 was confirmed to be carrying the disease. A Victorian man in his 20s who recently returned from Hong Kong was diagnosed. A teacher from Carey Baptist Grammer was diagnosed. The school will closed until next week while students are tested March 11 A male teacher at Yeshivah-Beth Rivkah college was diagnosed with coronavirus after arriving in Australia on a flight from Los Angeles on March 6. QUEENSLAND: 19 January 29 Queensland confirms its first case after a 44-year-old Chinese national was diagnosed with the virus. He is being treated at Gold Coast University Hospital. January 30 A 42-year-old Chinese woman who was travelling in the same Wuhan tour group as the 44-year-old man tests positive. She is in Gold Coast University Hospital in stable condition. February 4 An eight-year-old boy was diagnosed with coronavirus. He is also from the tour group where the other Queensland cases came from. February 5 A 37-year-old man, who was a member of a group of nine Chinese tourists in quarantine on the Gold Coast, also tested positive. February 6 A 37-year-old woman was diagnosed with coronavirus from the same travel group that flew to Queensland from Melbourne on January 27. February 21 Two Queensland women, aged 54 and 55, tested positive for COVID-19 and will be flown to Brisbane for further treatment. A 57-year-old woman from Queensland also tested positive for the virus. February 28 A 63-year-old woman was confirmed to have the virus after returning to the Gold Coast from Iran. March 3 A 20-year-old man from China was confirmed as the tenth person to be infected by the coronavirus in Queensland. The man had travelled to Dubai for at least 14 days before entering Australia, via Brisbane on February 23. March 4 A 26-year-old man from Logan in Brisbane is diagnosed with coronavirus. He arrived back in Australia from Iran. March 5 An 81-year-old man who had returned to Brisbane from Thailand and a 29-year-old woman who had come via Singapore from London are diagnosed with coronavirus. March 6 A 28-year-old man in Brisbane was diagnosed after returning from Iran. March 8 A 38-year-old woman is confirmed to have tested positive for coronavirus after returning to Australia from London via Dubai. March 10 A 42-year-old female is n the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a stable condition. She is the partner of the 38-year-old woman, who travelled from London through Dubai. A 46-year-old female from Brisbane, who recently travelled to Austria and France, is confirmed to have contracted the illness. A 22-year-old male from Brisbane is in a stable condition in The Prince Charles Hospital. He recently travelled to Spain, Italy and France. March 11 A student at the University of Queensland was diagnosed with coronavirus. SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 7 February 1 A Chinese couple in their 60s who arrived in Adelaide from Wuhan to visit relatives are confirmed to have coronavirus. A 24-year-old woman from South Australia was transferred to Royal Adelaide Hospital. March 4 Mother, 40, is diagnosed after flying to Australia from Iran via Kuala Lumpur. Another 24-year-old woman, not related to the previous woman, was in a stable condition in Adelaide hospital after falling ill following overseas travel. March 5 The eight-month-old child of the 40-year-woman, diagnosed on March 4, is also diagnosed with coronavirus. Renowned Australian music composer Brett Dean, 58, who travelled to SA on March 3 from Taiwan also tests positive. He's receiving treatment in an Adelaide hospital. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 6 February 21 A 78-year-old man from Western Australia was transferred to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth. On February 28, he was taken into intensive care in a 'serious' condition and later died. His wife was also diagnosed with coronavirus. March 1 The elderly man died in the early hours of the morning from the virus at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. March 5 A woman in Perth is diagnosed with the virus after flying into the city from the UK, via Dubai March 8 A Perth woman, aged in her 70s, was confirmed as WAs fourth coronavirus diagnosis. She had been in Cuba in recent weeks had flown from London to Perth on a direct flight on March 5. The woman was tested for COVID-19 on Friday but didnt wait for the results before attending a the West Australian Symphony Orchestras Absolute Beethoven concert on Saturday night. March 9 A West Australian woman in her 60s contracted coronavirus from her husband after he returned from Iran, making her the state's first person-to-person transmission of COVID-19. TASMANIA: 2 March 2 The man who travelled from Iran to Australia on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19. March 7 A man in his 20s was diagnosed with coronavirus after returning to Tasmania from Nepal on February 26 and experiencing cold-like symptoms the next day. He is in the Royal Hobart Hospital in a satisfactory condition. NORTHERN TERRITORY: 1 March 4 A tourist in Darwin has tested positive for coronavirus in what is the first confirmed case in the Northern Territory. NT Health confirmed the 52-year-old man as the first case of COVID-19 in the community on Wednesday evening. The man recently arrived in Darwin via Sydney and has had limited contact with the local community, NT Health said in a statement. NASHVILLE, Tenn. As catastrophe turns to recovery, thousands of volunteers deployed into all corners of Nashville to aid in cleanup efforts Saturday after a tornado tore through the city earlier this week. Volunteers and tools crammed cars headed straight into the neighborhoods of North Nashville. The sound of chainsaws buzzed throughout the area as volunteers hauled tornado debris out for collection along the curbs, sorting the mixed debris into three different piles for pickup. On one corner lot, volunteers helped a man sift through his belongings in a bedroom that the storm had left exposed for the outside to see. He had lost his wedding ring. Memories recovered: Photos rediscovered miles away after Tennessee tornado Samaritan Purse volunteers lift a side wall section of a tornado destroyed house while clearing an area around home on Saturday, March 7, 2020, in Cookeville, Tenn. As trucks pulled up to the the Lee Chapel AME Church, dozens of water cases were strategically fitted in the bed, along with diapers, gloves and feminine products to be sent to other locations throughout the city that needed specific materials. Scenes like this played out across the region, including in East Nashville, Donelson, Hermitage, Mount Juliet and Lebanon, areas hits by the EF-3 tornado that traveled approximately 60 miles through the city on its way east. I dont think any city could feel prouder than Nashville today, Mayor John Cooper told The Tennessean. He had started his day thanking volunteers in Hermitage before checking on residents again in the Donelson Christian Academy neighborhood. Nashville Mayor John Cooper leans in to a Metro Police Officer to thank them for their work in the Stanford Estates subdivision of Donelson in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday, March 7, 2020. The storm tore apart the school and moved metal trailers hundreds of feet, uprooted trees and shattered the lives of many in an otherwise quiet community near Nashvilles airport. Some out for the first time to volunteer timidly walked up to a desk set up outside Lee Chapel, where organizers with Hands On Nashville helped sign them in. "I'm just trying to figure out where I'm needed. But I'm not sure if I can be helpful," said a woman. "That's OK. Thank you for just being here," said an organizer. Story continues He helped her get started by handing her a pair of gloves, a few large trash bags and a set of instructions to join with a group wearing bright yellow shirts. Volunteers line up for assignments and to get spare equipment before hading out for work in the Stanford Estates subdivision of Donelson in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday, March 7, 2020. "It's amazing to see the community just come together, both those who have been affected and people who haven't been. Everyone is really coming together for this effort," said Lily Sronkoski, an Americorps member with Hands On Nashville. Craig Lund walked up and down one street countless times as he cleared debris from the roadway to allow city crews access to parts of the street. The day before, he had surveyed homes to see how much tarp they needed to cover roofs and windows. Lund is from South Carolina and said he saw there was a need in Nashville, so he got in his truck and drove out. His daughter lives in Nashville. "In Charleston we have terrible hurricanes and people come from all over to volunteer so I'm just trying to pay that back," said Lund, who plans on sticking around until Tuesday. By Saturday, much of the chaos in Stanford Estates in Donelson had been organized into heaping piles of metal and household appliances, lumber and windows, tree trunks and limbs. Some stood 10-feet tall. Minute by minute: How a deadly tornado cut a devastating path across Tennessee Teresa Williams stood in the still morning, looking at the minutia of her life laid bare. Behind her, her husband, Clint, puttered about in what used to be her house, a structure torn to the foundation by Tuesdays twister. Now, in a quiet moment before crews with wheelbarrows and chainsaws hit the streets again, the remnants of their home stood startlingly empty. I dont know what hes doing, she said, laughing. The couple are one of many who lost their homes in the Donelson neighborhood. They were asleep when an alert on Williams cellphone roused her. Husband and wife made it down the basement stairs just as a wall caved in, sending bricks toppling toward them. Somehow, they emerged unscathed. Every time Im here, Mayor Cooper later told an organizer in the subdivision, I cannot believe there were not more injuries. Lee Company worker Tucker Gill carefully folds tornado victims clothing after he gathered the items up around a destroyed home on Saturday, March 7, 2020, in Cookeville, Tenn. Volunteers bustled inside Mount Gilead Missionary Baptist Church in Hermitage. The church began collecting donations Friday and will start distributing them Sunday afternoon, said Pastor Breonus Mitchell. "I saw chainsaws and food trucks and volunteers" in North Nashville and East Nashville, Mitchell said. "I saw them everywhere. I didn't see them in Hermitage. I felt like God was leading me for our church to be that hub for the individuals out here who have lost all, too. Sometimes when you're farther away from the city, you get overlooked." Mitchell said he reached out Friday afternoon to Hands on Nashville. By Saturday afternoon, the walls of both floors of the church's auditorium were lined with rakes, shovels, diapers, blankets, bottles of water, trash cans, trash bags, generators and more. In a separate building sat clothes, paper towels, cleaning supplies, Gatorade, sleeping bags, tarps, pillows and blankets. In a back room, volunteers hastily sorted cans of soup, crackers, cookies, chips, pasta and other foods. "All of this is just a result of volunteers at Community Resource Center and just individuals showing up in trucks and cars saying, 'Hey we got shovels, we got rakes, we stopped by Walmart, we have toiletries,'" Mitchell said. "It's been amazing, and they're still coming in." Follow Yihyun Jeong on Twitter: @yihyun_jeong. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville tornado: Thousands of volunteers deploy for cleanup effort At least 400 people in Assam have been quarantined after they came in contact with an American tourist who tested positive for the new coronavirus in Bhutan after travelling through the state recently, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday. In a series of tweets, Sarma said tests for five persons have been done so far and results have come negative. "State Health Dept has traced more than 400 contacts in different places including MV Mahabahu (cruise ship) and resorts where he stayed. Teams of doctors and microbiologists have been keeping a close watch on these people who have been quarantined," he tweeted. A 76-year-old American tourist tested positive for COVID-19 in Bhutan, the first such case in the country, after travelling through Assam recently. On Saturday, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Pijush Hazarika said the river cruise ship MV Mahabahu, on which the US tourist had travelled from Guwahati on Brahmaputra has been quarantined at a distance away from docking Neamatighat in Jorhat district. According to the management of the hotel, where the US national had stayed on March 1 before taking a flight to Paro International Airport in Bhutan the next day, the second floor of the building with 18 rooms was sealed and sanitised. Sarma said the health department has taken all possible measures to combat the virus. "In the aftermath of an American tourist declared positive for coronavirus while in Bhutan, state health officials have swung into action," he added. "So far, 5 tests done and all are negative. Even partner of American tourist is reported to be negative. Appeal to all in #Assam not to panic and observe all protocols including personal hygiene. With your cooperation, we will safely sail through these turbulent times," Sarma said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The proposed first phase includes rebuilding, replacing or fully renovating 38 of the district's schools and building three new schools. Some schools would close and others would reconfigure. The board has several options at this point. It could vote to pass the proposal along to commissioners as-is, approve it with amendments, or reject it. Board members also could have Contreras and her staff reconfigure something in the plan and bring it back, or they could postpone a vote. Contreras said she held meetings with each school board member over the last two weeks to discuss the plan and try to get answers to any questions they might have in advance. She said she's hearing consensus on a need to fix schools, but also disagreement on how much money to ask for in the bond referendum. Jeff Phillips, the commissioners' chairman, has been sounding not too thrilled about a property tax increase and skeptical about the county getting permission for a sales tax increase. And County Manager Marty Lawing has raised the question of whether voters might be more likely to agree to a smaller school bond referendum than a larger one. In less than a minute, a veteran South Bend, Indiana, police officer responded to a 911 call for a possible carjacker, killed a 54-year-old man, authorities said; causing former Mayor Pete Buttigieg to temporarily leave the presidential campaign trial. After an eight-month investigation by an appointed prosecution team, no charges will be filed against Sergeant Ryan O'Neill. "There is no disagreement that Sgt. Ryan O'Neill shot and killed Eric Logan," said Ripley County Prosecutor Eric Hertel at a press conference on Friday morning. Logan's killing gained national attention when former Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who was a candidate in the 2020 Democratic presidential race and campaigning around the country, flew back to South Bend and instructed the town's police chief to change their body worn camera policy. Hertel was assigned to investigate the June 16, 2019 killing of Logan, in order to have a completely independent investigation. PHOTO: Special Prosecutor Ric Hertel, in South Bend, Ind. on March 6,2020, discusses an enlarged picture of the knife the police say Eric Logan was holding when he was shot by Sgt. Ryan O'Neill. (Michael Caterina/South Bend Tribune via USA Today Network) The 25-page investigation report by the independent prosecutor explained that since O'Neill claimed "both a personal right to self-defense and the legal authority to use deadly force in the performance of his official duties...there is no reasonable likelihood that any potential homicide charged could be substantiated at trial," therefore, criminal prosecution is "not possible." At 3:30 in the morning, O'Neill was the first officer on the scene for a report of cars getting broken into in the parking lot of Central High Apartments on N. William Street, according to the report. From his patrol car, O'Neill saw legs sticking out of the driver's side door of a black Honda. MORE: Family of black man killed in police-involved shooting sues South Bend, Indiana Hertel said Friday that O'Neill's body worn camera was not turned on until after Logan was already shot and laying on the ground. PHOTO: Special Prosecutor Ric Hertel speaks during a press conference at the County City Building to announce that a police officer, who fatally shot Eric Logan on June 16, 2019, will not be charged in the shooting in South Bend, Ind., March 6, 2020. (Michael Caterina/South Bend Tribune-USA TODAY NET) As O'Neill approached Logan, the 19-year veteran officer told investigators he observed a knife in Logan's hand and a purse tucked under one of his arms. Story continues "He (O'Neill) orders him to drop the knife. He takes out his gun, he orders him to drop the knife. Logan does not drop the knife," said Hertel at the press conference which was packed with Logan's family and community supporters. "O'Neill begins to back up -- his car is parked behind where Logan is. Logan continues to walk toward him. O'Neill continues to back up while ordering him to drop the knife. He did not drop the knife." O'Neill, 44, fired two rounds at Logan as he allegedly moved toward him, according to the report. "Evidence exists supporting two legal justification defenses of the shooting. Following an exhaustive investigation and analysis of the facts and the law, the State concludes that criminal prosecution of Sgt. Ryan O'Neill for the shooting death of Mr. Eric Logan is not possible," according to the report. The South Bend Fraternal Order of Police lodge No. 36's President Harvey Mills applauded Hertel's decision. "Police officers never want to be put in the position where they have to use deadly force to defend their life -- they want to come to work, protect their community, and go home to their families, just like everyone else," said Mills. One bullet from the 9 mm handgun struck Logan's chest "in a downward trajectory," said Hertel. "The trajectory is consistent with Mr. Logan being slightly bent forward, toward Sgt. O'Neill," according to Dr. William Smock, an independent expert that reviewed Logan's autopsy and contributed to the report, adding, "The use of deadly force by Sgt. O'Neill was justified based upon the threat and imminent danger presented by the sharp-edged knife in the right had of Mr. Logan." PHOTO: Former South Bend Police Department Sgt. Ryan O'Neill charged with soliciting a sex from a woman while on duty. (St. Joseph County Jail) The 19-year police officer veteran told investigators that Logan was armed with a knife that was thrown at him. "I'm like 'drop the knife' then he f------ throws it at me, so I f------ shot him," O'Neill said to five of his fellow officers who showed up to the scene, according to the report. It was not clarified if the sharp object was thrown at him before or after he opened fire, said Hertel. Dr. Smock found that O'Neill did have a pattern of "abrasions to his left forearm...consistent with being struck by the serrated edge of the Gerber knife thrown by Mr. Logan." The South Bend Police Department trains its officers to respond with "deadly force" when "an edged weapon" is involved. Hertel presented a large billboard-sized photograph at the press conference of the knife Logan allegedly had on him -- the tip was broken. The knife and purse were reported missing from two of the cars that were broken into and "supports the likelihood Mr. Logan was engaged in the breaking and entering of vehicles to steal from them," according to the report that also showed that there was no forensic evidence connecting Logan to the carjackings. A woman, believed to be Logan's sister, walked out of the press conference spewing profanities at Hertel. "Tell the truth! That officer killed my brother. He didn't break into no damn cars...Sitting there telling all these lies about my brother, racist!" said the woman as she left the room. MORE: Emotions run high at South Bend town hall as Pete Buttigieg faces a divided community after police shooting There weren't any surveillance cameras at the crime scene. Hertel could not determine if O'Neill was following the department's body camera policy. He explained that he was not aware of South Bend Police Department's rules. When O'Neill was asked during the investigation, why his body camera was not turned on, he said at the time, "for low-level crimes ... it wasn't required." PHOTO:FILE PHOTO: South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg speaks at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition Annual International Convention on July 2, 2019 in Chicago. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Buttigeig ensured that South Bend officers now have to turn their body worn cameras on when interacting with civilians on duty and were to receive a technology upgrade that would automatically turn on the camera once an officer exists their patrol car. Buttigeig dropped out of the democratic presidential race this week. As Logan lay on the parking lot ground, the officers placed Logan into the backseat of a car and drove him to a nearby hospital, instead of waiting for an ambulance -- a maneuver called a "load and go," said Hertel. Members of the audience asked if it was wise to move a gunshot victim. "An independent expert determined the decision to immediately transport Mr. Logan to the hospital increased the likelihood of Mr. Logan's survival," according to the investigation's report. Logan was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital about seven hours later, said Hertel. O'Neill resigned from the department in July 2019. Hertel said O'Neill's had nine formal complaints filed against him and three were substantiated by the South Bend Police Department. PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: People protest the shooting death of Eric Logan outside of the South Bend Police Station following his funeral on June 29, 2019 in South Bend, Indiana. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) And while Hertel did not charge O'Neill with causing the death of Logan, the independent investigation found unrelated alleged felony offenses against the former officer. O'Neill was charged on March 6 with public indecency, official misconduct and ghost employment charges from a May 16, 2019 incident where he allegedly paid for sex with a woman while on duty and driving a marked police car, according to public records. He posted $500 bond and is expected back in court on March 9. His attorney information was not available on Saturday. Efforts by ABC News to receive a comment from O'Neill were not successful as of Saturday afternoon. Former cop not charged for killing man still faces unrelated felony charges originally appeared on abcnews.go.com You looked at those numbers people are turning out, and theyre turning out to try to pick the person they think would be the best president, but also the person as our nominee who would most likely be able to beat Trump, she said. And clearly, the Trump campaign and Trump himself know who they dont want to run against and know who they do want to run against. Women, all across the globe, are breaking glass ceilings and kicking aside gender stereotypes on an every day basis. From leading all men contingent to bagging permanent commission in the Indian Army, women are making humongous efforts to end gender bias. BCCL On this International Womens Day, women cops in Kerala are all set to manage the entire operations of all police stations throughout the day. These are not only baby steps towards women empowerment but also towards gender equality. According to India Today, Kerala DGP Loknath Behra has issued a directive asking all district police chiefs to handover duty of SHO to women personnel on March 8. YouTube The Kerala police chief said, "Maximum number of police stations will be managed by women SHOs. In police stations without women SHOs, senior civil police officers will carry out the duty. They will interact with the public and will investigate the complaints received. Not only this, women personnel will also be on duty at the Chief Ministers vehicle escort today. BCCL Heres what people on social media think about this move: @vijayanpinarayi @PMOIndia @IPS_Association @IASassociation @adgpi Women commandos on duty at chief Minister vehicle escort of Kerala. " Little girls with dreams become a women with vision ".Congrats Women have setan example that nothingis impossible.where thereis adetermination. Actor SD (@sunillduttms) March 7, 2020 Dedicated to our fantastic women, on this Women's Day...https://t.co/8C8D7xRcAx Dr V N Jha (@drjhavn1) March 7, 2020 Besides, recently, Kerala Women and Child Development Minister KK Shailaja said that, in a first, a train will be run by all women team on the Womens Day. The Venad Express will have an all-women team including loco pilot, assistant loco pilot, pointsmen, gatekeeper, and trackwoman. BCCL Shailaja also said, Women will also manage the ticket booking office, information center, signal, carriage, and wagon. Women officers will be in charge of security Railway Protection Force. Isnt this amazing? More power to these women. This train mission will be led by Southern Railway Thiruvananthapuram. The Minister said that this is a matter of "great pride" for the state. Vicky Phelan has added her voice to those calling on the Government to re-think their move not to cancel St Patricks Day celebrations as the number of coronavirus cases here continues to rise. The cancer awareness advocate, and previous marshall of a St Patricks Day parade, believes human lives are at risk by not cancelling the national celebrations on March 17. Ms Phelan, who is living with terminal cancer and who is known for lifting the lid on the cervical cancer scandal, has already cancelled many of her public appearances due to the coronavirus outbreak here. The Kilkenny native who now lives in Limerick said: I am supporting our doctors and epidemiologists, like Professors John Crown and Sam McConkey and others who have called on the government to to postpone the St Patricks Day parade now. Not in a week's time, or two days beforehand. Do the right thing now. Yes, the economy will suffer but we postponed the parades in 2001 following the Foot and Mouth disease when (then) Minister for Agriculture Joe Walsh showed true leadership and postponed the parades until May of that year. The economy recovered and, most importantly, the measures taken limited the spread of the disease. We must also remember that Foot and Mouth was a disease which only affected livestock and famers' livelihoods. Human lives are at risk with Covid-19, yet our Government wait. Ms Phelan pointed out that several restaurants have decided to close on St Patricks Day due to their concerns over the spread of the virus. She said: Many smaller parades around the country have already shown moral leadership and have cancelled. Some restaurants, like Treyvaud's in Dublin have made the decision to close. (The owner) cares more about the welfare of his staff and his customers. Others should follow his lead. Does Leo Varadkar and his government want to go down in history as the government who were responsible for not making the right decisions regarding the coronavirus challenge for the benefit of those they serve - particularly the most vulnerable members of our society? Do the right thing. Postpone the parades. It is not enough to ask people who are vulnerable not to attend parades. Our government needs to make some tough decisions that will not sit well with many vested interests. Great leaders have the courage to make unpalatable decisions. Meanwhile, Limerick woman, Tracy Corbett Lynch, who is campaigning for her brother Jason's killers, his wife Molly Martens and her father Tom, to remain in jail in the US is encouraging the public to back a petition to also cancel the parades nationwide. Mrs Corbett Lynch said on her official Facebook page: Those responsible should be prudent and cancel any large gathering to minimise risk of spread. No way am I exposing my kids who are asthmatic to Covid-19. Her brothers children Sarah, 13, and Jack, 15, now live with her and her husband in Limerick. The petition, titled Cancel St Patricks celebrations on the social awareness platform, myuplift.ie and started by Sylwia Majcher said: Based on the events in Italy where hundreds if not thousands got exposed to the new Corona Virus during a mass event ( International Fashion Show) in Milan, authorities were forced to quarantine the whole city.A dozen towns in Italy are in lockdown as authorities race to contain the biggest outbreak of coronavirus in Europe. The annual festival Venice Carnival famous for its elaborate masks, has been canceled as Italy races to contain COVID-19. "In order to prevent a similar scenario in Ireland I would like to ask everybody to sign a petition to the Irish government as well as the HSE to cancel a mass event coming up soon St Partick's Day. I would like to protect myself and others from coronavirus and I would like to avoid similar situation as it is in Italy. So here's a thought, how about we reschedule St Patrick's Day to April 24th, an actual day of national significance? #COVID19 Lynn Boylan (@LNBDublin) March 6, 2020 Hundreds of people, so far, have signed the petition. Former Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan has also called for the parades to be postponed on Twitter. She tweeted: So here's a thought, how about we reschedule St Patrick's Day to April 24th, an actual day of national significance? (Easter Rising). 6.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard A resident of Rep. Matt Gaetzs district died of coronavirus shortly after Gaetz mocked the virus response on the House floor. Rep. Gaetz tweeted late on Friday night: I'm extremely saddened to learn of the first fatality in our district from coronavirus, a Northwest Floridian residing in Santa Rosa County. Our prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time. (1/3) Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) March 7, 2020 Gaetz mocked the virus on the House floor: Reviewing the coronavirus supplemental appropriation and preparing to go vote. pic.twitter.com/wjJ4YY4VZz Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) March 4, 2020 Gaetz is the same guy who thought that the term kangaroo court came from Captain Kangaroo, and who was tossed out of an impeachment hearing that he tried to crash by Rep. Adam Schiff. Gaetz has been a constant source of humiliation for his constituents since the moment he took office. He moves in lockstep with Donald Trump. His mocking of the coronavirus was in line with the White Houses effort to minimize the outbreak. A constituent has now died, and Matt Gaetz has yet to show any sign that he is taking the pandemic seriously. Matt Gaetz has got to go. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook As Mr. Biden now attempts to leverage his Super Tuesday success and build momentum, Mr. Sanders may face even longer odds in Michigan than he did in 2016. The state that Mr. Sanders last week called very, very important suddenly looks forbidding for him. Mr. Biden, despite having a thin operation in Michigan, appears likely to do well with black Democrats and college-educated white voters, two groups that handed him decisive margins in Virginia, North Carolina and several other states on Super Tuesday. And the exit polling and voting trends in some of those states indicate that Mr. Sanders has declined in strength with working-class white voters, who, uneasy with Mrs. Clinton in 2016, delivered him landslide wins across much of central and northern Michigan that year. Michigan, with its 125 delegates, is the most populous state to vote on Tuesday, and it is the first of the big Midwestern battlegrounds to cast ballots a general election trophy that President Trump painfully pulled from the Democratic column in 2016 with a narrow win. But Michigan also could amount to a bellwether for the rest of the Democratic primary race this spring. With Mr. Biden appearing strong in the South and Mr. Sanders winning in the West, the industrial Midwest could effectively determine the nomination. And if Mr. Sanders cant win in Michigan, he may struggle when Ohio and Illinois vote on March 17 and Wisconsin on April 7, while also undercutting his claims about expanding the electorate in some of the most pivotal general election swing states. The drama within the APC continued to play out on Saturday as the National Working Committee of the party debunked the purported plan to hold an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC). The NWC members, including a controversial appointee, downplayed a well-circulated statement credited to the former acting national secretary of the party, Victor Gaidom. Mr Gaidom, in the statement issued on Friday, invited all NEC members to attend an emergency meeting slated for March 17, 2020. However, a joint statement signed by the party spokesperson, Lanre Issa-Onilu; the national legal adviser of the party, Babatunde Ogala, and the controversial acting national secretary, Waziri Bulama, on Saturday night, enjoined the party members to ignore the statement as it falls outside the party constitution and the jurisdiction of Mr Gaidom. Mr Bulama was announced as acting national secretary hours after the partys national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, was suspended by a court. Some officials of the party, including a national vice-chairman, have rejected the appointment, saying due process was not followed. In the statement they released on Saturday, the NWC members said Mr Gaidoms call was illegal. The National Executive Committee shall meet every quarter and or at any time decided by the National Chairman or at the request made in writing by at least two-third of the members of the National Executive Committee provided that not less that fourteen (14) days notice is given for the meeting to be summoned, the trio stated quoting Article 25 (B) (i) and (ii) of the APC constitution. Mr Oshiomhole has blamed his ordeal on a governor of the party and some ministers. Although he did not mention the governor, many believe he was referring to the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki. Mr Obaseki, who succeeded Mr Oshiomhole as Edo governor, has been having a running battle with the party chairman, leading to the controversial suspension of Mr Oshiomhole by the Edo APC. It was based on that suspension that an Abuja court ordered Mr Oshiomholes suspension. However, a federal high court in Kano, gave a contradictory order, saying Mr Oshiomhole should continue in office. The embattled party chairman met with President Muhammadu Buhari last week over the crisis and said after the meeting that he could not ascertain if he had the presidents support. Below is the full statement by the NWC members on the purported NEC meeting. 7th March, 2020 RE: PURPORTED NOTICE OF EMERGENCY NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING The attention of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to a purported invitation to an Emergency National Executive Committee meeting of our great Party slated for Wednesday, 17th March, 2020, which invitation is credited to Hon. (Chief) Victor Giadom, the Deputy National Secretary of the Party. The Partys constitution provides that a National Executive Committee meeting shall be convoked as follows: Article 25 (B) (i) and (ii) The National Executive Committee shall meet every quarter and or at any time decided by the National Chairman or at the request made in writing by at least two-third of the members of the National Executive Committee provided that not less that fourteen (14) days notice is given for the meeting to be summoned. Without prejudice to Article 25(B)(i) of this Constitution the National Working Committee may summon an Emergency National Executive Committee meeting at any time, provided that at least seven (7) days notice of the meeting shall be given to all those entitled to attend. READ ALSO: Neither the National Chairman nor the resolution of two thirds of members of the National Executive Committee has directed nor made any request to summon a National Executive Committee Meeting of the Party. The said Victor Giadom is not vested with any Constitutional Powers to convene any Meeting of the National Executive Committee. Neither has he been so directed by the National Chairman. The National Working Committee therefore disassociates itself from the said illegal and unauthorized Notice of Meeting of the National Executive Committee. Advertisements Members of the National Executive Committee and the totality of the members of our great Party are therefore requested to ignore the said Notice and/or invitation as a product of mischief that should not be given any probative value. The National Working Committee (NWC) shall continue to protect our Constitution and convene its meetings and the National Executive Committee Meetings in accordance with the provisions of the Party Constitution. Signed: Babatunde Ogala Esq National Legal Adviser Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu National Publicity Secretary In 2015, the spotlight was on Rachel Barton Pine as she performed a Johannes Brahms concerto alongside Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra with her prized 1742 Guarneri violin. The violin was long played by Brahms understudy Marie Soldat. The tone of the violinist, playing the Guarneri, is described as an excellent glass of red winefull-bodied, rich and complex. I love the fact that Brahms heard my violin in the hands of his protegee [Marie Soldat]. Its amazing to know something of an instruments history and realize that youre the next chapter in its life, Barton Pine told the Arizona Daily Sun in 2015. The Chicago violinist will return to FSO this Friday, March 13, performing the virtuosic Cammile Saint-Saens Violin Concerto No. 3, op. 61 in B minor. Barton Pine is recognized around the globe as an interpreter of classical repertoire, practitioner of scholarly historic research and educational outreach, and for her gift of powerful communication with audiences for whom she performs, former Daily Sun music critic Charly Spining wrote. Barton Pine has also written and published her own cadenzas for many of the works in her repertoire. In addition to her performances, Barton Pine runs The Rachel Barton Pine (RBPF) Foundation. Founded in 2001, the organization seeks to provide services and funding for classical music education, research, performances and artists. Current projects include an instrument loan program, grants for education and career, and creation of a supplemental curriculum of music for strings by composers of African descent. Fridays program will also include a performance of Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major, by 19th- century Austrian composer and organist Anton Bruckner. Nicknamed his fourth Romantic symphony, the piece is largely considered to be one of Bruckners most popular works. First performed in 1888, Bruckner was called to the stage to take a bow after each movement. FSO concerts start at 7:30 p.m. at Ardrey Memorial Auditorium, 1115 S. Knoles Dr., and are preceded by a 6:30 p.m. conversation with the conductor, giving the audience the opportunity to speak with the conductor and guest soloist about the evenings program. Tickets range from $20-$74 with discounts available for students, military, seniors and educators. Call the NAU Central Ticket Office at 523-5661 for more information. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 A British builder who was desperate to lose weight died hours after he underwent 3,000 gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey. Joe Thornley, 25, who weighed 22st, booked an appointment for the procedure at Medicana Bahcelievler in Istanbul just weeks before it was due to take place. He had opted to undergo the cut-price surgery abroad as the same two-hour operation could cost between 8,000 and 10,000 in the UK. In a text message to his mother Julie, from South Normanton in Derbyshire, Mr Thornley said he was 'in a lot of pain'. Joe Thornley, 25, who weighed 22st, booked an appointment for the procedure at Medicana Bahcelievler in Istanbul just weeks before it was due to take place (Pictured: Joe with his mother Julie) The mother-of-two replied 'ask for some painkillers' in what sadly became her final correspondence with her youngest son. Mrs Thornley and her husband Michael, 57, then didn't hear from their son for two days and 'assumed he was recovering' before police appeared at his mother's workplace to deliver the devastating news. Turkish officials ruled Mr Thornley had died from 'natural causes', but a British postmortem reportedly later blamed his death on internal bleeding. Mr Thornley reportedly wanted to undergo the surgery in December in order to restrict his food intake and lose weight ahead of Christmas. He had opted to undergo the cut-price surgery abroad as the same two-hour operation could cost between 8,000 and 10,000 in the UK (Pictured: Joe with his mother and father Michael) In a text message to his mother Julie, from South Normanton in Derbyshire, after he flew to Istanbul on December 9, Mr Thornley said he was 'in a lot of pain' (Pictured: Joe in Dubai) He told his family about the procedure a day before it was due to take place, and Mrs Thornley said she told him he 'didn't need it' but knew she couldn't stop him. 'I just never expected anything like this would have happened,' she said. 'I was just in utter, utter shock.' 'He was a young 25-year-old boy with his whole life ahead of him. He managed to lose a bit of weight when he was younger but he's always been on the bigger side. 'We're slowly getting there but it was just such a shock. Now I can't stop thinking of all the other young people who want a butt lift or a want something doing to their face.' Turkish officials ruled Mr Thornley had died from 'natural causes', but a British postmortem reportedly later blamed his death on internal bleeding (Pictured: Joe as a child) Gastric sleeve surgery, also known as a sleeve gastrectomy, involves the removal of 'a large part of the stomach so it's much smaller than it was before'. This means someone who underwent the procedure can no longer eat as much as they could before, and will feel full much sooner, according to the NHS. Potential risks for the surgery as outlined on the Medicana Bahcelievler website include bleeding, infections, blood clots, damage to other organs and transition to open surgery. The hospital has been contacted for comment. if you have a fire on the Greek island of Lesvos, in the night between Saturday and Sunday, many of the buildings are of a vluchtelingencentrum year, writes BBC News. Due to the increasing flow of refugees from Turkey in the weeks unsettled in the Greek islands and in the borders. It is not clear what is the cause of the fire. Also, it is not known whether or not there are any victims. The fire was within a couple of hours to extinguish. However, a number of buildings in the city were severely damaged. The vluchtelingencentrum is a Swiss non-profit organization, One Happy Family. The hotel is located not far from the camp, Kara Tepe, where, at this time, some 1,500 will stay. In the center was a school where the children of migrants in education were given. the Resistance against the arrival of the refugees < / p> It's been days and get restless on It. The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, decided two weeks ago to the border with Europe. Since then, thousands of refugees attempt to reach Europe. on Tuesday, it was announced that the European Union (EU) is about 700 million euros out of Greece to help them. Also, the Greek government has decided to create new camps for asylum seekers to be built. A number of the inhabitants does not agree with the plan, and opposition to, the arrival of the refugees. So, last week, a boat is pushed away, but it could be as well. Aid agency Doctors Without Borders decided on Tuesday to temporarily all of its activities It has to stop, because the situation is not safe for aid workers. By IANS WASHINGTON: California Senator Kamala Harris on Sunday endorsed current front-runner and former Vice President Joe Biden as the Democratic party's US presidential candidate, saying the country and the people "need him now more than ever". "@JoeBiden has served our country with dignity and we need him now more than ever. I will do everything in my power to help elect him the next President of the United States," she said in a tweet, along with a recorded video message of support. .@JoeBiden has served our country with dignity and we need him now more than ever. I will do everything in my power to help elect him the next President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/DbB2fGWpaa Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 8, 2020 "We need a leader who really does care about the people, and can therefore unify the people," she added in the message. She also announced that she would be campaigning with Biden in Detroit on Monday. Biden later thanked her. "Kamala - You've spent your whole career fighting for folks who've been written off and left behind... from our family: thank you," he said in a tweet. Kamala Youve spent your whole career fighting for folks whove been written off and left behind and no small part of that alongside Beau. From our family: thank you.https://t.co/ePtRKVjzXB Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) March 8, 2020 Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican African descent, had performed well in debates but announced in December that she was pulling out, even ad before the party polls began. Biden, 77, became the Democratic front runner to take on Donald Trump in November, surging ahead in the Super Tuesday Democratic primaries last week, where he won 10 of the 14 states that voted. Senator Bernie Sanders is the runner-up. Three moderate candidates - Senator Amy Klobuchar, former small-town Mayor Pete Buttigieg and billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg - have quit the race after poor performance in the party polls and endorsed Biden. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who could not even win her home state Massachusetts in Super Tuesday, also dropped out this week but has not endorsed either Biden or Sanders. Another billionaire, Tom Steyer, who has also dropped out but not formally endorsed Biden. Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor kickstarted the Baaghi franchise back in 2016. Four years later the two have reunited for the third installment. Titled Baaghi 3, the film has Tiger Shroff playing the character of Ronnie, who heads to Syria in search of his brother Vikram (Riteish Deshmukh). He has been abducted by a terrorist group there. Talking numbers, the film started its journey at the box-office on a bright note as it managed to collect Rs. 17.50 crore. Baaghi 3 has gone ahead and built on its good start as it went to collect Rs 15.50 crore on day 2. The total collections of the film currently stand at Rs. 33 crore. Considering that the film has released at a time when people want to be stay protected against the coronavirus and avoid crowded places, the numbers that the film has managed to put up are impressive. Apart from Tiger, Shraddha and Riteish, the film features talents like Jackie Shroff, Ankita Lokhande, Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma. Jammu administration on Sunday issued a public notice where it asked residents to inform officials in case of any foreign travel history after January 15, 2020. The notice issued by Sushma Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner of Jammu District stated that the residents of Jammu district and adjoining areas are requested to come forward and inform the administration in case they have travelled abroad after January 15, even if there are no visible flu-like symptoms. Read: Kargil Shuts All Educational Institutes After Ladakh Man Dies Showing Coronavirus Symptoms The public notice also requested the general public to inform in case they are aware of foreign travel history after January 15, 2020, of any person in their neighbourhood, family, friends, social circle in the interest of the public at large. The notice shared contact numbers where the general public can provide information related to coronavirus. The notice stated, "The information can be provided at the contact Nos 0191-2520982, 0191-2571616, 0191-2571912, Whatsapp No. 95966-55577 (Operational 9 am to 7 pm). Read: Indian Medics At Akhaura Border Post Screen For Coronavirus Suspects India has so far reported 39 coronavirus cases with six of them discovered in the last 24 hours. As per reports, there are 37 active COVID-19 cases in the country and the total recovered patients tally stands at 3. The prompt action by various district administrations in India was triggered on March 8, after a man in Ladakh died showing symptoms of coronavirus. The 76-year-old former policeman had a history of foreign travel as he recently returned from Iran. Read: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Visits IGI Airport To Take Stock Of Coronavirus Preparedness Coronavirus outbreak The novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has claimed more than 3,800 lives across the globe and has infected over 1,09,000 people around the world since it first broke out in December 2019. According to the latest reports, at least 500 people have died outside mainland China, which makes it the worst disease outbreak of the 21st century. Italy, Iran and South Korea are the most affected countries besides China, the epicentre of the disease. Read: Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft Advise Employees To Work From Home Image Credit: ANI I was starting to think that Gov. Ned Lamont is almost too nice for this job he has babysitting 187 oh-so-smart lawmakers in the General Assembly. Hes a business guy running a $200-billion-a-year nonprofit with a legislature that cares more about being re-elected than almost anything. Hes not a killer like Ella Grasso, Lowell Weicker or Dan Malloy. Hes not a backslapper like John Rowland. Hes not an anti-Rowland like Jodi Rell. The General Assembly mostly has stood in the way of his modest agenda. But theres good news: the blush is off the rose. Lamont is finding his own way, even if its going to be with limited support from the legislature. Dont worry, that municipal funding package will ... be.... ... done ... some ... day. Lamonts finally admitting the obvious in public: hes no Dan Malloy. At the annual lobbying day for the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, he was at home in a meeting room full of his peers in the Legislative Office Building. Joe Brennan, the veteran president and CEO of the CBIA, was stage-managing various administrative figures up on the second floor. He finally introduced Lamont, who shuffled up to the podium, trademark open-collar as usual with no notes or prepared remarks. He asked Brennan to say something nice. The room chuckled. We have a really nice governor, Brennan deadpanned in a monotone to the chuckles of about 300 business types. He detailed serving with Lamont in the past on workforce development projects and other issues going back years. Weve had a long-term relationship around really just trying to improve things in Connecticut, Brennan said. Certainly hes been very vocal in talking about all the great things in the state of Connecticut. Also hes very accessible, not just to the business community, but I think every organization around the state of Connecticut ... With that Ill introduce the really nice Gov. Ned Lamont. One of the things that I love about Joe Brennan is that agree or disagree, he gives me a good constructive alternative, and thats what I need in this building, Lamont said. You dont like my idea? Give me a better idea so we have something to think about. Thats how we get a middle ground and move things forward. And in a nutshell, thats the problem with the General Assembly. There was no better idea than highway tolls for the state to get 30- to-40 percent of vehicles out-of-state cars and trucks to help pay for Lamonts 10-year $19-billion infrastructure plan. You know, the one the lawmakers from the Naugatuck Valley want to pay for another train line, but who are dead set against tolls. We really want to reorganize and restructure state government, Lamont said, touting the diversity of his administration beyond gender and race, but from the business community as well, with that perspective. That might be the kind of insight hell need to prepare for a 15-percent reduction in state employees over the next few years, when the scheduled 30-month-long freeze on cost-of-living raises will make it advantageous to retire. I need some of these people, said Lamont, who turned 66 last month. I need some institutional memory. About as disgusted as he can get in public is when Lamont spoke about the relative nimbleness of agencies and services. Weve got a bad case of the slows in state government, said the governor, who had a 25-year career in telecom. Hes also taking down the Malloy-style giveaways and bribes to companies. I need to sell this state every day, Lamont said, stressing the need to change incentives. We spent the last eight years saying Hey Amazon please come to the state and well pay you hundreds of millions of dollars in interest-free loans and upfront grants and were moving away from that, Lamont continued. What we are doing is saying look, if youre a business here in the state of Connecticut, or if youre a business thinking about coming to the state of Connecticut and you will add 25 jobs over the next five years, get that done and well start giving you a credit for your payroll tax. Its good for small businesses here in the state of Connecticut, not just the big out-of-state folks we were previously trying to recruit. He thinks enticing corporations was bad business. Why lead on the defense? Lamont said. I thought that was a lousy way to go. Lets face it, we have an amazing location. Thinking about Boston or New York. How about New Haven? Were one half the price and we have the same quality of workforce as anywhere else. How about Stamford, Connecticut?And Hartford is really on the cusp right now. Lamonts found some allies. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT MONTREAL - Since 2008, elementary and high school students in Quebec have taken a mandatory course aimed at cultivating respect and tolerance for people of different cultures and faiths. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 8/3/2020 (673 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Sabrina Jafralie is seen in front of Westmount High School in Montreal on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Since 2008, elementary and high school students in Quebec have taken a mandatory course aimed at cultivating respect and tolerance for people of different cultures and faiths. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson MONTREAL - Since 2008, elementary and high school students in Quebec have taken a mandatory course aimed at cultivating respect and tolerance for people of different cultures and faiths. But after years of relentless criticism from Quebec nationalists and committed secularists who say the ethics and religious culture course is peddling a multiculturalist view to impressionable young Quebecers, the provincial government is abolishing the course. In a statement announcing the move, Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge said it was a response to "abundant criticism from experts and education stakeholders." An aide to Roberge said too much time was being taken up by a section of the course devoted to religions. It is striking that a course aimed, in the words of the Education Department's teaching guides, at fostering "the recognition of others and the pursuit of the common good" has proven so divisive. But critics have long described the course as a type of mental virus, contaminating a generation of young people by making them amenable to Canadian multiculturalism and other pluralist ideas. Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge says a new class will be taught instead by fall 2022. Nadia El-Mabrouk, professor at Universite de Montreal's computer science department, has been one of the most outspoken critics of the course, which she says defines citizens by their religion. She suggested in a recent interview the course is partly responsible for the fact that, according to polls, young Quebecers are less likely to support Bill 21, the legislation adopted last June that bans some public sector workers, including teachers and police officers, from wearing religious symbols on the job. And she's not alone in that belief. Jean-Francois Lisee, who lost the 2018 election as leader of the Parti Quebecois, wrote in January that it's "difficult not to see a cause-and-effect connection" in the fact that young Quebecers who have taken the course "are the least favourable to prohibiting religious signs." For Sabrina Jafralie, who teaches the program at a Montreal high school, the decision to abolish the course is another sign of the growing influence of Quebec nationalists on the Coalition Avenir Quebec government. The curriculum, she said, explains to students that Quebec is filled with people who have different driving forces. It doesn't teach young people to be religious, she said, it simply explains why other people may be. "But what the government is trying to do," Jafralie said, "is in fact replace the ability to investigate and explore religiosity, with their own new religion which is secularism." The course was introduced in 2008 under the Liberal government of the day to replace long-standing classes on Catholic and Protestant moral and religious instruction. Jafralie, who was one of the first teachers trained to teach the new course, says the content comes from a secular perspective. The course exposes students to religions from around the world, and according to the teaching guides, "attention is also given to the influence of Judaism and Native spirituality on this heritage, as well as other religions that today contribute to Quebec culture." But for El-Mabrouk, that is precisely the problem. The course teaches young people to "recognize, observe, to accept and to tolerate the way people practise (religion)," she said. The issue, she continued, is that the material puts religious practices on an even footing, whether or not they run contrary to such Quebec values as the equality of men and women. "The course is based on a vision of living together that is tied to Canadian multiculturalism ... but we have changed orientation," El-Mabrouk said, pointing to the adoption of Bill 21 as evidence. Francis Bouchard, spokesman for the education minister, said the government recognizes that students should have an appreciation of the major religions to better understand the driving forces of the world. But in the current program, he explained in an email, religion "took up too much space." He said the goal of the new course isn't to remove the religious component completely but to "rebalance" the content with "other concepts to prepare young people for Quebec society." Those could include themes about environmentalism, digital literacy and democratic participation, he said. Roberge launched three days of consultations in February to collect ideas from education stakeholders for the new course's content. The consultations sparked a scandal after one of the experts invited, McGill University law professor Daniel Weinstock, was blocked from speaking following the publication of an inaccurate newspaper column. Richard Martineau wrote in the Journal de Montreal that the ethics and religious culture course "shoves the multiculturalist credo down the throats of children." He then falsely stated that Weinstock whom he called a "dyed-in-the-wool multiculturalist" had previously advocated the symbolic circumcision of young girls. Weinstock's invitation was swiftly withdrawn by the minister, which led to an uproar among academics and an eventual apology from Roberge after Weinstock threatened legal action. El-Mabrouk maintains the course should be done away with entirely. Teaching about religion in school is fine but not in a class that is tied to ethics, she said. Religious material belongs in classes about politics, science or geography, she said, and it should be limited to older students who have the "intellectual tools" to digest the content. "What is the best way for children to learn to live in a society, to live with one another?" she asked. "It's having more time for sports, cultural activities, to talk together. It's in real life situations that children learn to be together." But Jafralie says the content of the course reflects the realities of Quebec society, and changing it is a denial of the facts on the ground. "There seems to be this desire to eradicate this (reality) or shape young people's values to be more 'Quebecois' and what 'Quebecois' is, is defined by (the government)." This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2020. I have recently returned from six months on board the medical and training ship YWAM PNG, which operates around the PNG coast providing free health care and training to some of the worlds most remote villages. Last time I detailed the events that led me to be working on board this ship. My time on board was definitely a life changing experience and a significant milestone in my journey of faith. I would now like to share a bit about the ships operations and a story from my time on board. How it works The YWAM PNG is based in Papua New Guinea almost year round. It returns to Townsville once a year to refit and restock for a period of around 6 weeks. Whilst in PNG it engages in outreach deployments that are usually two weeks long. During the two week outreach deployments the vessel is loaded up with about 130 medical staff and equipment. It services a particular area of the coast line with the ships medical teams visiting three villages a day on average. Between outreaches the ship then returns to port, restocks and reloads for a week. We can also transfer patients back to the ship for dental and ophthalmic surgery. Teams and patients are moved to and from the ship using the ships fleet of 5 small vessels, which can carry from 8 to 20 people depending on their size. Eye surgeons Everybody serving on the YWAM PNG are volunteers. To operate effectively the ship requires a range of specialized professions including doctors, nurses, dentists, surgeons and lab technicians. Of these professions eye surgeons are the most difficult to come by. During Outreach 9 last year we were operating the ophthalmology clinic, performing cataract and pterygium surgeries, serving the central province and relying on the services of two PNG national surgeons who had taken time out of their very busy schedules to come and help on board. We were to have one of the surgeons for the first week of the outreach and then the other to replace him for the second week. The changeover between the two surgeons was to take place in the middle of the outreach on a remote part of the PNG coast line. The change over On Saturday morning after doing his post-surgery checks our first surgeon disembarked to start heading back to his job in Port Moresby. The ship picked up anchor to begin the voyage to its next stop on the outreach. We were to rendezvous with the second surgeon during this voyage. The surgeon had made his way by 4x4 to a small village on a river near to the route of our intended voyage. Due to the conditions on the 4x4 track into the village it was after midnight by the time he arrived at the village. The conditions out at sea were rough and due to navigation hazards the ship was not able to get too close to the river mouth. The plan was made for me to launch one of the ships small boats whilst underway and go to collect the surgeon. Keep him dry The small boats that we use are very safe and seaworthy boats but in rough conditions it is possible that the passengers can get a bit wet from the ocean spray. As I was preparing to launch the boat and waiting for the captain to get the ship in position, I thought that I should take a rain jacket for the surgeon to try and keep him dry. As I was collecting a spare jacket from my cabin the captain called me on the radio to ask that I take a jacket and try and keep the surgeon dry. When I arrived back at the boat launching deck the vessel manager met me there and asked if I was taking a spare jacket. It was clear that everybody was wanting to take the surgeon back to the ship as dry as possible. It was his first time volunteering on board and everybody wanted to make a good first impression. Not everything goes as planned I had one of our deck hands in the boat with me and with the swell running in behind us it was a reasonably dry run into the river. Using torch light, we located the surgeon waiting for us on the river bank. He was dressed smartly in a business shirt, suit pants and fine leather shoes. We made every effort to keep his shoes dry by driving the boat up onto the bank and helping him in. I welcomed him to our company and gave him the spare jacket. I radioed the ship to let them know that we had the surgeon and in the pitch black headed back towards the ship. We cleared the river mouth and I steered us toward the distant lights of the ship. Well. We may as well have been in a submarine. With the swell head on and the rough conditions the spray was covering the boat. Making every effort to evade the waves, we still were all soaked head to toe. The rain jacket that I had given the surgeon had been about as useful as an umbrella in a cyclone. The surgeon got off the boat with a big grin on his face, I think he had enjoyed it despite the conditions. The captain was not so impressed though and questioned me on why our guest arrived at the ship as though he had swum there. Despite a wet arrival the surgeon had a very good week with us. He restored the sight of many people who would otherwise be blind. He said that he enjoyed his time on board and has promised to return to the ship again. Any Michigan voter can cast an absentee ballot in Tuesdays presidential primary, but the deadline to get that ballot is 4 p.m. Monday, March 9. And that ballot must be obtained in person from a local election clerk -- not the county clerk or a Secretary of State office. Voters will be asked to present a valid photo ID when obtaining an absentee ballot at the clerks office, and the ballot must be filled in and returned on the spot. For those who already have an absentee ballot but have yet to turn it in, the local election clerk must have it in hand by 8 p.m. Tuesday. Postmarks dont count. The law requires election officials to throw out absentee ballots that arrive in the mail after Election Day. Tuesdays election includes the Democratic and Republican primaries, as well as a vote on a number of local proposals and initiatives.. The Democrats have 15 names on the ballot, although 12 candidates have dropped out. The active candidates are former Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. There are four candidates on the Republican ballot, including President Trump, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, and former congressmen Joe Walsh and Mark Sanford. The latter two have dropped out of the race, although their names remain on the ballot. More than 200 communities, school districts and counties have various tax proposals and initiatives on the ballot, including a request by The Detroit Institute of Arts to renew a 0.2-mill levy on property owners in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties Michigan residents can see if there are any proposals in their community by previewing their ballot at michigan.gov/vote. By putting in your name, birth date and ZIP Code, you can see a copy of the ballot at your precinct. Heres what else voters need to know for the upcoming election. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. If you need to double-check your polling place, look online at www.michigan.gov/vote and type in your name and birth month and year under Voter information. That search will yield a map of your polling place. There is still time to register to vote. As a result of Proposal 3, Michigan residents now can register to vote up to and including Election Day. You must go to a city or township election office Monday or Tuesday to register, and you can vote at the same time. To be eligible to vote, the person must be a U.S. citizen age 18 or older. To verify residency, the person must present a Michigans drivers license, state identification card, current utility bill, a bank statement, a pay check, a government check or current government document. The document must have the persons name and current address. For the presidential primary, you must specify whether you want a Democratic or Republican ballot. Voters must choose between participating in the Democratic or Republican primary, and pick which ballot they want. Theres also an option for voters who dont wish to participate in either primary, but are casting a vote for local proposals or candidates on the March 10 ballot. If you search by your name at michigan.gov/vote, you can see a preview of your specific ballot. If you lose your absentee ballot or change your mind on how to vote, you can get a new ballot. Do you misplace your absentee ballot? Has your favorite candidate dropped out? Or maybe you handed in your absentee ballot but changed your mind on how to vote? If you lost your ballot, you can obtain a new ballot from your city or township clerk before 4 p.m. Monday, or you can go to your polling place on Election Day. If you changed your mind on how to vote, go to your county clerk before 4 p.m. Monday so they can pull the original ballot you turned in and issue a new one. If you marked an absentee ballot but havent handed it in, you can exchange it for a new one. Read more on MLive: The big question for Michigan Democrats: Who is the best candidate to beat Trump? Biden momentum in Michigan underscored by slew of endorsements Bernie Sanders could seize second Michigan presidential primary win, this time as Democratic front-runner Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer endorses Biden, joining campaign as a national co-chair What happens if I voted for someone who dropped out of Michigans presidential primary? 1 Dead, 17 Injured in Cleveland Shooting: Officials Authorities in Ohio said at least 17 people were injured and one person died in a shooting following a party in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Police Department said that two rival groups began shooting at each other, adding that a party was held by several motorcycle clubs near the near East 93rd Street and Way Avenue in the citys Union-Miles Park neighborhood at 11:30 p.m., according to News5. After a fight broke out, several people were told to leave. Thats when a shooting erupted between attendees, police said before adding that there were multiple shooters. Medical staff told the news outlet that the lone fatality was a 48-year-old male. Other than that, according to The Associated Press, authorities said 17 other male and female victims were shot in the incident. Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia, a Cleveland Police spokeswoman, told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that the 17 victims had left the area and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Seriously injured victims were taken to MetroHealth and University Hospitals. Police said the injuries range from minor to serious. Police didnt elaborate on the victims identities or other details, AP noted. No information was released on whether there were any arrests. Police told the Plain Dealer that the shooting happened at a private club that was bought by CC Black LLC for $85,000 in 2018. No additional information was immediately available. An investigation is underway. Harvey Weinstein has a whole floor to himself at Rikers Island where he is under 24 hour surveillance to protect him from other inmates, according to reports. The 67-year-old was convicted of third degree rape and criminal sexual assault on February 24 and was moved to the notorious prison after undergoing a four-hour heart surgery last week. He is now being held in isolation on the sixth floor of the main building of the North Infirmary Command, TMZ reports. The space is said to have room for 30 beds. Weinstein is said to be under the watchful eye of medics and is being regularly checked on by guards amid concerns he could harm himself. He said to enjoy regular inmate privileges including one hour of recreation, library access and three meals a day. The shamed movie producer had been due to immediately go to the North Infirmary Command at Rikers, which is for high profile inmates and inmates with health issues, when he was diverted to Bellevue hospital after the guilty verdict. He is set to be sentenced on Wednesday. New York prosecutors said in a court filing on Friday he should get a sentence that reflects not only his conviction for sexually assaulting two women, but a 'lifetime of abuse towards others'. Harvey Weinstein has a whole floor to himself at Rikers Island where he is under 24 hour surveillance to protect him from other inmates, according to reports Weinstein is reportedly being held in isolation on the sixth floor of the main building of the North Infirmary Command, pictured. He is said to be under the watchful eye of medics and is being regularly checked on by guards amid concerns he could harm himself Weinstein had complained of high blood pressure and heart palpitations following his guilty verdict. A source close to him confirmed to DailyMail.com on Thursday that he underwent a four-hour surgery on Wednesday night to have the stent put in and that he had departed for North Infirmary Command at around 2pm. An ambulance believed to be carrying Weinstein was later seen pulling up at the infamous prison with its emergency lights on. Weinstein was photographed for the first time since his conviction inside his room at Bellevue Hospital. A source close to him confirmed to DailyMail.com on Thursday that he underwent a four-hour surgery on Wednesday night to have the stent put in and that he had departed for North Infirmary Command at around 2pm An FDNY Ambulance with its emergency lights on is seen at Rikers Island Prison where rapist Harvey Weinstein was apparently taken from Belleview Hospital Rikers Island prison: A sprawling jail complex and one of America's most high-profile prisons The 400-acre lockup, nicknamed Gladiator School, Torture Island and the Guantanamo of New York, has long been plagued by gang brutality, overcrowding, and allegations of human rights violations so severe that Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed in 2017 to close it down within a decade. Located on the East River between Queens and the Bronx, Rikers Island sits in the shadow of the glittering Manhattan skyline Weinstein is accustomed to enjoying from the comfort of his apartment and now-shuttered offices in Midtown. Housed partly in the jail's original hospital building, the North Infirmary Command is not much of a respite, according to people who have worked there. 'It's not the cleanest,' Malissa Allen, a mental health counselor who has treated inmates at the infirmary, said in an interview. 'It's a very old jail. A lot of people complain about the smell. It has the old basement smell.' Rikers is one of America's most high-profile prisons and has incarcerated celebrities including Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols, rapper Tupac Shakur and former International Monetary Fund managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Lawyers and criminologists have been calling for the jail's closure for years, citing its age and regular violent incidents against inmates and guards that are blamed in part on its remote location, which makes family visits difficult. Weinstein would likely wear a tan jumpsuit to indicate he has yet to be sentenced. Advertisement Throughout his adult life, Weinstein has shown a 'staggering lack of empathy, treating others with disdain and inhumanity,' Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance's office said in a letter to Justice James Burke. 'He has consistently advanced his own sordid desires and fixations over the well-being of others,' prosecutors wrote. 'He has destroyed people's lives and livelihoods or threatened to do so on whim.' Prosecutors did not recommend a specific sentence in the filing for Weinstein, who faces a maximum sentence of 29 years in prison. In the filing, prosecutors detailed a litany of allegations starting with a claim by a woman that she woke up in the middle of the night in a Buffalo, New York, hotel room in 1978 to find Weinstein on top of her and 'forcing himself sexually on her.' Prosecutors said that encounter fit a pattern that continued for decades: Weinstein getting young women alone in hotel rooms and other settings before sexually attacking them, often while trying to trick them into thinking it was a path to stardom. One of Weinsteins lawyers, Arthur Aidala, declined comment on Friday. He said the defense would file a response on Monday. On February 24, a jury found the former movie mogul guilty of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and of raping onetime aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013. He was acquitted of rape in the first degree and of two counts of predatory sexual assault which related to the two incidents. He now faces a minimum of four years in prison, but may be put behind bars for up to 29. In addition to Haleyi, Mann and Sciorra, prosecutors called three more women to testify against Weinstein, portraying him as a serial predator who had manipulated women with promises to open doors in Hollywood, coaxing them to hotel rooms or private apartments, and then overpowering and violently attacking them. Throughout Weinstein's trial, the defense said regret drove his accusers to reframe consensual encounters as crimes. Weinstein's lawyers zeroed in on friendly messages and ongoing contact between the women and Weinstein. More than 80 women, including famous actresses, have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct stretching back decades, fueling the #MeToo movement against sexual abuse and harassment. He denied the accusations and said any sexual encounters were consensual. An enhanced supervision housing unit on Rikers Island in New York pictured in March 2015 In Friday's filing, prosecutors listed more than a dozen accusations going back to 1978, when they said he sexually assaulted an employee of his Buffalo, New York-based music company in a hotel room. The prosecutors argued Justice Burke should consider the alleged incidents even though they were never criminally charged. They also accused Weinstein of verbally and physically abusive behavior in the workplace dating back to the 1990s. He still faces sexual assault charges in Los Angeles, which were announced just hours after his New York trial began on January 6. Dozens of women have also filed civil lawsuits against him. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 20:32:16|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan maintained on Sunday that there was no reported case of COVID-19 in the east African nation. "There is no outbreak of the virus in Tanzania, at least until now," she told a public rally in Simiyu region to mark the International Women's Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. In an address televised live by state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation, Hassan urged Tanzanians to continue taking precautionary measures against the deadly virus as prescribed by health authorities. "You should discourage shaking hands. You should always wash your hands using soap," said the VP, urging people to ignore social media ill-intentioned reports about the outbreak of the disease. On Saturday, the Minister for Health Ummy Mwalimu dismissed social media reports indicating an outbreak of COVID-19 in Tanzania saying the reports were "fake news". "Tanzanians should ignore the reports as the country has not yet recorded any outbreak of the virus," Mwalimu told Xinhua when reached by phone. However, Mwalimu urged Tanzanians to continue taking precautionary measures saying the country was on high alert on preparedness as the virus was spreading very fast in countries across the world. "We are still on preparedness stage to control an outbreak of the virus. We have not yet reached the response stage," she said. On Feb. 27, Mwalimu said the country has reinforced preparedness and response measures against the COVID-19 outbreak. The minister said measures taken by the government of Tanzania to control the outbreak of the virus included screening people in ports, airports and borders. The ministry has also prepared medicines, medical facilities and sanitizers in case they are needed for treatment and the government has strengthened examination capacities in labs and results can be produced within four to six hours, she said. The Tanzanian government will continue to work closely with various stakeholders in the health sector, including the WHO, she added. Sen. Michael Testa, sounding grave and responsible in a recent news release, is now among the public officials warning us all to pay attention to the science on the Coronavirus. Thats good advice. Why not take it yourself, senator? The science on childhood vaccines is equally clear, and hes rejecting it. This man is the legislative darling of the folks who send their kids to school totally anti-vaccinated, because some holistic blogger said that a deadly viral outbreak is a beautiful and natural thing. Yet here he is, reminding the rest of us that weve got to trust the experts, and ignore the social media crazies, when it comes to this one particular deadly viral outbreak. Follow the advice of the experts and healthcare professionals, and dont over-react to social media posts, his statement read. Information from reliable and trustworthy sources is the best defense. Yes. Never mind the rank hypocrisy, or the fact that the very same crowd Testa backs on measles, mumps and rubella is now suggesting online that Coronavirus is a creation of Big Pharma, just to make money off another vaccine. Testa, an attorney whos been in the Senate for only a few months, is content to be hailed as a hero by anti-vaxxers on Facebook, Twitter and Reddit, while senators like Joe Vitale and Declan OScanlon do the hard, bipartisan work of trying to tighten vaccination requirements to keep everybodys kids safe. Hes getting the love from the anti-vaxxers, Vitale concedes. Theyre much more outspoken than the millions of parents who vaccinate their kids. When we last checked in with Testa and his partner in pandering, Sen. Joe Pennacchio, the latter admitted that he consulted no actual scientific experts on vaccines, and instead got his information from social media. Testa refused to even come to the phone then. And now, isnt it a stunning contradiction that he is telling the rest of us to follow the science on the Coronavirus? We wanted to talk that over. But he refused to come to the phone again. Its hard to argue with the science here. When people dont vaccinate their kids, they only make things worse for the kids who have compromised immune systems, like kids on chemotherapy for cancer. They cant get all the shots, so they rely on everybody else to get vaccinated -- whats called herd immunity -- to protect them. Misguided parents who refuse vaccinations put these truly fragile children at risk. They could actually die from some of these diseases. And even vaccinated kids are at risk if the percentage of immunized people drops too low, as it has in pockets of our state. For this reason, Maine now allows only a medical exemption from required school immunizations, a policy upheld by the people of that state in a referendum on Tuesday. Most families want their kids protected from these diseases. And if you dont, you can homeschool them. New Jersey should adopt the very same approach. We need to keep those numbers high for everybody, says Dr. Alan Weller, president of the New Jersey chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Yet instead of helping to protect kids here, Testas busy racking up social media pageviews from anti-vaxxers out of state. Senator, are you listening? Weller is an expert, just the sort you say we should rely on. So why, when it comes to vaccines, are you ignoring your own advice? Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Eurovision bosses are reportedly making back up plans in the wake of the worldwide coronavirus outbreak. The 65th Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place in Rotterdam throughout the second week of May this Spring. The event will be hosted at the Rotterdam Ahoy. Advertisements However the ongoing threat of coronavirus could see a very different contest in 2020. With potential bans on international travel and large public gatherings such as concerts, it's claimed that a number of potential alternative arrangements are being looked at. According to the Daily Star newspaper, these could include having acts perform via video link in their home countries. In a statement, the European Broadcasting Union said today (March 13): "The EBU is closely monitoring the situation concerning the spread of the coronavirus and keeping abreast of the latest advice and guidelines from the WHO and national health authorities. "We are working closely with Dutch Host Broadcasters NPO, NOS and AVROTROS and the City of Rotterdam to explore different potential scenarios for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. "However, with 2 months to go until the 3 live shows on 12, 14 and 16 May, and a rapidly changing situation both in the Netherlands and the countries of the participating broadcasters, it is still too early to make any final decisions. Advertisements "With this in mind, we're continuing to work together as a team on preparations to host the 65th Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam." The Eurovision Song Contest final is currently scheduled to take place on Saturday 16 May in Rotterdam. As always, here in the UK it will broadcast live on BBC One, with commentary by Graham Norton; and live on BBC Radio 2 with commentary from Ken Bruce. The semi-finals will be held on Tuesday 12 & Thursday 14 May, broadcast on BBC Four and hosted by Scott Mills and Rylan Clark-Neal. Advertisements The UK Eurovision entry for 2020 has been confirmed as James Newman with his new song My Last Breath, co-written with James with Ed Drewett, Iain James and Adam Argyle. At the time of writing, Iceland are the current favourites to win the competition with the United Kingdom given a 50/1 shot. Migrant Smuggling is the facilitation, for financial or other material gain, of irregular entry into a country where the migrant is not a national or resident. The criminals behind this highly profitable business seize the opportunity created by the need or desire of people to escape not just poverty and lack of employment opportunities but also natural disaster, conflict or persecution. The Government will this week try to halt a massive 430million tax refund to shop owners at the same time as boasting of a supposed lifeline for small stores. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is on Wednesday expected to confirm a 320million business rates stimulus package for shops, restaurants and pubs, to take effect from April 1. But on the same day a legal action is being launched in the Supreme Court to prevent a separate refund of business rates the taxes paid on properties used for commercial purposes. Chancellor Rishi Sunak outside No 10 Downing Street ahead of Budget 2020 The Valuation Office, an arm of Revenue and Customs, wants to overturn a Court of Appeal decision in 2018 that cash machines operating within properties should not be subject to separate business rates charges. The case will be heard in the Supreme Court over two days. If the Governments challenge is unsuccessful, retailers will receive 428.7million in reimbursement of bills sent out over more than 15,000 cash machines, including thousands of convenience stores as well as major supermarkets during the past decade. The move to stop the refund was last night described as giving with one hand but taking with the other. It is estimated that more than 500 cash machines have disappeared from shops since it emerged the Government would challenge the decision. Remarkably, it will be heard at the same moment Sunak is expected to announce measures to increase access to cash through pubs and shops as first revealed by The Mail on Sunday last week. It is estimated that hundreds of cash machines have disappeared from shops since it emerged the Government would challenge the Court of Appeal decision. Robert Hayton, head of UK business rates at Altus Group, said during 2019 retailers withdrew 559 ATMs from their stores amid efforts to reduce tax liabilities resulting from the ongoing legal dispute. He said: Banks are closing branches and people are facing an uphill battle to access their cash yet retailers were squeezed for yet more tax despite picking up the slack providing a vital service. The latest business rates boost was revealed by the Government in December. It will see some independent stores receive discounts on their rates bills worth tens of thousands of pounds. Chris Sanger, EY partner and head of tax policy, said business rates remained a running sore for the Government. The 30billion property tax has been widely condemned as contributing to the decline of high streets. Sunak is expected to announce measures to increase access to cash through pubs and shops He added: The increase in the burden of business rates we have seen in the last decade is now really hitting businesses. Previous consultations and responses have reduced the number of properties in scope but not materially reduced the costs for larger businesses and properties. Campaigners say the problem has also damaged town centres but revitalising the worst hit areas through wholesale planning reform or investment may take years. Retailers account for about a quarter of the business rates haul. But the sector has been battered in the last two years and suffered the loss of more than 100,000 jobs in the past 12 months alone as shoppers move online. The collapse of giants including House of Fraser and Debenhams has prompted renewed calls for a rethink of the tax system. So far the Government has done little other than apply sticking plasters to what many in the sector regard as an economic calamity. Newly released police bodycam footage shows the shocking moment Texas deputies arrive to a distraught wife's house after her husband was shot dead by an alleged intruder. The horrific incident began when Sandra Garner, 55, called local dispatchers on January 2, 2018, after her husband was reportedly shot three times in the couple's bedroom by a masked intruder. It was their 18th anniversary. Authorities would later question Garner's story and accuse her of deliberately killing Jon Garner, 42, before she was found not guilty in a four week trial. A 911 dispatcher responded to a frantic call from Sandra Garner (left) after her husband, Jon Garner (right), was shot dead inside their home In police bodycam footage obtained by CBS News, deputies can be seen entering the couple's Maypearl home and rushing to revive Jon. One deputy performing chest compressions relents when Garner asks if Jon is alive and replies 'no m'am.' Garner becomes distraught and has to be carried from the bedroom to the living room couch by deputies. Deputies search the premises for the alleged criminal, but find no traces of the man Garner claims to have seen. Audio from the emergency 911 call made by Garner revealed the panicked moments following Jon's attack. 'I need somebody to come. My husband's been shot,' Garner desperately tells a dispatcher. Authorities said Jon suffered a gunshot wound at 12.50pm after the couple went to bed around 9pm in their home. Garner (left), with the help of a 911 dispatcher, performed CPR on Jon (right) before he died that morning Garner went on to tell the dispatcher that a man broke into their home and forced her into the bathroom before instructing her to not call police . She said: 'There was a man in here and he shot him, and he told me not to call the police. I was in the bathroom and he told me to count to 100. 'He said if I called y'all before I reached 100 he'd come back and kill me.' But Garner's focus quickly shifted from her own fear to that of her husband, who laid immobile in their bedroom. 'I think he's still alive, he's making noises. What can I do for him?' Garner asks frantically. The dispatcher proceeds to walk Garner through CPR and counts along with the distressed wife while waiting for deputies to arrive. According to investigators, Garner was 'awakened that night by two gunshots and saw a masked male holding a gun and flashlight inside her residence.' Garner claimed that the intruder told her he was not there to harm her and 'held a grudge against her husband because of work-related matters'. She then said she was forced to open a safe in the home and give the man approximately $18,000. The alleged intruder told Garner to go into the bathroom and count to 100 until he left. Authorities said Garner was forced to give the suspected intruder $18,000 from a safe and that Jon's (pictured) killing was retaliation from a former employee He also threatened to come back and kill her if he heard police sirens at the home, Garner told investigators. Garner told authorities in interviews that the suspect never had intentions of shooting her. She said: 'I started screaming, you know, hoping somebody would hear meAnd he said, "shut up." I said, "please don't kill me".' 'And he says, "What I came here to do is done. I didn't come here to shoot you.' An investigator stopped Garner and questioned if she had a conversation with the suspect. 'You were having this conversation with a guy who had just shot your husband?,' he asked. Garner replied: 'Well, I said that, and he said it back to me. Yes.' She later recounted how the suspect lambasted Jon for ruining his life years earlier. 'I worked my ass off, and then he fired me,' Garner said. 'He says, "I lost my house, I lost my wife, I lost my kid".' Prior to Jon's (right) death, police said Garner researched concerning questions like 'how to kill someone and not get caught' online Police found a .38 caliber pistol inside Garner's Ford Mustang (pictured) and later confirmed it was the same murder weapon in Jon's case Police obtained a search warrant and found a bullet in a pillowcase inside the Garners' room, prompting them to seize several electronic devices during the investigation and searched the couple's home and vehicles. One device, authorities said belonged to Garner, contained an internet search for 'how to kill someone and not get caught'. The phrases 'how can I kill someone in their sleep,' '16 steps to kill someone and not get caught,' and medications like 'fentanyl' were also found in her search history. A .38 caliber pistol was also found in her Ford Mustang. Police said the gun, which matched the one that was used to kill Jon Garner, had been wrapped in a paper towel and hidden inside two plastic bags. Authorities said an initial search of the vehicle did not turn up the weapon. It was apparent this firearm was moved to the vehicle after the initial search, Maypearl police chief Boyd Norton told the Waxahachie Daily Light. Garner was arrested eight days after Jon's death on murder charges and held at the Ellis County Jail on a $2million bond. 'We have reason to believe that the shooting was NOT a stranger on stranger home invasion,' the Maypearl Police Department said on Facebook. Pictured: the .38 caliber pistol recovered from Garner's possession following Jon's death Authorities found gunshot residue on both of Garner's hands, but a jury chose to not convict her of Jon's murder A funeral for Jon Garner, who worked as a general manager for DHL Express and We Pack, was held in Waxahachie. Jon survived by two children, Andrea Miller and Wes Miller. Garner was eventually taken to trial and found not guilty in the death of her husband. He defense team acknowledged that gunshot residue was found on both of Garner's hands and the 911 call, but argued prosecutors didn't prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Defense attorney Thomas Pappas cited Garner's weakening health due to multiple sclerosis and a lack of motive as contrary to prosecutors claims. Garner (pictured) was arrested eight days after Jon's death after authorities determined the case wasn't a 'stranger on stranger home invasion Pappas told Waxahachietx Daily Light: 'People dont get to their dream lives and then shoot their husband.' He claimed that Garner was financially comfortable while Jon was alive and maintained there was little to gain from his death. In interviews with authorities, Garner continued to cast blame on an aggrieved former co-worker of Jon. Garner, who met Jon as managers at a packing company, said her husband could be a strict boss. 'He was just a very sweet man, but he was known as a tough boss. He loved firing people, because if they weren't doing their job right, they didn't need to be working for him.' she said, according to NBC News. However, Garner's son, Wes Miller, immediately cast the blame on his mother for the murder. 'I don't want to tell you. I mean, it's my mom, man,' he told an investigator. 'The dogs Why didn't they bark? How did so and so know how to get in? And for somebody to sneak up on him like that, I don't buy it.' Even after Garner was cleared of the crime and allowed back into her home, she insisted she was not Jon's killer. 'No. Man was the love of my life. I told you, he was all I had. He was going to take care of me for the rest of my life. Without him, I have nobody. No, I didn't kill my husband,' she said. First murder arrest made in Delhi riots case India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 08: The Delhi police has arrested a 27 year old man on charges of rioting in northeast Delhi. He has been identified as Mohammad Shehnawaz, a resident of Shiv Vihar. The police said that the accused had allegedly pelted stones and ransacked several shops. The police also said that Mohammad entered into a book store and sweet shop and torched both places along with other rioters. Dilbar Singh Negi's decapitated body was found in Brahmpuri on February 26. He belonged to Uttarakhand and was working at a sweet shop in the area. Delhi violence: Shahrukh sent to 3 more days' police custody for pointing gun at cop The Crime Branch, which is probing the murder cases registered during the riots, has arrested Shahnawaz for allegedly killing Negi and are trying to identify the other suspects. Meanwhile the death toll in the riots stands at 53 and 690 FIRs have been registered so far. The police has arrested and detained at least 2,193 persons so far. NEWS AT 3 PM MARCH 8th, 2020 Mohammad has been identified as a main aggressor and the police has taken into account given by several eye witnesses. Delhi violence: How national capital's present situation resembles 1947 riots On the other hand the police have arrested three associates of suspended Aam Admi Party councillor, Tahir Hussain. They have been identified as Tariq Rizvi, Liyakat and Riyasat. Hussain was arrested last week in connection with the murder of Ankit Sharma, an Intelligence Bureau official. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 8:17 [IST] Anglophone separatists have killed five members of the security forces and four civilians at the weekend in attacks in western Cameroon, local authorities and state television said Sunday. On Saturday, around 20 gunmen attacked a gendarmerie and a police station in Galim, in a predominantly French-speaking province, officials said. Two women gendarmes were killed, two male police officers and four civilians, they added. On Sunday, in anglophone Northwest province, a homemade bomb injured at least seven people including a soldier who later died, state television said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The families of people killed when a missile shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 set out 298 white chairs outside the Russian embassy in the Hague on Sunday, in a silent protest against what they say is Moscow's lack of cooperation over the disaster. The chairs - laid out in rows as in a plane - represented the victims who died when a Buk missile fired from territory held by pro-Russia separatist rebels shot down the aircraft on 17 July 2014, killing everybody on board. The families stood in silence for two minutes after arranging the chairs, with banners including one that read: "Impunity = unacceptable! Someone knows what happened ... Justice for MH17." The protest came on the eve of the trial in the Hague of three Russians and a Ukrainian charged with murder for their alleged roles in the missile strike. Russia denies involvement and has dismissed the international investigation that led to the four suspects being charged, saying it was prejudiced against Moscow. Relatives accuse Russian authorities of seeking to hide the facts about exactly what happened. Piet Ploeg, who lost his brother, Alex, his sister-in-law and his nephew, said families were not accusing Russia of downing the Boeing 777. Russia continued to deny involvement, even after prosecutors alleged that the Buk missile system which destroyed the passenger plane was transported into Ukraine from the Russian 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade's base in Kursk and the launching system was then returned to Russia. The Joint Investigation Team last year named four suspects: Russians Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy and Oleg Pulatov, as well as Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko. None of them is expected to attend the start of the trial on Monday in a courtroom near Schiphol, the Amsterdam airport from which the doomed flight took off. Families are hoping the trial, expected to last for more than a year, will shed definitive light on exactly what happened. Jon O'Brien and his wife Meryl have flown to the Netherlands from Australiato watch the trial. Their son, Jack, was among the victims. "He and all the other people on the MH17 had their lives snatched away. That's the most important thing and all those people will live for the rest of their lives with that grief and loss," he said. "But the trial is important because the truth still matters." The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Sunday assured depositors that there is "no concern regarding the safety of their deposits in any bank". "Concern has been raised in certain sections of media about the safety of deposits of certain banks. This concern is based on analysis which is flawed. Solvency of banks is internationally based on Capital to Risk (Weighted) Assets Ratio (CRAR) and not on market capitalization," RBI tweeted. "RBI closely monitors all the banks and hereby assures all depositors that there is no such concern of the safety of their deposits in any bank," it added. Earlier today, Chief Economic Advisor KV Subramanian also said that the m-cap ratio is an incorrect way to measure the safety and solvency of a bank. He further added that Capital to Risk (Weighted) Assets Ratio (CRAR) is the standard measure for the safety of a bank. Pointing out figures, the CEA said that Indian banks have 80 per cent more capital than the globally mandated norm for CRAR. "The m-cap ratio is a totally incorrect measure to assess the safety or solvency of a bank. Instead, what experts and regulators worldwide use is CRAR. The global norm for CRAR is 8 percent. Compared to that, our banks have on average 14.3 per cent CRAR," he said. "This means that our banks have 80 per cent more capital than the globally mandated norm. Even if we take the RBI norm which is 9 per cent, our banks have 60 per cent more capital. So, the margin of safety for our banks is huge," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A human rights activist, belonging to the Hazara ethnic group, has demanded an urgent intervention by the international community to protect the minorities facing persecution in Afghanistan and Speaking exclusively to ANI on the sidelines of the 43rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, Derakhshan Qurban Ali, expressed concerns over rising sectarian and terrorist attacks by the Taliban, ISIS and other Sunni extremist groups on Hazara minorities. Qurban Ali, a member of the Hazara community, who are native to the Hazarajat region of Afghanistan, also condemned Fridays (March 6) deadly attack on Hazaras in Kabul, wherein 32 people were killed while dozens sustained injured. The commemoration ceremony attended by top political leaders from Afghanistan was held to remember Abdul Ali Mazari, a Shia leader who was killed by the Taliban in 1995. "I was speaking at the UN last year about the targeted attacks against the Hazara minorities during the last year's commemoration. The situation is very concerning and I think that a lot more needs to be done before we even consider peace in Afghanistan," she stressed. The activist, who is currently residing in Toronto, Canada, is also concerned about similar sectarian attacks on the people of the community who lives in "The reason for this is slightly different but is very related. There is also a Taliban in Pakistan, of course, but in Pakistan, there is a variety of Sunni extremist groups that target Hazaras because they are Shias," she noted. "The situation has not been improving at all. Hazaras are essentially living in an open jail in Quetta, and they don't have security either", she added. The activist also called for an independent inquiry over the situation in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. "The key message is that there hasn't been any justice for Hazara people. Not a single perpetrator of any crimes against the Hazara has ever been prosecuted. No one has ever been held accountable for the genocide or crimes related to human rights," she said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) OVER 7,400 signatures have now been collected by campaigning Abbeyfeale solicitor Carmel Finnegan who wants the potentially life-saving treatment of brain cooling to be available in all of Irelands 19 maternity hospitals, including Limerick. Every baby in Ireland deserves a chance to avail of the best treatment available, if they need it. It shouldnt depend on where you live, she says. The cooling treatment or therapeutic hypothermia, Ms Finnegan says, is given to new-born babies who experience a shortage of blood or oxygen to the brain, either before, during or after birth. If the baby gets this treatment as soon as possible after birth, he or she has a far lesser chance of having any lasting brain damage, she says. However, she stresses that it is vital a newborn receives such treatment within six hours. And this is where the problem lies, as only four of Irelands maternity hospitals offers this treatment, three in Dublin and one in Cork, Ms Finnegan says. Babies requiring the treatment who live elsewhere, must be transported by special ambulance to Dublin or Cork, losing vital time during the journey. The first report on brain cooling came out in November 2018 and the results are just not good enough, she says. It showed 87 percent of the babies requiring transfer to a cooling centre were admitted more than 6 hours after birth. Thats just not good enough. Its basically a post code lottery. Brain cooling is the single greatest advancement in the care of new-borns in the last 25 years. So why isnt it available in most of Irelands maternity hospitals? While its estimated that one in 900 babies born in Ireland is likely to require brain cooling, Ms Finnegan who works with Dennison Solicitors in Abbeyfeale firmly believes that the treatment should be available in every maternity hospital in Ireland. Since launching her campaign last year, Ms Finnegan has gathered more than 7,400 signatures on change.org, and has lobbied several politicians, including Health Minister Simon Harris. Ms Finnegan has also set up a campaign Facebook page, www.facebook.com/birthinjuries Minister Harris, she explains, referred her letter to the HSE, who replied that smaller hospitals wouldnt have the necessary staff, equipment, training or experience to offer Brain Cooling. I believe theyre hiding behind the Budget excuse, Ms Finnegan says, adding that the estimated costs of cooling a baby is just 4,000. Ms Finnegan is determined to continue lobbying for this treatment to be available in all maternity hospitals. New Delhi: Days after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) took control of the crisis-hit Yes Bank, in a late-night tweet the bank informed its customers that they can now withdraw money from ATMs with their debit cards. The tweet came as a respite to thousands of Yes Bank customers who have been queuing up to withdraw their money from the bank after the Central Bank capped the withdrawal limit to Rs 50,000 per account per month. The RBIs directive which came into effect from 6 am on Friday will be effective till April 3, 2020. You can now make withdrawals using your YES BANK Debit Card both at YES BANK and other bank ATMs. Thanks for your patience. @RBI @FinMinIndia YES BANK (@YESBANK) March 7, 2020 The Enforcement Directorate arrested Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor under money laundering charges during the early hours of Sunday. The banker was apprehended under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) around 3 am as he was allegedly not cooperating in the probe. The arrest was followed by 20 hours of questioning by the central agency after it raided his residence on Friday night. The registered case against Kapoor is linked to the scam-hit DHFL as the loans lent by the bank to the company allegedly turned NPAs. The CBI recently took over the investigation into the Rs 2,267-crore EPF fraud in Uttar Pradesh, where savings of power sector employees were invested in DHFL. Meanwhile, the central agency is also probing Kapoor's role in connection with the disbursal of loans to some corporate entities and the subsequently alleged kickbacks reportedly received in his wife's accounts. Henceforward, capital-starved Yes Bank will not be able to grant or renew any loan or advance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse any payment. And as per the RBI's draft reconstruction scheme, State Bank of India will pick up 49 per cent stake in the bank under a government-approved bailout plan. Have you thought about what you want done with your body when you die? Would you have your ashes turned into jewellery for a loved one to wear? Or you may opt to be buried in a biodegradable coffin with no physical identification of your grave, just a GPS tracking signal. Space, money and religion are all contributing to a shift in how people are being laid to rest, with almost three-quarters of Queenslanders who died last year being cremated. The graves of Toowong Cemetery look over the Western Motorway. The Attorney-General's department recently released its annual body disposal data, which is broken down into burials, cremations and "other". "I refuse to let disappointment blind me." Surely someone out there in our great capitalistic society is already manufacturing a coffee mug emblazoned with those parting words from Elizabeth Warren, and as soon as those mugs hit the market I'm getting one. I plan to set it next to my mug that says, "Nevertheless, she persisted." Elizabeth Warren did persist, through many ups and downs of a presidential primary campaign that she suspended on Thursday. The numbers were against her, and one of her charms is that her persistence is matched by practicality. Heartbroken. Tearful. In mourning. Those were some of the words her supporters used in reply to the news, but they also talked about being thankful. Warren inspired many until the very end. "I refuse to let disappointment blind me -- or you -- to what we've accomplished," she told her staff Thursday. What happened to Elizabeth Warren? Every day the evidence builds that the Elizabeth Warren campaign's biggest problem ... is Elizabeth Warren, columnist Michael Graham says. Warren, a Democratic U.S. senator from Massachusetts, would have been among the great American presidents. She would have restored a sense of decency to the job, along with an ethical pragmatism. She would have brought wit, grit, infectious energy, wide experience and -- an underestimated virtue in politics -- a sense of fun. She would have been a collegial leader who knew when to bend and when to stand like steel. She would have offered a new vision of what a president looks and sounds like. Hey, look Ma, it's a woman! "Would have," of course, is just another way of saying we now know she won't. But as Warren leaves the race, she leaves behind the ideas she articulated with passion and, more importantly, with plans. Freaked out about a Bernie Sanders nomination? Keep your eyes on South Carolina Soon, Democrats must either unify behind a moderate to beat Sanders or unify behind him to oust Trump, columnist George Skelton says. "What we have done -- and the ideas we have launched into the world, the way we have fought this fight, the relationships we have built -- will carry through, carry through for the rest of this election, the one after that, and the one after that," she told her staff. She talked about building a grassroots organization not dependent on wealthy donors. She went on: "We have also shown that race and justice -- economic justice, social justice, environmental justice, criminal justice -- are not an afterthought, but are at the heart of everything that we do." In her parting pep talk, Warren used words that don't show up in a lot of politicians' speeches -- collaboration, empathy, kindness, generosity, friendships -- but she didn't shy away from the more common language of battle. "We have been willing to fight," she said, "and, when necessary, we left plenty of blood and teeth on the floor." No, Trump is not going to be a dictator Trump himself may have at last learned a lesson, that you have to stop and listen and learn from others and try to avoid carelessness, columnist Jay Ambrose says. If Warren had stayed in the race a few days longer, we could have witnessed her in one more presidential debate, this time with the pair of men now battling to wrest the White House from the despot who currently occupies it. It would have been fun and useful to watch. A few more teeth would have wound up on the floor but the two remaining Democratic candidates -- Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden -- would have been better for it. One of Warren's gifts is to sharpen everyone around her. On Thursday, I heard several Warren supporters say, "Now I know I'll never see a woman president in my lifetime." They may be right. It's certainly right that sexism in its many cagey forms played into her fate. Sexism wasn't her only obstacle, but it was surely one of them, practiced by both men and women, often unconsciously. As Megan Garber argued in The Atlantic, Warren's competence was often written off as condescension, a punishment far more often inflicted on women. Why do so many people believe Trump will win? Even with the Democrats' problems, polling doesn't offer many reasons to believe that Trump will win a second term -- or that his electoral fate is sealed. But the past is not the future. We have to hold on to that thought. "Susan B. Anthony & Liz Cady Stanton," someone tweeted, citing two leaders of the women's suffrage movement, "died before we got the right to vote." Warren, too, understands that what she has done is an investment, even if it lacks the big payoff for her. As she put it to her staff: "We have shown that a woman can stand up, hold her ground and stay true to herself -- no matter what." Sometimes courage means giving up what you love and want for something that's better for someone besides you alone. Warren recognized that persisting in this race was not the right choice for her or for our common good. Her loss is our loss, but her campaign was also a win. She leaves knowing she pushed the door open a little wider for the next women coming through, and that those women will be fortified by the idea that they can't be blinded by disappointment. Bring on the mugs. Mary Schmich is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune and winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for commentary. YES Bank Managing Director and CEO Rana Kapoor along with his family Image Source: IANS News YES Bank Managing Director and CEO Rana Kapoor along with his family Image Source: IANS News Mumbai, March 8 : Even as a Mumbai court sent Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor to the Enforcement Directorate custody till March 11, agency officials claimed that the former MD and CEO and his family members allegedly set up over 20 shell companies to receive kickbacks. Kapoor was arrested by the ED officials on Sunday morning after over 30 hours of questioning in connection with a probe into money laundering case involving Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL). A senior ED official on requesting anonymity told IANS: "Kapoor and his family members, including his wife Bindu and three daughters, had set up more than 20 shell companies that were allegedly used to receive kickbacks." He said the money received through kickbacks was used to invest in properties. The official also claimed that the shell companies allegedly received kickbacks from the corporate entities, who were bank customers and had taken loans. The source further said the ED has also recovered documents that show some assets of the Kapoor family in London. He said that the source of funds for their acquisition is now being investigated. According to the ED source, DHFL owned Rs 3,700 crore loan to the Yes Bank, and Rs 600 crore fund transfer to the Kapoor family as part of the quid pro quo. He said, "We suspect the payment of Rs 600 crore to Kapoor family as kickbacks." Kapoor has been booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and other offences days after the Yes Bank crisis erupted. The ED suspects that Kapoor and two of his daughters, who are directors with Doit Urban Ventures, allegedly received kickbacks from DHFL. This amount of Rs 4,450 crore is part of the Rs 13,000 crore allegedly siphoned by DHFL through 80 dummy companies, with Doit Urban Ventures being one of them. The ED official said during searches, a lot of incriminating documents were found and that the agency grilled Kapoor on his links with DHFL promoters and other companies. Kapoor's alleged role in the disbursal of loan to a corporate entity and kickbacks reportedly received in his wife's bank account were also under probe. Besides the assets of Kapoor in foreign countries, the ED has also found that about 40 expensive paintings were bought by the Kapoor family, mostly from politicians. As part of the probe, ED sleuths raided Kapoor's home in Samudra Mahal residence in Worli area on Friday night. The ED on Saturday also carried out searches at the residence of Kapoor's three daughters in Mumbai and New Delhi. The three daughters -- Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Roshni Kapoor and Radha Kapoor -- were the alleged beneficiaries of the scam. Earlier in the day, Roshni was not allowed to board a flight for London from Mumbai on the basis of the Look out circular issued against her. The ED registered a money laundering case against Kapoor as a continuation of its probe involving DHFL wherein it was allegedly that Rs 12,500 crore was diverted to 80 shell companies using one lakh fake borrowers. The transactions with these shell companies were said to date back to 2015. An ED official said that the probe revealed that funds diverted by the DHFL originated from Yes Bank. The ED has accused Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan of DHFL of purchasing shares in five firms -- Faith Realtors, Marvel Township, Abe Realty, Poseidon Realty, and Random Realtors -- after which they were amalgamated with Sunblink. The outstanding loans of these five firms, totalling around Rs 2,186 crore till July 2019, were allegedly appropriated on to the books of Sunblink to cover up the diversion of loans acquired from DHFL. The ED's action comes after the RBI superseded Yes Bank Board for 30 days and appointed an administrator, putting a cap of Rs 50,000 on withdrawal by account holders for a month. The RBI said that the bank's board was superseded "owing to serious deterioration in the financial position of the bank". Other alleged irregularities are also under the agency's scanner including the one related to the alleged Provident Fund fraud in the Uttar Pradesh power corporation, the source said. The CBI on Sunday also registered a case against the former MD and CEO of the firm, Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) as well as its promoter Kapil Wadhawan on charges of corruption. The CBI has recently taken over investigation into the Rs 2,267-crore Employees' Provident Fund fraud in Uttar Pradesh, where hard-earned savings of power sector employees were invested in Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL). (Anand Singh can be contacted Anand.s@ians.in) Digital rights activists argue that the bill is an indirect way to weaken online encryption in the name of better law enforcement access. Civil rights advocates warn that the backdoor access that the bill would provide could be exploited by hackers and authoritarian governments. (Photo | Pixabay - Kalhh) Washington: A bill aimed at curbing online child sex abuse is pitting the US government against the tech sector. Unveiling the bipartisan measure Thursday, US senators said they aimed to curb images of child sex abuse by forcing tech platforms to cooperate with law enforcement on encryption or risk losing the legal immunity for what is posted on their websites. Digital rights activists argue that the bill is an indirect way to weaken online encryption in the name of better law enforcement access. The bill would give government officials unprecedented powers to craft de facto regulations for online speech, said Emma Llanso of the Center for Democracy and Technology, a digital rights organisation. Online service providers would almost certainly err on the side of caution and take down anythingincluding a lot of lawful, constitutionally protected speech. Civil rights advocates warn that any backdoor access could be exploited by hackers and authoritarian governments. Lawmakers say the billEliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act (EARN IT) -- allows companies to earn their liability protection, by gaining certification of compliance by a commission of government, industry, legal and victim group representatives. A hearing is set for Wednesday on the measure, which is backed by victims rights organizations, which say that existing laws protecting platforms such as social media companies from liability for user-posted content have allowed child pornography and images of exploitation to proliferate. Critics say the bill, if enacted, could lead to draconian internet regulation. You shouldnt need to get a pass from a commission of law enforcement agencies just to set up a website, said Joe Mullin of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Thats the type of system we might hear about under an authoritarian regime. Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Technology Association, a trade group including hundreds of online firms, said the bill sets up the false choice between child safety and internet safety. Shapiro said in a blog post that the proposed law would not stop the use of encryption but penalize American companies by forcing those interested in secure communication to move their business to offshore companies not governed by US law. The full implications of the bill remain unclear because standards would be set by a commission that would be created by lawmakers. The panel could call for strict bans on encrypted apps or verification of the identity of all internet users, for example. Six RAF jets have been used to intercept Russian aircraft as they tried to enter British airspace. The British Ministry of Defence said they were tracked heading for the northwest of Scotland yesterday. An RAF spokesperson insisted it was a 'routine response' coordinated with several other NATO allies. They confirmed that RAF Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon air-craft were launched from RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby. Cockpit footage from one of our #QRA Typhoons, showing one of the Russian aircraft #TeamLossie intercepted yesterday. It truly was a team effort, both within the @RoyalAirForce and as part of @NATO. Find out more https://t.co/HDou9Ziq1F pic.twitter.com/FPe20PJo1F RAF Lossiemouth (@RAFLossiemouth) March 8, 2020 Two pairs of Tornadoes were also launched and a Voyager tanker - an air-to-air refuelling aircraft - was also deployed from a base in Brize Norton to support the mission. The number of Russian jets involved in the incident is unclear. It is believed they were Tupolev Tu-95 Bears, which are used both as strategic bombers and long-range maritime patrol planes. An RAF spokesperson said: We can confirm that RAF Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft were launched today from RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby. This was a routine response to Russian aircraft approaching UK air space and was coordinated with several other NATO allies. In a tweet, RAF Lossiemouth said: "At no point did these aircraft enter UK sovereign airspace. It added: "We are ready to respond to any unidentified aircraft and potential airborne threats, 24/7/365." At no point did these aircraft enter UK sovereign airspace. The Russian aircraft were shadowed by our Typhoons, along with QRA aircraft from our @NATO partners in Norway and France.#SecuringTheSkies #WeAreNATO#QRA 3/4 pic.twitter.com/A6vVJINefT RAF Lossiemouth (@RAFLossiemouth) March 7, 2020 RAF planes were dispatched to stop Russian military planes entering UK airspace a number of times last year. The Grand Princess cruise ship will begin to allow guests to disembark Monday after 21 people aboard tested positive for coronavirus on Friday. Princess Cruises announced early Sunday it had been informed by state and local officials that the cruise, off the coast of California, would be able to dock in the Port of Oakland on Monday, though an exact time was not available, cruise line public relations director Negin Kamali told USA TODAY. Guests who "require acute medical treatment and hospitalization" will be first to disembark. Kamali said it was "unclear" if other passengers would also be allowed off the ship Monday, or if they would have to wait further. "California residents will go to a federally operated facility within California for testing and isolation, while non-Californians will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states," read a statement provided by Kamali. "Crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship." Prior to the announcement, the more than 3,500 people on Princess Cruises' Grand Princess remained in limbo earlier Saturday evening as they awaited further information on when and where the cruise ship would dock. Only 45 passengers and crew members have been tested, and of those who tested positive, 19 were crew members and two were passengers. A California man who died on Wednesday was likely infected with coronavirus before he boarded the Grand Princess last month. In a conference call with reporters Saturday evening, Grant Tarling, the chief medical officer for Carnival Corporation, the parent company of Princess Cruises, said the man boarded the ship in San Francisco on Feb. 11, when it set sail for Mexico. Tarling said the man sought medical treatment from the ship's medical center on Feb. 20 and reported symptoms of an "acute respiratory illness" for about a week. Since Tarling noted that the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has an incubation period of five to six days, it's likely that the man was infected prior to boarding the ship. Story continues "We believe this case was community acquired in California and brought on the ship," Tarling said. Tarling said Princess was told on March 2 that the man, in his early 70s, had tested positive for coronavirus in Placer County, California. The man died on Wednesday at a hospital in Roseville, California, where he had been placed in medical isolation. Tarling previously said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had not established a testing protocol for the ship, nor had it said how many passengers and crew members would be tested. "We have not been told that by the CDC," he said. "We are waiting for CDC to provide definitive information about that." Swartz said that Princess Cruises made recommendations to the agencies that will decide what to do with the ship, based on its experience last month with the Diamond Princess, which was quarantined off the coast of Japan. More than 700 of that ship's passengers developed coronavirus, and six have died. "We need to get the ship into a port as soon as possible," she said. Grand Princess passengers could be disembarked to face quarantine, possibly at U.S. military bases or other sites. That's what happened to hundreds of passengers who were exposed to the virus on the Diamond Princess in January. In his most recent comments about the ship, President Donald Trump, speaking Friday at the U.S. Centers for to Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, said he would prefer not to allow the passengers onto American soil but will defer to the recommendations of medical experts. I dont need to have the numbers (of U.S. cases) double because of one ship that wasnt our fault, Trump said in a Fox News interview. And it wasnt the fault of the people on the ship either. OK? It wasnt their fault either. And they are mostly American, so I can live either way with it. Speaking at the White House on Friday evening, Vice President Mike Pence said that 46 people aboard the ship, which was being held off the coast of California, had been tested for coronavirus. Of those, 24 were negative and one of the tests was inconclusive. Pence said that of the 21 who tested positive, 19 were crew members and two were passengers. Those that will need to be quarantined will be quarantined. Those who will require medical help will receive it, Pence said. . Kailee Higgins Ott, 17, is on board Grand Princess with her mother. She said Saturday that they were doing fine. At this point, she just wants more information. "Part of me wants to get tested and have a plan set soon, she told USA TODAY. "But part of me also doesnt want that. I feel nervous if we have to move to a military base because I dont know how that will be like. Right now we are being treated well and its not that bad in the room so moving to a different location would be weird. Some of the announcements from the captain, she said, have been confusing. "I think the captain could say more because we are reading more than what the captain is telling us on the news about the whole situation," she added. Princess Cruises said the ship is providing food and beverages via room service, offering free Internet and telephone service for passengers to stay in contact with families and working with the CDC to determine if additional precautionary measures are needed. The cruise line's medical team also is collecting information from guests regarding prescription refill needs. The company announced Wednesday those on board may have been exposed to coronavirus after sailing with 62 passengers who officials say had previously been on the ship's Mexico voyage with a 71-year-old California man who eventually died from the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised guests stay in their rooms starting Thursday but had not declared a quarantine, according to a Thursday statement from Princess Cruises provided by spokesperson Alivia Owyoung Ender. A Coast Guard helicopter lowered test kits onto the 951-foot Grand Princess by rope Thursday. On Friday evening, personal protective equipment was delivered to the ship via a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, the line said Saturday. The new gear was meant to supplement the supply already on board. As of Sunday evening, coronavirus had infected more than 109,811 people globally and killed at least 3,802, according to Johns Hopkins data. More cases related to Grand Princess continue to emerge SOURCE Princess Cruise Lines; maps4news.com/HERE; USA TODAY reporting; 1 As of March 5 10 a.m. ET As passengers remained on the Grand Princess, more cases connected to the ship came to light. Late Friday, the Chicago Department of Public Health said an employee of the Chicago Public Schools had tested positive for coronavirus the city's first case and the sixth in Illinois. The woman, in her 50s, had disembarked from the Grand Princess in San Francisco on Feb. 21 and returned to Chicago on Feb. 24. She is currently hospitalized and in stable condition, city officials said. The woman had returned to work, but stayed home once she started developing symptoms, officials said. The test came back positive on Friday. The school where she works, Jacqueline B. Vaughn Occupational High School, will be closed next week. The city's school system and health department "have already begun an extensive outreach effort for every student, employee and family in this school community to inform them of the confirmed case," Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a news conference late Friday. Carson City Health and Human Services in Nevada confirmed on Friday that it is also monitoring "a few" individuals in its jurisdiction who have ties to the Grand Princess cruise ship. In many respects, our ships are small floating cities. Just as life happens in cities for good and for bad, life also happens onboard our ships," Princess Cruises' president Jan Swartz said in a video posted to Twitter Friday morning. This isn't Princess Cruises' first coronavirus cruise situation Princess Cruises also owns the Diamond Princess, the ship that was quarantined in Yokohama, Japan, and experienced a coronavirus outbreak that infected nearly 700 passengers. Six have died. We learned a lot from our recent experience in Japan, and we are taking those lessons into account as we continue to support our fleet and our guests," Swartz said in the video on Twitter. On social media, the cruise line was busy replying to a myriad of tweets from concerned customers with upcoming cruises, assuring them their bookings could be canceled. Princess is allowing people who have a cruise booked through May 31, 2020, can make changes to their reservations. Maryland residents tested positive after cruising on Egyptian ship Meanwhile, three Maryland residents tested positive Thursday for the coronavirus after traveling on an Egyptian cruise on the Nile River, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said on Friday evening. The married couple in their 70s and an unrelated woman in her 50s, all from Montgomery County, are the first patients to test positive for coronavirus in the state. "This does appear to be the same cruise ship the World Health Organization (WHO) announced today has 12 workers who have been placed in quarantine for 14 days" after testing positive, said Hogan. "And our three Maryland cases appear to be linked to six confirmed coronavirus cases in Texas." On Thursday, Texas health departments announced positive coronavirus tests for several Harris County residents who had recently traveled abroad together. A cruise ship on Egypt's Nile River with over 150 tourists and local crew was in quarantine Saturday in the southern city of Luxor, after 12 people tested positive for the new coronavirus. A Taiwanese-American tourist who had previously been on the same ship tested positive when she returned to Taiwan. The World Health Organization informed Egyptian authorities, who tested everyone currently on the ship. Health authorities found a dozen of the ship's Egyptian crew members had contracted the fast-spreading virus, but did not show symptoms, according to a statement Friday. The statement said the 12 will be transferred to isolation in a hospital on Egypt's north coast. The passengers who include Americans, French and other nationalities and the crew will remain quarantined on the ship awaiting further test results. Egyptian authorities have been tight-lipped about the virus outbreak, previously reporting only three confirmed cases. That's even as the wider Mideast now has over 6,000 confirmed cases. Contributing: The Associated Press, Andrea Mandell and Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, Matthew Prensky, Salisbury Daily Times This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: Grand Princess cruise ship will dock Monday in California SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's parliament on late Friday passed a controversial bill to limit ride-hailing service Tada, dealing a blow to a company that has been a smash hit since its launch in late 2018 but faced a backlash from taxi drivers angry over new mobility services. South Korea's National Assembly passed a revised passenger transport service act requiring rental vans with 11 to 15 seats for tour purposes to be used for at least six hours and that they be rented or returned at airports or seaports. A current law bars rental car services from offering drivers, with the exception of vans with 11 to 15 seats - which are provided by Tada. South Korea restricts ride-hailing to only licensed taxis and bans the use of private cars for the purpose. Tada has been exploiting a rule that allows the rental of chauffer-driven 11-seaters to operate its ride-hailing services, drawing fierce opposition from the taxi lobby and regulators. The passage of the bill comes after Tada was cleared of transport law violations in court in mid-February. Prosecutors had sought one-year jail terms for executives of Tada and its parent firm Socar, arguing Tada was a de facto unlicenced taxi service. Following the passage of the bill, Lee Jae-woong, an entrepreneur and head of Tada's parent company, said on Facebook he would halt Tada's services and apologized to users, while asking who would dare to challenge and nurture innovative startups in the country. The revised law is set to take effect 18 months after it is proclaimed. Tada, launched in October 2018, has won 1.7 million users as it capitalized on growing demand and the funding muscle of its Japanese backer SoftBank Group Corp. (Reporting by Jane Chung; Editing by Paul Simao) Despite global fears of the spread of the coronavirus, women around the world took to the streets March 8 to celebrate International Womens Day. In the Middle East, from mask-clad Lebanese women calling for a feminist revolution on the streets of Beirut to protests by Sudanese women in front of the countrys Ministry of Justice, women have used the occasion to call for nondiscriminatory laws, greater representation in decision-making and strong measures to fight against domestic violence. In Khartoum, Sudanese activists gathered in front of the Justice Ministry to voice their disappointment at the lack of progress on womens issues, particularly after they have been at the forefront of the protests that toppled Omar al-Bashir last year. Nothing has been done to meet womens demands [in Sudan], Zeineb Badreddine, one of the activists, was quoted as saying by AFP. The activists demands include government measures to increase the age of marriage for girls to 18, get more women in the countrys ruling Sovereignty Council and abolish the system of guardianship that requires women to have a male guardian so they can travel abroad. In Beirut, although the International Womens Day march had been canceled due to precautions following the COVID-19 outbreak, a few hundred women and men walked through the streets of Beirut, calling for the fall of traditional patriarchal structures and improvement of personal status laws. In Baghdad, Iraqi women marked the day at Tahrir Square with red and white roses and purple banners. Most of them wore masks. In Istanbul, despite a ban imposed by the Governors Office, at least a thousand women gathered in Istiklal Square carrying banners demanding justice for victims of femicide and domestic violence. They were prevented by the police from marching down the main pedestrian street, so they marched through a parallel street instead. Some 850 kilometers (530 miles) from Istanbul, female asylum seekers who were waiting at the buffer zone at the Turkish-Greek border to cross to Europe have staged a demonstration demanding the gate be opened on International Womens Day. The regions politicians shared their own messages to pay lip service to women, such as pledging their commitment to womens progress in Riyadh, hailing them as makers of happiness in Cairo and as first teachers of humanity in Ankara. But deeds, rather than words, is what is needed to ensure the equality of women, according to Equality Now, a London-based group that lobbies governments to repeal laws that explicitly discriminate on the basis of sex. Earlier in March, the rights group called on all governments to review their legislation to amend discriminatory laws such as guardianship of men over women, polygamy, early marriage and domestic violence common problems seen in the family laws of the Middle East and beyond. I dream of a family law that gives equal place to women rather than one that reflects the patriarchal society, Suad Abu-Dayyeh, the Middle East and North Africa expert of Equality Now, told Al-Monitor. Abu-Dayyeh is one of the contributors to Equality Nows report, Words and Deeds: Holding governments accountable in the Beijing +25 review process. This years report, the fifth one since they published the first report in 1999, focuses on family law, which Abu-Dayyeh said is one of the most difficult legal areas to change as it is based on religion, custom and tradition. Religious, cultural, and ethnic identities are vested in family law, the report states, explaining why they chose to focus on family law this year. These laws include marriage, divorce, custody and guardianship, property rights, as well as inheritance. Attempts to reform family laws are often portrayed as threats to group identity and rights and used as justifications to resist demands for reform towards further equality. Abu-Dayyeh stressed that this is particularly true for the Middle East and North Africa. The most discriminatory laws against women from marriage to divorce, from the right to work to the custody of children are embedded in family laws in the region. They define marriage as a power relationship, not a contract between equal partners, she said. The report gives specific examples of discriminatory laws that place women at a disadvantage, such as Article 8 of Algerias family law that allows polygamy for men. We see that in many countries in the region, including Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, said Abu-Dayyeh. We also see laws that allow girls younger than 18 to get married under certain conditions or laws that force women to marry their abductors or rapists. Other examples of discriminatory laws in the report include the Iraqi Penal Code that states that a man who punishes his wife is exercising a legal right, or Tunisian and United Arab Emirates laws that allow sons to inherit twice as much as daughters. Despite the gloomy picture overall, Abu-Dayyeh said that there has been progress in the region. Saudi Arabia has lifted a ban on women driving as well as male guardianship, she pointed out. Now women can get a passport without the consent of a guardian, she added. Infographic provided by Equality Now Marry your abductor/rapist law, a popular name for the penal code articles that pardons a rapist if he weds his victim, has also been repealed in Tunisia, Lebanon and Jordan. In Palestine, the age of marriage used to be 15 for girls and 16 for boys, but an amendment approved by President Mahmoud Abbas in November 2019 put the age limit for both at 18, though a judge may decide to allow couples to get married earlier, which is a point of concern for women's groups. According to a UNICEF report published in July 2018, there are 40 million child brides in the Middle East and North Africa. The same report states that one out of five women marry before the age of 18 and one in 25 before the age of 15. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Kamala Harris endorsed Joe Biden on Sunday, becoming the 9th former presidential candidate to give him the nod of approval in his race against Bernie Sanders. 'I believe in Joe. I really believe in him and I have known him for a long time. One of the things that we need right now is we need a leader who really does care about the people and who can therefore unify the people. And I believe Joe can do that,' the California senator said in a video announcing her endorsement. She also noted she'll be in Detroit Monday night to campaign for Biden ahead of Michigan's primary on Tuesday. Harris delivered a near knock-out punch to Biden in the first Democratic primary debate in June of last year, after she told the story of a little girl who benefited from a federal school program and ended it by dramatically declaring: 'That girl was me.' Her campaign jumped in the polls and brought in millions but she wasn't able to sustain that moment and dropped out in December. Despite the battle with Biden in that debate, the former vice president spoke favorably of her and even said he'd consider her as his running mate. Kamala Harris endorsed Joe Biden on Sunday for president Kamala Harris said in her endorsement 'I believe in Joe'; the two are seen together on the debate stage in Detroit in July Joe Biden has raked in endorsements in his bid to beat Bernie Sanders Former Presidential Candidates' Endorsements FOR JOE BIDEN Kamala Harris Amy Klobuchar Pete Buttigieg Michael Bloomberg Beto O'Rourke Deval Patrick John Delaney Tim Ryan Seth Moulton FOR BERNIE SANDERS Bill de Blasio Marianne Williamson Advertisement Harris' endorsement came after Elizabeth Warren, the last viable female candidate, exited the presidential race. She addressed her disappointment there would not be a female nominee but noted the party needed to rally behind a candidate who could defeat President Donald Trump. 'Like many women, I watched with sadness as women exited the race one by one. Four years after our nominee, the first woman to win the nomination of a major party, received 3 million more votes than Donald Trump but still lost, we find ourselves without any woman on a path to be the Democratic nominee for president,' she said in a statement. 'This is something we must reckon with and it is something I will have more to say about in the future. But we must rise to unite the party and country behind a candidate who reflects the decency and dignity of the American people and who can ultimately defeat Donald Trump,' she added. Biden has raked in the endorsements from his former rivals. Warren is notable exception. The Massachusetts senator has not said who she'll support for president. Harris delivered a near knock-out punch to Biden in the first Democratic primary debate, after she told the story of a little girl who benefited from a federal school program Warren could play a kingmaker role in the primary - her support of Biden could bring some of the liberal left to his side, which would hurt Sanders. But if she endorses Sanders, it could lock up the left wing of the party in a battle against the more moderate wing that favors Biden. 'Not today. I need some space around this, and I want to take a little time to think a little more,' Warren said on Wednesday of last week, when she dropped out of the race and was asked who'd she endorse. 'We don't have to decide that this minute,' she noted. And, in a cameo appearance on 'Saturday Night Live,' Warren joked she may do what The New York Times did and endorse two candidates. The paper endorsed her and Amy Klobuchar. In a cameo appearance on 'Saturday Night Live,' Elizabeth Warren joked she may do what The New York Times did and endorse two candidates Amy Klobuchar appealed for Democrats to unit behind Joe Biden when she endorsed him last week Pete Buttigieg endorsed Joe Biden's presidential campaign at Chicken Scratch in Dallas, praising Biden's leadership and ability to beat Donald Trump Beto O'Rourke and Biden visited a Whataburger in Dallas, Texas, after he endorsed the former Vice President Maybe I'll just pull a New York Times and endorse them both,' Warren said. Klobuchar has endorsed Biden, as have Mike Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg and Beto O'Rourke. The Minnesota senator - along with Buttigieg - exited the race before the Super Tuesday contests and endorsed the former vice president, a move which boosted him in those contests. Biden won the most states although Sanders took the biggest prize of the night - the state of California. Klobuchar denied she was pressured to exit the Democratic primary to endorse Biden and said there is no conspiracy among moderate Democrats to stop Sanders' from becoming the nominee. The Minnesota senator told NBC's 'Today Show' last week she left the contest because it was 'the right thing to do.' 'There literally was no push from anyone. It was a decision I made,' she said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 11:01:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Land sales in major Chinese cities saw a dramatic decline in February, an industry report showed. Transaction volume in 40 cities monitored by E-house China R&D Institute in February tumbled year on year, while the land price ticked up due to recovery of the land market in first-tier cities, the report said. The land premium rate, which measures the extent that the highest-bidding property developers pay in excess of the starting asked land price, remained at record low with limited possibility to fall further, according to the report. The report showed that the market in the second-tier cities significantly cooled down in both transaction and volume, and the third-tier cities also saw a gradual weakening trend. After the outbreak fades away, the pent-up demands will be unleashed with local policy support, said Wang Yichen, a researcher at E-house China R&D Institute. Wang said that considering the current low land premium rate, the market was unlikely to pick up in the short term, while further decline of the land price would also be limited. Various inter-governmental bodies bring together practitioners, policy makers and other experts from all over the world on the issues of drugs and crime and thus offer Member States a platform for exchanging expertise, experience and information in these areas. As such, the inter-governmental bodies play a key role in fostering international cooperation and take concrete action through resolutions and decisions. UNODC acts as the Secretariat to these bodies and provides them with substantive and technical support. Commission on Narcotic Drugs The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is one of ECOSOC's functional commissions, acting as the main policymaking body of the United Nations in the area of drugs. It supervises the application of the international drug control treaties and reviews and analyses the global drug situation. The Commission also functions as the governing body of UNODC. [Read more] Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) is one of ECOSOC's functional commissions, acting as the principal policymaking body of the United Nations in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. It reviews United Nations standards and norms in this area, including their use and application by Member States. The Commission also functions as the governing body of UNODC. [Read more] United Nations Congresses on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice The United Nations Congresses on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice have been held every five years since 1955 in different parts of the world, focusing on a broad range of topics. The Congresses have made a considerable impact on the field of international crime prevention and criminal justice. International cooperation in criminal matters is consistently included among the prominent agenda topics of the Congresses. [Read more] Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (COP) was established by this Convention to improve the capacity of States Parties to combat transnational organized crime and to promote and review the implementation of this Convention. The Conference has also established several working groups focusing on specific areas of its work, one of them being the Working Group on International Cooperation. [Read more] Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption The Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (COSP) was established by this Convention to improve the capacity of States Parties to implement its provisions, to enhance cooperation among States in achieving the objectives of the Convention and to promote and review the implementation of the Convention. The Conference has created four subsidiary bodies to assist in carrying out its work, including the Open-ended intergovernmental expert meetings on international cooperation. [Read more] He has been teetotal since he was a teenager so Im not quite sure what Prince Andrew would have made of one friends gift to help his 60th birthday celebrations go with a swing a four-gallon bottle of wine. As the menu for his recent bash reveals, Andrew was given caviar and a melchior the equivalent of 24 bottles of wine, or four gallons. The donation was made by Soheil Dadfar, an Iranian-born friend of Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, an autocratic regime accused by Amnesty International of human rights violations. The allegations include the arrest and torture of gay and lesbian people, and banning free speech. Prince Andrew, who has been teetotal since he was a teenager, was given a four-gallon bottle of wine as a present for his 60th birthday last month As the menu for his recent bash reveals, Andrew was given caviar and a melchior the equivalent of 24 bottles of wine, or four gallons So unusual was Soheils contribution that he even received a message of thanks on the bottom of the menu. Although Andrew has been keeping a low profile since his car-crash Newsnight interview over his links with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, the menu shows that he is still determined to live like a king. In addition to the melchior, guests at the party, held at Royal Lodge, the Dukes home within the grounds of Windsor Great Park, were served a selection of fine French vintages to accompany each course. The donation was made by Soheil Dadfar, an Iranian-born friend of Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, an autocratic regime accused by Amnesty International of human rights violations. Soheil is pictured with his wife, Aida Mahmudova, 38, an artist and the niece of Mehriban Aliyeva, the First Lady of Azerbaijan The President of Azerbaijan is pictured speaking at a business forum in Rome on February 21. The allegations made by Amnesty International against his regime include the arrest and torture of gay and lesbian people, and banning free speech They were treated to a starter of twice-baked cheese souffle with a 28.50 Pouilly-Fuisse; fish pie and tenderstem broccoli washed down with a 2016 Nuits-St-Georges priced at 55 for the main course; and a selection of desserts including sticky toffee pudding and treacle tart, served with a 28 Chateau Villefranche sauternes. The 50 or so guests at the party last month included Formula 1 tycoon Bernie Ecclestone, racing heir Guy Sangster and Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese ambassador to Britain. Soheil is married to Aida Mahmudova, 38, an artist and the niece of Mehriban Aliyeva, the First Lady of Azerbaijan. The couple live in London. Car fanatics looking to break into TV will be pleased to hear that The Grand Tour is looking for a new series producer but the lucky applicant will have to possess some remarkable skills. The advert says the Amazon Prime show, starring Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, needs someone with experience of handling the logistics for big and complex foreign road-trip-style shoots, must be persuasive with grumpy officials at three in the morning, and must be authoritative and charming enough to lead a team that already knows what its doing. Not to mention risking being thumped by Clarkson if there isnt steak and chips for tea Lady Amelia Windsor dubbed the most beautiful Royal by society bible Tatler is single once more after ending her secret romance with university pal Fred Galletly. Amelia and Fred who works as a manny, a male nanny were spotted together at Wimbledon last year, but otherwise have managed to keep their relationship private. Now a chum of Amelia reports: The romance has fizzled out. Amelia was travelling the world on modelling assignments and Fred was stuck in Blighty working as a manny. Form an orderly queue, chaps... The UN says bias blocks women from accessing education, jobs and political power and that is bad for everyone. Inequality is an obstacle billions of women around the globe navigate at their peril every single day of their lives. Now, a new United Nations study sheds light on why at this stage of human civilisation, not a single country on the planet has yet achieved gender equity. Turns out some 90 percent of people a staggering nine out of 10 are prejudiced against women in some way, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP)s Gender Norms Index. Gathering data from 75 countries, the analysis covers 80 percent of the global population and measures how social beliefs obstruct gender equity in areas like politics, work, and education, to the detriment of all of society. Despite decades of progress in advancing womens equality in many nations, the findings expose cultural attitudes that continue to act as stealth barriers to women achieving an equal footing with men. More than half of men and women surveyed for example think men make better political leaders than women. Some 40 percent say men are better at business and more deserving of a job when work is scarce. More than a quarter again men and women surveyed think it is justified for a man to beat his wife. On Sunday, International Womens Day commemorates the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, a landmark agreement promoting womens rights, adopted by world leaders in China in 1995. Since Beijing, progress has been achieved there has been a substantial drop in maternal mortality rates and an increase in girls enrolled in primary schools. But UNDPs findings indicate there is significant social pushback, with negative attitudes towards gender equality actually growing in 31 countries. The glass ceiling for women is still hard to break, Raquel Lagunas, UNDPs top expert on gender, told Al Jazeera. Bias bites Bias is not just a bad attitude. It feeds economic inequality and poverty. Every day, women and girls over the age of 15 put in 12.5 billion hours or $10.8 trillion worth annually- of care work for free, according to non-profit Oxfam. The richest 22 men in the world also own more wealth than all the women in Africa some 325 million women combined, says Oxfam. Women work more hours than men, but they do three times more unpaid care work; when they are paid, they earn less than men and they are less likely to be in management positions, said Lagunas. Educating people, changing mindsets and transforming workplaces, schools, and legal systems that continue to promote biases is essential to break them down, according to the UNDP. The agency advocates government-driven policies and programmes, such as paternity leave, quotas that promote womens participation in politics, and encouraging women and girls, to enter traditionally male-dominated sectors like science and technology. Woman vs woman While 91 percent of men were found to have at least one bias against women, the UNDP index also found that 86 percent of women harbour the same prejudice. Serena Fong, vice president at Catalyst, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing womens progress in workplaces, was not surprised. Many of the biases can be unconscious, automatic or mental shortcuts, Fong told Al Jazeera. Unconscious bias can have tangible consequences. If a woman believes men make better politicians and leaders, she is likely to turn that belief into action at the ballot box locking women out of decision-making roles. Women are socialised in the same way as men in family, school, work so they are susceptible to having the same biases and prejudices. They too can have beliefs that limit their economic and social potential, said Lagunas. This is reflected at the very pinnacle of political power. Despite women and men voting at similar rates, only 10 out of 193 governments worldwide are headed by women. Abrasive or assertive? Various movements are trying to redress the deeply rooted social biases that hold women back. The #BiasCorrect campaign led by Catalyst, for example, draws attention to the power of words. Women and men with the same talents and skills are often described in very different ways, said Fong. For example, if a woman is described as abrasive, a man exhibiting the same behaviour might be called assertive. But some who have broken through the glass ceiling say the more women speak out against the unconscious biases they face, the easier it is for others to follow suit. Ive called out the people who used gender bias against me but early on it was difficult feedback to hear and certainly put a label on my back, said Cate Luzio, CEO of Luminary. Joanne McKinney, the CEO of brands consultancy Burns Group, faced a similar problem: I often felt that my ambition and confidence was seen as aggressive and pushy while the same behaviour was welcome with my male peers, she told Al Jazeera. McKinney recalled suffering for years from what many women endure: the so-called imposter syndrome or doubting ones qualifications to lead, especially as her personal life evolved. I felt expectations of me lowered by increments when I became a wife and then a mother, she told Al Jazeera. Opportunities came, she said, when she made herself indispensable and did not shy away from her accomplishments. Value yourself, keep track of your contributions literally, keep a running list and speak out about those achievements. It appears, from their divorce papers, that Nikko and Chalonda had no children together. Nor does it appear from court records that Nikko has any children. The couple were suspected of sharing in one crime together, during the vicious and fleeting four weeks of freedom that Nikko has had in his adult life. Released in late July 2013 after two carjackings he committed as a teen, Nikko Jenkins ensuing spree has been well-documented. With the help of his sisters, uncle, cousin and mother, he killed Jorge Cajiga-Ruiz and Juan Uribe-Pena in Spring Lake Park on Aug. 11; Curtis Bradford near 18th and Clark Streets on Aug. 19; and Andrea Kruger on Aug. 21. He now is on death row for those killings. But less publicized and first revealed by The World-Herald Nikko and Chalonda Jenkins were suspects in the shootings of an Omaha man who was believed to be a gang rival of Nikko Jenkins, and two Omaha women who were with that rival. Elizabeth Warren may have suspended her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, but she hasnt lost her sense of humor. The Massachusetts senator made a surprise appearance during the Saturday Night Live cold open Saturday, joking about endorsements, her dog Bailey, and what she did to former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has also dropped out of the presidential race. As Saturday Night Live opened, Warren was supposedly a guest on, of all things, the Fox News Channel show, The Ingraham Angle, with Kate McKinnon doing an impression of host Laura Ingraham. After the bit began with a strong of conservatives appearing on Ingrahams show, Warren then appeared. McKinnons Ingraham asked Warren, who announced her withdrawal from the presidential contest following her disappointing showing on Super Tuesday earlier this week, how she was doing. Warren said she was hearing from friends and family, who have been supportive, and calling nonstop to ask, Are you OK?, What do you need? and Were you electable? Please welcome Sen. Elizabeth Warren to The Ingraham Angle. #SNL pic.twitter.com/bqjR7bGZH4 Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) March 8, 2020 Asked about who she might endorse, Warren said, Maybe Ill just pull a New York Times, and endorse them both, referring to remaining major presidential nomination contenders Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. In case anybody forgot, the New York Times endorsed both Warren and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, who has also ended her campaign, and endorsed Biden. Warren said she didnt have regrets, and noted that, Not only did I not accept money from billionaires, I got to gave one a swirlie on live TV, referring to Bloomberg, and Warrens hard-hitting treatment of the would-be candidate during a televised debate. Now that shes out of the race, Warren said, she was planning to focus on self-care, and such pastimes as drag-racing Subarus, and avoiding Twitter. The segment ended with McKinnon showing off her quick-change skills, as she entered, wearing a replica of Warrens outfit, and doing her impression of the senator. You can catch up with the episode, with features host Daniel Craig and musical guest, The Weeknd, on demand on Sunday, or via fuboTV. -- Kristi Turnquist kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. The three-day Hola Mohalla began with religious fervour at Punjab's Anandpur Sahib, 30 kilometres from here. Thousands of Sikh devotees from India and abroad reached Anandpur Sahib to pay obeisance at the Gurdwara Kesgarh Sahib and took a dip in the holy sarovar. An official spokesman said about 2,800 police personnel and 51 senior officials have been entrusted with the task of monitoring the law and order situation. In the backdrop of coronavirus scare, the Rupnagar administration has made elaborate arrangements. Civil Surgeon Dr H N Sharma said 14 medical centres have been set up to keep tabs on people suffering from cough and cold. On Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had suggested that the festival could be celebrated by paying obeisance in various gurdwaras in small numbers, instead of congregating in large numbers at one place. It was advisable, Amarinder had said, to avoid taking unnecessary risks, while retaining the traditional spirit of the Hola Mohalla, for which the state government has already made extensive medical arrangements. Amarinder Singh, who is monitoring the situation on a day-to-day basis, has constituted a seven-member group of ministers to oversee the preventive measures taken by the Health Department. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 23:29:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech at a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, March 8, 2020. Erdogan on Sunday urged Greece to open its border gate for the passage of illegal immigrants, who have been waiting in Turkey's northwestern border for the last 10 days to enter Europe. (Str/Xinhua) ISTANBUL, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday urged Greece to open its border gate for the passage of illegal immigrants, who have been waiting in Turkey's northwestern border for the last 10 days to enter Europe. "These people will not stay in Greece. They will transit to another European country from there," Erdogan said at a meeting in Istanbul, marking International Women's Day. He slammed the intervention of Greek security forces against the illegal immigrants at the Pazarkule border crossing. Turkish authorities claimed that a total of three refugees were shot dead by Greek police so far. Turkey is currently hosting over 3.7 million Syrian refugees in its territory. Additionally, more than 1.5 million others have flooded its southeastern border with Syria, mostly women and children, fleeing from the civil war in the Syrian province of Idlib. Erdogan said the issue has not gained proper attention from the world. "We have signed a cease-fire, albeit temporarily. It is my wish that it stays there," the Turkish leader added, referring to the cease-fire agreement in Idlib reached by the Turkish and Russian delegations in the Russian capital Moscow on Thursday night. The probe has resulted in state Sen. Martin Sandoval pleading guilty to bribery and tax charges, and the recent indictment of a former SafeSpeed representative who allegedly bribed the relative of an Oak Lawn trustee in exchange for help in getting the companys cameras deployed at more village intersections. At least 200 civil servants are paid more than the Prime Minister, new official figures have revealed. The Whitehall officials are on salaries significantly above the 154,908 earned by Boris Johnson. Sir Philip Rutnam, who resigned last week after accusing Priti Patel of orchestrating a culture of bullying, was on a package of almost 195,000. A source told the newspaper: 'The British people will be appalled to learn that not only are the establishment trying to frustrate what the people want, but they are being paid quite so much for the privilege.' The Whitehall officials are on salaries significantly above the 154,908 earned by Boris Johnson Twitter hashtags such as #Pritiawful were trending last week, with online trolls using the handles to leave abusive messages. The Home Secretary's own Instagram account was also targeted A list of civil servants and senior officials earning more than 150,000 is released annually by the Cabinet Office. It comes amid a growing row over allegations that the Home Secretary Priti Patel has mistreated staff. In a letter to the Telegraph on Friday, more than 90 people including former Charity Commission chief William Shawcross and Conservative election guru Sir Lynton Crosby came to her defence. They said she is 'right to ask tough questions' of officials, adding: 'We do not recognise the picture that has been painted of her this week. 'There's no argument that she is a tough, assertive and effective leader, but even under extreme pressure she has never crossed a line or lost her temper. 'She expects high standards, as a strong leader should, but is always professional. She gives her all for this country and deserves far better treatment than she has received.' The abuse aimed at the Home Secretary erupted after her most senior civil servant, Sir Philip Rutnam, pictured above, resigned last weekend, accusing her of orchestrating a culture of bullying The signatories also include Tory peers Lords Rami, Suri and Leigh. A Cabinet Office inquiry into allegations Ms Patel broke the ministerial code is under way. Among the claims are that a senior official at the Department for International Development had reported a 'tsunami' of allegations of abuse by officials in Ms Patel's private office when she was secretary of state, BBC2's Newsnight reported. Those allegations came after a former aide at the Department for Work and Pensions was reported to have received a 25,000 payout from the Government, having said she was bullied by Ms Patel when she was employment minister. A spokesman for Ms Patel said: 'The Home Secretary categorically denies all of these allegations.' A court ruled Friday that Tokyo Medical University, which has admitted to rigging its exams to limit the entrance of female and certain male applicants, is obligated to reimburse candidates who were penalized. "The manipulation of scores violated the principle of equality enshrined by the Constitution and there is a strong suspicion that the university acted illegally against the applicants," said Presiding Judge Tatsuro Maezawa in a Tokyo District Court ruling. Tokyo Medical University deducted points from the scores of women and previously unsuccessful male candidates who sat its entrance exams in 2017 and 2018, according to the ruling. The suit was brought by the Consumers Organization of Japan, a body certified by the state, to confirm that the university was obliged to reimburse the expenses incurred by candidates who were penalized in the exam rigging. If the district court ruling is finalized, the organization will ask those affected to join the process under which the Tokyo court will determine the amount of individual compensation to be paid. The university admitted in 2018 that it had manipulated its exam scores for over 10 years to curb female enrollment in the belief that women tend to resign or take long periods of leave after marrying or giving birth. Click here to read the full article. President Trump is the master of saying the quiet part out loud, and on Friday he showed no signs of relinquishing that title. While speaking at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Trump said he would prefer not to allow the more than 3,500 people aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship onto American soil because I like the [coronavirus] numbers being where they are. More from Rolling Stone Trump blatantly admitted that his initial inclination was to leave the people on the ship, some of whom have tested positive for the coronavirus, solely because of how it would appear, but said he would yield to the wants of the federal health officials who are in charge of the crisis. They would like to have the people come off, Trump said of the health officials. The president continued, I would like to have the people stay. I told them to make the final decision. I would rather because I like the numbers being where they are. I dont need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasnt our fault. And it wasnt the fault of the people on the ship either. OK? It wasnt their fault, either. And they are mostly Americans. So, I can live either way with it. Trump added, I would rather have them stay on, personally. But I fully understand if they want to take them off. I gave them the authority to make the decision. The president also continued to lie about the availability of coronavirus tests. Anybody that needs a test, gets a test. Theyre there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful, Trump said. But both patients and doctors nationwide have complained about the lack thereof. Story continues After experiencing symptoms, California resident Cindy Homen told the New York Times that her doctor could not provide her with a test and explained to her in an email, At this point, testing is very limited. Homen was told to wash her hands and stay home. How do they track the coronavirus if there arent enough test kits and they dont even want you to come in? Homen added, This whole thing is just a big joke. But according to Trumps convoluted logic, the tests are not only perfect but they also compare to how perfect his call was to the president of Ukraine that led to him being impeached. The [coronavirus] tests are all perfect. Like the letter was perfect. The transcription was perfect. This was not as perfect as that, but pretty good, Trump said. Best of Rolling Stone The delegation is expected to meet a number of special UN Rapporteurs, international institutions and official missions, in addition to holding many meetings that aim to discus human rights conditions An Egyptian delegation made up of representatives of three nongovernmental organisations is set to participate in the 43rd session of the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which is being held in Geneva, to respond to the recommendations adopted by the UNHRC concerning human rights conditions in Egypt. The delegation is comprised of Said Abdel Hafez, head of Forum for Development and Human Rights Dialogue, Aida Nour El-deen, head of woman association, and Rabha Fathi, head of Egyptian Jurists Association. The delegation is expected to meet a number of special UN Rapporteurs, international institutions and official missions, in addition to holding many meetings that aim to discus human rights conditions. Deputy Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Human Rights Ahmed Ihab Gamal El-Din, the representative of the Egyptian delegation, delivered on 24 February Egypt's statement before the high-level segment of the 43rd Session UNHRC. He highlighted Egypts efforts in advancing rights and raising the council's attention to a number of issues including the violations against the Palestinian people. Ambassador Gamal El-Din asserted that Egypt considers human rights an integral part of its comprehensive development strategy, and that the state and all its institutions abide by the constitution and the rule of the law. Search Keywords: Short link: Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 20:06:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A vegetable vendor waits for customers at Al-Mubarakiya market in Kuwait City, Kuwait, March 8, 2020. Al-Mubarakiya market, one of the oldest ones in Kuwait, is used to be crowded with visitors, where they can taste the most famous and traditional Kuwaiti cuisine such as majboos with meat and Zubaidi fish. However, since the discovery of the first coronavirus case in the country, more and more people have started to stay at home and refrain from eating out. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua) KUWAIT CITY, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Taking a break from work used to be a rare option for Ali Farag, a restaurant cook in Kuwait, but the coronavirus concerns now confine the people to their homes, with almost no customer showing at his restaurant. This 30-year-old man from Egypt told Xinhua that he may lose his job soon as the revenue of his restaurant, located in the old Al-Mubarakiya market in the capital Kuwait City, has been declining over the past weeks. "No one is around even at the weekend," he said. "Usually, it was rare to find an available table in our restaurant, especially at weekend, but it seems coronavirus has destroyed our lives," Farag complained. Al-Mubarakiya market, one of the oldest ones in Kuwait, is used to be crowded with visitors, where they can taste the most famous and traditional Kuwaiti cuisine such as majboos with meat and Zubaidi fish. However, since the discovery of the first coronavirus case in the country, more and more people have started to stay at home and refrain from eating out. Wearing a medical mask, Zakaria Ahmed, a bakery salesman at the market, told Xinhua that he didn't sell anything for a week and the situation is getting worse. Malik Hassan, who has been selling fresh juice for 15 years, also complained about the slack business as his juice sales has dropped by 70 percent over the past week. "I barely earn five Kuwaiti dinars (16.37 U.S. dollars) per day," Hassan said. The vegetable and fruit market has also lost customers despite the availability of all kinds of local and imported fruits and vegetables. "Everyone now is afraid of the coronavirus infection," said Abo Ali, a 70-year-old greengrocer. "Few customers come to get their groceries and they leave in a hurry." In addition, with the declining sales, the vendors still have to afford the rentals and the workers' wages, Hamad Al-Essa, a spice merchant, told Xinhua. The market has never witnessed such a difficult period as it does today, he noted. Considering the potential spread of the coronavirus as Kuwait has reported 61 infection cases, the health ministry has repeatedly called on everyone to stay at home and avoid gatherings. Iman Khalifa, a 34-year-old Kuwaiti citizen, told Xinhua that he is optimistic about the government's procedures to control the spread of coronavirus, saying the day will come when the market comes back alive. When I started writing my biography of Charismatic evangelist Kathryn Kuhlman, I went to Edith Blumhofer for advice. Edith wrote a masterful biography of Pentecostal superstar Aimee Semple McPherson, and another of hymn writer Fanny Crosby, so she knew more than anyone the challenge of writing about strong women in conservative Christian contextswomen who were held to unattainable standards, lived and ministered under intense scrutiny, and sometimes stumbled into ignominy. People always want to talk about the scandal, Edith warned me. You have to talk about the scandal, of course, but you can determine that it wont be the center of the conversation. Help the reader to understand the larger story of the person under scrutiny, Edith recommended. And always let these women be human. Edith, who died on March 5 at the age of 69, was a renowned historian of American Christianity, who wrote groundbreaking books on the history of American Pentecostalism, the Assemblies of God, Christian hymnody, American evangelicalism, and clear-eyed biographies that were deeply sympathetic but never hagiographic. She was also a gifted and beloved teacher. In both her professional work and personal life, Edith saw the human. I met her in in the late 1990s when I was a student at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Dr. Blumhofer, as I knew her then, was the Associate Director of the Pew-funded Public Religion Project. I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in one of the Project conferences, held at the Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago. New to Chicago and to the academic world, I was completely freaked out by the whole experience. I had a social anxiety attack of epic proportionsbut Edith was there. She was a beacon of warmth and generosity and it was immediately apparent that she loved students. I have memories of her smile and the way she made sure each of us felt a part of the conference. At the end of the day, the grad students went home with Drake-crafted cannolis packed into to-go bags. I also carried away a life-long affection for Edith. When I think of her now, I remember sitting in her light-filled office at the Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals at Wheaton College. She was on my dissertation committee and always available when I needed a break from research at the Billy Graham Center across the street. This was the early 2000s, and we were reflecting, for some reason, on the pros and cons of women hyphenating their names when they got married. In her wonderful Brooklyn-inflected voice, Edith told me that hyphenating was never really an option for her. What was your name before you married? I asked. She smiled grimly and said, Waldvogel. Edith Waldvogel-Blumhofer might have been too much for her to contemplate as a new bride, but she would have been justified in retaining such a proud Pentecostal name, a surname associated with Ridgewood Pentecostal Church of Brooklyn, New York, and Pilgrim Camp, in Brant Lake, New York, ministries with a long heritage and proud legacy. For Edith, Pentecostalism was personal, and this showed in her ability to dissect the religious tradition with the insight of an insider and the skill of a trained historian. People didnt become Pentecostal in Ediths work because they were poor misguided hicks who needed somethinganythingto keep them from despair. She rejected the compensation narrative, which was popular at the time and is still all too common. Edith demonstrated in her nuanced work that Pentecostalism was far from a sop for the desperate, but instead diverse, dynamic, and fascinating. With her defining studies on the history of early Pentecostalism and the Assemblies of God denomination, Edith brought her Harvard-trained abilities to the study of an often maligned religious tradition. She led the way in the late 20th-century flourishing of Pentecostalism studies. And from her Pentecostal perspective, Edith also wrote about evangelicalism before it was cool to write about evangelicalism. In 1987, she joined in the work of studying evangelicalism in America as the project leader and then director of Wheatons Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals. The field was just nascent then. Without her influence, it would be unrecognizable now. Theres a whole history to be written just about the connections she helped to make. From the outside, it sometimes seemed like Edith Blumhofer knew every single Pentecostal scholar or scholar of Pentecostalism in the United States. She was always glad to make an introduction or broker an exchange of emails between the many students or colleagues who shared friendship with her as their connection point. A recommendation from Edith carried weight for book proposals, dissertations, panels, articles, and anything else associated with Pentecostal history. But more important than what she did is who she was. Edith embodied her life work. She was a Harvard-trained historian of Christianity who bridged the worlds of Pentecostal and evangelical studies. She was a woman of deep faith, who sang the beloved hymns of Fanny Crosby while analyzing the larger importance of hymnody for Christianity in America. A female religious leader within a conservative form of Christianity, she led projects and institutes, authored books, and established herself as a respected authority. She was a daughter of Pentecostalism, who understood the subtleties of Gods peculiar people. And to me, she will always be remembered as a friend and a trusted advisor, someone who let me park in her driveway when I took the train into Chicago, someone who showed me how to write about difficult women, someone who knew the value of a cannoli to a grad student. For all of this and more that you gave to the world: Thank you, Dr. Blumhofer. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 02:33:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Accident site of a collapsed hotel in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, March 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan) FUZHOU, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A hotel building collapsed in east China's Fujian Province Saturday evening. Rescue is under way... The Latest: (all times local) --02:18, March 8 Forty-three people have been rescued after a hotel building collapsed in east China's Fujian Province Saturday evening, local authorities said. The hotel opened in 2018 and had 80 rooms. Among the 43 people who had been rescued as of 12:30 a.m. Sunday, a child aged two or three years old was pulled from the rubble by rescue workers in the early hours of the morning. The Ministry of Emergency Management has sent a work team to Quanzhou to help with rescue and investigate the cause of accident. The ministry urged all-out efforts to rescue the victims and emphasized the prevention of secondary disasters, while ensuring the safety of rescue teams. --00:47, March 8 Photo taken on March 7, 2020 shows rescue operations at the accident site of a hotel in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Str/Xinhua) More than 1,000 fire fighters have rushed to help with rescue work after a hotel used for coronavirus quarantine collapsed Saturday evening in east China's Fujian Province, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM). Local fire department of Quanzhou City, where the accident occured, sent more than 200 fire fighters to the site, while Fujian Province dispatched 11 search and rescue teams with over 800 fire fighters and seven rescue dogs, said the MEM. A preliminary report said about 70 people were trapped and 38 people had been rescued as of 23:20, Saturday. A work team sent by the MEM to help with rescue and investigate the cause of accident is on its way to the site. -- 23:52, March 7 Rescuers work at the accident site of a hotel in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, March 7, 2020. (Str/Xinhua) Thirty-eight people have been rescued after a hotel building collapsed in east China's Fujian Province Saturday evening, local authorities said. Rescuers wearing masks were using ropes to pull trapped people out of the rubble, according to Xinhua reporters at the site. High-voltage power lines were lying over the rubble, although firefighters said it was not clear if the lines would hamper rescue work. "The hotel has six floors and a cellar. When it collapsed, I heard big sounds and felt some tremor," said a resident living nearby. -- 23:09, March 7 The Ministry of Emergency Management has sent a work team to the city of Quanzhou, Fujian Province, after a hotel building there collapsed Saturday evening. The work team will help with rescue work and investigate the cause of accident, said a source of the ministry. The ministry urged all-out efforts to rescue the victims and emphasized the prevention of secondary disasters, while ensuring the safety of rescue teams. -- 22:55, March 7 A rescue vehicle heads to the accident site in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, March 7, 2020. (Str/Xinhua) Thirty-three people have been rescued after a hotel building collapsed in east China's Fujian Province Saturday evening, local authorities said. The Xinjia Hotel in Licheng District of the city of Quanzhou collapsed at around 7:15 p.m. Saturday. According to the preliminary report, about 70 people were trapped. As of 9:30 p.m., 33 people had been rescued. Sources with the municipal authorities said the hotel has been used to quarantine and observe people who had come from other provinces during the novel coronavirus prevention and control. A total of 147 rescue workers have been sent to the scene. Further rescue is under way. -- 22:05, March 7 Twenty-three people have been rescued after a hotel building collapsed in the city of Quanzhou, east China's Fujian Province, Saturday evening, local authorities said. -- 21:25, March 7 A rescue vehicle heads to the accident site in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, March 7, 2020. (Str/Xinhua) Sixteen people have been rescued after a hotel building collapsed in the city of Quanzhou, east China's Fujian Province, Saturday evening, local authorities said. The accident happened at around 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Licheng District. Further rescue work is underway. -- 21:06, March 7 Sixteen people have been rescued after a hotel building collapsed in the city of Quanzhou, east China's Fujian Province, Saturday evening, local authorities said. The video will soon be available via Brighteon.com at the Alex Jones Channel there . Watch the full special report here or see it at this link : Alex opens the special report with a 19-minute introduction that gives the big picture view of whats happening. He then invites me on to explore issues like: The completely unscripted video is about one hour in duration and delves into the globalist origins of the engineered coronavirus and how open borders policies and malicious negligence by the CDC are converging to create millions of infections and deaths in America as part of a globalist plot to destroy Trump and defeat America. You can watch it via this link at Banned.video or see the video embed below (also available soon via Brighteon.com). ( Natural News ) Today I joined Alex Jones in the InfoWars studios to record a bombshell special report. Its entitled, EMERGENCY REPORT: Coronavirus Is An Engineered Weapon For The Global Take-down Of The Western World. About the author: Mike Adams (aka the Health Ranger) is a best selling author (#1 best selling science book on Amazon.com called Food Forensics), an environmental scientist, a patent holder for a cesium radioactive isotope elimination invention, a multiple award winner for outstanding journalism, a science news publisher and influential commentator on topics ranging from science and medicine to culture and politics. Follow his videos, podcasts, websites and science projects at the links below. Mike Adams serves as the founding editor of NaturalNews.com and the lab science director of an internationally accredited (ISO 17025) analytical laboratory known as CWC Labs. There, he was awarded a Certificate of Excellence for achieving extremely high accuracy in the analysis of toxic elements in unknown water samples using ICP-MS instrumentation. Adams is also highly proficient in running liquid chromatography, ion chromatography and mass spectrometry time-of-flight analytical instrumentation. He has also achieved numerous laboratory breakthroughs in the programming of automated liquid handling robots for sample preparation and external standards prep. The U.S. patent office has awarded Mike Adams patent NO. US 9526751 B2 for the invention of Cesium Eliminator, a lifesaving invention that removes up to 95% of radioactive cesium from the human digestive tract. Adams has pledged to donate full patent licensing rights to any state or national government that needs to manufacture the product to save human lives in the aftermath of a nuclear accident, disaster, act of war or act of terrorism. He has also stockpiled 10,000 kg of raw material to manufacture Cesium Eliminator in a Texas warehouse, and plans to donate the finished product to help save lives in Texas when the next nuclear event occurs. No independent scientist in the world has done more research on the removal of radioactive elements from the human digestive tract. Adams is a person of color whose ancestors include Africans and American Indians. He is of Native American heritage, which he credits as inspiring his Health Ranger passion for protecting life and nature against the destruction caused by chemicals, heavy metals and other forms of pollution. Adams is the author of the worlds first book that published ICP-MS heavy metals analysis results for foods, dietary supplements, pet food, spices and fast food. The book is entitled Food Forensics and is published by BenBella Books. In his laboratory research, Adams has made numerous food safety breakthroughs such as revealing rice protein products imported from Asia to be contaminated with toxic heavy metals like lead, cadmium and tungsten. Adams was the first food science researcher to document high levels of tungsten in superfoods. He also discovered over 11 ppm lead in imported mangosteen powder, and led an industry-wide voluntary agreement to limit heavy metals in rice protein products. In addition to his lab work, Adams is also the (non-paid) executive director of the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center (CWC), an organization that redirects 100% of its donations receipts to grant programs that teach children and women how to grow their own food or vastly improve their nutrition. Through the non-profit CWC, Adams also launched Nutrition Rescue, a program that donates essential vitamins to people in need. Click here to see some of the CWC success stories. With a background in science and software technology, Adams is the original founder of the email newsletter technology company known as Arial Software. Using his technical experience combined with his love for natural health, Adams developed and deployed the content management system currently driving NaturalNews.com. He also engineered the high-level statistical algorithms that power SCIENCE.naturalnews.com, a massive research resource featuring over 10 million scientific studies. Adams is well known for his incredibly popular consumer activism video blowing the lid on fake blueberries used throughout the food supply. He has also exposed strange fibers found in Chicken McNuggets, fake academic credentials of so-called health gurus, dangerous detox products imported as battery acid and sold for oral consumption, fake acai berry scams, the California raw milk raids, the vaccine research fraud revealed by industry whistleblowers and many other topics. Adams has also helped defend the rights of home gardeners and protect the medical freedom rights of parents. Adams is widely recognized to have made a remarkable global impact on issues like GMOs, vaccines, nutrition therapies, human consciousness. In addition to his activism, Adams is an accomplished musician who has released over fifteen popular songs covering a variety of activism topics. Click here to read a more detailed bio on Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, at HealthRanger.com. Find more science, news, commentary and inventions from the Health Ranger at: Brighteon.com: Brighteon.com/channel/hrreport Diaspora: (uncensored social network) Share.NaturalNews.com GAB: GAB.com/healthranger Podcasts: HealthRangerReport.com Online store: HealthRangerStore.com #1 Bestselling Science Book Food Forensics: FoodForensics.com iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-health-ranger-report/id1063165791 SoundCloud: Soundcloud.com/healthranger Health Rangers science lab CWClabs.com Health Ranger bio HealthRanger.com TruthWiki.org Search engine: Webseed.com Islamabad, March 8 : The Imran Khan government has announced that Pakistani cinema will be given the full-fledged status of an industry, a top official said. "To positively highlight Pakistan's image in the international arena, it has become of the utmost urgency to revive its cinema," The News International quoted Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan as saying on Saturday. Awan said the decision was taken as it has become a priority to highlight Pakistan's culture, values, and traditions with the aid of the film industry. She assured the media that no policy will be formulated without the input of all stakeholders. Awan called on film producers to play their role in the economic progress of the country and pledged the government's role in making every effort for the revival of Pakistani cinema. Pakistan is home to several film studios centres, primarily located in Karachi and Lahore. An attendee of a conservative conference where President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke last week has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the events organizer. The organizer, the American Conservative Union, which hosts the annual Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, D.C., said the attendee was exposed to the virus before the four-day event and tested positive for it on Saturday. This attendee had no interaction with the president or the vice president and never attended the events in the main hall, the group said in a statement. The Trump administration is aware of the situation, and we will continue regular communication with all appropriate government officials. The attendee has been quarantined in New Jersey, the statement said. Mr. Trump said on Saturday that he was not worried that the infections seemed to be getting closer to the White House. LHC Capital, the only significant external investor in former ASX tech darling iSignthis, has now slashed the valuation of its stake in the controversial tech stock to more than 90 per cent below the price at which it last traded. The star hedge fund told investors last month the December quarter performance of its flagship high conviction fund plunged into negative territory after it halved the carrying value of its $90 million investment in iSignthis following an independent valuation. In its latest update to investors, LHC said it asked FTI Consulting to review the stake again and the firm determined it was worth just 7.7 per share. ISignthis last traded at $1.07 per share before the ASX suspended it from trading indefinitely last October as it and the corporate regulator investigated the payments firm. LHC Capital's Stephen Aboud and Marcus Hughes are no longer defending iSignthis in their investment newsletters. Credit:Tamara Voninski The company has since taken the ASX to court to force the market operator to lift the trading suspension. A general view of Dorothy Henderson Lodge in the Sydney suburb of Macquarie Park in Sydney, Australia on March 5, 2020. (Jenny Evans/Getty Images) Australian in Nursing Home is Nations Third Coronavirus Death A man in his 80s has died after contracting coronavirus in his Sydney aged care home, taking Australias nationwide death toll to three. The 82-year-old was on Wednesday confirmed to have COVID-19 after he picked up the virus from an infected aged care worker in her 50s at BaptistCares Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Macquarie Park. He died overnight in hospital, chief health officer Dr. Kerry Chant said. The mans death follows that of a 95-year-old woman and fellow Dorothy Henderson Lodge resident and a 78-year-old man in Perth. Some 74 Australians have tested positive to the coronavirus, and figures are expected to further climb. An extra 260,000 masks will be immediately released from the federal stockpile to primary health networks, deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly said. The government has also secured an extra 54 million face masks for national medical stockpiles, expected to arrive by the end of April. We realised that personal protective equipment for our healthcare workforce and our aged care workforce is absolutely fundamental. We need to make sure that they are kept safe, Professor Kelly said on Saturday. NSW Health confirmed two new coronavirus cases overnighta Ryde Hospital health care worker in her 30s and a woman in her 50s. A general view of Dorothy Henderson Lodge in the Sydney suburb of Macquarie Park in Sydney, Australia on March 5, 2020. (Jenny Evans/Getty Images) The health care worker had been in contact with an infected person from the Macquarie Park aged care facility, but the means by which the woman in her 50s caught coronavirus remains undisclosed. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged community calm and said health authorities were working on reducing the virus spread. She reminded the public coronavirus was not fatal in most cases and only of major concern in patients of advanced age or with associated health issues. My biggest worry is not about getting it myself but unintentionally passing it on to others, Ms Berejiklian told reporters on Sunday. New cases were on Saturday also announced in Victoria, Queensland, and Tasmania. The latest Victorian case is Dr Chris Higgins, who treated 70 patients at The Toorak Clinic in Melbournes southeast during the week. The doctor and his patients, along with staff, are now required to self-isolate. Two patients Dr. Higgins visited in a Malvern nursing home are in isolation. Dr. Higgins, aged in his 70s, had a mild cold after returning from the USA on Feb. 29 and returned to work two days later as his symptoms settled. Meanwhile, four more Australians have been caught up in another cruise ship coronavirus emergency off the coast of California. Travel bans are in place for arrivals from South Korea, China and Iran, while those flying in from Italy will undergo advanced screening. The government is reportedly finalising a A$5 billion stimulus package amid the outbreak including reducing deeming rates for pensioners, providing local councils with funding and expanding business instant asset write-offs. PARADISE, Calif.- There will soon be thousands of new trees planted all around the ridge. Saturday, the Butte County Resource Conservation District hosted a free native tree giveaway. Hundreds of Camp Fire survivors stopped by The Paradise Alliance Church on Clark Road to pick up some trees. Many survivors said they were excited to be able to plant some new trees on their properties after losing so many during the Camp Fire. Camp Fire survivor, Angie Derryberry, from Old Magalia, was among the people who came to the giveaway. "I got some Cedar and Ponderosa Pine which is exactly what I had on my property before so I'm looking forward to it," Derryberry said. Joyce Crenshaw, a Camp Fire survivor from Paradise said, "It makes me feel good because it was a shame to lose all of them, it hurt so bad, it hurt losing everything." Shepard Smith, traveled from Southern California, to help give trees away. Smith told Action News Now, "It's been heartbreaking but the best part is how the community is rallying together, people who are returning are investing in the community and we are really glad." He said they are hoping to giveaway close to 10,000 trees this weekend. Smith said the leftover trees will be planted around the ridge during the next couple of days. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 08:48:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Xie Wen (R) from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University conducts detections at the clinical laboratory of the Leishenshan (Thunder God Mountain) Hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 4, 2020. The laboratory brought together medical personnel from different hospitals and medical testing institution, most of whom are female. Their work is to test samples collected from COVID-19 patients and provide diagnostic information for doctors. (Xinhua/Cheng Min) Women medical staff have fought day and night at the frontline against epidemic to rescue the COVID-19 patients, showing the noble spirit of benevolence, President Xi said. BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping extended sincere solicitude to women fighting COVID-19 at frontline and in other fields on Sunday, the International Women's Day. Xi, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, also expressed holiday greetings to women of all ethnic groups and from all walks of life in the country. Women medical staff have fought day and night at the frontline against epidemic to rescue the COVID-19 patients, showing the noble spirit of benevolence, Xi said. Medical team members of the Second Hospital of Shandong University swear an oath before leaving for Hubei Province, in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhu Zheng) Women Party members and cadres, police, disease control personnel, community workers, journalists, and volunteers have fulfilled their duties with loyalty, worked tenaciously, shouldered a lot of hard work, and made important contribution to containing the epidemic with actions, Xi noted. Xi called on the female staff to have firm convictions in winning the battle against COVID-19, keep high morale, protect themselves in a scientific way, and make continuous efforts in fighting the epidemic healthily. Party committees and governments at all levels should care for women fighting COVID-19 at frontline and in other fields, and vigorously publicize front-line female role models to encourage and support hundreds of millions of women to contribute wisdom and strength to win the battle against the epidemic, Xi stressed. Medha Dutta Yadav By Shubha Mudgal is that rare Indian musician: a dissenting voice against division in society and politics. It also perhaps makes her the perfect songbird. She says, Indian music attracts huge crowds and applause worldwide because of its innate power to move the hearts of listeners and the contribution of countless people who have worked for it. This year she is working on a new book after last years short story collection Looking for Miss Sargam, which includes one on a India-Pakistan peace concert which didnt work out as planned. In fact, her book has been shortlisted for the 2020 AutHer Awards. Few classical musicians are as successfully versatile as Shubha. Both Ab ke saawan or Ali more angana are rock Shubha-style. She is a composer, an advisor for a record label, founder of her own online label, musical educationist, and author. This year has kept her busy. From taking part in the anti-CAA protest at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi and participating in Arth, the three-day Indian literature, dance and music, theatre and cuisine festival in the capital, to regaling audience at the Namaste Orcha festival that showcased the arts, crafts and local delights of the Orcha region in Madhya Pradesh, Shubha has had a hectic schedule so far. Born in Prayagraj (then Allahabad), her idea of India as an artist was born out of a love for English Literature and Kathak before discovering her passion for music. Here too, she has mastered the art of striking the perfect balance between the thumri, khayal, dadra and Indi-pop. Shubha says, Music has a universal language, which is why Indian music receives such tremendous response in many parts of the world. Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Zakir Hussain, and lesser-known individuals like Dr Balwant Dixit, a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh, have worked tirelessly to promote Indian music overseas. Shubha is a music activist dealing with the issues of the marginalised and under-appreciated in Indian society. Art cannot be made in isolation, she says. She rues the fact that folk music is often overlooked and is not a priority for most cultural policy-makers. She stresses that policies and projects that provide sustained support to the arts and create a better and more secure future for performers is the only way to preserve this legacy. For centuries artistes have responded to the times they live in and work in, often creating works that hold up a mirror to society. When Kabir Das supposedly wrote Sadho dekho jag baurana (Look, the world has lost its balance), he was raising his voice against communalism. As a student of music, I am happy to take this tradition forward, she says. Her earliest memory of music is of her mother singing to her and her father playing the flute. Her teachers are more eminent and are the whos who of Indian classical music. So who is the one legend of the past she would have loved to perform a jugalbandi with? I dont think I could ever have had the audacity to do so. But I would have loved some fangirl moments with Begum Akhtar and Siddheshwari Devi, she says. Music has a universal language, which is why Indian music receives such tremendous response in many parts of the world. Sunitha Natti By HYDERABAD: The proposed SBI-Yes Bank recast plan is being shoehorned to restore normalcy at the beleaguered private lender. Unarguably, the rescue act will go down in the Indian banking history for its shortest conception and implementation time. For now, the reconstruction scheme needs to put more meat on the bones as SBIs initial investment commitment of Rs 2,450 crore appears tiny. On the last count, Yes Banks previous management, until its last days, mounted a frantic search for a fund in excess of $2 billion. Last Friday, the RBIs draft recast plan altered the lenders authorised capital to Rs 5,000 crore from Rs 800 crore now. The number of shares too are raised to 2,500 crore from the current 300 crore, of which issued shares are 255 crore. The face value of each share is Rs 2 and RBIs recast proposal mandates SBI to pick up stake at not less than Rs 10 per share, translating to a premium of Rs 8 per share. On Saturday, SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar said his bank can invest a maximum of Rs 10,000 crore, though the initial investment will be Rs 2,450 crore to pick up 245 crore shares (at Rs 10 per share). This translates to roughly 49 per cent stake of the total issued shares, which will stand at 500 crore. Whats unclear is the price at which other investors will come in. If it is at Rs 10 per share, itll imply massive erosion in Yes Banks book value and retail investors, who are now holding much of the banks stock, will be severely affected. Meanwhile, Kumar also hinted that SBI will drive the first tranche of investments, the basic purpose of which is to shore up investor confidence and give it a sense of stability. And if the need arises, SBI will subscribe to the next round of capital raising too, but it hopes overseas and domestic investors would syndicate to the next tranche. The success of the second round depends on the quality of Yes Banks balance sheet and the extent of stressed assets. The bank will announce its Q3 results next Saturday. But, analysts feel that liquidity isnt an issue for Yes Bank even though SBIs proposed capital infusion is small. Thats because the bank is writing off Additional Tier-I bonds in excess of Rs 8,800 crore. The write-off by itself implies capital infusion by that much amount. Also, Yes bank has a net worth of Rs 28,000 crore. Together, it has the ability to make provisions and still have adequate capital, an official told TMS. Lastly, a turnaround requires more than just capital. Kumar said the bank can appoint an MD & CEO and two nominee directors on the board, but analysts feel Yes banks culture will be diluted. Its aggressive lending strategy and technology focus was till recently considered to be one of the best, but with the unexpected change of guard, the future business growth roadmap hangs in balance. Divide up the factors that impact markets and youll generally find three distinct categories: the long-term secular trends, the shorter cyclical trends, and the unexpected black swan events. Sometimes, its clear what is going on; after a steep drop in the last week of February, markets are bouncing up and down in response to the coronavirus epidemic a classic black swan event. And last week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly jobs report showed that the US economy and labor market are still going strong, continuing a decade-long expansion that some see as a secular trend. Investment bank J.P. Morgan has been monitoring both the market gyrations and the international response to the spread of COVID-19, and believes that now is the time for investors to move into stocks. The banks analysts see the current downturn as chance to grab a low point of entry, while risk/reward [is] increasingly skewed to the upside. Writing on current conditions, JPM global asset strategist Marko Kolavovic stated, We expect the impact of COVID-19 to be temporary and mitigated by broad policy stimulus, even as the virus spread is proving more severe than anticipated. JPMs upbeat view of near-term market conditions is not limited to theory it includes specific stock recommendations. Weve picked up three of their recent calls, and looked at them through the lens of TipRanks Stock Screener. These are investment opportunities with a Buy rating and better than 25% upside potential. Lets dive into the details. First Solar, Inc. (FSLR) Well start with an alternative energy company, First Solar. This company produces photo-voltaic solar panels for utility-scale projects, using thin film semiconductor technology. First Solars packages provide full support for their panel systems, including financing, construction, maintenance, and recycling. First Solar reported mixed results in Q4 2019. A one-time charge for litigation losses pushed down hard on EPS, and the company reported earnings of $2.02 per share well below the forecast of $2.79. Losses were worse for the full year, with 2019 earnings loss coming in at $1.48 per share against the estimate of $2.45. Story continues At the top line, sales were sharply up from Q4 2018, rising an impressive 102% to reach $1.4 billion for the final quarter of 2019. Despite the gain, sales revenue was still 20% below forecasts. Full year revenues showed a similar pattern, with the $3.06 billion reported missing the forecast by 11% but improving 36% year-over-year. On a positive note, cash, restricted cash, and marketable securities increased from $1.6 billion at the end of the prior-year quarter to $2.3 billion. In recent weeks, the stock has taken hits from both Q4s rocky performance and the general market slide. FSLR shares are down 23% year-to-date and since February 19, when the virus panic hit the markets, FSLR has dropped 24%. JPM analyst Paul Coster sees First Solars current low price as advantageous for investors. He writes, We expect the stock to re-rate as margins expand and investors get better visibility into future earnings power FSLR could have a sustainable competitive advantage in the global solar PV panel market, which could fuel profitable growth over the longer term FSLR is one of our top picks within Alt Energy owing to its differentiated technology, roadmap, solid order visibility, and strong net-cash balance sheet. Coster puts a $76 price target on this stock, indicating room for an impressive 75% growth potential and supporting his Buy rating. (To watch Costers track record, click here) First Solars Moderate Buy analyst consensus rating is based 6 Buys, 3 Holds, and 2 Sells set in recent weeks, and reflects the stocks recent mixed performance. The potential here is clear from the $62 average price target, which suggests room for 43% growth from the current $43.37 share price. (See First Solar price targets and analyst ratings on TipRanks) General Motors Company (GM) GM is a long-time staple of the market, a classic blue-chip stock. The largest of Detroits Big Three automakers, the company is headquartered in the iconic Renaissance Center and owns some of the car industrys most storied nameplates, Cadillac and Chevrolet among them. The companys shares took a hit in Q4 from a 40-day labor strike that cut into quarterly profits. According to GM sources, the strike cost it $2.6 billion during the quarter, and took $1.39 off the quarterly EPS. Adjusted earnings for Q4 came to just 5 cents but that compared favorably to the 1-cent forecast. Revenue was reported at $30.8 billion, slightly below the $31.04 billion estimate. GM has seen sales in China slip two years running, falling 15% in 2019. The company has plans to compensate with a new line-up of pickup trucks, a popular niche in the US, and a reintroduction of the Hummer, the civilian version of the military Humvee and a popular status SUV despite its gas guzzling reputation. The company offers investors a reliable dividend, to sweeten a stock that has been buffeted recently. The 38-cent quarterly payment annualizes to $1.52 per share, with a yield of 5.3%. With a 6-year history of slow-but-steady dividend growth, and a yield far higher than average, this is a clear inducement for income-minded investors. Ryan Brinkman, 4-star analyst with JPM, gives GM a clear Buy rating, with a $46 price target implying robust 60% growth. (To watch Brinkmans track record, click here) Brinkman writes of the stock, We are attracted to the shares based on both valuation and what we see as several upcoming positive catalysts We see capital allocation as the primary catalyst that is likely to lead to a re-rating in the shares, as we expect investors to stop ascribing a discount to GMs cash balance as visibility on use of excess cash to enhance shareholder return increases strong sales performance for recently refreshed full-size pickup trucks and SUVs, including success of GMs three (pickup) truck strategy, is another likely catalyst... GM holds a Strong Buy consensus rating, based on no fewer than 9 Buy reviews against a single Hold. Shares are selling for a discounted $28.69, and the $45 average price target suggests room for 57% growth to the upside. (See General Motors stock analysis on TipRanks) Qualcomm, Inc. (QCOM) This semiconductor chip maker saw gains in 2H19, after concluding several legal battles. The most important was a royalty fight with Apple, which resulted in a settlement that saw Qualcomm solidify its position as the iPhone makers primary supplier of modem chips and take home a significant (though undisclosed) financial award. The legal settlements came just as QCOM started fiscal 2020, and the companys Q1 report showed some gains. Revenue was up 4.9% year-over-year, and at $5.08 billion beat the forecast by 5.2%. EPS also beat estimates, by 14%, and came in at 99 cents per share. That was, however, a sharp 17% drop year-over-year. Qualcomm has been cautious in its forward guidance, accepting that the coronavirus outbreak will slow down 5G implementation in China, along with impacting factory supply lines to smartphone manufacturers. In the long run, however, the company sees 5G as an important driver of chip demand, both for the new infrastructure and the updated handsets. The Apple settlement, locking in the giant company as a chip customer, is seen as a clear positive in this regard. QCOM, like GM, is a high-yield dividend stock, paying out $2.48 per share annually, or 62 cents per quarter. The yield, at 3.1%, is more than 50% higher than the S&P average, and the company has kept the payments reliably for the last 16 years while making periodic increases. The payment was last raised in 2018. Writing for JPM, 4-star analyst Samik Chatterjee cites QCOMs strong 5G moves, and says, We expect Qualcomms QCT group to benefit substantially from 5G modem and RFFE sales to smartphone manufacturers and non-handset OEMs as well. In addition to the strong growth expectations for the QCT group, Qualcomm will stabilize its QTL licensing revenue as a consequence of a landmark agreement reached with Apple, which will also mitigate potential risk from litigations from other OEMs. Chatterjee gives this stock a Buy rating with a $105 price target, suggesting a solid upside potential of 36%. (To watch Chatterjees track record, click here) Overall, Qualcomm has a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on 10 Buys and 7 Holds. The stock is selling for $77.47, and the $99.80 average price target suggests an upside potential of 29%. (See Qualcomm stock analysis on TipRanks) Never in American history has a presidential candidate spent more to get less than Mike Bloomberg, making his buy-a-nomination bid a big bust. Why it matters: Bloomberg spent $600 million to win as many states as every American who chose not to run: zero. (He has American Samoa to show for it.) Fellow billionaire Tom Steyer got off and out cheap by spending less than half that much to tie Bloomberg in states won. What's next: Look for Bloomberg to drop out as soon as this morning, and try to save face by promising to spend a helluva lot more to defeat President Trump with someone other than him. Bloomberg returned to New York after speaking in West Palm Beach last night. Sources expect him to address staff at his headquarters today. He doesn't want history to remember him as the spoiler who helps Sanders win the nomination, or hands re-election to Trump. What happened: Bloomberg bet Joe Biden was toast. He was wrong. Bloomberg bet Democrats would rally around him as the Electable One. He was wrong. Bloomberg bet he could buy support with TV ads, while avoiding tough media interviews. He was wrong. Bloomberg bet on a brokered convention. That could still happen, but he appears dead wrong that Democrats would turn to him as their savior. Bloomberg's rivals especially Elizabeth Warren went after aspects of his record as a businessman and former Republican and New York mayor, and Bloomberg stumbled badly in his first debate appearance. They hit him for past lawsuits and court settlements with women in the workplace, New York's stop-and-frisk policy and his views on taxes and China. They seized on the Democratic base's mistrust of billionaires and the #MeToo movement and painted Bloomberg as an out-of-touch elite. What they're saying: A nighttime Twitter thread by Bloomberg campaign manager Kevin Sheekey gives the candidate an exit strategy if he wants one, and space to redefine success:. Sheekey said that in just 100 days Bloomberg had gone from 1% in polls to being "a contender," and built a national coalition that can defeat Trump. A Bloomberg campaign official told Axios that the endorsement of Biden by Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), and the departures of Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg from the contest, had a "profound impact" on Super Tuesday's results. Bella ciao! Bella ciao! Bella ciao ciao ciao! Netflix finally dropped its official full trailer for La Casa de Papel/Money Heist part four. Its bananas. If you werent ready to watch the series before, you definitely are now. They promised chaos, and in two minutes, they pack in explosions, in-fighting, death teases, and an escape that changes everything. With so much to digest, fans are biting their nails and wondering if the Money Heist gang will actually prevail this time. Here are some things that have everyone concerned. Scene from Money Heist/La Casa de Papel | Tamara Arranz/Netflix Will Raquel snitch? Before she and Professor became lovers, Raquel was the crime-fighting inspector on one side of the law. She defected from the force, joined the resistance squad and in part three, became Lisbon, the gun-toting masterminds girlfriend. Now shes caught and Professor doesnt know shes alive. In the trailer, Alicia is threatening her with prison time, and Raquel looks torn. She has her kids and mother to worry about, but Professor changed her life. Is that love enough to keep her loyal to him and the rest of the group? Or will she trust Alicia and choose freedom? Some fans are worried that Raquel will break down and betray the robbers, but some think theres a contingency plan in place for this situation. The Professor has a habit of preparing for the worst-case scenarios, so maybe it will be time to activate the Just in case we get caught plan. Will Rio and Denver die? So much is going on this trailer, and the war thats emerging inside the Bank of Spain has everything to do with its head of security, Gandia. He escapes from his handcuffs, suits up, and goes on a rampage shooting up the place and tossing grenades. One quick shot shows a grenade rolling into an elevator with Denver and Rio, and immediately after that, theres an explosion in the elevator shaft. Fans cant bear to think that both of them will die in this installment of La Casa de Papel, but there have been casualties on the team in the past, including Denvers dad, Moscow. Whos going to be able to escape alive? Viewers whove been down with Money Heist since day one are aware that no ones survival is guaranteed. Berlin, Moscow, and Oslo are examples of that, and now Nairobis life is on the line. But as you see from the clip, Tokyo gets shackled by Gandia, theres a rope around Helsinkis neck, and Palermo, a wild card, is reminded about keeping his word. Marseille is still on the outside, and he seems to be the only one who can stealthily help the group swim, ride, or fly away from the bank, but how? Fans are justifiably worried that those who walked into this heist alive are not all going to walk out. The trailer is just a glimpse, but it looks like so many things go wrong that it will be difficult for all of your favorite characters to outsmart their foes make a clean getaway. Lets all hope Inspector Sierra goes into labor and leaves the investigation early. Rumors abound that La Casa de Papel is poised to return for a fifth season, and if those are true, fans should be prepared to head into it without some of the original crew. The series arrives on Netflix on April 3. The family of a three-month-old baby girl who died after she was found unconscious in her cot claim they have no idea what happened to her. Bellah-Rose Salafia was found unconscious in her cot in her Department of Housing home in Zillmere, in Brisbane's north, about 6am on Saturday. The newborn was rushed to Prince Charles Hospital, where she later died. That afternoon, police announced they'd launched a murder investigation. Her aunt, Krystal Forsyth, said the family had been bombarded with theories about what happened to Bellah-Rose. Bellah-Rose Salafia (pictured) died after she was found unconscious in her cot on Saturday. Her family have said she was and 'always will be so loved' 'Everyone acts as if they were there. I've had messages from people saying completely different stories about what happened but they were not there,' she wrote on Facebook. 'The family doesn't even know what happened so no one knows until the police figure it out.' Bellah-Rose's teenage brother has created a GoFundMe appeal to help raise money for her funeral. Ms Forsyth said her heart ached for the immediate family, and vowed to look after Bellah-Rose's mother and three older brothers. 'Know that you will have justice,' she said. 'I love you endlessly my sweet niece, my heart is broken and forever will be. You are and always will be so loved, my heart aches my angel, rest peacefully our beautiful girl.' Bellah-Rose Salafia (pictured) was found unresponsive in her cot in a Zillmere home at around 6am Saturday. She later died in Prince Charles Hospital Forensic investigators spent Saturday at the property on Handford Road (pictured) Forensic investigators spent most of Saturday at the family home. They confirmed multiple people were assisting with their inquiries but said no charges had been laid. Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said it was too early to discuss circumstances surrounding the death. 'Tragically a child has passed away at that household,' she said. 'Early days for us, so I can't say much more than that. We have all our expert police out there looking at it at the moment, but I don't know exactly what the cause is there is a lot more to be done in the investigation first.' Police are appealing for anyone who may have dashcam footage from Handford Road between 4.30am and 6.30am on Saturday to come forward. Britain's second largest care home operator is being broken up with the sale of a group of hospitals for up to 100million. Four Seasons collapsed last year under the weight of its debt and is now being run by administrators Alvarez & Marsal. City sources said the turnaround specialist had asked financiers from consultancy BDO to find a buyer for 11 or 12 hospitals from Four Seasons Huntercombe division, which looks after people with mental illnesses, learning disabilities and brain injuries. Britain's second largest care home operator is being broken up with the sale of a group of hospitals for up to 100million (stock image) Bankers said the batch of specialist care hospitals could change hands for between 70million and 100million, as they generate about 5million a year in profit. The sale would be the first step in breaking up the Four Seasons empire since the company went into administration in April last year, and will raise concerns among the families of residents and patients that they may face being moved to other homes or hospitals. The care home sector has come under huge pressure from rises in the minimum wage pushing up costs, and a fall in funding for residents from cash-strapped councils. Alvarez & Marsal is trying to restructure Four Seasons and is understood to be negotiating with landlords of its properties for lower rents. The running of more than 40 care homes has been taken over by other care home operators as part of the restructuring negotiations. It is understood Four Seasons and the landlords took this decision to ensure that residents did not have to move. A handful of homes have been closed, with local authorities stepping in to find alternative accommodation for residents. But sources said the closures were not directly connected to the companys administration. Four Seasons was started by former hotelier Robert Kilgour, who now runs the Renaissance care home chain in Scotland, in 1988. His venture came as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher forced local authorities to allow private companies to run social care services. In 2012, private equity tycoon Guy Hands bought the business for 825million through his firm Terra Firma Capital Partners. Hands injected 390million of capital, but failed to bring down the companys debt burden, which ultimately led to its downfall. In 2015, American hedge fund H/2 Capital Partners began buying the companys loans and eventually became the groups largest creditor. H/2 is a Connecticut-based hedge fund run by Spencer Haber, who made his fortune in the 1990s as a property dealmaker at the now defunct New York bank Lehman Brothers. He took control of Four Seasons from Hands after it failed to meet a 26million debt interest payment in 2017. Then, on April 30 last year, the groups holding company fell into administration. H/2 Capital remains its majority creditor. Four Seasons declined to comment on the sale of the hospitals. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Elaine Lies (Reuters) Tokyo, Japan Sun, March 8, 2020 19:05 673 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad20692ad85 2 Entertainment Fukushima,Japan,film,Fukushima-50,Ken-Watanabe Free As aftershocks rock the Fukushima nuclear plant, a small band of workers defy their bosses to stay on and fight to stop an even bigger disaster from irradiating a wide swathe of Japan. The scene is from a movie that opened on Friday - Fukushima 50, which tells the true story of the hours after a quake and tsunami set off meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi reactors on March 11, 2011. Almost nine years to the day after that disaster, its depiction of individual heroism in the face of official bungling and overwhelming catastrophe has struck a chord with early viewers. "I don't think I've ever started crying so quickly during a movie. Partly that's because I had flashbacks," said a commenter called "n_n" on Yahoo's movie review page. Much has moved in on Japan since Fukushima, the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986. Authorities are now fighting another emergency, the spread of the new coronavirus. They are also pressing on with plans for the 2020 Olympics, which is due to kick off with a torch relay starting at Fukushima in three weeks' time. But, nine years on, workers in protective suits are still removing radioactive material from Fukushima's reactors, and the film's scenes - mixed in with news footage from the time - still pack an emotional punch. "It sucked me right in within the first 10 minutes. The tension didn't let up for the rest of the movie, and I was struck by the incompetence of the then-government," wrote another Yahoo commentator, calling themselves "wan". Read also: Company offers English virtual tour inside crippled Fukushima plant "Surprised and moved" "Nobody in the country knew any of this was going on while it was happening. I was really surprised and moved," said Yoshinori, a 56-year-old photographer, out for a noon showing of the film in Tokyo with his wife. "Everybody in Japan should see this," he added. "I think memories of that disaster are fading. I came to make sure I kept them fresh." "The Fukushima Fifty" was the name given to the group of workers and engineers who stayed behind after the tsunami knocked out the power and cooling systems at the plant, run by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO). Led by Masao Yoshida - portrayed in the film by Ken Watanabe, one of the stars of The Last Samurai and Letters from Iwo Jima - they began running seawater into the reactors as an emergency cooling measure. When their bosses back at TEPCO headquarters ordered them to stop, Yoshida ignored the order - rescinded hours later - and kept going. He is shown yelling at his bosses during video conferences - scenes that Watanabe said were based on accounts from Yoshida's colleagues. The engineer died in 2013 from esophageal cancer, aged just 58. "When I made the film Letters from Iwo Jima, I felt that Japan isn't very good at learning lessons from the past," Watanabe told a news conference after filming finished last year, referring to the Clint Eastwood film depicting the World War Two battle. "I feel the same way about Fukushima," he added. When New Mexico law enforcement agents carrying Glock pistols and AR-15 rifles enter homes in predawn raids these days, they sometimes find themselves outgunned by the crooks. Thats not the only troubling trend. Violent offenders are getting younger, often recruited by older career criminals who know that under the state or federal laws they face stiffer sentences if caught. And suspects arent only wearing bulletproof vests, they are selling them on the streets. Such is the state of violent crime in the Albuquerque metro area and elsewhere in New Mexico as an FBI-led violent crime task force begins its second year on the streets. Over the past 10 months, nearly 100 people have been arrested and 76 firearms confiscated by task force agents who work 16 to 18 hours a day and carry active caseloads of up to 80 each. As proof of its success and the continuing criminal hold on New Mexico the special force of FBI agents, New Mexico State Police, Albuquerque Police Department detectives and Bernalillo County Sheriffs deputies is set to nearly double in size, said FBI violent crimes division supervisor Percy Giles. Eight new task force officers, including one from the state probation/parole office, will join the 11 other members who include four APD detectives, one from the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Department and a total of three positions from State Police. Its basically a force multiplier for us, and its going to give us additional resources to do the things we need to do at a faster rate, Giles said. The new boost in federal funding for the effort is a testament to all the partnerships and the work weve been seeing. Most of those arrested are prosecuted federally, where conviction rates are extremely high, Giles said. FBI Special Agent Bryan Acee, coordinator of the task force, told the Journal his team puts a priority on targeting that dedicated career offender who has violent crime and/or drug trafficking convictions. Giles added that in working with our state and local partners, were also looking for the individuals who are creating the violent acts on the streets. Even if they arent considered career criminals or dont have long rap sheets of convictions, they might be targeted based on intelligence that were seeing on the ground. Firepower concerns But the work is getting more dangerous. Over the past year, Acee said, task force members have seen an increase in high capacity magazines for pistols and rifles and the use of AR-15 pistols, which can be concealed. Were seeing a lot of the AR-15 pistols, which is essentially an AR-15 rifle (with the butt stock removed), the same rifle the FBI is carrying when theyre entering a house. He said the team is also coming across an increase in Glock pistols, there again, by the coincidence, the same gun we carry. But theres a difference in the firepower. Agents carry Glocks with magazines that hold 15 rounds. Offenders are now using high capacity 30- and 50-round magazines that can be inserted into Glock pistols. And Acee said the team is starting to see Glock full-automatic selector switches. So you can have a Glock pistol, with a 50-round magazine, then you can insert a device at the back of the Glock which converts it into a machine gun, or fully automatic. Simply stated, a regular squad of FBI agents going into a home, were carrying that Glock pistol. Were carrying the AR-15. They have more firepower than we have going into the house. Giles said the task force is seeing more targets with bulletproof vests. If we are in a firefight, that basically makes things equal, because we have bulletproof vests, too. That emboldens them to potentially do harm to law enforcement. In one recent case, Matthew Goat Martinez, a member of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico prison gang, was out on the streets selling bulletproof vests. Undercover task force agents bought four of the vests from him before arresting him. Martinez was later convicted of possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Last month, the task force arrested Manuel Bolivar after a predawn raid in Southwest Albuquerque. They found 3 pounds of methamphetamine, almost $16,000 in cash, five pistols and two rifles, 96 blue fentanyl tablets, 155 packaged strips of suboxone and a bulletproof vest, along with thousands of rounds of ammunition. And they recovered a selector switch to allow a Glock 9mm pistol to be fired as a fully automatic firearm. Bolivar is 21 years old. One of the trends that weve been seeing is, and thats also with the gangs as well as the violent actors, is theyre becoming younger and younger, Giles said. The older guys tend to have more of a criminal history, more convictions, and the word is getting out on the techniques that were using the more convictions you have, the higher your criminal points are on the federal side, which means more prison time if convicted. So theyre sending juveniles to do their dirty work for them. One task force member, the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Department, had this to say about the effort: Sheriff Manuel Gonzales believes that our partnership with Federal agencies is critical to assist in keeping our community, children, families and businesses safe. The additional staffing complements our previous crime fighting efforts and will also assist in stronger prosecution of the violent offenders. Giles and Acee said the involvement of state and local agencies is invaluable. Task force members with state or local jurisdiction can often arrest an offender on state charges, while federal agents look at federal crimes that might be filed. Or, Acee said, in the case of an offender who is a felon suspected of committing a homicide with a firearm, that APD detective on our task force can charge the offender with being a felon in possession of the firearms (in the federal courts) and we can run with that case while the state continues to investigate the homicide. The result often is getting the offender off the streets. Giles said roughly 60% of the cases investigated by the task force are proactive. Offenders targeted typically have a criminal history and are suspected in other violent crimes. For example, Casiano Coronel at age 21 was charged as a habitual offender in state District Court in 2018. Last April, he pleaded no contest to aggravated fleeing from a law enforcement officer, aggravated DWI, child abuse and receiving or transferring a stolen motor vehicle. State District Judge Daniel Ramczyk of Albuqueque released Coronel on his personal recognizance and referred him to comply with Youth Adult Court, pending further resolution. But months later, Coronel became a suspect in a shooting under investigation and the violent crime task force opened a proactive case on him. In late June, the task force requested its probation and parole partners put Coronel on GPS monitoring, and he was placed under task force surveillance. Within days, Coronel cut off his ankle monitor and tried to carjack an undercover APD detective, who killed Coronel in a shootout. According to news reports, the detective was conducting surveillance. Giles said the case underscores why the task force is also requesting its own federal prosecutor. We need to execute things in a swift manner, because these are dangerous individuals we are targeting. Theyre dangerous for the community. Theyre dangerous for law enforcement, so a swift apprehension is most preferred. New Delhi, March 8 : In a new move, the Department of Telecom (DoT) has asked telecom operators to put coronavirus awareness messages as a caller tune instead of the regular ringtone to make citizens aware of the disease in India. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Airtel and Jio have implemented the pre-call awareness caller tune for their customers. But but if a user has already subscribed to a caller tune separately then this message will not play. The message begins with highlights how you can stop "novel coronavirus from spreading". It says, "Always protect your face with a handkerchief or tissue while coughing or sneezing. Regularly clean hands with soap." The message is played out in Hindi to provide awareness to the masses in the country. "Avoid touching your face, eyes, or nose. If someone has cough, fever, or breathlessness maintain one metre distance. If needed, visit your nearest health centre immediately," the message further says -- alongside providing the helpline number +91-11-23797-8046. With five new cases of the novel coronavirus being reported from Kerala on Sunday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in India stands at 39. The new coronavirus cases from the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala were confirmed by Kerala state Health Minister K.K. Shailaja, who said the family acted irresponsibly by not reporting to the authorities after arriving from Italy. Consequently, three patients including a 54-year-old man, his 53-year-old wife and their 24-year-old son, also infected two of their relatives, 65-year-old man and his 61-year-old wife. As on Saturday, there were at least 34 cases of COVID-19 reported from India. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Harris County officials on Sunday night announced one more presumptive positive case of the new coronavirus, bringing the region's total to 12. The woman, who is between 60 and 70 years old, is from the unincorporated area of northwest Harris County, according to Harris County Public Health. She is associated with the same known group of people who traveled on a cruise in Egypt. She has been quarantined, and her test will be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for official confirmation, health authorities said. WHAT WE KNOW: As Houston's list of infected grows, here's what we know so far The new case is the latest to be confirmed in the Houston area. Earlier Sunday, Fort Bend County health officials announced three more residents who tested positive. Officials said the three residents are all in good health and are being kept in isolation at their homes. Two patients were among the 17 Houston-area residents who returned in late February from the same Nile River cruise in Egypt, while one patient took the same cruise at a later date. County officials gave the following descriptions of the infected patients: a man in his 70s who was hospitalized and discharged; a man in his 70s who had a one-day fever; and a woman in her 60s who had mild symptoms, which have resolved. CORONAVIRUS IN HOUSTON: All of the latest news, numbers and analysis to keep you up-to-date Doctors at the Memorial Hermann Health System said Saturday that 11 health care workers were asked to self-quarantine due to contact they had about a week ago with an infected patient from the cruise. To date, doctors have identified six infected patients in Fort Bend County and five in Harris County. All 11 were passengers on the same cruise line in Egypt. None has died. The Fort Bend and Harris county health departments, as well as the Houston Health Department, asked Sunday for all residents who traveled on the cruise line M.S. Asara between Feb. 12 and March 5 to self-quarantine for two weeks and contact one of the departments. The cruise line traveled to and from Aswan, Egypt. Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed said Saturday that 45 people who traveled on the cruise ship have tested positive for the new coronavirus, according to the Associated Press. The group included 12 crew members and 33 tourists, who hailed from several countries. County health officials advised residents to monitor for fever, cough and difficulty breathing for at least 14 days after returning from areas with an outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The areas with the most widespread infections include Chinas Hubei province, northern Italy and parts of Iran and South Korea. More than 500 cases of COVID-19 and at least 21 deaths from the virus have been confirmed in the U.S. as of Sunday afternoon, according to data compiled by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. jacob.carpenter@chron.com Every week, our Holiday Hero Neil Simpson takes an in-depth look at a brilliant holiday topic, doing all the legwork so you dont have to. This week, he reveals the best places for coffee (and people-watching) in New York. Making the most of the city that never sleeps requires plenty of shots of caffeine. As well as the ubiquitous Starbucks (which native New Yorkers leave for teens and tourists), the city has a thriving scene of independent coffee shops and mini-chains to help serve it. Here, in the spirit of Central Perk and the episodes of Friends, are The Ones to choose. As well as the ubiquitous Starbucks, New York has a thriving scene of independent coffee shops and mini-chains to help serve it The One with the best snacks Racks of freshly baked cookies lure you into the three branches of Culture Espresso near Macys in Mid-town Manhattan. The cafe holds the best chocolate chip cookie in the city award from Delish magazine and lets you order them online if you want to be sure they wont run out before your visit. The cafes themselves are friendly, have big windows, lots of space and jolly takeaway cups. The One with sunny seating If you find yourself in Soho on a warm day, look out for the lime-green store front of Ground Support the company has been roasting its own beans since 2009. There are communal tables inside and a few prime places outside to people-watch in the sun. The One that moves Mudtruck (pictured above) is a bright orange mobile coffee van Its name might be Mud, but its one of the most colourful coffee houses in the city. Theres a whiff of the 1960s in the rainbows that adorn the menus and merchandise. The firm comes in three forms: Mudspot (a cafe in the East Village), Mudpark (a wooden kiosk nearby) and the mobile Mudtruck (a bright orange coffee van that could be anywhere), meaning youve got triple the chance of finding its cheerful baristas. The One with cocktails too During the day, the family-friendly Abraco cafe (just south of the landmark Strand Bookstore in Gramercy Park) welcomes serious coffee lovers and a happy lunch-time crowd. In the early evening, the coffee bar becomes an aperitivo bar, the baristas become barmen and jazz lures diners looking for some tapas-style food and puddings such as honey- saffron cake. The One near expensive shops Good brews: Ground Central on Lexington Avenue just a few blocks from Bloomingdales If your shopping bags from Fifth Avenue get too heavy, find a sofa at Ground Central on Lexington Avenue just a few blocks from Bloomingdales. The Australian owners play vintage rock n roll to connect yesterdays music with todays coffee culture and say the cafe is their love letter to New York. The One with the spoons A set of tortoiseshell teaspoons made an Instagram sensation out of the tiny Happy Bones in the Nolita district. The images (alongside cups of carefully crafted coffee) went viral, and while the spoons have temporarily disappeared (borrowed by customers, not stolen, say the owners, who are trying to source replacements), the cafe remains a huge draw. The One you travel to Just across the East River in booming Brooklyn, all the buzz is about Sey Coffee, a bright, light coffee house with a micro-roastery in the back. The owners are coffee-obsessives (as the detailed descriptions on their website and menu boards suggest) and they share the love on the first Sunday of each month when 20 gets you coffee, a tour of the roastery and a bag of fresh beans to take home. Every fan of the iconic comedy, The Golden Girls, loves Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia. The classic show was a ratings hit in its heyday during the 1980s and is still a fan favorite in syndication decades later. The cast of The Golden Girls: Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, and Betty White | Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images One thing you could count on in each episode was one of Rose Nylunds wandering stories about her hometown in Minnesota: St. Olaf. But is there such a place, or was it a fictional place dreamed up by The Golden Girls writers? Betty White on playing ditzy Rose Nylund Part of actress Betty Whites genius in portraying the role of childlike Rose Nylund was how well she played off of the other characters. Between Dorothys sarcastic barbs, Blanches double entendres, and Sophias tough talk, Rose Nylunds sweet nature was a breath of fresh air. In a 2017 interview celebrating Whites 95th birthday at the time, Katie Couric asked the actress what she thinks people think of when they hear her name. Oh, shes so gorgeous and sexy, White said without a beat. No, I dont, she said, getting serious. I just appreciate the fact that people have been so kind to me all these years. The fact that Im still working, thats the thing Im most grateful for, and that I still get asked for jobs. All those St. Olaf stories The best part of Rose Nylunds character was Bea Arthur (Dorothy) and Rue McClanahans (Blanches) despairing expressions of anywhere but here when Roses St. Olaf stories would get started. From Betty Whites genius delivery of The Great Herring War between the Lindstroms and Johannsons to her portrayal of Roses disappointment at not being crowned Butter Queen as a young girl, the stories were some of the best parts of the classic comedy. White spoke to DVDTalk recently about the shows ongoing popularity. Well I have to go back to the writing, she said. You just dont get good writing that holds up like that over time. Because people will often say, Oh, Ive probably seen each [episode] six times. I think the audience knows the lines now better than we ever did. But they seem to be able to laugh at it again. . . It was the writing that makes that hold up. And I am eternally grateful. So is St. Olaf real? St. Olaf is really real. Its a township located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a population of 430. Established in 1869, St. Olaf Township was named after Olaf II of Norway. Betty White discussed, in her conversation with DVDTalk, her concern that the residents of the town would be offended by the way the show joked about it. Well, St. Olaf . . . its a wonderful college in Minnesota, she shared. And I thought because Rose was not the swiftest oar in the water, that they would resent the fact that she was painting a long picture of them. Well, they took Rose to their hearts, they sent me St. Olaf shirts and all that. They invited me back to visit the college which I did and they have this magnificent chorus. Its famous all over the world, they travel all over the world. Areas of northern Italy are subject to a lockdown that bans them from leaving. (Picture: REUTERS/Flavio Lo Scalzo) The Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to Italy following the lockdown across the northern area of the country amid the spread of coronavirus. However, despite the strict the measure in the country, which threatens Italians with a fine or three months in prison if they leave the quarantine zones, British tourists are still allowed to travel back to the UK from the lockdown zone. More than a quarter of Italys population have been placed in mandatory quarantine as the government tries to stem the spread of the virus. A decree signed at the weekend covers the Lombardy region, the provinces of Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia and Rimini in Emilia Romagna, Pesaro e Urbino in Marche, Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola and Vercelli in Piemonte and Padova. Treviso and Venice in Veneto. Following the decision, the Foreign Office (FCO) updated its travel advice for Italy to advise against all but essential travel to the areas affected by the lockdown. Read more: Teacher and Chinese wife thrown out of restaurant amid coronavirus fears Read more: Families of cruise ship Britons call coronavirus quarantine a 'death sentence' It says: British nationals remain able to depart Italy without restriction. Residents of other parts of Italy are permitted to leave the isolation areas to return home. Otherwise entry into and exit from these areas is forbidden without official permission on the grounds of strict necessity; the authorities have confirmed to us that this will be granted for reasons such as medical need or work requirements. Italy lockdown The FCO advised tourists returning to the UK from Italy to consult the latest advice from the Department of Health and Social Care. That advice instructs travellers returning from the lockdown areas in northern Italy to self-isolate for two weeks, even if they dont have any symptoms. The move seems to contrast with previous efforts made to stop the spread of the virus, which saw British tourists in Wuhan, China, where the outbreak started, flown back to the UK in a secure plane and quarantined for 14 days in an isolation compound. It comes as there was a surge in coronavirus-related deaths in Italy, with the death toll reportedly rising from 133 to 366 in one day. SAN BRUNO (BCN) An attempted fraudulent purchase Sunday morning led to the arrest of three men and the seizure of counterfeit money and identification cards, and a large cache of fireworks and explosive materials, San Bruno police said. The fraud attempt, reported about 11:20 a.m. at a business in the 200 block of El Camino Real, was in progress when officers arrived. Police detained a 29-year-old San Francisco resident, a 41-year-old San Francisco resident, and a 50-year-old San Bruno resident and determined that they possessed fraudulent identification cards, a large amount of counterfeit U.S. currency, and fraudulent checks, the department in a news release. Police then obtained a warrant and searched a residence in the 3800 block of Colby Way in San Bruno. The search turned up more than 25 pounds of illegal fireworks and explosive materials, more fraudulent currency, false identifications and Social Security cards, along with equipment used to manufacture personal identifying information, police said. The men were booked into the San Mateo County Jail for chargers related to burglary, forgery, identity theft, and possession of explosive materials. Anyone with any information about the case is urged to contact the San Bruno Police Department at (650) 616-7100 or sbpdtipline@sanbruno.ca.gov. Information can be left anonymously. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise visit to a school in London to attend a special assembly ahead of International Womens Day. In one of her last solo engagements as a working royal Meghan Markle visited Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham on Friday. The royal chose Dagenham because it was where female machinists at the Ford Motor Plant held a strike for equal pay in 1968, leading to the Equal Pay Act two years later. During the assembly, the school remembered the campaigns led by the women which paved the way for future generations before Meghan made a speech about the importance of fighting for equality for all. During her speech, Meghan addressed the schools boys in particular, urging them to continue to value and appreciate the women in your lives and also set the example for some men who are not seeing it that same way. You have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life, protect them, she said. Make sure that they are feeling valued and safe and lets all just rally together to make International Womens Day something that is not just on Sunday, but frankly feels like every day of the year. Meghan then asked: If there is one brave man in this room who wants to come and say what he thinks the important of International Womens Day is... Aker Okoye, the schools head boy, was then invited to join the duchess on stage. 16-year-old Aker Okoye was invited to join the duchess on stage (PA) After shaking hands with Meghan and greeting her with what appeared to be a kiss on the cheek, the 16-year-old student joked: She really is beautiful, innit. I had to speak the truth there prompting laughter from both his classmates and the former Suits actor and model who praised his incredible confidence. The student later said: I really am inspired that the Duchess of Sussex could even come down today and be with us and talk about how much the day of International Womens Day means to us and how much it means to her. During her visit, Meghan also met with students in the schools library where she was told about how they had been studying influential female writers and poets. Aker Okoye greeted the duchess with a kiss on the cheek and told the audience that she was beautiful (PA) Meghan said: Its so important to have a role model; often times when its someone who looks like you or comes from where you come from, its easier to connect and see in a different way. Meghan later visited the schools art studio, where she was made an honorary member of the Robert Clack Debate Society and awarded a team jersey. After listening to some members of the team advocate for their future careers as lawyers and gynaecologists, Meghan said: Its incredibly impressive and Im just so proud to be able to witness so much of this activism and this energy in this room. Its how were going to see the impact in the world that we need, its all of your voices as you said and being able to feel empowered. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Chief Justice John Roberts statement scolding Sen Chuck Schumer was as justified as Schumers comments attacking the court were out of order. At an abortion rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building, Schumer railed against Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh as the court deliberates a Louisiana law opponents argue restricts abortion access. I want to tell you Gorsuch. I want to tell you Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price. You wont know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions, blasted Schumer. Roberts issued the following statement in response. This morning, Senator Schumer spoke at a rally in front of the Supreme Court while a case was being argued inside. Senator Schumer referred to two Members of the Court by name and said he wanted to tell them that, You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You will not know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions. Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous. All Members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter. The admonishment from Roberts was admonished itself by some, because Roberts had not equally rebuked President Trump when he had criticized Justices Ruth Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor. However there were significant differences in the tone and language Trump had used, compared to Schumer. The President had said Justices Ginsburg and Sotomayor should recuse themselves from hearing cases related to him. His comments did not have the threatening, heated vitriol of Schumers whirlwind. Schumer expressed regret for his phrasing. I should not have used the words I used. They didnt come out the way I intended. My point was that there would be political consequences for President Trump and Senate Republicans if the Supreme Court, with the newly confirmed justices stripped away at a womans right to choose. I shouldnt have used the words I did, but in no way was I making a threat. I never would do such a thing. Another reason Schumers comments were wrong, is that they ended up taking attention away from the actual issue the court is considering. The court had yet to decide anything on the case when Schumer blasted these awful decisions. So far, the only awful decision was Schumer making the statement he did, which is what really should have been aborted. Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Publications Top of page Human Trafficking Knowledge Portal The Human Trafficking Knowledge Portal is an initiative to facilitate the dissemination of information regarding the implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and specifically the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. The Human Trafficking Knowledge Portal hosts a Case Law Database on officially documented court cases concerning trafficking in persons and a Database on Legislation. Visit the Human Trafficking Knowledge Portal here. Watch video on the Case Law Database here. For more information, please consult our information leaflets: Presentation of the Case Law Database: English - French - Spanish Information sheet: English - French - Spanish Smuggling of Migrants Knowledge Portal The Smuggling of Migrants Knowledge Portal is an initiative to facilitate the dissemination of information regarding the implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and specifically the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air. The Smuggling of Migrants Knowledge Portal hosts a Case Law Database on officially documented court cases concerning smuggling of migrants and a Database on Legislation. Visit the Smuggling of Migrants Knowledge Portal here. Top of page Catalogue of Materials Download the Catalogue of Materials as PDF Top of page HTMSS Annual Report - Highlights at a glance Download the 2018 HTMSS Annual Report as PDF Download the 2017 HTMSS Annual Report as PDF Top of page Tools Case Digest on Evidential Issues in Trafficking in Persons Cases (2017) English - French The Case Digest aims to assist criminal justice practitioners worldwide in addressing recurring evidential issues that are typical to trafficking in persons cases. It can help practitioners build a trafficking case; it can give them an arsenal of tools to deal with common evidential weaknesses; it can reveal considerations and tools, helpful in tackling particularly difficult evidential problems; it can analyze cases in depth, thus showing how the interplay of different evidential patterns leads to a conviction or an exoneration. The Case Digest has analyzed 135 cases from 31 jurisdictions and provides the reader, based on these real cases tried, with a range of options and possibilities to deal with particular evidential challenges. Most cases are drawn from UNODC's Human Trafficking Case Law Database, set up within UNODC's SHERLOC knowledge management portal. Human Trafficking Toolkit for Journalists (2017) English - Arabic The toolkit aims to provide basic tools for journalists to report on human trafficking with integrity and comprehensiveness. Each section of the publication is designed to inspire dialogue and reflections, and to support the generation of new knowledge. This toolkit focuses on human trafficking in the Arab region, a region where the lack of sufficient official data, as well as the complex nature of migration flows and labour markets make it an issue that is especially challenging for journalists. Top of page Assessment Toolkit: Trafficking in Persons for the Purpose of Organ Removal (2015) English The toolkit aims to provide both a general overview of trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal and specific tools to assist concerned actors with assessing the phenomenon. The paper seeks to inform about the relevant legislative framework and international guidance, actors and modi operandi as well as good practice responses. It also contains questionnaire templates that aim to support the identification and support of victims of the crime, as well as the assessment of existing systems and possible loopholes and risks of abuse and exploitation and of commercial transactions with organs. Assessment Guide to the Criminal Justice Response to the Smuggling of Migrants (2012) English - French The Assessment Guide provides an inventory of measures for assessing the legislative, investigative, prosecutorial, judicial, and administrative responses to the smuggling of migrants by land, air, and sea, for deterring and combating such crime, and for integrating the information and experience gained from such assessment into successful national, regional, and international strategies. Top of page International Framework for Action to implement the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol Arabic - English - French - Russian - Spanish The International Framework for Action to Implement the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol is a technical assistance tool that aims to support the effective implementation of the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. The purpose of the Framework for Action is to assist Member States and non-state actors in identifying and addressing gaps in their response to migrant smuggling by recommending practical measures in accordance with international standards. It was elaborated on with the consultation of various UN agencies, international organizations and NGOs. Read more here. Top of page First Aid Kit for use by Law Enforcement Responders in addressing Human Trafficking (2011) Details and download The UNODC Human Trafficking First Aid Kit for Law Enforcement First Responders has been designed to support front-line officers who may come across cases of human trafficking in their daily work. It consists of a reader friendly booklet, contact sheets to note important local contact points for the referral of cases and victims, leaflets with Dos and Don'ts and posters. The materials shall help first responders to adequately deal with trafficking in persons cases. The need for easy-to-use information available to all law enforcement officers has been identified by many practitioners in different regions of the world. The First Aid Kit has been released both electronically and as a carrying case. Read more and download the full package of the First Aid Kit here. Victim Translation Assistance Tool - Life support messages for victims of human trafficking (2011) VITA is a unique new tool using audio messages, that allows law enforcement officials to provide a level of basic assistance to victims of human trafficking. Human trafficking survivors contributed to the development of these messages, which were also supported by experts in human trafficking focused on victims' needs. This audio tool, consisting of key encounter messages, was developed to facilitate the identification of a trafficked person and the launch of a criminal investigation. Thirty-five basic questions and messages have been recorded and translated into 40 languages, taking into account special questions for children. Read more about the Vita Tool and download it here. Toolkit to Combat Smuggling of Migrants (2010) Arabic - English - French (coming soon) - Russian - Spanish The Toolkit to Combat Smuggling of Migrants provides guidance, showcases promising practices, and recommends resources to assist policy makers, law enforcers, judges, prosecutors, and members of civil society in their efforts to prevent migrant smuggling, protect smuggled migrants and their rights, and cooperate to these ends. The Toolkit is comprised of tools on understanding migrant smuggling, actors and processes, international legal framework, problem assessment and strategy development, legislative framework, international criminal justice cooperation, law enforcement and prosecution, protection and assistance measures, prevention and capacity building and training. The Toolkit is divided in thematic areas addressed by the following Tools: Tool 1- Understanding the smuggling of migrants Tool 2- Actors and processes in the smuggling of migrants Tool 3- International legal framework Tool 4- Problem assessment and strategy development Tool 5- Legislative framework Tool 6- International criminal justice cooperation Tool 7- Law enforcement and prosecution Tool 8- Protection and assistance measures Tool 9- Prevention of the smuggling of migrants Tool 10- Capacity-building and training Read more about the Toolkit here. Top of page Needs Assessment Toolkit on the Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking (2010) Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish UNODC, in the framework of the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) has developed the Needs Assessment Toolkit on the Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking. The main objective of the toolkit is to guide the assessors in gathering and analyzing information pertaining to a country's criminal justice response to human trafficking. More specifically, it aims to assist governments, the civil society, the international community and other relevant actors to conduct a comprehensive or specific assessment of selected aspects of a country's criminal justice response to trafficking in persons. The toolkit contains a number of components that are crucial for curtailing the crime of trafficking in persons and provides sufficient flexibility to be used for assessments both in places where a solid infrastructure for combating trafficking in persons exists and in places with few or no such measures. Read more about the Needs Assessment Toolkit here. International Framework for Action to Implement the Trafficking in Persons Protocol (2010) Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish The International Framework for Action is a technical assistance tool that supports United Nations Member States in the effective implementation of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. The Framework is the result of broad participation between anti-trafficking partners including Anti-Slavery International, Council of Europe, ECPAT, IOM, ILO, LEFOE-IBF, OAS, OSCE, Terre des hommes, Johns Hopkins University, UNDAW/DESA, UNICEF, UNIFEM, UNHCR, UNICRI, OHCHR and UNODC. UNODC Model Law against Trafficking in Persons (2010) Arabic - English - French - Russian - Spanish The Model Law against Trafficking in Persons has been developed in the framework of the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) to assist States in implementing the provisions contained in the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing that Convention. It aims to facilitate the amendment of existing legislation as well as the adoption of new legislation. The Model Law covers not only the criminalization of trafficking in persons and related offences, but also the different aspects of assistance to victims as well as establishing cooperation between different state authorities and NGOs. Each provision is accompanied by a detailed commentary, legal sources and examples, providing several options for legislators, as appropriate. UNODC Model Law against the Smuggling of Migrants (2010) Arabic - English - French - Russian - Spanish The Model Law against the Smuggling of Migrants has been developed to assist States in implementing the provisions contained in the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. It aims to facilitate the review and amendment of existing legislation as well as the adoption of new legislation. Each provision is accompanied by a detailed commentary, legal sources and examples, providing several options for legislators, as appropriate. Read More about the Model Law here. Combating Trafficking in Persons: A Handbook for Parliamentarians Arabic - English - French - Russian - Spanish The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UNODC, in the framework of the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), launched the publication Combating trafficking in persons: A Handbook for Parliamentarians. As public awareness of human trafficking grows, people are demanding that action be taken to end it. As elected representatives, parliamentarians have a responsibility and the power to ensure that laws and other measures are put in place and implemented to that end. The Handbook is intended to inspire them to enact sound laws and adopt good practices that will strengthen national responses to human trafficking. Top of page Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (2nd edition, October 2008) Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish "The fact that trafficking in persons occurs today is a horrifying reality. The fact that there is more we could be doing collectively to combat it should be a global call to arms." (UNODC Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons). The 123 tools contained in the Toolkit offer guidance, recommended resources, and promising practices to policymakers, law enforcers, judges, prosecutors, victim service providers and members of civil society who are working in interrelated spheres towards preventing trafficking, protecting and assisting victims and promoting international cooperation. To download individual Tools, visit our Online Toolkit. Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (1st edition, 2006) English - Russian - Arabic - Spanish - French UNODC's Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons provides practical help to Governments, policy-makers, police, NGOs and others to enable them to tackle human trafficking more effectively. The Toolkit details a range of practices and methods currently in use throughout the world such as checklists to help identify trafficking victims as well as guidance on interviewing victims and victim protection. Other tools help police to undertake cross-border investigations and advise government officials on how to ensure the safe repatriation of victims. These and many other current "best practices" are available for immediate use and adaptation worldwide. Psychological Care for Women in Shelter Homes (India, 2011) English UNODC together with NIMHANS developed this manual to be used as resource material for capacity building of staff working in shelter homes for women in India. The recently published manual highlights the specific needs of women in institutions, enables the care givers to understand these needs and gives them an insight into the spectrum of psychosocial interventions. It gives the care givers an understanding of the various laws and policies that are available to safeguard the rights of women in India. It also focuses on the importance of care and stress management of the caregivers themselves. Read the full story of the project here. UNODC Manuales contra la trata de personas: Impacto en America Central Spanish Tools developed by UNODC within the global programmes on trafficking person and smuggling of migrants are developed in such a way that they are practical and can be used to support the activities against these crimes. They can also serve as basis for adaptation to specific regional requirements an example of such an adaptation are two manuals developed by the UNODC regional office for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Top of page ASEAN Handbook on International Legal Cooperation in Trafficking in Persons Cases English The handbook aims to help improve cooperation between criminal justice officials who are involved in cross-border trafficking investigations. It was prepared by technical experts involved in the Asia Regional Trafficking in Persons Project (ARTIP), through the Australian Government Overseas Aid Program (AusAID), and funded by the Australian Government and the European Union, through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on Investigation of Crimes of Trafficking for Forced Labour (2008, UNODC Regional Office for South Asia) English Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on Investigating Crimes of Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Exploitation (2007, UNODC Regional Office for South Asia) English Manual for Training Police on Anti-Human Trafficking (2008, UNODC Regional Office for South Asia) English Training Manual for Prosecutors on Confronting Human Trafficking (2008, UNODC Regional Office for South Asia) English Journey to Justice: Manual on Psychosocial Intervention English Trafficking Women and Children for Sexual Exploitation: Handbook for Law Enforcement Agencies in India (UNIFEM, UNODC 2007) English - Hindi Anti-Human Trafficking guide for Prosecutors This publication is disseminated by the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Moldova. For more information, contact: Mr. Eduard Bulat Head of Department to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Persons General Prosecutor's Office, Republic of Moldova Top of page Training Materials In-Depth Training Manual on Investigating and Prosecuting the Smuggling of Migrants (2011) English - French The UNODC In-Depth Training Manual on Investigating and Prosecuting the Smuggling of Migrants is the product of criminal justice expertise gathered from around the world. The diversity of those involved in the process of elaborating the manual reflects its target audience of criminal justice practitioners including investigators, examining judges, investigating judges, prosecutors, magistrates, law enforcement officers, border agents, and all other professionals who are involved in the criminal justice system. Read more here. Read more here. Anti-Human Trafficking Manual for Criminal Justice Practitioners (2008) Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish - Portuguese In line with the Trafficking in Persons Protocol supplementing the United Nations Transnational Organised Crime Convention, the purpose of the United Nations Anti-Human Trafficking Manual for Criminal Justice Practitioners is to further facilitate the prevention of human trafficking, protection of its victims, prosecution of its culprits and develop international cooperation to achieve these targets. The manual addresses each phase of the criminal justice response to trafficking in persons, from identification of victims through investigations and prosecutions of trafficking, to the protection of victims. The manual consists of 14 modules that stand alone to meet the specific needs of criminal justice practitioners, and serve as a practical guide towards a more effective criminal justice response to trafficking in persons. Read more about the Manual and its creation in the Introduction The wide-circulation modules in the Manual address: The restricted-circulation modules in the Manual which are not publicly available, address: Module 8: Joint investigation techniques in trafficking in persons cases Module 9: Information and intelligence in trafficking in persons investigations Module 10: Specialist techniques in trafficking in persons investigations Module 11: Surveillance in trafficking in persons investigations Module 12: Undercover agents in trafficking in persons investigations Module 13: Communications data in trafficking in persons investigations Module 14: Communications interception in trafficking in persons investigations Module 15: Use of informants in trafficking in persons investigations Module 16: Financial investigations in trafficking in persons cases Module 17: Crime scene and physical evidence examinations in trafficking in persons investigations Module 18: Document recognition in trafficking in persons investigations Module 24: Countering common defense strategies in trafficking in persons To request for restricted content please visit the request page . Basic Training Manual on Investigating and Prosecuting the Smuggling of Migrants (2010) Arabic - English - French - Russian - Spanish Conceptualized as a 'practical guide for law enforcement and prosecution on migrant smuggling', the overall goal of the Basic Training Manual on Investigating and Prosecuting the Smuggling of Migrants is to build the capacity of criminal justice practitioners to dismantle the criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling, secure the conviction of the criminals involved, raise awareness among criminal justice practitioners on the criminal nature of migrant smuggling, and improve cooperation between origin, transit, and destination countries. The Training Modules are designed to be used in the context of delivering technical assistance through training law enforcers and prosecutors on effective investigation and prosecution of migrant smuggling cases. The Modules are written in such a way that they can be readily adapted to the needs of different regions and countries, and can serve as the basis for upgrading or supplementing training programs of national training institutes. Read more about the Manual and its development here. The Modules in the Manual: To request for restricted content please visit the request page . Training Manual: Assistance for the Implementation of the ECOWAS Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons English The Meeting of ECOWAS Heads of States, in December 2001, adopted a Declaration and the ECOWAS Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons (2002-2003). It directed the ECOWAS Executive Secretarian to prepare proposals for controlling trafficking in persons in the sub-region, with special consideration to the situation of children. Training Manual: Assistance for the Implementation of the ECOWAS Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons presents the definitions of trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants as well as general guidelines on investigation and prosecution of cases related to trafficking in human beings, with a focus on cooperation between ECOWAS Member States. This Manual is to be used as a reference material and in training activities. Compendium on Best Practices on Anti-Human Trafficking by Law Enforcement Agencies English A 2007 publication of UNODC Regional Office for South Asia, compiled by the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi, India, with the help of police agencies of various states. Compendium on Best Practices on Anti-Human Trafficking by Non-Governmental Organizations English A 2008 publication of UNODC Regional Office for South Asia, highlights successful initiatives of NGOs and their partners from other sectors with respect to the prevention of human trafficking, the protection of its victims and the prosecution of its culprits. Training manual for judges and prosecutors on Combating Human Trafficking - Moldova Romanian A course and curriculum on combating human trafficking was developed as a joint initiative of UNODC, the Moldovan National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and the OSCE Mission to Moldova. The course, designed for judges and prosecutors, comprises two sections. The first section concerns substantive law and the second concerns procedural law. The former section addresses issues related to the definition of human trafficking in criminal law and the differences between human trafficking and related crimes. This section also address root causes of human trafficking, victim identification and methods to combat and prevent human trafficking. The second section on procedural law addresses the competencies of agencies involved in preventing and combating human trafficking, specific features of the investigation process in cases of human trafficking, collaboration between different agencies involved in investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases, and international cooperation. Top of page Reports and assessments Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (2016) English On 21 December 2016, UNODC launched its new Global Report on Trafficking in Persons. The 2016 UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons is the third of its kind mandated by the General Assembly through the 2010 United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. It covers 136 countries and provides an overview of patterns and flows of trafficking in persons at global, regional and national levels, based primarily on trafficking cases detected between 2012 and 2014. For more information about the report, including the executive summary and individual country profiles, click here . Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (2014) English On 24 November 2014, UNODC launched its new Global Report on Trafficking in Persons. The Global Report 2014 provides an overview of patterns and flows of trafficking in persons at global, regional and national levels, based on trafficking cases detected between 2010 and 2012 (or more recent). The Country Profiles of the Global Report present a national level analysis for each of the 128 countries covered by this edition of the report. For more information about the report, including the executive summary and individual country profiles, click here. Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (2012) English On 10 December 2012, UNODC launched the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons. The Global Report 2012 provides an overview of patterns and flows of trafficking in persons at global, regional and national levels, based on trafficking cases detected between 2007 and 2010 (or more recent). The report also includes a chapter on the worldwide response to trafficking in persons. The Country Profiles of the Global Report present a national level analysis for each of the 132 countries covered by this edition of the report. The Executive Summary of the Global Report is available in: English - Francais - Espanol - - - The following individual country profiles can be downloaded: Or download the full version of the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons. For more information about the report, click here Migrant Smuggling in Asia - Current Trends and Related Challenges (2015) English This report outlines patterns of migrant smuggling in Asia and presents evidence-based knowledge to guide policy and strengthen international cooperation. Developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, it is part of a series of knowledge products considering acute and far-reaching issues confronting governments and communities in South-East Asia, as part of an ongoing analytical and capacity-strengthening process. Read more here. Migrant Smuggling in Asia - An Annotated Bibliography Vol. 2 (2014) English The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducted the research for this annotated bibliography in support of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, which is a regional, multilateral forum to improve the coordination against criminal activity related to migrant smuggling and human trafficking. The research focused on a total of 45 Bali Process member countries (the project countries). Read more here. Migrant Smuggling in Asia - A Thematic Review of Literature (2012) English The Annotated Bibliography Against a backdrop of limited information on migrant smuggling and irregular migration in Asia, UNODC launched two reports which, for the very first time, consolidate existing research literature on migrant smuggling in 14 countries across Asia. The reports, Migrant Smuggling in Asia: A Thematic Review of Literature and the accompanying Annotated Bibliography, provide a systematic review of available empirical knowledge on smuggling of migrants. These resources identify gaps in what is known about the smuggling of migrants around, in and out of Asia into Europe, North America and Australia and the Pacific. Read more here. The role of organized crime in the smuggling of migrants from West Africa to the European Union (2011) English This report investigates the involvement of organized criminal groups in the smuggling of migrants from West Africa to the European Union (EU). The publication contributes to improving the understanding of underlying mechanisms and actors involved in this criminal process as a basis for policy reforms in countries affected. Information in the report was compiled by a team of researchers from West Africa and Europe using both documentary studies, and field research conducted in Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Spain. Legal and Policy Review: Responses to Human Trafficking in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka (2011) English There is a need to examine country specific laws to understand where the gaps in responses lie, and also, how Member States in South Asia can be assisted to fill those gaps. In this regard, a legal and policy review of responses to human trafficking in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka was commissioned jointly by UNODC and UN WOMEN, under the UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT). Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka have all taken steps in the right direction to combat human trafficking; however, there is a need to look closely at country specific laws to understand where the gaps lie. It is in the light of this, that a Legal and Policy Review of Responses to Human Trafficking has been taken up. The Report looks at the law and policy, especially in the context of the Protocol, supplementing work already available in different studies. Smuggling of migrants into, through and from North Africa: A thematic review and annotated bibliography of recent publications (2010) English The publication "Smuggling of migrants into, through and from North Africa: A thematic review and annotated bibliography of recent publications" is the second in a series of unique publications produced by UNODC. Recognizing, however, that irregular migration and smuggling flows are transnational in nature, the review goes beyond North Africa, to also cover sub- Saharan African and European countries affected along the various smuggling routes. The aim of the review is twofold: to describe major findings on smuggling of migrants; into, through and from North Africa, and to highlight the need for further research on specific issues that have not yet been studied. The thematic review identifies several key areas requisite to understand, address and criminalize migrant smuggling. The literature reviewed is divided into thematic chapters including: quantifying irregular migration and smuggling of migrants, migrant smuggling routes, profiles and characteristics of smuggled migrants, smuggler-migrant relationships, organizational structures of migrant-smuggling routes, modus operandi of migrant smugglers, smugglers fees and the human and social costs of smuggling. Finally, the publication is complemented by an annotated bibliography of the reviewed literature. To download the Thematic Review, click here For more information about the Thematic Review, click here The Global Review and Annotated Bibliography of Recent Publications on Smuggling of Migrants (Global Review) (2010) English UNODC is currently developing and implementing a number of new projects to assess and counter the various threats posed by human smuggling. To do so effectively, and to learn from already existing research on migrant smuggling for current and future programme design, it is imperative to gain an overview of the current state of knowledge on the subject by consolidating the existing literature on the subject in one comprehensive and informative document. The Global Review and Annotated Bibliography of Recent Publications on Smuggling of Migrants responds to this need by surveying existing sources and research papers on migrant smuggling, to provide a summary of knowledge, and identify gaps based on the most recent and relevant research available on migrant smuggling from a worldwide perspective. To download the Global Review, click here To download the Executive Summary, click here For more information about the Global Review, click here Human Trafficking in the Baltic Sea Region: State and Civil Society Cooperation on Victims Assistance and Protection (2010) English On the 31st May 2010 UNODC and the Council of the Baltic Sea States Task Force on Trafficking in Human Beings (CBSS TF-THB) successfully completed the joint "Regional Project on Fostering Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) - Law Enforcement Cooperation in Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking in, from and to the Baltic Sea Region." The result of the research carried out is the publication of a comprehensive regional assessment report entitled Human Trafficking in the Baltic Sea Region: State and Civil Society Cooperation on Victims Assistance and Protection. To download the Report, click here For more information about Report, click here An Introduction to Human Trafficking: Vulnerability, Impact and Action English Background paper for the Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking, held in Vienna from 13 to 15 February 2008, exploring the Forum's three central themes of vulnerability, impact and action. Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (2009) English On 12 February 2009, UNODC launched the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons. Based on data gathered from 155 countries, it offers the first global assessment of the scope of human trafficking and what is being done to fight it. It includes: an overview of trafficking patterns; legal steps taken in response; and country-specific information on reported cases of trafficking in persons, victims, and prosecutions. The Executive Summary of the Global Report is available in: English - Francais - Espanol - - - To download the executive summary in all languages click here The following individual regional profiles can be downloaded: Or download the full version of the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons. For more information about the report, click here Appropriate Legal Responses to Combating Trafficking in Persons in Afghanistan English This manual provides comprehensive background information on the international and national legal framework governing the response to trafficking in persons. It draws on examples of good practices, including model laws, from around the world to present practical recommendations to parliamentarians in Afghanistan to serve as a guide in the process to more effectively combat trafficking in persons. Contributory material to this manual has been sourced and adapted from various material, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Inter-Parliamentary Union and the UN.GIFT publication: "Combating Trafficking in Persons: A Handbook for Parliamentarians". Regional assessment on penal prosecution capacities to investigate trafficking in persons in Central America Spanish The aim of this study, developed by UNODC Regional Office for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, in collaboration with the United Nations Latin American Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (ILANUD, San Jose, Costa Rica) is to asses the political, legal, financial, institutional and technical conditions of those institutions in charge of investigating, prosecuting and judging trafficking in persons, as well as providing recommendations to overcome any obstacles in those areas. The main findings of the assessment (lack of knowledge of investigative techniques and of mutual legal assistance procedures, confusion between trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, among others) have served as primary inputs for the specialized training manual that this regional project elaborated, and that is being validated through national workshops in each signatory country (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama). Smuggling of Migrants from India to Europe and in particular to UK: A Study on Tamil Nadu, 2009 English The aim of this study, commissioned by UNODC Regional Office for South Asia in collaboration with the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi is to assess the current extent and scope of irregular migration from Tamil Nadu with the objective of improving evidence-based knowledge on the profile of irregular migrants, the modus operandi of agents, the countries to which migration is destined, and the government response to curbing irregular migration. Smuggling of Migrants from India to Europe and in Particular to UK: A Study on Punjab & Haryana English This report concludes a study into the scope and magnitude of irregular migration from the northern states of Punjab and Haryana in India. The study was based on law enforcement authority records, discussion with officials, public representatives, extensive field visits in districts of Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr and Hoshiarpur of Punjab and interviews with a large number of respondents, including irregular migrants and their family members, co-villagers of irregular migrants, agents involved in migrant smuggilng and police officers who investigated cases against agents. Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns English (Please note that country profiles are contained within the report appendices). "The fact that slavery - in the form of human trafficking - still exists in the 21st century shames us all. Governments, international organizations and civil society are devoting considerable efforts to counter it, but there is still an information deficit about the extent of this tragedy. Only by understanding its depth, breadth and scope can we design policies to fight it. This understanding still eludes us: efforts to counter trafficking have so far been uncoordinated and inefficient. This Report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is our first attempt to close the knowledge gap." From the Foreword by Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa Model Guide on Strengthening National Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking (2009) English The Model Guide on Strengthening National Criminal Justice Response to Human Trafficking developed by UNODC in partnership with International Secretariat of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, provides a practical, user friendly, regional reference on strengthening criminal justice response in the field of counter-trafficking that is based upon a commitment to implement the relevant UN Conventions and Protocols. The guide serves to encourage and guide further actions taken by the states, UNODC or other international agencies. The intention of the Model Guide is to contribute at enhancement of cooperation in the counter-trafficking activities of professionals in Black Sea Region and to develop their ability to work jointly with each other at the international level. An Assessment of Referral Practices to Assist and Protect the Rights of Trafficked Persons in Moldova (May 2007) English Measures to combat trafficking in human beings in Benin, Nigeria and Togo (September 2006) English A 2005 situational assessment of human trafficking in SADC countries. A survey of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique (December 2007) English A 2005 Assessment of the Laws and Measures relevant to Human Trafficking in selected SADC countries. A survey of Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe (November 2007) English Human Trafficking in Lebanon - Measures to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings: Lebanon country assessment (May 2008) English Assessment of the Legal System in Vietnam in comparison with the United Nations Protocols on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (April 2004) English Synergy in Action: Protocol on the Structure and Function of the Integrated Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (IAHTU) in India (2007, UNODC Regional Office for South Asia) English Protocol on Inter-State Rescues and Post-Rescue Activities Relating to Persons Trafficked for Commercial Exploitation (2007, UNODC Regional Office for South Asia) English Resource Book on the Legal Framework on Anti-Human Trafficking (India, 2008, UNODC Regional Office for South Asia) English Top of page Technical and Issue Papers Issue paper: The Concept of "Financial or Other Material Benefit " in the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol (2017) English The principal purpose of the study is to contribute to more effective and consistent interpretation and implementation of the international legal obligations that States have assumed through their ratification of or accession to the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol and its parent instrument, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. A foundational assumption of the study is that fostering common approaches with regard to criminal justice priorities will contribute to improvements in the national response as well as to more effective cooperation between States in investigation, prosecution and adjudication of migrant smuggling and related offences. Issue Paper: The Concept of "Exploitation" in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol (2015) English - French - Arabic The purpose of this issue paper is to clarify the key concept of exploitation in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol. The Issue Paper was developed drawing on a series of interviews conducted with practitioners and experts from twelve States representing different regions and legal traditions (Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, Malaysia, Qatar, Sweden, Thailand, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates) as well as on expert input provided during an expert group meeting. The Issue Paper aims to assist criminal justice officers in penal proceedings. It was launched at the thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in April 2015 . Issue Paper: The Role of "Consent" in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol (2014) English - French - Portuguese - Spanish The purpose of this issue paper is to clarify the key concept of consent in the definition of trafficking in persons contained in Article 3 of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Drawing on interviews with practitioners from 12 States (Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Indonesia, Israel, the Philippines, Norway, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America) and finalized with input received during an expert group meeting, the issue paper aims to assist criminal justice officers in penal proceedings. The Role of Recruitment Fees and Abusive and Fraudulent Recruitment Practices of Recruitment Agencies in TiP (2015) El papel de las tarifas y las practicas abusivas y fraudulentas de contratacion de las agencias de empleo en la trata de personas Issue Paper: Corruption and the Smuggling of Migrants (2013) English - Spanish Corruption often undermines national and international efforts to prevent and control the crime of smuggling of migrants, just as it affects the response to other forms of transnational crime such as trafficking in persons, in firearms, and in narcotics. Organized criminal groups make frequent use of the presence of corruption, often together with intimidation and violence, to facilitate their migrant smuggling operations. Migrant smuggling can generate large revenues that smugglers in turn can use to bribe officials and buy their complicity. Criminal organizations take advantage of systems of immigration control, border protection and public security that are weakened by corruption. This issue paper aims to assist policy makers and practitioners in preventing and addressing corruption related to migrant smuggling operations. Issue Paper: Abuse of a Position of Vulnerability and other "Means" Within the Definition of Trafficking in Persons (2012) English - French - Portuguese - Spanish The purpose of this issue paper is to clarify the key concept of abuse of a position of vulnerability as a means of the crime of trafficking in persons in the definition contained in Article 3 of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Drawing on interviews with practitioners from 12 States (Canada, Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, India, Mexico, Netherlands (the), Nigeria, Republic of Moldova (the), Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the), and United States of America (the)), and finalized with input received during an expert group meeting, two products were developed, the issue paper and a corresponding Guidance Note that aims to assist criminal justice officers in penal proceedings. Guidance Note English Guidance Note Arabic Guidance Note Chinese Guidance Note French Guidance Note Russian Guidance Note Spanish Issue Paper: Smuggling of Migrants by Sea (2011) English - Arabic The purpose of this Issue Paper is to capture expertise from a range of experiences of both countries of origin, countries of transit, and countries of destination for the purpose of increasing understanding of the issue and the challenge of addressing it. The overall goal of the issue paper is to provide a global perspective on the issue of migrant smuggling by sea, examining the framework in which it is addressed, the key challenges inherent therein, and to recommend concrete measures that can be taken to strengthen response in this respect. Issue Paper: Transnational Organized Crime in the Fishing Industry - Focus on Trafficking in Persons, Smuggling of Migrants, Illicit Drugs Trafficking (2011) English This Issue Paper poses the questions whether there is transnational organized crime and other criminal activity in the fishing industry, and if so, what the vulnerabilities of the fishing industry are to transnational organized crime or other criminal activity. Importantly, the study did not set out to tarnish the fishing industry. Rather, the study sought to determine whether criminal activities take place within the fishing industry to the detriment of law-abiding fishers, the legitimate fishing industry, local fishing communities and the general public alike. Issue Paper: The Role of Corruption in Trafficking in Persons (2011) English This paper seeks to outline patterns of corruption in trafficking in persons; provide a description of relevant international legal instruments, and outline some practical guidance on what can be done to address the issue of corruption in human trafficking. In an attempt to keep its scope within reasonable limits, the paper focuses mostly on corruption of public officials, and in particular, of law enforcement and criminal justice actors. Issue Paper: A Short Introduction to Migrant Smuggling (2010) English This Issue Paper offers a brief overview of the crime of migrant smuggling. It explains aspects of the crime as defined in the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air (Smuggling of Migrants Protocol) supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. The paper also explores how the crime of migrant smuggling is committed, the roles played by individual criminal actors in the process ,and explains the difference between migrant smuggling and the distinct but related crime of human trafficking. Issue Paper: Migrant Smuggling by Air (2010) English This Issue Paper is the result of an expert group meeting held in Vienna in December 2009, which brought together expert practitioners from all over the world. This Issue Paper explores the particular modus operandi of smuggling migrants by air and touches upon the various challenges involved in addressing this issue. The paper also offers some recommendations about strengthening and coordinating response to this issue. For Fact-Sheets of the Global Migration Group, click here. Issue Paper: Organized Crime involvement in trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants (2010) English UNODC, through the Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy (IRCP) of the Ghent University in Belgium, carried out a study on the links between organized crime, trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants. The objective of this exercise was to provide insight into what is known on the involvement of organized crime in trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants cases. Developing appropriate criminal justice responses to combat trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants as forms of organized crime requires a knowledge-based response. Combating Trafficking in Persons in Accordance with the Principles of Islamic Law (2010) Arabic - English This paper addresses principles on the prohibition of exploitation and slavery in both International and Islamic law, as well as principles providing protection for its victims. The paper is targeted both at Islamic practitioners who want to learn more about combating human trafficking and also at anti-trafficking practitioners wanting to learn more about Islamic law. To read more about this paper, click here An Introduction to Human Trafficking: Vulnerability, Impact and Action English Impact of the economic crisis on trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling (2009) English Criminal Justice Responses to Human Trafficking (2008) English From Protection to Prosecution - A strategic approach (2008) English Supply management, Eliminating the Risks of Forced Labour and Trafficking (2008) English Human Trafficking for the Removal of Organs and Body Parts (2008) English The Role of the Media in Building Images (2008) English Profiling the Traffickers (2008) English Technology and Human Trafficking (2008) English The Role of Employers' Organizations, Businesses and Trade Unions in Combating Trafficking for Labour Exploitation (2008) English Corruption and Human Trafficking: The Grease that Facilitates the Crime (2008) English The Effectiveness of Legal Frameworks and Anti-Trafficking Legislation (2008) English Quantifying Human Trafficking: It's Impact and the Responses to it (2008) English Transnational Organized Crime: Impact from Source to Destination (2008) English Top of page Inter-agency Publications ICAT Issue Brief 08/2020 Non-Punishment of victims of trafficking ICAT: A Toolkit for Guidance in Designing and Evaluating Counter-Trafficking Programmes (2016) English This document builds on a discussion paper developed by the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons on the current state of evaluation practice in the field of trafficking in persons. It provides an accessible and easily employable set of tools that practitioners can use to put sectoral learning to work and improve their counter-trafficking programmes. These tools are intended to help strengthen programme design, inform planning for evaluation, and engender formative and summative learning. It is hoped that the wide use of such tools will lead to more effective programmes that, together with their evaluation, would contribute to further building the evidence base of "what works" to respond effectively to trafficking in persons. ICAT: Pivoting Toward the Evidence: Building Effective Counter-trafficking Responses Using Accumulated Knowledge and a Shared Approach to Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (2016) English In an effort to reflect more systematically on the state of evaluation in the sector and to develop a way forward, this paper seeks to construct a common framework for aligning goals, defining and assessing progress, and building a robust and shared evidence-base of effective anti-trafficking programmes and practices. It suggests a road map for capturing and using knowledge accumulated in the sector and beyond, guiding and growing effective interventions, monitoring their progress, evaluating their results and compiling evidence of "what works" in countering human trafficking. ICAT Issue Brief 01, 10/2016 English Russian What is the difference between trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants? ICAT: Providing Effective Remedies for Victims of Trafficking in Persons (2016) Arabic - French - English This ICAT issue paper argues that access to remedies for trafficking victims should be a core component of efforts to address human trafficking, and provides illustrative examples of effective remedies and limitations that currently exist in different jurisdictions. Effective access to remedies is important not only for victims' recovery but also for reaffirming their rights and preventing re-victimisation. The paper also looks at the right to effective remedies for victims of human trafficking under international law, the scope of applying effective remedies, the challenges to providing remedies to victims at the national level, and offers practical recommendations to improve access to remedies (including specific recommendations for law and policy-makers, as well as non-State actors) and to facilitate related international cooperation. ICAT: Preventing Trafficking in Persons by Addressing Demand (2014) English The Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT) published its second policy paper entitled Preventing trafficking in persons by addressing demand . The paper provides guidance to organizations and practitioners by mapping out the dimensions of demand as it relates specifically to trafficking in persons for labour exploitation, as well as by highlighting strategies that can be used to address it. The paper examines six main strategies to address demand in a trafficking in persons context, which are further detailed with concrete steps that can be taken by different actors to effectively reduce demand. GMG Thematic Paper on the Exploitation and Abuse of International Migrants, particularly those in an Irregular Situation - A Human Rights Approach (2013) English - French The thematic paper is a result of UNODC's chairmanship of the Global Migration Group, an inter-agency group bringing together UN and other international agencies on the issue of international migration. The preparation of the thematic paper was led by UNODC in consultation with experts from GMG member agencies. The objective of the thematic paper is to contribute to better conceptual and policy coherence in mounting a human rights response to the exploitation of migrants. The paper aims to fill the lack of harmonised understanding of the concept of exploitation, while promoting the principle that exploited migrants are entitled to protection and assistance, irrespective of their migration status, and in respect of their human rights. ICAT: The International Legal Frameworks concerning Trafficking in Persons (2012) English The first ICAT issue paper, titled the International Legal Frameworks concerning Trafficking in Persons, is first of a series of five ICAT issue papers to be published over the course of 2012 and 2013. The paper characterizes key related elements of the anti-trafficking response today, highlights assumed features that still require development and recommends a number of prioritized actions to bring to bear provisions and legal obligations from different bodies of law and legal instruments that are relevant to the task of preventing human trafficking, protecting victims, and prosecuting perpetrators. ICAT: The next decade: Promoting common priorities and greater coherence in the fight against human trafficking - An Overview Paper (2012) English The ICAT Working Group decided to publish a series of five issue papers over course of 2012 and 2013. Each issue paper will examine one key issue that has been identified and agreed by ICAT member organisations as a critical challenge to address for the international community to succeed in the fight against trafficking in persons in the coming decade. This document, launched in May 2012 in New York at an event hosted by ICAT and co-sponsored by the Mission of Sweden together with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), provides an introduction to each of the five key challenges identified. ICAT: An Analytical Review: 10 years on from the adoption of the UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol (2010) English In October 2010, the international community, in the fifth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols (CTOC/COP) commemorated the 10 year anniversary of the adoption of the Convention and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children by the United Nations General Assembly. The purpose of this document is to, first, provide an overview of the mandates of the member organizations of ICAT. Second, the document provides, from key agencies, an analytical review of where the international community now stands 10 years on from the adoption of the Trafficking Protocol. Finally, the document provides a view to the future with the proposal by particular agencies of concrete recommendations for future action. Top of page Strategy Documents UNODC Regional Strategy for Combating Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in West and Central Africa (2015-2020) English - French The purpose of this document is to present the response of the UNODC Regional Office for West and Central Africa (UNODC ROSEN) to the challenges facing the region in the areas of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants. It is the result of extensive consultation initiated by the Regional Office to ensure, on the one hand, the consistency of the Strategy with the initiatives of the relevant regional and national institutions and, on the other hand, the coordination and integration of the document with the initiatives developed by the UNODC headquarters and other relevant offices. Contribution to International Efforts to Address the Smuggling of Migrants across the Mediterranean: Summary of a Strategy for the Building of Capacity through an Integrated Response English The strategic approach offered in this document aims to initiate further discussions with relevant counterparts and donors to implement the priority actions they have been identified through regional and transregional processes in 2014-2015, and is fully in line with UNODC's mandates and on-going and planned activities. UNODC seeks to comprehensively address the smuggling of migrants through a strategic and integrated response encompassing five mutually reinforcing actions and making full use of UNODC's network of field operations in the Mediterranean region (with a focus on Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries, and South Eastern European countries), UNODC's partnerships with regional and international organizations, as well as the Office's extensive experience in countering the activities of transnational organized criminal networks, including through measures to address money laundering and corruption. Leaflets Menu of Services of the UNODC Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section on addressing Trafficking in Persons (2017) English Menu of Services of the UNODC Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section on addressing Smuggling of Migrants (2017) English Leaflet (pdf) about UNODC's Global Programmes against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (2011) English Leaflet (pdf) about Trafficking in Persons Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish Leaflet (pdf) about Human Trafficking Indicators Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish Leaflet (pdf) about Smuggling of Migrants Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish Leaflet (pdf) about UNODC's Global Programme Against Trafficking in Persons (2008) English Top of page Video and Audio To watch and listen to UNODC's multimedia material (training films, public service announcements, interviews, conferences...) about human trafficking, visit our human trafficking video and audio page. Top of page Kuwait and Oman are imposing more restrictive measures on flights to and from a number of countries, including Egypt, in the coming days in an attempt to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Omans civil aviation authority announced the suspension of all charter flights to Egypt for one month as of 8 March 2020. According to a circular issued on Saturday, the authority is obliging foreign residents in Oman to present a Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test certificate proving that they are coronavirus-free. All travellers to Oman will be placed in quarantine for 14 days, which is the estimated incubation period of the virus. "The flight suspension does not include regular scheduled flights between Egypt and Muscat International Airport through Oman Air, Salam Air, and EgyptAir," the Omani civil aviation clarified. Meanwhile, Kuwait has suspended all flights to and from Egypt, the Philippines, Syria, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India for one week starting Saturday. Travellers from any of the seven counties are allowed to enter Kuwait provided that they had been residing in non-epidemic-stricken countries for the last 14 days, Kuwait's civil aviation directorate said. The virus has infected 16 people in Oman so far, and more than 58 in Kuwait. The fast-spreading virus, which first appeared in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December, has prompted many airlines around the world to impose flight restrictions, especially to China, in an effort to contain the epidemic. Earlier this month, Egypt announced it was suspending its daily flights to Kuwait "until further notice," a few days after banning the entry of all Qatari nationals starting 6 March. Two weeks ago, Egypt reduced its flights to and from Beijing and Guangzhou to only one trip a week. On Saturday, Egypt reported 33 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number in the country to 48 cases. The virus has killed over 3,000 people so far, mostly in China, and has infected more than 101,000 others, according to the latest updates from the World Health Organisation. Search Keywords: Short link: LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) Two people are behind bars and one person is dead after a stabbing in Lafayette Saturday night. Lafayette Police responded to call at 9:08 p.m. about a stabbing at a home located on N. 7th St near the corner of Cincinnati St. Officers learned Donald Alkire, 29, was stabbed in the neck. Emergency personnel brought him the Franciscan Health ER, where he died from his injuries. Through investigation, police arrested Floyd Smith, 32 (left) and Joseph Wilkerson, 25 (right) for murder. Sherri Tankersley tells us the home operated as a weekly rental living space. She's the building owner of the home where the stabbing happened. She said Alkire lived on the third floor and she and her family live on the bottom floor. Tankersley didn't recognize the two suspects but she's known Alkire since he was little. Before the stabbing, she heard a loud commotion upstairs and thought it was a break-in. She's now left remembering the moment before he was taken to the hospital. "I had my husband go up and see what was going on and he had found out that he had been hurt and he was still coherent at that time and we went to tend to him and he squeezed my hand and then they carried him out," said Tankersley. She said it's frightening to know her family friend was stabbed in the same home they share. "It's scary, you know, you don't expect stuff like that to happen," said Tankersley. "We have a secured lock on the door, somebody left it open, they got in, they went up they did their thing and now he's gone." Police are investigating what led up to the stabbing taking place. A bubbly 4-year-old girl from Iowa who nearly died of complications from the flu is now doing better, according to reports. Jade DeLucia had gotten sick before Christmas and was hospitalized for weeks in the intensive care unit at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. Doctors had worried the blindness that she developed, which was caused from a flu complication, could have been permanent. Jade had not received a flu shot because she had gotten one in March 2019 and her mother didn't realize she would need another one for this flu season, according to reports. She was discharged from the hospital in January but still couldn't see. But after several weeks, she began to regain her sight. "She was following people around, she was giving high fives, and it was awesome," Amanda Phillips, Jade's mom, told KCRG-TV. "It was so cool she was able to see again. It was the best thing." After spending the holidays last year in the hospital, the family said they're looking forward to a memorable holiday this Christmas. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday that the flu has killed 136 children so far this season. It's one of the largest number of child flu deaths ever reported for this time of the year since reporting began in the 2004-05 season. Only the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic was deadlier for children. Hyderabad: A man, accused of the 'honour-killing' of his son-in-law who was a Dalit Christian in Telangana's Nalgonda district in September 2018, allegedly committed suicide at a lodge here, police said on Sunday. Maruti Rao, aged around 53, into real estate and other businesses, was found dead in his room in the morning, they said. Based on the preliminary investigation, the police said Rao allegedly committed suicide by consuming insecticide. "He (Rao) had checked into a room in the lodge on Saturday night and the next morning when there was no response from him, the staff of the lodge broke open the room door and found him lying dead on the cot," police said. A suicide note purportedly written by him was found in the room in which he apologised to his wife and daughter, the police said. A case of suicide has been registered and further investigations were on. In September 2018, Maruti Rao, was among the seven accused, including two men acquitted in the murder of former Gujarat home minister Haren Pandya, were arrested in connection with the killing of the 23-year-old Dalit Christian man, who had married an upper caste woman (Rao's daughter) at Miryalguda in Nalgonda district. Rao's daughter had accused her father, along with her uncle, of being behind her husband's murder in what turned out to be a case of contract killing for Rs one crore, police had earlier said. Rao, opposed to the marriage of his daughter, conspired with other accused to eliminate Kumar and also paid an advance of Rs 15 lakh, police said. The mans killing on September 14, 2018 had sparked off outrage in the state. CCTV footage of the incident showed the man walking out of a hospital in Miryalguda with his pregnant wife (Raos daughter) when the assailant attacked him with a machete from behind, killing him instantaneously, police had said. A man has been arrested over the deaths of a married couple whose decomposing bodies were found dumped in a Florida swamp, amid allegations he had fallen out with the pair over a $30,000 debt. Todd Michael Jackson, 34, was arrested Saturday and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, according to police officials. The bodies of Raymond Mark Cline, 33, and Crystal Ann Cline, 37, were found Friday in a wooded area behind their home near Haines City, Florida by Polk County officials. Officials say the couple had been shot, and their bodies left for some time. Todd Michael Jackson was arrested Saturday and charged with two counts of first-degree murder Jackson was arrested near his home in Lakeland, 30 miles away. Police also arrested Amberlyn Nicole Nichols, 19, and Larry James Waters, Jr., 19, on charges of accessory after the fact and failing to report a death. Nichols received an additional charge of dealing in stolen property. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said his department began investigating after receiving tips about a woman living in Haines City who was trying to sell a truck for just $200. One tipster told authorities that Nichols said she was getting rid of the truck because she didn't need it anymore. 'Well, do you know why the owner didn't need the truck any longer,' Judd asked during a press conference. 'Because he was dead. He was murdered.' Judd added: 'And she was actually telling people that the victim had been shot in the head and was dead and they needed to get rid of his truck.' Amberlyn Nicole Nichols (left) and Larry James Waters, Jr. (right) were arrested on charges of accessory after the fact and failing to report a death Investigators eventually caught up with Nichols, who reportedly claimed to be the murder suspect Jackson's stepdaughter. Police say Nichols led officers to the swampy wooded area behind the Cline's home where the couple's decomposed bodies were found. According to authorities, Nichols claimed Jackson and Raymond Cline were friends who fell out over money a $30,000 debt. According to Police, Nichols alleged that Jackson broke into the Cline's home and shot the couple to death while they were sleeping. Nichols said she then received a call from Jackson, who needed her and her boyfriend, Larry 'L.J.' Waters Jr. to come the Cline's house to clean up the scene and dispose of the couple's body. Raymond Mark Cline, 33, and Crystal Ann Cline, 37, were found Friday in a wooded area behind their home near Haines City, Florida Jackson allegedly removed a small air conditioning unit from the Cline's bedroom to push their bodies through the hole it left onto the lawn, Nichols told Judd. Raymond and Crystal's bodies were found two weeks later. 'It appeared that they had been shot and their bodies dumped in the swampy area,' authorities said. Nichols, who told police she normally lived in a tent, periodically stayed in the Cline's empty house, police say. Jackson is scheduled to appear in court Monday. A man was booked in Arunachal Pradesh's East Siang District for posting misleading information on social media regarding coronavirus, officials said on Sunday. A case was lodged against Subu Kena Tsering based on a complaint filed by district medical officer Kaling Dai on Friday at Pasighat police station, they said. Tsering posted in a Facebook group that coronavirus has reached Pasighat and two patients have been referred to Dibrugarh in Assam, officials said. He is yet to be arrested, they said. The virus that first emerged in China in December last year has spread to 97 countries and has infected 102,180 people, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker. More than 3,500 people have been killed due to the virus so far. Also Read: SBI sets Rs 10,000 crore boundary for Yes Bank investment: Chairman Rajnish Kumar Also Read: YES Bank crisis: How SBI executed a perfect 'rescue plan' Its an artifact-light exhibit, but there is one item that is a favorite of the curatorial staff: a small embroidered purse with a handwritten gift tag. Its one of several Christmas presents bought by Naomi Whitehead Ellis Ford, an expectant mother, in the fall of 1918. She died a few weeks later, and the gifts remained packed away for decades. In a sense, Dr. Boyd said, what were trying to do is a little bit of a memorial so these people are not forgotten. Interactive maps, a high-tech departure from the museums usual displays, help visitors see the effect of the flu by overlaying data culled from death certificates onto maps. One tracks the flu over time, dotting city blocks with deaths until all of Philadelphia is a heat map of infection. Neighborhoods can be explored on a micro level so visitors can see who might have died on a block, a feature that was made possible because of the work of Nicholas Bonneau, who led the research for the exhibition, and his team of volunteers and students, who sifted through and transcribed tens of thousands of death certificates. After two years, they had 17,500 documented flu deaths most likely fewer than there actually were because of mistakes on death certificates and a community overwhelmed by trauma. While some deaths were harder to map because of development, in a city as historic as Philadelphia, its entirely likely Philadelphians could discover that someone died of the flu in their home. (George Keichline, a 47-year-old upholsterer, died at my address.) Kathleen McGivney, a New York City-based tech consultant and avid watch collector, has a theory about why watch collecting like carpentry, construction and truck driving continues to be dominated by men. There are dive watches, dress watches, watches inspired by automotive things and pilots watches, but then theres a category called womens, she said. Women are not a monolithic she-mystery that all want the same thing. I think the industry misses that. There are signs, however, that the situation is changing. At the popular watch website Hodinkee, the percentage of readers who identified as female in 2015 was 2 percent; now, its 15 percent, said Cara Barrett, manager for social media and special projects. To help shed light on what women want in a watch, The New York Times spoke to six female collectors including Ms. McGivney about the way they discovered their love of timepieces, which brands and styles are particularly appealing, and what it is like to be a woman in the traditionally masculine watch world. Using a different alias the next year, the same undercover operative infiltrated the congressional campaign of Abigail Spanberger, then a former CIA officer who went on to win an important House seat in Virginia as a Democrat. The campaign discovered the operative and fired her. Both operations were run by Project Veritas, a conservative group that has gained attention using hidden cameras and microphones for sting operations on news organizations, Democratic politicians and liberal advocacy groups. Seddons role in the teachers union operation detailed in internal Project Veritas emails that have emerged from the discovery process of a court battle between the group and the union has not previously been reported, nor has Princes role in recruiting Seddon for the groups activities. Italy's prime minister announced a sweeping coronavirus quarantine early Sunday, imposing restrictions on the movement of about a quarter of the country's population in a bid to contain a widening outbreak. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree after midnight that imposes restrictions to the movement of people in the region of Lombardy and in at least 15 provinces, home to more than 16 million people. The measures will be in place until April 3. "For Lombardy and for the other northern provinces that I have listed there will be a ban for everybody to move in and out of these territories and also within the same territory," Conte said. "Exceptions will be allowed only for proven professional needs, exceptional cases and health issues." Around the world, more and more countries were bracing for a big increase in virus cases. Western countries have been increasingly imitating China where the virus first emerged late last year, and which has suffered the vast majority of infections by imposing travel controls and shutting down public events. After the city of Venice canceled its cherished Carnival and governments warned citizens against travel to Italy, the epicenter of Europe's outbreak, the country is facing a possible recession. Hotel occupancy rates in the lagoon city are down to 1%-2%. "The surface of the Grand Canal is like glass because the boats that transport merchandise are not there. On the vaporetti (water buses), there are only five or six people," Stefania Stea, vice president of the Venice hoteliers association, said. Italy on Saturday saw its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases since the outbreak began in the north of the country on Feb. 21. In its daily update, Italy's civil protection agency said the number of people with the coronavirus rose by 1,247 in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 5,883. Another 36 people also died as a result of the virus, taking the total to 233. There was chaos and confusion in the northern Italian city of Padua in the Veneto region as word spread late Saturday evening that the government was planning to announce the quarantine. Packed bars and restaurants quickly emptied out as many people rushed to the train station in Padua. Travelers with suitcases, wearing face masks, gloves and carrying bottles of sanitizing gel shoved their way on to trains. Before Conte signed the quarantine decree, Stefano Bonaccini, president of the Emilia Romagna region, said parts of the decree we're confusing, and he asked the premier for more time to come up with solutions that were more "coherent." Workers disinfect the shrine of the Shiite Saint Imam Abdulazim to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Shahr-e-Ray, south of Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March, 7, 2020. AP South Korea is reviewing a plan to send a chartered flight to Iran to bring its citizens home from the coronavirus-hit Islamic country this week, government officials said Sunday. The number of Iran's COVID-19 cases has reportedly risen to 5,823 with 145 deaths as of Saturday, raising concerns about the safety of Koreans in the country suffering a shortage of medicine and medical equipment. It marks the third most coronavirus infections in the world, following China and South Korea. "The South Korean Embassy in Iran is carrying out a survey on people there over whether they are willing to get aboard a chartered flight," an official from the foreign ministry here said. The Senates top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, is no ones idea of a bland politico. Hes so quick-firing and showy, theres a standing joke about him: The most dangerous place in Washington is between the New York Democrat and a camera. That love of attention is no excuse for his outrageous remarks aimed at two Trump appointees on the Supreme Court. The senators not-so-veiled threats are digging Washingtons chasm-deep political trenches ever further and inviting public disrespect for the courts. Schumer took off at Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh on the eve of an abortion-case hearing, warning the pair that you will pay the price and you wont know what hit you if they rule against reproductive rights. He poured incendiary words into a boiling topic and singled out the two newest high court judges, whose confirmation hearings were a free-fire zone around the their doctrinaire conservative views. Quick as a flash, Chief Justice John Roberts blasted Schumer right back. Threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous, Roberts said. The Democratic minority leader at first stood by his words and then pulled them back, explaining he was making a rhetorical point about how furious abortion rights supporters are about the pending case. The reviews of his performance werent kind, even from his allies. Democrats such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were relieved he backed off. The damage is still done. The courts image is getting pummeled from the Democratic side after President Trump has spent three years doing the same from his vantage point. Trumps earlier remarks about Obama judges thwarting his goals drew a deserved condemnation from Roberts. Trump did it again two weeks ago when he retweeted a message that two liberal Supreme Court judges, Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, were biased and suggested they recuse themselves from cases involving his administration. It was a thought so stunning and incomprehensible that it deserved rebuke, but it was soon washed away by other news. Roberts didnt comment. The Supreme Court has never been and shouldnt be immune from political winds. Its momentous decisions, the leanings of the nine-member panel, and social issues that flavor each case are all worthy of debate and study. Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, Roberts said after Schumers reckless talk. Past presidents, both Republican and Democrat, have objected to court rulings or signaled their wishes in advance of a decision. Choosing nominees is a closely held presidential power, and Trump cites his conservative appointments to all levels of the judiciary as a major achievement. Schumers frustration and anger no doubt stem from his inability to stop the White House and its successful bid to give the court a conservative slant. Hed never be wrong to stand on principle and object to a court move or let his thoughts be known as a case heads for a final decision. But in this case, its a question of degree at a level that invites unpredictable trouble. Much of the rising temperature is created by a bullying, heedless president. But that doesnt excuse a counterattack from a partisan flame thrower like Schumer. In the middle is Roberts, who plainly wants to insulate his institution from Washington warfare, as difficult as that sounds. If thats his goal, Roberts should speak up often and forcefully. The risk is hell look partisan and defensive, getting drawn into too many Beltway dust-ups. But the courts need defending, not only for their independence but for the publics confidence and respect. A runaway president and irresponsible Senate leader should not be tolerated. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. Nearly 31,000 people signed up to attend Donald Trumps recent campaign rally in North Charleston, S.C. It didnt matter that less than half of them showed up. The Trump campaign kept every one of their names and plans to spend the next eight months urging them to help the presidents reelection efforts knocking on doors, donating a few dollars, attending a meetup and, most importantly, voting on Election Day. In total, the campaign has identified more than 1.4 million potential voters from their events since Inauguration Day 2017, primarily the raucous Make America Great Again rallies. But most importantly, the campaign says that dataset includes thousands of people who have failed to cast a ballot in recent years, people who aren't traditional Republican voters, even people who say they are Democrats. Nearly 10 percent of those registered, for example, had not voted in at least three of the last four elections while up to a quarter are Democrats, the campaign claims. It might seem like a small slice of the overall electorate, but in a 2020 race that is likely to be decided in the margins, the Trump campaign thinks it can succeed by mobilizing a few new voters and converting small pockets of traditionally Democratic voters. In the last campaign, we didnt have the ability to collect the data from people showing up at the events. It was just too hard, took too much time and we had to prioritize, with limited resources, what we could do, a senior campaign official said. Now, we are not only able to collect the data, were able to have people phonebank, were able to train people how to volunteer. These are people who want to engage. Democrats question how novel or effective the Trump campaigns data strategy really is. They argue the plan simply mirrors what every campaign does and flatly dispute the high estimates of Democrats attending Trump rallies. And they insist Democrats are actually more poised to turn out new voters or flip Republicans, given Trumps high unfavorability ratings and the fact that the majority of non-voters in 2016 at least lean Democratic. Story continues Indeed, all presidential campaigns acquire valuable lists of voters from the national parties, previous campaigns or public voting rolls. The Trump campaign is no different, obtaining a list of 200 million voter files from the Republican National Committee. But by compiling names from Trumps enormously popular rallies, his campaign says it's able to appeal to potential supporters in a way other campaigns haven't done. One Republican digital strategist simply dubbed Trumps additional names hidden voters, because they cant be identified by other candidates from traditional voter lists. Everyone generally has access to the same data, the person said. But these people are showing up and the other side cant see them. Theyre new voters that are secret. Brad Parscale, the Republican digital strategist turned Trump campaign manager, has started tweeting select statistics from rally ticket requests with brief comments, such as mind boggling, and data gold. Supporters of President Donald Trump listen as he speaks during a campaign rally in Charlotte, N.C., on March 2, 2020. The Trump campaign is spending millions of dollars to hoover up personal data from potential supporters through digital ads, texts and attendance lists in the hopes of determining critical details like a persons political registration and voting history. Armed with these estimates, the campaign creates specific political messages, tailoring everything down to the color of the ad, for these people. It even had plans to launch an all-in-one smartphone app last year to help turn passive supporters into activists by letting them sign up for a rally, canvas a neighborhood, maybe even register to vote. The app has failed to materialize, though. All of these methods are designed to help fulfill an ambitious goal of recruiting two million volunteers, holding 25,000 MAGA house party meetups and training 90,000 people to assist field staffers as they try to contact 24 million voters, primarily through knocking on doors. Democratic strategist Doug Thornell said Trump is building on what previous candidates, including former President Barack Obama, have been doing for years. The difference is there are now more social media tools to reach potential voters. Every campaign is always looking to turn infrequent voters into frequent voters, he said. Theres some evidence of this on both sides of the aisle. But Thornell said Democrats actually have more opportunities than Republicans this year to reel in those who sat out last time, citing a Pew Research Center study that examined the 40 percent of eligible voters who didnt cast a ballot in 2016. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents comprised 55 percent of those non-voters while 41 percent of the non-voters were Republicans and Republican leaners, the 2018 study showed. Democrats have a lot of voters they can pursue who have become disenchanted and need a reason to turn out and are waiting to be communicated with, he said. Trump filed for reelection on Inauguration Day earlier than any incumbent presidential candidate in modern history allowing him to immediately raise money, hire staff, air TV ads and start collecting data. He also never stopped the campaign-style rallies where his staff collects information. Trump relies on his rallies almost exclusively to campaign, unlike other candidates who engage in small stops at diners, bus tours and hefty policy speeches. He has held nearly 100 rallies since he was sworn into office, most with thousands attending or watching outside on multiple jumbo screens and even more RSVPing but not showing up. The campaign has turned the rallies into multi-day events. Organizers have started to add music and food trucks outside the venues, where attendees wait for hours, sometimes days. High-profile surrogates, including Vice President Mike Pence and Trumps son, Donald Trump Jr ., host other activities in the area. The rallies themselves dominate the local news beforehand and are featured in local TV ads afterward. GOP digital strategist Rory McShane argued that Trump is able to garner potential new voters because his appeal unlike most popular Republican or Democratic presidential candidates is often outside the traditional party structure. About 126,000 of the 1.4 million names collected at rallies come from people who have not voted in the last four elections, according to the Trump campaign. Another 168,000 did not vote in three of the last four elections, the campaign estimated. Michael Steel, a Republican strategist and onetime aide to former House Speaker John Boehner, said the president has managed to attract some Republicans who were skeptical of him in 2016 but now have come to approve of his agenda, including the 2017 tax cut overhaul, his nominations of conservative judges and cuts of government regulations. Some aides have pushed the president to tone down his rhetoric at rallies to attempt to appeal to moderate voters, primarily the suburban women who voted for Trump in 2016 but flipped Democratic in 2018. But Trump has yet to heed such advice, frequently careening from one topic to another, including building a southern border wall , draining the swamp and locking up his 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton. Trump aides say its a common misconception that Trump is only speaking to his supporters though he frequently holds rallies in states he won in 2016 insisting huge numbers of Democrats attend his rallies or at least to sign up for them. According to campaign estimates, more than 26 percent of the 158,632 who requested tickets to see Trump rally with party-switching Rep. Jeff Van Drew were Democrats. And it estimated that more than 25 percent of RSVPs for a February rally in New Hampshire were Democrats. At a Phoenix rally that same month, the campaign estimated that 18 percent of registrants were Democrats. Some Democrats are wary of those numbers, insisting they must include Democrats who have been voting Republican for years, because polls have consistently shown Trump polling abysmally among Democrats. "The percent of Democrats who approve of Donald Trump hovers around the margin of error of zero because he's not done one thing in four years to win over any Hillary Clinton voters, said Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson, who worked for Clinton. Claiming that one-out-of-five of his rally attendees are Democrats is like claiming he has the largest inauguration crowd in history. Period." The Trump campaign now boasts that its list of voters has increased nearly 200 percent from 2016 to 2020, which aides say they hope to use to drive voter turnout. Data, data, data. We are a data driven campaign, a second senior campaign official said. It lets us understand who our Trump supporters are and who are our voters. Federal Industry, Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews has warned significant numbers of young Australian women could be unemployable if they do not acquire science and maths skills, adding parents need to be encouraging their daughters to stick with their STEM studies. Ahead of a report on women's participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) on Sunday, Ms Andrews pointed to the low take-up of STEM study at university coupled with high demand for these skills in the workforce. She stressed 75 per cent of the jobs in the fastest-growing industries need STEM skills. Industry, Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews warns large numbers of young women and girls will find it hard to get a job if they don't have STEM skills. Credit:AAP "This International Women's Day we are faced with an alarming prospect that a large number of our young girls and women could be unemployable," Ms Andrews, a qualified mechanical engineer, told The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age. The new STEM "equity monitor" shows in 2019, 27 per cent of high school-aged girls aspired to a STEM-related career, compared to 42 per cent of boys. It also shows only 9 per cent of women in higher education (both university and vocational) were studying STEM in 2018, compared to 35 per cent of men. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 21:20:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers are working on developing a vaccine to deal with the novel coronavirus, Bar Ilan University (BIU) in central Israel said in a statement published Sunday. It said BIU scientists are developing a system of harmless viruses, containing various components such as the coronavirus envelope protein, to test their response to substances and the efficacy of vaccines against the virus. The research is carried out in collaboration with a Swedish pharmaceutical company that manufactures vaccines. The scientists explained that for safety reasons, their lab does not work on the entire coronavirus but a different virus containing parts of the virus. "In the past two months, articles have been published that detail the complete genome sequence of the coronavirus, so today, we can use this information to produce a system based on parts of the virus", the researchers added. Besides the vaccine development, the BIU research also contributes to understanding factors that inhibit infection. The system simulating coronavirus can infect lung cells susceptible to the virus and examine the response to new drugs and the effectiveness of drugs that have already been used against other strains of the virus. On the occasion of International Women's Day, Islamabad High Court has given a brilliant decision. The court has rejected the petition to ban the proposed women's protest on 8 March. Describing the petition as justified, the court said that it is a fundamental right of people to gather anywhere. The court also expected that people should join this protest (procession) while staying within the purview of the law. OIC wishes for solution to Kashmir dispute According to Pakistani media, the High Court Chief Justice Athar Minlah said that this is a better chance for those who participated in this march to respond to those who misunderstand their intention. The judge said that if anything happens against the law during this march, legal action will definitely be taken. Britain princess Shamsa got missing, investigation underway This week Lahore High Court, while disposing of the petition filed against the proposed woman march, had asked the district administration of Lahore to take an early decision on the application to approve the protest. It is noteworthy that for the first time in 2018, a women's protest was taken out in Pakistan. It brings out a women's organization called 'Hum Ladies'. Its purpose is to give fundamental rights to women in every field. However, fundamentalists have been opposing this march since the beginning. Last year, its organizers and participants also received threats. Kuwait withdrew from compulsory medical certificate for Indians due to corona Luxor, Egypt A cruise ship on Egypt's Nile River with over 150 tourists and local crew was in quarantine Saturday in the southern city of Luxor, as 45 people on board tested positive for the new coronavirus, authorities said. A Taiwanese-American tourist who had previously been on the same ship tested positive when she returned to Taiwan, the World Health Organization informed Egyptian authorities, who then tested everyone on the ship. Health authorities first found that a dozen of the ship's Egyptian crew members had contracted the virus, and said they did not show symptoms, according to a statement from Egypt's Health Ministry and the WHO on Friday. Later Saturday, Health Minister Hala Zayed said 33 others tested positive for the virus. Qatar Petroleum said that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Norway-based mineral fertiliser giant Yaras 25 per cent stake in Qatar Fertiliser Company (Qafco) for $1 billion, marking the conclusion of a long-standing partnership. Since its establishment as a joint venture company in 1969, Qafco has become the worlds largest single-site urea producer, representing a significant percentage of the worlds traded urea volumes, a Qatar Petroleum statement said. Prior to this transaction, Qafco was owned by Industries Qatar with a 75 per cent share and Yara of Norway with a 25 per cent share. Commenting on this acquisition, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs and the president and CEO of Qatar Petroleum, said: We are delighted to have signed this agreement with Yara which will increase our effective share in Qafco. This is another example of Qatar Petroleums successful implementation of its strategy of capacity and capability building and contributing to the robustness and development of the nations oil and gas industry. I would like to thank Yara for their partnership and sincere efforts in supporting Qafco over the past half century. TradeArabia News Service The bus in which the Italian passengers had travelled to Rajasthan and Agra was disinfected by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel at the Chhawla camp here on Sunday. Earlier, 14 Italians and 1 Indian (driver) form the same group had tested positive for the virus. As of now, at least 39 positive confirmed cases of novel coronavirus have been detected in India. This includes a sizable number of Italian nationals. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today ordered that all DTC and cluster buses, Metros and hospitals be disinfected on a daily basis. The disease has caused the deaths of over 3300 people globally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 15:14:06|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NEW DELHI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday saluted the spirit of "Women Power" on the occasion of International Women's Day. He also handed over his Twitter handle to women for the day to share their respective success stories. "Greetings on International Women's Day! We salute the spirit and accomplishments of our Nari Shakti (Women Power). As I had said a few days ago, I am signing off. Through the day, seven women achievers will share their life journeys and perhaps interact with you through my social media accounts," the prime minister tweeted. Modi had expressed plans to give up social media on March 8. "This Sunday, thinking of giving up my social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. Will keep you all posted," he had tweeted on March 2. In wake of coronavirus outbreak, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday there was no need for the healthy to wear masks, but asked people to wash their hands with soap frequently. His comments came amid surge in demand for masks and hand sanitizers in the market after three confirmed Covid-19 cases were reported in Delhi. "If a healthy person wears a mask, there are circumstances when one might use their hands to adjust the mask. In such case, you are putting yourself at the risk of getting infected and get exposed," the chief minister said at a press conference in reply to a question. Elaborating on the matter, Dr Nutan Mundeja, the director of Delhi Government Employees Health Scheme, said Covid-19 symptoms include cough, fever and cold and asserted that if a healthy person wears a mask, it gives them a false sense of security. "Everyone should cover their mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing so that no droplets reach other person's eyes, nose or mouth," she said. "A healthy person is advised not to wear a mask because by doing that, he or she is pre-disposing themselves to chances of infection. It is the social responsibility of all to advise others to wear masks if they are suffering from respiratory diseases," Dr Mundeja said. NCDC Director Dr Sujeet Kumar Singh, suggested people to not wear masks unless required as it gives a false sense of security to the people, and also builds a false narrative in front of the other people, that the person wearing a mask might be infected. Only those who have travelled from foreign countries or have been diagnosed with the virus or are suffering from cold, must wear masks as advised by the doctor, he said, adding N95 masks are required to be worn by healthcare workers who are collecting samples for testing in the labs, and doctors who are examining the patients. "In case you are suffering from cold or cold, or have symptoms, then you must wear mask," Dr Singh said. He also urged people to avoid public transport in case anyone is going to submit their samples if they detect any such symptoms. The doctors appealed people to wash their hands frequently, use a tissue in case they sneeze or cough to avoid transmission of the virus and not touch unwanted surfaces in public areas. Delhi has recorded three positive cases of coronavirus -- a 45-year-old man from Mayur Vihar, the Paytm employee who works in Gurgaon and lives in west Delhi and another man from west Delhi with a travel history to Thailand and Malaysia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia has made impossible any opposition activity, persecuting people for any form of dissent in Crimea. The Russian Federation has fully destroyed political rights in Crimea over the years of occupation, says international rights watchdog Freedom House. "In the new annual report Freedom in the World, it is noted that the Russian occupation authorities have made impossible any opposition activity, persecuting people for any form of dissent in Crimea, which was rated at 8/100 for freedom of speech, put on the 12th spot from the bottom among all accessed states and territories," Freedom House Ukraine wrote on Facebook. In addition, Crimea, recognized as a "not free" territory, is in TOP 3 among states and territories with the worst indicator of political rights. "The occupation government severely restricts political and civil rights, silences independent media and applies anti-terror and other laws against political dissidents. Many Ukrainians were deported or otherwise forced to leave Crimea. Members of the indigenous Crimean Tatar minority, many of whom continue to openly oppose Russian occupation, have been brutally repressed by the authorities," the report says Freedom House. Ukraine in the Freedom House rating received 62 points of 100 possible and was recognized as partially free. C elebrities and climate activists are among hundreds who have marched down Whitehall for International Womens Day. There was a heavy emphasis on the growing climate crisis at this years event and the impact it is having on women in some of the poorest parts of the world. Marchers carried signs reading sisters not strangers, reject hate, reclaim politics and no climate justice without gender justice, while others sported the green, white and purple of the womens suffrage movement. Among those at the event were former Great British Bake Off presenter Sandy Toksvig and Game of Thrones actress Natalie Dormer. Natalie Dormer (second right) and others activists walk behind a banner / AFP via Getty Images Also in the crowd marching on Sunday was Helen Pankhurst, the great-granddaughter of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst. Speaking ahead of the event on Sunday, TV presenter and womens rights activist Toksvig said she was getting impatient at the slow rate of change in both achieving gender equality and tackling the climate crisis. TV presenter and womens rights activist Sandy Toksvig / PA She told the PA news agency: I celebrate International Womens Day every year but I dont see big movement. We need change and we need it now. We need change in terms of how we deal with the climate, we need change in terms of domestic violence, we need change in terms of education and health and Im getting more and more impatient. Of all those issues the most urgent is climate because this is something on which we must co-operate it is not something where a few men can decide we need slightly better cars to drive. Saying the climate crisis was a gendered thing, she added: Women are the ones who are going to suffer the most, the ones who are going to do the subsistence farming, they are the ones who when things get bad are the victims of domestic violence. "We absolutely need to look at the bigger picture on this and this is where the urgency comes from. We need men who are running the corporations to make massive changes and they need to make them today. Topless protesters block Waterloo Bridge / PA Helen Pankhurst, the great-granddaughter of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, said she hoped 2020 could be the tipping point that brings about real change. I feel right now this resistance is louder and noisier than it has been for a long time and it for me it feels like the fifth wave of feminism, you have this demand, you have this build up if an issue and then things happen, she said. Game of Thrones actress Dormer said she was also frustrated by the pace of change despite laws being in place to ensure equality. Game of Thrones actress Natalie Dormer / PA Citing the example of the gender pay gap, she said: It feels a nonsense to me that we are even having this debate in a country like Britain. Obviously different areas of the world develop at different times and women have to fight at different rates but for us, in a cosmopolitan country, it is absolutely ludicrous that this is not sorted. Also on the march was actor George MacKay, who recently appeared in the Oscar-nominated 1917. Raye and George MacKay during the #March4Women / Getty Images He said it felt like the film industry was finally starting to wake up to the lack of diversity and gender equality. Ive witnessed the change it is still a very male-dominated industry but Ive witnessed the change where there are more stories led by women, he said. Representation (on screen) is obviously very important but oftentimes you dont realise that behind the camera so much of it is led by women written by women, directed by women. He said men in the industry were often oblivious to the fact there were no women in the room. You get used to what you know, especially for me, my blindness has been that I havent questioned anything because to be frank its worked for me, he said. Ive always seen myself represented and Ive never questioned why I havent walked into a room and felt compromised. He added: I think sometimes you know what you know and I think it takes something to make you question it. Jeremy Corbyn at the march in London / Getty Images Earlier on, protesters from the Extinction Rebellion protest staged a topless demonstration across Waterloo Bridge. A total of 31 women gathered on the bridge sometimes known as the Ladies Bridge in honour of the female construction workers who helped build it with the worlds climate rape, climate murder, climate abuse, climate inequality and climate justice written on their bodies. A spokeswoman for the group said: Its mainly women in poorer countries in the global south that are experiencing the increase in violence but this will be the reality for all women if the climate and ecological crisis continues to go unaddressed. We are here to raise the alarm about what is happening to our sisters around the world and to tell women in the UK the climate and ecological emergency is your issue it will affect you as a woman if we do not persuade our Government to take urgent action starting now. Drug Use and HIV People who use drugs have multiple vulnerabilities to HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis and other infectious diseases. More than 11 million people inject drugs 1.4 million are living with HIV 5.5 million are living with hepatitis C 1.2 million are living with both HIV and hepatitis C The WHO/ UNODC/UNAIDS Technical Guide to reduce HIV infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) sets out nine interventions proven effective in reducing HIV transmission among this population. Universal access to the comprehensive package of nine interventions is a priority. Of these nine, the first four have been identified as the most effective in reducing the spread of HIV: when delivered at scale the four can contain and reverse the upward trend of HIV epidemics among PWID. WHO has also recommended opioid overdose management with community distribution of naloxone for overdose prevention. Opioid overdose is both preventable and, if witnessed, treatable (Consolidated Guidelines on HIV Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment and Care for Key Populations, WHO 2016). A comprehensive package of interventions for the prevention, treatment and care of HIV among people who inject drugs Representational image Five members of a family have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Kerala, reports suggest. This takes the total number of positive COVID-19 cases in India to 39. All the five have been isolated in Pathnamathitta general hospital and are under observation. Their tests were confirmed on March 7 night. Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja said that while three of them had returned from Italy on February 29, two others were their relatives. Earlier, India's first three positive cases had been reported from Kerala. All the three patients, medical students from Wuhan, have been treated and discharged from hospitals. On March 7, three more persons had tested positive for coronavirus, as the government stepped up efforts to combat it with Prime Minister Narendra Modi directing officials to identify places for sufficient quarantine facilities and make provisions for critical care. Two of these persons were from Ladakh with travel history to Iran while the other was from Tamil Nadu who had visited Oman, the union health ministry said, adding all the patients are stable. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show (With inputs from PTI) Preparations for a potential coronavirus pandemic in Australia are shining a spotlight on the lack of surge capacity in our Australian medical workforce, and a workplace culture that has traditionally expected healthcare workers to battle on through illness. This weekend doctors leapt to defend Dr Chris Higgins, a Victorian general practitioner, who decided to care for patients last week after he returned from the US with a mild cold that had almost resolved itself by Monday morning. This doctor did not meet the guidelines for coronavirus screening at the time of his return from overseas. He later tested positive for the disease. I and my colleagues know why doctors are much less likely to take sick leave than other healthcare workers. This is a situation about which politicians and the general community are understandably not as well informed. Its because, despite our health services best efforts, there is often no sick leave cover available. If we take sick leave we feel we place an added and often extreme burden on our colleagues. Our patients waiting times in the emergency department might get longer. Their appointments and operations might be cancelled. We might be asked to arrange a shift swap or to pick up extra shifts to make up for our sick leave. We have absorbed the message that we are perceived as weak for not working through pain, nausea, dizziness and more. Our healthcare services operate at full capacity, if not above capacity, on most days. If doctors self-quarantined every time they have a cold then the healthcare system would look very different. Your browser does not support the audio element. Vietnam has two separate times of the year when it shows appreciation and support of women; International Womens Day which happens on March 8th and later again Vietnamese Womens Day on October 20th. Both events are marked with gifts, flowers, speeches and ceremonies; however, the key difference is the focus the international day highlights womens public roles, achievements and current status in the world. Vietnamese Womens Day is more about showing private and personal gratefulness for all that women bring into our lives. Last year when I wrote about International Womens Day, I noted some of the remarkable achievements made by women both nationally and around the world. This year Im looking at the theme, set by the United Nations womens group; "I am Generation Equality: Realizing Womens Rights, examining and creating new ways to address the difference between what has been promised by governments and society to create equality and the existence and reality of real improvements in womens lives. So whats it all about? The generation part represents the emerging next generation of women working towards equality around the world so this means training up, educating and mentoring younger activists in tackling issues, working with the authorities and creating projects to reduce poverty, access to education and training, and upgrading job and business skills. A good example might be a program among the ethnic women in the Vietnamese mountains, teaching health awareness, legal rights and the dangers of human trafficking, which is taught and led by the young tribal women themselves. The 'equality' part is about continuing to achieve better outcomes for women, particularly this year in the workplace and rural jobs on the land. As the United Nations Womens website explains; Today, not a single country can claim to have achieved gender equality. Multiple obstacles remain unchanged in law and in culture. As a result, women remain undervalued, they continue to work more, earn less, have fewer choices, and experience multiple forms of violence at home and in public spaces The Generation Equality campaign demands equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end to sexual harassment and all forms of violence against women and girls, health-care services that respond to their needs, and their equal participation in political life and decision-making in all areas of life. One example of empowerment is offered by the work of the Vietnam Womens Union, one of the major organizations in the country. During 2020, part of their goals includes helping women access financial support, credit and developing new products. However, as the projects unfolded it was realized that VWU staff lacked of knowledge of business planning, marketing, financial management, personnel etc so major training for the VWU staff greatly improved their ability to aid women in establishing their own businesses and to meet all the financial and legal requirements. Another promising project from the VWU is a national contest "Creative Women Entrepreneurs - Successful Connection," which aims to link women from poor areas, others with disabilities and ethnic minority women with training, funding and work spaces for new start-up businesses. This is also at production in agricultural and scientific/industrial start-ups which will seek to introduce investors to producers. One point that did catch my eye during the research for this article was a simple sentence, Teach girls their worth. I guess at the heart of all these ideas to help women obtain equality is changing their internal concepts of their value to society. All too often women are taught to be obedient and submissive, that they should take second place to men in leadership roles and their ideas, and their creativity and abilities are not as good or important as a mans. This can be a real problem in Vietnam as many examples of men unwillingly to deal with the woman of a household or in business occur on a daily basis. Yet if we (all of us) can convince women to stand up more vocally and forcefully (with financial, moral and social support) and fight for their ideas, ambitions and dreams instead of acquiescing to traditional social status, the goals of gender equality can gradually become a part of a new world for all of us. Promisingly, the expansion of womens groups leading other women forward towards self-empowerment is growing; for example, female Vietnamese leaders training disaster preparation and planning how to protect their farms from flooding and sudden storms in rural areas. Other projects include helping rural women access technical training for textile and industrial jobs as more workplaces become automated and the demand for skilled workers increases rapidly, especially in central and southern Vietnam. This is being undertaken by a mix of local and foreign non-government organizations working together. The Vietnamese Womens Union continues to push for stronger laws to protect women in the workplace from harassment and discrimination and greater representation by women in decision-making at local and national government committees. Suggested legal improvements to be considered later this year by the National Congress include tougher laws and punishments regarding crimes against women and children and requiring private and state businesses to provide training and up-skilling for workers on low incomes. The struggle continues but change is happening slowly, yes but happening. The time will come within this century for women to show just how powerful and beneficial half of this planet is to the future of our world. Happy International Womens Day! Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked central agencies to keep a close watch on the activities of China along the border, especially its influence on the monasteries in the Indo-Himalayan belt, according to government officials familiar with the development. He has further directed agencies to collate census data of all border villages for the past five years using artificial intelligence and analytics to get a better understanding of demographic changes that are taking place, as well as the pattern of migration in the region. The directives, given by Modi during the director general/inspector general conference of the Intelligence Bureau between December 6 and 8, 2019, were recently sent to all the states and central agencies. HT has reviewed the directives. A central intelligence official, who asked not to be named, asserted that the PMs reference to Chinas influence in the Himalayan belt was a pre-emptive exercise to make sure the border areas and the monasteries in the mountain region were not ignored. The development comes against the backdrop of Chinas assertion that it alone can decide the successor to the 84-year-old Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile in India since 1959. The US and other nations have opposed Chinas efforts to decide the spiritual leaders successor. While Chinese officials have said the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must be approved by their government and the selection should take place in their country, the Dalai Lama says Beijings pick will not be trusted. He has said that his successor could also come from India. A national security expert Sameer Patil, fellow at the international security studies programme at Gateway House wrote in June 2018 that China has slowly been increasing its influence, focusing not just on the border but exploiting sectarian differences among the monasteries of Ladakh. Patil added that the region is the site of Indias frequent border face-offs with China. For 20 years, China has been quietly paying for the restoration of art and artifacts in Ladakhs many neglected border monasteries. Its beneficence has been focused especially on approximately 260 Drukpa-sect monasteries, which own significant and valuable relics of Ladakhi Buddhist art, revered by the locals, he wrote. Many of the monasteries are located on Indo-China border, where China is increasing its infrastructure and security presence. Patil, who also worked at the National Security Council from 2008 till 2013, told HT: I presume the decision to turn Ladakh into a Union Territory was taken to bring the region to the attention of policymakers in Delhi. I hope it yields results. The intelligence official cited above said agencies involved in gathering intelligence and securing the border already have adequate mechanism to monitor Chinese activities at border but following PMs directions, there will be further closer monitoring. Modi also asked that all the pending roads in the border areas be constructed and their quality should be such that permits landing of Indian Air Force (IAF) planes. Subsequently, he has asked that every IPS officer spend one night in a border village, covering 30 villages within a period of one month to understand the problems there and work required to be done. Farthest border villages to be covered in this manner. First hand information thus collated and be used for proper border management, the PM said at the police chiefs meet. He further asked that National Cadet Corps (NCC) units be created in the educational institutions in the border areas. By PTI AMARAVATI: The model code of conduct for polls to rural and urban local bodies in Andhra Pradesh may halt the YSR Congress government's ambitious 'Pedalandariki Illu' programme, under which 26.6 lakh house sites are proposed to be distributed on Telugu New Year Day on March 25. As the election process will continue till the end of the month, the model code will be in force till then. As per the MCC released by the State Election Commission on Saturday, "processing of beneficiary-oriented schemes, even if ongoing, should be stopped till completion of the elections." ALSO READ: Andhra Pradesh local body polls likely on March 21, 24, 27 "Any scheme that can influence the voters cannot be implemented as per the MCC," State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar said, when asked about the 'Pedalandariki Illu' (housing for the poor) programme. He, however, said it was for the district Collectors to interpret if the scheme came under the model code and take appropriate action. The state government announced the house site distribution programme several months ago but the civic polls have now come in the way. Though polling for mandal and zilla parishads and also urban local bodies will be complete before March 25, elections to over 12,000-gram panchayats will still be due as they are scheduled to be held on the March 27and 29. Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy originally planned to launch the programme in East Godavari district but it is unlikely to happen now. "Since the programme has been announced much earlier, we will request the SEC to grant permission," state Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy said. Another minister, however, maintained that the MCC would not apply to the house sites scheme as it was conceived long ago. "Identification of beneficiaries and draw of lots has also been completed across the state, so it can't be treated as a new scheme and we can go ahead with it," he pointed out. Athens: A fire broke out at a refugee centre on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece's firefighting service said on Sunday, causing considerable damage to a warehouse but no injuries. The burnt out refugee centre on the island of Lesbos, Greece. Credit:AP It was the second fire at an installation built for migrants, after a reception centre was burned down by unknown perpetrators last Monday. The warehouse, which contained furniture and electrical appliances, was completely destroyed, a firefighting spokesman told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, because an investigation into the fire is ongoing. The blaze at the refugee centre came amid a tense standoff between Turkey and the European Union over who is responsible for the millions of migrants and refugees on Turkish territory and the thousands who have massed recently at the Greek border. Thousands of migrants headed for Turkey's land border with EU member Greece after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government announced earlier this month that it would no longer prevent migrants and refugees from crossing over into EU countries. The Asset and Recovery panel set up by Bala Mohammed, Bauchi state governor, has found the two former governors of the state, Mallam Isa Yuguda, his successor, Mohammed Abubakar, and their associates, of looting the state treasury to the tune of over N1tr. The panel in its submission requested that the former governors and ally need to return some of the state properties. Read Also: Bauchi Governor, Bala Mohammed Awards N3.6bn Contract To Own Company According to Mr Lawal Ibrahim, a member of the panel who spoke with newsmen on Saturday, he revealed that some items have already been recovered from the immediate former governor of the state, Abubakar. As the committee was rounding off its activities, it received a whistleblower tip of items being carted away and transferred outside the state by the family of former Governor Abubakar. The committee visited the house of the former governor at Fadaman Mada and was able to recover only a few items like 105 Pasta making machines, 10 sewing machines, a carton of surgical hand gloves and several office furniture belonging to the Bauchi State Government. The committee had earlier recovered four tractors, a luxury bus and a house belonging to the state government which Abubakar sold to himself. The house is located opposite Government House adjacent Wikki Hotel. Wife of Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor, Bindu Kapoor, on Sunday, arrived at Enforcement Directorate's office here in Mumbai as her husband has been arrested by the probe agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED officials are likely to quiz Bindu in connection with the case. Rana Kapoor, who was taken to the ED office for questioning on Saturday, is scheduled to be produced before a Mumbai court later in the day. He left the ED office along with the officials of the central probe agency this morning.The agency had conducted raids at Kapoor's residence located at 'Samudra Mahal' residential tower in Mumbai on Friday and registered a case under the PMLA against him. On Thursday, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had said a moratorium has been imposed on Yes Bank, stressing that the bank's financial capability has undergone a steady decline largely due to the inability of the bank to raise capital. During the period of moratorium, the Yes Bank Ltd will not, without the permission in writing of the RBI, make in the aggregate, payment to a depositor of a sum exceeding Rs 50,000 lying to his credit in any savings, current or any other deposit account. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pixar has made viewers fall in love with toys, bugs, monsters, fish, cars and more. Now theyve created the most emotional pair of pants in cinema history. Onward is the touching story of elf brothers Ian (voice of Tom Holland) and Barley (voice of Chris Pratt) trying to bring their father back to life with magic. The spell only half works and they are stuck with his pants. Chris Pratt voices Barley | Disney/Pixar Writer/director Dan Scanlon and producer Kori Rae were at a press conference in Los Angeles on Feb. 14 discussing the making of Onward. It turns out they tried a lot of different options before settling on the pants. Onward is a personal movie for Dan Scanlon Scanlon created Onward as a way of dealing with the loss of his own father when he was a little boy. Much like the characters in the movie, my father passed away when I was about a year old and my brother was three. So as I can imagine, we dont remember him at all, but we always wondered who he was and how we were like him. That question became the seed of Onward which is what if you could meet him? What if you could have one day? What would you learn? What would you ask? Then we added elves and sprites to that story. Dan Scanlon, Onward press conference, 2/14/2020 Onward was a technological world before it was a magical one While brainstorming ways for the boys of Onward to bring back their father, magic wasnt the only option. L-R: Ian (Tom Holland), Barley (Chris Pratt) and half of their father | Disney/Pixar We considered a version where the boys were scientists who built a machine that brought dad back. Magic just felt more romanticized. Then, we didnt want to set it in an old timey fantasy world because its a very modern story. If these boys had all been in robes and their father was in robes, it just wouldve been ridiculous. So we thought lets do a modern one. Then they discussed which half of Dad they would animate Once the creators of Onward figured out how to bring Ian and Barleys dad back, they had another big decision to make. Which half of their father would return? Youd be amazed sitting in a story room with a group of ten or 12 people having a very serious conversation about that, Rae said. We tried it all. We thought maybe just a pair of shoes at first I think. Then there was one version of the story where it was like shoes and then it would get something else that would create a little bit more so that he kind of grew over the course of [the movie]. It was way more disturbing. The pants are the emotional core of Onward It may be funny that theres only a pair of pants in Onward, but those pants are still special to Ian and Barley. We also were thinking when you are someone who knows someone, every little piece you get is special, Scanlon said. Certainly with my dad, every little piece of information, every little object they owned and so the idea that the boys literally have a piece of their dad that is walking around, it felt funny but also it lined up with that idea. Tom Holland as the voice of Ian (right) | Disney/Pixar Holland raised an eyebrow though. I remember when you were pitching it though and youre like, And then theres only half of him, Holland recalled. I remember being like, okay. The pants would work in live-action too Before Onward got to animation, Pixar did a test for how pants could work on screen. Somewhere in the Pixar vaults is a test of live-action pants. Theres no plans on doing a live-action one, Scanlon assured. Although we did do tests of what it would look like with pants just walking around. We did green screen cloth over our faces and walked around with khaki pants on. I did think, Yeah, we could do this live action. Description Join The Mindful Connection of Long Island practitioners for our Grand Opening celebration on Sunday, March 8th from 12-2 at 1991 Smith Street in Merrick, Long Island. -Mingle with our wonderful practitioners and hear them speak. -We will be handing out free giveaways, raffle prizes, and coupons for our services! -We are an integrative psychology center creating a collaborative space for the nurturing of mind-body wellness. -We have psychologists and social workers with a variety of specialties, a mindfulness meditation instructor, a functional medicine doctor, acupuncturists, reiki, Chinese medicine and Qi gong practitioners each with their own practices, while available to collaborate as needed to help patients reach optimum wellness. -Come by and connect with us and bring your family and friends. We look forward to connecting with you! -Check out our website at TheMindfulConnectionLI.com and follow us on Instagram @TheMindfulConnectionLI and discover what makes us unique! -See you on March 8th! Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Snow showers this morning. Becoming sunny later. High 26F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 40%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low near 25F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. The state always offers a surprise. Anyone whos lived in the state more than five years has felt it directly. Theres a point where the state pulls back something thats been promised. Cities experience it, businesses experience it, non-profit enterprises experience it, taxpayers experience it. One of the recent recipients of this most frequent of state gifts was the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board and funding for officer training. A state law change in money allocation left the board about $5 million than it had last year. A bill to address the shortage is in progress. In the meantime, nine new Decatur police officers needed to be trained at the cost exceeding of $6,000 per officer. Just as a car needs immediate repairs or something in the home must be fixed now or cost more later, the city needed to take care of its officers fees. The surprise was a quick cost of $56,736 to the city, an amount the council OKd to spend on Monday. You can imagine that scenario playing out in municipalities all over the state. So while Illinois seems to benefit the taxpayers on one front, funding still socks the taxpayers in the pocket. The shortage is because of a drop in collected traffic fines. A law last year allowed judges to waive traffic fines in court, and the Sheriffs Association and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police cited that law in accounting for the drop, and theyve asked the General Assembly to replace the funding. Obviously, we want our officers trained as well as they can be, and they must meet legal requirements in training. The larger issue is the shell game regularly played with funding in Springfield, all under the heading of efficiency. Its just a fancy name for a game state officials have been playing far too long. And the losers this time around were places all over the state who were unexpectedly shorted of funds. Herald & Review, Decatur WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) Eleven-year-old Shayari Shanti is heading to Washington D.C. this summer to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. On Saturday morning, Shanti won the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee competition held at Faith Christian School in Lafayette. She competed against 38 students from schools in Tippecanoe and surrounding counties. Students ranged from fourth to eighth-graders. Shanti is a student at West Lafayette Intermediate School, she has been competing in her school spelling bee since the fourth grade. Shanti said she was not confident she would win but now she's looking forward to what the national competition has to offer. "Ever since I learned about the concept of a spelling bee, I've really wanted to go to the national," said Shanti. "So I'm really excited to finally do that and just get to experience everything and compete at such a huge level." Shanti said she equally enjoys the thrill of competition and the fun of spelling tough words. "It's beneficial to both your academic knowledge and also it's just a lot of fun to be around a lot of kids your age and embark on a friendly competition with them," said Shanti. She will be heading to D.C. in May. The words Shanti had to spell included: Versatile, Brazenness, Vandalize, Thoroughbred, Sieve, Laconic, Enmity, Submersible, Duplicitous and Mammalian, which was her winning word. 'It' girls Kendall Jenner, Kaia Gerber and Bella Hadid can't get enough of the Prada Re-Edition 2000 handbag. The nylon mini that's both stylish and functional was a must-have back before the supermodels were even born. The bag first launched in 2000 (hence the name) and immediately became wildly popular with the fashion set due to its baguette-like shape, lightweight nylon material and versatility. Retro cool: 'It' girls Kendall Jenner, Kaia Gerber and Bella Hadid can't get enough of the Prada Re-Edition 2000 handbag Kendall and Bella carried the original version of the bag back in 2018, making it a no brainer for the Italian label to reissue it. Ms. Jenner was spotted looking sporty chic on the streets of Brooklyn wearing a navy zip-up sweatshirt and black biker shorts. The 24-year-old accessorized with black booties, wire sunglasses and the Prada nylon mini. Just off of New York Fashion Week, Bella was also spotted carrying the bag in the Big Apple in 2018. It was the perfect accessory to her leopard pants and cropped racing jacket. Trailblazers: Kendall and Bella carried the original version of the bag back in 2018, making it a no brainer for the Italian label to reissue it Classic: The perfect everyday handbag, Kendall busted it out again this month for a day in New York Shop it: The bag comes in seven colors including blue and hot pink and is decorated with Saffiano leather trim and features the iconic enamel metal Prada triangle logo. It retails for $770 The perfect everyday handbag, it's been very popular with the young trendsetters during Fashion Month. Kendall brought hers out again this month for a day in New York. She was wearing cow-print pants, a white belly-baring top and a black leather jacket. Combat boots and the black purse completed the beauty's cool model-off-duty look. Kaia Gerber is a fan of the iconic bag as well and was photographed carrying it between shows during NYFW and Milan Fashion Week. The re-edition comes in seven colors, including blue and hot pink, and is decorated with Saffiano leather trim and features the iconic enamel metal Prada triangle logo. It retails at $725 and $770. With the resurgence of the '80s on the spring 2020 runways, we wouldn't be surprised if other brands start digging into their archives for inspiration. Or at least, we hope so! The Katy City Council is facing a relatively light agenda when its members meet in regular session on Monday. The Council is scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 9, at Katy City Hall, 901 Avenue C in Katy. On the consent agenda is the approval of BP MS 150 Bike Ride which starts May 2 at Legacy Stadium. The approval is for the portion of the ride inside the city limits only. The ride is scheduled to end in La Grange. Also on the consent agenda is accepting public improvements for Cane Island Section 17 through Harris-Waller Counties Municipal Utility District No. 3. The improvements are for water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer and paving. Among the other items facing the council are several resolutions, including: Allowing the mayor to approve proposals with Datavox Inc. and Datacom & Security Solutions, Inc., for security camera upgrades at a cost of up to $45,000. Awarding a bid of $356,700 for the 2020 Asphalt Street Renovation Project to AAA Asphalt Paving, Inc., of Pinehurst. The total cost of the project is $419,122. Awarding a bid of $120,267 for the 2020 Waterline Renovation Project to Supak Construction, Inc., of Orchard, Texas. For more information, go to www.cityofkaty.com. Daylight saving time If you are an hour late to your Sunday events, blame it on the jump to daylight saving time. The annual spring CST-to-DST switch was officially scheduled for 2 a.m. Sunday, March 8. In the process, everyone will lose an hour of sleep. Daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 1. State of the County Tickets The Katy Area Chamber of Commerce is currently selling tickets for the State of the Counties to be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, March 26. The event is scheduled to be held at Aloft Hotel, 25330 Kingsland Blvd. in Katy. Scheduled guest speakers are Waller County Judge Carbett Trey J. Duhon, Fort Bend County Judge KP George and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. The three leaders are expected to give updates on their respective counties. Networking is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to noon with the luncheon to follow. Tickets are $40 for members and $50 for prospective members. For more information or to reservations, go to https://tinyurl.com/u7gbk64. Member meeting The Fulshear-Katy Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly member meeting with a 7:30 a.m. meet and greet with the meeting starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday, March 11, at Parkway Fellowship 27043 FM 1093 in Richmond. The guest speaker will be author Tim Nichols. There is no charge for the event and guests are encouraged to attend. For more information go to www.fulshearkaty.com. Rope cuttings The Fulshear-Katy Area Chamber of Commerce is welcoming a slew of businesses into its fold this week, with ceremonial rope cuttings for four businesses. The first is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, for Kathy Conquers Clutter. The rope will be cut at the Fulshear Katy Area Chamber of Commerce at 29818 FM 1093, Suite 108, in Fulshear. The Bug Reaper will be welcomed by the chamber at the chamber office from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11. ER Katy will host a ceremony and open house from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, March 12. ER Katy is located at 25765 Katy Freeway in Katy. Finally, Tajana Surlan Realtor will be welcomed from 11 a.m. to noon Friday, March 13, at 7510 Wallis St. in Fulshear. rkent@hcnonline.com By Willie Dwayne Francois III Less than two weeks into Black history month, on Feb. 10, the New Jersey Senate passed a bill sponsored by South Jersey Democrats intended to petition the Library of Congress to substitute Civil War hero Gen. Phillip Kearnys statue in the National Statuary Hall with a new memorial to suffragist Alice Paul. As a result, many have expressed their dissidence about removing Kearny, a patriotic abolitionist who sacrificed his life for his country. But the greatest hazard posed by this legislation is that it retains the statue honoring Richard Stockton a slaveholding signer of the Declaration of Independence. We should not be boxed into a debate on whether we want an abolitionist or voting rights activist representing New Jersey people responsible for building the best values of our nation. We honestly need to ask, Do we want a slaveholder representing us in the nations capital? Stockton represents the grotesque terror visited upon African peoples trafficked to the Americas. From the 1750s until Stocktons death in 1781, enslaved Africans involuntarily worked in Morven the Stockton family home in Princeton. Even in the wake of his death these Africans couldnt find solace, as Stockton willed them to his wife Annis. When you place this evil alongside the fact Stockton was the only signer of the Declaration to later sign allegiance to the British Crown, Stockton fails to represent the best of our state. In 2017, Stocktons namesake university in Galloway Township temporarily removed his bust from the campus library upon re-engaging his torrid complicity and contribution to the slave regime of our national genesis. The memorialization, even veneration, of the founding racial hierarchy of the U.S. a history haunting our present economic arrangements and political accessibility only re-injures the festering wounds inflicted on Black people longing for reparative justice and equal opportunities. Pauls social activism and public leadership opened the political window for the passage of the 19th amendment and the Equal Rights Amendment, which was adopted by Congress 43 years after her death but never ratified by the states. A victim of verbal and physical assault, Paul was sentenced to jail for seven months for obstructing traffic, during which she organized a hunger strike as demand for the right to vote. Kearny and Paul communicate transcendent, enduring principles about human equality and inclusive democracy virtues worthy of New Jerseys veneration. They used their bodies as moral weapons against white supremacy and patriarchy, while Stockton created wealth by owning the bodies of Black people. This non-consideration or reluctance to remove Stocktons statue only raises questions, for me, about the scarcity of will of our legislators to reckon with the history of white supremacy lingering in our politics and haunting our economy. In mid-November 2019, the Legislative Black Caucus of New Jersey introduced legislation (S322/A711) to create a task force on how the state can make reparations to its black residents. The task forces research and reports stand to set the framework for how the state can begin an egregiously overdue opportunity to wrestle with the legacy of slavery. If the simple act of sweeping up Statuary Hall by removing a slaveholding racist appears unlikely, we dash any prospect of deeply cleansing the stain of slavery out of the fabric of the state through the structural and material repair of Black lives. Removing Stockton will give us reason to believe New Jersey -- the last northern state to abolish slavery and first to restrict the vote to white landowning men -- will take Black residents call for reparations and racial justice seriously. Instead of maintaining the ongoing adoration of racism embedded in the legacy of Stockton, New Jersey stares at a new occasion to ensure its Black residents and their allies of its earnest commitment to calculate the cost of racist injustice and account for the measures necessary to repair the harm. Removing Stockton starts this public trust process. Unmistakably, Alice Pauls daring indignation and self-sacrifice in the face of white patriarchy deserves to be imported into stones and words in the nations capital. However, lets reach deep into our values and remove the slave owner. Willie Dwayne Francois III is the senior pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Pleasantville. He is also an author, an adjunct instructor in African American Studies at the University of Houston, president of the Black Church Center for Justice and Equality and a communications fellow for Community Change. The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Hes from Brooklyn, he tells us, so give him a pass for sounding like a thug. Sen. Chuck Schumer lost his mind last week, briefly, when he stood in front of the Supreme Court and threatened two of the justices, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, as the court heard arguments in a Louisiana abortion case. I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price! he said. You wont know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions. Our demented president says boorish and dangerous stuff like this all the time, so most Democrats shrugged it off. But they should be bothered. They should speak up. Its more important than it might seem at first glance. The more we hate the other guys, the more we will forgive on our own side, and thats really dangerous, says Steven Levitsky, co-author of the most important book of the Trump era, How Democracies Die. In the last century, democracies that died tended to go out with a bang, typically by a military coup. But its different now. In places like Venezuela, Turkey, and Hungary, elected leaders have strangled their democracies slowly. And in the book, Levitsky and co-author Daniel Ziblatt describe exactly how they do it. They pack courts with loyalists, or intimidate judges. They put journalists in jail. They abuse the machinery of law enforcement to prosecute enemies and protect friends. They demonize their opponents to justify breaking the rules. They make up facts. Sound like anyone we know? We are lucky to live in a country with strong guardrails that can contain a president like Donald Trump -- at least mostly, so far. The foundations of our democracy are certainly stronger than those in Venezuela, Turkey or Hungary, Levitsky and Ziblatt wrote in the Guardian. But are they strong enough? The danger is Trump, who checks every box to qualify as an authoritarian wanna-be. So why am I picking on Schumer? Because democracies tend to crash and burn only after political leaders break what the authors describe as democratic norms -- and one of them is that you treat opponents as legitimate, even when you want to hit them in the nose really hard. They call it mutual toleration and we are losing our grip on it fast these days, as the Mad King throws matches on every fault line in our society to fire up his followers. Its really hard to uphold the norms when the other guy is not doing it, Levitsky says. Democrats are under a ton of pressure, often from their own base, to retaliate in kind. Theres a perception among many activiststhat Democrats are fighting with one hand tied behind their back. Schumers anger is beyond justified. Remember that Republicans won this conservative majority on the court by cheating, essentially, when they refused to consider President Obamas last nominee to the Supreme Court, Merrick Garland. That has put abortion rights at risk, among other horrors. That is norm-breaking on steroids. By comparison, Schumers offense is minuscule. He says he regrets his wording, that its how people from Brooklyn roll. What he meant, he says, was that Republicans in general will face a political backlash if they restrict abortion rights. That probably is what he meant, but its miles from what he actually said. This screams out for an apology that will never come. Things can escalate very quickly, Levitsky warns. Its hard to stop the train. The surge in support for Joe Biden is based, the polls say, on the conviction that hes the safest bet to beat Trump in November. But hes also the most likely to restore some social peace, to remind us that we agree on many things, to de-escalate the partisan warfare that ruined other democracies. He has his flaws, but hes a decent man whose instinct is to reach for common ground. Its true, as Levitsky says, that some Democrats want to cast off all restraint, to fight with every weapon against a president who is a genuine menace. I get that. If I had a dart board, Id put a picture of Trumps mug on it. But Bidens support speaks to another strain in the party, one that wants to stop the shouting, and do the practical work of governing -- to build infrastructure, cut the price of prescription drugs, and raise wages. As for Schumer, I dont mean to pick on him. Hes trying hard to get funding for the Hudson River tunnel, so I am normally ready to throw my jacket over a puddle to keep his feet dry. And his threat was out of character. But lets hope Democrats keep their cool as the election heats up. Its not just good manners. It helps safeguard our democracy. More: Tom Moran columns Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. The Delhi government has ordered DTC and cluster buses, metro and hospitals to be disinfected on a regular basis as a precautionary measure to deal with the novel coronavirus, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said 168 isolation beds had been set up at 25 hospitals for coronavirus patients. He appealed to the people in Delhi if anybody from their neighbourhood had returned from foreign in the past 14 days, they should inform the government. The chief minister, who chaired a state task force on Sunday, said the government was fully prepared to deal with the novel coronavirus, adding that people do not need to panic. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The mothers of two teenage girls who died in a Florida car crash last summer allege authorities misidentified their daughters bodies leading one of the girls to have her organs incorrectly removed for donation according to multiple news outlets. The suits were filed on Thursday by Ranada Cooks and Tammy Gibson against the Florida Highway Patrol, two funeral homes and the local medical examiner, the Associated Press and the Pensacola News Journal report. They claim the bodies of Deleigha Leigha Gibson, 18, and 15-year-old Samara Cooks were misidentified as each other and that funeral home employees tried to fix the mistake without letting the families know. Further, the families say, they were not allowed to see their girls bodies, which would have allowed them to correct the error. According to the AP, Leigha and Samara were killed in a July 29 crash involving two of their other close friends in the Pensacola area. The Four Amigos, as the girls parents described the group, were driving around 1:30 a.m. when their vehicle veered off the road, hit a utility pole and skidded into trees. The teens moms filed lawsuits in Escambia County Circuit Court after, they said, they discovered that the bodies of their daughters were wrongly tagged by authorities before being released to the funeral homes, according to the Pensacola News Journal. Related: 'Childhood Sweethearts' Die in Car Crash Minutes After Wedding I walked in to see my daughter, and I saw Tammys daughter. Precious moments were taken away from us that we deserved to have, Ranada told ABC News. The lawsuit names the FHP, the Escambia County Coroner, the Escambia County Medical Examiners Office, the FHP Pensacola district commander and two funeral homes as defendants. The mothers also allege that the medical examiner at the time did not enforce appropriate policies and procedures, according to CBS News. RELATED: Florida Car Crash Near Disney World Kills 3 Mass. Family Members, Including 5-Year-Old Girl Story continues Medical examiner staff also allegedly extracted several organs from the body of Samara Cooks, who was not an organ donor. A representative from the Florida Highway Patrol did not immediately return PEOPLEs request for comment. They told the News Journal they could not comment on pending litigation but the Florida Highway Patrol extends its deepest condolences to the families for their tragic loss. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLEs free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. RELATED: Body Believed to Be That of Missing Toddler Evelyn Mae Boswell Found at Family Members Property The families of the girls are seeking a jury trial and financial compensation for the loss of enjoyment of life as well as for the immense distress caused by the situation, according to the Journal. We are just trying to get everything right and give her a proper burial, Leighas father, Demetrius Gibson, said in an interview Friday per the AP. Saudi Arabia to hike oil output above 10 million bpd in April after OPEC+ deal collapse Employees are seen next to spheroids under reconstruction at Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq By Rania El Gamal DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, plans to raise its crude oil production significantly above 10 million barrels per day (bpd) in April, after the collapse of OPEC's supply cut agreement with Russia, two sources told Reuters on Sunday. State oil giant Aramco <2222.SE> will boost its crude output after the current deal to curb production between OPEC and Russia - together known as OPEC+ - expires at the end of March, the sources with knowledge of the matter said. The collapse of talks to extend the deal on Friday sent oil prices plunging on speculation Saudi Arabia is scrapping a strategy of supporting prices in favour of a grab for market share, reminiscent of a drive in 2014 that caused crude prices to slump around two thirds in value. On Saturday, Aramco slashed its official selling price (OSP) for April for all its crude grades to all destinations. The sources said April's production would be significantly higher than 10 million bpd, possibly closer to 11 million bpd. In the past couple of months, Saudi Arabia has been pumping 9.7 million bpd. Aramco should maximise its output and sell more crude to protect its market share, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Saudi Arabia has an oil output capacity of 12 million bpd, giving it the ability to swiftly increase production. A three-year pact between OPEC and Russia ended in acrimony on Friday after Moscow refused to support deeper production cuts to support prices hit by the coronavirus outbreak. OPEC responded by removing all limits on its own output. OPEC+ has been effectively cutting production by 2.1 million bpd, as Saudi Arabia has been reducing its own output by more than agreed. Russia's poor compliance with the output cuts has been frustrating Riyadh, OPEC sources said. "The kingdom is not at war with anyone, but it is pursuing its own interest. Once the deal expires, everyone will raise production," said the second source. Story continues After marathon talks at the OPEC headquarters in Vienna on Friday, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that from April 1 neither OPEC nor non-OPEC countries had any restrictions on production. Other OPEC producers, such as Iraq, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, will likely follow Saudi Arabia's move on Saturday with steep cuts to their own oil prices for April. "You have to follow the OSPs cut otherwise you die in the market," one oil industry at a key OPEC producer said. (Reporting by Rania El Gamal, editing by Louise Heavens and Mark Potter) Planning and Investment Minister Nguyen Chi Dung, on the same flight as Hanois first Covid-19 patient, has tested negative for the novel coronavirus. He will remain quarantined at home for 14 days. Dung told VnExpress Saturday that he was in normal health but will quarantine himself at home in accordance with the Health Ministrys regulation. The Ministry of Planning and Investment has had its entire headquarters in Hoang Dieu Street, Ba Dinh District disinfected on Saturday. Earlier, officials from the ministry, including the minister, boarded flight VN54 of Vietnam Airlines from London and sat in the business class with 26-year-old Nguyen Hong Nhung, who tested postive for Covid-19 Friday. The minister occupied seat 1A while Nhung was in seat 5K, four rows away. There were 201 passengers on the flight, including 21 in the business class, Vietnam Airlines General Director Duong Tri Thanh said Saturday. Eighteen of the business-class passengers were foreigners while the remaining three were Vietnamese nationals, including Nhung, the minister and another official who was accompanying him on a business trip, Thanh said. City authorities are cooperating with Hanois Noi Bai Airport to collect information about 217 passengers and crew members on the flight. Vietnam has recorded four new infections since Nhung became Hanois first Covid-19 patient Friday and the 17th nationwide. Before she tested positive, the country had gone 22 days with no new infection. Other latest patients are a 27-year-old man returning to Vietnam from South Koreas Daegu City, the personal chauffeur and an aunt of Nhung. Hanoi Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung had said earlier that the capital city has the highest risk of experiencing an outbreak as it hosts residents of almost all 90 countries and territories hit by the new coronavirus so far. "I urge everyone to be aware of the risks of infection and how dangerous the epidemic is. Everyone returning to Vietnam from abroad needs to report themselves to the authorities and follow quarantine protocol as regulated," he said. The global death toll has reached nearly 3,600 in 102 countries and territories, mostly in mainland China (3,097), followed by Italy (233), Iran (145) and South Korea (50). Salvatore F. Menzo, the Wallingford superintendent of schools, sent out a news release on Sunday that said a staffer at Cook Elementary School has a family member who was seen by the doctor at Bridgeport Hospital who was diagnosed with the Covid-19, but that the school will be open on Monday. The staffers relative has not been Scotland Yard has launched a criminal investigation into suspected irregularities in a former Labour Minister's Commons expenses, as uncovered by The Mail on Sunday. The police launched the probe into Geoffrey Robinson over a 30,000-a-year taxpayer-funded salary paid to a long-term friend who was working in his constituency office at the age of 89. The newspaper revealed in December that Mr Robinson, who was Paymaster General under Tony Blair, told Commons authorities that Brenda Price was working virtually full-time for him just two months before he disclosed that she was so frail that she required round-the-clock nursing care. After seeing the results of our inquiries, the Commons authorities alerted the police, who have now triggered a formal investigation and asked to study our evidence. Picture: Former Attorney General and Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson (left) attends a Coventry City Premier League match with Brenda Price (right) in 2000 The dossier includes details of how Mr Robinson was granted power of attorney over Ms Price's affairs while she was still receiving her salary, potentially giving him control over her finances. The Parliamentary authorities raised the alarm because they suspected that Mr Robinson may have continued to pay the 30,000 wage to Ms Price beyond the point when doctors concluded that she was losing her mental faculties. Emails leaked to The Mail on Sunday revealed that Mr Robinson told the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) that Ms Price was working for him 30 hours a week. This submission came in January 2018, three months after she had granted Mr Robinson the power of attorney. The process would allow him to control her financial affairs if she went on to lose the mental capacity to do so herself. Ipsa, which governs MPs' salaries, staffing costs and expenses, expects to be informed if staff are no longer fit to work. The police are also examining Mr Robinson's claims for a total of 43,060 from the Commons in rent for a room in Ms Price's home near his Coventry North West constituency. He billed 960 a month from May 2015 until February last year, 15,380 of which came after he drew up the power of attorney. Pictured: The Mail on Sunday's past coverage of Robinson (left, Dec 2019; right, May 2019) Pictured: Gordon Brown arriving at Coventry University with Geoffrey Robinson in 2017 Ms Price had apparently needed 24-hour nursing care since at least March 2018. She died at her 600,000 detached home in Balsall Common in November at the age of 90. Mr Robinson was with her when she passed away, and paid tribute to her at her funeral, which was attended by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and former Labour Cabinet Minister Ed Balls. The police investigation comes a year after The Mail on Sunday unearthed intelligence files which identified Mr Robinson as a spy who allegedly handed defence secrets to Communist Czechoslovakia during the Cold War - allegations which Mr Robinson described as a complete fabrication. We reported claims that Mr Robinson, codenamed Karko, had passed a trove of confidential information to a Communist spy at the height of the Cold War. Intelligence files state that Czech secret police chiefs considered him one of their most productive sources in Britain at the time, providing intelligence on topics including estimated military spending cuts. Mr Robinson stood down at last year's Election after 43 years as a Labour MP. The Metropolitan Police said: 'In December 2019, Ipsa made a referral to the Met in relation to possible expense claims irregularities in relation to an individual. This matter is currently under investigation.' Mr Robinson has declined to comment. Bollywood movies can take a toss for its poor portrayal of women in their movies. Mainstream heroines need to be saved by heroes and are frequently abducted, harassed and tortured in a bid to seek revenge from the hero. Read: Happy Women's Day 2020: From Kangana to Deepika, Actresses Who are Flag Bearers of Feminism in Bollywood However, in the last decade, Hindi movies that revolve around women and their ordeal have considerably increased. While the portrayal is far from achieving an equal status, here are 10 movies from the last 10 years that have soared well without the help of a hero. Read: International Women's Day 2020: 5 Soul-stirring Songs to Cheer Womanhood Kahaani (2012) The well-made thriller is helmed by brilliant Vidya Balan. She played the role of Vidya Bagchi, a heavily pregnant character, who lands in Kolkata to search for her husband, Arnab. As she gets lost in a myriad of loose ends, more and more people tell her that Arnab doesnt exist. Queen (2014) What do you do if your fiance decides not to marry you just days before the marriage? You go on your supposed honeymoon all alone and rediscover life. This is what Kangana Ranaut in the skin of Rani does in this comedy-drama. Parched (2016) The 2015 film featured at the Toronto International Film Festival and was released a year later in India. A raw portrayal of rural Rajasthani women, Parched is a testament to strong performances. English Vinglish (2012) Sridevi plays Sashi, a devoted housewife who is not fluent in English. Coming from an upper-middle-class family, learning English becomes a source for her character building and confidence. No One Killed Jessica (2011) The semi-biographical thriller revolves around two women trying to bring justice to Jessica Lal. Jessica was a model, who was killed while working in a crowded celebrity bar. Vidya Balan plays Jessicas sister; while Rani Mukerji played a TV news reporter covering the case. Lipstick Under My Burkha (2016) Written and directed by Alankrita Shrivastava, the movie portrayed four women of different backgrounds and ages trying to fulfill their desires in a covert manner. They also strive to protest against the men and the patriarchal society that governs their bodily choices. Pink (2016) Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, Pink taught consent to the general public. Three women, led by Taapsee Pannu, fight in the court of justice as they get dragged into a case of assault. Mardaani (2014) The action thriller saw Rani Mukerji essay the role of a police officer set to crack a human trafficking chain. Positive reviews of the film prompted to the creation of a sequel of the movie. The Dirty Picture (2011) Vidya Balan plays Reshma, an extra actor who goes on to become a hit phenomenon of the 1980s. The character of Silk was loosely based on the South Indian actor Silk Smitha. In a country, where the sexuality of a woman is often hushed up, a woman reaching the zenith using it and getting humiliated by it mirrors the bitter reality. Nil Battey Sannata (2016) Swara Bhaskar plays a single mother who goes back to school to make her daughter concentrate in studies. Swara is exceptional in the directorial debut of Ashwini Iyer. Follow @News18Movies for more Coronavirus Triggers Release of Australias National Medical Stockpile Amid Mask Shortage More than 1 million protective masks will be released from Australias National Medical Stockpile (NMS) as healthcare workers struggle to secure supplies from traditional stockists. According to a spokesperson from the Department of Health, more than 860,000 masks have been distributed to doctors and healthcare workers across the country, and a further 200,000 have been reserved for immediate distribution to PHNs (Primary Health Networks) should they be required, the Department said in an email to The Epoch Times. The primary focus of the National Medical Stockpile is to provide resources to hospitals in key phases on an outbreak and deployments need to be carefully considered, the Department continued. These resources include pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and personal protective equipment, such as goggles and masks. Since Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Feb. 27 declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) to be at risk of becoming a global pandemic and enacted the governments emergency response plan (pdf), doctors and clinics are rationing the use of masks in order to avoid running out before coronavirus cases rise, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Additionally, limited supplies have forced some clinics to purchase masks from hardware stores as supplies from the National Medical Stockpile have not been adequate to meet demand. Currently, the National Medical Stockpile has around AU$100 million worth of medical supplies such as masks, antibiotics, vaccines, and sanitisers, which are stationed in multiple secret locations in Australia. Getting our hands on masks has been tricky, to say the least, Melbourne General Practitioner Vyom Sharma told ABC. Just for one patient, we might have to go through four masks, and weve only got about 50 in our reserve. Sharmas clinic received only 40 masks to share between seven doctors after multiple calls to the local Primary Health Network, which coordinates the distribution from the national stockpile. So we realised very early on that wed have to source our own masks, so they are currently on back order from our online suppliers, Sharma said. In an emailed statement to The Epoch Times, Australian Medical Association (AMA) President Tony Bartone said doctors need access to PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and other resources to do their job safely and effectively, especially if the numbers of patients requiring testing and care increases significantly if the virus becomes more widespread. If just one doctor does not have PPE or sufficient staff to support them when they need it, then this is a serious problem. Dentists are also feeling the pressure with dental practices using around 9.5 millions masks per month, according to the Australian Dental Association (ADA). The ADA has been working intently with suppliers to locate new lines of supply, but we now believe that only the Federal Government can secure a supply of these masks to keep dentists doors open, ADAs Deputy CEO Eithne Irving said. Were doing everything we can to ensure dentists can see patients but without a guaranteed supply of masks, dentists cannot adhere to our strict Australian infection control standards. It means dental practices will be forced to close. The Department of Health added that it is looking to source additional stock through domestic and international suppliers. Meeting Demand The Australian military has been ordered by the federal government to collect 54 million masks from around the world, reported The Sunday Telegraph. These include surgical masks, and P2 and N95 respirators. The masks are reported to be sourced from five continents. Health Minister Greg Hunt said that the army was on standby and ready to go. While most hospitals have up to six months supply, some dentists and doctors have struggled a bit to secure masks. Where there is a shortfall we will supply masks to protect our frontline workers. In a press release the Health Minister said: The government has been working closely with the medical profession, who have highlighted the importance of securing additional personal protective equipment to support the response to the global COVID-19 outbreak. We will continue to work to secure additional masks to ensure the National Medical Stockpile remains well stocked, and Australia has enough personal protective equipment to support our medical professionals as the COVID-19 outbreak unfolds. This includes boosting domestic manufacturing capability and capacity. Inspecting Australias National Medical Stockpile, which includes over 10 million masks. We continue to take an evidence based approach to the coronavirus, so that all Australians are protected. pic.twitter.com/mSVUMflBit Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) January 24, 2020 The updated supply to the National Medical Stockpile will include more than 40 million surgical masks, and 12 million P2 respirators. Hunt said the masks should be arriving by the end of April and would be distributed as required to healthcare workers, including those working in aged care and dentists. On Friday, the federal government committed to a 50-50 shared health funding deal with the states and territories to assist with the diagnosis and treatment of patients with coronavirus (COVID-19). The Australian Associated Press contributed to this report. Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited has drawn a roadmap to make the Union Territory energy surplus by 2025 by harnessing its large hydel power potential. This was disclosed at the third meeting of a committee constituted by the central government for the formulation of a roadmap to ensure 24x7 power supply in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh here, an official spokesman said. The meeting was chaired by Uttar Pradesh's Principal Secretary (Industries) Alok Kumar and was attended by, among others, Power Development Department Secretary M Raju, REC Chief Executive Officer R Lakshmanan, JKPDCL's Managing Director Mohammad Aijaz, besides the representatives of Tata Power and PWC, Delhi. The spokesman said the meeting was informed that making J&K energy surplus by 2025 would be possible after the development of 22 small and mega hydel projects. The committee has been given the responsibility of preparing a prospective power plan for UTs of J&K and Ladakh taking into consideration the adequacies and inadequacies in different sectors to realise the target of round-the-clock power supply to all consumers. The PDD secretary said the department has undertaken several infrastructure development works under various centrally-sponsored schemes which are expected to be completed by the year end, improving the power scenario to a great extent. Raju said the department has also worked out the requirement to fill the infrastructure gap for providing 24x7 power supply to consumers in all districts of J&K for which detailed project reports in both distribution and transmission sectors have been formulated and forwarded for financial assistance. The committee was also informed that corporations formed after unbundling of the power sector have been made fully functional from February, the spokesman said. Under the distribution sector, it was informed that installation of smart meters has already been started in Jammu and Srinagar cities, which will be further extended to all J&K consumers within next two years. "This will not only facilitate proper energy accounting but will also enhance the consumer satisfaction," the spokesman said. The committee stressed upon the PDD officers to intensify their enforcement activities so that the losses in the power sector could be minimized. Detailed discussions were also held on the need for overall institutional reforms and efficiency improvement in the sector and it was suggested that for effective monitoring and timely execution of the projects, project monitoring units be constituted in all corporations of the power sector, the spokesman said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As usual, the left is howling about the Trump administration's new plan to force detained illegals - the brazen people who cross illegally and turn themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol authorities for 'services' - to provide DNA samples to lawmen, in order to catch the ones who are already wanted for other crimes, mostly from past occasions of breaking into the U.S. According to National Public Radio: Immigrant rights advocates describe it as dehumanizing and a serious breach of privacy against vulnerable populations. "It's about miscasting these individuals, many of whom are seeking asylum in this country ... as people who pose a threat that somehow would justify holding onto the most intimate information about them indefinitely," Naureen Shah, senior advocacy and policy counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union, tells NPR. She notes the ACLU also opposes DNA collection from people arrested or investigated for crimes, due to concerns about the risk of misidentification. The Justice Department said Friday that it is formally amending regulations and pushing forward with the DNA collection plan, which was first floated in October. The final rule is scheduled to publish on Monday. Which is absurd on its face. All kinds of people ask for asylum in the states these days -- war criminals, cartel members, people who commit crimes against Americans and then hotfoot it back to their home countries -- now seeking to use asylum law as a shield in order to hide out with people whose cases that might have merit, as their hide-in-the-crowd cover. Might there be a few of them who use fake names and fake IDs? A DNA sample might just find them. What better reason to have a DNA sample in order to identify such people? And it turns out the Trump administration's action is not some executive order in the lines of Obama's style of governing, but actual U.S. law that was passed bipartisanly in 2005 and just never enforced. Past presidents always just 'waivered' it, effectively nullifying the law with a pen and a phone. The Department of Justice said the final rule is simply implementing a 2005 law called the DNA Fingerprint Act, which gave authorities broad authority to collect DNA samples from people in federal custody. "Today's rule assists federal agencies in implementing longstanding aspects of our immigration laws as passed by bipartisan majorities of Congress," Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen said in a statement. "Its implementation will help to enforce federal law with the use of science." Leftists of all stripes, including the congressional Democrats who passed this 2005 law, have simply changed their minds in the years that have followed, moving to an open-borders stance, and that explains the collective howl, as well as likely lawsuits, same lawsuits leftists NGOs always resort to whenever they can't be bothered to get their lefty allies on the congressional side to just repeal the law they no longer like. The left in fact never addresses the issue of immigration laws at all in its constant reflexive complaints - whether in how many immigrants are to be allowed in, something Congress is charged with determining - hint: maybe you should open up more legal slots - to whether signed laws they passed themselves ought to actually be enforced, such as this DNA law, simply because leftist presidents failed to enforce it and they've gotten comfortable with the law-free arrangement. They'd rather just have lawless open borders and left-wing lawyers thwarting Trump and the people who elected him instead. Now they're howling about migrant 'dignity,' for people who have, after all, broken into the country, and gotten themselves detained. Not a word about the American crime victims of illegals who break into the country, of whom there are many, with repeat-deportation cases of criminals being some of the most salient cases. Any word on their 'dignity' or right to actual justice? Kate Steinle's killer, a man who used multiple names, was booted from the U.S. five times for crimes against Americans and just kept coming back. If anyone ought to be tested for DNA either to keep him out or else put him away, it's guys like him. All the dignity in world is due to guys like him, according to the left. That's who they're defending. The DNA law is a good one, in that anyone who's had a crime spree or two in the states, has left a string of victims, and now wants to come back as a vaunted 'refugee' or asylee, will now get properly identified, busted, and have to pay for his crimes instead. That's a strong incentive for crooks to stay out of the states and should work wonders to discourage criminals from trying to enter at all, or at least brazenly presenting themselves to Border Patrol officers along with demands for free food, free diapers, free transport, free medical care, free leftwing lawyers and free everything else, with leftists and their media allies fawning all over them. The law serves the interests of U.S. citizens who are entitled to not have to endure crimes by imported illegals in any instance. Those are the people the left ought to be directing their sympathy to, but we know all about who gets first priority with these creeps. If they don't like this law, why aren't they tryimg to change it? Image credit: U.S. Customs & Border Patrol // public domain MEXICO CITY - Adriana. Dulce. Paola. Nayeli. Ingrid. Maria lots of Marias. These are just some of the names of the thousands of women killed each year in Mexico, often by their intimate partners. Tens of thousands of women wearing purple poured into the streets of Mexico City on Sunday to protest rampant and brutal gender violence in the country on International Womens Day. Some spray painted messages like Mexico kills women onto monuments, smashed windows and set fires often to cheers from the multitude. Most marched peacefully in groups organized by universities, non-profits or with friends. Government data shows that 3,825 women in Mexico met violent deaths last year, 7% more than in 2018. That works out to an average of more than 10 women slain each day, making it one of the most dangerous countries in the world for females. Thousands more have gone missing without a trace in recent years. Girls and women throughout the country will follow up with a strike on Monday. That means no going out, not even for a coffee, said Natalia Olalde, an 18-year-old university student who planned to observe the strike. Murders of women in Mexico are often accompanied by sexual violence and stunning brutality. Some women are burned. Some are mutilated. Authorities seem incapable of preventing or properly investigating the crimes, very few of which result in convictions. Protesters tinted red the water of the fountain to the Roman goddess Diana in Mexico City to symbolize the blood of victims and also the water of a fountain to the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva, in Guadalajara. Activists then carpeted Mexico Citys central Zocalo square with victims names in white block letters. The names came from public records of deaths that appear to fall into the category of femicide, meaning those womens killings showed marks of hatred for the female gender. We decided it was a moment to put them into numbers all those women who are missing, who theyve taken from us, said Sofia De Robina, a lawyer with the Miguel Agustin Pro Human Rights Center. The idea was to place names on the asphalt as a memorial, but also to give them a voice in the days protest. The protest amassed participation from across Mexican society, expanding well beyond the academics and activists that typically participate. Housewives, students and even mothers with small children on their shoulders took to the streets of Mexico City wearing purple shirts, bandannas and hats. Purple is a colour often used to represent gender equality. They carried signs saying, We are the heart of those that no longer beat and Im marching today so that I dont die tomorrow. Maria de la Luz Estrada, co-ordinator of the National Citizens Observatory on Femicide, said more Mexican women have taken to the streets in recent years because the assaults and killings are increasingly more alarming. Estrada led a contingent of mothers whose daughters have been killed. Over time, the mothers have become activists who share their daughters stories in the hopes that others can avoid the same tragic end. Several say officials initially ruled their daughters deaths suicides, demonstrating little desire to investigate. Receiving the news that your daughter has been found without life is like being smashed against the wall, recounted Patricia Becerril, whose daughter Zyanya Estefania was found dead in 2018 while studying to be a doctor in the central state of Puebla. Seeing the mothers advance, the crowd of protesters chanted: Youre not alone! Ana Paula Santos raised her fist in the air as the mothers passed, while her eyes filled with tears. I dont want to be the next one, and I dont want my mother to be the next one, said the 21-year-old public university student. Enriqueta Diego, a mother of two girls and a boy from the central city of Puebla, said she joined the march in the hopes of improving security for all the women in the country. Theyre killing us with total impunity, said the 52-year-old. First-time protesters wrote names, contact phone numbers and even blood types on their arms as a security measure. Threats had circulated prior to the event that protesters might be attacked with acid. Bands of masked women smashed windows, lit fires and spray painted messages. At least one onlooker suffered first degree burns after a fire bomb ricocheted into the crowd. Afterward women taped their protest cards onto the fences around the countrys Senate. ___ Associated Press journalist Rebecca Blackwell contributed to this report. The Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) Bengal unit has tagged chief minister Mamata Banerjee as anti-Hindu in a symbolic charge-sheet that was released by the saffron party on Sunday. The country was partitioned in 1947 with the supposition that West Bengal will be a land for Bengali Hindus. But the erstwhile Left Front and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) governments have been torturing Bengali Hindus over the years. To win over Muslim voters, Mamata Banerjee has resorted to anti-Hindu and appeasement politics, said the symbolic 10-point charge-sheet. One of the points of the charge-sheet tagged Banerjee as anti-Hindu. It was launched by Bengal BJP unit president Dilip Ghosh. It alleged that Banerjee organized attacks on Ram Navami rallies. A youth who chanted Jai Shri Ram was sent to jail, it said. The Trinamool Congress was, however, quick to rubbish the allegations saying that Banerjee was protecting Indias plurality. Mamata Banerjee is leading the battle of protecting Indias plurality and inclusiveness as enshrined in the Indian Constitution. She doesnt divide people, said Firhad Hakim, state urban development minister and a senior TMC leader. The BJP has turned out to be the TMCs strongest challenger winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats. The TMC won 22 seats. Congress won two seats. The Hindus residing in Bengal will never forgive Mamata Banerjee for the injustice she has meted out to them, the charge-sheet further said. The charge-sheet is a part of the state-wide campaign titled Ar Noy Annay or no-more injustice which the BJP has launched against the Mamata Banerjee government. The campaign was launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Kolkata on March 1. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) Hundreds of people are bowling to strike out animal suffering in Greater Lafayette. This is part of Almost Home Humane Society's annual bowling fundraiser event. The organization is raising money through people paying to play a game of bowling and buying raffle tickets. All the proceeds go toward medical expenses for the animals they care for. Almost Home's Executive Director Roger Ganley said the cost of medical services is a growing issue. He said this fundraiser has helped chip away at their expenses. "Medicine for the animals has just gone through the roof just like human drugs have and it's really, it's a struggle to be able to perform all the great things we need to do for animals to get them well and better and adopt them out," said Ganley. This bowling event has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars through the years. Ganley said the community support has helped so many animals. "To see the community come and help support the humane society and our information table here, we have a book of adoptable dogs here as well so we're just glad the community comes out and supports us," said Ganley. The event is held at Mustang Alley. Last year's event brought in around $20,000. Im starting to wonder whether Im too old for all this dating malarkey Oh God. Oh dear God. I have finally reached rock bottom. You thought it was bad when my husband cheated or I lost my home or David failed to take out the trash? No. That wasnt it. This is it. I have purchased a 4 skin cream in Boots. I needed a moisturiser for reasons which will become clear later on in this column. I started to think of the days when I would waft into Harrods and buy something by Sisley: an all-day, all-year cream costing 271 or Elixir serum vials for 369. And I used to go into Space NK and buy something by ReVive: an anti-ageing serum costing 380. Originally invented for burns victims, its also very useful for women who dont want their husband to cheat on them. These unguents didnt work, of course. I still grew older. My husband still cheated on me. Anyway, in Boots, as I took my purchase to the till, the salesperson gave me a look. It said. You are one of us. You are ordinary. The skin cream is fine. Who knows if its any good. I tend to think these days that it is how nice you are as a human being that shows in your face, not how much you spend on beauty products. I wonder if my face shows that Ive tried. I have never turned down an assignment or called in sick. I treat my dogs and horses with respect. I put their needs before mine. Always. So many people treat their horses like cars. David still hasnt replied to my email telling him that I am in love with him, but I cant stand the way he lives. Im starting to wonder, Boots cream or no, whether I am too old for all this dating malarkey. Lets take the cystitis every time we have sex. Its called the honeymoon disease. I remember the first time I got it. I was dating my future husband and had to go to Paris for the fashion shows. I was staying in the Montalembert Hotel, the very place Nancy Mitfords heroine stayed in, close to the Diptyque candle shop (you can see I was clearly mad; I literally used to burn money). Suddenly, by the ancient lift, I had an urge to pee. This was all new to me, of course. I had the honeymoon disease, aged 41. It was a badge of honour in a way. But why do I have it now, whenever I have sex with David? Its not as though we do it that often, given I have three giant collies who sleep on the bed and dont let him anywhere near me. So I googled it. Oh God. I am so ashamed. It turns out that the lining of your lady parts becomes thinner as you get older. (I used Sisley. For several seasons!!! Does that count for nothing? I have the receipts!) Which means its easier to get infected. Oh no! Why has Womans Hour not spent at least a half hour on this topic? And I thought his not putting his rubbish out was the major problem. Anyway. Forget him and his not replying. Im currently obsessing over the antipodean Hunk. I went for dinner with a friend on Saturday and she said, Just go to Sydney; jump on a plane! What is stopping you? But I have three collies. This is about you! How many more grand passions are you going to have? I didnt say I havent had any. Yet. And so, since she said that, I have been browsing boutique harbour-side hotels; finding out how much a business-class flight is on Qatar Airways. (It is 4,000!) Thing is, if I fly economy I will spend the difference bulk-buying YSL Touche Eclat. Do you know what? When I first met the Hunk I bought some Touche Eclat the minute I landed in Bali. And the sales person said to me, Would you like to put some on now? Cheeky cow. I am thinking, which hotel has the best lighting? The best pool? A nice balcony? What if I get there and find out he has remarried? How stupid will I look? I have considered hiring a private eye to find out. I feel like Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle, typing his name into a computer. But isnt it amazing that I am still this optimistic? Still thinking of a window when I can go to Sydney and am currently working backwards to book in my beauty treatments (its a long, long list)? That, despite all the knockbacks, I am optimistic. OK. Here goes. How many passengers? One. Contact Liz at lizjonesgoddess.com LISTEN TO LIZ JONESS PODCAST! Join Liz as she dissects her weekly You Diary, delves into the archives and screams, Why did I write that?! Find it now at mailplus.co.uk/lizjones, iTunes and Spotify. FINANCIAL KPMG KPMG has announced the promotions of the following senior associates to manager in its Albany office: Megan Arnone in the audit practice; Brandon Bello, in the tax practice; Peter Bloem, in audit. Also, Chris Cook, in the advisory practice; Amy DiVito, in the advisory practice; David Kovalefsky, in the audit practice. Also, Michael Krasodomski, in the tax practice; Melissa Kuhl, in the audit practice; Neila Lachhander, in the advisory practice. Also, Gregory McCoy, in the advisory practice; Alicia Noll, in the audit practice. The following were promoted from associate to senior associate: Sam Cowles in the advisory practice; Rachel Daley and Isabella DeMarsh both in the audit practice; Deidre Geurds in the advisory practice; Harry Giles in the audit practice; Ryan McGrath and Mai Pham, both in the advisory practice; and Jessie Walter in the tax practice. ULTIMUS LEVERPOINT Gregory Ranken joined Ultimus LeverPoint in Clifton Park as a Senior Accountant I on its Fund Team I. He holds his master's degree in accounting from Siena College. Laurie Engle joined as a Senior Accountant I on Management Company. She holds her bachelor of science degree in accounting from Empire State College. Harrison Haverlock joined as a Staff Accountant II on the Venture Team. He holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration with a concentration in finance/entrepreneurship from the State University of New York at Albany. UPSTATE AGENCY Upstate Agency in South Glens Falls announced the addition of Betsy Keiser as employee benefits team leader. In her new role, Keiser will be responsible for managing operations, workflows and schedules to maximize resources within the agency. Keiser, a registered health underwriter, holds a bachelor's degree in management from Plattsburgh State University. HEALTH CARE ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon Vivek Dutt has joined Albany Med's Department of Surgery. Dutt comes to Albany Med from Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where he recently completed a fellowship in pediatric and young adult hip preservation surgery. Dutt earned his bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery degrees at the Christian Medical College in Vellore, India, where he also completed residency training in internal medicine and orthopaedics. He has completed fellowships at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare and the University of Minnesota, the Washington Cancer Institute and Georgetown University, and Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University. In addition to English, he is fluent in Hindi and Tamil. SARATOGA HOSPITAL Saratoga Hospital has promoted Sharman Lisieski to the new role of administrative director of surgical services. She has direct responsibility for Saratoga Hospital surgery departments, including sterile supply, gastrointestinal services and Saratoga Surgery Center, located on the hospital's Wilton campus. A graduate of Adirondack Community College, Lisieski has a bachelor's degree in nursing from Russell Sage College in Troy. She has been a certified perioperative nurse since 1996. SOUTHWESTERN VERMONT MEDICAL CENTER Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Southwestern Vermont Medical Center's ExpressCare in Bennington announced the addition of Family Nurse Practitioner Brooke McBride. With this appointment, McBride also joins the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Medical Group. McBride earned her master's degree in nursing from East Tennessee State University. She received her bachelor's in nursing from Carson-Newman University in Tennessee. She is certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. PROFESSIONS BARCLAY DAMON Barclay Damon announced Genevieve Trigg, special counsel, has joined the law firm. Trigg is based in the Albany office. Trigg is a member of the Environmental, Project Development, and Land Use & Zoning Practice Areas, representing various developers in all aspects of project development, including obtaining local and state permits, land use and zoning approvals, and environmental review under SEQRA. HARRIS BEACH PLLC Myles B. Fischer, an attorney with extensive experience in sophisticated estate planning, administration and tax matters, has joined Harris Beach PLLC as a senior counsel and member of the firm's statewide Wills, Trusts and Estates team. Myles is the latest addition to the Capital Region offices of Harris Beach. He is experienced in advising high-net-worth families and coordinating planning among a family's professional advisory team. SERVICES COMMON ENERGY Solar provider Common Energy announced Monica Anne Peterson-St. John has joined its staff as customer champion. Previously, she worked as a client analyst for Ayco in Latham. Peterson-St. John earned a bachelor's degree in music and theater at Hartwick College in Oneonta. Police are looking for the former pastor of a Sunnyside church who is accused of using a secret bank account to steal more than $200,000 from the congregation, according to court documents. Authorities charged 36-year-old Toddrick Deshaun Johnson with theft and using deception to secure an executive document in connection to pilfered funds from Paradise Missionary Baptist Church at 3605 Tangerine Street. Johnson, of Alvin, has not been apprehended as of Sunday afternoon, records show. The Department of Justice (DOJ) said that Attorney General William Barr played no role in the redactions made in special counsel Robert Muellers report and that a judge has questioned the departments work with no basis. DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said March 6 that the redactions in the public Mueller Report were made by DOJ attorneys in consultation with senior members of Muellers team, prosecutors in the U.S. Attorneys Office and members of the Intelligence Community. The report was then reviewed again by career attorneys, including lawyers with expertise in FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) cases, in response to a FOIA lawsuit by BuzzFeed, its investigative journalist Jason Leopold and Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a privacy non-profit. Barr played no role in the process, Kupec said. The DOJ made the statement in response to a judge who ordered Barr to show him the unredacted version of the Mueller Report, which detailed the results of an investigation into allegations of collusion between Russia and the 2016 campaign of President Donald Trump. On May 17, 2017, Mueller was appointed as special counsel by the then-Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to investigate any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump. He concluded the investigation in March 2019 and submitted the report (pdf) to Barr on March 22, 2019. Barr told Congress in a March 22, 2019, letter (pdf) that he would inform Congress about the principal conclusions of the Mueller report as soon as the weekend of March 23-24. He sent Congress a letter (pdf) with a summary of Muellers principal conclusions on March 24, 2019. The redacted Mueller report was released to the public on April 18, 2019. Barr held a press conference about the release and sent a letter (pdf) to Congress early the day before the release. In a March 5 opinion (pdf), Washington district judge Reggie Waltonan appointee of President George W. Bush presiding over the FOIA casesaid there were inconsistencies between the redacted Mueller report and Barrs public statements, including his March 24 summary of Muellers principal conclusions, his remarks during the press conference and his April 18 letter. Walton also said that Barr may have made the statements in an attempt to influence public discourse over the report in favor of President Donald Trump. The inconsistencies between Attorney General Barrs statements, made at a time when the public did not have access to the redacted version of the Mueller Report to assess the veracity of his statement, and portions of the redacted version of the Mueller Report that conflict with those statements cause the Court to seriously question whether Attorney General Barr made a calculated attempt to influence public discourse about the Mueller Report in favor of President Trump despite certain findings in the redacted version of the Mueller Report to the contrary, Walton wrote. In response, the DOJ said last week Waltons assertions were contrary to the facts. In the course of deciding that it would review the unredacted report, the court made a series of assertions about public statements the Attorney General made nearly a year ago. The courts assertions were contrary to the facts, Kupec stated. Mueller Report vs Barrs March 24 Summary Regarding the inconsistencies Walton noted between the report and the summary, he gave two examples. Barrs summary failed to indicate that Special Counsel Mueller identified multiple Contacts between Trump [c]ampaign officials and individuals with ties to the Russian government, he said, noting that Mueller was appointed, among other things, to examine any alleged Trump-Russia links. Having contacts with people tied to Moscow is not in itself illegal. Its been widely reported since 2016 that Trump campaign associates had such contacts. Walton further said that Mueller only concluded that the investigation did not establish that these contacts involved or resulted in coordination or a conspiracy with the Trump [c]ampaign and Russia because coordination does not have a settled definition in federal criminal law.' In his report, Mueller appears to have worked out his own definition of coordination. Based on that definition, his probe didnt establish that any Trump-Russia coordination occurred. On the question of whether Trump obstructed justice, Barrs summary said that the report doesnt make a conclusion one way or the other and leaves unresolved what the Special Counsel views as difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether the Presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. Walton said that Barr didnt mention that one of the difficult issues Mueller encountered was a longstanding Justice Department policy that a sitting president cant be indicted. However, Mueller clarified in his congressional testimony that it was not the correct way to say that he didnt charge Trump for obstruction because of the policy. As we say in the report and as I said in the opening, we did not reach a determination as to whether the president committed a crime, he said. Barr previously said that the policy would only stop Mueller from indicting Trump, but that he couldve reached a decision on whether Trump obstructed justice. Barr added that Mueller had his reasons for not making a conclusion, but declined to explain further. In absence of a conclusion from Mueller, Barr and Rosenstein, his deputy at the time, said that the evidence is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. Our determination was made without regard to, and is not based on, the constitutional considerations that surround the indictment and criminal prosecution of a sitting president, Barr said in the March 24, 2019, summary. Epoch Times reporter Petr Svab contributed to the report. From The Epoch Times A woman who recently travelled back from London, with a stopover in Dubai, has become Queensland's 15th confirmed coronavirus case. Queensland Health made the announcement on Sunday morning, while also releasing details of three separate flights on which two people, who were confirmed to be infected with the virus on Thursday, travelled. A Queensland woman confirmed to have COVID-19 travelled on Qantas flight QF2 from London to Singapore on February 29, then flight QF52 from Singapore, arriving in Brisbane on March 2. Credit:Louise Kennerley The latest case has been identified as a 38-year-old woman who lives in the Gympie region. She was taken to an isolation room at Sunshine Coast University Hospital, where her condition was stable. Queensland Health said it was working to contact passengers who were near her in transit and anyone else with whom she came in contact. Rows of empty chairs were placed outside the Russian embassy in The Hague on March 8 in a silent protest staged by the families of those who were shot down with Malaysian Airlines flight 17 over rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine. According to reports, the silent protest came on the eve of the trial of four men accused of murder for their involvement. The four men involved in the incident will reportedly not be present at the trial taking place in The Hague. Read: Russia's Putin To Meet Turkish President Erdogan In Moscow To Discuss Syria As per reports, the empty chairs symbolised the absence of the four accused from the court who are believed to be in Russia. Those present observed two minutes of silence and white roses were placed on some of the chairs. Protesters present in the field also held several placards that demanded that the complete truth be revealed and responsible parties are punished. Read: Putin Claims Foreign Powers Spreading Fake News About Coronavirus In Russia Media reports suggest that the flight was shot down by a Russian missile sent to by Moscow to help the rebels in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine also alleges Russia of moving troops and equipment in separatists controlled parts in the eastern part of the country. However, the Russian Federation denies any involvement in the incident that took place on July 17, 2014, in which 298 people died. As per reports, a spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Kremlin would wait until the verdict is out, however, it doubted the objectivity of the Netherlands-led investigation. Read: Russian President Vladimir Putin Proposes Ban On Same-sex Marriage Russia-Ukraine conflict The Russia and Ukraine conflict started after a series of military actions began in 2014 following the annexation of the Crimean peninsula by the Russian Federation. Reportedly, Kremlin's interest in Crimea is because of the Black Sea and its resources. Russia also has a fleet of the Russian Navy in the Black sea that Ukraine was threatening to remove. The black sea gives an important geopolitical advantage to Russia as it gives Kremlin direct access to the Mediterranean sea, an important crossroads between three continents. Read: Russian President Putin Mocks Protesters; Says Welcome To 'get Shaved' In Jail Image Credit: AP JACKSON, MI The chairs at the front of the Leoni Township Hall meeting space were cleared. A white folding table was set up in their place. And the members of the townships Board of Trustees and Planning Commission sat around it Thursday, March 5, for a special meeting to address points of friction that have beleaguered the township in recent months alleged violations of Michigans Open Meetings Act. The groups met for two hours, tiptoeing around the specifics of what sparked the drama. "The way things have been being done, it kind of feels like everybody's trying to get somebody in trouble and give them a black eye, and then make the township look like they have a black eye," Clerk Kerry Pickett said at the start of the meeting. "We don't need to behave like that." Board and commission members discussed points from the Open Meetings Act handbook and consulted the townships attorney Guy Conti for interpretation of how it applies. But the elephant in the room the alleged violations of the planning commission calling an illegal meeting May 23, 2019 didnt stay masked the entire night. A township in turmoil: How Leoni Township went from quirky to toxic The May special meeting was called at the request of Wes Lutz for a site plan approval at the site of his medical marijuana processing facility, per township officials and documents. When planning commission members realized it hadnt given the public proper notice of the meeting, Chairman John Spencer said the meeting was adjourned. Other board members voted to reopen the meeting even though a meeting cant be adjourned anyway without a vote, per the OMA. Spencer and Trustee/Planning Commissioner Kurt Cole left their seats and sat in the audience in protest. The commission approved the site plan and, the next month, approved the minutes despite Contis recommendation of voiding the meeting due to multiple OMA violations, per the townships June 5 minutes. A public official who intentionally violates the OMA can be charged with a misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000, per the act. The incident incited debate among township officials in the months that followed. But trustees like Nora Sharpe-McGee said the township needs to move past this incident as violations werent intentional and the alleged illegal meeting was not an isolated incident. For example, Sharpe-McGee learned last summer of a 2012 state law amendment, which mandates special meeting notices be posted on the front page of the township website. The township was putting notices up, but not prominently on the front page, she said. "That means that absolutely every special meeting between 2012 and that day, technically were not noticed properly," Sharpe-McGee said. Pickett and Sharpe-McGee are hoping to develop an orientation process for all new township board and commission members to better learn the ropes and avoid what they call mistakes of inexperience the township has suffered. Of the 14 members on the Board of Trustees and Planning Commission, 12 are new since 2016. Repairing the divide: What people say sparked Leoni problems, how to fix damage While harmony and dialogue were themes most of Thursdays meeting, some remain skeptical of moving forward without people accepting responsibility. Cole hoped the board would consider punishing some planning commission members, he said, including possible removal. "I think it's to the point in Leoni Township that people must be held accountable or it'll never change," Cole said. But Cole is also a target of removal, from the other Planning Commission members. In a meeting earlier in the week, the board voted to charge Cole with general malfeasance, nonfeasance and misfeasance and voted to ask the township board to replace Cole liaison to the group, Planning Commissioner Ben Carroll said. Cole has sown discourse in the township and "plots against" certain citizens for personal gain, Carroll said in an email. "Instead of engaging in civilized dialogue, Trustee Cole seeks to verbally bully the individual and incite discourse among the commission," Carroll said in the email. The next Board of Trustees meeting is 6 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at Leoni Township Hall, 913 Fifth St. An agenda isnt available yet, so its still to be determined if Coles potential removal from the planning commission -- which only the township board can do -- will be discussed. Michigan State Police seized documents from Leoni Township Hall in August, and multiple township officials said its in relation to the alleged May 23 OMA violations. State police wouldnt confirm the nature of the investigation, which is still ongoing with no estimated time frame for completion. I think theres still some tension in some places, but nothing that I dont think we can get beyond, Sharpe-McGee said. I think well be able to get past that, especially if we stop dwelling in the past and work together to move forward. More Jackson news: Gas station set ablaze, coronavirus prep begins: Top Jackson headlines from March 1-5 With snow gone, Jackson restarts leaf pickup unfinished from fall Assault and robbery victim in Brooklyn follows suspects car until police make arrests In the 1930s, famed biologist Ernst Mayr became the first to study Pacific Robins. Based on his observations of the robins and other birds on Australia and its outlying islands, he developed foundational concepts that continue to inform the study of evolution. He took copious notes on the birds' physical characteristics, behaviors, and habitats. Always, he described the robin populations as a single species, albeit with significant variation from island to island. Ernst Mayr made lasting contributions to evolutionary biology -- but like most scientists, he wasn't right about everything. Bold new claims Anna Kearns is a former UMBC postdoctoral fellow now at the Smithsonian Institution's Conservation Biology Institute. With her UMBC postdoc advisor Kevin Omland and other colleagues, she has conducted new investigations into the relationships among Pacific Robins on various islands using many of the same bird specimens Mayr himself used. The difference is, "He would have mainly been just using his eyes" to compare specimens, Kearns says. She and her colleagues have had the advantage of major advances in technology since Mayr's time. Kearns has built on Mayr's work by using techniques like DNA sequencing and spectrophotometry, which quantitatively compares the hue, brightness, and saturation of feathers. She has come to a more nuanced understanding of the relationships between, say, a robin on Fiji and one on the Solomon Islands. As a result of this research, Kearns and colleagues from UMBC, the Australian National Wildlife Collection, Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History are making bold new claims about the relationships between these birds. In a 2015 paper in Conservation Genetics, Kearns demonstrated that robins living on Norfolk Island, directly east of mainland Australia, are a distinct species from the rest. A new paper in the Journal of Avian Biology published this month indicates two more unique species -- one that inhabits the Solomon and Bougainville Islands, and another that lives on Fiji, Vanuatu, and Samoa. advertisement Preserving biodiversity The new work demonstrates just how much is still unknown about avian biodiversity. "Even in this well-studied group of birds, that's been a textbook example since 1942, we did not really know what the units of biodiversity were," says Omland, professor of biological sciences at UMBC, and senior author on the new paper. Understanding those "units of biodiversity" is critical for conservation. When all the Pacific Robins and mainland Australia's Scarlet Robin were considered a single species (a single unit of biodiversity), the loss of the birds on one or two islands would be unfortunate, but not necessarily very impactful. If those birds were actually the only remaining members of a unique species, however, the same loss becomes catastrophic. "What Anna's work is showing is that the bird populations on these islands have very distinctive traits," Omland adds, "so just knowing what the biodiversity is that we want to conserve is super important." Unpredictable patterns The team's work indicates that all the Pacific Robins are descended from an ancestral Australian population where males were brightly-colored and females were dull-colored. But as small groups of robins colonized the outlying islands, the population on each island took its own evolutionary path. Today, some island groups still maintain the bright male and dull female pattern, but on other islands both sexes have evolved bright coloration. On other islands, both sexes have evolved dull coloration. advertisement "When you look at the genetics, you find two distinct lineages" leading from the common ancestor to all the island populations that exist today, Kearns says. "So that means these patterns have evolved independently multiple times." Kearns and Omland think the changes have more to do with random forces than evolutionary adaptation. "If we flipped two coins, this is about what we'd expect," Omland says. For example, the pattern an island's population ended up with could depend on the color of the individuals that happened to get blown onto that island initially. Also, in a very small population, the random way genes are redistributed from generation to generation can have a significant impact -- as much of an effect or more than natural selection. Detective work Kearns and Omland are both excited to have the opportunity to suggest names for the new species they've identified. Kearns suggests "Mayr's Robin" for the Fiji/Vanuatu/Samoa population, in honor of Ernst Mayr's pioneering study of these birds. But their contribution to ornithology is more than a name. "Because these birds are all on very small isolated islands, and Pacific birds are often on many, many, many isolated islands, collecting is very difficult. So there haven't actually been that many comprehensive studies," Kearns says. Revealing the complexity of the relationships among these robins adds much-needed information to the field. It also raises the prospect that other birds -- especially those on islands -- might have undergone similar, as-yet-unstudied, evolutionary processes. The work is a unique blend of past and present. "You really wouldn't be able to do this study without using these old collections," Kearns says. At the same time, discovering the new species also wouldn't have been possible without modern techniques. "It's kind of like detective work in a way," Kearns says. "I feel like there's just so much more we need to know about it. But we feel like we have made a big step forward." Rows of empty white chairs were placed in front of Russia's embassy in The Hague on Sunday (March 8) - a silent reminder of those who died in Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. The protest was carried out by families of the victims, on the eve of a trial - in absentia - of four men for murder over their involvement. (SOUNDBITE) (English) YOUNGER BROTHER OF MH17 VICTIM, PIET PLOEG, SAYING: "They will see this behind their curtains, but they never stepped out of the embassy to talk to us." Piet Ploeg's older brother Alex died in the crash. (SOUNDBITE) (English) YOUNGER BROTHER OF MH17 VICTIM, PIET PLOEG, SAYING: "The idea of the action is to make perfectly clear to the Russian state that they have to cooperate with the investigation." MH17 was shot down over rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine in July 2014. International investigators say it was hit by a Russian missile sent to help Moscow-backed rebels fighting Ukrainian government forces. All 298 people on board died, including 196 Dutch citizens. Russia has been named politically responsible by the Netherlands and Australia but denies any involvement. That, as well as its vote to block the establishment of a UN court for MH17, has angered relatives. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIECE OF MH17 CRASH VICTIM, LUCY VAN DER KERK, SAYING: "And what hurt us, what was hurting also very much was that the Russians tried to cover everything up, and that when it happened, nobody could go to the bodies and nobody could go to the things and that hurts." The empty chairs, one for each victim, are also meant to symbolize the suspects' absence from court. Arrest warrants were issued last year for three Russians and a Ukrainian identified by a Dutch -led Joint Investigation Team which said they did not pulled the trigger but had colluded to bring down the plane. The four, who had senior positions in pro-Russian militias, are believed to be in Russia which will not extradite them. Embassy officials did not comment. Last week a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin would wait for the outcome of the trial, but that it doubted the objectivity of the Dutch-led investigation. Talks come amid tensions on the Turkish-Greek border after Ankaras move to not prevent people from trying to reach EU. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to hold talks with senior European Union officials in Brussels over a refugee crisis unfolding at the Turkish-Greek border, as Germany said the bloc was considering taking in 1,500 child refugees. Tens of thousands of asylum-seekers have been trying to break through the land border between Turkey and Greece for days after Ankara announced it would no longer prevent people from trying to cross into the EU. Turkey, which hosts approximately four million mostly Syrian refugees, has repeatedly railed against what it describes as unfair burden-sharing following a 2016 with the bloc to halt the influx of refugees into Europe. Erdogan on Sunday called on Greece to open the gates to the refugees after Greek police used tear gas and water cannon in skirmishes with crowds at the border. I hope I will return from Belgium with different outcomes, he said at a speech in Istanbul. Early on Monday, Germany said the EU was considering taking in up to 1,500 refugee children who are currently housed in Greek camps. A humanitarian solution is being negotiated at the European level for a coalition of the willing to take in these children, the government said in a statement. Criticising Ankara, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said negotiating on the backs of the weakest would not yield the desired result. If there is a shortage of money for providing essential humanitarian aid to refugees, whether in Turkey, Idlib or Jordan and Lebanon, we (the EU) will never refuse to talk, Maas told Funke newspapers on Sunday. But that depends on Turkey sticking to its side of the bargain. Barend Leyts, spokesman for European Council President Charles Michel, posted on Twitter that the Erdogan will meet Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss migration, security, stability in the region and the crisis in Syria. President @eucopresident and President @vonderleyen will meet with President @RTErdogan of Turkey on Monday at 18h in Brussels to discuss EU-Turkey matters, including migration, security, stability in the region and the crisis in Syria. Barend Leyts (@BarendLeyts) March 8, 2020 EU did not fulfil commitments In March 2016, Turkey and the EU agreed upon a deal in which Brussels would provide billions of euros in aid to help Ankara finance housing, schools and medical centres for the refugees it hosts on its soil. But Ankara has repeatedly accused the bloc of not fulfilling its comittments under the deal, including visa-free travel for Turkish citizens and an enhanced customs union. We have fulfilled the obligations of the agreement we have made with the EU. However, the EU did not fulfil its commitments except for minimal contributions I hope we will get different results this time, Erdogan said. 200302085719576 In a separate development, Erdogan on Friday ordered the Turkish coastguard to prevent risky Aegean sea crossings after more than hundreds of refugees and migrants landed on Lesbos and four other Aegean islands from Turkey over the past week. The land crossing on the Turkish side of the border with Greece remains open. Ankara also wants more European support in Syria, where its troops are supporting rebels against Russian-backed Syrian government forces. Erdogan has felt extra pressure as nearly a million people in Syrias northwestern province of Idlib fled towards the Turkish border during the recent Syrian government assault, which is backed by Russia. But the Turkish president and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to a ceasefire on Thursday after Turkey launched an offensive against Damascus following the deaths of dozens of Turkish soldiers in recent attacks blamed on the government. TROY With two confirmed COVID-19 cases in Capital Region, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will cancel all public events of 50 or more and is discouraging students from attending large off-campus gatherings to minimize exposure to the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus that emerged in China late last year. While there are no reports of COVID-19 on the Troy campus, in "an abundance of caution," the college has set into motion social distancing protocols outlined in its University Pandemic plan, designed to address the disease that has since spread to 80 countries, college officials said. If you've ever wondered what a soap opera set in Modesto would look like, imagine no more. The March 7 episode of "Saturday Night Live," hosted by Daniel Craig, brought the world "The Sands of Modesto." The soap, complete with mystery cockatoo and lots of significant looks to camera, brought heretofore unseen drama to the California city. Viewers will notice a problem right away: The Modesto of soapy dreams appears to be located seaside, as both the intro title and the view out of the estate window have coastal features. (Modesto, of course, is about 100 miles from the Pacific Ocean.) The home, however, is pretty classically suburban California with its Spanish roof tiles and palm trees out front. ALSO: Elizabeth Warren made a surprise 'SNL' cameo Like many other sketches this week, "SNL" couldn't resist more coronavirus jokes, announcing "The Sands of Modesto" was filmed with actors' health in mind. As such, some scenes are recreated by dolls or stock footage. A typical soap opera love scene gets some of the biggest alterations, with Craig pulling a giant sheet of plastic wrap over Kate McKinnon before kissing her. The scene is interrupted by Cecily Strong. "How did you find us?!" Craig says. "You think if my ex-husband came back into town I wouldn't know about it?" Strong says while applying hand sanitzer. "Bitch, this is Modesto." One YouTube commenter perhaps summed up the sketch best: "Being from Modesto and seeing Modesto mentioned in anyway that's not about crime is so confusing," wrote foreverfree26. See the full sketch in the video above. The death last month of Chinas whistleblowing doctor Li Wenliang, weeks after he warned of a new, unnamed coronavirus in an online chatroom, triggered an outpouring of calls for free speech in the worlds most populous authoritarian country. In online chatrooms, many mourned the doctors passing as they talked about the importance of transparency and free speech and demanded an end to the partys ever-expanding control over all aspects of life. Some saw echoes of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, but others said the Chinese government's heavy handed controls and massive surveillance apparatus are too effective at neutralizing dissent. Analysts told VOA Mandarin that not only is this coronavirus moment nothing like the spring protests of 1989, but free speech in China continues to worsen despite Beijings rise on the global stage. Days after Lis death, Jan. 31, a sudden knock on his door awakened Su Ping. A 48-year-old who owns two financial companies and lives in Shenzhen, Chinas high-tech hub, Su found police officers at the door. They told him someone had reported him for publishing inappropriate statements online. The officers took Su to the police station. There, he signed a document promising, not to publish inappropriate statements or do anything that would cause panic in the future. Su said the inappropriate statement was an open letter he signed online mourning Lis death and calling for freedom of speech and transparency. Snatched from his home in the middle of the night, and well aware of the authorities ability to make him disappear, Su said he had little choice but to sign the document. Inflection point Authorities warned, then silenced Li Wenliang in early January for revealing the scope of the coronavirus outbreak. On Jan. 1, when Wuhan police announced that Li and seven others had been summoned for admonition, the local health authorities were reporting that there were dozens cases of viral pneumonia of unknown causes without obvious evidence of human-to-human transmission. By the time Lis death was announced Feb. 7, it was clear that he was correct and authorities had wasted time. As of Thursday, the virus has spread to at least 88 countries with more than 98,000 confirmed cases and at least 3,300 deaths globally, according to WHO. Most of the deaths, 3,045, and confirmed cases, 80,711, are in China. The majority of those are in Wuhan. The announcement of Li's death unleashed a torrent of grief and anger on social media. Millions of Chinese paid tribute to him while condemning the government for valuing stability over peoples well-being. Su signed one of the open letters, which cites Article 35 of Chinas constitution. It states that Chinese citizens enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration." Su said he signed the open letter because, the quick spread of the virus across the country has something to do with [the lack of] information transparency. Im a bit afraid after signing the letter but someone has to stand up, he said. Otherwise, the situation will never change. If no one is willing to stand up, the whole situation will get worse. Wang Yu, a human rights lawyer, also signed the letter. Wang told VOA she signed, because our survival rights are under threat. Many people are willing to stand up and speak out, even if they are scared of the possible crackdown from the government. Wang said that she received a warning from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice. According to Chinese Human Rights Defenders, as of the Feb. 16 deadline for the petition that Su and Wang signed, it had only 665 signatures. Careful courage Lao Dongyan, a professor specializing in criminal law at Beijings Tsinghua University, described Lis action on the virus as careful bravery and courage on her public WeChat account. "We worry about the consequences for speaking out, we worry about punishment from work, discrimination from colleagues, or even a visit by the police," she wrote. "To keep our jobs, we remain silent, we keep withdrawing, until we are cornered." She added that Lis death made her aware that the government does not tolerate speaking out on even the most basic rights. Her post, like many others, was quickly deleted. Chen Pokong, a U.S.-based political commentator who was a leading activist during the Tiananmen movement, described the current outcry from the public as extremely weak when compared to 1989 when tens of thousands took to the streets. After 30 years of tight control and relentless crackdown, people are scared, he said. Wang said todays strict electronic surveillance makes it impossible for people to unite and stage public protests as they did in 1989. People are angry, but the key issue is the ubiquitous surveillance cameras and the grid management system. You look at the cameras, [theyre] everywhere. This kind of grid management control, plus the lockdown of the cities its even hard for me to go out to do grocery shopping, to say nothing of going out for protests, she said, adding that she needed a pass to come and go from her neighborhood. One citizen, two cameras Chinese authorities have used the outbreak to set up even more rigid controls that expand the countrys current surveillance network based on cell phones and street cameras. A 2019 report from market research firm International Data Corporation predicts that by 2022, China will have up to 2.76 billion surveillance cameras, or two for each citizen. Wang said that with such controls in place, she does not support protests by common people. I do not think its wise for the bare-handed protesters to go against the modern weapons systems. There is no need to do that, and you can never win, she told VOA. To contain the virus, China has locked down major cities and stepped up neighborhood checks nationwide. Chen said these measures serve two purposes for the Communist Party. On the one hand, they thought it could block the virus from spreading. On the other hand, it allows them to lock the people down, preventing them from going out on the streets and standing together, he said. The lockdown of the cities may not be able to block the virus, but it efficiently separates the people, making it hard for them to organize a meaningful front to speak out about poor governance. Narrative control Beyond physical controls in Wuhan and other cities, the party is controlling public opinion. The government has framed the narrative such that the people that are primarily taking the blame are local level officials, said Rory Truex, an assistant professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University. Chinas governing system is one of fragmented authoritarianism, he said, where responsibility for making and implementing policies is spread across many levels of government. This structure allows for easy scapegoating in times of crisis. On Feb. 13, the central government ousted Jiang Chaoliang, Hubeis highest-ranking party official, for mishandling the outbreak. Truex added that in the West theres a tendency to underestimate the level of support for the Communist Party itself, especially the central leadership and someone like Xi. If people were going to be on the street, it would have happened by now. People can be angry about something, but its different to go from anger to an actual social movement, he said. Pent-up anger Chinese media reports focus on the peoples commitment to fighting the outbreak, the bravery of medical staff, government feats such as building a new hospital for Wuhan in 10 days, and most importantly, the leadership of President Xi Jinping. Wang Juntao, a dissident who participated in Tiananmen, said the outbreak wont tarnish Xis reputation because so many people have been brainwashed. The patient will say Two people in our family were infected due to Wuhan mayors mishandling [of the outbreak], but President Xi came to our rescue, Wang said. Still, exiled Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng told VOA that because the outbreak has touched the bottom line the Chinese people will eventually hold the government accountable, by means that might not be peaceful, rational and non-violent. If the government makes Xi Jinping a scapegoat, that would mean something, he said. If the high-ranking officials are not able to do this, the pent-up anger will definitely find a way out. If you don't release it, it will explode. Lin Yang and Feng Lin contributed to this report from VOAs Mandarin Service. The trial in the Hague starts on March 9. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes MH17 trial in the Netherlands will see justice prevail and that those guilty will be held accountable. "Along with partners from Flag of Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands Ukrainian experts have been key to gathering crucial evidence for the 17 case," the president tweeted. Read alsoRelatives of MH17 victims stage rally outside Russian embassy in The Hague "The trial in the Hague starts on March 9. I believe justice will prevail and that those responsible will be held accountable for the deaths of 298 innocent people," Zelensky wrote. UNIAN memo. Malaysia Airlines' MH17 Boeing 777 heading from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17, 2014, over Russia-occupied territory in Donetsk region. All 298 people on board who were citizens of 10 countries were killed in the crash. The majority of the victims, 196, were citizens of the Netherlands. The Dutch Safety Board October 13, 2015, issued a report on the causes of the accident. It was revealed that the plane had been shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft missile system. The Joint Investigation Team in its report published on September 28, 2016, confirmed that the plane had been downed by a Russian-made Buk brought to Ukraine from Russia. Read alsoMH17 trial: Russia's GRU tried to hinder, influence probe on multiple fronts, Dutch report says On June 19, 2019, JIT investigators accused four Russia-controlled military intelligence officers of involvement in a missile attack that shot down MH17. The first four suspects in the MH17 case are Russian terrorist Igor Girkin (AKA "Strelkov"), who in the summer of 2014 was the so-called "Minister of Defense of the Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR"); Russian General Sergei Dubinsky (nom de guerre "Khmuryi"), who led the "DPR intelligence;" Oleg Pulatov (nom de guerre "Gyurza"), who in 2014 headed of "the 2nd division of the GRU of the DPR;" as well as Leonid Kharchenko (nom de guerre "Krot"), who was a leader of the "reconnaissance battalion" of Russia-led forces. The trial is scheduled to start in the Netherlands on Monday, March 9. New Delhi: Delhi's Karkardooma court on Sunday (March 8, 2020) sent Riyasat Ali to a 3-day police custody and Liaquat to a 14-day judicial custody who have been booked for leading a mob in the deadly violence that rocked the northeast district of the national capital in the last week of February 2020, according to news agency ANI. Riyasat and Liaquat have been accused of leading a mob in the violence in the Chand Bagh area of northeast Delhi on February 24-25. According to Delhi Police, they were present on the terrace of suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain's house and were leading the mob who were throwing stones and petrol bombs at the crowd. The police claimed that both worked for the suspended AAP legislator. The police have also detained Tariq Rizwi, accused of helping Tahir in inciting riot in the northeast Delhi and murder of Police Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma. The police will present all the three detainees in the Karkardooma court and is likely to seek a two-day police remand. Tahir Hussain, arrested for the alleged murder of IB staffer during Chand Bagh violence, was produced by the police before a Delhi court on March 6 and was sent to 7-day police custody. The police said Tahir revealed during the interrogation that he fled to Nehru Vihar in Mustafabad and stayed in Okhla for two days before he came out to surrender in court. The investigation against Tahir began after Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma's father Ravinder Kumar filed a complaint against the accused suspended AAP leader. The IB officer's body was found from a drain in Chand Bagh on February 26. As of March 8, as many as 53 people have reportedly died in the northeast Delhi violence and more than 300 people have suffered injuries during these clashes. Despite continuous attacks and killings of Sangh workers in Left-ruled Kerala, the highest 4,500 shakhas are held in the state daily, RSS Joint General Secretary Krishna Gopal said on Sunday. A shakha, a congregation of Sangh workers, is the smallest unit of the saffron organisation and its backbone as well. Speaking at a prayer meeting for the late P Parameswaran in Delhi, Gopal said the veteran Sangh worker took up the challenge to stand up against the Communists in the 1950s when they were at their peak. The Communist ideology was on rise in Russia, China and Cuba and it also got a foothold in Kerala, Gopal said adding that thereafter more than 500 Sangh workers were killed and 1,000 were handicapped. "Despite killings of Sangh workers, Parameswaranji stood up to the challenge, continued to work and showed that Hindutva's philosophy is of inclusiveness, unlike Communism which targets those who are opposed to its ideology," he said. Gopal said Kerala now is a state where 4,500 shakhas are held daily, the highest in the country. Speaking at the prayer meeting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Parameswaran always thought about country, society and the organisation before him. Shah said though he never got a chance to work with Parameswaran, he met the veteran RSS worker several times and every time he learned something from him. Jane Fonda has 'indirectly' endorsed Bernie Sanders for the presidency. 'We have to get a climate president in office, and there's only one right now, and that's Bernie Sanders,' the 82-year-old explained to USA Today. 'So, I'm indirectly saying I believe you have to support the climate candidate,' said Jane, who has famously racked up multiple arrests at recent climate protests. Making her voice heard: Jane Fonda has 'indirectly' endorsed Bernie Sanders for the presidency, she said before her environmental rally in Los Angeles this Friday (pictured) In fact, she spoke to the newspaper just before one of her star-studded environmental rallies, this time in the Los Angeles Harbor Region on Friday. Her Grace And Frankie co-stars Lily Tomlin and Sam Waterston were also at the rally amid such names as Rosanna Arquette, Diane Lane and Lana Parrilla. Before declaring her support for Bernie, Jane had given money to Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren, who have now both dropped out of the race. Sam's prior candidate Michael Bloomberg is also out, so Sam told USA Today he is now for Joe Biden whom he argued 'is the easiest man to like in politics, bar none.' Still going strong: 'So, I'm indirectly saying I believe you have to support the climate candidate,' said Jane, who has famously racked up multiple arrests at recent climate protests Taking a stand: 'So, I'm indirectly saying I believe you have to support the climate candidate,' said Jane, who has famously racked up multiple arrests at recent climate protests Place to be: In fact, she spoke to the newspaper just before one of her star-studded environmental rallies, this time in the Los Angeles Harbor Region on Friday Jane has hit the headlines for her climate activism and racked up a string of arrests late last year while engaging in climate protests in Washington, D.C. Her arrests featured an array of celebrity guest-stars including Sam, Rosanna and Diane, as well as Catherine Keener and Sally Field. Luckily for Jane a judge in the capital arrived at an arrangement with her lawyer that lets her out of a court date or even community service. Her end of the bargain is that she must avoid getting arrested for three months while in Los Angeles - but after that, she wants to start getting booked by police again. By the way: Her Grace And Frankie co-stars Lily Tomlin and Sam Waterston (left) were also at the rally amid such names as Rosanna Arquette (right), Diane Lane and Lana Parrilla Meanwhile: Sam's prior candidate Michael Bloomberg is also out, so Sam told USA Today he is now for Joe Biden whom he argued 'is the easiest man to like in politics, bar none' 'We're protesting an existential threat that could determine the future of human life on the planet, basically,' said Jane, who wants fossil fuel emissions halved within the decade and completely eliminated by the next three. The Klute star, who said she is 'avoiding shaking hands' because of coronavirus, was seen fist-bumping one of her fellow protesters that day. Jane has been at the forefront of celebrity activism since the Vietnam War, which she staunchly opposed, resulting in great controversy. During the summer of 1972 Jane was snapped in Hanoi sitting on a North Vietnamese antiaircraft gun used against Americans. Loyal comrades: Jane's climate arrests in D.C. featured an array of celebrity guest-stars including Sam, Rosanna and Diane, as well as Catherine Keener and Sally Field On the go: 'We're protesting an existential threat that could determine the future of human life on the planet, basically,' said Jane at the rally That photo earned her lifelong infamy as 'Hanoi Jane,' and she has been protested by military veterans ever since, though some ex-military have also supported her. During her 1972 trip to enemy territory, she also participated in propaganda broadcasts from the North Vietnamese Army's station Radio Hanoi. While speaking on Radio Hanoi she intimated that U.S. servicemen should disobey their orders - though she said on 60 Minutes decades later that she was merely 'asking them to consider it.' Side by side: Jane is pictured at Friday's protest with Lily, whom she has been starring with on Grace And Frankie since 2015 Staying safe: The Klute star, who said she is 'avoiding shaking hands' because of coronavirus, was seen fist-bumping one of her fellow protesters that day After returning to the United States, she said in an 1973 interview quoted by the New York Times that the torture of American prisoners of war was 'understandable.' She told KNBC-TV: 'These men were bombing and strafing and napalming the country. If a prisoner tried to escape, it is quite understandable that he would probably be beaten and tortured.' Jane's only son Troy was named after Viet Cong bomber Nguyen Van Troi, who attempted to assassinate U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara. Loading Loading Kano state Executive Council has approved the release of N245, 782, 920.00 million for the settlement of the excess workload for the period of three academic sessions to the Academic Staff Union (ASUU) and Senior Non-Teaching Staff of the State University of Science and Technology, Wudil. Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the state Executive Council Meeting held at the Council Chambers of the Government House, Kano, the state commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba said staff of the university have not been paid the due as stipulated in the 2019 agreement between the federal government and ASUU. He said funds amounting to the sum of N552, 032, 574.50 million has also been approved for the rehabilitation of Kafin Chiri Dam (Phase) in Garko local government. Malam Garba pointed out that the council has okayed the release of N122, 399, 563.85 for the furnishing and supply of office essentials for the newly completed office complex at Sharia Court department, Audu Bako Secretariat, Kano. The commissioner stated that the council has also approved the sum of N121, 572, 866.46 million for the award of contract on erosion and washout control at various locations in Garko local government area. The council, he said, has also approved the release of N38, 000, 000.00 million for the replacement of solar batteries and panels at 50 enrolment centres of the National Identity Management Commission across the state. Other approvals by the council include the release of N16, 135, 000.00 million for the upgrade of vocational acquisition programmes. (Natural News) Saturday morning I was about to write this story about how hospital beds would be overrun by mid to late May, when I discovered someone else had beat me to the punch. A Zero Hedge story, linked by Drudge, cites Liz Specht (@LizSpecht), who has a PhD in biology and works at the Good Food Institute. She lays out the math which explains why hospital beds will be overrun by around May 8th. You can find that story here. Its a good read, of course, and it largely parallels my own pandemic projection model that I published several days earlier. I also find it confirming that other PhDs are coming to same same mathematical conclusions Ive reached as a food scientist and published science author myself. It turns out that all the really smart science nerds are reaching the same conclusion on this: Its gonna be way, way worse than any mainstream source is admitting. My own model, detailed at this link, predicts the following situation for May 8th if nothing is done to stop this projection (i.e. if no harsh travel restrictions are put in place): 174,362 actively infectious Americans Exactly cumulative 15,000 deaths in America 121,848 recovered Americans who are no longer infectious These numbers are slightly lower than what Liz Specht predicts in her own work. My pandemic projection model is intentionally more conservative in the numbers, and it makes more complex assumptions than Spechts work. For example, my model calculates 14-day lag times for the infected, and it spreads out the R0 infections over the entire 14 days. This results in a slower projected spread but, I would suggest, represents a better model of how the virus actually spreads. My model predicts hospital beds wont be overrun until May 30th Im not disagreeing with Specht here, as she has done excellent work. However, I would offer an alternative view based on a more complex model that I think may be more accurate. This model predicts the hospital beds wont really be overrun until the end of May. Heres what my model shows on May 15th, for example, assuming no strong interventions that achieve isolation (travel restrictions, etc.): 323,245 actively infectious Americans 28,170 cumulative deaths in America 226,804 recovered Americans who are no longer infectious And by May 30th, heres what the projections show: 1.2 million actively infectious Americans 107,224 cumulative deaths in America 854,542 recovered Americans who are no longer infectious We also know that about 20% of the actively infected will need hospitalization. On May 15th, we have 323,245 actively infected people, and 20% of that is 64,649. America can handle 64,649 hospitalizations. Thus, it doesnt look like hospitals will be overrun by May 15th, at least not according to this model. But by May 30th, we have 1.2 million actively infectious people in America, meaning we need 240,000 hospitalizations during that time. Thats where I see the breaking point of the U.S. hospital system. Thus, with respect to Dr. Specht, I would suggest that May 30th is a more accurate target date for the U.S. hospital system to be overrun. If you still have a functioning Twitter account mine has been banned by the techno-fascist asshat Jack Dorsey for a very long time for talking about vaccines send @LizSpecht this URL, please, so she can take a look at this model. The only real criticism of my model is that its too conservative Ive only used an R0 value of 1.82 for my projections, while the real virus spread an amplification factor of something closer to 4.5 or perhaps even 6.6. This means my pandemic projection model is deliberately erring on the side of being too conservative. Ive even publicly admitted this, explaining that if I used the more accurate R0 values, the projections become apocalyptic and far beyond the willingness of anyone to grasp. Indeed, we are living in a time when most people cant do math, and almost no one can accept reality. So we have to spoon feed little bits of reality to them, one piece at a time, until they can finally come to face the full picture without psychologically rejecting it. I apologize if this sounds condescending, but if youre smart like me, you already know that most people cant handle the truth on this. Even now, my own text messages are blowing up with comments from people who claim my projections are too scary, even when I use the lower figures as assumptions. This just goes to underscore the state of mental fragility that now defines our snowflake society where everyone claims to be triggered by anything they dont want to hear. I keep telling people the virus doesnt care about your feelings, but few seem to be willing to listen. It makes them uncomfortable to think about any future that doesnt feel nice. When I tell them Im really, really good at math and aced the mathematics sections of college entrance exams, they think Im being arrogant and condescending. When I implore them to stock up on survival supplies and prepare for the collapse of society as we know it today, they tell me everything will be fine in 90 days and demand to know why Im attacking Trump. (Huh?) So were way beyond the point of rationality here. Weve in full-blown la la land. We are living in the land of delusion where truth is treason and logic is a thought crime. Aside from myself and Liz Specht, theres another person who really, really gets all this. His name is Chris Martenson with PeakProsperity.com. He even uses the phrase, Dont Test, Dont Tell which I coined at Natural News in this article on Feb. 24. It was also the title of this podcast we published 12 days ago. Watch his video here (and someone please tell him to start a channel on Brighteon.com so that when he gets banned by YouTube, he can still reach people via Brighteon): Chris Martenson and I have a very similar view on the coronavirus, and were both scientists who have a strong understanding of mathematics and biology. Hes been spot on from day one. I listen to his podcasts each day, and I often find him saying the exact same things Im thinking. (I should invite him for an interview) If you want to hear my podcasts, which are a whole lot more opinionated and occasionally hilarious, check out the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com where youll find 3 new podcasts each weekday, much like the one shown below. Unlike Chris who has a more academic delivery style and tries to avoid being banned by YouTube, I dont give a crap anymore since Im banned everywhere, so I just lay it out in a completely uncensored fashion that sometimes borders on hilarious or rude, depending on the day: Finally, if you want to live, read Pandemic.news where we combine all the videos, articles, science articles, statistics and downloadable MP3 audio podcasts in one place, so you can get informed and possibly survive this with your life intact. While the Aurangabad Police have dropped five accused from the charge sheet, they have added three more based on photo evidence, The Aurangabad Police in the state of Bihar have filed a chargesheet against alleged rioters for turning peaceful protests violent by indulging in stone-pelting. Of the 46 arrested on the day the unrest broke out in Aurangabad, the police have not found any evidence against five, said Meraj Khan, lawyer representing the accused. Firstpost had reported how there were several contradictions between claims made in the FIR and the police diary. The five people include two men and three women. Shams Waris, one of the two men, was actually inside a court securing his bail in another case when the rioting transpired. The second man, Shahbaz Nawab, a local trader at a jewellery store, was arrested from a terrace along with five other "culprits", according to the FIR. But the police diary, which contradicts the police FIR, claimed that rioters had began pelting stones in his lane when Shahbaz was trying to get home. To avoid the police, he ran towards the rioters, where he fell and injured himself. The diary, in fact, quoted an eyewitness and said that Shahbaz took a few blows from the stone pelting. However, there is a video of Shahbaz being brutally beaten up by the police who have cornered him against a shuttered shop. The video shows Shahbaz miserably failing at warding off several men in uniform beating him with lathis. His brother, Sajid, said he is relieved that Shahbaz is finally home. He has a wife and an eight-month-old son, he said. He even started working to get back to normalcy. We hope to put it behind us and resume our ordinary lives. Haseena Khatoon, however, is angrier. She was picked up from a function along with two other women and 10 other men. They were attending an engagement ceremony at a family friends home in Qureshi Mohalla. We cried endlessly but the police did not stop beating us, she said in a telephonic interview. We told them we have not seen anything. We told them to have mercy. But they did not listen. The police, she said, first took them to Jama Masjid, clicked their photo and then took them to the police station. We were scared, said Khatoon. They had already broken someones arm or someones leg. So we did not say much at the police station. Khatoon's name, along with those of two other women, has been dropped from the chargesheet, as the police could not find evidence of their involvement. On 21 December 2019, the town of Aurangabad in Bihar had observed a protest at Ramesh Chowk against the amended citizenship law. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and its allies had called for a bandh to rally against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). But towards the end, the peaceful protest turned violent. Following the unrest, the police began raiding localities which were predominantly Muslim around the protest site to identify these "miscreants". They arrested 46 people on that day. While the police have dropped five accused from the chargesheet, they have added three more based on photo evidence, which makes it a case against 44 people. Out of those, 13 were said to be minors, but one of them has turned out to be an adult after his medical examination, said Khan. All the minors are out on bail. And 18 of the adults have also received bail. Among the 18 released on bail is Sikandar Hayat, local councillor, and main accused behind the riots. Upon being asked about the treatment meted out to him in jail, he said, Jail is jail, that is what I will say. The FIR accuses him of leading a mob, and triggering riots against the police. The first page of the FIR claims when the bandh ended at around 12.15 pm, a mob of 200, led by Hayat, emerged at the scene. "The mob started beating up shopkeepers near a book store, asking them to shut shop," the FIR notes. "When police tried to intervene, the mob chanted slogans against them and started throwing bricks and stones. A brick landed on a policeman's head, and he got seriously injured. Hayat was egging the protesters on." The FIR further adds that the police tried its best to convince the mob not to indulge in stone-pelting, but the mob continued with the attacks, at which point the police used force and arrested five troublemakers. One of them was Hayat. Interestingly, a few pages later the same FIR notes that Hayat was 'arrested' again while jumping off a roof along with a few others who were indulging in stone-pelting. Anup Kumar, SDPO, Aurangabad, did not respond to phone calls. And when this reporter met him in the second week of February, he refused to comment on the details of the investigation. However, Hayat, in a telephonic interview, said the FIR is 100 percent wrong. He said, When I realised that there was unrest, I stepped out to see what was happening. Qureshi mohalla, where I live, was quiet then. I told people in my mohalla to get back in to their homes so there wont be any problem. I was ensuring that things dont blow up in my locality. After getting people to get back into their homes, Hayat returned to his place, and stood by the door. That is when the police emerged and picked me up, he said. The police have claimed I did a lot of things in the FIR. I am sure they do not have any proof. Not one photo or video. Mumbai, March 8 : In an early morning swoop on Sunday, one of Indias most high profile bankers, Rana Kapoor, the erstwhile founder and chairman of fifth largest private lender Yes Bank, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Kapoor was arrested in a money laundering case related with Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL) after 30 hours of questioning. He will be produced before a court at around 11 a.m. on Sunday. The ED which continued its searches at Kapoor's Samudra Mahal residence in Worli on Saturday, is probing whether Doit Urban Ventures, a dummy company controlled by the Yes Bank founder and two of his daughters, received Rs 600 crore as kickbacks from the scam-hit Dewan Housing Financial Corporation Ltd (DHFL) for loans worth Rs 4,450 crore granted by the bank. ED officials stated that Yes Bank had provided a loan of Rs 3,750 crore to DHFL and another loan of Rs 750 crore to RKW Developers, a firm controlled by DHFL. When they defaulted on payment, Yes Bank did not initiate action, and the ED suspects Kapoor and two of his daughters (he has three), who are directors with Doit Urban Ventures, allegedly received kickbacks from DHFL. The ED suspects that this amount of Rs 4,450 crore is part of the Rs 13,000 crore allegedly siphoned off by DHFL through 79 dummy companies, with Doit Urban Ventures being one of them. Palace coup plot has been reported in Saudi Arabia. Three members of the Saudi royal family were arrested at the weekend for suspected coup attempt to oust King Salman and the Crown Prince, designated son to succeed reigning king. There is another suspicion that the coup plot may not be real but a proactive measure by the heir apparent to the throne to intimidate potential contenders to the throne after the exit of King Salman. Reports indicated that internal sources with knowledge of the issue revealed that a possible reason for the arrests could be a move by Mohammed bin Salman, already the countrys effective leader, to counter potential challengers to his succession after King Salman, who is 84, dies or leaves the throne. Mohammed bin Nayef and his half-brother, Nawaf, were said to be arrested at a private desert camp on Friday while Prince Ahmed was picked up from his home. Mohammed bin Salman, identified to be the de facto king, was said to be in charge of day-to-day governance in the kingdom. Reports further indicated that he has been praised by the West for implementing social reforms, while coming under intense caustic criticism for a tough crackdown on Saudis perceived as critics of his policies. Mohammed bin Salman was also under scrutiny after the 2018 killing of Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist, Jamal Khashoggi, inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. PV: 0 Yesterday we predicted a return to MbS' infamous Ritz-Carlton Riyadh shakedown of 2017 after a dramatic Friday morning raid on the homes of King Salman's brother, Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al Saud, and Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz al Saud. All eyes are on the spread of the deadly coronavirus, so what better time to initiate a broader crackdown (or at least dramatically restart the 2017-2018 purge), than when world leaders are distracted by making sure their societies survive a potential apocalyptic pandemic? The pair, which happen to be the kingdom's top most powerful royals aside from MbS, having both in the past been in charge of Saudi armed forces and intelligence in the post of Interior Minister, were arrested for allegedly plotting a coup to unseat the king and crown prince. Of course any level of evidence was not forthcoming. Treason could bring the death penalty. It appears the resumption of MbS' purge of any power rivals or centers of influence is back on after a year-long lull following the Oct. 2018 murder and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi is officially back on. The WSJ reports: "Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has embarked on a broad security crackdown by rounding up royal rivals, government officials and military officers in an effort to quash potential challenges to his power, Saudi royals and advisers familiar with the matter said Saturday." This includes "dozens of Interior Ministry officials, senior army officers and others suspected of supporting a coup attempt...". With Gov. Cuomo declaring New York in a 'state of emergency' Saturday after a new spike in Covid-19 cases, the crackdown in the Saudi kingdom has barely made a dent in terms of competing with the dozens of coronavirus headlines this weekend. And yet hundreds of prince's and high Saudi officials are now experiencing chills of a very different sort: The security sweep has sent a chill across the leadership of Saudi Arabia, where Prince Mohammed has spent three years consolidating power in anticipation of his expected ascension to the throne when 84-year-old King Salman dies, or if he decides to abdicate. One Saudi government official told the Journal it's still a mystery as to why black-clad and masked commandos showed up to haul bin Nayef and Prince Ahmed away early Friday morning. The king was seen just a day earlier, so he is OK and none of us are aware of any plans of abdication, the anonymous Saudi government adviser said. The trigger for the arrests is still a mystery. Related Links: Saudi Arabia - As New Budget Problems Arise The Clown Prince Arrests More Family [moonofalabama.org] Top Saudi royals arrested for plotting with Americans against King, Western media say. Whats happening in oil-rich kingdom? [rt.com] Related Articles: Monday, December 23, 2019 - Saudi Arabia sentences 5 people to death over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi A Saudi court has handed death sentences to five suspects charged in connection to the gruesome murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Three others have received lengthy prison terms for their roles in the killing. Wednesday, December 11, 2019 - Aramco Stock Soars Limit Up In Debut After Saudis Force Locals To Buy Saudi Arabias oil company Aramco soared 10% limit up on its first day of trading, reaching a valuation of $1.88 trillion, higher than any other publicly traded company in the world. This means that after pricing its IPO at $1.7 trillion, Jamie Dimon left about $180 billion on the table, which will hardly impress the Crown Prince. Sunday, December 1, 2019 - Saudi Arabia takes over G20 presidency from Japan Man who threw water on U.S. Rep Steve King sentenced to 2 years probation DES MOINES, Iowa A Colorado man who pleaded guilty to throwing water on U.S. Rep. Steve King has been sentenced to two years of probation. Blake Gibbins, a 27-year-old from Lafayette, Colorado, was sentenced Thursday in federal court after pleading guilty in September to one count of assaulting a member of Congress, a misdemeanor. In March of 2019, the Webster County attorney charged Gibbins with simple assault and disorderly conduct after he threw a cup of water on U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, while the lawmaker was eating lunch at the Mineral City Mill and Grill restaurant in Fort Dodge. His initial charges were suspended in April and later replaced by the federal charge from the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. In his plea deal, Gibbins and the defense recommended one year of probation as punishment. The Jefferson, Iowa, native could have been incarcerated for up to one year for the crime, court records show. Leonard Strand, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, instead decided Thursday to sentence Gibbins to two years of probation, in addition to an agreed-upon 200 hours of community service. Gibbins' attorney, Paul Statler, said Strand, who seemed to be weighing incarceration over probation, gave the case "considerable contemplation." Had Gibbins had any prior criminal history, Strand likely would have decided on a stricter sentence, said Statler, who believed the sentence was fair. The judge also weighed the fact that Gibbins had been home, helping his mother with family funeral preparations, at the time of the assault. "(The offense) was impulsive, unplanned and did not result in any physical injury to the victim," prosecutors wrote in the government's Feb. 27 sentencing memorandum. "The offense occurred roughly one week after the defendants (adopted father) passed away, while the defendant was still under the emotional influence of the event." Story continues Colorado man Blake Gibbins, 26, has been charged after allegedly dumping water on U.S. Rep. Steve King. Gibbins is a full-time master's student with hopes of becoming a child welfare and adoptee rights advocate, according to the plea agreement. He also has a part-time job. Fort Dodge police said they believed King was targeted by Gibbins because of his role as a congressman. Gibbins did not know King was going to be at the restaurant, police say. "Something the sentencing judge stressed was that this was a very serious offense and it was a difficult decision for the judge because he wants to be sure to provide adequate deterrents," Statler told the Des Moines Register on Thursday. "The sentencing judge does not want to send the message that it is OK to assault a congressman, and we respect that." A spokesman for King did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Statler said his client didn't wish to comment immediately following his sentencing. A GoFundMe campaign established to help cover Gibbins' legal fees was launched in March of 2019. Since then, it's raised more than $5,600 from more than 270 donors. "Social media has sort of portrayed him as a social justice warrior when, in fact, he's a very reserved young man," Statler remarked Thursday about Gibbins. "There's a lot more to him than just this event." Follow Anna Spoerre on Twitter: @annaspoerre This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Steve King: Man gets probation for throwing water on Iowa Republican A molecular marker in saliva is associated with the emergence of childhood obesity in a group of preschool-aged Hispanic children. The intriguing discovery, reported in the journal BMC Medical Genetics, supports ongoing efforts to identify biomarkers associated with the emergence of childhood obesity before body mass index (BMI) is designated as obese, said Shari Barkin, MD, MSHS, director of Pediatric Obesity Research at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Understanding the factors that predispose children to obesity is important and will pave the way toward better prevention and early intervention." Barkin, William K. Warren Foundation Professor of Medicine and chief of the Division of General Pediatrics The prevalence of pediatric obesity has been increasing at an alarming rate, Barkin noted, with a disproportionate burden in Hispanic populations. Pediatric obesity is associated with the onset of later comorbidities including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. "Right now, we only have crude markers to predict the emergence of obesity; we wait until the BMI is a certain number to intervene," Barkin said. "We're looking for markers that will allow us to intervene much earlier." Barkin and her colleagues collected saliva samples at baseline from children who were enrolled in the Growing Right Onto Wellness (GROW) trial. A total of 610 parent-preschool child pairs, 90% of whom were Hispanic, received high-dose behavioral intervention during a three-year study period. At enrollment, the children were at-risk for obesity, but not yet obese. "Even though many of the children in our intervention group compared to our control group improved their nutrition, maintained physical activity consistent with guidelines and got sufficient sleep, 30% of them still emerged into obesity," Barkin said. "This sheds new light on how we think about the interaction of behavior and genetics and how that might contribute to health disparities." The investigators had collected saliva as an easily accessible, non-invasive tissue that they hoped would reveal genetic and epigenetic factors that might predispose a child to obesity. In a previous study, they analyzed saliva samples from a subset of the enrolled children for methylation of genes associated with obesity. Methylation is an epigenetic "mark" on DNA that regulates gene expression. They found that methylation at 17 DNA sites in the child's baseline saliva was associated with the mother's BMI and waist circumference, suggesting that obesity risk may be transmitted from mother to child. Now, they have evaluated associations between baseline salivary methylation and objective changes in child BMI after three years in the study. "At baseline, these children were all non-obese, but based on their maternal BMI, their DNA was methylated differently at 17 sites," Barkin said. "Now we know that some of them emerged into obesity. We asked, 'Could we have predicted that from differences in methylation, even after accounting for maternal BMI and assessing other behavioral factors?'" The answer looks like it is "yes." The investigators found that methylation of a gene called NRF1, which has roles in adipose tissue inflammation, was associated with childhood obesity. A child with the NRF1 methylation at baseline had a threefold increased odds of being obese three years later, after controlling for maternal BMI and other factors. "This is a proof-of-principle study; it needs to be repeated with larger numbers of children," Barkin said. "But even with small numbers, we found a really important signal using salivary epigenetics." The study demonstrates the utility of using saliva for epigenetic studies and points to at least one gene, NRF1, that should be more extensively studied for its role in the emergence of obesity. "Most studies have looked for factors in children who are already obese," Barkin said. "Our study demonstrates that there are already changes in the physiology -- a pathway to obesity -- even before the phenotype of obesity emerges. If we can define a predictive epigenetic signature, we can intervene earlier to reduce health disparities in common conditions like obesity." Shahid Kapoor on the occasion of International Women's Day shared a heartfelt message celebrating the spirit of womanhood saying just a single day is not enough to celebrate women, women must be celebrated at every opportunity we get. The 39-year-old actor shared a post on Instagram and wrote: "Just a day to celebrate women isn't enough. Celebrate them every opportunity you get. For they are the hands that shaped us to be the men we are today. They nurture. They love, They give. And they always look out for us. It is their time. And it's bloody about time. Gratitude." Shahid was last seen in 'Kabir Singh' alongside Kiara Advani which drew wide appreciation from critics and was a blockbuster hit. The 'Phata Poster Nikla Hero' actor will next be seen in sports-drama 'Jersey', a remake of a south film which will also feature Mrunal Thakur in a pivotal role. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fresh from his convincing weekend win, new Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca will be at the Ontario Legislature Monday as his small band of eight MPPs looks toward the 2022 election. But the former cabinet minister will have to watch Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford from the sidelines of the visitors gallery. Thats because Del Duca doesnt have a seat in the house and has no plans to seek one before the next election unless his old Vaughan constituency opens up. Instead, he will be busy criss-crossing the province to rebuild the party, raise money and recruit candidates in scores of ridings. The work begins in earnest Monday. We have 26 months until the next election campaign, said Del Duca, who took most of Sunday to relax with his wife and two daughters after the gruelling leadership contest. Fords Conservatives wasted no time attacking the new Liberal leader, unleashing a fundraising appeal that derided Del Duca as former premier Kathleen Wynnes right-hand man. Thats the same Liberals that brought you skyrocketing hydro rates, out of control debt and deficits, a job-killing cap-and-trade carbon tax (and) sweetheart deals for Liberal insider friends, said the PC email blast. The Conservatives also released two online ads Sunday featuring ominous black-and-white photos of Del Duca and Wynne together. Remember when Ontario closed the door on the Kathleen Wynne Liberals? a female narrator intones in a 30-second video. Now, meet the new Ontario Liberals, where the new boss is the same as the old boss, she continues. Ontario cant afford a Del Duca-Wynne, the narrator concludes. Del Duca, who received almost 59 per cent of delegate votes in his first-ballot win Saturday, said hes been bracing for the Tory onslaught. Theyre not going to stop. Thats because theyre desperate, because the agenda theyre pursuing is reckless, its incompetent and their polling numbers reflect that, he added. Tory government House Leader Paul Calandra said it looks bad that the new Liberal chief is in no rush to win a seat. He talked about the rejuvenation of the party, but he doesnt have the confidence to get back in the house, Calandra told reporters. The Wynne-Del Duca government is not something that the people of Ontario look back on fondly, he added. Thats why they reduced them to seven seats. They had an opportunity here to move forward. They chose to go back. The Liberals will continue to be led in the house by MPP John Fraser (Ottawa South), the former interim leader. They gained an eighth seat in January when MPP Amanda Simard (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell), a former Tory, joined their ranks. Simard had quit the governing party in protest of Fords cuts to French-language services. Del Duca signalled he will be happy to fight the next election on the polarizing premiers record, particularly given the strikes and the chaos in public education. That was a reference to the rotating walkouts by Ontarios four teachers unions, which have plunged the system into the most tumult since 1997 when Conservative Mike Harris was premier. Mindful that promising to return peace and stability to public education helped former premier Dalton McGuintys Liberals defeat the Tories in 2003, Del Duca vowed things would get back on track in schools if he takes office. But New Democrat MPP Taras Natyshak (Essex) said the Liberals have little credibility on education given McGuintys 2012 imposition of Bill 115, which forced a contract on teachers and was later overturned in court as unconstitutional. That was a government that waged war with teachers. Bill 115 is not so far in our memory ... we dont forget what they did to teachers, trampling on their Charter right to collective bargaining, said Natyshak. Del Duca has not been working full-time since his electoral defeat in 2018 and instead has concentrated on his leadership bid while teaching a course at York University on public-sector budgets. His severance from six years in politics has long expired, leaving his wife Utilia Amaral, a consultant, to carry the family finances. Without a seat in the legislature, Del Duca is not earning an MPPs base salary of $116,500 and its not clear if the Liberal party, still saddled with millions in debt from the last election, can afford to pay him. Im going to support him through it not just paying the bills, Amaral told the Star in an interview. The sacrifice sure is going to be worth it. The new leader is also going to have to introduce himself to Ontarians. The latest Campaign Research poll for the Star found that 14 per cent of respondents approved of Del Duca while 20 per cent disapproved, for a net approval rating of -6 per cent. But 66 per cent of respondents said they didnt know or werent sure, suggesting he is not well known yet. In comparison, 26 per cent approved of Ford while 61 per cent disapproved, for a net approval rating of -35 per cent. Just 13 per cent had no opinion of Ford. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath had a 42 per cent approval rating and 30 per cent disapproval, for a net approval rating of +12 per cent, with 28 per cent of respondents unsure. The same poll found the Tories were approved by 32 per cent of respondents, with the Liberals and NDP tied at 28 per cent each and the Greens at 10 per cent. Campaign Research polled 1,144 people on last Wednesday and Thursday using Maru Blues online panel, an opt-in poll. For comparison purposes, a randomly selected sample of this size would have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Despite the uphill challenge, the weekend convention was a success for the previously moribund Liberals. There were 2,500 supporters on hand Saturday at Mississaugas International Centre when Del Duca easily triumphed over his closest rival, MPP Michael Coteau, who won just 17 per cent of the vote. Former London candidate Kate Graham was third with 14 per cent ahead of MPP Mitzie Hunter (Scarborough-Guildwood) with 5.7 per cent. Ex-Oakville candidate Alvin Tedjo won 3.5 per cent and Ottawa lawyer Brenda Hollingsworth had 1.1 per cent. The six leadership rivals shared the stage after Del Ducas victory speech and each appealed for party unity ahead of an election campaign that begins in 26 months. In the 124-member legislature, the Tories have 73 seats, including Speaker Ted Arnott, who does not caucus with the government, while the New Democrats have 40. There are two former Tories who sit as Independents and one Green. The eight seats held by the Liberals leaves them four shy of the 12-MPP threshold needed for official status in the house, which gives more public funding for research and staff, among other privileges. Del Duca said he would only run in a byelection if Tory Michael Tibollo, the junior health minister who defeated him in Vaughan-Woodbridge in 2018, steps down. While Ford has demoted Tibollo in each of his two cabinet shuffles in November 2018 and again last June there are no indications the first-term MPP has any plans to quit and force a byelection. Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie Read more about: Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 20:12:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China has stepped up efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Here are the latest developments: -- The last patient infected with COVID-19 in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has been cured and discharged from hospital on Sunday. This has brought the total confirmed case in the region, as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, to zero. On the same day, the total confirmed case in east China's Anhui Province has also come to zero, with the last three patients cured and discharged from hospital. -- As of 18:00 p.m. on Sunday, five provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland have seen their total confirmed case reduced to zero, including Tibet, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Fujian and Anhui. -- A total of 28,000 female medical workers have been sent to the central Chinese province of Hubei including its capital Wuhan to help battle the COVID-19 epidemic to date, accounting for two-thirds of the total number. Up to now, China has sent 346 medical teams with 42,600 medical staff to Hubei, including 19,000 intensive care medical staff and medical personnel specializing in respiratory, infectious and psychological illnesses, among other fields. -- Two production lines of meltblown non-woven fabric went into operation in Beijing on Sunday, according to Sinopec Beijing Yanshan Petrochemical Co., Ltd. They are expected to manufacture four tonnes of fabric that can be made into 1.2 million N95 respirators or six tonnes of fabric for 6 million surgical masks every day. -- Beijing reported two new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection on Saturday, both of which were imported cases, from Italy and Spain, respectively. -- A total of 44 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 27 deaths were reported on Saturday on the Chinese mainland. The deaths were all reported in Hubei Province. Among the 44 new infections, 41 were in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province and epicenter of the outbreak. The other three cases outside Hubei were imported from outside the Chinese mainland, including two in Beijing and one in Gansu Province. By the end of Saturday, 63 imported cases had been reported. -- The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,695 by the end of Saturday, including 20,533 patients who were still being treated, 57,065 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,097 people who had died of the disease. -- China's transport system is expected to see millions of migrant workers finish their return to their workplaces in early April after a prolonged Spring Festival break due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. The latest official data showed that 78 million migrant workers have already returned to their jobs. In the provinces of Guangdong and Zhejiang, 70 percent of migrant workers from other provinces had made it back to their workplaces. -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Saturday that more will be done to ensure that the country's livestock and poultry businesses will meet their output and supply targets this year despite the novel coronavirus epidemic. Since the outbreak, measures have been taken to boost production resumption and help firms in accessing feed and finding buyers. Not too long before people of PoK would want to be part of India: Rajnath Singh Medical degrees from Pakistan occupied Kashmir not recognised: Why India passed this order Protests erupt in PoK as allegations of polls being rigged emerge PoK referred to as Azad Kashmir in Madhya Pradesh Class 10 paper India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Bhopal, Mar 08: The opposition BJP hit out at the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh after a class 10 question paper of the state board referred to Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (POK) as "Azad Kashmir". The term appeared in the class 10 social science paper of the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE), the exam for which was conducted on Saturday morning. Azad Kashmir is the term used by Pakistan to refer to POK. India map sans PoK, Aksai Chin on FB page, Kolkata civic body cries conspiracy After the controversy broke out, two officials were suspended on the directives of Chief Minister Kamal Nath, an MPBSE official said. The two questions were also canceled. One of the questions asked the candidates to identify "Azad Kashmir" on the map. The term also occurred in a match- a-pair question. Speaking to PTI, state BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal, who shared image of the question paper on Twitter, said, "Kashmir is an integral part of India. The Indian government has passed a resolution to this effect. Has Madhya Pradesh's Congress regime recognized Azad Kashmir?" NEWS AT 3 PM MARCH 8th, 2020 He also alleged that senior Congress leaders use the "same terminology" as do Pakistan and separatists. He also demanded that a sedition case be registered against the person responsible for this gaffe. Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja said chief minister Nath expressed anger over the incident. On Nath's orders, two officials were suspended, Saluja added. An MPBSE official said the paper setter and the moderator were suspended and disciplinary action would be taken against them. The questions in which the term Azad Kashmir figured were canceled and the social science paper would thus carry 90 instead of 100 marks, he added. The Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Sunday asked the state government to seal the Indo-Myanmar border to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Mizoram shares a 510 km international border with Myanmar. A statement issued by the media cell of the Congress said that the Indo-Myanmar border in Champhai district should be immediately sealed to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The statement alleged that many commuters and traders from China and other southeast ASEAN countries enter Mizoram through Myanmar without undergoing screening, which can be a big danger for the state in view of the coronavirus outbreak. While lauding the state government for sealing the Indo-Myanmar border in south Mizoram's Siaha district, the Congress said the main Indo-Myanmar border in Champhai and other districts should also be sealed immediately. The Congress also expressed concern about the absence of laboratory and coronavirus detecting machine in the state. "We ask the state government to immediately install machine and laboratory for sample testing and early detection of suspected coronavirus patients," the statement issued by Congress media cell secretary C Lalhriatpuia said. Meanwhile, state health department officials said that the state government is making massive efforts to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus in the state. Till date no suspected case of coronavirus has been detected in the state, they said. The government has set up more than seven screening counters along the national and international borders, including Lengpui airport. So far more than 14,600 people have been screened and at least 41 people are being put under home isolation to prevent the spread of the deadly disease, officials said. The government has also set up 32 bedded isolation ward at states premier medical college- Zoram Medical College (ZMC) and 5 bedded ward in each district hospitals to treat any suspected patients. Besides, the state government has also set up laboratory sample collection centres at Aizawl Civil hospital, ZMC and Lengpui community health centre. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate on Sunday stopped Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor's daughter from taking a flight to London as she is required to join the probe in a money laundering case against her father, officials said. They said Roshni Kapoor was disallowed to board the flight from Mumbai airport on the basis of a Look Out Circular (LoC) issued against her by the central agency. The LoC requires immigration authorities to intimate the issuing agency before they allow the passenger to travel to any international or domestic location. She was to take a flight to London, the officials said. The reasons for her travel were not known immediately. Roshni Kapoor was asked to join the investigation in the case by the ED after she was intercepted by immigration authorities, officials said. She, along with her two sisters and mother, has been stated to be the promoter of certain firms that are under the agency's scanner for alleged money laundering and generation of proceeds of crime. Her father Rana Kapoor was arrested by the agency on Sunday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following which a local court sent him to ED custody till March 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former President John Dramani Mahama has urged the police to step up its efforts in arresting the killers of Mawutor Adzahli, the late assembly member of the Sogakope district assembly. Mr Mahama made the call when he led a delegation of senior officials of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to visit the parents and family of the late Adzahli. Mr Adzhli was shot dead in his home by unknown assailants on 1 March. Mr Mahama described the late assembly member Mawuto as a young enterprising man who for many of the youth in Toklokpo and Sogakope, he was one of the dynamic and influential young business persons emanating from the area. Mr Mahama noted that the circumstances surrounding the failure of the security agencies to respond to numerous calls from the deceased and his neighbours over the period the killers were trying to break down his door, has angered both the youth and the elderly in the community. The NDC flagbearer has, therefore, called on the police to speed up investigation into the murder. ---classfmonline The Health Minister of South Africa, Dr. Zweli Mkhize has revealed that the wife of SAs first novel coronavirus patient has been diagnosed with Covid-19. This brings to three the number of South Africans diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. Also Read: Coronavirus: Reno Omokri Queries Why Identity Of Italian Has Not Been Released Recall that on Thursday country recorded its first case and it was subsequently announced on Saturday that the number has increased to two. According to the minister, the wife was also a part of the travel group that went to Italy. The minister also revealed that the results of the remaining six people that returned to South Africa are being expected within the next 48hours. By Trend A project team will be created in Azerbaijan with the joint participation of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) and the Ministry of Agriculture in order to develop a mechanism for financing agriculture, agricultural land and farmers, Trend reports citing CBA. According to the source, at a joint meeting of the CBA leadership with the heads of the Ministry of Agriculture, including the Agrarian Credit and Development Agency, as well as the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations and the Azerbaijan Banks Association, an agreement was reached between the country's financial regulator and the ministry to establish a project group. The meeting participants also discussed the possibility of improving access to financial services in districts and rural areas. They focused on the ways of solving the problem of collateral and increasing soft loans, facilitating access of farmers to financial services , as well as access of small rural businesses to soft loans, providing them with loans secured by unclaimed or movable property, state registration of ownership of agricultural land and the activation of the mortgage property. They also discussed the issue of improving the guarantee mechanism of loans, considered possibilities of increasing the accountability and transparency of agricultural entities, including the registration of family farms by municipal authorities, their cooperation, the creation of specialized credit unions with the start of a pilot project in a certain village. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Washington state students will soon have more access to free meals at school. Last week, the states senate passed legislation known as the "Hunger-Free Schools," which would give schools federal funding for breakfast and lunch programs if it has a high percentage of students that meet the requirements of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). State Rep. Marcus Riccelli, who introduced the bill in the Washington House of Representatives, said several Washington schools have tried to qualify but werent successful. The bill would direct the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to examine participation plans, determine which ones would qualify for CEP and require those schools to apply for the federal dollars. MORE: Alternative lunches, shaming over meal debt can have negative impacts on students' psyches, experts say "We can utilize existing resources at the federal level to qualify more students for free breakfast and lunch so no child is lunch shamed or made to go without," he said in a statement in February after the Washington House passed the bill. PHOTO: A student in a cafeteria. (STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images) Riccelli says 15 Washington schools, including three in the Spokane area, his district, would receive the federal funding under the measure. About 7,200 students would receive the free meals, he said. The "Hunger-Free Schools" bill is one of many similar bills introduced in state legislatures that are aimed at combating lunch shaming in school cafeterias. Some school districts have instated policies that penalize and humiliate students who cant pay for their meals, such as requiring them to do chores or prohibiting them from extracurricular activities. MORE: Nearly 1M kids could lose their eligibility for free lunch under Trump administration proposal The U.S. Agriculture Department introduced a proposal that would restrict Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which would result in 982,000 students ineligible for free meals. That rule change is still pending. Washington state legislature approves bill to get more free meals into schools originally appeared on abcnews.go.com TDT | Manama The University of Bahrain has activated a plan to take advantage of the suspension period of study according to the current conditions to limit the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19), using electronic platforms. The President of the University of Bahrain, Prof Dr Riyad Yusef Hamza said: The activation of this method comes in order to work towards achieving the goals of the academic year and reduce the effects of temporary disruption of study in educational institutions. For his part, the director of the e-learning centre, Dr Fay Abdullah Al Khalifa, said the Microsoft Team platform that provides the possibility of downloading study material and sharing it with students, offers new avenues for learning. She explained that all theoretical courses can be offered through this platform as they dont need laboratory support. She confirmed that by activating the electronic platform it has now become possible to communicate with all faculty members to ensure the readiness of content for all courses. The university official said that in addition to creating educational videos, the university has also prepared electronic training workshops for all faculty members on how to use these platforms. This step comes within the framework of the implementation of universitys development plan (2016-2021), which provides for creating a renewable environment that meets the requirements of students and faculty members. A new e-learning programme is being tested in a number of public schools across the GCC countries. Parents have been asked to provide a conducive learning environment for the students at home. The Ministry of Education (MoE) in the UAE has been encouraging students, who are absent from school due to respiratory illnesses to take advantage of the e-learning options available on their schools online platforms. According to a report in Emarat Al Youm, in a recent circular distributed to school administrations, the MoE, in co-operation with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, launched an awareness campaign for the prevention of coronavirus, targeting Emirati schools. The circular emphasised that students, who were absent from school due to respiratory illnesses to prevent COVID-19 infections, could keep up with their studies electronically or by calling their teachers. The circular also specified actions for school administrators, teachers and parents to take; if a student showed any symptoms of respiratory illness, they would be exempt from attending classes until they recovered, based on the recommendations of the school nurse. The ministry also called on school administrations to implement awareness campaigns regarding the spread of infectious diseases, put up posters about the virus, ensure public hygiene and provide necessary disinfectants and sanitisers in classes. Two Moroccans, Leila Benjelloun and Noureddine Bensouda, were bestowed the Legion of Honor, Frances highest order of merit. They were presented the distinction by French Ambassador to Morocco, Helene Le Gal, during a ceremony in Rabat this week. The French Ambassador hailed during the ceremony Leila Benjelloun, president of the BMCE Bank Foundation, for her local and international commitment to education, environment, and culture. Thanks to your fierce desire to see the most vulnerable gain access to education, 29,000 students, in 20 years, have been educated in the Medersat network, the ambassador said. Leila Benjelloun, a physician and businesswoman, is president of the Alaouite Organization for the Protection of the Blind and the Moroccan Red Cross and vice president of the Association of Medical Doctors in Morocco. She is also president of the Benjelloun-Mezian Foundation dedicated to the restoration of ancient monuments. As co-chair of the BMCE Bank Foundation, along with her husband Othman Benjelloun, CEO of BMCE Bank of Africa, Leila Benjelloun has worked to promote education in disadvantaged areas, with a particular focus on improving literacy among women and girls. In November last year, she was granted, along with her husband, the Visionary Award bestowed by the Washington-based Middle East Institute to individuals or organizations in recognition for their outstanding work in the region. While presenting the decoration to Noureddine Bensouda, the General Treasurer of Morocco, the French ambassador praised his major reforms in the treasury, including modern structures necessary for anchoring the budget performance approach. The Legion of Honor was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 as the highest French order of merit for both military and civil achievements. Membership in the Legion of Honor is technically restricted to French nationals; however, foreign nationals who have served France or the ideals it upholds may receive the honor. 08.03.2020 LISTEN The Chie Executive Officer of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Alexandre de Juniac, had said the coronavirus outbreak is a global crisis that is testing the resilience not only of the airline industry but of the global economy. According to him, airlines are experiencing double-digit declines in demand and on many routes, traffic has "collapsed". "Aircraft are being parked and employees are being asked to take unpaid leave. "In this emergency, governments need to consider the maintenance of air transport links in their response," said Mr. De Juniac. In his view, the suspension of certain slot use rules at airports and relief on airport fees where demand has "disappeared" are two important steps that can help ensure that airlines are positioned to provide support during the crisis and eventually in the recovery. Africa resilient, for now Despite the impact of the outbreak and spreading of the virus in other markets, as a region, African airlines recorded a 5.3% rise in air transport passenger demand in January, up slightly from 5.1% growth in December, according to the latest data released by Iata. Global passenger traffic data for January 2020 showed that demand - measured in total revenue passenger kilometres - climbed 2.4% compared to January 2019. This was down from 4.6% year-over-year growth for the prior month and is the lowest monthly increase since April 2010 - the time of the volcanic ash cloud crisis in Europe that led to massive airspace closures and flight cancellations. "January was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the traffic impacts we are seeing owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, given that major travel restrictions in China did not begin until January 23. Nevertheless, it was still enough to cause our slowest traffic growth in nearly a decade," commented De Juniac. Air cargo With the exception of Africa, air cargo markets around the world shrank in 2019, according to the latest data released by Iata. With an increase in demand of 6.8% compared to the same period a year earlier, African carriers posted the fastest growth of any region for the 11th consecutive month in January 2020, the Iata data shows. Capacity grew 5.9% year-on-year. Globally, cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne kilometres, decreased by 3.3% in January 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. According to De Juniac, January marked the tenth consecutive month of year-on-year declines in cargo volumes. ---classfmonline The remains of six bodies found in Guerrero may shed some light on the disappearance of 43 male students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers College in September 2014, according to an article by Mexico News Daily. Speaking to reporters outside the National Palace in Mexico City after meeting with relatives of the victims on Thursday, Deputy Interior Minister for Human Rights Alejandro Encinas said that the remains were delivered to forensic investigators at the University of Innsbruck, Austria on Monday. According to Encinas, the remains of three of the bodies were found in a ravine located on community-owned land in the municipality of Cocula, while the other remains were found near the city of Iguala in an area known as Jesus de Nazaret. The students went missing in Iguala on September 26, 2014, after buses they had commandeered to travel to a protest in Mexico City were ambushed by municipal police. According to the former federal government's version of events, the students were killed by members of the Guerreros Unidos gang after they were handed over to them by corrupt municipal police. The statement also claimed that Guerreros Unidos who allegedly mistook the students as members of a rival gang, burned their bodies after killing them in the Cocula municipal dump, then scattered the ashes in a nearby river. As a result of new investigations conducted by the Federal Attorney General's Office (FGR) collapses the so-called "historical truth," Encinas said on Thursday. He added that the previous government's version of events was built on "torture and simulation." While the government has rejected the former administration's version of events, President Lopez Obrador has not offered his own alternative conclusion even after 15 months in office. Apart from the remains sent to the University of Innsbruck - whom researchers previously identified two of the missing students after conducting DNA testing on bone fragments - Encinas said that authorities also discovered remains in a cave contaminated by bat feces. The findings will also be subject to analysis, he said. Although the deputy minister said there is no definite date as to when results will be available, he assured the public that the government will announce the findings as soon as results arrive. Vidulfo Rosales, a lawyer for the students' families, said that since criminal cases related to the students' disappearance are currently being heard by several courts, each of the case is subject to the courts' respective criteria. "All it does is delay access to justice for the mothers and fathers," he said. For their part, the parents asked Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero to investigate the Federal Police and municipal police from Huitzuco, Guerrero, which borders Iguala, for the crimes of forced disappearance and torture. Two days after he was sworn in as president in December 2018, Lopez Obrador signed a decree to create a super commission who will hold a new investigation into the Ayotzinapa case and has pledged that his government will not rest until they find the bodies of the missing students. Since 2014, the number of homicides in the country has been increasing, according to a report by Latin Post. Based on the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) data, the number of people killed in 2018 was more than four times that in 2007. Moreover, the figures for the first nine months of 2019 suggest that this year's homicide rate could surpass that of last year. As of January 2019 data, there have been 40,000 people reported missing in Mexico since 2006, including the students from Ayotzinapa. A cheeky schoolboy received a hug from the Duchess of Sussex during a visit to an east London school, before telling his classmates: "She really is beautiful, innit?" Meghan made a secret trip to Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham on Friday and delivered a message for International Womens Day - asking men to "value the women in your lives". After addressing pupils at an assembly, she invited head boy Aker Okoye on stage to give his view on why men need to be involved in the fight for women's equality. The 16-year-old greeted Meghan and seemed to whisper to her, which prompted the whole room to erupt into cheers and screams. The Duchess of Sussex embraces head boy Aker Okoye, in a school assembly / PA He then took the microphone and said: She really is beautiful, innit?" Meghan wags a figure at the boy jokingly / PA Meghan burst into laughter, before she wagged her finger at him, and then with a smile praised Akers incredible confidence. He also got a hug from the duchess. The pair embrace / PA After rapturous applause from the pupils, he added: I had to speak the truth there." He added: I just had to stand up, I had to look around because I wasn't sure if there was anybody else. Duchess of Sussex made a surprise visit to a school to deliver an International Womens Day message / Getty Images "I thought to myself, this day means so much to me, it'd be an insult for me not to speak." In a speech addressing the schools boys in particular, Meghan urged them to continue to value and appreciate the women in your lives and also set the example for some men who are not seeing it that same way". The Duchess of Sussex visits Robert Clack School in Dagenham 1 /22 The Duchess of Sussex visits Robert Clack School in Dagenham The Duchess of Sussex smiles as head boy Aker Okoye, speaks in a school assembly, during her surprise visit . PA The Duchess of Sussex is greeted with flowers. PA Meghan makes the 'each for equal' sign during a visit to Robert Clack School. via Reuters Meghan embraces head boy Aker Okoye, in a school assembly. PA The Duchess of Sussex talks to pupils at the Robert Clack Upper School. PA Head boy Aker Okoye, looks delighted to meet Meghan. PA Getty Images Meghan is pictured with school children during a visit to Robert Clack School. via REUTERS Meghan is greeted by pupils as she arrives. AP Duchess of Sussex, joins in a discussion with the "Senior Debate Squad". AP Meghan listens to a member of the debate team. REUTERS The Duchess of Sussex, is presented with an item of school clothing. AP PA Meghan poses with school children making the 'Equality' sign after delivering a speech about valuing women on International Women's Day Getty Images PA PA Getty Images You have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life, protect them," she added. Michiganders will head to the polls Tuesday to select their preferred nominee for president. On the March 10 ballot, voters will see presidential candidates and a 10-year property tax renewal supporting the Detroit Institute of Arts, which totals 0.2-mills ($0.20 per $1,000 taxable home value). Voters in some communities also will see local issues. Michigan, with 125 Democratic delegates at stake, the ninth-most overall, will hold one of the most significant primary contests after the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses, and could be a crucial battleground in November. There are 73 Republican delegates up for grabs. As of March 6, the Democratic presidential candidates who havent folded their campaigns included: Former Vice President Joe Biden U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont The Republican candidates include President Donald J. Trump and former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld. According to a recent poll, conducted by The Detroit News and WDIV-Local 4, Biden holds a 6.7 percent lead over Sanders (29.2 percent to 22.5 percent) heading into Tuesdays primary. The poll asked 600 likely Democratic voters statewide from Feb. 28 through March 2 to choose from the Democratic candidates appearing on the ballot. Sanders and Biden planned to campaign in Michigan ahead of the states March 10 presidential primary election with stops in Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Grand Rapids and Detroit. Although no longer running for president, 12 other Democratic candidates and two other Republican candidates will also appear on ballots as state law required the candidate listing to be finalized in December. Votes cast for them will be counted. On Super Tuesday, Biden won 10 states (Alabama, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Maine, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Texas) and Sanders won four (Vermont, Colorado, Utah, and California). Heading into Michigans primary, Biden has an estimated 627 pledged delegates to Sanders 551 pledged delegates, according to The Associated Press. It will take a minimum of 1,991 pledged delegates, of the 3,979 total, to win the Democratic nomination on the first ballot. A total of 771 automatic delegates, or superdelegates, will not participate on the first ballot unless the nomination is uncontested, a change from 2016. Over the past week, U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota; businessman Tom Steyer; former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg ended their campaigns. Klobuchar, Buttigieg, and Bloomberg have endorsed Biden. Warren and Steyer have not endorsed a candidate. What is a closed primary? In Michigan, the presidential primary election is closed, meaning voters must select candidates from one political party only. Once voters arrive at the polls or request an absentee ballot, they must choose between a Democratic ballot, a Republican ballot, or a ballot that shows just local proposals. Both the Republican and Democratic party ballots will include local proposals. Voters can view a sample ballot by visiting mvic.sos.state.mi.us and entering their personal information including name, birth month, birth year, and ZIP code. Am I registered to vote? You can find out if youre registered to vote by visiting the Michigan Voter Information Center at mvic.sos.state.mi.us. Although the deadline to register to vote online passed on Feb. 24, you can register to vote and update your address by visiting your local clerks office through 8 p.m. on election day. When registering to vote at your local clerks office, you must present some form of ID or physical/electronic document proving your residence. If you plan on registering to vote on election day, youre required to cast your ballot in the clerks office, not at your polling location. Documents verifying identification include: Michigan drivers license or state ID Current utility bill Bank statement Paycheck Government check Another government document If youre in the military or plan to vote overseas, visit michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_8716-511653,00.html for information about how you can cast your ballot. Where is my polling precinct? When are the polls open? Sometimes, communities will adjust both the number and location of precincts and polling locations based on population shifts and anticipated future development. If youre already registered to vote, you can find your polling place location at mvic.sos.state.mi.us. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on March 10. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Voter Assist Terminals will be available for voter with disabilities and any other voters who wish to use them. What do I need to vote? You can vote without presenting a photo ID. In this case, you will have to sign an affidavit before casting your ballot. Any one of the following will work for ID at the polls: Michigan drivers license or state-issued ID card Drivers license or personal ID card issued by another state Federal or state government-issued photo ID U.S. passport Military ID with photo Student ID with photo from a high school or university Tribal identification card with photo What else is on my ballot? Along with selections to make in the Michigan presidential primary election, some Downriver residents also will have local decisions to make impacting sewers, police and fire protection, upgrades to schools and more. Voters in the Allen Park Public Schools district will decide on the levy of 4 mills ($4 for each $1,000 of taxable property) for three years on businesses, rental properties and second homes. The measure would not affect property taxes on single-family residences. Ecorse voters will decide if city officials should develop rules and procedures to establish marijuana sales and stores. A petition campaign brought the issue to the ballot. Gibraltar voters will decide on a 5-mill ($5 for each $1,000 of taxable property value) proposal to upgrade and replace storm sewer and sanitary sewer and water systems will be on the ballot for residents. If approved, it will generate an estimated $692,357 in 2020 and will last for 10 years. Voters in the Grosse Ile Township Schools district will decide on a five-year, 1 mill ($1 for each $1,000 of taxable property value) levy for a Building and Site Sinking Fund. If passed, the funds will impact safety and security, school facilities improvements and maintenance, improvements to the student learning environment, and technology. Lincoln Park voters are looking at a proposal to renew for three years a 3.4591 millage tax (about $3.46 for each $1,000 of taxable property value) to support police and fire operations. Nearly $1.85 million in 2020 could be generated. Voters in the Southgate Community Schools district will decide on the purchasing of bonds that would generate about $59.5 million for projects from technology improvements to safety and security enhancements rests with voters. The current tax of 5.85-mill ($5.85 for each $1,000 of taxable property value) would not change. Voters in the Wyandotte Public Schools district will weigh in on a 10-year, 1.75-mill ($1.75 for each $1,000 of taxable property value) sinking fund proposal that would generate an additional $1 million in 2020 for security, technology, building construction and repairs, and real estate purchases. Jackie Martin contributed to this report. Mayor of Washington D.C. Muriel Bowser said a Nigerian who passed through the US capital city has tested positive for coronavirus in neighbouring state of Maryland. She announced this at a news conference on Saturday night. She said the Nigerian had visited Washington D.C. and tested positive later in Maryland. All his contacts are being traced in the city. Bowser had earlier announced that a man in his 50s has tested positive for coronavirus, marking the first presumptively confirmed case in the capital. She said the man started exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 in late February and was hospitalized Thursday. President Donald Trump says he isnt concerned at all about the coronavirus getting closer to the White House after the first Washington case and an attendee of a recent political conference where Trump himself had spoken also tested positive for the virus. Nineteen people have died in the U.S. from the virus. The number of infections in the U.S. is now above 400. The Young Marines, a national youth organization, has named its Division 2 Young Marine of the Year. YM/Sgt. Maj. Nathaniel Paredes, 16, of Stafford County is the top Young Marine in Division 2 which includes Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky. Over the course of the year, he will travel to other units throughout the division to lead, motivate and serve as a role model. I am very honored to be named Division 2 Young Marine of the Year, and Im glad to be setting an example for the division, he said. The program has provided me with vital and necessary skills that I will need for the future. The Young Marines has changed my life for the better. Paredes is a member of the Quantico Young Marines, which meets at Marine Corps Base Quantico. He joined the Young Marines at age 11 and is currently in his fourth year in the program. Once I joined, I was shown how big this program is and how far it expands beyond my local area, he said. Then, I wanted even more to do with this program. To me, it is always important to be part of a team and to be part of something bigger than yourself. By Natalie Rahhal, Acting US Health Editor for DailyMail.com HOW DANGEROUS IS CORONAVIRUS? About 14 percent of people who contract the Covid-19 coronavirus are taken to hospital with severe symptoms including breathing problems and pneumonia. About 5 per cent need intensive care. But the majority who get the virus suffer nothing more than a cough and may never know they are infected. So far, some 51,000 people around the world have already recovered from coronavirus and that just includes the numbers who received a diagnosis. HOW MANY PEOPLE DIE? Officially, the death rate so far has been just over three percent. But experts believe the true mortality rate is probably between one and two percent. This is because most mild cases have not been picked up by doctors or reflected in the official numbers so the death rate is inflated. HOW DOES THIS COMPARE WITH OTHER DISEASES? Seasonal flu kills roughly 0.1 percent of people. So Covid-19 is between 10 and 20 times more fatal. But it is far less dangerous than SARS the virus that ripped across China in 2003 which killed 10 percent of patients. BUT DOESNT CORONAVIRUS SPREAD MORE EASILY? Yes, but not dramatically. The best estimates suggest every person with Covid-19 passes it on to 2.6 people, on average. For flu that number is 1.5. CAN IT BE SPREAD WITHOUT SYMPTOMS? Initially scientists feared carriers who had no symptoms could pass it on. That is now in doubt. What is likely, however, is those who have mild symptoms are putting it down to a cold and going about their normal lives which puts others at risk. HOW LONG IS IT BEFORE SYMPTOMS APPEAR? Again, unclear. Initially scientists said this could take up to two weeks. But recent evidence suggests the incubation period could be as long as a month particularly among children. The average, however, is much shorter. A Chinese study said the average period of symptom onset was 5.4 days for adults and 6.5 for children. WHO IS AT RISK? The virus can affect anyone with a study of the first 41 infected people revealing two thirds did not suffer from any pre-existing condition. But the middle-aged are most likely to get it 78 percent of those infected in China have been aged 30 to 69. WHAT ABOUT THE OLD? Only 3 percent of people infected so far have been over 80 but if they get it they are more vulnerable. Analysis of 72,000 cases in China suggests for over-80s the death rate is 15 percent. For those in their 70s the death rate is 8 percent and for those in their 60s, 4 percent. WHO ELSE IS VULNERABLE? Those with other conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney problems are likely to suffer severe complications if they become infected. WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN? Children seem to be low-risk. Less than 1 percent of the Chinese cases have been under the age of ten and if children do get the virus its often a mild form. They do, however, retain the virus for longer than adults. A study last week found the virus was still present in the stools of some children for a month after they contracted it. DOES GENDER MATTER? Men are marginally more likely to get the virus than women. It is not clear why this is. HOW DO DOCTORS TEST FOR COVID-19? Anyone who has symptoms particularly if they have travelled to an at-risk area are told to call ahead to their health care provider, local emergency department or clinics. This way, health care providers can be prepared, wearing masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment when they meet the possible patient and escort them to isolated areas of the facility. They are tested using a cheek swab which is sent off for analysis at one of 12 Public Health England labs, a process that takes between 24 and 48 hours. Any positive test is double-checked at the main PHE lab in Colindale. WHAT TREATMENT DO PATIENTS GET? There is little doctors can do to tackle the virus, but they can treat the symptoms such as fever and respiratory problems. Antivirals and antibiotics are also used, mainly to keep secondary problems at bay. In the most serious cases patients are put on life-support equipment. There are several clinical trials for potential coronavirus treatments ongoing worldwide, including one in Nebraska, where at least 13 patients are in quarantine, including two in biocontainment units. WHAT ABOUT A VACCINE? Even though the Wuhan virus appeared only a few weeks ago, 20 teams around the world are already manufacturing vaccines. Chinese authorities provided the DNA code for the virus early on in the outbreak, enabling scientists to get to work straight away. At least 30 companies and research institutions in the US are racing to make a vaccine. Last week, one of these companies, Moderna, shipped its candidate vaccine to the US, signalling the shot was ready to begin clinical trials. Even so, US health authorities say it will likely be upwards of a year before a vaccine is actually ready. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Go Nakamura, Contract Photographer / Contributor When Theodore and Liza Herrera were planning their wedding, they were looking for azure waters and a sunny, tropical backdrop. They didnt plan for the panic of a global pandemic to set their nuptials off course. The San Antonio couple loved Corpus Christi and Galveston, but they were looking for prettier shores for their wedding. So they booked a Carnival cruise with a planned stop in Jamaica on Tuesday, where a local baker and photographer would meet them and their two dozen family members and friends. But the massive Miami-based cruise line announced earlier in the week it would switch up the ports of call for two of its lines, sending the Herreras plans off the plank. It was very stressful, said Liza Herrera, 40, a private care nurse. A day after the cruise liner had set sail from the Port of Galveston, its 3,300 passengers received letters in their cabins announcing that Carnival was rerouting them away from planned stops in the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. Jamaican officials told cruise companies to provide detailed health and travel records of passengers. At the end of February, Italian passengers aboard a Carnival ship were prevented from coming ashore as the country enacted strict travel restrictions, according to the Jamaica Gleaner. Carnival rerouted its ships after Jamaican officials did not relent on the records, the news outlet reported. We value the cruise industry and the benefits that it brings in terms of the tourists that come, Jamaica Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Christopher Tufton told the Jamaica Gleaner. But at this point in time, the reality is that the health and safety of the Jamaican people and population in light of the coronavirus is an absolute priority. Theodore Herrera, who proposed to his now-wife on a different cruise ship a year prior, found himself begging hotel director Nikhil Khanna for a way to make the wedding happen. As soon as I found out I was on the phone with whatever reception I could get, said Theodore Herrera, a 39-year-old police officer with Balcones Heights. All of us on board were heartbroken when we learned that Liza and Theodore werent able to go ashore for their wedding, Khanna said in a statement. We got together as a team and promised to deliver the dream wedding that they deserve. Instead of taking their flowers and the brides dress into Jamaica, the Carnival cruise crew threw them a wedding reception complete with three-tiered wedding cake and a heart-shaped ice sculpture. Sanitizing the ship was also key for Carnival staff members. Meals were served, rather than set out buffet-style, and passengers were encouraged to use hand sanitizer before entering common spaces and sitting down to eat. The two had heard bits and pieces about coronavirus concerns in Texas especially Liza Herrera, who is a private care nurse but did not hear about the 11 cases in the Houston area until they were arriving back to Galveston. Eventually, the Herrera intend to go back on a cruise to Jamaica when the government begins accepting ships again. Maybe it was a blessing, Liza Herrera said. gwendolyn.wu@chron.com Twitter: @gwendolynawu Ederson Villamizar's dance aerobics classic at Memorial University's Field House drew crowds. Energetic and outgoing, Villamizar sweated it out as he finished his master's degree in geophysics and then tried to land a job so he could lay down roots. But on Thursday, the native of Venezuela got on a plane and flew out of here with new hopes of starting his professional life in Montreal something he was unable to do in St. John's. "I was like, 'Well, I guess I have to give up this and go somewhere else.' I honestly don't want to," said Villamizar. Getting it together This province has a shrinking population, and the story of talent leaving for the prospects of employment on the mainland is a familiar one. Consultant Mike Clair, however, says Villamizar's story shows the labour market matching system is broken. "I don't think that system is working very well in this province because I'm always hearing about highly skilled people who can't find work," said Clair, retired from MUN's Harris Centre, which studies population trends. Adam Walsh/CBC To illustrate his point, Clair cited the stat that the province only retains about 1 in 6 international students who graduate from post-secondary. Perhaps ironically, that statistic is from a 2018 study out of the University of Western Ontario that found international students were more likely to stay in Atlantic Canada the stat Clair mentioned is in fact an improvement for a province that's struggled with keeping people from leaving. "In my personal experience, and I've met many international students, the great majority of them would prefer to stay in the province after graduation. What they're looking for is a job," he said. Canadian experience The big disadvantage for international students is that unlike people born in Canada, many of them do not have what Clair calls "Canadian experience," which automatically disqualifies them in the eyes of certain potential employers. Story continues "And yet these people will move to Ontario or Alberta and be able to find a job there without Canadian experience," he said. Clair said he's not sure what the answer is for fixing things. All he knows is that "people are not connecting the dots." We need to attract more immigrants, No. 1, but we need to retain them. - Paul Preston The CEO for the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Technology and Innovation (NATI) says he sees the problem and his industry is trying to overcome it. "We have more jobs than we can find," said Paul Preston. Preston says when he hears stories like Villamizar's, he thinks there's a lot more that needs to be done as a community. "We need to attract more immigrants, No. 1, but we need to retain them," he said, while pointing out that because of demographics, thousands of people are exiting this province's workforce each year. Talking fixes Preston has suggestions. He said companies should consider how they recruit and take a look at people with different backgrounds and skill sets. He said NATI's members need diversity because of the nature of the work they do. Because of this, some companies have started internal academies that hire people and train them for the specific skill sets they might need. "We're trying to lead the way to make sure we're addressing the skill mismatch," said Preston. Adam Walsh/CBC The St John's Board of Trade is also trying to match talent with prospective employers through its Connector Program which focuses on professional networking. "We meet with highly skilled individuals at a post-secondary level and we connect them with our members. It happens on a daily basis," said Brendan Hagerty, the board's manager of business solutions Hagerty said he meets about 20 people a week and so far 200 people have landed jobs with help from the program. Acting CEO Rhonda Tulk-Lane says the program breaks down barriers for people looking get into the workforce. "You move here. You're alone. You just don't know. You've got to find the grocery store. You have to find a doctor. You need all these resources and the community is really coming together to ensure that we've got the infrastructure to support this," she said. Tulk-Lane said while momentum for change is building, it needs to continue. "It's going to take a community to keep people here and retain them." Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador Three women have emerged as the top candidates in the race to become Paris mayor, all but ensuring that one of the world's most prestigious civic offices will remain in female hands. Incumbent Anne Hidalgo, the conservative Rachida Dati and centrist Agnes Buzyn could not be more different in temperament nor career paths, yet each embodies key components of the city's social mosaic. - Anne Hidalgo - Paris's Socialist leader has been at the helm since 2014, after serving as deputy mayor of the world's most visited city since 2001. Hidalgo was born in 1959 in San Fernando, a town in Andalusia, Spain, to an electrician father and a mother who worked as a seamstress. Two years later the family moved to Lyon in southeast France -- Ana became Anne and citizenship came when she was 14. "One day in second grade, my teacher told me, 'little Spanish girls don't make it to the top of the class.' That only made me want to take up the challenge," she told the Parisien newspaper this month. Her term as Paris mayor began with a baptism of fire -- the 2015 jihadist attacks at Charlie Hebdo and then the Bataclan concert hall, which shattered the city's famed joie de vivre. Hidalgo pushed ahead with her signature plan to reduce automobile use, including a controversial move to turn a key riverbank highway into a promenade. Opponents accused her of a high-handed approach, a claim she brushes off by saying she wants to move quickly. She has also suggested that sexism underlies much of the criticism. "I don't like people walking all over me. Certain things infuriate me, I can't stand lying, but I am honest and forthright," she told Le Parisien. Challenges have mounted, however, as residents complain about increasingly dirty streets and a proliferation of rats, migrant camps, and costs of living that are driving some 12,000 people out of Europe's densest city each year. - Rachida Dati - Dati, who burst onto the national scene as justice minister under president Nicolas Sarkozy, was born in 1965 in the drab industrial town of Saint-Remy, north of Lyon, and raised in social housing in nearby Chalon-sur-Saone. Daughter of a Moroccan father and Algerian mother, Dati's success made her a poster child for France's promise of integration and merit-based social opportunity for all. The second of 11 children, she would help her siblings with homework while juggling her own studies and part-time jobs, including caregiver at a local hospital. She racked up diplomas in law and business, and has worked as an auditor in both the private and public sectors, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as well as a public prosecutor. But Dati became a divisive figure in rightwing circles after becoming justice minister, with both allies and critics noting a blunt manner and self-assuredness of someone who has reached the highest ranks by sheer force of will. She is currently the focus of a corruption inquiry over allegations she was paid 900,000 euros ($1 million) by the disgraced former Renault boss Carlos Ghosn for fictious advisory work. She has denied the charges. - Agnes Buzyn - A born-and-bred Parisien, Buzyn was a successful doctor who suddenly entered politics when she was picked as health minister after Emmanuel Macron swept to the presidency in 2017. Her maternal grandparents came to the city from Poland in 1929, and during the Nazi occupation of World War II they spirited her mother away to eastern France where she was hidden by a French family. Her father, also from Poland, survived Auschwitz and became an orthopaedic surgeon before arriving in France in the 1950s. As a student, she travelled to the US where in her own words "I discovered hard rock... I'm a fan of Linkin Park, Metallica." The leukaemia specialist was just 30 when named director of haematology at the renowned Necker hospital, and later became head of the national cancer institute. Since entering government she has faced a simmering revolt among overstretched hospital workers, and is now facing her first electoral battle after declaring her last-minute candidacy as replacement for Benjamin Griveaux, brought down by a sex-video scandal. "Politics is violent and at times painful, but when you've had to give horrible diagnoses to families, to children, it's really much less serious," she said last month. Agnes Buzyn, Rachida Dati and Anne Hidalgo are the leading candidates to become the next mayor of Paris. Anne Hidalgo has been at the helm of Paris since 2014. Rachida Dati was the first woman of Arabic origins to be named justice minister, under rightwing president Nicolas Sarkozy. Agnes Buzyn, a leukemia specialist, was health minister in President Emmanuel Macron's centrist government. Feminism is bigger than one little word and works as an undulating force to unite women around the world. The concept has evolved over the decades with one wave giving way to the next and each generation reshaping the definition. But mostly, its a very personal term. Its an -ism thats full of emotion. Feminism cant really be captured by a dictionary entry its a tapestry of womens experiences and influences. The first International Womens Day was celebrated by the Suffragette Movement in 1911 more than 100 years ago. It was recognized by The United Nations in 1975, and by 1977 the UN made March 8 the official day for womens rights and world peace. For International Womens Day, the Star asked women across the country how they define the word feminism. Kimberley Wong: Chinatown Community Organizer. Unceded Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh Territories, B.C. Feminism isnt a term I grew up with. Neither was racialization. I was raised by matriarchs with pointy fingers, hands on hips, sharp tongues, round bellies and puckered lips. Of men whose softness came through in the fresh fried rice they offered you on Saturday mornings. In Cantonese culture, honouring our ancestors is central. But honouring ancestors and being complacent in the violence of deeply embedded patriarchy within our cultural institutions isnt the same. Navigating racialized cultural spaces as a feminist, and navigating feminist spaces as a racialized person, is complex. My definition of feminism is defined by organizing in these differing communities. Cheri DiNovo: Order of Canada recipient, former NDP MPP, United Church minister and LGBTQ activist. Toronto, Ont. As the first woman in my family born a person and not the property of my father or husband (my mother was born before Canadas Persons case) it simply means equality. (For Indigenous women it took decades longer if it arguably ever happened.) We still dont have equality, and wont until we have free universal child care and equal pay. Those are core demands of feminism I, and others, have been fighting for decades to achieve. Morgane Oger: Trans activist and Former B.C. NDP candidate. Vancouver, B.C. Feminism is the beating of my heart. The power of all women to take control of our bodies and our lives. The right to determine what makes sense for our own bodies. The work being done to free everyone from the conventions of compulsory gender roles that Trans lives show can be escaped. The banishing of patriarchys henchmen. Feminism is both a source of inspiration and a collaborative movement chipping away at oppression. It lifts us all up by helping our world become more equitable. It leaves no one behind. It frees our children to reach their full potential to be their very best selves, whatever sex or gender that may be. Ameera Ali: Journalism student double minoring in Human Rights and Indigenous Studies at Carleton University. Ottawa, Ont. Feminism to me is a movement. It is defining that, despite cultural, religious or traditional norms, women are equally capable of achieving the same goals and tasks of men. We have the power to create new norms. Feminism defines that we, as humans, are not better than one another, but rather equal to one another. We all carry individual strengths and weaknesses. Rather than using them in competition with one another, feminism is uniting with our sisters to push past boundaries, knock-down negative stigmas and reach our full potential. Lisa Kelly: Lesbian parent and feminist activist. Toronto, Ont. My feminism has evolved throughout my life. It has always been fundamentally about gender equality. It has changed over the years to include a quest to expand our understanding of gender. As a lesbian, I have witnessed the wide range of examples the 2SLGBTQ+ and non-binary communities have offered on how to be a human. This has shone a bright light on how assigned gender roles and stereotypes exist and how to dismantle them. The masculinities and femininities that are performed, embodied, and experienced in my community contribute to the more complex feminism I hold today. It is an ongoing evolution! Shannon Sampert: Retired political scientist and the first female op-ed editor of the Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Man. Feminism has been my unofficial project since the 1970s when I started working in media. Very often I would be the only woman working in a radio newsroom. I faced news directors who would tell me I couldnt anchor the morning news because my voice didnt have the authority or was told I was too ugly for television. I dug in my heels and persisted. Survival is feminism. Even now in my late 50s, with a PhD, some men still try to talk over me because of my gender. I dont let them get away with it anymore. Lana Payne: National Secretary-Treasurer Unifor, trade unionist, mom, believer that a better world is possible. Toronto, Ont. My feminism is rooted in activism, in organizing. As a trade unionist, I have dedicated much of my work to advancing womens economic justice. I have done this as part of a powerful sisterhood of working women who fight daily for equality at work, at the collective bargaining table and in the political arena. As long as there are women who face exploitation, violence, sexism, wage discrimination, harassment and unfair treatment at work, none of us can rest. Together, we must fight for the social and economic justice that moves women and everyone forward. Ghezal Durrani: YWCA Community Developer Coordinator, survivor, social activist and student of life. Vancouver, B.C. Feminism means an end to sexism, social injustice, racism, discrimination, poverty, and gender inequality. Feminism means to work with each other and honour each others differences in order to achieve gender equality globally where every person feels safe and included. For me, feminism also means that people do not have to worry about their race, sex, religion, gender, and sexuality because these are social labels which create barriers for many individuals who do not fit into the social labelling. Feminism for me means that societys most vulnerable members should not feel alone or die silently from social inequality. I believe that we need to be a conscious human beings first then feminist. Lindsay Squires: Bank manager and activist. St. Johns, N.L. Feminism has been with me my whole life. It was never a taboo word in our family home. My mother describe my grandmother as a feminist. My grandfather, who had four daughters and four granddaughters, always spoke about his strong girls with pride. My father never allowed gender to discourage us or acknowledge that gender was a differentiating factor. I now proudly consider myself a feminist and consider this a key part of my identity. Feminism is not about being better then anyone, it is very much about believing in oneself and encouraging those around you. Shaila Carter: Community leader. Shelburne, Ont. I define feminism as the fight against womens inequality. I will focus on my places of worship, and in religion. Although our holy book in Islam claims that we are equal as women, we are not necessarily treated equally by both men and women in the Muslim community. Until women are looked upon as equal by members of my faith, and until women are treated and paid properly in religious places of worship and occupation, Muslim women cannot move forward equally as their non-Muslim counterparts. Feminism to me is the fight for equal rights by both men and women. We cannot feel we are people, if we see men being treated better. Correction: March 8, 2020 This article has been updated from a previous version to correct the spelling of Kimberley Wongs name. These interviews have been edited and condensed. Body hang-ups could delay breast cancer diagnosis, according to a major survey. Women dissatisfied with the size and shape of their bust are less likely to self-examine, a vital step for early detection of the disease. Researchers from Cambridge-based Anglia Ruskin University found that three-quarters of women were unhappy with the size and shape of their breasts, making them far less likely to carry out the crucial checks. Body hang-ups could delay breast cancer diagnosis, according to a major survey. (File photo) Almost half of the 18,000 women quizzed said theyd be happier with a larger bust while a third wanted to go down a size. Lead researcher Professor Viren Swami said: Breast size dissatisfaction may reduce breast awareness, particularly if a womans breasts trigger feelings of anxiety, shame or embarrassment. The slimy way to beat stress Playing with slime may be the key to beating stress in children, say scientists. Holding the squelchy substance made from PVA glue, corn starch and food colouring reduced the stress levels of primary school children by up to 39 per cent. A group first completed tasks, such as mental arithmetic, while playing with slime, and then the same tasks without it. Playing with slime may be the key to beating stress in children, say scientists. (File photo) Middlesex University and Engineering UK teams used sensors to test sweat level fluctuations a commonly used measure of anxiety. The experiment showed that stress levels fell dramatically when the children played with slime. Study author Professor Brendan Walker said: It can release endorphins and improve concentration. Allergies to an extract taken from bees a product found in a wide number of cosmetics may have doubled over the past decade. The number of people developing a skin reaction to propolis has risen from just over two per cent in 2007 to almost four per cent today. Propolis comprises materials from plants mixed with an enzyme present in bees saliva. The insects use it to glue together their hives, but propolis is also prized as a natural antibacterial and can be found in shampoos, conditioners, lipsticks and toothpastes. Experts now want wider testing for the allergy. Allergies to an extract taken from bees a product found in a wide number of cosmetics may have doubled over the past decade DNA test for anorexia British researchers have launched the largest ever study into the genes that cause eating disorders. Scientists from Kings College London will aim to pinpoint the exact slice of inherited DNA that can increase the risk of the most deadly of all mental illnesses. Previous studies have shown that anorexics are more likely to have specific genes involved in the regulation of metabolism. Now a new study will ask 10,000 people whove experienced eating disorders to send off a saliva swab and complete a questionnaire. To participate, visit edgiuk.org. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor in money laundering case in the wee hours of Sunday (March 8,2020). He was arrested after 31 hours of questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Kapoor was arrested on Sunday at around 4 am and he will be produced before a local court to obtain custody. Earlier on Friday (March 6, 2020), the agency conducted raids at Rana Kapoor`s residence located in the upscale 'Samudra Mahal' complex in the Worli area, Mumbai and registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The case against Kapoor is linked to the scam-hit DHFL as the loans lent by the bank to the company allegedly turned non-performing assets (NPAs), said ED. Kapoor is also accused of several other irregularities, including the one related to the alleged PF fraud in the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation, said ED sources. As per information, the residence of Kapoor's three daughters were also searched by the ED and they were also questioned in the matter. On Thursday (March 5, 2020), the RBI said a moratorium has been imposed on Yes Bank, stressing that the bank`s financial capability has undergone a steady decline largely due to the inability of the bank to raise capital. During the period of moratorium, the Yes Bank Ltd will not, without the permission in writing of the Reserve Bank of India, make in the aggregate, payment to a depositor of a sum exceeding Rs 50,000 lying to his credit in any savings, current or any other deposit account. As per the RBI's draft reconstruction scheme, State Bank of India will pick up 49 per cent stake in the crisis-ridden Yes Bank under a government-approved bailout plan. Addressing media SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar had said that the raid being conducted at Rana Kapoor's residence will have no impact on Yes Bank's image. SBI will submit its final report to RBI on Monday on taking over the debt-ridden Yes Bank. The Daily Beast Fox News White House correspondent and perpetual nemesis of Jen Psaki thought he had Joe Bidens press secretary cornered on Monday when he asked her why the president is still referring to COVID-19 as a pandemic of the unvaccinated when so many people are getting breakthrough infections. He was wrong.I understand that the science says that vaccines prevent death, Doocy began, before undercutting that basic truth. But Im triple-vaxxed, still got COVID. Youre triple-vaxxed, still got COVI Amid the unprecedented coronavirus outbreak, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) reportedly confirmed the first three positive cases in Bangladesh. The IEDCR Director Meerjady Sabrina said that the affected people are aged between 20 and 35 and two of them recently returned from Italy. Sabrina further urged people not to panic as the government hopes it will be under control. While speaking at a press briefing, Sabrina said, Both of them are from separate families. After they went back to their homes, they called our hotlines to get tested. Later, they tested positive. She further added, After that, we started testing people who came into contact with the two returnees and that is how we found the third affected coronavirus patient. Three others who were in their contact are in quarantine at the moment. READ: US Confirms 12 New Coronavirus Cases, Total Reaches 447 The authorities have asked people to avoid public gathering and suggested to mostly stay at home and to follow the precautionary measures. Sabrina said that at the moment there is no need to shut down schools and colleges. Although, last week, Bangladesh government restricted entry of people without the virus-free medical certificates from four countries including, Italy, South Korea, Japan and Kuwait in a bid to control the spread of the deadly virus. READ: Arunachal Pradesh Curtails Entry Of Foreigners Amid Coronavirus Outbreak Death toll in China surpasses 3,000 First detected in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei Province of China, the virus outbreak has now spread across more than 80 countries since December 2019. As per reports, the total number of confirmed cases within China has reportedly hit 80,701 and more than one lakh worldwide. According to reports, the death toll in China has also surpassed 3,000 and the National Health Commission also confirmed more than 50 new cases. The death toll due to the deadly virus across the world also mounted to 3,600. According to the reports, amid mounting cases of the deadly COVID-19, China resorted to stepping up its quarantine measures on the foreign nationals as well. It also offered assistance to the countries abroad like Iran and Japan which are severely impacted by the contagion. Minister of China's National Health Commission (NHC) Ma Xiaowei told a news conference that despite some success in containing the strain of the new virus, there was a risk of the epidemic rebounding. READ: Iran Reports 49 New Coronavirus Deaths, Highest Single-day Toll READ: Telangana Government Increases Surveillance Due To Coronavirus Outbreak Coronavirus: China reports 27 virus deaths, 44 new cases, lowest since January International pti-Madhuri Adnal Beijing, Mar 8: China on Sunday reported 27 new deaths from coronavirus, the lowest number of fatalities in more than a month, taking the death toll to 3,097, while the COVID-19 infections for the first time fell below 50 since the disease surfaced in Hubei province in January. All the 27 deaths occurred in the virus-hit central Hubei province, China's National Health Commission (NHC) said. The confirmed cases for the first time fell below 50 since COVID-19 surfaced in Hubei province in January. Of the 44 new cases reported on Saturday, 41 were in Wuhan in Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak. The overall confirmed cases on the mainland has risen to 80,695 by the end of Saturday. The total number of deaths reached 3,097. Over 20,500 patients were still undergoing treatment and 57,065 discharged after recovery, the NHC said. Also on Saturday, three coronavirus cases in people arriving from abroad were reported, including two in Beijing and one in Gansu province. By the end of Saturday, 63 such cases had been reported, the NHC said. By the end of Saturday, 109 confirmed cases including two deaths in Hong Kong, 10 confirmed cases in Macao and 45 in Taiwan including one death were reported. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Saturday that a total of 21,114 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported by 93 countries and regions outside China - an increase of 3,633 infections from the previous day. The number of confirmed cases worldwide has risen to 101,927, the WHO said on Saturday. Outside China, 78 more people died of COVID-19, bringing the total deaths to 413, Xinhua reported, quoting a WHO report. According to WHO's daily situation report on Saturday, there has been 3,486 deaths worldwide due to the coronavirus. Colombia, the Vatican, Peru, Togo and Slovakia have reported cases of COVID-19 for the first time in the past 24 hours, the WHO report said. NEWS AT 3 PM MARCH 8th, 2020 The world health body has revised the transmission classification of Iceland, Palestine and Cameroon from "imported cases only" to "local transmission", bringing the total number of countries and regions where local transmission emerged to 45 in addition to China. It said the spread of COVID-19 can be significantly slowed or even reversed through implementing robust containment and control activities. China and other countries are demonstrating that the spread of the virus can be slowed and impact reduced through the use of universally applicable actions, WHO said in a statement, referring to measures such as working across society to identify people who are sick, bringing them to care, following up on contacts, and training health workers. It underlined that containing and slowing the spread of the virus helps buy time for health systems and all of society to prepare and for researchers to identify effective treatments and develop vaccines. "Allowing uncontrolled spread should not be a choice of any government, as it will harm not only the citizens of that country but affect other countries as well," it said. The WHO said it will continue to work with all countries, partners and expert networks to coordinate the international response, develop guidance, distribute supplies, share knowledge and provide people with the information so as to protect themselves and others. In a major relief for thousands of Yes Bank customers, the crisis-hit bank on Saturday tweeted that its customers that they can now withdraw money from both at Yes Bank and other bank ATMs using their debit cards. The bank also thanked its customers for showing patience. "You can now make withdrawals using your YES BANK Debit Card both at YES BANK and other bank ATMs. Thanks for your patience," tweeted Yes Bank. You can now make withdrawals using your YES BANK Debit Card both at YES BANK and other bank ATMs. Thanks for your patience. @RBI @FinMinIndia YES BANK (@YESBANK) March 7, 2020 It is to be noted that the Reserve Bank of India has capped the withdrawal limit to Rs 50,000 per account per month for Yes Bank customers. The directive of RBI came into effect from 6 am on Friday (March 6) and it will remain in place till April 3, 2020. Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor in money laundering case in the wee hours of Sunday (March 8,2020). Rana was arrested after hours of questioning by the ED officials. Earlier on Friday (March 6, 2020), the agency conducted raids at Rana Kapoor`s residence located in the upscale 'Samudra Mahal' complex in the Worli area, Mumbai and registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The case against Kapoor is linked to the scam-hit DHFL as the loans lent by the bank to the company allegedly turned non-performing assets (NPAs), said ED. As per the RBI's draft reconstruction scheme for Yes Bank, State Bank of India will pick up 49 per cent stake in the crisis-ridden Yes Bank under a government-approved bailout plan. Addressing media SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar had said that the raid being conducted at Rana Kapoor's residence will have no impact on Yes Bank's image. SBI will submit its final report to RBI on Monday on acquiring stake in the crisis-hit Yes Bank. ABC announced Clare Crawley as the next bachelorette for season 16 nearly one week ago. However, amidst the excitement, coronavirus strikes again. The Bachelorette reportedly nixed filming in Italy and may have further issues to consider moving forward. Heres what we know. Clare Crawley already causing a stir as the next bachelorette Clare Crawley | Rick Rowell/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Ever since news of the next bachelorette broke on Good Morning America, Clare Crawleys name has been a trending topic. Some predicted Crawleys nomination (Reality Steve). However, it still came as a shock to many due to Crawleys age. At 38-years-old, the Sacremento, California hair-stylist is the oldest woman to take the leading spot. Crawley made her first appearance in the 2014 season of The Bachelor, which starred Juan Pablo Galavis. Crawley was the runner-up. She went on to star in two seasons of Bachelor in Paradise and a season of Winter Games but did not find love. This is her chance. Fans remain divided on whether Crawley was the best choice considering the franchises longstanding diversity issues. Regardless, the upcoming season may stand out for an entirely different reason. Will The Bachelorette travel abroad for season 16? Last season of The Bachelorette (with Hannah Brown), contestants traveled to Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Portugal, and Spain. Peter Webers season of The Bachelor Season 24, took trips to Costa Rica, Chile, Peru, and Australia. The Bachelorette Season 16, however, will likely film a little differently than previous seasons and remain U.S.-based. Variety reported that initial plans to shoot parts of the upcoming season in Italy had to be changed, given concerns over the growing threat of coronavirus. The outlet explained that a trip to Italy had been planned for Crawley and her final selection of contestants, that has since been canceled. The reasons are due to health concerns and fear of obtaining and/or spreading the coronavirus. International travel hasnt been completely ruled out at this point. Multiple sources claim production is still planned to begin in March. Warner Bros. said in a statement (per Variety) that travel will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. As the health and safety of our talent and employees are always our primary concerns, production travel is being evaluated on a case-by-case basis, factoring in the latest information from a variety of organizations, including the CDC, WHO, U.S. State Department and in-territory local health agencies, said a Warner Bros. spokesperson. The Bachelorette isnt the only show affected by coronavirus concerns As of now, the coronavirus has killed over 3,000 people and infected over 105,000. While The Bachelorette figures out how t navigate safe travel, other productions have shut down. ABCs Summer Games may be impacted due to having international contestants. That said, Season 33 of The Amazing Race is officially suspended until further notice. CBS said in a statement theyre taking a precautionary measure of temporarily suspending production to make sure everyone gets home safely. At this time, no Racers or anyone on the production team traveling with them have contracted the virus or shown symptoms, and we are not aware of anyone being exposed to it, the statement continued. Out of an abundance of caution, everyone involved in the show will continue to be monitored when they return home. The health and well-being of the Racers and the production team are our top priorities. Relatives of the victims suspect it could take even longer According to lawyers, the trial of four suspects in the case of the crash of the Malaysian airliner MH17 will take four or five years. Pete Plug, the head of the MH17 Disaster Foundation that unites the relatives of the victims stated this, as Yevropeiska Pravda reports. "Lawyers expect this to take 4-5 years from Monday until we have a decision in this court," Plug said. He himself predicts that all trials will take 10-15 years; if investigators prove the guilt of the accused, they can appeal to the European Court for Human Rights. Anton Kotte, who is also a member of the MH17 Disaster Foundation expects that after the upcoming trial there will be another that will prove the involvement of representatives of the Russian leadership in the disaster. But in order to get to the highest solution, you have to go through this process, Kotte explained. Representatives of the prosecutor's office and the court refrain from any forecasts regarding the duration of the trial. The first court hearing in the case of the Netherlands against three Russian suspects and one Ukrainian is scheduled for March 9. Four persons involved in the case may be convicted in absentia in accordance with the laws of the Netherlands. Russia does not extradite its citizens, therefore, none of the suspects will appear before the court of the Netherlands. However, a Dutch law firm said that one of the Russian suspects in the case asked that his interests be represented in the trial. The Netherlands is investigating the crash of flight MH17 on July 17, 2014, which killed all 298 people. Two thirds of the passengers were Dutch. The Malaysia Airlines Boeing-777, flying on the MH17 flight from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), flew over the territory controlled by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Investigators say the rocket that hit the liner was fired from a launcher delivered across the border from a Russian military base in Kursk. Moscow denies the allegations. As we reported before, The German government considers "very serious" new accusations against Moscow brought on the eve by the Joint investigation team (JIT). The corresponding statement was made by German Federal Foreign Office spokesperson, Maria Adeba Washington Attorney General William Barr testified before Congress last spring that "it's time for everybody to move on" from the special counsel investigation into whether Donald Trump associates conspired with Russia's 2016 election interference. However, it is clear Barr has not moved on from the investigation. Rather, he appears to be chiseling away at it. The attorney general's handling of the results of the Russia inquiry came under fire when a federal judge questioned last week whether Barr had sought to create a "one-sided narrative" clearing Trump of misconduct. The judge said Barr displayed a "lack of candor" in remarks that helped shape the public view of the special counsel's report before it was released in April. Barr's comments then were but the first in a series of actions in which he cast doubt not just on the findings of the inquiry by the special counsel, Robert Mueller, and some of the resulting prosecutions, but on its premise. In the process, Barr demoralized some of the department's rank and file and lent credence to Republican politicians who seek to elevate the Mueller investigation into an election-year political issue including Trump. "I'm deeply troubled by what I've been seeing with Barr's stewardship of the Justice Department," said Nancy Baker, a scholar of attorneys general who studied Barr's first stint in the post under President George H.W. Bush in the early 1990s. At the very least, she said, he has created the appearance that he does not "respect the long-standing norms of departmental independence." Some of Barr's defenders insist he is suffering from a situation beyond his control: a president whose running commentary on criminal cases he has an interest in has sowed suspicion about the attorney general's motives. In a ruling Thursday in a Freedom of Information Act case over the Mueller report, Judge Reggie Walton of the U.S. District for the District of Columbia questioned whether Barr had redacted portions of the Mueller report to protect the president. The department's spokeswoman, Kerri Kupec, said Friday "the court's assertions were contrary to the facts" and that Mueller's team helped the attorney general decide what information should be kept out of public view. Nonetheless, the judge's criticism reinforced the impression that Barr has been on a mission to undercut the Mueller inquiry. In ever stronger terms, Barr has implied that Mueller was appointed in 2017 only because FBI officials rushed without reason to escalate their suspicions about the Trump campaign into a full-blown investigation. The Justice Department's own inspector general rejected that premise late last year, finding that the bureau's decision was justified by the facts. But Barr has assigned a federal prosecutor to investigate the matter further and has suggested the inquiry might conclude the FBI acted in bad faith. Investigators are also said to be examining the intelligence agencies' assessment that President Vladimir Putin of Russia interfered in the American presidential race on behalf of Trump. Last month, Barr appointed another outside prosecutor to review a case that Mueller brought against the president's former national security adviser Michael Flynn for lying to the FBI. And in a second case that the Mueller team brought against Roger Stone, Trump's longtime friend, the attorney general overruled career prosecutors to seek a more lenient prison sentence, triggering a chain of events that the federal judge overseeing the case called "unprecedented." In those instances, Barr has never mentioned Mueller by name. But he has increasingly sided with the view of Trump and his allies that the special counsel's inquiry was baseless. As Barr put it in a December interview with NBC News, "Our nation was turned on its head for three years, I think, based on a completely bogus narrative." He has implicitly criticized both John Brennan, the CIA director under President Barack Obama, and James Comey, who Trump fired as FBI director in 2017, for actions related to the Russia inquiry. The president's allies are eager to draw Barr more publicly to their side. At an expected upcoming oversight hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who chairs the panel, is likely to question Barr about whether he believes the Mueller inquiry was justified. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., another staunch defender of the president, has promised to ask the Justice Department to open a criminal inquiry into whether the special counsel's office mishandled the prosecution of George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. Both Barr's critics and defenders are carefully watching the Flynn case for signs that Barr is backing away from what had been an aggressive prosecution initiated by Mueller and inherited by the U.S. attorney's office in Washington. More than two years after he pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the government, Flynn reversed himself and asked to withdraw his plea. He claimed prosecutors had deceived him accusations that the judge overseeing the case has rejected. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Once Flynn recanted, prosecutors stiffened their sentencing recommendation, saying Flynn deserved up to six months in prison. But in January, they said that probation was "reasonable." Outside prosecutors have now been assigned to review the Flynn prosecution, along with other politically sensitive national security cases a level of second-guessing that has disturbed federal prosecutors. Even some of Barr's defenders acknowledge the sentencing of Stone, a former campaign adviser to Trump, turned into a debacle for the department. Barr overruled the sentencing recommendation of four career prosecutors after Trump tweeted that Stone was being treated too harshly. The prosecutors withdrew from the case in protest. Faced with backlash in his department, Barr asked the president on national television to quit commenting on the department's criminal cases, and associates suggested he was on the verge of resigning. While Barr insisted he made his decision about Stone's proper punishment based on the merits of the case, sentencing data show the move was extraordinary. A jury convicted Stone, 67, of obstructing a congressional inquiry, tampering with a witness and lying to congressional investigators. The government requested that Stone be granted leniency despite the fact that he had refused to plead guilty. That was the case in less than 2 percent of the nearly 75,000 criminal defendants who were sentenced in federal courts in the fiscal year that ended in September, according to data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission. The Stone case also stands out because the government ended up seeking a lighter punishment than the federal probation office had recommended, although that recommendation was likely guided by information provided by the prosecutors who Barr overruled. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said the Centre would make it mandatory for sanitary napkin companies to provide bio-degradable disposal bags from January next year. He was speaking at an International Women's Day event in Pune attended by waste collectors, who he referred to as "swachhta sevaks". "I have observed that despite repeated appeal to sanitary pad manufacturers, they are still not providing bio degradable disposal bags. From January, 2021, the Union government will make such bags mandatory," said the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He said cleanliness norms in force in municipal areas will now be applicable to villages having a population of more than 3,000. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ann Lowe (pictured above in an undated photo) learned to sew from her grandmother who was a freed slave that worked as a seamstress on a plantation. As a child, Lowe helped her mother and grandmother with their lucrative dressmaking business in Montgomery, Alabama Roosevelt, Dupont, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Rothschild, Whitney, Post, Auchincloss. Lodge. Ann Lowe's client list read like a who's who of American aristocracy. Virtually unknown to a man on the street, Lowe became known as 'society's best kept secret' for her reputation among the blue-blooded millionaires she catered to. But by the time of her death in 1981, she was broke and already long faded into relative obscurity. It was a tragic end to a remarkable life defined by hope, courage, determination and indomitable will. With no more than an 8th grade education, Ann's talent and good taste propelled her journey from the cruel indignities of segregation, to becoming a design powerhouse in the most illustrious social circles. It was by virtue of her grandmother's legacy, (a slave who worked on a plantation stitching resplendent antebellum frocks for her mistress) that Lowe became an expert seamstress and one of the most sought-after courtiers in the country - going on to design the celebrated wedding dress worn by Jacqueline Kennedy for her nuptials to the junior senator from Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy in 1953. Ann Lowe, pictured above at 67-years-old in her New York atelier while a model poses in her one of her designs. Every dress Lowe designed was hand-sewn and one-of- a- kind, tailor made to fit the wearer's exact measurements. Her superb work, exquisite tailoring and attention to found an audience among New York City's most affluent social circles Ann Lowe had already designed a number of pieces for the Bouvier family before she was commissioned to make Jackie's wedding gown in 1953. Jackie was apparently very dissatisfied with the outcome of her gown and later said it looked like a lampshade and accentuated her flat chest. Regardless,it was a massive sensation on the front pages of every newspaper in America but when asked about the designer, the future First Lady neglected to mention Ann by name, instead she replied: 'I wanted to go to France, but a colored woman dressmaker did it.' Ann was devastated Ann Cole Lowe was born in in rural Alabama under the oppressive thumb of Jim Crow laws in 1898. Her grandmother Georgia's dexterity for sewing was learned on Tompkins Plantation where she was born into slavery as the daughter of an un-named seamstress and the master of the plantation. Georgia's independence was purchased in 1860 by a freedman and carpenter named General Cole, with whom she married and started a family. Ann was just a young girl when her family relocated from rural Alabama to Montgomery where her grandmother Georgia and mother Jane established a successful business designing custom evening dresses for society women and debutantes. It was during those formative years that Ann mastered the art of haute couture. Jacqueline Kennedy's neckline gown was made of 50 yards of ivory silk taffeta. Interwoven bands of fabric formed the figure hugging bodice while the voluminous skirt was decorated with rows of ruffles and concentric circles. Speaking to Lowe's attention to detail, she embellished the skirt with tiny, hidden wax flowers throughout Ann's fascination by the native blooms of Alabama began as a child. Inspired by vibrant lilacs, roses, dogwoods and magnolias, she passed her time creating intricate three-dimensional rosettes out of leftover material in her mother and grandmother's atelier. 'Her tiny hands used some of the most expensive fabrics available while perfecting her ability to make magical flowers,' wrote Julia Faye Smith in her book, Something to Prove: A Biography of Ann Lowe. Later in her career, these floral appliques became Ann's signature design element - featured by the dozen across winding vines that wrapped around countless waistlines, necklines and capped sleeves over the gossamer layers of satin and tulle. She learned to sew at the knees of her mother and grandmother. 'Yet she embraced all of the beauty of European couture,' said Andre Leon Talley, the former editor-at-large for Vogue. By the time she was a teenager, Ann was proficient in the more complicated aspects of dressmaking - she knew how to make elaborate embroideries, learned the tedious technique of trapunto quilting, finessed difficult fabrics like silk and lace, and flawlessly executed her seams with tiny, imperceptible stitches. Business in Montgomery was booming. The three generations of Cole women, Georgia, Jane and Ann became known in Alabama's state capital for their keen sense of sophistication. Eventually Jane was hired to be the personal dressmaker for the governor's wife. 'Governor O'Neal was himself the son of a former governor of Alabama. Thus, he grew up in society and always dressed to impress that society,' wrote Smith. Ann's official entry into the family business was a baptism of fire. She was only 16-years-old when her mother got ill and died halfway through finishing an order of ball gowns for O'Neal. Although grieving, Ann stepped up to the challenge and painstakingly completed the four dresses on time launching her career and lifetime romance of beautiful clothes. Lowe puts the finishing touches on an evening gown for a New York socialite. Stylistically, her work reflected a French influence with every dress and embellishment being hand-sewn using traditional couture methods that were extremely labor intensive. By the mid-1950s, Lowe's work became a status symbol among Fifth Avenue heiresses and she was turning out 1,000 custom-made debut and wedding gowns per year She was 18 when she got her first big break. She was scouted at a local Montgomery department store by a woman named Josephine Lee who admired her clothes. (Ann herself, always made sure that she was fashionably dressed in her own designs). Lee invited Ann to her home in Tampa, Florida to design and make dresses for her daughter's trousseau as their live-in seamstress. 'I couldn't believe it,' Ann recalled years later in the Saturday Evening Post, 'It was a chance to make all the lovely gowns I'd always dreamed about.' By that point, Ann had married and given birth to a son named Arthur - but her marriage didn't last long, she said that her husband 'wanted a real wife. Not one who was forever jumping out of bed to sketch dresses.' He especially did not want her leaving to Florida, 'But I picked up my baby and got on that Tampa train,' recalled Ann to the Saturday Evening Post in 1964. 'A while later, he divorced me.' Lowe started creating floral appliques as a child with the leftover scraps of fabric in her grandmother's atelier. They later became her signature design motif- featured by the dozen across winding vines that wrapped around countless waistlines, necklines and capped sleeves Josephine Lee and her daughters were well connected and soon Ann was the premier custom dressmaker in Tampa. She expressed her interest in attending fashion school and with Josephine Lee's financial backing and blessing, Ann left for S. T. Taylor School of Design in New York City. Even though she was far from the Jim Crow South in New York City, Ann was still subject to discrimination. Students refused to work in the same room with an African American woman and Ann was forced to work at a desk in a hallway near the bathroom. Despite this, Ann excelled and graduated in six months. 'After awhile, when he saw the work I was doing, he began taking samples in to show the others. Before you knew it they were coming in to watch me,' recalled Ann in 1964. She returned to Tampa in 1919 and saw an opportunity to capitalize on the city's yearly, celebration known as the Gasparilla Ball, where a court and queen is crowned and week long festivities. (To this day, Gasparilla has become known as Tampa's version of Mardi Gras). 'What began as the city's first May festival in 1904 had become one of the social highlights of the year, not only for the reigning social class, but also for all area residents and visitors alike,' explained Smith in Something To Prove. Formal wear for society mavens were Lowe's wheelhouse in Tampa. By the time she turned 21, her services were in such demand that she had to hire 18 seamstresses to keep up with the growing workload. Gasparilla costumes and ball gowns gave Lowe the opportunity to be imaginative. It was during this time that she developed one of her most iconic motifs silk roses in different states of bloom that winded around the garment, made from scraps off the workshop floor. It was something she had done since her earliest childhood memories in Montgomery. Some of Lowe's earliest work can be seen in this photo from the 1928 Gasparilla Ball in Tampa, Florida. The yearly tradition, (which required ornate costumes) allowed Lowe to flex her creativity. Queen Emala Parkhill (seated) showcases a dress with Ann's signature floral motif. Lowe was invited to Tampa in 1916 as the personal seamstress for Josephine Lee, a local socialite who scouted Lowe while she was shopping in a Montgomery, Alabama department store The royal court of the 1929 Gasparilla Ball pose in Ann Lowe originals. In 1934, one socialite recalled Ann's design-reign over Tampa to the local newspaper: 'If you didn't have a Gasparilla gown by Annie, you may as well stay home.' Lowe would recall that her time in Tampa were 'the happiest days' of her life By 1928, Ann was eager to fulfill her dream as a fashion designer in New York City. As the dressmaking darling of Tampa's social-register, she managed to save $20,000 (over $300,000 in today's money) and for the second time in her life, she headed north. 'I just knew that if I could come to New York and make dresses for society people my dreams would be fulfilled,' she later told the Oakland Tribune in 1966. So beloved in the Tampa community, Ann's departure was met with despair, their local newspaper reported: 'There is much weeping and wailing and maybe gnashing of teeth, to use the old expression, among Tampa society maids over the fact that Annie is going to New York Cityfeminine society is wondering just how it will be able to survive the future social seasons without her assistance.' Years later in 1976, from her hospital bed in New York City in 1976, Lowe recalled her time in Florida to a reporter from the Tribune: 'Take a message to the women of Tampa who might remember me. Tell them I love each and every one. Those were the happiest days of my life and I will always feel that Tampa is my real home. People were so kind and so good to me there. I find myself reliving those days, and those memories bring me great happiness.' Ann settled in the fashionable section of Harlem with her son. She established a her business in a rented third-floor workroom on West 46th Street, but the stock markets crashed in 1929 and her money ran out shortly after. In order to make ends meet, she had to put her independent design career on hold and take jobs by designing anonymously for other labels and department stores such as Henri Bendal, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Chez Sonia. In 1947, while working for Sonia Gowns, Lowe designed Olivia de Havilland's gown that she wore to the Academy Awards to accept her Academy Award for her Best Actress performance in 'To Each His Own.' Though she didn't get credit for the project, the strapless, powder blue dress made of layers upon layers of tulle was quintessentially 'Ann Lowe' with its bright hand painted and sequined embellished floral embroidery. 'Only Sonia could design a dress like this one,' declared Vogue in 1947. Lowe buttressed her finances with freelance commissions from a steady stream of independent clients. By word-of-mouth, her reputation for superbly constructed, one-of-a-kind dresses began to grow among New York's beau-monde. One of her earliest private clients was Janet Auchincloss, matriarch of the dazzling Bouvier sisters who became known worldwide as Jacqueline Kennedy and Lee Radziwill. She was first hired to design Janet's wedding gown for her second marriage to Hugh Auchincloss (stepfather to Jackie and Lee) and continued to work with the society hostess for various occasions. Eventually, Lowe was commissioned to make Jackie and Lee's debut dresses and later one for their stepsister, Nina Auchincloss. This became a common theme with Lowe's clientele; she worked with different generations of the same family designing gowns for the two most important days in a socialite's life: their mainline debut and their subsequent wedding. Olivia de Havilland's 1947 Academy Award dress was also an Ann Lowe creation but she never received credit for the design because it was created for the department store 'Chez Sonia' while Ann (desperate for money) took up design jobs for other labels in order to make ends meet. 'Only Sonia could design a dress like this one,' declared Vogue. Though, the strapless, powder blue dress made with layers of delicate tulle is a quintessential 'Ann Lowe' design with its vibrant, hand painted and sequined embellished floral embroidery Lowe also designed the dresses for Jackie's bridal party as well. Ann was expected to net a $700 profit from the entire wedding commission but after the water pipe disaster, 14 of the 22 pieces were destroyed. She was forced to repurchase the fabric, hire extra hands and pay overtime for around-the-clock work to get the order completed in time for the wedding and in the end, Ann suffered a $2,200 loss Stylistically, her work reflected a French influence. Every dress and embellishment was hand-sewn using traditional couture methods that were extremely labor intensive. She spared no detail in their creation- from the exquisite fabrics she used, down to the seams that were always finished with lace. To ensure the perfect fit, Lowe's pieces were designed with built in girdles and undergarments, 'When they wear one of my dresses, they just step in, zip up and they're gone,' she told Saturday Evening Post. By 1950, the stepping stones in Lowe's career began to align and she finally launched her own label with a small storefront on Madison Avenue. 'For twenty-years I worked for others. I rode one person after another to glory on my back,' she recalled. Pretty soon, she was turning out 1,000 gowns a year with a staff of 35 seamstresses. Her captivating princess-style gowns were ubiquitous at every cotillion, in 1957 the New York Times reported: 'This fall she is sending more than a hundred 18-year-olds into the world, all in 'one-of-a-kind' gowns that look like kissing cousins at a distance.' 'I like for my dresses to be admired,' Lowe told the Saturday Evening Post. 'Like when someone tells me, 'the Ann Lowe dresses were doing all of the dancing at the cotillion last night,' that's what I like to hear.' In 1953, Lowe received her most important commission to date she was hired to design Jacqueline Kennedy's wedding gown as well as the dresses for her bridal party. Ann derived inspiration from the gowns she remembered her grandmother made for Montgomery's Southern belles. It was made from 50 yards of ivory silk taffeta and featured a demure portrait neckline. Interwoven bands of fabric formed the figure hugging bodice while the voluminous skirt was decorated with rows of ruffles and concentric circles. 'Lowe was known for her unusual decorative techniques, which inspired by the work of her grandmother, Georgia,' wrote biographer, Margaret Powell. Unknown to the bride and everyone in the wedding party, was the calamity that struck just one week before what was being called by newspapers as 'the wedding of the year.' A broken water pipe flooded Ann's workshop and showered the wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses with rust and filth - instantly destroying two months of labor intensive work. Kennedy would learn of this disaster years later. Lowe was forced to start over. She purchased more fabric, hired extra seamstresses to work day and night and through the weekend. It took two days to recut the dress and three days to sew it. What should have garnered her a $700 profit, ended in a $2,200 debt. Lowe herself, delivered the gowns to Newport, Rhode Island via the train on the Thursday before the Saturday event. The wedding went off without a hitch and her dress was a sartorial sensation. What should have been a career changing moment for any fashion designer ended up being a missed opportunity for Lowe. As papers clamored to know who designed the wedding dress, Jackie callously responded: 'I wanted to go to France, but a colored woman dressmaker did it.' Lowe was devastated. Jackie apologized for her remark in a letter and would eventually made up for it years later, when Ann found herself in a financial bind. Jacqueline Kennedy's stepsister, Nina Auchincloss wore an Ann Lowe original for her debut in 1955 and this time - in the pages of Vogue, Lowe was given proper credit for her work Jacqueline Kennedy (seated) with her sister, Lee Radziwill pose for a photo taken by Cecil Beaton in their Ann Lowe designed at a debutante ball in 1951 Despite enormous popularity among moneyed aristocracy, Ann Lowe remained completely unknown to everyone else, earning her the moniker, 'society's best kept secret.' Exclusivity was her trademark but it might have been one of her biggest failings too - one which prevented her from achieving commercial success with a wider reach. The self-described 'awful snob' told Ebony Magazine in 1966: 'I love my clothes and I'm particular about who wears them. I am not interested in sewing for cafe society or social climbers. I do not cater to Mary and Sue. I sew for the families of the Social Register.' Another one of her failings was in money management. Over her entire career she had grossed close to $1 million dollars but died almost penniless. Lowe's only son, Arthur, kept her business finances in perfect order, but she was left to her own devices after he tragically died in a 1958 car accident. In trying to make the garments as beautiful as possible, she often ignored the cost of materials and the price for her own time and labor. 'Too late, I realized that the dresses I sold for $300 were costing me $450.' Furthermore, she was often cheated by a lot of customers who were too cheap to pay for her dresses that were already well under priced to begin with. She was easily out-bargained in negotiations - partially because her upbringing in the segregated South taught her to have reverence for what in the United States passes as 'aristocracy.' And in part because she had what the Saturday Evening Post called, 'sentimental recklessness' for her art. She told Ebony Magazine in 1966, 'I feel so happy when I am making clothes that I could just jump up and down with joy.' Sewing gave Ann great pleasure and once she was excited about a project, she would stop at nothing to make it perfect, even if it meant taking a financial hit. Exclusivity was Ann Lowe's trademark, she famously told Ebony Magazine in 1966: 'I love my clothes and I'm particular about who wears them. I am not interested in sewing for cafe society or social climbers. I do not cater to Mary and Sue. I sew for the families of the Social Register' The Saturday Evening Post recalled a situation when a socialite (whose name was withheld) insisted on an extravagant design for her debut gown. After Lowe sketched a prototype, the mother said they could only afford to pay $250 after having already spent $10,000 on a venue, flowers, food and an orchestra. 'Miss Lowe, the dress already dancing in her mind, acquiesced although $250 was merely the break-even point,' wrote the Post. Likewise another society doyenne told the Evening Post, 'She must have lost a lot of money on my wedding. She charged $70 a piece for bridesmaids dresses that should have cost at least $200.' Within one year of Arthur's death, Lowe owed $1,000 to various creditors who supplied her expensive materials and $3,000 in back taxes. She was forced to close her Madison Avenue shop and go to work for Saks Fifth Avenue who offered her a work space and a salon dedicated to her dresses. They hoped to lure society by hiring society's designer. If the gown featured embellishments, Ann insisted on a labor-intensive technique that required each sequin or bead to be applied individually rather than strung on a long thread so as to preserve he integrity of the gown and prevent substantial bead loss. No detail was spared in their creation- from the exquisite fabrics she used, down to the seams that were always finished with lace That arrangement did not last longer than a year before Lowe left the department store to open a new shop, this time on Park Avenue. But more financial problems ensued: 'I opened another shop but I couldn't get trained help so I couldn't fill my orders,' she explained to Ebony Magazine how Saks poached valued members from her staff - her top assistant, a drawer and her cutter. 'One morning I woke up owing $10,00 to suppliers and $12,800 in back taxes.' Friends at Henri Bendel and Neiman Marcus tithed over some cash to keep Lowe's business afloat but the IRS came after her and she was forced to close shop for a second time. Meanwhile Lowe had to undergo surgery to remove her left eye due from complications with glaucoma. When she emerged from the hospital she discovered that her IRS debt had been paid in full by an anonymous friend. Though she never knew for certain, Lowe always though her benefactor might have been Jacqueline Kennedy. By the late 60s, fashion had drastically changed. Lowe's elaborate, princess-style aesthetic fell out of vogue en favor of more streamlined, silhouettes. A cataract in her remaining eye threatened the only vision she had left; forcing her to retire the needle and thread once and for all. Ann Lowe passed away in relative obscurity in 1981 but renewed interest by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture as well as New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art has finally given her the place in history she deserved. 'Ann Lowe is creating art,' said Arthur Dages, an importer of very-expensive fabrics to the Saturday Evening Post. 'Dresses are her art, and nobody these days wants to pay for it.' 'She deals in elegance,' he added. 'And that's an idea that has been forgotten in this country - flamboyance has replaced it. She's the only person left who has the courage to continue along these lines.' To place Bidens situation post-New Hampshire in a historical context, one would have to go back to 1992. Bill Clinton finished fourth in Iowa and second in New Hampshire before securing the nomination. Moreover, Clintons second-place finish in New Hampshire allowed him to frame his defeat as a victory, labeling himself the Comeback Kid. Biden wasnt in a position to make Clintons claim as he and his campaign left New Hampshire long before the final results were tallied. Bidens political obituary was written and eulogies were duly rehearsed. But an unprecedented 72 hours in the American political theater changed the fortunes of Biden, recasting the landscape of the nomination process. He became the Comeback Kid for the ages. Ten days ago, the Biden campaign posted a Do-not-resuscitate order. South Carolina would be the last stand, its firewall. It felt more like a swan song for one of the last happy warriors in American politics. The prevailing thought offered that even a victory in South Carolina could not offset Bidens lack of money and resources to compete in 14 Super Tuesday states. Moreover, two of the 14 states (California and Texas) combined to allocate 643 pledged delegates. Saudi Arabia has detained three senior Saudi princes, including the younger brother of King Salman and the king's nephew, for allegedly planning a coup, sources with knowledge of the matter said. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - King Salman's son and de facto ruler of the world's top oil exporter and key US ally - has moved to consolidate power since ousting Mohammed bin Nayef as heir to the throne in a 2017 palace coup. Later that year, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (known as MbS) arrested several royals and other prominent Saudis, holding them for months at Riyadh's Ritz Carlton hotel, in an "anti-corruption" campaign that caused shockwaves at home and abroad. Sources told reporters that MbS "accused the princes of conducting contacts with foreign powers, including the Americans and others, to carry out a coup d'etat", the regional source said. "With these arrests, MbS consolidated his full grip on power. It's over with this purge," the source said, adding that the princes were accused of "treason". The Saudi government media office did not comment on the detentions, which were first reported by The Wall Street Journal. The regional source said King Salman had approved the latest detentions, adding that the king is in a mental and physically sound state. The 34-year-old MbS has fuelled resentment among some branches of the ruling family by tightening his grip on power. Some critics have questioned his ability to lead after the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents and the largest-ever attack on Saudi oil infrastructure last year, sources have said. MbS has staunch supporters within the royal Al Saud family, which numbers around 10,000 members. The latest detentions come at a time of heightened tensions with Iran and as the crown prince implements economic reforms, including an initial public offering by oil giant Saudi Aramco. The crown prince has been lauded at home for easing social restrictions in the conservative Muslim kingdom and trying to diversify the economy away from oil. But he has come under international criticism over a devastating war in Yemen, the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, and the widespread detention of women's rights activists seen as part of a crackdown on dissent. Reuters Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, has confirmed that it has not changed its pricing policy alongside the preventative measures taken to combat the COVID-19. On the contrary, the airline has introduced more flexibility to its traditional fare structure to allow passengers to change or refund their tickets during flight cancellations and suspensions that have been out of the airlines control and constantly readapts its policies by keeping its passengers best interests at mind. The national carrier applies global airline industry standards in building its pricing structure and managing its seat inventory for its network. In regards to queries over the pricing of the Bahrain Dammam route, the restriction of travel through the King Fahad Causeway to Saudi Arabia resulted in a spike in demand for air travel between Bahrain and Dammam. Historically, passengers have travelled through the King Fahad Causeway and the airline has seen extremely minimal direct travel demand for travel between these two airports. As a result of this new demand, the airline is reducing its pricing between these two airports and will publish these new fares today (March 8). - TradeArabia News Service Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 05:55:16|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Health Ministry of the UN-backed Libyan government on Sunday denied rumors that coronavirus infections have been detected in the country. "We deny the completely untrue rumors circulated by some news agencies and television channels about detecting confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus in Libya," the ministry said in a statement. Local media said that hospitals in Tripoli received two patients suspected of being infected with coronavirus. Libyan authorities took precautionary measures against the virus, including quarantine rooms in both Tripoli and the eastern city Benghazi, as well as tightening medical examinations in land, air and sea ports. Iran's Health Ministry has reported 49 new coronavirus fatalities in the last 24 hours, bringing the total deaths from the illness in the country to 194. Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on March 8 that there are over 6,500 confirmed coronavirus infections in Iran. About 1,800 infections have been confirmed in the capital, Tehran, while cases have been confirmed in all of the country's 31 provinces. Jahanpour urged Iranians to avoid traveling around the country and to stay at home as much as possible. The country will soon celebrate the Persian New Year, when millions of Iranians traditionally travel to the provinces. IranAir, the country's civilian air carrier, announced the same day that it was suspending all flights to Europe because of "the restrictions that have been placed on [IranAir] flights by Europe for unclear reasons." The coronavirus has claimed the lives of several other Iranian officials, including an adviser to Irans supreme leader and a former envoy to the Vatican. A number of other officials have tested positive for the virus, including Vice President Masumeh Ebtekar, Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi, and more than 20 parliament deputies. Iran has closed schools and universities, suspended major cultural and sporting events, and reduced working hours across the country to slow the contagion. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, and IRNA The President of the World Travel and Tourism Council, Gloria Guevara, said in an interview, Thursday, that the Covid-19 epidemic will lead to losses of $ 22 billion to the global tourism sector, as Chinese tourists' expenditures decrease. She explained, in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Mundo: "We conducted a preliminary calculation that estimated that this crisis will cost the sector at least 22 billion" dollars. "The calculation is based on the experience of previous crises, such as SARS or swine flu, due to the losses resulting from the Chinese canceling their travel at this time." The $ 22 billion dollars agree to the most optimistic scenario in a study published on February 11 by the Oxford Institute for Economics, based on the hypothesis of a 7 percent drop in Chinese travel abroad. But the losses could reach 49 billion dollars if the current crisis extended, as happened with the SARS crisis in 2003 and 73 billion dollars if it lasted longer. Piers Morgan has mocked Boris Johnson after it emerged the PM's security team requested he was kept away from him during a visit to ITV studios for an interview on This Morning. The Good Morning Britain host ridiculed him on social media today following the revelation. Mr Johnson's officer's demanded to know where the GMB presenter's dressing room was while the PM was preparing for an interview with Philip Scofield and Holly Willoughby on the This Morning sofa last December, it is claimed in the Sun. The relevation comes after the PM repeatedly dodged interviews with GMB during the elction campaign, even ducking into a fridge to hide from cameras. Boris Johnson is pictured on Thursday's This Morning ahead of which his security team demanded that he be kept away from Piers Morgan A source told The Sun last night: 'Piers has form for making guests squirm and making them say things they later come to rue. 'Boris has repeatedly refused to appear on GMB despite numerous requests from researchers, bookers and even Piers himself. 'So when police checked out the studios to ensure they were safe, nervous Boriss team wanted reassurance that Piers wouldnt pounce on Boris behind the scenes or put him on the spot again live on air. He was terrified.' Today Piers tweeted: 'SERIOUSLY, @BorisJohnson? What are you scared of exactly? Id have thought you have bigger things to worry about..' Piers (pictured on Good Morning Britain with co-host Susanna Reid) repeatedly asked the PM to come onto his show during the election campaign only for Mr Johnson to hide in a fridge The PM's staff demanded that he be be allowed to film on a Thursday when Piers was not in Londons White City studios. The revelation comes after the PM dodged Piers repeatedly during the General Election campaign in December. He was even seen jumping into a fridge in a bid to avoid being questioned as his minder Robert Oxley swore at GMB's roving reporter. Altercation: His frustrated minder Robert Oxley said: 'For f***s sake' to GMB's roving reporter Jonathan Swain in an extraordinary live TV exchange, left. Boris Johnson sought refuge in a fridge and emerged several minutes later with a crate of orange juice, right In February political reporters staged a walk-out in Downing Street today in protest at attempts By Number 10 to prevent several news organisations from a Government Brexit briefing. Senior figures from the Daily Mail, Times, Sun, BBC and Sky were among those who refused to attend the event with David Frost, Boris Johnson's Europe advisor, in Westminster. They had been invited to the technical non-political briefing by the civil servant, but organisations including the Mirror, Independent, PA Media and the Huffington Post had not. Storage tanks are seen at the North Jiddah bulk plant, an Aramco oil facility, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019. Shares of Saudi state oil giant Aramco traded below their original IPO price for the first time Sunday, at 30.90 riyals ($8.24) at 12:30 p.m. in Riyadh compared with the listing price of 32 riyals in December. That's down 6.36% on the day. Saudi Arabia's stock exchange, the Tadawul, was down 7.7% in afternoon trading after plans to orchestrate a supply cut among OPEC and non-OPEC states collapsed amid investor fears surrounding the fast-spreading coronavirus. Aramco became the world's most valuable publicly traded company when its share price gave it a record valuation of $1.7 trillion after 1.5% of the enormous firm was listed on the local stock exchange late last year. Stock markets across the rest of the Gulf also fell dramatically during Sunday trading. New Delhi, March 8 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government must talk about increase in bad loans at Yes Bank in the last five years after Narendra Modi came to power, and should not try to divert public attention, said Congress chief spokesperson, Randeep Singh Surjewala here on Sunday. Responding to the BJP allegations on Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor's links with the Congress, Surjewala said the government must answer around Rs 2,00,000 crore rise in Yes Bank loan book from Rs 55,633 crore in March 2014 to Rs 2,41,499 crore in March 2019, and not obfuscate the real issue of people's money sinking into a bad bank. The relation between the BJP and Kapoor "is well-known", Surjewala said and added, why did the Prime Minister address a Yes Bank-sponsored conference on March 6, despite "the RBI moratorium." The Congress alleged the loans given by Yes Bank rose 100 per cent in just two years after demonetisation from Rs 98,210 crore in March 2016 to Rs 2,03,534 crore in March 2018. Also, the BJP government of Haryana deposited over Rs 1,000 crore in Yes Bank just a month ago, knowing that it was sinking, he said and wondered if Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government in Maharashtra also deposited money in the private bank. "How does an M.F. Hussain painting of Rajiv Gandhi sold 10 years ago by Priyanka Gandhi to Yes Bank owner Rana Kapoor & disclosed in her tax returns connect with unprecedented giving of loans of Rs 2,00,000 crore in 5 years of the Modi government," Surjewala said responding to a tweet by BJP leader Amit Malviya on the sale and purchase of Rajiv Gandhi's portrait by Hussain. 184 South Africans are stranded in Wuhan, China, the epicentre of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, with plans to bring them home thrown into disarray. This is according to a report by the Sunday Times, which said the planned 21-day quarantine site where they would be taken upon return the Black Mountain Hotel in the Free State cancelled its agreement with the government due to abuse of staff. The government said it had received reports of potential service providers being intimidated, which was making it difficult for it to organise the return of its citizens. Black Mountain Hotel confirmed to the Sunday Times they had received threats after agreeing to act as the quarantine site but provided no further information. According to the report, the South Africans in Wuhan are trapped in their homes by the Chinese governments attempts to contain the coronavirus, and they have received no information regarding an evacuation timeline from the South African government. Forgotten what it is like to be free A South African English teacher who has been trapped in her apartment for almost two months told the Sunday Times that she has forgotten what it is like to be free, adding that she has been outside fewer than five times since the outbreak began. During the occasions where these citizens are allowed outside to buy food, they are reportedly monitored constantly and their temperature is taken. Military and police roadblocks have been erected throughout the city to prevent the spread of the virus, making it impossible for uninfected South Africans trapped in their homes to leave the city. According to the report, the South African embassy has told these citizens they will be informed of an evacuation plan as soon as they are informed by the government themselves. The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said in a statement last week that while an aircraft has been secured to bring the citizens home, acts of intimidation are impeding efforts to secure a local quarantine site. We have also received some disturbing reports, of some of the potential service providers being intimidated, the GCIS said. This intimidation makes it very difficult for government to speedily conclude preparations. Speaking to The Sunday Times, GCIS acting director-general Phumla Williams said that until a local quarantine site can be secured, South Africans in Wuhan are unable to return. Until we identify and sign for a site, the South Africans are stuck, Williams said. Health protocols state we must quarantine those returning. South African cases The COVID-19 coronavirus reached South African shores last week, with the first case being confirmed on 5 March. The first confirmed patient was a 38-year-old male who travelled to Italy with his wife. This patient had been self-isolating since 3 March in Hilton, Pietermaritzburg. On 7 March, it was confirmed that a woman in Gauteng had tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus the second confirmed case of the virus in South Africa. The woman was part of the same group who recently travelled to Italy as the man who has been self-isolating in Pietermaritzburg. The Department of Health stated that the rest of the travel group who returned to South Africa were being tested for the coronavirus. The second patient who has now tested positive for COVID-19 will now be immediately admitted to a public health facility in Gauteng that government has identified as one of the hospitals that are ready to receive COVID-19 positive patients, said the department. U.S. passengers on the cruise ship Grand Princess, which had been barred from docking in California because of suspected cases of the new coronavirus on board, will be rushed for testing to at least four quarantine centers, some closer to home, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said on Sunday. The ship, carrying some 2,400 passengers and 1,100 crew, is due to dock on Monday in Oakland, across San Francisco Bay from its original destination, Princess Cruises said in a statement. From there, 34 Georgia residents and an unspecified number of Americans who live in the eastern United States will be flown to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia, Kemp said in a statement. They were expected to arrive at the base 20 miles northwest of Atlanta late Monday or early Tuesday. The cruise ship Grand Princess had been barred from docking in California because of 21 people on board testing positive for coronavirus Officials ordered the Grand Princess to stay off the northern California shore until the people on board can be tested for coronavirus U.S. passengers on the cruise ship Grand Princess will be rushed to four testing sites in the country after docking on Monday in Oakland Debbie Loftus, a physical therapist from Germanton, Wisconsin,is one of the passengers being tested for coronavirus on board the Grand Princess Jim and Ann Lange are passengers on the Grand Princess who shared their photos on social media Passengers with flu-like symptoms are being tested after a guest from a previous voyage died after testing positive for coronavirus Stage 4 cancer patient Kari Kolstoe is confined to her room on the Grand Princess due to threats of the coronavirus "These passengers will undergo testing and be quarantined for possible exposure to COVID-19," Kemp said. "We must continue to support one another, trust the advice of the medical community, and remain vigilant," said the Republican governor, who added that his "office remains in constant communication with the Trump Administration." As of Saturday, the United States has 437 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the country. There have been 19 deaths Other passengers will be transported to Travis Air Force Base, 50 miles northeast of San Francisco, as well as Marina Corps Air Station Miramar, 14 miles north of San Diego and Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, said Kemp's spokeswoman Candice Broce. She said the Department of Defense had told the governor's office they are screening all passengers before they disembark. "People with positive tests will be transferred off of DoD property to a hospital or 'location directed by HHS (Health and Human Services),'" Broce told Reuters in an email. The announcement that the Grand Princess would dock at Oakland came late on Saturday night and capped four days of uncertainty surrounding the vessel - the ship has been linked with at least four coronavirus cases from an earlier voyage - and the fate of 3,500 people returning from a cruise to Hawaii. Princess Cruises, a unit of the world's leading cruise operator, Carnival Corp, said its information about the ship's revised destination came from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is coordinating the operation with state and local officials. An initial statement from the company said the vessel was to "proceed to the Port of Oakland on Sunday to begin disembarking guests who require acute medical treatment and hospitalization." It went on to say those passengers would be "transported to medical facilities in California." Citing information from the governor's Office of Emergency Services, the earlier statement also said all remaining passengers would disembark on Monday. Passengers from California, it said, would go to a "federally operated facility within California for testing and isolation, while non-Californians will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states." "Crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship," it said. PAST PREDICAMENTS The predicament of the Grand Princess is reminiscent of the Diamond Princess cruise liner, also owned by Carnival, which was quarantined off Japan in February and was for a time the largest concentration of coronavirus cases outside of China, where the outbreak originated. About 700 people aboard that ship became infected, and six have died. The Grand Princess was first denied entry to San Francisco Bay on Wednesday after state and local health authorities learned that some passengers and crew had developed flu-like symptoms, and that two guests from an earlier cruise to Mexico aboard the same ship later tested positive for coronavirus. One has died. Health authorities say they probably contracted the respiratory virus aboard the vessel. Since then, at least two other passengers from the Mexico voyage have also been diagnosed. California Governor Gavin Newsom insisted the ship remain at sea until individuals aboard who were sick could be tested, and diagnostic kits were flown to the ocean liner by Air National Guard helicopter on Thursday. On Friday, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, leading the U.S. government response to the coronavirus, announced that 19 crew members and two passengers had tested positive. He said then the ship would ultimately be brought to an unspecified non-commercial port where everyone aboard would undergo another round of tests. Pence said those requiring medical care would receive it and that all crew members would likely remain quarantined aboard the vessel. But he left unclear what was in store for passengers who showed no signs or symptoms of infection. The vessel, which had remained in international waters, was still at sea on Sunday. Five people of a family, including three who recently came back from Italy, tested positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in Kerala, prompting authorities to put the state on high alert, health minister KK Shailaja said on Sunday. Three of the five people in Pathanamthitta district had returned from Italy last month and two other relatives were infected after they came into contact with them. Shailaja said that all the five infected patients have been kept at an isolation ward in the Pathanamthitta general hospital and their condition is stable. They were admitted to the hospital on Friday when they complained of fever and throat infection and tested positive at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Alappuzha, which has been designated as the state nodal laboratory for testing Covid-19 cases. Their samples were confirmed by the NIV Pune on Sunday evening. The minister said that three persons had failed to inform health officials about their return from Italy and warned people of stern action if they hide their travel history. Two other elderly family members of the five infected patients show symptoms of the disease, and have been shifted to the Kottayam Medical College hospital as a precaution, Shailaja said. Older people and those with pre-existing health conditions are more at risk of developing serious illness from the virus. The situation is under control. We have started tracing their contacts, said PB Nooh, Pathanamthittas collector . Health officials said the three had returned to Kochi from Italy via Doha, Qatar, on February 29. Officials at the international airport in Kochi said 350 people had travelled on the Doha-Cochin QR 514 flight on that day and they had handed over their details to health authorities. Thermal checking was done at the airport and they did not show any symptoms then, they added. The government has asked all the people who travelled with them to report to the nearest hospitals and at least 75 of them were quarantined in their homes. Officials in Pathanamthitta have said all public functions will be cancelled in view of the latest developments. At least 25 rapid action teams have been formed and doctors from neighbouring districts have been called to help contain the spread of the virus. Nooh has requested people to cooperate with the government to stop the infection from spreading. The Kerala government is worried that any laxity could prove costly because of the southern states high population density and mobility of people. The latest cases came to light at a time when Kerala, which had reported the countrys first three cases of coronavirus in January, was being lauded for its efforts after the patients recovered. Officials said a disturbing factor in these new cases is that two of the affected are secondary infections. Kerala is also keeping its fingers crossed as over three million women are set to gather in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday for Attukal Pongala. It is a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Temple in the heart of the city and is considered the worlds largest congregation of women. Shailaja also appealed that those who have fever or cold should not participate in Pongala. Thiruvananthapuram district collector K Gopalakrishnan has urged devotees from abroad to perform Pongala in their hotels instead. It will help contain the infection, if any, he said. Later in the evening, the health minister rushed to Pathanamthitta and chaired a high-level meeting. District health officials said at least 2000 people will be put under observation and they have prepared a list for this. We have information that Italy returnees had participated in prayers, attended a wedding and even went to the district police superintendents office for some work, said Ranni MLA Raju Abraham. After their irresponsible behaviour triggered enough protests, the state police said it will take strict action against those who dodge their travel history. State police chief Loknath Behra has issued a directive warning action against such people. Schools have been closed for three days in Pathanamthitta . Ten more samples sent for test. In Kolam, too, five persons showed symptoms for virus. 24x7 call centres opened in all districts. These measures were taken after the meeting. Another worrying point is that hill temple Sabarimala, situated in Pathanamthitta district, is opening for monthly poojas in a couple of days. The Travancore Devasom Board (TDB), which runs the temple, has advised people who came from abroad and others suffering from ailments to skip their pilgrimage this time. We have to be extremely careful, said TDB president N Vasu. So far, the Centre has confirmed that 39 people have been infected with coronavirus across the country. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Women gained equal rights in the 2004 constitution, but nothing is guaranteed. Uncertainty surrounding upcoming talks between Afghanistans government and the Taliban is raising fears of a collapse of law and order as foreign troops withdraw. Womens rights groups, in particular, are worried what will happen if the Taliban regains power. Al Jazeeras Hoda Abdel Hamid reports from Kabul. The Maldives / Gettyimagesbank The Maldives on Saturday reported its first two confirmed cases of new coronavirus, and placed two of its island resorts under lockdown, as authorities conducted further tests to try to limit the spread of the disease. The two infected people are believed to have caught the disease from an Italian tourist who has returned to Italy and tested positive there. "These two cases which tested positive are from a resort. They are employees of the resort and are now quarantined," said Ali Waheed, the tourism minister of the island nation, the economy of which is heavily dependent on foreign tourists. In a press release earlier on Saturday, the Maldives Health Protection Agency said two French nationals on a second island who showed symptoms of the disease had also been placed in isolation on Saturday. Hyderabad: Tirunagari Maruthi Rao (55), the prime accused for the murder of his 24-year old Dalit Christian son-in-law Perumalla Pranay at Miryalaguda town in Telanganas Nalgonda district in September 2018, committed suicide at a guest house in Hyderabad on Sunday morning, the police said. Saifabad police inspector Ch Saidi Reddy said that Raos body was found dead under suspicious circumstances at Arya Vysya Bhavan, a guest house at Khairatabad, at around 7:30 am. The police sent Raos body to Osmania General Hospital for post-mortem examiniation. The autopsy revealed that he had consumed poison. We have handed over the body to his family members his wife Girija and brother Sravan in the afternoon, Reddy said. He said Rao left behind a suicide note that sought his wifes pardon for taking the extreme step and also appealed to his daughter Amrutha Varshini to go back to her mother. Girija, please pardon me. Amrutha, please return to your mother, read the brief suicide note. According to preliminary inquiries by the police, Rao had checked into the guest house late on Saturday. He was staying in room number 306, while his driver slept in the car within the premises of the guest house. On Sunday morning, Raos wife tried calling him from Miryalaguda, but he didnt take the call. Then she called the driver, who went to his room and knocked at the door, an official of Saifabad police station said. When Rao didnt respond, he alerted the guest house staff, who called the police. The police broke open the door to find Rao lying dead on his bed, the official added. Rao, a prominent realtor from Miryalaguda, had been on bail since April 2019 in connection with the killing of Pranay for marrying his daughter Amrutha against his wishes. Pranays murder in broad daylight on September 14, 2018, created a nationwide sensation. Pranay was hacked to death at the entrance of a hospital as he was coming out with his pregnant wife Amrutha. Four days later, Nalgonda Police arrested Rao, his brother Sravan and three others in connection with the murder. The police said Rao had hired a contract killer from Bihars Samastipur, with the help of a suspected Islamic terrorist, his close aide and a local Congress leader to eliminate Pranay. Rao allegedly paid Rs 1 crore to the contract killer Subhash Sharma to kill Pranay. Amrutha told local reporters in Miryalguda that she had neither seen nor talked to her father since Pranays murder. I came to know about my fathers death only through media. I dont know the reason behind his suicide. May be, he regretted killing my husband, she said. Sravan told reporters at Osmania General Hospital that there were no dispute in the family. I went to jail in the murder case because I had earlier warned Amrutha for marrying him. I was not in touch with my brother since I came out on bail, he said. He said his brother had been under a lot of psychological pressure because the trial in the case would begin shortly. The chargesheet is going to be filed shortly and that would have caused him agony, Sravan added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sign posted at Clarksburg Town Hall on Sunday. The town's four public buildings are closed and will be disinfected after a resident tested presumptive positive for the coronavirus. Clarksburg Closes Public Buildings in Wake of COVID-19 Diagnosis CLARKSBURG, Mass. Town officials are closing down its public buildings including the school after a resident was found presumptive positive for the novel coronavirus. The decision was made Sunday during an emergency meeting of the Board of Health, Select Board and School Committee members, said Select Board Chairman Ronald Boucher. "We're really doing this out of an abundance of caution," said Boucher. "We have a large senior citizen population and we want to be aware of that." Gem Environmental has contracted to come in and disinfect Town Hall, the library, the senior center, and the school. The Clarksburg resident is the first presumptive positive for COVID-19 in Berkshire County. He was admitted to Berkshire Medical Center a week ago but was not tested until state and federal requirements were loosened on Friday. Prior to that, testing was only being done on individuals who had traveled to affected areas or were in close contact to those infected with the virus. The patient did not fall into those categories. "We are taking proactive, precautionary measures with this public health issue and we will reassess the situation on Friday, March 13th," Town Administrator Rebecca Stone wrote in an email along with the notice of closure. Superintendent of Schools John Franzoni said the individual, described as in his 60s, was not a school employee but noted that Clarksburg is a small town so there can be a lot of interaction between community members. "This is just a precaution," he said. "It's a small town, there are a lot of connections." In an email notice on Sunday afternoon, North Adams Mayor Thomas Bernard said city officials were aware of the actions being taken in Clarksburg and that all the city's schools including McCann Technical School were "thoroughly disinfected over the weekend" and would open at their regular times on Monday. "We are continuing to monitor this situation as it unfolds, and will make decisions and announce any changes based on the most current information available," he wrote. "We will continue to track and trend illnesses in all of the schools. Anyone who is ill should remain at home and we ask that you please consult with your primary-care physician if you have any questions or concerns about sending your child to school." How a weeklong closure of the school will affect the school year has not yet been determined. Franzoni said he participated in a conference call with other superintendents and state education officials on Friday to begin addressing how schools will respond as more cases arise. He expected that a best practice will be forthcoming from the state on how the 180-day rule will apply. "The [state Department of Public Health] was not recommending closure but we wanted to be safe," he said. Parents and staff were being notified on Sunday. Several first-responders had also been asked to self-quarantine after contact with the patient. Boucher said there were were firefighters among them but was not positive if it had been two as reported. A police officer at the scene was not considered at risk because the officer had not been in close contact. "We're just being extra cautious," Boucher said, adding that officials are expected to meet at the end of the week determine next steps. A joint statement through the Northern Berkshire School Union reads: "The Clarksburg Board of Health has been notified of one confirmed case of the Coronavirus in the Town of Clarksburg. As a precautionary measure, town and school officials are closing the Clarksburg School, Clarksburg Public Library, Clarksburg Senior Center, and Clarksburg Town Hall effective immediately through Friday, March 13 in order to disinfect and thoroughly clean all facilities. Town officials will reassess the situation on Friday, March 13 and will issue an update at that time." Health officials are investigating where the Clarksburg patient may have come into contact with the disease. The virus is believed to be spread through direct contact or spread through sneezing and coughing. It can cause respiratory distress, fever and coughing. Those over age 60 or with underlying medical conditions are considered most susceptible. On Sunday, presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 more than doubled in Massachusetts, from 12 to 27. The confirmed cases remains at one. An adult patient was also tested as presumptive positive at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington. The patient came to the emergency room on Thursday with fever, cough, and shortness of breath and was immediately placed in isolation. Conclusive results are expected from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control on Monday. People are encouraged to wash their hands, sanitize frequently handled surfaces, and to avoid or take precautions in crowded areas and around sick individuals. Recommended quarantines are 14 days. More information can be found on the DPH website. Berkshire Medical Center's toll free hotline for questions or concerns about COVID-19 is 855-BMC-LINK, or 855-262-5465. The line is available seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In the aftermath of the UKs departure from the EU on 31 January, one of the key groups behind the failed campaign for a second referendum is launching a drive to keep the pro-European message alive in post-Brexit Britain. The European Movements Brexit Watch initiative is designed to gather evidence of how EU withdrawal is affecting communities around the country, with the aim of making the government and the Leave campaign take responsibility for the consequences of their policies. As negotiations begin on the future relationship with the EU, the movements chair Stephen Dorrell told The Independent that the priority is not to pick over the reasons for Remains defeat or dream of a far-off return to the EU, but to ensure that Boris Johnsons government is challenged to justify itself each time it takes a decision to deviate away from European values and norms. The cross-party movement founded by Winston Churchill and with Michael Heseltine as its president has experienced a mini-surge in membership in the wake of Brexit, as 2,000 pro-Europeans responded to a call to show that we havent gone away. With Brexit having occurred amid opinion polls showing majorities wanting to remain in the EU and after an election in which a majority of voters backed parties offering a second referendum Mr Dorrell said that millions of Britons who see themselves as European have been denied a voice in a political system where both major parties have lurched to the extremes. Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Show all 76 1 /76 Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Crowds march through central London Getty Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Protesters gather in Parliament Square Led By Donkeys Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Mayor of London Sadiq Khan joins protesters PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Anti-Brexit protesters fill Parliament Square in London PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march A demonstrator marches EPA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Protesters push a float depicting Dominic Cummings using Boris Johnson as a puppet during the Final Say Brexit march in London PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march EU supporters react after the result of the vote on the deal delay was announced at the House of Commons REUTERS Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march A demonstrator carries his dog draped in EU flag AP Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Thousands of people taking part in a People's Vote march AFP/Getty Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Protesters use their flags to shelter from the rain Getty Images Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Protesters march towards Parliament Square Getty Images Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Anti-Brexit demonstrators carry placards and EU flags AP Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Sir Oliver Letwin MP in Parliament Square, London, during an an anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard rally, after it was announced that the Letwin amendment, which seeks to avoid a no-deal Brexit on October 31, has been accepted PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Thousands of people taking part in a People's Vote march UK BROADCASTERS POOL/AFP via Get Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march A protester with "Bollocks to Brexit" stickers on his head Getty Images Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Demonstrators march EPA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Britain's main opposition Labour Party shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU Keir Starmer, shadow Home Secretary Dianne Abbott, shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonnell, shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry speaks on stage in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Anti-Brexit supporters cheer outside parliament AP Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march A EU supporter waves flags REUTERS Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Anti-Brexit supporters AP Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Protesters shout and chant demanding a final say Getty Images Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Police look towards protesters Getty Images Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Pro-Brexit protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in London PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march head to Parliament Square in London PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march in Trafalgar Square PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Anti-Brexit supporters cheer outside parliament AP Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march past Trafalgar Square PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Protesters shout and chant Getty Images Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Cory (7) sits on his father's shoulders as protesters march towards Parliament Square Getty Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march People attend the 'Together for the Final Say' march EPA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Protesters march towards Parliament Square Getty Images Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks on stage PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march A woman in EU costume EPA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Anti-Brexit protesters fill Parliament Square in London PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Anti-Brexit protesters AP Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Anti-Brexit protesters hold an Independent banner Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Protesters hold an anti-Brexit placard by The Independent stall during the Final Say Brexit march in London Tom Richell Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Anti-Brexit protesters in Parliament Square, London, PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Demonstrators hold placards and EU flags AFP/Getty Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march An anti-Brexit protester joins in the Final Say Brexit march on 19 October AP Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march EU supporters march in London REUTERS Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Sir Patrick Stewart and Paul McGann join in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march EU supporters march Reuters Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march A demonstrator shouts into a megaphone as she marches AFP via Getty Images Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march A dog dressed in an anti-Brexit placard is walked in the Final Say Brexit march in London EPA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march EU supporters march REUTERS Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march A morris dancer takes part in the Final Say Brexit march in London PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Whippets are dressed in EU flag clothing during the Final Say Brexit march in London AP Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Protesters march towards parliament in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October 2019 PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march An anti-Brexit demonstrator takes part in the Final Say Brexit march in London AFP/Getty Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march EU supporters call on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal Reuters Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Anti-Brexit protesters Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march An anti-Brexit protester Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate in London during the Final Say Brexit march on 19 October AP Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Protesters push a float depicting Dominic Cummings using Boris Johnson as a puppet during the Final Say Brexit march in London AFP/Getty Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Protesters march towards parliament from Park Lane in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October 2019 PA Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Marchers visit The Independent stall during the Final Say March in London Tom Richell Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march An anti-Brexit protester holds a sign calling for a Final Say during a march in London EPA Championing the common interests and common values the UK shares with the EU will be a key part of bringing the centre back into British politics, said the former Conservative cabinet minister. And, while acknowledging that rejoining the EU is a long way off for the UK, Mr Dorrell suggested that the nationalist and protectionist mood represented by the Johnson government may not last as long as some expect. For the first time since the Second World War we have a trade policy of erecting barriers to trade, he said. It goes against a British tradition and belief stretching back to the early years of the 19th century that open markets and level playing fields for competition are part of the process of wealth creation. I dont believe it will endure, any more than Trumpian values can endure in America. If the question is, Are we going to reverse the referendum?, then certainly we will only get the answer I would like when a generation has passed. But if the question is, Is there a more effective version of the future than Boris Johnson is offering?, then thats something we can put on the agenda as soon as the next election comes around. Pro-Europeans must be ready both inside and outside parliament to question each decision taken by the government as it forges new relations with the EU, the US and other powers, over whether UK interests would be better served by sticking with common European interests and values, he said. In the aftermath of a general election that delivered a landslide for Mr Johnsons get Brexit done platform, Mr Dorrell and EM chief executive Hugo Mann acknowledged that pro-European forces were demoralised. Stephen Dorrell (UK Press via Getty Images) But just one of the groups 126 branches around the country has shut down, and the movement now counts 120,000 supporters and 7,000 paid-up members. We start from the principle that we are British Europeans, said Mr Dorrell. Despite Brexit, we are still just 22 miles off the French coast. This is our neighbourhood. At a time of climate emergency, it is blindingly obvious that the British climate is the same as the European climate. When we face the spread of coronavirus, the threat is the same for us as for our European friends. In a world where Donald Trump and Narendra Modi are congratulating each other for representing a set of values that dont resonate anywhere in Europe, including in Britain, and where we see the current trends in China and Russia and the Middle East, where in the world do we find a common set of shared values? Overwhelmingly its in Europe. The EU as an institution is an expression of a set of values which are broadly shared in Britain and distinguish Europe in the modern world. Rather than demanding an immediate return to the EU, the single market or the customs union, the EMs approach in the coming years will be to identify and highlight the impact Brexit has on jobs, communities and livelihoods and to encourage supporters to lobby MPs of all parties for closer engagement with Europe. Theres a huge constituency who voted Remain and their voice is simply not represented definitely not by the government and, it seems, probably not by a Keir Starmer-led opposition, said Mr Dorrell, who stood as a Liberal Democrat in the December election but stresses that EM remains a cross-party movement. That doesnt mean entering the lists to argue for Rejoin. It means arguing for the common European interests and common European values that still exist now and will still be there in 2030 and 2040. Mr Mann added: As a movement we want to hold the governments feet to the fire now Brexit has happened. It feels like Johnson has a hold on the narrative now, but as we see the Brexit myths combusting in front of us over the coming months and years, we want to be there to remind the government of their promises. Brexit hasnt been done. If this was a computer game, we have got to the end of level one and level two is the hard bit. Immediately after learning of this individuals interactions in our state, we began coordinating with the White House, the CDC and federal officials, the New Jersey Department of Health, Prince Georges County officials, and conference organizers, Hogan said. Due to the scale of this conference, we are urging attendees who are experiencing flu-like symptoms to immediately reach out to their health care provider." Giles and Julia Fisher had never set foot on an oyster farm before they decided to buy the oyster lease for Freycinet Marine Farm at Coles Bay on Tasmanias east coast. I didnt even particularly like oysters but we had a belief in the viability of the business probably stupidly I have got to add, Giles Fisher says. The couple have transformed the small farm in Great Oyster Bay, starting with a corrugated iron shack down a dirt road selling 5 dozen oysters a day and turning it into one of Tasmanias top tourist destinations selling almost 1 million oysters a year. Giles Fisher and his wife Julia own the Frecyinet Marine Farm oyster leases on Tasmania's east coast. Visitors to the farm can put on waders and walk out into the bay to see the oysters growing in racks before picking some out to eat freshly shucked while standing in the water. Help India! An open letter from Radhika Vemula to the Prime Minister Jai Bhim everyone, Support TwoCircles My name is Radhika Vemula. I am Rohith Vemulas mother. This International Womens Day, I wish to address the Prime Minister and the general public of this country as well. My world was so different before 2016. My children were my life and my whole world. But for my son Rohith, his world had been much bigger. He envisioned a world in which Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims and the oppressed people were all included and given equality. After his passing, my world too has expanded. Rohith leaving us means that I have to take his legacy forward. And I have been doing just that. I have stood with students from marginalized communities and I always will fight for students rights. But it hasnt been easy. I wish that no more mothers face the problems and struggles that I have seen and experienced since losing my son in 2016. But the things that have been happening in this country in the past few years are all events that are creating more mothers like me, mothers bereft of their children. Struggling mothers, mothers in pain. Atrocities are being expanded outside of the universities. It has now spread to everyone in society. There are many more mothers like me who are waiting for justice. To name a few, Najeebs mother, Jishas mother, Asifas mother, Fatimas mother, Payal Tadvis mother, Anitas mother, Deltas mother and many more. In the past few months, I have been saddened to see more and more Muslim mothers losing their children to outright violence targeted against their families too. My greetings and Jai Bhim to all the mothers on the occasion of International Womens day. To the Prime Minister who seems to have an agenda against Muslims in this country, I say the following. I want to ask, Cant you see the problems of the Muslim women who have been protesting since December at Shaheen Bagh? In the last few months, we witnessed the loss of many lives during CAA/NRC protests and the recent Delhi pogroms. Did you meet the survivors, the families and did you call on them to find if they are safe or if they need help? How are you going to punish the culprits who were behind these recent pogroms? We have seen how non-BJP party members are being questioned about their involvement in the Delhi riots. What about your party members? What action are you gonna take against them? Why blame the survivors in this incident. They might have been trying to protect themselves and their families. But I have now been on the ground where the riots took place, I have seen, first hand, who the violence was aimed at. Every single house, business and mosque burned tells the story of a pogrom against Muslims only. As a mother, I want to know what steps your government is going to take to support survivors of violence. You provided subsidy on gas for the women of this nation. Great. But why did you quietly increase the rates later? When you were the Chief Minister of Gujarat, you protested against the then ruling government against the increased rates of gas, petrol, diesel, fall in GDP growth, violence against women, unemployment and so on. Now it is your government that is in the centre. Now, what about these things? How would you address this? You keep saying that ours is a vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world is one family), our country is one family and you are the head of this family. Isnt it? Since you took over as the PM in 2014, how much are we in debt? How much is the RBI treasure worth? And why did you sell the PSUs? And how much is the profit? Where and how did you spend that money? Please do share the details. It is my appeal. Since the Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA) got passed, we have witnessed hate crimes across Assam to Karnataka. It has taken many lives and left many homeless. People are still protesting bravely. The state has remained largely silent on these deaths and silently witnessed Delhi burning. This womens day, on behalf of all the mothers who lost their families, I want to appeal to the Prime Minister, it isnt enough to give up your social media accounts for a day to women. If you really want to show your gratitude to women, take back CAA/NRC/NPR. Give us justice. Give us our homes back. Stop killing our children. Sincerely, Radhika Vemula Shoppers stock up on toilet paper and other supplies as Canadians purchase food and essential items in Markham, Ontario, Canada on 7 March 2020. (PHOTO: Getty Images) By Sangeeta Mulchand SINGAPORE In scenes similar to what was seen in Singapore when the country raised its DORSCON level to Orange, supermarket shelves in European, US, and even Australian cities are being stripped bare of staples, with shoppers, in some cases, coming to blows over packs of toilet paper. Worse have been the incidents of discrimination against the Chinese community, healthcare workers, and their families, as the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 continues its global spread. Psychologists say it is the emotional part of the human brain at work. As human beings, we have a very strong bias towards the detection of potential threats even if these may not be rational or logical, said Sharon Sung, Assistant Professor, Health Services and Systems Research at Duke-NUS Medical School. In evolutionary terms, it has been better for us to be safe than sorry when facing an unknown situation that could threaten our survival and that of our loved ones. The emotional parts of our brain that detect threat work more quickly than those that process information in a more rational or logical manner. In this, the sheer volume of freely accessible media coverage has proven a double-edged sword. Even when reliable and from reputable sources, constant exposure can prove overwhelming for people and contribute to an exaggerated perception of danger, particularly if one tries to keep up with the 24/7 news cycle, said Sara-Ann Lee, Clinical Psychologist at the Institute of Mental Health. Being faced with the prospect of serious illness, and possibly death, triggers instincts to prioritise health and safety, and actions that will ensure this in this case, securing food, masks and hand sanitisers, or wearing goggles and other protective gear. These are tangible evidence of preparedness, and a means to assert control over the situation, said Ms Lee. Only once this has been secured does the thinking, reasoning part of the brain kick in. In Singapore, the transition has been helped by government efforts to provide clear, detailed and timely information; dispel misinformation; and take definitive actions to contain the virus - from contact tracing and quarantine, to legal action for false information. Story continues They have made their message very consistent and very timely as in when they know and have verified the information, they have released it, said Dr Calvin Fones, Consultant Psychiatrist and Adjunct Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore. Its also quite balanced, in that they consider and give the logic for the information, for example in the debate about wearing masks versus not wearing masks. In Singapore, only those who are actually ill are advised to wear masks to avoid infecting others. The regular briefings have allowed people to update their initial threat assessment based on new information, and provided reassurance that while serious, the virus is not as deadly as our emotional brain would have us believe, noted Asst Prof Sung. There has been very clear messaging that Singapore is prepared for various scenarios and has the resources to see its citizens through, she said. Information on the number of cases discharged from the hospital also serves to balance out the initial focus on the number of deaths being reported elsewhere. Despite the praise being heaped on the city-state for its handling of the virus, Dr Fones cautions against complacency, pointing to the recent emergence of a new cluster at the Singapore Science Park after several days of relative quiet. Its like putting out bush fires in Australia you think youve gotten it all, and then a spark will start another nidus somewhere, he said. So, whether from within or from overseas, thats something that were going to have to guard against. With COVID-19 now spreading to more countries and people, Dr Fones admits that its going to get trickier to contain. And with heightened danger, heightened panic is a possibility. Something may trigger the fear, and well be out buying noodles and rice again. Theres that possibility, he said. On a more positive note, with basic physiological and safety needs met, Singaporean are reaching out to support others, including overtaxed healthcare workers and foreign tenants that have been thrown out by fearful landlords, hence balancing self-preservation and societal and community-type factors. Ms Lee agrees: It has become clearer that the threat of COVID-19 is likely to persist for the immediate future. As people adapt to this and normalise their lives around it, they become less reactive and are able to instead respond in a more intentional manner. Related stories: COVD-19 case regularly took part in Teck Ghee RC group activities: PM Lee COVID-19: Singapore confirms eight new cases, four from SAFRA Jurong cluster COVID-19: Some in SAFRA Jurong cluster continued normal activities with symptoms for days MOH official COVID-19: Singapore confirms single-day high of 13 new cases; total 130 Advertisement President Erdogan called on Greece to 'open the gates' for migrants trying to reach Europe at Turkey's border ahead of his talks with the EU on Monday. Thousands of migrants have arrived at Turkey's border with Greece since Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced last month that the country would no longer prevent migrants and refugees from crossing over to Europe. Elsewhere, a blaze ripped through a refugee centre on the Greek island of Lesbos - the second fire at an installation built for migrants after a reception centre was burned down last Monday. Tensions have also continued to grow at the land border, where asylum seekers gathered between the Kastanies and Pazarkule border gates were today photographed throwing tear gas canisters back at Greek security forces. A video released by the Greek government also appears to show a Turkish armoured vehicle attempting to pull down part of the border fence with a rope, though the authenticity of the clip could not immediately be verified. Women asylum seekers waiting at Turkey's Pazarkule border crossing to reach Europe stage a demonstration at the buffer zone demanding to open the gate during 'International Women's Day' today Thousands of migrants have arrived at Turkey's border with Greece after Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced earlier this month that the country would no longer prevent migrants and refugees from crossing over to Europe 'I will have a meeting with European Union officials tomorrow in Belgium,' President Erdogan said during a speech in Istanbul today. 'I hope I will return from Belgium with different outcomes.' Erdogan's decision to open its borders sparked an escalating row between Ankara and Brussels, as well as a war of words between Turkey and Greece. The President is set to meet with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels at 5pm on Monday. They will 'discuss EU-Turkey matters, including migration, security, stability in the region and the crisis in Syria,' Michel's spokesman, Barend Leyts, said on Twitter. Migrants take cover during clashes as Greek police spray water between the Kastanies border gate, Greece and the Pazarkule border gate, Turkey Migrants throw stones as Greek police spray water through the Kastanies border gate to migrants waiting on the other side Pictured: A demonstration by female asylum seekers who are waiting at Turkey's Pazarkule border crossing to reach Europe In 2016, Turkey and the EU agreed a deal whereby Brussels would provide billions of euros in aid in exchange for Turkish authorities curbing the flow of migrants. But Ankara has repeatedly accused the EU of not fulfilling promises made as Europe suffered its worst refugee crisis since the Second World War. During the same televised speech, Erdogan urged Greece to open its border after clashes in recent days between migrants and Greek police. 'Hey Greece! I appeal to you... open the gates as well and be free of this burden,' he said. 'Let them go to other European countries.' President Erdogan called on Greece to 'open the gates' for migrants trying to reach Europe at Turkey's border ahead of his talks with the EU on Monday Women covering their faces after being hit by tear gas used by Greek security forces to disperse asylum seekers in the region between the Kastanies and the Pazarkule border gates A father and his daughter flee from tear gas as they wait at the land border between Greece and Turkey on Sunday Thousands of asylum seekers have flocked to Turkey's Edirne province which borders Greece and Bulgaria to make their way to Europe Thousands of migrants have amassed on the country's land border with Greece after Turkey said last month it would no longer prevent people from leaving the country. In the speech, Erdogan also criticised the West's silence after Greek authorities used tear gas and water cannon during skirmishes with migrants at the border crossing. Today, a fire ripped through a refugee centre on the Greek island of Lesbos amid growing tensions over a surge in migration from Turkey. It was the second fire at an installation built for migrants after a reception centre was burned down by unknown perpetrators last Monday. Elsewhere, a blaze ripped through a refugee centre on the Greek island of Lesbos - the second fire at an installation built for migrants after a reception centre was burned down last Monday The warehouse, which contained furniture and electrical appliances, was destroyed but there were thought to be no injuries, a firefighting service spokesman said A volunteer stands with fireman in the burnt facilities of the school for refugee children, part of the 'One Happy Family' NGO's project on the island of Lesbos The warehouse, which contained furniture and electrical appliances, was destroyed but there were thought to be no injuries, a firefighting service spokesman said. At the border with Turkey, Greece has deployed riot police and border guards to repel people trying to enter the country. The border has since seen violent confrontations between migrants and security forces, with officers in Greece firing tear gas to block the migrants and Turkish police firing tear gas back at their Greek counterparts. On Saturday, young people threw rocks at Greek police and tried to break down a border fence in a desperate attempt enter the country. At least two migrants were injured in the skirmishes. Greek security forces use tear gas to disperse asylum seekers in the region between the Kastanies and the Pazarkule border gates PRESIDENT Kennedy has a nice ring to it and if Richard had gone for the top job in the IFA he would have got the backing of everybody in the Woodlands House Hotel on Thursday night. Over 250 attended a celebration night organised by Limerick IFA in recognition of his achievements as IFA deputy president. They came from as far away as Mayo and Cavan. They came for Richard Kennedy. Michael Gabbett and Mike OFlynn both gave stirring addresses about their friend. Mr Gabbett said Limerick IFA wanted to thank Mr Kennedy for his sterling work on behalf of farmers in County Limerick and throughout the country, particularly during his period as deputy president of IFA. We also acknowledge the support he gets from his wife Helen and their family. Helen is Richards anchor, always ready to help and support him, said Mr Gabbett. When Richard courageously allowed his name to be put forward for election, encouraged by Mr OFlynn, his campaign manager, Mary Ita Keane, and many others, he was duly elected deputy president. His main aim was to assist in fixing what was broke in IFA at that time. Members trust was severely weakened and they were questioning their membership of IFA. There is never an easy time to hold this position, but Richards term was doubly challenging because of the internal difficulties he had inherited, as well as the ever-changing ongoing challenges that farmers face. Together with newly elected president, Joe Healy, they steadied the ship, inspired confidence in membership, gave guidance to staff, and appointed a director general, Damian McDonald. These actions put IFA back on track. Richards role in that was immense. His track record for honesty, integrity, loyalty and, above all, his respect for others views made him acceptable as an honest broker in repairing our organisation which was damaged and floundering, said Mr Gabbett. Together with Joe Healy, John Coughlan and the team, they secured over 600 million extra for farmers during their tenure in office. Rural crime was rampant and out of control and Mr Kennedy succeeded in focusing garda attention on it at the highest level. Recently, an intact and functioning organisation was handed over to a new president, deputy president and treasurer, our own Martin Stapleton. Richards courage and leadership skills, together with Joe Healy, John Coughlan, Munster chairman, and Angus Woods, livestock chairman, came to the fore last year in the crisis that has hit the beef sector with disastrously low prices not covering the cost of production. With very anxious and worried farmers wanting to hit out at factories and blockade them, IFA refused to sanction such action because they felt that a poor trade was better than no trade and successfully got a 100 million aid package in compensation to cover some of the losses. While the frustration did spill over and factories were blockaded, resulting in out of spec and overage cattle causing further losses, hindsight has confirmed that the IFA stand was correct, said Mr Gabbett. In the 1990s, when he was Limerick IFA chairman, Mr Kennedy did organise and drive a blockade of a local beef plant when the true market price was not being returned to farmers. That blockade was lifted when a price increase was achieved. In that period, New Zealand lamb imports were also an issue resulting in Irish lamb being replaced in the local butchers and supermarkets by New Zealand lamb. In highlighting this he got himself arrested and a file was sent to the DPP. These actions confirm it wasnt lack of courage or conviction on Richards part, but the wisdom to know the time and place to act, said Mr Gabbett, who also highlighted Mr Kennedys role in organising the delivery of feed to farmers during the fodder crisis and went through his extensive career from their days together in Ballybrown Macra. Another good friend, Mr OFlynn said Mr Kennedy would have got the support of every man and woman in the room if he had wanted to run for IFA president. Richard is a true leader. He always brought people with him, he never had to look behind him to see if people were there - they were always there by his side. It is a true mark of a man who is able to do that. His voice was always very well got. Whenever he spoke people listened. He is an excellent leader of people, said Mr OFlynn. The last word went to the man himself. Mr Kennedy prefers to hide his light under a bushel but he said he really appreciated the night. It was great for our family. The lads all really enjoyed it. It was great to be able to do something for charity and to bring people together. It worked out very well and people seemed to enjoy it. Great thanks to Limerick IFA for thinking of doing it, said Mr Kennedy. He and Helen have six children - Anne Marie, Thomas, James, Elaine, Jane and Elizabeth - and six grandchildren. Family comes first and after four years of hard going Mr Kennedy said he wants to spend more time at home in Clarina with Helen and their family. Mr Kennedy said he didnt have an unhappy day in the job and stressed that it was a team effort between the people who work in the IFA and all the volunteers. The size of the crowd who came from near and far on a bad night in the middle of calving season reflects the esteem the dairy farmer is held. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Odisha finance minister Niranjan Pujari on Sunday wrote a letter to Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to direct RBI authorities to allow withdrawal of deposits of 545 crore by the Jagannath Temple administration from the crisis-hit Yes Bank. In his letter to Sitharaman, the Odisha finance minister said the amount has been kept as term deposit receipts(fixed deposits) and needs to be released soon in the interest of millions of Hindu devotees. This is an issue of religious importance for devotees of Lord Jagannath, Pujari wrote. The Sri Jagannath Temple administration that manages the 11th century temple had deposited 592 crore in the bank till September last year. Only recently it had withdrawn 47 crore from the bank and the rest 545 crore was supposed to mature by March 29 this year. But a moratorium by RBI on any withdrawal over 50,000 from the cash-starved bank has left the deposit in a state of uncertainity. Opposition BJP and Congress over the last few days have been gunning for the Naveen Patnaik government over its failure to withdraw the money from the bank. State BJP general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan alleged that the parking of the funds in the cash-starved Yes Bank showed that there was a conspiracy to swindle the temple funds. As per the development commission 2017 report, a decision was taken to keep the funds of the Jagannath Temple in 25 banks. At that time, Yes Bank was not in the list. Later, in July 2019, Yes Bank was included in the list and the funds were deposited, Harichandan said, adding that there seemed to be a conspiracy to embezzle the funds of Jagannath Temple. Similarly, Congress leader Narasingha Mishra said he will raise the issue in the Assembly and demand an impartial inquiry into the incident if the Chief Minister did not give a satisfactory clarification on the deposit. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan said the property of Lord Jagannath is unsafe. In December last year, state vigilance department had accused IAS officer Bijaya Ketan Upadhyay of transferring 79.2 crore from different banks to Yes Bank. The amount allocated under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana was later withdrawn from Yes Bank. A woman has died and a number of people have been injured following a two-car collision in Kerry. Gardai are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which occurred shortly after 2pm on the N22 at Brennan's Glenn, Killarney. The scene was attended by local Garda and Roads Policing Units along with fire and emergency services personnel. The woman, in her 40s, was seriously injured in the collision was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. Her body has since been removed to the mortuary at University Hospital Kerry (UHK). Two other occupants of the same car, a man and woman both understood to be in their 70s, were taken from the scene by ambulance to UHK. The woman is understood to be in a critical condition, while the man's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. The occupants of the second car, two women in their early 20s, were removed by Air Ambulance to Cork University Hospital and University Hospital Limerick. Their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. The road at the crash site remains sealed off for examination by Garda forensic collision investigators and traffic diversions are in place. The local coroner and superintendent have visited the scene. Investigating gardai have issued an appeal for witnesses. They are particularly appealing to those with camera footage, including dashcam, to make it available to them. Anyone who can assist with this investigation is asked to contact Killarney Garda Station 064-6671160 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111. Last July, Berkeley became the first city in the U.S. to eliminate natural gas hookups for new low-rise residential construction. Natural gas bans are emerging all over the country, and in the Bay Area, Menlo Park, Morgan Hill, San Jose, Windsor, and Santa Rosa have joined Berkeley in passing all-electric reach codes local building energy ordinances aimed at providing leadership on clean air, cutting carbon emissions, and a renewable energy economy. Seattle has just enacted a ban on fossil fuels including fracked and conventional gas for new city-owned buildings. Why does it matter if we decarbonize our buildings, starting with the new ones? First of all, California will not be able to meet its emissions reduction goals without curtailing the use of natural gas. When utilities extend gas mains to new buildings, that infrastructure is expected (and financed) to last upwards of 50 years, meaning it will be around and potentially siphoning dollars, long after cities expect to wean themselves off of their reliance on natural gas. Burning natural gas, like burning any fossil fuel (or burning anything for that matter), releases carbon dioxide, adding to the accumulating burden of heat that is moving us quickly beyond the 1.5 degrees Celsius global temperature target set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. We must stay well below this level to protect our planetary home from runaway devastation. In addition, natural gas infrastructure is plagued with methane leaks during production, distribution and storage, which are particularly troubling (and currently under-regulated). Methane, by far the main component of natural gas, has a warming impact during the first year of emission that is more than 100 times greater than CO2 its clearly not a transition fuel. But theres also a silver lining: since methane only remains in the atmosphere for around 12 years, reductions, including cutting off sources of methane leaks, move us toward less trapped heat sooner putting the short-term planetary cooling needed by 2030 within easier reach. Resistance to new city ordinances banning or curtailing natural gas often comes down to preferences and misunderstandings about what an all-electric home (or commercial building) looks like. Here is a short list of myth busters to share the next time this invigorating conversation comes up among your friends and neighbors. All-electric homes are cheaper to build than mixed fuel homes. Why? Because gas lines are eliminated, both inside and outside of the home. Savings estimates range from $3,000 to $10,000 and up. During Santa Rosas public comments, one builder made it clear that all-electric homes are a good business decision for his company resulting in more comfortable homes and one of the biggest benefits is not having to wait for PG&E to install the gas meter. All-electric homes are cheaper to operate than mixed fuel homes. New electric heat pump technologies for home heating and cooling, cooking, and water heating are up to 300% more efficient than older technologies. When paired with rooftop solar, also required by Californias new state-wide building codes, the entire home can potentially be fueled right off the roof on days when the sun is shining, and even longer in the future as battery storage technology continues to improve. All-electric homes are safer and more comfortable (and future proof). Burning fossil fuels inside your home can create noxious emissions, which can aggravate existing health problems like asthma. Carbon monoxide detectors arent required in all electric homes. Not only were there no dissenting opinions at the public hearing for the ordinance in Berkeley, PG&E ended up supporting it as it recognizes the limited lifespan and high costs of gas as California moves toward a carbon neutral economy by 2045. Building new homes using 21st century technology will also protect homeowners from the eventual expense of retrofitting. Gas ranges are now out-performed by the new electric induction ranges. The best ranges, tested by Consumer Reports, routinely outperform their gas and radiant electric counterparts. They are more responsive than gas, and much safer. They are a breeze to clean. Many of the worlds top chefs are induction cooking enthusiasts. Powerful, immediate, precise, effective, practical here in a few words are the qualities of induction, says Author/Chef Thierry Molinengo of the Cristal Room Baccarat restaurant in Paris. Despite their advantages, induction ranges account for only about 5 percent of all ranges sold in the United States. Napa County has not taken steps to eliminate natural gas hookups or halt new infrastructure in residential or commercial buildings. In February, PG&E presented plans to the county Board of Supervisors to assess, upgrade and modernize the existing gas pipeline extending along Highway 29 from south of Napa to Dunaweal Lane work required to comply with federal and state regulations. But the utility was also granted rights of eminent domain in order to develop new infrastructure a liquid natural gas storage plant at Dunaweal Lane, needed largely because three big resort developments Calistoga Hills, Palisades, and Silver Rose will require high-volume gas use beginning in the next few years. The boards approval of the pipeline and storage plant is not needed, as PG&E projects are regulated by the state Public Utilities Commission. Some 350 Bay Area and its regional groups, including Napa Climate NOW!, are organizing around the region to introduce and pass forward-thinking ordinances to move beyond natural gas to renewable power sources. During public comments at the recent county-wide Climate Action Committee meeting, we asked our County and municipalities to take up this challenge. Smart planning now means we wont need to rely on more new natural gas infrastructure in the future. Kit Long is a local yoga teacher and grandmother. Napa Climate NOW! Is a local non-profit citizens group advocating for smart climate solutions, and the Napa representative of 350 Bay Area. Connect at 350bayarea.org/napa-climate-now or contact kittylong00@gmail.com. The information on all-electric buildings is from a blog post by Laura Neish of 350BayArea. By Trend Disinfection work is being continued in Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), Trend reports with reference to AZAL. In order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), all objects of civil aviation are disinfected. After flights, aircraft are treated with special solutions. All aircraft of AZAL and Buta Airways are equipped with universal preventive kits, masks and disinfectants. Aircrafts air filters are regularly replaced. As part of the above measures, in order to respond promptly if a passenger suspected of having a disease is detected on board the aircraft, trainings for the flight personnel were also conducted. Azerbaijan remains one of the countries, least affected by the rapidly spreading coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The country's official structures are applying necessary measures to prevent any possible exposure of coronavirus. Azerbaijan has also imported necessary medical equipment to carry out coronavirus tests. Member of the Operational Headquarters created under the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers in connection with coronavirus Yagut Garayeva said on March 5 that at least 500 people have been quarantined in the country. Until now, no deaths from the disease have been recorded in the country. Azerbaijan's official structures have also set up quarantine centers in the country's districts, which would allow to react faster to the possible outbreak due to joint borders. Azerbaijan shares border with Iran, where coronavirus is currently spreading rapidly. As a contribution to international efforts to prevent the risk of the spread of coronavirus infection, Azerbaijan's government provided voluntary financial assistance worth $5 million to the COVID-19 Fund as part of the WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP). On March 7 World Health Organization officially thanked Azerbaijan for its financial contrivution to the global COVID-19 response. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz ROME Italy took a page from Chinas playbook Sunday, locking down around 16 million people more than a quarter of its population for nearly a month to halt the relentless march of the new coronavirus across Europe. Weddings and museums, movie theaters and shopping malls are all affected by the new restrictions, which focus on a swath of northern Italy but are disrupting daily life around the country. After mass testing uncovered more than 7,300 infections, Italy now has registered more cases of the virus than any country but China, where the disease is in retreat. The death toll in the country rose to 366. From Venice to Milan, confusion reigned as residents and tourists tried to figure out when and how the new measures would be put into practice. Travelers crammed aboard standing-room-only trains, tucking their faces into scarves and sharing sanitizing gel. Around the globe, more and more events were canceled or hidden behind closed doors, from the popes Sunday service to a Formula One car race in Bahrain to a sumo competition in Japan, where wrestlers arrived at the arena in face masks and were required to use hand sanitizer before entering. In Saudi Arabia, officials announced all schools and universities would be closed starting Monday, following the lead of other Gulf countries. Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte signed a quarantine decree early Sunday for the countrys prosperous north. Areas under lockdown include Milan, Italys financial hub and the main city in Lombardy, and Venice, the main city in the neighboring Veneto region. The extraordinary measures will be in place until April 3. Tourists in the region, including those from abroad, were free to head home, the Italian transport ministry said, noting that airports and train stations remained open. The World Health Organization has said Chinas broad lockdown helped the rest of the world prepare for the virus to arrive, and WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted his support Sunday for Italians and their bold, courageous steps aimed at slowing the speed of the coronavirus. China has suffered about three-fourths of the worlds 109,000 coronavirus infections and most of its 3,800 deaths. New infections in China have leveled off, however, and most of those infected, in China and globally, have already recovered. Frances DEmilio and Yuri Kageyama is an Associated Press writer. Producer Barbara Broccoli has ruled out the possibility of a female James Bond. The 59-year-old producer said the person who will be cast as the suave spy when Daniel Craig leaves the role after "Not Time to Die" can be of "any colour'', but the makers are not considering giving a gender switch to the iconic fictional character. "Bond can be of any colour, but he is male. I'm not interested in taking a male character and having a woman play it," Broccoli told the Sunday Times magazine. "No Time to Die", which was earlier scheduled to release in April, has been postponed to November amid coronavirus outbreak across the globe. The film, which marks Craig's fifth and final outing as the British spy, also features Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Lea Seydoux, Jeffrey Wright, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, and others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Based in Bangkok, the GMCP Pacific Ocean (PO) Team assists states in Southeast Asia and the Pacific region in building their maritime security capacity and capability to tackle maritime crimes. Given that maritime security challenges cannot be addressed by a single state alone, and given the proximity of states' maritime zones, strengthening inter-agency and inter-state collaboration is key to effectively responding to maritime threats in that region. The PO Team has established a series of Maritime Law Enforcement Dialogues (MLED) for Southeast Asia which serves as a platform for cooperation between Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. At the MLEDs, maritime law enforcement actors of regional states, including legal advisors, have the opportunity to share current maritime trends and identify areas of concern and improvement through table-top scenarios. Notably, the MLEDs are particularly successful in overcoming language barriers by designing and developing practical tools. To bolster international and regional cooperation, UNODC also launched the Contact Group on Maritime Crime in the Sulu and Celebes Seas to enable coastal states, industry actors and interested international partners to better understand and develop responses to a variety of maritime crimes linked to insecurity in that area. UNODC also work with states to develop responses to other transnational maritime crimes such as drugs and precursor trafficking. To enhance law enforcement capabilities, UNODC's GMCP offers Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) training programmes in Southeast Asia. While replicating the successful experience in the Indian Ocean, VBSS courses are specifically tailored to meet the specific needs of the region. Boarding procedures, evidence collection and human rights are all skills and knowledge developed jointly by law enforcement personnel of different countries through both theoretical and practical training that simulate real-life boarding at sea. Facing the challenge of governing extremely large maritime zones, the PO Team also works with Member States to enhance and leverage technology and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) to help target maritime law enforcement actions. To support strong legal finishes of maritime crimes, the PO Team works with Member States to ensure legal frameworks are and agreements well-suited and up to date to support cooperative and effective interdictions and prosecutions. Processes are tested and practical training is provided through mock trials. The Delhi government has ordered DTC and cluster buses, metro and hospitals to be disinfected on a regular basis as a precautionary measure to deal with the novel coronavirus, Chief Minister said on Sunday. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said that three cases of have been reported in Delhi so far and one case is still under investigation. The chief minister said that 168 isolation beds have been set up at 25 hospitals for patients. He appealed to the people in Delhi that if anybody from their neighbourhood had returned from foreign countries in the past 14 days, they should inform the government. The chief minister, who chaired a state task force on Sunday, said the government was fully prepared to deal with the novel coronavirus, adding that people do not need to panic. "An order has been issued to disinfect DTC, cluster buses, Delhi Metro and hospitals every day," he said. "Three cases of have been reported in Delhi so far. One case is still under under investigation. I want to tell this to everyone that the Delhi government is worried about it but we are fully prepared to tackle it. There is no need to panic and we need everyone's cooperation," he said. After examining the three cases, it was learnt that the first infected person came in contact with 105 people, second came in contact with 168 in the last 14 days while the third person came in contact with 64 people, he said. "All those who came in contact with them are being isolated and their samples are being collected and checked for symptoms," he added. Healthy people need not wear mask and there is no need to stock up masks at your homes either, he said. He also urged people to wash their hands frequently with soap and water. All passengers at the airport are being screened. Forty doctors of Delhi Government hospitals are deployed at the airports for the purpose. All those passengers who undergo thermal screenings at the airport once they go home, especially those from Delhi, are being kept under watch for 14 days to check for symptoms. "1,40,603 passengers have been screened at the airports so far and have been put on surveillance," he said. Kejriwal also appealed to employers to give paid leave to those quarantined so that their livelihood is not affected. The chief minister said that now 25 hospitals have the facilities where one can submit the samples. Out of the 25 hospitals, six are private hospitals while others are those of the Delhi Government. "We are making separate facilities for collection of samples and treatment in these hospitals so that if any patient arrives there, they don't come in contact with others," he said. Conveying his greetings for Holi, Kejriwal urged people of Delhi to avoid going to crowded areas and save themselves from coronavirus. Engineering and construction conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Sunday said it has launched a programme to train rural women in wielding technology, traditionally a male-dominated workspace. "L&T's Vadodara Heavy Engineering Works (VHEW), has launched a unique initiative to train rural women students in welding technology," the company said in a statement. It is a unique program initiated around International Women's Day to enhance the technical skillsets of women students from socially and economically underprivileged sections, it added. The company's Senior Vice President and Head, Heavy Engineering Y S Trivedi said: "L&T is known for best-in-class welding technology and talent for manufacturing most complex of heavy machinery, process plant equipment and nuclear systems. In line with the theme for International Women's Day 2020 this technical curriculum will provide equal opportunities to young women for the enabled world." "While welding isn't a traditional occupation for women, it will be a defining moment for the first batch of nine young women to be able to fulfil their dream of getting into the highly-specialised and remunerative industrial occupation. We plan to expand this program in future, basis learnings on the progress of the first batch," added Trivedi. Vivekanand Institute of Vocational & Entrepreneurial Competence (VIVEC), run by Shroff Foundation Trust (SFT), is the NGO partner in this CSR initiative. The training curriculum is designed keeping in view the practical situations in the industry and will be mentored by senior management from the VHEW facility. Apart from honing their skills on welding, these students will be groomed for personal development with 32 modules such as computer learning, spoken English, yoga and Art of Living, the statement said. After the successful completion of their training, the women will be awarded a certificate from L&T and SFT. These women students will have the liberty to explore the opportunity to undergo further training at L&T's workshops at VHEW, subject to meeting eligibility criteria under the company training schemes. VHEW is a specialised facility for manufacturing equipment and systems that involves exotic metals and advanced composite materials. The facility serves process plant, nuclear, defence and aerospace industries. It is the only facility in India that exports nuclear systems to the US. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special flight from Iran arrived at Delhis Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport early on Saturday morning with swab samples of 110 Indians who are currently stranded in the country after a rapid spread of the coronavirus infection that Tehran is trying to control. The samples have been sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to check if the people are infected with the virus, an officer at the airport said on condition of anonymity. A Mahan Air flight arrived at the Delhi airport around 6.30am with the samples. The swab samples were collected and were directly sent to the ICMR, the official said. The samples of the Indians are likely to be tested at New Delhis All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). To ensure that the Indians being brought back from Iran are disease-free, India has been making arrangements to test the passengers stranded in Iran in order to clear them in batches. Those passengers who test positive for Covid-19 will not be allowed to board the flight to India. They will be isolated at a health facility in Iran itself. Those whose test samples return negative will be evacuated from there, said a senior health ministry official, asking not to be named. India has sent a six-member team of scientists from ICMR to Iran to set up a make-shift laboratory there so that people can be tested before flying back. However, till the time the lab is set up, experts will be taking swab samples and shipping them to India for testing. The team is in Tehran with necessary equipment that is capable of conducting at least 600 tests. The embassy of Iran in New Delhi facilitated and issued visas for the visit of six experts from ICMR and the ministry of health and family welfare. The Indian citizens with no symptoms of coronavirus will be transferred to India and those whose medical test results are positive will be hospitalised in one of the advanced special medical centres designated by the Ministry of Health of the I. R. of Iran, a statement by the embassy said. considering more and adequate flights to New Delhi and Mumbai to ensure bringing back home all the stranded nationals of both countries. The flights that bring swab samples to India will fly back Iranians from the country. The first such special flight on Saturday morning flew back with 125 Iranians who were living in India. At around 9am, the flight departed the Delhi airport with 125 Iranians onboard. Elaborating on the flight, the airport officer said: The Iranians were stuck in India and could not go back to their country as March 3 onwards, in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, passenger movements to and from five countries have been suspended. The five countries are Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan and China. (Bloomberg) -- Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. warned that its maintenance plan must be supported by the government or South Africa can expect regular blackouts from power cuts of 8,000 megawatts by mid-2021, a move that would cripple the economy. Shortly after taking up the role in January, Chief Executive Officer Andre de Ruyter said more planned power outages, known locally as load-shedding, will be necessary for the next 18-24 months so the company can catch up with deferred maintenance. We have to conduct these maintenance programs if we are to avoid worse load-shedding in future. The time for an intervention is now, he said in an interview in Cape Town on March 4. The notion that we can keep the lights on at all costs simply means we will be kicking the can further and further down the road until the inevitable day of reckoning when the system really falls over will approach. De Ruyter took over Eskom at a time when the state-owned company is saddled with 454 billion rand ($29 billion) of debt and isnt generating enough revenue to cover its costs. Regular outages due to plant breakdowns have pushed the economy into a recession. If we do nothing, Stage 8 will be a regular event by June 2021, Eskom said, referring to an outage of 8,000 megawatts, in documents submitted this week to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, parliaments financial watchdog. Outages at the moment are normally between stages 1 and 4, or 1,000 to 4,000 megawatts. The country consumes between 25,000 and 35,000 megawatts, depending on the time of year. Plants at Risk The Kendal, Duvha and Tutuka power plants -- which have a combined generation capacity of 11,370 megawatts -- are in particular need of maintenance, according to the documents. If allowed to proceed, the program could end power cuts within two years, catch up delayed maintenance by fiscal 2023 and save 9.27 billion rand a year in costs by that date, it said. By the end of the 2022 financial year, Eskom could increase the amount of generation capacity it has available on average by between 4,521 megawatts and 6,000 megawatts. Story continues Risks to the companys generation capacity if nothing is done are partly due to the plants failure to comply with emissions rules. Plants could have their atmospheric-emission licenses revoked temporarily, risking capacity of 4,470 megawatts, and a total of 9,000 megawatts is at risk if pollution-abatement equipment isnt installed at a number of facilities, Eskom said. In order to mitigate the effect of power cuts, Eskom is implementing a number of measures including less power cuts during periods of heavy traffic, and reducing availability more frequently between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. In the short-term. more power cuts are expected in the South African winter months, June through August, this year as repairs take effect. The company also suggests cutting power first to areas where few consumers pay their bills, a politically explosive suggestion, as most of those would be in townships where some of the poorest South Africans reside. In Soweto alone, 133,236 customers owe Eskom 16.9 billion rand, Eskom said. Around the country, a number of municipalities are in arrears to Eskom. To contact the reporters on this story: Antony Sguazzin in Johannesburg at asguazzin@bloomberg.net;Paul Vecchiatto in Cape Town at pvecchiatto@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: John McCorry at jmccorry@bloomberg.net, Paul Richardson, Mike Cohen For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Our nation is casting votes for party presidential candidates in state primary elections. Republican and Democratic nominees will be chosen at conventions based on which candidate has amassed the most delegates, not on their popular vote tallies. In 2016, Donald Trump was elected president based on his Electoral College win, in a constitutionally mandated system similar to the party delegate processes. Afterwards, many supporters of Hillary Clinton screamed that Trumps election was illegitimate because this result was not democratic. (Clinton received about 2.9 million more popular votes nationwide than Trump.) These screamers have been told repeatedly that we live in a republic, not a pure democracy. Alexander Hamilton gave support and praise to the Electoral College in the Federalist Papers. However, there could be changes based on actions by individual states. This system could also be modified of scrapped through constitutional amendment, something that would require a two-thirds majority in each house of Congress, plus ratification by three-quarters of the states. If you would prefer that the popular vote be used to elect the president, remember, for example, that about 14% of Californias residents are non-citizens. Though ineligible, there is is no guarantee that none of them will vote. As a Gloucester County party committeeman, I once had a concern about a deceased person who was still registered to vote. An election office worker told me the name would not be removed automatically until the person had not voted in several elections. Hopefully, this has changed. Recently, a neighbor was required to cast a provisional ballot at the polling place because the rolls indicated that he and his wife had voted by mail. Did someone else cast a mail-in vote in his name? Was this mail-in ballot counted? Now that New Jersey has voter registration at the time of drivers license application, why dont we have a voter ID law? I will not vote by mail unless I am incapacitated. Gerald Keer, Turnersville N.J. township is best-kept secret Thanks to everyone who works in the Harrison Township municipal building in Gloucester County, and especially to the mayor, Lou Manzo. All of the township employees I've dealt with there over the years have gone over and above whats expected in order to help. My most recent visit was regarding a simple property issue. A worker suggested that I ask the mayor about a question I had. I asked "How (do I contact him)? Just call him, here's his number, I was told. Well, call him, I did. I left a short voicemail message regarding the issue, not asking or expecting a return call. Manzo not only returned my call, but was well versed pertaining to the situation and spent time explaining the entire process. I moved here from Fairfax, Virginia, 30 years ago. Its the best move I've made. Thanks should also go out to all our wonderful residents for keeping this township beautiful, and one of the areas best-kept secrets. Michael Mangers, Harrison Township Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. "Spider-Man" star Tom Holland says he regrets quitting dance classes, which he joined during his stint on "Billy Elliot the Musical" in 2008. The actor, who played Michael in the musical based on the film of the same name, said he used to practice six hours a day while working on the theatre presentation for three years. "When I was in Billy Elliot when I was a kid, I was dancing every day for about six hours for three years and I got to such a high level, and then I just gave up. I quit dancing. "So I dance if I'm in a club, but I don't go to dance classes anymore. My biggest regret is giving up dancing," Holland said in response to an audience question on BBC Radio 1. The 23-year-old actor added that tap dancing is his favourite type of dance. Holland currently stars as superhero Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Sony Pictures movies. His last release as the web-slinger was "Spider-Man: Far From Home". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 64-year-old man died in Argentina as a result of the new coronavirus, the first such death in Latin America, health authorities announced Saturday. The Ministry of Health said the patient lived in Buenos Aires and had been confirmed with COVID-19 after coming down with a cough, fever and sore throat following a recent trip to Europe. The patient, who suffered kidney failure, had a history of diabetes, hypertension and bronchitis before being infected with the virus, a statement said. He had been in intensive care since being admitted to a public hospital Wednesday. Officials said the man was not one of the eight confirmed COVID-19 cases previously reported for Argentina, but his case was confirmed by tests Saturday. Research is underway to determine who the patient had been in contact with, authorities said.- Elsewhere in the region, officials in Peru announced five new cases of COVID-19 infection Saturday, raising the countrys total to six. Paraguay reported its first case, and Chile said it now had seven confirmed cases, up from five. Costa Ricas Health Ministry confirmed four new cases of coronavirus, in addition to that of a case involving an American woman announced Friday. Her husband was among the new cases. Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia also have reported confirmed cases of the new coronavirus. According to the latest official data, there are more than 101,000 infected worldwide and more than 3,400 deaths. SOURCE: AP New data shows that Australians are reporting cyber security incidents every 10 minutes and it is costing Australian businesses $29 billion each year and rising. But it is not just cyber criminals who are the perpetrators of attacks. Foreign interference is also on the rise. The extent of spy networks operating in Australia is alive and well, with foreign interference reaching new levels of concern. The ABC recently reported that the Australian Defence Force shut down a sensitive military database for 10 days, in February 2020, after fears it had been hacked by a nation-state. The database contained personal details of tens of thousands of Australian Defence Force members. Foreign interference is committed to either disrupt or gain advantage along political, economic, military or industrial lines, and when successful it is conducted covertly. Disruption can be in the form of sabotage or subversion, where advantage can involve the theft of sensitive information or intellectual property. An example of such foreign interference was the theft of 30GB of data on Australias Joint Strike Fighter (F-35), Poseidon (P-8) surveillance plane, smart bombs and several naval vessels. Here the threat actor, considered to be a nation-state, breached a small defence contractors systems and exploited the network over an extended period of time. Nation-states, just like cyber criminals, look to take the path of least resistance. Often the path of least resistance lies within the supply chain of the primary target. Why Australia should adopt the USs CMMC The US Department of Defence has become so concerned with the supply chain threat that they have released the cyber security Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). Its a model that the Australian Government would be smart to follow suit on. It would provide a simple framework that not only aims to protect national interests, but also provides businesses clear direction on cyber security. The CMMC model consists of five levels of maturity (basic to advanced), with 17 domains of information security and 171 information security requirements mapped to the five levels of maturity. To achieve Level 5, an organisation would need to comply with all 171 controls. However, where a small business tendering for a Defence contract is required to achieve a Level 2 maturity certification, they need only adhere to 72 controls. CMMC will become contractually mandatory for all US Defence contractors and sub-contractors in late 2020, with the level of certification dependent on what information the contractor has access to. How to deter foreign interference: Steps you can take Foreign interference is about the long game. It relies on the ability to remain undetected over extended periods of time. The tolerated level of risk to achieve the desired outcome is often higher in a foreign interference operation because the outcomes are so valuable. Whilst many of the methods used by cyber criminals and nation-state actors to gain a foot hold, in an organisations network, are similar (such as phishing, credential theft and exploiting unpatched systems), the sophistication of moving laterally and remaining undetected is very different. For a relatively small price, an average hacker can purchase scripts or programs developed by others to conduct a cyber attack (these individuals are commonly referred to a script kiddies). The method of delivering the payload is often through a phishing attack, playing on the human factor. The rudimentary nature of these scripts often means that the payloads get picked up, even by basic anti-virus or intrusion detection/prevention software. Nation-states use the same techniques to achieve the foothold, but then use advanced payloads to evade detection. Typically, nation-states gain unauthorised access to networks by delivering advanced persistent threats (APTs), which can only be detected with advanced security information and event management (SIEM) or packet capture (PCAP) software, actively monitoring outward bound traffic flows. In any traditional espionage operation, the asset or individual obtaining the information is critical, and must be protected from detection. When examining foreign interference in a cyber scenario, the APT is the asset and therefore it is critical that it remains undetectable to have ongoing access to networks, systems, and information. Whilst no industry is immune to foreign interference, the education sector is often a target due to having both direct and indirect access to sensitive information and intellectual property. Often organisations employ universities to develop concepts, build new technologies or prove formulae. This means that universities are filled with incredible amounts of intellectual property that can be exploited by APTs to satisfy a nation-states strategic priorities. The recent attack on the Australian National University is an excellent example of a cyber attack on an Australian university using advanced methods to evade detection to covertly extract sensitive information. Education is Australias largest service export and third overall export behind iron ore. Australia is also ranked third in the top study-abroad destinations. The education sector, however, is not just a prime target for nation-states looking to conduct economic disruption. The attraction of foreign students to Australian universities provides significant motivation for nation-states to commit cyber attacks against them. Foreign intelligence agencies look to identify their nationals studying abroad, especially those who have direct or indirect access to sensitive information or intellectual property. These individuals can then be exploited, manipulated or coerced into supporting foreign interference operations. From cyber criminals exploiting everyday Australians to nation-states covertly committing acts of foreign interference, there are key principles and strategies to defend against a cyber attack. Here are five crucial strategies. Baseline your organisation. Understand what the organisations current threat landscape is. Next, assess what the exisiting cyber security maturity level is and determine what maturity level the organisation needs to be at to effectively mitigate the identified threats. This will identify high risk gaps that need to be addressed, rather than over investing in unnecessary controls and capabilities. Establish a framework. The framework needs to be one that suits the business and can be as simple as the Australian Signals Directorate Essential Eight (specifically designed to mitigate against the most common cyber attacks) or as general as ISO 27001/2 or NIST. The framework should be implemented with relatively minimal disruption. There will always be a change-management piece to bringing in a new way of operating; just make sure that when the organisation begins the transition everyone is on board. Security training and awareness. This needs to be well thought out and targeted to business needs. Generic online videos and training are likely to only build complacency and boredom with the program. This is the area to invest in and seek out professionals who can deliver interactive and interesting training to capture the workforces attention. Test and adjust. Develop metrics to assess the performance of the security controls in place, and test regularly. Establish a lessons-learnt register from the tests conducted, assign responsibilities and ensure you implement the corrective actions identified. Have a plan to respond and recover. The recent Toll attack is a perfect example of how a well drilled response plan can ensure that an organisation recovers with relatively minimal damage. Without an effective response plan, the recovery will be an extended process and could be catastrophic for reputation and resources. Therefore, implement an incident response framework (such as NIST), test the plan with desktop and simulation exercises and build your playbooks to effect a response quickly. Matt Bunker is manager with the BDO cyber security Team. He has extensive and practical experience in mitigating and understanding the threats from foreign interference. In the age of loneliness why are we so hard to befriend? We now know that loneliness is so widespread that one in two people feel lonely at least one day a week. Some health professionals say loneliness is as harmful to us as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. KAWS: Companionship In The Age Of Loneliness exhibition. Credit:John Wheatley Loneliness has even become a preoccupation of artists. Head to the National Gallery of Victoria at the moment and youll see th KAWS: Companionship In The Age Of Loneliness exhibition. The exhibit features enormous Muppet-like figures created by contemporary American artist Brian Donnelly. Rather than being cute, these figures, with their deadened eyes are chilling, reminding us that if we are not desperately lonely at this moment, we have been before and we are terrified we will be again. This article is part of our latest Museums special section, which focuses on the intersection of art and politics. What if the art world could create a kind of popular awakening? It is a question Apsara DiQuinzio, a curator at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, asked herself not long after the Womens March of 2017. That grass-roots protest helped inspire the Feminist Art Coalition, a nationwide collaboration of museums and arts organizations large and small 90 institutions and counting that are planning exhibitions and programming around the theme of feminism and aimed toward this fall. DES MOINES -- On its way to Gov. Reynolds' desk is a proposal to increase state funding in Iowas K-through-12 public school districts by 2.3 percent over the previous year. The proposal is the culmination of this years debate among Iowa lawmakers over how much state funding should be invested in K-12 public education. It is an annual and often contentious debate in the Iowa Legislature, generally with Democrats arguing more should be spent than Republicans are willing. Many claims have been tossed around over the years during that annual debate. THE HISTORY The public education funding debate among state lawmakers in Iowa intensified in 2011. Prior to the 2010 elections, Democrats had full control of the state lawmaking process with a Democratic governor and majorities in both the Iowa House and Senate. But the 2010 elections flipped the governors office and House majority, giving the state divided party control. That meant Democrats and Republicans had to come to an agreement on the states budget, including public school funding levels. And that state budget was reeling from a national economic recession. State lawmakers had to enact across-the-board spending cuts including to public education in order to balance the budget. Those forced budget cuts motivated Republicans to rein in state government spending, including in public school funding. Instantly, what had been a tradition of annual 3- to 4% increases was trimmed significantly. The states present public school funding formula was created in 1973. Starting there, public school funding increased by less than 3 percent only 6 times over the first 38 years, according to data compiled by the states nonpartisan data and legal analysis division. Since 2011, when Republicans gained at least partial control at the Iowa Capitol, that annual school funding increase has been less than 3 percent in nine out of 10 years. Assuming Gov. Kim Reynolds does not veto this years proposal and demand significantly more funding which is unlikely, given she proposed a 2.5 percent increase that streak will increase to an increase of less than 3 percent in 10 out of the past 11 years. That shift is what has fueled the annual debate in the Iowa Legislature. We could easily afford to do better by our kids, Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, said this week during debate on the 2020-2021 school funding proposal. This bill is quite literally too little, too late. REPUBLICAN PRIORITY Statehouse Republicans insist public education remains one of their top priorities. They point to overall spending, which will be roughly $3.4 billion. This is $100 million (in increased funding), folks. Lets forget the percentages, Sen. Michael Breitbach, R-Strawberry Point and chairman of the Senate budget committee, said this week during debate. To me, thats a pretty good shot in the arm. Democrats argue Republicans have made public school funding less of a priority. The data on that charge is mixed. Starting with the 2011-2012 school year, school funding as a percentage of the overall state budget decreased or plateaued, from 45.8 percent to 40.7 percent, according to state education department data. That means with Republicans holding at least a share of the state budget-writing process, public education fundings slice of the overall budget pie became smaller. But over the next two school years, that share has rebounded to 43.8 percent in the 2017-2018 school year, the most recent for which the data is available. Thats slightly higher than an 18-year average from the 2000-2001 to 2017-2018 school years, during which there has been all manners of partisan control of state government: full Democratic control, full Republican control, and split control. DEMOCRATS WARNINGS During the annual public education debates, Democrats regularly warn of the potential consequences of Republican-set state funding levels. They warn that school districts will experience budget crunches and be forced to lay off teachers, and that the average number of students in each classroom will increase. Thus far, despite 10 years of at least partial Republican control at the Iowa Capitol, those warnings have not materialized in Iowa. From the 2000-2001 to 2018-2019 school years, the number of public school teachers in Iowa has increased. And teacher growth has happened despite a slight regression in the number of students. Over that time, the number of teachers has increased 11 percent while the number of students has decreased by a little more than 1 percent. Class sizes are not getting bigger, either. Average class sizes in kindergarten through third grades all are smaller than they were in 2011. Outliers remain, which Democrats often note during debate. Education department data shows the largest class sizes during the 2018-2019 school year included kindergarten and second-grade classes with 30 students and a third-grade class with 32 students. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Investors should not panic, and continue with systematic investment plan (SIP) investments by keeping longer-term investment horizons, Devarsh Vakil, Head - Advisory (PCG), HDFC Securities, said in an interview with Moneycontrols Kshitij Anand. Q. What is your take on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for the December quarter? Do you think more policy measures are on their away to boost growth in the economy? How will it impact markets? A. India's GDP for Q3FY20 comes in at 4.7 percent compared to 4.5 percent growth in the second quarter. GVA growth during the third quarter came in higher at 4.5 percent, against 4.3 percent growth in July-September quarter. These numbers are broadly in line with expectations. This low rate of expansion was mainly due to weak manufacturing, falling exports and weak consumer demand. It is heartening to note that the growth numbers for Q2FY20 has been revised upward drastically. The data suggests to us that the slowdown in the Indian economy has bottomed out and measures taken by the government in the recent budget to improve capacity to spend in rural sector, infrastructure creation and inviting foreign investments will boost growth going ahead. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show There is very little room left for fiscal measures by the government because of high Fiscal Deficit, but according to us the latest policy tools brought into use by RBI (LTRO) and postponement of Gilt maturities through operation twist have added significant monetary stimulus to the financial system. The fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak will shave some points from the global growth, though we expect a coordinated response from central bankers to unleash liquidity to counter the effects of slowdown. It should also add tailwinds to the growth recovery whenever the virus spread is contained. Q. Coronavirus has become a worry from markets across the globe from a concern. What is the way ahead for Indian markets? A. Escalation of the coronavirus spread is negative for the entire global economy including India. Last week, India VIX Index saw a jump of 70 percent, which is highest ever weekly rise. This indicates that fear about the equity market investment is also going up. However, in the longer run, India could get benefit because of lower crude oil price which has seen a sharp cut in the last two months. India imports close to 85 percent of its annual crude oil requirements, and its dependence on purchases from overseas has only risen in recent years, as domestic production falters in the absence of adequate incentives. The price of the Indian crude oil basket, which stood at $64 per barrel in January, dropped to $55 in February. Indias crude import bill may decline by a massive $17 billion or 17 perecnt year-on-year in FY21 if the Indian basket price remains subdued around the current level of $50/barrel through the next fiscal, in what could give a big relief to the countrys current account. Q) How should investors play the massive fall which we have seen in the last 15 days to a month? This is time to create long term wealth for investors? What does history suggest? A. Buying the right stock at the right time has always been the dream for the investors. In the recent correction, investors should focus on the stocks whose prices have fallen in sympathy with international markets, but their companys underlying earning trajectory is strong and intact. History suggests if you pick the stocks which are reasonably valued and hold them till their earning trajectory is higher, you will compound your wealth. Q. What should be the investment strategy of investors with respect to mutual funds? This is a time usually when investors stop their SIP as nervousness clouds investors minds. A. SIP, over the years, has turned out to be most beneficial to investors who neither have the time or adequate resources to start investing on their own. An SIP brings in a disciplined approach towards investing in by allocating equal amounts regularly to accumulate the asset class over the long-term. One of the significant benefits of an SIP is that it controls the risk of investments through rupee cost averaging. Broad market decline allows investors to buy more units at a lower price and later reward them with better returns when the market rises. Investors should not panic and continue with the SIP investments by keeping longer-term investment horizons. Q. FIIs have pulled out more than Rs 8,000 crore from Indian markets from the cash segment in February. What is leading to the selloff in Indian markets? Do you think the selloff could intensify if the situation with respect to coronavirus escalates? A. FIIs have pulled out nearly Rs 8,000 crore from the secondary market in the month of February as the rapid spread of novel coronavirus outside China dented investors' sentiments. Investors remained concerned over global growth which dragged the Indian benchmark Indices by 7 percent in the February month along with the sharp sell-off in the Global markets. Well before the outbreak of the virus, FIIs were buyers into emerging markets including India. FIIs were net buyers from the month of September last year. Now FIIs, like all investors are cautious in the short-term. However, we expect central bankers around the world, will release ample liquidity into the system to support global growth. We expect some of that liquidity will flow back into emerging markets including India. Q. According to a Reuters poll conducted recently, experts have trimmed their target for Sensex, and Nifty for December 2020 on account of global cues. What is your target for the year and have you also tapered your expectations? A. India is expected to grow at 6 percent for FY21. India has an opportunity to attract many companies looking to diversify their sourcing base apart from China. We expect Nifty EPS to grow by 9 percent in FY20 and nearly 25 percent in FY21 to 680. The Nifty has corrected more than 10 percent from the all-time high and now is trading at reasonable valuations at 16x its FY21 expected earnings. We will review the target after the end of financial year. Q. It looks like money has started moving from equities to safe havens like Gold, and other fixed-income products. Do you think fixed income space could outperform in 2020? What should be the strategy? A. One should follow an asset allocation plan according to ones risk profile. January month Inflows in Gold ETF were at a multi-year high. The short-term flows may continue to flow into gold and fixed income. Risk-averse investors can continue with systematic investment into stocks/funds selected according to their asset allocation plans. For seasoned investors who invest directly into equities, we believe it is the right time to gradually increase allocation towards small and mid-stocks. Smaller stocks have witnessed severe de-rating in their multiple on the back of lackluster earnings. We expect a recovery in earnings on the back of broader economic turnaround and hence recommend investors to veer towards quality midcap and small-cap stocks for next fiscal. Q. What is your take on SBI Cards? It is one of the largest IPO on the D-Street. Should one invest in the IPO or stay with SBI? A. We believe that SBI Card is a multiyear growth story and presents an excellent opportunity to participate in a lowly penetrated industry. It is a proxy to the fast-growing digital payments space in India and first of its kind to go for an IPO. It will attract a lot of investors. We believe it will give handsome returns on the listing day itself. We rate Subscribe Rating for this Talk of the Town and highly anticipated IPO of SBI Cards. Q. Any value buy with respect to stocks or sectors which are looking attractive? A. We prefer private sector banks, insurance and asset management companies, pharmaceuticals and healthcare companies and export-oriented - chemicals companies. The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Prayagraj, Mar 8 (UNI) The Allahabad High Court will deliver its judgement on March 9, Monday, on the legality of putting up hoardings with names, photos and addresses of 53 anti-CAA protesters by the Lucknow administration across the Uttar Pradesh capital. A bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha maintained that the hoardings were put up without mentioning the relevant law under which it was done. It is also a violation to the right to privacy. The bench said it would deliver its judgement at 1400 hrs on Monday. The court asked the Commissioner of Police Sujit Pandey and District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash to explain the law under which the hoardings were put up. The judges earlier had called the administration's action as an absolute encroachment on personal liberty and asked it to remove all the hoardings by 1500 hrs in the afternoon. The bench said it hoped that the government will not take any step so that no citizen feel insulted. The High Court on Saturday took the suo motu cognizance of installation of hoardings of as many as 53 people who allegedly participated in anti-CAA protest in December last year and "vandalised" public property. The hoarding placed on Thursday night included pictures of Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas, retired police officer SR Darapuri and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar. After installing the hoardings, the Lucknow DM, had said, Around 100 such hoardings will be put up at several places and these will feature the pictures, names and addresses of people. Also, people indulging in violence have been served recovery notices and if they dont pay for the damages, then their properties will be confiscated. Darapuri had termed the exercise undemocratic and said he would file a defamation case. I have not received any kind of notice yet and I am going to file a defamation case in this regard. We are going to challenge the entire matter in the High Court and will also file a writ petition. Whatever is being done is undemocratic, our crime is not yet proven in court and not even the chargesheet has been filed in this case. We will go for appeal against this diktat and will fight till the end. Clerics from both Shia and Sunni sects had condemned the move and called it a complete violation of basic human rights. UNI MB PS SRJ Photograph: Jose Luis Magana/AP Donald Trump has said he isnt concerned at all about the coronavirus getting closer to the White House after it was revealed that an attendee at grassroots conservative conference CPAC had tested positive. On a day when it also emerged that the nations capital had recorded its first case, the American Conservative Union said on Saturday that a participant at CPAC, which was attended by both Trump and the US vice-president, Mike Pence, had tested positive for coronavirus. The White House said there was no indication that either Trump or Pence had been close to the infected attendee. Asked if he was concerned about the virus getting closer, Trump said: No, Im not concerned at all. No, Im not. Weve done a great job. When asked whether his thousand-person campaign rallies would would continue in light of the CPAC case, the president replied: Well have tremendous rallies. Trump held his most recent campaign rally last Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina. He waved off other questions to join a dinner for the president of Brazil, who was visiting Trump at the presidents home in south Florida. Saturday also marked the first case in the District of Columbia, with mayor Muriel Bowser saying testing at the public health lab of the DC Department of Forensic Sciences yielded its first presumptive positive. Related: Coronavirus: US deaths rise to 19 as New York declares state of emergency The American Conservative Union put out a statement on Twitter on Saturday evening that said a CPAC attendee has unfortunately tested positive and noted that their exposure occurred before the conference. The gathering took place in Oxon Hill, Maryland, in late February and was attended by many leading party figures as well as thousands of grassroots members, often accompanied by spouses, children and friends. A New Jersey hospital tested the person and the CDC [the federal public health agency the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] confirmed the result. The individual is under the care of medical professionals in New Jersey and has been quarantined, the statement continued. Story continues It informed anyone with concerns to contact the ACU or the department of health of the state of Maryland and urged people to remain calm. The statement said: This attendee had no contact with the president or vice-president and never attended the events in the main hall. It noted that the Trump administration had been informed of the situation. Important Health Notification for CPAC 2020 participants and attendees. pic.twitter.com/NtahNO8st3 ACU (@ACUConservative) March 7, 2020 We will continue regular communication with all appropriate government officials, the statement continued. Over 19,000 people attended CPAC last year, and 2020 also had a similar crowd. Philip Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) March 7, 2020 The ACU chairman, Matt Schlapp, had previously tweeted a proud message about introducing the president at the CPAC event last weekend. What an honor to introduce @realDonaldTrump at #CPAC2020. Watch all of President Trump's CPAC 2020 speech here: https://t.co/gMusCAiuAv pic.twitter.com/0cQ1mYOkAw Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) March 6, 2020 He then retweeted several posts from a journalist at the conservative-leaning RealClearPolitics media outlet. CPAC didn't dawdle. @mschlapp tells me he found out just a couple hours before the statement went out: "Our statement really does speak for itself. We are just being transparent and I feel bad for my friend but it's important for our attendees to know what happened." Philip Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) March 7, 2020 The governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, said the state had acted as soon as it became aware of the positive test. Immediately after learning of this individuals interactions in our state, we began coordinating with the White House, the CDC and federal officials, the New Jersey Department of Health, Prince Georges County officials, and conference organizers, Hogan said. Due to the scale of this conference, we are urging attendees who are experiencing flu-like symptoms to immediately reach out to their health care provider. We are providing this update not to unnecessarily raise alarm, but in the interest of full transparency and out of an abundance of caution. Also on Saturday, a marine at Virginias Fort Belvoir became the first military case of coronavirus reported inside the US. The marine was being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, located south of Washington, and had recently returned from an overseas assignment, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said on Twitter. In Pakistan, women managed to rally in cities across the country, despite petitions filed in court seeking to stop them. The opposition was stirred in part by controversy over a slogan used in last year's march: "My Body, My Choice." A woman stands on the ledge of a water fountain that has been stained red during a march for International Women's Day in Mexico City. Credit:AP Some conservative groups had threatened to stop this year's marches by force. But Pakistani officials pledged to protect the marchers. The rallies are notable in a conservative country where women often do not feel safe in public places because of open harassment. The main Islamic political party, Jamaat-e-Islami, organised its own rallies to counter the march. Women and men joined the event in Islamabad, one of several rallies across the country, for what is known in Pakistan as the Aurat March, using the Urdu word for women. Hundreds of men and women from the Red Mosque brigade, consisting of several local militant groups, and a Taliban allied religious party staged a rival rally just across from the women's march venue, District Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat said. Police official Mazhar Niazi said the officers blocked the Islamists as they tried to break through a cordon to attack the marchers. Loading A Reuters witness and Niazi said the Islamists threw stones, bricks, sticks and shoes at the marchers. Niazi said no one was injured. Tens of thousands of women filled the streets of Mexico's capital to protest rampant femicides and impunity for the killers. The country has seen a series of rowdy protests by women who have vandalised monuments and metro stations to express their anger in one of the world's most dangerous countries to be a woman. On average, more than 10 women are slain each day in Mexico, often by their male partners. The mothers of slain women and girls led Sunday's march, with people cheering them on, chanting: "You're not alone!" They were followed by homemakers, students and mothers with small children wearing purple shirts, bandannas and hats. "I don't want to be the next one, and I don't want my mother to be the next one," said Ana Paula Santos, a 21-year-old public university student. Maria de la Luz Estrada, coordinator of the National Citizen's Observatory on Femicide, said more Mexican women have taken to the streets in recent years because the assaults and killings are "increasingly more alarming." Earlier, activists had painted the names of about 3000 women killed each year in Mexico on the ground of the capital's iconic Zocalo plaza. One of the largest demonstrations occurred in Chile, where thousands flooded the streets of the capital with dancing, music and angry demands for gender equality and an end to violence against women. Demonstrators are surrounded by a cloud of tear gas during an International Women's Day march in Mexico City. Credit:AP "They kill us, they rape us and nobody does anything," some chanted. National police estimated 125,000 took part in the capital and nearly 35,000 in other cities, but organisers said the crowds were far larger. Scattered clashes broke out at points when demonstrators threw rocks at police, who responded with water cannon. Many protesters demanded that a proposed new constitution strengthen rights for women and thousands wore green scarves in a show of support for activists in neighbouring Argentina, which is considering a proposal to legalise elective abortion. Tens of thousands of women also marched through Paris, inveighing against the patriarchy. Pakistani police officers stand guard during a rally for International Women's Day in Islamabad, Pakistan. Credit:AP "Enough impunity!" chanted some activists, who focused on France's unusually high rate of women killed by their husbands. Last year, one woman was killed every two or three days by a current or former partner, and the government is increasing efforts to crack down on domestic violence. "They should provide resources for shelters for women, victims of violence, real resources, human resources, also prevention programs for violent men," union activist Julia Parbotin said. Tens of thousands of women also marched in Madrid and other Spanish cities, despite concern over the spread of the new coronavirus. A massive banner reading, "With rights, without barriers. Feminists without frontiers" in Spanish was carried at the front of the march in the capital. Spanish health authorities did not put any restrictions on the march, but recommended that anyone with symptoms similar to those of the new coronavirus stay home. Authorities said 120,000 people participated in Madrid's march, down from 350,000 last year. At a school in East London, meanwhile, the duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, joined students in listening to speeches about women labor activists, and urged both girls and boys to respect the contributions of women every day of the year. "For young men ... you have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life - protect them. Make sure they are feeling valued and safe," she told the students. But safety was in short supply at some events to mark the day. The detonation of explosives triggered panic at a ceremony in Bamenda, an English-speaking town in the northwest of Cameroon. Suspicions focused on separatists who had vowed to disrupt the events. No one was killed or wounded. Police in Bishek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, detained about 60 people after a group of unidentified men broke up what authorities called an unauthorised rally. About 10 women were released with charges of resisting police, the Akipress news agency reported, citing an attorney. In Brazil, protests took a political turn, with many of the tens of thousands of protesters in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia denouncing the administration of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has made comments seen by many as offensive to women. In Mexico, where activists plan to hold a "Day Without Women" on Monday, Natalia Olalde said she marched because she's fed up with the lack of justice for women in the country. Government data shows that 3825 women in Mexico met violent deaths last year, 7 per cent more than in 2018. Authorities seem incapable of preventing or properly investigating the crimes, very few of which result in convictions. Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan seems to be making up for lost time with regard to her late entry on Instagram. After making a smashing debut on the photo-sharing app two days ago, she has now posted a black-and-white picture of her husband, Saif Ali Khan. On Saturday, Kareena posted a new picture and wrote: My love... always playing his own tune. The picture shows Saif striking a pose while strumming a guitar. Apart from being a competent actor, it is well known that Saif is good at music too. Earlier in the day, Kareena had shared a cute picture with her son, Taimur Ali Khan and written: The only one I will ever allow to steal my frame... The picture showed Taimur in the arms of his mother; while Kareena was not so much in the focus, Taimurs soft eyes were there for all to see. On Friday, Kareena had made her Instagram debut with a solo picture of herself in a tracksuit. She had written: The cats out of the bag. #HelloInstagram. She was welcomed by many of her industry friends. Actor and fitness enthusiast Malaika Arora Khan had written, Welcome my love, while Kareenas cousin Aadar Jain said, At long last!!!. Her childhood buddy, actor Tusshar Kapoor wrote, Instagram in India just got bigger, welcome queen of glamour and aura! while Arjun Kapoor said, Its a biggish. Apart from these celebrities, Kajol, Karan Johar, her sister Karisma Kapoor and sister-in-law Soha Ali Khan also welcomed her on the photo-sharing app. Also read | Ekta Kapoor on becoming a mother: I had stored my eggs when I was 36. Had a calling for a long time On the work front, Kareena will be seen next in the film Angrezi Medium, which is the sequel to the 2017 hit Hindi Medium. The film stars Irrfan Khan and Radhika Madan in the lead. It is a story of a father trying his best to fulfill his daughters dream of studying in the UK. Speaking to Mid-Day about her desire to have worked with Irrfan before, Kareena had said, I wish the Sahir (Ludhianvi) film had happened. But then again, I believe when such great movies dont work out, its for a reason. Every movie has its destiny, and that one will take its own course. Under the circumstances that Irrfan and I met, it was surreal. He is so respectful and charming, and I was in awe of him. Follow @htshowbiz for more Robin Bailey (pictured) has penned an open letter to her younger self after she tragically lost three men in her life, including her father Breakfast radio host Robin Bailey has penned an open letter to her younger self after she tragically lost three men in her life, including her father. The 51-year-old knows about the pain of death all too well after her first husband Tony Smart took his own life in 2014 - five years before her second partner Sean Pickwell died of liver cancer. But in a heartbreaking segment on Brisbane's 97.3FM, the grieving mother-of-three fought back tears as she revealed how her father Peter's sudden death when she 11 years old prepared her for the worst. 'My god girl, I wish you could know that the one thing that completely overshadowed your teenage years is the one thing that helped your children cope 30 years later,' Ms Bailey said tearfully in an open letter she read on radio to mark International Women's Day. 'Yep, when your dad died just before you hit puberty, you hated how it made you feel different... As you got older and started liking boys, you felt ashamed because you didn't have your dad to explain how to deal with them. 'But, it was those feelings of shame and embarrassment that helped you navigate your own children's adolescence after their father died.' Scroll down for Robin Bailey's full open letter Pictured: Ms Bailey with her first husband and the father of her three teenage sons, Tony Smart who took his own life in 2014 Tragedy struck again in September last year after Ms Bailey lost her second husband Sean Pickwell to cancer (pictured together) When Ms Bailey was a young girl, her father Peter (pictured) suddenly died Her three teenage sons - Fin, 19, Lewin, 17, and Piper, 15 - lost their father Tony Smart after he committed suicide in 2014 following his battle with depression. The tragic death was all too familiar for Ms Bailey after she struggled with grief as a child when she lost her own father. 'They may have been boys losing their dad, but the feelings were the same and the fact you understood them, gave your boys support that psychologists later said was invaluable,' she said. 'I wish you could have known what was to come and been proud of those feelings, rather than have them cripple you with self doubt.' Five years later, tragedy struck again when Ms Bailey resigned from her breakfast radio post at Triple M to spend the final days with her second husband Sean Pickwell after being told his death was 'imminent'. The couple tied the knot in November 2018 after a whirlwind three-year romance, with Mr Pickwell proposing just days after discovering his liver cancer had spread to his bones, blood and other organs. Less than one year later, Mr Pickwell died at the age of 56 in his wife's arms at their Brisbane home on the morning of September 26, 2019. Her three teenage sons - Fin, 19, (far right) Lewin, 17, (far left) and Piper, 15 (second from left) - lost their father Tony Smart after he committed suicide in 2014 following depression Ms Bailey and her second husband married in November 2018 after a whirlwind three-year romance, with Mr Pickwell proposing just days after discovering his liver cancer had spread to his bones, blood and other organs Ms Bailey broke down in tears at the funeral service (pictured) as she paid tribute to her second husband Sean 'It will take you almost 50 years and the death of your soulmate Sean, for you to finally find a place for all that deep insecurity that started way back in your teenage years, after the death of your day,' Ms Bailey said. Despite the triple tragedies, Ms Bailey - who returned to radio in January this year to work alongside her 97.3FM co-hosts Terry Hansen and Bob Gallagher - said she was able to draw on her past grief to help her young family get through everything. 'The journey is both heartbreaking and wonderful,' she said. 'So Rob, strap yourself in and just keep doing you, as your life will be spectacular.' For confidential support 24/7, please call Lifelife Australia on 13 11 14. During a moment toward the middle of the set, a woman got up from her seat and began writhing noiselessly to Richmans guitar. It was enough to warrant a turn and a pause by most of the audience, but it mirrored Oldhams swanlike motions later that evening as he joined Richman in a hotly anticipated, all-hands performance. Later, another row rose to join in the silent, squirming worship during the crowd-pleasing I Was Dancing at the Lesbian Bar. They all moved joyously and freely, like wacky inflatable tube men used to advertise car dealerships on the side of the road, or dervishes each one inspired by the orphic potion of the pair onstage and their funny, earthbound vision of the sublime. Rental affordability in New South Wales and Victoria improved over the final quarter of 2019, bucking the downtrend seen in other states, according to the latest report by the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA). The share of income renters need to afford median rents was 27.4% in New South Wales and 22.6% in Victoria. However, the most affordable median rents are in Western Australia. Despite the deterioration of affordability in the state, Australians only need to allocate 16.7% of their income to afford renting a property. Also read: Victoria in need of rental units The table below shows the share of income needed to afford median rents in each state: According to REIA, housing affordability across Australia declined by 2% during the December quarter. This means that the proportion of income needed to meet loan repayments has increased to 34.7%, on average. Housing affordability declined in all states and territories except for the Northern Territory. This came even with the several rate cuts made by the RBA last year, which lowered the cash rate to a historic low of 0.75%. As a result of the rate cuts, home-loan costs declined during the quarter, with the average variable rate hitting 4.8% and the average three-year fixed rate sitting at 3.1%. Of all states, New South Wales recorded the most significant decline in affordability. Homeowners in this state spend 42.8% of their income on mortgage repayments. The tables below show the affordability situation in each state during the quarter: A high-flying tattooed City of London trader who loved glamorous women, cocaine, and his red vintage Ferrari died at 42 after an insider trading career that spanned two continents. James Harris, an optician's son who started his career as a tea boy on the London Stock Exchange, was found dead from an opioid overdose last June in his rented apartment in St. Jamess, a swanky neighborhood just a short walk away from Buckingham Palace. The last few months of the heavily tattooed trader's life appear to have been much less glamorous than his earlier glory days. James Harris and his ex-wife, Michelle Gomolin, are pictured in an undated photograph Harris, whose apartment was found laden with crack pipes and sedatives, died in June last year in his London apartment from an overdose of opioids, an inquest found Pictured: Olcay Gulsen, one of Harris's ex girlfriends in an undated photograph At his inquest, witnesses told the court he had been taking huge amounts of cocaine, drinking heavily and was behind on his finances. Using testimonials from people who knew him, Bloomberg today reported on how Harris operated, cutting trading deals, partying and living the lavish life, across the globe. His criminal behaviour began rubbing shoulders with dodgy-dealing traders in Monaco and frequenting top celebrity nightclubs in London and Saint Tropez. According to one trader, who chose to remain anonymous, people were drawn to him, but also thought he was boorish and aggressive. Gomolin, Harris's ex wife, is pictured here in an undated photograph. She married Harris in 2011 when he moved to New York City. Despite divorcing him some years later, after his death, Gomolin wrote on Instagram: 'You were the highest highs and the lowest lows Harris's lead up to the criminal life began while rubbing shoulders with dodgy-dealing traders in Monaco and frequenting top celebrity nightclubs in London and Saint Tropez Harris is pictured in an undated photograph in New York City. People who knew the trader said that he was magnetic, but boorish too Friends told Bloomberg that Harris preferred chatting about hip-hop than financial markets on a night out. Michelle Gomolin, then 22, met Harris in New York after he'd relocated to a luxurious hotel just off Broadway. The pair married six months later and moved to Soho. Despite divorcing him some years later, after his death, Gomolin wrote on Instagram: 'You were the highest highs and the lowest lows. 'The best of times and the worst of them too. 'You were the most lavish, insane, larger than life human I have ever met. 'You walked as if you owned the world, and to me you were my entire existence. Gomolin, pictured with Harris, said after his death: 'You were the most lavish, insane, larger than life human I have ever met' Gulsen, an ex-girlfriend of Harris's, said after his funeral: 'So lavish. The cool cars, the cigars, everything. But thats not what made you so special. It was your heart, James' Pictured: Harris's ex-girlfriend Olcay Gulsen. In 2013, Harris returned to the UK and rented an apartment in St. James, where crack pipes and sedatives would be found after his death. 'Your quirks and oddities never ceased to amaze me.' While living in the US, Harris was busted by the FBI for securities fraud, after advising Eugene Gourevitch, an account holder for Maksim Bakiyev, the son of a former president of Kyrgyzstan. After his arrest, Gourevitch gave up Harris as part of his deal with the Justice Department. The judge on the case offered Harris the opportunity to return to the UK, convinced that his criminal days were over, due to the 'sincere remorse' he showed. Olcay Gulsen and Harris are pictured in an undated photograph In 2013, Harris returned to the UK and rented an apartment in St. James, where crack pipes and sedatives would be found after his death. The day trader, who used burner phones and encrypted messages to communicate with clients and sources, then went quiet for some years but resurfaced on the London scene in 2016, according to people who interacted with him at the time. He then promoted an inside deal to friends, which turned out to be a non-starter, which wasn't discovered until months after he died. At his funeral, he was described as a mischievous prankster, Bloomberg reported. His death was found by a coroner to have been a result of misadventure, by taking opioid painkillers of his own will. Washington, March 8 : An attendee at last week's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which also saw the participation of US President Donald Trump, has tested positive for COVID-19, the American Conservative Union (ACU) said on. The exposure occurred prior to the conference held in National Harbor, Maryland, just south of Washington D.C., Xinhua news agency quoted the ACU as saying in a statement on Saturday. A New Jersey hospital tested the person, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the positive result, said the statement. "The individual is under the care of medical professionals in the state of New Jersey, and has been quarantined," it said. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the gathering, which took place from February 26-29. Also present at the event were a number of administration and cabinet officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, and newly-appointed White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement Saturday that the White House was aware of the development. "At this time there is no indication that either President Trump or Vice President Pence met with or were in close proximity to the attendee," Grisham said in a statement. "The President's physician and US Secret Service have been working closely with White House Staff and various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First Family and the entire White House Complex safe and healthy." The news emerged as Washington D.C. and neighbouring state of Virginia respectively confirmed their first cases of COVID-19 on Saturday. In a press conference on Saturday night, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said a resident in his 50s showed symptoms of a respiratory virus in February. He was admitted to a hospital in the District on March 5. The patient had no history of recent international travel, nor had he been exposed to anyone who was confirmed to be infected, according to Bowser. The Mayor said D.C. health authorities were investigating the man's contact with other people before he went to the hospital. A US Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Virginia, tested positive on Saturday for COVID-19 and is currently being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, according to a Pentagon spokesman. "The Marine recently returned from overseas where he was on official business," tweeted Jonathan Rath Hoffman, adding that Secretary of Defence Mark Esper and the White House have been briefed. As of Saturday night, more than 420 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the US with 17 deaths, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Chennai: Hey Google, tell me about an inspiring woman. And Google will tell you about Indias feminist icon Savitribai Phule. An enduring symbol of empowerment of women and oppressed peoples such as Dalits, Phule is one of 12 inspiring women featured on Google Assistant, celebrating International Womens Day and Womens History Month. Savitribai Phule was the first to set up an Indian girls school, in Pune in 1848, along with her husband Jyotirao Phule, and worked to end gender and caste-based discrimination. She and her husband played a huge role in the social reform of Maharashtra and the education of underprivileged people during a period when Brahmins forbade lower castes, especially Dalits, from being educated. The couple faced a huge backlash from the Brahmins. Savitribai was routinely pleted with stones and dung by upper caste people opposed to her educating people of the lower caste. However, they soldiered on, and by 1851 had three girls schools with a total of 150 students enrolled. In all, they ran 18 schools in their lifetimes. Other feminist icons that Google Assistant is featuring this month include Dolores Huerta (an American labor rights activist), Savitribai Phule (often called the mother of Indian feminism), Rachel Carson (an American marine biologist, conservationist and author) and Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya (an activist empowering girls to access education in Kenya), the Google blog said. To know more about inspiring, activate Google Assistant with these commands: Hey Google, Happy International Womens Day, Hey Google, tell me about an inspiring woman, Hey Google, tell me quotes from inspiring women or Hey Google, play a podcast about inspirational women. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The screening process of Indian pilgrims stranded in Iran has started and follow up arrangements are being discussed with Iranian authorities to bring them back, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday. Iran is among the countries worst-hit by coronavirus outbreak. "Efforts underway for return of Indian pilgrims in Qom #Iran. Screening process has started & follow up arrangements are being discussed with Iranian authorities. This is a top priority & Embassy team @india_in_iran is fully engaged on this," said Jaishankar, while replying to NCP chief Sharad Pawar tweet. Around 40 Indian citizens are stranded at Qom city in Iran. New Delhi has sent a team of doctors to Iran for screening and has established a clinic at Qom. Pawar had said he shared his concerns about the citizens in Qom city of Iran with Jaishankar, adding that the people there are distressed and in urgent need of medical help and general assistance. "In the wake of the alarming Covid-19 issue, I voiced my concerns to S Jaishankar ji, Union Minister of External Affairs regarding more than 40 Indian citizens stranded in Qom city in Iran. They are distressed and in urgent need of medical help and general assistance," Pawar tweeted. Iranian Embassy here has also assured that the Indian citizens with no symptoms of the virus will be transferred to India and those whose medical test results are positive will be hospitalized in one of the advanced special medical centres designated by Iran's Ministry of Health. The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases globally has surpassed 101,000, with more than 3,400 deaths and 55,800 recoveries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 02:09:59|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Greek soldiers patrol while migrants and refugees gather at the fence of the borderline between Greece and Turkey near the closed Kastanies border crossing in northern Greece, on March 7, 2020. Thousands of refugees on Saturday continued to try and cross from Turkey to Europe by land and sea despite the interventions of Greek security forces and coast guard teams. (Photo by Dimitris Tosidis/Xinhua) ISTANBUL, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of refugees on Saturday continued to try and cross from Turkey to Europe by land and sea despite the interventions of Greek security forces and coast guard teams. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that over 143,000 migrants have so far managed to cross the border to Greece from Turkey's northwestern border province Edirne. Speaking at an event in Turkey's eastern province of Elazig, Soylu said that the Evros River, separating the two countries, provides an easy journey for the refugees to the other side. "Now the weather is getting warmer ... The water level of the river fell to 40-45 centimeters in some places, which means that they can effortlessly pass to the other side on foot," the minister noted. Meanwhile, the intervention of Greek security forces against the refugees has continued on Saturday at the Pazarkule border crossing, an eyewitness told Xinhua. "They frequently fired water cannon and tear gas throughout the day to push them back to Turkey," the eyewitness said over the phone. "To back the migrants, Turkish police also retaliated Greek security forces by firing tear gas," he added. The efforts of the migrants to go to Europe have also continued on the sea. The Turkish coast guard rescued at least 177 illegal immigrants in different incidents off Turkey's Aegean coast for the last two days, the force said in a statement on its website on Saturday. The incidents happened off the western provinces of Aydin, Mugla, and Izmir when Greek coast guard teams pushed the boats carrying migrants back to Turkey, the statement added. Meanwhile, in a tweet posted on Friday, the coast guard announced that illegal immigrants would not be allowed to cross the Aegean Sea upon the order of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. After the announcement, the Turkish coast guard teams intercepted a total of 60 Afghan migrants off Izmir's Dikili district the previous day from sneaking into Greece. The Aegean Sea was once the main route for migrants trying to enter Europe via Turkey. A deal was signed between Ankara and the European Union in March 2016 to curb the flow of illegal immigration. As part of the deal, Turkish authorities had stopped a total of 60,802 illegal immigrants from reaching Greece via Turkey last year, according to figures released by the Turkish coast guard. On Feb. 28, Turkey said that it would no longer stop illegal immigrants from going to Europe, noting that it could not cope with the burden of over 3.7 million refugees in its territory. Mozart penned his Sonata in A Major when he was 8 years old. In keeping with that Youthful Exuberance, the Taos Chamber Music Group will perform music written by composers under the age of 30 on Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15 at the Harwood Museum of Art. It started with Ralph Vaughan Williams Quintet (in D Major), TCMG flutist/director Nancy Laupheimer said. He composed it when he was 26. It sat on the shelf for about 100 years before it got played again. Written in 1898, the piece is uplifting and optimistic, she added. It takes a bright-eyed look at Romanticisms often darker side. I think it will be a real balm for people in these turbulent times, she said. Principal New Mexico Philharmonic clarinetist Marianne Shifrin will join horn player Jeffrey Rogers and pianist Debra Ayers for a 1947 piece by the American composer George Rochberg, who later became known as a devoted atonalist. Written when he was 29, his Trio in B-flat Major for clarinet, horn and piano shows more of the influences of his teacher, the composer Gian Carlo Menotti, as well as Bartok and Stravinsky, than the father of serial music, Arnold Schoenberg. Mellifluous and contrapuntal, the piece was revised in 1980 when Rochbergs compositions returned to tonality. The program will open with by far the most youthful piece, Mozarts sonata for flute, violin and keyboard. Laupheimer will be featured with Ayers on piano and Sally Guenther boosting the bass line on cello. Laupheimer and Ayers will also join forces for a romp called Moment of Clarity by New York composer Judd Greenstein. Written in 2007, when Greenstein was 27, the piece is meant as the first movement of a longer work. Greenstein began his composition career by making hip-hop beats in his childhood home. Its very hard to put this in the classical slot because there are so many influences, Laupheimer said. The government will have to move from containment to compensation pretty quickly as the economic cost of the coronavirus spreads. It will be an expensive and difficult mess for any new government that may emerge in the weeks ahead. Who would be in a hurry to take over the health portfolio from caretaker minister Simon Harris? As the number of confirmed cases in Ireland increases, the corporate problems associated with controlling the spread through workplaces around the country are growing. Workers who have employment contracts can at least rely on what it says in their contract regarding time off work. Those in more precarious low-paid work, who do not have traditional employment contracts, could find themselves in more serious financial straits. This point was very well made by Irish Congress of Trade Unions general secretary Patricia King in an open letter to the Taoiseach. The whole situation gets a lot more complicated where people are told they must self-isolate or work for home, even when there isn't anything wrong with them. With a number of schools now closing for two weeks, parents may need to take time off work to mind their children and the question of getting paid enters a whole grey area. Hence the need to have some kind of agreed ground rules in place. The question is, who should foot the bill? The State looks like being on the hook for at least some of it, but employers should shoulder some of the cost. Separately, Orlaigh Quinn, secretary-general of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, said last week that the department was looking at financial supports for companies affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Irish companies importing and exporting face potential disruptions to their supply and sales chains because of cross-border travel restrictions and lockdowns to prevent the spread of the virus. It is difficult to see how such a compensation scheme might operate. Some firms, depending on their sector, may even be covered by insurance policies, but that might be like getting blood from a stone, depending on the small print. Quinn referenced some of the Brexit contingency planning that has been discussed. Here, Irish companies could be assisted by the State for a period of time if their business is badly hit by a no-deal Brexit. However, the kind of measures being talked about on Brexit were soft loans to get through cash-flow issues. If the coronavirus really does kick off here, it could sink a lot of businesses which would need more than loans expected to be paid back in the future. A very generous scheme could end up as a blank cheque for firms that would prove very costly for the exchequer. Either way, there will be an as yet unknown financial cost to the exchequer in helping businesses and employees through changes to entitlements on sick pay or other social insurance measures. The virus is likely to cause much greater workplace disruption and cost in the weeks ahead. Those who can work from home have the option of getting paid while doing at least some of their work away from the office. So many other jobs and professions do not have that luxury and battle lines on compensation, pay and rights are being drawn already. The virus is moving quickly. The collapse of Flybe is being blamed on Covid-19 but rival airlines are warning against bailing out financially weaker airlines. Ryanair's Michael O'Leary struck two very different notes when talking about coronavirus last week. He told Bloomberg it would most likely have a negative effect for a few weeks, but he expected people to travel in very large numbers at Easter. When asked about the scale of booking fall-off he said it was in the 25pc to 30pc range, with some territories higher than others. While playing down the long-term consequences of the virus on the aviation business, he did say: "It's inevitable in the next couple of weeks we'll see more failures. "Where you have a massive short-term decline in bookings you have a massive short-term decline in cash-flow." The International Air Transport Association suggested the crisis could cost airlines $113bn (101bn) in lost revenues. This was more than three times its projection just a fortnight ago. Estimates of the cost of this crisis to the economy are growing by the day. No wonder the main political parties are in no big hurry to form a new government and start picking up the cost. AIB to relive embarrassing Kallakis loan debacle AIB may have to relive one of its more embarrassing episodes from the boom years in the courts - for a second time. Back in 2013, Achilleas Kallakis was found guilty of defrauding the bank by forging paperwork to secure 740m of loans to buy property. Kallakis bought 11 properties with the loans and, perhaps luckily for AIB in the end, bought well. Although he did spend money on yachts, arts and luxury cars. He was eventually sentenced to 11 years in prison after an initial sentence was deemed too lenient. Anybody can be done by a fraudster, even a bank. But this was a three-quarters-of-a-billion-pounds sting. It didn't look good for AIB and how it operated during the heady days of the boom. Then again, we kind of guessed. The trial didn't reflect well on the bank and how diligently it sought to confirm the bone fides of Kallakis, who had set up British Virgin Islands trusts and said he had backers in Asia. When it comes to brass neck, Kallakis was in a league of his own. Now his son, Michalis Kallakis, has been granted a run at a civil action. He claims he was a beneficiary of the trust which owned the properties purchased with the borrowings from AIB. He claims the bank made false/and or negligent misrepresentations to gain control of the properties before selling them on to Green Property. AIB denies the claims and will defend the action vigorously. The bank exited the properties quickly back in 2008. It sold them to Green Property for 650m and ended up taking a 56m write-down. Green waited and gradually sold them back into the market over the following nine years, eventually selling the last one in 2017 into a well-recovered UK commercial property market. Having bought them from AIB for 650m, it eventually received 781m for 11 properties when the last one was sold. AIB was entitled to 31pc of the profits Green made. Green Property, run by Stephen Vernon, made a packet and would have cleared around 131m in profit from the deal. After giving AIB close to a third of the upside, Green still would have made in the region of 91m. AIB's share would have been around 39m, less than the write-down it had taken when it sold them on. But still, not a bad outcome from a real banking cock-up. If the legal action goes ahead, the details of this messed-up chapter in boom time Irish banking will be pored over again. A tradesman has revealed how he sidestepped soaring Australian house prices to snap up a home in Italy for just $1.62. South Australian Mark Kopun became an electrician straight out of school and worked hard to buy his first home in Adelaide so he could live out the Australian dream. But as house prices climbed over the next 11 years, he found himself sinking further into debt. Needing a change, the snowboarding enthusiast decided to sell his house in 2007 to travel the world- heading to Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Amsterdam, London, and France. Mark Kopun bought a house for $1.62- the price of a cup of coffee- in Mussomeli in Sicily, Italy, last year In February 2019, Mark received a call from his cousin Tyson who had read an article about a small town called Mussomeli in Sicily, where houses were selling for just one euro. Mark felt the deal seemed too good to be true, but decided to investigate further and contacted a local Mussomeli councillor called Toti. He was told that many residents had abandoned their homes to move to bigger cities, and consequently houses had begun to deteriorate creating a hazard for those still living in the town. To tackle the issue, the council devised a scheme to sell properties for one euro to attract buyers to revive the homes. Mark inspected 30 properties before settling on a three-storey home (pictured) with breathtaking views of Mt Etna The only sale condition was the exterior of the house must be repaired within three years of purchase. 'I estimated it would only cost between $25,000 to $33,000 all up less than a tenth of the price of a house in Adelaide,' Mark told That's Life. Mark quickly made his way to Mussomeli where he met Toti, and inspected 30 properties the following day. He narrowed down his choices to five properties before selecting a three-storey home with breathtaking views of Mt Etna, the highest and most active volcano in Europe. 'Handing over my euro, I couldnt quite believe Id bought a house for less than the cost of a gelato.' Mt Etna is the highest and most active volcano in Europe that has been growing for around 500,000 years Mark said he is excited he will not have to worry about renting out the property to cover the mortgage when he is in Australia. He is currently in Adelaide waiting for paper work to be finalised and plans to live in Italy for three to six months each year. When the house is in a better state he plans to open a cafe or health food shop on the lower level. 'When people ask why Ive bought a house on the other side of the world, my answer is simple why not?' he said. WHY ARE HOMES GOING FOR $1.62 - ONE EURO- IN MUSSOMELI? In 2009, the city council voted for the 'regulation for the facilitated assignment of properties falling within the municipal territory' after many people moved from the town of 11,000 to bigger cities for work The scheme was introduced to attract buyers who would revive the town and repair homes that are deteriorating The only obligation is that the house must be renovated within three years of purchase To buy a house, people can browse properties online then contact the Municipality of Mussomeli to check its availability They will then have to travel to Mussomeli for an inspection to examine the building and assess the expenses that will be incurred during the renovation Afterwards, potential buyers can fill out a form to request to purchase the property Advertisement Just as Oregon health officials were announcing Saturday morning that the number of coronavirus cases in Oregon had more than doubled to seven, the Multnomah County Health Department tweeted a photo of a crowded music concert and the caption: If you are feeling well, feel free to go out and have a good time this weekend. The tweet continued: At this time, there are NO public health recommendations to cancel or postpone events due to #coronavirus. By 10:30 a.m. Sunday, the county had taken down the tweet, saying it regrets that it was sent out. Thats about the time state public health officials announced seven new diagnosed cases of novel coronavirus in Oregon for a total of 14 so far and Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency. The tweet prompted anger from some flabbergasted members of the public, including responses on Twitter that read This is screamingly irresponsible, its staggering," This tweet will go down in history" and This tweet is just negligent." I will be filing lawsuits in the county, you are being criminally negligent... telling people to go out.. we haven't even tested people out here because your health workers are instructed not to theu the cdc... #lawsuitscoming Rich (@Rich12687944) March 7, 2020 I'm embarrassed and sad for what is going to happen to my home state, and scared for my family that works in the heath industry there. Wake up. Sally Lehman (@SllyLhmn) March 8, 2020 Earlier Sunday, county spokeswoman Julie Sullivan-Springhetti said the county was removing the tweet after it was brought to her attention by The Oregonian/OregonLive. In no uncertain terms, the health department regrets any information that was confusing or upsetting to people, Sullivan-Springhetti said. A nearly identical post, however, remained up on the health departments Facebook page. Sullivan-Springhetti said the department couldnt remove the post Sunday because a third party preloaded the post and the department was unable to get the access necessary to take it down. The post had been updated Saturday night urging caution for the elderly and people with severe chronic medical conditions. This post remained on the Multnomah County Health Department's Facebook page on Sunday, March 8, 2020. (Facebook screenshot) Public health officials currently are assessing whether and how they should change their guidance to the public about social distancing measures, given the rapidly evolving situation, she said. Some of that new advice is to ask people at risk -- such as elderly people or people with underlying health conditions -- to keep their distance from large groups. Weve added a new layer of vetting that all social media has to now go through basically the emergency operations center, our team," Sullivan-Springhetti said. "... We need to make sure this wont happen again. Some critics of the tweet said it fueled their belief that Oregons public health officials havent been doing enough to aggressively fight the spread of the virus, given the knowledge of how the disease is advancing in other parts of the world and how swiftly its taking root in some parts of the United States. Most notably, Washington state saw its number of confirmed cases soar from one to 102 cases and 16 deaths over the span of eight days as of Saturday. Washington has implemented much more dramatic measures than Oregon. Oregons first case was diagnosed Feb. 28. Chris Kearney, a Lake Oswego resident who spoke to The Oregonian/OregonLive before the county removed the tweet, said he found the message shocking. Its not a neutral stance, Kearney said. Its not like, Were not going to say anything. It goes as far as to say, No, we want you to go out. Thats where I was like, 'This is too much." The Oregonian/OregonLive also spoke to Kearney after health officials announced the new cases and the state of emergency Sunday. He said he was happy the governor had taken that serious step and hopes serious efforts continue. He said that includes pushing hard for more tests and increasing Oregons testing capacity so people can identify the prevalence of the virus and work to contain it. Northeast Portland resident Peter Bray said he, too, wants Oregon to do more testing and boost its fight against the virus. In Italy, theyre closing down and quarantining millions of people, Bray said. If we could just read the tea leaves, eventually thats going to come here, in terms of the scale and pandemic. And for the health department at the largest county in Oregon ... to tweet a picture of a concert and say Oh, go out and have fun seems just really irresponsible. -- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee Subscribe to our Oregon Coronavirus newsletter: After being questioned for hours, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor under money laundering case related to Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL) in the wee hours of Sunday. Rana Kapoor was arrested around 3 am on Sunday under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Kapoor was allegedly not cooperating in the probe, a report in news agency PTI said, quoting officials. He will be produced before a local court during the day on Sunday. Also Watch | ED arrests Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor under money laundering charges The ED had taken crisis-hit Yes Bank founder to the Ballard Pier office in South Mumbai Saturday morning for questioning. On Friday night, the ED had raided Kapoors residence and carried out searches a day after the Reserve Bank of India put Yes Bank under a moratorium and capped withdrawals for its depositors at Rs 50,000 till April 3. By Trend Azerbaijani soldier Eltun Garayev, while performing official duties at the border combat section of the Gazakh separate border division near the Dash Salahly village, received a gunshot wound at 05:40 (GMT+4) on March 7, 2020. The soldier was immediately evacuated to the Gazakh Diagnostic and Treatment Center, but the doctors could not save his life, the press center of Azerbaijans State Border Service told Trend. Head of the State Border Service, Colonel-General Elchin Guliyev and other high-level officials are at the scene. In connection with the incident, the Services Border Troops and the Military Prosecutor's Office are conducting the necessary investigative measures. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Annie (Blaithin Mac Gabhann), Richard (Aidan McArdle), Daniel (Conor O Hanlon) and Hazel (Catherine Walker) in Our New Girl at the Gate A prickle of fear runs through Nancy Harris's latest play. Her characters' fear emerges only when the fabric of lies on which their lives are based, consciously or otherwise, breaks down beneath an avalanche of truth - but for the audience it's uneasily present throughout. And for this, Harris's skill in drawing characters, and her wild, even untamed imagination are responsible. We recognise the situation, and it scares the hell out of us. A chic London household, mother heavily pregnant with an apparently much-wanted child to join eight-year-old son; father an eminent plastic surgeon fawned upon for his frequent trips to the hellish aftermath of disasters, natural and man-made, to help alleviate the suffering. But the little boy is increasingly troublesome, and his mother is increasingly overwhelmed by domesticity, as she realises that abandoning her successful legal career was not necessarily going to lead to a fulfilled life. As it dawns on her that she is trapped in a situation of her own making, and from which there is no escape, her husband, like so many people intent on saving the world from itself, is far less interested in saving those closest to him. And blind to danger signals, they both manufacture separate boxes little Daniel can be shovelled into. Both are marked 'manageable'. Enter the New Girl: the nanny from a farm in Sligo, a rock of sense and empathy apparently. She's been hired by Richard while he was in Haiti when Hazel emailed that she couldn't cope. Except he didn't consult Hazel. And there's something odd about simple Annie: her calm is uneasy and in her simplicity she keeps putting her foot in things between the couple; in relation to each other; and in relation to their dealings with the increasingly difficult Daniel. The sense of dread increases as the adage that damaged people cause damage creeps into your head; it's not the damage caused by Hazel's neurotic hysteria and frantic attempts to be "good". That's recognisable. The inside of a damaged person's head is different, as is the inside of a disturbed child's. Video of the Day Our New Girl is a terrifying psychological thriller constructed by a writer whose mastery of her trade achieves new heights with each piece of work. Harris strips away the surface to reveal the darkness as surely as Richard scrapes away the hideous scars of his patients. But the result is deeply uncomfortable in Harris's hands. The outcome is unnervingly fractured and mocking, which could create directorial problems. But Annabelle Comyn's approach is to underplay superbly against almost explosive lighting from Aedin Cosgrove in Alyson Cummins's cool set; and the mood is completed by sound and music by Philip Stewart. The performances are almost magically perfect: a naive stillness that becomes increasingly threatening from Blaithin MacGabhann as Annie, hysteria verging on destruction from Catherine Walker as Hazel, and blundering, self-important narcissism from Aidan McArdle as Richard. : A man, accused of the 'honour-killing' of his son-in-law who was a Dalit Christian in Telangana's Nalgonda district in September 2018, allegedly committed suicide at a lodge here, police said on Sunday. Maruti Rao, aged around 53, into real estate and other businesses, was found dead in his room in the morning, they said. Based on preliminary investigation, the police said Rao allegedly committed suicide by consuming insecticide. "He (Rao) had checked into a room in the lodge on Saturday night and the next morning when there was no response from him, the staff of the lodge broke open the room door and found him lying dead on the cot," police said. A suicide note purportedly written by him was found in the room in which he apologised to his wife and daughter, the police said. A case of suicide has been registered and further investigations were on. In September 2018, Maruti Rao, was among the seven accused, including two men acquitted in the murder of former Gujarat home minister Haren Pandya, were arrested in connection with the killing of the 23-year-old Dalit Christian man, who had married an upper caste woman (Rao's daughter) at Miryalguda in Nalgonda district. Raos daughter had accused her father, along with her uncle, of being behind her husband's murder in what turned out to be a case of contract killing for Rs one crore, police had earlier said. Rao, opposed to the marriage of his daughter, conspired with other accused to eliminate Kumar and also paid an advance of Rs 15 lakh, police said. The mans killing on September 14, 2018 had sparked off outrage in the state. CCTV footage of the incident showed the man walking out of a hospital in Miryalguda with his pregnant wife (Raos daughter) when the assailant attacked him with a machete from behind, killing him instantaneously, police had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tens of thousands of women filled the streets of Mexico's capital to protest rampant femicides and impunity for the killers. The country has recently seen a series of rowdy protests by women who have vandalized monuments and metro stations to express their anger in one of the world's most dangerous countries to be a woman. If there is a will then everything can be achieved, said Veena Devi, a farmer from Bihar's Munger who shared her journey and knowledge on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's social media account on Sunday. Introducing herself on twitter, Veena said, "My real identity began with cultivating one kilogram of mushrooms under my cot." "It was the lack of space in my home that inspired me to grow mushrooms under my cot in 2013," she said. Growing mushrooms not only helped Veena earn her livelihood but it also gave her self-confidence and "a new life by increasing my confidence". After being elected the sarpanch of her village, Veena began a new journey of teaching the women of 20 villages in Munger the art of growing mushrooms in their houses. "I taught women the low-cost technique of growing mushrooms under their cots," she said. Stating that the women need their will to do something and then they can achieve anything, she said, "The women in Munger are now farming at home and also selling the produce in the haat. Now, these women are an example to the whole country." Veena further said, "Today women are not far behind in any field. If a woman is determined on something, then she can start her journey from her room." "Farming has given me respect and I became a sarpanch. I always tell women that they need to step outside of their homes, do what you can do and then see how good it feels," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi, March 8 : With an aim to develop a sense of trust, Delhi Commissioner of Police S.N. Srivastava on Saturday reached to meet senior cops in the north zone. He also encouraged his juniors with an open heart. The meeting was organised at the auditorium of Maharaja Agrasen College where Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satish Golcha, Joint Commissioner of Police (North Zone) Manish Kumar and, DCPs, Additional DCPs, ACPs of north range along with SHOs of all police stations were also present. Around 750 police personnel came to listen and interact with their new Commissioner. Overwhelmed with the gathering, the new Commissioner interacted all of the policemen without any hesitation and sent a message that he is with them. The main objective this interaction was to established a relation of trust so that when next time the police team go among the people so Srivastava's working style reflect in them. The Commissioner told the gathering that they don't need to worry while performing their duty. "If you have not done anything wrong than you don't need to be worried. Perform your duty with honesty and labour. The public should witness the exact work of police. They should realise that the police are their friend. Before a proper equation of trust and cooperation between the police and public, predicting a positive result is useless," said Srivastava. The Commissioner further said: "Every policeman is free to take decision within the law. Whatever he thinks is legally correct, he can do. He should take a decision in public interest as per the law without any delay. He should not wait for the orders from any top-boss". Srivastava also stressed the need of bringing in a system for lower grade policemen for taking a quick action. Srivastava assumed the charges of Delhi Police Commissioner on March 1 and it was his first interaction with the policemen since he took over the reins of the city. "Beat-system is still the backbone of police. Hence, there is a need to strengthen and pacify it at police station level. We need to keep a close vigil to control street crime. We should implement a plan to reach to the trained criminals swiftly by keeping a close vigil on them. So that people would believe that the police are working," the top cop said. The Commissioner concluded his speech by emphasised on the security of women and children. He said, it should be our top priority and if we would be connected to the public it would easy our work. (Sanjeev Kumar Singh Chauhan can be contacted at sanjeev.c@ians.in) All workers aged over 40 would have to pay a fixed levy to fund the cost of their care in old age under plans being studied by Boris Johnson. The radical proposals are designed to end the nightmare of pensioners being forced to sell their homes to pay for social care. Commons sources say it would be based on a German system where employees contribute 2.5 per cent of their wages. All workers aged over 40 would have to pay a fixed levy to fund the cost of their care in old age Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has previously said he was attracted to the idea. Mr Hancock wrote to all MPs and peers last week in a new move to get all-party agreement to resolve the social care crisis which has beset governments and the elderly for years. He said that his aim was to deliver a scheme that meant nobody was forced to sell their home to pay for care or was hit by unpredictably large costs. Admitting that the reform would not be easy, the Health Secretary said: We need action now, finally, to seek a solution that can support future generations. The Mail on Sunday understands that Mr Hancocks preferred option is similar to the system now in operation in Germany and endorsed here two years ago by a cross-party alliance of MPs. It would involve the over-40s, including pensioners, paying into a ring-fenced pot for social care which would include cash payouts to the elderly and disabled receiving care. That would allow them to pay carers, including family members. One Tory MP privately conceded the new arrangements would not eliminate the possibility of people being taken into care having to sell their homes to pay for it. The radical proposals are designed to end the nightmare of pensioners being forced to sell their homes to pay for social care But he insisted it would reduce the possibility by allowing elderly people to pay relatives and other carers to look after them in their own homes and reduce the need for residential care. However, critics of the German system warn that the levy may have to rise from its current level of 2.5 per cent to between 4.5 per cent and 6.5 per cent over the next 30 years due to rising costs. At present, Britons have to fund the full cost of their social care until their assets including the value of their home falls to 23,250. In his first speech as Prime Minister last year, Mr Johnson made a dramatic pledge that we will fix the crisis in social care once and for all with a clear plan we have prepared to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve. That was followed by a General Election manifesto promise to urgently seek a cross-party consensus to bring forward the necessary proposal and legislation for long-term reform. MPs noted that Mr Hancocks initiative comes one month before Jeremy Corbyn steps down as Labour leader. The Health Secretary was reported last year to believe a cross-party consensus was impossible while Mr Corbyn was still in post. But last week, Shadow Social Care Minister Barbara Keeley who served in Gordon Browns Labour Government appeared to pour cold water on Mr Hancocks approach. She said: Labour has offered to engage in meaningful cross-party talks and we would be happy to do so. But the process outlined by Matt Hancock is another consultation that provides no help to a system in crisis. The release date of Rohit Shettys multi-starrer big-budget cop drama Sooryavanshi is likely to be postponed due to Coronavirus fears. The makers of the movie may shift the release from March 24, 2020, to a later date in the wake of Coronavirus cases found in India. If this decision is taken, it will be a good one considering the fact that theatres are crowded places where the chances of catching the infection are high. So far in India, the total number of coronavirus cases now stands at 39. On Sunday (March 8), five people tested positive for the virus in Kerala. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday had warned against rumour-mongering in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, saying people must take the advice from their doctors. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Egypt's Health Minister Hala Zayed said that the first Egyptian citizen confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus is in "critical condition." The 44-year-old patient is currently receiving treatment at a quarantine hospital in Marsa Matrouh governorate. In statements to Al-Hekaya news talk show on Saturday, Zayed said that the patient, who arrived in Egypt from Serbia after a 12-hour transit in France, was not improving despite treatment. The minister said that the patient was admitted to a private hospital on 29 February, and was moved to the Marsa Matrouh quarantine hospital on 5 March when his condition did not improve. The unnamed patient was the first Egyptian and the third person inside the country to test positive for coronavirus. On Saturday, Egypt's Ministry of Health announced that 34 people, including 19 foreign tourists, tested positive for the coronavirus in an outbreak on board a Nile cruise travelling between Luxor and Aswan. The 34 patients were transferred to the quarantine hospital in Marsa Matrouh. Search Keywords: Short link: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Sunday urged people to make suggestions in connection with a law the state government plans to bring to stop atrocities against women. In his message marking the International Women's Day on Sunday, Deshmukh appealed people to give their suggestions in the comment section of his Twitter post. "The Maharashtra government will soon bring a law to stop incidents of atrocities against women from happening. The law aims to ensure speediest action against the perpetrators," the minister said in a video shared on Twitter. "If you want to make suggestions about the law, I request you to do so in my comment box," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Steep decline in practicing Christians will have major repercussions for church leaders: study Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment New research from the Barna Group found that the share of practicing Christians in the United States has nearly dropped in half over the last two decades a shift the group warns will have major repercussions for church leaders. The latest research from the evangelical Christian polling firm, which examined the role of Christianity in the American Church, reveals that that just 25 percent of Americans are practicing Christians, compared to 45 percent in 2000. Barna defines a practicing Christian as someone who identifies as a Christian, agrees strongly that faith is very important in their lives and has attended church within the past month. According to Barna, half of those who identified as practicing Christians in 2000 fell away from consistent faith engagement, essentially becoming non-practicing Christians (2000: 35 percent vs. 2020: 43 percent), while the other half moved into the non-Christian segment (2000: 20 percent vs. 2019: 30 percent). David Kinnaman, president of Barna, said the findings indicate a major reshuffling of Americans' spiritual lives. Monthly, committed churchgoers are now about half as common as they were two decades ago, he said. This shift has major repercussions for church leaders as there is increased struggle to attract and retain the active segment of churchgoers. The findings are part of the State of the Church 2020 study, a year-long examination of the spiritual and religious trends that define American life these days. For the report, Barna explored data collected among 96,171 surveys over more than 20 years. The report also found that while 36 percent fewer Americans attended church weekly in 2020 than in 1993, consistency of Bible reading has remained steady for nearly a decade. Nearly the same percent of U.S. adults today report reading their Bibles weekly as did in 1993 (2020: 35 percent vs. 1993: 34 percent). Additionally, large majorities of Americans still say that prayer is something that they do on a weekly basis: From 1996 to 2010, there was no statistical difference in the percentage of Americans who prayed, with the number hovering around 83 percent, notes Barna. The research indicates that Americans are softening in their practice of Christianity, according to Kinnaman. He said it raises urgent questions for church leaders about the nature of the relationship Americans have to Christian practice. What redefines and what anchors the churchgoing, Bible reading and prayer of adults? Among the interesting stories in the data is that private practices of faithsuch as prayer and Scripture intakearent sliding as much as church attendance, he said. Still, the study shows reasons for continued hope and for additional reflection, he said, adding that while generational change is certainly taking place, older generations (Boomers and Elders) are drifting away from conventional church attendance at roughly the same pace as younger generations (Gen X and Millennials). What can church leaders do to engage the one-quarter of Millennials who remain active in Christian practice? he asked. How can the Bible-loyal readers continue to form the bedrock of a resilient Church? In what ways can prayerthe most universal of spiritual activitiesbe sparked to create spiritual renewal in this society? Tim Lucas, pastor of Liquid Church in Parsippany, New Jersey, told The Christian Post that amid a record rise of the religious nones, the church would do well to rethink the way it presents the message of the Gospel. "I think the hand-wringing approach to millenials and Gen Z is an invitation for a wholesale reinvention of the methods by which we present Jesus to a new generation," he said. Theres a cultural shift underway, where young people are extremely experientially oriented. They want to know, Whats the social good in this before I buy it? So the churchs traditional message of evangelism was propositional truth: Heres why Christianity is valid and a superior belief system. The Good News was proclaimed and explained. However, when Jesus shared the Gospel of grace with truly hell-bent pagans, He adopted a double approach, Lucas argued. There was a demonstration of grace: Be healed, serve the poor. And then theres the proclamation of the Gospel: Your sins are forgiven, he said. Up and coming generations are concerned with biblical justice how the church tangibly helps the poor and needy. Its a reverse discipleship process. The church must reclaim its birthright of saying, The message of the Gospel is good for both the soul and body. Liquid Church, a thriving, multi-campus church with over 5,000 members of all ages and demographics, is close-handed about the message, meaning the Gospel never changes, yet were open about the methods because they always need to change to reach the hearts and minds for the next generation, Lucas said. Were not changing the message but our methods need to change. The Gospel of grace is timeless, but the methods need to look different to reach the next generation for Christ. Firearms trafficking affects all parts of the world and impacts on society in multiple ways. It is a major concern in the context of human security, and it is central in law enforcement efforts and activities. Firearms are instrumental in much violence, particularly homicide; they are often used by organized criminals and they support operations related to armed conflicts and terrorism. The most common form of weapons trafficking involves small arms and light weapons; however, the character of this trafficking can vary significantly in different geographical contexts and in relation to different weapons. The 2020 Global Study on Firearms is responding to the requests (2010, 2016) by the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime on data collection and analysis related to trafficking in firearms. Building on the 2015 UNODC Study on Firearms, this report analyses the flows of firearms trafficking, the types of firearms that are trafficked, how this trafficking is conducted, how it is related to other types of crime and how firearms enter the illicit market. (Natural News) The Bay Area is now bracing for what authorities are describing as a possible surge of coronavirus cases, with several hospitals in the area set to roll out surge tents to accommodate the incoming patients. Despite being normally reserved for the flu season, Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose pushed to have their tents set up in light of the steady increase of COVID-19 infections. According to Mark Brown, Chief Nursing Officer for Good Samaritan Hospital, this was done to keep the incoming patients safe and to make sure that the patients are not co-mingling together. The military-grade disaster tents, which measure 15 feet by 30 feet and stand about 10 feet tall in the center, are large enough to handle up to six patients at a time, while still allowing the minimum six-foot exclusion zone or the distance that health officials say is sufficient to prevent human-to-human transmission of the disease. Were taking an overabundance of caution to do the right thing, and we feel for our patient population and for our community, this is the best way to serve them, Brown said. Sanjay Kurani, medical director of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, said that in addition to setting up their own sets of tents, their hospital has assembled a dedicated team of medical specialists, from epidemiologists to respiratory therapists, to help deal with the influx of patients. Tom Inglesby of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security likens the preparations of the areas hospitals to that of a city building a fire brigade. You build a fire department ahead of time. You dont wait for a fire, Inglesby said. There is an under-appreciation for the amount of time and resources required to build a prepared system. All things considered, Inglesbys description of the scenario is an apt one. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, if the coronavirus behaves like the 1968 flu, approximately 38 million people would need medical care, while 1 million would require hospitalization. There would be drastic escalations, however, if the COVID-19 coronavirus behaves similarly to the 1918 flu. According to Eric Toner and Richard Waldhorn of the Center for Health Security, should the second scenario happen, the number of people who would need medical care will remain at 38 million. At the same time, those requiring hospitalization would jump to about 9 million. In addition, there would also be increased demand for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) care, according to Toner and Waldhorn. In their report entitled What US Hospitals Should Do Now to Prepare for a COVID-19 Pandemic, the two experts said that in a worst-case scenario, a minimum of 200,000 patients would need ICU carea number that, unfortunately, could still jump to 2.9 million. According to the two experts, this is a problem because currently, the U.S. only has about 46,500 medical ICU beds, with an equal number of other ICU beds that could be used during a crisis. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist at the Center for Health Security, said the current situation with the coronavirus should make medical experts and practitioners think more about dealing with the infection and not its containment. As there are more and more cases, it is time to start thinking about not how to contain it but how to cope with it and repurpose our health care facilities to deal with it, Adalja said. Regarding this, the World Health Organizations Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had stern words for health care leaders: This is a time for pulling out all the stops. Get your hospitals ready. Ensure essential supplies are available. Train your health workers to identify cases, provide careful and compassionate treatment, and protect themselves from infection, Ghebreyesus said. Sources include: SanFrancisco.CBSLocal.com MercuryNews.com NBCBayArea.com Canadian coffee giant Tim Hortons is getting rid of Roll Up The Rim paper cups in advance of its iconic annual giveaway because of public health concerns over the novel coronavirus. Changes to the nationwide contest, in which customers win $30 million worth of prizes ranging from free coffee to electric vehicles, were announced Saturday, as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada continued to rise. It just became obvious to us over the last few days that this isnt the time to have team members in our restaurants collecting rolled up tabs from paper cups that have been in peoples mouths, Duncan Fulton, chief corporate officer of Tim Hortons, told the Star. This was the right decision for the health and safety of our team members and our guests. As one of Canadas most loved brands, and the largest restaurant company in the country, we obviously take our responsibility for health and safety very seriously. As of Friday, Ontario had confirmed two new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total in the province to 28. The virus is most commonly spread from an infected person through respiratory droplets when he or she coughs or sneezes and through close personal contact with them, such as touching. It can also be spread when someone touches something with the virus on it and then touches ones mouth, nose or eyes. The giveaway contest now in its 35th year will run from March 11 to April 7, but prizes will be redistributed between the restaurants and the digital Roll Up The Rim contest. About $14 million in prizes will be awarded in the form of free coffee and hot beverages at participating restaurants, where during the first two weeks cash registers will be programmed to randomly credit customers every nine transactions. And $16 million in prizes, including TVs, gift cards and vehicles, can be won through the digital Roll Up the Rim contest available to Tims rewards members, who will earn digital rolls when they scan their loyalty card or app when making a purchase. People can register for free to become members at rolluptherimtowin.ca or by downloading the Tim Hortons mobile app. About 81 million Roll Up The Rim cups that have been printed, will now be recycled. The announcement comes after the company and other industry giants, such as McDonalds Canada, Starbucks and The Second Cup, said they were temporarily banning the use of reusable cups brought in by customers amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak. Read more about: A western suburbs woman in her 70s has become the fourth West Australian to contract the novel coronavirus. The WA Health Department confirmed on Sunday that the woman tested positive to COVID-19 after travelling on Qantas flight QF10 from London, arriving in Perth on Thursday. Western Australias Chief Health Officer Dr Andrew Robertson said the woman was tested by her doctor on Friday and received the positive result on Sunday after she attended WASO's performance at the Perth Concert Hall on Saturday night. The woman also travelled to Cuba before she spent six days in London ahead of returning to Perth. Korean Army soldiers spray disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus on a street in Seoul, Thursday, March 5, 2020. AP One more service personnel was confirmed to have been infected with the new coronavirus, with the total infection cases in the military rising to 36, the defense ministry said on Sunday. The new COVID-19 patient is an Army soldier in Pocheon, north of Seoul, according to the ministry. Of the total infections, 20 were in the Army, 12 in the Air Force, two in the Marine Corps and one each in the Navy and a defense ministry unit. In this Feb. 11, 2020 photo, the Grand Princess cruise ship passes the Golden Gate Bridge as it arrives from Hawaii in San Francisco. A cruise ship that was hit by the new coronavirus is headed to the port of Oakland, California, the captain told passengers Saturday night. Grand Princess Capt. John Smith, in a recording provided by passenger Laurie Miller of San Jose, told guests he anticipated arrival at the Port of Oakland Sunday afternoon. "An agreement has been reached to bring our ship into the port of Oakland tomorrow," he said. "After docking, we will then begin a disembarkation process specified by federal authorities that will take several days. Guests who require acute medical treatment and hospitalization will be transported to health care facilities in California." After medical screening, California residents who don't require acute medical care, "will go to a federally operated isolation facility within California for testing and isolation," Smith said. U.S. guests from other states will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states. Crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship. Smith said the information he was given did not include any details about what would happen to passengers from other countries. "We are working to obtain more details overnight. ... I'm sorry I can't provide you more details right now," he said. Meanwhile, Florida reported two coronavirus deaths the first outside the West Coast. Health officials said the people in their 70s died in Santa Rosa County in Florida's Panhandle and in the Fort Myers area after traveling overseas. Florida also raised the number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 the disease caused by the coronavirus from four to seven. The U.S. death toll from the virus climbed to 16, with all but three victims in Washington state. The number of infections swelled to nearly 400, scattered across about half of the U.S. states. Pennsylvania, Indiana, Minnesota and Nebraska have reported their first cases. On Friday, Vice President Michael Pence spoke of plans for the people on the Grand Princess cruise ship. "Those that will need to be quarantined will be quarantined. Those who will require medical help will receive it," Pence said. President Donald Trump, speaking Friday at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, said he would prefer not to allow the passengers onto American soil but will defer to the recommendations of medical experts. "I don't need to have the numbers (of U.S. cases) double because of one ship that wasn't our fault," Trump said while touring the CDC in Atlanta. "And it wasn't the fault of the people on the ship either. OK? It wasn't their fault either. And they are mostly American, so I can live either way with it." Passengers aboard the Grand Princess remained holed up in their rooms Saturday. Some said ship officials only informed them of the confirmed coronavirus cases after they first learned about it from news reports. Steven Smith and his wife, Michele, of Paradise, California, went on the cruise to celebrate their wedding anniversary. The Smiths said they were a bit worried but felt safe in their room, which they had left just once since Thursday to video chat with their children. Crew members wearing masks and gloves delivered trays with their food in covered plates and left them outside their door. To pass the time they have been watching television, reading and looking out the window. "Thank God, we have a window!" Steven said. The ship was heading from Hawaii to San Francisco when it was held off the California coast Wednesday so 46 people with possible coronavirus symptoms could be tested. On Thursday, a military helicopter crew lowered test kits onto the 951-foot (290-meter) ship by rope and later flew them for analysis at a state lab. Health officials undertook the testing after reporting that a 71-year-old man who had been on a February voyage of the same ship to Mexico contracted the virus and died this week at a hospital in Placer County in Northern California. Others who were on that voyage also have tested positive in Northern California, Minnesota, Illinois, Hawaii, Utah and Canada. A "presumed positive" patient was self-isolating at home in Nevada, health officials there said. Health officials in Madera and Santa Cruz counties confirmed Saturday two more cases in California. Ventura County said Friday it had tested five residents who had been on the earlier cruise; one person was positive. Some passengers who had been on the Mexico trip stayed aboard for the current voyage increasing crew members' exposure to the virus. Another Princess ship, the Diamond Princess, was quarantined for two weeks in Yokohama, Japan, last month because of the virus. Ultimately, about 700 of the 3,700 people aboard became infected in what experts pronounced a public-health failure, with the vessel essentially becoming a floating germ factory. Hundreds of Americans aboard that ship were flown to military bases in California and other states for two-week quarantines. Some later were hospitalized with symptoms. An epidemiologist who studies the spread of virus particles said the recirculated air from a cruise ship's ventilation system, plus the close quarters and communal settings, make passengers and crew vulnerable to infectious diseases. "They're not designed as quarantine facilities, to put it mildly," said Don Milton of the University of Maryland. Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 100,000 people and killed over 3,400, the vast majority of them in China. Most cases have been mild, and more than half of those infected have recovered. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Greece to "open the gates" for migrants at Turkey's border as he prepared to hold talks with EU leaders in Brussels on Monday. Amid tensions at the Turkey-Greece land border where thousands of migrants have massed after Turkish authorities announced they would no longer prevent them from crossing into the EU Erdogan said he would use Mondays meeting to discuss different outcomes with Brussels. In a televised address to the nation Sunday, Erdogan urged Greece to open its border after clashes in recent days between migrants and Greek police. "Hey Greece! I appeal to you... open the gates as well and be free of this burden," he said, adding: "Let them go to other European countries." Erdogan will meet European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels at 6pm local time (1700 GMT) on Monday. Turkey has repeatedly railed against what it describes as unfair burden-sharing, since around four million mostly Syrian refugees live in Turkey. In 2016, Turkey and the EU agreed to a deal whereby Brussels would provide billions of euros in aid in exchange for Turkish authorities curbing the flow of migrants into the bloc, but Ankara has repeatedly accused the EU of not fulfilling promises made. Erdogan's top press aide Fahrettin Altun has said one of the unmet conditions was that the EU would take in refugees from Turkey. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Michel met Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday as Turkey demanded greater support over the conflict and migrants. After the talks, Borrell promised an additional 170 million ($192 million) in aid for vulnerable groups in Syria. Fire damages migrant shelter on Greeces Lesbos As the standoff between Turkey and Greece intensified, a fire broke out at a refugee centre on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece's firefighting service said Sunday, causing considerable damage to a warehouse but no injuries. Story continues It was the second fire at an installation built for migrants, after a reception centre was burned down by unknown perpetrators last week. The warehouse, which contained furniture and electrical appliances, was completely destroyed, according to Greek firefighters. Greece has deployed riot police and border guards to repel people trying to enter the country and the Greek border area has since seen violent confrontations between them and the migrants. On Saturday, youths threw rocks at Greek police and tried to break down a border fence. Cyprus to send security forces to Greece-Turkey border Meanwhile, Cyprus announced it will send security forces to the Greek-Turkish land border to help protect it. Greek government spokesman Kyriakos Kousios said in a statement that the decision to send the force was announced by Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during a telephone conversation the two had Sunday morning. The president's proposal was gratefully accepted by Greece's Prime Minister and, therefore, a force from Cyprus's security forces will travel to Greece immediately to defend and guard Greece's, and Europe's, borders, the Cyprus government's statement said. The Greek government released a video purporting to show a Turkish armoured vehicle trying to pull down part of the border fence with a rope. It claimed the vehicle was partly purchased with EU border funds. The Associated Press could not verify the authenticity of the video. There was no immediate comment from Turkish officials. Anastasiades has accused Turkey of using refugees to raise money after around 100 African nationals crossed the border from the northern Turkish-occupied part of the island into Cyprus, which has the EUs highest number of refugees per capita. (FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS) Shoppers have claimed a Melbourne Woolworths store has resorted to storing its toilet paper behind its cigarette counter in a bid to stop people buying in bulk. 'Woolworths near me is now handing out packs of toilet paper on request from the cigarette counter because people don't know how to behave themselves', one customer claimed online. However, a Woolworths spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that handing out toilet paper from behind the customer service desk was 'not policy'. 'The only product handed out from the customer service desk in hand sanitiser,' the spokesperson added. It comes as photos begin to circulate of security officers guarding piles of precious toilet paper after a spate of fights between desperate shoppers amid the coronavirus panic buying frenzy. Scroll down for video Shoppers (pictured) stocking up on toilet paper in a Woolworths store earlier this week. In one development, a reddit user reported that their local Woolies was handing out toilet paper packs from behind the 'cigarette counter' Security officers have started guarding toilet paper piles at Coles supermarkets Coles earlier today that its customers would be limited to one pack per transaction, both in-store and online. 'We have made the decision to change the limit to one pack per customer so that toilet rolls are available for more of our customers, particularly the elderly and people who are unable to purchase in large volumes,' said a Coles spokesperson on news.com. Woolworths followed Coles in announcing new restrictions this afternoon, however, they are letting shoppers take home two packs rather than one. Both decisions follow announcements earlier in the week by the two chains that people would be restricted to four rolls per person. Aldi and Costco have also announced similar restrictions. Security guards have been spotted inside Australian supermarkets after a string of brawls. Two women were charged after an alleged brawl in Woolworths, pictured left, while two other women were spotted scrappign in a Coles, pictured right. Throughout Australia, supermarkets have been running out of toilet paper as worried people react to the coronavirus scare. Images of empty shelves and long queues of people waiting to stock up on the paper have circulated throughout the country, and people have even resorted to fist fights in efforts to secure their toilet paper supplies. Police were called to the scene at a Woolworths store at Chullora in Sydney's south-west on Saturday morning after reports a 49-year-old woman had been assaulted. A mother and daughter, aged 60 and 23, were charged with affray over the alleged brawl. Another fight was filmed between two women at a Melbourne Coles, although viewers were quick to label it staged after it was revealed that YouTube prankster Jamie Zhu filmed the stunt. We live in times when almost every individual has a mounting need to share and record every aspect of their lives. The multitude of social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, provide a wide variety of ways in which one can express themselves. Its a gnawing human need to create a form of continuous dialogue, the need to make life more bearable by sharing instances from everyday life that are relatable and find instant validationwhich comes in the form of likes comments and shares. But in this living digital museum of communication and dialogue, is a more worrying trend of people trying to ape precarious and most times unacceptable behaviours. Its the world of Internet challenges. Hop on to any of the social media platform, and fads, sensations, trends, and absurd challenges are the order of the day. The challenges entail a user filming oneself while performing a task and then uploading it online with the aim of trying to make others imitate the same thing to make a viral trend. On a daily basis, the Internet hosts a crazy amount of new content - there are dances, there are challenges and there are memes. However, theres a not-so-thin line between entertaining and life threatening. Here are some of the challenges that tipped the line: 1. When 3 People Died After Jumping Into A Swimming Pool Full Of Dry Ice Instagram influencer, Yekaterina Didenko, was celebrating her 29th birthday, and the swimming pool at the venue was filled with 25 kg of dry ice to create a visual effect and impress the guests. Reports state that people who entered the pool and instantly started choking and fainting. Ms Didenkos husband, 32-year-old Valentin Didenko, was reportedly among the dead. For those unaware, dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide and produces heavy vapour when put in water. It increases carbon dioxide levels in the blood stream, which can be extremely dangerous. 2. When this man almost died while trying to swim in a frozen lake A TikTok influencer came "close to dying" while filming a stunt for his outdoor adventure account. Jason Clark, who has over 4 lakh followers on TikTok, shared a video where he became trapped under a sheet of ice and could not find his way out until the very last second, when he had almost accepted he "wasn't going to make it." He said that he became confused because the bottom of the ice did not look any different from the water at the hole. "When I flipped around and felt solid ice I thought I was at the hole," wrote Jason Clark. However, when the TikTok star realised he wasn't at the hole, he decided to follow the dust he had kicked up, hoping it would lead him back to the opening. But, he said, the "dust I kicked up had drifted and led me further away." Despite the horrifying experience, the TikTok star went back into the lake for another attempt, which, he said, went slightly better, thanks to a "comically big" hole in the ice. 3. Pouring cereal and milk into peoples mouth. Another trend that people mindlessly caught onto was pouring a whole bag of cereal and milk into the mouth of someone lying. Possibly the worst choking hazard, but none of the risk mattered to those who wanted a few seconds of online fame. All jokes aside, the Twitter community has largely criticized the #CerealChallenge over concerns that someone could get hurt or even choke to death. Two years ago, the 'Tide Pod Challenge' caused similar outrage, after it was reported in 2018 that teenagers were chomping down on the laundry detergent pods despite warnings. 4. When this guy tried to hang onto a moving train Railway Minister Piyush Goyal shared a horrifying TikTok video of a stunt gone wrong on a moving train, urging citizens to follow rules. In the video, the man loses his footing and falls off the train, almost getting run over as people watching the stunt scream in horror. The minister slammed the video saying. "Chalti train mein stunt dikhana bahaduri nahi, moorkhta ki nishani hai (Doing stunts on a moving train is not bravery, it's a mark of foolishness). 5. The penny challenge had teens touch prongs of a plug with a coin A disturbing viral trend had teens plug part of a charger into a wall, before touching the exposed prongs with a penny to create a spark. According to the The Sun, in one case in the USA, firefighters had to race to a school when a teen dropped a penny on the prongs of an iPhone charger plugged into an outlet. 6. Skull Breaker In the viral Skull Breaker challenge, three people stand in a row. The person in the middle jumps and the two on the sidekick the persons legs while theyre still in the air, causing them to fall on their back, which could lead to serious injuries. Basically, the harebrained act sends the victim toppling to the ground, landing on head and causing a concussion on the spot. But it seems like, in the world of Internet challenges, a potentially life-threatening injury is just hilarious. 7. When people pour an excessive amount of salt in their mouth parentology People just cant get enough of viral challenges on social media and this lame stunt, people were seen recording themselves as they dumped salt into their mouth, only to spit it out immediately. Coughing, gagging and vomiting resulted from dry mouths; inhaling cinnamon or salt can lead to throat irritation, breathing, difficulties and risk of pneumonia. 8. Girls trying to glue their lips to make them look fuller imagine youre talking to someone and your lip falls down by accident pic.twitter.com/kDD9CqHOr6 Shafeeq (@Y2SHAF) September 7, 2019 Just like the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge, which involved using the friction from a shot glass to purposefully swell the lips, this time people were seen using glue to stick the upper portion upward to give that surgically enhanced look. For this challenge people, were seen using things crazy glue an American equivalent of fevi-quick on their faces. After the trend picked up, dermatologists sent out warnings saying that using glue directly on skin could lead to redness, swelling, blistering, infection, and even permanent scarring. 9. Chinese women tying earphones around their waist Twitter When it comes to setting bizarre beauty standards, Chinese people seem to rule the roost. They first started using A4 size paper to measure their waist and now women are trying earphones around their abnormally tiny waists. The challenge is an obvious consequence of Chinese being obsessed with the fact that you can only be attractive if you're worryingly skinny. It's okay to try fun Internet challenges once in a while, but doing stupid, life-threatening things does not really qualify as fun. That's a difference we must all be able to tell. Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut on Sunday condemned the Centre's move to sell its entire 52.98 per cent stake in Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and asked that the decision be scrapped. The Narendra Modi government on Saturday invited expressions of interest for the strategic sale of BPCL by May 2, the Centre's Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) said in the bid document. "We condemn the Centre's decision, which will virtually end reservations for backward communities. It will destroy job opportunities. The decision should be withdrawn," Raut said in a statement. Raut said the Modi government was ending reservations by privatising public sector undertakings (PSUs) which have quotas in jobs. Raut said BPCL earned 40 per cent profit in the last quarter and was a goldmine for the government. "As the Modi government has emptied state coffers by offering largesse and waiving bank loans of Rs 7 lakh crore of rich businessmen, it is now selling BPCL to raise funds for expenditure," Raut alleged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This is the weekend when most of us will be just a bit grumpier, more confused and sleep-deprived than usual. And all because of a pointless, and frankly dangerous, exercise that we put ourselves through twice a year. We speak, of course, about the semi-annual changing of the clocks. Sunday at 2 a.m. marks the start of Daylight Saving Time, when most Canadians (the sensible folk of Saskatchewan excepted) spring forward by moving our timepieces ahead an hour and thereby losing 60 minutes out of an otherwise perfectly good weekend. On Sunday, Nov. 1, unless we come to our collective senses before then, well go through it all again in reverse, with the illusory promise that were gaining back that lost hour. This never made any sense, not when daylight saving was introduced back in 1918 as a temporary wartime measure designed to save energy, and certainly not now. In fact, the evidence is mounting that this practice isnt just futile (it does not, in fact, save energy) but positively noxious. Sleep researchers (who didnt even exist when DST was conceived) are unanimous: moving clocks ahead puts us out of sync with our internal circadian clocks, which are built into our every cell and keep us harmonized with the natural cycle of light and dark. Even worse is switching clocks back and forth twice a year. We are, in short, messing with our most fundamental biological rhythms, which regulate such basic functions as heart rate and hormone levels. Its a general stress on the physiology, Till Roenneberg, a leading German researcher and president of the grandly named World Federation of Societies for Chronobiology, tells the Wall Street Journal. No wonder recent studies have found a 5- to 15-per-cent increased risk of heart attack in the first few days after the switch to daylight savings. Another study finds an 8-per-cent increase in the rate of strokes in the first two days (though that evens out in the following week). Were doing all this to ourselves, for no good reason. Those who gripe about changing the clocks have traditionally been dismissed as cranks, akin to anti-metric hold-outs. But there are encouraging signs that logic and the mounting evidence of science are shaking more of us out of our chronological complacency. Consider: in the past year or so alone, the European Parliament has voted to scrap daylight saving by 2021 though national governments still have the final decision. When the EU held a public consultation, an overwhelming 84 per cent favoured ending DST. At least nine U.S. states (including Washington and Oregon) have passed laws to end the clock changes and stay on DST year-round. Many others, including California, are at various stages of debating such a move. Closer to home, Yukon has ended the switch. It will stay on DST after a final spring forward move this weekend. The B.C. legislature passed a law last fall to follow suit, though the government doesnt want to go ahead until the Pacific coast states do the same. A whopping 94 per cent of British Columbians consulted supported ending the twice-yearly switch. So why no action? The big hang-up is that the U.S. Congress is the ultimate arbiter on this issue. States cant get out of the time-change trap without federal permission, and provinces dont want to find themselves an hour ahead or behind their neighbours to the south. So were stuck while Congress busies itself with other matters, like impeaching their president. Ultimately, logic and science must prevail. Surely we will come to our senses and end this madness of switching back and forth in defiance of all evidence and our biological natures. We will look back on this century-long folly and wonder what on earth we were thinking. Its only a matter of time. The immediate beneficiaries are relevant law enforcement agencies, whose staff will be better structured, trained and equipped to more effectively target high-risk shipping containers. These measures also directly benefit legitimate trade by enhancing supply chain security and improving efficiency through the minimization of unnecessary checks on low-risk containers. The CCP continues to prioritize the continued development of private-sector partnerships. Cooperation between the private and public sectors improves competitive advantage, cost savings and reductions in operational risks for businesses. A US cruise ship hit by coronavirus was given permission late Saturday to dock, while New York announced a state of emergency as confirmed cases across the country surged past 400. The fast-spreading virus has already spread to 30 US states, killing at least 19 people, while the American capital announced its first case on Saturday and citizens were coming to terms with public events being canceled across the country. The Grand Princess cruise ship has recorded 21 COVID-19 infections on board 19 crew and two American passengers out of 45 people tested. Authorities ordered the vessel to remain at sea off the coast of San Francisco, where it was due to dock Saturday following a 14-day trip to Hawaii, after it emerged that a passenger on a previous voyage had contracted the virus and later died. The vessel will instead go to nearby Oakland on Monday and begin disembarking passengers in need of acute medical treatment, vessel owner Princess Cruises said in a statement. The ships crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship, the company added. Around half of the vessels 1,100 crew hail from the Philippines and several are among those diagnosed with the virus, according to Princes Cruises. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Butler, IN (46721) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 26F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low near 25F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. SYDNEY, March 7 (Reuters) - Australian health authorities said on Saturday they had closed a clinic and were contacting around 70 patients of a doctor who has been diagnosed with coronavirus after recently returning from the United States. The Melbourne-based general practioner returned to Australia on Feb. 29. He became unwell with a runny nose on an internal flight from Denver to San Francisco before flying to Melbourne on United Airlines flight 0060, Victoria State Health Minister Jenny Mikakos told a televised news conference. He saw about 70 patients between March 2 and March 6. "The doctor...most likely acquired his infection in the United States," Mikakos said. "I have to say I am flabbergasted that a doctor that has flu-like symptoms has presented to work," she said, adding the clinic has been closed until further notice. Mikakos said patients have been contacted while the passengers on the flight will be contacted as soon as the manifest is available. Four special coronavirus clinics have now been opened in Melbourne to reduce the strain on emergency departments and GP clinics. New South Wales state reported six new cases of coronavirus overnight bringing the total cases in Australia to nearly 70. Australia will release 260,000 surgical masks from medical stockpiles for immediate use, deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly told a media briefing in Canberra. The outbreak has killed more than 3,400 people and spread across more than 90 nations, with seven countries reporting their first cases on Friday. The economic damage has also intensified, with business districts starting to empty and stock markets continuing to tumble. (Reporting by Swati Pandey; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) March 3, 2020 Lynn Cullivan , 415-561-7006 The Junior Ranger Logo NPS Photo San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park welcomes children 5-12 and their families for a free Junior Ranger Day event on Saturday, April 18, 2020, from 9:30AM to 4PM. Young sailors who try all the days activities can earn a Junior Ranger badge in a group ceremony near the front gate of Hyde Street Pier at 12 noon or 3PM or as they exit the pier. Throughout the day, admission fees to board the Parks historic ships will also be waived for all visitors.At Hyde Street Pier, Junior Ranger Day activities will include: watching demonstrations of traditional sailor work (such as doing fancywork aboard a ship and rope making); and a variety of childrens activities including a sea chantey singalong, building wooden toy boats, working together to raise and lower a small dory out of the water, maritime-themed crafts, and temporary sailor tattoos. Young children who enjoy dressing up should be sure to visit the Ark Houseboat to try on period costumes! And be sure to catch a crabbing and fishing demonstration off the Pier. Specific activities are subject to change, so be sure to check the schedule of activities posted at the front gate for times and locations.Kids of all ages will enjoy a puppet show about the amazing voyage of Kenichi Horie, a young Japanese man who sailed solo across the Pacific Ocean from Japan in 1962, arriving in Aquatic Park. Catch the show aboard the ferryboat Eureka (second level, passenger deck) at 11:30AM and 2:30PM. In addition, make sure to see Hories actual vessel, the Mermaid, currently displayed in the lobby of the Maritime Museum at 900 Beach Street!On Junior Ranger Day, kids can also explore the Park online with Agents of Discovery, a free augmented reality mobile game. Become a secret Agent, unlock hidden geo-located challenges at different Park locations, solve fun trivia questions about maritime history, and earn a Secret Agent sticker. Agents of Discovery is available anytime from the App Store or Google Play. (Please note: the Park does NOT offer public wifi, so be sure to download the app before arriving.)If you have a fourth grader (or two) in your family, Junior Ranger Day is the perfect time to make sure they get their Every Kid in the Park (EKIP) pass! Through the EKIP program, all fourth graders are eligible to get a free annual pass to all national parks and public lands. The annual pass (for current fourth graders) expires on August 31, 2020, so dont delay! For more information, and to print out a voucher to bring to the parks Fee Booth on Hyde Street Pier, go to https:///www.everykidoutdoors.gov/National Junior Ranger Day offers young visitors a chance to explore their national parks, learn skills from staff and park rangers, and earn a Junior Ranger badge and prizes. This event and free admission day kick off National Park Week (April 18-25). Other free admission days in national parks in 2020 will be: August 25, National Park Service Birthday; September 28, National Public Lands Day; and November 11, Veterans Day.San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park includes a fleet of historic ships, Visitor Center, Maritime Museum (dont miss the new-displayed diorama of the square-rigger Star of India, now berthed at the Maritime Museum of San Diego, being unloaded at San Franciscos Mission Street Wharf in 1905), Maritime Research Center, and the Aquatic Park Historic District. For more info, please call 415-447-5000 or visit nps.gov/safr, Twitter @SFMaritimeNPS, and Facebook @SanFranciscoMaritimeNHP. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park offers assisted listening services on request. Request Sign Language interpreter services at least five days in advance. Contact Accessibility Coordinator/Chief of Interpretation for more information at 415-859-6797, or safr_accessibility@nps.gov. Hindu temples in Bur Dubai have cancelled Holi celebrations and advised against throwing colours to prevent the spread of coronavirus, according to a media report. This is in addition to other preventive measures such as reduction in prayer times and providing sanitisers as part of preventive measures to protect the devotees and the larger community, the managements of both Shiva and Krishna temples told Gulf on Saturday. The Holi celebrations have been cancelled. We are taking precautionary steps in line with DHA [Dubai Health Authority] instructions, said Gopal Kokani, general manager of the Guru Darbar Sindhi Temple (Shiva temple). We usually have the celebration of burning cow dung cakes on the first day of Holi which on March 9. We have already put up a notice informing the cancellation to all devotees, he was quoted as saying. He said the advice to refrain from splashing colours is meant for all Hindu expats. Lalit Karani, chairman of the Sreenathji (Krishna) Temple run by the Mercantile Hindu Community of Thatta said the Holi celebrations on March 9 and 10 have been cancelled in the interest of public health safety. The Holi Utsav and Dhol Utsav will not be celebrated for public, the temple management said in a notice to devotees which is being circulated on social media as well. We request all to avoid unnecessary gatherings in order to limit the spread of infection. Avoid throwing colours in the temple premises and compound area, the notice stated. Karani said the bonfire on Monday and the splashing of colours on Tuesday will be held only as offerings for Lord Krishna. Normally these ceremonies last for half an hour. But, this time we will have it only for 10 minutes, he said. An Indian national is among 15 new cases of the deadly coronavirus in the UAE, taking the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 45, health officials have said. The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) on Friday said in a statement that 13 out of 15 new cases in the UAE recently arrived from abroad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five new cases of COVID-19 in Kerala, total number rises to 39 in India Germany calls for cancelling events with more than 1,000 participants 400 quarantined in Assam after coming in contact with US tourist who tested positive for COVID-19 Alitalia suspends flights to and from Milan's Malpensa airport after lock down Another coronavirus patient identified in Pakistan, total cases rise to six People wait at the Termini train station in Rome, Sunday, March 8, 2020. Italy announced a sweeping quarantine early Sunday for its northern regions. With the Union health ministry confirming five new cases of novel coronavirus in Kerala on Sunday, the total number of those testing positive for the virus in India went up to 39.. Authorities have also decided to have dedicated aero bridges at airports for flights from USA, Spain and France in view of the rising number of cases of COVID-19 in these countries. This is in addition to the 12 countries already identified by the government earlier. Meanwhile, the number of novel coronavirus cases in the world stood at 105,836, including 3,595 deaths, across 95 countries and territories on Sunday, according to a report compiled by AFP from official sources. Iran reported 49 new deaths on Sunday, taking the total number of fatalities to 194. Italy, with the most number of deaths outside China, put a vast swathe of the norther region under lock down, cutting off over 15 million people from the rest of the country to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Bangladesh confirmed its first three cases of novel coronavirus. Here are the live updates on coronavirus: South Africa: Health department confirms third Coronavirus case The wife of South Africas first confirmed Coronavirus patient, has tested positive for the virus, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize said on Sunday. This morning we received results of the direct contact of the first patient, his wife. She had travelled with him to Italy as part of the group of ten. I now wish to advise the public that she tested positive for COVID-19 and is therefore the third confirmed case in South Africa, said the Minister in a statement. The womans husband, a 38-year-old from KwaZulu-Natal tested positive for the virus earlier this week. The department of health, said the Minister has traced all ten individuals who travelled to Italy. Nine of them had returned to South African soil while the tenth had not. Meanwhile the department is expecting the test results of the other six patients, following the positive test outcomes of the other three. We expect the results of the other six group members who had travelled to Italy within the next 48 hours. It is important to advice the public that the couples children were tested and their results have come out negative, said the Minister. Self quarantine However as part of precautionary measures, the children will remain in self quarantine until their parents have tested negative. At that point, they will also be tested to ensure that they remain negative. Until then they will be regarded as potentially infected. This means they will continue not [to] attend school. This is in effort to curb the risk of spread to other children and teachers. Mkhize who earlier in the day spoke to the first confirmed patient, said that the man was in a jovial and upbeat mood. The Minister also took the opportunity to speak to the unnamed mans doctor. She confirmed that this patient is responding well and is now asymptomatic. At the right time, as determined by the treating doctors, the patient will be retested to check his recovery progress, said the Minister. On Saturday the Minister confirmed South Africas second case of the Coronavirus while also calling for calm. A 39-year-old Gauteng woman tested positive for COVID-19. The woman is a direct contact of the unnamed 38-year-old man. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Davina McCall has revealed that she was rushed to hospital after she was 'filled with self-hatred' at the lowest ebb of her drug addiction. The presenter, 52, confessed that after a cocktail of drugs in her 20s she woke up in a hospital bed, and it was the brush with death that finally pushed her to get clean. Davina has been open about struggling with drug addiction in the early days of her presenting career, but has now been clean for more than 25 years. Ordeal: Davina McCall, 52, has revealed that she was rushed to hospital after she was 'filled with self-hatred' at the lowest ebb of her drug addiction (pictured in May 2019) Speaking at an International Women's Day event as reported by The Sun, Davina revealed that after smoking cannabis at a young age she became addicted to heroin. The star recalled the complicated relationship she had with her alcoholic mother Florence, adding that she started partying as a teenager as she didn't have any matriarchal figure to turn to. Davina said that she spiralled into a drug addiction, which at its worst led to her hospitalisation. Embattled: The presenter confessed that after a cocktail of drugs in her 20s she woke up in a hospital bed, and within a year of her brush with death she finally got clean (pictured in 1995) She said: 'It was very frightening as it was a very gradual overdose. I'd had a cocktail of drugs, because I didn't want to feel normal. 'I was constantly trying to escape myself I was like a piece of fruit rotting from the inside. 'So then I thought, 'Well, I'll just take a valium', and the next thing I knew I woke up in hospital. At my lowest point, when I was filled with self hatred, it was literally a case of ''get clean, or die''.' Davina added that it was her best friend, dad and stepmother that helped her see sense, and she enrolled in Narcotics Anonymous. Within a year of her overdose Davina was clean of drugs, and the star said she still occasionally attends meetings and therapy sessions to keep her on the right track. Transformed: Within a year of her overdose Davina was clean, and the star said she still occasionally attends Narcotics Anonymous meetings (pictured in January 2020) After a difficult relationship with her mum, Davina admitted that she sought fame at a young age to fill the void left in the absence of her mum's love. The Big Brother presenter added that even after 37 letters of rejection from television companies she strived to keep working. Davina has openly spoken about her struggles with drug addiction, and in March 2018 she recalled the moment she told her three children about her past. Hard times: Davina also admitted that she sought fame at a young age to fill the void left by her alcoholic mother's absence (pictured in 1994) Speaking on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast she said: ''I've had to be very honest about my past with the children especially now they have access to the internet. 'Actually, I had to be brutally honest quite early on when I thought other kids might talk to them about it. They grew up with 'Mummy's going to a meeting' they just didn't know it was a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. 'They were all really very accepting. They'd say, ''We thought it was something like that. Is that why you don't drink?'' Since quitting drugs at the age of 25, Davina has also quit smoking and drinking, and has inspired others with her incredible fitness regime. The star has also been dating hairdresser Michael Douglas, after she split from husband Matthew Robertson in 2017. Thousands of people marched in Spain last week to challenge LGBT diversity lessons in schools. Around 5,000 people took part in the march in the south-eastern city of Murcia under the banner of "our children belong to us". The slogan for the march was a response to Spain's Education Minister, Isabel Celaa, who is reported to have said that "no one should commit the mistake of thinking that children belong to their parents". The march comes after Spain's left-wing coalition government said it would overturn the right of parents in Murcia to withdraw their children from diversity lessons. The government told Murcia to overturn the opt-out within a month, saying that "this sort of conscientious objection is not covered by the law". Organisers of the march said they were calling for an "education free of gender ideology", Evangelical Focus reports. Pastor Angel Zapata, President of the Evangelical Council of Murcia, told Spanish newspaper Protestante Digital, that parents were prepared to march again to make their voices heard. "It has been an opportunity to go out and reclaim our role as parents. We will see what happens now, but parents are ready to fight this battle, and if there is a need for us to go back to the streets again, we will do so," Zapata said. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A Stapleton woman has been sentenced to a total of 18 months behind bars for drug and animal-cruelty convictions. Dawnn Millers troubles with the law initially stemmed from a Nov. 22, 2017 arrest on multiple drug charges. Miller, 42, appeared to have put that case behind her in March 2019, when she pleaded guilty in state Supreme Court, St. George, to a felony count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and a misdemeanor count of criminal drug possession. Afterward, the defendant was placed on supervised release. However, last June, Miller was charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. Authorities said they found dead cats as well as two emaciated and flea-infested live cats inside the defendants Gordon Street apartment six weeks earlier on April 25. Miller told investigators she hadnt stayed in the residence during the past several months before her arrest. I was at the apartment in the beginning of April, and I did not see or smell any dead cats, a criminal complaint quoted her as telling police. Last week, Miller, whose first name also appears as Dawn in court papers, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of torturing and injuring animals to resolve that case. She was sentenced to a year in jail on the drug conviction and six months behind bars on the animal-cruelty conviction. Miller was also sentenced then to six months in jail for a felony drug-possession conviction in a recent narcotics case. The two drug sentences will run consecutively to each other for a total of 18 months behind bars. The animal-cruelty sentence will run concurrently to the drug sentences. (Newser) Kamala Harris took her time in announcing her pick for the Democratic presidential nominee, and the former rival she wants to see in the White House is Joe Biden, reports the Hill. "I believe in Joe," she said in a statement. You can see in his eyes how he takes to heart the experiences of mothers and fathers working to make ends meet and worrying about whether their children can be safe in their classroom, or young people who fight tirelessly to tackle climate change as they ask for a fair shot at the future in front of them." As for whether there might be a job for Harris in a Biden administration, the former VP said in December he'd consider putting her on his ticket. "She is solid. She can be president someday herself. She can be the vice president. She can go on to be a Supreme Court justice. She can be an attorney general. She has enormous capability." (Read more Kamala Harris stories.) Last year Irish playwright Abbie Spallens play Pumpgirl was given an exquisite production by Mother Road Theatre Company. This year Mother Road is doing another Irish play, Shining City, the 2004 drama by Conor McPherson that is part ghost story, part study in social psychology, and in all ways riveting. McPherson is perhaps the most talented and accomplished Irish dramatist writing today, and under Vic Browders consummate direction this splendid and deceptively simple play is given a likewise splendid production. McPherson often explores the spiritual realm interpenetrating the material. For instance, in The Seafarer, the devil himself appears in disguise to carry off an indigent alcoholic to hell, but the self-loathing and guilt-haunted man unexpectedly finds redemption and the devil is deprived of his prize. In Shining City a middle-aged man named John is likewise struggling with guilt and profound alienation, and on top of that is haunted by visitations from his recently deceased wife. Terrified, he seeks the help of a psychotherapist named Ian, who is himself struggling with a multitude of issues. A former priest, it seems Ian changed professions mostly due to an inability to believe in anything beyond the material world. Two other supporting characters, vital to this meticulously crafted drama, round out the cast. The play is set in Ians ramshackle office in Dublin, which also serves as his temporary residence. Indeed, rootlessness or homelessness is a theme woven subtly into the play. McPherson is master of the long monologue some of his plays are constructed almost entirely of monologues and Johns long story in the middle of the play is spellbinding, especially as delivered by actor Brian Haney. While the therapist occasionally makes the briefest of comments, this is essentially a very long monologue, and I found myself hanging on his every word, transfixed with sympathy during his emotionally wrought pauses. The people described in his story are so vivid they seem as much a part of the play as the flesh and blood characters on stage, especially the fertile Vivien, whom he longs for in his resentment at his own wifes inability to bear children. Sterility, empty homes, rootlessness, an inability to connect with other human beings, or believe in a realm beyond our increasingly meaningless world, these themes are masterfully depicted as the drama builds to its supernatural climax. Browder also serves as the set designer of the production, and the cold, arid city of Dublin can be seen outside Ians office window. The office itself is sparsely decorated, and in the final scene what little there is has been removed. Everything works together to illuminate the themes cited above. The cast is splendid, perfectly capturing the lost denizens of modern Ireland, struggling to make connections and ultimately entirely unaware of the forces impinging on their confused lives. Colin Jones performs Ian with perfect economy, suggesting the mans compassion and struggle but wisely leaving the audience to fill in the blanks. Teresa Jones is heartbreaking as Ians rejected girlfriend, utterly bewildered, with nowhere for her and her newborn child to go. Quinn Scicluna gives a sympathetic performance as a male prostitute trying to make money to feed his family. Shining City is playing through March 15 at MTS Black Box, 6320 Domingo NE. Go to motherroad.org or call 243-0596 for reservations. Lao Airlines will launch a direct air route between Da Nang in central Vietnam and Vientiane, capital of Laos, with three flights per week from March 29. Aircrafts at Da Nang International Airport. A new direct air route will connect the city and Vientiane, Laos from March 29. Da Nang citys tourism promotion centre has confirmed the new route, stating the flight will depart on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Lao Airlines will use ATR-72 aircraft with 70 seats for the new flights, which will boost tourism, investment and trade between the two cities and northeast region of Thailand. The Vientiane-Da Nang flight will take off from Lao at 11.10am before arriving at Da Nang International Airport at 12.50pm. Meanwhile, the flight will leave from Da Nang at 1.30pm, landing at Vientiane airport at 3.30pm. One way tickets for the flight will be sold from 190 USD to 392 USD, while promotional fares will start from 25 USD. Lao Airlines offers ticket prices and information on the flight at www.laoairlines.com./. New air routes planned for Vietnam Vietnam Airlines has just launched its flights between Hanoi and Chinas Macau, with flight VN456 departing from Hanoi at 19:45 on December 16, and VN459 leaving Macau at 8:35 on December 17 (local time). Investments worth over Rs 2,000 crore, 44 expensive paintings and a dozen alleged shell firms are at the heart of the Enforcement Directorate's investigations against Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor who was arrested by the agency on Sunday on money laundering charges, officials said. IMAGE: Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor being taken to a court after being arrested by Enforcement Directorate under money laundering charges, in Mumbai. Photograph: PTI Photo The agency, official sources said, has also recovered documents that show some assets of the Kapoor family in London and the source of funds for their acquisition is now being investigated. The central probe agency that began action against the banker by raiding his upscale residence in south Mumbai on Friday is primarily investigating Kapoor, his wife and three daughters over a Rs 600 crore fund received by a firm allegedly "controlled" by them from an entity linked to the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Limited. The Kapoor's linked firm, DoIT Urban Ventures (India) Pvt Ltd, is alleged to have received the funds when Yes Bank had a exposure of more than Rs 3,000 crore loans to DHFL, already being probed for purported financial irregularities and diversion of funds. The bank, they said, allegedly did not initiate action to recover the NPA-turned loans from DHFL and the agency suspects that the Rs 600 crore funds were part of alleged kick backs received as quid pro quo in the firm controlled by the Kapoor family. The ED, officials said, is looking at finding the proceeds of crime during the raids conducted at Kapoor's residence and those of his wife Bindu and three daughters. It has stumbled upon investments worth over Rs 2,000 crore by the family and the active presence of about a dozen shell or dummy firms used to rotate alleged kickbacks, they said. It has also stumbled upon 44 expensive paintings purchased by the family, some of which were allegedly purchased from politicians. Kapoor, 62, was arrested at the ED office in Ballard Estate in Mumbai under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after over 20 hours of questioning and he will be produced before a holiday court on Sunday to obtain his further custody. The ED, meanwhile, is also recording the statement of Kapoor's wife and daughters. The arrest of Kapoor, former MD and CEO of the private bank, comes after charges of alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement in its operations surfaced and the RBI and Union government initiated action to control its affairs. The second woman achiever to take on Prime Ministers social media accounts on the occasion of Womens Day on Sunday was Malvika Iyer who survived a gruesome bomb blast at the age of 13. Malvikas story is studded with grit and determination. Even after losing her hands and damaging her legs in the an explosion, Iyer she went on to earn a PhD degree. Through the prime ministers social media handles, Malvika asked the youth to change their mindset towards disabilities and the disabled. We need to show people with disabilities as role models instead of showing them as weak and dependent, read her post on PMs social media account. Attitude is half the battle in destigmatizing disability. The fact that the honourable PM has chosen to broadcast my views on Women's Day makes me believe that India is on the right path in dismantling age old superstitions regarding disability. - @MalvikaIyer #SheInspiresUs Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2020 I survived a gruesome bomb blast at the age of 13 that blew off my hands and severely damaged my legs. Yet, I worked and went on to get my PhD. Giving up is never an option. Forget your limitations and take on the world with confidence and hope, her tweet om PM Modis handle read. Attitude is half the battle in destigmatizing disability. The fact that the honourable PM has chosen to broadcast my views on Womens Day makes me believe that India is on the right path in dismantling age old superstitions regarding disability, Iyer tweeted out from the prime ministers account. Acceptance is the greatest reward we can give to ourselves. We cant control our lives but we surely can control our attitude towards life. At the end of the day, it is how we survive our challenges that matters most. Know more about me and my work- @MalvikaIyer #SheInspiresUs pic.twitter.com/T3RrBea7T9 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2020 Earlier in the day, Chennais Sneha Mohandoss became the first woman achiever to share her story through Prime Minister Narendra Modis social media account. Mohandoss is the founder of FoodBank-India, an initiative to fight against hunger. I feel empowered when I do what Im passionate about! I wish to inspire my fellow citizens, especially women to come forward and join hands with me. I urge everyone to feed at least one needy person and contribute to a hunger-free planet, Mohandoss tweeted out from PMs account. Earlier in the day, the prime minister posted his greetings on the occasion of International Womens Day and said that he is signing off for the day to let seven women achievers share their life journeys through his social media accounts. Up to 100 staff at Cork University Hospital are now in self-isolation as a result of a case of coronavirus identified in a patient there last week. Initially when the case was identified, 60 staff were told to self-isolate. However, the HSE has now confirmed that number is closer to 100. Outpatient appointments will be reduced/rescheduled at CUH from today (Mon) to Wednesday inclusive as part of ongoing infection control measures. Patients who will not be impacted and who are to attend as usual include persons who travel to the hospital for dialysis, the dressing and warfarin clinics, endoscopy, cystic fibrosis appointments, infusions and for chemotherapy and radiation therapy All other appointments are being rescheduled, unless patients are directly contacted by the hospital to attend their scheduled appointment. Surgeries will proceed as normal unless patients are contacted by the hospital and advised otherwise. CUH has apologised for any inconvenience this may cause to patients. Visiting restrictions remain throughout the hospital. Meanwhile, it is understood that medical staff at CUH have been asked to postpone leave until the situation comes under control. Management at the South/South West Hospital Group has also asked that members of the public explore all other options available to them prior to presenting to Emergency Departments in the city if their needs are not urgent. The measures come following the identification of coronavirus in a middle aged male patient at CUH. Authorities in Cork have been unable to explain how the patient contracted the virus making it the first community transmission of the disease. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has been told by the HSE that there will be "no barriers" Read More: The INMO said that all processes required to appoint nurses on panels and awaiting appointment will now be expedited. On Friday, it was confirmed that a healthcare worker was among five new cases of coronavirus in Ireland. The healthcare worker is a woman in the south of Ireland and her case is associated with a close contact with a confirmed case, the National Public Health Emergency Team said. The National Public Health Emergency Team met on Saturday to consider guidance from the Expert Advisory Group on managing healthcare workers who are close contacts of a confirmed case. Dr Cillian de Gascun, chair of the Expert Advisory Group, said: "There is a risk to patients of acquiring Covid-19 from an exposed health care worker. "However, if a health facility cannot be staffed safely to provide critical services, then the following guidance to mitigate risk will assist: Health care workers who have had close contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19 and have developed symptoms should be excluded from work. "Health care workers who have had close contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19 and have not developed symptoms, and are deemed to be essential workers, may work, provided they observe strict adherence to infection prevention and control precautions, and undergo twice daily active monitoring by occupational health, for 14 days after contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19." Dr Colm Henry, chief clinical officer in the HSE, said: "Healthcare workers are at the frontline of this virus outbreak. "The Department of Health and the HSE are equally dedicated to protecting and supporting this vital group of people, along with ensuring patient care." The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr John Sheehan, has urged the public not to panic in the face of developments in the city and to take simple precautionary hygiene methods. Useful information The HSE have developed an information pack on how to protect yourself and others from coronavirus. Read it here Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus who has been in close contact with a confirmed case in the last 14 days should isolate themselves from other people - this means going into a different, well-ventilated room alone, with a phone; phone their GP, or emergency department - if this is not possible, phone 112 or 999 and in a medical emergency (if you have severe symptoms) phone 112 or 999 "People (who are worried about symptoms) should ring their GP. They shouldn't go up to A&E and they shouldn't go to the surgery. The full confirmation for coronavirus takes 48 hours but they get an idea much faster. Ordinary handwashing is as good (as sanitisers.) Soap and water works as well. Ordinary hygiene methods such as using your elbow when you are coughing. Disposing of the tissues. People should refrain from hand shaking. All the ordinary measures." Persons with concerns about COVID- 19 can contact the national helpline on 1850-24-1850. Information will continue to be available at www.HSE.ie/coronavirus One year after losing his wife in the Boeing Co. 737 Max crash in Ethiopia, its the lack of information about what happened that is prolonging Bayihe Demissies grief. This week, more than 500 family members of victims of the disaster will gather at the crash site outside the capital, Addis Ababa, to commemorate the first anniversary of the tragedy. As a families representative, Bayihe, 35, will seek to console many who are still waiting for answers about what brought down the Ethiopian Airlines Group flight moments after takeoff, killing all 157 people on board. It is not the money that heals you, Bayihe, a father of a two-year-old boy said in an interview, while sobbing intermittently. What the families want is clear information. Few answers Boeing provided $100 million to help the families and communities of those affected by the Ethiopian crash and an earlier disaster a Lion Air flight operating a 737 Max jet carrying 189 passengers and crew that plunged into the Java Sea in 2018. In both cases, the safety of the plane came under scrutiny and led to the grounding of the entire fleet. To date, relatives of more than 300 of the crash victims have received payouts of $144,500 per family, according to Kenneth Feinberg, the U.S. lawyer hired by Boeing to handle the distributions. For answers about why the plane went down, the families may wait a while longer. Ethiopian authorities plan to release an interim report this week that excludes information from a lot of investigations that are continuing, Amdye Ayalew, the nations chief crash investigator, said on Feb. 21. That means the statement will likely lack comprehensive findings about the roles played by Boeing, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration or Ethiopian Airlines in the disaster. Investigators have tentatively concluded that the planes design caused the crash, Bloomberg reported on Friday. Boeing is working to return the 737 Max to service as soon as mid-year, and try to resuscitate what was once the companys bestselling jet. The FAAs reputation is at stake as the main certifying body for the 737 Max. After the Indonesian crash was followed less than five months later by the one in Ethiopia, airline safety agencies from Europe to Asia broke ranks with the FAA and grounded the plane rather than wait for the U.S. to act. Boeing declined to comment on the Ethiopia report when contacted. Hub plan The matter is as sensitive in Ethiopia, where the government has built its airline into Africas most-consistently profitable carrier and now aspires to develop a larger aviation hub. Ethiopia has vehemently defended its pilots as investigations continue. In January, Ethiopian Airlines chief executive officer Tewolde GebreMariam said the government plans to start building Africas largest airport within six months in Ethiopia at a cost of $5 billion. That would catapult Ethiopia into a global league, with capacity greater than London Heathrow, Europes busiest airport, and Dubai International, the worlds No. 1 for international flights. The interim statement will build on a preliminary crash report released 3 1/2 weeks after the Ethiopian crash, and eventually will be supplanted by the final report. In the first review, investigators found the pilots were confronted by a cascade of malfunctions and alarms, seconds after the flight left Addis Ababa. Added to the questions the victims family members have about the crash is the fact that some of them have yet to receive pledged financial assistance. Families fund Ibrahim Mohamed from Kenya, which lost 32 citizens in the Ethiopia crash, is among those who havent received payment. As a result hes not sure how he will support his last-born son who completed high school last year. Mohameds elder son, Abdullahi Ibrahim Mohammed, was the familys breadwinner. He died on the flight that was to bring him home to Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. That was the last leg of a trip from Saudi Arabia, where the 36-year-old worked at a dairy. Mohammeds three children are now supported by two uncles who work in Dubai and Qatar. My sons buy food, medicines and cater for my treatment, said Mohamed, who previously worked as a driver at a community Islam school. He didnt say how much he expects to receive. Families of each of the 346 victims of the Indonesian and Ethiopian crashes have been located, according to Feinberg. Funds from the $50 million pool for families are separate from any money obtained through personal injury claims against the plane maker. More than 100 lawsuits have been filed against Boeing for its role in the tragedies. The logistical challenge of finding families scattered across 35 countries, subject to different secular and Sharia law, has complicated the process of determining rightful heirs, said Feinberg. How do you decide among competing heirs? How do you determine the money is safe so that it doesnt get diverted to some foreign bank account? Feinberg said by phone. These were the daunting legal issues. Community projects Feinberg and his longtime associate, Camille Biros, are starting work on distributing another $50 million that Boeing has set aside for the communities affected by the accidents. Gaining consensus wont be easy. Over the next 10 months or so, his goal is to make sure the money goes to programs that will provide a lasting memorial to those who perished in the accidents, he said. Mohamed is among the four relatives per family of the 157 ET302 flight victims expected in Ethiopia for the commemoration. There, he will meet with other families, including Bayihe, who will be at the forefront of not only trying to ensure pledged assistance is given, but also asking questions on what caused the disaster. We are still expecting information from the report, said Bayihe. For us, the more we stay in the process, the more it pains us. A Brisbane family is "absolutely heartbroken" and searching for answers after a three-month-old girl died in hospital after she was found unconscious in a Brisbane home on Saturday. They have also called out social media trolls who have been making "disgusting comments" after police launched a homicide investigation into the baby's death. Police and paramedics who were called to a disturbance at a house on Handford Road in Zillmere about 6am on Saturday found the infant unresponsive. She was taken to Prince Charles Hospital, where she later died. Two days after the Centre set up a Delimitation Commission to fix boundaries of the Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies in J&K, the National Conference on Sunday said the exercise should be conducted impartially, while the National Panthers Party advocated for more seats in Jammu region. "Our party believes in democracy and upholding democratic values. Though the delimitation was supposed to take place in 2026, the process has been initiated and we do not have any objection to it," NC provincial president Devender Rana said here. He, however, added that the exercise should be carried out as per the law and in an impartial and flawless manner to benefit people who are the real fountainhead of a democracy. Rana said his party would continue to work to strengthen democracy in the Union Territory. "We all need to raise above political interests and work together to strengthen unity among the people and between various regions. We must all work for the welfare of the people and mitigate their sufferings and ensure peace, prosperity and development in Jammu and Kashmir," the NC leader told reporters here. The government on Friday constituted a Delimitation Commission, to be headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai to fix boundaries of the Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies of J&K and the northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland. Delimitation is the process of fixing boundaries of legislative bodies in the country. According to section 60 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, "...the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall be increased from 107 to 114...." Out of these 24 seats are in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. So effectively, the seats will go up from 83 to 90. Referring to the initiation of delimitation process, Chairman JKNPP and former J&K minister Harsh Dev Singh on Sunday said it would be meaningful only if the assembly and Parliament seats for Jammu region were increased. "The demand for delimitation had been persistently raised by NPP besides other civil society groups in view of a highly biased treatment doled out to Jammu region in the matter of allocation of seats. "While Jammu region with a geographical area of 26,293 square kilometers had been assigned merely 37 Assembly seats, 46 seats in the assembly had been allocated to Kashmir region with an area of 15,953 square kilometers," Singh pointed out. "In Kashmir region, the average size of an assembly constituencies was 346 square kilometers as against an average size of 710 square kilometers for a Jammu region assembly constituency. Likewise the Kashmir region had been allocated three parliamentary seats as against two such seats for Jammu region," Singh said. He said the disparity in seats needed to be removed by assigning due share to both regions of the Union Territory. Likewise, the BJP's promise in its vision document for providing at least eight out of 24 seats reserved for the POK to migrants of that region settled in Jammu too needed to be fulfilled, he demanded. Seeking early conclusion of the delimitation process, Singh hoped that the aspirations of Jammu's people for a fair deal in political power would be duly honoured in a time-bound and transparent manner. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kelso School Board will hold another work session at 4:30 p.m. Monday on school boundaries to accommodate shifts caused by the opening of a new Lexington Elementary School in 2021. The workshop will be held at Coweeman Middle School before the boards regular meeting at 6 p.m. A committee of PTO presidents, teachers, community members and school officials have been re-examining school boundary lines since October. Their goal is to affect as few students as possible, even though the opening of the new Lexington school means the district will shut down Beacon Hill and Catlin elementaries. During its regular meeting, the board will consider an number of policy adjustments. An updated service animals policy would restrict the definition of a service animal to be a dog or miniature horse trained to perform tasks related to the persons disability. Under the new policy, emotional support or companionship animals will not be allowed in school. An updated policy on homeless students simplifies language and establishes the principal of each school as the contact point for homeless students. A revised opioid overdose reversal policy calls for the district to keep opioid reversal medication on hand to align with new state laws. Under the policy, Kelso High School and Loowit High School would have at least one dose of the medicine and have a staff member or nurse trained to administer the medication. The word minor in the policy on the use of tobacco nicotine products and delivery devices will be changed to any person under twenty-one years of age, to align with new state law. In other business, the board will hear a presentation on Coweeman Elementary School achievement and a first reading on an update for a graduation requirements policy. The update allows students to get one science credit if they pass the state science a ssessment. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. This season of Bigg Boss was one of the toughest and the longest in the history of TV in terms of content and controversies. This also meant that fans found their hits and misses in their favourite contestants. The winner Sidharth Shukla who crossed various hurdles to emerge as the winner is currently riding high on the winner tide. When the TV actor is not being papped on the streets of Mumbai, hes being pinned as the true love of fellow contestant Shehnaaz Gill, who was very vocal about her love for him. On occasion of International Womens day, Sidharth spoke to the lovely people running The Official Humans Of Bombay and shared a candid confession about his mother. The actor spoke about how the hardest part of enduring the time period inside the reality show set was not the struggles but the fact that he had to stay away from his mother for such a long spell of time. He opened up about how his mother single-handedly ran the house with limited finances after the demise of his father and never stopped being his biggest cheerleader ever, something that doesnt surprise us because mommies are basically magical beings filled with love. He, in fact, owes it to his mom for being a successful TV actor today. He mentioned that since he was always a naughty kid putting up an act, his mother forced him to participate in a modelling contest which he surprisingly won and eventually found his calling in life. Mothers are angels who make us believe in love and besides being his biggest cheerleader, she is also a typical mummy who scolded her son when she saw him after three months on the show and asked him to stop wearing shorts. I guess his fans are now a bigger fan of his mother than Sidharth himself now! I'll admit to having been a CBD denier. I dismissed it as a bullshit trend; the second-most overrated after kombucha. The variety of products I'd tried always left me feeling somewhere between slightly nauseous and groggy. And mentally dull. It didn't seem to matter what form the product took, or which sort of extra bells and whistles had been added to "enhance" the oil. Add to that the dizzying variety of distinctions: hemp extract vs. hemp seed oil, full-spectrum vs. broad-spectrum, oils vs. tinctures, the addition of terpenes, the claims of "sustainably grown," "lab tested," and "pure," and, most maddening, the all-over-the-map price points that make no clear sense. Reading ingredient labels left me further confused, but more determined to sort it all out. I wanted something simple, but my standards were high. A Google search for "organic CBD drops" was a rabbit hole of false leads and dead ends. So I created my own filters, and after researching about a trillion oils, winnowed down the options from there. Filter #1: Organic If I opt for organic vegetables, why shouldn't my CBD oil rise to the same standards? This one simple step eliminated all but a handful of products. Filter #2: Purity I wanted plain CBD oil drops, not a Wiccan brew of essential oils, spices, and exotic immunity boosters preserved in alcohol. Furthermore, I'm a grown-up, I don't need my CBD oil to taste like a candy cane or an orange popsicle, and I couldn't find any good reason why it should contain another ingredient besides its carrier oil. Coconut-derived MCT oil is the popular go-to of the industry; it's quickly-absorbing and easy to digest, and pretty much tastes like nothing. Works for me. Filter #3: Price point This part was shocking; price points have little bearing on quality. I saw prices vary as much as fifty bucks between products that for all intents and purposes, were virtually the same. Some of the more expensive ones had prettier bottles or cooler-looking labels, but were actually of inferior quality to some of the cheaper brands. Filter #4: A little help please! I needed word from an entity who knew more than I did. I looked at several "Top 20" lists online, but a lot of those sources were dubious, and literally none of the selections on the lists I saw passed the filters I had set. In the end, CBD Validator was my go-to: "the first and only independent, unbiased and easy-to-use tool that rates CBD oils using a 50-point proprietary rating system based on source, price per dose, safety, quality, and transparency." From there, it was a short walk to their highest-ranked oil. Sitting at #1: Bravo Botanicals. Bravo's oil met all my criteria, and at only $30 for a 500 mg bottle, they also KO'd their competitors on price. Certified USDA and Vermont Organic, full spectrum, subtle flavor, and only two ingredients, but the proof was in the dropper. After putting it to the test I'm here to say that Bravo Botanicals CBD drops are nothing short of bliss in a bottle. But that needs some qualifying. Fortunatelyat least at this stage in my life, knock woodI don't suffer from many of the conditions CBD oil is said to remedy; seizures, chronic pain, inflammation, or anxiety. I wanted to know how it effected sleep, stress/irritability, and focus. I can't speak to other factors. Sleep: I am not, by nature, an early riser. But I aspire to be one. An intermittent pattern of waking bright-eyed, mind racing, at 4:00 a.m. doesn't do me any favors, and by the time I get back to sleep, it's time to wake, and my whole day is lost to a foggy drag. I wanted to know if CBD drops could get me to sleep, and keep me sleeping through the night, without the next-day hangover I've experienced with over-the-counter sleep aids. Bravo's drops passed the test. Without changing any other aspect of my routine, I'm weeks in, and have not once seen the dreaded digits "4:00" glowing in the darkness of my bedroom. It was a complete turnaround. Stress: What if, I thought, the Bravo dropper helped get me through those days when there just aren't enough hours. Could CBD oil really quiet the drumbeat of a work-related panic? Evidently, yes. But it wasn't like a two-martini lunch. I wasn't bleary-eyed or slurring my speech; I could function. But on those days when life felt like a runaway train, I was unflappable, I stayed on track, and I enjoyed the ride. Focus: See above. This was something that especially concerned me, because I wasn't willing to trade my short-term memory for a sense of calm. In the end, I found that this wasn't a factor. In fact, with the reduction in stress, my focus improved. It was a win-win. I learned that there are some obvious distinctions I had never considered about CBD, like the way the plants are grown and the method by which the oil is extracted. Bravo is a no plow, no till, organic farm, that boosts its soil's beneficial microorganisms with biological compost teas. They use only subcritical CO2 extraction to process the plant, which means their product is never touched by ethanol or alcohol, and it's free of chlorophyll and residual plant waxes. As I later discovered, these are not common industry practices., and I do believe it makes a difference. Side effects? None that I've noticed. Do I use the drops every day? No. And my sleep pattern has seem to reset, for now. But should I find myself waking to the dreaded "4:00," there to remind me that, no, I won't get right back to sleep, and yes, the entire rest of the day is a is going to be an unqualified wash, I'll know where to turn. The Senate had mixed emotions in the past week as lawmakers tackled issues of national importance. These emotions include fear, anger and worry as they discussed the rapid spread of coronavirus across the world including Nigeria, as well as the foreign loan request by President Muhammadu Buhari, among others. Below are some major discussions at the Senate last week: Tuesday: * The Senate deliberated on a bill that will compel the president to reflect federal character in the appointment of military chiefs. The bill, titled Armed Forces Service Commission (Est, etc) Bill, 2020, was sponsored by the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe. * Nigerias health minister, Osagie Ehanire, visited the leadership of the Senate after plenary. He briefed the lawmakers on the state of the patient of the coronavirus discovered in the country as well as the ministrys level of preparedness and efforts to tackle further spread of the disease. Wednesday: * A bill that seeks to establish an Electoral Offences Commission scaled second reading at the Senate on Wednesday. The bill, sponsored by Borno senator, Abubakar Kyari, proposes deterrence and sanctions for anti-democratic acts in the electoral environment. * In the same vein, a bill that seeks to establish the South West Development Commission (SWDC) scaled second reading at the Senate. The bill is sponsored by Ogun senator, Ibikunle Amosun. * The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, visited the temporary isolation centre for victims of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Abuja. While he described the centre as a sorry sight, he wondered why not a single room was yet to be complete to be called an isolation centre in Abuja and the North Central. Thursday: * There was disagreement over the $22 billion external borrowing request by President Buhari when the lawmakers were considering it. While some lawmakers wanted the report to be considered part by part, Mr Lawan did not want that. The disagreement forced the senators to embark on a closed-door session which lasted for over 40 minutes. * The Senate, thereafter, approved the request. * The Senate approved N346.3 billion as the 2019 budget for the Niger Delta Development Commission against the N409 billion proposed by Mr Buhari. The approval came a day after the House of Representatives approved the same figure. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the probe into the murder of gangster Munna Bajrangi inside Bagapat district jail July 9, 2018 allegedly by another criminal Sunil Rathi, official said. The CBI will probe a larger conspiracy including the role of the jail administration and why Bajrangi was brought to the Baghpat jail just 12 hours before his murder. Last month, the Allahabad high court had directed the CBI to probe the murder on a petition filed by Munna Bajrangis widow Seema Singh. It also asked the CBI to file a progress report of the investigation into the case by the next date of hearing on April 20. Bajrangi, whose real name was Prem Prakash Singh was shot dead inside Baghpat jail barely a week after his wife Seema Singh addressed a press conference in Lucknow accusing the Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police of hatching a conspiracy to murder her husband. Bajrangi was shifted to Baghpat from Jhansi jail around 9:30 pm on July 8, 2018 for an appearance in a local court the next day in an extortion case on. He was shot at 6:20 am when the prisoners were being served tea. Four jail officials were suspended after the murder left the government and the police department red-faced. Bajrangi was an accused in multiple cases of murder, attempt to murder and extortion. He was the key accused in the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai and seven of his supporters in Ghazipur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh on November 29, 2005. The lawmaker and his supporters were killed in an audacious attack on his motorcade. Bajrangi had been in jail since January 2009 following his arrest in Mumbai. But even while he was in jail, the gangster allegedly operated an extortion racket with help of his aides. Erik Prince, a security contractor who has ties to the Trump administration, recruited former spies to infiltrate liberal groups, reports to the New York Times. The founder of the private military contractor Blackwater has been hiring British and American spies to carry out operations, including infiltrating a Democratic congressional campaign and a labor organization. The apparent goal? Get information that could be used against the groups that are seen as hostile to President Donald Trump and his agenda. One former MI6 agent that was recruited by Prince helped run an operation at the Michigan office of the American Federation of Teachers.* The former agent, Richard Seddon, directed the undercover operative to record leaders of the union and gather information that could hurt the organization if made public. That same operative later infiltrated the congressional campaign of now-Rep. Abigail Spanberger. The campaign fired the operative when it realized what was going on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both of these operations were carried out by Project Veritas, the conservative group that calls itself a news organization and is known for carrying out stings on media outlets, Democrats, and other groups. Seddons role is detailed in emails that are part of a lawsuit between Project Veritas and the American Federation of Teachers, which is asking for more than $3 million in damages. The union is accusing Project Veritas of being a vigilante organization which claims to be dedicated to exposing corruption. It is, instead, an entity dedicated to a specific political agenda. Project Veritas claims its activities are protected by the First Amendment. The Times obtained documents that showed Prince apparently became interested in using former spies to train Project Veritas employees in skills to conduct their undercover work. James OKeefe, who heads up Project Veritas, declined to answer questions on the groups ties to Prince, who is the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and has been an informal adviser to White House officials at certain points of Trumps presidency. Drugmakers are racing to find treatments and vaccines for the new coronavirus, but crossing the finish line would mean bucking a long and discouraging historyand it may not pay off. The pharmaceutical industry says its up to the task of getting therapies to market quickly. At a White House meeting with President Donald Trump this week, executives from some of the worlds biggest drug companies said they were making progress. Antiviral medicines could be available in months, they said, with a vaccine by next year. Get it done, Trump said. We need it. The history isnt encouraging. Over the past two decades, two other deadly coronaviruses have leapt from animals to humans, an Ebola outbreak killed more than half of those it infected, and a wave of Zika infections harmed babies before they were even born. Pharmaceutical companies spent billions trying to protect the most vulnerable from those pathogens, but were left with little to show for their efforts. Theres no guarantee coronavirus will be different, but scientists worldwide have been moving fast. Researchers in China quickly provided its genetic sequence, giving other scientists a faster start in the hunt for treatments and vaccines. More than 200 clinical trials in China are testing everything from drugs first developed for HIV and the flu to antibody-containing plasma from recovered patients. There are more than 90,000 people infected and 3,000 dead worldwide from the virus, which broke onto the world stage less than three months ago. Alongside the puzzle in the laboratory exists another problem: Translating the effort into treatments that can quell the outbreak and yield a return on the companies investments. Stocks of drugmakers and biotechnology companies have racked up big gains on the hope that the industry will see a windfall from treating Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. Moderna Inc, the maker of the lead vaccine candidate and one of the most notable winners in that rally, has surged 50% in just a few weeks. Gilead Sciences Inc. has seen its market value swell by $17 billion since the outbreak began on hopes its antiviral drug will be a viable treatment. Those bets are being placed despite caution flags from history. One Ebola vaccine that took years to develop isnt expected to turn a profit. Another heralded Ebola drug, Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc.s ZMapp, hasnt made it out of the lab. A test and vaccine for Zika found few takers. In 2009, vaccines for swine flu were developed at breakneck speedbut not fast enough. That outbreak quickly waned, and countries that had placed large orders with drugmakers like GlaxoSmithKline Plc broke their contracts. The most significant obstacles to getting viable therapies to market are likely to be timing and the global extent of infection. In the case of SARS, the virus spread fast for nine months but then burned itself out, thanks in part to aggressive efforts to stop its transmission. Researchers are feeling the pressure as the outbreak swells, realizing the importance of their role as the urgent needs of patients with no options clash with the often slow and stepwise-pace of science. Bloomberg A global crisis demanded an international response and that is reflected in the exhibitions final roster, a diverse group that includes the Syrian artists Yara Said and Moutaz Arian, Reena Saini Kallat of India, Candice Breitz of South Africa, Ai Weiwei of China, and others. In all, 12 artists will fill the 18,000 square feet of exhibition space at SITE, New Mexicos most prominent contemporary art museum. The contributors are bonded by a similar theme the plight of humans on the move but their storytelling methods vary. Some contributors explore personal experiences in their work, such as the muralist Guadalupe Maravilla, who migrated as a child from El Salvador to the United States in the 1980s during the Salvadoran civil war. Others take a more detached and journalistic approach. The Irish artist Richard Mosse, for example, will show stills from his three-channel video installation, Incoming, which used aerial images captured with the same thermal, surveillance-camera technology militaries employ to track enemy activity on a battlefield. His haunting images, reduced to monochromatic shades, document the actual movement and encampments of human beings as they migrated from North Africa and the Middle East. Another wide-angle approach comes from Ms. Kallats Woven Chronicle, a 50-foot-wide map of the world drawn with electrical cables; the piece has been shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The map articulates the shape of all seven continents in bright colors but overlays them with numerous additional wires designating major migratory routes over the centuries. In this artists view of the planet, all of humanity is connected into a complicated web, woven by journeys across land and sea. The electrical wires are a metaphor, acting as both conduit and barrier, she said in an interview. On one hand, they serve as channels of transmission and yet, on the other, their linear formations evoke barbed wires or different kinds of fencing. Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters ROMEThe Italian government has approved an unprecedented decree that will block all unnecessary movement of nearly 16 million people to try to stop the rampant spread of the novel coronavirus. The decree applies to more than a dozen provinces in extended red zones in the north of the country. Anyone defying the order will be subject to criminal charges. This draconian measure comes after Italian civil protection authorities reported an increase in cases from 4,636 to 5,883 across the entire country in a 24-hour period between Friday and Saturday. Deaths also increased during that time from 147 to 233. Italy Is Headed for Multiple Coronavirus Disastersand Maybe a Baby Boom The decree limits all movement, with very few exceptions, into and out of the northern region, which includes the cities of Venice, Milan, Parma, and Modena. It is unclear what will happen to foreign nationals and tourists still in those areas. A draft of the decree was leaked to the Italian press hours before Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed it in the early morning hours, causing a mass exodus by road and rail from the affected area. Several flights reportedly were allowed to leave from both Milan and Venice, adding confusion to an already chaotic situation. We are facing an emergency. A national emergency Conte said at a press conference around 2 a.m. after an emergency cabinet meeting ended. This is the moment of self-responsibility. Schools and many businesses have been closed in the north since Feb. 21, when the number of cases of COVID-19 in the country grew from just three in Rome to nearly 1,000 in Lombardy and Veneto provinces in under a week. The decree also extends the closure of schools in the northern red zones to at least April 3 and aims to shut down all gyms, theaters, museums, bars, clubs and churches. Some coffee bars and restaurants will be allowed to remain open on rotation if they can ensure that people are seated a meter, or a little over three feet, apart from each other. Story continues Last Thursday, the Italian government also closed schools and universities across the entire country until at least March 15 and ordered that public gatherings could only be held if people in attendance could maintain a distance of one meter from one another. The government also recommended that anyone over the age of 65 stay indoors, and that everyone refrain from touching or air-kissing as a form of greeting. The new decree also extends some restrictions across all of Italy, including the closure of cinemas and theaters, nightclubs, bars and museums, as well as famous sites like the Roman Colosseum. Churches are open across the country but weddings and funerals have been suspended. Anyone who has tested positive with the coronaviruseven if asymptomaticis required by law to remain at home. It is as yet unclear how the authorities will be able to enforce these measures. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The Philippine government will investigate an explosive claim made by Senator Panfilo Lacson that thousands of Chinese soldiers are currently in the country conducting an unspecified immersion mission, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a Malacanang Palace presser today. Lacson yesterday told Senate reporters that he received unvalidated information that up to 3,000 members of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) are in the Philippines, though he did not disclose the source of the allegations, nor did he provide any idea as to the purpose of the purported mission. Lets validate this [information], this is not confirmed and I urge the intelligence community to confirm, Lacson said in English and Filipino. Maybe theyre in an immersion mission, were not sure. For what purpose, we are not sure. Responding to the allegations, Panelo said that it was likely that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is already investigating Lacsons claims, which he branded as mere speculation. Im sure the AFP is already validating that, given that it is being reported by no less than a senator of the Republic, he said. We have to validate that first. We cannot be making statements relative to anything that is based on speculation and unverified reports. We do not want to be irresponsible in issuing a statement. We are always alarmed when it comes to national interest issues, he added. AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. told reporters in a message today that they are looking into Lacsons statement, Rappler reports. Lacsons allegation comes after a fatal Makati shooting last week in which two of the captured suspects were found to have PLA IDs in their possession. The police, however, said that the IDs appeared to be fake, as they bore someone elses name and photo. The suspects, who said they worked in a Philippine offshore gaming operation, did not explain why they had the IDs. The incident prompted another senator, Richard Gordon, to claim also without evidence that the mostly Chinese-operated gambling companies are being used to fund Chinese espionage in the Philippines, and that Chinese nationals were assuming the identities of dead Filipinos with the help of corrupt officials. This article, Govt looking into senators unsubstantiated claim of Chinese shadow army in PH, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters! Investments worth over Rs 2,000 crore, 44 expensive paintings and a dozen alleged shell firms are at the heart of ED's investigations against Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor who was arrested by the agency on Sunday on money laundering charges, officials said. The agency, official sources said, has also recovered documents that show some assets of the Kapoor family in London and the source of funds for their acquisition is now being investigated. The central probe agency that began action against the banker by raiding his upscale residence in south Mumbai on Friday is primarily investigating Kapoor, his wife and three daughters over a Rs 600 crore fund received by a firm allegedly "controlled" by them from an entity linked to the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL). The Kapoor's linked firm, DoIT Urban Ventures (India) Pvt Ltd, is alleged to have received the funds when Yes Bank had a exposure of more than Rs 3,000 crore loans to DHFL, already being probed for purported financial irregularities and diversion of funds. The bank, they said, allegedly did not initiate action to recover the NPA-turned loans from DHFL and the agency suspects that the Rs 600 crore funds were part of alleged kick backs received as quid pro quo in the firm controlled by the Kapoor family. The ED, officials said, is looking at finding the proceeds of crime during the raids conducted at Kapoor's residence and those of his wife Bindu and three daughters. It has stumbled upon investments worth over Rs 2,000 crore by the family and the active presence of about a dozen shell or dummy firms used to rotate alleged kick backs, they said. It has also stumbled upon 44 expensive paintings purchased by the family, some of which were allegedly purchased from politicians. Kapoor, 62, was arrested at the ED office in Ballard Estate in Mumbai under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after over 20 hours of questioning and he will be produced before a holiday court on Sunday to obtain his further custody. The ED, meanwhile, is also recording the statement of Kapoor's wife and daughters. The arrest of Kapoor, former MD and CEO of the private bank, comes after charges of alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement in its operations surfaced and the RBI and Union government initiated action to control its affairs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the summer of 2013, after George Zimmerman was acquitted for the death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, the Black Lives Matter movement took to the streets across the U.S. and Canada. Since then, one term floated up through the chants and out into everyday language: intersectional feminism. So, what is it? The word was originally used as a way to explain the specific oppression of Black women. Consider that race bias and gender bias are two separate issues; however, both can often be at play, creating even more oppressive circumstances. Intersectionality is the framework to describe the phenomenon of being impacted and oppressed by multiple sources, but only treated for one. Blackness is the gauge of oppression, and being a woman is an identifier of oppression on the gender continuum. Black women will always remain low on the hierarchy of nonsense that is society said Adora Nwofor, a Calgary activist, comedian and organizer of the Calgary Womens March. Today the term has been used to include all racialized women. Its a framework to understand the complex and overlapping layers of inequities that face them such as gender, race, physical ability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality and socio-economic status. To fourth-wave feminists, its foundational. It has brought society into a sharper focus. Its a constant process of learning and unlearning. If you are a feminist, you should value intersectional feminism above all else. In order to be equal we need to raise up the most vulnerable and those in the most harm, said Nwofor. Where did the term come from? The term was coined in 1989 by an American civil rights advocate Kimberle Crenshaw. She used it the term in reference to the 1976 court case Emma DeGraffenreid vs. General Motors, which involved a collective of Black women who set out to prove that they werent getting better jobs due to systemic racism. The court dismissed the womens claims. The court argued that women were getting better jobs and Black workers were also getting better jobs. The court then asserted that Black women were unable to combine their race and gender claims into one. Crenshaw unpacked the case and determined that the law had no real way to think about what happens when two identities intersect and what happens at the intersection of identity, said Janovicek. Intersectionality was a lived reality for decades before it became the term we hear today. It was something that pulled together about 30 years of black feminist thought, said Nancy Janovicek, a University of Calgary history professor. In her work Crenshaw explains intersectionality in terms of a traffic intersection. When an accident occurs, it can be caused by cars coming from one direction, or all directions. When Black women face discrimination it isnt just one factor, it can come from all directions. How should it be used? Should you use the term if youre not a racialized woman? Well that depends on who you ask and how you use it. Ive seen white men co-opt that term. That takes it out of the very important politics of oppression, said Janovicek. The history of Black womens activism is often erased in the way that people are using the term now. Janovicek describes herself as a feminist who is influenced by intersectional feminism, but said that it can be acceptable to call yourself an intersectional feminist only if you use it while acknowledging your own privilege while expressing the values of intersectionality. But some activists feel that the term should be solely reserved for Black women. It is specific to Black women. But I have always wanted to include everybody in our struggle for our humanity. We invite people to talk about feminism with humility, said Nwofor. According to Paulette Senior, CEO of the Canadian Womens Foundation, the term needs to be broader than an identity. It needs to be a way of life. Senior said that there should be a trickle-down effect from the top with intersectional feminism touching all spheres including workplaces, government, and communities. It needs to be a healing of past wounds, especially around Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, and once it is, Im optimistic we will see true equality, said Senior. Where can I learn more? Crenshaw is still an active speaker and currently has a podcast on the topic called Intersectionality Matters. She also breaks down her theory into very interesting bite-sized morsels in a much-hyped TED talk. Her book On Intersectionality contains many of her key essays including the piece that describes the pivotal court case against General Motors. The Trudeau government is set to introduce legislation Monday amending the Criminal Code to ban conversion therapy, a controversial practice that aims to change the sexual orientation, gender identity or expression of LGBTQ people. "Evidence demonstrates that this is a practice that does not work," said Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Youth Bardish Chagger. "It's destructive, it's harmful and it should not exist." During the 2019 federal election, the Liberal Party committed to bringing forward the changes in its platform, noting that the practice is "scientifically discredited." The party promised during the campaign to work with Canada's provinces and territories to ban the practice and highlighted that proposed amendments would specifically benefit minors. "When you are younger, you are often dependent on your surroundings, on your family, on whoever's around you. You cannot always make your individual choices," Chagger said Wednesday. David RIchard/Radio-Canada A pledge to ban the practice across all jurisdictions was listed in Chagger's mandate letter, and was also included in the letter for Justice Minister David Lametti. So far, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., Manitoba and Ontario have adopted measures to bar the practice from their province's health care systems. Cities including Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton have also blocked the therapy. Practice condemned by experts The Liberal government's move comes almost one year after Ottawa rejected a public plea to end conversion therapy, which is typically administered through spiritual, psychological or counselling-related interventions. In response to a petition that garnered more than 18,000 signatures urging Canada to outlaw the therapy, the federal government acknowledged the practice's harms but said governing it fell to provinces and territories. In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared conversion therapy posed a "serious threat to the health and well-being" of those affected. Story continues The Canadian Psychological Association has said it "opposes any therapy with the goal of repairing or converting an individual's sexual orientation, regardless of age." Divisions between advocacy, religious groups Taking steps to amend Canada's Criminal Code is seen as a welcome sign of progress for LGBTQ advocacy groups. In a letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from late last year, Egale Canada one of Canada's leading LGBTQ rights organizations said it was eagerly awaiting "this long overdue correction" to the code. "We intend to diligently monitor this legislative development to ensure that the legislation will be accompanied by appropriate recommendations regarding implementation," the organization wrote. "It is critical that this legislation will meet its intended effect to protect vulnerable members of our community." Thierry Laflamme/Radio-Canada But some religious groups are wary of the proposed reform. If the law is passed, Campagne Quebec-Vie, an anti-abortion organization, said it would challenge the changes in court in the name of religious freedom. "If a person feels uncomfortable with their sexual orientation, who is the government to tell them[they] have no right to change their orientation?" organization president Georges Buscemi told Radio-Canada in French. Hanna Kepka, a lobbyist with the Campaign Life Coalition, added that the legislation would mark an "unprecedented move" by the government to interfere in discussions between health-care providers and patients. "We have to be mindful that there is freedom of speech, that there is freedom for religious rights," Chagger said. "I think it's also important that we advance legislation that works to ensure that every individual can be who they are." Opposition support The main federal opposition parties appear open to the initiative, though they are waiting to learn more about the Liberal bill. A Conservative Party spokesperson said in a statement that the party would consider the proposed changes, adding that the party opposes any form of "pseudo-therapy" aimed at altering a person's sexual orientation. The NDP is supportive of amending the Criminal Code and has previously called for a nationwide plan to end the practice. The Bloc Quebecois said it is also in favour, as long as provincial jurisdiction is respected. The furore over toilet paper panic-buying has escalated with two women charged in Sydney following an alleged assault at a supermarket that was captured on video. The women, aged 23 and 60, have been charged with affray over the alleged fight at a Chullora Woolworths store on Saturday morning, sparked by an apparent dispute over toilet paper. Footage of the incident quickly circulated on social media on Saturday, showing staff intervening in a dispute between three women. The staff member can be heard urging those involved to "back off right now" from a trolley stacked with jumbo packs of toilet rolls. "I just want one pack," one woman says to another at the helm of the overflowing trolley. HUD Secretary Ben Carson, who is currently serving on President Donald Trump's coronavirus task force, declined to give details about plans for the Grand Princess cruise ship, which is set to dock in Oakland on Monday after being held off the California coast due to virus concerns. In a Sunday appearance on ABC's "This Week With George Stephanopoulos," Carson sparred with the host over the ship; there are 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19 aboard the vessel. When Stephanopoulos initially asked how the administration plans to handle the disembarking of passengers, Carson answered, "The cruise ship personnel and, as you know, the vice president [Mike Pence] met with the CEOs of major cruise ship companies yesterday. And they're coming up with a plan within 72 hours of that meeting." "The ship's docking tomorrow," Stephanopoulos interrupted. "The plan will be in place by that time," Carson said. "But I don't want to preview the plan right now." "Shouldn't you be able to do that?" Stephanopoulos asked. "I think it needs to come from a solitary source. We shouldn't have 16 people saying what the plan is, particularly when it hasn't been fully formulated," Carson said. "Well, you're the president's representative this morning," Stephanopoulos said, "but lemme move on." Although initially set to arrive on Sunday, the Grand Princess will dock at the Port of Oakland tomorrow after Princess Cruises said "further modifications of the plan are necessary that will impact the arrival of the ship." "According to Governors Office of Emergency Services, following health screenings, guests who are California residents will go to a federally operated facility within California for testing and isolation while non-Californians will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states. Crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship," Princess Cruises said in a statement. The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) said passengers will "not be released into the general public." Passengers who require acute medical treatment and hospitalization will disembark first, followed by other guests. California residents will go to a federally operated facility within the state for testing and isolation while non-Californians will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states. Of the more than 3,500 people on the boat, 1,000 are Californians. "The entire mission is centered around protecting the health of the passengers, and ensuring that when the passengers disembark, the public health of the United States, the State of California, and partner communities is protected," a statement from Cal OES reads. Federal and state officials chose the Port of Oakland for the disembarkment because it's one of the few ports that can accommodate the 951-foot-long ship. "The Port of Oakland location was the easiest to seal off, securely move passengers toward their isolation destinations and protect the safety of the public," the statement reads. MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: A full list of online coronavirus resources: Where to get your questions answered How to tell if you have a cold, the flu, or coronavirus The worst myths and misinformation about coronavirus Are the elderly at a greater risk for coronavirus complications? US Surgeon General: 'Seriously people - STOP BUYING MASKS' Kabul, March 8 : Three people were killed and another person was injured in a shooting attack in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Sunday, the police said. "Nasir Ghairat, a member of Logar provincial council, along with two of his security guards were killed and his driver was wounded following the shooting in Sayid Noor Mohammad Shah Mina neighbourhood," an official from the Kabul Police told Xinhua news agency. The gunmen fled the scene after the attack in Police District 8, southeastern side of Kabul. An investigation has been launched into the incident. Sunday's shooting attack comes after two gunmen on Friday opened fire on a gathering in Kabul from a nearby building, killing 32 people and injuring nearly 60 others before they were shot dead by security forces six hours later, reports Efe news. The Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility for the attack. On Saturday, local official and civil-society activist Hamza Ghafari was shot dead in Ghazni city. Meanwhile, no one has claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack yet The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed varsities in the country to constitute "say no to drugs" student bodies to ensure there is no usage or supply of drugs on campus. The Commission noted that drug addiction has become a major challenge in many varsities and higher education institutes with numerous cases of youngsters getting addicted to substance abuse "Constitute 'say no to drugs' student bodies in your university or higher education institution under the mentorship of faculty member. The student bodies should act as an early warning system in case any misuse or abuse of drugs is detected, by informing regulatory agencies for cutting supplies. "The student bodies should support in rehabilitation of their fellow students who are addicted to drugs, through constant communication, counselling and continued support to instill self belief and self confidence in such students," UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain said in a letter to all Vice Chancellors. "There is an urgent need to confront the problem head on and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated a national programme for drug demand reduction. A concerted plan of action bringing together narcotic bureau, NGOs and health institutions is going to be implemented from April 1," said UGC. The student bodies constituted for the purpose in universities will be financially supported by the Ministry of Social Justice through capacity building so that they can play a decisive role in the war against drugs. "The universities may organise awareness programmes through talks by health experts on ill effects of drug usage, street plays, poster making etc. The student bodies should promote concept of 'Health Promoting University' emphasising holistic health and well being of all stakeholders," the Commission said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japan's Cabinet approved a policy on Friday that enables the government to invalidate the visas of people coming from China and South Korea. The measure is among those aimed at preventing the spread of the new coronavirus. The Japanese government will cancel the visas next Monday. All foreign nationals coming from the two countries will be denied entry into Japan, if they do not have new visas. People from South Korea, Hong Kong and Macao are currently exempt from visa requirements for short-term stays of up to 90 days. But they will be required to obtain travel documents starting next week. Japanese officials are currently examining new applications carefully, and few visas have been issued to people from the two nations. The government says visas for foreign visitors who are currently in Japan will become invalid once the individuals leave the country. This policy will be in effect until the end of this month. But Japan's foreign ministry says the period may be extended. The government says it will work with China, South Korea, and other nations to implement anti-virus measures at ports of entry. New Delhi: Delhi Police on Sunday detained two suspected Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) terrorists in Okhla who were allegedly actively involved in the recent anti-CAA protests. Informed sources, meanwhile, alleged that the couple was planning to carry out suicide attacks in the country. The couple identified as Jahanzaib Sami and his wife Hina Bashir Beigh from Srinagar were detained by Special Cell of Delhi, said Pramod Singh Kushwaha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell). The police recovered electronic gadgets and incriminating material promoting jihadi thought from their possession. "A couple, Jahanjeb Sami and Hina Bashir Beigh linked to Khorasan Module of ISIS were apprehended from Jamia Nagar, Okhla. The couple was instigating anti-CAA protests," said Kushwaha. Informed sources told ANI that Sami came under scanner due to his activities on cyberspace which revealed his intention to carry out suicide attacks in the country. He was in "association with senior ISKP members in Afghanistan". He was earlier also in contact with Khurasan-based Huzaifa Bakistani (Amir of Wilaya Hind who has since been killed). During his interrogation, Jahanzaib Sami revealed that he was actively involved on various social media platforms calling on the Indian Muslims to unite and fight against the Indian establishment in protest against the CAA legislation, sources said. Meanwhile, his wife Hina was also active on pro-IS social media platforms under the name of Catijah al Kashmiri/Hannabee and played a role of facilitator in spotting talents on cyberspace and further motivating them. The Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) is grappling with the renewal of long-term lease of properties under its jurisdiction, three months after the lapse of a December 2019 deadline set by the ministry of defence to renew the properties. As of now, nine of a total of 65 leased properties within PCB limits, for which renewal proposals were under process, have been renewed, said Amit Kumar, chief executive official, PCB. According to PCB officials, it is mandatory for property holders within Cantonment limits to renew leases. In the absence of renewal, paperwork and necessary documentation, persons residing in the said properties are liable to be declared illegal as per the Cantonment Act, 2006. There are 65 leased properties in PCB limits. Nine properties have got their renewals. The renewal of 51 properties is pending at different stages with the administration. The remaining five lease holders neither applied for lease renewal, nor did they respond to our correspondence seeking renewal. We have since recommended termination of their leases to the principal director of defence estates, said Kumar. According to officials of the defence estates department, requesting anonymity, the ministry was likely to extended the deadline to facilitate the renewal of licences for property holders. Kumar further said, Ninety per cent of the leased properties are residential. The rest are either commercial or residential-cum-commercial units. The lease holder normally applies to the PCB for (lease) renewal at the end of the earlier (lease) term, after which the PCB officials conduct an on-site verification of the property to find out if there instances of any violation of the lease terms and conditions. The site supervisor is expected to prepare a report with its recommendation as per the guidelines of the Cantonment Act, 2006. The report is then sent to the office of the principal director of Defence Estates, which has certain powers to act on the PCBs recommendations. In cases where the matter is beyond its purview , those cases are referred to the director general of defence estates and even the ministry of defence in Delhi. The final action is taken as per directions of the ministry of defence, said Kumar Kumar further explained that lease renewal process is time consuming and detailed. In specific cases with clear instructions from top authorities , legal notices to the lease holders will be sent by the cantonments legal cell seeking explanation for not having a valid lease agreement. If anyone misuses a leased property, like converting a residential unit for commercial purposes, then the board is empowered to take legal action against such person under the directions of Cantonment Act, 2006 and the higher authorities, he said. WHITESBORO, NY It was a very magical night for some very special young ladies and their fathers and father figures Saturday. The annual Butterfly Kisses Ball took place at Harts Hill Inn and featured dinner with an ice cream sundae bar and plenty of dancing. There were also photo booths and a special visit by some of the Disney princesses. Karla Banas, the Butterfly Kisses Ball chairperson, said the money raised from the event will once again go to the Oriskany Fire Department. It goes back into the department to do things like fire prevention, purchase equipment, and put together other events that we do throughout the year in the community. This was the 14th year for the ball. Before becoming the first woman of Indian origin to go to space, Kalpana Chawla was the sole woman in her Bachelor's in Aeronautical Engineering class at the Punjab Engineering College. Her father Banarasi Lal Chawla spoke with Firstpost in the run-up to the 8 March, International Women's Day premiere of a documentary based on Kalpana's life. Banarasi Lal Chawlas last conversation with his daughter Kalpana Chawla left him speechless. She was on board the space flight STS-107 Columbia for a 16-day mission. It would have a tragic ending when on 1 February 2003, 16 minutes prior to scheduled landing, the flight and her crew perished. Earlier on that trip, Kalpana had spoken with her parents through video conference; the Chawlas went through a lot of travel and hassle before finally making it to NASA for the call. Jaise hum rishtadar ke liye gaadi bhejte hai, tu hamare liye jahaz nahi bhej sakti thi? (Like we send a car for relatives, you couldnt send a plane for us?) he asked. Papa ek cheez dikhau? (Papa, shall I show you something?) she responded, after spending, as he recalls, almost 15 seconds laughing at his comment. Ha jee dikhao (Yes, show).' She pulled out a photograph of her parents from her pocket and showed it to him. I didnt say anything else to her. I fell quiet, Mr Chawla recalled, in an interview with Firstpost in the run-up to the 8 March, International Women's Day premiere of a documentary based on Kalpana's life. Perseverance is what Kalpana attributed her success to in a 2003 interview, before heading off on this fateful mission. There have been other factors too, like reading and exploring, that have helped widen [my] perspectives and enriched the journey, she added, about the importance of education. Before becoming the first woman of Indian origin to go to space, she was the sole woman in her Bachelor's in Aeronautical Engineering class at the Punjab Engineering College. She also had to manage accommodation, since the college did not have a girls hostel at the time, but Kalpana persevered, focused on earning her degree. At the college was a female friend studying another subject, who suddenly stopped attending classes after about two years. When Kalpana learnt of this, she went to her friends house to find out what had happened: Her friends father had lost his job and could no longer afford the fee. Kalpana then proceeded to tell the family about various government loans and grants they could apply for, managing all the paperwork for them, and making sure her friend was back in college the next day. Later, even that friend settled in America. Kalpana wanted [to ensure] that no one was uneducated, that girls especially should be educated, and be encouraged to pursue the sciences, Mr Chawla says, about his daughters vision. Whenever she had the chance to, she kept learning and teaching science. It has always been her wish that children have full freedom to study and that their parents support them as much as possible, he adds. Her belief in the power of education is evident in the mini scholarships she would offer, once she had a job and had settled into life in America. For seven years, annually, she contacted her school in Karnal (the Tagore Baal Niketan School) and invited two of their science toppers to the US. For 15 days they would stay with her. She would feed them and look after them, and take them to NASA with her, showing them around and teaching them about it. Kalpana firmly believed that the knowledge thats created through studying all this helps create a beautiful world, says Mr Chawla. Coupled with this quality of persevering was an unquenchable curiosity, nurtured by her father since Kalpana was a child. Kalpana was about three or four years old when she first saw an aeroplane. A few kilometres away from her childhood home in Karnal was a flying club, and the trainees there would fly over surrounding towns. After excitedly telling her father about her discovery that day, she asked if he could arrange for her to see the plane. He promised to try his best and a few days later, was able to take Kalpana and her elder brother there. As soon as she saw the plane parked in the garage she ran to it, and starting bombarding the pilot with questions about how it worked and how one could fly it. The pilot, seeing her enthusiasm, invited the trio into his plane and flew them around the area. Once she got off the plane, her legs wouldnt stay still, she was dancing around, was very excited, recalls her father fondly. Kalpana was also a confident decision-maker since she was a child. When her family took her to get enrolled in school at Karnal, the teacher asked for her name. Maltu, they said, referring to her pet name, not officially having named her yet. Jyotsna, Kalpana and Sunaina were the three short-listed options her elder sister offered. Excited, Kalpana chose her own name. Growing up, as this clear-headedness developed, Kalpana was sure about the things she wanted, and single-mindedly pursued her dreams. After much furore and with only five days to spare, Mr Chawla arranged for her daughters passport, visa, and tickets, to study in the US. Funding herself by working on the side, Kalpana earned her Master's in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas and later, her PhD from the University of Colorado. She then started work at the NASA Ames Research Center and in 1995, was invited to the NASA Johnson Space Centre as an astronaut candidate. And then in 1997, from 19 November to 5 December, she embarked on her first space flight mission aboard the STS-87 Columbia. One of the strangest things is that when I was about to sleep, I realised I was only aware of my thoughts. Because you are weightless you don't feel your legs or your body. In a sense then, you are just your intelligence. It's amazing you can't feel anything but your consciousness, she says about her first completed mission in a 1998 interview. Kalpana, curious, intelligent, and passionate, was also an inherently jovial person. As a child she was very cheerful, loved to play and laugh, says Mr Chawla. And as she grew up, she tried to erase all differences and discrimination around her. For her, there was no us and them. We are all one, her father says. The whole world should understand this. If we come together and work, itll be more successful and helpful to more people. The television premiere of the documentary Kalpana will be on National Geographic and Hotstar at 9 pm on Sunday, 8 March, 2020. Watch the trailer here: It couldn't occur at a worse time. Coronavirus is already slamming global oil demand and crude prices have fallen 30% this year. Italy is trying to severely limit population movement in its most important economic region for a month, one which is responsible for about 20% of the nation's economy. Put another way: economically, Italy is trying to lock down the output of California, Oregon and Washington states combined. For a month. Connect the dots. Putin reacting to Trump. The Saudis, led by Energy Minister and son of the king Abdulaziz bin Salman, reacting to Putin. And American oil and gas workers and investors are caught in the middle of this epic ego battle. It was only three weeks ago that the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Russian oil giant Rosneft for transporting Venezuelan oil. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo believes that in helping Venezuela sell oil, Russia is effectively propping up the Maduro regime. Rosneft is run by Igor Sechin, a former employee and close friend of Putin. OPEC itself was aligned on the deal, but non-OPEC member Russia said "nyet," effectively killing it. A source inside the negotiations tells me that as the two sides worked out production cut plans, in the end the "red lines weren't even close." The source added that the Russians "definitely don't want to continue to support shale" at least in part because the Rosneft sanctions were still "too raw." The move by the Saudis is both a market share grab and a loud signal to Moscow that it's done playing games. The dramatic action is in response to a contentious, and ultimately failed, OPEC meeting in Austria on Friday. OPEC members laid out a proposal to further cut oil output quotas by as much as 1.5 million barrels per day. This weekend Saudi Arabia dropped the oil bomb. It not only cut its forward crude price to Chinese customers by as much as $6 or $7 per barrel, but is also reportedly looking to raise its daily crude output by as many as 2 million barrels per day into an already oversupplied global market. Look out below. Vladimir Putin just sparked what could end up being one of the ugliest oil price wars in modern history, and American oil and gas companies may be the victims. Could that happen here in the states? Unlikely, but there is a real risk of a sharp economic hit, as travel slows and people are asked to work from home. As the world's biggest consumer, we use about 20 million barrels of oil per day. So even a small slowdown would have a huge impact on global supply and demand. Many industry people I spoke with over the weekend expect oil to open trading in the $30 dollar range, if not worse by week's end. That's very bad news for Texas, North Dakota and anyone still left invested in oil and gas stocks. Shares of Chevron are down 20% in 2020, making it the best performing energy stock in America. Most are down 30%, 40% or even 50% since January 1st. The S&P Oil & Gas ETF (XOP) is down 33% this month. The industry is facing a three-sided attack: falling prices, a move of institutional investors to divest from fossil fuel companies, and crushing debt loads. Debt is the problem. The U.S. oil and gas industry has about $86 billion of rated debt due in the next four years, according to Moody's. Nearly all of that debt is either junk rated, or rated just above junk. Fifty-seven percent of that is due in just the next two years. As oil prices fall and credit markets tighten, many companies won't be able to refinance their debts or extend maturities. Time is the only friend many companies now have. Most energy debt isn't due until 2022, so some producers may be able to hang on, hoping for a turn. But if a turn doesn't come, it will be brutal. Energy executive Dan Pickering tweeted out Friday, "Maturities are a bit further out .. 2021/2022 will be Armageddon if current environment holds through 2020." It's a greater risk than just oil. While energy stocks make up a paltry 4.4% of the S&P 500 weighting, energy related debt is 11% of the popular junk bond ETFs HYG and JNK. It makes up a big portion of corporate debt, which matters to banks both large and regional. The energy debt web is complicated and it is costly. What everyone I've spoken with over the weekend agrees on is that industry leaders have to react swiftly and strongly, cutting costs and output immediately. An energy executive, who didn't wish to be named, told me by phone Sunday that in his view, every industry CEO needs to come out tomorrow and say that they are shutting down all new drilling activity, cutting CapEx, slicing dividends and aggressively trying to reduce output. It sounds extreme, but his point was that unless U.S. production comes down by a few million barrels per day, fast, oil could easily fall into the $20s, which would crush the value of in-ground reserves that serve as the basis for so much debt collateral in the industry. Banks will realize it no longer makes sense to operate a business with hugely negative cash flow. More simply put, if we fall to $25-$30 per barrel for an extended period of time, many traders and executives I've spoken with in the past 24 hours believe that stockholder pain will only get worse, and bankruptcy lawyers will be busy. Everyone seems to have a different opinion of how this ultimately plays out. Perhaps Russia comes back to the table, spooked by the Saudi move, and prices stabilize when an output cut deal is made. Or maybe oil prices crash and many U.S. equities trade even further down. What everyone does seem to agree on is that the shale industry, its employees and its remaining investors are going to experience very sharp pain in the near term. A Capital IQ search shows that publicly traded oil and gas companies employ nearly 700,000 people. That's not including the millions more who work for private companies or in the halo of the industry. The larger risk is that this pain seeps into the broader U.S. credit markets, all at a time when the coronavirus is starting to impact the economy as well. If a few million Americans stop traveling and commuting and work from home instead, gasoline demand will plummet, putting further pressure on prices. As gas prices fall, you will no doubt hear the "lower gas prices will rescue the consumer" angle. While there is a benefit to Americans saving on gasoline, it's unlikely any amount of additional consumer savings will mitigate the damage of an entire industry facing mass layoffs and huge capital spending cuts. It's not media hyperbole to call what happened this weekend in the oil markets "historic." When the Russians walked out of OPEC's Austria headquarters, it suddenly became every country and every U.S company for itself. A race to the top in production and a race to the bottom in prices. Somewhere Vladimir Putin is looking at a map of Texas and smiling. Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis, and live business day programming from around the world. Five people of a family, including three who recently came back from Italy, tested positive for coronavirus in interim reports in Kerala, prompting authorities to put the state on high alert, health minister KK Shailaja said on Sunday. Three of the five people in the southern states Pathanamthitta district had returned from Italy last month and two others were infected after they came into contact with them. The infected people were admitted to the hospital on Friday when they complained of fever and throat infection and tested positive after a laboratory in Alleppy sent their reports on Sunday. The samples have also been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune and reports is expected to come by Sunday evening. Shailaja said the three people had failed to inform health officials about their return from Italy and warned people of stern action if they hide their travel history. They acted in a highly irresponsible manner. They have done injustice to the state and those who toil day in and out to contain the virus. People who behave like this will be dealt with sternly, the health minister said. Shailaja also said that all the five have been kept in an isolation ward in the Pathanamthitta general hospital and their condition was stable. The situation is under control. We have started tracing their contacts, PB Nooh, Pathanamthittas collector, said. Health officials said the three had returned to Kochi from Italy via Doha on February 29. Officials at the international airport in Kochi said 350 people had travelled on the Doha-Cochin QR 514 flight that day and they had handed over their details to health authorities. Thermal checking was done at the airport and they did not show any symptoms then, they added. The government has asked all people who travelled with them to report to the nearest hospitals and at least 75 of them were quarantined in their homes. Officials in Pathanamthitta have said all public functions will be cancelled in view of the latest developments. At least 25 rapid action teams were formed and doctors from neighbouring districts were also summoned. The district collector has requested people to cooperate with the government to stop the infection from spreading. Given the states high population density and mobility of people, the government is worried that any laxity could prove costly. The latest cases surfaced at a time when the state, which had reported the countrys first three cases of coronavirus in January, was being lauded for its efforts after the patients recovered. Officials said a disturbing factor in these new cases is that two of the affected are secondary infections. The state is keeping its fingers crossed as more than three million women are set to converge in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday for Attukal Pongala. It is a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Temple in the heart of the city and is considered the worlds largest congregation of women. Minister Shailaja on Sunday appealed that those who have fever or cold should not participate in Pongala. Thiruvananthapuram district collector K Gopalakrishnan has urged devotees from abroad to perform Pongala in their hotels instead. It will help contain the infection, if any, he said. The Centre has, so far, confirmed that 34 people have been infected with coronavirus across the country. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON 8.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard As primary election day, March 17, approaches in Illinois, I have been doing some canvassing for a candidate running to keep her seat as a state representative, Lindsey LaPointe. I have known Lindsey for a few years as someone who is active in our neighborhoods (before she took over as state rep), always present around local issues and trying to make life better in our little corner of the world in Chicago. Last fall I attended an event at a local park called Peace in the Preserves, and of course Lindsey was there. We fell into conversation, and as a professor at a small state university in the city, I drifted into my usual and somewhat long-winded talking points about higher education funding, pension issues, and so forth. She listened with a placid yet eager thoughtfulness and care. I could see the look of careful listening, of absorption, on her face. She was taking it all in, really wanting and trying to understand. You could tell she wanted to represent people, not just her own views and ideas. When I canvass, it is this experience and these qualities of Lindsey I talk about. Although I have some sense of her political platform, I cant say I have a complete or in any way thorough knowledge of all her platforms and views, or even how she has voted. That doesnt matter so much. What matters more is that she listens and wants to represent peoples interests and advocate for their needs to make our world better for all. Listening to people carefully with the objective of knowingand feelinghow they experience the world is the basis of empathy. Seeking to understand their needs and do good by them without harming others, that is decency. As I watch the Democratic primary narrow down to a tussle between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, I have been thinking about these terms, wondering in particular why I have seemed to gravitate toward favoring Biden over Sanders, even though I define myself as a socialist and believe in a single-payer healthcare system. It is beyond question, in my view, that our healthcare system is incredibly inefficient, with one-third of costs going to fund the bureaucracies of private insurance companies reaping billions in profits. We could reform, meaning socialize, this system and certainly find a way to fund quality healthcare for all. But thats not the point. Or, it hasnt come to be the point for me. As much as I might get a little weary of Biden talking about the death of his son as a way of connecting with peoples pain and grief, wishing he would talk more about issues and his platforms, I at least see him listening to people, empathizing with them, trying to understand them. This quality may in fact guide the development of his platforms and policies. These qualities have, in fact, become the hallmark of his campaign, even intentionally so. This quality not only differentiates him from the uncaring and often downright meanness of Trump, but it also distinguishes him from Sanders, who often comes off more as someone who wants to be right than someone who wants to figure out how actually to improve peoples lives working within the inevitable constraints of our current political arrangement. For example, at a previous Democratic primary debate, both Sanders and Warren were under fire, being asked how they would proceed on healthcare policy given that many Democrats, not to mention basically all Republicans, did not support Medicare for all. Warren gave examples of measures she could pursue immediately to expand healthcare coverage for many more Americans. Sanders simply said that he will make sure Congress passes his Medicare for all plan. His response did not seem like a serious one, by which I mean he did not come across as one who was really taking Americans suffering seriously. He was not confronting the reality of the composition of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It wasnt just a naivete. Hes been a senator for a long time, maybe too long. Rather than naivete, his response indicated a refusal to engage the political process as it is and make what progress he can to actually improve peoples lives using the power one has. Like too many on the left (and I consider myself a leftist), Sanders is more content to settle in, pleasure in, his righteousness and moral superiority, than to figure out how to work with others who dont share his views in order to address peoples dire needs. I published a piece earlier this week railing against the media and political pundits for basically rallying for a stop Sanders campaign. I argued it flat-out flew in the face of democracy. After Super Tuesday, Sanders supporters have blamed the electoral outcomes on the machinations of Democratic establishment. Seriously? What about the voters? Especially those African American voters in South Carolina that may have had more than a little to do with Bidens surge? Again, there is a refusal to listen. And the tenor of his campaign, in which I include the tenor of his supporters behaviors, reflects a lack of decency and an unwillingness to engage and listen to others respectfully. In a painful exit interview with Rachel Maddow, Elizabeth Warren clearly struggled in discussing the attacks of Sanders supporters on her supporters and campaign, and even the actual harassment of others who expressed different views, including members of the Nevada Culinary Union. So much for solidarity. Empathy means listening to people to figure out what they think their interests, concerns, and needs are, not simply telling them what is best for them. The latter is not good democratic governance or process. Policies and platforms aside, we can see why decency and empathy have become such key issues this political season. New Delhi: Former Law Minister and senior Congress leader Hans Raj Bhardwaj died after a cardiac arrest at a hospital in New Delhi on Sunday (March 8, 2020) evening. He was 83. Bhardwaj breathed his last at the Max Hospital, Saket, where he was admitted since Wednesday due to Kidney-related issues, his family told PTI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the news of the demise of Bhardwaj. "Anguished by the passing away of former Minister Shri Hans Raj Bhardwaj," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted. "My thoughts are with his family and well-wishers in this hour of grief. Om Shanti," the tweet said. Anguished by the passing away of former Minister Shri Hans Raj Bhardwaj. My thoughts are with his family and well-wishers in this hour of grief. Om Shanti: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 8, 2020 He will be cremated at Nighambodh Ghat on Monday (March 9) at 4 pm, his son Arun Bhardwaj said. He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters. A student at Oxford University has tested positive for coronavirus after returning from an overseas trip. A spokesman for the university said the student took it upon themselves to self-isolate when they showed symptoms. He added that they did not attend any university or college university or college events after they felt ill. It comes as the number of cases diagnosed in the UK hit 209 on Saturday night, after three more were diagnosed in Northern Ireland. Coronavirus - In pictures 1 /106 Coronavirus - In pictures A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" is seen on an underground station platform Getty Images Customers wearing face masks shop at the pork counter of a supermarket following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, Hubei province Reuters Westminster Bridge is deserted in London the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown PA Canadian passengers Chris & Anna Joiner ask for help onboard the MS Zaandam, Holland America Line cruise ship, during the coronavirus outbreak, off the shores of Panama City via Reuters A man crosses a nearly empty 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City Reuters The London Eye is pictured lit blue in support of the NHS, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Commuters cope with Coronavirus Jeremy Selwyn Milan's Piazza del Duomo empty AFP via Getty Images People in protective clothing walk past rows of beds at a temporary 2,000-bed hospital for COVID-19 coronavirus patients set up by the Iranian army at the international exhibition center in northern Tehran, Iran AP Martina Papponetti, 25, an ICU nurse at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo, Italy poses for a portrait at the end of her shift AP Pope Francis celebrating a daily mass alone in the Santa Marta chapel at the Vatican, as part of precautionary measures against the spread of the new coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Imag Vysheyshaya Liga - FC Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino v FC Belshina Bobruisk - Torpedo Stadium, Zhodino, Belarus, March 27, 2020 Players in action during the match despite most sport being cancelled around the world as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Hanks and Wilson both have coronavirus Tom Hanks General view of an emergency makeshift field hospital as it is set up at Pacaembu Stadium for coronavirus (COVID-19) patients with a capacity of 200 beds in Sao Paulo, Brazil Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres, work from home if possible and avoid all non-essential contacts and travel in order to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic PA Naomi Campbell catches a flight in a hazmat suit with goggles, a surgical mask and rubber gloves @naomi Sophie and Emily Ward pose for a photograph with their hand-drawn picture of rainbows and a message on their window in St Helens, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Corona virus outbreak. PA Shoppers queue outside a branch of Costco, in Croydon, south London, on the weekend after Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered pubs and restaurants across the country to close PA Charing Cross Tube Bakerloo Line very quiet at 8.15am Jeremy Selwyn A woman with a plastic box over her head on the London Underground. PA A Racegoer attend Cheltenham Festival on Ladies Day wearing a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits a laboratory at the Public Health England National Infection Service in Colindale PA A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A couple kiss in Milano Centrale railway station in Milan on March 8, 2020 AFP via Getty Images A combination picture shows visitors wearing protective face masks following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) looking at blooming cherry blossom nd a pigeon walking at an closed cherry blossom viewing spot during the first weekend after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (not pictured) urged Tokyo residents to stay indoors, in a bid to keep the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from spreading Reuters This combination photo created on March 5, 2020 shows tourists visiting Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province on March 16, 2019 (top) and on March 5, 2020 AFP via Getty Images Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump looks at the $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package bill as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Vice President Mike Pence stand by during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House Reuters A satellite image shows an empty South Beach during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Miami, via Reuters General view inside the empty stadium as the two teams line up prior to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund at Parc des Princes UEFA via Getty Images A Sainsbury's supermarket in Cambridge is among those to sell out of antibacterial hand sanitizer PA Tents and ambulances are set up next to the Princess Cruises Grand Princess cruise as it sits docked in the Port of Oakland on March 09, 2020 in Oakland, California. The Princess Cruises Grand Princess has been held from docking until today as at least 21 people on board have tested positive for COVID-19 also known as the Coronavirus Getty Images Medical staff produce traditional Chinese medicine to treat patients infected by the COVID-19 coronavirus at a hospital in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images Army soldiers wearing protective suits spray disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus at a shopping street in Seoul, South Korea AP Russian President Vladimir Putin wearing protective gear walks at a hospital for patients infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the outskirts of Moscow via Reuters A woman who has recovered from the COVID-19 is disinfected by volunteers as she arrives at a hotel for a 14-day quarantine AFP via Getty Images Passengers on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship are seen as the ship arrives at Daikoku Pier where it is being resupplied and newly diagnosed coronavirus cases taken for treatment as it remains in quarantine after a number of the 3,700 people on board were diagnosed with coronavirus Getty Images Dave Abel pictured in hospital in Japan Manchester United fans in the stands during the Premier League match at Old Trafford PA Police officers wearing masks stand in front of the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in La Caleta, in the Canary Island of Tenerife AP Carnival revellers wear protective face masks at Venice Carnival Reuters A general view is pictured of Burbage Primary School in Buxton, Derbyshire after the closure of the school as a pupil's parent has tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Images People wearing face masks walk past the Olympic rings in front of the new National Stadium, the main stadium for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Game Getty Images People leave Kents Hill Park Training and Conference Centre in Milton Keynes where Coronavirus evacuees are due to be released from quarantine today and allowed to go home PA Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA A woman wears a mask while crossing London Bridg Getty Images A general view of Worthing Hospital in West Sussex PA Passengers relax on board the Holland America-operated Westerdam cruise ship, which has been denied permission to dock in Thailand over coronavirus fears via Reuters A child waves as she sits in a vehicle carrying residents evacuated from a public housing building, following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, outside Hong Mei House, at Cheung Hong Estate in Hong Kong Reuters A woman wearing a Minnie Mouse face mask looks at her mobile phone in Beijing on February 11, 2020 AFP via Getty Images The Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, is docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia after a health alert due to a Chinese couple and a possible link to coronavirus on board, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters A patient covered with a bed sheet at an exhibition centre converted into a hospital as it starts to accept patients displaying mild symptoms of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images A medical official takes the body temperature of a man at the departure hall of the airport in Changsha, Hunan Province, as the country is hit by an outbreak of a new coronavirus, China Reuters The view of the Wuhan International Conference and Exhibition Center Getty Images A plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arrives at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire A police vehicle enters the gates of the Royal Air Force station RAF Brize Norton in Carterton AFP via Getty Images Passengers wear face masks as the push their luggage after arriving from a flight at Terminal 5 of London Heathrow Airport AFP via Getty Images French citizens arrive and settle aboard of an evacuation plane with destination southeastern France, before departure from Wuhan Airport (WUH), China AFP via Getty Images Police stand at a checkpoint at the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge that crosses from Hubei province in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, China Reuters A member of staff at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside prepares for a bus carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China PA Doctor Paul McKay, who is working on an vaccine for the 2019-nCoV strain of the novel coronavirus, poses for a photograph with bacteria containing fragments of coronavirus DNA, at Imperial College School of Medicine (ICSM) in Londo AFP via Getty Images Workers produce masks at the Thai Hospital Product Company Ltd. factory in Bangkok AFP via Getty Images Passengers wearing face masks are seen on a bus after disembarking from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship, after tests on a woman from Macau with suspected coronavirus came back negative, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters People hoard bottles of alcohol after the Philippine government confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus in the country, in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Reuters Taking precautions: with fears growing that the coronavirus will spread from China, a health official checks a womans temperature on the underground in Beijing Getty Images An empty road is seen in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on January 27, 2020, amid a deadly virus outbreak which began in the city AFP via Getty Images Students wearing masks meditate prior to a lesson at a high school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia AP Medical staff at the Wuhan Red Cross Hospital wear protective clothing to help stop the spread of a deadly virus AFP via Getty Images Staff move bio-waste containers past the entrance of the Wuhan Medical Treatment Center, where some infected with a new virus are being treated, in Wuhan, China AP Workers driving excavators at the construction site of a field hospital In Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The builders will complete the 1,000-bed hospital by February 3 to cope with the surge of 2019-nCoV patients in the city Getty Images Buddhist monks wear masks as they walk near Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodi AP A woman and a child wearing protective masks walk toward check-in counters at Daxing international airport in Beijing AFP via Getty Images An employee sprays disinfectant on a train as a precaution against a new coronavirus at Suseo Station in Seoul, South Korea AP A policeman wearing a mask walks past a quarantine notice about the outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan, China at an arrival hall of Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan Reuters Paramilitary police wear face masks as they stand guard at Tiananmen Gate adjacent to Tiananmen Square in Beijing AP The resident wear masks to buy vegetables in the market in Wuhan Getty Images Staff sell masks at a Yifeng Pharmacy in Wuhan AP Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV AP The spokesman said: We understand that students and staff may be worried about friends and family members in affected areas around the world, and our thoughts go to all those affected by this outbreak. One student at the university has tested positive for coronavirus and is being offered all the necessary support. "Public Health England has advised the University that the risk to other students and staff is very low and that university and college activities can continue as normal. We ask that all students and staff support their fellow friends and colleagues at this difficult time. Harassment and discrimination of any kind, including racial harassment, are totally unacceptable at the university. It comes as the Health Secretary has insisted the Government will do everything in its power to delay and mitigate the coronavirus threat as the number of infected people in the UK topped 200. Matt Hancock said ministers would do all we can to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, and he set out plans contained in emergency legislation to deal with the impact of the virus. Medical workers in protective gears walk into a hospital facility to treat coronavirus patients / REUTERS The Bill, which is likely to go through Parliament by the end of the month, is expected to include measures to allow some court proceedings to be conducted via telephone or video. Volunteers will also be given additional employment safeguards, allowing them to leave their main jobs and temporarily help health and social systems in the event of a widespread pandemic. Calls to the NHS 111 service have increased by more than a third compared with the same period last year, with 120,000 extra calls in the first week of March, the department said. Five hundred additional initial call responders have been trained to handle the higher demand. A patient is shielded from the rain as they are put into an ambulance in Washington / Getty Images Mr Hancock said: We will do all we can to contain coronavirus, but, as we know, Covid-19 is spreading across the world, so I want to ensure Government is doing everything in its power to be ready to delay and mitigate this threat. Public safety is my top priority. Responding to coronavirus is a massive national effort and Im working with colleagues across government to ensure we have a proportionate emergency Bill, with the right measures to deal with the impacts of a widespread Covid-19 outbreak. We plan for the worst and work for the best, and the NHS is working 24/7 to fight this virus. Calls to NHS 111 have increased by more than a third and we have already put in place 500 extra staff to help with this increase. Every person has a role to play in managing the spread of Covid-19 whether thats washing your hands more often for 20 seconds or catching your sneezes. Gov. Kristi Noem drafts bill limiting 'action civics' This legislation prohibits colleges and schools from directing, requiring or compelling students to protest or lobby as part of a grade or a class. 3 ways to see Louisiana Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Louisiana is one of those states that doesnt quite fit the mold. Yes, its a Southern state. Unquestionably so. However, Louisianas culture and history are much richer than most states, as it dates to when the French established a colony here in the late 17th century. Hence the name of Louisiana, which comes from King Louis XIV, perhaps better known as the Sun King. Control of the colony ebbed and flowed between the great European powers Britain won part of Louisiana after the Seven Years War, which also resulted in Spanish colonial authorities replacing the French in New Orleans until the eponymous Louisiana Purchase, when America under President Thomas Jefferson purchased a vast swath of the territory from Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803. This gives the Pelican State a history contemporary with the original 13 colonies. The legacy of colonialism can still be seen today. French place names are everywhere. There is the Cajun culture, which derives from the Acadians expelled by the British from present-day Canada. Louisiana French as a language was common well into last century. Last but certainly not least is the iconic architecture of New Orleans. All of this culture and history can be discovered on a road trip to the following three destinations over an extended weekend. Baton Rouge The capital city of Louisiana since 1846, Baton Rouge is a pleasant surprise. Downtown, which has experienced redevelopment in recent years, is very walkable, thanks to a growing number of hotels and restaurants. I stayed at the Watermark, part of Marriotts Autograph Collection brand. The boutique hotel opened a couple of years ago in a converted downtown skyscraper that used to house a bank and assorted other offices. The capitol building, an art deco skyscraper commissioned by infamous Gov. Huey Long, literally and figuratively towers over Baton Rouge. Other sights include the aptly named mid-19th century Old Louisiana State Capitol, which was inspired by a Gothic castle even if architecturally it resembles Strawberry Hill more than authentic Gothic Revival. A better example of Gothic Revival is St. James Episcopal Church with its perfectly elegant brick tower and interior Tiffany stained-glass windows. About halfway between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is Laura Plantation, part of New Orleans Plantation Country. The restored home, which dates to the early 1800s, is a remarkable example of the homes and working estates owned by well-to-do Creole or French-speaking, Roman Catholic families that once dotted the banks of the Mississippi River. Bayou Country I based myself in Houma, located about two hours by car from Baton Rouge and the all-but-official capital of Bayou Country. This is where you will discover Cajun folklife. My visit included a Friday in Lent, which meant the local seafood eateries were a happening place for those following traditional rules of fasting and meat abstinence. One such eatery is Cajun Critters, which serves what its name suggests. Alligators, gumbo, oysters and the freshest of seafood, thanks to Houmas proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. Speaking of seafood, I experienced firsthand Louisianas dynamic shrimp industry with Down the Bayou Shrimp Tours. Dont skip the farm-to-table or, rather, boat-to-table lunch at the onsite Kims Shuga Shack. New Orleans No visit to Louisiana is complete without a stop in the Big Easy, as New Orleans is called. Everyone goes to St. Louis Cathedral, seat of the Roman Catholic archbishop and dedicated to St. Louis IX, king of France from 1214-1270. The landmark the present cathedral was rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1788 and subsequently renovated in the 1850s faces Jackson Square. As you might guess the square is named after Major Gen. Andrew Jackson, the countrys seventh president and hero of Battle of New Orleans in 1815. Immediately next to the cathedral on the southwest side is the Cabildo. The baroque-style building, once a city hall and courthouse, today houses part of the Louisiana State Museum. Then there is the famed French Quarter. For the best glimpse into this past visit some of the residential and commercial buildings preserved by the Historic New Orleans Collection. If you go The major airlines fly to both Baton Rouge and New Orleans, though New Orleans has more flight frequencies. All of the car rental agencies are also present at both airports. Spires and Crosses is a weekly travel column. Follow @dennislennox on Twitter and Instagram. By Express News Service HONNALI: Reiterating his commitment towards protecting the interests of the farming community, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Saturday said that his government in the budget has provided the maximum support to farmers. Talking at the valedictory function of the three-day Krushi Mela in Honnali, he said that amid a financial crisis, his government has reserved Rs 5,000 crore for the lift irrigation programme, and if needed, more money will be released for irrigation projects. Floodwater during the rainy season will be lifted to fill tanks across the state so as to ensure that water is available for agricultural purposes, he said, adding, I will stand by the farmers and ensure they lead a self-reliant, empowered life, the CM said. He said the government has reserved funds for announcing the support price for agriculture. Farmers have beeb in distress since independence. We want to bail them out, therefore support prices will be provided to farmers. Yediyurappa also said there is a need to create jobs for the youth and that stress should be given to starting industries that can run using local resources. Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Deputy Chief Minister Govind M Karjol, Agriculture Minister B C Patil and others were also present. The firing of Oakland Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick has raised legitimate questions about the efficacy of the oversight on the department. Was the commission justified in forcing her ouster without a stated cause? And, perhaps even more pointedly, has the departments longtime federal monitor, Robert Warshaw, been operating with a level of fairness and transparency that the people of Oakland deserve? Those questions are likely to be at the center of a lawsuit that Kirkpatrick announced last week that she would soon be bringing against the city. But neither the Police Department nor the city its charged to protect and serve should need to wait for the resolution of that lawsuit before those issues are addressed. Kirkpatricks frustration with the federal monitor a sentiment shared by some of her predecessors as well as Mayor Libby Schaaf was spelled out in both her news conference last week and a scathing opinion piece for the Bay Area News Group. She questioned not only Warshaws lack of any current front-line understanding of the kind of modern police force he is charged with reforming but his very commitment to reform. Worse, the ever-changing mountain of bureaucracy he has instituted takes police officers off the streets and keeps them behind desks filling out forms and looking at hours of video, putting public safety at risk, she wrote, citing examples of when the monitor of shifting benchmarks in a way that makes it impossible for the city to meet them. Kirkpatrick made the serious allegation that Warshaw, who with his team costs taxpayers about $1 million annually, is motivated by a financial incentive to continue the 17 years of oversight. And how is that money spent? That is another problem with this arrangement. The Chronicle has made multiple requests to have access to the monitors itemized expenses, but William Orrick, the U.S. district judge presiding over the case, has refused to release them. Even the city that is footing the bill does not get that detail. This lack of transparency is simply unacceptable Councilman Noel Gallo announced during a news conference with Kirkpatrick that he would be going to Washington, D.C., on Thursday to make the case for Warshaws termination with members of Congress and Department of Justice officials. We would suggest that a congressional hearing would be in order and our elected representatives should demand the monitors spending records that are being denied to Oakland. There is no question that independent oversight and a push for reform was justified 17 years ago in the aftermath of a scandal involving rogue officers known as the Riders, whose criminal acts included roughing up people, planting drugs, falsifying police reports and obstructing justice while patrolling West Oakland. It was clear then that the department had neither the leadership nor the culture to police itself. Fair-minded critics of the Oakland Police Department acknowledge that its a different force today: with near-complete turnover of the ranks and a succession of chiefs, including Kirkpatrick, determined to bring the reforms to remove the yoke of federal monitoring. Its record is not perfect, as illustrated by the 2018 shooting of a homeless man and a 2016 sex scandal involving multiple officers. Passage of Measure LL in 2016 created the civilian Police Commission that was empowered to fire Kirkpatrick with Schaafs consent. Yet its entirely right to demand that the federal monitor should be held accountable to ensure that taxpayer dollars and public safety are being served. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. The Moroccan delegation attending the IES Workshop on "Independent Evaluation and National Evaluation Capacity Development", further formed part of the panel at the CCPCJ side-event on 22 May 2019, on "Best practices in evaluation and accountability in the 2030 Agenda: the experience of the Kingdom of Morocco". The side event was co-organized by the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom Morocco to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Vienna and IES, and chaired by Mr. Nordine Sadouk, Charge d'affaires, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna, and Ms. Katharina Kayser, Chief, IES. The participation of the Moroccan delegation was an opportunity to present the experience of Morocco in the evaluation of public policies related to human development as well as the progress made in institutionalizing evaluation practice. "Accountability, transparency and evaluation of public policy are paramount for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals", remarked at the opening of the Side Event Mr. Nordine Sadouk, Charge' d'affaires, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna." The new Constitution of Morocco established in 2011 the mandate to evaluate public policies, as a means of promoting transparency and accountability. Mr. El Mansouri, ONDH Secretary General, stressed that "the evaluation of public policies is a fundamental commitment for all countries willing to increase transparency and accountability vis-a-vis their citizens and meet the challenges of the 2030 Agenda. For this reason, ONDH, UNODC-IES and the University of Meknes have partnered to train a new generation of professionals in evaluation, capable to contribute both at the national and the international level to the achievement of the SDGs." "This is a valuable, tangible contribution to country-led efforts for professionalising evaluation in Morocco", pointed out Mr. Carlos Asenjo Ruiz, IES' Evaluation Capacity Development Officer. Ms. Cristina Albertin, Regional Representative, Regional Office for Middle East and North Africa, UNODC, highlighted the importance "that the UN looks for new partnerships, so that we not only work with ministries and governments but that we involve other stakeholders. In this case, the partnership with research institutions allows us to better address the evidence gap. We look forward to the results of this partnership between ONDH, UMI and UNODC." Click here for the web story. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova Women all over the world celebrate International Women's Day on March 8. Officially recognized by the United Nations in 1977, it is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political accomplishments of all women. The idea of celebration came from German activist Clara Zetkin at an International Conference of women-socialists, held in Copenhagen. The conference was attended by 100 women from 17 countries. They agreed on her suggestion unanimously. The day was first celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Today, International Women's Day is widely celebrated in many countries, including Azerbaijan. The day started to be marked in Azerbaijan since 1917. Moreover, Azerbaijan was the first country in the East that provided women with the right to vote. Today, Azerbaijani women play a major place in modern society and are closely involved in the country's political economic, cultural and other areas. The State Committee on Family, Women and Childrens Problems was established in Azerbaijan in 1998. In close cooperation with NGO Alliance for Children Rights, the committee has worked on combating domestic violence in the democratic society, an education campaign conducted among the children needed in special care for prevention of violence human trafficking, exploitation of children labor, early marriages, etc. The theme of International Womens Day 2020 is, I am Generation Equality: Realizing Womens Rights. The theme is aligned with UN Womens new multigenerational campaign, Generation Equality, which marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The theme is focused on equal pay, sharing of unpaid care and domestic work and equal participation in political life and in decision-making in all areas of life. Two more people in New Jersey have tested presumptive positive for the new coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the state to six, Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver said Sunday in a teleconference with members of the media. State officials are awaiting confirmatory testing from the Centers for Disease Control. Two healthcare workers, a 70-year-old Teaneck, Bergen County, man and a 32-year-old West New York, Hudson County, man have tested positive, said Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. Because state officials have not interviewed the two men yet, the extent of their exposure is unknown, Persichilli said. There are 27 patients under investigation in New Jersey. The first case of COVID-19 in the state was announced Wednesday. The two new cases were the only positives of a recent round of nine tests over the weekend. Of the 27 cases being followed by state health officials, one is in Camden County and two are in Cumberland County. As you can see, from North to South, the coronavirus seems to be spreading, Persichilli said. We expect increasing activity daily, if not hourly. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 23:29:59|Editor: yan Video Player Close TIRANA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Women from the civil society held a Women's Day march here on Sunday, calling for better and equal rights for all. Hundreds of participants joined the march organized by the Albanian Women Empowerment Network (AWEN) on the occasion of the International Women's Day under the theme "Women's March, Women's Year, Women's Life." The march started at Tirana Lake Hills with participants holding hand-written placards on women rights, some of which read "Women rights are human rights", "I choose to live without violence", "Love without violence", and "Here we fight patriarchy". The participants headed towards the government's institution where they joined a group of women activists calling for more institutional attention regarding the daily problems affecting girls and women in the country. According to AWEN, femicide and gender-based violence remain main concerns in the Albanian society. The march, according to the organizers, aimed to raise awareness of girls and women, boys and men, to remind everyone that "women's rights are not a luxury, they are a necessity, an obligation, and that feminism is a movement that fights for gender equality in all aspects of life." According to the study "Violence against women and girls in Albania in 2018" published by the country's Institute of Statistics in May 2019, one in three women, or 36.6 percent of women in Albania experienced violence at the time when the study was conducted. The study included 3,443 families and women of the ages of 18-74. Relatives of MH17 victims demand a fair trial to identify and prosecute those responsible In The Hague, outside the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Netherlands, relatives of those killed in the crash of the Malaysian Airlines plane flight MH17 installed 298 white chairs, symbolizing victims of the tragedy. Relatives of MH17 victims demand a fair trial to identify and prosecute those responsible, according to Deutsche Welle. In memory of their loved ones, people brought white roses and photographs of MH17 victims, putting them on empty chairs. The protesters also set up posters saying humanity is more important than politics. The memory of the victims was honored with a minute of silence. Read alsoMH17 trial: Russia's GRU tried to hinder, influence probe on multiple fronts, Dutch report says "We have been waiting for this court for more than five years. We want to know who is to blame for the death of our loved ones and the role of the Russian Federation in this tragedy," said a member of the board of the Netherlands Fund Plane Crash Piet Ploeg, who lost his brother, daughter-in-law, and nephew in the MH17 crash. UNIAN memo. A Malaysia Airlines plane flying MH17 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17, 2014, over the territory of Donetsk region occupied by Russia. All 298 people on board were killed. Most of the victims (196) are citizens of the Netherlands. A joint investigation team, which includes representatives of Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands, and Ukraine, found that the plane was hit by a missile launched from the Russian Buk air defense complex. The first four suspects in the tragedy are Russian terrorist Igor Girkin (Strelkov), Russian general Sergei Dubinsky, and terrorists Oleg Pulatov and Leonid Kharchenko. The trial in The Hague will begin on March 9, 2020. When one has a star at home, why would they go to another actor unless the script demands it? Well, that is what happened earlier this week when Kartik Aaryan went off to meet director Rohit Dhawan, his arm in a sling. Amidst rumours of Varun Dhawan dropping his next film with brother Rohit for producer Sajid Nadiadwala to do a comedy with Raaj Shandilya, Kartik met Rohit at David Dhawans office on Friday night for a brief tete-a-tete. Rohit, who has made films like Desi Boys (2011) and then Dishoom for Sajid Nadiadwala, had a closed-door meeting with Kartik, after which the Luka Chhupi actor quickly zoomed off in his vehicle. Varuns next project with Shashank Khaitaan Mr Lele has also been chucked onto the backburner, as a casualty to the actors last release Street Dancer 3D, which did not emerge a winner. Rumours immediately surfaced as to whether this would be the very script that Rohit had earlier pitched to Hrithik Roshan and then to Salman Khan before asking Varun to do the film. This is a superhero kind of a film and Kartik, who is now finally doing an action film with director Om Raut of Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, will have opened up his image from a boy next door to a star actor who can take on a variety of roles including action et al, says a Bollywood source. It remains to be seen whether Rohits film is indeed a superhero one, or is he planning to make Dishoom again as planned with Rohit and Kartik in it. Sanskriti Media To facilitate the data collection and the dissemination of information, UNODC has developed a variety of online databases dedicated to various areas of UNODC's mandates. The databases provide an easy access to laws, jurisprudence and other information on existing national practices and strategies, allowing practitioners to expand their knowledge and learn from the experiences of other countries. Sharing Electronic Resources and Laws on Crime Portal (SHERLOC) The Sharing Electronic Resources and Laws on Crime Portal (SHERLOC) is an initiative to facilitate the dissemination of information regarding the implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three Protocols. Among other features, the Portal includes a database of officially documented organized crime cases from across the world, as well as a comprehensive database of legislation, bibliographic database and the directory of competent national authorities designated under the Convention. [Go to SHERLOC] Human Trafficking Knowledge Portal The Human Trafficking Knowledge Portal, as part of SHERLOC, aims to promote the uniform interpretation and application of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol through a dedicated case law and legislation database. [Go to Portal] Smuggling of Migrants Knowledge Portal The Smuggling of Migrants Knowledge Portal, as part of SHERLOC, aims to promote the uniform interpretation and application of the Smuggling of Migrants Protocol through a dedicated case law and legislation database. [Go to Portal] Tools and Resources for Anti-Corruption Knowledge Platform (TRACK) The Tools and Resources for Anti-Corruption Knowledge Platform (TRACK) provides online access to laws, jurisprudence and information on anti-corruption authorities from all over the world, indexed and searchable according to each provision of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. It also provides a wide range of additional anti-corruption resources. [Go to TRACK] Country Profiles Database under the UN Convention against Corruption The Country Profiles Database provides access to the outcome documents of the Mechanism for the Review of Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, namely full country reports and executive summaries. The Database also contains other country-based information on the implementation of the Convention. [Go to Country Profiles] Cybercrime Repository The Cybercrime Repository is a central data repository of cybercrime laws and lessons learned, creating a space for collecting documented cybercrime cases, legislative provisions on cybercrime and electronic evidence and existing national practices and strategies. [Go to Repository] Electronic Legal Resources on International Terrorism The Electronic Legal Resources on International Terrorism is a website maintained by UNODC, providing a comprehensive and legal information on the steps taken by the international community and individual countries in the fight against international terrorism. [Go to Resources] International Money-Laundering Information Network (IMoLIN) The International Money-Laundering Information Network (IMoLIN) is a research resource in the area of anti-money-laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, maintained by UNODC. Among other features, it includes the Anti-Money-Laundering International Database (AMLID) as a compendium of analyses of anti-money-laundering laws and regulations, as well as information about national contacts and authorities. [Go to IMoLIN] Education for Justice Library of Resources Maintaining peaceful and inclusive societies requires individuals that understand and respect the rule of law. A robust education system is central to this, playing a vitally important role in instilling the shared values necessary for the rule of law in communities. Recognizing the need for easily accessible resources on rule of law topics, UNODC's Education for Justice (E4J) initiative has created the E4J Library of Resources - a comprehensive, open access database of pre-existing, relevant and age-appropriate educational materials. [Go to Resources] Global Judicial Integrity Network Resources Aiming to assist judiciaries across the globe in strengthening judicial integrity and preventing corruption in the justice sector, the Global Judicial Integrity Network Resources is a unique online resource database, containing hundreds of searchable research and analysis papers, policy documents, legal documents, codes of judicial conduct, guidelines and standards. It also provides an abundance of resource materials, including training materials and other tools. [Go to Resources] Like many of her peers, she left the country around the time of the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and settled in the West, as political conditions in Iran made it hard for artists to live and work there. While she steered clear of figuration, other artists in exile have tackled political themes by representing veiled women and religious fervor in their work. Among them is the video artist and photographer Shirin Neshat, who is based in the United States and whose retrospective just ended at the Broad in Los Angeles and opens in February 2021 at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. With the animosity between the governments of the United States and Iran now at a peak, these representations are finding a bigger platform in American museums and galleries. Joanne Heyler, founding director of the Broad, said in an email that when Ms. Neshats retrospective was in the planning stages, she hoped it would lead to a wider reflection on the history of the United States and Iran as well as on the contemporary immigrant experience. She noted that Ms. Neshat, who now works in New York, was initially based in Los Angeles, a city with the largest population of Iranians outside Iran (half a million Iranians live across the United States), and many shared the artists experience of leaving their country around the time of the revolution and the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. The events of that time were seismic and continue to impact global events, yet it is a story not well known by Americans, especially younger Americans. A 67-year-old woman, who turned down an 18,000 Injuries Board assessment for injuries she suffered in a fall, walked from court Friday with nothing other than a legal costs bill against her of potentially 30,000. Alice Jordans 60,000 damages claim against her employer, Trinity College, Dublin, was delayed for almost an hour in the Circuit Civil Court while checks were carried out on the availability of a witness on behalf of TCD where there is a confirmed case of coronavirus. Barrister Mark OConnell told Judge Kathryn Hutton there was a question about the attendance of witness Christine Monaghan due to the coronavirus outbreak but later confirmed she not affected by the outbreak and was available without issue as she worked on a different floor from where a virus victim had been identified. After the case was about half way through the hearing of evidence Judge Hutton said she had discovered the Injuries Board assessment among court documents and, as a result, would have to withdraw from the case and have it heard before another judge. Judge Jacqueline Linnane in another court had to re-hear all of the evidence, absent the Injuries Board assessment document, and on completion threw out Jordans claim. Jordan, of Belclare Grove, Poppintree, Co Dublin, told Judge Linnane she had been working with Trinity for 36 years and on 14 December 2016 had accompanied Ms Monaghan to inspect the suitability of the colleges Knowledge Exchange Room for the holding of a Christmas Party. On the way out of the room a loop in the lace of one of the trainers she was wearing had snagged on the leg of a chair, one of a stack of chairs near the exit from the room. She had fallen injuring her right arm, knee and lower back and alleged the stack of chairs was a trip hazard. Mr OConnell, who appeared with Hayes McGrath Solicitors for the college, at one stage of the proceedings invited the court to dismiss Jordans claim on the basis she had failed to prove negligence against Trinity. Judge Linnane heard all of the evidence for and against the personal injuries claimant before deciding to dismiss the case with an order for costs against Ms Jordan. I dont see how this incident could have taken place in the manner described, Judge Linnane said. The most likely cause of her fall was tripping over her own shoe lace." Amy Klobuchar had a slip of tongue when speaking to a crowd of supporters, suggesting she might be Joe Biden's pick for vice president. The Minnesota senator was speaking at a campaign rally for Mr Biden on Saturday in Michigan when she sparked the rumours. "I could not think of a better way to end my candidacy, as hard as it was to do with our beloved staff and everyone else, than to join the tick" she's heard saying to the crowd. It sounded like Ms Klobuchar wanted to say the word "ticket", hinting she could join Mr Biden as his vice president pick. People in the Grand Rapids crowd thought the same thing, and they started cheering and chanting the senator's name. Ms Klobuchar then corrected herself by saying she was going to say "terrific" not "ticket". "Guys, I was going to say ... ," she said over chants of her name, "than to join the terrific, the terrific, terrific campaign of Joe Biden." Ahead of Super Tuesday, the senator dropped out of the race to earn the Democratic nomination and endorsed the vice president shortly after. Her endorsement helped boost him in the polls and come away as the frontrunner ahead of Bernie Sanders. Mr Biden has not revealed who he will select to be his running mate, but Ms Klobuchar's name has been tossed around as a potential option for him. Senator Kamala Harris' name has also been floated around after she dropped out of the race. She endorsed his run in a statement on Sunday morning. Last fall, the vice president mentioned several possibilities, including former Georgia governor candidate Stacey Abrams and former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates. But whether he's asked anyone to officially join his ticket remains unknown. Yes Bank will need between Rs 20,000 - 22,000 crore to revive. SBI's risks will be ring-fenced with maximum exposure of Rs 10,000 crore. But most importantly, the Rs 50,000 cap on withdrawals for Yes Bank customers will be lifted well before the April 3 deadline-perhaps, as quickly as next week. Those are some of the assurances SBI chairman chairman Rajnish Kumar had for the worried Yes Bank and SBI depositors and shareholders in an exclusive interview to India Today TV. "The moratorium will be lifted much, much, much before 3rd April," Kumar said. Kumar's assurance will come as a huge relief for Yes Bank accountholders who have been worried that the withdrawal cap may prolong for as long as PMC Bank whose depositors still cannot withdraw more than Rs 1 lakh. Aware of the possible risks to SBI of an acquisition where the quality of debt still remains a question mark, Kumar was cautious in calling it a strategic investment instead of an acquisition. Yes Bank will continue as a separate board-run entity and will not be merged with SBI. It will be an SBI associate bank instead. "It is a strategic investment decision by State Bank of India where as per the draft scheme which has been circulated and put in public domain by Reserve Bank of India the boundaries for this investment have been set. What it does say is that State Bank of India will invest minimum 26% that will be locked in for 3 years," says Kumar. Kumar also assured SBI shareholders and depositors that risks for India's largest bank will be limited to its Rs 10,000 crore commitment, at best. In fact, he said, given the investor interest SBI may not be required to even put in that quantum of investment. How bad is Yes Bank's loan book? With 7.39 pc of declared NPAs in the Rs 2.3 lakh crore loan book and another Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 crore being watched closely in default or negative grade ratings, could there be more skeletons in the Yes Bank cupboard? "Yes Bank will be declaring their (Q3 results held up since December) results on 14th of March. When these Investors, including SBI, will make this investment, they will make this investment by keeping their eyes and ears open," says Kumar. However, there's bitter sweet news for Yes Bank shareholders. Investors who have seen the value of the bank's marketcap plunge from Rs 90,835 crore on 20 August, 2018 to barely Rs 4,132 crore at close of trading on Friday March, 6 will see their holding halve from over 90 pc when SBI and its consortium of investors brings in 49 pc of fresh equity. It will erode the share price from a peak of around Rs 1,400 per share to close to Rs 10 per share SBI and other investors will be paying. However, with India's largest bank now backing their bank, they can look forward to better days ahead as Yes Bank's performance improves. Here's the full transcript of the interview: Rajeev Dubey: I have with me the one man who has possibly all the answers to the problems engulfing Yes Bank, private sector bank Yes Bank, which is in deep deep trouble. SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar who is going to take over the bank in the next few days. Welcome Mr Kumar to the show. What is the status of this acquisition? Where are you on this deal and how quickly can you take charge of Yes Bank? SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar: So let me clarify that this is not an acquisition. This is not the right word to use. It is a strategic investment decision by State Bank of India where as per the draft scheme which has been circulated and put in public domain by Reserve Bank of India the boundaries for this investment have been set. What it does say is that State Bank of India will invest minimum 26% that will be locked in for 3 years. But, we can go up to 49% so it cannot be anyway considered an acquisition by State Bank of India. State Bank of India is not taking over Yes bank, but what it is doing is that as an anchor investor and being a credible anchor investor, which gives confidence to the other investors as well as the depositors and the general public, that an Institution of the stature of State Bank of India is standing behind Yes Bank in their efforts to mobilise capital. It is public knowledge that in last one year there was an effort going on by the management of Yes Bank to mobilise capital but for some reasons it could not succeed. Many investors are approaching State Bank of India that if you're stepping in,in whatever capacity then it will give us confidence and we are willing to put in money. So let there be a complete clarity that it is not it take over at all, it is not a merger it is not even a subsidiary. But if we are holding 26% minimum then it is a some sort of an associate for the State Bank of India and State Bank of India will provide support by way of one, by nominating an MD and CEO and we will have two board seats as suggested the draft scheme. The bank will be managed and run as independent private sector bank as it was by a Board which is competent, professional of very high quality and there would not be any day to day interference from State Bank of India but we will stand behind it having taken the decision to invest anywhere between 26- 49 %. Rajeev Dubey: So this is how you are ring-fencing the State Bank of India. Who are the other investors? How soon? When does this happen, when does the funding happen and basically what the customers want to know is when do things get to normal? SBI Chairman: RBI Governor categorically stated that we have been given a timeline of 3rd April but definitely it will be the effort of Reserve Bank of India and government of India that the moratorium on the bank is lifted very soon. There is a certain process to be adopted and within the minimum possible time this process will be completed. Yesterday, I commented that State Bank's legal team, the investment team supported by merchant bankers like SBI capital market are working 24/7. We worked yesterday, we worked today, we are still working and as soon as complete clarity is there about the mobilisation of necessary share application money as well as the process around the receiving of comments by Reserve Bank of India by tomorrow and then the process which Reserve Bank and the government has to follow about the notification of scheme. So as soon as those processes are over it would be possible to lift the moratorium. Rajeev Dubey: Have you decided the co-investors in the consortium because you said there is a lot of interest and 26 pc is yours what about the remaining 23 pc? SBI Chairman: Many investors have reached out to us and many investors we have reached out to and we will have clarity within next 24 hours. We will be able to give all those names and outline to Reserve Bank of India. Because any investment in a bank is governed and guided by Reserve Bank of India guidelines of 'fit and proper'. There are certain regulatory issues, so once we have the investors who are willing to co-invest with State Bank of India, with firm commitments, once we are very comfortable, confident and have commitments we will approach Reserve Bank of India and tell them that this is the list of potential investors. Then apart from SBI where there is a complete certainty that we can invest an amount between 26 to 49 pc. the rest will be decided by Reserve Bank of India. But a few things again for the benefit, that anyone who wants to invest above 5 pc requires specific 'fit and proper criteria' approval from Reserve Bank of India. Up to 5 pc investment in any case there is no issue. Rajeev Dubey: Is LIC participating? SBI Chairman: LIC is an existing investor. As of now we have not approached LIC. LIC's existing investment is there. It's not necessary that LIC has to necessarily participate. If they want to, there's no restriction within the 10 pc limit. Rajeev Dubey: From the customer's point of view, does he expect a funding coming in and things starting to get normal sometime next week. SBI Chairman: I won't comment on that because there is a certain process to be followed. I will leave it to Reserve Bank of India but the intention I can tell you is to do it as quickly as possible and everybody is working in that direction. Rajeev Dubey: Mr Kumar, can you give us an idea of how was this news broken to you. When did you first get to hear that you may need to take over and when did you how was this news broken to you? SBI Chairman: I think these questions are not as relevant. This we can talk later on, because what is more relevant at this point of time is about lot of misinformation is being is spread. Rajeev Dubey: The concern is obviously about the NPAs. How bad is the NPA situation in Yes Bank and even the other debt that the bank has. Do you have visibility on how bad is this loan book? SBI Chairman: That all potential investor have. Quite a bit of information is in public domain. Yes bank will be declaring their results on 14th of March. Let us wait for those results also but when these investors, including State Bank of India, will make this investment they will make this investment keeping their eyes and ears open. But to assess the health of the bank my only request is that there are several ratios which are used. First and the foremost is what is called the capital adequacy ratio, as per the Basel norms. Then there are gross NPA percentage, net NPA percentage. So whenever a Bank declares result whatever is considered to be the material information for determining the health of the bank by law, we are required to disclose and it is form the part of the balance sheet so my only limited request to you and all channels is please don't invent new ratios, let us go by the disclosure made in the balance sheet. Rajeev Dubey: Is there visibility you could give to the customers and to the investors. When do the customers start to withdraw freely. Because PMC Bank limit has not been removed till date. It is still capped at Rs 1 lakh. Yes Bank customer is worried withdrawal cap will prolong beyond the 3 April deadline as well. Because if this 50k becomes 75k-80k, I guess that's how it's going to move but how soon does this restriction get removed? SBI Chairman: There is no question that there will be any extension beyond 3rd April. What I am saying is that State Bank of India, Reserve Bank of India, we all are working that the situation gets normalised very quickly. No, I can't tell you specific date but definitely through your channels and to the customers of Yes Bank, I can say with confidence that the Moratorium will be lifted much much much earlier than 3rd April. Rajeev Dubey: Can you assure the depositors at least at, that beyond 4th April, they could expect to withdraw as much as they like, whatever is there in account? SBI Chairman: Again I am saying 3rd April, let us not talk about 3rd April. It will happen much earlier than that. Rajeev Dubey: You are assuring that depositors will be able to withdraw whatever funds they have well before the deadline. SBI Chairman: Yes, that I can assure with 100%. Rajeev Dubey: Ok that's very good news, but what would be your first step when investment happens. What will be your first steps after the acquisition? The problems that RBI identified are asset deterioration, governance issues, false assurance of capital raising, deposit withdrawals. These are all the problems plaguing the bank. What are the ones that you will take head-on as soon as you get charge of the bank? SBI Chairman: The process is that this is under section 45 of RBI Act where the draft scheme has to be put in public domain. Tomorrow is the last date for State Bank of India, Yes bank and anyone else who wants to give comments on this scheme. That first step is over by tomorrow. By tomorrow also there will be complete clarity that apart from State Bank of India, who all others are willing to co-invest in a very quick manner. This is important that the investor, whoever is doing it we are ready. Because our in principle approval from the board is there and for the final approval also we will be going to our board and we will get it done very quickly. Once that is done we will inform the stock exchanges and that news will also be in public domain about the exact amount and the number of equity shares which state bank of India will be acquiring. We tell Reserve Bank of India that yes we are ready to invest my funds already our co-investors are these and then we give it to RBI and then RBI goes to the government for notification of the final scheme and as soon as final scheme is over money share application money is in account shares are allotted and the Moratorium gets slipped. Rajeev Dubey: Chidambaram said that SBI was forced to acquire. How much of this is a business case and how much is a forced case? SBI Chairman: I would like to keep away from any political comments. But if you want to ask me that what would be the impact of this decision on SBI that question I am willing to answer. Rajeev Dubey: Yes, please go ahead. SBI Chairman: So, as far is SBI is concerned, we have assessed when any investment decision is taken by State Bank of India. What are the key considerations for any investment, ie; we are investing this money, how safe is this investment over a period of time, because it is not a short term investment. Over 3 to 5 year period what would be our IR. That is one. Second is, because for a bank, to invest any amount above 10%, all that amount is deducted from the capital of State Bank of India and to that extent it impacts our capital adequacy ratio. So this amount whatever is being proposed and even at the outer limit, what we have set, we will be well within the capital adequacy ratio for State Bank of India. So one; we see the potential that whatever we are investing we will be able to get a decent return and what gives us that confidence is that the core investors. There is a huge interest. When there is a huge interested it means investors are seeing value in Yes Bank. Our maximum exposure at 49%, if the said capital to be invested is Rs 22,000 crore or Rs 24,000 crore, say Rs 20,000 crore and above, so far exposure does not go beyond Rs 10,000 crore. What I believe that given the kind of investor responses there, we maybe not even required to invest Rs 10,000 crore. Rajeev Dubey: The investors, analysts are worried about the hidden skeleton in the cupboard. We know for instance that DHFL crisis now, ED is investigating Rs 37,000 crore of that amount, we know that the NPS are about the seven and half percentage per Q2; there's another Rs 30,000 crore of debt under a watch, together all debt put together in default grade or in negative grade is almost Rs 80,000-90,000 crore. How much of this due you think have the visibility in terms of recovery. SBI Chairman: So, I think we should wait for the results of Yes Bank for 14 March and there are information available to the investors like us. So I would not like to make any disclosure as far as Yes bank's balance sheet is concerned and I would like to wait that of 14th March let them declare the result, then there will be 31st March results are there. So we would go by the disclosures made in the balance sheet as well as whatever our internal due diligence is there. But this is something which I as a potential investor can not disclose and let us wait for 14th March. Rajeev Dubey: What is your message to the investor of Yes Bank. The shareholder of Yes Bank, the public shareholder. One to the shareholder of Yes Bank because he is worried that his equity holding is going to half. Essentially 49% the government is taking over, in which case there should be some right offs and some other shares will reduce. What will be your message to the Yes Bank share holder and whatever is your message to the public shareholder of SBI. How much should he worry? SBI Chairman: So, I can definitely give a message to the minority shareholders and public shareholders of SBI that this decision will not have any negative impact on SBI as per our assessment. As far as Yes Bank investors are concerned, again it is not appropriate for me to give any assurance or message. But there are 245 crore shares of Yes Bank, definitely where new capital is to be infused there will be a dilution. So, if the capital infusion is in the range of 20 or 22 thousand crore and then at what price in what manner so ultimately dilution of the existing shareholders it cannot be avoided because the Yes Bank needs fresh capital and when fresh capital is infused, obviously for existing shareholders there is a dilution. That is a maths which again once the number of shares issued, at what price, all that is decided, then the extent of dilution will be known. But in general, not talking about Yes bank and not about creating any panic about any bank or anybody, but in general, particularly for retail investors, the exchanges or regulators or the general message always is that for stressed asset, unless you have a very high-risk capacity then it is different, but if you are an ordinary small investor then the message which I have learnt is that you should always go for quality and stable is stock and the people who are speculators or the people who are in the business of stock investing, the regular operators, for them it is a different matter. They understand their risk-reward metrics very well. Rajeev Dubey: That's good. Big takeaway that I am taking from this interview is that you are saying that this is going to be resolved much much faster than the 3rd April deadline and you're also saying that depositor should be able to withdraw, whatever I want, whatever is there in account, well before the deadline, definitely not be on this deadline. Number two, that SBI's investment is ring-fenced; you are investing maximum about Rs 10,000 crore out the Rs 22,000 crore that will be put into Yes Bank. The third is for the shareholders of Yes Bank that their equitable half, their proportionate shareholding in the bank will half. Am I getting this right? SBI Chairman: No, it could be even more. Rajeev Dubey: Ok, last question to you is are you happy, are you very happy, or are you very very happy. SBI Chairman: So, that is not the question. It is not about whether Rajnish Kumar is happy or State Bank is happy. The question is about that yes it is a little bit of a difficult situation for the financial sector in the country. This is started with crisis in IL&FS and then subsequently housing finance company and then Yes Bank. But when you are in a difficult situation it does not help that the debate is ill-informed; any effort by anyone to miss spread and mislead that should not be there; the analysis has to be well research. Different point of view, they are very much welcome. I have also been listening about this safety of public or private, so one we have to see that historically in the history of the banking in this country, no bank has been allowed to fail and depositors money has been protected irrespective of the fact that earlier the guarantee by DICGC was only up to Rs 1 lakh and now it is up to 5 lakh. But other than that also there is an implied comfort that depositors' money will be protected. So, 1 - we should believe in that; 2 - about the ownership issue, whenever people compare private-public, now there will be some 'Pride' public sector banks be taken the pride, we are very safe and we have reached, we have distribution, private sector bank always say that we have a very good customer service. So, in a country like India, which is a very big country of 1.3 billion people, we will have to have a system where everybody co-exists so there will be private sector banks, public sector bank, small finance banks, cooperative banks, payment banks, and we need all of them to be safe and sound. So, any attempt to discredit any type of institution by virtue of the fact of their constitution, it is not done and it is not advisable. Individual entity, whether it is public sector, private sector, payment bank, Co-operative bank, who are not governing and managing well, they have to be singled out, that is different. But to point fingers at any category of the banks and generalize that is not advisable and my request to you is, also that because your channel is a very respected channel, that this sense of responsibility it needs to be displayed. Rajeev Dubey: I think your assurance to the depositors and to the investors is not that great news for investors, but definitely for depositors will, I think, really soothe a lot of nerve. Thank you for talking to India Today TV. Aimee Comrie is the Project Coodinator for GLO.ACT Middle East & Asia. Aimee was previously the policy lead on GLO.ACT from 2015-2018, supporting project management and policy oversight across the 13 partner countries. A qualified lawyer with 15+ years of experience in international investigations/prosecutions, she has investigated sexual enslavement, forced labour and the use of child soldiers in DRC, Sudan and Uganda among other countries for the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (2004-2011), leading the collection of evidence in situations of conflict. At the ICC, she helped develop policy guidelines on interviewing vulnerable victims and witnesses including children. As legal adviser to the OSCE Special Representative on human trafficking (2011-2015), she designed and delivered capacity building to judges, prosecutors and law enforcement, as well as led research and policy development on TIP for organ removal and financial investigations. She is a member of the New York State Bar, a Certified Fraud Examiner, a graduate of Oxford University (Masters in Forced Migration Studies) and McGill University (Civil Law, Common Law, Anthropology). She recently published on TIP and situations of conflict, and on international criminal investigations, and is fluent in English, French and Spanish. Euridice Marquez is the GLO.ACT Programme Management Officer where she leads on programme monitoring, evaluation and learning. She has over 10 years of progressive working experience at UNODC and IOM on the prevention and fight against trafficking in persons (TIP) and the smuggling of migrants (SOM). Euridice is trained on human rights and crime prevention issues, gender equality and gender mainstreaming, results-based management, SAP/UMOJA, as well as programme monitoring, evaluation and learning. Euridice conducts assessments and capacity building trainings, engages in policy development as well as in programme development, management, monitoring, evaluation and learning of the UNODC Global Programmes against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants and liaises with different stakeholders and donors. Before joining UNODC, she worked for more than 6 years as a Regional Migrant Assistance Coordinator at the International Organization for Migration's Regional Offices in Brussels and Vienna, respectively, and supported IOM field offices and in turn the national governments in the development and implementation of their national strategies against TIP and SOM and the provision of direct assistance to victims of trafficking and migrants in vulnerable situations. She also worked at Spanish and Moroccan Human Rights NGOs. Euridice studied Political Science in Spain and France and holds a Master's degree in Political Science specialising in European Union Affairs from the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. Besides her mother tongue (Spanish), Euridice is fluent in English, French and German. Samantha Munodawafa is the Policy lead for GLO.ACT Asia and the Middle East. She has worked for 6 years at the UNODC Regional Office for Southern Africa, where she coordinated the regional human trafficking and migrant smuggling project implemented in the 15 member states of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), first as a National Project Coordinator, then later as a Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer. This included provision of technical assistance to member states to develop and update counter-trafficking legislation and policy, provision of capacity building assistance to the criminal justice sector, establishment of data collection systems and supporting regional intelligence-driven law enforcement operations. Before joining UNODC, she worked for various human rights organisations, most recently, Lawyers for Human Rights in South Africa as a Legal Counsellor, and then as Head of its Refugee Law Clinic. Samantha is an admitted attorney of the High Court in South Africa, who holds a Master's degree in Law (LL.M.) from the University of Pretoria. Emmanuelle Kunigk is the GLO.ACT Communications Officer and has has 15 years of communications experience in the not for profit sector as well as the private sector. Emmanuelle is currently the Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) United Nations communications consultant. In the past, she has also worked for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as regional Communications Officer for the organisations Southeast Asia and the Pacific office. As communications consultant Emmanuelle plays an integral part in the way organisations communicate the impact of their work on their intended beneficiaries, as well as helping to secure major grants and awards. Prior to working as a consultant and for UNODC, Emmanuelle also worked all around the world for a broad range of organisations including Integrity Action (a UK based NGO), the National Anti- Corruption Commission of Thailand (ONACC) and various private sector corporations. Emmanuelle holds a BA (Hon) from School of Oriental and African Studies, an MSc from the London School of Economics and was Vice-Chair of the Board of a trading and contracting company based in Lebanon from 2014-2018 as well as a board member of the British International School in Jakarta/Indonesia from 2007-2008. Ashenafi Gebreegziabher has been a Programme Assistant at UNODC Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section since December 2011. Previously, he worked as an IT trainer with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the Information Technology Service section UNODC for ten years. He is the focal point for financial and administrative matters of the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section at HQ and in the field. His tasks include preparing budget proposals, financial reports to donors, monitoring the financial status of the three global projects within the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section and Regular Budget including assisting on the recruitment of staff. Ilir Boci is the GLO.ACT Programme Assistant. He provides administrative and logistics support in the implementation of the GLO.ACT Programme on issues related to procurement, travel, finance and human resources. Before joining the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section, Ilir was working as a consultant for the Office of Human Resources at the UN Office in Vienna mainly providing support on statistical and financial issues and working on projects related to organizational culture, change management and improving service delivery. Ilir has a M.Sc. degree in Dentistry Sciences and a M.A. degree in International Business Management. Before joining the UN, he worked as a Sales Manager for a pharmaceutical company in Albania. Ilir is fluent in Albanian (mother tongue), English, Italian, and is currently learning German. Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Cho Yong-byung holds an emergency meeting via teleconferencing, Friday, on minimizing customers' inconvenience due to the spread of the coronavirus. He urged executives to remain agile in tackling lingering threats from the COVID-19 epidemic. Courtesy of Shinhan Financial Group By PTI KATHMANDU: A Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) operative was arrested on Sunday for allegedly torturing and killing a journalist in 2007. Superintendent of Police, Bara, Krishna Pangeni said Narendra Faujdar aka Kundan, 50, was arrested from his residence in Baragadhi Rural Municipality after his phone was tracked using the Global Positioning System. Acclaimed print and broadcast journalist Birendra K Shah was allegedly killed by two Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) associates -- Narendra Faujdar and Ram Ekwal Sahani -- in October 2007. Sahani is on the run. The killing took place a year after the Maoists signed a 12-point peace deal with a seven-party alliance, representing the Nepal government, following a decade of insurgency. "Faujdar, aided by local politicians, was in hiding. We were successful in nabbing him in the fourth attempt," said the senior police officer. Faujdar will be present at the district court on Monday to deliver his court statement. He is one of the five accused in the case. Journalist Shah was abducted in Pipara Bazaar in Bara district near the Nepal-India border on October 4, 2007, when he was on an assignment. He was taken to a jungle area and tortured before being shot dead. Shah's body was discovered in Tangiya Basti in the district a month later. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Beijing, China Sun, March 8, 2020 12:04 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206916f9a 2 Science & Tech China,Grindr,App,LGBTQ,technology Free One of China's biggest mobile gaming companies is selling popular gay dating app Grindr for $608 million after pressure from US authorities concerned over the potential misuse of user data. National security officials in Washington fear the platform -- which bills itself as the world's largest social networking space for LGBT people -- could be used by the Chinese government to blackmail Americans with government security clearances, according to media reports last year. Beijing Kunlun Tech took a majority stake in the app in 2016 and bought the remaining equity two years later for a combined $245 million, but was reportedly ordered to relinquish the platform by US officials last year. It will sell a 98.59 percent stake in Grindr to San Vicente Acquisition, a holding company based in the US state of Delaware, according to a company filing with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on Friday. Read also: Gay dating app Grindr scorched for handling of HIV data The deal is awaiting approval from a US committee authorised to review transactions involving foreign investments, the filing said. Grindr has faced other accusations of improperly managing the data under Beijing Kunlun's ownership. The platform violated European Union privacy regulations by sharing the GPS data, age and gender of its users with third-party companies to help target advertisements, according to a report by a Norwegian consumer rights group. Topics : China Grindr App LGBTQ technology East Bay elected officials have taken to social media Sunday morning in response to confirmation by the Governor's Office of Emergency Services that the Grand Princess cruise ship, quarantined off the California coast, will dock Monday at the Port of Oakland. Some of the posts seek to reassure the public about safety measures that will be taken during the long process of offloading passengers. "Oakland's role in this operation is to support our state and federal authorities as they conduct a critical public health mission to help those impacted by the COVID-19 virus," Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff (@LibbySchaaf) said Sunday in the news release and on Twitter. "I appreciate (California Gov.) Gavin Newsom's leadership and have been assured no one will be quarantined in Oakland, nor will any passengers be released into the general public," she said. "True to our community values, Oakland is a safe harbor for all." Oakland District Councilwoman Nikki Fortunato Bas noted on her Twitter account (@nikki4oakland) that "The ship will only be in Oakland for the disembarkment. No passengers or crew will be released into the general public and no one will be quarantined in Oakland. In times of crisis we must all step up to protect the health + safety of those in need and the general public." The Grand Princess was halted on its voyage from Hawaii to San Francisco over concerns about the virus and has remained off the California coast while authorities determined a "non-commercial port" for it to dock. Federal and state officials asked Oakland and its port to serve that role, the Governor's Office of Emergency Services said in a news release Sunday, emphasizing that the ship will only be docked as long as needed to evacuate passengers. "After careful review of all options, the Port of Oakland was selected as the best site for the ship to disembark," the office said. "There are limited docks that will be able to dock a ship of that size, and the Port of Oakland location was the easiest to seal off, securely move passengers toward their isolation destinations and protect the safety of the public." U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee said on Twitter (@RepBarbaraLee) that she is "Proud of my State, City, County & Port of Oakland for stepping up during this public health crisis to work with the federal government to aid the people trapped on the #GrandPrincess. Protecting the public health of the passengers and our community will be central to this effort." Oakland Council President Rebecca Kaplan (@Kaplan4Oakland) used Twitter to raise concerns with the OES and Gov. Newsom over handling of the disembarking. "What steps are you taking to make sure people who work with the evacuees aren't sent in unprotected and spread it into the community," she asked. "And will you fund hand-washing stations for our communities -- incl. homeless -- to help stop the spread of disease?" The OES noted that almost 1,000 of the ship's passengers are Californians who "have been through a great deal of stress and were potentially exposed to this virus through no fault of their own." The office said that passengers would not be released into the general public. Passengers requiring acute medical treatment and hospitalization will be taken to health care facilities in California, the office said. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services said in a news release Sunday that "Passengers will be transferred to federal military installations for medical screening, COVID-19 testing, and a 14-day quarantine." Passengers from California "will complete the mandatory quarantine at Travis Air Force Base (in Fairfield) and Miramar Naval Air Station (in San Diego), and residents of other states will complete the mandatory quarantine at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland in Texas or Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia." Officials said Friday that 46 aboard the ship were tested for the virus, and 21 were positive -- 19 of them crewmembers. "The crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship, but importantly, the ship will only stay in Port of Oakland for the duration of disembarkment," the OES said. "This ship will depart Oakland as soon as possible and will remain elsewhere for the duration of the crew's quarantine." Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. On the anniversary of Selmas 1965 Bloody Sunday march, U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, where a bomb killed four little girls in 1963. The Faith and Politics Institute brought its annual congressional civil rights pilgrimage to Alabama, with stops in Selma, Montgomery and Birmingham, so members of Congress can learn hope from the past, and faith in the future, Pelosi said. About 40 members of Congress were on the trip, Pelosis staff said. This a chance to hear from the luminaries who did this, too numerous to mention, telling their stories, the courage that it took, the success that they had, the determination that they had to begin something, and to persist with it, to see the success and change that they achieved for their country, but also to know that our work is not done, Pelosi said. We have faith in the future that it will be done as people learn more about what happened, and how we can make things better in the future in a unifying way, in a non-violent way. That has been the spirit of it all. U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta, who was beaten by Alabama state troopers 55 years ago in Selma on Bloody Sunday, spoke to the delegation on Friday, she said. Lewis has been undergoing treatment for cancer. Each day those of us in Congress have the privilege of serving with John Lewis, who teaches us, she said. I said to him, We call you an icon, but to become an icon, youre first a troublemaker. So, let that be a lesson for all of us, to cause as John calls it, good trouble. U.S. House Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, on his 15th pilgrimage to Birmingham, spoke along with Pelosi, Faith and Politics Institute President Joan Mooney and U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama at the front steps of 16th Street Baptist Church after the wreath-laying ceremony. As John Lewis would say, we returned to Birmingham one more time so we do not forget why it is so important for all of us to stay focused on reaching out to one another and lifting up, Hoyer said. After a 37-day-long dry spell, the San Francisco Bay Area finally saw rain Friday and Saturday as a cold front swept the region. Only light sprinkles fell and nowhere recorded more than a half-inch, but since the region didn't see any precipitation throughout the entire month of February, any rain is celebrated. Here's a look at 24-hour rainfall totals from several locations around the greater Bay Area: Mount Umunhum, Santa Cruz Mountains: .43 Wood Acre: .33 Oakland Hills: .32 San Jose: .27 Hayward: .23 Los Gatos: .21 San Francisco: .18 Venado: .16 Half Moon Bay: .14 Livermore: .08 Novato: .06 Napa: .04 A few lingering showers are continuing to move northward over the Central Coast and into the South and East Bay Sunday morning, but most of the Bay Area will be dry. Temperatures are forecast to be chilly Sunday as the weekend system pushed in a cold air mass. Interior North Bay valleys dropped into the 30s overnight. Afternoon highs will be in the upper-50s to lower-60s, as much as 10 degrees below normal for early March. As a storm system moves over Southern California Sunday night into Monday, the southern region of the Bay Area may see more light rain. "Precipitation chances will greatest from Monterey to San Benito Counties tapering off as you head toward the San Francisco Bay Area," according to the National Weather Service. "With this, portions of the North Bay are not forecast to see much in the way of measurable rainfall through the upcoming week given the southern trajectory of this system." Forecast rainfall amounts from tonight through midweek range from .1 inch in the Bay Area to .25 to .5 inch in the Santa Cruz Mountains. "Areas north of the Golden Gate will likely pick up less than .1 inch, if any at all," according to the Weather Service. Temperatures are expected to gradually rise Monday and through the work week. Another storm is in the forecast for next weekend. Amy Graff is a digital editor. Email her weather tips and photos at agraff@sfgate.com. NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to see that the Indians stranded in Iran in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak there get medical help and general assistance. Iran is among the countries grappling with the outbreak of coronavirus, which has claimed 194 lives in that country. "In the wake of the alarming Covid-19 issue, I voiced my concerns to Dr. S. Jaishankar ji, Union Minister of External Affairs regarding more than 40 Indian citizens stranded at Qom city in Iran. They are distressed and in urgent need of medical help and general assistance," Pawar tweeted. Iran's health ministry on Sunday reported 49 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, the highest toll within 24 hours since the start of the outbreak in the Islamic republic. The new count brings the number of those killed by the virus in that country since mid-February to 194, one of the highest tolls outside of China, where the disease originated. The virus has spread to all of Iran's 31 provinces with 6,566 confirmed cases. Iran has closed schools and universities until early April, as well as suspended major cultural and sporting events and reduced working hours across the country to slow the contagion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The toilet roll shelves at a Sainsbury's supermarket in Cambridge. (PA) Consumers are emptying supermarket shelves of non-perishable food items and toilet paper, in a seeming panic over the spread of the coronavirus. As of Saturday morning, 206 people in the UK had tested positive for coronavirus. That evening, a further three cases were confirmed in Northern Ireland bringing the UK total to 209. Governments across the world as well as some companies are telling workers to work from home or by moving them to offices away from densely populated areas. Italys government just announced it is quarantining 16 million people in the northern part of the country one of the worst affected places for the spread of coronavirus. But this has led to climate in which people are panic buying goods across the UK and the government has told Brits to stop panic buying. The government sought to reassure the public over supplies of everyday goods with health minister Matt Hancock saying on Thursday that the state had supplies of key things. He told a BBC Question Time audience there was absolutely no need for shoppers to buy more than usual. Meanwhile, supermarkets across the UK will allegedly begin rationing food according to The Telegraph. Tesco will limit the amounts of basic food items customers are able to buy to ensure they dont run out. But is it panic buying or is it a rational response? So-called panic buying throws up big questions such as how it escalates, whether retailers can cope, and what it tells us about human behaviour. How much are consumers stockpiling? Evidence is mounting that a growing number of consumers from Britain to Germany to Hong Kong are stocking up, amid fears over their health and over supply chain disruption. Ocado has said UK shoppers are placing particularly large orders online. One unnamed UK supermarket leader told the BBC sales of pasta and tinned goods had gone through the roof. UK pharmacy chains report soaring demand for hand sanitiser, and toilet roll manufacturers have seen a large spike in demand. Story continues Shoppers are sharing photos on social media in Britain and elsewhere of empty shelves in shops for in-demand goods, with #toiletpaperpanic trending on Twitter on Friday. Health and cleaning products, toilet roll and long-life food and drink appear in particularly high demand. On Saturday, a UK retail executive told the Financial Times that for non-perishable goods, there is typically about three to four weeks of inventory in the supply chain and that there will be gaps on shelves for a day or two while the system catches up. Read more: Coronavirus could leave one in five off work, government warns Better evidence came in the form of a survey of 2,000 UK households last month. The Retail Economics research found almost one in 10 households reported they were stockpiling. But concrete public data is so far hard to come by. Many retail sales figures are published weeks or even months later. National-level sales figures also reveal only a limited amount about consumer behaviour, according to David Savage, a behavioural economics professor at Australias Newcastle University, told Yahoo Finance UK. Is a herd mentality driving consumers to over-buy? Empty shelves where hand sanitiser is usually stocked inside a London supermarket. (PA) Consumers rushing to stock up on products are often described as panic buying, but Savage said the term itself is misleading. Panic buying suggests consumers are off the rails, behaving in an illogical, random way, he says and such behaviour is a very rational reaction to the spread of the virus, Chinese supply chain issues, and other consumers reactions globally. Consumers are reacting in a focused way by snapping up particular products they think they may need or struggle to get, particularly if they need to self-isolate, according to Savage. But he believes it also exposes three key human traits: herd behaviour, loss aversion, and regret. It may start with an image of toilet paper shortages abroad circulating on social media, and the most risk-averse UK shoppers buying excessively just in case. READ MORE: City bankers ready to flee to Basingstoke or Croydon Then even the less risk-averse may pick up on their behaviour, and follow suit. Once it starts, it snowballs and becomes self-fulfilling, like runs on banks, he said. When you see someone else doing something, you think maybe I should, even if you dont understand it. Its a herd mentality. All animals do it. But Savage said humans are also hard-wired to hate losing and regret, with studies suggesting losses are felt twice as keenly as gains. A key driver of stockpilingand market sell-offscould be the irresistible urge not only to avoid losing out, but also to avoid later regret. How serious an issue is it for retailers and manufacturers? Firms generally welcome higher demand for their goods, but a sharp, sudden rise can prove a significant headache. Savage pointed out many UK retailers and manufacturers rely on just-in-time supply chains, meaning they hold very limited stocks in storage. Supply systems are built around typical monthly averages, so retailers cant restock or handle sharp shocks easily. There are questions too about whether supermarkets can handle rising online deliveries as more people stay at home, with Ocado warning on delivery times. Bruno Monteyne, a retail analyst at Bernstein and former Tesco executive, has said supermarket contingency plans will include cutting back product ranges and focusing more on essentials. Jan Godsell, a Warwick University supply chain expert, said firms could also collaborate on online deliveries. Companies are unlikely to raise prices, according to Monteyne, enduring lower profits rather than risk being seen as profiteering at a moment of crisis. It could take a heavy toll on supermarkets bottom line, with Monteyne estimating a 1.2bn ($1.5bn) hit. Companies acknowledge supply chain problems linked to the virus, but few have issued serious warnings about stockpiling itself hitting supply or profits. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), has said retailers are confident disruption will be limited. Ministers say the government has supplies of key products and there wont be a problem with food supplies. Most firms affected say they are ramping up supplies, with some moving to 24/7 production for goods like hand sanitiser. Waitrose chiefs are liaising with suppliers on an hourly basis, and say they are agile at handling such situations. One supermarket has reportedly even dusted off contingency measures drawn up for a no-deal Brexit to keep shelves stocked. READ MORE: Hand sanitiser sales soar 255% as coronavirus fears grow If things escalate, more radical measures are not unthinkable. Some pharmacists are already limiting hand sanitiser sales per customer. A UK watchdog has warned firms it will take action over rip-offs as demand soars. Savage said authorities should regulate prices or effectively nationalise supplies of products like masks needed by health professionals. Monteyne warned in a note to clients of riots if a major outbreak occurs, but said the army would step in to protect food supplies. The prime minister himself has said the military is ready to back-fill to assist the police if needed. But Johnson said that was a worst-case scenario. The priority for now appears to be encouraging the public not to make shortages a self-fulfilling problem. For full advice around the coronavirus from health professionals, check out the NHS website. Vietnamese returning to Vietnam from South Korea wait in line for being sent to quarantine at Can Tho Airport in Can Tho City, southern Vietnam, March 3, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa. Ethnic Vietnamese from South Korea and Italy will no longer be granted visa-free entry as part of Vietnams fight against the novel coronavirus epidemic. In 2015 Vietnam had granted visa exemption for five years for Korean-Vietnamese, Italian-Vietnamese, and their spouses and children. Vietnam has also suspended the 15-day visa waivers it offers all South Korean and Italian nationals. The two countries are among coronavirus hotspots. South Korea has reported over 7,134 Covid-19 patients and 50 deaths, and Italy, 5,883 cases and 233 deaths. Vietnam has reported 21 infection cases, with five diagnosed in the last three days after 22 days without a new case. Nguyen Hong Nhung, 26, returning from Europe became Hanois first Covid-19 patient Friday and the 17th nationwide. The 18th, 19th and 20th patients are a 27-year-old man returning from South Korea's Daegu City, the personal chauffeur and an aunt of Nhung. The latest case, Vietnam's 21st patient, is a 61-year-old man on the same flight as of Nhung. The government has ordered the aviation sector to limit flights to stricken areas to the extent possible. It has also ordered the quarantining of everyone coming from South Korea, Iran, Italy, and mainland China for 14 days on arrival. In the case of arrivals from other countries, people from stricken areas are quarantined. Starting Saturday, everyone arriving in Vietnam from overseas will need to fill in health declaration forms. The global death toll from the Covid-19 epidemic has reached nearly 3,600 in 102 countries and territories, mostly in mainland China (3,097), followed by Italy (233), Iran (145) and South Korea (50). Representative Image China on Sunday reported 27 new deaths from coronavirus, the lowest number of fatalities in more than a month, taking the death toll to 3,097, while the COVID-19 infections for the first time fell below 50 since the disease surfaced in Hubei province in January. All the 27 deaths occurred in the virus-hit central Hubei province, China's National Health Commission (NHC) said. The confirmed cases for the first time fell below 50 since COVID-19 surfaced in Hubei province in January. Of the 44 new cases reported on Saturday, 41 were in Wuhan in Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak. The overall confirmed cases on the mainland has risen to 80,695 by the end of Saturday. The total number of deaths reached 3,097. Over 20,500 patients were still undergoing treatment and 57,065 discharged after recovery, the NHC said. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show Also on Saturday, three coronavirus cases in people arriving from abroad were reported, including two in Beijing and one in Gansu province. By the end of Saturday, 63 such cases had been reported, the NHC said. By the end of Saturday, 109 confirmed cases including two deaths in Hong Kong, 10 confirmed cases in Macao and 45 in Taiwan including one death were reported. The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Sunday said the global death toll of coronavirus surged to 3,583 as the dreaded Covid-19 spread to 101 countries and regions. A total of 105,427 confirmed cases were reported globally as of Sunday, China's state-run Xinhua news agency quoted WHO spokesperson Fadela Chaib. According to WHO's daily situation report on Saturday, there has been 3,486 deaths worldwide due to the coronavirus. Colombia, the Vatican, Peru, Togo and Slovakia have reported cases of COVID-19 for the first time in the past 24 hours, the WHO said in a report on Saturday. The world health body has revised the transmission classification of Iceland, Palestine and Cameroon from "imported cases only" to "local transmission", bringing the total number of countries and regions where local transmission emerged to 45 in addition to China. It said the spread of COVID-19 can be significantly slowed or even reversed through implementing robust containment and control activities. Chaib said the spread of COVID-19 can be significantly slowed or even reversed through implementing robust containment and control activities as the number of cases worldwide has surpassed one lakh. China and other countries are demonstrating that the spread of the virus can be slowed and impact reduced through the use of universally applicable actions, the WHO said, referring to measures such as working across society to identify people who are sick, bringing them to care, following up on contacts, and training health workers. It underlined that containing and slowing the spread of the virus helps buy time for health systems and all of society to prepare and for researchers to identify effective treatments and develop vaccines. "Allowing uncontrolled spread should not be a choice of any government, as it will harm not only the citizens of that country but affect other countries as well," it said. The WHO said it will continue to work with all countries, partners and expert networks to coordinate the international response, develop guidance, distribute supplies, share knowledge and provide people with the information so as to protect themselves and others. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 02:06:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has decided to donate 20 million U.S. dollars to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support it in carrying out international cooperation in fighting the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Since the outbreak of the COVID-19, the WHO, under the leadership of Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has played an important role in promoting other countries to strengthen their prevention awareness and tackle the epidemic in a scientific and rational way, and in helping relevant countries improve their health system capacity, which have been widely recognized by the international community. China highly appreciates WHO's understanding and support to the country's work in epidemic prevention and control. Currently, the world is facing an escalating urgency of making global efforts in the joint prevention and control of the COVID-19, as the disease has broke out in multiple places and spread to more countries around the world. As a response to the WHO's appeal, the donation is practical support for the organization to continue playing a better coordinating role in the global fight against the epidemic, especially in helping medium and small-sized countries with weak public health systems cement their defense against the outbreak. Virus knows no boundaries, and to help others is to help oneself. China will continue to work with other countries for mutual help, contribute to safeguarding regional and international public health security, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. The Arunachal Pradesh government, on Sunday, decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permits (PSPs) to foreigners to check the spread of coronavirus. As per the Foreigner (Protected Areas) Act, foreigners require a Protected Area Permit (PAP) to visit those certain areas in India. This requirement is in addition to getting an Indian visa and foreigners require PAPs to enter the state that shares a border with China. READ | Telangana government increases surveillance due to Coronavirus outbreak As per the officials, Naresh Kumar, Chief Secretary has directed all PAP using authorities to suspend the issue of permit till further orders. As per the government order, "It is learned that COVID-19 positive cases have been detected in India and the number has been increasing. It is also learned that the spread of the Coronavirus in India is primarily from visitors who had a history of traveling abroad recently or through tourists who have visited India." READ | Coronavirus: '3 more positive cases in New Delhi,' says CM Arvind Kejriwal The order further added, "In order to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Arunachal Pradesh, it has been decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permit (PAP)." READ | Coronavirus: Five new cases reported in Kerala, one in Tamil Nadu; total rises to 39 The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu tweeted, "Prevention is always better. To prevent the spread of Coronavirus in Arunachal, the Protected Area Permit (PAP) being issued to foreigners has been suspended. This is in view of the reported cases of virus being detected in our country through people coming from abroad." Prevention is always better. To prevent spread of Corona Virus in Arunachal, the protected area permit (PAP) being issued to foreigners has been suspended. This is in view of the reported cases of virus being detected in our country through people coming from abroad. pic.twitter.com/p8mTRAjQMk Pema Khandu (@PemaKhanduBJP) March 6, 2020 The Arunachal Pradesh government announced the curtailments after the Sikkim government banned foreigner's entry. In an attempt to limit the impact of deadly Coronavirus worldwide, the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan also shut its borders to foreign visitors. Representative Image The West Coast Dungeness crab fishery doesn't just support the most valuable annual harvest of seafood on the West Coast. It's a fishery that just keeps on giving. Fishermen from California to Washington caught almost all the available legal-size male Dungeness crab each year in the last few decades. However, the crab population has either remained stable or continued to increase, according to the first thorough population estimate of the West Coast Dungeness stocks. "The catches and abundance in Central California especially are increasing, which is pretty remarkable to see year after year," said Kate Richerson, a research scientist at NOAA Fisheries' Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle. Richerson is the lead author of the new study published in the journal Fisheries Research. "There's reason to be optimistic that this fishery will continue to be one of the most productive and on the West Coast." Other recent research has suggested that the West Coast's signature shellfish could suffer in the future from ocean acidification and other effects related to climate change. That remains a concern, Richerson said, but the study did not detect obvious signs of population-level impacts yet. Fishing Regulation Success The secret to the success of the Dungeness crab fishery may be the way fishing regulations protect the crab populations' reproductive potential. Male Dungeness crabs mature and begin reproducing one to two years before they can be caught, so crabs can reproduce even with heavy fishing pressure. Female Dungeness crab can store sperm for more than a year, allowing them to reproduce even in the absence of numerous males. Fishermen must also return females to the water, further protecting the reproductive capacity of the population. "The management system that is used for Dungeness crab seems to be a perfect fit for their life history because it allows the population to reproduce and grow even with the intensive harvest," Richerson said. Natural Variability Crab numbers and reproduction rates do vary from year to year, mostly because of ocean conditions. That also may have contributed to the increasing numbers in Central California. They have risen over the last two decades and now average nearly five times abundance estimates from 1970 to 2000. Central California crab numbers have increased enough that they are now closer to the size of populations in Northern California, coastal Washington, and Oregon. Those populations do not show the same growth trends as those in Central California, but remain stable overall. However, a previous increase in the Central California landings from the 1930s to the late 1950s was followed by a dramatic crash about 1960. Catches remained low until the 1980s and then rebounded. Researchers believe those fluctuations likely reflected changing ocean conditions, and could happen again. "If this is true, the recent increase in Central California crab abundance may be reversed when the system again shifts to a period of later spring transitions," the scientists wrote. "This is likely to have a large impact on the fishery, as well as other interlinked fisheries in the area." At the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, things look much as they did a half-century ago. The site is now home to the National Civil Rights Museum, a remarkable collection that includes a replica of a firebombed bus ridden by the Freedom Riders as they traveled through the South protesting segregation in 1961. Inside the museum the other day, a woman sat down beside me and wiped away tears. Im sorry, she said. What gets me is, after all this time, look whats happening right now. Southern Democrats particularly black Democrats are hoping to keep the history that surrounds them in the past. Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina explained this in visceral terms when he announced his support for presidential candidate Joe Biden late last month, an endorsement that began with Clyburn, 79, talking about the first time he was arrested protesting for civil rights decades ago. When I sat in jail that day, I wondered whether we were doing the right thing, but I was never fearful for the future, he said. As I stand before you today I am fearful of the future of this country. Im fearful for my daughters and their futures, and their children, and their childrens futures. Clyburn said he was sure Biden was the right choice. I know Joe. We know Joe. But most importantly, Joe knows us, he said. Three days later, Biden won a convincing victory in the South Carolina primary, launching him into his Super Tuesday triumph and the front-runner status he enjoys today. My friends in New York, many of them Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders supporters who see Biden as deeply uninspiring, were mystified. But after traveling through the South this past week, I began to understand. Through Southern eyes, this election is not about policy or personality. Its about something much darker. Not long ago, these Americans lived under violent, anti-democratic governments. Now, many there say they see in President Donald Trump and his supporters the same hostility and zeal for authoritarianism that marked life under Jim Crow. For those who lived through the trauma of racial terrorism and segregation, or grew up in its long shadow, this history haunts the campaign trail. And Trump has summoned old ghosts. People are prideful of being racist again, said Bobby Caradine, 47, who is black and has lived in Memphis all his life. Its right back out in the open. In Tennessee and Alabama, in Arkansas and Oklahoma and Mississippi, Democrats, black and white, told me they were united by a single, urgent goal: defeating Trump this November, with any candidate, and at any cost. Theres three things I want to happen, Angela Watson, a 60-year-old black Democrat from Oklahoma City, told me at a campaign event there this week. One, beat Trump. Two, beat Trump. And three, beat Trump. They were deeply skeptical that a democratic socialist like Sanders could unseat Trump. They liked Warren but, burned by Hillary Clintons loss, were worried that too many of their fellow Americans wouldnt vote for a woman. Joe Biden is no Barack Obama. But he was somebody they knew. He was with Obama for all those years, Caradine said. People are comfortable with him. Faced with the prospect of their children losing the basic rights they won over many generations, these voters, as the old Chicago political saw goes, dont want nobody that nobody sent. Biden understands this. If the Democrats want a nominee whos a Democrat a lifelong Democrat! a proud Democrat! an Obama-Biden Democrat! then join us! he told voters in South Carolina in his victory speech. Despite enormous progress, poverty in this still largely rural region, for Southerners of every race, remains crushing. Confederate flags proudly paid for by the Sons of Confederate Veterans dot the highways. Michael Bloombergs campaign office in Montgomery, Ala., faced a town square where human beings once sold other human beings into slavery. In Memphis last week, steps from the campaign trail, hundreds gathered across town for the 68th annual Mid-South Farm & Gin Show. Inside a massive convention hall, white Southerners mingled amid the giant steel claws of farm equipment and cardboard cutouts of Donald Trump and Mike Pence. At one booth, vendors sold a shirt that read, Make Cotton Great Again. The past is never dead, as Mississippi novelist William Faulkner wrote in Requiem for a Nun. Its not even past. Faulkner was on my mind when I picked up the keys to a rental car in Memphis for the long drive to Selma, Ala. Along the way, I stopped for breakfast in Olive Branch, Miss., where I met a man named Dave Wright. His grandfather, Leonard Wright, was William Faulkners physician. Faulkner wrote about Granddaddy. Granddaddy didnt like what he said, but it was all true, Wright told me. He stopped there. On Sunday, I marched across Selmas Edmund Pettus Bridge with thousands, an annual exercise in remembering that draws Americans from all walks of life. In 1965, police attacked civil rights protesters here in an event that came to be called Bloody Sunday. This year, the Democratic presidential candidates joined. So did Bob Smith, an older black man, who stood at the edge of the crowds holding a sign. I was here in 1965, pistol whipped and kicked by police, it read. When I asked him about it, Smith smiled. Yeah, I was here all right. Got the crap kicked out of me, too! he told me with an easy laugh. The march began, and the Edmund Pettus Bridge, a dull block of concrete named for a Confederate brigadier, was suddenly flooded with life. Choirs sent the sounds of gospel high into the thick Alabama air. Drummers walked the route alongside school groups, and church groups, and black sorority women in their pink and green regalia. Parents carried young children on their shoulders, hoping to catch a glimpse of the presidential candidates. This is better than Mardi Gras, Sharon Holmes, of Pontiac, Michigan, told me. At the crest of the bridge, hundreds stood with their faces to the warm Southern sun, breathing it all in. Together, they are determined to hold on to a country that was paid for 55 years ago in blood. In the South, as in the rest of America, that may be a hard thing to do. Gay is a member of the editorial board at The New York Times . Wonkish scribbler Matthew Yglesias of Vox.com has, by dint of introspection or pure satori, come to a realization: not everyone in the U.S. of A. is a well-to-do master's degreeholder. And because every American didn't spend his 20s in grad school reading Howard Zinn and deconstructing the Federalist Papers, between binge-watching "The West Wing," Elizabeth Warren lost the presidential race. Yes, Yglesias is that unembarrassingly blunt: if voters were as intelligent as he and his friends, the bookish Massachusetts senator would be jogging like a rheumatic gazelle down the royal road to sweeping the Milwaukee convention. Instead, the former Harvard Law professor placed at a pitiful third in her home state's primary and decamped shortly after from the race. She now returns to the cold confines of the Hart Senate Office Building and warm embrace of the D.C. class, a martyr for the beloved cause of electing the first female president. Journalists, whom Yglesias refers to as the more enlightened members of the American species, wailed dirges in honor of her campaign predeceasing their expectant hopes. An amuse-bouche of headlines to give you a taste of the despair: "America Punished Elizabeth Warren for Her Competence"; "It Will Be Hard to Get Over What Happened to Elizabeth Warren"; "Like So Many Women, Elizabeth Warren Turned Invisible." The last is an amusing form of overwrought-ness, in light of the media overexposure Warren's campaign received over its 390-day lifespan. Then there's the creme de la creme of high dudgeon: "I Am Burning With Fury and Grief Over Elizabeth Warren. And I Am Not Alone." Such objurgation, delivered undressed in full emotion, used to be the kind of inner anguish too embarrassing to publicly share, especially on the pages of the world's biggest newspaper. Not so now emoting is the vulgate of our day, and the less one demonstrates forbearance, the more "authentic" he appears, and the better he is received. It's also why Yglesias feels the need to unburden himself of his profession's parti pris. That Warren was the newsie's favorite wasn't a secret. Other than her slightly more socialist confrere, Senator Bernie Sanders, candidate Warren was given an in-kind payment of glowing admiration from verified Twitter users a de facto endorsement from the punditocracy. With Warren out, her pumped up ego in convalescence and her prop-dog Bailey licking her wounds, Yglesias is comfortable admitting what every observer already guessed: Senator Liz was the go-to pick of white college graduates cloistered in Washington, D.C. and New York City. "A lot of people I know are voting for Elizabeth Warren on Super Tuesday," Yglesias reveals to his empathetic readership." But Warren's "supporters feel somewhat baffled: How did she evaporate from the top tier of contention, especially since so many of the people they know also like her?" Yglesias's inquiry brings to mind the fabricated Pauline Kael quote following Nixon's '72 landslide: "I can't believe Nixon won. I don't know anyone who voted for him." What Kael might have said was more along the lines of "I live in a rather special world. I only know one person who voted for Nixon." Special world, indeed. That special world was, and continues to be, filled by credentialed elites who measure life in university-certified certificates. Or, as Yglesias explains, "[i]n my friend group, it's not unusual for someone to be a lawyer or a doctor or to have a master's degree in something or other." Citing data from The Economist, Yglesias shows that Warren's support came mostly from those with post-graduate degrees and college-educated whites. But America isn't a seminar on ekphrastic interpretations of 18th-century veduta landscapes. It is, as Yglesias acknowledges, mostly a "working-class country" with "more high school dropouts than people with master's degrees." One of Warren's biggest sells on the campaign trail was her student loan debt cancelation plan. This proposed abrogation of collegiate profligacy endeared her to urbanites paying back a mortgage's worth of debt, but it meant little to the rest of the country. Only 15% of American adults have student loan debt, including just a third of those between ages 18 and 29. The median amount owed by bachelor's degreeholders is $25,000 the price of a new mid-sized car. It's manageable, in other words. "If you feel like Warren is very impressive and lots of people you know feel the same way, you're not imagining it lots of people just like you all across the country feel the same way," Yglesias writes, soothing his readers' dashed hopes. But being impressive to a highly educated minority doesn't win nationwide elections. Warren represents the most educated state in the union. She is the model preceptor incarnate: donnish, bespectacled, always draped in a cardigan, speaking in the excited dulcet tones of Charlie Brown's teacher. She was the perfect candidate for those who ritually watched John Stewart freshman year in their Ivy League dorms. Now she's just another also-ran. Like Yglesias and his fellow credentialed elite, Warren learned a lesson not taught in higher education: she wasn't that special all along. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr. The recent letter "SUNY's insufficient funding levels must be addressed," Feb. 18, ignores a simple fact: Gov. Andrew Cuomo has increased funding for higher education by 29 percent or $1.8 billion since 2012. Over this period, state support for the State University of New York has increased by 32 percent; the largest portion of the increase is attributable to employee fringe benefits that received a jaw-dropping 72 percent increase. Another fact: New York state provides $550 million annually in critical maintenance for SUNY campuses. This year there is a proposal for an additional $300 million in renovations or new capital projects through a new capital matching grant program. Eric Bard/Corbis via Getty ROMEIf there is one thing that has become abundantly clear since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus burst beyond mainland China, it is where not to go to get away. Cruise ships have proven to be the worst in petri dish travel for this particular virus, followed by northern Italy, which has sadly become the Wuhan of Europe after thousands of people who live or traveled to the popular region spread the virus to nearly 20 countries. But, like in the times of perhaps mother of all pandemics, the Black Death, there are always places to get away from it all with a low risk of coming down with anything. In Italy, which has nearly 6,000 cases, the highest number outside Asia, people are fleeing to their country homes in droves and renting agricultural venues to escape the germ-filled cities. The Italian Association of Agritourism reports a slight bump in business for this time of year, which has countered the more than 75 percent cancellation rate the countrys cities have felt since Feb. 21 when the epidemic exploded. Many who are taking refuge in the Italian countryside are following the prescription doled out in Giovanni Boccaccios 14th century collection of 100 short stories called The Decameronmainly distraction. The book, based on a mix of fact and folklore, is told over 10 days during the plague, which had halved the population of Florence by 1348. Boccaccio creates seven male characters and three female characters who secretly meet in a church in Florence to plan a two-week quarantine getaway in a villa in Fiesole in the foothills above the city. There, they told stories, laughed, danced and, it would seem, had lots of sex without even mentioning the Black Death around them. While social media and online news may make it impossible to completely escape the growing scourge, there are still some lovely areas that have always been destinations for healing, including a number of towns in the Swiss Alps that grew out of a need for fresh air during the tuberculosis epidemic of the late 1800s that killed one in seven people living in the U.S. and Europe at the time. One such notable spot is in Davos, now the site of the World Economic Forum. There the Hotel Schatzalp sits inside what was a luxury sanatorium built in 1900 for wealthy TB sufferers. Each room has a balcony facing the mountains where the sick would sit for brief periods of time to breathe in the cold air. They were fed up to five times a day since most TB sufferers died of consumption or weight loss due to the disease. The hotel still keeps the original x-ray room where doctors tended the patients as a tiny museum to its history. Story continues In the U.S., TB the so-called White Deathalso took its toll, but it also put some areas on the map. For the same reason Europeans flocked to the Swiss Alps, many Americans went to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where towns with names like Hygiene bear witness to the importance of the area at the time. Resorts that are now mostly given to skiers were built as TB sanatoriums and spas, where patients were called guests and treatments included live orchestras and in-house museums so they wouldnt be starved of culture. On the East Coast, Lake Saranac in a village in the Adirondack mountains of New York, once referred to as the Magic Mountain of America, offered a similar refuge as TB ravaged the region. Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau, the great-grandfather of Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau, traveled to a little red cabin there when he was sure he would die from the debilitating respiratory disease. Instead, he slowly got better and soon others, including artists, authors, poets, scientists, and even doctors who could afford it, went to the area to take in its curative properties. Over nearly a century, thousands of people traveled to Saranac, according to the book Saranac: America's Magic Mountain which traces its history. But not all safe retreats served their purpose, as might well be the case of the brave new world in the time of the coronavirus. When the bacteria-based polio epidemic first gripped the children of New York City in 1916, the government authorities at the time blamed immigrants who were coming in via Ellis Island. The wealthy retreated to the Catskills to be safe from the invaders. But, as it was soon proven, polio knew no socio-economic boundaries, and by the time the epidemic ended, 9,000 cases and nearly 2,500 deaths had been tallied, including many who had locked themselves and their children into the Catskills resorts. By the time COVID-19 has run its course and vaccines and cures are found, travel will almost certainly be the first sacrifice most people make. But, as in the case of the previous epidemics and pandemics, there may be safe places to wait this out. Time cures almost everything and history, as it is said, has a way of repeating itself. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Your browser does not support the audio element. Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs has notified authorities in the United Kingdom, Italy, and France of the travel history of a Hanoi woman who recently contracted the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) following her trip to Europe. The foreign ministry has asked the Vietnamese Embassies in Paris, Rome and London to update relevant agencies of the host countries on the travel history and temporary residence address in the UK of N.H.N., 26, a resident from Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. The ministry also informed the nations which had citizens on the same flight as N. so that they could take proper measures in order to prevent the spread of the virus in the community, said Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Vietnam will continue sharing information and coordinating with other countries as well as international organizations in the fight against the epidemic, Hang stated. N. became the 17th COVID-19 patient in Vietnam after she tested positive on Friday evening. She traveled to the UK on February 15 and stayed at a sister's house in London until February 18, when she set off for Milan, a metropolis in Italy's northern Lombardy region, which has been hit very hard by the COVID-19, for sightseeing and shopping. The Vietnamese woman then went to Paris, France to visit a sister, who is now reportedly infected with the virus. N. returned to London on February 26. The woman arrived in Hanoi on a Vietnam Airlines flight, numbered VN0054, on March 2 and went through immigration normally without a fever. The woman was taken on a family vehicle to her residence on the 8th floor of a building at 125 Truc Bach Street in Ba Dinh District. She went to Hong Ngoc Hospital on March 5 and was transferred to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases on the same day. She tested positive for COVID-19 on the following evening. On March 7, N.'s aunt, 64-year-old L.T.H., and chauffeur, 27-year-old D.D.P., were confirmed to be infected with the virus. On the morning of March 8, N.Q.T., 61, also tested positive for COVID-19 after boarding the same VN0054 flight as N. on March 2. COVID-19, which first surfaced in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 105,800 people and killed 3,605 globally, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. Vietnam has so far confirmed 21 infections, including 18 Vietnamese, two Chinese nationals, and one Vietnamese American. Sixteen of the patients have recovered and been discharged from the hospital. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! In Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi government has ordered an inquiry after a large amount of Terror Funding reported in the districts adjoining the Indo Nepal Border. Actually, suspicion of terror funding has been raised in 257 mosque-madrasas bordering the border, after which the intelligence department is eyeing these mosques-madrasas. After the report of Uttar Pradesh government in the case, ADG Zone, Gorakhpur has ordered surveillance. Now the police is monitoring the list of suspicious places. Please tell that the border of Uttar Pradeshs Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Bahraich, Balrampur and Shravasti districts is adjacent to Nepal. Suddenly a large number of mosques and madrasas have come to the fore, after which there is a stir. In fact, in the month of December, UP Police was preparing the list of people associated with PFI after the name of PFI in the violent protests against CAA and NRC in different districts of UP. During that time, Bahraichs name along the Nepal border came to prominence. It was also revealed that PFI is using religious places in the propagation of its network. Following the recent violence in New Delhi, the IB has also given an intelligence input to the Uttar Pradesh government, according to which it has been asked to monitor 257 mosque madrasas bordering the Nepal border of UP. Terror funding is feared here. After this input, police and intelligence have increased their activity in many districts of Gorakhpur zone. According to sources, in Kushinagar, Bahraich, Maharajganj, Siddharthnagar, Balrampur and Shravasti, people connected with the arrangements committee of mosque madrasas and details related to funding of these religious places are being collected in intelligence. It has also been requested to keep an eye on the new rich in these areas and to know from where the money is coming from them. Districts adjoining Nepal border have always been sensitive because India gets comfortable movement in the middle of Nepal border. However, the UP government has consistently spoken about the coordination of police and armed border forces by making good roads in these districts of the border. Source : News 24X7 Plus This is the first of a two-part MassLive report on the White House and the use of social media. You can read Part 2 here. ________________ Dan Scavino Jr., the White House director of social media, recently mocked former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for spending millions of dollars on "social media influencers and shitty memes, while President Donald Trump pays zero ... for EPIC memes created by an online Army of American Patriots. The president also pays nothing for official social media posts by the White House, where taxpayers not Trumps digitally dominant re-election campaign pay the salaries of aides who often create and share content that, according to government watchdogs, blurs the line between public service and electioneering. Federal law and ethics codes make clear that taxpayers should not foot the bill for a politicized social media strategy as a president campaigns across the country. But a review of the White House Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts reveals executive branch employees have effectively mounted a political offensive, deploying Trump campaign material and attacks against the Democratic party and potential presidential foes to more than 60 million combined followers. The years-long effort marked by dozens of instances when on-duty Trump aides posted politicized material or outright campaign slogans on taxpayer-backed government accounts flies in the face of repeated warnings from federal investigators. Throughout Trumps impeachment and Senate trial, the official White House social media accounts routinely pounded followers with the argument that Democrats on Capitol Hill were liars promulgating a hoax, while the president was a fighter delivering on promises. The material came amid the Trump campaigns ongoing Facebook and texting blitz, which regularly asked donors to fight back against a witch hunt. Executive branch employees continue to post 2020 campaign slogans such as Promises made, promises kept, on government accounts even after an independent federal watchdog agency warned a senior aide in 2018 that it would consider such activity to be a willful and knowing violation of the law. Screenshot of tweet from Stephanie Grisham, White House press secretary, including the slogan, "Promises made, promises kept." They just dont care, Nick Schwellenbach, a senior investigator with the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), a nonpartisan watchdog group, said in an interview. Within the White House in particular, there seems to be a widespread disregard for the Hatch Act, the federal law barring on-duty executive branch employees from politicking. The Hatch Act covers most executive branch employees except for the president and vice president. The 1939 legislation prohibits on-duty employees from engaging in political activity directed at the success or failure" of a political party or candidate. The law does not apply to members of Congress. The Office of Special Counsel, the independent federal agency that investigates Hatch Act complaints, says political activity includes using any email account or social media to distribute, send or forward content that advocates for or against a party or a candidate. The politically-tinged posts from taxpayer-backed White House accounts reach 20 million followers on Twitter and 9 million on Facebook, before sparking thousands of reactions, shares and comments. Twenty-eight million people follow the official @POTUS account, which almost exclusively retweets the presidents personal account, as well as @WhiteHouse. More than 5.5 million people follow the White House on Instagram, with many posts gaining hundreds of thousands of views and likes. It might seem like a small thing, but its not, Schwellenbach said. "The way people consume information has changed so much. Donald Sherman, deputy director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), said in an interview that its fair game for an administration to use social media to point out successes or policy differences. But federal resources, and the authority of the federal government, should not be used in a way that influences partisan electoral politics, he said. The White House did not answer when asked which employees directly manage its social media accounts. But the accounts are ultimately overseen by taxpayer-funded administration aides who are barred from campaigning while on the job. The nearly three dozen White House personnel who deal with digital, the press and communications averaged about $104,000 in earnings, according to an annual salary report last June. Several press assistants and digital coordinators earned less than $50,000, but many top digital and communications aides earned six figures, with more than a dozen earning between $120,000 and $183,000. Hatch Act violations can lead to a reprimand, demotion, suspension or ban from federal work for up to five years or a civil penalty up to $1,000. OSCs career Hatch Act professionals investigate complaints and if a violation is found that warrants discipline, the OSC seeks action through a settlement or order of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, said Zachary Kurz, OSC communications director. For officials appointed by the president or confirmed by the Senate, and some senior White House appointees, discipline is only meted out by the president himself, Kurz added. Almost a dozen Trump administration officials, including Scavino and White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, have already been warned or found in violation of the Hatch Act, some for tweeting campaign slogans, or even simply the popular hashtag, #MAGA, an acronym for the presidents 2016 slogan. Retweeting research conducted by the Republican National Committee, or retweeting the presidents endorsement of a candidate, also prompted OSC to issue warnings to Trump administration officials for Hatch Act violations. Schwellenbach said that, for decades irrespective of ethics codes and federal election laws fear that an opposition party would exert undue political influence once in office helped restrain some of the worst partisan impulses on either side." Were in power now, but we wouldnt want the other side of the aisle doing this, went the thinking, he said. That argument isnt carrying much weight these days. MassLive exchanged brief emails with a White House communications staffer for this story on Jan. 30 and Feb. 4. But the White House did not respond to several questions regarding its use of social media and compliance with the Hatch Act. On March 2, MassLive sent the White House a detailed list of questions and requested feedback from Scavino, Grisham and senior counselor to the president, KellyAnne Conway, and received no response. On March 5, a voicemail left with a White House spokesman went unreturned. The Trump campaign, Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee did not respond to requests for comment. President Trump and the GOP have adopted the slogan, "Promises Made, Promises Kept." Here, the slogan hangs from Southern New Hampshire University arena during a Feb. 10, 2020 re-election campaign rally. Turning the White House into a 2020 Campaign Megaphone The president often boasts about keeping his promises. Unlike so many who came before me, I keep my promises, Trump told both houses of Congress and the American people during his State of the Union address in February, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi shaking her head and smirking behind him. Trump has turned delivering on the promise of Keeping America Great into the cornerstone of his 2020 campaign. Both Trump and the GOP have adopted Promises Made, Promises Kept as a slogan. A video highlighting Trumps actions in office, titled Promises Made, Promises Kept is featured prominently on the official campaign website, donaldjtrump.com. Another website, promiseskept.com, is funded by Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., and touts Trumps accomplishments. Screenshot from the president's re-election campaign website including the slogan, "Promises made, promises kept." In 2018, Trump referenced PROMISES MADE PROMISES KEPT as his campaign slogan in a tweet accusing New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio of hijacking it. Not nice at all. No imagination!" the president tweeted. Bill DeBlasio, the high taxing Mayor of NYC, just stole my campaign slogan: PROMISES MADE PROMISES KEPT! Thats not at all nice. No imagination! @foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2018 The Republican National Committee website, GOP.com, offers links to a series of blogs featuring the same slogan. As President Trump gets ready to take the stage in Orlando, Florida, tonight to officially launch his 2020 re-election bid, his Promises Made, Promises Kept record speaks for itself, opens a GOP.com blog. The post focuses on low unemployment, business tax cuts and border enforcement as examples of Trump delivering on his 2016 promise to Make America Great Again. The @GOP Twitter account, with 2 million followers, has tweeted some variation of Promises Made, Promises Kept" at least 60 times since 2017, often with graphics and photos similar to the @WhiteHouse account. The slogan is also popular on the GOP Facebook account, which reaches another 2 million followers. Two years of putting America First. Promises made, promises kept. pic.twitter.com/VzAeMzNSbi GOP (@GOP) January 20, 2019 In March 2018, a week after Trump officially announced his 2020 campaign, OSC issued a guidance warning federal employees they could not wear, display, or distribute items with slogans and materials from the 2016 and 2020 campaigns. But the taxpayer-backed White House social media accounts continue to fall in line behind Trumps re-election effort, openly sharing campaign slogans with Twitter, Facebook and Instagram followers more than a dozen times over the last two years. On the White House Twitter account alone, the presidents social media staffers have tweeted about Trump delivering on campaign promises at least 75 times since 2017. The same team has specifically posted promise kept or promises kept from @WhiteHouse at least 15 times combined since August 2018. In posts on Jan. 29, 2020, the White House Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts celebrated the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement with posts including Promise made, promise kept." On Dec 10, 2019, the White House Facebook and Twitter accounts posted a video highlighting Trumps longstanding critiques of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The video shows Trump signing the USMCA and, later, with sweeping background music, receiving applause from workers under an American flag. The video closes with a graphic of the slogan Promises made, promises kept swooping over the fist-pumping president. As a private citizen, @realDonaldTrump saw that Americans were treated unfairly by NAFTA. He ran for officeand wonon a promise to fix it. Promises made, promises kept. pic.twitter.com/6XyHKnjjer The White House (@WhiteHouse) December 11, 2019 Promise made, promise kept. Today, President Trump signed legislation that provides historic funding to care for our nations veterans. pic.twitter.com/R7CGgHZUcY The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 21, 2018 In September 2018, OSC wrote to CREW, the watchdog group, confirming that it found Grisham in violation of the Hatch Act for including #MAGA in a tweet on her official account, The Washington Post reported. Tweeting a campaign slogan of a current candidate for partisan political office constitutes political activity for purposes of the Hatch Act, OSC wrote. CREW had filed a complaint about Grishams #MAGA tweet, which OSC said she deleted once she became aware it broke federal law. Asked about the White House using social media to consistently celebrate Trump as the president ramps up his re-election bid, Kurz of OSC said that he cannot comment on your observations." But he did provide a link for anyone who wishes to submit a Hatch Act complaint. OSC does not typically comment on or confirm specific Hatch Act investigations, Kurz said when asked if the agency had received complaints about the official White House pages in recent months. Once an investigation is complete, a letter with OSCs findings is sent to only the subject of the complaint and to the complainant. Schwellenbach said that executive branch officials are allowed under the Hatch Act to talk about the administrations policy positions and what they deem successes." The Hatch Act makes clear that, per the First Amendment, you cant tell someone that just because youre a high level employee, you cant have an opinion. But you have to keep things clean" when acting in an official capacity, he said. When you start using the exact same words of a campaign Make America Great Again or Promises Made, Promises Kept it either can violate the Hatch Act or comes so close, its not advisable at all, he added. Schwellenbach, who previously served as OSC communications director under the Obama administration and, for a short time, the Trump administration, said its amazing what people do on the clock with the ease of access to social media on a smartphone or computer. He acknowledged that officials like Grisham in particular are in a tough spot. Anyone whos press secretary ... youre speaking for the president, trying to defend the administration. While the current administration has favored using social media and news interviews instead of press briefings, Schwellenbach noted that OSC trained previous press secretaries to pivot when they fielded a question about an opponent, to essentially say, 'Look, Im not going to talk about the campaign, but I will talk about the administration believing in this policy.' But sprinkling in these little campaign slogans ... is an obvious attempt to intertwine the campaign into it." Not long after OSC concluded Grisham violated the Hatch Act in 2018 by tweeting #MAGA, she included Promise made, promise kept in an Oct. 1, 2018, tweet. She tweeted the same thing again on Sept. 18, 2019 and Jan. 15, 2020. She also posted Promises made, promises kept in tweets two days in a row last month. President @realDonaldTrump pledged to fight for those who have been forgotten, neglected, overlooked, and ignored. When others couldnt get it done, he led the effort to pass landmark Criminal Justice Reform, giving former inmates a second chance. Promises Made, Promises Kept! pic.twitter.com/nI2RstpT2P Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) February 20, 2020 Scavino, described in a New York Times Magazine profile as The Man Behind the Presidents Tweets," quoted a Grisham tweet on Jan. 31 on his official account, and tacked on the 2020 Trump campaign slogan in all caps. Another GREAT week for the Trump Administration! PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT, for all AMERICANS!! Scavino wrote. Screenshot of a Jan. 31, 2020, tweet by Dan Scavino, Jr., the White House director of social media, in which Scavino uses a Trump campaign slogan, "Promises Made, Promises Kept," despite the Office of Special Counsel previously finding other administrations in violation of federal law for engaging in political activity while on duty. Sherman, an attorney who started his Capitol Hill career as counsel for the House Ethics Committee, argued the Trump administration is an outlier in several respects, including the number of officials found in violation (of the Hatch Act), and also a general lack of accountability. Last summer, after OSC unprecedentedly recommended the firing of a White House official, Kellyanne Conway, for allegedly brazen violations of the Hatch Act, the president told Fox News the law doesnt sound fair, Politico reported. No, Im not going to fire her," Trump said. "I think shes a tremendous person, tremendous spokesperson. They have tried to take away her speech, and I think youre entitled to free speech in the country. CREW sued OSC in December seeking to compel discipline for Conway. According to an OSC letter to Trump last June, Conways actions, including using official media appearances and her Twitter account to advocate for the presidents re-election and deride Democrats, erode the principle foundation of our democratic system the rule of law. Let me know when the jail sentence starts, Conway once flippantly told a reporter asking about Hatch Act violations, the OSC wrote. The official White House social media accounts have not faced direct public critique by OSC, however. CREW, which has sued the Trump administration over a range of ethics and corruption issues, has not filed Hatch Act complaints about the White House accounts in particular. The challenge with the White House accounts is, its hard to investigate who tweeted a particular statement, and the White House has been less than cooperative with law enforcement, Sherman said. Schwellenbach argued that regardless of whos managing the White House accounts, its even more vital that they be viewed as politically neutral and straight-shooting because they come from the institution" as opposed to an individual aide or cabinet member. As a taxpayer worried about the polarization of institutions in our government, which should serve us all equally and administer the laws equally thats more concerning, he said. You need to do the right thing A few senior officials in the Obama and Bush administrations were also found in violation of the Hatch Act. The OSC found Julian Castro, President Barack Obamas Housing and Urban Development secretary, in violation for expressing a personal political opinion in response to a question on the 2016 election. Castro, an eventual 2020 presidential candidate who dropped out in January and threw his support behind Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, issued a response acknowledging the error, saying he tasked the executive team with enhancing training of the acts requirements. A search of White House tweets during Obamas two terms in office shows posts including the slogan, Yes we can, about a dozen times. Four of those tweets were from his last days in office, with a few quoting his farewell address. Others quoted speeches at Howard University in 2016 and Selma, Alabama, in 2015. Only one came while he was up for re-election, quoting a 2011 speech to graduates of Booker T. Washington High School. Obama: "some people say that schools like BTW just arent supposed to succeed every single one of you stood up and said, 'Yes we can.'" White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) May 16, 2011 Schwellenbach argued the White House under Obama should have done more to hold these officials accountable." But he credited the Obama White House for trying to get the message out on the Hatch Act. In 2016, the White House Counsels Office held meetings with cabinet secretaries to say, 'Look, this is an election year. You need to do the right thing,'" Schwellenbach said. Schwellenbach emphasized that Trump can do what he wants on his own accounts, but he urged the White House to slow things down and vet social media posts through the White House Counsels office. Its a tough recommendation in the fast-moving social media age, he said. But if they were serious about compliance, they would probably do that. Asked if any lawmakers have pushed to strengthen the Hatch Act, Kurz said to the best of his knowledge, there have been no formal legislative proposals" to reform the law since it was modernized in 2012. Update: On May 20, the White House tweeted a video of new press secretary Kayleigh McEnany discussing Trumps negotiations of better trade deals bringing jobs and manufacturing back to America. The tweet included Promise Made, Promise Kept alongside an American flag emoji. The White House on May 20 tweeted "Promise Made, Promise Kept," a version of the Trump 2020 campaign slogan. Federal watchdogs have informed the White House multiple times that sharing campaign slogans online violates federal law. In the publics interest Facebook users agree not to do anything unlawful on the platform, per the social networks terms of service. Twitters rules make clear that, You may not use our service for any unlawful purpose or in furtherance of illegal activities. The company says it works with government officials on how best to use their accounts. Facebook, in a pair of emails, did not provide on the record comments for this story. The company has come under scrutiny for its policy of refusing to remove misleading political ads, even at a time when intelligence agencies have warned of increasing attempts to interfere with U.S. elections. The New York Times recently reported that Facebook did, however, remove misleading Trump campaign ads the company said could confuse people about the 2020 census. Twitter, in an email, declined to comment on the record. Twitter decided last year to ban political advertising. Twitter also recently added a reporting tool for users who suspect attempts of voter suppression through misinformation. Neither company responded to questions on potential suspensions or deactivations of accounts in connection with the Hatch Act or related matters. Nor did they say whether they had concerns about social media being used as a political messaging arm through official government accounts funded by taxpayers. In a blog explaining notices on tweets that may violate Twitters rules but remain on the site in the publics interest," the company last year said that government officials and political figures ... have outsized influence and sometimes say things that could be considered controversial or invite debate and discussion. A critical function of our service is providing a place where people can openly and publicly respond to their leaders and hold them accountable. Over time, public interest and how its defined on Twitter may change as we observe different types of behavior, the company added. Well continue to evaluate how our rules and enforcement actions can be clearer and keep working to make our decision-making easier to understand. Sherman said he was unaware of any government official ever being suspended from a social media site for Hatch Act or related violations. He added that White House social media managers, and Trump himself, should be wary of violating other laws, including the Whistleblower Protection Act. Schwellenbach said a social media post defying the Whistleblower Protection Act may violate social media sites terms of service, and he could envision the platforms warning or banning accounts for such a post. But social media posts that flirt with violating the Hatch Act are trickier for government officials and private companies to handle. Unlike statutes that protect whistleblowers from retaliation or witnesses from intimidation, a Hatch Act violation typically doesnt have have a direct victim, making it less likely that a social media company would act on a potential breach of the law at the risk of infringing someones free speech. Schwellenbach also noted Facebook or Twitter were unlikely to make the determination on their own that a post violated a 1939 law that was by no means written for todays environment. Related Content: Vietnam still has to import car parts for domestic assembling. As a result, the production cost is high and domestically made products remain less competitive than imports. At the Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) which took place in late 2019, the working group about automobiles and motorbikes pointed out that Vietnams automobile industry is slowly developing because of low output, weak high-quality material industry and limited management capability. According to the working group, Vietnams car parts are three times more expensive than Thailands. Domestic manufacturers, for example, quote a price of nearly $4 for each product. The 200-300 percent price gap is also seen for plastic components, which is even higher than high-quality components. The mass car imports have caused difficulties for domestic production. Automobile joint ventures have ceased assembling many models in Vietnam and import products instead. This is one of the reasons behind the weak supporting industries. The mass car imports have caused difficulties for domestic production. Automobile joint ventures have ceased assembling many models in Vietnam and import products instead. This is one of the reasons behind the weak supporting industries. Meanwhile, experts pointed out that if supporting industries cannot develop, Vietnams automobile industry will just do simple assembling forever. According to Toyota Vietnams general director Toru Kinoshita, the high output and large market are the most important factor to persuade automobile manufacturers and suppliers to increase the localization ratios. Japanese Enkei came to Vietnam in 2007 and became the car part supplier of Toyota, Truong Hai, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi. Its major product is casting rim and it only makes 24,000 products a month. Meanwhile, the company needs to have orders for 100,000 products a month to optimize production. With current small orders, each product has a production cost 5-10 percent higher than other regional countries. In its report about the implementation of the plan to develop the automobile industry released in 2019, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) admitted that Vietnam failed to meet the goals set for the automobile industry. Vietnam wanted to have the localization ratio of 60 percent of cars with nine seats or less, while the real ratio is 7-10 percent only. Vietnamese enterprises can only make very simple car parts, such as tyre, glass, battery and plastic products. At least 80-90 percent of major materials for making components, such as alloy steel, aluminum alloy, plastic particles and technical rubber, must be imported. Tran Huu Nhan from the HCM City University of Science andTechnology, commented that Vietnam is still doing the welding, painting, assembling and testing, i.e. the worlds technologies of 1940s, 1950s. The biggest problem for Vietnams automobile is the limited demand. Meanwhile, Nguyen Khac Trai, former lecturer of the Hanoi University of Science and Technology, said in the current conditions of Vietnam, it will not have an automobile industry of its own. I think Vietnam needs 20 more years, he said. Tran Thuy Govts new decree removes barriers to automobile imports Automobile importers in Vietnam will no longer have to obtain a Vehicle Type Approval (VTA) certificate from authorities in exporting countries, making it easier for them to import cars into the country. on Saturday to evacuate its nationals in decided on Saturday to evacuate its nationals in Today, the Kuwaiti News Agency (KUNA) said that the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Cairo calls upon its citizens in Egypt to communicate with it to organize their return to the country. A federal investigation into the placement of card skimmers on gas pumps in Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut and New Hampshire led to the discovery of nearly 5,700 credit and debit card account numbers, according to paperwork filed in Boston federal court. The accounts were contained in text messages and equipment that authorities from the United States Secret Service discovered during the investigation into a card skimming ring. A criminal complaint accusing Luis Angel Naranjo Rodriguez of possessing 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices was filed in federal court Friday. Records show Naranjo Rodriguez is in state custody in Massachusetts already after he was arrested in November. Federal authorities announced Monday that he was arrested on the federal charges. Mark Comorosky, a Secret Service special agent, said a card skimming ring used Bluetooth and SMS skimmers to steal credit and debit card account information. The Bluetooth skimmer stores data on a memory card that can be extracted by someone within wireless range or by removing the memory card. The SMS skimmer sends a text message to a phone number with the account information. In April 2019, a gas pump technician discovered skimmers on two gas pumps at the Gulf gas station on Commonwealth Avenue in Concord, Massachusetts. The two skimmers had 391 account numbers stored on them, authorities said. Secret Service agents were able to identify an SUV in early April 2019 and discovered the vehicle was rented out of Bostons Logan International Airport by a person who had been arrested in Florida on skimming fraud charges. An investigator from Broward County, Florida said the person who rented the SUV was involved in a card skimming ring with Naranjo Rodriguez and another person. The names of the two other people were not listed in the affidavit on file in Boston federal court. Roughly a month later, in May 2019, employees at a Gulf gas station on Route 9 in Framingham located two skimmers attached to gas pumps. The devices had 10 account numbers stored on memory cards. In November, Naranjo Rodriguez was spotted in an SUV parked at the same Concord gas station that had skimmers placed on gas pumps in April 2019, federal records said. The SUV was parked at the gas station at 1 a.m. even though the business closed at 11 p.m. One person was inside the SUV. Naranjo Rodriguez was standing next to a gas pump wearing black, latex gloves, according to the Secret Service. A Concord police officer approached Naranjo Rodriguez. Naranjo Rodriguez indicated to the CPD officer that he was getting gas, authorities said. As other officers arrived at the scene, investigators noticed a set of keys on the gas pump lock. Naranjo Rodriguez was then arrested. Officers seized Naranjo Rodriguezs iPhone during his arrest. They also searched the SUV and located what appeared to be a credit card skimming device under a seat. The man inside the SUV was also arrested. Officers searching the Ford Explorer also located four SMS skimming devices in the glovebox, black rubber gloves in a seat of the vehicle, additional gas pump keys, a black Samsung phone and a red iPhone, federal records said. Concord police also located seven bank cards in the SUV, records said. The man arrested with Naranjo Rodriguez told police they headed to Massachusetts from Miami. Authorities learned Naranjo Rodriguez had been staying in a Framingham hotel. It appears, based on federal records, that Naranjo Rodriguez is from Florida. Investigators obtained a search warrant to check the hotel and discovered a laptop and $1,470 in cash, Comorosky wrote in the federal affidavit. Naranjo Rodriguez had stayed at the same hotel six times in 2019, records showed. A housekeeper at the hotel cleaned out a room used by Naranjo Rodriguez in September and found a sock with 11 different credit cards, records said. Naranjo Rodriguezs name was on nine of the cards. Secret Service investigators checked several cards seized by authorities. The cards were gift cards that had been manipulated to hold the information for credit and debit cards, authorities said. Naranjo Rodriguez used some of those cards at stores in Framingham. The laptop seized in the investigation had 386 account numbers stored in a file, Secret Service investigators said. Authorities then checked the Samsung phone seized in the investigation. The exam resulted in the discovery of 4,878 account numbers reflected in what appear to be incoming messages, the federal affidavit said. Secret Service agents learned that 19 card skimmers were used in several locations at part of the scheme. Investigators believe card skimmers were placed on gas pumps in Willington, Connecticut; Lynnfield, Massachusetts; Concord, Massachusetts; Malden, Massachusetts; Taunton, Massachusetts; Randolph, Massachusetts; Raynham, Massachusetts, Portland, Maine and Nashua, New Hampshire. Skimming equipment was recovered from some, but not all, of these gas stations, Secret Service agents said. Naranjo Rodriguezs cell phone pinged towers near several locations where the card skimmers were found, records said. The scheme netted at least 5,659 account numbers, Comorosky wrote in the federal affidavit. It appears likely that Naranjo Rodriguez and his co-conspirators compromised the account data belonging to thousands of victims, the special agent wrote. Moscow has announced a prison term of up to five years for those who fail to self-isolate, as governments around the globe ramped up measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The number of people worldwide who have now tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , has passed 107,000 - with more than 3,600 deaths. Officials in the Russian capital, where cases total 15, on Sunday announced a "high alert regime" and a jail term of up to five years for anyone who fails to self-isolate at home for two weeks after visiting countries most severely hit by the coronavirus outbreak. This includes people returning from China, South Korea, Iran, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, with checks carried out via CCTV. Meanwhile, Iran declared a "sacred jihad" against the virus after more than 1,000 infections were confirmed overnight, taking the country's total to 6,586 cases, including 49 new fatalities, bringing the number of deaths to 194. This was shortly followed by a report by the state-controlled IRNA news agency that IranAir had stopped all flights to European destinations. In Italy, the government has introduced tough new measures to try to stop the spread of coronavirus, which includes ordering a lockdown across the hardest-hit region of Lombardy, plus 14 other northern and central provinces. It follows a 1,247 rise in COVID-19 cases - the country's biggest daily increase since the outbreak started in the north of the country on 21 February. In China, a hotel being used to house people in coronavirus quarantine collapsed killing at least 10 people and trapping more than 20 others. So far, at least 47 people have been rescued from the building in the city of Quanzhou, in southeastern Fujian Province. The country also reported 44 new cases on Sunday in a 24-hour period - the lowest level since it began publishing nationwide figures on 20 January - and 27 new fatalities. South Korea , the hardest-hit country outside China, reported 272 new cases, taking its total to 7,313 with 50 deaths overall. Story continues Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun urged citizens to "actively cooperate" and "show a mature sense of civil awareness" with the efforts to make sure healthcare workers and the sick "who really need face masks" are able to access or buy them. As Argentina announced the first death from the disease in Latin America - a 64-year-old patient from Buenos Aires - Western countries looked to imitate Chinese containment measures by imposing travel controls and shutting down public events. Sports events with spectators and school trips were banned for two weeks - and recreational centres for pensioners shut down for four weeks - in Greece, after cases there rose by seven to 73. Spain deployed police to enforce a quarantine. Austria confiscated 21,000 disposable masks that a Turkish company smuggled aboard a tour bus, seeking to profit from soaring demand. Two more people died in the United States, taking its death toll to 19 - as New York declared a state of emergency as the number of confirmed cases statewide rose by 13 to a total of 89. Governor Andrew Cuomo said: "It allows expedited purchasing and expedited hiring, which is what we need right now." More than half of all US states have reported cases of people testing positive for COVID-19. The US Army has restricted travel to and from Italy and South Korea, and banned foreign troops from participating in US exercises, exchanges and visits in the most affected countries. It follows a sailor in Italy, a Marine at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, and a soldier in South Korea testing positive for the disease. Police in Turkey have threatened legal action against social media accounts accused of spreading false virus information. And this month's Formula One race in Bahrain has become the latest major sports event to be affected by the outbreak after Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad announced the grand prix would go head - but without spectators. Bulgaria on Sunday confirmed its first four cases of the coronavirus, while Paraguay and Moldova each confirmed their first cases of the virus. Even islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean have not been spared, as the Maldives reported its first two cases and authorities locked down two tourist resorts. Cruise ships have increasingly been in the spotlight as they seek safe harbour on four continents amid fears they are spreading the virus. At the weekend, they faced trouble in waters off California, Malaysia, Egypt and Malta as those aboard were tested or confined to cabins. Officials in California are deciding where to dock the Grand Princess cruise ship, after 21 people on board tested positive for COVID-19. There is evidence the ship, now idling off San Francisco, was the breeding ground for a deadly cluster of almost 20 cases during an earlier voyage. Hundreds of people were also forced to remain on a Carnival Panorama cruise ship docked in Long Beach, California, while tests were carried out on a sick passenger. In Egypt, a cruise ship on the Nile with more than 150 people on board is under quarantine in the southern city of Luxor after 12 positive tests. In the port of Penang in Malaysia, the Costa Fortuna has been turned away because 64 of the 2,000 passengers aboard are from Italy. The ship had already been rejected by Thailand, and is now heading to Singapore. And in Malta, which recently reported its first case of the virus, the MSC Opera ship agreed not to enter the Mediterranean country's port amid local concerns - even though there are no infections suspected on board. The ship continued on to Messina, Sicily, where passengers were allowed to disembark after officials reviewed medical records. :: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker While many scientists say the world is clearly in the grip of a pandemic - a serious global outbreak - the World Health Organisation (WHO) is not calling it that yet, amid concerns the word might cause more alarm. The virus is still much less widespread than annual flu epidemics, which cause up to five million severe cases around the world and up to 650,000 deaths annually, according to the WHO. Virus Outbreak: Global Emergency - Watch a special Sky News programme on coronavirus at 6pm weekdays Virus Outbreak: Your questions answered #AskSkyNews at 12.30pm weekdays Geneva [Switzerland], Mar 8(ANI): A human rights activist, belonging to the Hazara ethnic group, has demanded an urgent intervention by the international community to protect the minorities facing persecution in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Speaking exclusively to ANI on the sidelines of the 43rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, Derakhshan Qurban Ali, expressed concerns over rising sectarian and terrorist attacks by the Taliban, ISIS and other Sunni extremist groups on Hazara minorities. Qurban Ali, the native of the mountainous region of Hazarajat in central Afghanistan, also condemned Friday's (March 6) deadly attack on Hazaras in Kabul, wherein 32 people were killed while dozens sustained injured. The commemoration ceremony attended by top political leaders from Afghanistan was held to remember Abdul Ali Mazari, a Shia leader who was killed by the Taliban in 1995. "I was speaking at the UN last year about the targeted attacks against the Hazara minorities during the last year's commemoration. The situation is very concerning and I think that a lot more needs to be done before we even consider peace in Afghanistan," she stressed. The activist, who is currently residing in Toronto, Canada, is also concerned about similar sectarian attacks on the people of the community who lives in Pakistan. "The reason for this is slightly different but is very related. There is also a Taliban in Pakistan, of course, but in Pakistan, there is a variety of Sunni extremist groups that target Hazaras because they are Shias," she noted. "The situation has not been improving at all. Hazaras are essentially living in an open jail in Quetta, Pakistan and they don't have security either", she added. The activist also called for an independent inquiry over the situation in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. "The key message is that there hasn't been any justice for Hazara people. Not a single perpetrator of any crimes against the Hazara has ever been prosecuted. No one has ever been held accountable for the genocide or crimes related to human rights," she said.(ANI) St Vincents Hospital is searching for patients who may have been exposed to the coronavirus after a man who presented to the hospital was diagnosed with COVID-19. The man in his 70s was in the Darlinghurst emergency department on Friday. He has not recently travelled overseas and the source of his infection is not known. A man in his 70s who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 attended St Vincents emergency department on March 6. Credit:Sydney Morning Herald "St Vincents Hospital is in the process of contacting patients who may have come in contact with him, NSW Health said in a statement released on Sunday night. Between January and March 2019, 13,365 people presented to St Vincent Hospitals Emergency Department, the Bureau of Health Information data shows. A rare Oarfish was found washed up on a beach - sparking fears of an impending disaster. The 14ft long creature was seen by concerned locals on the sand in Surigao del Norte, the Philippines, on March 3. Locals took the oarfish from the Punta Beach in the town of Tinago, Malimono, to be treated but it later died. Residents worry that the oarfish is a sign of an impending earthquake, but local authorities said that the belief is baseless. Oarfishes are the longest bony fish alive. They can grow up to 56ft long (17 metres) and normally lurk in depths of 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) so they are rarely seen. Japanese folklore suggests that oarfish are messengers from the sea god's palace that can herald either a great catch or a disaster. In recent years, the long, serpent-like silver oarfish have signalled imminent major earthquakes when they have emerged from the depths. Around a dozen of the rarely-seen fish were found washed ashore in Japan in late 2009 and 2010 shortly before the Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March 2011killed more than 19,000 people and caused meltdowns at three nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. During the Angelus, streamed live from the Vatican library, Pope Francis spoke again about the tragedy of north-western Syria. We must not look away from this humanitarian crisis, he said; instead we must give it priority over any other interest. He thanked the volunteers in St Peter's Square for what you do for Idlib". Speaking about the coronavirus, he noted that Lent also helps us give an evangelical sense to this moment of trial. As Jesus called those three disciples, so today he calls some to be close to him in order to bear witness. Vatican City (AsiaNews) During todays Angelus, Pope Francis offered his prayers for the people touched by Syrias tragedy and those affected by the coronavirus outbreak. For the first time, the Marian prayer was celebrated in live streaming from the Vatican library, to prevent gatherings that might threaten public health. Greeting the "virtual" participants, the Pontiff first mentioned "the associations and groups engaged in solidarity with the Syrian people, especially the people of Idlib in north-western Syria, forced to flee from the latest developments in the war. Francis reiterated his great apprehension about the inhumane situation of these defenceless people, including the many children whose lives are at risk. We must not look away from this humanitarian crisis; instead we must give it priority over any other interest. The pontiff asked for silent prayers for "these brothers and sisters". At the start of the broadcast, he greeted the volunteers working for Idlib present in St Peter's Square, saying: Thank you for what you do for Idlib. Moving to the ongoing worldwide health crisis, the Holy Father said: "I am close with prayers to the people who suffer from the current coronavirus epidemic and all those who take care of it. I join my brother Bishops in encouraging the faithful to live this difficult moment with the power of faith, the certainty of hope and the fervour of charity. The time of Lent also helps us give an evangelical sense to this moment of trial. Earlier, Francis had offered some food for thought taken from today's Gospel (Second Sunday of Lent, A, Matthew 17:1-9), about the episode of the transfiguration of Jesus, which took place after Jesus began to speak to them about the sufferings, death and resurrection that awaited him, a prospect they could not accept. Through the wonderful event of the Transfiguration, the disciples realised that "the human aspect did not express his whole reality. Instead, they experienced the heavenly Father who confirmed the investiture of Jesus already made on the day of the baptism in the Jordan and who invited the disciples to listen and follow him. Francis pointed out that Jesus chose the disciples Peter, James and John (The holiest? No.) as witnesses of his transfiguration. Jesus, said Francis, did not choose according to our criteria, but according to his plan of love. It is a free, unconditional choice, a free initiative, a divine friendship that asks for nothing in return. As he called these three disciples, so today he calls some to be close to him in order to bear witness. Bearing witness to Jesus is a gift that we do not deserve: we feel inadequate, but we cannot hold back with the excuse of our inability. This has consequences for those of us who "were not on Mount Tabor. In this world, marked by selfishness and greed, the light of God is clouded by everyday concerns. We often say: I don't have time to pray, I am not able to carry out a service in the parish, to respond to the requests of others. Yet, we must not forget that the baptism and confirmation we received made us witnesses, not because of our ability, but because of the gift of the Spirit. Residents and elected officials are still in mourning across the city of Cleveland following the tragic news that Mayor Otis Cohn succumbed to his long battle with cancer. He put up a really good fight and stayed positive throughout it all keeping his family and the city first, said Cleveland City Manager Kelly McDonald. Viewing is set for Tuesday, Mar. 10, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pace Stancil Funeral Home, 303 Crockett, Cleveland, TX 77327. The service will be on Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2020 beginning at 10 a.m. at Calvary Baptist Church, 816, N. Blair Ave., Cleveland, TX 77327. He was a really good person to serve beside through these years, not only as council member but also as mayor moving the city forward and transitioning into the growth were seeing, she said. We are truly saddened by it. He will be sorely missed, McDonald said. Cohn began serving on the city council in 2011 and was in his second term as mayor for the city with a little more than a year remaining. Mayor Cohn has been instrumental in leading our transformational progress over the last several years, and his leadership and friendship will be missed by all of us, said Mayor Pro-Tem Carolyn McWaters on behalf of the city council. On behalf of the city of Cleveland and all of its employees, our deepest condolences are extended to his wife Mary and his family. In honor of his lengthy service to our community, city property flags will be flown at half-staff for several days, she said. Jim Carson, vice president and COO of the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, sent out an email to staff and chamber members notifying them of the passing of the mayor. Mayor Cohn has always been a Champion of Cleveland Texas and will be dearly missed. Our prayers go out to his family, he said in his letter. McDonald said there were times when Cohn would come to council meetings and they knew he didnt feel like being there. He felt it was very important to the community to be there and he pushed through that a lot of times, she said. One of the efforts Cohn was noted for was his push for the downtown revitalization. He hoped that it would bring in more retail to the downtown area which meant jobs. He was also interested in expanding league play for young people, giving them opportunities to participate in sports and develop them physically to meet the expectations of coaches in the upper levels of middle school and high school. His love for the youth of the community included creating an organization to learn about local government and entice them to be a part of the leadership in their community. Whether it was before or after they left for college, he wanted them to return and participate in the democratic process of their own community, McDonald said. To work, live, play and participate in their community was his mantra, she said. Councilmen Clay and McWhorters pushed forward with city staff in forming a youth advisory council. We are working with the school district to select students for that council who will be interested in their local government, McDonald said. We hope they will be leaders in our community in the not too distant future. You always new where you stood with Mayor Cohn. He was always passionate about what he did for the city, she said. When he wanted something done that would have a positive effect on the community, he would see it through to the end. His friends said he had a heart as big as Christmas. He had one of those types of personalities that drew you to him, McDonald said. He was also a history buff. If you wanted a 30-minute answer to a history question, he was the guy. Not everybody agreed on every item on council, but we agreed to disagree and move on, she said. He was always open-minded. Cohn exercised a calm hand and quick judgment when the growth started to come. It came faster than we anticipated. He embraced it and made the best of it and tried to ensure with the rapid growth that it was good growth and something that would make residents happy, she said. He spent hours working with the district and county officials to coordinate the growth and bring about a positive outcome. dtaylor@hcnonline.com The world-renowned Fouquet's restaurant has officially opened its doors at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, bringing the epitome of fine French brasserie dining to the UAE. On March 2, Fouquets toasted its arrival with numerous business luminaries and dignitaries including former French president Nicolas Sarkozy; Dominique Desseigne, CEO of group Barriere; Alexandre Desseigne-Barriere, executive vice president of Hotels, F&B and Business Transformation who flew in from Paris for the special occasion. The launch was celebrated with a spectacular evening complete with diplomats and notable cultural public figures including Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, DCT chairman; Ludovic Pouille, Ambassador to France in the UAE; Joaquim Moreira De Lemos, Ambassador of Portugal in the UAE; and Peter Claes, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the UAE, among others. Guests enjoyed Fouquets terrace where live food stations were set up to sample the restaurants signature dishes from the date chutney foie-gras, caviar live station, rosemary slow cooked veal shank, black truffle macaroni, to a variety of the best French cheeses and of course a extensive selection of desserts including the famous millefeuille and eclairs au chocolat. The guests danced to the sounds of French band The Presidents while enjoying a selection of specialty cocktails and bubbles. Fouquets, a symbol of French hospitality, has found the perfect home at the art museum on Abu Dhabis Saadiyat Island. Today, with eight locations across the world, including Paris, Cannes, Toulouse, Marrakech, La Baule, Enghien-les-Bains, Courchevel and Montreux, Fouquets Abu Dhabi marks a welcome ninth addition to the family. Just above Fouquets, marrying effortless elegance with laid-back luxe, is Marta, a picture of Parisian perfection. During the day, afternoon tea is served alongside classic aperitifs. Come nightfall, a sophisticated menu of cocktails and mocktails, dreamed up by its powerhouse mixologists, are served to pumping beats, courtesy of Martas resident DJ. Guests can visit for an intimate catch-up over cocktails or opt for private hire and invite their most discerning pals. - TradeArabia News Service Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Even though use of marijuana for recreational purposes remains illegal in New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment still gets pretty high when ranked among other states for dispensary density and tax revenue generated from cannabis sales, that is. New Mexico is seventh on the list of states with the most dispensaries per capita, according to a study released last month, and solely on the strength of its medical cannabis program is ninth-highest in terms of tax revenue raised, though that may change. A state Supreme Court ruling over whether medical marijuana producers can claim a tax deduction for prescription medication is expected soon. That could affect more than 80,000 medical marijuana patients in New Mexico, including 9,300 patients in Santa Fe County. The study commissioned by Verilife, a company that operates recreational and medical cannabis dispensaries in six states measured New Mexico at 5.2 dispensaries per 100,000 people. With 10 dispensaries and growing, Santa Fe is in the top 5% of U.S. cities surveyed in terms of the number of pot shops per capita, with 5.9 per 50,000 residents. That ranked 28th on the list of 600 cities in the 36 states where cannabis is legal for either recreational or medical use. Only cities with populations of at least 50,000 were surveyed, as results can be significantly skewed in smaller cities, according to Matt Zajechowski, of Chicago-based Digital Third Coast, which conducted the survey. Just three other New Mexico cities met the population threshold. Albuquerque was measured at 3.3 dispensaries per 50,000 residents. Rio Rancho and Las Cruces came in at 2.3 and 2.4, respectively. The study can be reviewed on the Verilife website: www.verilife.com Cities and states Somewhat surprisingly, Missoula, Montana in a state that, like New Mexico, has only a medical cannabis program topped the national list, weighing in at 18.1 dispensaries per 100,000 people. Zajechowski said Missoulas comparatively low population 75,000 tips the scales a bit. Missoula ranks so high on the list because they have a high number of dispensaries per a smaller population size than many of the other cities on the list, Zajechowski said in an email. The next five cities on the list are larger and in two of the 11 states where recreational cannabis is legal Medford, Oregon; Pueblo, Colorado; Eugene, Oregon; Denver; and Portland, Oregon and range from 17 to 14.5 dispensaries per 50,000. Zajechowski said Montanas relatively low population roughly half that of New Mexico also lifts its ranking on the national list, putting it third, with 15.1 dispensaries per 100,000 people. Oregon ranks first on the list of states. Considering it was one of the first states to legalize medicinal marijuana, it might not be too surprising that Oregon hosts the most marijuana dispensaries per capita, the report says. There are more than 660 dispensaries located throughout the state, or 16.5 per 100,000 residents. And times have changed since Merle Haggard sang about it. They do now smoke marijuana in Muskogee, Oklahoma, with no fewer than a dozen dispensaries, including a Minerva Canna shop. There is also a Minerva Canna shop in Santa Fe. It is one of 10 dispensaries now open in Santa Fe. There are 108 medical marijuana dispensaries statewide. Oklahoma, with perhaps the loosest regulations for medical cannabis in the country, ranks second, with 15.6 dispensaries per 100,000 residents. Colorado, Alaska and Washington where recreational pot is legal are fourth, fifth and sixth, ahead of New Mexico. Market penetration Efforts to legalize cannabis for recreational use by adults in New Mexico failed again during this years legislative session, tabled in committee. The Senate Judiciary Committee blocked the legislation from advancing over concerns that the legislation was too far-reaching and the role of labor unions in determining who would get marijuana dispensary licenses. Critics also said legalization would erode drug-free workplace policies and lead to more impaired drivers on the states roadways. But the medical program continues to grow, enrollment increasing by 19% in 2019 and now up to 82,147 patients, according to the latest information from the state Department of Health. Ultra Health, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based company with a big presence in New Mexico, is one reason. The company has 20 dispensaries across the state and holds a 15% market share in New Mexico, generating nearly $20 million in sales last year. President and CEO Duke Rodriguez has been behind the push to make medical marijuana accessible, targeting more remote corners of the state. A lot of whats happened has been driven by Ultra Health penetrating rural communities, Rodriguez said, adding that medical marijuana dispensaries are nearing saturation in some urban areas. Weve gone into communities like Hobbs, Clovis, Silver City, Farmington and Clayton. When you start to do that kind of outreach, other producers have followed. Rodriguez said plans are to expand even further by adding 10 more Ultra Health dispensaries by the end of the year. One of them is planned for Cerrillos Road near the intersection with Zafarano Drive that he said could open within the next 60 to 90 days. So, we have one already open in Santa Fe (on St. Michaels Drive) and a second one under construction nearer the south side and more centralized, he said. Rodriguez talks about market penetration and is not surprised that New Mexico ranks so high on the per capita list in the Verilife study. We have one of the highest adult penetration rates in the country, he said, adding that Oklahoma, where 5% of its total population is enrolled in its medical marijuana program, is tough to beat. Oklahoma has broken the barrier. They are one of the most liberal, if not the most liberal, as far as eligibility and acceptability. And unlike New Mexico, they dont put a limit on what patients can buy basically theres no ceiling and there are no barriers on how much producers can grow. When you have that, youre going to have market penetration. Rodriguez said that, with less restrictive requirements, the medical marijuana program in New Mexico could double in size. If we were more progressive on eligibility and how much were allowed to grow, we could be at more than 100,000 and approaching 200,000 cardholders, he said. To tax or not to tax Using data from 2018, the Verilife report placed New Mexico ninth on its list for tax revenue, it having generated $9 million that year. Thats a little deceptive in that 15 states and the District of Columbia dont collect a tax on pot sales at all, and data wasnt available from three other states. The top five on the list are states with the most dispensaries and states where recreational marijuana is legal. California leads the way with $345 million, followed by Washington ($319 million), Colorado ($266 million), Oregon ($94 million) and Nevada ($70 million). Then comes Arizona ($22 million), where recreational use of marijuana is still illegal. It appears that Arizona has a higher tax revenue to report over New Mexico simply because their total revenue for marijuana sales was higher, Digital Third Coasts Zajechowski said. New Mexicos medical cannabis program totaled $106 million in 2018, where Arizona reported sales of $400 million. With that 19% increase in enrollment in the medical program last year, cannabis sales in New Mexico totaled $129 million, generating $10.5 million in gross receipts taxes. Ultra Healths Rodriguez observed that the states generating the most tax revenue charge an excise tax of 15% to 20%. He said Colorados tax revenue figure is driven by the recreational marijuana industry. Colorado had the wisdom not to tax medical patients, he said. They have almost the same number of medical patients, but New Mexico made the mistake of taxing cardholders. That could change if the state Supreme Court upholds a Court of Appeals ruling that allows medical marijuana producers to claim a tax deduction for prescription medication. And that would likely lower prices for patients. We hope the court exercises compassion and treats (medical marijuana) like any other medical service, said Rodriguez. While the bill to legalize recreational marijuana failed this year, many believe its just a matter of time before it happens. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement last month that legalized recreational cannabis in New Mexico is inevitable. The people of New Mexico have said they want it, she said, referring to polling on the issue. A diversified state economy demands it. If that were to happen, Rodriguez said projections indicate marijuana sales could reach $600 million annually. With a 20% excise tax, that would mean recurring annual revenues of $120 million, which would move New Mexico up to fourth on the list. The better news is that the state model has greater than 40% of revenues from people from Texas visiting New Mexico, he said. This years recreational marijuana bill called for a 9% excise tax on sales. The money would go to help fund local law enforcement, preventive education and social justice causes negatively affected by past federal drug polices. Pot Shops State rankings for marijuana dispensaries, per 100,000 people 1. Oregon 16.5 2. Oklahoma 15.6 3. Montana 15.1 4. Colorado 14.1 5. Alaska 12.7 6. Washington 6.2 7. New Mexico 5.2 8. Nevada 2.4 9. California 1.6 10. Maryland 1.4 SOURCE: Digital Third Coast Friends alum Courteney Cox dressed down to run errands in Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Globe nominee - who relies on stylist Maryam Malakpour - easily defied her 55 years wearing a beige sweater, matching suede shoes, blue jeans, and a black bag. Courteney wore tinted aviator shades over her suspiciously smooth complexion and she wore her middle-parted raven locks down. Out and about: Friends alum Courteney Cox dressed down to run errands in Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Saturday afternoon Missing from Cox's side on Saturday was her on/off fiance, Snow Patrol guitarist-keyboard player Johnny McDaid. The Alabama-born brunette originally met the 43-year-old Irish musician in 2013 when he attended one of her weekly Sunday Suppers at her 8K-square-foot Malibu mansion. Later that evening, Courteney played the piano and sang back-up vocals for her 15-year-old daughter Coco Arquette's rendition of Demi Lovato's new song Anyone. Cox - who boasts 10M Instagram/Twitter followers - wrote: 'When you have a teenager you barely get to see them. So much negotiating. Coco traded me one song if I let her go to a party. I took it.' Sunny stroll: The Golden Globe nominee easily defied her 55 years wearing a beige sweater, matching suede shoes, blue jeans, and a black bag Fresh faced: Courteney wore tinted aviator shades over her suspiciously smooth complexion and she wore her middle-parted raven locks down Still going strong! Missing from Cox's side on Saturday was her on/off fiance, Snow Patrol guitarist-keyboard player Johnny McDaid (pictured February 14) The mother-daughter duo received glowing comments from Charlize Theron, Rob Thomas, Laura Dern, Kate Hudson, Allison Janney, Sarah Hyland, Suzanne Somers, Queer Eye's Tan France, and AGT finalist Sophie Pecora. The Strong Hand director mothered Coco with her Scream castmate-turned-ex-husband David Arquette, whom she divorced in 2013 after a decade of marriage. Courteney confirmed February 21 that an unscripted Friends reunion special was 'happening' sometime in May on $15/month HBO Max. Later that evening: The Alabama-born brunette played the piano and sang back-up vocals for her 15-year-old daughter Coco Arquette's (R) rendition of Demi Lovato's new song Anyone 'She's so grown!' The mother-daughter duo received glowing comments from Charlize Theron, Rob Thomas, Laura Dern, Kate Hudson, Allison Janney, Sarah Hyland, Suzanne Somers, Queer Eye's Tan France, and AGT finalist Sophie Pecora Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, and Matt LeBlanc from the NBC sitcom - which concluded 2004 after 10 seasons - celebrated their 25th anniversary on September 19. Last week, Deadline reported that the SAG Award winner will play the 'depressed or possessed' Pat in Starz's haunted house horror-comedy pilot Shining Vale created by Jeff Astrof and Sharon Horgan. Courteney has also been hard at work producing and hosting the second season of her Facebook Watch pregnancy docuseries, 9 Months with Courteney Cox, streaming later this year. 'The One Where They Got Back Together': Cox confirmed February 21 that an unscripted Friends reunion special was 'happening' sometime in May on $15/month HBO Max The Trump administration reportedly overruled US health officials who wanted to warn elderly and physically fragile Americans not to fly on commercial airlines due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) submitted the plan as part of efforts to control the spread of the deadly virus, before White House officials ordered the recommendation to be removed, a federal official with direct knowledge of the plan told the Associated Press news agency. Trump administration officials have since suggested certain people should consider not travelling over the outbreak, which has killed at least 19 people in the US, but stopped short of the guidance sought by the CDC. The official was not able to say why the recommendation was removed from the plan and a spokesperson for the US vice president, Mike Pence, denied the story. This story is complete fiction. It was never a recommendation to the Task Force, Katie Miller, Mr Pences press secretary, said on Twitter. On Saturday, Mr Pence gave a similar recommendation to a narrower group older people with serious health problems after a meeting with cruise ship industry leaders in Florida. If you're a senior citizen with a serious underlying health condition, this would be a good time to practice common sense and to avoid activities including travelling on a cruise line, he said. He added political authorities were looking to cruise line officials for action, guidance and flexibility with those passengers. One day earlier, the CDC quietly updated its website to tell older adults and people with severe medical conditions, such as heart, lung or kidney disease to stay home as much as possible and to avoid crowds. Its advice also urged people to take actions to reduce your risk of exposure, but did not specifically mention flying. Alex Azar, the health and human services secretary, has suggested older Americans and those with health problems should avoid crowds especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Story continues In February, a report by The Washington Post claimed US health officials were also overruled by the State Department when Americans who were infected with coronavirus were allowed on a plane with healthy people. The CDC had argued for keeping 14 people who tested positive for coronavirus in Japan, where they were docked with the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship, instead of allowing them to return to the US, the report said. Although no reason was given for the apparent overruling of health advice for elderly people flying, Donald Trump has repeatedly sought to downplay fears about coronavirus as global stock markets have fallen sharply in recent days. They care about one thing; the presidents re-election. And they think that depends on the economy, Chris Hayes, a MSNBC host and political commentator, said in response to APs report. And so they want to pretend theres nothing going on so it doesnt hurt GDP. Its sociopathic and dangerous. On Friday, Mr Trump visited the CDC in Atlanta, where he defended his administrations handling of the outbreak and tried to reassure Americans about the governments strategy. However, he also drew criticism for calling Washington state governor Jay Inslee a snake over criticism of his administration, and for saying he would prefer people who are stuck on a virus-hit cruise ship off San Francisco to not be allowed to come to the US. They [health experts] would like to have the people come off, I would rather have the people stay, the president told reporters. I would rather because I like the numbers being where they are. I don't need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasnt our fault. Mr Trump's comments were taken by some as explicit acknowledgement of his political concerns over the outbreak, which threatens the US economy ahead of the November presidential election. For most people, coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, but for others, it can cause pneumonia and be potentially deadly. As of 10am on Saturday, there have been 100,000 confirmed cases and more than 3,000 deaths from coronavirus, according to the World Health Organisations latest figures. Additional reporting by AP Read more Trump boasts natural ability for healthcare while second-guessing CDC It's barely gotten any press, but just ahead of Super Tuesday, a large urban center in Tennessee, around Nashville, was hit with a horrific tornado, blowing buildings into matchsticks, and leaving 24 dead. Super Tuesday, the coronavirus, and other stuff left Nashville kind of a backburner news story. But not to President Trump, who put Tennessee's ordeal up for attention in his Tweets, offering encouragement and support, as well as a swift release of aid. He paid a swift visit to the area to be with the hard-hit Tennesseans, in Putnam County's Cookeville, 80 miles east of Nashville, where the worst of it happened. According to the Associated Press, which couldn't resist a making a crack about 'national consoler': COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) President Donald Trump on Friday toured a neighborhood reduced to rubble by a tornado earlier this week and marveled at the tremendous heart" he witnessed. He also offered a message for survivors and those who lost family members: We love them, they're special people," he said. Trump assumed the role of national consoler as he traveled to Tennessee. Trump is touring devastated communities in Putnam County, where a tornado tore a 2-mile-long path, killing 18 people, including five children under 13. Many more people were injured, some critically. Statewide, the death toll stood at 24 from a pair of storms. Now we see this: Thank you to the Great State of Tennessee. We are with you all the way! https://t.co/vyu0Tbthv0 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 8, 2020 Does anyone remember President Obama ever going to places like Cookville in their times of natural disaster distress? I recall a trip he made to the New York City area in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, but that's a big blue city. He couldn't even be bothered to visit Baton Rouge when it was hit by a hurricane, too small and unimportant. But there President Trump was in Cookeville, fully cognizant of the severity of the tornado that hit it, an EF-4, and the worst to hit the U.S. in three years. The gratitude is obvious. Image credit: Twitter screen shot TEHRAN, Iran, March.8 Trend: Iran is to open a new hospital with 137 beds in Langeroud County in Gilan Province due to the increasing spread coronavirus in the country's northern province, said a Langeroud MP. "Coronavirus is spreading more rapidly in Gilan Province, comparing to other provinces. There should be more facilities to control and fight the disease," said Mehrdad Baouj Lahouti, Trend reports citing ILNA. The current human sources are not sufficient for fighting the coronavirus spread in the province and the health minister should send more doctors to Gilan, he said. There are not enough nurses and hospital staff to provide services and current forces are not able to do more since hospitals are full, added Lahouti. "We seek to open a hospital in Langeroud County in next two weeks or 10 days. The hospital was previously expected to be inaugurated in Fajr ceremony in February," he said. The MP said that currently there is only one hospital in the county. "Equipment is being transferred to the new hospital called "Shahid Hosseinpour" and half of the equipment has already been installed, he said. OK, Boomer, when was the last time you asked a Gen Z girl our opinion on something? And liking one of Greta Thunbergs tweets doesnt count. This International Womens Day is your chance to offer us a seat at the table. 2020 is a pivotal year in the future fight for gender equality as it marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. In 1995, third wave feminists and womens rights organizations rallied together, calling on world leaders to commit to advancing gender equality globally (189 governments signed on). I wasnt even born yet, but this declaration sought to create a more just, equal world for my generation. But a quarter century later weve taken stock and we still do not live in such a world. In fact, a recent survey by Plan International Canada revealed that young women are feeling the effects of gender bias and stereotypes more than older generations. Dont get me wrong, I am inspired by those women leaders who gathered in Beijing to fight for a just future for all women. And incredible strides have been taken in recent years to build an intersectional, intergenerational movement. I thank them. Ive listened and learned from them. Now, I ask that they, and others, do the same for us. The challenges currently facing our planet are unprecedented. Only an unprecedented approach to leadership will meet the moment. The womens movement must be radically intergenerational, actively engaging with girls and young people of all identities. We contain multitudes. We are not a homogenous, one-size-fits all group. Each young person experiences gender differently, through a beautiful prism of lived realities and experiences. My generation is uniquely equipped to tackle the complex issues that face our planet. As the first truly digital generation we have the unique power of cutting through the noise, finding which issues are most pressing and effecting huge change by leveraging technologies. In the coming years, the population under the age of 30 in the most fragile and unstable countries is going to spike. Girls are in an incredibly powerful yet fragile position. We are deeply impacted by the decisions leaders make, yet often disregarded in important discussions. Political leaders and policy-makers need to hear from us. We are fuelled by passion and purpose and when those forces are fused movements are born. Boomer, I have heard you say that girls are the leaders of tomorrow but my generation cannot wait another 25 years. The stakes are too high. I have the privilege of representing Gen Z throughout the UN Womens Beijing +25 campaign on behalf of Plan International Canada as well as the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation. While there I will be pushing leaders to get girls and young people on the global agenda. But I am just one of millions of voices and stories, desperate to be heard, demanding to be seen. So Boomer, better start building a bigger table because its 2020 and Gen Z is bringing our own chair to the table. (Natural News) Saudi Arabia ordered the Great Mosque of Mecca to be emptied amid fears over the coronavirus in a report on Thursday. The move was made so that authorities can begin sterilizing the area to minimize the risk of an outbreak. Images and videos shared by state media, as well as in social media, showed tan-uniformed guards emptying the Mataaf, or the while tiled parade grounds surrounding the Kaaba, the great black cube at the mosques center and considered to be the most sacred site in all of Islam. The Mataaf is often packed with devotees as well as pilgrims from around the world. Authorities are also closing down Safa and Marwa, two small hills located inside the Great Mosque, which pilgrims walk barefoot back and forth in an enclosed gallery. A Saudi official told AFP that the move was merely a temporary preventive measure and that the upper floors of the Grand Mosque were still open, and worshipers already in the kingdom could still come there to pray. However, the official also said that the measure was unprecedented. Aside from the Great Mosque, authorities will also be closing the Prophets Mosque in Medina an hour after evening prayers (Isha) and will reopen it an hour before dawn prayers (Fajr). NOW: Mataaf of Masjid Al Haram has been closed temporarily for thorough sterilization pic.twitter.com/23o98Ve3W3 Haramain Sharifain (@hsharifain) March 5, 2020 Saudi Arabia tightening grip to combat coronavirus On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia announced a temporary ban on Umrah pilgrimages to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The new measures came on the heels of visa suspensions for the Umrah last week. The country also barred entry for citizens from five other countries in the Gulf Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. This decision to suspend the Umrah and sterilize the Mataaf comes ahead of the beginning of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, which starts in late April. Around seven million visitors come to Mecca annually to perform Umrah. Furthermore, the Great Mosque sees an uptick of pilgrims during Ramadan. The Hajj will begin several months after, during late July. Its still unclear how the coronavirus outbreak will affect both Ramadan and the Hajj. Last year, around 2.5 million Muslims from around the world traveled to Mecca to participate in the Hajj. The six-day event is a logistical ordeal for local and national authorities. Crowds of millions converge into holy sites, making pilgrims who participate in the Hajj more at risk of catching an infectious disease. Saudi Arabia reported its first case of COVID-19 on Monday, a Saudi national who recently traveled to Iran. In response to the possibility of more cases popping up in the kingdom, a health ministry spokesperson said that the government was preparing 25 hospitals to take in any new coronavirus cases. Saudi authorities have cleared the tawaf area in the Kabah in Mecca to give it a "deep clean" never seen it so empty. pic.twitter.com/swXXGmkq3O Areeb Ullah (@are_eb) March 5, 2020 Coronavirus fears changing how Muslims around the world worship Authorities outside of Saudi Arabia are also strictly regulating how Muslims will continue following their religious traditions. In Iran, over 3,500 people have reportedly been infected, over 107 people have died, and a full eight percent of the countrys parliament has the disease. The country is struggling to contain the virus. One measure theyve enacted is to halt Friday prayers in mosques and other public gathering spaces. President Hassan Rouhani is calling on the whole country to work together to tackle the outbreak as quickly as possible. (Related: Irans VP infected by the coronavirus many top officials are also sick or DEAD.) Tajikistan, a small country in Central Asia with nine million people, still has no reported cases and wants to keep it that way. This is why theyve also suspended Friday prayers. Furthermore, theyve completely closed off their borders to people from 35 different countries. Authorities are also canceling celebrations for the Persian New Year (Nowruz), which is celebrated from March 21 to 25. In Singapore, Minister for Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli told citizens to avoid shaking hands with anyone and to bring their prayer mats when they go to mosques to pray. He is also advising Muslims to stay at home if they show any COVID-19 symptoms. In these circumstances, we will not be shaking hands, he said. But if you do, wash your hands and then make sure you dont touch your face. This is just a precaution for many of us who always forget that. The Muslim Council of Britain, one of the United Kingdoms largest umbrella organizations for Muslims, has called on both mosques and madrasas (Islamic schools) to follow the governments advice to keep their congregations safe from the outbreak. They are advising mosques and madrasas to encourage handwashing and to stock up on enough soap and hand sanitizers. In Saudi Arabia, more than 60,000 people have so far applied to participate in this years Hajj. It remains to be seen how the coronavirus outbreak will affect this years celebrations. Authorities have not yet announced if the restrictive measures currently imposed on both the Great Mosque and the Prophets Mosque will apply during the Hajj or if they will expand these measures. Sources include: Geo.tv ArabNews.com MiddleEastEye.net 1 MiddleEastEye.net 2 Metro.co.uk AlJazeera.com BusinessInsider.com Reuters.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 00:07:10|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Keren Setton JERUSALEM, March 8 (Xinhua) -- When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held his premature victory speech last week after the general election, he thanked a long list of people. Netanyahu may not have clinched the majority needed to form a government in the parliament, but he did increase the size of his Likud party. Approximately 200,000 more votes were gained, translated into four more parliament seats and 36 in total. Many names appeared on Netanyahu's "thank you" list, but there were a few unfamiliar to most. Before thanking some of the closest cabinet ministers, he thanked his campaign manager who introduced the use of an election management app called Elector in the campaign. "Thank you Elector; thank you data," Netanyahu said. While there was no clear winner in last week's election, one clear trend emerged. Big data, crowdsourcing and apps were increasingly used in the tool box of parties when they were trying to rally in voters. The Likud led the way, with some of the smaller parties also using similar apps. Candidates in party primaries and runners in municipal races have also begun using the hi-tech tool recently. "Crowdsourcing has become increasingly prevalent in the last decade," said Yael Amsterdamer, a senior lecturer at the Department of Computer Science in Bar-Ilan University and expert on databases and data management. "It is quite new in elections, however." The Elector app is just one example of various similar apps on the market. The app uses legally granted access to Israel's voter registration. The list includes names, ID and phone numbers of over 6 million Israelis who are eligible to vote. Volunteer campaigners downloaded the app and kept feeding the huge database with additional information. It is estimated that thousands of Likud supporters downloaded the app. When meeting voters during the campaign, Netanyahu himself encouraged voters to download Elector. Last week, as Israelis headed to the polls, users started adding layers of data to the database. Official observers who are also Likud supporters were asked to feed in live updates on voter turnout. If someone didn't vote, they got an encouraging, not coincidental, phone call. Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler is a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) and head of IDI's Media Reform Program and Democracy in the Information Age Program. "The use of the app did not intend to convert someone to be a Netanyahu supporter," she said. "It was meant to make people who were labeled as his supporters but didn't plan to vote to get out and vote." According to Likud campaign members, the app was a major contributor to the increase in voters. They believe tens of thousands of the votes added to the party this time around were brought in with help from Elector. "The Likud managed to significantly increase voting in areas where it was weak in the September election," Altshuler added. "This demonstrates that they worked with the data and used it to get people to vote and did not waste critical time on people who voted already or do not support the Likud. They were very focused." Prior to the last election round, Altshuler appealed to the Israeli supreme court to forbid the use of the Elector app because of security breaches in it, the use of sensitive information of potential voters by political parties, and the myriad of other problems it presents. But the appeal was denied. "It allows a political party to obtain and hold a lot of data on citizens," she told Xinhua in an exclusive interview. Days ahead of the March 2 election, the huge Likud database was leaked online. This was enabled by a flaw in the app and exposed the huge amount of information the party had gathered on the voters. "We are in an age where we adopt technology very quickly and often we still do not know how to deal with the consequences, for example privacy settings," Amsterdamer told Xinhua. Netanyahu has been a champion of hi-tech and big data in recent years. In his tenure, Israel has solidified its global position as a hi-tech hub, or "Start-Up Nation" as it is often referred to. But the use of such data is not without risk. "Data is like uranium, it has a lot of potential and energy," said Altshuler. "But it can also be toxic and needs to be used wisely." The risk is not only internal. Once data is exposed, it can be used by hostile entities outside of Israel. "It can be a very effective tool for a foreign country to meddle in Israeli elections," Altshuler added. The response of the Israeli courts and legislative bodies has so far been lackluster, as if unaware of the huge impact such processes can have on the country. As Israel struggles to overcome political paralysis as a result of three indecisive election results, it is difficult to see it tackling this important issue in the immediate future. Dozens of people have been arrested after masked men attacked women's rights activists at a rally for International Women's Day. Witnesses said the men grabbed and tore banners being carried by the protesters at an unauthorised rally in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek on Sunday afternoon. They left shortly before local police arrived, who then arrested around 60 - mostly female - activists. Citing lawyer Bakytbek Aftandil, the Akipress news agency said the detainees were later released. Ten of those arrested were said to have been charged with resisting police, which can carry a fine of 3,000 soms (33). Meanwhile, thousands of women in other parts of the world were not phased by recent fears of coronavirus as they marched for gender equality to mark International Women's Day. The impacts of climate change were also heavily tied into the message at this year's events, with demonstrators at the London rally on Sunday carrying signs that read: "No climate justice without gender justice". Speaking ahead of the rally, TV presenter and women's rights activist Sandi Toksvig said she also believed climate change was "a gendered thing" that could ultimately leave women worse off. She said: "Women are the ones who are going to suffer the most, the ones who are going to do the subsistence farming, they are the ones who - when things get bad - are the victims of domestic violence . "We absolutely need to look at the bigger picture on this and this is where the urgency comes from." "We need men who are running the corporations to make massive changes and they need to make them today." Meanwhile, dozens of women with the Extinction Rebellion climate group stood topless on Waterloo Bridge with messages such as "climate rape", "climate murder" and "climate inequality" written on their bodies. The group said it wanted to highlight women in poorer countries suffering violence that it said would become "the reality for all women if the climate and ecological crisis continues to go unaddressed." Story continues It added: "We are here to raise the alarm about what is happening to our sisters around the world and to tell women in the UK the climate and ecological emergency is your issue - it will affect you as a women if we do not persuade our government to take urgent action now." As in the UK, the recent threat of coronavirus in other areas of the world didn't appear to stop people from celebrating women's day. In virus hotspots, such as Italy and South Korea, the occasion was marked with videos posted online from country officials. In Italy - which has the biggest outbreak in Europe and has placed a quarter of its population on lockdown - President Sergio Mattarella dedicated his video message to the women working to contain the illness. He said: "I address a grateful thought to the women - and there are many - who are working in hospitals, laboratories, red areas to counter the spread of the virus that worries us these days. "They work in difficult conditions, with competence and with a spirit of sacrifice, with dedication. "With exemplary ability to withstand very large workloads. To them, in particular, I wish to dedicate this important day." In Baghdad, Iraq, women were seen marching in protective face masks against the virus. Other countries in Asia also marked the day with gatherings going ahead in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Thailand and Indonesia. Protesters at the rally in the Philippines were seen burning effigies of President Rodrigo Duterte, who has regularly been accused of sexism and misogyny. Huge gatherings were also expected in Chile in what could rekindle anger from last year's nationwide movement against inequality and the cost of living that led to violent unrest between protesters and police. Europe also saw its fair share of rallies on Sunday despite fears relating to the spread of COVID-19, with events in France, Germany, Spain and Russia. A number of demonstrators in France focused on the issue of femicide, which comes after the country recorded 130 cases of women being killed by their partners in 2019. Mexico has also organised a demonstration to demand justice for women who are victim to violence and femicide. In London, hundreds of people took part in the main rally in Whitehall, which also saw a number of famous faces in attendance. Helen Pankhurst, the great-granddaughter of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, said she felt the movement was "louder and noisier" than it had been "in a long time", which led to hope for big change. Game of Thrones actress Natalie Dormer was also at the rally, where she said the gender pay gap was "absolutely ludicrous". Actor George McKay, who appeared in the Oscar-nominated war film 1917, said he believed the film industry was finally changing to embrace a more diverse industry. He said: "I've witnessed the change - it is still a very male-dominated industry but I've witnessed the change where there are more stories led by women." The new legislation regulates the work of Sayes, informal parking attendants, and specifies parking spaces, times and fees A two-year-old bill regulating street parking has been referred to the State Council for approval. The referral followed parliamentary approval which came two years after the House of Representatives Local Administration Committee first gave its consent to the law in April 2018. The new legislation regulates the work of sayes, informal parking attendants, and specifies parking spaces, times and fees. The bill establishes a committee in each governorate mandated to determine parking spaces so as to prevent random parking leading to traffic congestion. The new law sets conditions for the issuing of licences to parking attendants. They must be 21 or older, be in possession of a certificate issued by the forensic or central laboratories of the Ministry of Health stating that the attendant is drug-free and have no criminal record. The licences will be valid for three years and cost a maximum of LE2,000. Attendants who work without a licence could face fines of between LE5,000 and LE1,000 and up to six months in jail. Few Cairo drivers are ambivalent about the work of the sayes who in the best cases directs them to a good parking spot in a crowded street and in the worst just stands there implying he owns the street through frantic hand gestures. The law stirred controversy on social media platforms. A group on Facebook, No to the Sayes, No to Bullying with a Licence, attracted more than 15,600 members in less than two weeks. Members of the group complain they were waiting for a law to protect them from unscrupulous parking attendants, not to legalise the phenomenon. Rami Magdi, 35, works in the crowded Mohandessin district of Cairo and deals with a sayes on a daily basis. My place of work doesnt have parking spaces so I pay around LE150 to LE200 a month to the sayes to take care of the car. Frankly, he doesnt deserve the money. He does nothing. It isnt really a job, its more a form of blackmail, Samir says. Yasmine Mohamed, 29, insists she only pays the sayes to avoid being harassed. He is useless. Not only does he distract me when I am trying to park, he frightens me. I refuse to leave my car keys with an unknown sayes. I only pay parking fees to avoid harassment and intimidation. MP Ahmed Al-Segini, head of parliaments Local Administration Committee, told the press that the draft law aims to improve street use and punish those who simply extort money from drivers. Mamdouh Maklad, the MP who submitted the draft law, told Al-Ahram Weekly that it will allow parking lots to be organised and end acts of bullying which had harmed the image of Egypt. In recent years the sayes has become a nuisance to locals and tourists. Parking has been unregulated for too long. The new law was an urgent necessity, Maklad told the Weekly. The new law allows the state to regulate parking spaces, timing and fees and allows for licences to be issued to private security companies via tenders. It will lead to a win-win situation. The state will benefit financially from the tenders. Citizens will benefit from the proper organisation of parking spots and the sayes will benefit from the legalising of his work. He will enjoy a stable income and social insurance, says Maklad. But many attendants dont see it that way. Amr Mohamed, 28, asks whether he needs to be retrained to work as a sayes. I inherited this profession from my father. I have three children and I pay for my mothers medical treatment because she has no pension. I am uneducated, and this is the only work I can do, says Mohamed. Others, though, see positive aspects to the new legislation. In the Nasr City district Gamal, 46, works as a sayes at night and a security guard in the morning. He is looking forward to being accorded clear legal status. Given the cost of living, and the fact I have two children, I have had to search for additional jobs to increase my LE1,800 salary, Gamal says, adding that he will be among the first to submit his papers and apply for a sayes licence. Asked about complaints made by drivers when dealing with a sayes, Gamal says maybe they are right. He admits that many are rude and greedy. *A version of this article appears in print in the 5 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the title: Dedicated parking Search Keywords: Short link: Kansas City Burns Today KCFD battles brush fires in Northland KANSAS CITY, Mo. - UPDATE, 5:34 p.m. | A KCFD spokesperson said that no structures were involved with the fires. ORIGINAL STORY | Kansas City, Missouri, firefighters are battling a string of brush fires Saturday afternoon in the Northland. Crews responded around 4:11 p.m. to the area of 152 Highway and North Platte Purchase Road. Gunfire Erupts In Olathe Olathe police investigate after shots fired at occupied car Friday night GROUPS IN KANSAS CITY A NEW THIS OLATHE POLICE SAY THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ONE WHO FIRED SHOTS AT A CAR WITH PEOPLE INSIDE. THIS HAPPENED JUST BEFORE 11 O'CLOCK LAST NIGHT AT 140TH TERRACE IN SOUTH DARNELL COURT ONE CAR HAD A WINDOW DAMAGED FROM THE GUNFIRE. Local Crooks Captured Alleged Kansas City ATM thieves caught Friday after police chase in Texas KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A caravan of suspected ATM thieves from Kansas City, Missouri, were captured Friday after a police chase in south Texas. The men allegedly stole all of the cash boxes from an ATM about 5:30 a.m. Friday at the Chase Bank near East 63rd Street and The Paseo, according to a KCPD spokesman. OUTCRY AGAINST EPIC RAYTOWN TRENCH!!! 'It's like 5 feet deep!' Damaged storm drain in Raytown frustrating drivers and wrecking cars RAYTOWN, Mo. -- A damaged storm drain has been frustrating drivers and wrecking cars in Raytown. "They have the hole right here. It's like 5 feet deep. It's going to tear somebody's car up," Meez Martin said of the massive hole in front of the Taco Bell off Highway 350. Hotness Considered Caroline Vreeland's an open book, and it ain't the Bible Caroline Vreeland is the great-granddaughter of Diana Vreeland, formerly the lofty columnist and editor of the fashion magazines Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. It's a connection that has led Caroline Vreeland to walk the runways herself, and even design a lingerie collection for Kiki de Montparnasse. Thongs with a wine-glass motif, that sort of thing. Conservatives Confront COVID-19 CPAC attendee tested positive for coronavirus The American Conservative Union announced on Saturday that one of the attendees at last week's Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, has tested positive for coronavirus. Democracy Stays Losing Why don't more young people vote? Young people are the future of politics - or at least, they should be. In the US, people aged 39 and younger - millennials and Generation Z - now make up more than a third of eligible voters. They're considered more ethnically diverse, and liberal, than older generations, and experts say they could make a significant impact on this year's elections. Double Bad News In Asia Coronavirus quarantine hotel collapses in China, trapping 70 people Search and rescue efforts are underway after about 70 people were trapped in a hotel collapse Saturday night in southeastern China, officials in the city of Quanzhou said. Local Tech Win Already managing $25M in user debt, KC fintech startup Destiny banks on New York accelerator Newly launched accelerator programming could help Kansas City-based Destiny Wealth secure customers and funding as the startup makes key pivots. "This accelerator gives us a brand new network," said Parker Graham, Destiny co-founder and CEO. Mobile Blight Discussion 'We are in a difficult position': State law limits cities' abilities to restrict small cell towers If you're not looking for them, it can be easy to miss the small cell towers popping up around Overland Park. You can find the antennas fixed to light poles at locations throughout the city, like 106th and Nall and 105th and Roe. Royals Start Cold The KC Royals' earliest Opening Day means more bitterly cold games A seasoned Midwesterner knows that you are not safe from a spring freeze or snowstorm into mid or late April. Add in the fact the KC Royals are the furthest team south in the American League Central and the recipe is there for winter coats in the dugouts, bullpens, and stands as we visit division foes. Stay Vigilant Sunday High fire danger today, windy, low humidity, dry ground KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Share in our weather experience on the weather blog. Click on the blog at the top of the page for more information. For a full list of weather alerts, click here. A Fire Weather Warning is in effect for today Rain arrives around midnight Sunday night and we need it! Amid international concern and continued local violence, we continue to offer our blog community the very best hot take on all of the important topics. Accordingly, here's insight on community news, pop culture and info from across the nation and around the world.And this is thefor tonight . . . In a room cluttered with Christmas ornaments, plywood and lots of hot glue guns, a group of Chatfield High School students is trying to figure out how to turn off a light. That's the challenge of this year's national Rube Goldberg Machine contest. And it's not like these competitors can just flip a switch. Instead, they're creating an incredibly complicated machine made out of everyday objects to do the job in no fewer than 20 steps but not more than 75 and in under two minutes. In early February, senior Ann Warren was ironing out one of those steps, testing it over and over and over again. ADVERTISEMENT "Something needs to wind down this railing, and then knock down our star, which then triggers a trip wire," she explained. This year, the team picked a Christmas theme for its project, which is laid out in parts on a small, chest-high set. A faux fireplace, tiny Christmas tree and candy-filled stocking are all elements of the elaborate story the team hopes to tell with the complicated contraption. The team is vying for a third consecutive win in the high school category of the national Rube Goldberg Machine contest. Their first stop is regionals, being held in Milwaukee on Friday. Last years challenge was to put money in a piggy bank. They chose a farm theme get it? Warren said there's at least one joke embedded in her teams machine this year, involving a toy cat and mouse. "The cat is going to get stuck in a mouse trap, which is funny because it would be the mouse, you'd think," she said. Hilarity is signature Rube Goldberg. He was an inventor in the first half of the last century as well as a cartoonist and a jokester. His namesake contraptions were meant to entertain by solving simple tasks in the most convoluted ways. "The idea is to make the audience laugh, and to realize how ridiculous the whole thing is," said team adviser and Chatfield science teacher Nora Gathje. ADVERTISEMENT She said the exercise also teaches her students physics, math and problem-solving. "If I could have one program that all kids could be involved in, this would be it," Gathje said. "What they really learn is how to communicate, how to be part of a team, how to compromise." Being on the winningest Rube Goldberg team in the country isn't a casual hobby, and the students don't get school credit for it. They've spent hundreds of hours in this cluttered studio already this school year after lunch, after school and on the weekends, running the machine again and again. "We have spent so many hours on it," senior Katie Ihrke said. "I can't even add it up in my head." Ihrke said being on the team has solidified her interest in studying science and math in college next year. And she learned to use power tools. "At first I was definitely a bit hesitant, but now I can use them with no problem," she said. Two weeks ago, before the team took off for regionals in Milwaukee with their sights set on nationals in April, their work was nearly done. Most of the steps went off without a hitch. ADVERTISEMENT But there was still work to do steps to tweak before the machine was competition-ready, including that final step of turning off a light in Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer's nose. So they set the whole thing up once more and ran it again. This story originally appeared at: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/03/06/tiny-trees-and-hot-glue-guns-behind-the-scenes-with-the-nations-rube-goldberg-champs of story Questions or requests? Contact MPR News editor Meg Martin at newspartners@mpr.org 2019 Minnesota Public Radio. All rights reserved. Chatfield repeats as Rube Goldberg Champs BJP national president J P Nadda on Sunday lashed out at the previous UPA government, accusing it of corruption in the purchase of defence equipment. Addressing people during a 'Pragati Rally' here, he praised the Narendra Modi-led NDA government for the defence purchases made in the recent past and claimed that under the previous governments, soldiers even lacked bullet-proof jackets. "Before the Modi government came to power, no major defence equipment, including aeroplanes, were purchased. And when they went to purchase these, there were scams, be it helicopters, submarines, aircraft or machine guns. During the previous UPA rule, there were scams after scams," he said. "During our time, 36 Rafale fighter aircraft, 28 Apache and 15 Chinook helicopters have been inducted into the defence fleet...," the BJP leader claimed in a rally organised by Independent MLA and state Power Minister Ranjit Singh Chautala. "Our soldiers did not have bullet-proof jackets and now 1.86 lakh of them have got it and we are exporting these jackets now, which shows how much progress India has made. Five lakh AK 203 modern assault rifles have been purchased to better equip our soldiers. I am saying all this to apprise you of the steps we have taken for our soldiers," he said. Nadda also claimed it was the Modi government at the Centre which fulfilled the long-pending demand of one rank, one pension over which the Congress "only indulged in politics". Claiming that their focus was only on development of people, Nadda said earlier governments promoted only individuals. "For a long time, various governments ruled but never before anyone did a pragati rally. Rallies were held to promote a particular individual or a leader.. but here we talk of pragati (progress) of people. In other governments, pragati meant the progress of a leader," he said, adding that their aim was the welfare farmers, poor and Dalits. Hailing the Ayushman Bharat scheme, he said under the "world's biggest health initiative, 55 crore people were covered". In the past one year, 90 lakh beneficiaries benefitted from it and the Centre had disbursed Rs 12,000 crore to hospitals, he said. Nadda said until six years ago, Haryana was infamous in entire country due to low sex ratio in the age group of 0-5, which improved to 923 girls per 1,000 boys in the past five years. He recounted big health projects coming up in the state, including AIIMS at Manethi and the country's biggest cancer centre at Jhajjar. "Had you ever thought that Haryana will get these projects," he asked the gathering. "If a leader and party are good, then work is done and development takes place in an area without any discrimination," he said referring to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. "When the Khattar government undertook all-round development, you also gave it blessings in the last assembly polls, for which I thank you," Nadda said, adding that it was a sign of an aware society in which one's good work is appreciated. He also appreciated Ranjit Chautala for extending a whole-hearted support to BJP-JJP government in the state and assured that the Haryana government will ensure speedier development of Sirsa. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Workers disinfect the shrine of the Shiite Saint Imam Abdulazim to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Shahr-e-Ray, south of Tehran, Iran, March, 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) US Cases Rise to More Than 500: Coronavirus Updates From March 8 The new coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, have spread to more than 80 countries and territories around the world, killing thousands. Below are March 8 updates. For March 9 updates, click here. US Cases Rise to More Than 500 The number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the United States has risen to over 500, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at John Hopkins University. More than half the states are reporting at least one case of the virus, according to reports. In recent days, Kansas, Missouri, and the District of Columbia announced their first cases of the viral infection. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus-linked deaths in the country grew to at least 21 on March 8 as authorities said the risk of Americans contracting the virus remains low. Of the 21 deaths, the majority have occurred in Washington state, which reported a total of 18 fatalities; Florida has reported two deaths, while California has reported one, as of press time. Read more. Chinese Funeral House Director: Hospitals Sent Bodies Marked Unidentified Pneumonia A Chinese funeral house director complained that local hospitals kept on sending bodies to them, indicating that they died from unidentified pneumonia. He is worried that those bodies might carry coronavirus. My people only know how to burn the body. They have very little medical knowledge, A Jining funeral house director told the Chinese-language Epoch Times on March 7. The hospitals wrote the death reason is unidentified pneumonia. It scared my people. Read the full story here. Ted Cruz Self-Quarantining After Coming Into Contact With Coronavirus Patient Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) during a Senate Judiciary hearing about sanctuary jurisdictions, on Capitol Hill in Washington on Oct. 22, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said he would self-quarantine after interacting with a person at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) who was later found to have contracted the COVID-19 coronavirus. Cruz, in a statement on Sunday night, wrote that he was informed over the weekend that he briefly interacted with the COVID-19 patient at the conference, which also featured a speech from President Donald Trump, in late February. Im not experiencing any symptoms, Cruz said, and I feel fine and healthy. The senator from Texas noted that his interaction with the patient was brief, or less than a minute. Medical authorities told him that the odds of contracting the virus were extremely low, according to his statement. Read the full story here. Rep. Mark Walker on the Coronavirus Economic Fallout Oregon Declares State of Emergency Oregon Governor Kate Brown declared a 60-day state of emergency on Sunday as coronavirus cases in the state doubled to 14. We will do everything in our power to keep Oregonians safe, Brown said at a news conference. Nebraska Reports First Case Officials in Nebraska confirmed the states first COVID-19 coronavirus case and took the woman, who had recently traveled to the United Kingdom, to a biocontainment unit on March 6 night. The 36-year-old woman is very seriously ill and was in the Methodist Hospital in Omaha before she was taken to the unit via an ambulance, officials told local news outlets. The unit is located at the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus, and Associated Press photos showed officials in biohazard suits and masks transporting the woman inside an isolation pod into the ambulance. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and health officials announced the unnamed woman is the first COVID-19 patient in the state, reported the Omaha World-Herald. Between Feb. 18 and Feb. 27, the woman was traveling in the UK with her father before she contracted the virus, said a state infectious disease expert, Dr. Robert Penn, in the report. Read more. Top US Health Official Warns Older Americans: Dont Get on a Cruise Ship The countrys top infectious disease expert on Sunday warned older Americans and those with underlying health problems to stay off cruise ships and limit air travel amid the worldwide COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. If youre a person with an underlying condition and you are particularly an elderly person with an underlying condition, you need to think twice about getting on a plane, on a long trip, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday. And not only think twice, just dont get on a cruise ship. This will be a recommendation, he stressed. Read more here. Grand Princess to Dock in California on Monday Princess Cruises has said on its Twitter page that its Grand Princess cruise ship currently quarantined offshore will be allowed to dock in the Port of Oakland, California, on Monday. #GrandPrincess Update: The logistics plan went into further review by the state and federal authorities and the ship will not berth in Oakland on Sunday. It will now be Monday time to be determined. Princess Cruises (@PrincessCruises) March 8, 2020 The cruising company has been coordinating the docking of the ship with state and federal authorities after 21 people on board tested positive for COVID-19. Princess Cruises said 45 of the more than 3,500 people on board were tested in the first round. Those infected will be transported to medical facilities in California for monitoring upon arrival in Oakland. 10 Dead at Collapsed Chinese Quarantine Hotel Ten people have died and 23 remain trapped after the collapse of a hotel that was being used to quarantine people under observation for the coronavirus in the Chinese city of Quanzhou, authorities said on Sunday. More than 70 people were believed to have been initially trapped in the seven story building, which collapsed on March 7. As of 16:00 Beijing time on Sunday, authorities had retrieved 48 individuals from the site of the collapse, with 38 of them sent to hospitals, the Ministry of Emergency Management said. Of the 71 people inside the hotel at the time of the collapse, 58 had been under quarantine, they added. Australia Confirms 3rd Death A man in his 80s has died after contracting coronavirus in his Sydney aged care home, bringing Australias nationwide death toll to three. The 82-year-old was on Wednesday confirmed to have COVID-19 after he picked up the virus from an infected aged care worker in her 50s at BaptistCares Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Macquarie Park. He died overnight in hospital, chief health officer Dr. Kerry Chant said. The mans death follows that of a 95-year-old woman and fellow Dorothy Henderson Lodge resident and a 78-year-old man in Perth. Some 74 Australians have tested positive to the coronavirus, and figures are expected to further climb. Read more here. Coronavirus Quarantine Hotel Collapses in China, At Least 6 Dead Six people have died and 28 remain trapped after the collapse of a hotel that was being used to quarantine people under observation for the coronavirus in the Chinese city of Quanzhou, authorities told a media conference organized by Quanzhou authorities on Sunday. They said that 71 people were believed to inside the seven storey Quanzhou Xinjia Hotel building at the time of collapse around 7:30 p.m. local time on Saturday evening. Of the 71 people, 58 had been under quarantine, the authorities told the media. A video stream posted by the communist regime-backed Beijing News showed rescue workers in orange overalls clambering over rubble and twisted steelwork carrying people toward ambulances. I was at a gas station and heard a loud noise. I looked up and the whole building collapsed. Dust was everywhere, and glass fragments were flying around, a witness said in a video posted on the Miaopai streaming app. I was so terrified that my hands and legs were shivering. Read more here. Italy Orders Lockdown of Northern Provinces Italy imposed a virtual lockdown across a swathe of its wealthy north on Sunday, including the financial capital of Milan, in a drastic new attempt to try to contain a rapidly spreading coronavirus. The unprecedented restrictions, which will impact some 16 million people and stay in force until April 3, were signed into law overnight by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The new measures say people should not enter or leave Lombardy, Italys richest region, as well as 14 provinces in four other regions, including the cities of Venice, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia and Rimini. There will be no movement in or out of these areas, or within them, unless for proven, work-related reasons, emergencies or health reasons, Conte told a news conference in the middle of the night after hours of confusion over his plans. Read more here. Maldives Confirms First 2 cases, 2 Resort Islands Locked Down The Maldives has curbed movement on several resort islands, authorities said on Sunday, after the country reported its first two cases of coronavirus. The two infected people, who are both staff at the Kuredu Island Resort, tested positive late on Saturday. They are believed to have caught the disease from an Italian tourist who has returned to Italy and tested positive there. There are more than 1,400 people on the island, split equally between guests and staff, according to the tourism ministry. These two cases which tested positive are from a resort. They are employees of the resort and are now quarantined, said Ali Waheed, the tourism minister of the island nation, the economy of which is heavily dependent on foreign tourists. Couple in green on a tropical beach at Maldives. (haveseen/iStock) The period for the temporary restrictions will be decided by the medical teams. Right now, we have identified people who were in contact with the patients and they are in self-isolation along with secondary contacts. At this time we can say that these individuals will be monitored for fourteen days. Waheed said the country was still deciding whether tourists who were not in contact with the patients would be allowed to leave. It has banned passengers originating from or who had transited through or spent any time in Italy in the preceding 14 days, effective from Sunday. Officials at the Kuredu Island Resort were not immediately reachable for comment. The Maldives Health Protection Agency (HPA) said on Sunday it had introduced temporary restrictive measures on a second island after an Italian national developed symptoms at the Sandies resort on Bathala island. It was unclear how many people were on the island. It added two French nationals on a third island who showed symptoms of the disease had tested negative, and restrictions on travel there had been lifted. Malaysia Bans Cruise Ships From Entering Countrys Ports Malaysias Health Ministry and Transport Ministry have announced a ban on any docking of cruise ships in the countrys ports due to the increase in COVID-19 cases. The temporary restriction will go into effect immediately and will stay until further notice, according to the Penang Port Commission and Port Klang Authority. There are currently two cruise ships, one American vessel off the coast of California and an Egyptian vessel on the Nile River, that have been placed under quarantine after passengers on board tested positive for COVID-19. One of the biggest world cruise liners in the world, the Grand Princess, is pictured in a file photograph. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) Last month, Princess Cruises Diamond Princess vessel was quarantined multiple times in a Japanese port after the virus was detected on board. More than 700 of the 3,700 passengers and crew ended up contracting the virus, with six elderly passengers having died from the virus since. Meanwhile, Malaysia has detected a total of 93 cases after 10 more were confirmed on Saturday, according to the health ministry. U.S. Marines arrive in an amphibious assault vehicle during the amphibious landing exercises of the U.S.-Philippines war games promoting bilateral ties at a military camp in Zambales province, Philippines, April 11, 2019. (Reuters/Eloisa Lopez) First US Marine Tests Positive After Returning From Overseas The first U.S. Marine has tested positive for the novel coronavirus after returning from official duties overseas, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman confirmed in a Twitter post on Saturday night. The Marine, assigned to Fort Belvoir in Virginia, is currently being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Hoffman said after the test results came back positive earlier in the day. Secretary [Mark] Esper and the White House have been briefed, he added. For updates from March 7, click here. Melanie Sun, AAP, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Filmmaking duo Daniel Fallshaw and Violeta Ayala attend Shen Yun Performing Arts at Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia, with their daughter Suri, on March 7, 2020. (Mary Yuan/The Epoch Times) SYDNEYHusband and wife filmmaking duo Daniel Fallshaw and Violeta Ayala, who attended Shen Yun Performing Arts in Sydney on March 7, 2020, said the performance at the Capitol Theatre was absolutely fantastic. We came with our little daughter. Shes 5, Ayala told The Epoch Times. For me, its important to show my daughter different ways to see the world, and I think dance is an expression and a way to see the world in a different way. The Walkley Award-winning artist, who had just returned with her family from the Sundance Film Festival in Toronto, said the message of New York-based Shen Yun had impressed her. I think its brave that we today use art and beauty to tell these stories that matter so much to all of us, Ayala remarked. She pointed out one piece that depicted the story of thousands of ordinary Chinese who suffer persecution at the hands of the Chinese communist regime for their belief in the spiritual practice of Falun Gong, which teaches truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. I really love how it was so broad, she said. Its wonderful. Another award-winning artist, Fallshaw said he liked how he was able to learn more about Chinese culture through the performance. The choreography is amazing. The technical level of the dancers is wonderful, theyre really fantastic, he said. Bronson Stanley, who also attended the performance on Saturday evening, said he was overwhelmed by the beauty of the performance. I do graphic design. Honestly, the amount of color that was in the show was just so overwhelming for me, he told NTD Television. It was just beautiful, absolutely stunning. Bronson Stanley attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia, on March 7, 2020. (NTD Television) Stanley said for those still thinking about buying tickets, they have to come see it for themselves. Its so hard for me to explain the beauty, the passion behind the dancers. Really, its a must-see. You must go. With reporting by Mary Yuan, NTD Television and Melanie Sun. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. A soldier of the Vietnamese Army's Chemical Division with a protective suit, mask and a chemical sprayer on Truc Bach Street in Hanoi on March 7, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy. Vietnam has provided the U.K., France and Italy with information about a Covid-19 infected Vietnamese woman who traveled through the three countries. Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said Saturday that the French, Italian and British embassies in Hanoi have been given information about 26-year-old Nguyen Hong Nhung, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus Friday after traveling to the three European countries last month. The ministry also instructed the Vietnamese embassies in Paris, London and Rome to talk to relevant authorities in those countries and share details about Nhungs travel, and notify countries whose citizens had traveled on the same flight with her. The provision of relevant information happened soon after Nhung tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming Hanois first infection and the nations 17th. Nhung had left Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport on February 15 to visit family members living in London, England. Three days later, she traveled from London to Milan City, in the province of Lombardy, Italy, and returned to London on February 20. During her time in Milan, Lombardy had not recorded any Covid-19 positive case. On February 25, she traveled from London to Paris to visit her sister. She contracted a cough on February 29, but did not get it checked. On March 1, she reportedly felt some body pain and fatigue, but it was unclear if she had a fever. The same day, she boarded flight VN54 of Vietnam Airlines from London and landed in Hanoi at 4:30 a.m. on March 2. She did not have a fever then. After completing entry procedures, the patient was allowed to drive a family car home to Truc Bach Street in Ba Dinh Districts Truc Bach Ward. Later, she developed a mild fever and coughed a lot, and was admitted to Hong Ngoc Hospital in Ba Dinh District Thursday. The very same day, she was transferred to the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases where she tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Nhung has been quarantined and is undergoing treatment at Campus No.2 of the Hanoi Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases. Her fever has subsided and she is in stable health, the health ministry said. Vietnam has recorded five new infections since Friday. The patients include Nhung (17th patient), a 27-year-old man returning to Vietnam from South Korea's Daegu City (18th), the personal chauffeur and an aunt of Nhung (19th and 20th) and a 61-year-old man who was on the same flight as Nhung (21st patient). The 18th patient hails from northern Thai Binh Province and has been quarantined in Ninh Binh Province, northern Vietnam. The four remaining patients are all Hanoi residents. Before Nhung tested positive, all 16 persons confirmed with Covid-19 infections in Vietnam had been discharged from hospitals and the nation had recorded no new infection for 22 consecutive days. The global death toll has reached nearly 3,600 in 102 countries and territories, mostly in mainland China (3,097), followed by Italy (233), Iran (145) and South Korea (50). Champaign, IL (61820) Today Sunny. Becoming windy late. High near 35F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low 29F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. There are 101,927 confirmed cases of the coronavirus worldwide as of March 7, with 3,486 deaths, according to the latest information from the World Health Organization. Five new territories globally are reporting cases Colombia, Holy See, Peru, Serbia, and Togo, the WHO reported Saturday. Heres what you should know this weekend. 1. New York declares state of emergency to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York declared a state of emergency Saturday in response to the rapid increases in coronavirus cases. Officials there are monitoring 89 confirmed cases of the disease, as of Saturday evening, though the state has not had any fatalities resulting from the disease. Cuomo said the state of emergency will allow health workers to conduct more testing of patients possibly exposed to the virus. It will also give the green light to funding for healthcare supplies, workers to make periodic checks on those who are self-quarantined, and for investigations into price gouging. The governor noted one case where a person reported being charged $80 for a bottle of hand-sanitizer. I want businesses to be aware that you can lose your license because of price gouging, the Associated Press reported Cuomo saying. Not only is it disrespectful, its also illegal. And you will be caught. 2. A second Connecticut hospital employee from New York tested positive for the disease. On Saturday, officials said a second worker at Bridgeport Hospital who is a resident of New York tested positive for the disease. Officials said the the hospital worker, a man, is self-isolating at his Westchester home. Another Connecticut hospital worker who officials confirmed Friday night has the disease is also in self-quarantine at her home in Westchester County. That employee worked at both Norwalk and Danbury hospitals, officials said. Doctors are testing nine new patients who may have been exposed. Officials said both healthcare workers are linked to the outbreak in New Rochelle, a city in Westchester county. We've been preparing for weeks for #COVID19 to come to #Connecticut and we should expect more cases as it spreads, Governor Ned Lamont said on Twitter. He said people should continue to wash their hands, avoid shaking hands, avoid contact with anyone who is sick and stay home if theyre feeling ill. 3. Italy locks down its northern region In the most drastic measures in response to the coronavirus outside of China, Italy announced special restrictions on travel over the weekend for anyone living in 15 central and northern provinces. The news, reported by multiple international news outlets, effectively puts 16 million people in quarantine. Among other restrictions, the quarantine closes museums, schools and universities and sporting events, CNN reported. Anyone confirmed to have the coronavirus is prohibited from leaving their home. America's 'most famous dog on Instagram' and canine friend of the stars has died aged 18, her heartbroken human has confirmed. Marnie the Shih Tzu, whose unusually long lolling tongue and love of selfies made her a social media hit, passed away on Thursday at her Los Angeles home. Her owner Shirley Braha said the lovable pooch passed away peacefully of old age after bravely battling an ulcer. 'She passed very, very peacefully,' said Braha. 'She passed away of old age is the simplest way to put it.' Marnie the Shih Tzu, whose unusually long lolling tongue and love of selfies made her a social media hit, passed away on Thursday at her Los Angeles home, her owner Shirley Braha said Marnie shot to fame when dog lovers across America fell in love with her amused expression when Braha began chronicling her antics on Instagram. Her cute expression and love of posing turned her into an overnight influencer with 1.8 million followers on Instagram leading her to be named 'the most famous American dog on Instagram' by The New Yorker in 2015. Soon she was rubbing shoulders with the A-list, counting Katy Perry, Tina Fey and Selena Gomez among her inner circle. A book deal followed and at one point, Marnie was so in demand, that no canine party was worth going to if she wasn't there - as was evident when her absence at the 2015 World Dog Awards hit headlines. Marnie regularly rubbed shoulders with the A-list, including Neil Patrick Harris (left) and Questlove (right) Marnie counted Demi Lovato (left), Betty White (right), Katie Perry, Tina Fey and Selena Gomez among her inner circle. At one point, Marnie was so in demand, that no canine party was worth going to if she wasn't there 'Marnie knew that she was famous and she absolutely loved it,' Braha told The New York Times on Saturday. 'She loved it when crowds would form around her. She would do little dances. She would pose. I never trained her to do it. She just looked straight at the camera and stayed still and gave everyone the most perfect selfies that they wanted. She was a pro.' But Marnie wasn't always the happy-go-lucky star she became known as, with the Shih Tzu having a troubled start in life. As a young pooch, she was found living on the streets by animal control officers. Her cute expression and love of posing turned her into an overnight influencer with 1.8 million followers on Instagram leading her to be named 'the most famous American dog on Instagram' by The New Yorker in 2015 She first shot to fame in 2014 when dog lovers across America fell in love with her amused expression when Braha began chronicling her antics on Instagram She was taken to a Connecticut shelter where workers named her 'Stinky' because she smelled so badly. Marnie was always destined for bigger things, however, and she caught the attention of Braha who spotted her in a picture on PetFinder. Braha told how she fell in love with the pooch right away when she saw her bemused expression. Marnie was almost unrecognizable back then with her dirty, matted fur and rotten teeth. But Braha could see her star quality even then and took her home, naming her Marnie, after musician Marnie Stern. Soon the pair were inseparable with Marnie accompanying Braha to bars, parties and events all across New York. Marnie was always destined for big things and even secured a book deal Braha and Marnie: Braha told how she fell in love with the pooch right away when she saw her bemused expression and adopted her from a Connecticut shelter 'She loved to party,' Braha said. 'You'd bring her out to a group of people, her tail would wag, her tongue would hang out, and she would run around in circles.' In 2014, at the age of 12, her fame rocketed when Braha began chronicling her adventures - and her signature look of her long tongue lolling out to the side of her mouth in a laughing expression - on Instagram. And the rest is history. In her later years, Marnie moved to California for the better weather where she passed away Thursday with Braha by her side. And her 1.8 million followers were able to say farewell to her in her final days through her last social media posts - just as she would have wanted. 'Marnie knew that she was famous and she absolutely loved it,' Braha told The New York Times on Saturday OTTAWA - A woman accused of spying for Russia says there's nothing to the allegations because her actions ended up helping Canadian interests. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 8/3/2020 (673 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - A woman accused of spying for Russia says there's nothing to the allegations because her actions ended up helping Canadian interests. Elena Crenna is asking the Federal Court to overturn an immigration adjudicator's decision to bar her from Canada over events more than two decades ago. David and Elena Crenna pose for a photo at their wedding in this 2012 handout photo. Elena, born in Russia, has been barred from Canada for allegedly spying on behalf of Moscow. Her appeal of the decision is slated to be heard Wednesday in Federal Court in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - David Crenna A hearing on the matter is slated for Wednesday in Ottawa. The spy saga began in 1994 when Canadian David Crenna hired Elena Filatova whom he would later marry as an interpreter and public-relations representative on a humanitarian housing project in Tver, a small city northwest of Moscow. The initiative involved training Russians to build wood-frame homes, part of an effort to shift the former Soviet Union to a market economy. An agent from the FSB, a Russian security agency, contacted Filatova to ask questions about the project and David gave her permission to tell the agent anything he wanted to know in the interest of transparency. Elena and the agent met about seven times over a period of years. In August 1994, David and Elena began a romantic relationship that ended when the housing project concluded in 1996. However, they reconnected in 2008 and were married four years later. In the interim, Elena had moved to California to work as a nurse and she obtained U.S. citizenship in 2004. Elena says she never possessed any secret information about the Tver project, nor did she covertly gather material for the Russian security agent. She came to Canada in September 2013 to live with David, applying for permanent residence under his sponsorship. Following admissibility hearings, immigration officials gave her approval to stay in 2018. But the federal government appealed. In its ruling last June, the appeal division of the Immigration and Refugee Board found Elena had "engaged in acts of espionage contrary to Canada's interests" and issued a deportation order against her. Adjudicator Annie Lafleur wrote that some may consider Elena's acts harmless given the socio-political context of post-Soviet Russia in the 1990s, and she was sympathetic to the couple. But she said there must be legal benchmarks "to preserve the integrity of the immigration system, guarantee Canada's security and on a larger scale, protect Canada's fundamental values." Elena, 58, has quietly left Canada to spend time with relatives in Philadelphia while the legal case plays out, David Crenna said in an interview. The case has left the couple in disbelief, said Crenna, a former senior political aide and association executive who is now 75 and semi-retired. "Sanity may prevail and I'm very hopeful that it will. But at the moment it's conceivable that they could say, 'Well, let's grind these people into the ground.'" In a submission to the Federal Court filed late last month, the government dismisses Elena's argument that her conversations with the Russian security agent were mundane and pedestrian, saying "the nature of the information is not relevant" when it comes to espionage. The intelligence sought by the agent in the course of his work and relayed by Elena was "necessarily intended to be used in one way or another by the Russian state," the submission says. In her filing with the court, Elena contends the government has not satisfied the threshold in federal immigration law by showing her actions were "against Canada" or "contrary to Canada's interests." Rather, she co-operated with the Russian FSB to ensure the housing project, supported by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. and the World Bank, did not run into any difficulties. The submission says David Crenna was responsible "for safeguarding the best interests" of the project and its Canadian personnel, and he therefore decided Elena should answer the Russian FSB's questions "to assure them that the project was benign. And that is all that happened." This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2020. Follow @JimBronskill on Twitter A handful of Australian cheeses have been named the best in the country - including an 'alpine' cheese made in a cave to a creamy sheep's curd with a 'blue' flavour. From cheddar and blue to brie and ricotta, a panel of 12 judges tasted more than 400 gold award-winning cheeses to find the 'best of the best' at the prestigious 2020 Australian Grand Dairy Awards. Victorian dairy producer Berry's Creek Gourmet Cheese came out on top after claiming the coveted 'Grand Champion' crown at the awards. Victorian producer Berry's Creek Gourmet Cheese came out on top after its Oak Blue (left) was recognised. While King Island Dairy Stormy (right) was voted as the best 'washed rind' Australian Grand Dairy Awards Champions 2020 Fresh Unripened Cheese: Floridia Cheese Ricotta Goat Sheep and Buffalo Milk Cheeses: Prom Country Cheese - Venus Blue Flavoured Cheese: That's Amore Diavoletti Semi Hard and Eye Cheese: Section28 Fontina Hard Cheese: Beston's Edwards Crossing Parmesan White Mould Cheese: Woombye Ash Brie Blue Cheese: Berry's Creek Oak Blue Washed Rind / Mixed Rind Cheese: King Island Dairy Stormy Cheddar Cheese: Bega Heritage Reserve Vintage Advertisement After taking out the highest accolade across all cheeses, Berry's Creek was recognised for its blue cheese called Oak Blue, which is known for its 'smooth creamy texture with heavy veining'. 'The awards are significant to our company as it is the platform that acknowledges the best of the best dairy products in Australia,' Cheryl Hulls of Berry's Creek said. 'To be a finalist is something to be very proud of and to feel secure in the knowledge that you are doing something right.' Prom Country Cheese won the 'Goat Cheese and Buffalo Milk Cheese' category for its Venus Blue, which has a creaminess texture of sheep's curd with a mild blue flavour. Section28's cave-aged 'alpine' cheese called Fontina took the lead in the 'Semi Hard and Eye Cheese' category. The cheese is made from raw milk and then washed weekly for at least four months in a cave. Prom Country Cheese won the 'Goat Cheese and Buffalo Milk Cheese category for its Venus Blue (left) while Bega Heritage Reserve Vintage has the best cheddar (right) Section28's cave-aged 'alpine' cheese called Fontina (left) took the lead in the 'Semi Hard and Eye Cheese' category, while Beston's Edwards Crossing Parmesan (right) was named the best 'hard cheese; That's Amore was voted as the best 'Favoured Cheese' for its Diavoletti, which is a cow's milk smoked cheese with a chilli stuffed olive at its centre. The name translates to 'little devils' because of its spicy kick. Breston's Edwards Crossing won the best 'Hard Cheese' award for its parmesan, which has a distinct piquant to sweet flavour. In the 'White Mould Cheese' category, Woombye Ash Brie took home the prize for its delicious creamy cheese, which has been hand rolled in ash - resulting in a striking black and white appearance on the mould as it matures. Floridia Cheese's ricotta (left) was named the best in the 'Fresh Unripened Cheese' category while , Woombye Ash Brie (right) took home the prize for its delicious creamy cheese in the 'White Mould Cheese' category King Island Dairy took out the best 'Washed Rind' award for its Stormy cheese, which has an 'earthy, luxurious and complex washed rind'. The cheese was named for the wild weather off the rocky coast of Kin Island. Besides the aged cheese, Floridia Cheese's ricotta was named the best in the 'Fresh Unripened Cheese' category. Producers from Victoria claimed the highest number of titles, taking out seven of the 19 categories, while Western Australia followed with four, New South Wales with three, South Australia and Queensland with two and finally, Tasmania with one. Celebrating 21 years, the awards are the premier dairy awards within the dairy industry, promoting the world class quality and excellence of Australia's top cheeses, ice creams, milks, butter, gelato and more. The Australian Grand Dairy Awards were held in February in Melbourne. Saudi Arabia released images of King Salman carrying out his royal duties on Sunday, after a stunning purge of at least three princes including his brother and nephew for allegedly plotting a coup. The brother and nephew of the Saudi king were arrested on Friday over a plot to oust him and his son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, a brother of King Salman, and the monarch's nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef were accused of treason. Saudi royal guards detained the trio, in a move that signalled Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's tightening grip on power. They were taken from their homes early on Friday by black-clad royal guards, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Saudi royal court accused the two men, once potential contenders for the throne, of 'plotting a coup to unseat the king and crown prince' and could face lifetime imprisonment or execution, the newspaper said. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz shaking hands with an official at the Royal Palace today Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz checking documents as he receives new Saudi ambassadors to Ukraine and Uruguay, in Riyadh today The brother and nephew of Saudi Arabia's King Salman were arrested on Friday over a plot to oust the king and his son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured) The detentions also raised speculation about the health of the 84-year-old king and whether Prince Mohammed's succession to the Arab world's most powerful throne was imminent. But the official Saudi Press Agency posted photos of the king presiding over the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed Saudi ambassadors to Ukraine and Uruguay. A source close to the Saudi leadership said on Saturday the 'king is healthy and fine' and the detentions were meant to enforce 'discipline' within the royal family. The crown prince is 'in control' and the purge was carried out 'after an accumulation of negative behaviour by the two princes', this source added without elaborating. Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, a brother of King Salman, and the monarch's nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef were detained after they were accused of plotting a palace coup aimed at unseating the crown prince, heir to the Saudi throne, sources said. Prince Nayef's younger brother, Prince Nawaf bin Nayef, was also detained, they added. A Saudi royal guard member standing guard during the inauguration ceremony of the Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company (YASREF) project in 2016 One of the king's brothers, Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al Saud, and one of his nephews, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef (pictured) have been arrested in their homes and charged with treason, The Wall Street Journal reports The detentions mark the latest crackdown by Prince Mohammed, the king's son who has consolidated his grip on power with the imprisonment of prominent clerics and activists as well as princes and businessmen. He is already viewed as the de facto ruler, controlling all the major levers of government, from defence to the economy. Prince Nayef, a once powerful figure as head of Saudi counter terrorism efforts, had been crown prince until 2017. King Salman took away the title and put his son - Prince Mohammed bin Salman - first in line for the throne. The New York Times also reported his and Prince Ahmed's detention, adding that Prince Nayef's younger brother, Prince Nawaf bin Nayef, had also been detained. Prince Mohammed has also faced a torrent of international condemnation over the murder of critic Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October 2018. King Salman (pictured third from left) took away Mohammed bin Nayef's title and put his son - Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured second from left) - first in line for the throne Who is Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud? Prince Ahmed, born in 1942, is a brother of King Salman of Saudi Arabia. He served as deputy minister of the interior from 1975 until 2012 and was briefly the full minister. At the beginning of the 2000s, Prince Ahmed was seen as one of the potential candidates to succeed King Salman. However, in 2014, he was effectively excluded from the line of succession when, instead of him, prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz was appointed deputy crown prince. Prince Ahmed then left Saudi Arabia to live in London. In 2018, just before he returned to Saudi Arabia in the aftermath of the Khashoggi scandal, the prince courted controversy over remarks h made to protesters in London. They had been chanting against Saudi royals over the kingdom's involvement in the ongoing conflict in Yemen. He told them: 'What does the family have to do with it? 'Certain individuals are responsible... the king and the crown prince,' he said, according to a widely-circulated online video of the incident. The comment was seen by many as rare criticism of the kingdom's leadership and its role in Yemen, but Prince Ahmed dismissed that interpretation as 'inaccurate'. Advertisement He was accused of ordering the journalist's murder, and the killing sparked calls for him to be replaced as Crown Prince. He was also accused of hacking the phone of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos after the pair swapped numbers. Already viewed as the de facto ruler controlling all the major levers of government, from defence to the economy, the prince is widely seen to be stamping out traces of internal dissent before a formal transfer of power from his 84-year-old father King Salman. 'Prince Mohammed is emboldened - he has already ousted any threats to his rise and jailed or murdered critics of his regime without any repercussion,' Becca Wasser, a policy analyst at the US-based RAND Corporation, said of the latest crackdown. 'This is a further step to shore up his power and a message to anyone - including royals - not to cross him.' Prince Ahmed, said to be in his 70s, had returned to the kingdom from his base in London in the aftermath of the Khashoggi scandal, in what some saw as an effort to shore up support for the monarchy. Just before his return in October 2018, the prince had courted controversy over remarks he made to protesters in London chanting against Saudi royals over the kingdom's involvement in the ongoing conflict in Yemen. 'What does the family have to do with it? Certain individuals are responsible... the king and the crown prince,' he said, according to a widely-circulated online video of the incident. The comment was seen by many as rare criticism of the kingdom's leadership and its role in Yemen, but Prince Ahmed dismissed that interpretation as 'inaccurate'. Prince Mohammed had edged out Prince Nayef, the former crown prince and interior minister, in 2017 to become heir to the Arab world's most powerful throne. At the time, Saudi television channels showed Prince Mohammed kissing the hand of the older prince and kneeling before him in a show of reverence. Prince Mohammed has also faced a torrent of international condemnation over the murder of critic Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October 2018 Journalist Khashoggi was lured to the Saudi consulate before being murdered inside by a hit squad sent from the oil-rich country Western media reports later said that the deposed prince had been placed under house arrest, a claim strongly denied by Saudi authorities. The same year that Prince Nayef was stripped of his crown prince status, Prince Mohammed ordered a sweeping crackdown, arresting senior members of the royal family and billionaire businessmen. He claimed it was a bid to tackle corruption. The group of the country's most powerful figures were held in a function room at the Ritz Carlton hotel in their home country. Pictures showed them sleeping on mattresses on the floor. A source told MailOnline at the time that the men were being strung up by their feet and beaten by American private security contractors. Among those arrested on allegations of corruption was Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, the Saudi King's nephew who is worth more than $17bn according to Forbes, and owns stakes in Twitter, Lyft and Citigroup. The group of the country's most powerful figures were held in a function room at the Ritz Carlton hotel in their home country Pictures showed them sleeping on mattresses on the floor. A source told MailOnline at the time that the men were being strung up by their feet and beaten by American private security contractors Who is Prince Mohammed bin Nayef? Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 60, was previously a very powerful figure in Saudi Arabia. A nephew of King Salman, he was previously the crown prince of the country between 2015 and 2017, when he was stripped of the title by the king. His role as crown prince had made him first in line to the throne, but he was replaced by Mohammed bin Salman, who ordered his arrest. The prince had also served as minister of the interior and had headed up the country's counter terrorism efforts. But his dramatic downfall in 2017 saw him stripped of all his roles. It was claimed at the time that he was stripped of his status as crown prince because he was addicted to pain killing drugs. The prince went to school in the US and went on to develop a close relationship with American officials, becoming known as the 'prince of counter terrorism'. He led Saudi Arabia's war on Al Qaeda and in 2017 was awarded a medal by the CIA, honoring him for his alleged contributions to counter-terrorism. Advertisement He was stripped of his position as National Guards chief. The Saudi crown prince, according to the source, also confiscated more than $194 billion from the bank accounts and seized assets of those arrested. The source said that Salman, often referred to by his initials MBS, was conducting some of the interrogations on the princes and billionaries himself. 'When it's something big he asks them questions,' the source said. 'He speaks to them very nicely in the interrogation, and then he leaves the room, and the mercenaries go in. The prisoners are slapped, insulted, hung up, tortured.' Prince Mohammed did win plaudits from Western leaders after he introduced some moderate reforms - allowing women in Saudi Arabia to drive for the first time ever and introducing cinemas to the country. The Crown Prince - also known simply as MBS - also reined in the country's fierce and ultra conservative religious police. Leaders including Theresa May and Donald Trump have rolled out the red carpet for him during his lavish visits. The latest detentions come at a sensitive time as Saudi Arabia bars Muslim pilgrims from Islam's holiest sites to contain the novel coronavirus. The kingdom has suspended the 'umrah' year-round pilgrimage over fears of the disease spreading to Mecca and Medina, raising uncertainty over the upcoming hajj - a key pillar of Islam. The oil-rich kingdom is also grappling with the plunging price of crude, its major source of revenue. Prince Mohammed was also accused of hacking the phone of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos after the pair swapped numbers. Pictured: Bezos during a meeting with Bin Salman in Riyadh in 2016 A boy is rescued from the rubble of a collapsed hotel in Quanzhou, in China's eastern Fujian province, early on March 8, 2020. At least four people were killed following the collapse of a hotel used as a coronavirus quarantine facility in eastern China, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on March 8. (AFP) Beijing: At least ten people were killed in the collapse of a hotel used as a coronavirus quarantine facility in eastern China, authorities said Sunday. Rescuers pulled 48 people from the rubble, of whom 38 are still alive, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on social media. The coastal city of Quanzhou has recorded 47 cases of the COVID-19 infection and the hotel had been repurposed to house people who had been in recent contact with confirmed patients, the People's Daily state newspaper reported. Video posted by the firefighting department showed rescuers putting a surgical mask on children as they were pulled from the rubble of the six-storey building The hotel was used to quarantine and observe people who had come to the province during the novel coronavirus prevention and control and had come in contact with the virus patients. The accident happened on Saturday night during a house modification operation and the owner of the building is currently under police control, it said. The Xinjia hotel was in operation since 2018 and had 80 rooms. Among the rescued, a two-year-old boy and his parents were pulled out from the rubble and sent to hospital for treatment, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. City's fire department has sent more than 200 fire fighters to the site, while the province dispatched 11 search and rescue teams with over 800 fire fighters and seven rescue dogs, the report said. The novel virus originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year and has claimed over 3,000 lives in the country. Apart from China, over 3,400 people have died of the deadly disease and over 101,000 have been infected from the virus globally. Meghan Markle donned a stunning red gown by London-based fashion house Safiyaa for an event at the Royal Albert Hall last night - continuing her trend of honouring British female designers during her final official engagements in the UK. The Duchess of Sussex, 38, colour-matched her husband Prince Harry's military uniform with the vibrant 1,295 scarlet dress at the Mountbatten Festival of Music. The gown bore a striking resemblance to a blue dress she wore to a state dinner during her trip to Fiji in October 2018 by the same label. Since her return to London on Thursday, Meghan has delivered a masterclass on diplomatic dressing - championing eight British labels during her and Harry's last engagements as working royals. In conjunction with International Women's Day, the duchess has also ensured her wardrobe was dominated by female designers, wearing innovative pieces by Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney, to name but a few. The Duchess of Sussex, 38, continued to honour female British designers with a vibrant red gown from London-based brand Safiyaa at the Royal Albert Hall last night as she attended the Mountbatten Music Festival (pictured leaving with Prince Harry) Meghan paired the beautiful gown with a clutch bag from Italian brand Manolo Blahnik, adorned with an embellished clasp (pictured) Meghan, known to cut a stylish figure wherever she goes, once again put Safiyaa in the spotlight last night. The gown featured a shoulder cape design, back drape detail and a slit around the lower leg. Her previous Safiyaa gown bore the same cape style, and sweetly underlined the duchess's growing baby bump. She and Harry had announced they were expecting 11 days earlier while in Australia on October 15. Meghan let last night's statement dress speak for itself, keeping her accessories to a minimum. Meghan let the dress speak for itself, keeping her jewellery minimal, and colour-matched her accessories She paired the gown with gorgeous red suede heels by Italian designer Aquazzura, and a satin clutch with an embellished clasp from Spanish fashion house Manolo Blahnik. She completed her look with a pair of statement earrings by Irish brand Simon Rocha. Meghan wore her glossy locks straight and sleek, tucked behind her ears to show off the glittering floral jewels. Once again she opted for a glamourous make-up look, with smokey shadow and eyeliner and voluminous lashes. Meghan opted for a glamourous make-up look, with smokey shadow and eyeliner and voluminous lashes Meghan, pictured with Prince Harry, who wore his military tails, paired the gown with gorgeous red suede heels by Italian designer Aquazzura Earlier this week Meghan wore no fewer than eight UK labels in a matter of hours, including Stella McCartney, Topshop and Victoria Beckham. In one of her last solo engagements as a working royal, Meghan showcased three female designers in one outfit as she spoke with delighted pupils at the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham, east London on Friday. Walking up to the school on Friday she cut a stylish and modern silhouette with a white jacket by The Me + Em, a British-based brand which was launched 11 years ago by former advertising executive Claire Hornby. Meghan's previous Safiyaa gown (pictured) bore the same cape style, and sweetly underlined the duchess's growing baby bump. She and Harry had announced they were expecting 11 days earlier while in Australia on October 15 She paired the immaculate 295 fringed jacket with a white top and black trousers which emphasised her figure, and an ivory clutch bag by London-based Korean designer Rejina Pyo, priced 295. She finished the look with bi-colour heels from Lebanese-born Jennifer Chamandi. On Thursday the royal made an unannounced visit to the National Theatre in London, of which she is patron. Meghan showed her support for the British high street by wearing a 29 white Topshop blouse with chiffon sleeves. The royal wore the blouse tucked into a pencil skirt by Roland Mouret and carried a 1,450 Loewe handbag - the Queen's favourite brand. In one of her last solo engagements as a working royal, Meghan, showcased three female designers in one outfit as she spoke with delighted pupils at the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham, east London on Friday (pictured walking up to the school) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex posed with school children making the 'Equality' sign following a school assembly during a visit to Robert Clack School in Dagenham Her earrings came from one of her favourite British jewellery labels, Missoma, while her necklace was the 280 Love Pendant from Sophie Lis. She also enjoyed lunch at the upmarket Goring Hotel before joining Prince Harry for the Endeavour Awards at Manor House. As she left the hotel she was pictured wearing a 1,590 classic camel coat by London-based label Alex Eagle, which is made to order in the brand's Soho studio. She added a pair of towering black stilettos by go-to designer Aquazzura. Showcasing her ability to mix high street with high end, Meghan chose pieces that ranged from a 29 Topshop blouse to a 950 Victoria Beckham dress. Stylist Susie Hasler said Meghan's white outfit with statement sleeves is 'very on trend', adding: 'She looked chic, polished but not overdressed' On Thursday night she made a resounding public return with a stunning 950 azure blue dress by Victoria Beckham and a Lucia Plexi Clutch by Stella McCartney, who famously designed her second wedding dress. Supporting smaller labels, Meghan chose the 9,500 Chi Chi Rose Gold and Diamond Bracelet by Jessica McCormack, and a pair of 95 Gold Snake Hoop earrings by Roxanne First. However Meghan turned to a Spanish name when it came to her shoes, plumping for tried-and-tested Manolo Blahniks. On Thursday, Meghan made a splash for her evening engagement of the week with a 950 blue evening dress by Victoria Beckham and a Stella McCartney clutch bag (pictured The Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House on Thursday) True blue: Meghan enjoyed lunch at the upmarket Goring Hotel before joining Prince Harry for the Endeavour Awards at Manor House last night, pictured, wearing Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney. It was her first outing since the couple's 'Megxit' announcement in January Stylist Susie Hasler, of Styled by Susie, told how Meghan has showed 'careful consideration' in choosing to showcase British designers. She said: 'Meghan is back - with a fashion statement bang! The Duchess looks radiant, she's smiley, she's glowing, and she's picked her outfits incredibly well to make sure they deliver the right sartorial punch. 'Choosing British designers is a careful consideration. Given the furore surrounding her and Harry's choice to step down as senior royals, she is flying the flag to show that she not only cares about the country, but also about how she's perceived. For the glamourous event, Meghan and Harry, looking relaxed, both wore shades of blue as the Duchess showcased her love of British fashion (pictured on Thursday) 'It's poignant that she's blended high-end looks with high-street prices. If she had stepped out in nothing but designer gear, it would have been deemed bad taste. 'Her beautiful white outfit with statement sleeves is very on trend. She looked chic, polished but not overdressed. 'The gorgeous azure blue dress was a great match for her skin tone. It was more tailored - a continuation to the style of clothing she was wearing before she left for Canada. Whats more, it complemented Harrys suit - power couple dressing to show they are in union.' This week Harry and Meghan will join senior royals including the Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Commonwealth Day service in London. It is thought these will be Harry and Meghan's last official duties before their royal roles officially come to an end on March 31. The Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition (Firearms Protocol) is the only legally binding instrument to counter the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition at the global level. It was adopted by resolution 55/255 of 31 May 2001 at the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations and it entered into force on 3 July 2005. The Firearms Protocol supplements the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Organized Crime Convention) and together with the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, represents the commitment of the international community to counter transnational organized crime. The Firearms Protocol provides for a framework for States to control and regulate licit arms and arms flows, prevent their diversion into the illegal circuit, facilitate the investigation and prosecution of related offences without hampering legitimate transfers. The Firearms Protocol aims at promoting and strengthening international cooperation and developing cohesive mechanisms to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition (firearms). By ratifying or acceding to the Firearms Protocol, States make a commitment to adopt and implement a series of crime-control measures that aim at: (a) establishing as criminal offence the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms in line with the Protocol's requirements and definitions; (b) adopting effective control and security measures, including the disposal of firearms, in order to prevent their theft and diversion into the illicit circuit (c) establishing a system of government authorizations or licensing intending to ensure legitimate manufacturing of, and trafficking in, firearms; (d) ensuring adequate marking, recording and tracing of firearms and effective international cooperation for this purpose. Key Provisions While the Organized Crime Convention provides for basic measures to prevent and combat transnational organized crime, its Protocols provide for specific measures to deal with specific crimes. As such, the Protocols should be interpreted together with the Organized Crime Convention. Parties to the Firearms Protocol undertake to adopt, and implement the strongest possible legislation consistent with their national legal system, to prevent, investigate and prosecute the offences stemming from the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms. Specific measures include the confiscation, seizure and destruction of firearms illicitly manufactured or trafficked; the maintenance of records for at least 10 years in order to identify and trace firearms; the issuance of licences for the import and export of firearms and transit authorization prior to their actual transfers; and the marking of firearms permitting identification of the manufacturer of the firearm, and the country of and year of import. Parties undertake to cooperate extensively at the bilateral, regional and international levels in order to achieve the Firearms Protocol's objectives including providing training and technical assistance to other Parties. Finally, Parties undertake to exchange relevant case-specific information on matters such as authorized producers, dealers, importers, exporters and carriers of firearms as well as information on organized criminal groups known to take part in the illicit manufacture and trafficking of such items. Governmental Process Pursuant to article 32 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, a Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (COP) was established to improve the capacity of States Parties to combat transnational organized crime and to promote and review the implementation of this Convention and its Protocols. The COP meets every two years. Relevant Background reports and papers submitted to the COP and relevant COP resolutions: 3rd Session of the COP Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air and the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition: figures reflecting responses received from States for the first and second reporting cycles - Note by the Secretariat Implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime - Analytical report of the Secretariat 4thSession of the COP Note by the Secretariat on the marking of firearms, the keeping of records on firearms, trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition and the identification of competent authorities Working paper prepared by the Secretariat on proposals for technical assistance activities designed to meet the needs identified in the priority areas determined by the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime 5th Session of the COP Activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to promote and support the implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime Technical assistance requested for the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto Resolution 5/4 contained in the Report of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime on its fifth session, held in Vienna from 18 to 22 October 2010 6th Session of the COP Activities of the Working Group on Firearms: report submitted by the Chair of the Working Group Note by the Secretariat on the work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on conducting a study of the transnational nature and routes used in trafficking in firearms Resolution 6/2 contained in the Report of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime on its sixth session, held in Vienna from 15 to 19 October 2012 7th Session of the COP Activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to promote and support the implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime Activities of the Working Group on Firearms: report submitted by the Chair of the Working Group Resolution 7/2 contained in the Report of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime on its seventh session, held in Vienna from 6 to 10 October 2014 8th Session of the COP Activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to promote and support the implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime Report on the meetings of the Working Group on Firearms held in Vienna on 9 June 2015 and on 18 and 19 May 2016 Resolution 8/3 contained in the Report of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime on its eighth session, held in Vienna from 17 to 21 October 2016 9th Session of the COP Activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to promote and support the implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime Reports on the meetings of the Working Group on International Cooperation and the Working Group of Government Experts on Technical Assistance held in Vienna from 9 to 13 October 2017 and from 28 to 31 May 2018 Resolution 9/2 contained in the Report of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime on its ninth session, held in Vienna from 15 to 19 October 2018 Working Group An open-ended intergovernmental Working Group on Firearms was established pursuant to resolution 5/4 of the COP at its fifth session, to advise and assist the COP in the implementation of its mandate with regard to the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition (Firearms Protocol). In particular, the Working Group should facilitate the implementation of the Firearms Protocol through the exchange of experience and practices among experts and practitioners, including identifying successful practices, weaknesses, gaps and challenges, as well as priorities and relevant topics, in the fight against trafficking in firearms. The Working Group was also tasked to make recommendations to the Conference on how States parties can better implement the provisions of the Firearms Protocol, on the activities that the Secretariat should perform, and on the development of technical assistance tools relating to the implementation of the Firearms Protocol. 1st Session of the WGFA Activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to promote and support the ratification and implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime Good practices, gaps and challenges in countering the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, and measures to facilitate the implementation of the Firearms Protocol Report on the meeting of the Working Group on Firearms held in Vienna on 21 and 22 May 2012 2nd Session of the WGFA Challenges and good practices in countering illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, and measures to facilitate the implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime* Activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to promote and support the ratification and implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime Report on the meeting of the Working Group on Firearms held in Vienna from 26 to 28 May 2014 3rd Session of the WGFA Activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to promote and support the ratification and implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime Report on the meeting of the Working Group on Firearms held in Vienna on 9 June 2015 4th Session of the WGFA Measures to prevent and reduce illicit trafficking in firearms, improve regional and international cooperation and related technical assistance activities Good practices, gaps and challenges in countering the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, and measures to facilitate the implementation of the Firearms Protocol - Note by the Secretariat Challenges and good practices in countering illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, and measures to facilitate the implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime - Background paper prepared by the Secretariat 5th Session of the WFGA Contribution of the Firearms Protocol in supporting the achievement of target 16.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals and activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to promote its ratification and implementation Report on the meeting of the Working Group on Firearms held in Vienna from 8 to 10 May 2017 6th Session of the WFGA Practical measures under the Firearms Protocol that contribute to preventing criminal organizations and terrorist groups from acquiring weapons through illicit trafficking, and to monitoring the achievement of target 16.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals Activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to promote ratification and implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime Report on the meeting of the Working Group on Firearms held in Vienna on 2 and 3 May 2018 7th Session of the WFGA Responsiveness of the Firearms Protocol and national legislation to new and emerging threats relating to the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition - Background paper prepared by the Secretariat Investigative and prosecutorial approaches in countering illicit firearms trafficking and related forms of crime within and across jurisdictions - Background paper prepared by the Secretariat Report on the meeting of the Working Group on Firearms held in Vienna on 16 and 17 July 2020 8th Session of the WGFA Reducing illicit financial and arms flows to achieve target 16.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals - Background paper prepared by the Secretariat From arms transfers to firearms trafficking: application of the Firearms Protocol in the context of diversion - Background paper prepared by the Secretariat Status Of Ratification In accordance with article 18 (1) and (2) which reads as follows: "1. This Protocol shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the date of deposit of the fortieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, except that it shall not enter into force before the entry into force of the Convention. For the purpose of this paragraph, any instrument deposited by a regional economic integration organization shall not be counted as additional to those deposited by member States of such organization. 2. For each State or regional economic integration organization ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to this Protocol after the deposit of the fortieth instrument of such action, this Protocol shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date of deposit by such State or organization of the relevant instrument or on the date this Protocol enters into force pursuant to paragraph 1 of this article, whichever is the later." At the beginning of the programme, 84 countries were Party to the Protocol. To date, the number has increased to 121, an increase of 37 parties during the implementation period. For more information on the status of ratification of the Firearms protocol, please access: https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XVIII-12-c&chapter=18&clang=_en Status Parties: 121 Latest Accessions Country Date France 28 February 2019 Palau 27 May 2019 Bolivia 1 September 2020 Comoros 4 June 2021 Germany 14 October 2021 General Assembly Resolutions In its resolution 55/255 of 31 May 2001, the General Assembly adopted the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime As its refrain suggests, Aika to the Baika prompts the viewer to listen, to really listen to women. Though it is infamous for indulging only in themes like desire, sensuality, love and longing, lavani has in fact for centuries been employed as a tool for social messaging. Aika to the Baika is a modern iteration of the samajik lavani, a 'lyrical banter'. The depiction of social issues through pop culture is often thought to merit a serious, sombre treatment, for fear that one may otherwise end up making light of the subject or be disrespectful. One such social issue is that of how police officials deal with women's complaints about crimes such as domestic violence and harassment on the streets. As a departure from such notions, a new lavani video Aika to the Baika drives home the point in an entertaining and pleasurable manner. It is created by Agents of Ishq, a multimedia project that engages in conversations around gender, sexuality, desire and equality, in collaboration with Majlis, which operates as a feminist legal NGO. But this manner of depiction is not surprising or unexpected, if one is clued into the lavani performance art: Infamous for indulging only in themes like desire, sensuality, love and longing, lavani has in fact for centuries been employed as a tool for social messaging through a form that is referred to as the samajik lavani. Aika to the Baika is a modern iteration of the samajik lavani, a 'lyrical banter'. It's also not unexpected if one is familiar with the work of Paromita Vohra, the Creative Director of Agents of Ishq. She is of the opinion that 'serious' depictions may not always prompt people to examine their attitudes. It becomes a kind of familiar ritual where everyone knows the right lip-service to pay, and everyone can look noble... But when we talk about a serious issue in a form like lavani, it's unexpected. It's a surprise and it does not allow you to just take a stock position. Instead, it invites you to watch a familiar issue with fresh attention and alertness," she explains. Eroticism and intelligence are two petals of the same flower. We apprehend the world; make sense of the world through our senses. Lavani uses its pleasurable qualities to focus us on ourselves in relationship to the world, she adds. Aika to the Baika, to be released on Womens Day, follows Agents of Ishqs 2016 project, The Amorous Adventures of Shakku and Megha in the Valley of Consent. A similar production, it laid out in a simple and uncomplicated manner, through a lavani, the meaning of consent: yes, no and maybe. Majlis commissioned this video with an aim to utilise it for gender sensitisation during police trainings, as well as to have discussions with women about their rights. Bhushan Korgaonkar, the author of Sangeet Bari, has written the lyrics for Aika to the Baika with Savitri Medhatul. Previously, Korgaonkar and Medhatul turned Sangeet Bari into a stage production which celebrates the lavani tradition. We (the duo and Vohra) had a meeting at Majlis with their lawyers and learnt about the problems women face at police stations while filing complaints. We were distressed after listening to accounts of horrifying situations, says Korgaonkar. Korgaonkar's process usually involves taking an existing lavani and employing its tune and metre as a framework, upon which new words and meanings are created. But while making Aika to the Baika, the author sat down with his team of musicians, his dholki and harmonium players, and the artist Shakuntala Nagarkar to compose an entirely new tune. Humming the song, Korgaonkar enacts a conversation between a girl and a police official: Mazhi consent hoti, (I gave my consent), says the girl Tuzhya bapachi navti, (But your father didnt), the cop retorts Mag lagna ka nahi kela, (Why didnt you marry), he asks Tyachi garajch navti, (That was not necessary) Kuthe geli sanskriti, (What about our values) Ata mala kay mahiti (That, I do not know about) As its refrain suggests, Aika to the Baika prompts the viewer to listen, to really listen to women. Vohra came up with the phrase which, although grammatically inaccurate in Marathi, serves its purpose, urging authorities and people alike to listen to women and shed their preconceived notions. Vohra consciously picked lavani as a medium for this project simply because it allows a point of entry into a grave issue without giving up on the pleasure of dance, and in the process, instead of just uttering phrases like no means no, one is able to actually talk about and discuss the nuances of concepts like consent. In other words, we created a discourse, not just a pat slogan, she says. As for the question of making a grave subject appear frivolous, she explains, As a feminist filmmaker I don't believe in these hierarchies and categories of what is inherently more or less serious. I believe that which is pleasurable can be and is serious, and that which puts on a serious face is sometimes rather superficial, just acting serious rather than being serious. Also read: Lavani's lost glory: As art form's 'vulgarity' was condemned, its complexity, social messaging were ignored In using a humourous, notorious and utterly mesmerising dance form like lavani, Korgaonkar concedes that they realised they could not depict severe cases to produce a light-hearted video. So we tried to find a middle ground, he says, and picked three issues: domestic abuse, eve teasing and conflicts that arise when a girl has already consented to a relationship but the parents object. For instance, a girl comes in with a domestic abuse complaint and the police tells her to ignore it, or try and understand the situation. They shout at her, terming it a 'domestic' problem that she should let go." In another case, a seemingly modern woman (her clothes indicate this) walks in to lodge a molestation complaint. The authorities have two approaches: first, about how she is to blame since she looks so 'modern', and second, if she is so 'modern' and 'forward', why can't she handle the issue on her own instead of asking us for help? Concerns like these form the subject matter of Aika to the Baika. The emphasis remains on the abhinaya (expressions) of the lavani and the subtleties of the composition. Playing the parts of three different women caught in three different situations are artist Akanksha Kadam, well-known actor and dancer Megha Ghadge, and Shakuntala Nagarkar, long-time proponent of the lavani form and a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. There wasnt a lot of dance in the production, just expressions and dialogue... We had been given one stanza each. Performing the abhinaya for a samajik lavani is not a joke, Nagarkar emphasises, Our abhinaya should be such that each and every member of the audience, including non-Marathi speakers, is able to understand the message. She is of the opinion that for performances about social issues, the artist herself must be strong. "Samajik lavani is a medium to help bring about reform, and an artist must be equipped to bear that burden. It is not for the faint-hearted, she says. While working on a shoot has its own merits, Nagarkar enjoys live performances more, as they give the performer an opportunity to completely let go and interact with the audience. Folk arts like lavani or batavani were more about the adakari and emoting the words of a song rather than dance, Nagarkar explains. With a mic in her hands and a smile on her face, a lavani artist can sing to the crowd and dance to the beats of the dholki with complete abandon for as long as ten minutes during a live performance. But in a world where reality shows have gained popularity, Nagarkar rues, it is all over in two or three minutes, which is not enough time to play with the verses and unravel the subtle messages in a lavani. However, with projects such as Aika to the Baika, age-old storytelling traditions are employed to address pertinent issues, in order to help change mindsets. Vohra says, When it comes to attitudes, we need to use every cultural and media method available to us to change how people think. This requires us to have numerous points of view presented. She adds that it is only by populating the cultural domain with many varied experiences and ways of storytelling or expressing emotions that we can actually hope to shift attitudes. We must tell many, many more stories from the point of view of women, transform and queer people, Dalits and minorities and narrate many, many more experiences of these groups to create something like a balanced view of the world which is currently dominated by patriarchal, heteronormative and upper class/caste perspectives," she explains. The next governor and lieutenant governor of Montana are going to face incredibly tough fights: taking on Big Pharma to bring down the cost of prescription drugs, standing up to special interests that seek to block progress on climate change, and holding the line on attacks on a womans right to choose, workers rights, our public education system and our public lands. Mike Cooney and I are no strangers to tough fights. Im a lifelong union member, former public-school teacher, and special needs dad. I got into public service because I think Montanans deserve folks fighting for them in Helena who know firsthand the challenges they face: living paycheck to paycheck, the impacts of student loans on a family, and what its like to deal with astronomical medical costs and navigate our confusing and costly health-care system. So when Mike asked me to get back on the campaign trail I knew it was my chance to keep up my fight. The fight for quality and affordable health care is a personal one for me. Six years ago, our son Aiden was born almost seven weeks premature. After a complicated birth and days spent worrying about my wife and newborn, we got an explanation of benefits from our health insurance company which said we owed about $65,000 out-of-pocket for Aidens first day of life. As a new father, I was terrified. I will never forget that experience and I know there are many Montana families with similar stories. These are the families Im fighting for because Ive walked in their shoes. As Democratic leader of the House, I helped fight to reauthorize Medicaid expansion to protect health care for 1 in 10 Montanans and provide stability to rural hospitals. Under the leadership of Gov. Steve Bullock and Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney, Montana has expanded access to health care and found ways to reduce the burden of costs on Montana families. Still one of the questions Mike and I hear everywhere we go from Democrats and Republicans in urban and rural Montana is how were going to address the rising costs of health care and skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs. With the right leadership in the Governors Office there are things we can do on Day One of the next legislative session to immediately help Montanans struggling with health-care costs. It is immoral that Montanans have to pay over $275 for a vial of insulin when in Canada it costs $35. Mike has announced his support for the safe and legal importation of prescription drugs from Canada. This is a bipartisan proposal that would help all Montana families. We should also look at price caps for high-cost medications, incentives for rural health-care providers and continued investments in substance abuse treatment and mental health services. And we need to do everything we can to protect Medicaid expansion. There are growing threats in Montana and in Washington, D.C., to attack Medicaid, undermine coverage for folks with pre-existing conditions, and even dismantle the entire Affordable Care Act. Its going to take a team of proven leaders who are willing to go to bat for Montanans against powerful special-interests group seeking to roll back all of the progress weve made here in the state. Mike and I have a record of delivering results for working Montana families. With the support of Montana leaders like Gov. Bullock, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and former Sen. Max Baucus and thousands of Montanans in all 56 counties weve got the energy and the support to bring our Montana values to the Governors Office and protect our quality of life for future generations. Rep. Casey Schreiner, D-Great Falls, is Lt. Gov. Mike Cooneys running mate for governor. He served as House Democratic leader during the 66th Montana Legislature and is a former public school teacher. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Four days a week, Huguenot resident Frank DelVecchio crosses the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to attend classes at Brooklyn College. That trip translates into a weekly toll bill of about $50, he said on Saturday. Its a significant burden, said DelVecchio. Thats bad news. But good news could be on the way for DelVecchio and thousands of Staten Island commuters who traverse the four bridges linking the borough to Brooklyn and New Jersey. Standing alongside DelVecchio on the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Boardwalk in South Beach with the sun-dappled Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge looming in the distance, Rep. Max Rose unveiled proposed legislation that would give cash-strapped commuters some welcome toll relief. The bill calls for a 50-cent tax credit on every dollar over $1,000 which any commuter spends per year driving across a bridge which has a regular peak-hour toll of at least $11. The legislation would apply to all four Island spans the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, the Goethals Bridge, the Outerbridge Crossing and the Bayonne Bridge. Staten Islanders face the highest toll rates in the nation, said Rose (D-Staten Island/South Brooklyn). Every one of us has to pay these damn tolls, said Rose. This bill will put hundreds, if not thousands of dollars back in the bank accounts of Staten Islanders and Brooklynites, the congressman said. If you want to see the money youre spending on tolls go down, not up, then this bill is for you. And I am going to be doing everything I can to build support across the United States so that this bill can become law. Rose said the average Staten Islander with an E-ZPass and resident discount who drives to work daily over the Verrazzano shells out about $1,430 in tolls annually. The bill would allow them to claim a $215 credit, he said. The numbers are even higher for Brooklyn commuters who cross the Verrazzano each day. They pay nearly $4,000 in tolls, which would let them claim a $1,100 credit, said Rose. Rose said the money which borough and Brooklyn commuters pony up for tolls could be put to better use in the local economy. Chinese government-funded language and culture institutes operating at Australian universities, community groups linked to Beijings overseas propaganda arm and organisations looking to harm Australias critical infrastructure will be targeted by a new unit set up to enforce the Morrison governments flagship foreign influence scheme. Attorney-General Christian Porter has warned potential agents of foreign powers will be ordered to hand over documents in coming months, and has not ruled out going after agents acting on behalf of foreign embassies in Australia if they have not declared their activities on the foreign influence register. Attorney-General Christian Porter in Canberra last week. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The Sunday Age and The Sun Herald understands the new unit will focus on Confucius Institutes operating at some Australian universities and groups linked to Beijings United Front Work Department. The Attorney-General's Department is working with domestic spy agency ASIO and the AFP in its revamped bid to enforce the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme. The district health department, on Sunday, sent two more samples for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) test to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. A couple in their forties, who are residents of Sector 15, approached the health department on March 6 complaining of flu-like symptoms. Additionally, they had a travel history to Italy. On Saturday evening, the rapid response team collected samples of these two suspected cases. Dr Jaswant Singh Punia, chief medical officer, said, A husband, 45, and his wife, 42, reported of travelling to Italy between February 20 and March 3. On their return to India, they complained of flu-like symptoms and approached us on March 5. The husband had a cough while his wife had both a cough and fever. Considering their symptoms and their travel history to one of the most-affected Covid-19 nations, we had to take their oral swabs and blood samples for lab tests. The response teams said both the cases are vulnerable as they are diabetic. In addition to their travel history and other symptoms, their diabetic condition puts them at risk. High blood glucose level can often lead to complications, said a response team member, who collected the samples. Both of them are under surveillance and are on self-quarantine till test reports are received, said the response team member. Earlier this week, the response team collected samples of four Paytm employees in Gurugram, who were in close contact with a 26-year-old employee, who had tested positive for coronavirus on March 4. The reports of all four suspected cases are awaited. As per the guidelines shared by the union ministry of health and family welfare, a suspected case is a patient with acute respiratory illness, having fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing. Also, the patient should have a travel history to China or any other affected countries, such as Italy and Iran, before the onset of symptoms. The department has been following up with such passengers based on the information provided by the state and airport authorities. Since the first week of January, the rapid response team has put on surveillance 622 passengers who returned to Gurugram after a foreign visit. Out of these 618 are asymptomatic, according to the state bulletin released daily. Some of them have already completed their quarantine period of 14 and 28 days, and are no longer under surveillance. They are fine. Still, almost 300 such passengers, both foreigners and Indians living in Gurugram, are under self-isolation and have shown no signs or symptoms of Covid-19 till now. They have been asked to contact us in case of any issue, said a response team member, mentioning a large number of them have a travel history of China, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Iran. Punia said that as per the travel advisory issued by the health ministry, people coming from Korea, Iran, and Italy or having any travel history since February 10, will have to be quarantined for 14 days on arrival to India. The officer, who is assigned to bike duty in the Town Hall district, was on his way into work in his personal vehicle about 8:30 a.m. when he saw two people in the 5200 block of North Lawler Avenue, who were in the process of stealing a catalytic converter, interim police Superintendent Charlie Beck said during a news conference. Mom Creates Website With Map to Track Coronavirus After a confirmed coronavirus case was announced near her home, a mother of two decided to build a website to better track areas with symptoms of COVID-19. With her team of 12 working until 2 a.m. every morning in early March, Heather Sittig, CEO of Relola.com, put together a map where people can report symptoms of the virus in their area. People can report from anywhere in the world, and the website is updated instantly in real time. Her company specializes in mapping data, so she thought, why not create a map of the virus for researchers? I thought if people can report how theyre feeling, then we could know where theres sort of a surge in symptoms and have visibility into where this outbreak might occur next, Sittig told The Epoch Times in a phone interview. That way, wed be able to be prepared and forewarn people that, hey, youre in an area thats high-risk for an outbreak; you might want to consider taking measures to prevent that, like self-quarantining or leaving town. To make a report, a person needs to sign up so that the back end can verify that it is a real person reporting and not a robot. She said once a person is authenticated, they are assigned a number, not their name, so the people signing up remain anonymous. Signing up is free of charge. Within the first hour after the site was launched, hundreds of people signed up and reported their health statuses. The detailed map consists of pins scattered across the United States. Green pins mean people reported healthy in that area. Red pins with a white cross indicate people are experiencing symptoms of the virus. Each pin represents a general report in an area, not a report for every single person. For example, if there are 1,000 people reporting in San Francisco, there will only be one pin on that map. The map does not show people who are diagnosed with the coronavirus. The total number of statuses reported in each state is circled in dark green. People can also update their health statuses if they feel they have developed symptoms. It gives us a ratio of the population thats participating, and then researchers can actually extrapolate based on those ratios what the overall likelihood of the symptoms are in that area, said Sittig. So its really important to have healthy reporters as well as people who are experiencing symptoms. All the collected data could help public health officials assess the next surge of cases and prepare for that. There is also a Relola app that people can report from on iOS. People can report through a group called COVID-19. If it ever happens again, then we already have people who are ready to report, and we could really stop something in its tracks fast. And thats the whole idea, Sittig said. Indian Army troops of the Romeo Force braved harsh weather near Dera Ki Gali in Jammu and Kashmir to rescue nine passengers including five women passengers travelling between Thanamandi and Bafliaz on Sunday. The TATA Sumo vehicle in which the passengers were travelling in got stuck due to heavy snowfall which kept on increasing with every passing minute. On receiving information about the same, the troops and the local police stationed at Dera Ki Gali sprang into action and reached the site immediately and rescued the passengers and the vehicle. The passengers received necessary medical attention at the DKG check post. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Centuries ago, a severe famine in Sicily caused considerable suffering and starvation. The farmers turned in prayer to St. Joseph, protector of the family, for help. The famine soon ended and, in gratitude, the farmers honored St. Joseph by covering an altar with their most prized possession: food. St. DES MOINES On its way to Gov. Reynolds' desk is a proposal to increase state funding in Iowas K-through-12 public school districts by 2.3 percent over the previous year. The proposal is the culmination of this years debate among Iowa lawmakers over how much state funding should be invested in K-12 public education. It is an annual and often contentious debate in the Iowa Legislature, generally with Democrats arguing more should be spent than Republicans are willing. Many claims have been tossed around over the years during that annual debate. THE HISTORY The public education funding debate among state lawmakers in Iowa intensified in 2011. Prior to the 2010 elections, Democrats had full control of the state lawmaking process with a Democratic governor and majorities in both the Iowa House and Senate. But the 2010 elections flipped the governors office and House majority, giving the state divided party control. That meant Democrats and Republicans had to come to an agreement on the states budget, including public school funding levels. And that state budget was reeling from a national economic recession. State lawmakers had to enact across-the-board spending cuts including to public education in order to balance the budget. Those forced budget cuts motivated Republicans to rein in state government spending, including in public school funding. Instantly, what had been a tradition of annual 3- to 4-percent increases was trimmed significantly. The states present public school funding formula was created in 1973. Starting there, public school funding increased by less than 3 percent only 6 times over the first 38 years, according to data compiled by the states nonpartisan data and legal analysis division. Since 2011, when Republicans gained at least partial control at the Iowa Capitol, that annual school funding increase has been less than 3 percent in nine out of 10 years. Assuming Gov. Kim Reynolds does not veto this years proposal and demand significantly more funding which is unlikely, given she proposed a 2.5 percent increase that streak will increase to an increase of less than 3 percent in 10 out of the past 11 years. That shift is what has fueled the annual debate in the Iowa Legislature. We could easily afford to do better by our kids, Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, said this week during debate on the 2020-2021 school funding proposal. This bill is quite literally too little, too late. REPUBLICAN PRIORITY Statehouse Republicans insist public education remains one of their top priorities. They point to overall spending, which will be roughly $3.4 billion. This is $100 million (in increased funding), folks. Lets forget the percentages, Sen. Michael Breitbach, R-Strawberry Point and chairman of the Senate budget committee, said this week during debate. To me, thats a pretty good shot in the arm. Democrats argue Republicans have made public school funding less of a priority. The data on that charge is mixed. Starting with the 2011-2012 school year, school funding as a percentage of the overall state budget decreased or plateaued, from 45.8 percent to 40.7 percent, according to state education department data. That means with Republicans holding at least a share of the state budget-writing process, public education fundings slice of the overall budget pie became smaller. But over the next two school years, that share has rebounded to 43.8 percent in the 2017-2018 school year, the most recent for which the data is available. Thats slightly higher than an 18-year average from the 2000-2001 to 2017-2018 school years, during which there has been all manners of partisan control of state government: full Democratic control, full Republican control, and split control. DEMOCRATS WARNINGS During the annual public education debates, Democrats regularly warn of the potential consequences of Republican-set state funding levels. They warn that school districts will experience budget crunches and be forced to lay off teachers, and that the average number of students in each classroom will increase. Thus far, despite 10 years of at least partial Republican control at the Iowa Capitol, those warnings have not materialized in Iowa. From the 2000-2001 to 2018-2019 school years, the number of public school teachers in Iowa has increased. And teacher growth has happened despite a slight regression in the number of students. Over that time, the number of teachers has increased 11 percent while the number of students has decreased by a little more than 1 percent. Class sizes are not getting bigger, either. Average class sizes in kindergarten through third grades all are smaller than they were in 2011. Outliers remain, which Democrats often note during debate. Education department data shows the largest class sizes during the 2018-2019 school year included kindergarten and second-grade classes with 30 students and a third-grade class with 32 students. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 An award-winning Australian chef who was admired by Gordon Ramsey has died from a heart attack aged 50. Mark Maric, the former head of Queensland's top seafood restaurant, passed away on March 2 at his Brisbane home. 'On Monday evening Dad had just fallen asleep when he died of a heart attack,' his son Anthony Maric, 23, told Daily Mail Australia. Mark Maric, a well-respected Australian chef who was praised by Gordon Ramsey (pictured left with Maric), died from a heart attack at his Brisbane home on Monday evening 'I had just sat down to eat dinner and I heard a bad sound from him on the couch, a bad exhale, and then he went purple in the face straight away,' Anthony explained. Anthony and his mother Mary Maric, 49, performed CPR on Mr Maric for 15 minutes before an ambulance arrived. Paramedics spent 40 minutes trying to revive the respected chef, but he couldn't be saved. The father-of-four was well-known within the hospitality community and headed The Lure when it won Queensland's best seafood restaurant in 2006. Mr Maric started out as a protege of Neil Perry at Sydney's Rockpool Bar & Grill before opening his own restaurants. He worked as a head chef at a series of well known Brisbane establishments including Cloudland and his own restaurant, Dish. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey praised Mr Maric's cooking skills at O Bar and Grill in 2009. Ramsey came into the kitchen to personally ask for Mr Maric and compliment him on his seared scallops. Anthony Maric (pictured left with family) described his father as a 'passionate chef' Anthony said this was one of his father's greatest achievements. 'He came home and said to me ''this was one of the biggest highlights of my life''. He had a big smile on his face when he said it too,' Anthony explained. Anthony described his father as 'passionate with food and a passionate chef right to the end.' He created a Facebook fundraiser a few days after his father's sudden death to 'help mum and our family get back on our feet'. The page raised over $5,000 in its first 24 hours and left the family 'blown away and overwhelmed by the support'. Mr Maric's funeral will be held on Monday March 9 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Sunnybank. He may be a former member of the Rolling Stones but Bill Wyman says he has always battled with a lack of confidence. The former bassist told the Sunday Independent that keeping busy has combated his inner critic. "Self-doubt has always been something that I have had, owing to being a small man, a poor working-class boy and sensitive," he said. As he prepares to auction his collection of Stones memorabilia, which will be displayed at Newbridge Silverware on Tuesday, he describes how living the roller-coaster life of a rock star has taught him to "always trust my loved ones" who he feels "blessed to have". In his later years Wyman (83) says he understood "never to neglect the small things in life, as they lead on to the big important things later". In 2016, the musician battled prostate cancer but he says: "Surprisingly, I was not nervous when I was diagnosed. "I was very confident that the treatment would be successful, as it had been for other people. I was lucky to have one of the top professors in England to treat me." The legend recently admitted he was "really stupid" to think marrying Mandy Smith when she was 18 would work. There was a 34-year age gap between them. "It was from the heart. It wasn't lust, which people were seeing it as," Wyman said. On his celebrity friends, he recalls getting "very drunk" in the south of France with Bono and said he still meets fellow bassist Adam Clayton "very regularly" for dinner. Wyman has worked with Van Morrison and rates Bob Geldof "as one of my very closest and warmest friends" but it was Imelda May who he asked to take to the main stage to ring in his 80th birthday party in the O2. He counts Irish fans among the best and describes their welcome as "more like a welcome for the queen, rather than for an R&B band" and puts his success with the Stones down to being tuned in to those he worked with. "My own personal secret ingredient to success was to always be aware of what Charlie Watts was doing on the drums, and locking into his timing precisely, to create the foundation of the song - in whatever tempo - for the rest of the band to build on that solid base because, with that there, everybody else could do whatever they wished. "My second ingredient was to play as simple as possible on the bass, although still leaving space for anybody else to add to the music, and playing the music I love." With Julien's Auctions, Newbridge Silverware will exhibit Wyman's collection of guitars, including his 1969 Fender Mustang Bass and a Brian Jones Les Paul Gibson Goldtop and case that has an estimate of $300,000 (265,000). The Travis Bean Custom Short Scale Bass Koa has a $300,000 estimate, while Wyman's gold and black satin two-piece stage ensemble worn in the 1970s from London boutique Mr Freedom will also be on display. The exhibition opens this Tuesday and runs until April 20. The property will be auctioned by Julien's Auctions in California from May 29-31. Kuwait Ministry of Health called on all persons arriving from 7 designated countries to observe a mandatory 14-day home quarantine from the date of departure. The ministry urged all people coming from India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt to abide by preventive health procedures and guidelines. Yesterday, the Kuwaiti Cabinet suspended flights from the above-mentioned countries for a period of one week as part of preventive measures being undertaken to combat novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In another statement, the Ministry of Health urged citizens and residents to avoid travelling for the time being due to Covid-19 outbreak. Sick fraudsters have been branded 'scum' for seeking to cash in on the death of 17-year-old Olivia Alkir, who was killed in car crash caused by two boy racers. A fake crowdfunding page was set up less than 24 hours after Thomas Quick, 18, and a 17-year-old male - who cannot be named - were jailed for five years each. Police are now investigating the potential fraud after the mother of popular deputy head girl Olivia - Joanna - warned people not to donate to the bogus page. Incorrectly titled 'Memoriable Fund', it has now been taken down. Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts of Ruthin, Wales - related to one of the four others injured in the crash down the B5105 last June - called the page 'sickening'. Pictured: Olivia Alkir, who was killed in the car crash on the B5105 between Efenechtyd and Ruthin after desperately pleading with her driver to slow down He thundered: 'I couldn't believe it when I saw Olivia's mum had shared a fake fundraising page which had a target of 5,000 telling people not to donate. 'It was uploaded just hours after the two teenagers were sentenced, so some serious lowlife had obviously read the coverage and tried to pull a fast one. 'I think it is sickening that someone would stoop so low as to aim to profie from a totally horrific situation for everyone involved.' The councillor added: 'It is horrendous. Some people are absolute scum.' Olivia was tragically killed last year after Quick and the 17-year-old male - who had just passed his driving test - embarked upon a high-speed race. Pictured: Thomas Quick arriving at Mold Crown Court for sentencing after goading his friend, a 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, to race him at speeds of up to 90mph Pictured: The point of collision on the B5105, where tributes to Olivia were left. Olivia's parents called their daughter 'beautiful' and said they were 'waiting to die' Riding as a passenger in the 17-year-old's Ford Fiesta, her screams to slow down were ignored as the vehicle reached speeds of up to 90mph. The Fiesta collided head-on into an oncoming Mercedes at around 80mph, killing Olivia instantly and leaving four others seriously injured. Quick and the 17-year-old boy racer were sentenced to five years each last week after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. Judge Parry condemned the incident as 'one of the worst examples of dangerous driving one could imagine' and excoriated the pair for blighting the lives of Olivia's family, arguing: 'You two were the cause of those dreadful consequences. 'That was purely down to your arrogance, selfishness and egotistical conduct.' The judge said to the pair: 'You have had the benefit of excellent upbringings. This isn't a case involving vulnerable, poorly-educated, disadvantaged young people.' Judge Parry condemned the incident as 'one of the worst examples of dangerous driving one could imagine' and excoriated the pair (pictured, Quick) for blighting the lives of Olivia's family, arguing: 'You two were the cause of those dreadful consequences. That was purely down to your arrogance, selfishness and egotistical conduct' Pictured: Tributes at the scene of a fatal car accident on the B5105, where 17-year-old Olivia had begged the Ford driver to slow down before he collided into a Mercedes at 80mph He also pledged to write to the Government, and called for banning newly-qualified drivers from carrying more than one passenger for a year. Judge Parry said he hoped this case deter 'young impressionable people, often influenced by peer pressure' from entering into dangerous behaviour. In a heart-rending impact statement, Olivia's mother Joanna called her daughter a 'beautiful only child' to whom she and her husband Mesut were devoted. Revealing that they are now 'waiting to die', she said: 'Our world was shattered when she was needlessly killed. We were the proudest parents on earth.' Her family said Olivia's death was 'a calamity caused by the reckless and criminal actions of two young men who played Russian roulette with' lives. Joanna added: 'We wake to a living hell every day. 'Olivia's death and the life changing injuries inflicted on the other victims were a tragedy that should never have happened.' North Wales Police was approached for comment. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, March 8, 2020 14:37 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad20691e038 1 National KPK,bribery,harun-masiku Free The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has proceeded with the prosecution of businessman Saeful Bahri in a bribery case implicating Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Harun Masiku, even though the latter remains at large. KPK deputy chairperson Nurul Ghufron said that investigators had deemed Saeful's case file complete even without Harun's testimony, thus the prosecution could proceed. The KPK handed the case file over to prosecutors on Friday. "What is important in a bribery case is the clarity that the giver is X and the receiver is Y, who is a state actor and that it is within the latter's duty and authority to proceed with their consensus, Ghufron said at the KPK headquarters on Friday. He said that the investigation into the case had revealed that Harun had bribed General Elections Commission (KPU) commissioner Wahyu Setiawan in exchange for the latter's approval for the politician to fill the seat of a deceased politician in the House of Representatives. The KPK named Harun a bribery suspect on Jan. 9 and has put him on its most-wanted list. Read also: Concerns of cover up grow after KPK dismisses officials probing KPU bribery case Ghufron added that even though there was still time for the investigation and detainment to proceed, the KPK had the right to hand over the case file as long as it was considered complete. "Within 14 days, the public prosecutor will hand over the case to the Corruption Court. The trial will be held at the Jakarta Corruption Court," KPK acting spokesperson Ali Fikri said in a written statement. The case revolves around a dispute between the KPU and the PDI-P over who should take over a legislative seat left vacant by deceased PDI-P politician Nazaruddin Kiemas. The KPU gave the seat to Riezky Aprilia, who won the second-highest number of votes in the April 17, 2019, legislative election, despite the PDI-Ps request that it be given to Harun. On Jan. 8, the KPK arrested Wahyu for allegedly accepting Rp 600 million (US$43,950) from Harun through former Elections Supervisory Agency member Agustiani Tio Fridelina and Saeful. The four suspects have been charged with bribery and, except for Harun who has been declared a fugitive, are now in KPK custody. (ars) Since before the founding of the United States, women have been treated as second-class citizens: Unable to own property, not allowed to vote in national elections, and in many cases barred from holding bank accounts in their name. But by the turn of the 20th century, women had begun to fight back against this unwarranted prejudice, creating International Womens Day, which was first observed in 1909 as an acknowledgement and celebration of working women everywhere. It should come as no surprise that this day carries great significance for sex workers, and while not all sex workers are women, the importance of highlighting the fact that sex work is work remains. Therefore, today, March 8, the Sex Worker Outreach Project (SWOP-USA) has announced that it will be entering into a partnership with top porn site Pornhub. On December 17, 2019 Pornhub donated $10,000 to SWOP-USA to honor and uphold all of the sex workers that were lost in that year. The company recently approached SWOP-USA looking to establish a more formalized partnership beginning with International Womens Day, and will be donating $50,000 to SWOP-USA. "In our internal discussions about this partnership, the first and most important aspect that came to us is that we want to ensure that this generous donation is reinvested into the sex worker community and in direct services to sex workers," a SWOP-USA spokesperson stated. "We are still in discussion with Pornhub on how our partnership will unfold and are thrilled to announce several forthcoming projects. "We will begin a national pilot sex worker bail-out fund in collaboration with SWOP Behind Bars," the spokesperson continued. "During the recent Super Bowl in Miami, SWOP Behind Bars was able to assist in the release of 83 sex workers who were targeted for arrest under the guise of anti-trafficking stings. The spectre of arrest is something that hangs over the heads of so many sex workers, and the violence of being separated from friends and family and potentially losing housing or other employment is inexcusable. As we continue our fight for full decriminalization of sex work, being able to get sex workers out of prison sooner on bail is essential harm reduction. "Additionally we will be using a large portion of these funds to further resource our Community Support Line (877-776-2004). We have seen nearly a doubling of calls to our CSL year over year since the passage of SESTA/FOSTA. We have been operating the CSL on a shoestring budget for a long time, and this will allow us to expand both our staffing and the research project that SWOP Behind Bars has been conducting for over a year on the coalition between human trafficking and the prison industrial complex. "Finally we will be partnering with Pornhub to create content for their Sexual Wellness Center. We will work with other sex workers in our network and communities to develop educational content that will be promoted across the PH network to raise awareness about the fight to decriminalize sex work. These materials will specifically focus on the intersectional violence and oppressions that are compounded for Black and brown sex workers, especially trans sex workers. We will be reaching out to a variety of sex workers who are most directly impacted by criminalization, and compensating them for their time and expertise in the creation of this content. "We are very excited to move forward in this partnership with PornHub in mutuality and collaboration," SWOP-USA's spokesperson summarized. "For too long the gap between sex workers and companies that make direct profit from our work has been vast. We believe that this is one of the first steps in moving in tandem as sex workers and institutions to fight for the rights and dignity of all sex workers and to fight for full decriminalization." Pornhub also expressed its pleasure at being able to partner with such a valuable sex worker group. Today, sex workers are often stigmatized, marginalized and criminalized and face constant discrimination, violence and abuse. To help eradicate this prejudice and injustice, were proud to announce an official partnership with SWOP-USA and a $50,000 donation, said Corey Price, VP of Pornhub. We look forward to working alongside SWOP-USA to spread awareness and educate the public and policy-makers on the direct and institutional harms committed against sex workers and their communities." SWOP-USA expressed its delight at the new arrangement thusly: "On this International Womens Day, we are thrilled to embark on this new journey and hold up sex work as work!" Tinie Tempah shared his annoyance at finding his British Airways plane seat "dirty" [Image: Getty] Tinie Tempah has criticised British Airways over a dirty and disgusting plane seat he was given on a flight this week. In two videos shared to Twitter, the rapper, 31, revealed how he had been wiping down surfaces on the aircraft because of coronavirus when he had noticed a series of stains. The star filmed what appeared to be crumbs rubbed into the chair, as well as a pillow seemingly marked with spilt red wine. Speaking to his 1.7 million followers in the first clip, he could be heard saying: I'm wiping down this aircraft now 'cos of coronavirus but quick question though - BA why are your planes always so dirty? READ MORE: Pensioner becomes one of world's oldest influencers after going travelling to get over divorce Zooming in, Tinie - whose real name Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu Jr - added: What's this about? How can mans spend so much money on a ticket and the seats are always so dirty. In another clip, he said: Look at this man. It's f***ing nasty. Sort it out BA man. Many of his fans rushed to support him after he shared his annoyance online. READ MORE: This cleaning putty will disinfect all your devices One person wrote: That is disgusting!! Another commented: Oh God. That's bad! A third, who appeared to be a flight attendant for the company, shared: Im sorry about your dirty seat, I was working on your flight back from Saudi today, I hope the service made up for it!! British Airways responded to him on social media asking for more information so they could investigate. READ MORE: How to talk to children about the coronavirus In a statement to Yahoo Style UK, they said: Our customers rightly expect our aircraft to be clean and we insist on very high standards of cleanliness. Our long-haul aircraft receive a thorough clean after every flight. This includes cleaning of seats, seat pockets, tray tables, galleys, toilets, floors and the aircraft interior generally. It comes as experts have been recommending measures people can take to avoid contracting coronavirus. Story continues READ MORE: Why drying your hands is important to ward off the coronavirus There is no set treatment, so officials are urging the public to wash their hands regularly in order to prevent its spread. Soap and water should be the go-to, over sanitiser, but cleaning hands thoroughly will only go so far if they stay wet. Explaining in The Conversation why it is so important to dry your hands too, scientists from Swansea University said: Hand drying not only removes moisture from the hands but it also involves friction, which further reduces the microbial load and the environmental transfer of microorganisms. The transmission of microbes is [also] more likely to occur from wet skin than dry skin. Repeated searches for the plane in the southern Indian Ocean were called off in 2018 after failing to find the aircraft. The families of the 239 people who were on board MH370 when it went missing six years ago, are calling on authorities to revive efforts to find the missing Malaysia Airlines plane. Holding star-shaped signs reading Never give up, Waiting and Resume the search, the relatives of those who were on board marked the sixth anniversary of their disappearance by making a fresh appeal for answers. The pain is still the same, the fact that the plane is still missing is still the same, and the fact that we dont know what happened to the plane is still the same, said Grace Nathan, a lawyer whose mother was on the flight, during the event in Malaysias administrative capital, Putrajaya. There are more questions than there are answers and that shouldnt be the case after six years, she told reporters after the event. MH370 disappeared less than an hour into a night flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. Repeated searches for the aircraft, focusing on the far south of the Indian Ocean, were called off in 2018 and the missing plane has become one of the worlds biggest aviation mysteries. A piece of debris, believed to be from the missing aircraft, was on display at the gathering as it was a year ago. Malaysia, China and Australia ended a two-year, A$200 million ($132.90 million) underwater search in the southern Indian Ocean in January 2017 after finding no trace of the plane. In 2018, Malaysia contracted Ocean Infinity, a US-based company, to resume the search on the basis that it would only be paid if the plane were found. The 138-day search was also fruitless. We depend a lot on the government to take some initiative. We want the government to come forward and say that they are open to companies coming to search, Nathan said, calling for the government to engage Ocean Infinity again. Last month, the Transport Ministry said it had not received any new credible evidence to initiate a new search to find the plane. Flowers and ornamental trees grown in Hong Van Commune, Hanois Thuong Tin District, have become not only farming products but also tourism ones. Farms, roads and houses in the suburban area are also destinations for visitors. Children catch fish at VietVillage - an eco-agriculture production farm offering tourism services in Hong Van Commune, Thuong Tin District, Hanoi. Photo kinhtedothi.vn In 2017, the commune hosted 35,000 visitors. By the end of last year, nearly 60,000 visitors arrived in the commune, helping it to gain over VND6 billion (US$260,000) from tourism. Vice chairman of the commune's Peoples Committee Mai Van Ngan said that the commune was well-known for its two flower villages Xuyen Co and Co Giao for long. However, in 2010, local owners of flower and ornamental tree farms faced bankruptcy due to the national economic slowdown, with few customers buying the trees. In 2015, a model combining farming and tourism was first piloted in the commune, Ngan said. Particular trees were chosen for each road to create typical features in the area, while households are encouraged to offer the experience of farming to visitors. Residents are called on to keep their houses clean as well as beautify their neighbourhood. With the advantages of a suburban area, such as spacious farms, fresh air and short distance from the city centre just 18 km the commune is said to be a good choice for a 1-day tour. Thanks to feedback from visitors, we have improved our services and products, Ngan said. Nguyen Van Tu, head of Hong Van Ornamental Trees Co-operative, said that with the advantage of available land, the co-operative grew nearly 10ha of ornamental trees and aquaculture under Vietnamese agricultural practices (VietGAP). Visiting the farm, people not only see, but also take part in farming activities. The co-operative welcomes about 20,000 visitors and gains over VND1 billion yearly from tourism services, Tu said. Vice director of Hanois Agriculture and Rural Development Department, Ta Van Tuong said since 2013, the city plans to develop eco-agriculture alongside tourism. Organic agriculture production models which apply high technologies in large scale are expected to go hand in hand with tourism. Until now, there were eight major farms and co-operatives doing eco-agriculture production associated with tourism, he said, adding that other farms also eyed developing such businesses. Director of the department Chu Phu My said that eco-agriculture with tourism required land, investment in high tech and clean production models. However, few policies and mechanisms were available to support the development of eco-agriculture, particularly eco-agriculture associated with tourism. Director of the citys Tourism Department Tran Trung Hieu said that the city still lacked a long-term vision and proper infrastructure to develop eco-agriculture tourism. Most of the eco-agriculture tourism models in the city feature little investment and innovation. Their products meet simple demands for food and accommodation, Hieu said, adding that human resources for eco-agriculture tourism were also limited. Ngo Kieu Oanh, director of Ba Vi Homestead an agriculture tourism provider in Hanois Ba Vi District said that farms and co-operatives which want to pursue eco-agriculture tourism should solve two main problems so they could attract more visitors. Firstly, the farms and co-operatives should work closely with travel agents. Secondly, they should develop and introduce tourism products that feature typical cultural values of their hometowns. Oanh said that the Government also plays a key role in boosting agricultural tourism. The Government should develop policies in planning and preserving traditional trade villages as well as tightening the linkage between Governments at all levels and communities (including farming households, farms or co-operatives) in providing tourism services. It was also necessary to develop standards for products of agriculture tourism. When farmers joined the tourism industry, they also needed to be equipped with new skills, which required funding for training, she said. VNS Space renting business for growing greens flourishes in Hanoi The landowners help their customers grow organic veggies following four criteria namely no chemical pesticides, no growth stimulants, no excess of nitrates, no metal chemicals residues in soil and irrigation water. New Delhi, March 8 : At a time when India is battling air pollution, especially in the national capital and adjoining Ghaziabad, which have been designated as one of the most polluted cities across the globe as studies suggest, Prakriti E-Mobility Private Limited, is soon to launch an App-based Electric Vehicle (EV) cab services called 'Evera' in Delhi-NCR. Focused on offering affordable, clean and comfortable rides to consumers, Evera offers one-of its kind, 100 per cent electric cab service in the city. The cab service provider Prakriti has entered a partnership with Tata Motors to soon deploy 500 Tigor Electric Vehicles in Delhi-NCR. The company in association with Tata Power is setting up 30 slow chargers and five fast chargers in Delhi-NCR, the largest charging infrastructure in India currently, that will enable the taxi drivers to charge the batteries of the car at 35 charging points across the city at places like Greater Kailash, Khan Market, Moti Bagh, Connaught Place, Chanakya Puri and Jor Bagh. According to the Bureau of Energy Efficiency of the Indian Government, the volatile crude oil sector contributes an estimated 142 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, out of which 123 million tonnes is contributed by the road transport segment alone. Therefore, these Electric cabs, which emit zero carbon dioxide during their lifespan, will help curb air pollution and the city will eventually be able to breathe easy without worrying about toxic fumes from the exhaust pipes. Recently Prakriti E-Mobility also participated in the Auto EXpo 2020 as their mobility partner. Unlike its competitor in the market, Evera facilitates zero cancellation charges. The cab driver cannot cancel the trip, like other app-based taxi services. The electronics transport is the future in India as it also helps control the demand and consumption of imported crude oil. Bureau of Energy Efficiency says the transport sector, at present, accounts for 18 per cent of total energy consumption in India. This translates to an estimated 94 million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) energy. The Central government emphasises on the usage of EVs keeping in view the climate change commitments and reduce emission intensity by 33 - 35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 levels. Cab services like Evera can be seen as one step ahead in this direction. T he Duke and Duchess of Sussex have joined the Queen at a church service at Windsor. It is the first time Meghan and the Queen have met since the Sussexes announced that they were stepping back as senior royals . Meghan wore a black Givenchy dress for the occasion, while the Queen wore a pastel blue outfit for the service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park. The couple stop their royal duties at the end of the month as they seek to carve out "a progressive new role", mainly based in North America, which they aim to finance themselves. The Queen sported a pair of sunglasses to the service / Rex Features While Harry remains a prince, they have agreed not to use the HRH titles - His or Her Royal Highness - and will not use "royal" in their branding, even though they said there was no jurisdiction by the monarchy or the government to stop them using the word overseas. The couple have spent most of their time in Canada since January's shock announcement. Meghan's last official engagement was to visit Canada House in London days before that announcement. The prince returned to royal duties at the end of last month, when the host at the event said people should just "call him Harry". On Thursday, they attended the annual Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House which acknowledges the achievements of wounded or sick servicemen and women who have taken part in remarkable sporting and adventure challenges. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex farewell tour - In pictures 1 /37 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex farewell tour - In pictures The Mountbatten Music Festival Getty Images The Endeavour Fund Awards Samir Hussein/WireImage Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey AFP via Getty Images The Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham PA The National Theatres Immersive Storytelling Studio The Duke and Duchess of Sussex/Chris Allerton The Silverstone Experience PA Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey Getty Images The Endeavour Fund Awards Samir Hussein/WireImage The Endeavour Fund Awards AP The Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham PA The Mountbatten Music Festival POOL/AFP via Getty Images The National Theatres Immersive Storytelling Studio The Duke and Duchess of Sussex/Chris Allerton The Silverstone Experience AFP via Getty Images The Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham Getty Images The Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham via Reuters Abbey Road Studios @sussexroyal Abbey Road Studios @sussexroyal The Endeavour Fund Awards Getty Images The Endeavour Fund Awards PA The Endeavour Fund Awards Getty Images The Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham PA Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey Getty Images The Mountbatten Music Festival AP A sustainable tourism summit at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre PA Abbey Road Studios Jeremy Selwyn The Endeavour Fund Awards Getty Images The Endeavour Fund Awards AFP via Getty Images Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey AFP via Getty Images The duchess made a surprise visit to the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham, east London, on Friday, to deliver an International Women's Day message to men to "value the women in your lives". At the event, Meghan asked for a male volunteer to explain their view on the importance of International Women's Day. Head boy Aker Okoye, 16, jumped at the chance to take to the stage. Greeting her with what appeared to be a kiss on the cheek, he told his fellow pupils: "She really is beautiful, innit?" Meghan greets head boy Aker Okoye / PA With a smile, Meghan praised Aker's "incredible confidence". As senior Bollywood actor Anupam Kher turned 65 on Saturday, he celebrated the special day with veteran Hollywood actor Robert De Niro in New York. The two actors have shared the screen in Silver Linings Playbook in 2012. Terming De Niro as god of acting, Kher took to Twitter to share the insights from his birthday celebrations with De Niro as he shared a video. In the video, Kher and De Niro are seen dining-in when a miniature chocolate cake is brought to their tables and they start singing the birthday song for him. Thank You it means a lot that you are in with me, said Kher after the birthday song is over. De Niro is then seen asking Kher to proceed towards the customary cake cutting and making a wish while blowing the candle. Nothing can be more magical for an actor than to be able to spend quality time on your birthday with the #GodOfActing #RobertDeNiro third year in a row. I am humbled that Mr. De Niro accepted my lunch invitation. It was magnificent, he tweeted along with the video. Many of his contemporaries took to Twitter to wish him on his birthday. Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha extended his birthday wishes for Kher with a series of tweets. Warm & loving birthday wishes for a versatile & matured actor, fine human being, a social activist at times#AnupamKher. A self-made man in films & society having made his presence felt in regional films, international films & tv sitcoms with his true sense of commitment & dedication, tweeted Sinha. Warm & loving birthday wishes for a versatile & matured actor, fine human being, a social activist at times#AnupamKher. A self made man in films & society having made his presence felt in regional films, international films & tv sitcoms with his true sense of commitment & Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) March 7, 2020 The Kalicharan actor also lauded Kher for his renowned biographical play Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai. He wrote & played himself in his most popular & talked about biographical play Kucch bhi ho sakta hai. He has been a great TV host too. May you be blessed with happiness, prosperity & many more new ventures in the future ahead. Happy birthday, read his another tweet. Another senior actor Rishi Kapoor also took to Twitter to extend birthday wishes to his Vijay co-star. Wish you a great birthday Anupam, God Bless! tweeted Kapoor along with a collage of his and Khers pictures. Wish you a great birthday Anupam,God Bless! pic.twitter.com/DWvmn4ZMve Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) March 7, 2020 Megastar Anil Kapoor also wished his Tezaab actor by sharing a picture of himself with Kher. Happy Birthday, @AnupamPKher! My dearest friend since 35 years & counting. We argue, laugh, make fun of ourselves, talk about films, food and fools in the world! Theres no one like you & there never will be. Your talent is unmatched. Love you always! Anil Kapoor tweeted along with the picture. Also read: Neha Kakkar shows pictures of her swanky Rishikesh bungalow and the tiny home she was born in: I always get emotional Happy Birthday, @AnupamPKher! My dearest friend since 35 years & counting. We argue, laugh, make fun of ourselves, talk about films, food and fools in the world! Theres no one like you & there never will be. Your talent is unmatched. Love you always! pic.twitter.com/HHC0E3nVwn Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) March 7, 2020 Kher is a senior actor who has featured in scores of blockbuster movies in Indian cinema as well as Hollywood. Some of his notable films include, A Wednesday, Karma and Saaransh. Follow @htshowbiz for more Javier Perez de Cuellar, who died last Wednesday aged 100, was an accomplished Peruvian diplomat who was secretary-general of the United Nations from 1982 to 1991, and later his country's prime minister. He was at the centre of world events, from the Falklands conflict - which he did his best to halt - to the fall of the Iron Curtain, the end of apartheid, the Gulf War and the break-up of Yugoslavia. Discreet, bookish, courtly, tenacious, even-handed and patient, Perez attempted to resolve more conflicts than any other secretary-general. The Middle East question - which he regretted was "no nearer a solution" despite having taken up more of the UN's time over four decades than any other issue - defied his efforts. Yet he could claim credit for the end of the Iran-Iraq War, peace in Cambodia and Angola, elections in Namibia and an apparent settlement in Afghanistan. Working with Iran and Syria, he secured the release of Terry Waite, John McCarthy and other hostages in Beirut. He sent experts to investigate Saddam Hussein's gassing of the Kurds and arbitrated between France and New Zealand over the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior. Succeeding the pedantic and subsequently disgraced Kurt Waldheim, Perez took a low-key approach. At the UN's New York headquarters he preferred not to use his personal lift and dining room. His deadpan style and expression were reinforced by a stroke suffered in 1977. Perez had been in office barely three months when, at the end of March 1982, Argentina invaded the Falklands. He appealed for peace, contacted the two sides, then left the initial diplomacy to US secretary of state Alexander Haig. When Haig's mediation failed and Washington - and the Security Council - sided with Britain, he proffered his good offices. Crises apart, Perez's main preoccupation was the UN's worsening financial plight. This was partly due to the US Congress withholding part of America's contribution, and to the Kremlin refusing to pay for peacekeeping, for which the UN was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988. He urged the superpowers to pay up, and in 1986 pushed a $30m austerity package through the General Assembly after two weeks of wrangling. Javier Felipe Ricardo Perez de Cuellar de la Guerra was born in Lima on January 19, 1920. His businessman father, descended from Spanish nobility, died when he was four. Javier wanted to be a musician but was told music was "for girls", so he read law at the Catholic University in the city. In 1940 he joined the foreign ministry as a clerk. He was a junior delegate to the first UN General Assembly in London in 1946, then served in Paris, London and La Paz, before becoming counsellor at Peru's embassy in Brazil. He returned home in 1961 as political director at the foreign ministry then, after two years as ambassador to Switzerland, became its secretary-general in 1966. In this capacity, Perez formalised relations with the Soviet Union, being posted to Moscow as ambassador in 1969. In 1971 he became Peru's UN ambassador. He was president of the Security Council for the month of July 1974, and when President Makarios was overthrown and Turkey invaded, he was appointed Waldheim's special representative on Cyprus. After a year as ambassador to Venezuela, Perez returned to the UN in 1979 as under secretary-general for special political affairs. After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, he spent nine months shuttling between Moscow, Rawalpindi and Tehran, trying to mitigate its effects. He remained welcome in each city. Waldheim wanted a third five-year term, but developing countries preferred the Tanzanian Salim Salim, whom America could not forgive for leading jubilation at the UN when George H W Bush failed to stop communist China being seated. An empty Kleenex box was circulated within the Security Council. America put in a veto on Salim, China a veto on Waldheim and Russia a veto on Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. When new candidates were suggested, Perez had no vetoes. Within weeks, Israel launched an incursion into Beirut, and the UN disarmament conference in New York collapsed. Then Argentina invaded the Falklands. During Perez's second term the Cold War ended, the Berlin Wall came down, and he looked set to retire on a note of hope. Then, in August 1990, Saddam annexed Kuwait. Perez persuaded the US not to respond unilaterally and intervened with Saddam to prevent foreigners being used as human shields. Round after round of talks with Iraq's foreign minister, Tariq Aziz, produced no progress. Then in January 1991, the Security Council having set a deadline for Iraqi withdrawal, Perez delivered an 11th-hour appeal to Saddam in Baghdad. He returned lamenting: "I wanted to dance, but I couldn't find any nice lady for dancing with." Saddam declared: "There can be no bargaining over the rights of the Arab nation." The darkest cloud on the horizon as he left, Iraq apart, was fighting in the former Yugoslavia. Then, at 74, Perez was persuaded to run for the presidency of Peru against the flamboyant incumbent Alberto Fujimori but came a poor second. During the turbulent period following Fujimori's subsequent resignation over corruption charges, Perez, then 80, served for eight months as prime minister and foreign minister. Javier Perez de Cuellar married, first, Yvette Roberts, with whom he had a son and a daughter. After their divorce, he married secondly, in 1975, Marcela Temple Seminario. She died in 2013. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Euan Stevenson (pictured) was last seen leaving Coles in Port Melbourne about 10.30am on Wednesday March 4 A Scottish man who has been missing for five days had an argument with his girlfriend and switched his phone off minutes before he disappeared, his family say. Euan Stevenson was last seen leaving Coles in Port Melbourne at about 10.30am on Wednesday, March 4. The 24-year-old, who has been living and working in Australia, had an argument with his girlfriend over the phone before he switched his mobile off and left his apartment. His sister Joanne said she spoke with his girlfriend after his disappearance. She said she hadn't heard from him since the couple had an argument five minutes before CCTV footage filmed him leaving his apartment on Wednesday, at about 9.20am. He stopped answering his girlfriend's calls and messages, and switched his phone off shortly after. 'I'm hoping he's just gone for some space to sort himself out,' she said two days after his disappearance. Five days on, Ms Stevenson said her brother has not switched his phone back on and has not been seen since his trip to Coles, where he purchased a bottle of water and a cooler bag. He doesn't have his bank card or passport with him, and friends said his disappearance is out of character. Ms Stevenson, along with Euan's friends back in Scotland and locally, are desperate to make contact with him and make sure he's okay. 'We're all worried sick and just want to know that he is okay,' she said. 'Family and friends are growing more concerned for his welfare.' Euan was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, black pants and a pink hat. He was scheduled to work a shift at the convention centre in South Melbourne at 3pm on Wednesday, but never arrived. Anyone with information about Euan is urged to contact Melbourne West Police Station on 8690 4444. HARTFORD As many as 700,000 state residents could obtain less-expensive health care coverage under this years version of the state-administered public option for small businesses, nonprofit agencies and unions. Its a modified version of a plan that Democrats rolled out last year, only to see it blow up at the end of the legislative session as private heath insurers objected and one of them, Cigna, the Bloomfield-based giant health management company, made veiled threats to leave Connecticut. State Comptroller Kevin Lembo on Thursday joined Democratic lawmakers, business owners and doctors in supporting the bill during a public hearing before the General Assemblys Insurance and Real Estate Committee. Republicans, insurers and the states largest business organization opposed the bill. Lembo said that at a time when unemployment is low, many jobs have either no insurance benefits or offer health plans with unacceptably high deductibles that become obvious only when employees need the coverage. The official term, and I hate to say this in this building, is crappy coverage, Lembo told the committee. Whats the quality of those jobs? Lembo asked. Theyre horrible. Under the proposal, the voluntary program would be available through Lembos office, offering participants the states buying power to cut costs. If not this, then what? Lembo asked Sen. Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, ranking member of the committee, who stressed that he is skeptical that a government program could improve on the private sector in a state famous for its insurance industry. The Connecticut economy has failed to perform for the middle class, Kelly said during a 45-minute review of the bill with Lembo. Kelly stressed that the states version of the federal Affordable Care Act hasnt been good. The experience in Connecticut has been the two largest tax increases and the middle class is screaming. Former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy did enact two large tax increases, though not the largest in state history, and the tax increases were overwhelmingly unrelated to Obamacare. Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, said that better health coverage could help revive the states economy. There is no more critical issue today, Looney said during a news conference prior to the committee hearing. This is something thats holding the state back. State Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, co-chairman of the committee, called this years version new and improved plan. He said Gov. Ned Lamont, whose support last year was mixed, seems open, although he has recently indicated that he has problems with the bill. Hes interested in having more discussions, Lesser said. I think we can get him to yes, Lembo said. Chris McClure, a spokesman for the governors budget office, said Thursday Lamont remains committed to reducing the costs of health care, as indicated in one of his early executive orders to study cost issues, plus drug reimportation through Canada and cost containments. The rising cost of healthcare is an issue that hits countless families across our state, McClure said. At this time, the most important thing we can to improve America's health care system is to reduce the underlying cost of care, without compromising its high quality. Under the proposal, new participants would become a third platform under the Connecticut Partnership plans that are administered by the state to cover employees of municipalities and local school boards. Lembo believes that participants can get lower prices because the profit incentives of private insurance, as well as highly paid executives, would be taken out of the equation. Dr. Robert McLean, a New Haven rheumatologist who is national president of the 159,000-member American College of Physicians, said universal access to affordable health care has been the organizations goal for the last 30 years. There are actually two pathways that can get us to achieve such a system, McLean said. A public option to be offered along with regulated private insurance, or a single-payer finance system. So I am absolutely delighted that the public option is being introduced in this bill here today. The status quo has led to ever-increasing premiums, deductibles, co-payments and surprise bills. The industry continues to object. The proposal could jeopardize as many as 25,000 Hartford-area health-related jobs, said Steve Jewett, spokesman for a coalition of insurance groups. We want to keep Connecticut the insurance capital of the world, Jewett said. The proposed state government option bill will only put those jobs at risk and few people believe that state government will be more efficient in running Connecticuts healthcare system. As a state, we need to stay competitive and support the growth of the health industry here, which includes pushing back against legislation that says government run health care is a better model. The Connecticut Business and Industry Association also testified against the legislation. Lembo admitted the current form of the bill needs revisions before the end of the legislative session on May 6. And Kelly, the ranking Republican, said some reform may be in order. I believe if there is one issue at the top of the minds for all voters, its health care, Kelly told Lembo. I am going to keep an open mind, but I want to get more detail. As a Republican I have an innate contempt for government, but at the same time I have similar questions about corporate America. kdixon@ctpost.com Workers and their representatives in parliament have taken a united stand against government-drafted amendments to the public enterprise law, reports Gamal Essam El-Din The General Egyptian Federation of Trade Unions (GEFTU) and parliaments Labour Committee announced this week that they were rejecting the government-drafted amendments to the Public Enterprise Law 203/1991. The law regulates eight government-owned holding companies with 121 affiliated subsidiaries operating in all kinds of businesses and employing close to 250,000 workers. Gibali Al-Maraghi, chairperson of parliaments Labour Committee, said following a meeting on 24 February that the amendments introduced by Public Enterprise Minister Hisham Tawfik would negatively affect the interests of workers and trade unions and pave the way for privatisation. After much discussion of the amendments by the committee, all members agreed that they were not in the interest of workers and companies in all industrial sectors in Egypt, Al-Maraghi said. Committee member and GEFTU Secretary-General Mohamed Wahba said the amendments opened the way for privatising most public sector companies in a way that was detrimental to the interests of thousands of workers. Article 38 of the newly amended law states that a company incurring losses that exceed half of its capital shall be liquidated, said Wahba, adding that this would push 40 per cent of companies into liquidation and would do a lot of harm to workers. Wahba said workers and trade union activists had expected that the amendments would reflect a new government policy aimed at upgrading industrial companies. But we were surprised that the amendments opted for the easy way out which is liquidating and selling companies rather than streamlining their performance, Wahba said. Leftist MP Abdel-Hamid Kamal said the new amendments stripped workers in loss-making companies of receiving profits, not to mention that they made it possible for the boards of these companies to be dismissed. The boards of all industrial companies include elected members representing workers in line with the labour law. The membership of these cannot be abolished or suspended, Kamal said, adding that for these reasons he had called upon all Egyptian workers to unite against this law. MP Maysa Atwa said the amendments stripped workers of having a seat on the boards and public assemblies of companies. The fact that the boards and public assemblies would no longer have representatives of the workers under the amendments would enable the liquidation of companies without protests, she said. The amendments clearly aimed to marginalise trade unions in order that they would not be able to play any role in defending the interests of workers in industrial public sector companies, added MP Sulaf Darwish. Darwish proposed that ahead of being discussed by parliament, the amendments to the public enterprise law should become the subject of national dialogue. The government should first listen to the viewpoints of workers and trade unions and then submit the law to parliament, she said. Al-Maraghi said the objective of any new amendments to the public enterprise law should be to safeguard national industry against unfair competition, preserve the constitutional rights of workers and public ownership in these companies, and attract investments to upgrade their performance. He pointed out that when the public enterprise law was passed in 1991, it aimed to modernise the public sector in terms of either opening the door to the private sector to have shares in companies affiliated with it or selling companies to strategic investors, in either case developing the companies financially and industrially. However, what had happened was that over time the government used this law to kick off a massive privatisation programme that led to selling two-thirds of the companies affiliated with the public sector, he said. MP Mohamed Wahba said the 1991 privatisation programme had drastically damaged the industrial sector. In its drive to implement the International Monetary Funds [IMF] recommendations [back then] in this respect, the government rushed to sell most of the companies, even if these were sold at less than their real value and workers were forced into early retirement, Wahba said, arguing that the new amendments aim to maintain the same policy, which will do a lot of harm to workers and trade unions. Following a cabinet meeting on 26 February, the government of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli approved amendments to the public enterprise law. A statement said the amendments were in line with the economic developments Egypt has seen since 1991 and over the past 29 years. The amendments aim to update the legal rules regulating the performance of public sector companies and restructure their financial and administrative systems, the statement said. Minister Tawfik said the amendments simply sought to increase the contribution of the public sector companies to the national economy and raise their competitive edge in a way that would help the state to reap more profits from them. The cabinet statement said the amendments also obliged holding companies and their affiliated subsidiaries to abide by transparency and governance rules. The public assemblies of companies will be required to boost governance, oversee company boards, and remove them if they deliver poor results or fail to secure profits, the statement said. Tarek Metwalli, deputy chairman of parliaments Industrial Committee, told Al-Ahram Weekly that MPs were divided over the law. Most members of the labour force committee saw the amendments as mainly aiming to launch a new wave of privatisations rather than improve the industrial sector, while other MPs affiliated with the Industrial Committee saw the amendments as necessary to stem the tide of losses in public sector companies, he said. He said discussion of the law was not over and there would be comprehensive deliberation of the 26-article law with Tawfik and Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan and with the GEFTUs leading officials. The law will be discussed in a series of meetings because of its important role in saving the public sector companies from collapse, he said. According to Metwalli, Egypts public sector companies suffer from two major problems: redundant employees and outdated administrative systems and production lines. The law addresses these two problems, particularly in the sector of spinning and weaving by modernising production lines and providing training for workers, as well as upgrading administrative systems, he said. He added that the new amendments to the public enterprise law would also include a chapter on governance and transparency. The law will oblige all companies regulated by the public enterprise law to publish their financial statements, Metwalli said, and it will also provide incentives to encourage companies to list their shares on the stock market. *A version of this article appears in print in the 5 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the title: Workers unite against new law Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi, March 8 : President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday attended the special screening of National Geographic's film 'Swachh Bharat: India's Sanitation Story', which was conducted at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The screening was a part of the International Women's Day celebrations, and was attended by the President, First Lady Savita Kovind, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani, Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, among other notable personalities. After attending the screening, President Kovind took to Twitter and wrote: "This film showcases the massive behaviour change that occurred across rural India under the Swachh Bharat Mission and the role played by women in leading over 55 crore people to shun the age-old practice of open defecation." He added: "Celebrating the spirit of Swachh Shakti, the Nari Shakti Puraskar ceremony included special screening of 'Swachh Bharat: India's Sanitation Story', a short film by @NatGeoIndia." All the 47 samples of suspected coronavirus infection in Gujarat have tested negative, the state government said on Sunday. The state government has set up a laboratory testing facility at Jamnagar medical college, a second such unit after the BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad. "All the 47 samples of suspected coronavirus cases have tested negative, which included five such samples which tested negative in Ahmedabad laboratory on Sunday," a state government release said. Till date, a total 2107 passengers from the state having a history of visiting China and other affected countries have been placed under surveillance, of whom 1154 have completed the 28-day observation period and are asymptomatic and in a good state of health, it said. As many as 19,856 passengers from 180 flights have been screened so far at the Ahmedabad international airport, while 2,035 crew members on 49 ships have been screened at various ports, it added. The government said it was taking various measures to spread awareness about novel coronavirus through radio jingles and television advertisements including prime time programmes on Doordarshan. Morethan 3,700 private doctors have been trained to deal with coronavirus cases, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Sunny Leone and her daughter Nisha Weber seem to have celebrated both Womens Day and Holi, early on Saturday, by attending a Peppa Pig musical in Mumbai. Pictures of the two from their day out have surfaced online. In one of the pictures, Nisha has a pichkari (water gun) in her hand as her mom Sunny helps her hold it properly. Nisha looks happy to hold one in her hand. In another picture, Sunny carries her little girl in her arms. While Sunny is summer ready in a floral print frock, Nisha looks pretty in a denim frock. Sunny and her husband Daniel Weber have three kids -- daughter Nisha, whom they adopted from Latur, Maharashtra in 2017 and twin boys (born in 2018). Her sons, Asher and Noah, were born via surrogacy. Also Watch | Lakme Fashion Week 2020: Sunny Leone, Rakul Preet, Neha Dhupia dazzle at ramp In an interview to Hindustan Times, Sunny had spoken about how the couple got to adopting Nisha. She had said, The moment we got the picture (of Nisha); I was so excited, happy, emotional and [experienced] so many different feelings. We literally had three weeks to finalise everything. Usually, people get nine months to prepare (laughs). Also read | Ekta Kapoor on becoming a mother: I had stored my eggs when I was 36. Had a calling for a long time Announcing the birth of her boys, Sunny had written on Instagram in 2018, Gods Plan!! June 21st, 2017 was the day @dirrty99 and I found out that we might possibly be having 3 children within a short amount of time. We planned and tried to have a family and after so many years, our family is now complete with Asher Singh Weber, Noah Singh Weber and Nisha Kaur Weber. Our boys were born a few weeks ago but were alive in our hearts and eyes for many years. God planned something so special for us and gave us a large family.We are both the proud parents of three beautiful children. Surprise everyone! Follow @htshowbiz for more Married At First Sight fans have slammed Stacey Hampton and Michael Goonan for professing their love for one another after he allegedly cheated on her. During Sunday's commitment ceremony, Stacey, 26, suddenly said she was in love with Michael, 28, and the pair revealed they want move in together in Adelaide. But viewers on Twitter were not convinced by either of them, branding their relationship 'triggering'. 'It's very triggering!' Married At First Sight fans have slammed Stacey Hampton and Michael Goonan for saying they are in love with each other on Sunday after he allegedly cheated on her 'Michael and Staceys relo is very triggering. Lying, cheating, dropping "I love you" when the truth comes out, gaslighting, everyone watching on screaming "wtf girl get out!",' one viewer wrote. Another viewer wrote: 'Michael just got the huge green light to do whatever the hell he wants now and she will always take him back.' 'Stacey with the love... how many eye rolls can you fit in one room?' one fan wrote. Several fans also used GIFs such as Chandler Bing from Friends and Donna Meagle from Parks and Recreation to show their confusion. It's getting serious! Married At First Sight's Stacey Hampton (left) admitted she was in love with 'husband' Michael Goonan (right) during Sunday's commitment ceremony Just last week, Michael was embroiled in a cheating scandal with co-star Hayley Vernon, who has since been booted from the show. As they sat down with the relationship experts on Sunday, Stacey said: 'I've forgiven him. So far his actions have proven that he's dedicated to regaining my trust. 'We're here to move on from that negative light... I love him.' A quick change! It comes after their romance appeared to be over just one week ago, when Michael was embroiled in a cheating scandal with co-star Hayley Vernon Michael then declared: 'I'm in love with Stacey, there's no doubt about it. I've never chased a girl before that hard in my life. The couple both agreed to remain on the show together for another week, with Michael reading a short poem he had penned for his 'wife' to the group. Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine A Texas man who was praised on Super Tuesday for waiting over six hours to vote has discovered he's not eligible. Hervis Rogers waited in line at the Texas Southern University polling place in Houston, Texas, for over six hours so he could cast his ballot, and he was the final one in line that day. "I wanted to get my vote in to voice my opinion," Mr Rogers told KTRK-TV. "I wasn't going to let anything stop me, so I waited it out." People online complimented him for committing to voting despite the long lines. His story even caught the attention of prominent politicians like Hillary Clinton. The former secretary of state thought it was inexcusable for a citizen to have to wait that long to cast their vote. "A seven-hour wait to vote is a poll tax," she wrote. "We need to restore the Voting Rights Act and stop Republican elected officials from shutting down polling sites." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also commented on the situation, writing: "This is unacceptable and a result of continued GOP attacks on the voting rights of American citizens. The House has passed H.R. 4 which would restore critical protections to end #VoterSuppression. It's time for the Senate to do the same." But it was later discovered Mr Rogers was not allowed to cast a vote, even though he was registered in Harris County, because of a past felony charge. Hervis Rogers waited six hours to vote on Super Tuesday, but he actually wasn't eligible because of his past felony charge (KTKR-TV) State records show Mr Rogers is on parole for a 1995 second degree felony offence conviction for burglary, the Texan first reported. Under the law, a convicted felon is not allowed to vote until their sentence has been "fully discharged the person's sentence". Mr Rogers's parole is not up until 13 June, according to the publication. He now has 30 days to provide proof his parole is up or his voter registration will expire. She is exactly the kind of girl who might get raped - small town girl, who dons revealing clothes, is forth coming with guys, seduces the most popular dude in college. He is exactly the kind of guy who might rape - privileged, son of a politician, most popular dude in college, entitled. Who do you believe? Guilty, directed by Ruchi Narain, written by Kanika Dhillon disguises to be a mystery movie. With its series of unreliable narrators, the audience is on the quest for truth with the main character, Nanki, played by Kiara Advani. #Metoo movement gave women the chance to out men socially, giving them the confidence of support from other women. However, #metoo took an ugly turn when some men were wrongly accused and the whole movement was tainted because of the concerns on the legitimacy of the claims of the women - in many cases it all came down to what he said, she said. 'Guilty' is that he-said she-said movie which manages to keep you confused till the very end, successfully. It is set in a fictional college of DU (seems to be on the lines of St. Stephens), around the time when #metoo exploded in 2018. It explores one such case of a small town girl who me-too-ed the most popular boy of the college, who happened to be the son of a politician. Kiara Advani, in her portrayal of the angsty art student, smitten by the poetry of Faiz, who can quote Kafka and Virginia Woolf is honest and real. In your college days, you might have encountered all the types of characters in this movie. But that is the problem with these characters - they are just types, they fail to form a deep connection or leave a strong impact. Nevertheless, Kiara Advanis potential as an actor is rightly explored in Guilty, as she gets more screen space than any of the previous movies she has been a part of. Netflix Most of the story moves from the POV of Kiara Advani who plays Nanki, and who is on a run to find the truth with a self-righteous lawyer played by Taher Shabbir. The first half desperately tries to establish Tanu (played by Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor) as a promiscuous woman from the point of view of most men. The movie rightly explores how a woman who, because of her character or the lack of it, has no credibility whatsoever and is victim shamed. The girl came on to the boy, flirted with him, went to his room - even if she WAS raped, she asked for it. She is trouble. Netflix Everything that could be stereo-typically wrong with a girl - IS wrong. The question at the end is the one we ask after every rape case - are a womans clothes, her behaviour, her nature - an invitation? As 'Pink' established it loud and clear No means NO. (spoliers ahead) My privilege is my undoing angle, has also been portrayed well in the movie, through the character of the culprit, VJ (Gurfateh Pirzada). It reminds you of how Ananya Pandey in an interview with Rajeev Masand said that her privilege is a pressure. The culprits 'I am being framed because I am famous', the argument given by most famous personalities who were accused during the #metoo movement, has almost been parodied. Netflix In a short span of time the movie manages to do a lot, one would not expect a Karan Johar production to do. However, it could potentially have been better. The climax of the movie is very Karan Johar, with all main characters on the stage, surrounding the protagonist who obviously has a monologue. Nankis speech at the end is the summary of the movie, a very direct what we are trying to do. Even though the movie exposes the perpetrators of patriarchy, people who encourage rapists, breed them, it provides no resolution. And because the writer did not know what to do at the end, the movie ends up questioning the audience, leaving them with the tag of Guilty. Netflix The movie also fails to explore the trauma of the victim or delve deep into any character, except for Kiara Advanis. Only at the very end do we get to know that, Nanki herself has been a rape victim, but it is almost too late to be able to sympathize with her. That said, Guilty is an important movie and succeeds in parts. Apart from asking people to not victim-shame we hope it also manages to get more promising and deserving roles for Kiara Advani. Coronavirus Could Pose Telecommunicating Hurdles Like Isolated, Unproductive Workers MONTREALExperts say the novel coronavirus could force millions of people across the globe to work from home, posing potential challenges and benefits. Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay, a business professor at the University of Quebecs distance-learning school, says studies show telecommuting may result in higher productivity and quality of work, despite the disruption to routine. She says that outcome demands structure, discipline, and a resolve to overcome the connotations of phoning it in. Tremblay notes that working from home remains a hypothetical for most businesses in Canada, but that employers and employees would do well to confront the possibility and head off any problems down the road. She says effective telecommuting requires remote access to relevant work tools such as software and databases. It also includes setting up a distinct, office-like space at homerather than just a laptop on the couch or the kitchen table. Johanne Brunet, a marketing professor at the Universite de Montreal, suggests offsetting the isolation of telecommuting by socializing more with friends and family. Health officials in Ontario, British Columbia and across Canada have said the risk posed by COVID-19 in this country remains low. The Dixie Chicks are back with their first album in 14 years. (Photo: REUTERS/Mike Blake) The Dixie Chicks returned to the music world in a big way this week with a new single, Gaslighter, the first song off their forthcoming album of the same name. Gaslighter will be their first album in 14 years, and a lot has changed for Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer since they were last at the top of their game. For one, they care a whole lot less what their haters think. You just feel like, Oh, OK. Well, everybody's gonna hate us, hopefully, has already hated us. And so, you got nothing to lose, Maines told CBS Sunday Mornings Tracy Smith in a sit-down interview with the band. The trio famously lost hordes of fans after Maines made a comment on stage at a London performance in 2003. Addressing the crowd at their concert, Maines said, Just so you know, we're on the good side with y'all. We do not want this war, this violence. And we're ashamed the president of the United States [George W. Bush] is from Texas. It was a week before the American-led invasion of Iraq. Her comment led to a swift condemnation of the band by many. Radio stations wouldnt play their songs, people publicly destroyed their CDs and album sales tanked. Some 17 years later, Strayer tells CBS that moment in their career was a blessing. Maines adds, It was a freedom. To me, I hated that I was dragging two people through, like, what I said, was affecting other people, while pointing at her bandmates. The band, it should be noted, stuck together. We were all in the middle of it, Strayer tells CBS. The groups new song, Gaslighter, does what the Dixie Chicks do best: channel pain into beautiful music. Gaslighter/You broke me/You're sorry but where's my apology/Gaslighter/You liar, the women sing on the new track. "Manipulator," says Strayer of the term gaslighter. "Like, just making you feel like you're crazy. And your reality is not clear to you because they're just manipulating you so much. And I think everyone has a little gaslighter in their life, right? I know mine!" Story continues All three women have gone through divorces since the bands last album. Due to an ongoing legal matter, mentioned in the bands current Allure cover story, the women are not allowed to overtly discuss the album and the album doesnt have a release date. "I'm so proud of this album. No matter what happens with it. It might be a slow burn; it might be a quick burn. I don't know, but it will find its way to our fans, Strayer did manage to tell Allure. No matter what happens with all the radio or outlets or whatever, it'll make its way. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle's newsletter. The Federal Government has asked Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to send the full list of former governors ... The Federal Government has asked Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to send the full list of former governors and ministers that have received and/or receiving double pay and life pensions in order to enhance and ensure compliance with the judgment of the court. The letter followed the judgment which ordered the government to challenge the legality of states pension laws and recover public funds collected by former governors and ministers. SERAP had earlier sent a letter to Abukabar Malami, SAN, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, asking him to advise and persuade President Muhammadu Buhari fully enforce the judgment. In his reply to SERAP, Malami said: Kindly refer to your letter dated 6th December, 2019. I am writing to inform your esteemed organization to furnish me with the full list of the former governors and ministers which are affected by the judgment by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, in order to enhance and ensure compliance with the ruling of the Honourable Court. Please, treat with utmost urgency. Malamis letter with reference number MJ/LIT/ABJ/CMC/661/793, was signed on his behalf by Anne C. Akwiwu (Mrs), Director Civil Litigation and Public Law Department. Responding, SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare said: We welcome your request for the full list of former governors and ministers. Any further delay in the enforcement of the judgment will continue to undermine the authority and integrity of the Nigerian judiciary. Nigerians cannot wait for you to take legal action to scrap states pension laws and fully recover the public funds collected. SERAP said immediate obedience to the judgment will be a victory for the rule, and provide an impetus for the governments anti-corruption fight. The group added that it will also be a rare piece of good news for the people of Nigeria, as it will send a powerful message to former governors and ministers that have collected and/or collecting double pay that they will be held to account for their actions, and mark the end of this state-level impunity. SERAP noted that by implementing the judgment, the Buhari government will be demonstrating the important role that our judiciary can play in the fight against corruption in the country. It recalled that former Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki stated that he stopped collecting pensions while in the Senate the moment he saw the allegation by SERAP. However, it is unclear if he has returned all the public funds collected as pension from Kwara State. According to public records, the following are reportedly collecting and/or have collected double emoluments and large severance benefits from their states: Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano); Kabiru Gaya (Kano); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Theodore Orji (Abia); Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa); Sam Egwu (Ebonyi); Shaaba Lafiagi (Kwara); Joshua Dariye (Plateau), and Jonah Jang (Plateau). Others include: Ahmed Sani Yarima (Zamfara); Danjuma Goje (Gombe); Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe); Adamu Aliero (Kebbi); and George Akume (Benue). So far, Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, and Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation have denied ever receiving double payments and retirement benefits as former governors. Similarly, public records also show that at least 22 states have passed life pensions laws allowing payment of life pensions to former governors and other ex-public officials. These states include: Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Edo, Delta, Kano, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, Bauchi, Abia, Imo, Bayelsa, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Ondo, Ebonyi, Rivers, Niger, Kogi and Katsina. In your legal action, we urge you to focus on challenging the pension laws in these states while taking steps to verify the number of former governors and ministers that have collected and/or still collecting double payments and retirement benefits, the amount collected with a view to ensuring the full recovery of the public funds collected, the group said. Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo in suit number FHC/L/CS/1497/2017 delivered a landmark judgment in December 2019, ordered the Federal Government to recover pensions collected by former governors now serving as ministers and members of the National Assembly. What Giscard Borgard remembers most about his recent kidnapping in Haiti is not the beating he took in the car with the butt of a gun or the blood splattered on the walls of the tiny, candle-lit room where he and a friend were held captive for two days. And its not the multiple gunshots regularly fired inside the teeming seaside Port-au-Prince slum, built on top of a landfill, where he was held. It was the faces he saw the day of his release. The placid faces of the women and the children inside Village de Dieu, Village of God, who ignored him as he was publicly led at gunpoint by one of his captors, past the narrow corridors and mosquito-infested gullies, after his uncle paid his ransom. Everybody was selling their little food. Music was playing in the background, people were watching TV at their houses. Kids were playing and guys were walking around with big guns at every corner, like a military base, said Borgard, 36, a Haitian-American U.S. Navy veteran. Everyone is immune to it. Everyone knew what was happening. It was shocking to me. Even the little kids, they are immune to it by now. On Thursday, the U.S. State Department raised its Haiti travel advisory to Level 4 Do Not Travel in the wake of what Haiti National Police have described as a spectacular rise in kidnappings for ransom, along with other violent crimes including carjackings and robberies, carried out mostly by armed criminal gangs. The updated Travel Advisory reflects that incidents of kidnapping are widespread and have rapidly increased in frequency since December 2019, a U.S. Department of State official said. Kidnappings have included targets of opportunity, and victims have included U.S. citizens, as well as Haitians and other foreign nationals. Since December, at least nine U.S. citizens and one French national employed by the United Nations World Food Program have been kidnapped and released after ransoms were paid, or they escaped. In 2018, there were zero reported kidnappings of U.S. citizens, the State Department official said. Just hours after the State Departments advisory, three new kidnappings were confirmed. Story continues Haiti has an army and a police force. How did they end up shooting at each other? A source told the Miami Herald that two of the individuals were kidnapped in the Pacot neighborhood of the capital by individuals driving around in an unmarked Toyota Land Cruiser, dressed as officers in a specialized police unit with ski masks. Borgard and another Haitian American who recently returned from Haiti after being held captive, spoke with the Herald about their ordeal. Both men are former active duty U.S. military, and one, Jerry Mardy, is still a reservist in the U.S. Army. Both were visiting Haiti on vacation last month when they were grabbed 12 days apart. Borgard had traveled to visit a hospital in the Cite Soleil slum to see about sponsoring children born to rape victims. Mardy was there to check on a house hes building north of the capital. Both men are among an unknown number of Haitians, some say dozens, who have been abducted in recent months while doing routine things leaving church, driving home or riding in a Tap-Tap, the colorful buses and pick-up trucks that serve as public transport. Some were released without harm, save for the psychological trauma of their captivity. Others never made it out they were killed after trying to fight back or family and friends failed to secure enough money. The story of how Borgards and Mardys abductions unfolded is similar. Both say they were stopped by a car loaded with heavily armed gang members as they drove through the city of Delmas, which has become a hotbed for the spiraling kidnapping epidemic. And both say they were taken across town to the Village de Dieu, the lawless slum that has become the kidnappers lair. In late 2018, Haiti National Police, with help of its community police officers, gained access to the Village de Dieu, Village of God, slum in Port-au-Prince. During the polices two months presence, they held a mobile medical clinic. Since then, police have lost control of the slum, which today is a kidnappers lair. Located in the south of Port-au-Prince, the slums entrance is at the intersection of Oswald Durand and Boulevard Harry Truman. Thats less than 1,000 feet from the old U.S. embassy building that now houses the Office of the Prime Minister and 1,300 feet from the Haitian Parliament. The slum was, until recently, home to of one of Haitis most feared gang leaders, Arnel Joseph. Josephs surprise capture last year by Haiti National Police hasnt slowed the growing threat that appears indiscriminate in its attacks. His foot soldiers have fanned out across the capital snatching unsuspecting victims with the help of scouters to find their next hostages, and spotters to help nab them. The freedom of movement is not guaranteed, Marie Yolene Gilles, a leading Haiti human-rights activist, told the United Nations Security Council recently about a country in which 23 armed gangs exist just in Port-au-Prince, and where a third of the nation is under gang control. Roads are dangerous. The fiefdoms of armed gangs have become inaccessible to law enforcement officers and armed gangs claim total control over the civilian population living in these areas as well as those they have kidnapped. A lawless seaside slum Haitian police had gained access to Village de Dieu back in November 2018, making some 80 arrests and organizing a mobile medical clinic during their two months presence inside. But with the government failing to build on police presence with social protection programs and other services, the area once again fell victim to gang control. Today, police cant even approach the entrance. This was underscored last weekend when specialized police units, supported by newly acquired armored vehicles, were met with heavy gunfire when they tried to mount an operation inside the slum. The gangs fire power damaged several of the armored vehicles, which were later seen in the yard of the National Palace on blocks with missing tires and bullet holes. In late 2018, Haiti National Police held a mobile medical clinic inside the Village de Dieu, Village of God, slum in Port-au-Prince. Since then, police have lost control of the slum, which today is a kidnappers lair. This situation is unacceptable, Gilles told the Herald. As the only people who revolted to break the chains of slavery, we cannot accept that a group of armed individuals are depriving citizens of their rights. Its a crime that dehumanizes people... We cannot tolerate this crime in the society. Gilles said her human rights group, La Fondasyon Je Klere, has been unable to find out from police how many kidnapping cases have been reported since January and what they are doing to attack the problem. The Herald has also inquired and received no response. A crowd-funded effort to gather information has also been slow to gain traction. But every day Haitians are sharing stories about individuals who have been kidnapped or videos of attempted kidnappings. Complicating matters is also the spread of copycat kidnappings by less well-organized groups. Last weekend, one such incident was met with a deadly response when an angry mob in the rural town of Boucan Carre burned four gang members and presumed kidnappers alive after ripping them out of their jail cell. Haiti senator tied to kidnapping committed by notorious gang leader, police say As the anecdotes spread, some wonder if the abductions, which have involved both poor and rich, are as random as they appear. They also wonder about the role of police, who have said little about the terrifying reality. In a video of a botched kidnapping attempt in the hills above the capital, the armed kidnappers are seen dressed in Haiti National Police uniforms. There is also another nagging matter. In several cases, after someone has been released, someone else close to the individual is also reported kidnapped. This has led some to believe that the kidnappers already employing a network of systematic surveillance, spotters and dispatchers who deliver victims out of the slum after ransoms are paid are also using victims phones to scout out their next targets. Mardys story Before traveling to Haiti, Jerry Mardy, 36, had heard that Haiti was experiencing a wave of kidnappings. He never thought he would become a victim. But thats exactly what happened the day after he arrived in Port-au-Prince. Mardy said he was driving back from the town of Arcahaie, about an hour-and-a-half north of Port-au-Prince, with a friend on Feb. 19. They were in a white pick-up truck in the Delmas 75 Fragneauville neighborhood shortly after 9 p.m. when he went to make a right turn to head to his hotel. Suddenly, he said, there was a car in the middle of the road blocking him and five heavily armed men jumped out with rifles pointing at me. Thats when they grabbed me and put me in their car, Mardy said. Afterward, I kept hearing a lot of stories that there had been a lot of kidnappings in Delmas 75. I was not the first one. Mardy said he started fighting with his captors. Then, fearing they would kill his friend, he stopped. Because I was fighting with them, when I got to their place, thats when they started beating us, a lot, he said. The beatings stopped, Mardy said, after his captors, members of Arnel Josephs gang, went through his telephone and saw a photo of him in his Army reservist uniform. They became nervous. They asked for us to give $1 million as ransom, he said. I said, How am I going to pay that? There is no way I am going to find that money. Everyday, they kept calling our relatives to ask where the money was. And everyday, they kept dropping it because we didnt have that kind of money, said Mardy, who at the offset was handed his phone to make a call so negotiations could immediately begin. In late November 2018, Haiti National Police, with help of its community policing unit, managed to gain access to Village de Dieu, a Port-au-Prince slum. Police spent two months inside. Today, they cannot even approach the entrance as the slum becomes a kidnappers lair. Sources closely following Haitis kidnappings, where female captives also have been subjected to rape, say the gangs are notorious for asking for unreasonable amounts of cash. Eventually, however, they settle for whatever they can get depending on how well individuals negotiate. There is a limit by Haitian banks on the amount of U.S. dollars consumers can get, which perhaps explains why gangs have also started to ask for ransoms in not just dollars but also gourdes, the local currency. Either way, it has meant that family and friends have had to turn to several banks to assemble the ransom payment, or if they live in the U.S., make multiple wire transactions. The victims cellphones have also become a key prize for the gangs, who try to determine from photos and social media posts what someone may be worth. The kidnappers apparently dont care that the phones can be traced: They know that police cant get into the slum where the bulk of victims are held hostage. Mardy says he and his friend spent four days inside Village de Dieu. They were fed and allowed to shower, all at gunpoint. There is no doubt his captors were part of a gang. Theres a lot of them in that place, he said, and it was obvious to him they were following strict orders. They were talking and one said, Thats what I like about that man. Every time he goes out, hes going to bring someone, Mardy said, recalling a conversation he heard between two gang members. Everyday they go out, they got to bring someone; they dont want to come back empty handed. For the people who live in the slum, there is complicity and indifference. Everybody inside knows whats going on, Mardy said, recalling how a young woman came into the room where he was being held to borrow a broom and a chair, and not even flinching at the site of him and his friend. Even though youre not the one going outside to grab people, you know whats going on. I heard they give money to everybody. One day, as a gang member kept watch over his friend, Mardy said he quickly texted his Army sergeant, informing him of his predicament. The sergeant got the kidnappers number from his family and then called the U.S. embassy in Haiti. The embassy ended up calling the kidnappers on that Thursday to let them know, they knew about the case, to be careful; we know who you are; we hope nothing happens to him, Mardy said. I told the embassy, dont call anymore because the guys were so mad because they felt threatened. He thought the embassy and later the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which interviewed him after his release, would have done more to help. I thought they were going to help, money-wise, but they did not do anything, he said of the U.S. embassy, which does not pay ransoms. They didnt do anything. We ended up borrowing money and paying everything by ourselves. Its kind of frustrating, he said, going on about his disappointment in U.S. authorities. I am serving the country, and you dont need to be a soldier to get help from your country in that type of situation. They know whats happening and you still didnt get any help. Its kind of degrading. When he and his friend were eventually released, only the SIM card from his phone was returned. The gang kept his personal effects, including his U.S. passport and clothes, along with some speakers and his rental vehicle. He returned to New York a few days ago. I already told my mother... I am not going back, Mardy said about Haiti. Even with the Army, if I have to go, they have to approve it after what happened. Borgards story Borgard, who lives in Atlanta, also says it will be a long time before he visits Haiti again. Haiti is where I was born, its where I am from and where I went to school. I dont think anyone can scare me off from going back, he said. But I would say I am not going back anytime soon; I mean not until maybe four, five years. Borgard was kidnapped around 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 7 , he said, not far from the mayors office in the Delmas 33 neighborhood. He and a friend, who also lives in Haiti, were driving home from dinner in a Kia SUV with dark tinted windows. Bogard was in the passenger seat He didnt know it at the time, but a black Toyota pickup truck had been following them with its lights off. Suddenly, the pickup turned on its high beams, pulled out in front of the Kia and crashed into its side. In the split second it took his friend to decide whether to put the vehicle in reverse, Borgard said, six heavily armed men were already pointing big guns in our faces, banging on the windows, demanding that they open the door. Two of them had... 9 mm, small guns, he said. The other four had long-range guns. After putting both in the back seat of the Kia, while the pickup lead the way, Borgard said his captors started driving off and hitting me from the side with their gun, telling me someone sent them and that they either are going to kill me or make some money with me. We were scared, he said. I thought I was dreaming. I didnt think something like this would happen to me. The car sped through drove Delmas to downtown Port-au-Prince, jumping over speed bumps. As they approached Grand Rue, the main street downtown, Borgard said the kidnappers blindfolded them both with a black shirt. Recalling his military training, he started counting seconds to see exactly where we were headed. I know Port-au-Prince and so as they were turning, I had a sense of where I was going. After arriving inside the cinderblock slum, they were pushed onto a patio with a carpet. The first crew who grabbed us, we never saw them again, he said. They pick up people and drop them off to a second set of people. It was then, he realized he had been kidnapped. There were locks on every single door, he said. Like Mardy, he tried never to make eye contact. Over time, Mardy, realized that no one had set him up, and perhaps hed fallen prey because they had been riding in a nice car. After asking him to unlock his iPhone, one of his abductors started going through his photos. He saw pictures of me traveling; he saw pictures of me with nice cars and he was like, You are better off than [President Jovenel Moise]; youre traveling all over the place. You must have money, Bogard said. Thankfully, he saw a picture of me holding a gun in uniform. He asked if I were the police. I said, No. I am former military. In late 2018, Haiti National Police, with help of its community police officers, gained access to the Village de Dieu, Village of God, slum in Port-au-Prince. During the polices two months presence, they held a mobile medical clinic. Since then, police have lost control of the slum, which today is a kidnappers lair. Borgard, like Mardy, believes this was a turning point in his captivity When he saw the pictures in the military uniform, he changed his whole tactic, Borgard said. He said to someone: Hes military. Take off his clothes. He probably has GPS. Even though his captors had removed his SIM, Borgard said authorities still managed to track his whereabouts. But when the information was turned over to Haitian police, they said they lacked the tactical capabilities to access the slum. Kidnappers, Borgard said, initially asked $300,000 plus the equivalent of $42,749 in local Haitian currency for his release. In a voice note that was circulated on social media, one of the kidnappers is heard telling Borgards uncle that his nephew was at a cemetery and if they dont bring the money, he would be shot. During the two days he and his friend were held, Borgard said they didnt see any other victims. But they heard them, from the other side of a wall. I could hear the negotiations of the other people who had gotten kidnapped, he said. One was with the husband of a woman. She was screaming and the guy was on the phone talking to the husband, Borgard said. The husband offered $18,000 and he was like, $18,000? Sa se lajan dlo. Thats too petty for him. He was like, This lady isnt going to go home then. Call me back when you have money. The day of his release, Borgard said one of his abductors handed him the SIM for his cell phone, and his passport. He said, I dont want you to go to the embassy. Heres your passport, Borgardsaid. But he kept my license, telephone and wedding band. Ironically, the one time he felt he would likely be killed was the day of his release. As he was being escorted out of Village de Dieu, Borgard said his kidnapping became a discussion on the social networks, angering his armed escort. He said, Oh, someone started posting your pictures, making this a political thing. I dont think I am going to let you guys go, Borgard said. Thats when I thought, You know what, this guy is just going to walk us somewhere and shoot us. The gang member did not kill them. When they made it out onto the Bicentenaire, the strip that runs along Village de Dieu, near the National Theater, the gang member wished them farewell. Im going to leave you guys here because at the next corner, on the other block, there is another gang in charge, he said. If you get kidnapped again, its not my fault. BISHKEK A group of masked men attacked a demonstration against domestic violence in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. There were no immediate reports of injuries in the March 8 incident. Police arrived at the scene after most of the assailants had fled and detained several dozen demonstration organizers and participants. A local journalist told the AFP news agency that as many as 70 people were detained. RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported that journalists and human rights activists were among the detainees. A police spokesman told AFP that the protesters were detained for their own safety and because the demonstration had not been approved in advance by the government. The spokesman also said three suspected attackers were also in custody. The demonstration was scheduled to mark the International Women's Day holiday. The assailants, wearing traditional Kyrgyz hats, attacked as protesters were just beginning to organize the demonstration and hand out banners. The event was subsequently canceled. Several dozen people gathered outside the police station where the detainees were being questioned, calling for their release. Several detainees, including some foreigners and minors, were freed. Earlier in the week, a court banned all demonstrations in the center of the capital until July 1, purportedly to constrain the spread of the coronavirus, although the country has not reported any confirmed infections. A March 8 demonstration last year angered social conservatives in the Central Asian country, who claimed the protesters were advocating gay rights. The country sees thousands of cases of bride kidnapping each year, although the practice was criminalized in 2013. Activists say the widespread practice often leads to marital rape, domestic violence, and other traumas. The United Nations Development Program estimated in 2019 that about 14 percent of Kyrgyz women under the age of 24 are married under some form of coercion. With reporting by AFP and VOA Rural police on Sunday have arrested three persons and recovered one revolver, four pistol, 48 cartridges and 2 cars from their possession at Canal Bridge in Adampur. The gang was on their way to loot a businessman, police said. Accused have been identified as Pardeep Sharma of Alawalpur in Jalandhar and Gopal Singh of Mohalla Jattan and Jaswinder Singh of Beas Pind, both in Adampur. Pardeep is facing 11 criminal cases and Gopal has been booked thrice, including in a murder case, while Jaswinder is facing three cases of robbery and looting. Addressing the press conference, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Navjot Singh Mahal said that acting on a tip-off, a police team deployed naka at Canal Bridge in Adampur. During the checking, cops signalled a Ford Figo car coming from Alawalpur side but they tried to escape. The police team, however, managed to nab them due to barricading, SSP said, adding that during the search five weapons, including a Brazil made pistol, with live cartridges were recovered from them. He said Pardeep and Gopal had murdered one Manvir Singh of Daulatpur in 2012. Both were awarded life term in jail. Gopal was out on 44-day parole from Nabha Jail from October 15 last year, however, he did not report back to jail. Similarly, Pardeep had to report back to jail on January 30. During the preliminary investigation, the arrested persons revealed that on January 20, they had robbed a brick kiln owner of his Creta car at gun point on Alawalpur Road near village Gol, which was also recovered by the police, said SSP. Accused have also confessed of killing two Adampur-based residents. Further investigation is on into the case, Mahal said. A case under Section 399 (dacoity), 401 (punishment for belonging to gang of thieves) of IPC and 25-54-59 the Arms Act was registered at Adampur police station. World number four Bianca Andreescu won't defend her title at Indian Wells, pulling out of next week's BNP Paribas Open with a left knee injury. The Canadian was hurt at the WTA Finals in Shenzhen in October, and the injury has delayed her start to the 2020 campaign. Andreescu withdrew from four events to start the year, including the Australian Open, and said Saturday she wouldn't be at Indian Wells -- where her scintillating run to the title launched a 2019 campaign capped by her first Grand Slam title at the US Open. "As many of you know, I've been working through an injury I suffered last year during the WTA Finals," Andreescu said in a statement. "It has been a long road to recovery, and while I was looking forward to getting back on court and defending my title at Indian Wells, unfortunately, I'm still not 100 percent." Andreescu is just the latest high-profile player to pull out of the elite hardcourt tournament in the California desert. Reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep and three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber, last year's runner-up, both announced their withdrawals on Friday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It's one of cinema's most iconic love scenes. And now the pottery sequence from 1990s classic Ghost has been recreated by Alison Hammond on the latest instalment of Celebs Go Dating, set to air on Sunday evening. Alison, 45, is whisked away on a date with Ben, 41, to mould some clay together. Oh, my love! The pottery sequence Ghost has been recreated by Alison Hammond on the latest instalment of Celebs Go Dating Each sat at different wheels, Alison comments that she 'loves the feel of it' adding: 'It's therapeutic, it's really relaxing.' 'It reminds me of that movie... Ghost,' Ben adds, with Alison then offering to lend him a hand. Positioning herself behind Ben, as Patrick Swayze did to Demi Moore in the film, Alison helps Ben mould the clay. 'This IS therapeutic!' Ben observes, as Alison instructs him: 'Give me a little bit of action with the wheel.' The original: In the film, Patrick Swayze sits behind Demi Moore and helps her to mould the clay - before he is murdered Handsy: Alison, 45, is whisked away on a date with Ben, 41, to mould some clay together 'Tell me if you want to be faster or slower...' Ben says, with Alison checking: 'I'm not pushing you too hard am I? I'm really messing this up now.' But it seems the This Morning presenter knows just what she's doing. Reflecting on this afterwards, she tells the camera, 'I'm rubbing my titties on his back, while we do a bit of pottery...' before cackling. This takes place after viewers find out that Ben has actually appeared on the series before. Hands on: 'It reminds me of that movie... Ghost,' Ben adds, with Alison then offering to lend him a hand Up close: Positioning herself behind Ben, Alison helps Ben mould the clay The audio visual technician from London appeared on 2018's fourth season of the E4 matchmaking show, where he took Gemma Collins out on a couple of dates - during which he told her that his ideal night out would include a Chinese buffet and a round of bowling. 'He looks really nice!' Alison says ahead of meeting Ben, adding of his height: '6'2" deserves a round of applause!' Ghost was released in the summer of 1990, and went on to become the highest-grossing film of the year, earning more than $505 million [387 million] globally on a $22 million [16 million] budget. She knows what she's doing: Reflecting on this afterwards, she tells the camera, 'I'm rubbing my titties on his back, while we do a bit of pottery...' before cackling Ex files: The audio visual technician from London appeared on 2018's fourth season of the E4 matchmaking show, where he took Gemma Collins out on a couple of dates - during which he told her that his ideal night out would include a Chinese buffet and a round of bowling The film ended up receiving five Academy Award nominations, which resulted in Whoopi Goldberg winning Best Supporting Actress for her role as medium Oda Mae Brown. It also won the gong for Best Original Screenplay. Celebs Go Dating airs Sundays - Thursdays at 9PM on E4. New laws to protect the future of cash will be announced by Rishi Sunak in next weeks Budget. The Chancellor will declare that the millions who still rely on cash will continue to have easy access to it for years to come. Ministers will look at giving watchdogs new powers to ensure banks continue to properly support their customers needs. Ministers will look at giving watchdogs new powers to ensure banks continue to properly support their customers needs. Stock image Measures could include protecting existing cash machines, keeping them free-to-use or encouraging shops to provide cashback. Mr Sunak said: People across Britain work hard for their money, with millions relying on coins and notes to make daily payments. Thats why, at next weeks Budget, Ill be making sure they can continue to access and spend their earnings in whatever way they want. The Treasury is expected to start talks with the industry and regulators immediately after the Budget on Wednesday. Newly appointed Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak leaves Downing Street in London, Britain February 13, 2020 The UK will consider examples from around the world such as Sweden, which legislated to require large banks to provide their customers with facilities for withdrawing cash. The rapid disappearance of many bank branches and free-to-use ATMs has fuelled concerns about the publics ability to continue accessing coins and notes. Around two million people in the UK still rely mainly on cash for their day-to-day spending with three in ten payments still made using notes and coins. John Howells, of Link, which runs the national network of cash machines, said: Though the UK is moving towards a digital economy, it is vital that we protect free cash access as long as people need it. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) proposes the postponement of the consultations on local elections convened by Acting Prime minister Ludovic Orban, with the social-democrats arguing that "anyway there is no legal basis" and "one has to wait for the investiture vote for the Citu Government" as well as the urgent start of the discussions with the parties for the proper management of the crisis caused by the coronavirus," said the acting president of this party, Marcel Ciolacu. "The PSD once again finds that the political agenda of the PNL [National Liberal Party] is in total contradiction with the priorities of the citizens. The developments of the effects caused by the coronavirus are more and more worrying, and the Government proves that it is unprepared, totally incapable of coping properly with the increasingly stringent priorities. PSD believes that at this moment the priority of PNL and of the acting prime minister should be bringing all the political forces to the same table in order to adopt a set of clear measures necessary to protect the population. The deepening of the internal political crisis that PNL has artificially created by forcing early elections would be in total contradiction with the message of responsibility and security that citizens are waiting for these days from those in power. Given these issues, the PSD proposes the postponement of the consultations on local elections for which there is no legal basis anyway and for which the investiture vote on the Citu Government and the urgent start of consultations with the parties for the proper management of the crisis caused by the coronavirus must be expected," the PSD acting president said in a press release issued on Sunday for AGERPRES.According to the quoted source, "in this difficult context, amplified by the prospects of a global economic recession that will have an effect on the national one", as well as the migrant crisis, the PSD believes that all political parties must put the health of Romania's population and interests above all.Acting Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Friday sent an invitation to the leaders of the parliamentary parties for consultations in order to draw up the government decision on establishing the date of the 2020 local elections and the technical measures necessary for their good organization and conduct.According to the Government, the meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, at 5:00 pm, and will be held at the Victoria Palace.The quoted source mentions that the invitation was sent to Marcel Ciolacu, Dan Barna, Victor Ponta, Kelemen Hunor, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, Varujan Pambuccian and Eugen Tomac.The president of the Permanent Electoral Authority will also participate in the discussions. A coronavirus patient in his 50s went bar hopping to intentionally 'spread the virus' in Japan before Hazmat-clad police took him to hospital. The man tested positive for the disease - which has killed more than 3,500 with at least 100,000 diagnoses worldwide - but he showed no symptoms in Gamagori City. He was sent home by medics and was told to self-isolate before being taken to hospital. But the man - whose parents both were diagnosed with coronavirus - ignored advice and told a relative he was 'going to spread the virus' before taking a taxi to a bar. A coronavirus patient in his 50s went bar hopping to intentionally 'spread the virus' in Japan. Pictured: A member of the public in a face mask in Tokyo The man tested positive for the disease - which has killed more than 3,500 with at least 100,000 diagnoses worldwide - but he showed no symptoms in Gamagori City. Pictured: A woman wears a protective face mask in Japan He left the first bar and went to another where he announced to revellers that he 'tested positive' for the disease which has infected more than 1,000 in Japan. Officers from the Gamagori Police Station clad in hazmat suits rushed to the bar - but the man had already made his way back home in a taxi. One staff member told The Tokyo Reporter: 'I cant get this straight in my head. 'I cannot express it in words since I only have anger.' Both bars the man went to were deep cleaned and all staff and customers were tested. The man has since been taken to a medical centre for treatment. The disease has infected more than 1,000 in Japan. Pictured: A man wears a face mask under an umbrella in Tokyo Gamagori mayor Toshiaki Suzuki said: 'It is highly regrettable that he did not remain home as instructed.' Around the world, more and more countries are bracing for a surge in virus cases. Some nations are imitating China - where the virus first emerged late last year and which has suffered the vast majority of infections - by imposing travel controls and shutting down public events. Many countries - including Australia, Vietnam and the USA - have banned entry to anyone who has travelled through or to China recently. Other countries, including Jordan and Lebanon, have also banned entry to anyone who travelled to Italy. A creation by ace designer Anita Dongre, who says the social media explosion in the last five years has fuelled the problem of fashion plagiarism to gigantic proportions. When it comes to couture, there is an invisible line between creative inspiration and plagiarism. In an age when clothes and designs are ripped-off by copycats from catwalks and peddled in boutiques and sidewalks in a matter of hours, designers and fashion houses are turning to intellectual property rights (IPR) to secure their trademark designs and register their sketches, artwork, colour palettes and ensemble. Believe it or not but 20 years ago, the doyen of Indian couture Ritu Kumar almost had to shut shop. Even today, Kumar shudders when she thinks about it. The screens that she had designed and printed (12 of them) had been stolen and sold in Kolkata and everyone was copying her designs. Kumar thought of closing down her business and becoming a full-time artist. She filed nine cases and won all of them after eight years. The law takes its own time but at times it can get a bit exhausting. These cases need to be expedited so that no one dares to copy designers. Today, she cannot imagine going through the ordeal again. Our laws are not sympathetic. After that experience we register all our designs. No one can copy Coca Cola abroad and get away with it. But in India, there is always that grey area that many exploit. Damn! Same-to-same While several designers have taken to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to name and shame copycats, plagiarism continues unabashedly. Designer Vaishali Shadangdule says plagiarism always existed. Some big brands of the West were built on that: repackaging better what others created. I believe plagiarism is a worldwide issue that cannot be stopped. Good brands have to stay ahead of competition by continuously innovating and creating trends. It all depends which audience you are catering to. In the long run, people get to know who are the real innovators and copycats. You have to be one step ahead of the others. Let others copy you, it will only add to your glory in the eyes of everybody, she says. Fashion Vigilante Ace designer Anita Dongre hoped the fashion world would fight plagiarism together, but it didnt as egos precede reason. She took on the battle against copycats solo. Her husband Mukesh took the lead. So a significant amount of research went into assessing the magnitude of the problem. The reality turned out to be much worse than she had imagined. The challenge that plagiarism poses is that it affects the entire ecosystem. The customers are hoodwinked into purchasing poor quality copies of the original. Also, innovation is at an all-time low and in the case of artisans its problematic as it takes away their share of livelihood, which is generated out of the quantum of purchase of the original work of art. We are extremely vigilant of our IPR and assets. We have secured various trademark, design registrations etc. When someone has copied our designs, we have sent legal notices and even filed lawsuits. Anita Dongre, ace designer Recently, Anita moved the Delhi High Court against infringement of her registered designs. The copycats were renowned textile houses from Jaipur and a famous bridal wear store in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. We obtained exparte ad interim injunction orders from the HC restraining them from manufacturing or dealing in any kind of garment, lehenga etc. We presented before court the similarity in the shape, configuration and ornamental surface pattern of the original ensemble and the copy, says Anita. Worse still, there were wedding blogs with customer reviews on how the Chandni Chowk shop was a must visit for dirt-cheap copies of designer lehengas. Her cases are still pending before the court. A stitch in time saves nine As one of the bigger design houses in the country, which caters to men and women across all age groups, Anita has always had some amount of her designs and silhouettes copied. But with social media explosion in the last five years, the problem has attained gigantic proportions. Our bridal lehengas and fabric prints are constantly copied. It has come to a point where some large apparel stores have gained a cult following for stocking duplicates of our designs and those of other designers. Whats worrying is how blatantly they copy the images from our websites, social media and sometimes from our stores and put them to use without any fear, she adds. Several designers have spent time to address this menace outside courtrooms sent requests, letters, and notices, but in vain. They had to set up an entire team within the company to issue notices to merchants who copy their work. There is a physical and, more importantly, mental cost to seeing ones work being blatantly copied and undermined every single day. The Laws of Fashion To bring about a distinctive change in the fashion world and stop the menace of plagiarism, Safir Anand, who runs an almost 80-year-old law firm Anand & Anand has been working in this field and was also awarded for its work on IPR. There is a lack of awareness in the fashion world. They dont realise that they need to protect their designs, considering the rampant copying that exists, says Safir, who has worked internationally with brands like Hermes and Louis Vuitton. Safir is on the board of the Fashion Design Council of India. He has helped many designers like Gaurav Gupta and Rajesh Pratap Singh to copyright their designs to counter plagiarism. Seeing the uproar that such incidents create whether it is Samant Chauhan vs Rohit Bal or Anamika Khannas young boys Viraj and Vishesh, who were in the eye of a storm, many have decided to take the legal recourse to ensure their designs remain unique. You have to apply for protection first and it shouldnt be in public domain, plus, designers make so many clothes all year round, they cant foretell what will work. And the frontrunner of this campaign has been Sabyasachi Mukherjee. He has mentioned about the countless hours he and his team put in to get the pattern, forms and prints right. He allegedly went to court against an ethnic wear firm and won the case. When you are an important voice and a power brand, plagiarism comes with the territory Sabyasachi Mukherjee Social media has helped this cause enormously as you have evidence which is seen by millions. If you see Ralph Lauren has made his horses bigger to stop counterfeiting. Tods protected the dots at the back of the shoes and Burberry protected the check as a trademark not a design, says Safir. Copycats & Copyright Safir feels that some designers are penny wise, pound foolish, as they dont understand the importance of IPR. Coca-Cola has worked with Visualead to start Visual QR Codes and it allows customers to verify its authenticity by simply scanning the code. Then there is The RFID tag is sewn into a bag or clothing and buyers can use their phone to scan the tag for verification, explains Safir. Ideas cant be copyrighted and in India, design laws are not stringent in terms of addressing plagiarism. They havent been defined in a way where one can make a case. In terms of silhouettes, you cant claim copyright. There are basic silhouettes and one improvises as a designer and thats where creativity lies. If you ask me, I feel that copyright issues must be addressed in fashion and design schools so students can understand the concept of design. There are many cases of alleged pilferage and one has to be equipped to understand if it is plagiarism or inspiration, says Samant Chauhan. Drapes & Dupes Plagiarism and counterfeiting in the fashion world is a deep-rooted problem and Shantanu and Nikhil Mehra have been victims of counterfeiting. The duo has been synonymous with drapes in Indian menswear with military chic details and minimalist structure. Four years ago when they introduced it, their style became a fresh take in Indian occasion wear for men. Since then, it has been copied by every brand possible. As a precautionary measure, we have undertaken legal remedies. In fact, we have summoned the culprits with cease and show cause notices in many cases. Most of them have promised never to do it again. After the notices, we as a team constantly monitor the culprits. The best way to counter the counterfeiting market is to have your own affordable ready-to-wear brand that is scalable to every city in the country. We are doing that by launching our new menswear bridge to luxury brand by opening two such flagship stores in Delhi in March 2020, says Shantanu. Fashion Design Council of India, chairman Sunil Sethi has seen many such incidents take place and often tries in his personal capacity to soothe many a ruffled feathers by inviting both warring parties to negotiate. I think being in the fashion world what is most important is originality. As this is a creative effort however, I feel sometimes one tends to over step that line between inspiration and being too inspired, rocking the already fragile boat. The key to solve this is sticking to your signature and evolving it with time, he explains. Fashion vanguard While plagiarism of designs is a serious concern across the world and many designers vent their distress on social media, there are some self-appointed couture watchdogs like Diet Prada and Diet Sabya to name a few, who call out fakes and expose the copycat culture in the fashion world with cheeky captions and photos. In fact, many celebrities and designers religiously follow these virtual watchdogs to avoid fashion faux pas and check if their designs are being copied. After all, imitation really isnt the sincerest form of flattery! CBI vs CBI: Not enough ground to proceed against Asthana India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 08: A Delhi court took cognisance of the CBI charge sheet in a bribery case in which the agency recently gave clean chit to its former special director Rakesh Asthana. Special CBI judge Sanjeev Aggarwal observed that there was no sufficient ground to proceed against Asthana and CBI's DSP Devender Kumar, who was arrested in 2018 and later got bail. The court summoned "middleman" Manoj Prasad, who was arrayed as an accused in the charge sheet. CBI vs CBI: Court accepts clean chit to Rakesh Asthana Besides, the court also summoned Prasad's brother Someshwar Srivastava and father-in-law Sunil Mittal, saying there was sufficient material to proceed against them. Srivastava and Mittal's names had cropped up during the probe. The court directed Prasad, Srivastava and Mittal to appear before the court on April 13. The court also said that the CBI may file a charge sheet if it finds anything against Asthana in its ongoing probe. NEWS AT 3 PM MARCH 8th, 2020 The judge took cognisance of the charge sheet filed under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and 385 (extortion) of IPC and sections of Prevention of Corruption Act. The court was earlier told by the former investigator agency of the case, A K Bassi, that there were "clinching evidence" against Asthana in the case. The charge sheet, filed on February 11, had only arrayed Prasad as an accused. Asthana and CBI's DSP Devender Kumar, who was arrested in 2018 and later got bail, were named in column 12 of the charge sheet in the case since there was not enough evidence to make them accused. Suspended DSP Devender Kumar was the investigating officer in a 2017 case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi. Satish Sana, who was arrested for alleged links to Moin Qureshi money laundering case, had also claimed links to senior CBI and RAW officials. Former CBI chief Rakesh Asthana among 3 IPS officers to get top pay scale The current case of alleged bribery was lodged on a complaint of Sana. The court had on February 12 expressed displeasure over the Central Bureau of Investigation's investigation into the case and it had asked why the accused with bigger roles were roaming free while the probe agency had arrested its own deputy superintendent of police. The CBI had registered the case against Asthana on the basis of a complaint from Hyderabad-based businessman Satish Sana, facing probe in a 2017 case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi. Kumar was the probe officer in the case involving Qureshi. SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California State Officials released a statement about the future plans for the Californians quarantined onboard the Grand Princess Cruise Ship set to dock in Oakland Monday, March 9. Read the official statement below "The State of California has been working in partnership with the federal government to aid in the safe return of passengers from the Grand Princess. The entire mission is centered around protecting the health of the passengers, and ensuring that when the passengers disembark, the public health of the United States, the State of California, and partner communities is protected. Together, the United States Government and the State of California asked the City of Oakland and the Port of Oakland to partner in this mission. The mission will be a joint federal and state effort, with local support. The federal government and its contractors are already preparing the site for disembarkment. As soon as tomorrow, the ship will begin disembarking passengers at the Port of Oakland. The ship will only be docked during the duration of the disembarkment. These passengers will not be released into the general public. Passengers who require acute medical treatment and hospitalization will be transported to health care facilities in California. If passengers do not require acute medical care following health screenings, those who are California residents will go to a federally run isolation facility within California for testing and isolation, while non-Californians will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states. The crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship, but importantly, the ship will only stay in Port of Oakland for the duration of disembarkment. This ship will depart Oakland as soon as possible and will remain elsewhere for the duration of the crews quarantine. Almost 1000 of the ships passengers are Californians. They have been through a great deal of stress and were potentially exposed to this virus through no fault of their own. After careful review of all options, the Port of Oakland was selected as the best site for the ship to disembark. There are limited docks that will be able to dock a ship of that size, and the Port of Oakland location was the easiest to seal off, securely move passengers toward their isolation destinations and protect the safety of the public. The City of Oakland, Alameda County and the Port of Oakland are stepping up in a major way, and their residents deserve universal praise. They are showing the world what makes our state great coming to the rescue of thousands of people trapped aboard this ship and helping tackle a national emergency, said Governor Gavin Newsom. Oaklands role in this operation is to support our state and federal authorities as they conduct a critical public health mission to help those impacted by the COVID-19 virus, said Mayor Libby Schaaf. I appreciate Governor Newsoms leadership and have been assured no one will be quarantined in Oakland, nor will any passengers be released into the general public. True to our community values, Oakland is a safe harbor for all. The Port will provide assistance as necessary for the safe disembarkation of the passengers, said Danny Wan, Director of the Port of Oakland. There has been close coordination to assure that port operations, port workers and the community are not impacted. The health of our Bay Area community is our top concern, and weve been working across federal and state agencies to protect it, said Colleen Chawla, Alameda County Public Health Officer. With a thousand California residents on the ship, it only makes sense that we all work together to help those in this crisis and ensure that they are quarantined, tested and make their way home when it is safe to do so, said Senator Nancy Skinner. California values mean protecting the public and helping those in a crisis. Were doing both. We are committed to supporting our federal and local health officials to help our fellow Californians get tested and be healthy, and to prevent any exposure to the general public, said Assemblymember Rob Bonta." The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's response to the coronavirus outbreak was blasted by critics as it was revealed the agency has only tested 1,583 people for the deadly, flu-like virus since the first cases were identified in the US in January. The figure will increase as more tests are sent through the country to address demand, said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn, while speaking to reporters at the White House this weekend. Meanwhile, the federal government has shipped enough kits to public health labs to test another 75,000 patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tested 1583 people for the coronavirus since the first cases were identified in the US in January. Pictured is the laboratory test kit created by the CDC The number of Americans tested will increase as more test kits are sent throughout the country to address demand, said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn The CDC and public health labs had run 5,861 tests for the coronavirus as of Friday, Hahn of the FDA said, though officials could not say how many total patients have been tested, reports The Hill. Adding to confusion which has plagued the government's campaign to contain the outbreak were comments from Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the infectious diseases unit at the National Institutes of Health. Fauci admitted on Meet the Press on Sunday that early attempts to send out coronavirus test kits were plagued by delays, but said that testing capacity is 'accelerating dramatically'. His figures for how many tests have been sent out were far higher than the CDC's earlier report. 'I believe, 1.1 million tests have already been sent out. By Monday, there'll be an additional 400,000. And by the end of next week, probably around four million.' A spokesperson for the CDC did not immediately respond when DailyMail.com reached out for clarification. Meanwhile, the agency's delayed response to the outbreak drew fire from critics. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that local officials are working hard to identify new cases but have been greatly hindered by the CDC He called it 'outrageous and ludicrous' that the agency has not authorized private labs to conduct automated tests. 'CDC, wake up. Let the states test. Let private labs test. Let's increase as quickly possible our testing capacity so we identify the positive people, so we can isolate them,' he said. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was among those blasting the agency this weekend about the CDC's slow response to the outbreak. 'CDC, wake up,' the governor said to the agency, calling on it to allow states and private labs to also do testing After facing similar criticism over the pace of testing in the U.S., the FDA made it easier for commercial labs to manufacture and perform their own tests. More than 2.1 million of those tests are expected to be shipped by Monday to commercial labs, Hahn said. That, however, would translate to roughly 850,000 people who can seek testing because under current CDC guidelines, two swabs are required per patient. Nineteen people have died in the US from the coronavirus as more than 500 cases have been confirmed across the country, including community outbreaks spread in Washington state and California, and a growing number of cases in New York state. Others critics took aim directly at US President Donald Trump, who at first tweeted that 'anyone' could get a test, clashing with guidelines that require prior approval from a doctor or public health official before a test can be done. Trump brushed off concerns about the limited number of coronavirus test kits during a visit to the CDC in Atlanta and announced during a chaotic press conference that 'anybody who wants a test can get a test.' 'The tests are beautiful,' Trump added after meeting with top U.S. scientists amid the coronavirus outbreak. 'Anybody who right now and yesterday, anybody that needs a test gets a test,' Trump said. Nineteen people have died in the US from the coronavirus as more than 500 cases have been confirmed across the country, including community outbreaks spread in Washington state (pictured) and California, and a growing number of cases in New York state Others critics took aim directly at Donald Trump, including California Congressman Ted Lieu, who reacted after the president visited the CDC to claim he made lied in remarks that claimed his administration had 'stopped' the virus and 'closed it down' California Congressman Ted Lieu, a Democrat, tweeted afterwards that Trump had lied in remarks that claimed the president's administration had 'stopped' the virus and 'closed it down.' Republican consultant, Rick Wilson, a vocal critic of the president, tweeted that a 'Viral Katrina rolls on,' referring to charges of mismanagement and lack of leadership during relief efforts that followed 2005's Hurricane Katrina, the costliest tropical hurricane on record that resulted in more than 1,200 deaths. Trump on Sunday fired back at the critics. Trump on Sunday fired back at the critics with a tweet that praised his administration's response to the outbreak as 'perfectly coordinated' 'We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus,' the president tweeted. 'We moved VERY early to close borders to certain areas, which was a Godsend.' Trump added that Vice President Mike Pence, who is overseeing the government's response to the outbreak, 'is doing a great job' and accused the 'Fake News Media' of doing 'everything possible to make us look bad. Sad!' - The MPs flew to Somalia where they were allegedly hosted by the nation's intelligence services over an unknown agenda - Speaker Justin Muturi said there was no requirement compelling MPs to seek consent to undertake private travels - Kenya and Somalia are entangled in a diplomatic row which date back to 2014 after the latter sued Nairobi at the International Court of Justice The National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has clarified the 11 MPs who traveled to Somalia recently were not part of any official delegation nor a parliamentary trip. In his official communication to the House on Tuesday, March 3, Muturi said there was no requirement compelling MPs to seek consent to undertake private travels. READ ALSO: Parliament cancels MPs' trip to US over coronavirus, asks them to refund per diems Reprieve for 11 MPs who sneaked to Somalia after Speaker Muturi says they've no case to answer Source: UGC READ ALSO: Kama kuna 'hustler' wa ukweli ni marehemu Nginyo Kariuki, Raila asema At the same time, the Speaker clarified that official parliamentary delegations do not need any approvals from any office for their trips. "The alleged visit may have created the impression that the said members traveled as a delegation of this House. I wish to confirm that, parliamentary delegations to foreign nations must always meet certain parliamentary parameters," he said. Muturi further explained MPs' foreign trips is formally constituted and officially communicated to the foreign country. Photo: Justin Muturi. Source: Twitter Pressure had been mounting on the MPs to explain their agenda after it was claimed they were allegedly hosted by Somalia Intelligence Services. In defence, Muturi further explained MPs' foreign trips is formally constituted and officially communicated to the foreign country and must reflect the House diversity. President Uhuru Kenyatta and Somalia colleague Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. The two nations are in territorial feud. Photo: State House Kenya. Source: Facebook Those who traveled to Somali were all from North Eastern region. "The alleged visit by the said group of members of this House to the Republic of Somalia was not a parliamentary delegation. For avoidance of doubt, there is no requirement compelling members of this House to seek consent to undertake private travels," he added. This clarification came at the backdrop of strained diplomatic relations between Kenya and Somalia. The two neighbouring countries are embroiled in a long-standing boundary dispute and Somalia even sued Kenya at the International Court of Justice. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. Being a virgin in campus: University students tell us the benefits | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke Ruling Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh, Bisahulal Singh, on Sunday returned to Bhopal from Bengaluru after remaining 'missing' for the last six days and said he had left home on his own volition as he was unhappy over not being given a ministerial berth. Singh also claimed that he was neither held hostage nor offered any money by the BJP to topple the Kamal Nath-led government, as claimed by senior party leader Digvijay Singh. Singh has become the eighth MLA to return after remaining 'missing', prompting state Home minister Bachchan to say that "the BJP's bid to unseat our government has failed". Bachchan also said that two more MLAs of the Congress, namely Hardeep Singh Dang and Raghuraj Kansana who are believed to be camping in Bengaluru, will return shortly. With Singh's return, all but two 'missing' MLAs of the Congress are now accounted for. Earlier this week, the Congress claimed that the BJP had "abducted" some MLAs of the ruling party as well as its allies BSP and the SP to bring down the Madhya Pradesh government, an allegation which the opposition party denied. After reaching Bhopal from Bengaluru en route Indore on Sunday evening, MLA Singh said he had left home as he was unhappy over not being considered for a Cabinet berth. "I went on a pilgrimage to Southern India and visited temples there. I was unhappy so I went to out. I was unhappy because I was not given a Cabinet berth despite being an MLA for five terms. Is it a sin (to be unhappy)? Even junior MLAs were accommodated in the council of ministers," he told reporters in a lighter vein after meeting Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Responding to a question, the MLA said neither he was held hostage by the BJP nor was he offered any money. Singh, however, ruled out joining the BJP. "I am with the Congress for the last 40 years. The CM has assured me that my grievances will be looked into immediately and no work in my constituency (Anuppur) will left unaccomplished," he said when asked about what transpired during his meeting with the CM. Earlier in the day, Singh boarded a flight from Bengaluru and landed in Indore from where he flew to the state Capital in a government plane, state Congress committee's media coordinator Narendra Saluja said. The MLA was accompanied by state tourism minister Surendra Singh Baghel. From Bhopal airport, Singh was driven to Chief Minister Kamal Nath's residence. Digvijay Singh had alleged that the BJP was trying to unseat the Kamal Nath-ld government with money power by luring MLAs of the Congress and allies. He repeated his allegation on Sunday. Latching onto MLA Singh's statement, state BJP chief spokesman Deepak Vijayvargiya said the "truth has triumphed". "We have being maintaining since Tuesday that the BJP has nothing to do with the drama being played out by the Congress due to its infighting ahead of Rajya Sabha polls. Now their horse-trading charge against us proved to be absolutely false," he told PTI. Meanwhile, the chief minister left for Delhi on Sunday night in view of imminent expansion of his Cabinet. He might meet the party top brass in view of factionalism in the ruling rank, a source close to him said. Before leaving, Nath met BJP MLA Narayan Tripathi, who is reportedly not getting along well with his party. The CM also met Digvijay Singh and some ministers and MLAs at his residence, according to the source. Family members of MLA Singh (65) had earlier lodged a missing person complaint after he became 'untraceable' amid the political drama in the state. When asked about it, Singh said he was in touch with his son. "Some politicians have unnecessarily lodged the complaint," he said. The Congress has so far been successful in wooing back eight legislators--six from Delhi and two from Bengaluru. On Saturday, Surendra Singh Shera, one of the four missing MLAs supporting the state Congress government who went 'missing', returned to Bhopal. Upon his return, the Independent MLA stated that he continues to be on the Congress' side. The Congress holds a thin majority in the 230-member Assembly with its own 114 MLAs and support of two legislators of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), one of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and four independents. The BJP has 107 legislators while two seats are vacant. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bhuj (Guj), Mar 8 (PTI) Four persons have been booked under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) for spying after they allegedly clicked photos of radar at the Naliya Air Force Station in Gujarat's Kutch district bordering Pakistan, police said on Sunday. The four persons, including a 17-year-old boy, were intercepted by personnel of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on January 29 while taking photographs of the prohibited area, and later handed over to local police. Photographs of the sensitive defence area, mobile phones and a camera were recovered from the possession of the accused, a police officer said, adding that a case was registered on Saturday under Section 3 of the OSA. Section 3 deals with penalties for spying at a prohibited area. "Four persons, including a minor, who all are residents of Naliya and surrounding villages had taken photographs of a radar at the Naliya Air Force Station on January 29. "An offence was registered against them on Saturday under Section 3 of the OSA," said Police Inspector, Special Operations Group (SOG), Ajay Zala. The accused have been identified as Rafiq Azam, Arbaz Ismael Umra, and Abbas Padhiyar, apart from the 17-year-old youth, he said. They are yet to be arrested, the officer added. A cybersecurity company in China says it believes evidence shows the CIA has hacked government officials, scientists and industry targets in China for several years. The company, Qihoo 360, published a report online alleging a "CIA hacking group" known as APT-C-39 has been targeting Chinese internet users for 11 years, claiming the group has targeted researchers and scientists and officials in the aviation, petroleum and internet industries, in addition to government workers. The U.S. is known to engage in cyber-espionage, and documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and information released by American security firms and law enforcement officials suggest that both countries hack each other, Reuters wrote in a report on the Qihoo release. The U.S. generally isn't thought to hack private companies for competitive reasons, however. The Quihoo 360 web posting said its research into hacks against Chinese targets found that the tools used to hack those targets were the same ones purported by WikiLeaks documents from 2017 to have been developed by the CIA. The group also noted that a former CIA officer is now on trial in New York for the 2017 leaks alleging CIA hacking activity, and quoted a federal prosecutor who called the case "the single biggest leak of classified national defense information in the history of CIA." Quihoo, a major cybersecurity vendor, said the tools used by the CIA according to the 2017 documents are the same as those used to hack Chinese targets since 2008, which leads the group to the conclusion that the CIA is behind the hacks in China. A report in Fortune on the Qihoo web posting calls the information into question, noting that the group got basic information about the CIA wrong in its post. The CIA hasn't commented on the posting. Related Links: WikiLeaks: The CIA 'Weaponized' Apple, Samsung And Microsoft Products For Surveillance Purposes Story continues Qihoo 360 Investors Approve Merger Agreement, Company To Be Acquired By Consortium Of Investors For .3 Billion See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Because of its relationship with Algeria, France has a 50-year history of Muslim immigration, pre-dating Angela Merkels 2015 welcome mat. Last month, Michel Gurfinkiel, a French intellectual who founded the Jean-Jacques Rousseau Institution, participated in a radio interview with Gregg Roman of the Middle East Forum. During the interview, he warned that French demographic changes predict a future in which Islam is ascendant: Domestically, the past fifty years of steady immigration from Islamic countries into France is transforming the fabric of French society from within. Demographic and sociological surveys indicate that 10-15% of the French population is now of Muslim origin, including 20-30% of French citizens or residents under the age of 25. Some integrate successfully, but many align with the most radical and militant expression of the religion. Their rejection of Frances secular constitution is matched by resentment of the French militarys fight against global jihadism in Africa and the Middle East, seen as a deliberate assault ... on Islam. Meanwhile, French people, as is true for most Europeans, have lost faith in their institutions. Christianity is declining and the French are no longer marrying or having children. Free speech is also dying in France: In January, a 16-year old identified only as Mila criticized Islam as a religion of hate on her Instagram account in response to online harassment from a homophobic Muslim troll. The resulting online threats of bodily harm led to Mila and her family being placed under police protection. The French custom of satirizing or criticizing religion does not extend to Islam, and the main reason ... is, of course, fear, said Gurfinkiel. Its a fact that Muslims dont react peacefully to these kinds of [speech] as ... Christians [do], and everybody ... remember[s] ... the humorists of Charlie Hebdo ... slaughtered by a Muslim commando a few years ago. Another sign that Islam is ascendant in a land that was once considered the cradle of European Christianity is that churches in France are routinely desecrated. Dr. Peter Hammond, in his early 21st-century book about Christian genocide in Muslim lands, Slavery, Terrorism and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat, produced a rough rule of thumb about the threat to a dominant culture from Islamic immigration: As long as the Muslim population remains around or under 2% in any given country, they will be for the most part be regarded as a peace-loving minority, and not as a threat to other citizens. This is the case in: United States Muslim 0..6% Australia Muslim 1.5% Canada Muslim 1.9% China Muslim 1.8% Italy Muslim 1.5% Norway Muslim 1.8% At 2% to 5%, they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups, often with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs. This is happening in: Denmark Muslim 2% Germany Muslim 3.7% United Kingdom Muslim 2.7% Spain Muslim 4% Thailand Muslim 4.6% From 5% on, they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population. For example, they will push for the introduction of halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature halal on their shelves along with threats for failure to comply. This is occurring in: France Muslim 8% Philippines 5% Sweden Muslim 5% Switzerland Muslim 4.3% The Netherlands Muslim 5.5% Trinidad & Tobago Muslim 5.8% At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves (within their ghettos) under Sharia, the Islamic Law. The ultimate goal of Islamists is to establish Sharia law over the entire world. When Muslims approach 10% of the population, they tend to increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions. In Paris , we are already seeing car-burnings. In Russia, grade-schools were attacked. Any non-Muslim action offends Islam and results in uprisings and threats, such as in Amsterdam, with opposition to Mohammed cartoons and films about Islam. Such tensions are seen daily, particularly in Muslim sections, in: Guyana Muslim 10% India Muslim 13.4% Israel Muslim 16% Kenya Muslim 10% Russia Muslim 15% After reaching 20%, nations can expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings, and the burnings of Christian churches and Jewish synagogues, such as in: Ethiopia Muslim 32.8% At 40%, nations experience widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks, and ongoing militia warfare, such as in: Bosnia Muslim 40% Chad Muslim 53.1% Lebanon Muslim 59.7% From 60%, nations experience unfettered persecution of non-believers of all other religions (including non-conforming Muslims), sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Sharia Law as a weapon, and Jizya, the tax placed on infidels, such as in: Albania Muslim 70% Malaysia Muslim 60.4% Qatar Muslim 77.5% Sudan Muslim 70% After 80%, expect daily intimidation and violent jihad, some State-run ethnic cleansing, beheadings, stoning, and even some genocide, as these nations drive out the infidels, and move toward 100% Muslim, such as has been experienced and in some ways is on-going in: Bangladesh Muslim 83% Egypt Muslim 90% Gaza Muslim 98.7% Indonesia Muslim 86.1% Iran Muslim 98% Iraq Muslim 97% Jordan Muslim 92% Morocco Muslim 98.7% Pakistan Muslim 97% Palestine Muslim 99% Syria Muslim 90% Tajikistan Muslim 90% Turkey Muslim 99.8% United Arab Emirates Muslim 96% Frances Muslim population has substantially increased since Hammond wrote those words. The tipping point is near. Congress last year passed the TRACED Act (for the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act), which requires telecommunications companies to adopt technology to identify spoofed calls calls that criminals make using phone numbers that mimic legitimate calls on your phone. But the Federal Communications Commission must set rules for how the law is carried out, which will take time. So relief for consumers is probably a year or more away, said Maureen Mahoney, policy analyst for Consumer Reports. Department store chain Myer could save up to $20 million in rent each year, as it rolls out a program to close stores, shrink floor space and relocate office staff to a lower-cost headquarters. The struggling retailer said in its half-year result that it would "deliver material cost savings" by working with its landlords, the major shopping centre owners, to reduce its footprint and refurbish stores. The 24-storey Docklands tower set to be Myer's new home. UBS analyst said that with up to 100,000 square metres of space to be shed, there is "a $15-$20 million rent saving opportunity". Myer spent a total of $226 million on rent, including retail floor space and offices, in 2018-19, according to its most recent annual report. Beijing: Corona's havoc is spreading so fast. The virus has reached 9 more countries. The number of such countries has increased from 85 to 94. The number of people infected with the virus has reached one lakh worldwide. The death toll has increased to 3,491. 21 victims including one MP died in Iran. There are reports of 28 deaths in China. People in South Korea and Japan are also more affected by the virus. The virus has spread across the world from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in central China. Epidemic spreading in 94 countries: According to the information received by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday, March 6, 2020, it was reported that out of China, there has been news of coronavirus arriving in 94 countries. During the last 24 hours, the first cases were reported in Philippines, New Zealand, Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bhutan, Cameroon, Serbia and South Africa. China's National Health Commission said on Saturday that 99 new cases were confirmed and 28 deaths in the country. All these deaths occurred in Hubei, the center of Corona. So far, there have been a total of 3,070 deaths in China. The number of infected cases has reached 80,651. While 107 cases have been confirmed in China-controlled Hong Kong with two deaths. No signs of end of summer, Indians stranded on cruise in Egypt: While it is being said that Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO's Health Emergency Program, said, "There is no indication that the coronavirus (COVID) in summer -19) can be overcome. Where we estimate that this virus will continue to spread. At the same time, 150 tourists including Indians have been caught on a cruise on the coast of Luxor, south of Egypt. This cruise has been separated due to Coronavirus. The virus has been confirmed in a Taiwanese-American passenger on this cruise. Also Read: Pakistan may face losses up to USD 6.1 million due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak Three princesses detained in accusation of coup US MP Tulsi Gabbard says, "leaders spreading 'Hinduphobia' in the country" Pollution increased again in Delhi-NCR, Supreme Court expressed concern US Marine Tests Positive For Coronavirus in Virginia in States First Confirmed Case A U.S. Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Virginia, has tested positive for COVID-19, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman announced on March. 7, marking the first confirmed case of the disease in the state. The Marine, who Hoffman did not name, is being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital after recently returning from overseas where he was on official business, the spokesman said. The White House has been notified and the Secretary of Defense has been briefed, the statement added. Officials at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and Virginia Department of Health said they are working together and are in regular communication with federal, state, local, and private sector partners on the matter. They added that there is no evidence of the virus spreading in Virginia and that the risk is low. Gov. Ralph Northam also spoke to ease anxiety over the virus in the state, saying on Twitter: We are working closely with federal, military, and local partners to respond to a COVID-19 case at Ft. Belvoir. The risk to Virginians remains low, but please continue to stay aware and take basic health precautions. The confirmed case in Virginia comes after a U.S. sailor stationed in Naples, Italy, was also found to have the virus on March. 6, the U.S. European Command and the Marines said in a statement. The member is currently restricted to their residence, receiving supportive and medical care in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and host nation guidelines, according to the statement. Military health professionals are conducting a thorough contact investigation to determine whether any other personnel may have been exposed. Depending on the results of that investigation, additional precautionary measures may be taken. Personnel that the service member immediately identified having close contact with have been notified and are in self-isolation at their residence. The sailor, who worked at Naval Support Activity Naples, marks the first positive case for a U.S. service member stationed in Europe. In a separate case last month, an American soldier stationed in South Korea was quarantined at his off-base residence on Feb. 25 after testing positive for COVID-19. The 23-year-old was stationed at Camp Carroll, located in the village of Waegwan about 12 miles from the city of Daegu. Daegu and the broader North Gyeongsang province have seen the majority of known infection cases in South Korea. A South Korean soldier (R) wearing a face mask looks at train departure timetable at a railway station in the southeastern city of Daegu, South Korea, on Feb. 21, 2020. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images) According to USFK, the soldier visited Camp Walker, also in Daegu, on Feb. 24, and Camp Carrol from Feb. 21 to Feb. 25. The U.S. Army, Air Force, and Navy, as well as Marine Corps, and Coast Guard have now started screening all recruits for the virus before they begin basic combat training in an effort to prevent it from spreading among the armed forces. Saudi authorities have cordoned off eastern Qatif region, a stronghold of the kingdom's Shiite minority, in a bid to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus, the interior ministry said Sunday. "Given that all 11 recorded positive cases of the new coronavirus are from Qatif... it has been decided... to temporarily suspend entry and exit from Qatif," the ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pro-life and pro-choice activists demonstrate alongside each other Wednesday outside the Supreme Court as the justices hear arguments about Louisianas abortion law requiring that abortion doctors have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. (Photo: Saul Loeb /Getty Images) UPDATE 11:30 a.m. Police said the woman found has died after being taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Frontage Road is expected to open soon. Police are continuing to investigate. The womans identity has not been released. EAST HAVEN Police are investigating after a woman was found seriously injured in the middle of the road Sunday morning. Police were called to Frontage Road near the CarMax dealership around 6 a.m. after reports of a body in the street, Lt. Joseph Murgo said. When officers arrived, they found a woman with serious injuries in the middle of the street, he said. The woman was treated by fire department personnel before she was rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital, where her condition is unknown, Murgo said. Police are not sure whether the woman was hit while walking or running along the road, or was thrown from a vehicle. No other vehicles remained on scene, Murgo said. The womans identity has not been released because her next of kin have not yet been informed of her injuries, the police lieutenant said. The westbound lane of Frontage Road is closed while authorities conduct their investigation. Police asked drivers to avoid the area through their Facebook page Sunday morning. Police are asking for the publics help sorting out what happened, especially any drivers traveling along Frontage Road or I-95 south around 6 a.m. Sunday, March 8. Anyone with more information is asked to call 203-468-3820. Amid coronavirus scare in the country, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Sunday said that the airport and the state's borders are being thoroughly inspected for tourists arriving in Puducherry. "The man from Dubai, who had shown coronavirus related symptoms and was kept under observation, is now being discharged," Narayanasamy told ANI. He also added that a special ward for the coronavirus has been opened at the Jipmer hospital in Puducherry. Earlier today, the Chief Minister had visited the Meenakshi Amman Temple here. As of now, at least 39 positive confirmed cases of novel coronavirus have been detected in India. This includes a sizeable number of Italian nationals. The disease has caused the deaths of over 3300 people globally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 23:31:10|Editor: yan Video Player Close ROME, March 8 (Xinhua) -- For the second time in two days, the head of a major Italian region revealed he has been infected with the coronavirus. Alberto Cirio, president of the northern Italian region of Piedmont, which includes Italy's main industrial hub of Turin, made the announcement Sunday. A day earlier, Nicola Zingaretti, president of the region of Lazio -- the region that includes the Italian capital of Rome -- revealed he had been infected. Cirio said his symptoms from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, were mild. "I am infected but I am fine," Cirio said via a video posted to social media sites, the same method Zingaretti used to announce he had been infected. "I will continue to work without interruption from afar," he said. The announcement followed a decree from the government to lock down large swaths of northern Italy, impacting around 16 million residents there. An Asian takeaway restaurant has put up a sign begging customers not to stay away amid coronavirus fears. The Pearl River in Reading now displays a notice reading 'not been to China in over 20 years'. It comes after a 75-year-old woman was admitted to the Royal Berkshire Hospital on Wednesday with Covid-19 symptoms. Pictured: The sign that Pearl River is displaying as Covid-19 fears grip the community in Reading, Berkshire A 10-minute drive from the hospital, the business is one of many Chinese takeaways reporting a sharp drop in takings since the virus broke out in Wuhan. The Pearl River's sign reads: 'Important Notice. The staff and owners of Peal River have not been to China for over 20 years'. It adds: 'All ingredients are sourced within the UK from an EU source.' A loyal customer of Pearl River posted a picture of the poster on social media asking people to 'please continue to support a local Chinese takeaway'. The post continued: 'When I picked up our order tonight, Pearl River in Emmer Green has posted this at their premises, due to a drop off in business, thanks to unnecessary prejudice around coronavirus.' Pearl River (pictured) in Reading, Berkshire, has suffered a slump in business due to the coronavirus fears A teacher at Willow Bank Infant School four miles away in Woodley has tested positive for coronavirus. Willow Bank Infant School and Willow Bank Junior School have since been closed to allow for a deep clean. The confirmed case of coronavirus has prompted other schools to close in the area including Aldryngton Primary School in Earley, Reading, and Great Hollands Primary School in Bracknell which have closed for a 'precautionary' deep clean. By Kyle Lovern In the Bible, the apostle Paul reminded those who would listen of[Read More] FLINT, MI -- Mayor Sheldon Neeley is hosting a Census town hall in Flint with Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist on Thursday, March 12. The two officials will be joined by Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to promote awareness of the 2020 Census. The town hall will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Flint City Hall Dome, just east of Saginaw Street. The town hall is among a statewide series of visits made by local and state leaders to promote the Census. The goal is to communicate why its important for people to complete the census, said Kerry Ebersole Singh, the Michigan 2020 statewide Census director. The goal of the Michigan 2020 Census 'Be Counted town hall tour is to communicate why its critical to our communities to complete the census, dispel myths and explain how filling out the Census is more convenient than ever, Singh said. The 2020 Census can be completed in person, by mail and for the first time ever by phone and online. Statewide, more than 1.8 million residents are estimated to be hard to count in 2020, as measured by Census tracts with high poverty, low access to the internet or other challenges that depress participation in the decennial count. Genesee County ranks fifth among the top 10 counties in Michigan most at risk of being under-counted, with an estimated 19.4 percent of the countys total population regarded as hard to count or less likely to respond to the Census. The Census determines how $675 billion in federal dollars is distributed nationwide each year for the next 10 years through 2030. We appreciate our state leaders coming to Flint to help us spread the message about how critically important it is for residents to participate in the 2020 Census, Neely said. We need everyone counted. We need the whole community to come together to make sure we get our fair share of federal dollars. In 2010, the U.S. Census reported that 79.1 percent of Flint residents participated. This year, the federal agency expects Flint will be increasingly difficult to count and has predicted participation to decline to 74.1 percent. Burton ramps up census efforts after being 1 person away from 30,000 in last count Burton Mayor Duane Haskins will also speak at the town hall, as officials in Burton are also making an extra effort to increase 2020 Census participation. According to U.S. Census data, Burton was just two people away from topping 30,000 people in the last count. Coming just two people short of surpassing the 30,000 population mark has cost Burton millions of dollars in federal funding based on per-capita spending formulas that could have gone into improving our roads, public safety, local schools, helping our senior citizens and providing other essential services, Haskins said. Now, just like Flint, the city of Burton is ramping up its outreach efforts for the 2020 census. In January, Neely created the Mayoral Complete Count Committee, which is working to coordinate 2020 Census efforts in Flint, develop outreach initiatives and provide information to residents. The committee is partnering with the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, which awarded $300,167 in grants to local nonprofits working to help ensure an accurate 2020 census count. Committee members who will be participating in the town hall include Anthony Turner, Sue Peters, Charis Lee and Ariana Hawk. The 2020 census form includes nine questions and takes less than 10 minutes to complete -- but those 10 minutes will benefit Michigan for the next 10 years, Singh said. The questions asked by the census include: 1. Name 2. Age 3. Gender 4. Ethnicity 5. Race 6. Number of people in the household 7. Anyone else staying in the household on April 1, 2020 8. If you own or rent your home 9. Phone number Foundation awards $300,000 in grants to Flint-area 2020 Census efforts Burton ramps up census efforts after being 1 person away from 30,000 in last count Seven persons were killed and 32 injured in two road accidents in Rajasthan on Sunday, police said. In Jodhpur district's Binawas village, four people, including two women passengers died and 14 were injured when an Ajmer-bound bus collided with a truck, Jodhpur Rural SP Rahul Barhat said. The incident occurred on the Jodhpur-Jaipur highway. A bridge was being built at the spot of the accident, the police officer said, adding efforts are being made to ascertain the identity of the deceased. In Ajmer, three persons were killed and 18, including three women, injured when a bus overturned on the Ajmer-Jaipur highway. The bus was on its way to Jaipur from Ahmedabad when the driver lost control over the vehicle and it hit a road divider and overturned, Adarsh Nagar police station SHO Dharamveer Singh said. The deceased have been identified as Yogesh from Jaipur, Magan Bhai Patel from Ahmedabad and bus driver Krisnakant Dubey, who was a resident of Maharashtra. The injured have been rushed to a hospital, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) KYODO NEWS - Mar 9, 2020 - 23:37 | All, World, Coronavirus The battle to contain the new coronavirus could take months or even last beyond year-end, a Japanese government panel of experts on communicable diseases warned Monday. "It may take several months to half a year, or even last beyond year-end" as the virus may survive warmer weather, unlike influenza, Kazuhiro Tateda, a member of the panel and president of the Japanese Association of Infectious Diseases, told a press conference following their meeting. The panel denied that infections in Japan with the pneumonia-causing virus are increasing explosively. But it also said it is still too early to relax vigilance. As many large events have been canceled to prevent further infections, the panel said such restraint must be kept up for an additional 10 days. (Members of the panel) Also Monday, Japan implemented tougher border control measures on Monday for travelers from China and South Korea, effectively banning tourists from the two countries through the end of this month as part of measures to prevent a surge in coronavirus infections. Nearly 3 million visas already issued to Chinese and South Korean nationals, also including residents of Hong Kong and Macau, were invalidated. The step, however, will not invalidate the visas of those from the two countries who are already in Japan. All arrivals from the two countries, including Japanese and other foreign nationals, will be asked to undergo a 14-day quarantine on a voluntary basis. The travel restrictions came as Japan steps up efforts to contain the spread of the virus with less than five months to go to the Tokyo Olympics. But they will likely deal a blow to Japan's economy as visitors from China and South Korea account for about half of all tourists to the country. South Korea, angered by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's sudden announcement late last week of the travel curbs, began taking reciprocal measures on Monday against Japan as ties between the two countries, already frayed over wartime issues, came under new stress. (Chinese tourists wear masks in Tokyo on Jan. 26, 2020.) "We did not intend for this to have an impact on Japan-South Korea relations," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference. "We'd like to carefully explain (to South Korea) our efforts including measures to strengthen border control and prevent further infections, as well as the domestic situation." China, on the other hand, has accepted Japan's new restrictions as appropriate to safeguard public health. But on Monday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it has decided to temporarily suspend its 15-day visa waiver program for Japanese tourists from Tuesday, as the nation now takes steps to prevent an influx of the new coronavirus from Japan. The ministry said it has notified the Japanese Embassy in Beijing of the latest decision, adding that Japanese citizens who visit China for business or to meet with their kin will continue to be exempted from visa requirements. Under Japan's scheme, people entering the country from China and South Korea will be asked to travel to and stay at designated facilities such as hotels at their own expense -- or at their own homes if they live in Japan -- where they will be quarantined for 14 days, and to avoid public transportation and use private cars. The voluntary quarantine will also apply to those who enter Japan from China or South Korea through connecting flights from another country. (Fewer people are seen than usual at a departure lobby of Narita airport near Tokyo on March 8, 2020.) While Chinese and South Korean visitors already in Japan will not have to leave earlier than planned, if they depart the country they will not be able to re-enter using multiple-entry visas while the visa nullification is in force. A visa-waiver program covering 90-day short stays by tourists from South Korea, Hong Kong and Macau has also been suspended, while airlines will limit flights from China and South Korea to two airports -- Narita, east of Tokyo, and Kansai in Osaka Prefecture. Of the roughly 3 million visas invalidated, about 2.8 million are for Chinese and about 17,000 for South Koreans, according to the Foreign Ministry. On Monday, flights heading to Japan from Chinese and South Korean airports were scarce. Around 8 a.m. at Narita airport, eight passengers from the first flight to arrive from Seoul had their temperatures checked by officers clad in protective gear. A man in his 40s, who had gone on a trip to South Korea with his wife, said the couple would stay at home for two weeks. "We don't know whether we can lead a normal life. What are the conditions to self-quarantine?" he asked. Two university students who arrived at Kansai International Airport after a trip to South Korea said their flight was mostly empty, with only three passengers aboard. (A passenger fills a document at a quarantine counter at Narita airport near Tokyo after arriving from South Korea on March 9, 2020.) "I was worried about whether we would be able to enter (Japan)," said Wakaba Suganami, 19. "I wouldn't have thought the situation would become as serious as it has." Opposition party lawmakers, who slammed Abe for what they called his relaxed initial reaction to the spread of the novel coronavirus, and some health experts have questioned the effectiveness of the quarantine measures since they are voluntary. The virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year has spread globally with over 100,000 infections confirmed so far. China has more than 80,000 reported cases of infection, by far the largest, and South Korea over 7,000. On Monday, Abe told a parliamentary session that Japan is also weighing the need to impose travel restrictions on visitors from Italy as the country has seen a sharp jump in coronavirus infections. "We have been discussing whether to include Italy. We will not hesitate to do so if the need arises," Abe said. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree on Sunday, putting the Lombardy region that includes Milan and 14 other provinces under lockdown as the total number of cases surpassed 7,300. Related coverage: South Korea strikes back by suspending visas for Japanese Japan to invalidate 2.8 million visas for Chinese amid virus fears Japan to restrict travel to and from China, S. Korea over virus AFP via Getty Images One of the former officials who testified in the impeachment hearings against Donald Trump has warned that Vladimir Putin has the US "exactly where he wants us". Speaking to CBS's 60 Minutes in her first major interview since her testimony last year, Fiona Hill said that while the Russians did not invent the divisions in US politics and society they knew how to exploit them. British-born Dr Hill was Donald Trump's Russia expert at the National Security Council. In November she testified to the House Intelligence Committee's impeachment hearings that Trump defenders spinning conspiracy theories about Ukraine were playing into Moscow's hands. The Democrat-controlled House impeached the president on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for trying to pressure Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election by digging up or fabricating dirt on his political opponents. In January he was cleared of those charges by his Republican allies in the Senate. Speaking to 60 Minutes in an interview being aired this weekend, Dr Hill said: "Putin, sadly, has got all of our political class, every single one of us, including the media, exactly where he wants us. "He's got us feeling vulnerable, he's got us feeling on edge, and he's got us questioning the legitimacy of our own systems." Asked to what extent she thought the increasing polarisation of US politics came from Russia, she said: "Well certainly in 2016 a lot of it did but they don't invent the divisions. "The Russians didn't invent partisan divides. The Russians haven't invented racism in the United States. But the Russians understand a lot of those divisions and they understand how to exploit them." All 17 US intelligence agencies say that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election, partly to support Mr Trump but also to worsen political divides in the country more generally. The president has rejected the claim, at one point saying at a press conference with Mr Putin in Helsinki that he believed the Russian president's denials over his own experts. Story continues He has repeatedly insisted that the Mueller investigation into links between the Trump campaign and Moscow was a politically-motivated hoax. The fall-out from the Mueller investigation is continuing, with a federal judge last week demanding to see the full version of the report, and suggesting attorney general William Barr a fervent Trump loyalist may have mischaracterised it in his public summary to make it sound less damning to the president. Read more Trump sues CNN for article about Russia election interference Judge criticises Barr's 'distorted' summary of Mueller's Russia probe FBI warns Russia wants to see US 'tear ourselves apart' Bernie Sanders told Russia is trying to help his campaign, reports say Trump rejects intel warning on Russia meddling as 'disinformation' We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Iran Air announced on Sunday the suspension of all its flights to Europe until further notice. The national carrier said in a statement that the decision was taken due to "restrictions" imposed by European authorities for "unknown reasons". Sweden blocked Iran Air flights from landing in the country in recent days, citing concerns over the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus in the Islamic republic. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nancy Pelosi signs the coronavirus emergency-response bill on Thursday. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images The stock market is plunging, hand sanitizer is vanishing from the shelves, and new travel restrictions are being imposed every day as the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States. However, even as the crisis mounts, there is one silver lining Congress is actually working on the issue. In contrast to the executive branch, which has seen palace intrigue over who is actually running the Coronavirus Task Force and a Trump interview with Sean Hannity that can charitably be described as unhelpful, Congress has sped through more than $8 billion in supplemental funding this week to combat the coronavirus in a bipartisan manner. This week, the House approved an $8.3 billion emergency aid package by a margin of 415-2 and the Senate 96-1. This bipartisan vote in the House rare in the hyperpolarized politics of this moment came as members avoided shaking hands, used hand sanitizer by the glop, and even, in one instance, came to the floor in a gas mask. (It was Florida Republican representative Matt Gaetz, who told a cluster of reporters afterward that it was because members of Congress are human petri dishes. We fly through the dirtiest airports. We touch everyone we meet. However, the stunt may have been intended more to attract journalists than to repel germs.) The legislation appropriates more than three times as much money as Trump originally requested. At the time, Senator Chuck Schumer derided Trumps first proposal as dangerously inadequate to meet the crisis. Since then, he has not hesitated in his criticism of Trump, saying Thursday that the president dithers and tells mistruths about the coronavirus outbreak. Still, some of the partisan heat has drained from the debate. As Democrat representative Dan Kildee of Michigan told reporters Wednesday after a briefing from Vice-President Mike Pence who is leading the administrations response Pences comments seem to be pretty well aligned with where [House Democrats] are in a lot of this, focusing on testing [and] making sure that thats in place. Republicans had an even sunnier view. When asked his opinion on the situation, Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma told reporters he was feeling as good as you could possibly feel dealing with an unknown virus. The vote came after Vice-President Pence spent his second day on Capitol Hill briefing elected officials on the governments efforts against the coronavirus. On Tuesday, he conducted a briefing with Democratic senators, which Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut described as having a healthy degree of contention. (Washington senator Patty Murray, whose state has been at the center of the U.S. outbreak, reportedly offered particularly pointed questions.) But that briefing took place before the administration had agreed to the funding bill to combat the pandemic. Things were apparently more subdued when Pence briefed the House. Kildee said that there were questions like commencement addresses followed by a question mark after the details of the supplemental-funding bill were made public. After an early response that was furiously criticized by Democrats, including the false claim from senior White House official Larry Kudlow that the outbreak had been contained, the Trump administration has tried to emphasize a more professional approach with career public-health officials in more visible roles. Vice-President Pence has been put in charge of a Coronavirus Task Force, which has given daily briefings and none with the president since the initial one. This is an indication that the administration is starting to take the situation seriously as a public-health crisis. A former HHS official with close ties to the administration told New York that the administration hasnt underestimated the public attention to getting this right. The fact that they are doing daily press briefings, which is anathema to their being, means they are taking this seriously and know there might be single-issue voters on this in November. The official also noted that Trumps absence from briefings since the first one stood out. A lot is to protect him, but also its a tacit acknowledgment that he might not be best person to communicate on matters of public health. However, some of that progress may have been rolled back by Trumps interview with Sean Hannity on Wednesday, when he downplayed the virus and shared his own hunch about the disease. As one senior Democratic aide on Capitol Hill told New York, At the end of the day, the president is the president, and if you got experts saying one thing, what Trump says on TV can totally dwarf that It erases progress that may have been made on the information front. The aide added, In times of crisis, the worst thing you can do is have unclear and contradictory messaging. Democrats have not been shy about criticizing the Trump administrations response, particularly for steps like flying infected Americans back on a plane filled with uninfected passengers. However, the aide said the goal wasnt to score partisan points but simply to get results. The ultimate goal is not to beat up the president for its own sake but to make sure [the administration] is doing the job that we need them to do. [If] holding the feet to fire is required, then were going to do it. If giving them the thumbs up and saying okay is required, well do that too. But even while Democrats are carefully balancing the carrot and stick, perhaps their best surrogates on the topic former public-health officials in Congress have been measured in statements about the administrations response. Donna Shalala, the HHS secretary in the Clinton administration who now represents South Florida on Capitol Hill, told reporters of the response: Its just the beginning, These are hard things to do. Im not so critical about this. Did we stumble out of the blocks? We always stumble out of the blocks. She went on to emphasize the need for long-term funding to combat future threats, such as viruses where we dont know their names. Lauren Underwood, a nurse who served in the Obama HHS, echoed this. She praised Tony Fauci, the top infectious-disease expert in the federal government, for the response and said, We want the president to be successful in combating the pandemic. She touted the constructive role Congress can play, noting her push to get Robert Wilkie, the Veterans Administration secretary, to proactively communicate about the disease to those who receive medical care from the VA. But there is plenty of time for Democrats to make this a political issue. The election is eight months away more than a lifetime in an era when Joe Biden can go from a has-been to the likely nominee in the blink of an eye. But, for now, the goal seems to be to take whatever steps are necessary to avoid having the coronavirus still be a public-health issue in November and to let the politics take care of themselves. Haiti - News : Zapping... Two security guards killed During the night of Friday to Saturday, two security officers from the Societe Nationale de Securite were shot dead by unidentified individuals who fled after stripping the two officers of their weapons. COVID-19 and mayors in Haiti On March 5, 2020, the Minister of Public Health and Population, Dr Marie Greta Roy Clement met the Executive Committee of the National Federation of Haitian Mayors (FENAMH) around awareness-raising and community mobilization on the Coronavirus. Mayors have promised to be fully involved in raising public awareness on the prevention of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) Jouthe describes his meeting with Ambassador Sison as constructive "I had a constructive exchange with Michele Sison [American Ambassador to Haiti]. Our two countries are historically linked by solidarity. Thus, we discussed the security climate, the priorities of my Government and above all the strengthening of this solidarity which binds our two countries," declared the new Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30208-haiti-news-zapping.html The European Union will launch 5 projects As part of International Women's Day celebrated each year on March 8, the European Union will launch, Monday, March 9, 5 new projects to support civil society to combat gender violence in Haiti. PM Jouthe in the field Friday, the new Prime Minister Jouthe visited the site intended for the construction of 600 modern housing for the benefit of the National Police, in order to assess the actions in progress. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30182-haiti-politic-start-of-housing-construction-work-for-police-officers.html COVID-19 epidemic : Global report March 8, 2020 Sunday March 8, 2020, the number of people who have been infected worldwide with the Coronavirus COVID-19 since the start of the epidemic (December 2019) rose to 106.375 (laboratory confirmed cases, official source) up 4,187 cases compared to the previous day, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30208-haiti-news-zapping.html (including only 44 more cases in China). 60,013 people have been cured of COVID-19 (56.5%) since the start of the epidemic, 2,591 more than the day before. As of March 7, the number of infected people receiving care is 46,362. Since the start of the epidemic 3,594 people have died from COVID-19 (+2.95%), ie 103 more than the day before (3,491) for an average fatality rate of 3.28% (-0.14%) compared to the day before ( 3.42%) To date, there are 25,680 confirmed cases outside China (+19.2%), or 4,143 cases more than the previous day, for a total of 103 countries (+4 countries compared to the previous day). Note that South Korea, Iran and Italy alone account for 19,019 cases (74.06% of all cases outside of China) and that 50 countries affected by COVID-19 have less than 10 cases reported. 485 deaths outside China have been reported to date since the start of the epidemic, 76 more than the day before: 233 in Italy, 145 in Iran, 50 in South Korea, 1 in Taiwan, 1 in the Philippines, 2 in Hong Kong, 6 in Japan, 11 in France, 10 in Spain, 4 in Australia. 1 Thailand, 4 in Iraq, 1 in Switzerland, 1 in Argentina, 2 in the United Kingdom, 1 in the Netherlands and 18 in the USA (433 confirmed cases + 28% compared to the previous day 338). Note that Italy, Iran and South Korea account for 88.25% of all deaths outside of China. HL/ HaitiLibre BLACKSBURG When Virginians voted on Super Tuesday last week, famed presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin gave an audience on the campus of Virginia Tech insights into how we should be judging our leaders. Goodwins lecture, Leadership in Turbulent Times, after the title of her 2018 book, examined leadership qualities through the careers of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. I believe these are the traits that we should be looking at as we figure out who our next leader should be, not only how we evaluate these people from the past, said Goodwin, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who has written biographies of each of those presidents. Her book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln served as a basis for Steven Spielbergs 2012 film Lincoln. I would like to believe that these stories of our past leaders are not simply remnants of yesteryear, she said. On the contrary, I believe they must be told to remind us that as difficult as our political situation is today weve been through far more troubled times before. The Tech Foundation paid $58,000 to the Washington Speakers Bureau to cover Goodwins fee and airfare, a spokeswoman said. The money comes from an alumni endowment fund specifically for the lecture series. Weaving together anecdotes, both humorous and profound, from the presidents careers, Goodwin, during her presentation, shared 10 traits she believed each possessed that made them effective leaders. Those included the ability to grow through adversity, humility and empathy; learning to control negative and unproductive emotions; and transforming an ambition for self into an ambition for the greater good. She highlighted their abilities to communicate simply and to master the medium of the time, such as newspapers for Theodore Roosevelt and radio for Franklin Roosevelt. Lincoln, she noted, was a brilliant storyteller and quick on his feet in debates. He could absolutely do tweets if he had to, Goodwin said. But as president, she noted, he was careful not to speak extemporaneously. In a question-and-answer session, the moderator noted that Goodwin spoke on the day of a presidential primary and asked which of the four she would pick to lead today. Goodwin said Theodore Roosevelt could harness the power of a media landscape that craves celebrity. He could actively command the center of attention, as does President Trump, she said, noting Roosevelt understood that problem of the gap between the rich and the poor, he understood big companies swallowing small companies, he understood the anxiety people felt in the 20th century, which is much of the anxiety people are feeling today. Right now I would take any of them to come back, Goodwin said to laughter and raucous applause. We will get through this, she added. I think. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Malaysia and Thailand have barred a cruise ship carrying about 2,000 people, including dozens of Italians, from docking due to fears about the new coronavirus, an official said Sunday. The Costa Fortuna was first turned away from the popular Thai holiday island of Phuket Friday, despite there being no suspected virus cases aboard, according to its operator. Thai authorities had imposed restrictions "on Italians that have transited in Italy in the last 14 days", Costa Cruises said on Twitter. The ship is carrying 64 Italians, according to Malaysian officials. Italy has been hard hit by the virus with more than 230 fatalities, the most deaths from the disease of any country outside China, where the outbreak began in December. On Saturday the vessel tried to dock in the northern Malaysian state of Penang but was also refused entry, local politician Phee Boon Poh told AFP. The decision was taken as Malaysia had decided to restrict entry of all cruise ships to the country's ports, he said. Malaysia's Star newspaper also reported a ban had been imposed. After being denied entry by Malaysia, the ship was heading to neighbouring Singapore, said Phee. The case has similarities with that of the Westerdam, a cruise ship that was at sea for two weeks and was rejected by five countries over fears its passengers could have the virus. Cambodia finally allowed it to dock on the country's southern coast on February 13. Worldwide, the total number of people with COVID-19 has passed 100,000 while 3,500 have died across 95 nations and territories. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 00:42:21|Editor: yan Video Player Close ROME, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Eight different Italian universities had at least one department ranked among the ten best in the world, according to the latest edition of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, two more than in the previous year's edition of the rankings. Among the top universities in the country are Rome's La Sapienza University, the Polytechnic University of Milan, Bocconi University (also in Milan), and the University of Bologna. The QS World University Rankings are among the world's most important university rating entries and is the only international university listing to operate with a certification of the International Ranking Expert Group. The QS survey ranks more than 1,000 universities around the world overall, as well as in 48 different academic disciplines. In the overall ranking, the Polytechnic University of Milan is the highest-ranked Italian university, checking in at No. 149. The top university on the list was the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States. The Department of the Classics and Ancient History at Rome's La Sapienza was ranked the second-best in the world in that category, after ranking first the previous two years. La Sapienza also ranked eighth in the world for its Department of Archaeology. "La Sapienza is the biggest university in Europe in terms of the size of its student body and it's in Rome, one of the cradles of western civilization," QS' Simona Bizzozero told Xinhua. "It should not be a surprise to anyone that the university excels in these areas." The Polytechnic University of Milan ranked in the top ten for both its Department of Art and Design and for Architecture. Bocconi University was ranked among the world's ten best schools for Business and Management Studies, and the University of Bologna had 21 disciplines ranked among the top 100 in their category in the world, more than any other Italian university. According to Luigi Bellesi, a senior official with the socio-economic research institute Censis, rankings like the one produced by QS is important because they help students decide where to study. "University studies are increasingly looked at as an investment in a young person's future," Bellesi said in an interview. "Any resource that can help make a better choice for that investment is important." Antonio Uricchio, president of the Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes, said ranking will become only more important over time as more and more students study outside their native country. "There has been a trend that has seen more students go abroad to study," Uricchio told Xinhua. "An Italian student grows up and hears about La Sapienza or the University of Bologna all through school. They know about them. But a foreign student may only find out about these universities through the various rankings." Bellesi said having so many Italian universities ranked highly in specific disciplines also helps improve the image of the Italian education system in general, though he added that would be more valuable if the Italian economy was able to provide more jobs for the graduates the universities produced. San Antonio police are investigating a pair of overnight shootings that left one man hospitalized and another under arrest. The first shooting occurred about 11:15 p.m. after officers say a man fired an AK-47 into the air while driving down Interstate 35. Police say a man angry over a breakup with his girlfriend was leaving a gun range on the Northeast Side when officers saw him, driving on I-35 near Weidner Road, fire off about 30 rounds from the rifle into the air while driving. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox As the man drove north along I-35 to OConnor Road he began waving a handgun out of the window, police say. He was pursued through several neighborhoods by officers and SAPD air assets until he arrived at a residence on Misty Run. The man was arrested and now faces multiple charges. About an hour later, across town, a man was discovered in his vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound in an unrelated incident, according to police. A witness tells police a man was traveling west along the 1600 block of Vance Jackson Road about 12:45 a.m. when they saw the man's vehicle drive off the road and hit a light pole. When the witness stopped to offer aid she noticed the man had been shot and called authorities, according to police. The victim was taken to University Hospital in critical condition. No information has been released on how he was shot. Over the next two weeks, Southeast Texas will host the Nederland Heritage Festival and the YMBL South Texas State Fair and their combined 400,000 attendees in search of corndogs and Tilt-A-Whirls. But the continued spread of the coronavirus is raising questions about the risk involved with such large gatherings. As the number of confirmed cases continued to grow in the Houston area, Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick expressed some concern Friday about the upcoming fair, which runs March 26 to April 5 at Ford Park. There are no plans to cancel the fair or reduce its schedule, he said, but he plans to meet with the group that hosts the event, which draws about 300,000 visitors each year. I havent spoken with anyone at the YMBL about precautions, yet, Branick said. We are going to meet next week and our meeting will be mostly about public health. Among the topics will be precautions with the traveling carnival service. Concern over the virus has already led to the cancellations of other notable events, including, most recently, the South by Southwest film and music festival in Austin that was to begin later this week. By the time it was canceled on Friday, more than 19,000 people had petitioned to stop it and called on Gov. Greg Abbott to intervene. Companies such as Apple and Netflix had already nixed plans to attend. Houston also saw the annual CERAWeek conference taken off the books. By weeks end, the number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus had grown to more than 165 in 20 states, including Texas, with at least 11 deaths attributed to the virus. Judith Smith, Port Arthurs director of Health Services, said event planners should follow the recommendations set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to limit its spread. More Information From the CDC's interim guidance for mass gatherings and community events: Meet with the emergency operations coordinator or planning team at your venues. Promote the daily practice of everyday preventive actions. Provide COVID-19 prevention supplies at your events. Plan for staff absences. Promote the daily practice of everyday preventive action, Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care. Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily. Promote messages that discourage people who are sick from attending events. Plan ways to limit in-person contact for staff supporting your events. Identify actions to take if you need to postpone or cancel events. See More Collapse Mainly, people need to be cautious, she said. Make sure you wash your hands constantly. Be aware when you touch surfaces to not go and touch your face. If you sneeze or cough, cover your mouth. Smith said people who are not feeling well should not go out to reduce the risk of spreading illnesses. People who have suppressed immune systems should also avoid large gatherings, she said. That is general advice, but especially now. When I had chemo, that was something I had to worry about. With everything going on right now, there is no need to risk being compromised. Everyone just needs to be extra careful. The Nederland Heritage Festival, which draws about 100,000 attendees annually, runs Tuesday through Sunday. Nederland Mayor Don Albanese said he has not been in contact with the festival committee about precautions being taken, but he believes the fear around the outbreak could have a negative impact on attendance. I hope it doesnt, said Albanese, a member of the Knights of Columbus, which serve as a food vendor at the festival each year. We have a lot of vendors that already bought food. Goldstar Amusements provides rides for the Nederland Heritage Festival. The Minnesota-based company will make its first tour stop of 2020 in Nederland, according to the companys website. Minnesota had no confirmed cases as of Friday. Neither Goldstar nor the Heritage Festival returned calls for comment. CDC guidelines for mass events include encouraging staff workers who are ill to stay home, providing more areas for hand sanitizing, as well as areas for people to isolate themselves if they are feeling ill but cant immediately leave. chris.moore@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/Chris_Moore09 (Natural News) A veterinary clinic in Sydney has found itself flooded with calls from pet owners asking for their pets to be euthanized. Sam Kovac of Southern Cross Veterinary Clinic in St. Peters, Sydney, said their clinic received calls within the past couple of weeks from customers asking about the possibility of euthanizing their pets over fears that the animals could infect them with the coronavirus. Theyre scared their dog could catch coronavirus and bring it home and be a risk to their family, Kovac said in an interview with website 10Daily. I had one client say to me dogs are in lockdown in China, should I be putting Cheto into quarantine at home?, Kovac said. According to Kovac, he has refused all requests. Kovac said he has taken to explaining to clients that the common coronavirus seen in dogs is not the same as the deadly new virus affecting humans, adding in his interview, that he was disturbed by the fact that pet owners would seek to euthanize their dogs over a disease. If youd ask the same clients if theyd euthanize their grandma, theyd say no. Why have a pet and treat it differently to how youd treat another family member? he added. Kovac, however, expressed concern over the possibility that other veterinarians may comply with panicked pet owners requests. I am worried about people going elsewhere to euthanize pets because there are unscrupulous people out there that would profit from putting animals down. According to Kovac, he believes the panic and confusion stemmed from a recent outbreak of canine coronavirus in Victoria. This outbreak, Kovac said, led to greyhounds being quarantined for up to two weeks before participating in races. Canine coronavirus primarily causes contagious gastroenteritis, which can lead to abdominal pain and diarrhea. Kovac maintains however, that this type of coronavirus cannot infect humans. Authorities confirm: Dog tests positive for COVID-19 coronavirus in Hong Kong In what would seem like a twist of fate; however, it seems dogs are more at risk for contracting the COVID-19 coronavirus from their owners, based on an incident reported in Hong Kong. According to the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, they have received confirmation that a dog indeed, tested weak positive for the new coronavirus. Experts unanimously agreed the results suggested the dog had a low-level of infection and it is likely to be a case of human-to-animal transmission, the department said in a statement. The dogs owner was infected with COVID-19. The dog, however, did not manifest any symptoms. In the original report, medical experts, including those from the World Health Organization (WHO), had been investigating the case to determine if the dog contracted the disease from its owner, or if it merely picked up the virus from another source, such as a contaminated surface. It is positive to tests and has been infected, so it is now quarantined in a center by the department. Further tests will be conducted and it will not be released until the tests return negative results, Hong Kong health minister Sophia Chan Siu-chee said during a press briefing on the epidemic, Thursday. (Related: China to implement PERMANENT ban on wildlife trade in the wake of coronavirus outbreak) The Hong Kong health department later released a statement, stating that there is still no evidence that pet animals could be a source of infection of COVID-19 or that they could fall ill from it. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) verified the report but said there was no evidence that pets played a role in the spread of the virus, a stance supported by the WHO. With regard to the dog in Hong Kong which tested weak positive to Covid-19 virus, these findings suggest that it is likely that the dog is infected with the virus. So far it is not showing relevant clinical signs, the OIE said. Currently, there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals which may compromise their welfare, they added. In addition, the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPCA) in Hong Kong said in a Facebook post that being infected was not the same as being infectious, and that infected animals are not capable of spreading the COVID-19 coronavirus. The SPCA is the largest independent animal welfare charity group in the city. While the information tells us that the dog has a low-level of infection members of the public should note that the dog is showing no symptoms whatsoever. We have been informed the dog is currently very healthy and doing well at the quarantine center, the group said. As of this writing, the COVID-19 coronavirus has infected 98,395 people and claimed 3,385 around the world. For more related news about the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19), visit Pandemic.news. Sources include: Mirror.co.uk 10Daily.com.au TheGuardian.com SCMP.com OIE.int Facebook.com Thirteen years after his first trip to Uzbekistan, RFE/RL photographer Amos Chapple revisited two of the countrys UNESCO World Heritage sites to find them transformed by the accelerated development the country has embraced in order to attract tourism. The center of Shakhrisabz, which was once a trading stop on the ancient Silk Road, in summer 2007. 1. Shakhrisabz The city was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000 thanks to its exceptional monuments and ancient quarters which bear witness to the centuries of its history. The same view of Shakhrisabz in 2020. In 2014, the citys medieval town was demolished by a fleet of bulldozers based on a decree by President Islam Karimov. After the extent of the destruction was revealed, UNESCO debated removing the citys World Heritage listing. In 2019, with the proviso that Uzbekistan develop a draft plan for the regeneration of the city, Shakhrisabz was allowed to keep its World Heritage status. A visitor to Shakhrisabz who witnessed the demolition of the historic center wrote the city looks like right after a massive war, or if a hurricane had leveled everything. The most important of the towns ancient buildings were left intact, but some have undergone heavy-handed renovation. The 19th-century Abdyshukur Agalik Madrasah in the center of Shakhrisabz in 2007 (left) and 2020. The restoration of the madrasah included modern building materials and techniques replacing ancient brickwork. The dome appears to have been completely rebuilt. The front of the Abdyshukur Agalik Madrasah in 2007 (top) and 2020. The school used to be accessed through an enclosed courtyard; it now opens directly onto the vast concrete space created by the demolition of the old center of Shakhrisabz. 2. Bukhara The 16th-century skyline of Bukhara and a market in the foreground in 2007. Most of the market area was rebuilt by the Soviets after a Red Army bombardment wiped out the original buildings during the 1920 invasion of Bukhara. The same site in 2020 after the market was demolished in 2017. A local historian who asked to remain anonymous told RFE/RL that our former President [Islam Karimov, who died in 2016,] felt that once we became an independent country this Soviet stuff should not be here.... In my opinion, though, it was already a part of the spirit of the city. An edge of the Soviet-era market in Bukhara in 2007. The same street in 2020. Shopkeepers whose businesses were demolished were relocated to newly built shops outside the historic center. A construction project called Shakhristan is planned for the space, which will feature a two-story market with traditional craftsmen workshops, retail shops, and stalls trading national souvenirs, gold-embroidery products, books, fruits and vegetables, sweets, and other products demanded by tourists. A woman selling crockery in the historic center of Bukhara in 2007. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal They pop up all over town. A cluster of candles, rosaries draped over a small wooden cross and messages like rest in peace scrawled on the pavement. Long after the debris has been cleared away, these silent memorials remain. There were at least 340 crashes involving pedestrians in the Albuquerque area last year. Among those, 42 people were killed a 20% increase over the prior year, and the total doesnt include the deaths of three cyclists. In 2018, the numbers were 331 and 35. As the state saw a 6.6% drop in pedestrian crashes, from 625 in 2018 to 584 last year, Albuquerque the largest contributor continued to see an increase. For three years in a row, in a 2017 report and preliminary reports for 2018 and 2019, the Governors Highway Safety Association ranked New Mexico as worst in the nation for pedestrian fatalities. The uptick in such fatal crashes in Albuquerque comes on the heels of local officials signing onto a national initiative to make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists. As part of that effort they have lowered speed limits in one part of town, assessed school crosswalks and are gearing up to pump legislative money into infrastructure citywide. But Scot Key, a state traffic safety advocate, said so far he has been underwhelmed by the citys efforts. As someone who pores over hundreds of crash reports and studies traffic safety measures, Key argues that a massive overhaul of minds is needed for change. The saddest part is that there is that apathy, that failure to see the need to reduce the numbers and to do something about it, he said. Driver rarely faulted Nearly all of the pedestrian crashes in Albuquerque last year have a common thread. Authorities determined the fault lies with the pedestrian in almost all of those cases. Its very rare to see a driver face serious charges like vehicular homicide even in deadly crashes, said Sgt. Michael Loftis, with APDs traffic unit. When someone is charged in these cases, its typically for something like careless driving or leaving the scene of an accident. We can debate. Should the driver have seen this person? Would I expect the driver to see this person? he said. We can debate that all the time, usually its that pedestrian error. Loftis said most pedestrian crashes in 2019 as with previous years happened at night, in dimly lighted areas with the person wearing dark clothes and not being in a crosswalk. The fatalities cluster in the languishing Central corridor between San Pedro and Eubank, where street lights are few and far between. Several crashes also dot the length of Coors as a business boom has led to more foot traffic but little change in driving habits or roadway changes. Very few happen in the North Valley or Northeast Heights. Some crashes are more frustrating, and senseless, to authorities than others. Loftis said that in two separate crashes last year, a person was struck and killed after jaywalking within 50 feet of the Gibson overpass walkway, near San Mateo and adjacent to the old Lovelace Hospital. I think theres a lot we could do, static-type of obstacles, to keep people from walking in the road, he said. But eventually theyre going to walk in the road. Many of the people killed in pedestrian crashes last year passed with little notice. Others, due to their circumstances, garnered widespread attention and newspaper headlines like the 15-year-old struck by a stolen truck as it fled police on the West Side or the mother of two killed when a Kirtland airman struck her near the base. So far no suspect has been named in the teens death, but the airman is set for a court martial in June on charges of reckless driving, voluntary manslaughter and negligent homicide. A particularly high-profile case in 2018, the death of 12-year-old Eliza Almuina outside Cleveland Middle School, sent shock waves through the community that are still being felt. We heard about that for a long time, Loftis said. In the same week, we probably had two other people hit and killed around the city, and we didnt hear anything. Within months of Almuinas death the city put a new $350,000 HAWK signal outside the school and formed a task force to study hundreds of school crosswalks citywide. You can attribute it to how much the media cares or how much the general public cares about the people that will walk out in the street, thats something that I couldnt comment on, Loftis said. End of the story In the deadliest crash in 2019, two people died and APD didnt send out a notification or news release. Around 9:15 p.m. on June 1, Tony Rubio, 49, and Eleanor Cole, 29, used a crosswalk at the intersection of Coors and Fortuna NW. They were both hit by a man in a truck and eventually died from their injuries. The driver told police it was dark and he couldnt see the two until they were right in front of him. The driver was found to be intoxicated and was arrested for vehicular homicide that night. However, further investigation revealed the driver was below the legal limit and Rubio and Cole were walking against a do not walk signal. When the case was forwarded to the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office, prosecutors found there was not enough evidence to prove vehicular homicide or DWI in this case. Its one case, of many, that shows the complexities of pedestrian fatal crash investigations that can take months to complete. Key said its another example of leaning on blame instead of enacting change. He said changes are needed at state and local levels, including rewording statutes that now make it easy for police and prosecutors to blame pedestrians and enacting policies that require marked crosswalks at specified distances. You have to change the mindset to Oh. yeah, maybe we should actually start doing stuff that reduces it as opposed to These are the reasons the victim should be blamed and thats the end of the story from our perspective,' Key said. (Natural News) Preparing for the worst, Americas largest bank is going on lock down to prepare for the coronavirus. Its all part of JPMorgans virus contingency plan that calls on thousands of US employees to work from home and others to be relocated. The banks risk department said the plans are a precautionary measure to reduce physical contact should a case of coronavirus arise. JPMorgan preparing to relocate some New York and London employees Not only will thousands of employees get to work from home, but the bank will also be relocating some of their sales and trading staff to backup locations. JPMorgan will shift some workers in New York and London to new locations where the coronavirus is not reportedly spreading. Dividing our workforce into different locations improves our ability to serve clients continuously while reducing the health risks associated with physical contact should a case arise, says Brian Marchiony, a bank spokesman. JPMorgan to let 12,000 select employees work from home The bank is preparing for the worst. Should they have to close their domestic offices, at least 10 percent of the workforce will be able to work remotely and continue to serve customers in some capacity. JPMorgan has code-named the resiliency plan Project Kennedy. With 127,137 employees, JPMorgan has a lot at stake. During this time of preparedness, at least 12,000 employees will be cleared to work from home. According to internal memos, the bank is having branch workers sanitize offices, equipment, elevators, and door handles, too. No one knows how long this scenario will play out. No one knows how long the fear of this virus will last. These are not the only plans being discussed. The banks risk department is debating how they might quarantine staff or how far apart they might require traders to sit from one another in meetings. The bank is also testing out its telecommuting policy in case of a pandemic, utilizing digital tools such as teleconference. The bank is also restricting non-essential international travel for all employees, limiting person-to-person contact. Even if this resiliency plan works at first, JPMorgan wont be operational unless thousands of tellers show up to the banks 4,976 branches located around the country. The tellers have to show up to work in order for the bank to function. If the tellers dont show up because of sickness, panic, travel restriction, food shortage or quarantine, its possible that the banks elite would have to leave their cozy offices and serve customers in the field. Regardless, in the event of a pandemic, the banks highest paid employees will get preferential treatment first, with the ability to work away from the public, in cubicles or home offices. JPMorgan isnt just limiting travel and contact between employees; the bank is also encouraging consumers not to come into the branches. Instead, JPMorgan is encouraging consumers to access bank services through digital channels. Stay up-to-date with the latest shutdowns, lock down and closures over coronavirus fears at Pandemic.News. Sources include: Zerohedge.com Reuters.com If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here The Fire Department of the City of New York has ordered firefighters to stop responding to calls involving potential coronavirus symptoms. The order issued on Friday directs firefighters to stop supporting EMS paramedics and EMTs on 911 calls involving coughing, fever, difficulty breathing or possible asthma attacks, the New York Daily News reported. FDNY firefighters all have certified first responder medical training, and they often respond to medical calls to support ambulance units by helping with crowd control or initial medical intervention such as CPR. Now, as New York declares a state of emergency with the number of coronavirus cases in the state spiking to 89, FDNY firefighters are being held in reserve in an apparent attempt to slow the potential spread of the virus among key emergency personnel. FDNY Engine 34 pulls away from its fire station on 38th Street in Hell's Kitchen in a file photo. The department has ordered firefighters to stop responding to coronavirus symptom calls People wear face masks in Times Square New York this week. New York declared a state of emergency with the number of coronavirus cases in the state spiking to 89 on Saturday FDNY spokesman Frank Dwyer told the Daily News that the order was a move to prioritize resources amid the outbreak of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Payscale for NYC firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs Firefighter: $43,074 to $99,104 Paramedic: $43,690 to $59,079 EMT: $31,931 to $45,834 Advertisement 'Firefighters continue to respond to the highest-priority medical calls, whether they are potential COVID-19 calls or not, including Segment 1 incidents, cardiac and respiratory arrests, choking and trauma incidents,' he said. Segment 1 calls are the highest priority calls, and the new order refers only to lower-priority Segment 2 calls. The city's ambulance service is operated by the FDNY EMS Command, and staffed by paramedics and EMTs who have long complained that they are lower paid than firefighters. The union representing paramedics and EMTs is furious at the move, saying that ambulance crews are being used as the 'canary in the coal mine.' The city's ambulance service is operated by the FDNY EMS Command, and staffed by paramedics and EMTs who have long complained that they are lower paid than firefighters 'EMS is once again on the front lines as the city deals with the coronavirus outbreak,' Oren Barzilay, president of Local 2507, the union of EMTs and paramedics, told the Daily News. 'Our members will go into the hot zone of people who might be infected. That is our job and we are faced with these kinds of dangers and others every day.' 'It is not the first time EMS has acted as the canary in the coal mine to protect the public, and it won't be the last. It's important now more than ever for the mayor to acknowledge the work we do,' he stated. Department sources said the move was likely spurred by a fear of having to quarantine an entire firehouse if a firefighter tested positive for coronavirus, potentially crippling the city's emergency response capabilities. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 16:38:31|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Measures rolled out by the central authorities to strengthen the protection of medical workers in the fight against COVID-19 are being implemented across China, a health official said Sunday. A circular issued by a central leading group on the prevention and control of COVID-19 in late February listed measures in 10 aspects including salary and benefits, work-related injury insurance, daily needs, rotating shifts and mental health services for medics. Over 20 provincial-level regions have issued documents to specify the implementation of the measures, said Duan Yong, an official with the National Health Commission, at a press conference in Beijing. Duan said more efforts will be made to push forward the implementation of the measures and the establishment of long-term mechanisms for the protection of medical professionals across the country. Tesla Inc.s effort to beat back an investor lawsuit over Elon Musks notorious take-private tweet drew sharp questions from a judge about the chief executives dealings with a Saudi Arabian investment fund. The company asked U.S. District Judge Edward Chen on Friday to throw out a suit claiming Musks Twitter post on Aug. 7, 2018 Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured was an intentional deception that jolted the electric-car makers stock price. Investors are seeking billions of dollars in damages to cover their losses. Chen zeroed in on the second half of Musks message and suggested that it may well be misleading if he didnt disclose that there were obstacles to getting the funding. In his defense, Musk has pointed to conversations he had with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund a week earlier. But investors contend the potential deal was thin on details and might have required Tesla to build a Middle Eastern production facility. To say something is secured does not reveal that there are some conditions, some pretty darn big conditions to making a deal certain, Chen said. The omission makes Musks tweet arguably not accurate. Teslas stock surged as much as 13% after the tweet, hammering short sellers who hadnt covered their positions. Also suing are investors who read Musks message as a buy sign, only to see Teslas share price plummet when doubts mounted about Musks ability to follow through. Weeks later, he abandoned the idea of going private. Since the 2018 tweet, Teslas often volatile shares, which closed at a low of $178.79 in June 2019, are up more than 64% in 2020. Teslas lawyer, Dean Kristy, argued that the shareholders who are suing conveniently ignore that days after Musks meeting with the Saudi fund, and before the tweet, the CEO told his board that he wanted to take the company private. Musk and Teslas independent directors, who formed a special committee, hired financial and legal advisers to explore the going-private transaction, Kristy said. Musk posted the tweet while the market was open, 30 minutes after a Financial Times story revealed the funds recent purchase of 5% of Teslas stock, Kristy said. He had just had the meeting with the Saudi fund, the lawyer said. He wanted to preempt further leaks. Nicholas Porritt, a lawyer for the investors, told Chen its significant that Musks tweet is in the past tense. Funding secured means its available, completed, he said. Thats the phrase the market, all the analysts, picked up on, Porritt said. It cant get any more crystal clear than that. And funding was not secured. The judge didnt immediately rule on Teslas request to dismiss the case. Rajesh Kumar Thakur By Express News Service BIHAR: A district magistrate revolutionises maternal care in north Bihar by adopting a digital app which was discarded at launch in Tamil Nadu as unsuccessful. Rajesh Kumar Thakur finds out why the failed app is working for expectant mothers in Mithilanchal Shamim Akhtar, 36, had been plagued by the fear that his wife Shabana Parveen would die. Shamim would often wake up in the middle of the night, sweating, after having seen nightmares of ill-luck. Shabana had turned pale for some time now and she had been breathing heavily-almost wheezing. With no elderly women at home, he had feared for the worst. Shanti Devi, the village midwife had informed their neighbour, also expecting, that if she had mobile at home, she could download an app that would help her stay healthy at delivery time. Shamim gave it a try. Within hours of Shamim registering his wifes condition, Shanti was home for a visit. Shabana, now in her tri-semester, was quickly identified for urgent care because of hypertension. That probably saved her life. DM Thiyagarajan, whose initiative has helped expectant women in North Bihar In a state like Bihar where skilled obstetric care is still a challenge, a digital health initiative through an app called Wonder did the wonder for Shamim and Shabana, living in Darbhanga district. An initiative of District Magistrate Dr Thiyagarajan SM, it ensured timely and correct medical intervention and maternal care which saved two lives. Darbhanga now is the first district in India which has a system to maintain and monitor maternal care with the use of software developed by Narmadha Kuppuswami, an Illinois-based obstetrician and gynaecologist with more than 40 years of experience. Launched in August 2019, this wonderful app is being used at all Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and other hospitals of Darbhanga by ANMs and other health personnel to monitor pregnant womens health. It helps generate alerts over emerging complications among registered women and addresses problems with suggestions. Thiyagarajan had heard about the app, first launched in Erode (Tamil Nadu) but discarded as unsuccessful. He, however, was willing to give a serious try, he says. It worked.The electronic record system of the app uses special vital health signs in Red and Yellow colour as obstetrics warning signs, which helped a medical team to help Pinki Devi of Benipur, who registered through the app and was recently diagnosed with lack of haemoglobin. A health team visited her and provided vitamin and iron pills to overcome her seriously anaemic state. She survived too. The DM said the facility has been provided to all PHCs in all 18 administrative blocks of the district after initial success in the first two blocks where it was tested. Thiyagarajan said at each block headquarter, the latest updates provided by ANMs and other health workers is fed. To begin with, over 21,000 pregnant women registered themselves by September 30, soon after it was launched. The numbers had crossed 70,000 by January 2020. Around 15,000 patients opted for HB test through the app while over 13,000 patients registered for HIV test too. Darbhanga being a district with heavy out-migration of men and huge caseload of HIV, the app has helped control future risks in women. Senior health personnel, including doctors, have the app on their smartphones, while trained personnel monitor it on their desktops. Rekha Devi, ANM, posted at Benipur primary health centre, some 35 km north of Darbhanga, said, The process of patient examination is recorded and can be transferred as a digital or paper file for hospital record, even as it helps remind a patient of when she should get admitted or come for check-ups. Even Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, appreciated the effort and said it would be recreated all over, she said.Thiyagarajan too flaunts the app on his smartphone.Thats for overall supervision, he says with a smile. Loading Loading The increasing noise decibel around the suspension of the national chairman of the All Progress Congress [APC], Adamu Aliyu Oshiomole may have caught the attention of the powerbrokers within the APC and the presidency. This is as 247ureports.com authoritatively gathered that there are clandestine moves underway to further handle the suspended chairman in a manner to end his political career for good. According to available information, the removal of Adamu Oshiomole from the office of national chairman has the unofficial blessing of the President of the federal republic of Nigeria, Mohammadu Buhari. And that the cabals within the presidency had long signed off on his removal and arrest. Particularly, the ever influential Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari who was reported to have been unsettled with some actions of Adamu Oshiomole during the period leading up to the general elections, is believed to have granted favors to Oshiomole in exchange for a promise to deliver on an aspirant. Of which, Oshiomole failed to deliver on. Other high ranking officials of the Buhari administration are reported to be gunning for the outright removal of the suspended national chairman and likely arrest on corruption allegations. This includes the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and others. Our source within the APC told 247ureports.com the plan currently underworks involves compilation of corruption charges against Adamu Oshiomole stemming from supposed bribery allegations during the APC congresses and primary election for the general elections. The monies are estimated at over N15billion. Our source made the claim the DSS, EFCC and other security agencies are aware of the plan. Oshiomole will be arrested and charged. It is uncertain which anti-graft agency will do the arrest but our source strongly claims a plan is underway to affect his arrest. 247ureports reached out to Simon the media aide to Oshiomole for comments. He did not respond. Stay tuned On The Incredible Dr. Pol, its real life happening at a real veterinary clinic. There are no sets or animals brought in with fake illnesses. Dr. Jan Pol of The Incredible Dr. Pol | Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic The 77-year-old animal doctor, his staff, and their patients are the real deal and, as the vet himself says, sometimes it can get a little scary. Its the real deal on The Incredible Dr. Pol Dr. Pol is an optimistic personality and feels that the show is so popular because thats what people are looking for: a break from the harshness and fast pace of life. What you see on the [Nat Geo Wild] show is real family life, Dr. Pol told AARP in 2019. In the beginning, a producer wanted me and my son, Charles, to get into a fight for the cameras. I said, Im not going to do it; our family loves each other. The Netherlands-born vet paused in his book, Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow to reflect on how this reality show came out of nowhere and changed his life and his familys. We have appreciated every single moment of this experience. And every once in a while I kind of pause and wonder why it has happened. And the answer, I think, goes back to the values that our family has always lived by; we believe in working to the best of our ability, being fair and honest, never forgetting how important it is to laugh at ourselves. Something thats real to Dr Pol: affordable veterinary care An issue very dear to the Michigan veterinarian is affordable pet care for everyone. It upsets Dr. Pol to see a pets care compromised because its family is unwilling to get it the care it needs because of lack of resources. He elaborated on this point on his website. The question I ask myself when I see a patient is: What do I have to do to reach the best possible outcome, in the fairest and most economical way possible? No owner wants an animal to suffer because medical care is unaffordable, and there are far too many animals abandoned or euthanized as a result. Affordable care means that I let my clients make the choice that is right for their family. And for me, the animal always comes first. Always. Animal care can get scary As easy as Dr. Pol makes it look, caring for animals, especially large ones, including the cows, bulls, goats, snakes, and more that Pol Veterinary Service sees on a daily basis is anything but easy. So whats one of the scariest moments the staff has seen take place during filming of the reality show? Charles Pol told NatGeo WILD in 2014, Weve had a number of close calls with the crew, but the most dangerous was probably when one crew member got run down by a beef cow. We lost the footage of the incident, so it never made the actual show, but it was really scary. Read more: The Incredible Dr. Pol: What is The Vets Favorite Dog Breed? Leadership, money, wage, and gender equality concept depicted with female and male figurines standing on top of coins. (Getty) Time and again, we have rich, deep data sets showing how there is a global gender gap not just in pay but in equality of opportunities, work, healthcare, and many other areas. The annual benchmark World Economic Forum (WEF) report on gender equality showed that the global gender pay gap will take 99.5 years to close and said that the prospects for economic opportunity have actually worsened in the past 12 months for women at work. But in order to truly tackle the issue, there needs to be acknowledgement there is a problem and then take steps to change the status quo. This is especially pertinent to those in power, which by statistics due to the pipeline problem that companies have where the higher up you go, the fewer women there are in senior positions are men. The latest set of data from global professional services recruiter, Morgan McKinley, shows why change is so slow essentially most men at work dont think there is a problem or a gap. Read more: Three official reasons why there's a huge global gender pay gap The Morgan McKinleys Gender Equality in the Workplace survey of 2,500 global employees working in the financial services, professional services and commerce sectors, shows the gap between male and female respondents opinions. In the UK, it came joint worst (with Singapore) in terms of perception of whether male and female employees are paid equally at their companies at 34%: Men: 61% believe male and female employees are paid equally. Women: 25% think salaries are equal. Men: 63% feel their current employer does enough to ensure gender equality at work. Women : 32% felt the same way. Men: 71% think they are presented with equal opportunities to progress their careers as their female colleagues. Women: 33% believe they have the same progression opportunities as male colleagues. Read more: Helena Morrissey: Many companies will have to 'go backwards to go forwards' to close the gender pay gap The route to both achieving gender equality in the workplace, and ensuring those within businesses feel there is a commitment to this, is a deep-rooted issue which is clearly still some way off from being completely rectified, said Darren Burns, operations director at Morgan McKinley UK. This research suggests companies have progressed, but its worrying to learn that there isnt a level playing field in terms of equal career development opportunities. How can we ever solve an issue that involves different parties if one side does not believe there is a problem, or only sees it as a minor issue, while the other side perceives it as a large, continuing problem? : Authorities began culling of domesticated birds and hens near here on Sunday, as part of the Kerala governments precautionary measures following the outbreak of bird flu, officials said. The health authorities culled birds within a one-km raidus of two poultry farms at nearby Vengeri and Kodiyathoor where the outbreak was reported last week. Nearly 200 trained staff and support members in as many as 25 rapid response squads of five each are in the process of culling an estimated 12,000 birds mostly chicken besides turkey and love birds. The officials in protective gear are engaged in the culling operation. The carcasses are also being burnt. "The process of culling and disinfection is likely to extend for two more days. As per our census, an estimated 12,000 birds will be culled in three days, said the District Animal Husbandry Officer Dr Sindhu Krishnan. Meanwhile, the Corporation health officials seized pet birds from a street-side vendor in Thondayad near here as part of the district administration's initiative in checking the spread of the disease. According to Corporation sources, the trader had some dead birds also. To prevent Avian Influenza from spreading, the district collector had on Saturday issued instructions to close all chicken farms, chicken and egg stalls and pet and ornamental bird shops within 10 km of the epicentre farms at Vengeri and West Kodiyathooor. The collector Sambasiva Rao had also cautioned of stringent action against defaulters under Kerala Municipality Act. According to sources, the owners of the birds, which are culled, would be compensated for their loss. The state health department, in association with the Animal Husbandry department and the civic authorities, was involved in the exercise, officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Intelligence Bureau and Delhi Police have uncovered a massive plot to replicate the Colombo-style Jihadist attacks in Delhi by a module of Islamic-State Khorasan Province (ISKP) after two members of the group were arrested on Sunday. As per a report by Times Now, the arrested members, who are a husband-wife couple, were planning to procure a potent chemical Triacetone triperoxide (TATP) for the purpose. The chemical is called the Mother of Death by the Islamic State terrorists. #Breaking | Sensational details of IS link in the Delhi riots, Colombo style attack module busted. IS terrorists' text messages hold the key. Details by TIMES NOW's Priyank. pic.twitter.com/PH1KdQLw4V TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) March 9, 2020 In April 2019, multiple blasts rocked Columbo, capital city of Sri Lanka, which left hundreds dead. The blasts took place in churches across Columbo, Sri Lankas capital, on Easter Sunday, which clearly meant the blasts were carried out to attack the Christians, the minorities, on their festival to cause maximum casualties. After arrest of ISIS linked husband-wife duo, Delhi police arrest PFI member connected with them As per reports, Delhi Police has said that the arrested husband Jahan Jaib Sami used to provoke people by creating several accounts on social media. He was active on social media with five different names, which are Jahan Jaib Saami, Dawood Ibrahim, Jaib, Abu Mohammed Al-Hind, and Abu Abdullah. All social media accounts are being investigated. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has received but from the husband and wifes relationship with the Popular Front of India (PFI) member. After arrest of husband and wife, police has arrested a member of PFI from Trilokpuri in Delhi on Sunday night. Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested PFI member Danish Ali from Trilokpuri. Danish Ali is accused of inciting people and spreading violence during a CAA demonstration. Special cell has filed a separate case in relation to Danish. He is being called the Delhi Incharge of Counter Intelligence of PFI. Democracy wont save you, Jihad will : ISIS linked couple arrested in Delhi said During the investigation it was learnt that Hina was active on the social media and was scouting for recruits. They have even planned suicide attacks in Delhi and were in the process of procuring arms, the source added. The police have also learnt that Sami had published the February edition of the Sawt al Hind (Voice of India), an ISIS magazine. In one of the articles, he called on the Indian Muslims to violently agitate and turn to Jihad to protest against the newly amended citizenship law. Democracy will not save you. Jihad will save you, the article also said. The police say that they are now investigating the links of this couple. We are trying to ascertain if there were more persons who were associated with this couple. Delhi : Couple with IS links detained for inciting anti-CAA protests A couple from Kashmir with alleged links to the Khorasan module of the Islamic State were detained from southeast Delhis Jamia Nagar by Delhi Police on Sunday (8 March). Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pramod Singh Kushwaha said the couple, identified as Jahanjeb Sami and wife Hina Bashir Beg, was apparently instigating anti-Citizenship Act protests in Delhi and was trying to exploit the ongoing situation. The husband-wife duo, who were identified as Jahanjeb Sami and Hina Bashir Beg, were instigating anti-CAA protests in the area, DCP (special cell) Pramod Kushwaha said. The Islamic State Khorasan Province is the Afghanistan-based affiliate of IS. The couple was detained in an early morning operation after inputs were shared by the Intelligence Bureau. A probe is underway and several agencies are questioning them, a senior official said. Jamia and the neighbouring Shaheen Bagh in national capitals Okhla have been witnessing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act for over three months now. The uproar began after alleged police attacks on the students of Jamia Millia University on the night of December 15, 2019. The CAA grants citizenship to Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists, and Jains from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014. It has become controversial largely because it excludes Muslims. Source : Indian Express If they ever bring back the TV programme Holidays From Hell, the start of this year would provide enough material for an entire series. Quarantined hotels, stranded cruise ships, flight cancellations and then an airline (Flybe) going bust and its not even spring. With coronavirus continuing to spread, people are increasingly reluctant to travel, meaning airlines are cancelling dozens of flights, cruise companies are frantically rescheduling and hotel operators are contemplating a disastrous summer. Coronavirus crisis: People wearing face masks arrive at Heathrow Airport Only those still happy to travel are benefiting from bargain prices and emptying flights but it would take strong nerves to book an overseas holiday at the moment. But what if you already have holidays booked? Following our report last week, Coronavirus ruined your travel plans?, we have been deluged with letters from readers asking what they should do about their existing travel arrangements. Some stand to lose thousands of pounds if they cancel but fear risking their health if they go. We asked the experts about their options: My wife and I booked a 17-day tour of China, taking in Beijing, Xian, Chengdu and Shanghai. I will be 70 in May and have only just recovered from bowel cancer so I do not want to take any risks. We have been told by our travel company that they can only confirm our tour either way four weeks before it starts. I want to cancel the trip but weve been told we will forfeit our money. What should we do? Check your travel insurance. Given there is a Foreign & Commonwealth Office advisory notice against all but essential travel to where you are going, then you should be covered provided you have travel disruption cover and the notice is still in place prior to departure. If the trip is not for several months, then this could be classed under disinclination to travel which is not covered by most travel insurers. It is advisable to talk directly with the travel company to see if there is anything they can offer. A man wipes his face in front of stock market screens that are almost all in the red We had planned to go on a cruise in June to the Baltic states calling at Sweden, Denmark and Germany. My wife and I have underlying medical conditions and are both nearly 80 years old. We decided to lose our 400 deposit rather than pay the balance of 3,000 because we are so worried about coronavirus. Our holiday company said it could not give us a refund because there were no Government restrictions for this area and likewise our travel insurance company said the same. Is there anything else we can do? Rebecca Kingsley, brand manager of consumer awareness website Travel Insurance Explained, says: Sadly the majority of travel policies do not cover disinclination to travel which means the couple are not entitled to claim. But some insurers are offering to consider claims for cancellation if there is a medical justification as to why they can no longer travel. In this circumstance, the consumer has said both he and his wife have underlying conditions so it may be worth speaking to the insurer about cancelling for medical reasons. My girlfriend and I booked return flights with Flybe to Dublin next month. Now the airline has gone into administration, what can we do to get our money back? Martin Lewis, from MoneySavingExpert, is advising customers to first ask their credit or debit card company for a chargeback because they have paid for something they have not received. Some travel insurance companies will cover cancelled flights if they are the result of an airlines collapse, but not all policies include this. Flights bought directly from airlines are not generally ATOL-protected but those bought through a separate travel company as part of a holiday package may be covered. I have paid 7,000 for flights to Japan to stay with a family who are currently self-isolating and then travelling on to Australia. When I get to Australia, I might be forced to self-isolate having come from Japan. I want to get a refund or rebook for a later date. But my travel agent says there is nothing it can do as there are currently no travel restrictions to Japan. It's worth monitoring the Foreign & Commonwealth Offices guidance as this is changing frequently as the virus spreads. If you have not taken out travel insurance with travel disruption cover, then do so as soon as possible as you should be covered if the guidance then changes. My travel companion has been advised by her doctor not to travel to Myanmar due to her lung condition and concerns over coronavirus, so we have cancelled our trip. I have insurance with Staysure which covers the event of my travelling companion not being able to go, but they have refused my claim. Is it possible to appeal? I have contacted Staysure and it says Myanmar had no reported cases at the time of claiming. If you do not agree with an insurers decision you can make a formal complaint and after that, you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service. We booked a three-week stay at Costa Adeje, in Tenerife. Shortly after booking, the first coronavirus cases were reported in a hotel at the resort. We are aged 78 and 77 and stand to lose the entire 3,562 that we paid if we decide not to go ahead with the holiday as planned. What can we do? Kingsley of Travel Insurance Explained says: Unless the holiday has been cancelled by the travel agent or the airline cancels the flights, disinclination to travel will not be covered. While some travel agents offer to amend trip dates, it is not something that they legally have to provide. Also, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has not advised against travel to the region. (Newser) From the streets of Manila to a school in East London, people around the world marked International Womens Day on Sunday with calls to end exploitation and increase equality. But tensions marred some celebrations, with police arresting demonstrators at a rally in Kyrgyzstan and separatists detonating a bomb during a ceremony in Cameroon, the AP reports. No one was hurt in the attack. "In many different ways or forms, women are being exploited and taken advantage of," Arlene Brosas, the representative of a Filipino advocacy group said during a rally that drew hundreds to the area near the presidential palace. Protesters called for higher pay and job security, and demanded that President Rodrigo Duterte respect womens rights. Around the world: story continues below Pakistan : In Pakistan, women rallied in cities across the country, despite petitions filed in court seeking to stop them. The opposition was stirred in part by controversy over a slogan used in last years march: "My Body, My Choice." The main Islamic political party, Jamaat-e-Islami, organized its own rallies to counter the march. : In Pakistan, women rallied in cities across the country, despite petitions filed in court seeking to stop them. The opposition was stirred in part by controversy over a slogan used in last years march: "My Body, My Choice." The main Islamic political party, Jamaat-e-Islami, organized its own rallies to counter the march. Chile : One of the largest demonstrations occurred in Chile, where tens of thousands flooded the streets of the capital with dancing, music, and angry demands for gender equality and an end to violence against women. "They kill us, they rape us and nobody does anything," some chanted. : One of the largest demonstrations occurred in Chile, where tens of thousands flooded the streets of the capital with dancing, music, and angry demands for gender equality and an end to violence against women. "They kill us, they rape us and nobody does anything," some chanted. Spain : Thousands of women also marched in Madrid and other Spanish cities, despite concern over the spread of the new coronavirus. A massive banner reading, "With rights, without barriers. Feminists without frontiers" in Spanish was carried at the front of the march in the capital. : Thousands of women also marched in Madrid and other Spanish cities, despite concern over the spread of the new coronavirus. A massive banner reading, "With rights, without barriers. Feminists without frontiers" in Spanish was carried at the front of the march in the capital. London : At a school in East London, meanwhile, the duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, joined students in listening to speeches about women labor activists, and urged both girls and boys to respect the contributions of women every day of the year. : At a school in East London, meanwhile, the duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, joined students in listening to speeches about women labor activists, and urged both girls and boys to respect the contributions of women every day of the year. Cameroon : The detonation of explosives triggered panic at a ceremony in Bamenda, an English-speaking town in the northwest of Cameroon. Suspicions focused on separatists who had vowed to disrupt the events. No one was killed or wounded. : The detonation of explosives triggered panic at a ceremony in Bamenda, an English-speaking town in the northwest of Cameroon. Suspicions focused on separatists who had vowed to disrupt the events. No one was killed or wounded. Kyrgyzstan: Police in Bishek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, detained about 60 people after a group of unidentified men broke up what authorities called an unauthorized rally. (Read more International Women's Day stories.) Bulgaria and Moldova have confirmed the first cases of the coronavirus in those countries. Bulgarian health officials have confirmed a total of four cases of the coronavirus even as the country battles to contain an outbreak of influenza. Officials said on March 8 that two men from the northern city of Pleven and two women in the central city of Gabrovo have tested positive. The government was expected to hold an emergency meeting later in the day to discuss measures to contain the outbreak. Bulgaria has already introduced temperature screening at all airports and border crossings in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease. After the first two cases were announced earlier in the day, chief state health inspector Angel Kunchev said the patients apparently had not traveled anywhere or come into contact with anyone who had returned from a country with a coronavirus outbreak. Todor Kantardzhiev, director of the National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, said the 27-year-old man and the 75-year-old woman were tested for the infection as a preventive measure after being hospitalized several days ago with severe respiratory problems. Health officials said they have identified and begun testing those who had been in contact with the two, about 40 people in total. Bulgaria is already battling an influenza epidemic, with hospitals full of flu patients. The government has declared a nationwide influenza epidemic and closed all schools from March 6-11. Hospitals were ordered to postpone elective surgeries and ban patient visits. "The health system is already overburdened even before a single case of coronavirus has been detected," Kunchev was quoted as saying on March 6. Almost 5,000 cases of type B flu were reported during the last week of February. Authorities in Moldova, meanwhile, have reported that country's first confirmed case of coronavirus. The Health Ministry said late on March 7 that a 48-year-old woman tested positive in Chisinau after being hospitalized upon arriving from Italy. Italy is one of the countries hardest hit by the epidemic. "The person was taken from the airportwith bilateral pneumonia, acute respiratory failure, fever, cough, and general weakness," the ministry's statement said. Health, Labor, and Social Services Minister Viorica Dumbraveanu said on March 8 that the woman fell ill in Italy on February 28 and had been hospitalized there. "However, she irresponsibly left the hospital and got on a plane and came back home," Dumbraveanu said during a meeting of a special commission set up to deal with the coronavirus situation. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the novel coronavirus has been identified in 103 countries and territories around the world. More than 106,000 infection cases have been identified globally and about 3,600 people have died. With reporting by RFE/RLs Bulgarian Service, Reuters, Interfax, AFP, TASS, and The Sofia Globe Senator Kamala Harris was in the middle of giving advice to a crowd of Miles College students and faculty when she connected eyes with a friend from college and burst into laughter. We started freshman year together at Howard [University,] Harris said smiling. This goes to say, make friends who will encourage and stand by you. The senators trip to the historically black college in Fairfield, Alabama, wasnt entirely to see old friends, but rather on behalf of Alabamas senator, Doug Jones. And she had nothing but positive remarks about Jones. On @DougJones: Harris said she loves working with Senator Jones. "We need his Alabama perspective," she said. "Please send him back, Alabama." Lily Jackson (@lilygjack) March 8, 2020 [Jones] and I are always cuttin up and sending each other notes," Harris said. "We were cuttin up in the impeachment hearings. Some of those words would not be spoken in church. In addition to praising Jones work for the state, Harris spent time discussing maternal well-being and health; the death penalty and her fears for the upcoming election. When asked whether she would be the first black woman chosen to serve as Vice President, she said, Old boy gotta get elected first. Lets get that done first and then well talk, referring to former Vice President Joe Biden. Last week, Harris announced her endorsement of Biden, and said, she would do everything in [her] power to get him elected, according to reporting from AP. Jones has been outspoken about his support for Biden for some time now. Here are a few quotes from Harris talk at Miles College: On the election cycle: Harris said her biggest fear approaching this next spell is the American public feeling that their voices and votes do not matter in the local and national races and the census. I fear that we cannot take anything for granted in this election cycle." On the death penalty: On Thursday, Alabama executed Nathaniel Woods. One of the main points proponents of the death penalty make, she said, is that it serves as deterrent. Harris said in all her years working a prosecutor - she was formerly as district attorney for San Francisco and Attorney General of California - she never met someone who thought, I wonder if pulling this trigger will give me life without parole or the death penalty. Its not a deterrent, she said. Its a flawed system. We should not have the state in the business of killing people. We are seeing over time that people are starting to change their minds about it. Sanaa, March 8 : The UN has called for an immediate halt to fighting in northern Yemen where the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels seized control of a strategic city on the border with Saudi Arabia last week. "I'm reiterating my call for an immediate and unconditional freeze and the start of a comprehensive, inclusive and accountable de-escalation process," Efe news quoted UN envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, as saying in a tweet on Saturday. He made the remarks during a first visit to Marib city, the capital of the oil-rich Marib province, the bastion of government military forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition. Marib is located near al-Hazm city, capital of the province of Al Jauf and border with Saudi Arabia, which was seized last March 1 by Yemeni rebels after weeks of fighting against government forces. "Yemen is at a critical juncture; it will either silence the guns and resume the political process, or we will slip back into large-scale conflict," Griffiths said following meetings with government officials in Marib city, around 195 km northeast of the rebel-held capital of Sanaa. The seizure of the city dealt a big blow to the internationally-recognized government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and the coalition, as it brings the rebels closer to Marib. "Marib has been a haven for hundreds of thousands of displaced Yemenis. Just last week, thousands of families arrived here fleeing fighting in al-Jawf. The parties need to ensure that Marib will remain a haven, not the next epicenter of the war," Griffiths said. "Military adventurism and the quest for territorial gains are futile," he added in reference to the Houthis. Yemen has been gripped in a power struggle between the Saudi-backed government and the Houthi rebels since late 2014. The conflict intensified when Saudi Arabia began a military intervention in Yemen in March 2015 in support of Hadi against the Houthi rebels, leaving 24 million people in need of humanitarian aid, according to the UN. At least one person was killed and 17 people were injured when gunfire erupted following a fight at a party in Cleveland, Ohio, attended by multiple motorcycle clubs, police said. A 48-year-old man was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds when Cleveland police officers responded to an address in a neighbourhood on the city's east side at about 11:30 pm (local time) on Saturday. Police said many other victims left the scene in private vehicles and began to arrive at various hospitals. Police said they learned there had been a party there party attended by "multiple motorcycle clubs." A fight broke out and some people were ejected from the party, but they returned firing shots at other people, some of whom fired back. A total of 18 people, including male and female victims, were shot and treated at various hospitals, authorities said. Injuries range from minor to serious, though police didn't immediately provide details about the victims or the extent of their injuries. Police said the case has "multiple shooters" and remains under investigation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Raipur, March 8 : Chhattisgarh is all set to celebrate a herbal Holi this year. Several self-funded groups of women have prepared herbal gulal using flowers offered in temples and bouquets received by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Women's groups have prepared herbal gulal from flowers collected from different temples across the state and flowers of bouquets received by Baghel. These women have also handed over a packet of herbal gulal to the Chief Minister. Experts believe that herbal gulal is not harmful for skin and does not have any side effects on health. In fact, it provides a cooling effect to the skin. Organic or herbal gulal made from flowers, fruits and ingredients like turmeric, marigold, rose, beetroot, spinach, pomegranate are beneficial for health, experts said. Serikhedi self-funded women's group of Raipur district and Jai Ganga Maiya self-funded women's group of Kabirdham district presented herbal gulal made from flowers to the Chief Minister. Another group Bihaan women's self-funded group has prepared herbal gulal from flowers offered at the Bhoramdeo temple in Kawardha and bouquets received from the Chief Minister's residence. Chief Minister Baghel congratulated these women's groups for creating the herbal gulal. "I am pleased to know that women have used the flowers collected from temples to prepare gulal. Similarly, flowers used in marriage ceremonies and other cultural programmes are also being used to make the herbal gulal. I would like to thank these groups of women." Women from Raipur district's Serikhedi have made eight quintals of Gulal so far. Moreover, these women are using vase pages and wrappers to pack soap and they are using the remaining sticks and leaves to make organic manure. Similarly, in Kabirdham district, herbal gulal is being prepared from flowers offered by devotees in the famous Bhoramdeo temple, which is also known as Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh, by Jai Ganga Mayya women's self-funded group. The group has prepared herbal gulal in nine different colours. Everyday devotees at the Sri Bhoramdeo temple offer around 200-300 kg flowers. As per reports, the temple collects about 400-500 kg of flowers on weekends. Latest updates on Holi Festival 2020 DANBURY A house fire off of Ball Pond Road Saturday night forced two adults and four dogs out of their home and called in an extra tanker from New Fairfield. City fire crews were called to a structure fire at 94 Ball Pond Road around 9:18 p.m., said James Gagliardo, a spokesman for the Danbury Fire Department. The News-Times previously reported the fire took place in New Fairfield. The house is located in Danbury, near the New Fairfield line. Additional tankers, police, and EMS teams were called to the scene and began putting out the blaze, Gagliardo said. The bulk of the fire was extinguished in about 25 minutes, but some pockets of fire remained and forced crews to conduct an extensive overhaul of the residence, he said. Eversource was also called to the scene. Power utilities are often dispatched to house fires in order to cut the power, to reduce the danger to firefighters working at the scene. The Red Cross was requested to help the two people and their dogs that were displaced in the fire. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined, Gagliardo said. The fire marshals office is investigating. No injuries were reported to any of the occupants, and no firefighters were hurt putting the fire out. Emergency personnel left the scene before midnight. An urgent MPs' debate is being held tomorrow after the Daily Mail revealed how 'jihadi textbooks' were used in Palestinian schools funded by 120 million of taxpayers' cash. UK foreign aid helps pay for schools in Gaza and the West Bank, where reading exercises for six-year-olds include the words 'martyr' and 'attack'. Eight-year-olds recite poems vowing to 'sacrifice my blood to eliminate the usurper from my country'. The Mail reported last month that physics is taught to 11-year-olds with the image of a boy with a slingshot targeting Israeli soldiers. Textbook research and translations by Impact-Se Nine-year-olds study maths by adding the number of martyrs in Palestinian uprisings in textbooks illustrated with pictures of their funerals. And ten-year-olds learn that the most important thing is giving their life for 'jihad and struggle'. The Mail reported last month that physics is taught to 11-year-olds with the image of a boy with a slingshot targeting Israeli soldiers. Tory MP Jonathan Gullis has now scheduled a Westminster Hall debate on 'radicalisation in the Palestinian school curriculum'. The text states: 'The heroism of the of the people Palestine Ever Since Palestine is under Jewish-Zionist occupation, its people are facing situations of heroism and sacrifice. The heroism of the children of Palestine was also evident in the first and second intifada - they opposed the Zionist enemies with force and courage'. Textbook research and translations by Impact-Se He said: 'As a former teacher, I was shocked by what I read in the Mail. We have an absolute duty to protect children and teach them to strive for peace not extremism and hate. 'I'm hopeful that MPs will support this attempt to stop radicalisation, extremism and the incitement of terrorism.' Peers have also raised concerns with Tory Baroness Altmann warning that Palestinian children were being 'fed hate'. The British aid money goes via the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. Over the past five years, the UK has given 330 million. It has pledged another 65 million for this year. Some 58 per cent of the funding goes on education. Of that, about 62 per cent is for schools in the West Bank and Gaza where 325,000 under-16s attend UNRWA schools. It means about 120 million of UK funding has gone where the textbooks are used. Marcus Sheff, of Israeli-based Impact-se, an organisation that monitors school textbooks, said: 'We have been highlighting this issue with MPs for some time and several have questioned government ministers on the matter. 'We hope that now action will be taken to end the radicalisation of Palestinian children in schools.' UNRWA said the schools had to follow a curriculum set by the Palestinian Authority, which produces and pays for the books. But it stressed it has 'robust systems' to ensure education in its schools reflects UN values. It also rejected the characterisation of the books as 'jihadi'. The Department for International Development has said the UK lobbied for an independent review of the material, which was now being led by the EU. Nine-year-olds study maths by adding the number of martyrs in Palestinian uprisings in textbooks illustrated with pictures of their funerals. The text states: 'The number of martyrs of the First Intifada (the Intifada of Rocks) is 2026 martyrs, and the number of martyrs of the Al-Aqsa Intifada is 5,050. The number of martyrs in the two intifadas is _________ martyrs'. Textbook research and translations by Impact-Se Rickie Forehand, 13, of Baltimores Loch Raven neighborhood was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The other five victims were taken to hospitals but are expected to survive. Tributes paid to former Bishop of East Anglia Tributes paid to former Bishop of East Anglia Tributes have been paid to Archbishop Peter Smith, previously the second Catholic Bishop of East Anglia, who died peacefully yesterday, after a short illness. Bishop Alan Hopes said: Archbishop Peter Smith died peacefully just before midnight yesterday March 6. He had received the Sacraments of the Church and his former secretary was with him when he died. His illness progressed very quickly just after his diagnosis with cancer a few weeks ago. Archbishop Peter was the second Bishop of East Anglia and served the Diocese from 1995 until 2001 when he was translated to the See of Cardiff. He became Archbishop of Southwark in 2010 until his retirement in 2019. I know that many of you will have fond remembrances and many stories of Archbishop Peter during his six years here which you will share with each other, said Bishop Alan. I have always been most grateful to him for his wise advice and encouragement both personally and at the Bishops Conference. For over 50 years, he made an outstanding contribution to the Catholic Church across three dioceses and nationally on the Bishops Conference. His straightforward faith, his sense of humour, honesty and humanity and his ability to cut to the chase in any debate stand out in a life which was dedicated to the Lord and his Church. May he rest in peace. A Diocesan Solemn Requiem Mass will be celebrated for Archbishop Peter in St Johns Cathedral on Friday March 27 at 11.30am. Pictured above is Archbishop Peter Smith. Picture Mazur/cbcew.org.uk Ontario identified three more people infected with COVID-19, the Ministry of Health said Sunday evening, raising the provinces number of confirmed coronavirus cases to 32. One of the three new cases announced Sunday evening include a woman in her 60s who went to Scarborough Health Network-General Sites emergency department on March 7, after returning from France on March 2. The second is man in his 60s who presented himself to North York General Hospitals emergency department March 7, after returning from Washington D.C on March 3, according to a written statement from the ministry. The third is a man in his 50s who presented himself to Brampton Civic Hospital after returning from Germany March 7. In both cases, the hospital took all necessary precautions and followed standard operating procedures, including testing and assessment, the statement said of the first two cases. The ministry has not commented on the third case. The (man in his 50s) was seen and assessed at Brampton Civic Hospital, and they were discharged home to follow self-isolation protocols, said Kiki Ferrari, Executive Vice President, Clinical Operations, William Osler Health System. The three new cases follow another case announced earlier on Sunday, of a woman in her 40s who went to Sunnybrook Health Science Centres emergency department after returning from Colorado on March 2. The patient was discharged home the same day where she remains in self-isolation. Toronto Public Health is actively engaged in contact tracing and case management. Dr. David Williams, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, will provide an update to the public at his regularly scheduled 3 p.m. media briefing Monday at Queens Park. In addition, the province will announce on Monday a new public notification protocol for its website that monitors coronavirus news. Every day, now including weekends, the website will be updated twice at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., according to Hayley Chazan, spokesperson for Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott. Previously, it had been revised only on weekday mornings. Information about new positive cases will be more comprehensive, too. The province will now provide information, including age, gender of the individual, public health unit and hospital involved, any relevant travel history and whether the individual is at home in isolation or is hospitalized, Chazan told the Star in an email. Of the 32 confirmed cases in Ontario, four have been resolved, with those patients having had two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart, according to the ministrys Sunday statement. The ministry also said that at this time, the virus is not circulating locally but added that given the global circumstances, Ontario is actively working with city and health partners to plan for the potential of local spread. For those who feel they may be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, the ministry advises following the same health protocols spelled out on its website for travellers returning from affected areas: contact your local public health unit or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000, stay at home, and avoid close contact with others. With files from Margaryta Ignatenko Lenore Estrada has seen orders plunge at her Three Babes Bakeshop, which caters to San Francisco tech companies whose workers are now telecommuting. With diners staying home, James Cox is making about $100 less in tips a night for her job as lead server at the Copper Spoon restaurant in Oakland. Nancy Harvey, who runs Lil Nancys Primary Schoolhouse in Oakland, doesnt know how she will survive if home quarantine or illness prevents children from coming to day care. Were all living close to the edge, Harvey said. I would be up a creek financially because I would not be able to pay my staff. As the coronavirus crisis evolves, it disproportionately affects lower-wage workers, exacerbating the inequalities between haves and have-nots. Cashiers, cooks, waiters, janitors, cabbies, ride-hail drivers, health aides, day care workers and others often live paycheck to paycheck. They cannot work remotely, cannot afford any loss of income, and often have minimal, if any, paid sick leave. But now there is less need for their services as many people work remotely, tourists and business travelers stay home, and public events get canceled. Service workers financial hardships could be even more dire if home quarantines get imposed. All low-wage workers are one paycheck away from a cascade of disasters, said Laura Padin, senior staff attorney at the National Employment Law Project. Service workers, who account for more than 85% of the workforce nationwide, generally interact with the public all day long, increasing their risk for contracting or transmitting the virus. Their work requires substantial direct contact with others, Padin said. The risks are not just to the low-wage workers and families, but to the broader public. Their vulnerability spreads the crisis, and the crisis increases the vulnerability, said Saru Jayaraman, director of the UC Berkeley Food Labor Research Center. On the brink of a global pandemic, we dont want workers forced to work when sick because they dont have any other choice. Padin, Jayaraman and other advocates are urging Congress and states to protect workers during the public health emergency by mandating paid sick leave, covering lost wages for quarantined people or those caring for children if schools are closed, raising unemployment insurance, providing subsidies for small businesses, and increasing wages, especially for restaurant workers, whose jobs handling food make it imperative that they not work while ill. The $8.3 billion in emergency funding Congress passed this week omitted any provision for mandatory paid sick leave, although some 30 million workers in the country lack it. Opposition from business groups has blocked paid-leave laws in some states and cities. There is no federal mandate for paid sick leave. Providing leave wouldnt just benefit individual workers, but would boost public health, said Rebecca Givan, associate professor of management and labor relations at Rutgers University. If lower-wage workers have to decide whether they can afford to take unpaid time off, that puts everybody at risk, she said. The service workers on whom everyone depends need the ability to make choices that benefit the public health staying home from work if theyre sick. Studies underscore the public health benefits of mandatory paid sick leave, which San Francisco pioneered in 2007, followed by several other cities and states. California enacted paid sick leave in 2015, but requires employers to offer only three days a year. A 2018 study found that requiring sick leave caused substantial decreases in flu rates. Conversely, a 2010 study of the 2009 swine flu pandemic found that people who went to work when sick presumably because they lacked paid leave contributed to 7 million infections. We strongly believe that whatever monies Congress allocates towards virus response must take into account workers time and include paid sick leave, said a statement from Unite Here Local 2, which represents 14,000 airport, hotel and food service workers in San Francisco and San Mateo counties. Many of the unions members who work in travel and tourism are already feeling the cutbacks. Hotels are experiencing significant cancellations across the board from tourists, business travelers and conference goers, said Kevin Carroll, executive director of the Hotel Council of San Francisco. When hotels are not as filled, they flex their workers schedules, he said. Housekeepers, waiters, bellhops, cooks, prep cooks and front-desk workers all have their hours reduced. Thats happened to Xing Tam of San Francisco, who counted himself lucky to have two jobs as a hotel banquet steward and a preschool custodian. But now his hotel hours are being cut, so hes seeking a third job. His living situation underscores the citys housing crunch. Tam lives with more than a dozen relatives, ranging in age from his 5-year-old niece to his 90-year-old grandmother. Im worried, because if someone in the home gets the coronavirus, that could impact the whole family, he said in Cantonese through a translator. Theres not a whole lot we can do. In fact, overcrowded housing presents another precarious situation for lower-income people, said Ken Jacobs, director of the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education. Maurilia Arellanes, 49, of San Jose, who has worked at McDonalds for 22 years, is scared about having her hours cut if there is a home quarantine. It really worries me, she said in Spanish through a translator. I wont be able to pay my rent; I wont be able to support myself. A 2018 Federal Reserve study showed that 40% of Americans have less than $400 in reserve. Arellanes, with about $150 in savings, couldnt cover her $750 monthly room rental, nor the money she scrapes together to send her mother in Mexico. Shes also fearful about getting sick. She said her managers discourage workers from calling in sick and retaliate by cutting their future work hours. If she were out for the recommended 14-day quarantine, it would be terrible, she said. I would get fired if I missed work that long. McDonalds said that it is continuously evaluating our policies to provide flexibility and reasonable accommodations, that it expects sick employees to stay home and that it has a non-retaliation policy. Gig workers, who lack the protections of employment, are in particularly tough spots. If their work dries up, they cannot get unemployment coverage, for instance. Sen. Mark Warner, D.-Va., on Friday wrote to the CEOs of Uber, Lyft, Postmates, Grubhub, DoorDash and Instacart all except Grubhub are based in San Francisco asking them to address the financial burden for drivers who become ill or choose to self-quarantine. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Uber said that it would pay drivers or couriers diagnosed with COVID-19 or quarantined by public health officials for up to 14 days. This has already begun in some markets and we are working to implement mechanisms to do this worldwide, said Andrew Macdonald, a senior vice president. Several other companies released statements saying they are working to protect their workers well-being. This really highlights the importance of AB5 for workers access to important benefits that come through the employment relationship, said UC Berkeleys Jacobs, a vocal advocate for Californias new gig-work law. Some movements are afoot to support lower-income people through the virus outbreak. California joined other states Thursday in ordering insurers to waive out-of-pocket costs for coronavirus testing. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo is backing an ordinance to prevent evictions of tenants who lose wages due to the virus outbreak. The California Apartment Association said Friday that it urges landlords to be mindful of their tenants who are suffering as a result of the virus and called on banks, utilities and others to do likewise. The Unite Here union said its talking to employers about covering lost wages for hourly workers. Several tech companies, whose white-collar workers can easily telecommute, are offering to support hourly workers during the crisis. Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and Microsoft said they will pay hourly and contract workers at their offices, such as janitors, food service and security guards, regular wages even if their hours are cut. But small businesses that lack corporate deep pockets cannot pay their workers when their revenue is slashed. At Three Babes Bakeshop, March 14 Pi Day is usually the biggest holiday of the year after Thanksgiving, said Estrada. Math-loving tech companies buy some 3,000 pies (even when it falls on a weekend, as it does this year, they celebrate it before or after, she said). She hired more people and stocked up on apples, blackberries, pecans and other ingredients but has orders for only 550 pies, since most of her customers offices are almost empty. Shes had to drastically pare workers hours. Its super tough, she said. Im feeling frightened, honestly. Zoe Williams, who works at Three Babes, said shes concerned as someone living paycheck to paycheck. If I dont have the hours I need, I cant pay my rent, she said. I dont think I was conscious of how reliant the service industry is on tech companies. Other types of small businesses are worried as well. Harvey, who owns Lil Nancys, the Oakland day care, made an impassioned plea for her industry. Workers at California child care centers that, like hers, served subsidized families, recently won the right to unionize and shes hopeful that will lead to more support. Child care providers keep not only California working but the entire nation, she said. When parents dont have child care, they cant go to work. As we put together a plan for America, make sure the funding includes us. We dont deserve to be treated as second-class citizens when we ourselves are holding up all the other families. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid Islamabad: The trend of increasing unrest is increasing so much today that people everywhere are worried about this matter. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has expressed concern over the situation in Kashmir and has shown a desire for peaceful resolution of the matter. The Pakistan State Department has issued a statement claiming that on behalf of the Secretary-General of the OIC, Special Envoy appointed on Jammu and Kashmir affairs, Yousef M. Al Dobi has said this. Britain princess Shamsa got missing, investigation underway According to the information received, the envoy has said that Kashmir and Palestine are the top priority issues in the OIC's list of issues. Dobi is currently on a Pak tour with a 6-member delegation. It is also being said that the special envoy said, the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute. It should be resolved peacefully. The OIC will take all possible steps to resolve the dispute as per the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Kuwait withdrew from compulsory medical certificate for Indians due to corona The delegation met Prime Minister Imran Khan and other senior leaders. Those in the delegation also held a meeting with the people of slave Kashmir and inquired about the situation. The delegation also went to the Indian side of the Line of Control to take stock of the situation and also saw the refugee camps in Muzaffarabad in which the evicted people from the Indian firing are living. Doby has been appointed Special Envoy at the OIC conference held in Mecca in May 2019. Corona spread fear in 94 countries, Indians stranded on Egyptian cruise Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 05:12:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (C) speaks at a daily briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Chen Junxia) The spread of COVID-19 can be significantly slowed or even reversed through implementing robust containment and control activities, says the World Health Organization. As of 10:00 am CET on Saturday, there has been 101,927 confirmed cases reported worldwide and 3,486 deaths. GENEVA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that the spread of COVID-19 can be significantly slowed or even reversed through implementing robust containment and control activities as the number of cases worldwide has surpassed 100,000. China and other countries are demonstrating that the spread of the virus can be slowed and impact reduced through the use of universally applicable actions, WHO said in a statement, referring to measures such as working across society to identify people who are sick, bringing them to care, following up on contacts, preparing hospitals and clinics to manage a surge in patients, and training health workers. It underlined that containing and slowing the spread of the virus helps buy time for health systems and all of society to prepare and for researchers to identify effective treatments and develop vaccines. "Allowing uncontrolled spread should not be a choice of any government, as it will harm not only the citizens of that country but affect other countries as well," it said. The WHO said it will continue to work with all countries, partners and expert networks to coordinate the international response, develop guidance, distribute supplies, share knowledge and provide people with the information so as to protect themselves and others. According to WHO's daily COVID-19 situation report, as of 10:00 am CET on Saturday, there has been 101,927 confirmed cases reported worldwide and 3,486 deaths. Wema Bank has ruffled some male chauvinists feathers after it posted a tweet celebrating International Womens Day. Some women too are up in arms, accusing the bank of blaming them for raising patriarchal men. In the tweet, the bank said: Today we celebrate the mothers who arent raising patriarchal sons, the women bosses supporting female subordinates and the ladies whose voices we can no longer ignore. No sooner the message dropped than missiles began to fly in the banks direction, some arising from ill-digestion of the message. There were even calls for the boycott of the bank as the bank trended on Nigerian Twitter. Read some of the reactions: Of all the mothers day messages Ive been seeing from companies, That of Wema bank is the dumbest and annoying. How would you downplay the male gender just to praise the female gender???. Barca Principal (@TheGeniusJaj) March 8, 2020 First bank is giving us spanner and lipstick. Wema Bank is advising us to do better while blaming us for raising patriarchal men. Access bank is telling us we are more than women. Tecno is saying a woman putting on gen and a man cooking is gender equality. Can today end already? Alexa, delete my stomach (@Oluwabukunmi__) March 8, 2020 On fathers day, I see people celebrating single mothers. I see people calling out rapists and abusive fathers. Now that its womens day were to celebrate all including those who molest little boys, promote patriarchy, and put down other women? Wema Bank youre doing well. Usifo (@MrUsifo) March 8, 2020 People always come to Twitter to look for the slightest reason to be angry. Because help me understand what exactly is wrong with the Wema bank message? Cause I cant see anything wrong in it and I know Im not alone. Edmund ? (@EdmundOris) March 8, 2020 I feel Wema banks #IWD2020 message achieved the desired effect. They knew the message was tone deaf but they also knew it was going to trend which i think was what they were gunning for. They knew blaming women for the ills of patriarchy on #IWD was sure to rile pple up. Adunni Achebe (@_Adadioramma) March 8, 2020 Boycott wema bank? You must think Wema bank is a twitter vendor. STARBOY (@DammyOA_) March 8, 2020 Oh shit thats true Gillette ran a do better ad for men on Fathers Day abi na mens day. With all the women shouting for joy Now that Wema Bank has done thesame, but the other way round they want us to cry along with them? Na lie Wema bank, youre doing well ? Being Human is not Enough (@realdanielemeka) March 8, 2020 Other Nigerian banks also tweeted on the special day. Fidelity Bank tweeted its belief in equality between men and women. Access Bank said Happy #InternationalWomensDay to all women out there. You are unique and you are more than a woman. But WEMA earned the trophy for controversy. Unidentified gunman have killed a local provincial council member and two of his bodyguards in a March 8 attack in the Afghan capital, Kabul. A Kabul police spokesman said Logar Province council member Naser Ghairat and two bodyguards were killed in the attack and a third bodyguard was injured. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, which came two days after at least 32 civilians were killed and 180 injured by two gunmen who attacked a ceremony in Kabul marking the anniversary of the death of Shi'ite political leader Abdul Ali Mazari. Mazari was killed by the Taliban in 1995. The Islamic State extremist organization claimed responsibility for the March 6 attack. Most of the victims in that attack were ethnic Hazara. On March 7, Karim Khalili, a former Afghan vice president and chairman of the High Peace Council, said the such attacks were aimed at the "political and social cleansing" of an ethnic minority. It was the third consecutive year the Mazari commemoration has come under attack. Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa New Delhi: Suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain, who has been arrested for his alleged involvement in Delhi riots, broke down during interrogation by the police in custody on Saturday (March 7, 2020). The Special Investigation Team (SIT) said that Tahir is not cooperating in carrying forward the investigation. Earlier on Sunday, police had taken Tahir Hussain to Chand Bagh where the Delhi police has seized his licensed pistol on Saturday. The pistol has been sent for forensic test to ascertain whether it was used in the firing in the recent Delhi violence. Delhi Police has also arrested Tahir's father, son and few neighbours who are also accused of helping Tahir in inciting riot in the North-East Delhi and murder of Police Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma. The names of those arrested by the police include - Tariq Hussain, Liaquat, Riyasat and Tariq Rizvi. Delhi police will also interrogate Tahir's wife once she returns to her residence. Tahir was arrested by Delhi Police on March 5 for the alleged murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma, during the violence in North-East Delhi last week. During the interrogation, Tahir revealed that he fled to Nehru Vihar in Mustafabad and stayed in Okhla for two days before he came out to surrender in court. On March 6, Tahir was produced by the police before a Delhi court and sent to 7-day police custody in connection with the killing of the IB staffer. A day earlier, the Delhi's Karkardooma court had rejected the anticipatory bail plea of expelled AAP leader, observing that nobody had appeared from the accused side. The investigation against Tahir began after IB officer Ankit Sharma's father Ravinder Kumar filed a complaint against the accused AAP leader. The IB officer Sharma body was found from a drain in Chand Bagh on February 26 during the violence in northeast Delhi. Protesters gathered in the centre of Baghdad on Sunday to demand more help from the government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. They called on Iraq's ministry of health to provide further supplies of facemasks and gloves for members of the public. Demand for protective medical items, such as masks, gloves and gowns, is booming as the virus spreads in Iraq. The country currently has more than 30 confirmed cases of the virus. Iraq has taken drastic measures to combat the outbreak, including closing schools, universities, malls and stopping public gatherings. Vice President Mike Pence has responded to criticism that there are not enough test kits to adequately address the coronavirus outbreak, saying that new kits will hit the market as soon as Monday. 'The biggest news this week was that the president brought together the leaders of the top commercial laboratories in the country, huge businesses,' Pence told Fox News host Jeanine Pirro. 'And he said we need you to work together to put together the tests. And at the end of this week, two of the largest commercial laboratories in America said that they would have a test ready to go to market on Monday. That's real leadership,' Pence said. The administration has come under criticism from governors and mayors who say that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was too slow in rolling out testing capabilities to the state and local level. Vice President Mike Pence has responded to criticism that there are not enough test kits to address the coronavirus outbreak, saying that new kits will hit the market as soon as Monday The administration has come under criticism from governors and mayors who say that the CDC was too slow in rolling out test kits (above) President Donald Trump brushed off concerns about the limited number of coronavirus test kits during a visit to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta on Friday and announced during a chaotic press conference that 'anybody who wants a test can get a test.' Pence insisted that the administration had focused on making tests available since the moment the outbreak hit the country. 'And I want your viewers to know that as we've been ramping up the tests, since the coronavirus first really came ashore in the United States, that we've been focusing tests at the point of the need where states have requested them,' Pence said. 'State labs said they needed them, and particularly in the Seattle area and in parts of California that have seen multiple coronavirus cases and tragically, families that have seen the loss of life,' he said. Pence said that the test kits would be cotton swabs that have to be sent for analysis, with results taking four to six hours. Meanwhile, US officials have so far declined to use the 15 minute blood test for coronavirus that a South Carolina company, BioMedomics, claims to is already helping Japan, China and Italy catch and isolate cases faster. It's not clear why the test is unable to move forward, but comes amid widespread frustrations over the limited availability of slow tests for the virus sweeping the nation. Pence went on to say that most Americans have nothing to fear from the outbreak Pence went on to say that most Americans have nothing to fear from the outbreak. 'The good news is that the risk to the average American of contracting the coronavirus remains low,' Pence said. 'And even for those who contract the virus, the vast majority other than a small few percent of the top will go through flu-like symptoms. In some cases, serious. But they'll recover.' He did stress that older people and those with serious underlying health conditions are at greater risk, and should consider taking precautions. The World Health Organization estimates that the overall mortality rate of coronavirus is 3.4 percent. Last flu season, influenza had an estimated mortality rate of 0.14 percent, according to data from the CDC. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced Sunday that there are 15 new presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in Massachusetts. All of the 15 new cases are connected to the Biogen employee conference in late February which took place at the Marriott Long Wharf in Bostons Seaport District. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the state is now at 28, with one confirmed case and 27 presumptive positive cases. COVID-19 is the disease caused by a new coronavirus. The 15 new cases include five people from Suffolk County ranging in age from 30s to 60s; five people from Middlesex County ranging in age from 40s to 60s; four people from Norfolk County ranging in age from 40s to 60s; and a female whose age and county of residence are unknown currently. Among todays presumptive positive cases were eight men and seven women, authorities said. Health officials said 23 of the presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 identified in Massachusetts are associated with the Biogen employee meeting held in late February. Everyone identified in the new presumptive positive cases is now isolating themselves at home. Biogen ordered all staff to work from home. The increase comes just one day after state health officials announced more presumptive positive cases involving the Biogen employee conference, one person with recent international travel, and a fifth case for whom there is no current known linkage to the Biogen conference or foreign travel. The State Public Health Labs result is considered presumptive positive and the specimens will now be sent to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation. As of Wednesday, 719 people have been subject to self-quarantine in Massachusetts because of COVID-19. Of those, 470 people have completed monitoring and are no longer quarantined, while 249 are currently quarantined. A UMass Boston student was the first person in the state to be diagnosed COVID-19. In the town of Norwood, 30 people, including 11 town employees, are under self-quarantine after attending a party last week with a resident who has since tested positive for the virus. A patient at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield is also undergoing treatment for coronavirus. Related Content: Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 10:57:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WINDHOEK, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The office of Namibian Prime Minister has earmarked 11 million Namibian dollars (around 700,000 U.S. dollars) to the Ministry of Health and Social Services to combat the coronavirus outbreak, a Namibian official said on Saturday. Executive Director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services Ben Nangombe revealed the allotment in a statement, adding that medical equipment like face masks will be given to the regions in need on Sunday. Nangombe also said three ambulances will be allocated soon. By Saturday, Namibia has had no confirmed case of infections. A Mumbai holiday court on March 8 ordered an Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody for former Yes Bank MD and CEO Rana Kapoor till March 11. ED had sought custody till March 13, but was allowed by the court only until March 11. The former YES Bank promoter was produced before the court after being arrested at around 4.00 am on March 8. He was arrested after being questioned by ED officials for more than 20 hours. Also read: Teary-eyed Rana Kapoor tells court no fraud at Yes Bank, not running anywhere Kapoor was reportedly not ready to sign on the arrest memo in the morning. He broke down in the court when he was asked, as per procedure, if there was any ill-treatment by the Directorate. An ED counsel informed the court that a scheduled offence has been registered against Kapoor. The agency has registered a new case against Kapoor and Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL)s former promoter Dheeraj Wadhawan. The ED counsel argued that Yes Bank had purchased debentures worth Rs 3,700 crore from DHFL and that the company had granted loans of Rs 600 crore against properties worth Rs 40 crore to cover the transaction. The agency said that proceeds from the crime stand at Rs 4,300 crore of public money and that loans from DHFL were given to Doit Urban Ventures where Kapoor is a founder and his daughters are 100 percent shareholders. The agencys counsel further stated that there was no proper business of the company. The probe agency claimed that the value of properties mortgaged with DHFL was inflated to Rs 750 crore, against the granted loan of Rs 600 crore and that there was a criminal conspiracy between DHFL and Kapoor to receive these loans. Also read: How Rana Kapoor's 'authoritarian' streak proved to be the bank's undoing Money laundered by Kapoor was used for personal purpose, ED said, adding that he was not co-operating with the investigation. Kapoor's counsel argued that custody should not be granted on medical grounds. The counsel claimed that no forensic audit was done into Yes Banks books. The counsel further claimed that ED was selectively targeting Kapoor as there is public outrage and because he is close to DHFL promoters, socially. The counsel added that DHFL had given Rs 90,000 crore in loan to 35 entities. The central agency conducted searches at Kapoor's Mumbai residence Samudra Mahal late on the evening of March 6. He was then brought for questioning at the ED's zonal office on March 7 in Mumbai. Kapoor is being investigated in the alleged irregularities in the investment of over Rs 4,300 crore Employees Provident Fund (EPF) of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPPCL), the state-owned power firm, in the scam-tainted DHFL. The investments date back to a period between March 2017 and December 2018. Also read: RBI likely to offer Rs 8,000-10,000 crore special liquidity window for Yes Bank ED had registered a separate case against UP Power officials and DHFL under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). On March 6, the CBI had filed a separate case against DHFL and government officials of the UP state power firm. On March 5, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it is superseding the board of troubled private sector lender Yes Bank with immediate effect. Former State Bank of India (SBI) CFO Prashant Kumar has been appointed as the bank administrator. "This has been done to quickly restore depositors' confidence in the bank, including by putting in place a scheme for reconstruction or amalgamation," the RBI had said in a statement. The central bank has also imposed a moratorium on the private lender till April 3, 2020. Withdrawals from the bank have been capped at Rs 50,000 per depositor. The move by RBI comes nearly six months after it did the same with Mumbai-based Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank. Yes Bank has been grappling with mounting bad loans and has been struggling to raise fresh capital. A Naas woman has won a prestigious veterinary award in Canada. Dr Shauna OBrien, 26, was honoured with the Rising Star Award at the Ontario Veterinary Medical Associations Conference and Trade Fair held on January 30 at the Westin Castle Harbour Hotel in Toronto. Dr OBrien hails from Lakelands. She is a past pupil of St Marys College, and graduated from University College Dublin with her veterinary degree in 2017. She then moved to canada and started working as a mixed-animal associate vet at North Simcoe Veterinary Services and Midland Veterinary Services. According to the citation for her award, she has a rapidly evolving skillset, focused on internal medicine but with a talent for surgeries of all kinds. Shes also keen to share her love of her profession by working with veterinary students and mentoring new graduates in both medicine and surgery. Dr OBrien recently joined the board of directors for the Georgian Bay Veterinary Association, which provides continuing education for Simcoe County, and she participates in University College Dublins veterinary alumni ambassador programme. She also volunteers as a first response veterinarian for Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre and provies beterinary services for the Wye Marsh Wildife Centre. Its a great achievement for Shauna as this award is not given out every year, said her proud mum Fran. She plays the legendary physicist and chemist Marie Curie, who became the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize for her pioneering research on radioactivity. And Rosamund Pike was the picture of glamour as she joined Gemma Arterton at the UK premiere of biographical film Radioactive, held at The Curzon Mayfair on Sunday morning. The leading actress, 41, caught the eye as she slipped into a red satin suit, which came complete with a structured blazer and straight-leg trousers. Style savvy: Rosamund Pike (L) was the picture of glamour as she joined Gemma Arterton (R) at the UK premiere of biographical film Radioactive, held at The Curzon Mayfair on Sunday Flashing a hint of her fresh pedicure, the State of the Union star boosted her frame in a pair of strappy black heels. The award-winning thespian made quite the fashion statement as she styled her number with one quirky dangle earring. With her blonde tresses styled into a chic updo, the media personality accentuated her youthful-looking visage with matte foundation and classic mascara. Chic: The leading actress, 41, caught the eye as she slipped into a red satin suit, which came complete with a structured blazer and straight-leg trousers Radiant: With her blonde tresses styled into a chic updo, the media personality accentuated her youthful-looking visage with matte foundation and classic mascara Busy bee: Rosamund appeared deep in thought as she spoke to news outlets at the screening All in the details: The award-winning thespian made quite the fashion statement as she styled her number with one quirky dangle earring Screen star Gemma, 34, mixed smart attire with casual chic as she teamed a cream blazer with a pair of light-wash, ankle-grazing MOTHER jeans. Maintaining her elegant display, the Quantum of Solace actress turned heads in a pussybow blouse, and cinched in her waist with a plain buckle belt. The St Trinian's star opted for a pair of crocodile-textured loafers as her choice of footwear, while sporting minimal accessories to ensure attention remained on her stylish outfit. Straight, fringed tresses framed her stunning features, and her radiant complexion with enhanced with a touch of neutral-toned make-up. Suave: Radioative star Sam Riley, who plays chemist Marie Curie's husband Pierre, also hit the red carpet In good company: The co-stars cosied up to the film's director, Iranian-born French filmmaker Marjane Satrapi, 50 Warm display: The gal pals shared a cosy hug as they prepared to watch their new project Stars galore: Actress Sian Brooke (L) wowed in a white blouse and black trousers, while ballet dancer Drew Jacoby (R) looked sensational in a black maxi dress Sweet: Ariella Glaser, who plays Young Irene Curie, made an appearance at the star-studdent premiere Stars in the making: Child actress and singer Harriet Turnbull (L) and Indica Watson (R) plays six-year-old Irene in the movie opted for flowy dresses The movie is based on the graphic novel 'Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout' by Lauren Redniss and was acquired by Amazon Studios in February 2018. Radioactive, which also stars Sam Riley as Curie's husband Pierre and Anya Taylor-Joy as her daughter Irene, is due to be released in the UK on March 20 and in the US on April 24. On her role, actress Rosamund told WWD: 'I loved that character. Marie Curie was formidable, passionate but in a very individual and unique way, fierce in her commitment to what she believed in. 'She never let other peoples opinions guide her life, which is something I really value.' Looking good: Screen star Gemma, 34, mixed smart attire with casual chic as she teamed a cream blazer with a pair of light-wash, ankle-grazing jeans by MOTHER Hitting the red carpet with style: Maintaining her elegant display, the Quantum of Solace actress turned heads in a pussybow blouse All in the details: The St Trinian's star opted for a pair of crocodile-textured loafers as her choice of footwear, while sporting minimal accessories Gemma's appearance comes after her candid interview in the December edition of Harper's Bazaar, where she claimed women have been 'pitted against each other' in the film industry because of the 'fewer opportunities' afforded to them. The brunette explained: 'I think the film industry has definitely changed for the better its generally very supportive. 'Ive always said, the only reason women are pitted against each other is because they have fewer opportunities, so they feel threatened. 'Theres more opportunity today, and in my experience, when there are lots of women together in a crew or cast, its great.' Watch her glow: Straight, fringed tresses framed her stunning features, and her radiant complexion with enhanced with a touch of neutral-toned make-up In character: In the film, Rosamund plays legendary physicist and chemist Marie Curie, the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize for her pioneering research on radioactivity Dead Body At Kansas City Vacant Wasn't Killed KCPD: Fatality at fire not being investigated as homicide KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri, police were called to the scene of a house fire Saturday to investigate a body found at the scene. Kansas City Fire Department officials responded to a fire at a vacant home around 11:18 p.m. in the 3000 block of East Sixth Street. KCMO Blight Burns Two alarm fire guts abandoned 6th street home Firefighters were called to the 3000 block of East 6th Street on Saturday evening at roughly 10:30 p.m. The 2 alarm Blaze destroyed the interior of an abandoned house in the middle of the block. Neighbors reported Fire coming out of an East basement door. Kansas City 2nd Chance Store New thrift store serves as one stop shop for people in need KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A new thrift store is offering people in need a one stop shop for everything from clothes, food, and job skills. The Landmark Unique Thrift Store and Food Pantry opened Saturday March 7th. The store offers discounted clothes, free canned goods, as well as a leadership classes where resume help and job skills are provided. Former Angel Karlie Celebrates Liberation And Hotness Karlie Kloss Celebrates International Women's Day Early In Block Heeled Pumps For 'Today Show' Appearance Karlie Kloss opted for a head-to-toe, cool-toned ensemble yesterday while going on the "Today Show" for International Women's Day, which falls on March 8 this year. The Koding With Klossy founder wore a full Ryan Roche ensemble, featuring a pair of high-waisted blue trousers and coordinating button-down blouse and lightweight trench coat over the top. Senator Kamala Backs Veep Kamala Harris becomes latest former candidate to endorse Joe Biden Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., has added her name to the list of former presidential candidates who are now endorsing former vice president Joe Biden. The senator said in a Sunday statement that she would "do everything in my power" to help Biden win. Bernie Bros For Prez Trump??? Could Sanders voters help Trump win the White House again? WASHINGTON - Joe Biden isn't the only presidential candidate whose allies believe the votes of Bernie Sanders' most dedicated supporters could hold the key to his November success. So is President Donald Trump. Senior Crackdown Official: White House didn't want to tell seniors not to fly A federal official says the White House overruled health officials who wanted to recommend that elderly and physically fragile Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines because of the new coronavirus NEW YORK -- The White House overruled health officials who wanted to recommend that elderly and physically fragile Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines because of the new coronavirus, a federal official told The Associated Press. Italy On Lock Italy announces lockdown as global coronavirus cases surpass 105,000 Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree early Sunday that will put millions of people across northern Italy under lockdown due to the novel coronavirus. Capitalism Saves Community With 'Resiliency And Grit,' Black Women In Kansas City Have Been Growing Their Own Businesses Kansas City is becoming more welcoming for black women who want to start their own businesses. Adrienne Haynes, the managing partner at the business law firm SEED Law, says there's more diversity in the entrepreneurial community today than in 2015, when she created the Multicultural Business Coalition with a few other organizations. Kansas City Remarkale Nurse Scribe Earns Tribute Oncology nurse known for writing apology letter after cancer diagnosis is KC's 'Remarkable Women' contest winner KANSAS CITY, Mo. - In December FOX4 asked viewers to nominate the Remarkable Women in their lives, and Kansas City answered that call and sent in more than 400 nominations. From that group of incredible women, FOX4 narrowed it down to four finalists. Those women included: Bobbi Jo Reed, who transformed her life, her neighborhood [...] Pricey Royal Message For just $100, you can have Whit Merrifield send you a personalized message It's beautiful outside and you're chained to your obligations. I'm right there with you. But have no fear, I've got the cure for your office blues and it's the website Cameo. Max Rieper brought it to this community in his Royals Review segment of the latest Royals Review Radio. Kansas City Sunday Outlook Rain moves in late Sunday Hide Transcript Show Transcript A GOOD IDEA. SOMETHING TO PROTECT YOUR BODY. THANKFULLY WE DON'T HAVE SEVERE WEATHER BUT WE HAVE STRONG WINDS IN OUR FORECAST TODAY. WE HAVE CLEAR SKIES RIGHT NOW. 50 DEGREES. WINDS GUSTING UP TO 30 MILES AN HOUR, CURRENTLY. IT IS 49 IN GRAND VIEW AND OVERLAND PARK. Right now we share a quick peek at a few important headlines for Sunday along with items concerning pop culture, community news and info from across the nation and around the world . . .is the Sunday song of the day and this is thefor right now . . . It took a billboard, social media campaign and more than five years of searching. But doggo Merrick finally found his furrever home. The six-year-old pup had lived at the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City for most of his life, and was the longest resident there. The shelter had tried everything to get him adopted, and on Wednesday they finally succeeded. "It was love at first sight," Jordan Nussbaum, Merrick's new owner, told CNN affiliate KMBC. "What they wanted was someone without kids who had a lot of energy to keep up with him because he's a large dog. But he's still a puppy. It just seems like I was destined to be with him." Before coming to the shelter, Merrick was abandoned at a garage sale. He also had a giant abscess on the side of his face, which required corrective surgery. Although Merrick received a lot of attention (and even fan art), it still took time to find him the ideal living situation. But shelter staff never lost hope. "Merrick found his perfect matchhis new mom and dad, Jordan and Amy, are everything he has wished for and more!" the shelter said in a Facebook post. "We could not be more happy, excited, proud, or thankful to everyone who shared his story." And judging from Merrick's face, he seems pretty thankful, too. Virgin Australia chief executive Paul Scurrah will use the COVID-19 crisis to reignite a push for the federal government to rein in fees at the country's major airports, saying their profit margins during similar emergencies "highlights the absurdity" of current regulations. Australia's second-largest airline, which lost $89 million in the first half of the financial year, estimates the coronavirus will slash earnings by up to $75 million in the six months ending June 30. Paul Scurrah wants the ACCC to regulate the fees airports charge airlines. Credit:Rhett Wyman Mr Scurrah told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age he would ask Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham to reconsider a Productivity Commission review which last year concluded the nation's largest airports Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth did not need stricter regulations to prevent price-gouging. "The government has verbalised its intention to assist the tourism industry and theres no better time to revisit the decision that [Productivity Commission] report," Mr Scurrah said. Sony Pictures Television will object to a Dolphin Tank trademark by a womens startup group claiming it is too similar to its own Shark Tank. US-based non-profit group Springboard Enterprises funds women-led startups with female entrepreneurs pitching to a live audience, adopting a softer approach than TVs Shark Tank. But Sony is claiming Dolphin Tank is substantially identical or deceptively similar to existing trademarks and similar to a trademark which has acquired a reputation in Australia. Brisbane Times reports Springboard intend to oppose the motion. Both parties declined to comment further on the case. Shark Tank, based on Japans Dragons Den, screened on 10 until 2018, produced by Endemol Shine Australia. 10 says it has not ruled out the show making a return at some point. The point here is not just to look back 20 years ago, not just to look at consistency, it is to look at which candidate had the guts to cast difficult votes because they were the right votes, he said Friday during a news conference. All I can tell you is, whether it was Iraq, whether it was DOMA, whether it was Dont Ask Dont Tell, those were difficult votes. I was there, on the right side of history, and my friend Joe Biden was not. Samsung's Galaxy S10 Hollis Johnson/Business Insider Samsung's Galaxy S10 is still a worthwhile option for those who want a new phone but are looking to spend less than $1,000. The Galaxy S10, despite being a year old, still has a great camera and many of the same features as the Galaxy S20, like an in-screen fingerprint sensor, a sharp ultra-wide-angle camera, and a crisp borderless screen. The main features that distinguish the Galaxy S20, which just launched on Friday, from its predecessor are its support for 5G, its larger, upgraded camera sensors, its extra memory, and a screen that can reach a higher refresh rate. If you don't care about 5G connectivity, especially since the network is only currently available in select areas of the US, and are looking for a phone that can take high-quality photos but don't necessarily care about having a super-premium camera, than the Galaxy S10 is worth considering. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Samsung's Galaxy S20 just launched on Friday, but don't underestimate last year's Galaxy S10. Although the Galaxy S20 brings new features like an improved camera with a 64-megapixel telephoto camera and a 108-megapixel wide-angle camera on the Ultra model there are plenty of reasons to consider the Galaxy S10. Even though it doesn't have the newest camera, it still has an impressive triple-lens setup capable of taking rich and clear photos. It also lacks other improvements like a screen with a higher refresh rate and more RAM, both of which should make the phone feel a bit faster. But even without these upgrades, the Galaxy S10 performs just as quickly and smoothly as you probably need it to. Here's a closer look at why you should consider choosing the older, cheaper Galaxy S10 over the Galaxy S20. It's cheaper. galaxy s10 and s20 pricing Samsung/YouTube The biggest reason you should consider choosing the S10 over the S20 is its price. The Galaxy S10 is priced at $750, while the larger Galaxy S10 Plus starts at $850. That makes the standard S10 $250 cheaper than the S20, and the S10 Plus $150 less expensive than the standard S20. Story continues Both phones are also significantly cheaper than the $1,200 Galaxy S20 Plus, which comes with a larger screen, support for faster millimeter-wave 5G, and an extra depth-sensing camera. Samsung's top-of-the-line smartphone, the $1,400 Galaxy S20 Ultra, costs nearly double the Galaxy S10. That phone comes with a larger 6.9-inch screen and a whopping 108-megapixel camera. 5G networks aren't very mature yet in the United States. galaxy s20 5g Samsung/YouTube Support for 5G connectivity is one of the Galaxy S20's standout features. But many carriers in the US are still developing and expanding their 5G coverage. 5G networks from Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T are only available in a handful of cities across the country, for example. And even in cities where it is available, 5G coverage is usually only supported in select areas. Similarly, T-Mobile's 5G network is up and running across the country, but only in certain areas. The Galaxy S10 still has a great camera capable of taking high-resolution ultra-wide-angle photos. galaxy s10 camera Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider The Galaxy S10 may lack the larger, more advanced sensors found on the S20. But it's still capable of taking high-quality images. The Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus both have a triple-lens camera that includes a 12-megapixel telephoto camera, a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera, and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. That means you can still shoot in a variety of modes, such as zooming in up to 10x digitally and capturing images with a wider 123-degree field of view. That's actually 3 degrees more than the S20's wide-angle lens. So while the S10 may not be as great at zooming or capturing photo in low-light conditions as the S20, it still has all of the most important photograph-oriented features you'd want in a modern smartphone. The Galaxy S10 has a lot of the same other features of the S20, like reverse wireless charging, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, and a borderless screen. Samsung S10 Smartphone Hollis Johnson/Business Insider With the Galaxy S10, Samsung introduced several new features that have also made their way to the Galaxy S20. These include wireless power share, which makes it possible to charge an accessory like wireless headphones or another phone by resting the device on the back of the Galaxy S10. The S10 also has a fingerprint sensor that's baked into the screen and Samsung's "Infinity-O" display, which is a new type of borderless screen the company introduced last year that implements a hole punch-like cutout for front-facing cameras. Overall, the experience of using the Galaxy S10 probably isn't all that different than the Galaxy S20. Galaxy s20 Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider The biggest improvements in the Galaxy S20 are in its ability to support 5G networks and its upgraded camera. If neither of those are a priority for you, then it might be worth checking out the less expensive Galaxy S10, which has most of the same features as its newer counterpart. The Galaxy S20 also has a smoother screen and more memory two additions that should make using the phone feel faster. But the Galaxy S10 is already plenty fast enough for most daily tasks, whether you're sending emails, playing games, or checking social media. Read the original article on Business Insider Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Anti-abortion advocate Elisa Martinez and former television meteorologist Mark Ronchetti emerged as the top Republican challengers to Democratic Congressman Ben Ray Lujan in the race to replace Tom Udall in the U.S. Senate. Martinez received the most votes, and Ronchetti finished second at the New Mexico Republican Party Pre-Primary Convention on Saturday at Hotel Albuquerque. Former Trump administration official and ex-New Mexico State University professor Gavin Clarkson, Albuquerque contractor Mick Rich and businessman Louie Sanchez failed to receive 20% of the vote required to secure places on the ballot, and must submit more petitions to remain in the primary race. The bottom line is that New Mexicans have been left behind by our politicians in D.C., said Martinez, who credited her first-place finish to her grass roots campaign. Its time we start putting New Mexico first. Were behind. Were last in everything good, and first in everything bad. And we need to flip that by focusing on the economy and jobs. Ronchetti whose name recognition status as a former KRQE meteorologist seemed to be a target in speeches by other candidates didnt seem disappointed in his second-place finish. We didnt know what the response would be when we started this whole thing, he said. But we got 11,000 signatures online, more than 3,000 volunteers, and were rolling. This is a process weve never been through before. We had no idea what to expect, but were excited with how things turned out, no doubt. Martinez received 241 of the 690 votes cast, about 35%. Ronchetti received 198, or about 29%. Sanchez finished third in balloting with 113 votes, but fell short at 16% In other congressional races, former state Rep. Yvette Herrell and Roswell oil and gas executive Claire Chase were the top vote-getters in the 2nd Congressional District race. Herrell received 168 votes, or almost 65%, while Chase received 83, or about 32%. Former New Mexico Attorney General chief of staff Michelle Garcia Holmes received 135 votes, or almost 64%, and University of New Mexico Law School graduate Jared Vander Dussen 64, about 30%, as the top vote-getters in the 1st Congressional District race. For the 3rd Congressional District, former Santa Fe County commissioner Harry Montoya a former registered Democrat received 86 votes, about 39%, and Mexican Springs Navajo Nation member Karen Bedonie received 69, about 31%, to finish 1-2. Anise Golden-Morper was third with 39 votes, but fell short at almost 18%. The 2nd Congressional District race is considered one of the most watched races in the country and has been a heated one between the Chase and Herrell campaigns though neither candidate took shots at the other on Saturday. I knew weve worked very hard over the last year, Herrell said of her campaign. Im very excited about our momentum Well continue to do what weve been doing, and Im all about making relationships in my district. People will see more from my opponents on TV. Im more about meeting people in the flesh and talking about my experience. Chase said, Were thrilled to have gotten on the ballot. Were the new kids in the race. Anything above 20% is a win. Were excited about the primary and looking forward to letting the voters decide who is going to be our nominee in November in the CD2 race. Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce said the party has a tremendous slate of candidates. We have good candidates that did not get on the ballot, he said. I think were working our way to turning the state red. I think the main issues are going to be the core issues for the party pro-gun, pro-life and pro-freedom. I think conservative Democrats are alarmed where their party is going. BritBox has been accused of 'racism' after it put up an episode of Doctor Who where Chinese people are referred to as 'inscrutable chinks' and 'yellowfaced'. The 5.99-a-month streaming service run by the BBC and ITV failed to put a content warning on the 1977 six-part series where white actors are also shown wearing make-up and putting on accents as they play Asian characters. TV bosses have already rejected a host of British programmes from the platform after claiming they do not 'comply' with the viewing standards of a 2019 audience. Among shows to fall under the axe were the BBC's 1965 Till Death Us Do Part, which contains a bigoted character, and ITV's 1970s series Love Thy Neighbour, about a West Indian couple living next door to a white English couple. Britbox has added a content warning to the episode since it was alerted to the issue, and said its compliance team are still working to 'review' all programmes. The 1977 episode of Doctor Who shows a white actor wearing make-up and putting on an accent. TV bosses had promised BritBox would comply with 2019 viewing standards The episode shows Tom Baker as Doctor Who battling a Chinese stage magician Spokeswoman for the British East Asians in Theatre & on Screen and a screenwriter for Hollyoaks and Doctors who grew up in Hong Kong, Emma Ko, told The Times the episode is 'really hard to watch because yellowface is so unacceptable now'. 'When you are somebody who was called a "Chink" in your childhood, as I have been, it is so hard to hear that word and not feel immediately a trigger reaction of how wrong it is.' The episode, titled The Talons of Weng-Chiang, shows Tom Baker playing the Doctor as he battles a Chinese stage magician villain called Li H'sen Chang, played by white British actor John Bennett. When the platform, which aims to show viewers the best of British television, was launched it pledged to 're-comply everything that goes on to BritBox with modern TV viewing standards'. It also trumpeted a setting that would allow viewers to set bespoke warnings for particular programmes. An ITV spokesman said at the launch: 'Weve carefully selected a wide range of the very best in British programming which will appeal to viewers in 2019.' Other episodes have had warnings placed on them including one from Fawlty Towers where John Cleese's character impersonates Nazi marching Several series were axed from the platform before its launch. ITV's 1970s Love Thy Neighbour series, about a West Indian couple living next to a white couple, was not put on BritBox Programmes to make it onto the service include Fawlty Towers, which contains scenes where John Cleese's character Basil Fawlty impersonates Nazi marching and has trouble communicating with a Spanish character called Manuel. BritBox bosses have added a warning to the series saying it contains 'some offensive language of the time and upsetting scenes'. Only Fools and Horses was also allowed onto the platform, but displays a content warning for viewers. BritBox has failed to reveal its viewing figures since its launch last year, claiming it is still too early to release them. However, research has found that most users appear not to continue their membership following a one month free trial. Only 1.5 per cent of households that signed up kept their membership, according to a survey by Oliver & Ohlbaum Associates, which is equivalent to 380,000 households in the UK. Tom Baker pictured as the fourth doctor with his new companion Leela, or Louise Jameson Netflix - which launched its service in 2010 - has over 9.1million viewers in the UK alone and 148 million worldwide. Meanwhile Amazon Prime has managed to rake in 6.4million viewers for programmes including The Grand Tour and The Man In The High Castle. BritBox commissioned its first programme, Spitting Image, last week. The popular satirical comedy ridiculing politicians and leaders in the 1980s and 1990s has been absent from British TV sets for more than 20 years. SILVER SPRING, Md., March 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Thank you for joining me today to provide updated information about the current state of diagnostic testing during this coronavirus public health emergency. First, I want to thank the dedicated professionals of the FDA for their round the clock, multi-layered approach to the coronavirus outbreak. I'd also like to thank our partners from across the federal government, such as HHS, CDC, CMS, and BARDA. I had the opportunity to speak with my CDC colleagues, Dr. Bob Redfield and Dr. Anne Schuchat this morning to exchange the most current updates from our respective agencies. I am appreciative of the leadership of President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Secretary Azar and of the partnership and the cross-collaborative work our team performs together every day within the Department of Health and Human Services and across the entirety of the U.S. government to our public health mission. This is a dynamic and constantly evolving situation. Not just day by day, but hour by hour. I also recognize this has led to some confusion about the quantity of diagnostic tests available and how many patients can be tested. As the President, Vice President, and Secretary have promised, we are committed to being transparent about this situation, so today I will provide you the most comprehensive and up to date information about the status of diagnostic tests and information about who should be tested. Before we get to the most current numbers, I'd like to provide an explanation about the role of diagnostics in emergencies, and why this particular situation has been a bit more complex than past outbreaks. I hope this will provide much needed clarity to the American public. First, we should paint a picture of what is happening globally. The World Health Organization (or WHO) also supports the establishment of testing capability by collecting and sharing that information provided by developers, including protocols for diagnostic testing and testing assays. We've seen reports about the WHO distributing a diagnostic test to countries. To be clear, the WHO does not have its own test that it is distributing globally. It has only posted on its website protocols from some test developers, such as the CDC. Also, internationally, different countries have had different levels of success with their diagnostic test development. For example, we understand from a test developer that there have been problems with the performance of several tests being used that country. Despite media reports on testing capabilities in other countries, I do not want to speculate on the policies and procedures related to the development and validation of tests in other countries. In the U.S., we have policies in place that strike the right balance during public health emergencies of ensuring critical independent review by the scientific and public health experts and timely test availability. As I have mentioned previously regarding the development process, in the U.S., the CDC is typically the first developer of a diagnostics for an emergency because they have access to clinical specimens and viral samples before other developers. They work to make this material available for other developers to use in validation of their tests. The CDC test can and often does become the basis for tests that other developers create. The CDC test is an incredibly important tool during a public health emergency response. In this case, once the CDC had access to clinical specimens, and similar to past emergencies, the FDA immediately began working with our public health partners at the CDC to support the development of the CDC diagnostic test, including working with the CDC through their emergency use authorization process. There were manufacturing problems with the CDC test. While those issues have been resolved, at the time, this created complications for expanding access for public health laboratories and other developers who might use the CDC test as the basis for development of their own test. What's important here is that we have a test that the American people can trust. The FDA and CDC worked together to quickly resolve the manufacturing issues and utilize a third-party manufacturer to assist with manufacturing the tests for not only the state public health labs, but also for commercial distribution to nonpublic health labs, including academic medical centers, community hospitals, and more. That manufacturer has been quickly producing tests for distribution. It is important to note, though, that each lot of these tests must undergo quality control testing by CDC, an essential and required last step to assure that each test provides accurate results. Quality testing, distribution of tests, and verification of the tests in labs can take a few days, although FDA, CDC staff, and the laboratory community are working around the clock to speed up these processes. Separate from the manufacturing challenges, the CDC has been quickly working to update the clinical recommendations for testing patients based on emerging information about the presentation of the disease in patients. The COVID-19 virus has a long incubation period and mild cases can go undetected because patients may have so few symptoms, thus adding to the difficulty with diagnosing the disease. The CDC test is a high quality test and it's important to remember that false negatives or positives can be detrimental to making sure we are treating patients early, without delay, and also not quarantining healthy individuals. With that landscape, let me provide you with a comprehensive update on numbers: CDC has shipped tests sufficient to test about 75,000 individuals for COVID-19 to Public Health Laboratories. And all Public Health Laboratories that originally received a CDC test have received replacement tests. Laboratories in areas with the highest need for testing based on the outbreak have received additional tests, however, all state public health labs now have tests available to them. As of today, the CDC test shipped to public health labs has been able to test more than 3,500 specimens from 1,583 patients. Additionally, as of last night, more than 1.1 million tests have been shipped to nonpublic health labs. The manufacturer, IDT, is distributing these tests nationwide, although the first batch of tests were shipped to the states of California and Washington based on confirmed clusters in those areas. and based on confirmed clusters in those areas. IDT currently has another 400,000 tests which have undergone and passed final quality control check and we expect those tests to ship to labs on Monday. Another manufacturer's tests will be undergoing a quality control check. That batch of 640,000 tests could ship as early as Monday. IDT and other manufacturers believe they can scale up production so that by the end of next week tests, an additional 4 million tests could be shipped. This does not include the ramp up expected by large commercial or academic labs. A very important point I want to make here is about the reporting of numbers. I promised yesterday to explain a bit about the distinction between the number of tests shipped compared to the number of patients that could be tested. The actual number of tests that have shipped is larger than the number of patients that can be tested. With current estimates (and this could change), 2.1 million tests would roughly translate to 850,000 Americans being able to undergo testing. We've been asked a lot of questions about capacity of the labs to run these tests. When a lab will begin offering tests, and how many tests per day a lab has the ability to conduct, will depend on each individual lab. There are additional steps each lab needs to take after receipt of tests in order to deploy those tests, including verification of the tests and training for staff if they have never run the test before. The volume for testing (or the number of tests that can be run) will also vary widely and will depend on the size of the lab. Finally, I want to end with a quick update on ways that FDA is supporting all diagnostic developers during this time. FDA received its first request for an EUA template on January 22nd and we sent the template to them the same day. We have since received over 100 requests for the template. Of those, 36 sought our assistance with development and validation of tests they plan to bring through the Emergency Use Authorization process. We are talking to them around the clock, and our door is open for any developers who want to have a test for use in the U.S. Additionally, we issued a policy last weekend to achieve more rapid testing in the U.S. We have provided regulatory relief and clarity to encourage the development of new diagnostic tests for Americans. Under that new policy, we have heard from 7 labs, 4 of whom already have begun patient testing. Rest assured, we are dedicating all available resources to address this outbreak and expedite the availability of diagnostics. I am happy to take some of your questions. Media Contact: Stephanie Caccomo, 301-348-1956 Consumer Inquiries: [email protected] or 888-INFO-FDA The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products. SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration Related Links http://www.fda.gov Kamala Harris has announced she is endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for president. The senator from California, who ran for the nomination before dropping out in December, made the announcement on Sunday morning. "When I started my run for president, I said America needs a president who reflects the decency and dignity of the American people; a president who speaks the truth; and a president who fights for those whose voices are too often overlooked or ignored. I still believe that to this day. That is why I am proud to announce I am endorsing my friend, Vice President Joe Biden, for President of the United States," Ms Harris said in a statement. "I truly believe our nation is at an inflection point. And the decision voters make this November will shape the country and the world our children and grandchildren grow up in," she added. "I believe in Joe Biden and will do everything in my power to help elect him the next president of the United States." A video was also shared on her Twitter page, where the senator expressed great "enthusiasm" to be endorsing Mr Biden. Mr Biden shared the senator's endorsement on his own Twitter page and thanked her. "Kamala Youve spent your whole career fighting for folks whove been written off and left behind and no small part of that alongside Beau. From our family: thank you," he wrote. He mentioned his late son, Beau Biden, because Ms Harris served as California attorney general at the same time the son served as Delaware attorney general. "I got to know Joe more than a decade ago through his son my dear friend the late Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden," Ms Harris wrote in her statement. "As attorneys general during the financial crisis, Beau and I were leaders in the fight to take on the biggest banks in the nation and secure billions of dollars in relief for homeowners across the country. I can tell you that Beau inherited his strength of character, selfless courage, and commitment to public service from his father." When Ms Harris was in the race for president, she clashed with the vice president about his past policy decisions. In the first debate, the Ms Harris, who is black, spoke about the issue of race in America and the "very hurtful" comments Mr Biden made when defending his work with two segregationist senators. She also brought up Mr Biden's opposition to school busing in the 1970s. "There was a little girl in California who was a part of the second class to integrate her public schools and she was bused to school every day," she said during the debate. "And that little girl was me." Mr Biden defended himself by saying it was a "mischaracterisation" of what he stood for at the time, but the vice president was a leading opponent of school busing in the Senate in the 1970s and 1980s. But now with the senator out of the race, she's put her differences with Mr Biden aside to support him in his bid for the Democratic nomination. Her endorsement joins the other prominent members of the Democratic party who've put their support behind the vice president in recent days, including Senator Amy Klobuchar, former Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Representative Beto O'Rourke, and Representative Jim Clyburn. All of these endorsements have helped boost Mr Biden to lead the number of delegates over Bernie Sanders. The next test comes on Tuesday when six states vote to choose a Democratic candidate: Michigan, Washington, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri and North Dakota. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 8) The Health Department reported late Sunday evening four new cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of people in the country who have been infected with the virus to 10. All four were tested Saturday and their results were released Sunday, the department said. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the four new patients are showing mild coronavirus symptoms. Among them is a 38-year-old Taiwanese man with no history of travel outside of the Philippines. He began showing symptoms on March 3 after having contact with another Taiwanese national who visited the Philippines and tested positive for the virus upon return to Taiwan. Another patient is a 57-year-old Filipino man who also had no history of travel outside of the country. He is said to have had contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus, but the Health Department said they are still investigating this. Another Filipino, a 32-year-old man, also tested positive for the virus. He was screened after a trip to Japan in the past 14 days and after symptoms showed up on March 8. An 86-year-old American man with hypertension and a travel history to the US and South Korea is also among those who have just tested positive for the new virus. His symptoms appeared on March 1. The Health Department said all four patients are admitted to private hospitals, but does not specify the hospitals and their locations. Duque said in a statement that they immediately deployed additional surveillance teams and began contact tracing after they confirmed the first two cases of local transmission of the virus which causes coronavirus disease, officially known as COVID-19. The Health Department urges all people who will be contacted by surveillance teams to cooperate. People with fever or respiratory symptoms with a history of travel and exposure to someone who has tested positive for coronavirus are urged to call the Health Department at (02)8-651-7800 loc 1149-1150. The new cases came just a day after the Health Department announced that local transmission of the virus has been confirmed in the country after a 62-year-old man from Cainta, Rizal with no previous travel history outside of the Philippines tested positive for the virus. His wife later on also tested positive. Virus sends shockwaves The Muslim prayer hall in San Juan City frequented by the 62-year-old man considered to be the first case of local coronavirus transmission reopened on Saturday night. Greenhills Shopping Center, the mall which houses it, saw fewer shoppers compared to most Sundays. Mall management, still reeling from a dramatic 10-hour hostage crisis, says that it is continuously being sanitized, and that temperature checks have been implemented at entrances. Bonifacio Global City in Taguig was also hit by the coronavirus scare, after an employee working at business consulting firm Deloitte based in the business and shopping district was confirmed to have tested positive for the virus. BGC management canceled a dog park event scheduled Sunday and also canceled the use of bike lanes on 31st Street. President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a state of public health emergency upon the recommendation of the Health Department, his spokesperson Salvador Panelo told CNN Philippines on Sunday. Duque earlier said the declaration will allow for easier access to financial resources to control the spread of the disease in the country. The Health Department also raised Code Red sublevel 1 a preemptive call to ensure that national and local government and public and private health care providers can prepare for possible increase in suspected and confirmed cases. Duque said the department will raise the alert to sub-level two once several local transmissions are reported, which will trigger community-wide lockdowns. School and work may also be suspended under this alert level. As of press time, only Navotas, San Juan, Marikina and the towns of Cainta and Taytay in Rizal have suspended classes in all levels. Manila Tytana Colleges, Trinity University of Asia, Assumption College and Bagong Lipunan Crame Elementary School and High School have also canceled classes. The Department of Education suspended all national and regional events involving students from different localities until further notice, but is pushing through with the National Festival of Talents and the National Schools Press Conference as participants at these events are already at the venues. Two patients who previously tested positive for coronavirus in the Philippines have recovered and have been discharged. One Chinese man, however, has died due to the virus.his story is breaking and will be updated. CNN Philippines Correspondent Paolo Barcelon contributed to this report. SPRINGFIELD A new bill that would create a statewide system for safely disposing of unwanted drugs and medications is being considered in Springfield. The state does not have a comprehensive plan to help people dispose of unused drugs. A patchwork of county-level and privately run collection programs serve some Illinois residents. They are going above and beyond what theyre being required to do to make sure that consumers have convenient and accessible take back options currently, said advocate Colleen Smith of the Illinois Environmental Council. A proposed law, House Bill 4888, would create a statewide system of collection. Smith said the fee-based program is facing an uphill battle. Surprisingly, big pharma doesnt want to be responsible for the problem theyve created, she said. Lawmakers are looking at two possible ways to fund the program. The first option would allow drug companies to pay a $5,000 fee and create their own disposal plans. The second is a reimbursement program that would have drug companies paying counties and retailers to expand existing take backs. Smith said both ideas face opposition from drug companies. They dont support change for this problem. And in fact, theyve suggested that they would even pass the costs of this type of program onto consumers, she said. The environmental council has built a coalition of support for the bill. In addition to helping the environment, she says drug take-back bills would also help dispose of unused narcotics. Those can be a gateway to drug abuse, public health advocates say. The proposed law, House Bill 4888, remains in committee in Springfield. When March rolls around, mustaches start blossoming on airmen's faces at Charleston Air Force Base. It's not standard issue, but it's an annual tradition. One that long timers like Senior Master Sgt. Jon DuMond, who has been rocking a grizzly 'stache for nearly a decade, has become as routine to him as putting on the uniform. "The military is a very regimented thing," DuMond said. "So, when you see service members growing a mustache, it seems out of the ordinary." March is when the Air Force recognizes Brig Gen. Robin Olds, the famous Vietnam flying ace who grew out an impressive, and non-regulation, handlebar mustache to inspire his men and protest the rules. But it's also a reminder of the military's ever growing and changing relationship with facial hair, self-expression and historic tradition. Hollywood has helped stoke the image of mustaches and beards while in uniform. There's Robert Duvall's killer fly boy mustache in "The Great Santini," Robert De Niro notably grows his menacing goatee in "The Deer Hunter" and Bradley Cooper's portrayal of Navy Seal Chris Kyle included a wicked beard in "American Sniper." But, in reality, facial hair is often a rarity and it must, like most things in the military, serve a purpose. Mustaches can be tributes to heroes. Beards can be used as disguises for special operations. Stubble can be a symbol of deep religious faith. And, sometimes, they can just be for laughs. "If it's a morale booster in anyway shape of form, then I'll do it," DuMond said. "We have a hard job to do. It grinds on people. Sometimes it helps to have some levity around." Bulletproof mustaches While many airmen grew what they dubbed "bulletproof" mustaches during the Vietnam War, Olds' upper lip was next level. His non-regulation mustache was frequently waxed and always stylish. He started growing it in the wake of a successful flying mission in Vietnam. It was a self-described act of defiance. "It became the middle finger I couldn't raise in the PR photographs," Olds wrote in his memoir. "The mustache became my silent last word in the verbal battles with higher headquarters on rules, targets, and fighting the war." When he returned home, however, the novelty had worn off on Air Force leadership. Then Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. McConnell told Olds to shave it off. He, dutifully, replied, "Yes, sir." In his memoir, he reflected on how while on deployment Air Force leadership "seemed rather amused at the variety of 'staches sported by many of the troops." He added that shaving it was "the most direct order" he had received in the Air Force. As an acceptable protest, the Air Force has informally adopted Mustache March every Spring. According to the branch's guidelines it must be conservative, moderate, being within reasonable limits, not excessive or extreme, and will not extend downward beyond the lip line of the upper lip. The opposite of Olds' legendary 'stache. But the culture has rubbed off on many South Carolina airmen, like Maj. Christopher Wojtowicz. The C-17 pilot didn't have a mustache when he first joined in 2010, but has since adopted it. He said it's a conversation starter and often something that is talked about when he's out on the town. "When I first joined, it really wasn't a thing," Wojtowicz said. "Now, I typically always have a mustache. It's a cultural thing to me. You use it as a means to get respect." Generally, beards, bushy mustaches and goatees aren't allowed. Recruits are typically clean-shaven during training. The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard all prohibit beards based on the premise of good hygiene and professional appearance. Additionally, many of the branches outlaw full beards because it can inhibit respirators and gas masks from fitting properly. Sign up for our SC Military Digest newsletter Get exclusive military reporting, updates from Palmetto State bases, headlines from around the globe and more delivered to your inbox each Tuesday. Email Sign up! But this often goes by the wayside during deployments, where certain missions may require certain levels of facial hair. For example, video games and movies often depict burly bearded special operations soldiers having bushy beards coated in sand from their deployments. It's somewhat accurate, especially with the Department of Defense's numerous missions in the Middle East. Bobby Cox, a S.C. state lawmaker and former Army Ranger, is familiar with special operations soldiers wearing their famous beards. He served in the Army for 13 years, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel. His Army experience includes four combat tours to Iraq, some of them with special operations units. He's been told to grow one before. "It's very mission-specific," Cox said. "For some missions, you don't want to be identified. So, a beard helps you blend in, especially in the Middle East. In some cultures people attribute it to wisdom and respect, and it helps to be taken serious by the locals." Beard exemptions growing Like all rules, there are exceptions. Medical waivers can be obtained by service members who have a skin irritation from shaving that is acknowledged by a doctor. Their hair still needs to be kept tidy and professional. Additionally, other exemptions have become more prevalent in the branches. Last month, the Air Force updated its regulations to formally allow airmen to ask for a waiver to wear religious apparel such as turbans or hijabs, or beards worn for religious reasons. In 2010, Spc. Simranpeet Lamba made history as being the first Sikh to ever enter the enlisted ranks of the Army. To gain his exemption, he adapted a camouflaged turban to fit under his Kevlar helmet for training and combat. He also had a black turban with the blue infantry patch to match the other soldiers black berets and proving a gas mask would seal over his beard. He graduated from Fort Jackson. Since then, on post leadership has been made aware of nearly a dozen cases of Army trainees who have been granted exemptions to observe Sikh faith and tradition, Fort Jackson spokeswoman L.A. Sully said. More unique religious exemptions have appeared in recent years. This past December, Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Hopper, an Alabama native and member of the Nevada Army Guard, was granted a waiver to grow a beard after the Army proved his sincere devotion to the Norse pagan faith known as "Heathenry." The polytheistic religion is rooted in Scandinavian folklore. According to the Nevada Guards Chaplains Office, two other Pagan soldiers subsequently began pursuing a waiver to wear a beard. Hopper said the change is ultimately a good thing. I see it as a phase very similar to when the Army authorized the wear of black socks during the fitness test," Hopper said in a Nevada National Guard statement. "It is something new and authorized and you will always encounter people who do not like change that is just life. Military bases in South Carolina told The Post and Courier that the number of religious exemptions on bases is private information. Beards are increasing in popularity among younger generations. Coincidentally, the most recent internal Defense Department survey conducted in 2017 showed the percentage of young people who say they will likely join the military is at 11 percent. It was the lowest point in nearly 10 years. Some military recruiters are concerned about how facial hair policy might dissuade people from serving. While the protocol on facial hair is loosening ever so slightly across all the branches, DuMond said the policy on beards shouldn't stop young men from joining the military. "Joining the service helps you uncover different elements of who you are," DuMond said. "People have a right to express themselves. But, in the military, you're joining something larger than yourself. So, you're voluntarily sacrificing elements of who you were to become who you are now." LOS ANGELES - As federal and state officials grappled with how to deal with the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of San Francisco, where 21 passengers have tested positive for the coronavirus, passengers remained in the dark about when they would be able to return to land. Vice President Mike Pence said in a meeting with cruise line executives and port directors in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., that officials have developed a plan to bring the ship to a noncommercial port, which will be implemented this weekend. "All passengers and crew will be tested for coronavirus and quarantined as appropriate," he said. "Those that require additional medical attention will also receive it." But few details have been released about the plan. Meanwhile, at Long Beach harbor Saturday, passengers aboard the Carnival Panorama cruise ship were not allowed off the ship while officials dealt with a medical issue, according to a Facebook post by the cruise director. ADVERTISEMENT "There is a medical matter with a Carnival Panorama guest that caused authorities to suspend debarkation. The guest in question does not meet CDC criteria for coronavirus risk, but officials still have questions. Our shoreside medical team is in direct contact with authorities and we hope to debark shortly," he said in the post. Long Beach city officials said on Twitter that a passenger aboard the cruise was taken to a local hospital by the Long Beach Fire Department and is being tested for the coronavirus. The ship is docked at a Long Beach terminal, but "in an abundance of caution, (the CDC) has decided to hold passengers on board until the patient can be evaluated." Siehara Kennedy, who is aboard the cruise ship, said passengers have been waiting more than three hours to get off. Passengers are not being isolated in their rooms and have been allowed to gather in the ship's bars and casino, she said. Across the state, more than 80 people have been infected with the virus. In the U.S., there have been at least 381 confirmed cases, with most centered in Washington, where 108 people have tested positive and 16 have died. More than 100,000 people have become infected worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. A state source described conversations about moving passengers and crew members on the Grand Princess cruise as fluid and said discussions on how to proceed by state and federal officials would resume Saturday. So far, 19 crew members and 2 passengers have tested positive out of a total 46 passengers who were tested, a sign that the virus was spreading aboard the boat. Meanwhile, at least two more California residents who had recently been on Grand Princess cruises have tested positive for the virus. A Madera County resident and their partner are isolated in their home. One person who visited the couple is also isolated and being monitored, according to the Fresno Bee. Officials did not say where the Madera County resident had traveled to before leaving the ship. On Saturday morning, Santa Cruz County public health officials also confirmed a coronavirus case. The County's public health division said in a press release that the person had been on a cruise from San Francisco to Mexico between Feb. 11 and 21. They are working to determine whether the person came in contact with anyone else. ADVERTISEMENT By Saturday, the state said approximately a dozen passengers of the Grand Princess cruise that returned to San Francisco on Feb. 21 had tested positive for the virus. Local officials reported four cases in Placer County, two in Contra Costa County, two in Sonoma County and one in each of Santa Cruz, Ventura, Madera and Alameda counties tied to the trip Testing was continuing on the ship Saturday, but its fate is emerging as a major public health challenge for California, where the number of coronavirus cases has pushed past 60. At least seven of those cases are believed to be connected to the same cruise ship, including a Placer County man who died after returning from an earlier voyage to Mexico. He is the state's only confirmed COVID-19 fatality. The Princess Cruise ship was returning from a subsequent cruise to Hawaii when it was held off the California coast. With testing still underway, officials still don't know how many of the more than 3,000 people on board have the virus. They also have not determined exactly where those who are infected would go. According to a source on the ship who asked not to be identified, the boat had moved just south of San Francisco and closer to shore to allow easier U.S. Coast Guard access. But on Saturday morning, the ship moved farther offshore, about 50 miles from the coast. Friday evening, gloves and masks were delivered to the cruise ship by helicopter, according to Negin Kamali, a spokesperson for the cruise ship. On Saturday morning, a critically ill passenger and their companion were evacuated from the ship by a Coast Guard cutter. "They are being transported to a shoreside medical facility for treatment unrelated to COVID-19," Kamali said. "The Captain of Grand Princess and the Princess Cruises port operations team continue to await specific directives from state and local response operations about where the ship will proceed." Media outlets reported that one person aboard the cruise has cancer and needed to be removed to receive chemotherapy treatment. Pence said the federal government is working with the state of California to bring the cruise ship into a noncommercial port over the weekend and quarantine those aboard as necessary. ADVERTISEMENT President Donald Trump said he would ultimately let Pence, who leads the task force in charge of the response, decide whether to allow passengers to leave the ship. But he said several times that he would be inclined to leave them on board because bringing them ashore would increase the number of official cases on American soil. "I like the numbers being where they are. I don't need to have the numbers being doubled because of one ship," Trump said. "A lot of people think we should do it the other way," he said. "We have to take care of Americans." Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, said in a statement that federal and state government "have been working in close collaboration overnight and throughout the day to quickly stand up a solution that meets the health needs for those on board and protects public health." He added that Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke Friday morning, with the governor also speaking with Pence throughout the day. At a White House briefing, federal public health officials could not say precisely how many people have been tested for the virus. They said 5,861 specimens have been taken by federal, state and local public health labs. But most patients give at least two samples, one from the nose and a second from the throat. But Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, promised a massive expansion of testing availability in the coming days. The CDC has shipped out 75,000 tests to public labs in 48 states and 1.1 million tests to commercial labs, with another 1 million tests going out Monday. That's enough for roughly 850,000 patients under the current protocols. Friday's announcement was the result of a helicopter crew delivering kits to the Grand Princess to test about 100 passengers for COVID-19. The next day, Kamali confirmed that the CDC had "recommended that guests should remain in their staterooms for the remainder of the cruise." Karen, a Canadian passenger who asked to be identified only by her first name, said she fears what could come next. "I'm not afraid of this virus," she said. "I'm terrified of a quarantine onboard." "That changes things," said another person on the ship. "I'm not going home anytime soon." The one California man who has died disembarked from the Grand Princess last month in San Francisco after a cruise to Mexico. The ship was scheduled to return to San Francisco again Wednesday after a subsequent trip to Hawaii, but it has been held offshore while authorities evaluate crew members and passengers with symptoms of the virus. Another man who had been on the Mexico trip was found unresponsive at his home in Sunnyvale on Thursday and later died. On Friday, Santa Clara County officials said that the man tested negative for COVID-19. Passengers on the vessel - both current and those who may have been exposed earlier - told the Los Angeles Times that the response to the outbreak by the company and health officials had been filled with missteps. In particular, passengers said that Princess Cruises was lax on health screening protocols prior to boarding and withheld information about the risks they faced, even as the ship's situation became international news. In Silicon Valley, the film festival Cinequest postponed its second week of events due to coronavirus concerns. "In keeping with the health safety directive from the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, and the concerned request from San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, we are rescheduling the second week of this, our 30th anniversary festival, to occur August 16-30," Cinequest co-founders said in a statement. The quandary over the cruise ship comes as Stanford University said that it would shift classes online for the final two weeks of the winter quarter after a faculty member in the School of Medicine tested positive for the coronavirus. School officials said the clinic where the faculty member worked was closed over the weekend for cleaning . USC said it would conduct lectures and seminars online rather than in classrooms for three days next week as a test should the campus be forced to suspend in-person contact. Three UCLA students who were self-isolating on campus have tested negative for the coronavirus. School officials said the university has"invested in tools that will aid in remote teaching and learning, when needed" but so far has not made changes to classes. The Elk Grove School District, the largest in Northern California, closed schools for a week because a student is in quarantine after being exposed to the coronavirus. According to reporting by the Sacramento Bee, it is the first school district in the state to do so. In Washington state, another person died from the coronavirus, bringing the deaths in the state to 16, health officials said Saturday. A total of 102 people have been infected. Seattle appears to be the center of the U.S. epidemic, where 98 people have been infected. Ten of the state's deaths have happened at the Life Care Center of Kirkland, a long-term care facility. Officials said 15 people in the nursing facility have been hospitalized in the last 24 hours. In New York, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo declared a state of emergency Saturday after the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state rose to 76. --- (Los Angeles Times staff writers Melody Gutierrez, Richard Winton, Soumya Karlamangla, Taryn Luna and Richard Read contributed to this report.) --- (c)2020 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. ----- Where Did The Idea of Jesus Descending to Hell Originate? And Did Jesus Descend to Hell? The Apostles Creed is an expanded version of the Old Roman Creed that was being used as early as the second century. Scholars are not exact on the reasons for creating the Apostles Creed. Early church leaders believed the creed was written by the apostles themselves, but we dont really know. This statement that Jesus descended into hell is believed to have been added later, around AD 390. This would have been at the same time a bishop named Apollinarius was teaching. He was stating that Jesus was not fully human, therefore, could not be an effective sacrifice for the sins of mankind. At the Council of Constantinople in AD 381, this doctrine was condemned. There are several thoughts as to why this statement is not in the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed was developed at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. Emperor Constantine gathered church leaders to create a statement of faith in response to the teachings of a man named Arius. Constantine wanted the Christian church to have a statement of faith that would unite each denomination. This would have been before the addition in the Apostles Creed. Beyond the development of these creeds is the scriptural references that are viewed as evidence that Jesus descended into hell. Most scholars use 1 Peter 18-22 as scriptural evidence to stand upon. This reference along with Ephesians 4:9 develops the understanding that Jesus may have descended into hell after his death on the cross. Understanding the Language and Meaning of the Apostles Creed Understanding the text of a document is extremely important. A person must know what the language is and what the words of that language mean. If there is a misunderstanding, the entire meaning of a document or statement can change. Christians and scholars today must understand that documents from the early church are written in languages that can be hard to translate. When we begin to translate Hebrew or Greek into English, we must be careful. Hell is referred to in the Old Testament with the Hebrew word Sheol. This word means hell, but it refers to the present Hell. The understanding that those who have died in their sin and are lost will immediately enter this place upon death is what the word Sheol describes. The reference to hell in the Greek is found in the New Testament. Since the Apostles Creed was originally written in Greek, we will focus closely on this language. Translating Greek into English is difficult because two words describe the abode of the dead. The word in Greek that speaks of the place of hell is Gehenna. This word describes a final retribution or physical place. The Apostles Creed does not use this word. In the Apostles Creed, we find the statement he descended into Hell using the Greek word Hades. The word Hades, in Greek, refers to the state of death. It could be translated as descended to those below. It does not refer to the place we recognize today as hell it refers to the physical state of death. Theological scholar Kenneth West explains this in the following statement regarding 1 Peter 3:18-22. It is clear that our Lord as the man Christ Jesus went to a place of the departed dead called in the Old Testament Sheol and in the New Testament, hell, the word hell being the translation of the Greek word Hades. Modern churches have changed the meaning of the words in the Apostles Creed. This is a change that happened as time marched forward. Words in the English language began to have different meanings than their earlier counterparts. Specifically, the word hell began to mean the place where Satan lives. In the languages of the Bible, this was not what hell was. Today, we can find many churches that dont recite the Apostles Creed. The ones that still do often leave out this phrase. Photo credit: Unsplash/Aaron Burden Humans are frequently (if not almost always) slaves to our baser instincts: the need for shelter, sustenance, and human contact see us make irrational and sometimes deadly decision, with no regard for those around us. Pair this with the complications of marriages, employment, community, etc., and there is where most mysteries begin and end. And the community of the world, even with more than six billion people, is smaller than we think. French director Dominik Moll's latest film, Only the Animals, is told in five sections, set in central France and the Ivory Coast, and follows a small group of people whose connections that should bind them together ends up tearing them apart. The need for attachment, or for money, leads to a desparation that brings out the worst in everyone, unfolding against backdrops of a world that is lonely and empty, whether in the middle of nowhere or surrounded by people. The film begins in Abidjan, with young man Armand rather inventively transporting a goat to an unknown recipient. We won't be back here for a while, and we are transported to rural France in winter. Laure, a social worker, is having an affair with her client Joseph, who seems at best indifferent and at worst dismissive of her affections. Her husband Michel also seem to care little. We soon learn that a local woman, Evelyne is missing, her car (seen by Laure) abandoned on a lonely road. These lives and others all intersect in ways that are both deeply trouble, very sad, and quite believable as we understand the pull of loneliness and the overwhelming need to know that someone, somewhere, can't live without us. Each of the stories unfolds around a different character - Laure, Joseph, Marion (a waitress has a connection with the missing woman), Michel and Armand - and each gives us more information to the mystery. This is less a nail-biting thriller than a slow-burn drama; Moll wants to think less about the destination and spend more time on the journey, understanding each sublte movement and the motivation behind it. This is not to say that the mystery isn't interesting, far from it; the more layers are pulled back, the more intriguing the story becomes, and you're hanging on every detail. And Moll give those details in part to know the truth of the mystery, but more how human need and consequent impulsive and disasterous actions led to it. We're so often quick to draw conclusions about why someone is acting strangely, or one person might feel less than another, thinking all this is about us and not about them: are feelings are motivated by so many factors that often it is impossible to explain, and our base desires drive us in ways that, even though we all feel it, it can be impossible to articulate. The scenes in France are frequently shot wide, emphasizing the physical distance which echoes in the characters, and the thin layer of snow that echoes the layer of seeming coldness as each character must live within their own skin, unable to connect even with their closest loved on. This is contrasted with the scenes in Abidjan, where life and activity seem to be teeming, and yet even there, loneliness and the need for recognition (in this case, in the form of the status that comes with money) are only made more palpable. As the story reaches its climax, and the consequences of characters' action resonate on a wider scale, they each realize how, sadly, their desires are considered inconsequential when added together - or at least, when desires in two people don't match, there is rarely happiness on either side. Even the few characters who seem to get what they want, aren't made happy by it. The desire to stave off loneliness comes with a price, one that will either break you or kill you. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 19:51:39|Editor: yhy Video Player Close WINDHOEK, March 8 (Xinhua) -- For the past five years, Melisa Louw has been making a difference in her community empowering young disadvantaged girls and giving them hope for a brighter future. With a goal to help these girls finish school and break the poverty cycle, Louw takes 30 girls at a time and mentors them until they finish school. "Namibia is home to a large population of underprivileged and impoverished women and girls. This generation of young women is facing obstacles far greater than most can imagine, so our role is to help ease those challenges... We help vulnerable girls meaning they come from very disadvantaged families where parents are either unemployed or they earn less that 3,000 Namibian dollars (200 U.S. dollars) a month," Louw said. Working under the City of Windhoek Municipality, Louw provides counselling, material support such as toiletries and school uniforms. "We are trying to show these girls that it does not matter where you come from, you can achieve greatness no matter your circumstances. We keep an eye out for bursaries so that once they finish secondary school they can go to university," Louw said. Of the 30 girls she is currently mentoring, two are in grade 11 and will be finishing school next year. "We are teaching these girls to be independent and be able to take care of not only themselves but their families. By receiving an education, the girls will have same opportunities as their male counterparts," Louw said. During the 10th Pan-African Women's Organization (PAWO) congress last week in Windhoek, the group called for enhanced efforts to empower African women economically. PAWO President Assetou Koite called for a maximum investment in women to reduce discrimination and enhance their participation in social issues. She also asked called for Africa to create an enabling environment for women and girls, including those in rural areas, by ensuring that they participated in the bottom-top approach to eradicate poverty. "Economic empowerment on the African continent can only be attained if women occupy high political and social positions. We must make efforts in a number of areas to ensure women achieve education and also take advantage of the emerging opportunities in science and technology. We must eliminate the obstacles and discrimination women face in terms of access to financing." Koite said. In a statement to commemorate International Women's Day, Southern African Development Community (SADC) executive secretary Stergomena Lawrence Tax said gender equality remains a priority in the SADC region. "Challenges continue to hamper efforts to attain gender parity particularly in the political sector, and women continue to experience inequalities in different spheres of life. For example, their representation in politics and decision-making processes remains below the regional targets as agreed by member states when gender protocol was adopted, as the regional average remains below the aspired parity, standing at 23.2 percent in 2018." she said. An unidentified traveler from Thailand has been hospitalized in a Zimbabwean hospital for coronavirus tests. In a tweet, the countrys Ministry of Information said the person was hospitalized at Wilkins Hospital after initially visiting a local hospital. The Wilkins Hospital is dealing with a case of a traveler from Thailand who presented (himself/herself) at a local private hospital today, meeting the case definition for COVID-19 and was referred to them for further tests. Dr. Portia Mananganzira, head of Zimbabwes Epidemiology and Disease Control Department, could not be drawn to comment on the issue, noting that she has been out of the country. Dr. Mananganzira said Zimbabwe has trained some manpower to handle people suspected of having the virus and is expected to open several health centers nationwide for conducting coronavirus tests. The Ministry of Information also noted that a person, who was recently in Dubai, has been screened by a local medical team. In Masvingo, a traveller from Dubai tested negative for Coronavirus. He is now in self quarantine and being monitored. At the same time, the ministry said another person who returned from China died Friday before she arrived at Wilkins Hospital. A Mutare woman who returned from China on 24 January, presented to her GP (general practitioner) on 6 March complaining of shortness of breath. She was referred to Wilkins Hospital for COVID-19 tests but died on the way. Subsequent tests at Wilkins indicated negative for Coronavirus. In other parts of the world, Italy's coronavirus death toll spiked Sunday by 133 to 366, the most in any country outside China. With the growing health risks, Rome imposed a new emergency decree, locking down the northern part of the country with a quarter of Italy's population. The northern part of the country includes the Lombardy region and the financial capital, Milan. In addition, Italy is closing off 14 other provinces, including Veneto, home of Venice. Italy has also asked retired doctors to return to service to help treat coronavirus victims. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said that 100 countries are now reporting coronavirus cases with more than 100,000 people reported as being ill. "While very serious, this should not discourage us," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "There are many things everyone, everywhere can and should do now." Tedros praised Italy for "taking bold, courageous steps aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus (and) protecting their country. They are making genuine sacrifices." He said the WHO "stands in solidarity" with Italy and "is here to continue supporting you." In the U.S., where there have been at least 19 deaths, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter, "We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus. We moved VERY early to close borders to certain areas, which was a Godsend. V.P. is doing a great job. The Fake News Media is doing everything possible to make us look bad. Sad!" Surgeon General Jerome Adams told CNN that U.S. health officials want Americans, especially older people, to "rethink getting on a cruise or a long-haul flight" in an effort to limit their risk of being confined with someone who might have the coronavirus. Adams said that by Monday the U.S. expects to have two million test kits available. "If you're health care provider thinks you need a test, you'll get it," he said. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, urged Americans to take the threat of the coronavirus seriously. "You have to look at any large gathering" and consider the possible consequences of attending, he said on NBC's "Meet the Press" show, and specifically advised against going on a cruise vacation. In a break with centuries of tradition, Pope Francis did not deliver the annual Angelus prayer live Sunday in Saint Peter's Square. The Vatican, which has already reported one coronavirus case, is hoping to keep crowd size down in the tiny city-state in its attempt to stop the virus. The pontiff instead utilized 21st-century technology and delivered the prayer "via livestream by Vatican News and on screens in Saint Peter's Square," the Vatican said. Iran said Sunday the coronavirus has killed 49 more people in the last 24 hours, bringing its death toll to 194. The Middle Eastern country has 6,566 confirmed cases. In China, a hotel used to quarantine people with the virus collapsed Sunday. At least six people were killed in the incident. The virus first erupted in China late last year. Reuters reported that at least two federal health screeners at Los Angeles International Airport had tested positive for the coronavirus and have been ordered to self-quarantine until March 17. The news agency said screeners, many of them federal workers, had already "asked their supervisors . . . to change official protocols and require stronger masks." The Grand Princess cruise ship, hit by a coronavirus outbreak, is scheduled to dock in Oakland, California, Monday. The ship has been held at sea since last week when San Francisco refused to allow the ship to return there because of the outbreak. The Grand Princess is carrying more than 3,500 passengers and crew. Worldwide, there were more than 106,000 infections Sunday, while the death toll has surpassed 3,500. Bahrain has announced it will hold its Formula 1 Grand Prix later this month, but without any spectators. "Given the continued spread of COVID -19 globally, convening a major sporting event, which is open to the public and allows thousands of international travelers and local fans to interact in close proximity would not be the right thing to do at the present time," the Bahrain International Circuit said Sunday. Photograph: Carlo Allegri/Reuters Joe Bidens campaign for the White House received another significant lift on Sunday when Democratic senator Kamala Harris, until recently one of the former vice-presidents main rivals for the partys presidential nomination, announced her endorsement. In a short video statement released on Twitter, Harris promised she would do everything in my power to ensure Biden beats off a challenge from Vermont senator Bernie Sanders for the nomination and goes on to be elected president in November. I am with great enthusiasm going to endorse Joe Biden for president of the United States, the California senator said. I believe in Joe. I really believe in him and I have known him for a long time. .@JoeBiden has served our country with dignity and we need him now more than ever. I will do everything in my power to help elect him the next President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/DbB2fGWpaa Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 8, 2020 One of the things we need most now is a leader who really does care about the people and who can therefore unify the people. Biden, she said, was a public servant who had always worked for the best of who we are as a nation, and we need that right now. Harriss support means that Biden, whose faltering campaign for the nomination was restored by a remarkable Super Tuesday turnaround, goes into Tuesdays primary contests in a number of crucial midwest and western states, including Michigan and Missouri, with the backing of almost all of the key figures previously running against him. Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar dropped out last weekend and threw Biden their endorsements just before 14 states went to the polls on Super Tuesday. Story continues Billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, suffered a disappointing Super Tuesday and withdrew on Wednesday after spending $500m on his campaign. He immediately offered his backing and resources to the Biden operation. Meanwhile Elizabeth Warren, the liberal Massachusetts senator who dropped out on Thursday, has yet to announce an endorsement, with Sanders hoping she will swing her supporters to him. The Vermont senator, 78, also picked up one notable endorsement on Sunday, that of Jesse Jackson, the veteran civil rights leader who won the Michigan caucuses in his unsuccessful 1988 run at the Democratic presidential nomination. A people far behind cannot catch up choosing the most moderate path, Jackson said in a statement. The most progressive social and economic path gives us the best chance to catch up and Bernie Sanders represents the most progressive path. Harris, once seen as a likely frontrunner, ended her own campaign in December after struggling for months to overcome low opinion poll numbers. In a tweeted announcement to supporters she said running for president had been the honor of my life and promised to keep up the fight. Harris has previously been severely critical of Biden, notably during a contentious debate in July last year when she attacked his record on race relations. Biden, she claimed, worked with segregationist leaders in southern states during the civil rights era and supported busing of school children to achieve racial integration, claims Biden strenuously denied. Biden, after his extraordinary Super Tuesday turnaround, holds a narrow advantage over Sanders in the chase for Democratic delegates who will decide the nomination at the partys convention in Milwaukee in July. The former Delaware senator and Barack Obamas vice-president for eight years, has so far secured 664 of the 1,991 state delegates he needs, with Sanders who raced out to an early lead after victories in Nevada and New Hampshire, has 573. On Tuesday a further 352 delegates are at stake in primary votes in Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota and Washington. [Update: More schools announced closings and the state said the Port Authority chief tested positive.] Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo criticized the federal government on Sunday for delays in allowing private laboratories in New York State to test for the coronavirus. At a news conference, Mr. Cuomo also announced 16 new confirmed cases of the virus, bringing the total number in New York State to 106. But he said that the state would not know the full extent of the spread until it could do more testing. I would get nervous if the number didnt go up, he said. He added: The more tests we run, the better. In his most pointed criticism to date, Mr. Cuomo said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been slow in responding to the epidemic and then too slow in allowing states to do more testing. His criticism came as Scarsdale, a New York City suburb in Westchester County, announced that it would close schools from Monday through March 18 after a faculty member at the districts middle school tested positive for the virus. Sankore mosque, which was built in the 15th-16th century - Jordi Cami Armed groups operating across Africas Sahel region are looting hundreds of cultural and archaeological sites in the same way as Isil did in Syria, experts have warned. Over the last few years, government forces have retreated from vast areas of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in the face of an onslaught of jihadist attacks. As lawlessness has spread, armed groups many of them allied to Al Qaeda and Islamic State have gained influence in an area the UN describes as potentially one of the richest [cultural] regions in the world. The Sahel boasts archaeological remains dating back to the Neolithic period. In mediaeval times, West African civilisation blossomed along the banks of the Niger River into a myriad of kingdoms and empires. During the 13th century, the cities of Gao and Timbuktu rose as great centres of trade and learning. Kings grew fabulously wealthy from the gold and salt trade routes which crisscrossed the Sahara. At a time when Europe was burning heretics at the stake, books become status symbols in the Malian Empire. Islamic scholars collected hundreds of thousands of manuscripts in libraries spread across the region, most famously in Timbuktu. But experts say the regions extraordinary heritage is under attack. Museums, tombs and villages have been raided for antiquities and photos show historical sites studded with newly dug holes. View of Songhai village in Timbuktu - Getty Its a disaster. Sites have been raided everywhere. We dont know how many because we cant get access to them. There are hundreds [of damaged sites] across the country, says Samuel Sidibe, director of Malis National Museum in Bamako. You cannot estimate the value of whats being lost. This is our history. When that goes you have nothing to bind you together. Solid details on the illicit trade artefacts are scarce. Historically, the Sahel has not received as much attention from archaeologists as North Africa and the Middle East. There are countless sites of historical significance have been left unmapped and unprotected, according to Mr Sidibe. Story continues The armed groups and jihadists are not taking pictures of themselves [looting], like Islamic State did in Syria. But everyone assumes they are involved. Its happening right across Mali and Burkina Faso, one Western official told The Telegraph. Local villagers often know the whereabouts of historical sites. But as the Sahels security situation continues to deteriorate, many are being forced either by poverty, hunger or armed groups to dig them up antiquities. The raided artefacts which include everything from statues and masks to mediaeval jewellery and dinosaur bones often end up in auction houses and private collections in Europe, America and China. The Sahel boasts archaeological remains dating back to the Neolithic period - Adrian Blomfield It is unclear how much money is being made from the trade but previous seizures of trafficked Sahelian antiquities in Europe have been valued at tens of millions of pounds. There are fears that there could be an even bigger market in the Gulf states. Objects are often passed around different countries by middlemen before they reach the international market which makes it very difficult to build up a clear picture, says Guiomar Alonso Cano at UNESCOs Office for West Africa and the Sahel. As the crisis continues to escalate, we must ensure that the Sahels extraordinary cultural heritage is safeguarded and does not go towards funding organised crime and terrorist groups, continues Mrs Alonso Cano, who is helping to train dozens of customs officials to identify stolen cultural goods. The current scourge is not without precedent. When jihadists from Ansar Dine, a group allied to Al Qaeda, invaded northern Mali in 2012, they unleashed an iconoclastic frenzy on the medieval city of Timbuktu. For Ansar Dine, few places reeked of idolatry more than Timbuktu, with its 333 Sufi saints whose shrines were frequently visited by locals hoping to propitiate the Almighty. The jihadists used pickaxes, hoes, Kalashnikov rifles and sometimes just their bare hands to tear down the citys mud-brick mausolea: 15 of the 16 most important were destroyed, says El-Boukhari Ben Essayouti, who heads the Malian governments Timbuktu Cultural Commission. Islamist militants are now trafficking artifacts out of Sahel - Will Brown Worse still, over 4,400 ancient manuscripts were burned or stolen during the citys year-long occupation. Thankfully, the situation for Timbuktu and its treasure trove of knowledge has improved significantly. With donor help, the shrines have been rebuilt and the damage done to mosques has been repaired. And with the help of Minusma, the UN peacekeeping mission, three libraries holding some of Timbuktus private manuscript collections have been restored. Far greater damage could have been done had it not been for people like Ben Essayouti, who, when the city fell, bundled 8,000 manuscripts into sackcloth, stacked them in crates and then hid them in a bunker. He and a network of concerned citizens then managed to smuggle over 300,000 manuscripts to safety. Today, most are hidden in vaults around Malis southern capital, Bamako. Today, the man who masterminded the smuggling operation, Dr Abdel Kader Haidara, is leading a project to restore and digitalise the manuscripts, with the support of the British Library. He hopes that by digitalising the manuscripts, he can safeguard them for the next generation and eventually make them available online for everyone around the world to read. In small rooms at Dr Haidaras Bamako-based NGO Savama, researchers painstakingly leaf through the manuscripts, taking camera shots of every page and logging the contents. Some are hundreds of pages long. Even by digitalising an estimated 20,000 manuscripts a year, researchers say it will take at least a decade to complete the task. But with each flick of the page and camera flash, another small part of the Sahels history is saved. Sixty is the new 45, 80 is the new 60, and 100 is well, really dang old. But even centenarians know that once you stop learning, you star... PARIS Bella Hadid in an ethereal pink Dior confection, posing at the Cannes Film Festival. Her sister Gigi in a tweed midriff number, slithering down a reproduction of the mirrored staircase at Coco Chanels shop in Paris. At first glance, neither of these supermodels posing in custom-made styles could be further from the world of a watchmaker hunched over a work bench, peering at miniature parts. But the grand spectacle of high fashion seems to have turned a few heads at watch brands of late. Some are looking past the decor, lights and models, and discovering that the watch industry does, in fact, have something in common with the world of haute couture and its made-to-measure, exquisitely handcrafted garments. Our two worlds are not that far apart, Laurent Perves, chief marketing officer for Vacheron Constantin, said in an interview. Haute couture and haute horlogerie share the same values of excellence, precision and beauty. Coronavirus live updates: After five patients tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala and one more in Tamil Nadu, the total number of cases have surged to 40. On Friday, two persons from Ladakh and one person from Tamil Nadu tested positive for the deadly virus. A techie from Hyderabad, one from Ghaziabad, 16 from Delhi, six from Agra, two Italian tourists from Jaipur and a Paytm employee in Gurugram also tested positive for the virus till March 6. Meanwhile, China reported 44 cases today against 99 yesterday, marking the lowest growth in the number of cases since January 1. Total deaths due to coronavirus reached 3,600 across the world. Check out all the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak on BusinessToday.In live blog. 2.48 PM: Augmenting facilities to deal with novel coronavirus, the Union Health Ministry has asked the AIIMS administration to designate a part of the new emergency wing of its Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre for setting up of isolation beds for suspected COVID-19 patients. This isolation facility will have a capacity to hold about 20 patients at a given point of time and once confirmed to be positive, the patient concerned will be transferred to NCI Jajhar for treatment, official sources said. 1.55PM: Bulgarian health officials have confirmed first 4 cases of COVID-19 in the country. 1.54PM: South Korea has reported 179 new coronavirus cases, the Korean Centers for Disease Control Prevention said. This brings up the total number of cases in South Korea to 7,313, the largest outside China. 1.51PM: A 48-year-old woman has been reported as the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Moldova in Europe. She was hospitalized after she came back from Italy, the Moldovan Health Ministry said. 1.29PM: Delhi has 3 positive cases and 1 suspected case of corona virus, says Kejriwal. Delhi CM: Delhi has 3 positive cases and 1 suspected case of corona virus. The 1st patient came in contact with 105 people, the 2nd patient came in contact with 168 people and 3rd patient came in contact with 64 people. All these people have been quarantined, their samples taken. pic.twitter.com/x7nhmzKSJq a ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2020 1.28 PM: Expert tips on how to be safe from the virus: Don't wear a mask. It's a false sense of security. Only those who are coughing or deceased need to wear it; Don't use public transport if affected; N95 mask is only for the health care workers and no one else needs it; Only soap and water for 20 seconds is enough and high-value sanitizer is not needed. 1.24 PM: Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Beela Rajesh said, "We have procedures to contain this disease. We have 1,086 patients under home surveillance." 1.09 PM: Uttarakhand State Health Department has suggested that all schools in the school should be closed to proevent the further spread of coronavirus. All biometric attendance has been put to hold in the state. 1.08 PM: A man in his fifities was found to be the first 'presumptive positive test' for coronavirus in Washinton DC today. "With his test yielding a presumptive positive DC health has begun investigating in keeping with the CDC's guidelines," Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Twitter. 1.00 PM: Another man in Kerala has tested positive for the virus, and is currently under surveillance. "We are tracing contact history. Further, we are screening every person coming from outside,"Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Beela Rajesh. 12.45 PM: Five more people from a family tested positive for the virus in Kerala. Three of them had recently visited Italy, one of the worst hit countries. This took the toal cases of coronavirus to 39 in India. 12.30 PM: A five-story hotel in southeast Chinese port city of Quanzhou, that was used to quarantine coronavirus patients had collapsed on Saturday, trapping 70 people. During extraction, 4 people were confirmed to be dead. 12.10 PM: China today reported 44 confirmed cases of Coronavirus against the 99 yesterday. This also marked the slowest growth in coronavirus cases in China since January 1. Of these, 41 were discovered in Wuhan, the epicentre of the epidemic, while the rest 2 were from outside Mainland China. 12.00 PM: The first two months of 2020 saw shipment exports from China drop by 17.2% from the same period from last year, triggered by the coronavirus outbreak. Strict government containment and the epidemic has crippled factory production and a sharp drop in demand, causing China's weakest economic growth since 1990. In celebration of International Women's Day and Women's History Month in the U.S., a few of these talented Belkin International women from around the world share their thoughts on thriving in the tech industry, challenging the proverbial glass ceiling and how to stay motivated in their roles: Playa Vista, Calif. Maggie Curran, vice president sales, ecommerce and business division, "Never give up and never stop trying. Perseverance and persistence are essential. So is failure, but how an individual handles failure, learns from it, and changes their approach and strategies for the future is what truly sets apart great leaders." Melody Saffery, senior director product development, "I am passionate about technology and it shows in my work. The next big thing in tech is that AI is going to play a much larger role and I'm so excited to be a part of the evolution. As devices are beginning to communicate with each other, the tech each consumer uses makes their experience very seamless, from when you get in your car, at home or on the go." Christy Hayes, director of global marketing, connected home, "Women are often afraid to speak up for what they are worth. Those days need to be behind us. Learn to negotiate and don't ever sell yourself short. Go hard on the compensation, build a case, be rational (use data and results) and don't be afraid to ask. You won't get what you don't ask for." Evey Thallmayer, director of sales, business division, "I stand out by working hard, showing examples of ways I have contributed to the company and to my coworkers, and proving to myself that I can do a great job. I think women need to empower each other to go for it! When one woman helps another, amazing things can happen." Jo Taylor, deputy general counsel, "I want to go into work and spend my days with people I admire, respect and just like being around. The people who accomplish the most in my experience are the ones who are motivated to help the people around them, because other people like working with them. They say that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care, and I tend to agree." Jen Warren, vice president of global communications, "My career advice for women just starting their careers would be to keep an open mind. The path to any end goal is multi-directional and even then, the end goal must have room to change and adapt. There are so many things as humans we have yet to learn, no matter our age or experience. You never know what conversation or experience might spark a new interest or trajectory. Stay curious and enthusiastic. Life is a wonder." Latin America Claudia Morales, national account manager, Mexico, "Remember that nobody has control over you unless you allow them to make decisions for you." Europe, Middle East and Africa Stephanie Willems, vice president sales, EMEA, "Life in technology is exciting and fast paced, and it's always changing. The culture at Belkin is so unique and the spirit is so entrepreneurial that it makes it an exciting place to work. I've never experienced that anywhere else and that's what makes me stay." Australia and New Zealand Stephanie Ogden, managing director, ANZ, "My career has been defined by what I have wanted to make of it. When there have been times that I have felt I had reached my professional potential in particular roles, I have challenged myself to step outside of my comfort zone." Nic Rindal, customer advocacy and compliance director, ANZ, "My experience in previous industries saw me working in law, automotive, lighting, complementary medicine and fashion. My versatile background has given me experience to adapt to any industry. Tech is by far my favorite. My 15-year career at Belkin specifically has seen inspirational and motivational women move through its ranks. It has allowed diversity and success throughout the organization." #IWD2020 #EachforEqual About Belkin International In 2018, Foxconn Interconnect Technology merged with Belkin International (Belkin, Linksys, Wemo, Phyn) to create a global consumer electronics leader. Today, this group leads in connecting people with technologies at home, at work and on the go within the accessories ("Connected Things" Belkin brand) and the smart home ("Connected Home" Linksys, Wemo and Phyn brands) markets. 2020 Belkin International, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. SOURCE Belkin International Related Links http://www.belkin.com The number of new coronavirus cases continued to fall dramatically in China as health authorities reported 27 new deaths and 44 new cases on Saturday with only three cases recorded outside the worst-hit Hubei province, all of which were found in people returning to China from abroad. Thousands of new cases were being reported from China especially Hubei until a few weeks ago. The death toll from the of covid-19 outbreak, which began in Hubeis capital, Wuhan, in early December was 3,097 as on Saturday midnight, and the total number of infections stood at 80,695. A total of 57,065 in the mainland have recovered from covid-19, officials said. By the end of Saturday, 63 imported cases of the disease had been reported. The trend of falling cases comes in the backdrop of a top Chinese epidemiologist saying that ground zero Wuhan, under a total lockdown since January 23, was coming out of its darkest moment in the outbreak. Zeng Guang, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said Wuhan is emerging from its darkest period of the ongoing outbreak and other Chinese cities were making progress as well. Cities in Hubei are catching up with other regions in the country in curbing the virus spread, and Wuhan is coming out of the darkest moment, he was quoted as saying by state media. Epidemic prevention work has been categorised into three parts nationwide: Wuhan, other cities in Hubei, and other regions in the country. Soon, it will only be divided into Wuhan and other places outside Wuhan, the expert said. Meanwhile, at least 49 people were rescued until Sunday morning from under the debris of a hotel that collapsed in Quanzhou city of eastern Chinas Fujian province. The hotel was being used as a quarantine facility for close contacts of people infected with covid-19. At least 70 persons were said to be trapped after the hotel collapsed on Saturday evening. Officials are yet to give a reason for why the hotel collapsed. The Chinese government, meanwhile, has decided to donate US $20 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to support it carry out international cooperation in fighting the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Currently, the world is facing an escalating urgency to make global efforts in the joint prevention and control of the COVID-19, as the disease has broke out in multiple places and spread to more countries around the world, Chinese state media said. As a response to the WHOs appeal, the donation is practical support for the organisation to continue playing a better coordinating role in the global fight against the epidemic, especially in helping medium and small-sized countries with weak public health systems cement their defence against the outbreak, the statement said. Joe Swash discreetly paid tribute to his late friend Caroline Flack during his last performance on Dancing On Ice on Sunday, weeks after her tragic death. The TV personality, who went on to be crowned the 2020 champ alongside his skating partner Alex Murphy, wowed judges with a Charlie Chaplin-inspired performance, which included a vintage poster emblazoned with the words 'Be Kind'. Following the Love Island presenter's February 15 suicide, #BeKind trended across social media, in a nod to an Instagram post as she had shared at the end of last year. Scroll down for video Tribute: Joe Swash paid tribute to his late pal Caroline Flack with a discreet 'Be Kind' message during one of his last performances on Dancing On Ice on Sunday evening As 40-year-old Caroline faced the fallout from her looming assault trial, which saw her accused of physically attacking her boyfriend Lewis Burton, she shared a post which read: 'In a world where you can be anything, be kind.' Joe and Alex finished off their performances with the Bolero the routine that won DOI head judges Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean gold at the Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympics, when they became the highest-scoring figure skaters of all time. The routines saw Joe scoop the top spot ahead of runners-up Perri Kiely and Vanessa Bauer, and Paralympian Libby Clegg and Mark Hanretty, who placed third. Pal: Caroline Flack took her own life on February 15. Part of the scenery on the rink was a vintage poster with the phrase 'Be Kind' on it a nod to Caroline's use of the #bekind hashtag Friend: Joe and Alex performed a silent movie-inspired routine, and was sure to include his pal Be Kind: In December, Caroline took to Instagram to share a post which read, 'In a world where you can be anything, be kind.' She added, 'Anything... we can literally choose to be anything....' Joe's victorious moment comes weeks after he was seen looking visibly distraught as he appeared on Dancing On Ice just a day after learning of Caroline's death. The star was visibly distraught as he addressed hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, admitting it had been a 'tough day'. Moments earlier the star had skated to Robbie Williams' hit Candy, and professional skating partner Alex revealed their routine's uplifting tone made Joe's appearance on Sunday even more difficult as he struggled to process the news of Caroline's death. 'This was really hard to get through and do a happy number when he feels the way that he feels, so Im so proud of him,' she said. Addressing Joe, Schofield added: 'Weve got to point out to everyone that you were very, very close to Caroline. Its been an amazingly tough day and shed be so proud of you.' Devastated: A day after Caroline's death, Joe offered condolences to the TV personality's family following his performance on Dancing On Ice 'I just want to send my love to her family and friends,' Joe said as the studio audience broke into applause. Taking to Instagram hours after news of her death broke, Joe fought back tears as he revealed his sadness that she didn't reach out for help. Speaking into the camera, a visibly devastated Joe said: 'I want to send a message to everyone and let everyone know that Caroline Flack was the most amazing person you could ever come across. 'She was funny, super talented, and she had the most infectious laugh.' Struggling to contain his emotions, he continued: 'I wish that she could have asked for help because there's so many people that love her and I am going to miss her so much. We can't let this happen, we can't let this happen to anyone else.' We are the champions: Joe and Alex Murphy were named the winners of Dancing On Ice 2020 It was revealed that paramedics visited Flack's north-east London home the day before her suicide - but didn't take her to hospital after a clinical assessment. Sources told MailOnline that ambulance crews were sent to the former Love Island presenter's Stoke Newington flat over 'concerns for her welfare', but decided against taking her to hospital after checking her over. Caroline took her own life after a worried friend who was staying with her went to the shops, leaving her alone at her London flat. The producer friend couldn't get back into the flat when she returned. She called Flack's father Ian who gained entry to the flat where he found the star's body. If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org. Winning: Joe and Alex were overjoyed to take home the crown on Sunday. Pictured with presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Sunday presented a tax-free budget for FY 2020-21, proposing an expenditure of Rs 1,82,914.42 crore. Out of this, the revenue expenditure is Rs 1,38,669.82 crore and capital expenditure is Rs 22,061.18 crore. It is estimated that surplus in budget estimates is Rs 4,482.12 crore, while the fiscal deficit is Rs 33,191.25 crore, state Finance Minister T Harish Rao said in his Budget speech. The schemes which got major allocations include Rythu Bandhu investment support scheme for farmers (Rs 14,000 crore), Aasara social security pensions (Rs 11,758 crore), two-bedroom houses for poor (Rs 10,500 crore) and Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration (Rs 10,000 crore). Residents in Edison are calling for a councilman to be removed from office for what they say is improper interference in the towns library. But the councilman says the allegations against him are false and defamatory, and he is demanding the removal of a petition seeking to boot him. The online petition on Change.org has more than 1,200 signatures. The petition claims Councilman Samip Joshi betrayed the trust of Edison residents in multiple instances. It alleges Joshi pressured the former library director to hire a friend of his, demanded the library board to switch banks, proposed removing someone from the board who opposed the switch, and supervised the current library directors hiring. Joshi is the vice president of the Edison Township Council and liaison to the librarys board of trustees. The petition claims Joshi made several calls to former Library Director Jane Jiang to recommend a person to fill the newly-created position of Head of Finance in 2018, and when she refused, she was fired. According to a letter sent from the Edison Library Boards attorney Marguerite Schaffer on Oct. 9, 2018, Joshi attempted to interfere in the hiring process. The role of the Township Council is to act as one body to establish township policy, the letter reads. An individual council member should not be calling any department head or injecting himself in the hiring process, as this clearly creates the appearance of an attempt to use his official position to influence the outcome. The petition also claims Joshi demanded the library board move its reserved funds to BCB Bank, which is not an authorized vendor for the township, in the beginning of 2019 due to personal friendships there. It also says Joshi proposed the removal of David Ye, a Library Board Trustee, in Feb. 2020 after Ye opposed moving the reserved funds to that bank. Finally, it alleges Joshi oversaw the hiring of Timur Davis as library director, who pleaded guilty to making false statements in an FBI case surrounding the public library in Orange. Joshi denied all the allegations in the petition. This is the problem with our politics. Im wasting my time debunking entirely false information, Joshi told NJ Advance Media. Joshi has more formally defended himself in a letter from his attorney saying the petition contains numerous malicious, defamatory, and false statements. The letter, issued by Joshis attorney, Thomas P. Scrivo, and obtained by NJ Advance Media, also demands the petition get taken down. The letter argues Joshi has no voting power or formal authority as a liaison to the library board, and that he cant hire or remove an employee or transfer reserved funds to a different bank. Joshi also denied he made several calls to Jiang trying to influence the hiring process. Joshis attorneys letter also includes an email thread that includes discussion of potentially switching the librarys trustee funds from TD Bank to a different bank, in which Joshi offers several options. On April 9, 2019, the library board collectively supported and authorized the transfer of reserved funds to BCB Bank, during a public meeting, according to Joshis attorneys letter and an exhibit of that nights meeting minutes. The letter also disputes the claim that Joshi proposed Yes removal from the Library Board after he opposed transferring the reserved funds to BCB Bank. The bank switch was approved in April 2019 and Joshi called for Yes removal in Feb. 2020, it says. Councilman Joshi called for Yes removal form the Library Board in February 2020, after Ye abandoned his fiduciary responsibility as a Trustee of the Library Board by walking out in the middle of a meeting, ending quorum, and forcing an adjournment of the meeting, the letter reads. It also says the claim that Joshi oversaw the hiring of Timur Davis as library director is falseJiang hired Davis three months after she was hired in 2018. The letter concludes with a warning that appropriate legal action will be taken if the petition isnt removed. Jiang said Joshi wanted to remove her from her position a long time ago, and that she was unfairly terminated in Dec. 2019. The fiscal integrity of our libraries is paramount, said Ye. I am concerned when we are asked to deposit around a million dollars of tax payer money without even asking for bids from banks, without a transparent process, and to a bank that is not on the towns approved list of vendors. Frankly, in my opinion, he said, it should be a process driven by the librarys professional staff, not a politician Davis did not immediately respond to requests for comment. There is no way for council members to be removed from office unless they have committed criminal acts or are absent from a certain amount of meetings, pending an investigation, a spokesperson for the League of Municipalities said. In order for voters to oust elected officials, they need to mount a recall effort and vote them out on Election Day, he said. Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @briannakudisch. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As I argued on BreakPoint, the spread of the coronavirus is a brutal reminder of just how fragile humans are, a direct and uncomfortable challenge to our collective illusion of control. As it spreads, not only are individual lives threatened, but also the intricate and fragile web of global connections that fuel national and international economies. To ask Gods help in all of this shouldnt be controversial at all. Thats exactly what Vice-President Mike Pence decided to do. An official White House photo from February 26 captured the Vice-President and the Coronavirus Task Force opening their meeting with heads bowed in prayer. The photo, as they say nowadays, blew up the Internet, unleashing a tidal wave of prayer shaming, a term coined a couple of years ago to describe ridiculing people who dare offer their thoughts and prayers for the victims of tragedies like mass shootings. One secular research website headlined the photo with this take: Symbolic of the moral and intellectual decay at the White House, a photo showsVice President Mike Pence and his team trying to pray away the coronavirus. Pence and his team were wallowing in ignorant superstition and willful ignorance, the site continued, suggesting that Pence prays because hes a religious extremist. Another slant, this one from an out-and-proud atheist: Its not a joke when people say these Republicans are trying to stop a virus with prayer. What else did anyone expect? Science? Reason? Something sensible? One of the most viral tweets of the photo had this caption: Mike Pence and his coronavirus emergency team praying for a solution. We are so [blanked]. Never mind that every session of Congress begins with a prayer, as do thousands of public meetings across the country every day. Prayer is, for many today, politically unacceptable, seen as an affront to science, an obstacle to governance, and worst of all, a shameful admission that we are not in control of our own destinies. Of course, thats precisely the point of prayer. We are not in control. We think we are. Weve made remarkable medical, scientific, and technological breakthroughs that have allowed us be less the victims of nature than societies in the past, but we do not control the world. The idea that we do, ironically, reveals the central belief of a technocratic worldview, one every bit as much an article of faith as any held by those who pray. This faith lies in something quite unprovable and tentative, namely, that all human problems and challenges, whether climate change or gun violence or the coronavirus, are problems that can be solved if only we apply the right techniques, which these days are almost always political steps: i.e., passing the right laws or public policies. In this worldview, the world and all of its complexities are reduced to mathematical models and can thus be controlled by our best ideas and efforts. All of our problems, the logic continues, can be, if not eliminated, at least ameliorated. In fact, this worldviews central article of faith explains why those committed to it think of prayer and science as mutually exclusive options, something that directly contradicts the history of both science and many of historys most important scientists. This secular faith, along with the political illusions it fosters, is on full display right now by those claiming this outbreak is something President Trump or some government entity should be able to save us from. Such an inflated idea of government not only reduces the room for God in our cultural imagination, it dramatically expands the room for the state in our cultural imagination. Thats something well surely regret. In the end, placing the world on our own shoulders in this way will not grant us any more control. Instead, well only find its weight too heavy, and then where will we turn? As the Psalmist said, nations may rage and people may plot in vain, but only the Lord makes us dwell in safety. Thank God when our leaders recognize this, and may we all join in praying for the Coronavirus Task Force, and for those political leaders and health officials around the world, for God-ordained wisdom to fight this potential pandemic. Originally posted at breakpoint.org By Toma Mochizuki, KYODO NEWS - Mar 8, 2020 - 14:15 | All, Japan While Japan revised in 2017 its criminal law to impose stricter penalties for sex offenders for the first time in 110 years, critics of the legislation have looked to Sweden's consent-based sexual offense law as a guide for further amendments. The Scandinavian country's legislation, promulgated in 2018, states sexual acts require voluntary participation. Under the slogan of "yes means yes," sex without explicit consent would be deemed rape. Several European countries, including Germany and Britain, already define rape as sex without consent. The law also stipulates that physical violence, threats and coercion are no longer prerequisites for defining rape, according to Viveka Lang, a senior advisor at Sweden's Justice Ministry. "A sexual offense is one of the most intrusive acts that you can be exposed to," she said in a recent interview with Kyodo News during a visit to Tokyo. "It's more intrusive than other acts of violence. You can't assume that it's alright to have sex with anyone, just as you can't just take something without asking." Japan's revised Penal Code broadened the definition of rape to include male victims. However, it did not drop a requirement that the perpetrator must have used force or threatened the victim to establish an assault as rape, which some say does not go far enough to protect victims. The Swedish legislation, in contrast, stipulates that the sexual act is illegal if it's not voluntary. The law is applicable, for example, if the victim is simply passive and also covers sexual acts that do not involve penetration. However, there is no legal definition as to what it means to "participate voluntarily," and it is up to the participants to consider whether their "voluntariness" was expressed in words or actions, senior legal manager at the Swedish Prosecution Authority Hedvic Trost said during a press conference in Tokyo. The Swedish legislation on sexual assault and rape had been amended in 2005 and 2013. Although both revisions extended the net for what constituted a crime, they were not consent-based as the government at the time believed that there were too many drawbacks, according to Lang. "But the debate in Sweden didn't stop. People were not happy about the legislation that we had," she said. There was no specific case that gave rise to the latest revision to the law. "It was more like a long process, where little by little, people came to the conclusion that we must have a consent-based legislation," she said. According to Lang, many were initially apprehensive about amending the legislation due to fears that a consent-based law would place further pressure on the victim to answer intrusive questions when they are already exposed to an arduous legal process. But Swedish legislators who visited Canada and Scotland to ask about consent-based laws which they had already in place, determined that it was not as big of an issue as they had originally assumed. "The legislation puts more focus on the perpetrator -- what did he or she do to inform that this is consensual?" Lang said. Several countries have since looked to Sweden's revised law as an example to amend their legislation, including Iceland, Finland, Denmark and Norway. Spain, which has been in contact with Sweden, will become the 10th country in Europe to define rape as sex without consent, its government has announced. However, the law has also garnered questions regarding the possibility of false accusations, with some asking whether people would be more inclined to lie about a sexual encounter because the Swedish system seems to provide victims with broader support. Regardless, the false accusation rate is "extremely low," Lang said, although the exact rate is not known. "These crimes are very difficult to prove," said Trost. "False accusation is quite a severe crime and we can never be 100 percent sure they aren't there. It's happened before, but it's very rare." The law, moreover, stipulates that a person must give evidence when reporting a rape or sexual assault -- a statement alone is insufficient. However, talking to a friend about the incident to have someone who can corroborate the story can be used as evidence for a conviction, she said. Japan's recently amended law still requires violence or coercion for a sexual violation to be officially defined as rape. At the same time, the legal age of consent is set at 13 -- one of the lowest among the developed countries. Activist groups in Japan, such as Flower Demo and others, are calling for the introduction of consent-based provisions and raising the legal age of consent when a debate on further revisions to the penal code is expected to take place later this year. "I think Japan has to find a way which is suitable here. It's important to get acceptance for the law, or else people won't follow it," Lang said. "The more you speak about it, the more it becomes obvious for people, even those who were against it. To raise awareness is important." Sweden will release a report in June on how the legislation has been applied since its implementation. A second coronavirus case was detected at the EU Council last week - with 46 staff members now asked to stay at home and monitor their health. An email sent by William Shapcott, director-general of the Council for organisational development and services, confirmed another man had tested positive for the virus. The man had attended a meeting of ambassadors of the 27 member states on March 2. All areas where he had been were sealed off and thoroughly cleaned. An email sent by William Shapcott, director-general of the Council for organisational development and services, confirmed another man had tested positive for the virus (Pictured: Stock image of the European Council headquarter in Brussels, Belgium) The Council, which hosts ministerial meetings and EU summits, has a staff of around 3,000. All scheduled meetings, including EU trade ministers talks on March 12, will go ahead and 'no decision have been taken on a reduced programme', the email said. A spokesman for the Council was not immediately available to comment on Sunday. Last week, another EU body, the European Defence Agency, reported a case of coronavirus among its staff. The official had recently travelled to northern Italy. The man had attended a meeting of ambassadors of the 27 member states on March 2 (Pictured: Stock image) The European Parliament has moved a plenary session that was scheduled for next week in the French city of Strasbourg to Brussels because of concerns about the coronavirus risk. Separately, Belgium's health ministry said on Sunday the number of coronavirus cases in the country had reached 200. It said the virus had started to circulate locally among the Belgian population. DEARBORN, Mich. Muslim and Arab-American voters were critical to Bernie Sanders upset victory in Michigan that gave his 2016 campaign a second life. On Tuesday, hes counting on them again to help revive his bid for the White House. The Vermont senator has won endorsements from key Muslim elected officials here, tapped Muslim leaders to be his top surrogates, and held a rally this week in one of the largest Muslim communities in the country. But for Sanders to succeed, its not enough for Muslim voters in Michigan to simply support him: He also needs them to come to the polls in droves, something that hasnt happened among some crucial pro-Sanders voting blocs in early primary contests. Its potentially significant if its going to be a close contest between him and Joe Biden in Michigan, said Wa'el Alzayat, CEO of Emgage, a major Muslim political action committee that has endorsed Sanders. But the key is turnout. Historically, Muslims in Michigan do not vote at high rates. In order for such voters to push Sanders over the edge, however, the race indeed must be as narrow as Sanders team thinks it is. According to Emgage, there are between 100,000 and 200,000 Muslim voters in Michigan, which is a small portion of the electorate: More than 2.5 million people voted in the state in the 2016 Democratic and Republican primaries. After Biden won 10 states on Super Tuesday, including several that Sanders was expected to carry, Michigans primary is close to a do-or-die election for Sanders. Michigan has the largest share of delegates out of the six states voting on March 10 and perhaps even more significantly, a loss in the crucial general election state would shatter his argument that hes the best candidate to defeat President Donald Trump. Sanders has long made the case that his economically populist agenda, including his longtime opposition to free trade deals, would enable him to win the industrial Midwest and with it the Electoral College. But Democrats in Michigan, as well as Sanders aides and allies, say the race between him and Biden is tight, and a recent poll by Detroit News/WDIV-TV found Biden in the lead by seven percentage points. Story continues Remember, Im the one who four years ago this weekend said that to you all I think Bernie Sanders will win my district, said U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, who represents Michigans 12th District, which includes Dearborn, home to a large Muslim and Arab-American population. This year, she said, Michigan is competitive. I think the senator is going to have to work hard to keep the victory he had four years ago. However, Dingell, who attended a Sanders event Saturday but is remaining neutral in the primary, predicted that Sanders will win her district again. Hes all over my district, she said. Michigan is such a critical state for Sanders that he has canceled events in other states, including Mississippi, in order to blanket Michigan with eight events, including rallies, roundtables and town halls in the week leading up to the primary. Several of Sanders top aides have also been dispatched here, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was added to the lineup for his rallies in Grand Rapids and the University of Michigan. The Sanders campaign tacked onto his calendar a rally in Dearborn, which attracted a diverse crowd and a large presence of Arab-Americans. A Shia imam, a Sunni state representative, a Palestinian surrogate and a Yemeni activist all spoke at the event, and an opening act featured dancers wearing Palestinian keffiyehs. The Arab-American community, theyre overwhelmingly supporting him, said Wayne County Commissioner Sam Baydoun, who is backing Sanders. This district is full of immigrants. They still care about what happens back home. And he talked about having an even-handed approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Thats very important to a lot of people. Last week, Sanders won the endorsement of the Dearborn-based Arab-American News. The newspaper wrote that his proposals most closely align with the interests of the community, citing his health care policy, climate change plan, and bill to end the United States involvement in the war in Yemen. They praised him for defending Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, the first Muslim women elected to Congress who have endorsed his campaign, from attacks. "That will likely net us thousands of votes," said Bill Neidhardt, a Sanders aide sent to Michigan, of the papers endorsement. "I view it as a more important endorsement than if the Detroit Free Press came out for us tomorrow." Sanders has also received praise from Muslim leaders for being the only top presidential candidate to attend the Islamic Society of North Americas convention last year, and for hiring the first Muslim presidential campaign manager in history. Sanders team sent Tlaib and Abdul El-Sayed, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2018, to campaign for him in mosques in the state Friday. The team is also sharing a new video with Arab-American voters in the state, which features state Rep. Abdullah Hammoud applauding Sanders Not Me, Us motto and forecasting that "the Arab-American population and the Muslim American population are going to be that swing vote that deliver strong results" in Michigan. We have a special multi-layered program communicating directly with the community in different languages, said Chuck Rocha, a senior adviser to Sanders, of the campaigns outreach to Muslim and Arab-American voters. This includes phone calls, texting, digital and newspaper ads, along with special paid messaging directly from Rashida Tlaib. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., speaks at a a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in Detroit, Friday, March 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Exit polling by the Council on American Islamic Relations showed that 58 percent of Muslim American voters backed Sanders on Super Tuesday. Emgage found that turnout increased in 2018 among Muslims in Florida, Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia, which the groups leaders partly attributed to Trump. At a canvass launch in Dearborn Saturday, Sanders field organizers told campaign volunteers, most of whom were Arab-American, that voters were receptive to Sanders position on Palestinian human rights and the Yemen war. A woman wore a shirt that read, Habibi <3 Bernie 2020, which translates to my love." Aides passed out pro-Sanders literature translated in Arabic. I think we can end up winning or losing by 100 votes in Michigan, said former Sen. Donald Riegle as he rallied the crowd of Sanders volunteers before they knocked on voters doors. This has to be the turning point. This is our firewall, right here in Michigan. It was four years ago. It has to be on Tuesday night. Hundreds of women in various cities of Pakistan on Sunday participated in protests to mark the International Women's Day and demanded equal rights and better opportunities for them in the country. The protests, which were held under the banner of 'Aurat March', was also attended by children, men, and transgenders in various cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Multan and Queta. In Karachi, protests were held outside the Frere Hall, the Karachi Press Club and Teen Talwar. Similar protests were also organised in other cities of Sindh province, including Khairpur, Shikarpur, Sukkur and Nangarparkar. In Lahore, the protesters carrying placards gathered at the Lahore Press Club and marched through Egerton Road to culminate at Aiwan-e-Iqbal. The marcher chanted slogan for equal rights and freedom of women. In capital Islamabad, a big gathering of women was held outside the National Press Club where women activists and their supporters chanted slogan against the harsh restrictions against women in the Pakistani society. Separately, female members of the political group Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) held a march in Islamabad. JI chief Sirajul Haq addressed the gathering at China Chowk. Women students of Jamia Hafsa, which is linked with Lal Masjid also took out a rally in Islamabad. President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan in their separate messages voiced support for right of women. Khan said that observing International Women's Day is a "reiteration of our commitment to undertake every possible effort to ensure equal rights and opportunities to our women". "It is indeed encouraging to see that our women are proving their mettle in every walk of life and achieving excellence in their respective fields at national and international level, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Highlights Congress says its MLAs wont vote in RS polls in Odisha Decision leaves floor open for BJDs four candidates Naveen Patnaik has signalled that it wont back BJP candidate this time The Biju Janata Dal is all set to bag all the four Rajya Sabha seats going to polls on March 26 after the Congress on Sunday announced its MLAs wouldnt vote in the elections. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee chief Niranjan Patnaik said his party will neither support the BJD nor the BJP candidates. As we have no Rajya Sabha candidate, our MLAs dont need to vote, said Patnaik. Congress has 9 MLAs in the Odisha Assembly. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced four party candidates on Saturday including a trade union leader, a Muslim leader and an OBC woman for all the RS seats from the State going to polls this month. Mamata Mahanta, Munna Khan, trade union leader Subash Singh and technocrat Sujeet Kumar were named BJD candidates. With the Congress deciding to abstain, the number of valid votes in the 147-member Assembly comes down to 138 and BJD, with its 113 MLAs would require 28 votes each to see its four candidates through, said an expert. The BJP has 23 MLAs and it is yet to announce a candidate. Leader of opposition and BJP leader Pradipta Naik said the partys central parliamentary board would take a final decision in this regard. If BJP manages to split the Congress Legislature party, then they can pose a threat to BJDs 4th candidate, said political analyst Rabi Das. Das said BJDs quick announcement of candidates for all the 4 seats within days of the election notification was Patnaiks message to the BJP to not take it for granted. In 2019, BJP nominated bureaucrat-turned-entrepreneur Ashwini Vaishnaw had won with backing from the BJD. Last year, BJD was all set to nominate its own candidate for the 3rd seat when BJP central leadership forced Patnaik to support a BJP candidate. By announcing its own candidates, the BJD boss also wants to erase the impression, that he is supporting the BJP, created after the partys endorsement of the Citizenship Amendment Act, Das said. Another political analyst said Patnaiks selection of candidates for the Rajya Sabha seats mirrored his anxieties of being seen as too close to the BJP. Political science professor Satya Prakash Dash of Sambalpur University said by nominating Munna Khan, nephew of late Congress leader, Patnaik was trying to assuage the fears of the Muslim community triggered by the BJDs support to the Citizenship Amendment Act in the Parliament. Though Patnaik has stressed that Muslims in Odisha have nothing to fear from the CAA and that his party would never support NRC in the future, there have been continuous protests against the CAA by the minority community across the State, said Dash. Similarly, by nominating Mamata Mahanta, a woman leader from the Kudumi caste (an OBC group), Patnaik was trying to rebuild the partys base in tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district where BJP bettered BJD in last years Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, he added. In Odisha, the 25-lakh strong Kudumi community is mostly seen in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundergarh and Sambalpur districts where they can impact the poll results. In Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar, the Kudumis have traditionally been BJP supporters. James Ryan, second from left, in Clonbur with his friends, from left, Keith Fogarty, Andrew O'Neill and Gavin Croke Clonbur, a Gaeltacht village in Co Galway, is where my mum is from, and it's perfect for some R&R. It sits between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask, and it's a beautiful part of the world, where I have made many happy memories. I'd stay in the family home, at the foot of Mount Gable, overlooking Lough Corrib. For anyone visiting the area, I'd recommend Fairhill House Hotel, in the heart of the village. It is a family-run hotel, very popular with anyone interested in the world-renowned trout and salmon fishing lakes. The first night, we'd head to Brendan Lynch's Bar. It has been in my family for generations, and there's always a warm atmosphere. It also serves the best pint of Guinness in Ireland! We'd head to Fairhill House for dinner. On Saturday, I would enjoy a lie-in before a big breakfast. Then we'd go walking in Clonbur Wood, which takes you all the way to Cong village. The lands were once part of the Ashford Estate, and the trails wrap along the edge of Lough Mask, providing an incredible backdrop. We'd go for lunch in Burke's in Clonbur. We'd head to Lydons Lodge in Cong on Saturday night. It serves local, seasonal food, and there's a pool table, so we'd play a few games after dinner. On Sunday morning, I like to squeeze in a walk with my dogs, Kobe and Louis, before hitting the road to Dublin. Leinster and Ireland rugby player James Ryan is brand ambassador for Irish super supplement range Revive Active, which includes Zest Active. See reviveactive.com As the Long Beach Unified School District commits to keeping classes in-person, the city a new testing site opens for LBUSD employees and students only. The city is also ramping up its own testing efforts with a new 3,000-person per... Things are going from bad to worse for Rana Kapoor, the founder of the crisis-hit Yes Bank. On Sunday morning, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over money laundering charges. They said Kapoor was placed under arrest around 3 am under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was allegedly not cooperating in the probe. BCCL The arrest came a day after Rana was questioned by the ED sleuths for over 20 hours after the central agency raided his residence. The ED said during searches, a lot of incriminating documents were found and the agency grilled him on his links with DHFL promoters and other companies. Kapoor is accused of receiving kickbacks from various corporate entities on the disbursal of loans. His three daughters Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Roshni Kapoor and Radha Kapoor, were the alleged beneficiaries of the scam. BCCL The ED had registered a money laundering case against Kapoor as a continuation of its probe against the DHFL wherein it was alleged that Rs 12,500 crore was diverted to 80 shell companies using one lakh fake borrowers. The transactions that were diverted by the DHFL originated from Yes Bank. Kapoor who is one of the co-founders of Yes Bank later became its MD and CEO but the banking mogul was forced to exit it in September 2018 when the new management took over. On Thursday night, the RBI superseded Yes Bank Board for 30 days and appointed an administrator, putting a cap of Rs 50,000 on withdrawal by account holders for a month. The RBI said that the bank's board was superseded "owing to a serious deterioration in the financial position of the bank". BCCL Former SBI CFO Prashant Kumar was appointed as administrator of Yes Bank, which has over 1,000 branches and 1,800-plus ATMs across the country. On Friday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the bank was under watch since 2017 and developments relating to it were monitored on a day-to-day basis. On Saturday, the State Bank of India, which has agreed to pick up 49 per cent stake in crisis-hit Yes Bank under the RBI's draft scheme of reconstruction, has set a maximum investment limit of Rs 10,000 crore for the lender. Announcing a draft scheme of reconstruction, RBI said the strategic investor bank will have to acquire 49 per cent stake and it cannot reduce holding to below 26 per cent before three years from the date of capital infusion. Patriarchy thrives in the pit bottom of Bollywood, as it does in the conference rooms of big studios. For instance, If you go looking for a female 'spot boy' in a film set, you will never find one (and no, there is no such thing as a spot girl). Nor will you ever encounter a female light technician. Skilled labourers, who build big sets from scratch are mostly men doing these jobs for generations (yes, nepotism is also easily found here). However, despite this blatant gender bias, all isn't dark behind the cameras. In the last decade, a large number of women have taken up technical jobs in Bollywood as editors, production designers, set designers, art directors, cinematographers, and DoPs. Despite challenges like sexism, harassment, and even poor working conditions, these women have not only managed to change the workspaces in Bollywood but also done some exceptionally good work. " I have seen a fair representation of women in places I have worked, so much so, that it is something I haven't even noticed, which is a great thing..." said the editor of Article 15, and Thappad, Yasha Ramchandani. "As far as editing is concerned I can surely say that the balance is not tilted towards men. But, I believe things were very different in the past decade. Apart from employing women crew, what has been really shape-shifting in Bollywood, in recent years is that we are also telling a lot of women stories." she added. "This year, it was very heartening to see so many women editors being nominated for awards. The best part about it was that people noticed it, and pointed it out on social media," said Ramchandani. "Offices, where the post-production works such as editing happens, are mostly safe and inclusive spaces for women," said Shruti Bora, Associate Editor of Kahaani 2, and Beyond The Clouds, and editor of web series Little Things and Masaba Masaba. Bora said that it isn't as much the people that are the problem. In her last few films, she has, in fact, ended up working with a crew that's mostly women."However, sometimes, we have to work out of small spaces, because of budget issues, there it gets a little difficult. Basic hygiene issues often happen. Sometimes the washrooms are not clean, or they are common washrooms. We have to be in the studio for hours at stretch, so if basic sanitary hygiene is not available, it gets a bit uncomfortable." she said. However, Bora pointed out that the hygiene issue is not exclusive to women technicians, men too have to suffer through unclean facilities. As far as representation is concerned, things are looking up in the art direction and production design department for women as well. Manini Mishra, the art director of films like Highway and Tamasha, and Production Designer of Baaghi 3, Guilty, and Luka Chuppi said, "When I started out in 2011, sometimes, I used to be the only girl or one of the few girls in the whole crew. But, nine years down the line, there are so many females that it sometimes becomes difficult to find men for a film." Kazvin Dangor, Production Designer for Trapped and Sacred Games 2 and set decorator for films like Lootera, Kai Po Che, and Bombay Velvet said, "Traditionally, art direction in films was a mans domain. And women had more specific roles in set dressing or costume design. But once the market opened up and international influences came into play, more specialised designations/ duties came about and production design became an organised role. It wasnt only about building and construction, but the emphasis was on visualising the overall look and feel of the film. Thats where more opportunities for women opened up, thanks to their understanding of design and aesthetics." "Today, there are quite a few brilliant female production designers in the industry like Sharmishta Roy, Suzanne Caplan Merwanji and Sonal Sawant, who have led the way and trained the lot of us." Dangor added. While women jobs are booming in some areas of filmmaking, the picture isn't all rosy. "We have the Indian women cinematographers' collective that a few of us started on women's day, three years ago. The idea behind that was to find out how many women are practising cinematographers, and camera assistants in the country and we still haven't hit more than 120. It is absolutely minuscule." lamented Priya Seth, the cinematographer of Airlift, Chef and Bara Aana. "The opportunities for women in cinematography hasn't changed much. You still do not see many mainstream films shot by women. They are still getting small budget or niche films. The discrimination happens before you have entered a room for discussion. If you are in a room with the director and a crew, then they already want you there. So, discrimination happens at a very initial level, and you don't get access to a lot of jobs." added Seth. On the other hand, just because more women are working in film crews does not mean sexism has evaporated."Nobody ever really puts these things in words, but you can always sense them," said Manini Mishra. Although Mishra never faced sexism in her interactions with her seniors, she could see that the labourers and workers under her weren't willing to accept her authority because she is a woman. "If a man was leading them, they would quickly follow instructions. But, when it came to me, I had to jump through a lot of hoops to get something done. I had to prove myself over and over again for my workers to start believing in me." However, in a couple of years, Mishra noticed a change in their behaviour. "They started calling me 'sir' because for them, the word 'sir' is an expression that says that they will follow you, that they accept your authority. Honestly, I finally felt accepted after they started doing that." she added. Kazvin Dangor, too, faced similar insubordination from the workers under her. However, that wasn't the worst thing. "Security remains a concern for female crew members in India. We have all faced issues with unruly crowds and uncomfortable situations while shooting in remote or rural areas at some point or the other," she added. Sometimes, the locals also harass women film crew members. "When I was assisting in 2011, I was prepping for a film in a village in Gujarat, where the local women would come and ask me why I was working away from home since I looked like a respectable girl." A couple of years ago, the Metoo movement shook Bollywood as many well-known celebrities were named and shamed by women. It was a pivotal moment for Bollywood, but the industry didn't participate. The movement eventually failed to gather momentum in the industry and died down. "I think there are only two things to look at as far as MeToo movement in Bollywood is concerned. Were there any repercussions for all the people who got called out? No, not at all. I think everyone just went back to their lives. People were just holding out at that point, but things are back to usual now. The other aspect is that maybe in future they will not do things that blatantly, maybe they would know it is not their right to behave in a certain way and that shift in itself is worth it." added Seth. Follow @News18Movies for more Deeper enquiry necessary into bail for persons of huge money and govt influence The High Court yesterday withdrew its earlier order that granted bail to controversial Jubo League leader GK Shamim in two separate criminal cases. Two HC benches passed the recall orders on a suo moto move. Newspaper reports said the HC Bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice SM Mozibur Rahman withdrew its earlier order that granted bail to GK Shamim in an arms case. Later, another HC Bench of Justice Md Rezaul Haque and Justice Bhishwamadev Chakrabortty passed the recall order in a drug case. However Shamim's lawyer Advocate Momtazuddin Ahmed Mehedi told reporters that his client can move a fresh petition before the HC for bail. Even Shamim can also move an appeal before the Supreme Court against the court order. Earlier, two separate High Court Benches granted bail to Shamim, also known as Golam Kibria Shamim, for six months in narcotics case and for one year in arms case. Fortunately Shamim was not released from jail following some confusion over the name and for the fact that the orders of bail were unbelievable. What is most interesting, however, is that Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said Deputy Attorney General (DAG) concerned did not inform him about the HC order that granted bail to Shamim. He stated that he would talk to the government authority to take decision on actions against the DAG concerned for not informing him about the HC orders in this connection. So the question is why didn't the DAG inform the AG about the bail orders. Why there was such a serious breach of fair conduct? Why such practice not yet stopped? Such a matter must be investigated thoroughly to find out if there was any political interest of the government and whether big money played any role there. It is clear that if he could come out of jail he would have fled the country without any loss of time. Our suspicion is-the DAG has to do anything whatever he got directives from the above. Now he can be sacrificed as an escape goat. But misuse of government's power over bail and corruption business with bail will not stop. Government's influence and dominance over bail matters are not unknown. In a recent case the Session Judge of Pirojpur faced the wrath of the Law Ministry for refusing bail of a ruling party man involving three corruption cases. Judges must be free to exercise their discretion on bail matters without interference from the government so that the judicial discretion remains so. The judges will be accountable to the Supreme Court alone. In the case under discussion evidence is overwhelming about his involvement in criminal activities under the guise of casino business and his power for holding an important position in the political structure of the government. In our present situation bail has become a political matter for the government to claim controlling power over bail matters. The lower courts have become easy victims of government's role in bail matters. The Supreme Court has to examine the question of government's interest in bail matters. At the same time, the Supreme Court has to exercise its supervisory power for protecting the lower judiciary. Cruise ships hit by coronavirus outbreaks have quickly found themselves with no ports for thousands of passengers as countries on four continents have quarantined vessels or kept them at sea for days. Keeping all of the passengers on board instead of letting them disembark on land is a strategy that can backfire, however, according to experts, because the ventilation systems and close quarters of cruise ships make them ideal places for illness to jump from one person to the next. "They're not designed as quarantine facilities, to put it mildly," said Don Milton, an epidemiologist with the University of Maryland. A ship with about 3500 people aboard was sailing in circles off the coast of California on Saturday after 19 crew members and two passengers tested positive for the new virus. Originally bound for San Francisco, the Grand Princess might be sent instead to a non-commercial port, officials said. "We are still in the containment phase of what will likely be a pandemic, so to protect the public and healthcare workers we cant take any chances," Ms Mikakos said in a written statement. "And all of us have a responsibility to do what we can to prevent the spread of this virus. If you work in a health service, the aged care sector and/or a GP clinic it is absolutely imperative that if you are unwell and/or display the risk factors of COVID-19 that you do not attend work." Updated health advice for Australians The symptoms of coronavirus include: Fever Cough Shortness of breath; and Breathing difficulties If you suspect you or a family member has coronavirus you should call (not visit) your GP or ring the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. There was also plenty of support for Ms Mikakos' view among readers who commented on theage.com.au and wrote letters to The Age. But AMA Victoria president Associate Professor Julian Rait echoed Dr Bartone's calls for Ms Mikakos to apologise and retract her statements, adding it was important for governments to show leadership and be unified with the health sector in their response to the crisis. "The comments we've seen yesterday were unhelpful, and we hope that we can address those and move on and make sure that the medical profession itself gets the support from government," Associate Professor Rait said. Former AMA president Kerryn Phelps has also leapt to the defence of Dr Higgins, and said GPs were "furious" about the inconsistent advice. "The public health messaging to doctors and the public has been a shambles," she said. "How about the states and the Commonwealth public health authorities get together and come up with a consistent line of advice for GPs at the frontline of this evolving epidemic so that we can make decisions in the best interest of our patients health, and for health professionals as well." Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the health minister had lost the confidence of the GP fraternity and that she had "botched" the state government's response to the coronavirus outbreak. "She's sending mixed messages. She's saying go about your lives normally, live your lives normally, don't panic but if you have a runny nose stay isolated in your home," Ms Crozier said. "They've provided confusion among the very, very areas there need to be clear and definite guidelines and that is through our GP fraternity and our healthcare sector, they need clear guidelines." Melbourne GPs have rallied around Dr Higgins. In a letter sent to Ms Mikakos and federal Health Minister Greg Hunt, the doctors said GPs were watching events unfolding "with increasing horror". "We know from the experience of other countries that many doctors have become sick and died in the course of doing their jobs in this outbreak," they said in the letter. "We are already struggling to come up with plans on how to look after our patients while minimising the risk to ourselves, our patients and our loved ones." In the letter, they said claims of equipment given to doctors to protect themselves and patients were "completely untrue". Australia has at least 77 cases of coronavirus, including 38 in NSW and 12 in Victoria. Worldwide, more than 100,000 people have contracted the virus, and more than 3,500 have died. Dr Higgins was the 11th Victorian to test positive for coronavirus. He saw about 70 patients at The Toorak Clinic and aged-care facility MecWaCare last week. A 50-year-old woman visiting from Indonesia has become the 12th person to test positive for coronavirus in Victoria on Sunday afternoon. Loading The woman flew from Jakarta to Perth on February 27 in a healthy condition, but two days later, while staying in Perth, began to show symptoms. She arrived in Melbourne from Perth via Virgin Airlines flight VA682 on Monday, March 2 and saw a GP four days later, who ordered a COVID-19 test. While in Melbourne she visited the Pho Hung Vuong 2 Vietnamese Restaurant in Richmond on Friday for about 40 minutes between 6pm and 7pm. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend Iraq has temporarily closed five land borders with Iran, Trend reports citing Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA). The Iraqi government said the borders will be closed until March 15. According to the report, the Iraqi government has taken this step to strengthen the fight against the spread of coronavirus. Iran's customs officials are negotiating with the Iraqi side on the need for quick customs clearance and oversight of customs, and the Iraqi side has been asked to close the border for period less than a week. Iran is one of the recent countries, affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 5,823 people have been infected, 145 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 1,669 have reportedly recovered from the disease. The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease. Following the reports of coronavirus spread in the Islamic Republic, several countries have taken measures, including closing borders and banning flights. The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. Although the free trade agreement between the EU and Vietnam will offer great opportunities for wood investors and exporters, its rules of origin may not provide a big boon to local textile and garment businesses. Rules of origin pose questions for sectors jostling for position The Vietnamese economic picture was given a shot in the arm two weeks ago as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) was officially ratified by the European Parliament, with the deal slated for adoption by the European Council and Vietnams National Assembly this summer. Last year, Vietnam raked in export turnover of $41.7 billion from the EU, with the biggest earners being garments and textiles ($4.4 billion) and wood products ($900 million). According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), the EVFTA will theoretically provide immense opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to boost exports to European markets via cuts in import taxes, especially in many items that are Vietnams strengths such as agro-forestry-fishery products and garments and textiles. After the EVFTA takes effect, a zero tax rate will be applied to coffee, pepper, vegetables, fruit, and natural honey. About 83 per cent of tax lines will be removed for wood products, and the remaining 17 per cent will be phased out in a roadmap from three to seven years for wood fibre, woodchips, and plywood. For garment and textile products, the existing average tax rate of 12 per cent will be reduced to zero over a period of three to seven years. However, in order to benefit from such tax reduction, enterprises in Vietnam must meet the EVFTAs strict rules of origin (ROO), depending on the industries they are operating in. For example, while those in the wood industry feel at ease, those in the garment and textile industry may not be happy with the changes. Boosting wood exports Since early this year, New Zealands Sequal Holdings Ltd. has boosted export of its Radiata pine wood materials to Vietnams Vinafor Saigon following a co-operation deal inked last October in Hanoi. With a clear origin, Radiata pine wood from New Zealand is a sustainable plantation-grown timber. We aim to boost exports to the EU and other markets, said Vinafor Saigons general director To Ngoc Ngoi. The two businesses co-operation means Vinafor can meet ROO in not only the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in which Vietnam and New Zealand are members, but also in the EVFTA, which stipulated that materials of export products shipped to EU member states must be sourced in Vietnam or the EU, or in a third party with which the EU has an FTA. The EU-New Zealand FTA has been under negotiation since 2018 and is expected to conclude within two to three years, according to New Zealands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Last June the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA) between Vietnam and the EU officially took effect. Facilitating fruitful implementation of the EVFTA, it will help improve forest governance, address illegal logging, and promote trade in verified legal timber products from Vietnam to the EU and other markets, said Heidi Hautala, a member of the European Parliament. Under the FLEGT-VPA, all timber and timber products arriving in the EU from Vietnam have been carrying a FLEGT license issued by Vietnam. According to the Timber and Forest Product Association of Vietnam (Vifores), the EVFTAs ROO does not mean a barrier to Vietnam-based wood product exporters. Besides the FLEGT-VPA, almost all timber materials are from EU nations such as France, Germany, and Spain. So enterprises can boost exports to the EU without any worry about ROO, Vifores vice chairman Nguyen Ton Quyen told VIR. The EU currently purchases 30 per cent of Vietnams wood exports, which were worth $900 million last year and expected to be $1.2 billion this year. Quyen said almost all exporters have secured export orders from the EU for 2020, such as Woodland ($70 million) and Nafoco Nam Dinh ($40 million) in the north; Tien Dat, Dai Thanh, Hoa Hung, Phu Tai, and Thang Loi in the central province of Binh Dinh ($400 million in total); and Can Pacific, Minh Duong, Minh Phat, Hiep Long, and Long Viet in the south ($400 million in total). Vietnam has expanded its wood exports to the EU from traditional markets of Germany, France, Italy, the UK, and Spain to newer markets of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Bulgaria, Quyen added. Bui Nhu Viet, general director of Long Viet Wooden Technology JSC, said that firms like his are about to enjoy a zero tax rate when exporting products to the EU under the EVFTA. Many exporters are shipping their products to the EU, and the EVFTA will be a big boost. They have planned to increase export revenue from the EU by 10-25 per cent in 2020, Viet said. They have all legal wood materials and are not anxious about the EVFTAs ROO. Material barriers Meanwhile, according to the MoIT, to benefit from tax slashes in the EVFTA, Vietnamese textiles and garments must strictly obey ROO, meaning product materials must be sourced from Vietnam or the EU, and the cutting and sewing processes must take place in either, too. However, the EVFTA also allows materials sourced from South Korea or Japan, with which the EU has FTAs, to be eligible for tax incentives. But currently, the majority of materials used by Vietnam to produce garments and textiles have been imported from China and Taiwan which have no FTA with the EU. This means it would be impossible for firms to benefit from the incentives if they continue depending on materials from China and Taiwan. In a specific case, Nguyen Van Hung, chairman of textile manufacturer Corporation 28 in Ho Chi Minh City, said that though 40 per cent of the firms key products of high-end suits are exported to the EU, it may not benefit from tax reductions under the EVFTA. It is because we have still had to import wool materials from China, Hung said. Elsewhere, Viet-Taiwanese joint venture Phuong Hai Garment and Textile JSC in the northern province of Hung Yen, said it will also be unable to enjoy the EVFTAs tax reductions. We are now importing materials from China and Taiwan. If we want to benefit from the incentives, well have to shift to importing materials from the EU, Vietnam, South Korea, or Japan. But it is not an easy job, said Nguyen Ngoc Phuong, vice director of the company. However, some firms are to benefit from the incentives. For example, Than Duc Viet, general director of Garment 10 Company, said that his company is happy with the ratification of the EVFTA, with not much to worry about regarding ROO, because Garment 10 has been able to self-secure materials for production. Currently 40 per cent of the companys products are exported to Germany, the Netherlands, and France. Many investors have built their factories in Vietnam to produce textile and garment materials. We have forged good relations with suppliers in order to secure sufficient materials for our production and exports, Viet said. In fact, over the past few years, many foreign firms have built factories to produce garment and textile materials in Vietnam, in order to cash in on ROO in FTAs that Vietnam has with partners. Last year, the southern province of Binh Duong allowed South Koreas Kyung Bang Vietnam to expand its investment by an additional $40 million to raise its annual cotton yarn production capacity to 9,000 tonnes and blended yarn production capacity to 11,000 tonnes. With this additional capital, the project now has the total investment of up to more than $219 million. Meanwhile, Taiwans Far Eastern Group has also invested hundreds of millions of US dollars into a project of fabric and chemical yarn in Binh Duong, and is continuing to hire more land there to expand investment. In addition, Singapores Herberton Co., Ltd. is operating a textile and garment factory in the northern province of Nam Dinh, with the total investment of $80 million. The factory has an annual capacity of 25,000 tonnes of fabric and 15 million apparel items, and offers jobs to around 3,000 people. In 2019, Vietnams garment and textile export turnover from the EU hit $4.4 billion, up 2.23 per cent on-year and holding 11.3 per cent of Vietnams total garment and textile export turnover. VIR Rules of origin trip up garment and textile opportunities from EVFTA Garment and textile firms are aware of the opportunities to expand their export markets arising from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) but are facing difficulties in complying with the rules of origin. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - She was a married mom living in suburbia. Her youngest child no longer was home because he joined the Army just like his dad did decades earlier. Yvonne Serrano had uprooted her life as a military wife time and time again. She thought she could change her life a bit by joining a close-knit gym community. To some acquaintances, she came across as intense, abrasive and self-absorbed - far from the nurturing, supportive members of a Coral Springs gym called "Fit Bodies Forever-Training for Warriors." Serrano was a loner who didn't seem to fit in, they say. It only got worse one drunken night at a bar, police say. When the opportunity arose to attend one of the monthly outings of gym members, Serrano, whose own membership had been suspended, was on board. It was supposed to be a fun outing - a movie and drinks. But instead of mingling and making friends, the 51-year-old spiraled out of control, growing agitated, more intense and intoxicated as the night went on, according to gym members who were some of the last to see 21-year-old gym member Daniela Tabares alive. ADVERTISEMENT "It was bad energy," Carolina Miller said. Miller said that up until that November outing, she had never set eyes on Serrano. The first impression was awful: "Aggressive. It wasn't fun. She was grabbing guys. She had a lot to drink." Coral Springs police say Tabares stepped in and offered to drive a drunken Serrano to her home from World of Beer on Nov. 23, and at some point Serrano shot Tabares in the forehead. A few hours later, police found Tabares in Serrano's driveway. The driver's side door of the young woman's Nissan Kicks was ajar. One foot remained inside the car. To some at the gym, it's as if the November outing is on a reel playing over and over in their heads three months after Tabares was shot. Did something out of the ordinary happen? Did the women exchange words? Could anyone have foreseen this? Stopped it? Who was this woman, a loner, who was so unfamiliar to this group? Serrano was born in Panama. She met Douglas Serrano when he was stationed there. They married in 1993 and moved to the United States a year later, traveling the country and making their homes at various military installations as their family grew. Home was Miami; Kansas City, Mo; Panama City, Panama; Corpus Christi, Texas; Washington, D.C.; and Tracey, Calif., according to court documents. ADVERTISEMENT In 2006, the same year Serrano's high-ranking husband retired from the military after 28 years, she received her massage therapist license from the state of Florida. Two years later, they moved to Coral Springs and remained in the same home, finally achieving a sense of stability. Until Nov. 23, at no time was Serrano on anyone's radar for problems with drugs, mental health issues or crimes. She has no known health issues. She has a small collection of guns. Court records say Serrano, who is one year short of completing a civil engineering degree, had never been in trouble with the law. Serrano's passion, records say, was physical fitness and wellness. Training for Warriors should have been a natural fit. Those who stick with the program say it's not like most gyms where people work out in isolation. A goal of the those behind the program is to build camaraderie among students by motivating them and making them feel empowered enough to encourage one another to keep pushing, to get stronger, to be their best. Tabares, many say, embodied that. She became a regular while working and going to college. She made many friends there. She cared deeply about making people feel comfortable. Serrano, who attended predawn classes, was not among Tabares' friends. Many of those friends, like Miller, decided to attend the November outing of a movie and drinks. Miller remembers arriving at the Promenade at Coconut Creek and asking who the stranger was in their row of seats at the movie theater. ADVERTISEMENT It was Serrano. She works out at the gym before dawn, gym friends told her. Miller took her seat, as did others. After the credits rolled for "21 Bridges," the 10 or so in the group walked over to World of Beer. At World of Beer, Serrano sat outside by herself and tried to get Tabares to join her. She didn't, eventually setting Serrano off. Miller said Serrano stormed into the bar and blurted: "What the (expletive) is wrong with you? I was waiting outside." Miller said she tried to distance herself from Serrano the rest of the evening, but Serrano was hard to ignore. At one point Miller said she saw Serrano holding three drinks at a time. She said she also watched Serrano grab a young man as he approached Tabares. Serrano made others uncomfortable as well, Miller said. "She was intense," said gym member Andrea Kammarada. "It was this intense vibe and I just remember thinking, 'Did I do something?'" Sometime after midnight, Miller decided to call it a night, leaving the bar and Tabares behind. Now, she, a 46-year-old woman who considered herself to be Tabares' gym mom and close friend, has a hard time forgiving herself. "I tried to take care of her the best I could," Miller said. "I did what I could. I guess I wasn't paying attention to what was going on ... . so I left." The following morning Miller got a call from Isa Tabares asking where her daughter was. "I never thought for a second something like this would happen," Miller said, crying. Police also called Miller the morning after the outing, telling her they needed to speak with her. "I kept asking where Daniela was and, 'Why are you calling me?'" She said she went to Serrano's house in the Maplewood neighborhood of Coral Springs, but police had roped off the area to onlookers. In a five-minute telephone conversation with an emergency dispatcher, Serrano repeatedly says she doesn't know how the body ended up in her driveway. "What's going on there?" the dispatcher asks just before 6 a.m. "I don't know," Serrano begins. "I don't know. I just walked out and there is a car in my driveway with a dead body." "With what?" an apparently jolted emergency dispatcher asks. "A dead body," Serrano says. "A dead body?" the dispatcher repeats. The dispatcher asks Serrano how she knows the person is dead and whether she knows the person. Serrano is silent. Serrano tells the police she walked out of her house on the way to the gym when she saw the car and body in her driveway. Police note in their report that Serrano was not dressed for the gym. Serrano tells another cop the same story about heading to the gym and coming across the gruesome discovery, but then she adds more, saying she was at World of Beer with friends and blacked out. She said she woke up in her bed. Police searched the car for clues and reported they found 9 mm Lugar shell casing in the passenger seat floorboard of Tabares' car. Police say they went inside Serrano's home and saw Serrano touching a damp tank top in the laundry room. The police report says they asked her about it and she tells them she was wearing it the night before but washed it when she woke up. It is at this point, detectives claim in their report, that they prepared to get a search warrant. Serrano's story - with the exception of not remembering leaving World of Beer - changes again. This time she tells them she woke up in the car and how the driver's side door was open. She explains how she saw Tabares hanging out of the car in the driveway. She says she walked around the front of the car and crouched down placing her hand on Tabares' chest to see if she was breathing. She wasn't. So she grabbed her purse and headed inside, pulling out her 9 mm Sig Sauer pistol that she had brought out with her the night before. She said she placed the pistol in between some pillows in her bedroom and then she peeled off her lace tank top and washed it. She told police, records say, that she went onto her Ring doorbell app on her phone and deleted the files. Whatever footage that may have been collected on her phone, does appear to be gone. Serrano then called 911: "There's a car in my driveway with a dead body," she begins. Serrano was arrested and booked in jail in Broward County. She's been there since, held without bond, which is customary for those accused of murder. That could all change. Weeks after her arrest on murder and tampering with evidence charges, prosecutors opted to file a lesser charge of manslaughter. Serrano has pleaded not guilty to the lesser charge: manslaughter with a firearm, which carries a maximum 30-year sentence. The lesser charge also may allow Serrano to bail out of jail while awaiting trial. A hearing on setting bail is set for Wednesday. Isa Taberas said she struggles to find the right words to describe her anger and frustration at the possibility that bond may be set low enough for Serrano to get out of jail. She said her will to stay alive at the moment is only because she wants to see justice for her daughter. Miller, while trying to be supportive and strong for Tabares' mother, said she's knows the hard truth. "At the end of the day, it's not going to bring her back." --- (c)2020 Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. S mall shops and businesses run by women in London have been displaying messages of empowerment in their window fronts to celebrate International Womens Day. Quotes and aphorisms have been written on glass panes throughout the capital this week as part of a growing campaign to encourage female entrepreneurship, ahead of the international day on Sunday. At least 10 women have joined the initiative, launched by pop-up space platform Appear Here, which found all of affordable London shop spaces. Josie Naughton, who set up the Choose Love pop-up, where people could go and buy gifts to be sent to refugees, wrote her message on an empty shop space to highlight its potential for budding entrepreneurs. Shannon Heather & Ellena Dobby from the ReWrite Company have written their message on the window of an empty shop / Appear Here She wrote: Every space has the potential to create meaningful change. Meanwhile, Sophie Sellu, who opened, Grain & Knot, a workshop that turns everyday items like spoons and butter knives into artworks, also gave a quote to the campaign. The former fashion-trend broadcaster wrote on the window-front of another empty shore: A space is a place to show those that told you it wouldnt work. And Aimee Felone, founder of BAME childrens book publishing house Knights Of, also took a pen to the window of her Brixton Market book shop, Round Table Books. Her message reads: Space means using your voice to create freedom, to chime with the ethos of her store, which only sells childrens books with characters across intersectional backgrounds. "Give her some space to grow," wrote Shannon Heather and Ellena Dobby / Appear Here She told the Standard that she came up with the quote because it is something her team discusses at Round Table Books, which aims to give space to LGBTQ+ and ethnically diverse characters. You wouldnt find popular titles on our shelves, like Harry Potter, because they dont qualify, she said. Its also a one-stop-shop for people to find the titles that their libraries dont have, she added. Ms Felone said at least several times a week in the shop, she sees children turning to their parents and pointing out a character saying: Look its me. Its a wonderful place to be, she said, adding that she has had parents crying with joy in the shop. Ms Felone said: it makes complete sense to give a quote back because they gave us a space to do all this. / Appear Here It is a space that is creative but is also a space where children feel at ease with themselves, she said. Ms Felone first opened a pop-up shop in October 2018, to mark the first anniversary of Knights Of, which she set up with fellow publisher David Stephens. The move after a survey by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education revealed that only 1 per cent of the 9,000 books published in the UK in 2017 included characters from BAME backgrounds. We decided to set up the shop celebrating the 1 per cent of characters that are out there, she said, adding that they crowdfunded through the hugely successful social media campaign #readtheonepercent Sophie Sellu quotes her message on the window of an empty shop / Appear Here We sold 500 books in five days and then we had the community asking where we went after the pop-up closed, she said. It showed us that what the community actually needed was a space like ours. After another pop-up in Christmas 2018, Ms Felone opened the doors of the permanent store in Brixton in May last year through with Appear Here. She said: Since May, it has been absolutely overwhelming. We have been absolutely bowled over by how many people have come in, and the regular customers we have. On joining Appear Heres International Women's Day campaign, Ms Felone said: it makes complete sense to give a quote back because they gave us a space to do all this. Putting an empowering message on the front of their store was also in line with exactly what the publishing team are trying to do, she added. I think the one thing that really stands out to me is putting unrepresented characters on the covers of books and our space allows us to put them on the covers, she said. We are safe space. We often just have people sitting in the shop and they werent even coming in to buy anything but just wanted to sit and express themselves and their lives and their frustrations in a safe space. In a statement, Appear Here said: "Were proud to say that the women in our community are the ones leading that charge, with 70 per cent of the ideas on our platform created by women. Photo credit: Karwai Tang - Getty Images From Cosmopolitan Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (AKA Meghan Markle) marked her return to London last night by attending The Endeavour Fund Awards in London alongside Prince Harry Meghan wore a turquoise Victoria Beckham dress, with colour psychology offering a possible explanation for the Duchess' colour choice There's no denying that Meghan Markle looked absolutely radiant when she stepped out in London last night, marking her first public appearance in the UK since Meghan and Harry announced their decision to "step back" as senior members of the royal family. For the occasion, the Duchess opted for a bright turquoise blue midi dress by iconic British designer Victoria Beckham. The elegant colour-block piece features short sleeves and a hemline that finishes just below the knee: Photo credit: Getty Images With such a bright hue, Meghan kept her accessories to a minimum, carrying an indigo Stella McCartney clutch bag to match her navy suede pumps: Photo credit: Getty Images Turquoise is a definite break from Meghan's regular royal wardrobe colour palette, which usually consists of monochrome and neutral outfits. So why might she have opted for the eye-catching tone last night? Colour Psychology offers one possible explanation, with turquoise associated with various traits, including "calmness, serenity and peace of mind, as well as to mental clarity". Photo credit: Getty Images "This is a color that encourages reflection and focusing on ones own needs, thoughts and feelings... It can be connected to a higher self-esteem and love for oneself... It also can be linked to emotional balance. Looking at this color gives a feeling of serenity and stability." Following the news of Meghan and Harry's transition from senior members of the royal family, it's understandable that the duo might want to convey an image of peace, calm and security. In the couple's original Instagram statement announcing the departure, Meghan and Harry cited a period of reflection before making the decision, keeping their son Archie and family wellbeing in mind. Story continues {% verbatim %} {% endverbatim %} After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution... We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity." This isn't the first time Meghan's worn turquoise though, with the Duchess sporting various jewellery pieces including the semiprecious gemstone last year. "In crystal healing, the turquoise crystal stone meaning is associated with personal protection, making it a popular protective shield for ancient warriors heading out into battle." Of course, Meghan's preference for turquoise pieces could be just a fluke and we're reading too much into things, but the explanation offered by Colour Psychology is definitely interesting if true. Either way, she looks absolutely fab - welcome back, Meghan! Follow Natasha on Instagram. Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. SIGN UP You Might Also Like Olivia Cotes-James wants us to talk about menstrual health Properly. No more euphemisms, no more opaque marketing, no more superstitions, and no glossing over cramps, bleeding, or pain: Reframing current attitudes is vital for female empowerment and health, as well as the environment, says the 29-year-old founder of LU?NA Naturals, which hails itself as Asia's first period care company with an all-female leadership team. She is not alone in wanting to change the conversation: Last year the UN warned that taboos around menstrual health were "disempowering" women worldwide, calling for action to end it. "Period stigma is the biggest barrier to the global advancement of women," agrees Cotes-James, adding: "Periods can still cause us to feel dirty, ashamed and frustrated. If menstrual taboos persist and society continues to devalue our fundamental female biology, what hopes do we have of ever being seen as equal?" On average women will spend up to eight years of their lives on their period, according to UNICEF. They are vital to the continuity of the human race, but myths and misconceptions still dominate worldwide. The arrival of menstrual cups, period underwear, which can remove the need for products entirely, and apps that track your cycle have led to a new culture of openness in a generation keen to verbalise the long-hidden realities of the female experience and reproductive rights -- from #MeToo and #ShoutYourAbortion, to miscarriage awareness campaign #Iamthe1in4 and #Trustaftertrauma, where women share their stories of obstetric violence. Bloggers and vloggers lay bare the realities of how period products work on social media. There is even a period emoji in the pipeline. Normalising menstrual health can only be good for women's overall health, says Cotes-James, whose firm sells organic cotton pads, liners, and tampons, as well as medical grade silicone menstrual cups, but also works to help low income communities across Asia who don't have access to safe, hygienic products. She explains: "Instead of seeing menstruation as a powerful indicator of well-being we are taught to shun it. In doing so, we ignore vital signs of underlying health issues. For example, around 1 in 10 women have endometriosis, yet it still takes almost a decade on average to diagnose. "A huge part of this is the fact that we don't pay attention to telltale signs like how much blood we lose every month, or dismiss painful menstrual symptoms as normal because society has led us to believe that they are." Using a menstrual cup, could help women gauge if the amount of blood they lose falls within the normal range, she says, adding that open discussons about cramps, nausea, or pain, will help us understand whether there is an issue within our bodies. In parts of Asia, the situation is even more complex for women as deeply ingrained cultural and religious beliefs often add another layer of restrictions on them. In rural Nepal, women are still exiled to outhouses during their periods, despite the practice being illegal and resulting in deaths from exposure as well as sexual and animal attacks. In parts of South Asia, menstruating women are seen as unclean, spreading disease, and are forbidden from touching communal food, while across the region having a period renders people too impure to visit temples. Even among tech-savvy professionals in city centres, myths persist -- some fear using tampons is akin to a sex act, others believe virgins cannot use menstrual cups or believe they cannot swim or exercise during their period. LU?NA takes a multi-pronged approach to tackling this: With offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as London, the company hosts workshops, myth-busting meet-ups and frank discussions about period products, fertility, and menstrual health for women and men. Its social impact arm, The LU?NA Period Collective, collaborates with a network of local initiatives. For every cup sold, it donates one, but it also provides education in disadvantaged communities where poor sanitation, a lack of clean water, and restrictive cultural norms, add to the stigma. "For us social impact is not a seasonal campaign, it's at the core of what we do. Encouraging the use of plastic pads in low income communities does not solve period poverty, and it exacerbates another urgent issue -- plastic waste," she says. In the developed world, the average woman uses 11,000 disposable menstrual products over 30 years, according to the Women's Environment Network. Switching to a cup, which could last up to ten years, would potentially save billions from landfill where they can take centuries to decompose. Born in New Zealand but raised in the UK, Cotes-James now splits her time between Hong Kong and Shanghai. She's clear that while there are pronounced issues in Asia, universally women have been let down by inequality and archaic approaches to female reproductive health. There is five times more research into erectile dysfunction than Premenstrual Syndrome, for example, according to science forum ResearchGate, despite the latter affecting far more people. A 2005 study by the University of Pennsylvania found female pain is more likely to be underestimated. Cotes-James says it took her years to realise the painful symptoms she was experiencing during her period were actually an allergic reaction to the viscose and polyester found in some sanitary pads and tampons. For decades men have decided everything about periods -- from helming companies that make menstrual products and overseeing advertising of them, to setting legislation that taxes them as a luxury item and failing to require firms to declare what period care items are made of, she says. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi's Shaheen Bagh, the epicentre of against the new citizenship law, was abuzz with women from several parts of the country joining the agitation on International Women's Day. The protesters at Shaheen Bagh were joined by women from Lucknow, where a similar is underway for over 50 days, nearby Ghaziabad, riot-hit Jaffrabad in Delhi and social workers on Sunday. Several women under the banner of Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan visited Shaheen Bagh. The women, staging the for nearly three months, said the support is encouraging and they are firm that the government take back the Citizenship Amendment Act and drop the idea of the Register of Citizens. With chants of 'Inquilab Zindabad' and 'Hindustan Zindabad', the protestors appeared upbeat. The male volunteers said the peaceful protest at Shaheen Bagh has gotten bigger despite the recent violence in Delhi. "We are sitting here for last 85 days and we firmly believe that government will have to take back CAA and We are getting support from across the country and we are happy that several persons, including women, have come here to join us," said Fatima, who is a local resident of Shaheen Bagh. Prof Chaman Lal, the honorary advisor to Delhi's Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre, saluted the "brave women" on International Women's Day and said they are an inspiration for the whole world. "Today, on International Women's Day, I salute the brave women of Shaheen Bagh. Women of Shaheen Bagh have inspired the whole world and they have set an example for the world," he said in his address to the gathering. Shilpi Choudhary, who came from Lucknow, said inspired by the protest at Shaheen Bagh, a similar agitation is going on in Lucknow for over 50 days in which women and children are taking the lead. "I have come here from Lucknow to support you on International Women's Day. You have started a revolution and the government will have to take back CAA and I have come here to tell you that we all support you in this," she said. The ingenuity of a successful lawyer lies in an ease in making the cheeky appear acceptable, and the outlandish look reasonable. The new offer on behalf of Nirav Modi to come out on bail appeared ingenious even if it wasnt successful. The offer was presented to the appeals court in the London High Court by Edward Fitzgerald, surely one of the most successful and expensive barristers practising in London. And he too, like the others who have argued for Nirav Modi before, would begin with an advantage: the presumption is for bail to be granted over arrest in an extradition case. Vijay Mallya has been on bail three years now, and he has been a free man within limits of not being allowed to travel outside of England, so not even Scotland. But all of England is a far more attractive jail than is Wandsworth prison where Nirav Modi has been detained. Fitzgerald, also the lawyer for Julian Assange of Wikileaks, made the following offer for Nirav Modi: A bail security of 4 million pounds 24-hour house arrest at his flat at Centre Point in London that would be GPS-monitored 24-hour electronic tagging to monitor his movements 24-hour security officer to be present inside his flat who would monitor Nirav Modis movement from room to room and report any breach of bail conditions The 24-hour guard will be based in the hall of the flat. Nirav Modi would have to be unlocked to get from his bedroom to the hall, the guard will have the keys to let Modi from any room to another The fully trained security guard, a former police or military official, would stop Nirav Modi if he tried to leave and call the police. He would have access to a 24-hour panic button to alert the police Nirav Modi would have two phones, one only for his solicitor, and the second for pre-programmed callers on which all calls would be recorded Visitors would have to be pre-approved and the guard would have the power to remove electronic devices from them The above conditions offered, it was argued, would keep Nirav Modi more restricted in such house arrest than he was in prison. It was argued also that since July 2018, when the last alleged attempt was made, Nirav Modi had made no attempt to interfere with witnesses. He had in any case offered himself for arrest earlier, and that given his preparations to fight extradition, there was no reason for him to flee to an uncertain fate when he had the rule of law to rely on; he would be safer in Britain than in any other country. And given the four attacks on him in prison, the first in April 2019 followed by three more the last in November 2019 he deserved to be relocated into house arrest. The arguments and all they offered came to nothing. Nicholas Hearn appearing for the Crown Prosecution Service acting for the Indian government argued that he remained skeptical that the conditions offered would make breach of bail impossible. His arguments: The court would be entrusting someone in ways very different from detention in custody A tag does not make it impossible to abscond If he were to try to flee, the security guard, not being a police officer, would have no legal basis to detain him. Such a guard in any case had no legal basis to imprison Nirav Modi or anyone else at home. Modi would not be under 24-hour police or jail guard Nirav Modi clearly has access to considerable resources, of which the bail security offered, and the defence hired to present his case, were examples Nowhere had Nirav Modi disclosed the source of the money he was putting forward on each occasion of making a bail application, he has refused evidence on the source of these funds If he felt the case was going against him, there would be nothing to stop him fleeing. Someone could be waiting for him in a car outside and he would be gone before the guard could call in the police Modi is not being tried or investigated in UK so it was not for UK authorities to monitor his calls. He speaks languages other than English, so that would make monitoring difficult Justice Dove accepted Hearns arguments. And after this fifth rejection of bail, the second time by the high court after three failed attempts at the magistrates court, Wandsworth prison is where Nirav Modi is likely to stay at least until the beginning of the extradition hearing on May 11 of this year. ANN ARBOR, MI Jeff Irwin, the Democratic state senator representing Ann Arbor and most of eastern Washtenaw County, didnt plan to endorse a presidential candidate before Michigans Tuesday, March 10 primary election. He liked the ideas of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, he said when asked by the Ann Arbor News/MLive in February about who he supported. But now, as Warren has dropped out and the race has essentially winnowed to Sanders and Joe Biden, Irwin is endorsing Sanders. We need a candidate who has a consistent, compelling message that touches the needs of real people, Irwin said in a Facebook live stream Friday from the Diag, on the University of Michigan campus. Irwin said he believes Sanders gives Democrats their best chance at beating President Donald Trump. Sanders stands for issues Democrats value most, Irwin said like that health care should be considered a human right, economies should work for working people and the environment should be sustained future generations. "Our land, our air and our water is for the people, not for the powerful," Irwin said in the live stream. Sanders himself is coming to the Diag on Sunday, March 8, for a rally. The event is free and open to the public. People can get in starting at 4:30 p.m. and the rally begins at 6 p.m. Washtenaw County turned out for Sanders in the 2016 presidential primary, as he earned nearly 55 percent of the vote nearly 10,000 votes more than Democrat Hillary Clinton. His margin of victory statewide was less than 19,000. Most Ann Arbor-area officials supported Warren or Sanders, when asked in February. Related news: A complete guide: How to see Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders campaign events in Michigan this weekend and Monday What happens if I voted for someone who dropped out of Michigans presidential primary? How Democratic presidential candidates want to change health care Rome [Italy], Mar 08 (ANI): So, they are marching. They are marching in Lahore and in many other Pakistani cities despite being threatened, abused and harassed on social media and otherwise. They are marching in Lahore holding placards with the picture of the late Asma Jehangir, an icon and the symbol of the fight against human rights abuses in Pakistan. And they are marching shouting the slogan which with any evidence touched a raw nerve for a still patriarchal society: "Mera Jism, Meri Marzi", (my body my choice). That reminds me of what we were shouting during the seventies in the streets of Italy: "Il corpo e mio e lo gestisco io" (The body is mine, and I'll do what I want with it). Our other slogan was: "Tremble, Tremble, Witches are back". Because, for a patriarchal society, and unfortunately not only for that, an assertive woman is, of course, a witch, a prostitute, a danger for society and for the holy institution of the family. An assertive, strong, independent woman is a threat for both patriarchal and religious institutions because she does not allow her life and her consciousness to be ruled by priests or mullahs or men. But, unlike us during the seventies, women, and girls of Pakistan, the ones marching and the ones still without a voice, are facing more, much more than being insulted or undermined and that's why they are marching. Reports, in fact, both national and international, more than reports look like war news. In the 2019 Women, Peace and Security Index, Pakistan ranked 164 out of 167 countries, only above Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen, and worst among nine South Asian countries on access to mobile phones, financial inclusion, and discriminatory norms for women. According to Amnesty International, who released a statement supporting the Aurat March: "Women in Pakistan are consistently deprived of education, justice, health care, political representation, and economic opportunities. They live under the constant threat of violence". And "the threats of violence, intimidation, and harassment being hurled at marchers who are merely demanding their due rights underscores the necessity of the Aurat March". According to the same Amnesty statement: "In the Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index Report 2020, Pakistan ranked 151 out of 153 countries, indicating a dismal record on human rights for women. It charts at the very bottom of the seven South Asian countries included in the Index". Human Rights Watch maintains that "violence against women and girls -- including rape, so-called honour killings, acid attacks, domestic violence, and forced marriage -- remains a serious problem" in Pakistan. Around 12.2 million girls, compared with 10.6 million boys, remain out of school in the country because of poverty compounding challenges related to girls' educational opportunities. Less-educated girls marry young, become mothers at an early age, and often face health challenges throughout their lives. Women around the country have to face domestic violence, rape, honour killings, being thrown acid at, kidnapping and enforced disappearances. Especially in regions like KPK or Balochistan. "The Baloch women not only have to deal with a regressive society and a regressive state but also with a brutal, repressive state which denies them and the men of their nation of rights which are thought acceptable for others. The fallout of the brutality of the state affects the women even more than it does the men" says Mir Mohammed Talpur, a very well known intellectual. There have been several cases of women being abducted, detained and tortured, used as sex slaves by military personnel and then thrown away when they were tired of playing with them. However, is difficult to get numbers because, as it always happens in these cases, women feel ashamed and scared and don't want to disclose their misery. Recently HRW issued a warning over the role of police in sexual violence cases, with officers both committing offences themselves and harassing and intimidating those who made allegations, not only in Balochistan but all over the country. After the insults and the intimidations, Analyst Marvi Sirmed has been once more insulted live on TV and her private cellphone contacts have been put on social media after they tried to stop the march with Court orders, now many politicians are jumping on the boat of freedom and are congratulating "daughters and sisters" for their determination. It would be enough, more than enough, being sure every day, not only today, that their rights are not violated and their lives are not in danger. It would be enough to consider women and their bodies as humans and not as properties. But it will take years, many years, and will never go completely. In my country, Italy, according to official data every day 88 women are a victims of violence: one every 15 minutes. In 2019 more than 90 women have been killed. We even invented a word for it 'femminicidio' (femmina means female in Italian, and the word for murder is 'omicidio'): a totally new word to show the amount of violence against women. Data for 2019 are still partial, but those of 2018 are certain and say that violence against women is still growing. There were 142 victims of 'femminicidio' in 2018, 119 in the family. This tells the annual Eures report: "Femminicidio' and gender-based violence in Italy". Reports of sexual violence, stalking and abuse in the family also increased. It is within the walls of the house that 85 per cent of women are affected more and more often, mainly by their partners. We are not marching this year because all public gatherings have been stopped because of coronavirus threat but will do it again and again. 'Mera Jism, Meri Marzi'. My body, my choice, my life. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Italy announced early on Sunday an unprecedented quarantine on its northern region of Lombardy and other badly affected areas, impacting some 16 million people as it steps up efforts to tackle Europe's largest outbreak of coronavirus. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte says nobody will be allowed in or out of Lombardy or the 10 other areas until April 3. "We are aware that this will create unease and that these measures will be a sacrifice, big and small," Conte told journalists in Rome. "But this is the time to be responsible." Amid some concern among governors in the affected places, Conte signed a decree enacting the quarantine in the middle of the night. It will affect a quarter of the Italian population. In other recent developments: The number of people diagnosed with the new coronavirus now exceeds 100,000 worldwide, with several new countries reporting their first cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called the spread of the virus "deeply concerning". A hotel in southeastern China that was being used to house people quarantined over the virus has collapsed. About 20 people remain trapped. Tens of thousands of demonstrators are taking to the streets of Paris and cities around France to mark International Womens day, with the aim of bringing together several disparate issues facing women in France today. Those who are protesting against the pension reform being pushed through by the government will march alongside those fighting feminicides and domestic violence. In Paris, Lyon, Nice, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Nancy, organisers are hoping to combine feminist dynamics to highlight issues of equality and womens rights in all parts of life. Demonstrators have been called on to wear blue work uniforms and red headscarves, to evoke Rosie the riveter, the image of the working woman during the Second World War, which has become a symbol for womens working rights. Women teargassed There has been criticism of police reaction to a march in Paris on Saturday night organised by feminist groups not involved in Sundays march. Several thousand women took to the streets to call for an antiracist feminism. Police used teargas to disperse the crowd at Republique, and nine people were arrested. A police source said that right before arriving at the place, demonstrators lay down on the ground, some chanted anti-police slogans. There was property damage and groups were breaking off of the main march. The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, said she was shocked by what she called the inadmissible and incomprehensible violence against the women by the police. According to the junior minister for equality between men and women, Marlene Schiappa, interior minister Christophe Castaner, the boss of the police, asked for a report on what happened at the march. "All women should be able to demonstrate peacefully to ask for their rights to be respected, she wrote on Twitter. Victims speaking out Feminists are trying to capitalise on the movement that started three months ago with a massive consultation by the government to fight sexist and sexual violence. Since then, women have come forward to denounce violence in the world of sport, especially by trainers of young athletes. The recent Cesar award for best director to Roman Polanski, who is wanted for rape in the United States, has focused attention on the world of cinema. Hyundai Motor has unveiled its new Prophecy Concept EV during a video presentation showcasing the key elements of its styling and technology. Featuring the timeless design of a classic car, Prophecy is inspired by the companys Sensuous Sportiness design philosophy. It embodies Optimistic Futurism, which focuses on the emotional link between humans and automobiles by balancing nature and technology, emotion and practicality. Prophecy follows suit with an iconic silhouette of perfect proportions that have been inspired by an aerodynamic design. Leveraging the extended wheelbase and shorter overhang, Hyundais designers have achieved the Ultimate Automotive Form, thanks to a new EV architecture defined by pristine surfaces and pure volume in combination with aesthetic harmony and functionality, Hyundai said. We have brought to life yet another icon that establishes a new standard for the EV segment as well as pushing Hyundais design vision to even broader horizons, said SangYup Lee, head of Hyundai Global Design Center. A part of that expansion is what we call Optimistic Futurism, a design concept embodied by Prophecy. With Optimistic Futurism, our aim is to forge an emotional connection between humans and automobiles. The unveiling presentation also covered the companys electrification strategy, with discussion among three executives: Thomas Schemera, Head of Product Division at Hyundai Motor Group; Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Design Officer at Hyundai Motor Group; and Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, Vice President Marketing & Product at Hyundai Motor Europe. Hyundai Motor Group is expanding its product line -- up to include 44 electrified vehicles, and Hyundai Motor Company alone plans to invest almost 50 billion for research and development into future technologies by 2025. The expectation is to sell more than 670,000 battery and fuel cell electric vehicles annually by this time and to be positioned among the top three EV providers globally. In Europe, more than 75% of the line-up will be electrified by the end of 2020, and the company aims to supply almost 80,000 zero-emission vehicles to European consumers this year. Prophecy establishes a new standard for the EV segment. The extended wheelbase and signature shorter overhang of the EV platform gives Prophecy an iconic silhouette of perfect proportions. The result is a new EV architecture defined by pristine surfaces, pure volume and harmony of aesthetics and functionality. Prophecys exterior features a clean and simple uninterrupted streamline extends from front to rear. In addition, the pixelated progressive lighting technology is integrated into the headlamp, tail lamp and spoiler, reflecting design elements presented with the Hyundai 45 concept. The interior design of Prophecy also leverages the advantages offered by Hyundais electric platform, which it shares with the Hyundai 45 concept. A key feature is the joystick steering system, which provides greater interior space and offers more expansive views and ergonomic seating for the cabin occupants. The atmosphere inside Prophecy is continuously refreshed thanks to integrated clean air technology. The name Prophecy reflects the concepts purpose, as it signifies a bright future for both Hyundais designs as well as innovative mobility solutions for the EV customers of tomorrow. - TradeArabia News Service Bandy X. Lee is a psychiatrist affiliated with the Yale School of Medicine. She entered the American consciousness in 2017 when she led a pack of psychiatrists, none of whom had ever spoken to Donald Trump, who declared that his extreme mental illness constituted a state of emergency. The psychiatrists claimed a duty to warn, even though this duty, like the duty to diagnose, requires having treated a patient. Three years have passed since then and Trumps governance has been consistent with American norms (but for the Obama interlude). He is a right-of-center president, although more effective than most. The only thing that distinguishes him from 20th- and 21st-century American presidents is that he refuses to take insults lying down and he keeps his campaign promises. Lee, though, has never walked back her unethical diagnosis. Indeed, when asked to comment on Joe Bidens manifestly bizarre pronouncements, while she refused to address Biden's issue, she doubled down on Trump. Her post at Medium about Biden is both weird and laughable. In the opening paragraph, Lee self-righteously announces that she would never diagnose someone without an examination unless theres a clear and present danger and Biden isnt dangerous: I do not diagnose without examination and do not speak about public figures in general, unless there is evidence of such profound danger to public health and well-being because of serious signs of mental instability in a public servant, that it would be a public disservice not to share my knowledge and training. Biden has not risen to this threshold. While unconcerned about a man who speaks Grandpa Simpson-level gibberish, Lee is still obsessed with Trump. Among other things, she castigates him for mean tweets, insulting legitimate news sources, traumatizing children (which was okay when Obama and Biden did it), programming and hypnotizing his followers, and all sorts of other conspiracy theories. Lee then risibly claims that the mere fact that she attacks only Trump proves how non-partisan she is: I only speak up when there is a medical need of such great magnitude as to risk the survival of the human species. This is definitively Donald Trump, not Biden. Nor is it Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, or any other false equivalences people wish to create for political purposes. Put another way, Lee is bothered by Trumps rhetoric but is untroubled by Bidens corruption and dementia, Sanders unhinged adoration for communism, and Hillary Clintons corruption and violations of national security. People apparently had a few issues with Lees self-serving statements, conspiracy theories, and manifestly partisan approach to non-partisanship. Therefore, she felt compelled to issue an addendum defending herself. The addendum is even funnier than the original post: Since my comments have been widely circulated under a misinterpretation, I would like to clarify, I did not say that Joe Biden shows no disturbances. Indeed, he shows signs that may be of concern under ordinary circumstances. But as long as we refuse to confront the current emergency that is existential for the entire human species and historic in proportion, it will be a distraction. When you have a person before you bleeding and about to expire, you attend to the immediate emergency first. This is what we do in medicine: we triage minor, less urgent cases for later. Then, to round out her insanity, Lee proceeds to diagnose Trumps supporters too: Recommendations, for those who requested, on how to deal with Trump supporters (3/7/2020): There will be a lot of projection, which is why minor issues in Joe Biden are magnified (to the level of reality in Donald Trump), while Trumps defects are minimized (to the level of reality in Biden). If you look at my translations of Trumps words (https://twitter.com/BandyXLee1/status/1172485339652481024), you will see that whatever he or his followers say about others will be a direct reflection of himself or themselves. The psychopathology behind this is complicated, but you will discover that it is quite accurate. Her suggested approach for treating the millions of allegedly psychopathologically-damaged, delusional Trump supporters, standing alone, should cause Lee to lose her license: Hence, here are my suggestions: (a) do not confront them with facts, for it will only rouse resistance (subconsciously, they already know what is true, which is why they project very accurately); (b) do not invest in trying to persuade, for the problem is in granting an impaired individual power (which spreads pathology in a previously healthy populace), not in their cognitive system; and (c) continue to state the facts elsewhere, without intimidation, so that a delusional narrative does not overtake the truth. When it comes to delusional narratives, one has to admit that Lee is an expert! If Lee represents the caliber of professionals at the Yale School of Medicine, that once-reputable institution is circling the drain, another victim of the leftist takeover of academia. Earlier this year, a judge denounced the myth that student loans cant be erased in bankruptcy court as she excused a Navy veteran from having to pay $221,000 in education debt. Bankruptcy judge Cecelia G. Morris decision garnered plenty of headlines, along with speculation that the ruling might make such discharges easier. The battle isnt over, though. A few days later, Morris ruling was appealed by the Education Credit Management Corporation, a nonprofit company that guarantees and services federal student loans for the U.S. Department of Education. The reality is that getting student loans erased in bankruptcy, while technically possible, is so hard and expensive that few people try; even fewer succeed. Without intervention by Congress and a change of heart at the Education Department, struggling borrowers will continue to be trapped in a virtual debtors prison: unable to pay what they owe and unable to move on with their lives. Taxpayer money is being wasted, as well. ECMC has a long history of aggressively opposing student loan discharges, even when theres little hope of recovering any money. Among other cases, ECMC has notoriously fought bankruptcy relief for a woman diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; a formerly homeless woman with mental illness subsisting on Social Security disability payments; and, in the case of Navy vet Kevin Rosenberg, the subject of Morris ruling, a man whose basic living expenses exceeded his income. Obviously, walking away from student loan debt should never be easy. But getting relief from unpayable education debt should never have become this hard. That was the consensus of an expert group of bankruptcy judges, lawyers and scholars who studied the issue and made their recommendations public last year. The American Bankruptcy Institutes Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy suggested changes judges could make to help more borrowers, but real reform will require new laws and a more sensible, cost-effective approach by the Education Department. Among the commissions recommendations: Let private student loans be erased Federal student loans are backed by taxpayer money, so it makes sense that theyre harder to discharge than credit card debt or medical bills. But Congress extended the same status to private student loans in 2005. Unlike federal student loans, private student loans are underwritten which means the lenders assess borrowers ability to repay, charge interest rates that reflect the risk of default and often require co-signers to guarantee repayment. Shielding private student loans in bankruptcy court may protect lender profits, but its hard to make the case that doing so is somehow in the taxpayers best interest. The commission recommends Congress change the law to allow private student loans, as well as loans taken out by parents and other relatives for their children, to be more easily erased. 7-year standard should be restored In 1976, Congress decided that overwhelmed borrowers could get their student loans wiped out in bankruptcy once five years had passed since the first payment was due. Debtors could get relief earlier if repayment represented an undue hardship. In 1990, Congress lengthened the waiting period to seven years. Meanwhile, courts toughened the rules about what undue hardship meant with the understanding that those who couldnt prove undue hardship could still get the debt wiped out within a few years. In 1998, however, Congress removed the time element entirely. Now, borrowers are held to the strict standards the courts had developed under previous laws, but without the promise of eventual relief. The commission recommends returning to the seven-year standard, noting that if borrowers were still struggling at that point, their circumstances were unlikely to improve enough to repay a significant portion of their loans. Getting rid of the debt, on the other hand, could allow people to buy homes, start families, launch businesses and otherwise engage in productive activity that contributes to the tax base. Call off the dogs The commission decried costly and inefficient litigation, noting that the Education Department and ECMC regularly fight discharges regardless of the costs or benefits. Instead, the commission recommended the department adopt clearly defined rules that would prevent student loan collectors from opposing discharges for people collecting disability benefits from Social Security or Veterans Affairs, or whose incomes were less than 175% of federal poverty levels. In other cases, collectors would be required to do a cost-benefit analysis so they dont waste government money. That doesnt mean were saying to the department you just ought to wipe out every student loan debt, says William Houston Brown, a retired bankruptcy judge who co-chaired the commission. Just dont spend the money litigating over things that are pointless. At least four people were killed in the collapse of a hotel in southeastern China that was being used for medical observation of people who had arrived from areas hit by the coronavirus outbreak, authorities said today. The sudden collapse of the building on Saturday evening trapped 71 people, the Ministry of Emergency Management said. Thirty-eight had been rescued as of 10:30 a.m. Sunday, including one person in critical condition and four others in serious condition, the ministry said. The ministry earlier reported that 48 people had been rescued. It did not immediately explain the discrepancy. More than 1,000 firefighters and seven rescue dogs were dispatched to the site, according to the ministry. News photos showed rescue workers with flashlights climbing over the debris and bringing people out. Rubble was left piled on cars in front of the building. The Xinjia Express Hotel is in Quanzhou, a coastal city in Fujian province. The city government said it was housing people who had come from coronavirus-hit areas. Most parts of China are quarantining people from such areas for 14 days. Two supermarkets on the first floor of the building were undergoing remodeling, and a pillar reportedly deformed a few minutes prior to the collapse, the official Xinhua News Agency said, quoting a district offfical. The owner of the building has been put under police control, Xinhua reported. Construction of the building began in 2013 and it was converted into a 66-room hotel in 2018, the official told Xinhua. The hotel opened in June 2018, with rooms on the fourth to seventh floors of the building, the newspaper Beijing Youth Daily said. China, where the virus first emerged in December, has confirmed more than 80,000 cases, by far the most in the world. It reported 44 new cases over the last 24 hours on Sunday morning, the lowest level since it began publishing nationwide figures on Jan 20. Another 27 deaths were reported, bringing the total to 3,097. Most of the cases have been in Wuhan, an inland city about 670 kilometers (475 miles) northwest of Quanzhou. Washington residents might have been lulled into a false sense of security earlier this winter when more than a month passed without a new case of coronavirus infection. Then late last week, the news no one wanted to hear hit: Two more people had been confirmed to have the disease and one of them had died. By Saturday, the total number of diagnosed cases in the state ballooned to more than 100, with at least 16 deaths -- the vast majority in the Seattle area at a nursing home. The rapidly evolving crisis might have lessons for Oregon. Oregon disclosed three coronavirus cases from Feb. 28 to March 2 and then announced day after day of negative test results for dozens of people, bringing a sense of relief to some. But Saturday brought four more cases, raising the total to seven people diagnosed in four Oregon counties: Washington, Umatilla, Jackson and Klamath. Clark County in Washington also reported one case just over the border from Portland. And Sunday brought seven more Oregon cases, for a total of 14 in the state. Experts in the field of infectious disease say many more tests need to be administered to understand the extent of the problem in Oregon and elsewhere, but Oregonians should expect cases to grow and shouldn't become complacent. Viruses can pass quickly from one community to another -- especially two as interconnected as Seattle and Portland, just a three-hour drive apart. Theyre epidemiological mirrors of each other, said Benjamin Dalziel, an Oregon State University assistant professor of integrative biology who has studied the spread of infectious diseases. Dalziel believes just like with the flu, the new coronavirus will almost certainly move from one Northwest hub to the other as people travel and interact. What happens in Seattle is going to happen in Portland, in Corvallis, if its not all ready, Dalziel said. I think thats the plausible scenario. ... Theyre just so connected. Certainly enough to sync up. A view of the Seattle skyline. (Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian/File photo)LC- The Oregonian So far, Seattle has launched a much bigger response in an attempt to contain the virus. It remains to be seen if Oregon will follow suit. Oregons Gov. Kate Brown and public health leaders have repeatedly asked people to remain calm and go about their usual lives with a few exceptions including washing their hands frequently and staying at home if they have cold-like or flu-like symptoms. State and local health officials arent ready yet to impose major social distancing measures yet. In fact, the Multnomah County Health Department is encouraging the opposite. On Saturday, the department tweeted a photo of people attending a crowded concert and the following advice: If you are feeling well, feel free to go out and have a good time this weekend. The Multnomah County Health Department sent out this tweet on Saturday, March 7, 2020 -- the same morning state health officials announced the diagnosed cases of novel coronavirus in Oregon doubled from 3 to 7. That drew some shocked responses from the public, including: This is screamingly irresponsible, its staggering," This tweet will go down in history" and This tweet is just negligent. After being contacted by The Oregonian/OregonLive Sunday, the county said it regretted the tweet, and took it down. But life should continue, Multnomah County officials explained in a news release earlier in the week: Canceling events, telecommuting for work and closing schools are serious decisions that cause social disruption and can have far-reaching ripple effects on our kids education and our various workforce members." *** Hard-hit Washington has scrambled into high gear to stem the proliferation of the virus. Its public health officials also have stressed handwashing and staying home when sick, but now Public Health-Seattle & King County is recommending that people 60 and older -- about 425,000 people within the county -- stay home as much as possible. King County has advised an untold number of other people with underlying health conditions to do the same. Public health officials in King County hold a news conference after the second and third cases of new coronavirus were announced in Washington. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)AP According to one study out of China, where the outbreak originated late last year, people over 60 or people with abnormally high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease and cancer were the most likely to suffer a severe bout of COVID-19 or die from it. The health department also has advised people of all ages to avoid large groups of people and to consider postponing and canceling events. The department has urged businesses to allow people to work from home. Major employers such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Facebook have either urged or outright mandated their employees in the Seattle area to work from home. Amazon said this week that one of its Seattle-based employees had come down with the virus, and Facebook said one of its contractors had. The University of Washington will shut down its 46,000-student campus starting Monday and will hold classes online at least until March 20, the end of winter quarter. The U.S. District Court for Western Washington has canceled all in-person hearings in Tacoma and Seattle until further notice. This is a critical moment in the growing outbreak of COVID-19 in King County and these measures can potentially impact the spread of the disease, reads a public announcement from the health department. A man in protective clothing cleans the County Oak Medical Centre GP practice in Brighton, England, after Britain declared the new coronavirus a "serious and imminent threat to public health.'' (Steve Parsons/PA via AP)AP Dalziel, the OSU scientist, praised the Seattle areas strategy of social distancing. Absolutely, he said. If you can do it, do it. Carrying out such measures, however, comes at a cost, including economic and personal tolls. Its hard to stay cooped up at home, avoiding friends and nights out. And how long can you shut down a huge university? There are certainly scenarios where if you were to start that relatively early, thats good from a point of view of being aggressive in terms of control, Dalziel said. But it has downstream costs that start to accrue. Still, he said, starting aggressive measures too late means missing an important window to interrupt the daunting momentum of a disease. Portland is saying, We are going to be doing the prudent things now and be ready to ramp it up when we need to, Dalziel said. When is that moment? Thats just a really hard question. *** One of the earliest steps Washington state took was the day after officials announced the second and third cases: Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency and directed state agencies to use all resources necessary to fight the outbreak. That also allows Inslee to use the Washington National Guard. Inslee, a one-time candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, also has made national waves by taking on President Trump and his administration for what he has implied is their lackadaisical coronavirus response. Inslee tweeted late last month that our work would be more successful if the Trump administration stuck to the science and told the truth. I just received a call from @VP Mike Pence, thanking Washington state for our efforts to combat the coronavirus. I told him our work would be more successful if the Trump administration stuck to the science and told the truth. Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) February 28, 2020 Trump on Friday called Inslee a snake and not a good governor. Across the country as of Saturday afternoon, the U.S. logged more than 380 diagnosed cases in 28 states and at least 19 deaths. Trump has urged people to remain calm, saying the number of U.S. cases is small in relation to some other parts of the world, and he warned against implementing stringent social distancing policies in places where the virus isnt known to have taken hold. Trump also tried to quell a widespread cry from many medical providers, public health officials and local government leaders that the virus is spreading undetected because of a massive shortage of test kits. A medical staffer works with test systems for the diagnosis of coronavirus in Krasnodar, Russia (AP Photo)AP A chorus of residents in Washington state have complained about not being able to get tested. They described a system in chaos as they tried to navigate through bureaucracy and sometimes were confronted with shortfalls. New York City officials sent a letter imploring the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide more tests. The slow federal action on this matter has impeded our ability to beat back this epidemic, the letter reads. In the past week, New York state went from zero to 76 confirmed cases. Thousands of people are on home quarantine. Oregon has sent out conflicting messages about whether it needs more tests. When asked during a live-streamed question-and-answer session if Oregon has an adequate number of tests, Dr. Dean Sidelinger told the governor that we do. The Oregon Health Authority is live with with Governor Kate Brown, Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen and Oregon State Health Officer and Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger to discuss COVID-19 in Oregon. Posted by The Oregonian on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 Sidelinger said Oregon can test up to 40 people a day from a stockpile of tests that will allow up to 750 people to be tested. Oregon has tested 124 people since Jan. 24, with 40 tests still pending results. We currently dont have any constraints on testing here in Oregon, Sidelinger told Brown. But that same day, another top Oregon official the Oregon Health Authoritys public health director, Lillian Shirley seemed to say the opposite. Shirley said Oregon doesnt currently have enough capacity to provide widespread testing giving the CDCs new, loosened criteria. The CDC said anyone who has a fever, cough or respiratory troubles can be tested, as long as they have a doctors approval. Sidelinger said the state wouldnt test that group because it wants to keep capacity open for the people he believes are at the highest risk for having the disease. Those are people exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms who have recently returned from a severely affected country or have been in close contact with a confirmed case. Oregon also is testing people who require hospitalization and have a severe respiratory illness that isnt the flu. Sidelinger said sometime in the next two weeks he thinks commercial labs will gain the ability to test in Oregon, and the criteria for who can be tested could change. The Oregonian/OregonLive requested an interview with Sidelinger for more explanation about his approach for this story, but he didnt respond. Chunhuei Chi, Oregon States director of the Center for Global Health, has studied the response to the virus in Taiwan, Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, U.S. and Italy. Because the virus is spreading among members of the community in Oregon and parts of the U.S. now -- and not just from people returning from highly affected countries -- Oregon needs to test vigilantly, he said. Testing, Chi said, is crucial to understanding whos infected and how big the problem really is. *** Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center, where Oregon's first coronavirus victim was put in isolation. Medical providers in Oregon share Chis urgency. Yet theyre reluctant to speak out for fear of retaliation, said Rachel Gumpert, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Nurses Association. Some hospitals have put out essentially gag orders ... demanding that nurses, if they see something, they dont say anything publicly, Gumpert said. Aimee Patterson, a primary care physician at the Heart Spring Health medical clinic in downtown Portland, said she tried to get coronavirus tests this past week for three patients who all had fevers, coughs and shortness of breath. A study of 55,000 recent coronavirus cases in China found that in 88 percent of those cases, the afflicted had a fever and in 68 percent of cases, they had a dry cough. One of Pattersons patients also had returned last week from Seattle. The person had mingled with Amazon employees and eaten from the same food carts before Amazon announced this week that one of its employees had contracted the virus. But Patterson said when she called Multnomah County health officials and tried to get her patients tested, she ran into dead ends. In two of the cases, officials told her to have her patients schedule a visit at a local emergency room for testing, but when the patients called, medical staff there said they wouldnt run tests. In the case of the third patient, Multnomah County denied the test, said Patterson, a naturopathic doctor. She told her patients to stay home. She noted that she consulted with all of her patients over the phone, to avoid exposure to the virus. But Patterson said she sees a glimmer of hope. Her clinic has been told that on Monday it will have tests on hand to administer, although she is still waiting for details. It frustrates me to look at the national numbers and see how many positive test cases there are in Washington and California, Patterson said. She said she finds it difficult to believe that Oregon has only the confirmed handful. Im actually alarmed and a little afraid, she said. Because I have this horrible feeling that were behind the curve and once everyone who should be tested gets tested the numbers are going to be scary. -- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee Subscribe to our Oregon coronavirus newsletter: Two more cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Ireland. The Department of Health confirmed the two new cases this evening, bringing the total number of Irish cases to 21. The new cases involve a female in the east of the country and a male in the south. Both new cases involved community transmission of the virus -underlining fears that the virus was spreading within the community and likely to reach epidemic levels. The male in the south of the country is associated with the Bon Secours Hospital, Cork and a risk assessment is underway at the hospital. Staff at the Bons Secours Hospital in Cork have been informed of the detection and the strict infection control measures already in place. A special staff briefing will take place on Monday. "Bon Secours Health System can confirm that a patient who has tested positive for Covid-19 is at Bon Secours Hospital Cork," a statement confirmed. "The patient is being cared for in a single room and contact precautions have been in place since the patients arrival." "Guidance on protocols to minimise risk to patients and staff are being shared on an ongoing basis. Visitor restrictions are in place at all Bon Secours Health System facilities since Friday and are detailed on our website - one visitor per patient, no children and no visitors with symptoms of flu." The hospital declined to comment further for patient confidentiality reasons. However, the Bons confirmed it was working closely with other Irish hospitals, public health experts and the HSE on the matter. Two Cork hospitals are now dealing with Covid-19 cases. All Cork hospitals imposed visitor restrictions last week after the first case of community spread of the virus was found in a CUH patient. The patient - a middle aged man from Cork county - remains critically ill in an isolation unit at CUH. He has a serious underlying health condition. The man had not been outside Ireland and had not been in contact with any known Covid-19 cases. He was found to have the virus after he had spent more than 24 hours in CUH's emergency department. A total of 60 CUH staff were subsequently sent home as a precautionary measure. They will now remain in self-isolation for a period of 14 days. The circumstances of the Covid-19 case in the second Cork hospital this evening remains unknown. The HSE is now working rapidly to identify any contacts the patients may have had, to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread. Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health, said: Ireland remains in containment phase with 21 cases to date, three of which are associated with community transmission. Most people who become infected with Covid-19 experience a mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for some. Every individual needs to be aware of how to protect their own health and the health of others. The most important way they can do this is by following public health advice." Earlier on Sunday morning, the HSE said that it cannot dispute that up to 1.9 million people in Ireland may be infected by the coronavirus. Speaking on RTE Radio One, CEO of the HSE Paul Reid said that the health service is working to contain the virus and is putting together significant plans. The phase were in right now is the containment phase, it is the prevention, we are putting together very significant plans. Those plans are important and the most appropriate plans for this phase, he said. However, he declined to dispute figures reported in todays Sunday Business Post which state that up to 40pc of the population, or 1.9 million people may contract the coronavirus. Read More Theres ranges youre seeing from 30-50pc and indeed some less and very significant differences in terms of impact. Were working through that right now, Mr Reid said. He declined to dispute the reported figures. I cant right now dispute [the figures], he said. Expand Close Minister for Health Simon Harris pictured in Dublin Airport where he spoke to the media regarding the outbreak and prevention of the Coronavirus in Ireland. Picture; Gerry Mooney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Minister for Health Simon Harris pictured in Dublin Airport where he spoke to the media regarding the outbreak and prevention of the Coronavirus in Ireland. Picture; Gerry Mooney He said that work is being done to take pressure off the acute hospital system and investment has been made for an extra 25 ICU beds. The CEO added that the ambulance service is now remote testing in peoples homes to take pressure of emergency departments in hospitals. The action that were taking now is about trying to get the impact reduced and trying to have it spread out over a long period of time, he said. Read More When asked if the upcoming St Patricks Day parade should be cancelled or not, Mr Reid said that people will still gather regardless. Whether the St Patricks Day parade happens or doesnt happen, we still will have concentrated numbers of people in different settings. The national public Health emergency team are working through recommendations in terms of mass gatherings and that will be a more comprehensive approach and I think it will move it on just from the St Patricks Day parade, he added. Speaking on the same programme, Sam McConkey, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of International Health said he wasnt surprised by the figures of 1.9 million as he said he's been "saying them for weeks". Not just on our health service, I think this is a transformation over society. "The best metaphor that I can think of is the Spanish flu, mixed up with the Irish civil war, which was 100 years ago, mixed up with the 1929 stock market crash, all mixed up together at the same time," he said. "That sounds pretty bad, but this is an all-of society response and requires an all-of government response." He said that the coronavirus will have an affect everywhere. "This is going to impact on every government department and every private industry and every citizen here in a very radical way," he said. Were in coronavirus land, a new world we havent been in before and we need to start adapting to that reality, the first thing that we need in that is clear, good governance." Tunisias cheese maker, LandOr, announced that it will set up a production plant in Moroccos Kenitra for a total cost of 10.7 million dollars. An investment agreement was signed in this regards between LandOr chairman Hatem Denguizli and Moroccan industry minister Hafid Elalamy. The plant will directly employ 102 people and help LandOr commercialize production that used to be exported from Tunisia. The factory extends over 1.3 hectare including a built area of 3.300 square meters. It will have an initial production capacity of 5000 tons. LandOr generates 28% of its revenues from the Moroccan market. While we can look at recent weeks of mounting controversy over the state governments infrastructure program involving litigation, cost blowouts and delays, events this week were more salient in casting a lengthening shadow over infrastructure projects in Victoria. This week, more so than all of the controversy dominating recent weeks, may well have cast the darkest shadow to date over current and future infrastructure projects. Credit:Glenn Hunt First, the state government introduced the North East Link Bill 2020. It establishes the North East Link State Tolling Corporation to collect tolls for the North East Link with toll revenue going towards the cost of the roads construction and maintenance. As the government said in its press release, this urgently needed North East Link will be the first road in Victoria whose tolling rights are held by the state government". Let's just unpack this. Sure, at a superficial level, it's easy to recognise the political dimension to this approach. I suspect that the government believes that by maintaining public ownership of tolling rights for the time being, it can anticipate and assuage, to some degree, public antipathy towards tolling titans like Transurban. Democratic presidential hopefuls former Vice President Joe Biden (L) and US Senator from California Kamala Harris greet each other ahead of the second round of the second Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign season hosted by CNN at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan on July 31, 2019. U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, a former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, on Sunday said she would endorse her one-time rival Joe Biden's bid for the White House. "I have decided that I am, with great enthusiasm, going to endorse Joe Biden for president of the United States," she said in a recorded message on Twitter. "I really believe in him and I have known him for a long time." Tweet Biden has been eager to capitalize on a string of wins in South Carolina and a set of states that voted last Tuesday, where was helped by the endorsements of one-time rivals Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar. On Saturday in St. Louis, Biden thanked them and supporters of Harris, fueling speculation that the former Democratic presidential candidate may be about to endorse him. "We're going to unite this party and unite this country," Biden said. Biden has to win a primary against Bernie Sanders in order to be the Democratic nominee to face Donald Trump in the November presidential election. Democrats in Michigan, Missouri and four other places hold nominating contests on Tuesday. Harris said she would campaign with Biden in Detroit, Michigan, on Monday. Harris, a first-term senator for California and the state's former attorney general, would have been the first woman and second black U.S. president. She was considered a top-tier contender when she launched her quest for the presidency with a rally in Oakland that drew 20,000 people. She also drew attention for a clash with Biden in an early presidential debate. But her campaign ultimately struggled to build on early support and raise money. How can Christians determine if something is biblical or bogus? Apologist gives 3 steps Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Christian apologist laid out three ways Christians can judge whether an idea is biblical or bogus in a speech that was part of a student-centered apologetics event in Allen, Texas. Alan Shlemon, author and speaker with the apologetics group Stand to Reason, gave remarks at the reTHINK Apologetics Student Conference, held last week at Cottonwood Creek Church in Allen. During his talk last Friday, Shlemon laid out three steps that help guard against false religious ideas. The first step is to seek to study scripture, which involved reading the Bible. Shlemon told students that when they come across an idea or some kind of claim, we need to test it against Scripture. The second step is to seek wise counsel, with Shlemon giving examples of parents, young group leaders, and pastors, among others. Chances are, you dont know the Bible entirely, you dont have perfect theology, you dont understand the Christian worldview completely, and guess what? Thats OK. I dont either. Nobody does, he explained. But what that means is you can and should seek wise counsel. People who might be more biblically mature than you or walked with Jesus longer. Shlemon said his counsel was his boss, Stand to Reason founder and President Greg Koukl, who hosts a radio program that invites people to call in and ask spiritual questions. The third and final step in determining the validity of an idea, according to Shlemon, is to seek the consensus of historic Christianity. What has the Church taught for 2,000 years? asked Shlemon. If the idea or the claim that I am considering right now is contradicted by 2,000 years of church history, or it is a completely new idea, then it causes me to become suspicious. He gave the example of the LGBT movement and how some churches have argued that the Bible does not actually condemn homosexuality or same-sex marriage. Shlemon did acknowledge that Christians have been long divided on issues like the nature of the Lords Supper and how to properly perform baptisms. We have been divided on a whole bunch of things for hundreds if not thousands of years in some cases, he noted. But when it comes to the question of marriage and sex, all of the church, Protestant, Catholic, and even the Orthodox traditions, have been unanimous for 2,000 years. Shlemons comments were part of the Conferences Friday evening first session, titled reTHINK Your False Ideas About God. In addition to Shlemon, the session also featured Stand to Reason President Koukl and Tim Barnett, pastor at Cedarville Church of Newmarket, Canada. Barnett focused on the Genesis account of the fall of man, explaining to those gathered that there were three steps the Serpent took in Genesis 3 to get Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. The three steps of deception, Barnett said, were that Satan questions what God has said, Satan denies what God has said, and Satan attacks who God is. The fall of mankind didnt actually begin when the first pair took their first bite. That is, it didnt begin with a disobedient deed, said Barnett. Rather, it began with an incorrect idea. Specifically, the serpent, the devil, he planted false ideas in the minds of the original pair. Barnett went on to argue that these very strategies are still used in modern American culture to tempt Christians to not follow the Bible. If we ignore Gods word, we end up cutting ourselves off from truth about God. If we ignore what He said, we cut ourselves off from that truth, he continued. And what happens is we begin to take our cues about God from the culture. We dont determine what God is like by looking to the culture. With over 35 lakh cheque bounce cases pending in district courts, the Supreme Court has decided to evolve a "concerted" and "coordinated" mechanism for expeditious disposal of such cases. The apex court has registered a suo motu case (on its own) in this regard and sought responses from the Centre and other stakeholders, including the Reserve Bank of India. A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justice LN Rao, which passed the order while dealing with a plea related to dishonour of two cheques in January 2005, noted that a dispute of this nature has remained pending for 15 years in various courts and taken judicial time. "Despite many changes brought through legislative amendments and various decisions of this court mandating speedy trial and disposal of these cases, the trial courts are filled with a large number of pendency of these cases," the bench said in its March 5 order. "A recent study of the pending cases, reflects pendency of more than 35 lakh, which constitutes more than 15 percent of the total criminal cases pending in district courts. Further, there is a steady increase in the docket burden," the bench said. The top court has issued notices to the Centre, registrar general of all high courts, director general of police of all states and union territories, member secretary of the National Legal Services Authority, RBI and Indian Bank Association, Mumbai, and asked them to file their response on the issue. "These are some indicative aspects in addition to what may come on board after hearing the relevant duty-holders. To work out mechanism for expeditious and just adjudication of cases relating to dishonour of cheques, fulfilling the mandate of law and reduce high pendency, various duty-holders like banks, police and legal services authorities may be required to take measures and prepare schemes," the bench said. "Thus, we find it necessary to hear them for evolving a concerted, coordinated mechanism for expeditious adjudication of these cases as per the legal mandate," it said. The bench, which appointed senior lawyer Siddharth Luthra and advocate K Parameshwar as amicus curiae to assist it in the matter, has listed the case for hearing on April 16. The bench noted that dishonour of cheque was criminalised in 1988 and the legislative intent was to "ensure faith in the efficacy of banking operations and credibility in transacting business on cheques." "It was to provide a strong criminal remedy in order to deter the high incidence of dishonour of cheques and ensure compensation to the complainant," the bench said, adding, "Subsequent amendments in the Act (Negotiable Instrument Act) and the pronouncements of this court reflect that it was always perceived that these cases would be disposed speedily so as to preserve the object of criminalisation of the act." The bench noted that as per the legal mandate, endeavour must be made to conclude the trial in cheque bounce case within six months from the date of filing of complaint. "One of the major factors for high pendency is delay in ensuring the presence of the accused before the court for trial. As per recent study, more than half of the pending cases, i.e. more than 18 lakh cases, are pending due to absence of accused," the bench said. It said a mechanism may be developed to ensure the presence of the accused even by way of coercive measure, if required, including attachment of property. It observed that banks, being an important stakeholders in cheque bounce cases, have the responsibility of providing requisite details and facilitate an expeditious trial. "The Reserve Bank of India, being the regulatory body, may also evolve guidelines for banks to facilitate requisite information for the trial of these cases and such other matters as may be required. A separate software-based mechanism may be developed to track and ensure the service of process on the accused in cases relating to an offence under Section 138 of NI Act," it said. "With ensuring the credibility of cheques, it is equally important that cheques are not allowed to be misused giving cause to frivolous litigation. The Reserve Bank of India may consider developing a new proforma of cheques so as to include the purpose of payment, along with other information mentioned above to facilitate adjudication of real issues," it said. The top court also said there is a need of developing a mechanism for pre-litigation settlement in cheque bounce cases and National Legal Services Authority may evolve a scheme for settlement of dispute at pre-litigation stage. Meghan McCain has been a controversial figure on The View since she joined the show. The conservative voice calls herself a hardcore Republican and stands up for what she believes in. If there is one thing about McCain, its that she stands her ground in a panel that opposes her views. The show has been plagued with scandal and gossip revolving around McCain. An insider has alleged that its the political analyst herself that is leaking rumors to the press. Meghan McCain | Lou Rocco/ABC via Getty Images Abby Huntsman quits amidst rumors of toxic workplace At the beginning of 2020, The View faced allegations that there was animosity in the group. All the rumors coincided with McCain taking an inexplicable day off in the middle of the week. The report stated that none of the women were talking to McCain, including Abby Huntsman. They arent speaking to each other. Its been about a month. None of the ladies talk to Meghan now, an inside source told Page Six. Abby was the last woman standing. Its bad. Meghans so rude. Days later, Huntsman announced she was leaving the daytime show to help her fathers political efforts in Utah. On her last day, the moderate Republican pointed to the rumors that had been written about the show. People go nuts with rumors on this show and this week has been no exception, Huntsman said during her farewell. I just want to be as clear as I possibly can, this has been a dream come true, this has been an incredible job, I do love everyone at this table. Huntsman continued: I just want to make it as clear as day, with everything that has been written about this place. I am leaving so thankful for all the new friends that I have here, for the friends I had before and still have and for the opportunity because this place has changed my life for the better. Meghan McCain acknowledges feud One of the rumors that turned out to be true was that Huntsman and McCain had a fight. During an interview on Watch What Happens Live, McCain finally addressed their issue. We did get in a fight, which is a very small fight and a friend-fight, McCain confirmed. All friendships have ups and downs and it was bizarre for me to have the fact that we got into one fight to be put under dissection in the media. Andy Cohen asked if McCain knew who the leaker was and the latter said, I dont know and I wish they would stop. I think we are working on a very intense show during intense times. Im just trying to go in and do my job. Who is the leaker? Fellow co-host Sunny Hostin addressed the leaker situation shortly after Huntsman left The View. I am over all the silly rumors about the drama, the former prosecutor told Page Six. We are not even talking about who is talking to Page Six because The View has been on for over 20 years and that has been happening for over 20 years. At one point, someone was trying to blame Hostin for all the leaks from the show. An executive producer from the talk show shut down those rumors fast. I dont think Sunny is the leak. I dont think anyone who is working on the show could be that overtly doing something thats potentially problematic for their own careers, senior executive producer Hilary Estey McLoughlin told Page Six back in July 2019. A new report from Daily Mail is now suggesting that McCain is back to her old ways of causing backstage drama. They further allege that before Huntsman left, she told the rest of the ladies that McCain was using her husband to plant stories about the show. Abby told the ladies that Meghan loves playing the victim because she not only feels that it garners her sympathy as a hardcore conservative, but it deflects from people figuring out that shes been the one manipulating everyone by leaking stories on the show all along, the source told the publication. For now, fans will remain in the dark about who is sharking the behind-the-scenes gossip. Maybe in a few years, someone will publish a book revealing all the dark secrets from the show. The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET and 10 a.m. CT/PT. Those who did not visit the specialty school for students with disabilities between Feb. 25 and Friday do not have restrictions, even if they were in contact with someone who works at or attends the school. They can continue to attend school and work, as long as they are not sick, the statement said. OAKLAND (BCN) A 10-acre site at the Port of Oakland is being prepared and secured for the anticipated arrival of the quarantined Grand Princess cruise ship and evacuations of passengers anticipated to start Monday will take two to three days, Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a news conference Sunday with city and state officials. Officials said Friday that 46 aboard the ship were tested for the virus, and 21 were positive -- 19 of them crewmembers. The exact time of the ship's arrival is still to be determined and working out the logistics involves "enormous complexity," including optimal timing for tide conditions for accommodating the massive ship. The ship is currently 10 to 12 miles off shore, which will mean about a 2-1/2-hour trip "when we have the green light to come into the port," Newsom said. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff said the city has "received some very strong assurances that they will employ the best isolation practices known" in evacuating and transporting passengers and that nobody from the ship will be quarantined or released into the community. She said that offering the use of the port "is the right thing to do." A team is scheduled to board the ship at 3 p.m. Sunday for "conducting triage" to determine the most acute or symptomatic cases. There are more than 2,400 passengers and 1,100 crewmembers on the ship. The 946 passengers from California will be quarantined for two weeks at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield. Once the passengers have been removed, the ship and its crew will be quarantined outside the Bay, Newsom said. Newsom said officials are "deeply empathetic to those stranded off our coast" and asked them to "just be patient as we prepare the site." Officials said Alameda and San Francisco were assessed before the Oakland port was selected to dock the ship. The former military facilities in Alameda have silting concerns for a sheep with a deep draft, while San Francisco facilities are not isolated. The Port of Oakland is sufficiently isolated and is in decent proximity to a private strip for taking foreign passengers back to their countries on charter flights. Among the crew and passengers are people from 54 different countries, Newsom said. Newsom praised Schaff and the city for stepping up at a time of need. "It was not required," he said, but Oakland "did the right thing to partner with us in good faith" while demanding accountability for the complex operation. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. A man has been seriously injured in an attack on Dublin's O'Connell Street yesterday. The man, aged 18, was attacked after he left a premises on O'Connell Street. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra presented a program of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Augusta Read Thomas Saturday evening, led by guest conductor Daniel Hege, Music Director of the Binghamton, New York, Philharmonic and the Wichita, Kansas, Symphony. Beethovens Violin Concerto, Op. 61 was the centerpiece of the concert, featuring soloist Angelo Xiang Yu, playing the exquisite 1715 Joachim Stradivarius violin, one of three instruments owned by the famous Hungarian virtuoso and friend of Brahms, Josef Joachim, generously on loan to Yu from the Nippon Music Foundation. Under Yus nimble fingers, the Stradivarius sang with penetrating sweetness in its highest registers, and even, golden tone throughout the remainder of its compass. In pre-concert remarks, Yu made reference to the connection between simplicity and difficulty in the Beethoven Concerto. Indeed, its forthright scales and arpeggios leave the soloist no place to hide, and they test the imagination of the most sophisticated player. Yus intonation was scrupulous throughout. His commitment to the drama and expressive depth of the piece was clear, and he made his mark with some teasing transitions and judicious tongue-in-cheek slides in the finale. The sprawling first movement unfolded in straightforward fashion. The Larghetto adopted a dreamy, distant quality, and the finale accented the rambunctious, unbuttoned side of Beethovens nature. Though he was playing Joachims violin, Yu chose to perform Kreislers cadenza for the first movement, and adapted a portion of the cadenza from Beethovens piano version of the concerto, Op. 61A, in the finale. Yu brought intense playing, deep into the string, and fiery energy to bear in both cadenzas. Maestro Hege guided the SSO deftly through the Beethoven, balancing orchestra with soloist perfectly, and forging a winning dramatic partnership. The audience of 1,397 rewarded soloist, conductor, and orchestra with a standing ovation. Tchaikovskys Symphony No. 1, Op. 13 offered a rousing conclusion to the evenings music-making. Hege and his players threaded their way incisively through Tchaikovskys lushly scored, tightly woven textures with striking clarity. The opening Allegros sly themes slunk through the orchestra, bringing with them a hint of the Waltz of the Flowers Tchaikovsky would write thirty years later. The Adagio opened with delicious string timbre and built to a fantastic climactic C minor melody in the French horns. In his classical conversation, Hege said he made the decision to have all five SSO Horns play the melody, even though Tchaikovskys score only called for two it was a marvelous effect. An elegant Scherzo and fascinatingly complex finale that exploded into a riot of counterpoint and syncopation, then galloped faster and faster to its close, brought the piece home. Augusta Read Thomass Radiant Circles opened the concert. While it tested the mettle of the musicians, particularly lead trumpeter Thomas Bergeron, who negotiated some high-altitude lines flawlessly, the piece served mostly to remind us of the value of rhythm and melody, two key ingredients of music that were abundant in Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, and absent in Thomas. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, March 8, 2020 10:28 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad2069112c3 4 National Papua,Timika,Freeport-Indonesia,armed-criminal-group,Papua-Police,Tembagapura,evacuation Free As many as 790 people have fled their homes in mountainous areas around the Freeport mining site to take refuge at the Tembagapura Police headquarter in Timika, Papua, on Friday over fears of an armed criminal group (KKB), the police have claimed. Papua Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Ahmad Mustofa Kamal said in a statement issued on Saturday that the residents, comprising 100 children, 370 women and 320 men, came in groups from three villages, namely Longsoran, Batu Besar and Kimbeli. The spokesperson added that residents from Banti village might also take refuge at the police office. Ahmad went on to say that the residents had voiced their unease over the presence of the KKB, which has reportedly terrorized the villagers. Read also: Military locate base of armed criminal group operating in Papua's Intan Jaya According to the villagers, they wanted to take refuge in Timika because of the unease in their villages caused by the presence of the KKB. The group has occupied their villages and harassed them, even demanding food at gunpoint, Achmad said, as quoted by kompas.com. The police have been verifying the identities of the villagers, who will be evacuated to downtown Timika by bus. The villagers will also be provided with food, Achmad said. Security authorities previously reported that armed groups had been shooting at Indonesian Military (TNI) and police guard posts. The residents access to basic needs, such as food and health care, has reportedly been impeded the KKB occupying roads. Authorities also claimed the residents were still traumatized from their previous encounter with the armed group in November 2017, when it blocked access into and out of several villages. (ars) PIL in SC challenges Centre's ordinances on powers to extend tenure of Directors of CBI, ED CBI takes over probe into custodial death of gangster India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 08: The CBI has taken over the investigation into the 2018 custodial death case of gangster Munna Bajrangi, officials said on Sunday. The agency had taken over the case following February 25 order of the Allahabad High Court on the petition filed by Bajrangi's wife Seema Singh. Alleging that there might be involvement of some mafia in the killing and raising suspicion over the role of jail officials, she had requested that the probe be transferred to the CBI. Who was Munna Bajrangi? Gangster accused of 40 murders over 2 decades The Uttar Pradesh government had opposed the petition on the ground that there was no need of a CBI probe in the case as three inquires were already underway -- one under the district judge, another under the district magistrate and the third being conducted by the jail authorities. NEWS AT 3 PM MARCH 8th, 2020 A day after 51-year-old Prem Prakash Singh alias Munna Bajrangi was shifted to Baghpat jail in 2018, he was allegedly killed by another gangster Sunil Rathi, the officials said, adding that Rathi was lodged in the jail since 2017. Bajrangi was brought to Baghpat from Jhansi Jail on July 8, 2018 for a hearing in an extortion case, but was allegedly shot dead by Rathi the next morning, they said. Bajrangi's wife had called a press conference on June 29 and said her husband's life was in danger. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 8:57 [IST] Babeth Ngoc Han Lefur, Oxfam in Vietnam country director, talks about realising women's rights in Vietnam. Babeth Ngoc Han Lefur, Oxfam in Vietnam country director Realising womens rights towards gender equality, why is progress so slow? According to the Global Gender Gap report 2018, which benchmarks 149 countries on their progress towards gender parity on a scale from 0 (disparity) to 1 (parity) across four thematic dimensionsthe sub-indexes Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment. If current rates were to be maintained, the overall global gender gap will close in 61 years in Western Europe, 70 years in South Asia, 74 years in Latin America and the Caribbean, 135 years in Sub-Saharan Africa, 124 years in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, 153 years in the Middle East and North Africa, 165 years in North America, and 171 years in East Asia and the Pacific. Vietnam ranked 77th overall in 2018 ahead of Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia and China, but behind the Philippines, Laos, Bangladesh and Thailand. Vietnam also dropped eight points compared to 2017. Women in Vietnam fare best in economic participation (rank 33), but badly in political empowerment (99), educational attainment (101), and health survival (143). These figures signal it will take a long time for the world and Vietnam in particular to achieve parity, so what happened? Why such slow progress, and what can we do to make a transformational leap? The Oxfam report Public Good or Private Wealth[1]pointed out that the majority of unpaid care work is undertaken by women in poverty. Policies and practices need to radically change to make freeing up womens time a key objective of government spending, and women must have a say in budget decisions. All essential services should be designed in a way that works for those with little time to spare. Inequality is sexist, and economically unequal countries are countries where women and men are more unequal too - societies in which the gap between rich and poor is much lower are those in which women are treated more as equals. There is an urgent need to re-think the current economic model that primes economic growth above all. Social norms and attitudes keep women subordinate and unable to take advantage of educational, political and economic opportunities. Research commissioned by Oxfam entitled Gender stereotypes against female leaders[2] revealed there are many barriers constraining womens ability to reach leadership positions. One of those is a stereotypical attitude toward female leadership, which may have resulted in the low percentages of women in elected bodies including the National Assembly and Peoples Councils. Voters use double standards when deciding whether or not to select a female candidate, expecting a good female leader to first fulfill her role as a mother and wife before taking on work responsibilities. They also have a view of what a successful woman should look like in contemporary Vietnamese society, that is, only female leaders who can handle their dual roles and responsibilities both in families as traditional women and in the workplace as modern women are considered ideal. Corporate attitudes have improved in a number of places, but a lot more needs to be done with more dedicated resources committed in companies to develop comprehensive gender policies within their organisations as well as in business operations[3]. Oxfam has carried out numerous researches (and a quantification) that demonstrate time and time again that global economic prosperity is dependent on the huge but unrecognised contribution made by women through unpaid care work. If all the unpaid care work done by women across the globe was carried out by a single company it would have an annual turnover of USD10 trillion, 43 times that of Apple. Vietnam is a case for international donors to decide where and how they can maximise their continuous support to achieve gender equality. For decades, gender work in Vietnam has been largely externally funded bringing external expertise as well as investing in local capacities. Vietnam has made great advances both in gender policies and practices, and the gender equality law of 2005 is one of the most progressive gender laws in Asia. But this trend has been weakening with reduced funding and other support, or investment only in economic empowerment. This has gone hand in hand with an overall regression of the progress made, and gender development practitioners and specialists fear the gains made are being lost. To sum up, I issue a call for the youth of today, who will be tomorrow's policymakers, entrepreneurs, economists, journalists and so on, to rise up as active and responsible citizens, taking concrete actions, to achieve social justice through gender equality. Babeth Ngoc Han Lefur (Oxfam in Vietnam country director) [1] https://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstream/handle/10546/620599/bp-public-good-or-private-wealth-210119-en.pdf [2] https://cng-cdn.oxfam.org/vietnam.oxfam.org/s3fs-public/file_attachments/Full%20Report%20EN.pdf [3] http://www.vneconomictimes.com/article/op-eds/gender-equality-a-competitive-edge-for-business Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Beijing, China Sun, March 8, 2020 11:30 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206911924 2 World #China,#coronavirus,quarantine,Hotel,collapse,death-toll Free At least four people were killed following the collapse of a hotel used as a coronavirus quarantine facility in eastern China, the Ministry of Emergency Management said Sunday. Rescuers have also retrieved 38 survivors from the rubble, with five in critical or serious condition, out of 71 initially trapped, the ministry said. The coastal city of Quanzhou has recorded 47 cases of the COVID-19 infection and the hotel had been repurposed to house people who had been in recent contact with confirmed patients, the People's Daily state newspaper reported. Footage circulating on Twitter-like Weibo showed rescue workers searching the ruins of the Xinjia hotel in the dark as they reassured a woman trapped under heavy debris and carried wounded victims to ambulances. Other footage published by local media, purportedly from security cameras across the street, showed the entire hotel collapsing in seconds. The building's facade appeared to have crumbled into the ground, exposing the structure's steel frame, and a crowd gathered as the evening wore on. State broadcaster CCTV had earlier reported 48 people had been rescued out of 67 initially trapped when the hotel -- which opened two years ago -- collapsed. The building's first floor has been undergoing renovation since before the Lunar New Year, and construction workers called the hotel's owner minutes before the collapse to report a deformed pillar, the official Xinhua news agency said. The building's owner has been summoned by police, according to Xinhua. China is no stranger to building collapses and deadly construction accidents that are typically blamed on the country's rapid growth leading to corner-cutting by builders and the widespread flouting of safety rules. At least 20 people died in 2016 when a series of crudely-constructed multi-storey buildings packed with migrant workers collapsed in the eastern city of Wenzhou. Another 10 were killed last year in Shanghai after the collapse of a commercial building during renovations. Residents in some of Sydney's most affluent suburbs are the worst offenders for stockpiling toilet paper amid the coronavirus frenzy. Data from toilet paper retailer Who Gives a Crap, obtained by the Sydney Morning Herald, revealed the areas with the biggest spike in orders in the last week. Stockpilers in Wollstonecraft on Sydney's north shore hoarded the most rolls in the country, with sales jumping to 286 times the normal level. Residents of Balmain in Sydney's inner west bought 146 times more, followed by St Ives in the city's north with 90 times and Glenhaven in the north west with 72 times. Who Gives a Crap revealed stockpilers in Wollstonecraft on Sydney's north shore (stock image) hoarded the most rolls in the country People in Ryde and Bondi Beach also bought 66 times more toilet paper than they did the previous week (stock image of Bondi Beach) People in Ryde and Bondi Beach also bought 66 times more toilet paper than they did the previous week, Sydney Morning Herald reported. Other Sydney suburbs that recorded panic-fuelled buying included Croydon, Alexandria, Killara, Castle Hill, Pymble, Crows Nest, Lane Cove North, Dover Heights, Turramurra, Mosman, Fairlight, Freshwater, Newtown and Woollahra. Suburbs where toilet paper sales barely changed included Kareela, Campbelltown, Bundeena, Mount Keira, Westmead, Harrington Park, Smithfield, Wombarra, Millers Point, Peakhurst and St Helens Park. An increase in sales were also recorded in Western Australia where sales jumped to 11.7 times the usual amount and Victoria where residents bought 10.5 times more rolls. Residents of Balmain in Sydney's inner west bought 146 times more toilet paper than usual (stock image of Balmain) St Ives in the city's north recorded 90 times more toilet paper last week than it did than the previous week (stock image of St Ives) People terrified of running out of supplied amid coronavirus fears are pictured stockpiling toilet paper in Sydney last week Sydney suburbs with the highest toilet paper sales in the last 2 weeks Wollstonecraft - 286 times Balmain- 146 times St Ives - 90 times Glenhaven - 72 times Box Hill - 71 times Ryde 66 times Bondi Beach - 66 times Croydon - 57 times Alexandria - 49 times Killara - 48 times Advertisement The highest sales in Melbourne were recorded in Toorak in the city's north east, Caulfield North in the south east and the water-side suburb of Beaumaris. 'It's absolutely unprecedented,' said the company's co-founder and chief executive Simon Griffiths. Who Gives a Crap has since sold out of stock across Australia since panic-buying set in over a crisis dubbed 'toiletpapergate'. Supermarket giant Woolworths announced a limit of four packets of toilet paper per person on Wednesday after stockpiling saw shelves continuously emptied within the last week. NSW Health revealed there is no real shortage of the product but supermarkets are struggling to keep shelves stocked because of the unnecessary panic. Australian residents scrambling to buy as much toilet paper as possible as coronavirus panic sweeps the nation An argument breaks out between two women over toilet paper in Coles. One woman already has at least five packs in her trolley A scuffle was caught on film at a branch in Sydney's west on Saturday prompting staff to step in and demand calm. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian is urging residents not to panic, and conduct grocery shopping as normal rather than stockpiling goods. 'People should just go about their daily business in terms of the products they purchase and I don't see a need to do that (bulk buy) at this stage,' she said. As of Sunday morning, 105,977 people had been diagnosed with coronavirus worldwide. More than 3.5 thousand people have died and 58,627 have recovered. Being a parent can be frustrating at times. Losing your cool can become commonplace as well. Carla Naumburg agrees and says its all right to feel that way. Naumburg is the author of How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Your Kids. She will present her book at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 15 at the Jewish Community Center, 5520 Wyoming NE. The event will also feature a Q&A session, book sale and signing. Naumburg is the mother of two daughters ages 9 and 11. She is also a clinical social worker. The impetus for the book came when her daughters were toddlers and she noticed herself losing her temper with them. I had never been a yeller and noticed how frustrated I was getting, she says. I didnt want to have a relationship with them like that. I had to figure it out. I sat down at my computer, went to Google and typed, How to stop yelling at my kids? Thats when the idea for the book started. Naumburg says the book not only explains why we explode at our children, but also teaches us everything we need to know to decrease stress and increase patience, even in the most challenging family moments. She based her writing on recent research and evidence-based practices. I want other parents to know that it takes work to figure out how to stay calm and patient with kids, she says. I spent a huge amount of my personal energy and trying to understand how it happens. I didnt lose it with my husband or my co-workers. But with my children it was a different story. Naumburg also delves into the topic of parents feeling guilty or ashamed for yelling at their children. I tackle that topic because many of us really do have guilt, she says. When I do the talks, I try to be casual about it. (What) I try to get across is that you dont have to be a perfect parent to be a good one. You are a human being and we are constantly learning. Naumburg is based out of Boston and she is looking forward to returning to New Mexico. She was born in Santa Fe and spent a portion of her childhood there. I got a chance to bring my daughters out the last time I was in New Mexico, she says. I want them to know where I grew up. I took them hiking in Bandelier. Its a piece of my childhood I wanted to show them. Declare climate war Re: Aquifer protection: value versus cost, Front Page, March 1: I suspect most San Antonio residents believe we need to protect our aquifer and build a better, more sustainable transportation system. And yet here we are, trying to decide whether a minuscule cent of our sales tax should be shifted from one purpose to the other. We are arguing over table scraps when what the world needs to keep from starving is a full environmental meal. Scientists have given us 10 years to cut carbon emissions by half or we are literally cooked. In San Antonio, our cars, trucks, pavement our inefficient, fossil-fueled, congested surface transportation system contributes 38 percent of our CO2 pollution. And yet, in the next few years, the Texas Department of Transportation plans to spend $5 billion on road construction in and around our city $5 billion for more concrete, more cars, more trucks, more gridlock, more pollution while we try to scratch up a measly $40 million for a better mass transit system. Noted environmentalist Bill McKibben said the U.S. needs to mobilize for climate change like it did for World War II, and hes right. When the Axis powers threatened the survival of the free world, did we say we could not afford to go to war? No, we shifted our priorities, found the money and marched to battle. This discussion of whether to spend pocket change on either aquifer protection or mass transit while the state spends $5 billion on highways is the epitome of penny-wise and pound-foolish. When are we in the city, in the state, in the nation, in the world going to gain real wisdom? When are we going to say, The enemy is at the gates. Damn the money. Full speed ahead? Wendell Fuqua Irresponsible voting Re: Democrats internal tensions play out in Texas, by columnist Gilbert Garcia, Metro, Wednesday: For Rick Trevino to say he will not vote for any Democratic presidential nominee other than Sanders is, at best, irresponsible and, at worst, unforgivable. One wonders whether he will instead vote for the current White House resident unforgivable. Or not vote at all irresponsible. And what does he mean when he says he and a lot of people are done with this? Theyre done with politics? With hypocrisy? Hypocrisy in politics is business as usual even for their self-righteous tribe. Its apparent Trevino and his many Democrats would rather lose with a progressive than win with a moderate. Francoise Wilson, Kerrville Votes still suppressed Re: Super long lines on Super Tuesday, Front Page, Thursday: Kudos to Common Cause and the Texas Civil Rights Project for helping the citizens in Texas make progress on voting rights. We see the evidence in the record numbers of votes. But, make no mistake about it, the forces of suppression are still in place and the fight must continue. Republicans strive to discourage citizens from voting in large numbers. Much progress has been made, but as evidenced in these primaries, we have a way to go. Fewer polling places, reduced early voting days, strict voter registrations laws, no same-day registration and fewer voting machines allotted at predominantly Democratic polling places are just a few of the tactics employed by the suppressors. Voting is not rocket science. It should be easy, simple and quick. So lets be vigilant and keep the progress moving in favor of exercising this basic function in democracy. Jerry Kempe, New Braunfels Clemency math Re: Hardly a spree, Your Turn, Feb. 25: Frank DePaolo noted that despite President Donald Trumps recent rash of pardons and commutations, President Barack Obama had issued 1,927 clemencies, including 212 pardons, far more than issued by Trump. That much is true; however, we should consider why these clemencies were issued. Its more than just doing the math. For Obama, these were mainly for offenses that carried longer sentences than were justified. A notable example was Chelsea Manning, whose sentence was shortened from 35 to seven years for releasing embarrassing, but not critical, information to WikiLeaks. Most of the rest had to do with small-time tax cheating and minor drug offenses. For Trump, there was a pardon for former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was found guilty of contempt for refusing to correct abusive practice with prisoners, particularly Hispanic immigrants. Also, there was his commutation of Rod Blagojevich, who was sentenced for corrupt practices as governor of Illinois, including attempting to sell Obamas Senate seat after he was elected president. Steven Botts The NISD mission Re: Standardized tests a poor yardstick, Another View, Feb. 29: North Side Independent School District Superintendent Brian Woods op-ed has some credible points, but it misses the real issue concerning testing. All you have to do is read the NISD mission statement to see why this school district will never or can never be held accountable for any results. Its mission statement is filled with feel-good, nonmeasurable comments. His statements in Another View are nice, but they cannot be evaluated. Woods cites a number of things Texans want schools to provide, but none of them are in the school districts mission statement. If Texans appreciate and expect a well-rounded education for their children, as he claims, then he should be determining what those factors are and be held accountable, measuring them with or without tests. Richard Park, Boerne On ExpressNews.com: Trump picks pardon requests from wealthy pals and GOP donors Houstons Memorial Hermann Hospital has asked 11 workers to self-quarantine for the next two weeks after learning that a patient who was treated for gastrointestinal pain had been on a cruise ship in Egypt and later tested positive for the new coronavirus. Doctors at Memorial Hermann said Saturday that the patient hadnt initially been screened for COVID-19 and the patient was released from a Memorial Hermann medical facility about a week ago. They declined to identify the location of the clinic or hospital, citing privacy concerns. The virus threw us a curve, said Dr. David Callender, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System. At the time, Egypt wasnt identified as a concern for travelers, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea hadnt yet been noted as a potential sign of the disease, hospital officials said Saturday at a press conference. Eleven healthcare workers were potentially exposed to the patient during the first visit at the medical facility, and three of those workers are showing mild symptoms, said Dr. Angela Shippy, chief medical and quality officer at Memorial Hermann. All 11 workers have been tested for COVID-19. Officials expect to receive test results within 24 to 48 hours. Officials said there are still eight confirmed cases in the Houston area. Callender said the hospital system is treating several of those patients. He declined to say how many. We treat them as we would any patient who has an infectious disease caused by a similar respiratory agent, he said. So flu, measles, pneumonia, COVID-19, we treat them all the same. Mayor Sylvester Turner called for all Houston residents who have traveled internationally to take precautions when they return home. "Out of an abundance of caution, I encourage people who recently traveled internationally to self-quarantine for 14 days. Also, if you have traveled or plan to travel internationally, I advise you wait two weeks before visiting nursing homes or senior living facilities, as an added precaution. And, people who are sick need to always stay home to prevent infecting others," he wrote on Facebook Saturday night. The Rashtriya Swayamevak Sangh (RSS) has lashed out at a section of foreign media for creating misconceptions about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, pointing out that Europes efforts to offer citizenship to persecuted Jews and Christians were not seen as anti-Muslim, whereas in India, the law is being touted as exclusionist. The anti-CAA protests were designed to show India in bad light during the visit (of US President Donald Trump). It was the handiwork of those organisations that have begun to feel the heat from governments action against illegal money transactions that was being routed from abroad through some NGOs and the stern steps taken to curb terror activities, he said. He added that the view a section of foreign press has evolved about CAA being anti-Muslim is flawed and biased. He cited the case of persecuted Jews and Christians from the former soviet union granted citizenship rights under the Lautenberg Amendment and later the Bahais under the Lautenberg-Specter Amendments. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON However, the option is off the table, the president adds, noting Ukraine's choice of a democratic path. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admits he sometimes "really wants" to hang oligarchs, but this is not an option as Ukraine has chosen a democratic path. "It's certainly true that Ukraine's oligarchs continue to wield tremendous power," and President Zelensky "won't be rid of their machinations simply by asking nicely," the Guardian reports, adding that the "TV president" Zelensky played in a series might have ordered oligarchs hanged or shot for such lavish expenditure abroad during a time of war, "but the real Zelenskiy will have to work with them, asking them to invest at home and fund state projects when asked." Read alsoZelensky about Putin: All totalitarian regimes end same way "If we've chosen democracy, of course, we can't hang people," Zelensky, a former star comedian and actor told the Guardian in an interview. "Although! Sometimes you really want to. And do you know why? Because it would be quicker. Much quicker." "We are joking," said his press secretary Iuliia Mendel, looking "somewhat concerned," according to the Guardian. "Of course we're joking," Zelensky added. A university worker who hanged herself after gambling away her entire salary at online casinos was failed by her bank and betting firms, her grieving parents said yesterday. Natasha White, 34, became hooked on games such as online roulette through apps she could play at home despite having no interest in going to casinos or betting on sport. She would sometimes spend more than 1,000 out of her 1,900-a-month salary in a little over 24 hours, putting down a series of bets of 30-40. Over a 12-month period the HR systems adviser squandered 20,000 on her addiction more than she earned in a year. She took out payday loans and attended Gamblers Anonymous, but struggled to cope and she was found hanged at her home in August 2018 after a friend raised the alarm. Natasha White, 34, a HR systems adviser at Manchester Metropolitan University, spent 1,000 of her 1,900-a-month salary on online gambling apps Her devastated father later obtained her Barclays Bank statements and was horrified to see her spending. Three firms which she lost money with have been sanctioned by the Gambling Commission for failing to protect problem gamblers or misleading advertising in the past three years, the Daily Mail can reveal. Among them is Malta-based company Casumo, which was fined almost 6million for failing to meet rules on 'social responsibility'. Now Miss White's parents David and Jan are demanding tough action against the betting industry. And they want banks to do more to protect people sucked into spending too much at online casinos. It comes as the Daily Mail's Stop the Gambling Predators campaign highlights the toll that online gambling takes on the nation's mental health. Mr and Mrs White, of Telford, Shropshire, said as a teenager Natasha occasionally played slot machines, and they once visited a casino on holiday. But her mother said: 'If it hadn't been for these websites I don't believe she would have been drawn into gambling.' Miss White was out of work between June and November 2018 before getting a job at Manchester Metropolitan University. She took home 1,900 a month, but by the time of her death she was gambling away all but 300. Manchester Metropolitan University, where Ms White worked, is pictured above In January 2018 Miss White blew 340 in just two days on sites run by another Malta-based firm, MT SecureTrade. Last year the Gambling Commission ordered it to pay almost 600,000 towards projects promoting responsible gambling after licence breaches. Another is Broadway Gaming Ireland with which she gambled away more than 2,000 in a week shortly before her death. In 2017 it had been told to pay 100,000 by the Gambling Commission for its 'misleading' promotions. 'Online gambling is too easy,' said Miss White's mother. 'A few simple clicks of a button and you've lost your whole salary. 'Surely banks are able to monitor what customers are doing,' added Mr White. An inquest in Manchester heard Miss had suffered from depression. Recording a conclusion of suicide, coroner Zak Golombeck said: 'The history of Natasha's gambling addiction and the notes found at the scene and evidence of her state of mind leading up to her death demonstrate she took her own life and intended to do so.' The coroner did not criticise the firms or her bank and there is no suggestion they are in any way to blame. A spokesman for MT SecureTrade Ltd said 'We were very sorry to hear of Natasha White's tragic death and we offer our condolences to her family. We dealt with the customer in accordance with our regulatory obligations.' Broadway Gaming Ireland declined to comment and Casumo failed to respond to a request for comment. A Barclays spokesman said Miss White's death was a 'very sad case', adding: 'We encourage customers who may have any money worries, now or in the future, to contact us.' The Betting and Gaming Council, representing bookmakers, insisted that its members are 'determined to raise standards'. The Samaritans have a free helpline for those needing support on 116123. Further information is available at www.samaritans.org. : A CRPF constable, hailing from Nagpur in Maharashtra, on sentry duty here allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service weapon in the early hours of Sunday, police said. According to police, Baban Vithal Rao Manwar, aged about 40, who was on sentry duty at the CRPF public school here, allegedly shot himself under the chin with his service weapon, an SLR (self-loading rifle). Following a complaint by CRPF officers, a case has been registered, police said, adding that the reason behind Manwar's extreme step is being ascertained. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There has never been a shortage of female workers in the battle against the coronavirus that has engulfed China. They are not only mothers, wives and daughters, but doctors, researchers, train attendants, construction workers, volunteers, and those that did their part to make the miracle of the Huoshenshan Hospital come true. Huoshenshan Hospital is one of the two emergency makeshift hospitals in Wuhan built in just a little more than a week in response to the novel coronavirus. There is a large number of female workers on-site, ordinary but extraordinary, who have contributed to this Chinese miracle. Hu Xiaohong, a contractor from Wuhan, is among them. On New Year's Eve of this year, Hu went to the construction site of Huoshenshan Hospital after hearing that the hospital was in need of more construction workers. In the days that followed, she worked day and night and even slept at the construction site. As a mother of two children, Hu said it was necessary to leave her children temporarily at this crucial moment. We will go wherever we are needed, Hu said. Through workers round-the-clock efforts, the hospital was built in just 10 days, with people united around the same purpose of prevailing over a disease that threatens all. According to statistics, the average working time of the construction workers at the Huoshenshan Hospital reached over 15 hours per day. Among the construction workers, about half of them were female, with many doing all kinds of arduous physical work just like men. After 5 hours of intensive work, Zuo Tian, a nurse working at the Huoshenshan Hospital, takes off her mask and protective suits, with red marks left on her face and wrinkly fingers from wearing gloves. (Screenshot/cctv.com) The moving stories related to the hospital continued after it was built. Recently, a vlog went viral on Chinese social media, in which a nurse named Zuo Tian recorded a day of work inside of ICU wards at the Huoshenshan Hospital. At 1:30 a.m., Zuo woke up to start her day. After some routine precautions, she ate a bar of chocolate and put on an adult diaper because there was no time for toilet breaks. At about 3:20 a.m, she started her work, and her protective suit got wet just one hour later. After 5 hours of intensive work, she took off her mask and protective suits, with red marks left on her face and wrinkly fingers due to the long periods of time wearing protective gear. Nevertheless, she made fun of herself in front of the camera in high spirits. How super ugly I am! She laughed. Zuo told netizens in the vlog that the hotel accommodating her and her colleagues was quiet all day, although there were always staff taking a break due to different work shift allocation of human resources. Zuos vlog immediately drew nationwide attention, with many netizens applauding her efforts and optimistic attitude. Though you wear no makeup and have red marks left on your face, you are still beautiful! You have won our respect, one Sina Weibo comment read. Zuo is among 1400 military medics working in the Huoshenshan Hospital. Since Feb. 5, the hospital has admitted about 1600 patients and 600 patients have been cured and discharged. Fu Yujia is now in charge of cleaning the working space and processing medical wastes at the Huoshenshan Hospital. (Screenshot/cctv.com) At the hospital, a large number of medics are post-90s. Fu Yujia, born after 1995, is now in charge of cleaning the working space and processing medical waste materials. Every day, she has to pack and disinfect hundreds of bags of garbage. Each bag is sealed and marked with information about which department it is from and the packing time before being thrown into the trash bins. In addition, she has to disinfect clothes of medics, machines and floors. There is nothing that we cannot do (referring to individuals born after the 1990s). Now its time for us to take more responsibility and serve our society, Fu said. Enormous amounts of female workers are still working on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19. Some may call them the Mulans of modern society. In ancient times, Mulan was a soldier that endured many challenges to protect the nation. And now, Mulan could be understood as a construction worker, a nurse, or a volunteer, protecting the nation against the lethal virus. Today, China has more than one Mulan. WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases Coronavirus: Ensure sufficient quarantine, critical care facilities says Modi India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 08: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the coronavirus situation in the country at a meeting with officials and directed them to identify locations for sufficient quarantine facilities and make provisions for critical care in case the disease spreads further. At the meeting with all ministries and departments concerned, he said that in view of expert opinion, people should be advised to avoid mass gatherings as much as possible and made aware of the do's and don'ts. While complimenting all departments for the work done so far, Modi stressed that as the coronavirus scenario evolves, India has to be prepared in its response. Coronavirus: 14 Italians shifted from ITBP quarantine centre to Gurgaons's Medanta hospital "All departments should work in convergence and action should be initiated for creating awareness in community about the disease and the precautions to be taken," the prime minister was quoted as saying in an official statement. "He exhorted the officers to identify the best practices for COVID-19 management from across the world and within the states, and ensure their adoption," it said. The prime minister also highlighted the need for advanced and adequate planning, and timely response which is critical for managing this infectious disease. According to the statement, the officials were instructed to plan for early testing and evacuation of Indians from Iran where, according to reports, 145 people have died so far due to COVID-19. NEWS AT 3 PM MARCH 8th, 2020 On Saturday, a flight from Tehran brought to Delhi swab samples of Indians in Iran who are suspected of having the coronavirus infection. The flight, operated by Mahan Air, then returned with many Iranian nationals. At the prime minister's review meeting, Health Secretary Preeti Sudan made a presentation about the current scenario and action taken by Health Ministry and other supporting ministries regarding preparedness and response to COVID-19. Coronavirus: 112 Wuhan evacuees sheltered at ITBP quarantine facility test negative She emphasised on the core areas of surveillance at the point of entry and community, laboratory support, hospital preparedness, logistics and risk communication. The meeting was attended by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, his deputy Ashwini Kumar Choubey, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Niti Ayog member Vinod Paul, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat, and secretaries of health, pharma, civil aviation, MEA, health research, home, shipping, NDMA and others. The secretary in the Department of Pharma informed the meeting about availability of sufficient stocks of medicines, active pharmaceutical ingredients and other consumables for use in India. Issues related to the need for continued vigil at all airports, seaports and land border crossings, community-level surveillance, and ensuring availability of sufficient beds for isolation were discussed. All 406 Wuhan evacuees housed at ITBP Quarantine, to be discharged today While Vardhan emphasised on the need for effective coordination with states for timely response, Niti Ayog Member Vinod Paul stressed on increasing surge capacity for hospitalisation. The request obtained for evacuation of Indians from Iran was also highlighted at the meeting. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 10:18 [IST] STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- The number of patients in New York testing positive to coronavirus has risen to 106, while there remains zero confirmed cases on Staten Island. On Sunday morning, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said there were 105 confirmed coronavirus cases in New York State, including 12 in New York City. Hours later at a separate press conference, Mayor Bill de Blasio said there was an additional case confirmed in New York City, bringing the total to 13 in New York City, and 106 in the state. At the press conference, Cuomo criticized the federal government for not allowing automated testing or seven, private laboratories statewide to test for the virus, which he said would increase the number of daily tests by between 1,000 and 2,000. Its one thing for the Center for Disease Control not to have testing capacity in place themselves, Cuomo said. But for the CDC not to authorize existing labs from doing work; theres no excuse for that. The press conference was held at Northwell Healths testing facility, which is one of the labs Cuomo was referencing, and what he called the most sophisticated lab in New York. The more positive people we find the better, he said. The more tests we run, the better. So far, authorities have reported 82 cases in Westchester, 13 cases in New York City and five in Nassau County. UPDATE: There are 16 additional confirmed cases of #Coronavirus in NYS, bringing total to 105. Westchester: 82 NYC: 12 Nassau: 5 Rockland: 2 Saratoga: 2 Suffolk: 1 Ulster: 1 We're testing aggressively & we are seeing the number of confirmed cases go up as expected. Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 8, 2020 Officials said a person infected in Westchester attended an event at a synagogue, then, other attendees infected later attended different crowded events. Currently, testing is being prioritized, said Dr. Howard Zucker, Commissioner of Health for New York state. Anyone who has traveled abroad, exposed to a person whose tested positive, anyone in a hospital with unexplained symptoms or upon the recommendation of a healthcare officials have first priority amid limited testing. Cuomo declared a state of emergency on Saturday to clear the way for more testing, purchases of more supplies and hiring of workers to help monitor self-quarantined patients. Though he also is cautioning New Yorkers not to panic. This is not the ebola virus, this is not the Sars virus, he said. Officials are encouraging private company owners to allow employees to work from home, and for New York City residents to avoid packed subway cars and buses. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Coronavirus cases up to 105 in NY; Cuomo blasts feds for lack of testing Is it safe to travel amid coronavirus concerns? What should you do if you think you have coronavirus? Coronavirus: Items to have if you need to self-quarantine Who is most at risk for coronavirus? How to protect yourself from deadly coronavirus Mandatory quarantine? Precautionary? A look at N.Y.'s coronavirus measures Staten Island University Hospital to independently run coronavirus tests next week MTA to fully disinfect subways, buses every 72 hours to combat coronavirus Cuomo orders insurance companies to waive cost sharing for coronavirus testing I dont know if youre ever ready for this, Liao said of coronavirus. But I think that youre probably better prepared than a lot of people, because at least youve thought about it and at least youve stocked up. Worse comes to worse youll have a lot more cushion than a lot more people out there. From the streets of Manila to a school in East London, people around the world marked International Womens Day on Sunday with calls to end exploitation and increase equality. But tensions marred some celebrations, with police arresting demonstrators at a rally in Kyrgyzstan and separatists detonating a bomb during a ceremony in Cameroon. No one was hurt. In many different ways or forms, women are being exploited and taken advantage of, Arlene Brosas, representative of a Filipino advocacy group said during a rally that drew hundreds to the area near the presidential palace. Protesters called for higher pay and job security, and demanded that President Rodrigo Duterte respect womens rights. In Pakistan, women rallied in cities across the country, despite petitions filed in court seeking to stop them. Some conservative groups had threatened to halt this years marches by force. But Pakistani officials pledged to protect the marchers. One of the largest demonstrations took place in Chile, where throngs flooded the streets of the capital of Santiago with dancing, music and angry demands for gender equality and an end to violence against women. They kill us, they rape us and nobody does anything, some chanted. National police estimated 125,000 took part in the capital, but organizers said the crowd was far larger. Many demanded that a proposed new constitution strengthen rights for women and thousands wore green scarves in a show of support for activists in neighboring Argentina, which is considering a proposal to legalize elective abortion. Thousands of women also marched in Madrid and other Spanish cities, despite concern over the spread of the new coronavirus. A massive banner reading, With rights, without barriers. Feminists without frontiers in Spanish was carried at the front of the march in Madrid. At a school in East London, meanwhile, the duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, joined students in listening to speeches about women labor activists, and urged both girls and boys to respect the contributions of women every day of the year. For young men you have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life protect them. Make sure they are feeling valued and safe, she told the students. Adam Geller is an Associated Press writer. A Meal With: Optimism 101 The delights of the Nai Harn Resort Driving over to Nai Harn Beach to have lunch with Frank Grassmann, the friendly General Manager of the iconic Nai Harn resort which sits on a verdant hillside proudly overlooking those wondrous southern Phuket sands, I made a mistake! DiningCommunity By Baz Daniel Sunday 8 March 2020, 02:30PM Smiles for miles with Nai Harns GM Frank Grassmann. I tuned into the car radio local news and was deluged by an auditory barrage of negativity running the gamut from panic and obfuscation about the growing coronavirus crisis, to the latest speedboat crashes, to the pollution and black water problems on various beaches, to the ever-present drug and road mayhem imbroglios that seem to be a hallmark of life in Phuket. I was due to meet Frank in their delightful beachside Rock Salt Restaurant to talk about the regions tourism future. With this tidal wave of catastrophe as a backdrop, my spirits sank. However, I shouldnt have worried, because Frank proved to be a beacon of well-informed positivity in the face of all this bad news and spelt our many ways in which Phukets tourism can continue to grow and succeed despite the undoubted problems of the present. Frank was born in the charming German town of Koblenz on the Moselle River and very nearly became a Lufthansa pilot before settling into a career in hotel management. He served his apprenticeship at the Albrecht Durer Hotel Management School in Dusseldorf before embarking on a globetrotting career which has gone from strength to strength. His impressive resume includes postings at The Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel in Mexico City, The Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof in Frankfurt, The Riyadh Intercontinental Hotel, Londons iconic Savoy Hotel, The Dusit Thani in Bangkok, Manila and Phukets Dusit Thani Laguna, The Evason Six Senses Resort, and the Soniva Kiri Resort on Koh Kood. Frank is uniquely qualified to speak with authority on the future of the regions tourism, having spent over 30 years in increasingly senior roles in the industry, both in Thailand and around the world. We sat down to a delicious lunch in Rock Salt consisting of their signature fresh, healthy produce all expertly-prepared under the watchful eye of Executive Chef Mark Jones. This is a location that positively reeks of optimism and beauty, adjacent to the majestic sweep of Nai Harns sands which were still abundantly populated by happy visitors, swimming, paddle-boarding, playing beach volleyball, or just soaking up the sunshine. At the far end of the beach, towering craggy headlands bracketed this luxuriant scene with Prom Thep Cape and the romantic islet of Koh Man dreaming in the heat haze beyond. Says Frank, The Andaman region is uniquely situated geographically at the centre of a huge catchment area of potential in-bound travellers and offers an exotic culture and inherent style of service and attitude that is second to none. At The Nai Harn we always hire new staff based on attitude before skill set, because we know that our excellent training can imbue the necessary skills, but a happy, helpful, team-player attitude is all important in this business. We also take our social and environmental responsibilities very seriously. We hire and train as many locals as we can and we have been honoured with the Gold Medal of the prestigious Green Hotel Award for our enduring commitment to best environmental practices and sustainability in everything we do. I asked Frank about the heritage of this iconic resort and its unique location Phuket. We are now four years into our re-branding and relaunch and have been able to combine innovation and modernity into the fabric of this most iconic property which, as the Royal Phuket Yacht Club, was graced by a guest-list including both royalty and artistic legends such as Rudolf Nureyev, Peter Ustinov and Roger Moore. Our restaurants and all the guest rooms have been extensively remodeled and our culinary and beverage offerings have been hugely enhanced by such experts as Salim Khoury from The Savoy in London who created a range of signature cocktails, and wine legend James Suckling who helped craft the extensive house list. Reluctantly departing this enclave of optimism within our current sea of troubles, I had a smile on my face and was at pains not to make the mistake of turning on the car radio on the way home. While the word infectious should perhaps be used with caution in our present crisis, it certainly seems highly appropriate when applied to Frank Grassman and The Nai Harns particular brand of optimism! A sick passenger on the coronavirus-stricken Grand Princess cruise ship currently being held off the Northern California coast was evacuated Saturday morning, the captain told passengers. A passenger on the ship sent KGO a video recording of the captain announcing that the "critically-ill" person was evacuated via boat. The cruise line later stated the illness was not related to the coronavirus. "At 7:15 this morning, we successfully evacuated the critically-ill guest," the captain said in the video. On Friday night, the captain stated the passenger may be airlifted from the ship, but details of the operation were still unclear. "We have a guest who requires medical assistance at the moment, the Coast Guard has been called and the possible airlift of that guest may be possible tonight," the captain said Friday night in a video clip obtained by KCRA. "A few guests will be asked to leave their safe rooms during this operation ... the exact time has not been communicated but we wanted to make you aware in advance in case this occurs." The Coast Guard and CDC have not commented on the evacuation. On Friday, Vice President Mike Pence said 21 people on board the ship are known to have coronavirus. There are roughly 3,500 total people on board, but only 46 were tested. Pence said the plan is to now test everyone on the ship and quarantine or treat as needed. The ship will not come on shore until we appropriately assess the passengers, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday. Health officials trying to establish whether the virus is circulating on the Grand Princess undertook the testing after reporting that a passenger on a previous voyage of the same ship, February 11 to 21, died of the disease. In the past few days, health authorities disclosed that at least nine other people who were on the same journey were also found to be infected. And some passengers on that trip stayed aboard for the current voyage. SFGATE digital editor Amy Graff contributed to this report. MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting CEO is a role which has always carried a mixture of respect and envy in the business world. Firmly positioned at the head of the company C-suite, the chief executive officer is viewed as a dominant corporate force, a visionary pulling the levers of progress on route to the next commercial horizon. But while it is the ultimate career ambition of many a corporate soldier, the positions lonely status can often demand a heavy personal price in meeting the expectations of directors, shareholders, customers and employees. In a recent survey, 87% of Irish employees indicated the need for CEOs to be inspiring yet almost three quarters dont think they are. The survey entitled The Cult of the CEO, conducted by Hanover Communications and Censuswide, asked 501 Irish employees working in companies of more than 50 staff about the importance of various character traits in an ideal head of company. Clarity was listed as a key attribute, with 71% agreeing a CEO with a clear personality was more likely to run a successful business. Specifically, the ideal CEO needs to be inspiring, motivating and future-thinking (87%). However, only 40% and 30% were seen as motivating and inspiring respectively marking a stark contrast between the ideal and the reality. Almost three-quarters agreed that their CEO wants to have a positive impact, but one in eight arent sure they practice what they preach. As Apple CEO Tim Cook put it: Do you have the courage to admit that youre wrong and do you change? The most important thing to me as a CEO is that we keep the courage. Lorna Jennings, managing director of Hanover Communications, underlined the media impact on the perceptions of CEOs and what makes a good one. The media shares the desire of its consumers to simplify complexity by identifying real people to serve as shorthand for what are, in reality, many-headed organisations. Where 20 years ago a CEOs unfortunate slip of the tongue might have made a short clip on RTE, today it can be replayed on social media, looped on news feeds and dissected by endless talking heads and commentators ascribing ever more significance to what began as a boardroom comment. A more dangerous effect of the way we paint ordinary people as storybook characters is that they start believing it, she added. Having told our chief executives that they are the company, its not entirely unreasonable of them to allow such delusions of grandeur to go to their heads. Interestingly, the same week the CEO survey was published one of the highest-profile chief executives of modern times, Jack Welch, passed away. The man Fortune magazine in 1999 labelled the manager of the century, was born to working-class Irish-American stock and joined General Electric in 1960 as a chemical engineer. At 37, he became the companys youngest vice president, eventually holding the CEO position from 1981 to 2001. During his tenure at the top, GEs total market cap rocketed from $14bn to $410bn making it the most valuable company in the world at the time. While Welch would go on to become one of the most quoted CEOs in history, one of his nuggets of commercial wisdom set the bar every leader of his generation aspired to: Get the hell out of the office. Get out and touch the people. Listen, listen, listen. Give purpose to their jobs and their lives thats what this is all about. We spend most of our waking hours on these jobs make them fun, make them exciting, and reward the hell out of the ones who do the job you ask them to do. Taking the helm of GE around the time Japanese imports were undercutting American manufactured goods, the determined son of a train conductor set about cutting away the dead weight from the company. I came into a company that had over 100,000 too many people working for it, hard measures had to be taken. Laying off vast numbers, Welch earned the nickname Neutron Jack after the bomb designed to wipe out populations, yet leave buildings intact. Welch eventually retired from GE in 2001 with a historic severance package of over $400m and immediately began a second career as a business guru. His first book, Jack: Straight From the Gut earned him a $7m advance and went on to sell 10m copies. His second book in 2005, Winning was another bestseller. Yet, while Welch coined many business maxims such as Fix it, close it or sell it, he credited many of his business principles to educator and management consultant Peter Drucker, whose writings many ascribed to the foundation of the modern business corporation. An effective executive does not need to be a leader in the sense that the term is now most commonly used, Drucker wrote in the 2004 Harvard Review. Some of the best business and non-profit CEOs Ive worked with over a 65-year consulting career were all over the map in terms of their personalities, attitudes, values, strengths, and weaknesses. For acolytes like Jack Welch, Druckers essential management philosophy came down to two basic questions: If the company wasnt already in a particular business, would you enter it today? and If the answer is no, what are you going to do about it? It was an ideology that served Jack Welch well in his two decades as CEO of GE. 404 Page not found Oops! This page is not available. Go to the homepage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked Indians to reject rumours regarding the new coronavirus infection, even as experts and health care professionals in the country continue battling misinformation over the disease apart from keeping a round-the-clock watch on possible signs of the infection in the people. Despite repeated calls by authorities to stay from rumours and reassurances from health care professionals on the preparedness against the disease, several rumours have been doing the rounds on social media and messaging platforms. Scientists across the world are still searching for a cure for the new disease, which has killed at least 3,500 people globally. Hindustan Times takes a look at a few of them to debunk the misinformation spread by the rumours. The sweet pill A school in Noida recently recommended a homeopathic drug in its coronavirus advisory, saying it could fight against the spread of the infection. Reports also said that the drug was distributed by officials in Telangana after the first case was reported in the state. Follow latest updates on coronavirus here My father-in-law wanted me to stock up homoeopathic medicine, said Vashita Moondra from Kolkata, reacting to questions over the rumours. A doctor, who was on Saturday answering calls at Delhis coronavirus helpline, said several people asked him about similar reports. I tell them that there is no cure for the viral infection so far; they need to prevent it by washing hands regularly and coughing and sneezing into a tissue or a bent elbow, the doctor said on condition of anonymity. Also read: With 19 of 34 positive cases, Delhi/NCR becomes the hotbed of coronavirus After facing flak for an advisory asking people to use homeopathy medicine against the infection, the ministry of Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy) recently issued a rejoinder, saying it was a preventive measure and not claiming to be a treatment advice for the coronavirus infection. Nowhere have we claimed that these medicines will cure Covid-19. It is a new disease and no one has a cure for it, a senior ministry official said on condition of anonymity. The advisory is being misused by people circulating such messages on social media. People must not just start taking any medicine; they should first consult practitioners of respective pathies, the official added. Home remedies An old Chinese doctor swears by freshly boiled garlic water to cure Covid-19, said a message doing the rounds on WhatsApp and Facebook. Suman Raikwar, a resident of Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, said: What is this new disease? Should I start consuming more garlic and onion? Thats what they are saying in the messages. A TikTok user said onions consumed with salt could cure the disease. Dr Nevin Kishore, head of the bronchology department at Max Superspeciality Hospital, Saket, said: There are all sorts of messages doing the rounds on social media cow dung and urine, something to do with onions, and homoeopathic treatments. There is no science behind it. This is all false information but people are so paranoid right now, they are buying into all of this. In a country of 1.3 billion people, there are just 34 positive cases and as far as I know, none of them has even required ventilation, said. Also read: Kerala coronavirus patients recovered without drugs: Expert I am a pulmonologist and even I am getting such messages... There is no treatment for it and for many other viral illnesses, said Dr Kishore. Some celebrities and politicians said recently that performing ancient vedic rituals and using cow dung could help in the fight against the infection. Dr BK Tripathi, professor of medicine at the Safdarjung Hospital, where patients who tested positive have been admitted to the isolation wards, said: All this is a hoax. So far, there is no medicine for the disease even in allopathy. Scientists are still working on it. What people need to do is follow proper hand-hygiene and cover their mouths while coughing or sneezing. There is no need to panic and follow these unproven remedies, said. Dr Rima Dada, a professor at the department of anatomy at AIIMS who has studied the impact of yoga on various diseases including glaucoma and rheumatoid arthritis, said: We have studied the impact of yoga and it is good for your overall health. We have learned that yoga can reduce the biological age thereby preventing or delaying the onset of chronic lifestyle diseases. However, I am not sure of the impact of yoga on viral illnesses, Dada said. So far over 30 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in India. The deadly virus has so far killed more than 3,200 people globally. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The trip took them to Atlanta, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, Selma, Gulfport, New Orleans, Jackson, Little Rock and Memphis. They visited these sites and more where major events happened during the civil rights movement in the 60s decades before the students in the group were born. Eight UW-La Crosse students joined others from UW-Eau Claire in January to experience firsthand the events that transpired in the tumultuous South at that time. The trip really brings the civil rights movement to life, says Richard M. Breaux, UW-L associate professor of ethnic and racial studies. Students had the opportunity to hear from and meet veterans of the civil rights movement during our stops in Atlanta, Tuscaloosa and Selma. One of those veterans was Charles Person, the youngest of the first group of Freedom Riders in 1961. Students also experienced Selma with activist Joanne Bland, a participant in Bloody Sunday and the Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights March. UW-L students also headed to Jackson State University in Mississippi, sight of the 1970 shootings where state and local police killed two African American students just weeks after Kent State. They attended a church service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta where the Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. was pastor and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. served as co-pastor. The group also experienced Whitney Plantation outside New Orleans. The grounds are extraordinary because they are one of the first plantation museums in the southern U.S. that tells the story of the plantation and slavery from the perspective of those enslaved on the plantation until 1865. Students come back from the trip transformed and with a greater appreciation of the many well-known and lesser-known women and men who challenged white supremacy and racism during this critical moment in our nations history, Breaux says. Many of the activists in the movement were the same age of current students when they risked their lives protesting for rights. Different students take away different messages, information and knowledge from the trip, Breaux said. Some are surprised to see that some southern whites continue to fight against civil and equal rights to this day. Selma suffered and continues to live in the aftermath of middle-class white flight, Breaux says. Many of the Civil Rights activists still bear the physical scars of being beaten by police, state troopers and pro-segregationist whites, he said. Some students are emotionally overwhelmed by the entire experience and others vow to become more politically active by the trips end. The pilgrimage promoted two pillars of the universitys Sustaining Excellence strategic plan. The program included advancing transformational education by providing high-impact teaching and learning opportunities proven to aid student success across diverse backgrounds. It also aligned with helping students achieve excellence through equity and diversity. UW-Ls involvement in the Civil Rights Pilgrimage began in 2017 as an on-campus collaboration between Residence Life and the Office of Multicultural Student Services. Breaux plans to continue promoting the Civil Rights Pilgrimage among UW-L students. He also has plans for a northern Civil Rights and Underground Railroad course and trip. ABOUT THE SERIES Campus Connection appears Sundays in the La Crosse Tribune to spotlight student and faculty achievements at the UW-L, Viterbo and Western Technical College. The campuses provide these features on a rotating basis. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The YES Bank crisis has shaken up the banking sector of India. On March 5, YES Bank was put under a moratorium and the RBI superseded its board. While the central bank and the country's biggest public sector lender, SBI, were together in their efforts to save YES Bank from further downfall. And, in the midst, its founder and former YES Bank boss Rana Kapoor is being investigated by the ED for alleged money laundering now. Here's a lowdown on who is Rana Kapoor, coming up of YES Bank and more: Who is Rana Kapoor? Rana Kapoor is the founder, former MD and CEO of YES Bank. Kapoor has also been the former President of ASSOCHAM. Rana Kapoor's birthplace, education Kapoor was born in 1957 in Delhi. He completed his schooling from Frank Anthony Public School in 1973 at New Delhi and went to complete his BA degree from SRCC college, University of Delhi, in 1977. Kapoor earned his MBA degree from Rutgers University in the USA in 1980. Rana Kapoor's family The founder of YES Bank is married to Bindu Kapoor. They have 3 daughters together- Radha, Rakhee and Roshini. How did YES Bank start? Rana Kapoor started as a junior banker in Bank of America's Barakhamba branch. He worked with BoA for 16 years, until 1996. After his stint as the general manager and country head in ANZ Grindlays from 1996-1998, Kapoor joined his brother Ashok Kapur and Harkirat Singh to form Rabo India Finance, an NBFC in 1998. All the three partners had 25 per cent equity whereas the rest 75 per cent equity was with the Netherlands headquartered Rabobank. Ashok, Rana and Harkirat sold their equity in the venture in 2003 and got the license to set up a private sector bank in the same year. In 2004, YES Bank got off the ground. Lender of last resort Even though YES Bank collapsed because of high non-performing assets (NPAs), Rana Kapoor was once known for his unmatched ability to recover every penny lent to the most shrewd and dubious clients, which also earned him the title of the 'lender of the last resort'. These clients included the former boss of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, Vijay Mallya and Deccan Chronicles. The story behind robust growth The modus operandi was simple as banks would quietly move NPAs among themselves whenever they got the slightest whimper of a loan turning into bad debt. This simply means Bank A selling a bad loan to Bank B and assuring it that it will buy the asset back at the same price later. Doing this does not add much value but what it does is it saves these private banks from the radar of the RBI. YES Bank's first negative report Kapoor lost the ever-illusive battle of optics in 2015 when global financial services firm UBS published a negative report about the asset quality of YES Bank's books. After this jolt, Kapoor promptly filed a complaint against the firm with the capital market regulator. Kapoor, being an excellent media manager, launched a campaign to discredit the findings of the global firm as "biased", "motivated" and unrealistic research by UBS. Rana Kapoor's exit from YES Bank Despite being extremely well networked professionally, Kapoor possibly lost the war of perception in FY17. This was the second time that YES Bank reported a gross divergence in bad loans of Rs 6,355 crore. The actual lender of the last resort was less than pleased and this is the exact event that led to Kapoor's exit from YES Bank. Also Read: YES Bank crisis: Rana Kapoor sent to three-day ED custody till March 11 Also Read: YES Bank ATMs up and running now; withdraw from others too Also Read: Women's Day: Why corporate boardrooms need more woman power Historically, the female body has been a veritable battlefield for ideological, religious, and political wars, thereby leading to its frequent commodification and consequent dehumanisation a classic example of which is the long-standing tussle over women's entry into Kerala's Sabarimala Temple. While the jury is still out on that, a group of women in Kolkata have assumed the mantle to challenge patriarchy in Hinduism, which traditionally allows only Brahmin men to perform religious rites by moonlighting as priestesses. 'Shubhamastu', a Kolkata-based collective led by Dr Nandini Bhowmik, Ruma Roy, Semanti Banerjee, and Paulomi Chakraborty, has been presiding over Hindu ceremonies of weddings, memorial services, housewarming rituals, among others, for over a decade now. The group was founded in 2009 by the 59-year-old Bhowmik, an Indologist and visiting faculty at Jadavpur University, along with her batchmate from college Ruma Roy, a professor of Sanskrit at a Calcutta University-affiliated college. Shubhamastu, a Sanskrit term that roughly translates to let it prosper, was a venture that took off from Bhowmiks own home. I was the one who did the rituals at my elder daughters wedding, which is where it all started. However, the germ was planted in our heads by Professor Gauri Dharmapal, who taught us at the department of Sanskrit in Lady Brabourne College, Bhowmik says. Dharmapal had created a simplified version of Vedic rituals and chants that she herself used as a practicing priestess at various religious events, and later, passed on to a group of students she taught. From left: Ruma Roy, Nandini Bhowmik, Paulomi Chakraborty, Semanti Banerjee, conducting the memorial services of the late Nabaneeta Dev Sen However, this initial period was followed by a long hiatus, when neither Gauri Di nor her students actively practised priestesshood. Soon after, circa 2009, Didi asked me and Ruma if wed like to learn the simplified methods and chants from her, and practice as priestesses, Bhowmik says, remembering the enthusiasm with which they grabbed the opportunity. Predictably, the journey thereon was anything but easy. The duo, crusading to dismantle patriarchal status quo, was often met with blatant misogyny for elbowing their way into a men only club. We would barely get invited to any ceremony in the initial years, says Roy. While some commitments like weddings would fall through at the last minute, owing to one side of the family pulling out, others would invite a male priest to redo the entire ceremony once the ladies were done. Some members of some families couldnt accept the fact that a group of women could get a couple married off; that the rituals we performed were genuine, and we were qualified to do them, Bhowmik recalls. Gradually, what began as a two-member enterprise expanded to include two more participants. When the now 67-year-old Semanti Banerjee social worker and Vice President at the All India Womens Conference was approached by the duo to sing at the ceremonies they conducted, she was more than willing to partake in the novel initiative. I am from Santiniketan, and have been a part of Shubhamastu for over eight years now. Paulomi and I started looking into the musical aspect of the job at the same time, while Ruma and Nandini dealt with the research in Sanskrit. Its their area of expertise; neither me, nor Paulomi, can read Sanskrit! she laughs. However, this was barely a handicap, as Shubhamastus performances include translations of the Sanskrit chants in English and Bengali, interspersed with Rabindrasangeet. This method was devised to be able to make the rituals and chants more accessible to the layperson, especially the youth. When a couple is getting married, they barely know the meanings of the words theyre being asked to repeat after the priest. Whats the point then? Banerjee asks. A marriage is supposed to be an exchange of vows, a beautiful beginning to a new partnership. Those words need to hold meaning for the ones saying them, she says, adding that they even use Hindi translations of the chants while conducting weddings for Hindi-speaking families, with the Rabindrasangeet performed in their Hindi versions, instead of the originals. The whole idea is to break all kinds of boundaries of gender, religion, language, caste. We arent rigid about dates and auspicious timing for performing rituals. We dont subscribe to such notions, Banerjee says. According to Chakraborty, who was inducted into the group through Banerjees reference, Tagores songs are as important as the rituals and chants in their performances. Rabindranath [Tagore] has been a part of the process right from the beginning. But it becomes a little difficult to sing while presiding over a ceremony, due to which Semanti Di and I take care of the music. Ive known Semanti Di and performed with her even before we joined Shubhamastu, says the 28-year-old, who teaches at a primary school by day. As per ancient Vedic literature largely considered a canon codifying the philosophies and practices of classical Hinduism women and men were ordained to hold identical socio-political positions, with rituals like kanyadaan (a father handing over his daughter to her newly-wedded husband) being left out of its purview. Such archaic practices came into being much later, and were constructed to serve patriarchy, Chakraborty points out. As a result, not only does Shubhamastu discourage sexist rituals like the kanyadaan, and donning of a lojja-bostro (cloak of shame) by the Bengali bride when being smeared with vermillion, the priestesses also encourage the groom to sport vermillion on their foreheads during the wedding. Why should lojja or shame be associated with a woman getting married? Also, vermillion is the colour of the holy fire or agni, and looks splendid. We believe the man should be equally happy and proud of wearing it, marking an equal partnership, Chakraborty says. Weddings presided over by Shubhamastu begin with the ladies formally introducing themselves in Bengali (or Hindi) and English, followed by announcing the names of the bride, groom and their parents. In this instance, however, the names of the mothers precede the names of the fathers. Its the mother whos primarily nurtured the child, isnt it? Hence, logically, her name should be announced first. We introduced this step at a later stage, but did so consciously. We arent in a race against men, we are only trying to explain everything logically and patiently, and achieve the much-deserved equality for women, Ruma Roy points out. Images courtesy: YouTube screenshot As the ceremony progresses, every chant and ritual is explained meticulously not just for the couple, but also for members of the audience. And all along, the accompanying songs help consolidate the emotions buttressing a prevenient vow or ritual. Rabindranaths appeal is universal in nature. His songs and poetry are no less valuable or relevant than the words in the Vedas/Upanishads. Hes saying the exact same things, Bhowmik says. The Indologist stresses on the lack of rationale behind barring women from entering kitchens and sacred spaces during menstruation, labelling them as untouchable. She draws attention to the fact that if scholars and sages have equated work to worship, then nothing should keep women from accessing any of these spaces. If I can teach and go to work while on my period, why cant I enter the temple on those days? If work indeed is worship, why should places of worship be out of bounds for us when we are menstruating? she asks. The pathbreaking nature of their work, however, encountered its fair share of hostility from people casting aspersions on their merit and authenticity as custodians of faith. People were unable to fathom as to how we managed to get couples from different religions, classes, and castes, married off so easily, without prejudice. But can you blame them? These beliefs and biases are extremely deep-rooted, and one cant expect change to happen overnight, Bhowmik says. Questions on their chastity as priestesses signalled a tectonic shift in status quo, with a society steeped in misogyny feeling visibly threatened by the womens autonomy and conviction. If youve noticed, we dont mention our surnames while introducing ourselves either, Semanti Banerjee and Paulomi Chakraborty point out. Indeed. In an attempt to further challenge the Brahminical hegemony in Hindu society, the women of Shubhamastu reject the caste system in praxis. I remember this one time when someone said to me that its easy for me to do and say what I do because I am a Brahmin. Ever since, the four of us decided to not mention our surnames while introducing ourselves at ceremonies, Bhowmik informs. Subsequently, its a rather happy coincidence that not all members of Shubhamastu are Brahmins. This didnt happen consciously, but we are glad that it happened, Banerjee says. Image courtesy: YouTube screenshot For Bhowmik, who primarily identifies as an educator, the idea of forbidding a 'lower-caste' individual from taking up priesthood is not only unethical, but untenable as well. "In the 21st century, being born into a Brahmin family should not be a free pass for anyone to do as they please. An individual should not only be deserving of their job and social status, but show an eagerness to maintain their positions as well, the Indologist says. Conventionally in Hindu society, while women have been employed to organise religious events and festivals, only men have been allowed to conduct rituals and offer prayers. Ruma Roy disputes such traditions by claiming that anyone who wishes to develop society is qualified to be a priest or priestess. Traditionally, women are not allowed to watch their childrens wedding ceremony. Why should we make all the sacrifices? In older times, the responsibility of looking after guests fell squarely on the mothers shoulders. But with changing times, why should these parochial customs still be followed today? she asks, adding that she and her compeers have received immense support from their respective families for presiding over religious ceremonies in their homes. Besides their obvious appeal founded on dissent, Shubhamastus novelty also lies in their constant upgrading and reworking of scripts. The element of performance in their ceremonies is undeniably strong. Its a constant work in progress for us. The four of us are always researching while Semanti Di and Paulomi study the music, Ruma and I dig up whatever is available in the Sanskrit texts, says Dr Bhowmik. Their approach marks a celebration of nature as prescribed in the Vedas, as opposed to idol worship, where achieving oneness with the environment is of utmost importance. The wedding script that you see us performing to now might change in the next six months, Bhowmik says. Its really about following our instincts and consciousness together, when the four of us assemble to work on the scripts. For instance, if I wish to make a change or addition to the grihoprobesh (housewarming ceremony) script, I tell Semanti Di that I am looking to tap into a certain kind of energy. She picks up the cue and names a couple of Rabindrasangeet. Whichever is the best fit, we go with that. Its an organic process. The chants and rituals determine the choice of song, Roy informs, with Tagores vast musical repertoire providing them enough and more room to experiment. Through our performances, we also try to assess just how much a particular song has been accepted or comprehended by the audience. If a song seems to lose relevance, we discard it and replace it with a different one. We also simplify some chants to keep the ceremony from becoming mundane, she says. Owing to the prominence attributed to the aspect of performance in their ceremonies, Bhowmik mentions how accommodating new members in the collective is a difficult feat. As weve achieved more and more recognition, our schedules have become tighter and tighter. Our dates are all blocked till 2021, and we feel terrible and helpless saying no to some people, who then suggest that we form a B-team. However, thats difficult to accomplish at this stage. Since its so performance-oriented, we also give importance to a persons talent. You either have it or you dont, she says. Having said that, Bhowmik also goes on to add that several among her students have expressed their interest in carrying the baton forward. Image courtesy: YouTube screenshot Ive promised them our scripts once we hang up our boots, and once theyve matured a little! laughs the academic, who, besides being a priestess, is also a thespian. In 2019, while on one of their trips to Allahabad for a wedding, Shubhamastu made an interesting discovery at the Swaraj Bhavan and Anand Bhavan, which house the memorabilia of the Nehru family. They stumbled upon written records of the mantras that were chanted to bless Indira and Feroze Gandhi at their wedding. Subsequently, the group decided to incorporate them into their script. We keep making such wonderful additions to our repertoire. Theres nothing fixed, as we have to make room for different cultures, Chakraborty says. In certain cases, if a family insists on doing a ritual that we dont agree with, we take a collective decision on whether we want to persuade them into understanding our rationale, or go ahead with their wishes, or not conduct the ceremony at all, she adds. Evidently, the groups trailblazing accomplishments have finally received an indisputable acknowledgement through Brahma Janen Gopon Kommoti, a Bengali feature-film inspired by Nandini Bhowmiks life, starring Ritabhari Chakraborty in the lead. Im on cloud nine! I couldnt believe my ears when Aritra (Mukherjee), the director, came to me last year with the idea, says Bhowmik about the film, which was released on the eve of Womens Day this year. She believes that the far-reaching hands of cinema can help deliver their message against superstitions and misogyny in the interiors of India. It lends a voice, and gives courage to thousands of women who continue to remain oppressed in the villages. We can only reach out to two families, not more. I mean, even as urban-folk, it was only after Satyajit Rays Ganashatru (1990) pointed out that the charanamrita shouldnt be consumed, as it contained a lot of germs, that we were able to challenge the same in front of our families, she observes. Stills from the trailer of 'Brahma Janen Gopon Kommoti' (2020), starring Ritabhari Chakraborty. Images courtesy: YouTube screenshot As the ladies gear up for yet another busy wedding season, memories of some past successes come rushing back as inspiration. One such incident occurred while presiding over a Bengali-South Indian wedding in Kolkata, when mid-ceremony, the priestesses suddenly noticed a few female members from the groom's family whispering to each other in an alien tongue. On enquiring about their concerns, the women answered in English, as to how delighted they felt watching the ceremony and listening to the songs. They wished to sing some songs in their own language and join us! We handed over the microphone to them, and realised that it was a moment of triumph for us, and our cause, Bhowmik says, underlining the message of equality, peace, and love, as conveyed by the term shubhamastu. Most Americans including me believe in progressive government. That is: The rich and well-to-do share their good fortune with others who havent had it. They pay more in taxes and receive less in benefits. This reduces hardship and poverty. Thats the way it has long been. In 2019, the top 1 percent paid 24 percent of all federal taxes, and the next 4 percent of taxpayers paid 16 percent of all federal taxes. Those at the bottom paid virtually nothing. Michelin-star San Francisco chef Dominique Crenn posted an image on Instagram Saturday posing with Lady Gaga in the kitchen of her Cow Hollow restaurant Bar Crenn. The 1930s Paris-inspired wine bar is adjacent to Crenn's famed Atelier Crenn. In the photo, the two women have their arms wrapped around one another and Crenn has a look of disbelief on her face as she points her finger at Gaga. With pale pink streaks in her hair and donning sunglasses and a leather jacket, Lady Gaga looks every bit the cool rock star. "It was an honor to celebrate life alongside @ladygaga last night," shared Crenn on Instagram. "You inspire us, we hope we inspired you!" A spokesperson for Crenn said that Gaga ate off the bar's a la carte menu on Friday night and enjoyed the caviar service with potato, pearl onion, and beurre blanc. She also ordered the Poisson Cru (a Kampachi crudo with picked vegetables) and the Vol-au-Vent aux Legumes (a puffed pastry filled with vegetables and celeriac puree.) The Atelier Crenn Instagram page also features a video of Gaga with Crenn and kitchen staff singing "Happy Birthday." It appears that they're singing to the Grammy and Oscar winner; her birthday is March 28. It's unknown whether Lady Gaga, 33, had a guest at Atelier Crenn, but she is dating San Francisco tech investor Michael Polansky, 36, according to People magazine. The pair were spotted at the Super Bowl in Miami together. Days after, the "A Star Is Born" actress posted an image on Instagram of herself in the arms of Polansky on the deck of a yacht. "We had so much fun in Miami. Love to all my little monsters and fans, youre the best!" she wrote. ALSO: Dominique Crenn's SF restaurants are going meatless but there's a catch The first female recipient of three Michelin stars, Crenn helms the menus at three San Francisco restaurants. In an intimate eight-table dining room, Atelier Crenn offers multi-course experiences. The prix-fixe menu starts at $225. The restaurant has been included on the exclusive World's Best 50 Restaurants list produced by UK media company William Reed. Next door, at Bar Crenn, you can sip a glass of Muscadet with enjoying a plate of fresh, glistening oysters. Petit Crenn is a French bistro in Hayes Valley with a seafood-focused menu inspired by the food of Crenn's childhood in Brittany, France. Last year, Crenn announced she was making her restaurants meatless in the name of effecting real environmental change. Amy Graff is a digital editor at SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com. Meghan Markle has never been afraid to call herself a feminist. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has accomplished a lot of good work on behalf of womens rights over the past few years, solidifying herself as one of the royal familys top feminists. While Meghan will likely continue her work in that field, she is not the only member of the royal family that has been called a feminist over the years. Meghan Markle | Ben Birchall WPA Pool / Getty Images Meghan Markle fights for womens rights Although Meghan was only an active member of the royal family for two years, she did a lot of work advocating for womens rights. Last year, for instance, the former Suits star led a conference for International Womens Day while she was pregnant with Archie Harrison. While speaking at the conference, Meghan Markle poked fun about how she was aware of the embryonic kicking of feminism. The Duchess of Sussex also did a lot of work with helping women win gainful employment. In 2019, she launched a line of clothing that was meant to provide women with an affordable means to look professional. With Meghan leading the charge in the new generation of royals, royal watchers might forget that there have been other members of the royal family who carried the feminism banner with pride. Is Queen Elizabeth a feminist? For starters, Queen Elizabeth is a major advocate of feminism, though she often keeps her political views close to her chest. After all, Queen Elizabeth rarely speaks out on social issues, at least not in the public sphere. When Meghan spoke about womens suffrage during her trip to New Zealand, she did so with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth at her back. This was a subtle reminder that Meghan was operating under Queen Elizabeths blessing. If Queen Elizabeth did not agree with Meghan Markles stance on the issues, she probably would not have been allowed to express it. Olivia Colman, who played Queen Elizabeth on the popular series, The Crown, offered a rare insight into Her Majestys personal opinions in a recent interview. According to Hello Magazine, Colman revealed that when she met Queen Elizabeth, she immediately fell in love with her, adding that she is the ultimate feminist. Like a lot of feminists of different eras and temperaments, Diana was intent on transcending expectations and background, with a good dose of wilfulness thrown in, McElvoy shared. Princess Diana takes feminism to new levels Prior to Princess Diana, most of the women in the monarchy operated under Victorian ideals, which severely limited their voice and influence. But that all changed with Diana and her sister-in-law, Sophie Rhys-Jones, came onto the scene. Anne McElvoy, who is a senior editor at The Economist, called Dianas legacy a triumph of feminine strength and praised her for always breaking expectations. McElvoy added that Diana much like Meghan Markle was never afraid to open up about her personal struggles, no matter how it made her look. This includes discussing her issues with eating disorders, self-harm, and depression. While fans expected Diana to spend her days picking out tiaras and attending ceremonies, McElvoy wrote that she walked quite literally into minefields, shook hands with AIDS patients, and touched Indias Untouchables. The Countess of Wessex also did her part in the feminist movement. Sophie has made appearances in worn-torn areas of the world, including Sierra Leone and Kosovo, and once danced with women from Kenya who were victims of sexual violence. Meghan Markle is not the only modern-day feminist in the royal family While Meghan has been leading the charge in modern times, she is not the only royal who has fought for womens rights in recent years. Princess Eugenie has also been an advocate for feminism and recently joined a slew of celebrities in a new womens equality movement called Together Band. Eugenie, Princess of York, appeared in a powerful video that included Jameela Jamil, Donna Air, Halima Aden, and Munroe Bergdorf. Each person in the video was asked about something they regret and something they would like to do for women in the near future. According to Hello Magazine, Eugenie noted that she would like to see women and girls come together more often. She also posted a message on Instagram about the movement, writing about how she is thankful to be a part of the project. Im so proud to be part of #TOGETHERBAND. I chose Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth because I believe that everyone in the world deserves to be free from slavery and that all people have the right to their own future, she posted. Considering Meghans history, it is probably safe to assume that she completely agrees with what Princess Eugenie represents. Meghan Markle, of course, is set to leave the royal family at the end of the month, but she is expected to continue her work in the charitable world. In the 1st century AD, the biggest show in town was the Colosseum in Rome, where spectators could watch competitors tear each other to shreds. Entertainment is pretty much the same today, although it now screens Sunday to Wednesday nights on Nine and is called Married at First Sight. The program seemingly involves complete strangers marrying (except they dont as its against the law). These people are thrown together to live, eat, sleep, have sex, cheat, and pour red wine over each other during explosive dinner parties. MAFS, as it is known, is Nines most prominent and popular show thanks to its skilled production and addictive nature. It permeates Nines entire ecosystem, providing a halo for other shows such as Doctor Doctor, while spawning the Talking Married show on catch up services 9Now, news reports on nine.com.au, updates of womens site 9Honey and, of course, media commentary in this very newspaper (owned by Nine). Beyond Nine, there are endless news stories, recaps and reviews across a wide range of websites, dissecting what is billed as Australias biggest social experiment. Except of course it isnt. When Big Brother UK tried the "social experiment" line, scientists pointed out that no ethics committee would ever approve an experiment that was so cruel. ASKEATON councillor Kevin Sheahan has hit out at dictatorial planning regulations which prevent people from building houses along the shores of the Shannon Estuary from Foynes to Tarbert. Why shouldnt our people be allowed to live out there? he demanded at a meeting of Adare Rathkeale councillors this Tuesday. Why should somebody behind a desk in Dublin decide that Limerick people cant live in the most beautiful part of the county? In other counties, he argued, the most beautiful areas are being used for expensive houses. He wasnt arguing in favour of expensive houses, he made clear, but he lashed out at what he called the crutch of having to preserve things for the future. What are we preserving the view of the Shannon for? he said, pointing out that no new houses would be permitted on the river side of the N69. It is wrong. It is not right we curtail on our peoples right to reside wherever they wish. It's dictatorial. We need to start a campaign to get permission to allow people to build on good quality sites, he declared. Moreover, he added, it would be a money spinner for the local authority. Meanwhile, Cllr Stephen Keary advised anybody over 18 whose parents could give them a site or who could get a site to apply now for planning permission. There was, he argued, a window of just two years to do so before a new county development plan came into force. His concern is that any new development plan would have to comply with the National Framework Plan 2040 which, he believes, will rule out one-off rural houses and shut down rural Ireland. He said Limerick could learn from the forward planning that was evident in Hohenlohe, the German county with which Limerick is twinned. Their planning operates on an awful lot of common sense, he explained, clustering homes and workplaces in rural areas to cut down on commuting. It was, he said, an eye-opener for him. However, his proposal to roll-over the current development plan for another five years was not acceptable to Cllrs Bridie Collins and Kevin Sheahan. If there were another roll-over, it would mean there would be no review of local area plans for Adare and Askeaton for 10 years, Cllr Collins said. Councillors were told the council is obliged under law to begin a review of the city and county development plan this May. New Delhi: The Special Cell of Delhi Police on Sunday (March 8) arrested two members of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Khorasan Province from Okhla area of the national capital. The accused have been identified as Jahanzeb Sami and his wife Hinda Bashir Baig. According to the police, both the accused were in touch with several senior ISKP operatives and were trying to incite Muslim youth to carry out terror strikes in the national capital. As per the investigation agencies, they were in touch with senior ISIS members from Afghanistan. The police also recovered several incriminating materials from their possession. Confirming the report, Pramod Singh Kushwaha, Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police, said, "A couple, Jahanjeb Sami and Hinda Bashir Beg, linked to Khorasan Module of ISIS apprehended from Jamia Nagar, Okhla. The couple was instigating anti-CAA protests." The police also claimed that the couple had been running a social media platform named 'Indian Muslim Unite', which was aimed towards connecting more and more people to the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens protests. Holika Dahan is celebrated every year a day before Holi. Also known as Chhoti Holi, this year it will be celebrated on March 9. People observe this festival by burning fires in their localities. They sing and dance around the fire and circumambulate it. Devotees smear colour on each others faces and distribute sweets like gujiya. Legend of Holika Dahan The word Holi derives its name from Holika. According to Hindu mythology, Holika was the sister of demon King Hiranyakashyapu. As per the legend, Prahlad, a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, Prahlad was born to Hiranyakashyapu. Prahlads devotion to lord Vishnu did not go down well with his father. As a result of this, Hiranyakashyapu tried to kill his son several times, but the Vishnu devotee escaped unhurt every time, frustrating the demon king. After numerous unsuccessful attempts, the demon king thought of taking help from his sister, Holika, who had a boon by Lord Brahma which said she would not be burnt in a fire. As per the myth, Holika had a shawl which would protect her from the flames of a fire. The demon king asked her sister to take Prahlad on her lap and set the two on fire. Prahlad kept chanting the name of Lord Vishnu and as the fire got intense, a gust of wind removed the shawl from Holika and went on to cover Prahlad, killing the enchantress in the flames. Significance The legend signifies the victory of good over evil. People burn fires on the occasion of Holika Dahan to eliminate their ego, lust, greed, anger and jealousy. Lesser known facts Another myth says that Kansa, uncle of lord Krishna, feared that according to a prophecy, the evil king would be killed by his sisters son Krishna. In order to protect himself from Krishna, Kansa sent Putna to kill his nephew, who was an infant. The plan was to poison him under the guise of breast-feeding. But what transpired was shocking for Putna. Krishna not only sucked her poisonous milk, but her blood too. Fearing for her life, she ran but burst into flames. Holi is not only celebrated in India, but in other parts of the world as well. It is celebrated with much fanfare in countries like Fiji, the US and others, where large numbers of Indians live. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter New Delhi: The Crime Branch of Delhi Police said on Sunday (March 8) that it has identified the person from whom Jafrabad shooter Shahrukh Pathan purchased his pistol. According to the police, they will arrest the arm-dealer soon. The good quality semi-automatic pistol used by Shahrukh was bought from Munger in Bihar, said police. On March 6, the Delhi Police recovered the pistol, Shahrukh pointed at an unarmed Delhi Police head constable during a protest, from his home in northeast Delhi's Ghonda. In a viral video, Shahrukh was seen pointing his pistol at the policeman on Jaffrabad-Maujpur road during an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protest on February 24. After opening fire in the air, he kept the pistol at his residence and fled from the city in a car. A college dropout, Shahrukh, 23, was interested in bodybuilding and modelling. He used to make TikTok videos and owned a shop and a socks manufacturing factory in Ghonda. Police said after seeing himself on TV news channels, he got petrified and drove to Hauz Khas and kept roaming around in the clubs there. On February 25, he kept roaming in Delhi's Connaught Place, parked his car in the parking area and slept in the vehicle itself. On February 26, he drove to Punjab's Jalandhar and called up a friend there who refused to meet him having watched him on television. On February 27, 28 and 29, he remained in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli with one of his friends. On March 1, he left Shamli and kept wandering in buses in Punjab. On March 2, he returned to Shamli. On March 3, Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested Shahrukh from Shamli bus stand. Uttar Pradesh police said they have arrested an alleged drug trafficker suspected to have helped Pathan escape from Delhi after the riots. Kaleem, 28, was wanted by the Narcotics Cell of Delhi police in a cannabis smuggling case. On March 7, a Delhi court allowed police three more days' custodial interrogation of Shahrukh. On March 7, Delhi police said they have registered 690 cases and held nearly 2,200 people in connection with last month's communal riots in northeast Delhi which claimed 53 lives and injured over 200. Of the total cases registered, 48 were related to the Arms Act, police said in a statement. They said 2,193 people have been either detained or arrested in connection with the riots. Of them, 50 have been arrested on charges under the Arms Act. The Delhi government has maintained that 53 people were killed and over 300 injured in the violence. During the violence, head constable Ratan Lal, attached to the office of the ACP Gokalpuri, was killed, while several police personnel, including Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Shahdara, Amit Sharma, were injured. The Niti Aayog on Sunday conferred awards on 15 women from different areas for their ground-breaking endeavours and displaying role as changemakers. These women from different walks of life were felicitated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh here on the occasion of the International Women's Day. Since 2018, the awards have been hosted under the aegis of Niti Aayog's Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) with special focus on entrepreneurship. The defense minister emphasised on the role of women in the workforce in contributing to the economic growth of the nation, the Aayog said in a release. "Today's awardees have overcome financial and societal challenges not just to redefine the word entrepreneurship but also refine it. I congratulate the Niti Aayog and WEP for providing women entrepreneurs with a platform to share their dreams, failures and victories with each other and grow from them," Singh said. The awardees included Priyanka Mokshmar, co-founder of Vaayu Home Appliances that provides affordable and environmentally feasible alternatives to traditional AC units across India. It also includes Ramya Venkataraman's Centre for Teacher Accreditation (CENTA), which creates a certification framework for assessment of teachers' skills and competency; Shilpi Kapoor for BarrierBreak, a company focused on the accessibility of technology for those with disabilities; Rinka Banerjee's Thinking Forks for a consulting organisation, with expertise in the food and nutrition industry. Among others also included Nidhi Pant for combating issues around waste and farmer living standards, through her Science for Society's innovative idea of selling dehydrated vegetable snacks; Anupriya Balikai's Spookfish Innovations for standards of products and quality control assurance for food packaging. Praveen Nair was given the special jury award for Salaam Baalak Trust that has successfully worked in rehabilitating over 81,000 destitute and homeless children. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The relations between Congress and RJD have soured in Bihar over seat-sharing in the Rajya Sabha elections. Bihar has five seats in the Rajya Sabha election to be held on March 26. According to the mathematics of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, the JDU-BJP alliance is winning three of these seats while RJD is likely to bag two seats. Congress wants RJD to leave one seat for it but RJD is not ready for this. This is the reason that in-charge of Bihar Congress, Shakti Singh Gohil, has issued an open letter in the name of RJD, reminding their 'promise' of giving one seat of Rajya Sabha to Congress. In an open letter, Gohil has appealed to RJD to fulfil its 'promise'. Gohil wrote: "During the joint press conference of the leaders of the Grand Alliance at the time of Lok Sabha elections, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had clearly said that one seat of Rajya Sabha from RJD quota will be left for a Congress leader of Bihar. It is said that 'Pran Jaye par Vachan Na Jaye' (Promise should not be dissolved even if life remains or not). Hopefully, RJD leaders will follow their word." Gohil has also made it clear in the letter that the Congress candidate will be a leader of Bihar. At the end of the three-paragraph letter, Gohil wrote, "The Congress candidate will only be a leader of Bihar if the party gets a Rajya Sabha seat. Anyone like me who is not a voter of Bihar will not be a Congress candidate." Talking about this issue, Gohil told ANI: "I saw the statement of RJD state president Jagdanand Singh in the media that RJD will not leave a seat for Congress in Rajya Sabha elections. After this, I issued an open letter reminding RJD of the promise." He said that if RJD does not fulfil its promise, then Congress will decide further. The last date to file the nomination for Rajya Sabha is March 13 while voting is on March 26. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Representative image Last week, the government restricted the exports of 26 essential drugs. These include paracetamol, antibiotics such as erythromycin and tinidazole, vitamins B1, B6 and B12, and progesterone the hormonal drug used as a contraceptive. Analysts say these drugs account for one-tenth of Indias pharmaceutical exports. The ban was imposed fearing shortages due to disruption of Chinese raw material supplies. India heavily relies on Chinese raw materials like key starting materials, intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for drug manufacturing. The decision sent shivers down the world, especially Africa, Asia and Latin America, where Indian drugs are lifeline for millions of people and healthcare systems. Even Europe and the US have expressed concerns. To be sure, there is no shortage of any medicines, including paracetamol, in the India market. India pharma companies told the government they have inventories till the end of April and argued against the ban. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show The government could have possibly based its decision on export-import data and traders. The export-import data does not give a full picture of inventory levels. There are allegations of traders taking advantage of the situation and hiking prices of raw materials. The good news is, China which constituted over 80 percent of the cases, is able to significantly slowdown the spread of COVID-19. As on March 7, only 45 new cases were reported which is 98 less than the previous day. South Korea reported 93 cases at the same time. With the exception of Hubei province, where the epicentre Wuhan city is located, other areas of China have reduced their emergency response levels. It is also imperative for China to resume production at its factories given the damage COVID-19 has caused to their economy. Industry sources say that Chinese factories have started production at a limited scale, and most of the vendors are honouring supply contracts. Typically, Indian companies enter into three-six month supply contracts. The decision to impose export restrictions, if not reviewed, may lead to serious damage to India's reputation as a reliable supplier. We cannot claim to be the pharmacy of the world, if we pull down our shutters at the hour of medical emergency. Control hoarders Last week, when this reporter went to a medical trade fair in Mumbai and enquired with several traders and manufacturers about face masks, sanitizers and disinfectants, everyone said there is a huge shortage in the market and they have run out of supplies. There is also a shortage of contact-less infrared thermometers, pulse oximeters and other basic medical devices critical to dealing with an infectious outbreak like COVID-19. A surgical face mask, which was selling at 50 paise, has now shot-up to Rs 25-30. The shortages could be due to capacity constraints, panic buying and hoarding. A huge quantity of face masks, sanitizers and disinfectants were also exported to China and other countries. The governments flip-flops on imposing the ban on face masks and then revoking it, did not help matters. Sanitizers and disinfectants should not be a problem, as it is just the case of alcohol availability. The government should act swiftly. It should ration the supply of these essential things and punish hoarders who are taking advantage of the shortages. People should refrain from panic buying. Let us hope COVID-19 slows down with the onset of summer. That is the best possible chance now to deal with the outbreak. On International Women's Day on Sunday, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said the Shah Bano case was an example of politics of appeasement, while the ban on the practice of triple talaq was women's empowerment in the true sense. In a video posted on his Twitter handle, Rupani said Hindu tradition always celebrated women and put them before men, but limitations were placed on them centuries ago for their protection following an Islamic invasion. "Many of you may not know that in 1919, Sardar Patel passed a bill in Ahmedabad municipality that paved the way for women to become public representatives, contest elections. This was women empowerment in the true sense. On the other hand, whatever happened in the Shah Bano case was pure appeasement. Votebank politics is a curse for India," he said. In 1985, the Supreme Court had ruled in favour of Shah Bano, who had sought maintenance from her husband after divorce, but the then Congress government under Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi overturned the judgement through an Act. "Jhansi Ki Rani and Ahilyabai Holkar are inspirations for us. Even Lord Shiva is incomplete without Shakti in Hindu tradition. There is life, energy, when Shiv and Shakti are together," he said. "But after the Islamic attack on this culture, which respected women more than men for centuries, protection of women became vital, due to which many limitations were placed on them. International Women's Day becomes relevant to highlight the culture that respects women," Rupani added. He said the BJP government in the state had, over the last two decades, received the support and trust of women. He said his government had taken several steps for women's empowerment, like 50 per cent reservation in local body elections, 181 Abhyam helpline, women adalats etc. "Even the Union government banned triple talaq to help Muslim mothers and sisters. This is women's empowerment in the true sense," he said. He said the construction of toilets, Ujjwala, Ayushman Bharat and such schemes have empowered women. Rupani said his government was committed to their empowerment, adding that "women have first right on all the resources of the state government". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Telangana government on Sunday announced waiver of all outstanding crop loans of farmers up to 1 lakh, starting this month, in four installments. State finance minister T Harish Rao, who presented the annual budget of the state for 2020-21, said an amount of 1,198 crore would be released immediately to waive off outstanding crop loans of below 25,000 belonging to 5.83 lakh farmers at one go. The amount would be distributed to each farmer individually in the form of cheques through their respective local legislators, he said. The waiver of loans above 25,000 and up to 1 lakh per farmer requires an amount of 24,738 crore. This loan waiver will be done in four installments and amount of 6,225 crore was earmarked in the budget towards crop loan waiver scheme, Rao said. The finance minister proposed the annual budget with an outlay of 1,82,914 crore, with a revenue surplus of 4,482 crore. The budget projects a revenue expenditure of 1,38,669 crore and capital expenditure of 22,061 crore. Rao said the overall economic slowdown across the country in the last one and a half years resulted in reduction in tax devolution and other transfers to the state by the Centre and decline in the growth of states own revenues. The tax devolution from Centre to Telangana is expected to decline by 3,731 crore this year. The growth of the states own revenues in 2019-20 till the end of February is estimated to be at 6.3%, much below the growth of 16.1% achieved in 2018-19, he said. Following the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, there will be a reduction in the share of Telangana in Central tax devolution by an amount of 2,384 crore in 2020-21, he pointed out. The minister said the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) registered a growth of 12.6% over the previous years figure of 14.3%, due to economic slowdown. Yet, the decline is much lower than the national GDP growth which came down from 11.2% to 7.5%, he said. He said the agriculture and allied sectors recorded an impressive growth of 23.7% and 17.3% respectively in 2019-20. The services sector is estimated to grow at 14.1 per cent in 2019-20, he said. Stating that the state governments flagship programme Rythu Bandhu had become a role model for the Centre which introduced PM-KISAN scheme and also to other states which introduced similar schemes, Rao said an amount of 14,000 crore had been allocated to this scheme for 2020-21, as against 12,000 crore last year. The other major allocations made by the Telangana government in this years budget are: 11,054 crore for irrigation sector to complete ongoing irrigation projects, 1,141 crore for Rythu Bima (insurance to farmers who die in distress) and 1,000 crore towards market intervention fund to ensure remunerative price for farmers. An amount of 11,758 crore was allocated for pensions to various beneficiaries, 16,535 crore for SC Special Development Fund, 9,771 crore for ST Special Development Fund, 1,518 crore for minorities welfare, 4,356 crore for OBC welfare and 1,200 crore towards interest-free loans to self-help women groups. A sum of 23,005 crore was earmarked for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development and 14,809 crore for municipal administration and urban development, 10,000 crore for various urban development projects Hyderabad, 10,421 crore for school education, 1,723 crore for higher education, 6,186 crore for health, 10,416 crore for power, 11,917 crore for housing and 3,494 crore for roads and buildings, 5,852 crore for police department. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Srinivasa Rao Apparasu Srinivasa Rao is Senior Assistant Editor based out of Hyderabad covering developments in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana . He has over three decades of reporting experience. ...view detail A war of words broke out between the BJP and Congress on Sunday over the Yes Bank crisis with the ruling party seeking to link it with the Gandhi family, while the opposition wondered if the prime minister and finance minister were "complicit" as the bank's loan book grew manifold. Posting on Twitter a clip of a channel report that Rana Kapoor, the arrested Yes Bank founder, had bought a painting from Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, BJP's information and technology wing in-charge Amit Malviya alleged that every financial crime in India has "deep links" with the Gandhis. The Congress termed the charge "fake". It said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had sold an M F Hussain painting of her father Rajiv Gandhi to Kapoor for Rs 2 crore, and the entire amount was disclosed in her income tax return of 2010. Malviya tweeted, "Every financial crime in India has deep link with the Gandhis. Mallya used to send flight upgrade tickets to Sonia Gandhi. Had access to MMS (Manmohan Singh) and PC (P Chidambaram). Is absconding. Rahul inaugurated Nirav Modi's bridal jewellery collection, he defaulted. Rana bought Priyanka Vadra's paintings." Rubbishing the allegation, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was a "diversionary" tactic by the government. He noted that the bank's loan book rose from Rs 55,633 crore in March 2014, the year Narendra Modi became prime minister, to Rs 2,41,499 crore in March 2019. "Why did the loan book rise by 100 per cent in two years after demonetisation i.e from Rs 98,210 cr in March 2016 to Rs 2,03,534 ar in March 2018? Were PM and FM sleeping, ignorant or complicit?" he asked. The entire amount Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had received was in cheque and was fully disclosed in the income tax return, Singhvi said. Kapoor, 62, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in Mumbai after charges of alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement in the bank's operations surfaced and the RBI and Union government initiated action to control its affairs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A patient with travel history to coronavirus hit Iran died in a hospital in Ladakh Union Territory (UT) on Sunday and it could be the first death case of India ever since the outbreak of the deadly COVID-19. 73-year-old Ali Mohammad, who hailed from Yaukuma Chochuk village in Leh, was admitted in Sonam Nurboo Memorial (SNM) hospital, Leh on March 7 after a high fever. He died on Sunday morning. Sources said Ali Mohammed was in contact with corona positive patients - Mohammad Hussain and Mohammad Hadi - on February 26. He was found to be negative in the virus check at Havi Check on Leh Airport and went home. Ali Mohammed was not screened properly and that the necessary guidelines issued to the people of corona-infected countries were not properly followed, they alleged. However, officials said, they have taken the sample of the deceased for testing and it will take six days to confirm whether he died of coronavirus or not. Divisional Commissioner Ladakh, Saugat Biswas said it is not confirmed yet whether the patient was coronavirus positive or not. A patient admitted to SNM hospital in Leh has died but was undergoing treatment for some severe issues with his pancreas and other internal problems, he said. Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Tsering Samphel said the deceased was admitted some days back and his samples for coronavirus sent to Pune for confirmation, which are yet awaited. Also follow full coverage of DH on coronavirus However, he confirmed that the patient had travelled to Iran and recently arrived back in Ladakh. Dr Tsering said that samples have been sent for testing and it will take at least six days to confirm whether the patient was positive. If it is proved in the test results that the death was caused due to COVID-19, it will be the first corona death in the country. The families of two teenagers killed in a Florida car crash filed lawsuits alleging that the girls were misidentified by authorities, and the organs from the wrong girl were removed. Samara Cooks, 15, and Deleigha Gibson, 18, died on July 29, 2019, after the car they were in crashed into a utility pole in Escambia County. A crash report from the Florida Highway Patrol says the accident occurred just before 1:30 a.m. when the car veered into another lane and then swerved back, striking a pole. Four people were in the car at the time and one was ejected in the crash. Samara Cooks (left) and Deleigha Gibson (right) died on July 29, 2019, after the car they were in crashed into a utility pole in Escambia County, Florida. Cooks and Gibson were pronounced dead at the scene. The other two people survived and were taken to the hospital. The report says that alcohol was not suspected in the crash. A lawsuit filed by Ranada Cooks, the mother of Samara, alleges that Florida Highway Patrol found Gibson's identification at the scene of the accident but incorrectly tagged Gibson as her daughter. Samara Cooks was incorrectly tagged as Gibson. A lawsuit filed by Samara Cooks' mother, alleges that Florida Highway Patrol found Deleigha Gibson's identification at the scene of the accident but incorrectly tagged Gibson as her daughter. The suit, filed Thursday in Escambia County Circuit Court, names Florida Highway Patrol, the county medical examiner's office and the two funeral homes which took the bodies. The Gibson family filed a separate lawsuit. "Samara Cooks and Deleigha Gibson were different ages and had different heights, weights, and physical appearances," Ranada Cooks' lawsuit says, adding that Gibson was also an organ donor. Both girls were black. The suit further alleges that the error was not caught by the coroner and the county medical examiner's office "extracted several organs from the body of Samara Cooks, who was not an organ donor." "Such unauthorized invasion of her daughter's body has caused Plaintiff, Ranada Cooks, extreme stress and anxiety," according to the lawsuit. The suit states that Ranada Cooks tried several times to view her daughter's body but was denied. It wasn't until she saw the body at the funeral home that she realized the error. Story continues "When I was allowed to visit with her, I was robbed of that first chance of viewing her because I did walk in and see Ms. Deleigha," she said at a press conference Friday with her attorney and Gibson's parents. "It was not Samara." Deleigha Gibson's father said the mix-up has delayed their grieving process. Ranada Cooks said she had a sense of hope that her daughter may have still been alive, but it "was false hope." Her attorney, Artie Shimek, said at the press conference that Florida Highway Patrol, the medical examiner's office and the funeral homes which took both girls had photos of them and still did not realize the bodies had been switched. When Ranada Cooks alerted the funeral home to the mix-up, Shimek said they tried to switch the bodies back without the families knowing. "I just really wish that they treated her with dignity. Let her go out like a lady," Ranada Cooks said. "I think they failed our girls." Demetrius Gibson, the father of the second victim, said the mix-up has delayed their grieving process. "The thing I really want to say is her last wish was not fulfilled because she was an organ donor," he said. "It was real brave of her to want to be an organ donor. For her not to get her last wish to maybe help a number of people, maybe even save someone's life, help someone out, is unfortunate." Jessica Givens, the attorney for the Gibson family, said they filed the lawsuits because "these families need answers and, thus far, they've been provided none." Ranada Cooks's lawsuit states that she's suffered from nightmares and has "extreme emotional trauma." She's seeking an unspecified amount of damages. The medical examiner's officer and funeral homes did not immediately return NBC News' requests for comment. The Florida Highway Patrol said it "extends its deepest condolences to the families for their tragic loss" and could not comment further. A cruise ship held off the coast of the United States after passengers tested positive for coronavirus will dock on Monday, but the US government has provided no guidance as to what will happen to Australians on board. All at sea: The Grand Princess off the coast of San Francisco on Saturday as it awaited clearance to dock in the US. Credit:Bloomberg The Grand Princess, which has more than 3500 other passengers and crew aboard, is due to dock in Oakland, on the east side of San Francisco Bay, after idling for days off the coast of San Francisco while officials debated where to send it. The captain said passengers from California who don't require acute medical care will be sent to a federally operated isolation facility within California for testing and isolation. US guests from other states will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states. The parties stated that they are ready for cooperation The International Joint Investigation Team on MH17 case held its first meeting in a new composition in Amsterdam. The parties confirmed their full willingness to cooperate. This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine. Gunduz Mamedov, who heads the investigation team from Ukraine, is convinced that this case is one of the key priorities in the activities of prosecution authorities. "National law enforcement agencies are not only ready to more effectively investigate the crime, but to find all those responsible for the tragedy and bring to justice as soon as possible," said in a statement. The parties agreed on further steps in their work and discussed the start of the trial. In connection with the start of MH17 case criminal proceedings on March 9, Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne called on the Russian Federation to cooperate with the investigation. This was reported by the press service of the Canadian Foreign Ministry. "We continue to call on all states, including Russia, to cooperate fully with the Joint Investigation Teams [JITs] ongoing criminal investigation, consistent with the call for accountability and cooperation unanimously adopted in UN Security Council Resolution 2166," Champagne said. He welcomed the start of a criminal trial of four suspects accused of shooting down Malaysia Airlines MH17 flight on July 17, 2014. Champagne is confident in the independence and professionalism of the international investigation and the legal system of the Netherlands. Under attack by opposition parties over deposits of Rs 545 crore of Lord Jagannath in capital-starved Yes Bank, the Odisha government on Sunday sought the Centre's intervention for release of the funds in the interest of devotees. Odisha's Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari urged the Centre to give necessary instruction to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to allow release of the amount deposited with the crisis-hit lender. In a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Pujari said various funds related to Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri are managed by a committee of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). "Out of these funds, an amount of Rs 545 crore has been deposited with Yes Bank, Puri in the form of TDRs," he said. These deposits are maturing this month, the state minister said. The RBI has capped withdrawals from Yes Bank at Rs 50,000 for the next one month and imposed strict limits on operations after the cash-starved lender faced "regular outflow of liquidity" following an effort to raise new capital failed. "It is pertinent to mention here that SJTA is a statutory authority working under provisions of an Act of the state government. This is an issue of religious importance for devotees of Lord Jagannath. "In this background, I request you to kindly issue necessary instruction to RBI to allow release of deposits relating to SJTA in Yes Bank in the interest of millions of devotees," Pujari said. The move has come after opposition parties, including the BJP and the Congress, came down heavily on the state government over fixed deposits of Rs 545 crore of Lord Jagannath in the crisis-hit Yes Bank. Slamming the state government, BJP's Odisha unit general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan alleged that depositing money in the cash-starved lender smacked of a conspiracy. Quoting an official report of 2017, he claimed that it was decided to park the funds of Lord Jagannath in 25 banks and Yes Bank was not in the list that time. However, in July 2019, Yes Bank was included in the list and the funds were deposited, Harichandan claimed, adding, that "it smells of a conspiracy to embezzle the temple funds." Demanding a 'white paper' on the issue, he said there should be an impartial probe into the whole episode and those responsible must be punished. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik asked who gave the rights to the authorities concerned to deposit the funds in the Yes Bank while there are strict guidelines to keep the temple money in the nationalised banks. Patnaik further alleged that the motive behind keeping the funds in the private bank was to earn commission. State Finance Secretary Ashok Kumar Meena, however, maintained that as the fund belonging to Lord Jagannath was safe as per RBI. "Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has written to the RBI. We have also spoken to the central bank in this connection. The RBI has said that the money of all the depositors is safe," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) She rose to stardom with her film debut in the Oscar-winning crime drama Slumdog Millionaire in 2008. And on Saturday, Freida Pinto slipped into promo mode when she hit the red carpet for the premiere of Disney Junior's new animated series Mira, Royal Detective in the Burbank neighborhood of Los Angeles. The mystery-adventure, inspired by Indian culture and customs, is geared towards a preschooler audience. Golden: Freida Pinto, 35, attended the premiere of Disney Junior's new animated series Mira, Royal Detective in the Burbank neighborhood of Los Angeles on Saturday Opting for an Indian-inspired look, Pinto, 35, struck a number of poses on the red carpet in a gold floral full-length dress. The upper-portion hugged her toned figure with a solid gold design while the bottom half hung loosely with flashes of brown, green, red, orange and white. The Mumbai, India native also added an extra layer with a matching full-length jacket with big lapels. She rounded out the ensemble with a couple of large necklaces and her long raven tresses pulled back off her face in a stylish ponytail and a part in the middle. Eye-catching: Pinto opted for an Indian-inspired look in a gold floral dress Shining star: The Mumbai, India native rounded out the ensemble with a couple of large necklaces and her long raven tresses pulled back off her face in a stylish ponytail Set in the magical Indian-inspired land of Jalpur, Mira, Royal Detective introduces viewers to a brave and resourceful girl named Mira, a commoner who is appointed to the role of royal detective, according to Disney's d23.com. Along with her friend Prince Neel, cousin Priya, and mongoose sidekicks Mikku and Chikku, Mira sets out on mystery-solving adventures that highlight and encourage critical thinking and deductive reasoning. Pinto voices the character of Queen Shanti, the person who appointed Mira to be the Royal Detective. Each episode of the show, created for children ages two through seven, is comprised of two 11-minute stories that incorporates authentic Indian fashion, food, art and language. Geared for kids: The show, created for children ages two through seven, is comprised of two 11-minute stories that incorporates authentic Indian fashion, food, art and language Queen Bee: Pinto voices the character of Queen Shanti, the person who appoints Mira to be the Royal Detective. Along with Pinto, the characters are voiced by some of the most talented actors in the industry. 16-year-old newcomer Leela Ladnier stars as the voice of Mira. The cast also includes the likes of Kal Penn, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Hannah Simone, Jameela Jamil, Aparna Nancherla, Aparna Nancherla, Aasif Mandvi, Karan Soni, Maulik Pancholy, Sarayu Blue, Sarita Choudhury, Roshni Edwards, Kamran Lucas, Karan Brar, Parvesh Cheena and Sonal Shah. Mira, Royal Detective, which has already been green-lit for a second season, will premiere in the US on March 20. Mentoring: Pinto also shared the spotlight with 16-year-old newcomer Leela Ladnier, who voices Mira in the animated series Moving forward: The animated series has already been green-lit for a second season; Pinto and Ladnier were also joined by co-star Utkarsh Ambudkar Minutes later, they said, he jumped into a vehicle that had been left running nearby. He drove off, they said, and pursuers lost sight of him. Both news and misinformation about the global COVID-19 outbreak are spreading rapidly and in their wake are memes. One of the more prolific examples, appearing to depict CNN lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer, above an altered chyron which reads Alcohol kills coronavirus. The image appears frequently on Twitter, where netizens have taken it to extremes of conflating the use of alcohol-based sanitizers and binge drinking. (And a personal favorite) 1. Alcohol kills Coronavirus. 2. (Unrelatedly) journalists have been largely immune to Coronavirus. Padraig Belton (@PadraigBelton) February 27, 2020 Memes of a similar nature have been circulating Reddit for nearly a month, while on TikTok a song which begins Its corona time sets the punchline for jokes about COVID-19. Needless to say, drinking an extra whiskey wont do much to fend off a virus, although every cold season humanity collective seems to turn to spirits to fight disease. Though the CDC does recommend a hand sanitizer which is 60 percent alcohol-based for preventing COVID-19 outside the body, getting absolutely smashed, though it may initially alleviate some symptoms, is more likely to leave you hungover than cured. To diagnose the situation further, these memes are most likely the latest instance of the internet providing an outlet for our collective anxiety. Much like people reacting to the false Hawaii missile alert or the assassination of Qassim Soleimani, those without power are venting anxiety in the form of humor. Part of the appeal of coronavirus memes is in both the amount and complex nature of information being circulated all at once. The public wants to have this nice narrative, they want to understand everything in one story, they want it to be nicely packaged and unfortunately thats not the reality we live in, USC medical education lecturer Sarah Mojarad told the Los Angeles Times. While some jokes may simply be jokes, others represent a real desire to distill information into a more easily consumable format. Research does suggest that cracking a joke about emotionally distressing topics can help provide a channel through which to cope. But, if taken at face value, a joke can easily become much more harmful. Source: The Punch Newspaper Email:[email protected] Who would be in Rishi Sunak's shoes? The young Chancellor he is yet to turn 40 has only been in Number 11 for about a month, after the previous occupant unexpectedly resigned. No wonder he has been fortifying himself with cups of strong Yorkshire Tea. By all accounts he is a sharp and impressive character. He will need to be, in a first Budget that is overshadowed by coronavirus and the threat it poses to the economy. Let's rewind, though, to the world before the covid-19 nightmare took hold. This is the first post-Brexit Budget, where Boris Johnson's government wants to lay the foundations for Britain's economy outside the EU. Boris and Sunak are acutely aware that they need to fulfil their promises to 'level up' and bring prosperity to regions, mostly in the North, that have been left behind, says Ruth Sunderland Johnson won a large majority thanks to Red Wall voters and, given the state of Labour, he has every chance of five years or more in power, which gives him the opportunity to push through major change. Boris and Sunak whose constituency is in Richmond, North Yorkshire are acutely aware that they need to fulfil their promises to 'level up' and bring prosperity to regions, mostly in the North, that have been left behind. This has been tried many times before, but the Johnson government needs to succeed, not only for political motives but as a moral duty. If you think that sounds a bit pious, have a look at a little-noticed bulletin from the Office for National Statistics last week on how incomes differ in local areas around the country. In some parts of Middlesbrough, where I grew up, average household incomes after housing costs are less than 16,000, whilst in Kensington, where I now work, the average is more than 51,000 and in many cases much, much higher. Although much of Sunak's constituency is well-heeled, Yorkshire is over-represented in the bottom 50 local areas for household income. Another shocking statistic, mentioned by Legal & General chief executive Nigel Wilson, also a north-easterner, is that life expectancy in some poor areas is as low as 58, compared with 85 in richer neighbourhoods. As he pointed out, that is a bigger problem than coronavirus. In some parts of Middlesbrough, average household incomes after housing costs are less than 16,000, whilst in London's Kensington (pictured), the average is more than 51,000 I mention these numbers to emphasise that Sunak can't afford to let the 'levelling up' agenda be side-tracked by coronavirus. More than that, he must take all possible steps to make sure the virus does not exacerbate the divide. Poorer people are less able to withstand the economic strain of covid-19 and just because the Guardian says so, it doesn't mean it's not true. Sunak can't afford to let the 'levelling up' agenda be side-tracked by coronavirus The risk with the virus is that many inherently sound businesses and individuals could be driven under because of short-term cash flow problems. The answer for that is not money, but time. One easy remedy is deferral of tax or National Insurance payments to provide a breathing space. In terms of easing cash flow problems, the Bank of England has said it stands ready to offer cheap funds to the commercial banks to lend on as emergency finance for firms in the crisis. The Bank of England has said it stands ready to offer cheap funds to the commercial banks to lend on as emergency finance for firms in the crisis There is not a great deal of room to manoeuvre under the current fiscal rules, but Sunak could use coronavirus as cover for relaxing them. This would not be remotely reckless, because borrowing costs are ultra-low and very likely to fall further. This is a time to be bold and imaginative, not rule-bound. Sunak should stick with plans drawn up by his predecessor Sajid Javid, who was lining up a cut in income tax from 20p in the pound to 18p. The cost is 10billion but it would help the less well-off at a time of stress and stimulate the economy because most extra money that goes into lower-income pockets is spent, not saved. Why not get creative on savings? Sunak could help savers and the economy at the same time by launching new National Savings Infrastructure Bonds. These could offer savers a decent rate of interest and raise cash for worthwhile projects such as building of new hospitals and medical research centres. The Chancellor could even offer regional bonds, so people could back projects for their local economy. Never mind Yorkshire Tea, Rishi, what about Yorkshire Savings Bonds? Minister of Finance Mohamed Maeet thanked parliament for the support it gave to the governments economic reform programme, which has "saved Egypt from the fate of Lebanon" Addressing the Egyptian parliaments Budget and Planning Committee Sunday morning, Egypt's Minister of Finance Mohamed Maeet said the newly-drafted Unified Tax Measures Law aims to facilitate the collection of a number of taxes; namely, income tax, value added tax, stamp tax, and the states financial resources development fee. This law is another financial reform step and also comes to stem tax duplication and pave the way for adopting the electronic collection of taxes and supervising sale and buying operations, said Maeet, affirming that modern electronic techniques in tax collection will be implemented in the coming period and this will also help expedite the settlement of tax disputes. Maeet warmly thanked MPs for giving support to the government when it embarked on Egypts economic reform programme in November 2016. "You helped us a lot, gave us all the necessary support and vowed to convince the people of the necessity of the economic reform programme, though its measures were radical, harsh and painful," said Maeet. Maeet also told MPs that the joint cooperation of the government and parliament in implementing the economic reform programme helped save the country from facing "the Lebanese bankruptcy scenario". Now, when we hear the prime minister of Lebanon announce in a press conference yesterday that his country went bankrupt and that as a result it would suspend the payment of $1.2 billion in loans, we say thank God that we were able to save ourselves from this grim scenario," said Maeet. According to Maeet, though Lebanon announced that it would embark soon upon an economic reform programme, the step comes too late. "In light of this fact, the IMF refused to support Lebanon's economic reforms, he added. Search Keywords: Short link: Technical Assistance Tools and Publications This leaflet provides at a glance an overview of the work of the UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch in preventing and countering terrorism. Arabic | Chinese | French | Russian | Spanish Latest publications Online Tools Counter-terrorism Legislation Database A comprehensive and accurate database of international, regional and national counter-terrorism legislation further supported by model laws, legislative guides, and other legal tools. 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Studies Compendia of Legal Instruments Compendium of Bilateral, Regional and International Agreements on Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters for Indian Ocean Commission countries (Comoros, Reunion, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles) (French only) Volume 1 Volume 2 Compendium of Bilateral, Regional and International Agreements on Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters for Niger (French only) Volume 1 Volume 2 FATF Recommendations "International Standards on Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation" (translated by the UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch into Dari and Pashto) Dari Pashto Compendium of Bilateral and Regional Instruments for South Asia: International Cooperation in Criminal Matters (English only) Volume 1 Volume 2 Conference Publications Back to Top Report of the Secretary-General on "Assistance in implementing the international conventions and protocols related to terrorism" submitted to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its twenty-first session (E/CN.15/2012/10 The Grand Princess cruise ship anchored off San Francisco, California: REUTERS A cruise ship on which at least 21 people are infected with coronavirus will dock in Carlifornia and unload its passengers despite Donald Trump saying he wanted them to stay on board to keep the number of US cases down. The Grand Princess is expected to arrive in Oakland on Monday. It has been anchored off San Francisco for several days. So far 19 employees and two passengers have tested positive for Covid-19. Another 24 people tested negative and one case was inconclusive. There are about 3,500 passengers on board. On Friday, Mr Trump said he wanted to keep passengers and crew on board so that US cases would not "double". He said: "They would like to have the people come off. I'd rather have the people stay. But I'd go with them. I told them to make the final decision. I would rather because I like the numbers being where they are. I don't need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn't our fault." The US currently has more than 400 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 19 deaths. Virginia has now reported two cases, including a US Marine, the first American military personnel to have the virus on US soil. On Saturday evening the mayor of Washington DC, Muriel Bowser, confirmed the first case in the capital, a man in his 50s with no history of recent international travel and no close contacts to anyone known to have the virus. The captain of the Grand Princess, John Smith, in a recording by a passenger quoted by the Associated Press, said: "An agreement has been reached to bring our ship into the port of Oakland. "After docking, we will then begin a disembarkation process specified by federal authorities that will take several days." Passengers who need medical treatment will be taken to healthcare facilities in California, while state residents who don't require acute medical care "will go to a federally operated isolation facility within California for testing and isolation". Story continues American passengers from other states will be transported by the federal government to facilities elsewhere. Crew members will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship. It was not immediately clear what would happen to foreign nationals on board the liner. On Sunday morning, Mr Trump who has faced criticism for repeatedly trying to play down the crisis and for his administration's response -- tweeted: "We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus. We moved VERY early to close borders to certain areas, which was a Godsend. V.P. is doing a great job. The Fake News Media is doing everything possible to make us look bad. Sad!" The Associated Press contributed to this report Read more Trumps speeches get longer as his enemy list grows, says expert At least 10 dead after coronavirus quarantine hotel in China collapses Man with coronavirus skips self-isolation to go to work at major hotel Trump officials overruled health experts warning over coronavirus Italy quarantines 16m people over coronavirus Expert warns US hospitals 96 million could get coronavirus The report of the five new cases comes a day ahead of Attukal Pongal festival in Kerala on Monday when thousands of women from various parts of the state and outside, including foreigners are expected to participate. Thiruvananthapuram: Five more people from Kerala, three with recent travel history to Italy, have tested positive for coronavirus following which the state has been put on high alert, Health Minister KK Shailaja said here on Sunday. The three, a couple and their son, had evaded health screening at the airport on their return about a week ago and all the five hail from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district, she said. "As of now their condition is stable. But there is need to take extra care", the minister said. The fresh cases have been reported days after the southern state had successfully treated India's first three coronavirus patients medical students from Wuhan who have been discharged from hospitals. Their home quarantine period is also over. While the three, a couple in their fifties and their 24-year old son, had taken a flight from Italy to India on 29 February, two others affected are their relatives, the minister said. "As a matter of abundant caution, two nonagenarian members of the family will be shifted to the Kottayam Medical College hospital," she added. The three, who had returned from Venice, had not informed authorities that they had come back from Italy. When two of their relatives had sought treatment at private and taluk hospitals with virus symptoms, the health authorities came to know about the travel history of the people who returned to Italy. They had evaded screening at the airport and were reluctant to get admitted at the hospital initially, she said adding they had at first refused to cooperate with health officials and were forcefully admitted to the isolation ward of the Pathnamathitta general hospital and are under observation. They were admitted to hospital on 6 March and their tests had been confirmed on Saturday night, she said. "The Italy-returned family hid their travel details from the health authorities. Such practises have to seen as a crime. Those who come from countries like Iran, Italy, South Korea and China should report to the health department immediately," Shailaja said. The government also released the flight details of the three persons who travelled from Venice. They took the Venice-Doha Qatar airlines QR 126 flight on 29 February which reached at 11.30 pm. For one and half hours they were at the Doha airport and took another Qatar Airlines flight QR514 to Kochi and arrived at 8.20 am on 1 March and took a private car to their home at Pathnamthitta district. All the passengers who travelled in the two flights should get in touch with health authorities, the minister said. The report of the five new cases comes a day ahead of Attukal Pongal festival in Kerala on Monday when thousands of women from various parts of Kerala and outside, including foreigners are expected to participate. "There need not be any concern with regard to Pongala. But persons showing any symptoms of the virus should keep away from the ritual," she said. Devaswom officials would be asked to ensure that people with fever or any other symptoms do not participate in the festivity. Medical stall and ambulances will be stationed near the temple complex." Video clippings of the festivities would also be taken," the minister said. WASHINGTON, DC The Diaspora Focus Group on the Coronavirus outbreak has reacted sharply to the National Public Health Institute of Liberias (NPHIL) Press Statement against Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, describing the NPHIL press statement as unprofessional and misleading about the source of information on Liberia reportedly obtaining Coronavirus testing kits from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A recent press statement of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia and its Acting Director Dr. Mosoka Fallah, attributed to Dr. Nyan what it described as an assertion about Liberia receiving COVID-19 testing kits from the US CDC. The NPHIL then stated that it received kits from the WHO, instead. But according to secretarial minutes and recordings of the Diaspora COVID-19 Focus Group teleconference meeting of February 10, 2020, a Liberian Ministry of Health (MOH) official, Dr. Kateh, in response to questions stated that the country would probably be getting the coronavirus test maybe from the US Center for Disease Control. The expert Group explained that the information came from the MOH official, but not Dr. Nyan. The Diaspora Focus Group on Coronavirus Outbreak is an adhoc consortium of African medical and public health scientific experts which is monitoring the trend of the outbreak and provides expert advice to strengthen public health response in African countries. Among other preventive measures, the medical Focus Group was evaluating the sources and quality of coronarvirus testing kits probably in use in African countries when the faulty US CDC COVID-19 test came to its attention. In a recent Skype interview carried by FrontPageAfrica, ModernGhana and other news media, Dr. Nyan, an NIH-trained infectious disease specialist, made reference to the statement from the Liberian Ministry of Health when he (Dr. Nyan) alerted African countries about the faulty US CDC COVID-19 testing kits that were producing inconclusive results in US state laboratories. In a February 28, 2020 letter from Dr. Nyan to both Dr. Mosoka Fallah of the NPHIL and Dr. Francis Kateh of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Nyan said Following my January 21, 2020 communication to the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia, I subsequently held discussions with Dr. Francis Kateh on February 10, 2020, regarding the lack of in-country diagnostic capability in Liberia for COVID-19. In response, it was revealed that efforts were underway to obtain testing kits from the United States through the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Neither the Ministry of Health nor the NPHIL provided any timely corrections if Liberia was now getting coronavirus testing kits from the WHO as stated by Dr. Fallah, but not from the US CDC as previously provided by MOH official, the medical expert Group noted, adding that this is a problem of discoordination of information between the MOH and NPHIL in Liberia. According to Physcians Weekly, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said some of its Coronavirus test kits were sent to at least 30 countries around the world. In the last several weeks the US CDC has come under Congressional fire for its distribution of faulty Coronavirus testing kits which have produced inconclusive results in several state labs and led to delay in testing. Responding to questions about what he makes of the situation in Liberia, Dr. Nyan, an award-winning scientist and inventor, commented that if most African governments were innovative and producing their own pathogen testing kits, we would not be talking about coronavirus testing kits from US CDC or WHO or from other countries; Africa has to move away from dependency to self-sufficiency. Dr. Nyan added that there should be a better and accurate transmission of information between and from MOH and NPHIL, and other government entities in Liberia; our interactions should be professional and ethical as we focus on the response efforts to prevent the COVID-19 Pandemic from spreading to other African countries and unaffected countries in the world. During the Ebola virus outbreak in 2014, Dr. Nyan, as head of the Diaspora Ebola Task Force, testified before the US Congress and strongly advocated for the creation of the African Center for Disease Control and Public Health Institutes in Liberia and other regions of African. He is a laureate of the 2017 African Innovation Award Special Prize for Social Impact and holds a US Patent for his invention of the rapid multiplex pathogen diagnostic test for infectious diseases. CLEVELAND, Ohio Eighteen people were shot including one fatally late Saturday after a large fight broke out among several motorcycle clubs on the citys East Side, Cleveland police said. The incident began about 11:30 p.m. Saturday outside a building on East 93rd Street, between Reno and Way avenues, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said Sunday morning. Update: Authorities identify Cleveland man killed in shooting that injured 17 others at motorcycle clubs party Officers arriving to the shooting discovered one person, a 48-year-old man, with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Ciaccia said. Cleveland police soon learned that other shooting victims 17 total had left the area and were driven to area hospitals for treatment. Those most seriously injured were taken to MetroHealth and University Hospitals, Ciaccia said. Investigators at the scene learned that the shooting was prompted by a fight at a party with members from several different motorcycle clubs in attendance, Ciaccia said. Some people at the party were thrown out but returned to the venue firing gunshots. Gunfire was returned by others still at the party, Ciaccia said. Authorities are still working to determine how many shooters were involved. No information on arrests has been made public. The shooting remains under investigation, Ciaccia said. Police said the shooting happened at a private club. A Facebook business page for the Cleveland Lyfers motorcycle club lists the address of the shooting as its clubhouse. CC Black LLC bought the property for $85,000 in 2018, according to Cuyahoga County property records. The one-story brick building was built in 1969, property records say. This post will be updated Sunday if more details regarding the shooting are provided. cleveland.coms Evan MacDonald contributed to this report. The Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois council called an "emergency town hall meeting" Thursday night to deal with an uproar over a board decision to sell its remaining four camps. About 150 leaders, parents and girls sat in the sanctuary of St. Matthew United Methodist Church in Belleville and listened to CEO Loretta Graham and other officials describe bleak financial conditions that require bold action to keep the organization solvent. "Our (annual) deficit has grown so large that we could do real damage to our council if we don't do something now to get our financial house in order," said Graham, who took the helm two years ago. The audience was mostly quiet during the presentation, but things got testy when officials announced that there would only be time for 10 questions at the end. "This is a joke," one woman complained, prompting applause from the pews. "We want more than 10 questions," shouted another. One of the 10 people who went up to the microphone was Theresa Wuebbels, 35, leader of Troop 1110 in Belleville. Her daughter, Morgan, 9, is a Belle Valley Elementary School student in Brownies. Wuebbels said she broke down in tears when she received an email from the council Feb. 27 announcing plans to sell the camps, which have become part of her family tradition, beginning with her mother and continuing with her daughter. Wuebbels started a petition on Change.org called "Save Southern IL Girl Scout Camps!" More than 6,000 people have signed in the past week. "We have a lack of transparency," she told Graham. "We have a lack of trust." After the town hall, several Girl Scouts opposed to the camp closings gathered in the church lobby to commiserate. "We are very angry because they did not answer our questions," said Lily Dothager, 13, a member of Troop 145 in Staunton. "They were just saying the same thing over and over again." Camps to close Dec. 31 Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, headquartered in Glen Carbon, serves more than 9,000 girls in 41 counties. It was formed by the 2009 merger of the former River Bluffs and Shagbark councils. It's governed by a volunteer board with 19 members. At the town hall, Chief Financial Officer Kelley Young called the organization's financial situation "precarious," noting reserves have been used to cover 10 years of deficit spending. Young spoke of declining membership and program revenues; reduced United Way funding and corporate contributions; poor cookie sales and rising prices charged by cookie suppliers; and higher maintenance and operating costs related to buildings, camps and vehicles. "Usage numbers continue to decline (at camps)," Young said. "Camp Torqua is the only one with growth from fiscal year 2017-18 to 2018-19." Board members voted Feb. 26 to list for sale Camp Torqua near Edwardsville, Camp Chan Ya Ta near Worden, Camp Wassatoga near Effingham and Camp Butterfly near Farmington, Missouri. They cover more than 1,200 acres of woods, meadows, hills and lakes. The email to Girl Scout leaders, labeled as a Long Range Property Planning Update, estimated the combined property value at $3.7 million and potential profit at $3.4 million after sales commissions and closing costs. "Operating and maintaining the four GS of SI camps costs $375,000 annually (which does not include deferred maintenance costs), and the experiences provided are of the same types of experiences available at other locations throughout southern Illinois," it stated. In other words, the organization could rent facilities for activities such as camping, hiking, canoeing, horseback riding, archery, rock climbing and zip lining. Officials plan to create a Girl Scout Experience Fund and invest the $3.4 million, expecting it to earn about $200,000 a year to underwrite costs of outdoor activities, as well as STEM projects, robotics competitions and leadership and life-skills training. "One of the questions I'm sure you're asking is, 'Can we keep just one camp?'" board chair Deanna Litzenburg, of Trenton, said at the town hall. "The board talked about this at length and decided it's not fair to keep one camp to help one area of the council while disadvantaging another. We don't want to cause any further division." "We understand that you're all passionate about these camps," Litzenburg added. "Please understand that the board did not come to this decision lightly. (We) agonized and wrestled over this decision and talked about it for many months." Long list of complaints Opponents of the camp-selling plan came to the town hall with a long list of complaints. Several asked why they are just now learning of the organization's money problems and why they weren't given a chance to help before the shortfall became a crisis. Officials said budgets are published on the council website and presented at annual meetings. That answer didn't satisfy Christina Wright, 39, of Livingston, leader of Troop 145 in Staunton. "We have been asking for years to get a list of maintenance projects and information on how we can help out at camp," she said. "We have made proposals for fundraising, and it seems like none of them have been taken seriously." Others expressed concern that renting camps and using private outdoor-recreation facilities could increase individual costs and pose risks related to injury, abuse or exposure to people under the influence of alcohol or other drugs in less-controlled environments. Wuebbels said Girl Scout camps have a "culture" that can't be reproduced elsewhere. It can run as little as $15 per girl for a weekend at a Girl Scout camp, which includes lodging, food, hiking, canoeing, archery, fishing and crafts, Wright said. "At a private camp, it's $15 per night just for sleeping, no activities, no food, and that's cheap." The council already partners with facilities such as Camp Ondessonk in Ozark and Touch of Nature Environmental Center in Makanda, Graham said. She promised to ask buyers of Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois properties to consider allowing girls to continue using them for a small fee. Some people attended the town hall not to express opposition or support for camp sales, but to educate themselves. "We're here to find out what's going on," said Sandra Nelson, 52, of Dupo, manager of Service Unit 209, who came with her daughter, Jessica. "There's a $750,000 deficit, and I assume they're closing the camps because of that. But I'm here to find out how we got to this point. I've been a leader for almost 20 years, and this is the first I've heard of it." STEM vs. the outdoors Perhaps the deepest divide revealed at the town hall related to views by staff, board members, leaders, parents and girls on what the "vision" of Girl Scouts should be. The national Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. has been moving from an organization focused on outdoor activities to one that provides more programs in STEM education, life skills (such as cooking classes) and entrepreneurship to help girls thrive in the 21st century. Graham referred to founder Juliette Gordon Low, an "ardent believer in the potential of all girls and the importance of fostering their individual growth, character and self-sufficiency," according to the national website. "Our organization must be able to adapt and evolve and keep pace with our girls' changing world," Graham said. The Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois council recently formed a Long Range Property Task Force that conducted an online survey to use as a guide in decision-making. Graham said it confirmed that many girls are interested in non-outdoor activities. One woman in the audience pointed out that only 500 families responded to the survey. Another argued that STEM is taught in schools, while opportunities to spend time in nature are limited, particularly for girls from urban areas. Others predicted membership would drop without camps. Parker Smith, 35, leader of Troop 175 in Godfrey, said the council was mischaracterizing survey results, which actually showed that 70 percent of local Girl Scouts are more interested in camp programs than other types of activities. Christina Wright's daughter, Tyler, 12, a member of Troop 145 in Staunton, agreed. "You can take analysis from any survey, and the No. 1 favorite thing among the girls would be camping," she said. Pope Rosales, 16, a member of Troop 577 in Bethalto, said as student with a learning disability, she's not good at science or math, but she makes friends and has fun at camp. Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois can overcome its current challenges, Graham told the town hall audience, but only if staff, leaders, board members, parents and girls work together. "I understand your fears," she said. "But I guarantee that if we don't make some changes, we won't be able to provide great program opportunities for the girls of this council, and we will be putting our council in jeopardy of not getting a qualified charter." Here is how the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois website describes its four camps: -- Camp Butterfly -- This camp is 960 acres of gently rolling hills, rocky bluffs and water, near Farmington, Missouri. Known as the "Big Sky" place, its seemingly endless, sprawling lands embrace two large spring-fed lakes where campers can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities including: hiking, canoeing, sailing, swimming, and more. -- Camp Chan Ya Ta -- Enjoy 165 acres of remote environments and many moods located just outside Worden, Illinois. The campers at Camp Chan Ya Ta can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities including paddle boating, fishing, volleyball, archery, hiking, wildlife viewing, stargazing and campfires. -- Camp Torqua -- Explore 72 acres of meadows, rolling hills, and woods located near Edwardsville, Illinois. Program activities include a fitness course, hiking trails, pond exploration and a Team Challenge Course consisting of a unique series of outdoor obstacles. -- Camp Wassatoga -- Usage of this year-round camp is restricted to registered Girl Scouts only. Accommodations include a heated lodge, several platform tents, and a picnic shelter with picnic tables. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The hellish summer of bushfires in southeast Australia triggered global concern for our iconic mammals. Donations flooded in from at home and around the world to help protect furry species. But theres a risk the government and public responses will not see the fish for the koalas. Of the 113 priority fauna species identified by the federal government as worst impacted by bushfires, 61 (54 per cent) are freshwater species that live in or around our inland rivers, such as fish, frogs, turtles and the iconic platypus. These animals and ecosystems were already struggling due to prolonged drought and mismanagement of the Murray Darling Basin. Saving koalas and other mammals is of course important, but freshwater species should also be a priority for post-fire environmental programs. Jeremy, a young koala recovering from injuries that was rescued from the Victorian bushfires near Mallacoota. Source: AAP Image/David Crosling A picture of devastation The governments priority species list includes three turtle species, 17 frogs, 22 crayfish, 17 fish and the platypus. Rounding out the list is an alpine stonefly, although many other invertebrates are also likely to be affected (as well as other species that depend on moist, streamside forest habitats). Excluding tropical savannah, the recent bushfires burnt more than 7.7 million hectares in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. Rainforests and riparian (riverside) forests were extensively damaged along the Australian east coast and alps. These are normally moist environments, which are not adapted to fire. Plant and animal species at the edge of waterways, in peat wetlands and in riverside forests are likely to have been burnt or killed by heat, such as crustaceans, lizards, and in the alps and east coast rainforests. Burnt riverside forests no longer shade the water, making water temperatures hotter and leading to increased evaporation that may stress surviving wildlife. The loss of vegetation cover also leaves prey exposed to predators. Bushfire silt clogs the usually pristine Tambo river beside the Great Alpine road in the Victorian high country. Source: AAP Image/David Crosling Following recent rain, water flowing into rivers has washed ash into streams. This clogs fish gills and brings nutrients that drive algal blooms. Sediment washed into waterways fills in the gaps between rocks and holes in river beds places where many species shelter and breed. Story continues For instance, the River Murray catchments last population of Macquarie perch was impacted as rain washed ash and sediment into Mannus Creek in southern NSW. Fires tend to burn forests in patches, sometimes leaving refuges for land-based animals. However fire damage to waterways flows downstream, systematically degrading the habitat of aquatic animals by leaving little clean water to hide in. Long-term damage The devastating impact of the fires in river environments may be long-lived. When aquatic animals species are wiped out in particular rivers, they may not be able to recolonise from surviving populations in other unconnected rivers. Some species will invariably now be closer to extinction. For example many key peat swamp habitats of the critically endangered northern corroboree frog have been burnt in the Bogong Peaks and Brindabella mountains of NSW and the ACT. And after fires, fast-growing young eucalyptus forests transpire much more water than older burnt trees. This may reduce inflows into streams for a century. The recent bushfires followed several years of extreme drought across much of Australia. In the Murray-Darling Basin, these challenges were compounded by poor water management that contributed to dried-up rivers and mass fish deaths. Much of the corroboree frog habitat was destroyed during the fires. Source: AAP Image/Melbourne Zoo Water-sharing rules in the basin determine how much water is allocated to agriculture and the environment. Current water-sharing plans do not explicitly include allocations to manage losses due to climate change, and as the plans will only be updated once a decade, it is questionable whether they will be adjusted to sustain flows needed to conserve threatened species. Heres what to do After the fires, government officials and scientists rescued a number of insurance populations of threatened aquatic animals such as turtle and fish species, and took them to captive breeding facilities, such as the stocky galaxias fish in the alps. We must ensure healthy habitat is available for these animals to re-establish viable populations when released. In the short term, we must protect surviving and regenerating habitat. Government programs are off to a good start in promising to cull feral predators such as cats and foxes, as well as grazing animals such as pigs, deer and goats. The NSW and Victorian governments must also remove feral horses in the Australian Alps that are damaging the swamp habitats and streams. Now so many infested riverside forests are accessible, it is a key time to control weed regrowth. In the medium term, we should expand programs to fence livestock out of waterways, install other watering points for these animals and revegetate stream banks. The Darling River and the Menindee Lakes are under pressure from low water flow as a result of the continuing drought affecting more than 98% of New South Wales. Source: AAP Image/Dean Lewins Deep holes in rivers and streams with cool water are important refuges for aquatic animals, and ways to restore them should be investigated. Impediments to fish migration, such as weirs, should be removed or fish ladders installed to aid fish movement. Aquatic species often wont breed unless the water is the right temperature in the right season; to prevent the release of overly cold water from the bottom of dams, better water release structures should be installed. An opportunity for change Successive governments have been asleep at the tiller when it comes to threatened aquatic animals. Official recovery plans for many fire-affected species have not been adequately funded or implemented. In the Murray-Darling Basin for example, a native fish strategy was shelved in 2013 after the NSW government reportedly pulled funding. The impending release of a new fish strategy, and other post-fire recovery actions, are an opportunity for governments to right past wrongs and ensure our precious freshwater species thrive into the future. The author of this article is Jamie Pittock, who is a member of advisory boards for a number of Australian environmental non-government organisations who fund conservation of biodiversity, including responding to the impacts of bush fires. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read Sure, save furry animals after the bushfires but our river creatures are suffering too at The Conversation. She is one of Britain's most well-known TV stars with a career spanning more than three decades. And Carol Vorderman looked radiant as ever as she arrived to the BBC Radio Wales studios in Cardiff on Saturday to present her weekly morning show. The former Countdown presenter, 59, displayed her famous curves in a pair of black skintight leather trousers. Looking good: Carol Vorderman, 59, looked radiant as ever as she arrived to the BBC Radio Wales studios in Cardiff on Saturday to present her weekly morning show Carol kept it casual by donning a red Welsh jersey along with a black cardigan while she added height to her frame with a pair of black ankle boots. The TV star accessorised with a black handbag while she also carried a cream coat with a faux-fur collar. Looking in good spirits as she arrived to work, Carol completed her look for the day by letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders. Carol previously revealed she stays in shape by trekking for 15 miles twice a week, adding she likes to focus on her famous derriere. Wow: The former Countdown presenter displayed her famous curves in a pair of black skintight leather trousers Outfit: Carol kept it casual by donning a red Welsh jersey along with a black cardigan She told MailOnline: 'I've always had a huge a**e. I promise I haven't had bottom implants. It's the same old bottom.' 'In my family, loads of us have it: the Vorderman A**e. My daughter Katie has it. My nephew has it. We're all sticky-out-bottom people. 'And I've been working out for decades, so the shape of mine is down to years of keeping fit. Footwear: The TV star added height to her frame by donning a pair of black ankle boots Fashion: The TV star accessorised with a black handbag while she also carried a cream coat with a faux-fur collar Curves: Carol completed her look for the day by letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders Keeping fit: Carol previously revealed she stays in shape by trekking for 15 miles twice a week, adding she likes to focus on her famous derriere 'I walk seven miles a day and I try to do a 15-mile walk once a week as well, up the Brecon Beacons or along the River Cam. It makes me so happy.' Carol added that while she keeps in shape she doesn't focus on numbers on the scale, confessing she hasn't weighed herself since 1999. She told HELLO!: 'I don't actually know how much I weigh and I don't care because I go on my dress size, thank god for lycra!' she said. 'I'm probably about a size 8 to 9 at the moment. I've always had a small waist, I think I'm about 25 inches around my waist.' Sesa Sen By Faced with a double whammy of import duty hike and supply disruption due to the coronavirus outbreak in China, the $1.5 billion toy industry in India is in the grip of an unprecedented crisis. Sales have declined by a quarter in February, compared to a year ago, due to an increase in toy prices after a duty hike was announced in the Union Budget. Sales have dropped by 25 per cent after high import duties were imposed in the Budget. As an effect, several traders have also shut their shops, primarily in the metros where rentals are high, leading to scarcity of toys, Rehan Dhorajiwala, a member of United Toys Association (UTA) told this publication. The association, which has over 1,200 members, said that the duty hike, from 20 per cent to 60 per cent, was being introduced to support local manufacturers as part of the Centres Make in India initiative; but in reality, imported toys have a far greater demand and are more sophisticated than country made products. While there is no way to corroborate the exact numbers as the industry is largely unorganised, what is known is that India imported toys worth Rs 2,127 crore in 2018-19. The industry saw 20 per cent decline in sales last year due to the economic slowdown and were just recovering from it when the duty hike was announced. Now, there is also uncertainty over imports from China due to the coronavirus. Though it might not have a huge impact, a mismatch in demand and supply is likely in the short term, he said. Of the total imports, nearly Rs 1,828 crore, or 90 per cent, was from China in 2018-19. Another Rs 93 crore worth of toys came from Hong Kong during the same time, followed by countries like Vietnam, Malaysia and Sri Lanka which are also significant sources of such products for Indian retailers. To voice their concern, traders, retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers have joined hands to create the All India Toys Federation (AITF). The import duty on foreign toys is a direct attack on the development of Indian children, denying them the right to play, learn and grow. The toy industry trends change faster than the fashion industry and our current manufacturing capabilities can support only 15 per cent of demand for toys while the rest comes through imports. The hike in duties on toys can make them unaffordable for customers, said Farooq Shabdi, President of UTA. That apart, lack of skill, quality, research and development and infrastructure is also a concern. So far, the UTA, along with 24 other toy associations from across the country, have joined the AITF, with more associations likely to follow suit. China a major source of toys Of the total imports, nearly I1,828 crore, or 90 per cent, was from China in 2018-19. Another I93 crore worth of toys came from Hong Kong during the same time, followed by countries like Vietnam, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Lack of skill a key problem Lack of skill, quality, research and development and infrastructure is also a concern for the domestic industry. So far, the UTA, along with 24 other toy associations from across the country, have joined the AITF. A metal best known for galvanizing steel is making the jump into a developing $30 billion energy-storage market for electrical grids thats increasingly seen as key to unleashing solar and wind power upon the world. Less than four months after Governor Andrew Cuomo vowed to produce 100% of New Yorks electricity from clean sources by 2040, the state power authority launched an innovation challenge involving 60 companies in a quest to reach that goal. The winner: A Canada-based startup whose pitch can be wrapped up in two words: Think zinc. Battery systems built around zinc, they said, dont catch fire like lithium-ion systems. The longer they run, the less costly they are in comparison. And zinc is cheaper and more widely available. Its a pitch drawing interest not just in New York, which in January initiated a $2.55 million project with the winning startup. Canada and Indonesia are funding their own zinc-battery projects. Storage for utilities is an untapped market, said Ron MacDonald, the head of Zinc8 Energy Solutions, the company that won the state challenge. Its a holy grail. Lithium-ion batteries were first commercialized in 1991 and are used in applications ranging from electronics to vehicles. As utilities turned toward renewables to generate electricity, they were a natural choice to fill in when solar or wind was interrupted. Meanwhile, zinc-based batteries, with their lower charge rates, were limited to tiny hearing aids until about two years ago. Thats when engineers first discovered how to make them rechargeable on a commercial scale. Since then, companies including Zinc8, NantEnergy Inc. and e-Zn Inc. have been targeting their use for utilities, where they can accrue energy over an entire day and utilize it at night. Theres no question lithium and lead-acid batteries currently dominate the energy storage market, said Andrew Green, Executive Director at the International Zinc Association. But were the upcoming group. In January, Zinc8 penned a three-year contract with the New York State Power Authority to develop a demonstration project that can produce back up power for a municipal building or a building on a college campus for 8 hours, at a cost of around $250 per kilowatt hour. The Vancouver-based company is in the process of finding a right-sized site for the project, most likely in western New York, MacDonald said in an interview. Once thats done, the system could be up and working by 2022, he said. The power authority has set a goal to achieve 3 gigawatts of energy-storage statewide by 2030 to support Cuomos Green New Deal. The company goal, according to MacDonald: Go through testing in different scenarios where we can efficiently add our batteries to different types of grids. The New York project opens the door for Zinc8 to deploy its technology into the broader utility market, he said. Hearing Aids The idea behind zinc batteries isnt new. Theyve long been used in hearing aids because theyre both light in weight and safe. But there are markets they still cant breach: For instance, zinc-based batteries still cant replenish quickly enough to be used for the electric vehicle market. Like other batteries, zinc-air systems generate electricity from a chemical reaction. But instead of having all reactants located within the cell, they pull oxygen in from the outside through tiny holes. The oxygen then reacts with molecules inside the porous zinc to free electrons that travel through a circuit to the outside contact points. Using outside oxygen makes the batteries less flammable than lithium-ion systems. With a lithium battery, the oxygen is locked inside the cell so the fire keeps going even if you put a wet blanket on it, said Fabio Albano, the vice president of technology at NantEnergy. Safe, Cheap At the same time, theres no toxic elements involved. Raw lithium can be corrosive to the eyes, the skin and the respiratory tract when not properly handled. And zinc is relatively cheap: Lithium was trading at around $8,500 a metric ton last month, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. The benchmark three-month zinc price on the London Metal Exchange fell 1.3% to settle at $1,984 a ton on Friday. At play is a stationary storage market thats forecast to grow globally to 155 gigawatt hours over the next 10 years from 23 now, according to James Frith, an energy storage analyst at BloombergNEF. Frith also also sees the value of the market, including batteries, installation and equipment costs, reaching $30 billion within a decade. Arizona-based NantEnergy already has a working solar storage microgrid on Madagascar, with more than half the financing coming from a $800,000-grant from the U.S. Trade Development Agency. Its also formed joint ventures with Indonesia to provide energy storage for microgrids in remote villages there. Because the microgrids are located in isolated areas, powering up communication and basic services, the lack of flammability is especially appealing, Albano said by phone. OPEC Lesson Meanwhile, Toronto-based e-Zn recently won $4.3 million in grants from the Canadian government to develop projects there. The first is to provide power for a manufacturing facility outside Toronto, with a duration capacity of 48 hours. James Larsen, the e-Zn CEO, sees another advantage for zinc over lithium-based batteries. Whats attractive for me is that it is a truly global resource you can find almost anywhere, Larsen said by telephone. We learned the lessons from OPEC, where a few nations control a very important resource. Were going down that path with lithium-ion. Global zinc production reached 13 million metric tons in 2019, and there are around 250 million tons in reserves, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In comparison, about 77,000 metric tons of lithium were produced. Lithium reserves are estimated at around 17 million tons. While there are barriers to be overcome by zinc-base batteries, utilities need to be more familiar with them through things like pilot projects, which can then give them confidence to build further projects, BloombergNEFs Frith said. The Shiromani Akali Dal today asked the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to break his silence on facts presented in the Economic Survey which has made it clear that unemployment rate in the state is more than the average. In a statement released here today, the SAD Spokesman and Former Education Minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said that it is surprising that Captain Amarinder tried to mislead the state assembly and people of the state by fudging figures on employment. He said that by resorting to the renaming of job fairs of private colleges as government job melas, this government is trying to befool itself as people already know that these fairs are a routine process in educational institutions. Dr Cheema said that it is most unfortunate to note that ill planning of the Congress government is ruining the youth of the state and farming community is being forced to sell their lands to fund the education of their children abroad. He said that contrary to the claims of the government on providing jobs to 12 lakh youth, the official figures given in the Economic Survey of the state belies the claims of the government. He said that 2.69 lakh applicants have registered with Unemployment Bureau in 2019 out of which 85 per cent are educated up to Class X and 91 per cent are categorized as skilled. He said that this sorry state of affairs is forcing children to move abroad in countries like Canada, Australia, the US and UK. The SAD leader said that the scheme of the government 'Own your Gaddi' has totally failed in the state as the Congress government has failed to explore the tourism potential of the state leading to the low demand for such vehicles and ultimately failure of the scheme. He said that before taking a decision to reduce retirement age to 58 years, the government should have initiated the process to fulfill the existing sanctioned posts which are lying vacant in large numbers in different departments. Dr Cheema further said that the Congress government should admit its failure on providing jobs to the youth and instead of enacting dramas should seriously start working on providing jobs to the youth keeping in view their educational standards. He said that only this can stop the exodus of youth to other countries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Visakhapatnam, March 8 : Padala Bhudevi, who received the "Nari Shakti Puraskar" from President Ram Nath Kovind on the International Women's Day, is working for women empowerment among tribals in north coastal region of Andhra Pradesh. Hailing from Srikakulam district and belonging to Savara tribe, she helped many tribal women in developing entrepreneurship. Bhudevi is seen as a role model by women farmers and rural women entrepreneurs in the region. She has been doing exemplary work through a community-based organization Chinnaya Adhivasi Vikas Society (CAVS), which was established by her father, in 1996. Chinnaya, a resident of Seethampeta, had formed the organisation to help the people especially farmers suffering due to missing land documents, land grabbing and other issues. He helped people through awareness and coordination between the authorities and the parties. His daughter Bhudevi, who was married at the age of 11 years, had to face mental and physical torture from husband and in-laws over birth of three daughters. Abandoned by husband, she returned to her parents' house in 2000 with three daughters and started working as a daily wage labourer. On her father's advice, she became active in his organisation, then called Adivasi Vikas Trust. Fighting all odds, Bhudevi not only raised three daughters but also successfully motivated women to participate in agri-entrepreneurial activities. After the death of Chinnaya in 2007, she steered the organisation and changed its name toAChinnaya Adivasi Vikas Trust. She started living with women in different villages to closely interact with them, know their problems and try to solve them. Not confining herself to only land and livelihood issues, she started focussing on problems like lack of basic amenities, potable water, health awareness and education. Bhudevi coordinated closely with the government and the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) to create awareness among women. Her efforts started yielding results as authorities focussed on the problems, especially health. They worked to create awareness on nutrition. It was during this work that she realised the need collect and grow traditional seeds to ensure both good nutrition and higher income for the tribals. She collected the traditional seeds from families in various villages and embarked on their preservation and transplant. As a result of this several families had access to the traditional varities with higher nutritional value. According to Bhudevi, they collected more than 125 variants of seeds from the farmers and took steps for their cultivation. Millets are the core area of her work. She along with her team also worked on the processing and marketing of forest produce. The group also makes Neelammatalli Millets biscuits which are supplied to 47 hostels. Bhudevi is also working on henna, which is abundantly available in the reserve forest area. The NGO has trained 30 women in making mehendi cones and hair-care products with it. In 2013, she visited China to study how they were cultivating grains. She also visited the Netherlands to know about their farming techniques. Increased interest in healthy living and fast-changing consumer habits are sparking transformation in the health and wellness industry. Toronto is home to many emerging businesses, from clothing lines and activewear, to medical clinics and jewelry, that are quickly capturing market share in todays ever-evolving landscape. Many of these innovative startups are run by women. In fact, women-owned companies such as Kidcrew Medical, Knix, Michi, NULOVE, Redwood Classics Apparel, Superette and the list goes on are filling the gaps for consumers who are seeking simple, personalized and ethical products and services. Consumers seek us out because of our strong values and ethos, says Kathy Cheng, founder and president of Redwood Classics Apparel, which provides promotional and retail distributors garments handcrafted in North America. If you remain true to your purpose, you can create a niche in your industry and the right people will find you. An EY report titled The FutureConsumer.Now finds that companies that use purpose as their north star to guide their actions and inspire their teams are building the strongest brands. The above Canadian businesses are no exception. Theyre a case study in how to establish a meaningful corporate purpose that prioritizes the environmental and social sustainability that consumers are asking for today. Consumers based their purchasing decisions on the lifestyles and values they admire and associate with. They expect their purchase and consumption choices to embody them, too. Identifying ways to create the value these entrepreneurs are looking for, beyond the transactional, can build consumer trust and a lasting relationship. For example Tonia Jahshan, founder and president of tea-based Sipology found that, being open, honest and authentic about mental health challenges has strengthened our brand and gained trust among our customers, employees and independent Sipologists. Sustainability is another major, and growing, focus for todays consumers. Theyre demanding more from the products and services they choose and the companies that provide them. Whether they are interested in environmental consciousness, mental health, food, or physical exercise, people are aware of how their actions contribute to greater individual and societal welfare. Turning good instincts and even better ideas into viable businesses that thrive requires support and capital. This is an area where women entrepreneurs face particular barriers. The World Economic Forums Global Gender Gap Report 2020 shows the economic participation gap between men and women is widening. Its now up to 257 years from 202 years in 2019. This shows that women have a much more difficult time accessing capital and financing than their male counterparts and it is leaving women entrepreneurs with less opportunities to grow and scale their business. The unfortunate reality is that for women capital is scarce, angel investors are tricky to find and traditional venture capital, more often than not, goes to men. We need to find ways to promote investing in women-led businesses. We need to shine a light on the incredible things these entrepreneurs are doing and connect them and others like them to a network that can help provide the necessary resources. International Womens Day is the ideal time for businesses and investors to examine the unique ideas women bring to the table. EY Canada has made a commitment to helping women entrepreneurs unlock their companys potential by offering advice and resources through its Entrepreneurial Winning Women program. In an age of rapidly changing consumer preferences, connecting with changing consumer priorities and preferences will help businesses drive trust and remain competitive. And with women leading by example in Canada, theres a lot to look forward to as we work toward building a sustainable future. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Sunday launched a drive for construction of 127 km brick soling village roads in just 72 hours in a single district of the state. Under this mission mode project, a total of 440 brick soling roads mainly in remote areas would be constructed in the West Tripura district. "127 km brick soling roads will be built in just three days with the generation of 1.50 lakh man-days under MGNREGA and which along with employment will also create permanent assets," the Chief Minister told the gathering after launching the drive at Bhagalpur Gram Panchayat under Bamutia block of the district. Speaking to media, the Chief Minister said many of the small villages across Tripura are yet to have road access. "Keeping this view in mind, the state government initiated this historic drive from West Tripura and the remaining districts would also be covered under such mission mode," he said. "During the tenure of the previous government, MGNREGA was mainly used politically and for luring cardholders before party rallies. But, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the present state government believe in asset creation," the CM said. "The villagers who were deprived of the road facility for long are now happy to have road access in front of their houses-- the initiative, I believe, will connect the villagers with development and send a strong message among the rural people," he added. He added that the BJP-IPFT government believes in "sab ka saath, sab ka vikas, sabka vishwas" with time-bound action in order to transform Tripura into a model state. Addressing the people who assembled in the ground to witness the historic moment, the Chief Minister said the roads which are being built in the drive would be taken up under Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana and then blacktop road would be constructed. "Works of Rs 8600 crore will be implemented in Tripura under Highway projects and already Rs 1200 crore has been sanctioned in one year and the tender has also been called," he said. The government is implementing various works of road maintenance, infrastructure development, waterways connectivity, Agartala Smart City Mission and Feni bridge project. "Under Smart City Mission, CCTVs are being installed in various locations so that the crime rate comes down. After completion of the Feni Bridge project, we will have direct access to Chittagong Port in Bangladesh," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NEW YORK (AP) - Gov. Andrew Cuomo says that New York state's coronavirus caseload has risen over the past day from 44 to 89. He declared a state of emergency on Saturday to bolster the medical response to the outbreak. At a news conference, Cuomo said the largest concentration of cases, 57, is in Westchester County. The outbreak there has been traced to a synagogue in New Rochelle where the congregation was asked to self-quarantine earlier in the week after a person in its community was hospitalized with the illness. No one has died from the new virus in the state. Medical staff in Assam have started screening and quarantining 127 persons who came in contact with a 76-year-old tourist from the US, who visited India, including Assam, before he was tested positive for Covid-19 virus in neighbouring Bhutan on March 1. Assam's junior health minister Pijush Hazarika told reporters here on Saturday that the tourist, Hewitt Samuel, had reached Jorhat in eastern Assam on February 22 and took a week-long luxury cruise ride on the Brahmaputra to Guwahati. An entire floor of a five-star hotel here, where he stayed with his partner has already been isolated, while the hotel team has also submitted a list of its staff who came in contact with him. "Already, screening has started of all the contacts in the route he took including those in the cruise, resort in Jorhat, aircraft and the hotel in Guwahati," Hazarika said. Samuel, a resident of Washington DC, had visited Mumbai and Kolkata before reaching Jorhat by an Indigo flight on February 22, he said. He had also visited a satra (a Vaishnavite monastery) in Majuli island before boarding the cruise. He had reached Paro in Bhutan in a Druk Air flight from Guwahati but was tested positive after three days of his stay in Bhutan. "We are trying to trace the taxi he took from the airport to the hotel in Bhutan and thereafter. We are not taking any chances and are trying to identify all who came in contact with him and quarantine everyone," Hazarika said. Medical staffs have also started screening the cruise MV Mahabahu at Nematigjat in Jorhat. Deputy commissioner of Jorhat, Rashmi Korati said the staff of Thengal Manor, a resort in Jorhat where the tourist stayed on February 22, have also been put into isolation and their health status is being monitored by health staffs. "The river cruise M V Mahabahu Brahmaputra has returned to Neematighat. The cruise has 22 guests and 29 crew members. All have been placed in isolation in the boat itself, presently stationed at Neematighat. A team of doctors and health workers will screen the passengers," she said. The first-ever Kaziranga Festival has also been cancelled as the US tourist had visited the Kaziranga National Park too. The festival was scheduled to be held from March 12 to 15. Vatican City: Pope Francis will deliver his Angelus Prayer and the General Audience behind closed doors and via live stream to avoid large crowds gathering at the St. Peter`s Square here amid the coronavirus outbreak which has infected one person in Vatican City. Matteo Bruni, the director of the Vatican`s press office, told Efe news on Saturday that some residents of the Vatican had been placed in quarantine. As a safety precaution, Francis will deliver Sunday`s Angelus and Wednesday`s General Audience from the library at the Apolistic Palace, from where it will be broadcast online and shared with the media. The decision to move the papal addresses behind closed doors came after Italy passed emergency measures suspending events that draw large crowds. Nicola Zingaretti, the president of Italy`s Lazio region, home to Rome - which encircles the Vatican City - on Saturday revealed he had tested positive for the deadly virus. He is the leader of the country`s Democratic Party, which governs in coalition at a national level. In a video shared on social media, he said he was taking all the recommended precautions and had gone into self-isolation at home. He said his family and others who had been in close contact with him were being checked. There are 54 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Lazio. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Italy stands at 5,061, while there were 233 fatalities. Elsewhere in Italy, midweek mass services were cancelled in Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna, the worst-hit regions. Sunday masses are expected to go ahead but baptismal fonts have been emptied and it is forbidden to shake hands or kiss during the ceremonies. Coronavirus death toll in Italy soars as 16 million people in lockdown Italy has now registered more cases of coronavirus than any country outside China, while its death toll has risen to 366. After mass testing uncovered more than 7,300 infections, the country has followed Chinas lead and has now locked down around 16 million people more than a quarter of its population for nearly a month. Weddings, museums, cinemas, shopping centres and restaurants have all been hit by new restrictions. Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte signed a quarantine decree early on Sunday for the north of the country. Areas under lockdown include Milan, Italys financial hub and the main city in Lombardy, and Venice, the main city in the neighbouring Veneto region. The extraordinary measures will be in place until April 3. The fate of foreign visitors stuck in Italys new quarantine zones is still unclear. The Pope, who has been ill, held his Sunday blessing by video instead of in person. He described feeling like he was in a cage. The Vatican museums are now closed, including the Sistine Chapel. People wear masks at a supermarket in Milan (Claudio Furlan/LaPresse/AP) Alitalia, the Italian airline which was already financially ailing before the virus, suspended all national and international flights from Milans Malpensa airport, starting on Monday. The World Health Organisation has said Chinas move to quarantine about 60 million people in central Hubei province in late January has helped the rest of the world prepare for the virus to arrive. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted his support Sunday for Italians and their bold, courageous steps aimed at slowing the speed of the coronavirus. China has suffered about three-fourths of the worlds 109,000 coronavirus infections and most of its nearly 3,800 deaths. But new infections in China have levelled off dramatically and most of those infected, in China and globally, have already recovered. The Grand Princess cruise ship passes the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco last month (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle/AP) In waters around the world, the virus outbreak has left the cruise ship industry in disarray. The Grand Princess cruise ship, on which 21 people have tested positive for the virus, was heading Sunday to Oakland after idling off San Francisco for days. It expects to stop there on Monday. Story continues Americans will be transferred to facilities around the country for testing and isolation but it is not yet clear what will happen to passengers from other countries. Canadian officials said on Sunday they will dispatch a plane to pick up more than 200 citizens who are aboard. The ship had a cluster of almost 20 infections during an earlier voyage that has led to one death. Another cruise ship is in quarantine on the Nile in Egypt, with 45 confirmed virus cases. Two other ships with no confirmed cases were turned away this weekend from Malaysia and Malta amid virus fears. The US death toll from the virus climbed to 21, with all but three victims in Washington state. Infections rose to more than 430, including the first case in the nations capital. Even as the virus spreads, dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine. As of Saturday, nearly 90,000 cases have been reported in Asia; more than 10,000 in Europe; about 7,000 in the Middle East; around 450 in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, and fewer than 50 cases reported so far in Africa. More than 60,000 people have recovered worldwide. China reported 44 new cases over the past 24 hours, the lowest level since it began publishing nationwide figures on January 20, and 27 new fatalities. Italy is now the No. 2 epicentre, surpassing South Korea, whose total is now 7,313, with 50 deaths overall. Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). A lot can happen in a short weeks time. Last weekend, Saturday Night Live opened its episode with a press conference about COVID-19 that turned into an impromptu democratic presidential hopefuls press conference because the primaries were the bigger story. But just seven short days later, most of those candidates had dropped out of the race, leaving Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden last men standing, and COVID-19 became a top news story for the events that canceled due to concerns (everything from SXSW in the U.S. to Mip TV in France) and the states of emergencies declared in places including New York. So the March 5 episode of NBCs late-night sketch comedy show put its spotlight on the virus -- but threw in a surprise political cameo for good measure. Vulnerable patients are being served horrific meals and uncooked chicken and fish at an Australian hospital. There were more than 600 complaints in 2019 about the food at Flinders Medical Centre in south-western Adelaide. Other gripes included unappetising food, a Muslim woman mistakenly being served pork, and someone receiving a pair of party pies for his evening meal every night. One patient at Flinders Medical Centre said this single slice of chicken was the entire meal they were served at the hospital There were more than 600 complaints in 2019 about the food at the medical centre in south-western Adelaide. Pictured left is 'soup' served at the hospital, and right a sandwich The complaints, obtained by the South Australian Labor Party in a freedom of information to SA Health, have been blamed on funding cuts by the state government. SA Health is targeting savings on delivery of 'hotel services' at their sites of $4.5million per year, ABC News reported. 'If patients are sick and they start getting... uncooked chicken or relatively raw fish, then we've got a massive problems to that person's health and wellbeing,' state opposition leader Peter Malinauskas said. He said the results of the past year at the hospital showed the cuts were not providing sufficient support to patients. Patients at the Adelaide hospital have posted negative feedback online about the catering as recently as this weekend. One patient shared a picture of a single cooked slice of chicken on their plate, saying it was 'the entire meal' they were served from the gluten-free menu at the medical centre. A meal shared by a Flinders Medical Centre patient they said was called simply 'starch' on the menu (left). A less than appealing casserole served at the hospital is pictured right Another meal shared by an unhappy patient was one they said was entitled 'starch' on the menu. 'The menu description called it "Starch". I'm still not sure what it actually was,' they wrote. SA Health said in a statement it was aware of teething issues since a catering company took over the contract at the hospital in May 2019, but that the food service on offer has improved. A meal pictured at Flinders Medical Centre A negative review of the food at the Royal Adelaide Hospital was shared on Sunday, showing what appeared to be roasted meat served with gravy, pumpkin and mushy pea 'We are pleased to say that we have worked... to improve the quality and timeliness of meals, and have significantly reduced the number of food related complaints as a result,' a spokesperson said. It comes after it emerged in 2018 the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) could be hit with fines if they did not improve the quality of their food service. A negative review of the food at the RAH was shared on Sunday, showing what appeared to be roasted meat served with gravy, pumpkin and mushy peas. 'We ended up bringing my father food in so he'd have a break from the unappealing thing they called food,' the review said. A female university lecturer is leading a group of scientists in the battle against dementia. VN female scientist discovers way to help treat Alzheimers Vietnamese scientist at Gachon: I will return to Vietnam Dr. Tran Phuong Thao in his laboratory where she and her colleagues found substances for dementia drugs. tienphong.vn Photo Dr Tran Phuong Thao, a 35-year-old lecturer at pharmaceutical chemistry faculty of the Hanoi University of Pharmacy, is working on a drug to inhibit the agents that cause the degenerative disease. After graduating from Hanoi University of Pharmacy in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in pharmaceuticals, she spent a lot of time seeking a scholarship to pursue her passion for scientific study. Finally, I got a full scholarship from Seoul University in South Korea in 2010, Thao told Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper. Fortunately, the same year, my husband also received a scholarship from a university in South Korea. We decided to leave for South Korea together, Thao said. During their five years studying abroad, the couple had their wish to start a family and rented a room in a dormitory near Thaos laboratory. Every day, I started work in the laboratory very early and finished around 10pm, Thao recalled. Sometimes I left the lab at midnight, she said. Thao was trusted by her professor to carry out many projects including research on a new drug for Alzheimers. This was completely new research in South Korea, she said. At that time, all over the world, there was only one group of scientists in Germany doing similar research, she said. She faced many difficulties because it was a new topic. Alzheimer is a disease that causes memory loss which usually starts slowly and gradually worsens over time and affects all functions of the brain, she said. Currently, there is no cure for the disease but only symptomatic treatment, she said. After finishing her studies in South Korea in 2015, Thao returned home and continued researching drugs for the disease with her colleagues at Hanoi University of Pharmacy. Despite knowing their work could take decades and cost a lot of money, Thao and her colleagues never gave up. After six years of hard work, her group found some new derivatives that may inhibit enzyme glutaminyl cyclase, one of the agents causing Alzheimers. Thaos research has passed the initial testing phase and is currently being tested on animals. She hopes the derivatives will be clinically tested in humans soon to develop drugs to treat the disease. I knew it was a long way from finding a potential active substance in the laboratory to developing a drug for disease treatment, the scientist said. It needed many essential conditions such as time, money, facilities and legal provision, she said. Cancer treatment Along with research for Alzheimer's, Thao is also interested in cancer and is carrying out a State-level study project on drugs for cancer treatment. Thao and her colleagues hope to find new substances to activate enzyme caspase which helps kill cancer cells. The project which is being run from 2017 to 2020 is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology. This was one of her biggest projects after returning home from South Korea. It was also the time when she was pregnant and raising her baby, making work-life balance tough to maintain. In the evening, after lulling the baby to sleep, I got up to continue my work, Thao said. Some days, I worked until 2am, she said. I felt lucky having my husband, family, friends and colleagues supporting me. It urged me to work harder, the scientist said. VNS In 'modern' times like ours, it is almost blasphemy to believe in bullshit that was taught to us when people did not know better. For example, menstruating women are impure. Unfortunately, there was a time in this world when women who were on their period were considered dirty and were not allowed to use washrooms that everyone else was also using. However, it is absolutely heartbreaking and infuriating to know those times still exist and people do not know any better, even now. According to a report in Times of India, a woman in Kolkata was allegedly denied entry into the washroom at a cinema hall. The woman had gone to watch a movie with her husband and when she went to use the loo, the staff told her to use another washroom that was located outside the premises. BCCL Allegedly, the staff told her that she would 'soil the floor' and that is why she could not use the washroom. The cinema hall is located in the Hatibagan area in north Kolkata. The woman and her husband got involved in an altercation with the staff which did not end very well. Traumatised, they approached the Shyampukur police station to file a complaint against the cinema hall. Once the complaint was filed, the manager of the cinema hall had to come down to the station and apologise to the couple for the unpleasant experience they had to go through. The officer said, After the show got over, the woman went to use the washroom but found a few housekeeping staffers cleaning the facility. They refused her entry to the bathroom. However, the hall staffers claimed that she tried to use the entry gate to come out of the hall and they requested her to use the exit gate instead. The woman then told them that she was on her period. It was then that one of the housekeeping staffers stopped her from using the washroom and suggested that she use a toilet outside the theatre." ShutterStock The couple also made a statement that people who witnessed the whole ordeal passed snide comments at them which caused them 'severe trauma'. The management later made a statement that, "No theatre in Kolkata has ever asked women if they are menstruating or not. They have used the toilets without ever having to disclose this information. The same rule applies in my theatre as well." Twitter (Image for representational purposes only) It's 2020 for God's sake. Let's not embarrass ourselves and the educated era that we live in by believing in such nonsense and putting people through unnecessary trauma. Australia has descended into coronavirus mayhem, as fights over toilet paper break out across the country's supermarkets. A new video shows an elderly woman slap another shopper across the face as they scrap over the last packet of toilet paper in a Melbourne Coles on Saturday. The younger woman appears to have a huge stash of toilet paper already. Doubts have been raised over the authenticity of the footage as it was shared by YouTube star Jamie Zhu. Zhu, 25, is a self-described 'social media entertainer' who films staged pranks and shares them to his six million followers online. Two women are seen brawling in the toilet roll aisle in Coles in Melbourne (pictured) on Saturday amid coronavirus shopping panic Despite the dubious nature of the fight, viewers were quick to condemn the younger woman for stockpiling toilet paper. 'I feel really angry to see that lady with a whole trolley of toilet paper and cannot (sic) give that old fragile lady one. Show your respect to elderly,' one woman said. 'It's not even funny anymore! It's getting to the point where people are just being incredibly stupid,' a second woman said. 'That old lady would have gotten slapped back. She's old enough to know better to put her hands on people,' added a third. It comes as police investigate three women who were filmed in a remarkable fist fight at a Woolworths supermarket. The bizarre brawl is understood to have taken place in Chullora, 15km west of Sydney's CBD, as Australia's coronavirus panic sets in. It comes after three women were filmed brawling in a Woolworths supermarket in Sydney as they tried to buy toilet paper (pictured) Hysterical screaming broke out as the trio battled in the aisles, with the incident seemingly stemming from a mother and daughter stockpiling toilet paper. After spending hours queuing for the store to open at 7am on Saturday, the women poured in - with the mum and daughter piling their trolley high with toilet paper. The fight began when a third woman tried to take one of the precious packets from the trolley, sparking mayhem. After the fist fight was broken up by a member of staff, the camera panned to show the women's trolley full to the brim with toilet paper. 'Are you f*****g joking?', the other woman asked. 'I didn't smack her, she hit me,' she continued, pointing at the woman's daughter. NSW Police acting inspector Andrew New says such violence 'won't be tolerated', and people could end up before the courts. 'It's just bad behaviour by people that are panicking and there is just no need for any of that panic because there is sufficient supplies,' Insp New said on Saturday. 'It's not the Thunderdome, it's not Mad Max, we don't need to do that.' The women exchanged stern words and fought over the toilet paper (pictured) in a Woolworths in Sydney, as the woman on the right begged for just one packet Shelves are bare across multiple Australian supermarkets (pictured, left) as worried families stockpile toilet roll (right) The woman was not injured and no arrests were made, however police are hoping to identity the other two women involved in the altercation. 'At this stage, police are going to continue to investigate the matter,' Insp New told reporters. Woolworths imposed a four-packet per customer limit on the sale of toilet paper after having its shelves stripped by shoppers amid hysteria over the coronavirus. 'We will not tolerate violence of any kind from our customers in our stores and we are working with police who are investigating the matter,' a Woolworths spokesperson said. Coles also introduced a temporary four-packet limit on Thursday, but reduced that down to one packet per person on Sunday. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has urged the public to remain calm, saying there were no issues with toilet paper supply in NSW and no need for bulk-buying. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he was 'disturbed' to see footage from the altercation. 'This is a time for calm. This is a time for Australians to pull together, to work together, to respect their fellow citizens,' he told reporters in Melbourne. The smell of coffee brewing soon will be more noticeable on Bush Drive near South Sterling Street. Crews recently started grading the site that will be the home of Morgantons free-standing Starbucks restaurant, said Mike Hall, job superintendent for Abbott Construction. He said his company was contracted to build the shell of the restaurant and that Starbucks will be responsible for upfitting the restaurant to bring the coffee-shop feel to the building. Its hoped that the shell building will be finished in three to four months, but Hall said it depends on the weather. Cold weather and rain hinder construction on the site. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Plans submitted to the city of Morganton in November showed the building would stand at 2,500 square feet with 40 parking spaces in the lot on Bush Drive, with about 583 square feet of patio space. The coffee shop features a range of beverages and foods, and those in a time crunch can download an app on their phones to place their orders before arriving at the shop. Starbucks is just another development coming to the South Sterling Street area. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 8) Authorities confiscated a total of P16-million worth of marijuana during two separate drug bust operations in Mountain Province Saturday night. Some 109 kilos of drugs amounting to P13-million were seized from army reservist Joseph Petilona, Mark Kevin Guzman, Nini Acio, Princess Gina, and a minor at a checkpoint in Sitio Pak-kil, Bontoc around 9:30 p.m. Also confiscated during the operation was a firearm from Petilona. After the seizure in Sitio Pak-kil, operatives also arrested three drug suspects at a checkpoint in Sitio Lagcangeo, Bontoc at around 11 p.m. The suspects Jerald Escanillas, John Vincent Santos, and Princess Diana Kling yielded some 27 kilos of marijuana bricks and tubulars amounting to over P3-million. Ryan Joe Courpin, another suspect, initially managed to evade arrest but was eventually captured by police on Sunday morning. All eight suspects will face raps for violation of the Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. A U.S. government watchdog agency said Friday that 81 Bureau of Land Management employees have declined to relocate to Western states or left their positions as the Trump administration pursues a broad reorganization of the bureau's headquarters staff. The Government Accountability Office issued a report that faulted the administration for failing to follow key reform practices such as involving employees and stakeholders in its plans. The bureau has about 10,000 employees, and most are already in field offices in the West with only about 400 in Washington, D.C. The Interior Department said last year it planned to move about 300 of them to the West. The transfers are part of the Trump administrations decision to create a new national headquarters in Grand Junction, Colorado. The bureau oversees nearly 388,000 square miles of public land, 99% of it in 12 Western states. Out of 170 bureau staff who received relocation notices, 90 accepted, 81 declined or left their positions and eight fell into other categories, the GAO found. About 130 positions already were vacant when the relocation was announced. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raul Grijalva said the GAO investigation showed the administration was trying to drive out staff and destroy the bureaus ability to carry out its mission. In response, Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman Megan Crandall said the relocation was commonsense and would better position officials to serve the public and allow multiple uses of public lands. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Congress MLA Bisahulal Singh who was "missing" for the past few days and returned to Bhopal on Sunday, said he had gone on a pilgrimage. He met Chief Minister Kamal Nath and came out from CM residence with state Finance Minister Tarun Bhanot. Talking to reporters, he said: "I had gone on pilgrimage. No one made me hostage." Asked if he is with the government, he said, "Absolutely". Congress leader Jitu Patwari said, "He is a senior leader and tribal face of Congress. People vote with emotions and selling-buying those emotions is the face of BJP." A missing person complaint about Congress MLA Bisahu Lal Singh was registered at TT Nagar police station in Bhopal on Thursday. The development came after Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had alleged that BJP leaders Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Narottam Mishra were offering bribes of Rs 25-35 crore to Congress MLAs in order to bring down the Congress government in the state. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Kamal Nath and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh left for Delhi from Bhopal. In 2018 Assembly results, Congress, which won 114 seats in the 230-member Assembly formed the government with the support of four Independent MLAs and two BSP MLAs and a legislator from the Samajwadi Party (SP). The BJP had secured 109 seats in the state Assembly. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A former would-be MP turned anti-drugs vigilante has pleaded guilty to threatening to shoot and kill a suspected paramilitary he labelled "Mr Coke". During a brief video-link hearing at Laganside Courthouse last week, former election candidate Bobby Beck (56) admitted threatening to kill Newtownards man David English, possessing two kitchen knives without lawful excuse in a public place and disorderly behaviour. In remarkable scenes at Belfast Magistrates Court when Beck was initially charged last month, he said from the dock he would "put two in the chest and one in the head" of Mr English who was described in court by cops as a suspected paramilitary. It followed Beck's arrest in south Belfast's Belvoir estate on Thursday, January 16, when cops found him covered in blood and carrying two kitchen knives. Beck stood for election in 2017 as an independent in East Belfast and was praised at that time by prominent Irish language activist and tutor Linda Ervine (right), sister-in-law of late PUP leader David Ervine. He now claims to be a member of a group called Loyalists Against Drug Dealers. The court was told at an earlier hearing police officers had been on their way to speak to Beck at his home address in Belvoir when they found him wandering the estate, armed with the two weapons and in an agitated state. Expand Close Bobby Beck election leaflet. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bobby Beck election leaflet. Police told the court they found him on Kilwarlin Crescent on the estate just after 10.30pm. A detective constable said: "He was found with one large red kitchen knife and one large blue kitchen knife. "When approached by officers, he called them 'w***ers' and 'd***heads' before telling them to 'f*** off', saying he had been assaulted a short time earlier. "He then moved towards a phone box and dropped the knives before being detained." The officer added: "In custody, he said he would 'find a 9mm and stick it in' David English who is believed to be part of a paramilitary organisation in Newtownards. "He admitted swearing and shouting at police because he was irate, saying he had been assaulted by three males earlier. "He also told police he had phoned Mr English and told him he intends to carry out the threat and reiterated this in interview." Beck, who had appeared in court unrepresented, told District Judge John Meehan: "I strongly object to being remanded in custody. I am a spokesperson for an organisation called Loyalists Against Drug Dealers and last week there was action taken against known drug dealers in the north Down area. This included their houses, cars, businesses and pubs. They were told last week their lives were in danger and they would be executed. They were told their time is up. "David English is Mr Coke, he threatened me and went to my mother and father's house threatening them. I told him to stay away from their house or I would kill him, I'll put two in his chest and one in his head. "I had intended to go away for a while to America or Canada but if you want to jeopardise that it's up to you." Refusing him bail at the earlier hearing, Judge Meehan told him: "You are in a parallel universe in which you believe you are the law and pose a real danger to the safety of the public." In 2017, Linda Ervine, whose husband Brian was formerly leader of the PUP, tweeted her support for the then prospective parliamentary candidate Beck, saying: "Chatting today with Robert Beck who is standing as an Independent. Great to see he supports an Irish Language Act. Maith thu Bobby Beck." Despite the support of Mrs Ervine, he received just 54 votes in the constituency which was won by the DUP's Gavin Robinson. Beck, from Mahee Close in the Belvoir estate, was remanded in custody pending a pre-sentence report which is due on March 20. (Natural News) The coronavirus is sweeping across the United States at an unprecedented rate. Since the first confirmed case in Washington state on January 20, hundreds of new cases have emerged in different states, and the number of coronavirus deaths has risen to nine as of Tuesday. Following warnings of possible community spread of the coronavirus by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers in the state have uncovered new details about the coronavirus which suggest that it may have spread undetected since the first confirmed case in the United States. Coronavirus mutation and cryptic transmission Trevor Bedford, an associate professor at the University of Washington, studies viruses, evolution and immunity. He is also part of the Seattle Flu Study, which has recently started screening and sequencing the coronavirus from samples collected in areas with reported cases. In his blog post published on March 2, Bedford discussed in detail how mutation patterns in the coronavirus genome support the possibility of a viral transmission occurring sometime between January 15 and January 19 in Washington state. The first confirmed case in the U.S. was a returning traveler from Wuhan, China, who arrived in Snohomish County on January 15 and was confirmed to be infected five days later. On February 28, the Snohomish Health District reported a presumptive positive case involving an adolescent the second coronavirus case in the county. Presumptive positive is the term used for tests that return positive from state labs and are awaiting confirmation from the CDC. The sample from this case was shared with the Seattle Flu Study. Sequencing results revealed that the virus from the sample has an identical genome to the virus from the first confirmed case. The only difference was that the former had three additional mutations in its genomic sequence. Viruses, according to Bedford, mutate very quickly. They undergo genetic changes as they are transmitted from person to person. In the case of the new coronavirus, genetic epidemiology studies show that it incurs an average of two mutations per month. This aligns with the mutation pattern found in the virus from the presumptive positive case and increases the possibility that it was a direct descendant of the first case virus. If this virus arrived in Snohomish County in mid-January with the WA1 [first case virus] traveler from Wuhan and circulated locally for 5 weeks, wed expect exactly this pattern, where the WA2 [presumptive positive case virus] genome is a copy of the WA1 genome except it has some mutations that have arisen over the 5 weeks that separate them, Bedford wrote in his blog. He referred to the scenario as cryptic or undetected transmission. The Seattle Flu Study also determined the likelihood of the mutation pattern arising by chance instead of direct transmission to be only 3 percent. This was based on the fact that the genetic variant shared by the two viruses at a specific site can only be found in 2 of the 59 sequenced viruses from China. According to Bedford, this, together with the location of cases in Washington, is firm evidence of continued cryptic transmission of the virus. CDC expands testing guidelines In a series of tweets posted on Sunday, Bedford said that the state of Washington is on the brink of a substantial outbreak due to the narrow case definition set by the CDC. The agency only approved testing for people who had traveled to China and those they had contact with. The team at the @seattleflustudy have sequenced the genome the #COVID19 community case reported yesterday from Snohomish County, WA, and have posted the sequence publicly to https://t.co/tbVb4MAGpy. There are some enormous implications here. 1/9 Trevor Bedford (@trvrb) March 1, 2020 At a news conference on Monday, Dr. Kathy Lofy, a Washington State Health Officer, said that the agency is finding more coronavirus cases that appear to be acquired locally. She also said that the virus is actively spreading in some communities. At the time of the briefing, a total of 18 people in Washington had tested positive for the coronavirus, according to officials, and five of them had died. (Related: New York Emergency Room Doctor: There Will Be Thousands Of Confirmed Cases In The U.S. By Next Week.) In response to the community spread that has already begun, the CDC has expanded its guidelines to accommodate more people for testing. Once this is implemented, the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. is expected to increase dramatically. Officials say broader testing will help identify which communities have been experiencing community transmission for a while. Sources include: NYTimes.com Salon.com Bedford.io SnoHD.org Twitter.com Explosion, fire ruins Women's Day feast in Bamenda Facebook Some members of Cameroons security forces are said to have been injured Sunday, March 8, 2020 following an explosion at the Bamenda Commercial Avenue in the countrys North West Region as Womens Day commemorative activities unfolded. Cameroon-Info.Net understands that the blast went off as Governor Lele Lafrique Tchoffo Deben Adolphe delivered a speech at the Bamenda Commercial Avenue Grandstand were women of all walks of life turned out to celebrate the 35th edition of the International Womens Day. The explosives are believed to have been planted by armed men fighting to make of Cameroon's North West and South West Regions an independent country christened Ambazonia. The explosion has interrupted the speech of the Governor. Two security officers were injured in the blast directly opposite the grandstand. It is suspected that the explosives might have been planted at night by separatists, a local attending the fete at the Bamenda ceremonial ground said. Fire is said to have engulfed some shops opposite the Bamenda Commercial Avenue Grandstand apparently around where the explosives were planted. Elements of the Army Rescue Unit could be spotted battling the flames and security and administrative authorities ensured a return to normalcy. This years Womens Day unfolded under the theme Promoting gender equality and protecting womens rights by 2020: taking stock of actions engaged, setting a new course. Cameroon's Head of State, President Paul Biya had promised tougher days for the Non-State Armed Group. Speaking in a televised address to the nation Tuesday, December 31, 2019, President Paul Biya said the countrys military will fight in all professionalism to protect all citizens. For those who persist in going down the wrong road and continue to use violence, we will have no other choice than to combat them in order to protect all our fellow citizens. Our Defence and Security Forces will, once again, perform their duty with restraint, but without weakness. I wish to reassure them of my full support and high esteem, Biya warned. He however agreed that without a doubt, the security situation in the North West and South West regions is one of the most urgent problems at the moment. He regretted that: The criminal activities of armed groups continue to disrupt public, economic, and social life in these regions, yet various measures have been taken in recent months to reason with these youths, most of who have been brainwashed. They have been called upon to lay down their weapons, and social reintegration prospects have been offered them. Apple is grappling with more than just iPhone shortages as it takes precautions against spreading the novel coronavirus. Company chief Tim Cook has sent a memo outlining a series of new steps to reduce the chances of people spreading the virus, including changes at stores. Apple is trying to "maximize interpersonal space" at its shops, including by reducing the density and occupancy for events like classes and Genius Bar appointments. You may have a harder time learning about your new iPhone in the near future, to put it another way. The company is also implementing a number of behind-the-scenes changes. Cook encouraged office employees in areas with the "greatest density of infections" (including Apple's home in the Santa Clara Valley area, Italy and South Korea) to work from home when possible for the week starting March 9th. He also promised that hourly workers would continue to receive their regular pay at those offices where their work might suddenly be less necessary, echoing policies at rivals like Amazon, Google and Microsoft. It's not completely surprising that Apple would go this route. Its modern stores are designed to serve as community spaces. That's great in normal circumstances, but slightly terrifying when an easily transmitted virus is spreading. If it reduces the chance of contact, it reduces the possibility of contributing to the outbreak. At the same time, it's clear that Apple wants to avoid closing retail stores (beyond the temporary closures in China) when possible. A on Sunday sent the couple who were arrested for alleged links to the Khorasan Module of and for inciting Muslims against new to remand till March 17. The couple -- Jahanjeb Sami (36) and Hina Bashir Beg (39) -- were arrested yesterday.According to police, the two accused were members of the banned terrorist outfit and were propagating its ideology of hatred against non-Muslims, instigating violence and also inciting Muslims against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Officials said that four mobile phones, one laptop, one external hard-disc, and other incriminating material were seized from their house. "Upon interrogation, it has been found that they have created several anonymous IDs on several social media platforms and propagating the ideology of banned outfit and circulating material against CAA," officials said. A case has been registered against the duo under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Senate President Scott Ryan has announced he will step down from federal politics at the next federal election. Elected as a Liberal Senator for Victoria in 2007, Senator Ryan was appointed president in 2017. He left cabinet and gave up his special minister of state position to take up the position. President of the Senate Scott Ryan is departing the position. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Senator Ryan will have served three six-year terms in the Senate by the time he steps down at the next federal election, due by 2022. "Having served 14 years by the end of my current term and unwilling to commit to continuing until 2028, it is appropriate to provide sufficient notice to the Liberal Party and its members to consider future candidates," Mr Ryan said in a statement on Sunday. Britain's counter-terror police are conducting their first investigation into the activities of a violent 'incel' after the suspect posted 'threatening' messages online. A 'disruption' operation was carried out last year after an unidentified man, from outside of London, was accused of posting a series of 'worrying' statements. Officers were drafted in amid fears that the suspect, who was arrested but not charged, would turn to - or inspire - violence if left unchecked. He is now being investigated on suspicion of non-terrorism-related offences. The Daily Telegraph reported that counter-terror police believe the man is a member of Britain's incel, or 'involuntary celibate', movement. Britain's counter-terror police are conducting their first investigation into the activities of a violent 'incel' after the suspect posted 'threatening' messages online (pictured, armed police officers at London Bridge during an act of terrorism in June 2017) Incels belong to an online subculture of misogyny, self-hatred, racism, and self-pity which defines its adherents as unable to find a romantic or sexual partner. They are often young, straight, and friendless - primarily white - men, some of whom suffer from psychological disorders including depression and autism. On the Reddit forum /r/incels subreddit, the incel community became known as a place where men blamed women for their celibacy. The movement, which experts believe currently numbers around 2,000 in the UK, is accused of inspiring at least four acts of mass murder in North America. Annie Kelly, an East Anglia University PhD student, said: 'There are numerous forums out there on which men identifying as incels post, but it tends to be a global network so it is hard to get a sense of the UK picture. 'Also, men might be posting in these online forums without really being serious.' She continued that 'much of the language' of inceldom is 'very violent' and said 'it was only a matter of time before we saw something' in Britain. 'There is nothing in the British culture that sets us apart [from Canada and the US] and makes it less likely to happen here,' Ms Kelly said. 2019 Dallas Courthouse shooting (Bryan Isaack Clyde) Pictured: Bryan Isaack Clyde Bryan Isaack Clyde attempted to storm the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse in Dallas, Texas, and commit mass murder on June 17. Clyde failed to kill any civilians or law enforcement officers, despite carrying 150 rounds of ammo with him. He was shot dead on site, aged 22. The former US Army infantryman appears to have self-radicalised online, posting far-Right memes from an incel subculture, including ideas sympathetic to the US Confederacy and to Nazism. Some posts were called 'transphobic' and 'anti-feminist'. Clyde's half-brother had contacted the FBI three years before the shooting, alleging that the incel was suicidal and gun-obsessed. His family believe Clyde's death was an act of 'suicide by cop'. 2018 Tallahassee yoga studio shooting (Scott Paul Beierle) Pictured: Scott Paul Beierle Scott Paul Beierle entered a hot yoga studio in Tallahassee, Florida on November 2 and killed two women before committing suicide. According to his social media accounts, he was a military veteran and ex-teacher affiliated with a number of Right-wing groups. YouTube videos uploaded by Beierle in 2014 showed he identified with the incel movement, and complained of his sexual rejection by women. He also sympathised with Elliot Rodger, the 2014 Isla Vista shooter. His other videos involved him ranting about African-Americans, illegal immigration, and interracial relationships. The FBI and the Tallahassee Police Department reported about Beierle's hatred of women and that he was 'disturbed'. 2015 Umpqua Community College shooting (Chris Harper-Mercer) Pictured: Chris Harper-Mercer Chris Harper-Mercer killed an assistant professor and eight students at the Umpqua Community College campus on October 1. After being wounded during a shootout with police detectives, he committed suicide. Harper-Mercer had joined the Army in 2008, but was discharged after five weeks for his failure to meet 'minimum administrative standards' of training. Officials linked to the investigation said he was discharged after the result of a suicide attempt, though Army officials did not comment on the claim. He maintained several Internet accounts; one of his final posts was a documentary on the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre. On the day of the shooting, Harper-Mercer gave a survivor numerous writings which showed he had studied mass shootings, including the 2014 Ista Villa killing. They expressed his sexual frustration as a virgin, animosity towards African-Americans, and a general lack of fulfillment in his isolated life. 2014 Isla Vista murder rampage (Elliot Rodger) Pictured: Elliot Rodger Elliot Rodger killed six people and injured 14 others near the University of California, Santa Barbara campus on May 23, before killing himself. He stabbed three men in his home, before shooting three women outside a sorority house, and one man outside a nearby deli. Rodger then sped through Ista Vill, shooting and killing pedestrians, and hitting others with his vehicle. Police found him with a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Rodger posted a video to YouTube before the attack, in which he explained his desire to punish women for rejecting him, and punish sexually-active men. His family said that Rodger had suffered from schizophrenia and bipolarity, and had started rejecting treatment as he turned 18. In his manifesto, he bemoaned his own mixed-race heritage, African-Americans, and women. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 39 on Sunday, after five people, three with recent travel history to Italy, tested positive for the infection in Kerala The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country rose to 39 on Sunday, after five people, three with recent travel history to Italy, tested positive for the infection in Kerala. In West Bengal, a diabetic man admitted to an isolation ward with symptoms of the virus died on Sunday night. However, officials said that the man, who had recently returned from Saudi Arabia, had most probably died due to diabetes and it was unlikely that his death was linked to the virus. Test results for his blood and swab samples are awaited. Kerala on high alert Three of the five patients in Kerala, a couple and their son, had evaded health screening at the airport on their return about a week ago, while the other two are their relatives. All the five hail from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district, PTI quoted Kerala health minister KK Shailaja as saying. "As of now their condition is stable. But there is need to take extra care", the minister said. Two nonagenerian members of the family will be shifted to the Kottayam Medical College hospital as a precaution, she added. Ranni MLA Raju Abraham said the affected persons had attended a wedding, gone for shopping, went to the office of a police official and it is assumed visited at least 300 friends and relatives near their home. They went to a taluka hospital where they were first examined by medical personnel without using any masks or gloves, Abraham told PTI. Shailaja said the state has been put on high alert in the wake of the new cases, reported more than a fortnight after India's first three coronavirus patients medical students from Wuhan were discharged from hospitals in the state. The minister said all the passengers who travelled with the infected family in the Venice-Doha Qatar airlines QR 126 flight on 29 February and Qatar Airlines flight QR514 from Doha to Kochi that arrived at 8.20 am on 1 March should get in touch with health authorities. The airlines, in a statement, said it was working with Indian health authorities in this regard. The state health department said failure to inform authorities about travel history and symptoms would be considered a crime, while the state police separately said it was "illegal and punishable" if anyone hid such information. "Strict action, including prosecution, will be initiated against them. Directives of various government agencies should be followed in this regard," a police release said Meanwhile, the Kerala government has decided to go ahead with "Attukal Pongala," a large all-women religious congregation to be held on Monday. The government, however, issued fresh guidelines, including asking those coming from abroad, especially from the affected countries, to make the offering in their hotels itself. The minister said persons showing any symptoms of the virus should keep away from the congregation at Attukal temple complex. Medical stalls and ambulances will be stationed near the temple complex and video clippings of the festivities would also be taken, the minister said. Meanwhile, a cruise ship with a Panama flag 'MSC Lirica' was turned back at the New Mangalore Port on Saturday following the Centre's advisory to deny entry to cruise ships till 31 March in the wake of the coronavirus scare. New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT): In view of #CoronaVirus, Central Govt has decided that no cruise ship from any foreign destination will be allowed to call on Indian ports with immediate effect till 31 March. Hence, it'll not allow Cruise vessel MSC LIRICA to enter port tomorrow. ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2020 Health ministry directs hospitals to set up isolation facilities Isolation facilities are being augmented in several hospitals across the country. The Union health ministry has asked the AIIMS administration in Delhi to designate a part of the new emergency wing for setting up of isolation beds for suspected COVID-19 patients. Six other AIIMS institutes have been directed to keep an isolation bed capacity between 12-15 for coronavirus patients, which can be scaled up to 30 if need arises, an official said. Besides, the ministry has asked the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Jhajjar to augment its isolation bed capacity to 125 from the existing 25. Also, the Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry has been asked to keep aside 13 beds for isolating patients. On Sunday evening, the Cabinet secretary held the 16th review meeting where it was decided that in view of rising cases in France, the US, Spain, dedicated aerobridges of flights from these countries should be put in place at airports. Dedicated aerobridges are in place for flights from China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Iran, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Nepal and Indonesia. According to an official statement, discussions on bringing back Indian nationals stranded in Iran were also held during the meeting. Union health minister Harsh Vardhan is continuously monitoring and reviewing the status, actions taken and future preparedness of states, the statement said. States step up screening and surveillance In light of the fresh cases reported in the country, state governments reviewed preparations to fight the disease and stepped up screening measures. The Delhi government has ordered that DTC and cluster buses, metro and hospitals to be disinfected on a regular basis as a precautionary measure, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said 168 isolation beds had been set up at 25 hospitals for coronavirus patients. He appealed to the people in Delhi to inform the government if any person in their neighbourhood had returned from abroad in the last 14 days. The chief minister, who chaired a state task force on Sunday, said the government was fully prepared to deal with the novel coronavirus, adding that people do not need to panic. Amid reports of shortage of masks and other protective gear, he urged people not to stock up on masks and asked them to wash their hands frequently. He also said he will meet Vardhan on Monday to request a ban on travel to countries where a significant number of COVID-19 cases have been reported. In West Bengal's Murshidabad, a diabetic man died in the isolation ward of a hospital, a day after he was admitted there with suspected symptoms of coronavirus following his return from Saudi Arabia. According to doctors, the man, Janarul Haque was admitted to the hospital with fever, cough and cold. Though test results of his blood and swab samples for novel coronavirus were awaited, it can be said that the man died probably of diabetes, Director of Health Services Ajay Chakraborty told PTI. "The man was highly diabetic and was on insulin. He returned home from Saudi Arabia and had no money to take insulin for the last three to four days. He was also suffering from fever, cough and cold. He was admitted to the isolation ward of the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital yesterday and died today," the health services director said. "We are waiting for the results of medical tests. The possibility of his death due to novel coronavirus infection is remote," he said. However, precautions will be taken during the last rites of Haque according to the directives set by the Central and state governments for patients who die of the virus, another senior official said. "Family members will not be allowed to touch the body since the man had been suffering from cough and breathlessness. Those performing his last rites will be given protective gear, masks and gloves. Though test results are yet to be known, we do not want to take any chance," he said. In Tamil Nadu, a 15-year old boy who arrived in Chennai from the US via Doha with his father was sent to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai as he showed some symptoms associated with fever during screening at the airport, officials said. Twenty-seven other people who had come in contact with the 45-year-old coronavirus patient in the state have been kept under home surveillance. The man's family members were also being monitored as per the protocol and "second-level contacts," (people who came in contact with those who were in touch directly with the infected) were being traced, she said. The top official also said that a new testing facility was being set up at Theni. After Sikkim, the Arunachal Pradesh government has also decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners to check the spread of coronavirus. In Rajasthan, Additional Chief Secretary (Medical and Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said that the condition of the coronavirus-affected Italian couple was improving. The Italian man has no fever now and his condition is constantly improving. His blood count has become normal with decreased pneumonia symptoms, requiring much less oxygen (support). His wife, who too was found corona-positive, is much better now," PTI quoted him as saying. Singh said a total of 303 samples have been collected in the state so far. Of them, 300 were negative, two positive (Italian couple) and the report of one sample is awaited. As a measure to handle the situation, 615 teams of the health department has conducted survey of 32,118 houses. He said the information on safety tips against coronavirus afflictions were given to people through 11,152 gram sabhas held across the state on Sunday. The district magistrate of Leh Ladakh ordered that all schools in Leh shall remain close till 31 March as a precautionary measure, reported ANI. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath assured people saying that all adequate measures had been taken and urged them to take precautions, saying "prevention is better than cure". "Our government has set up an isolation ward in every district for suspected patients. There is complete arrangement for their treatment," he added. Meanwhile in Gujarat, the test results of 47 suspected patients came back negative while in Maharashtra, the samples of 258 people admitted in hospitals tested negative. Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said that 15 patients continue to be under observation in Pune and Mumbai. With inputs from agencies The Allahabad High Court has ordered the Uttar Pradesh Police to remove hoardings displaying photographs of those accused of destroying public property during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests held in the state in December last year The Allahabad High Court has ordered the Uttar Pradesh Police to remove hoardings displaying photographs of those accused of destroying public property during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests held in the state in December last year. "In entirety, we have no doubt that the action of the state which is subject matter of this public interest litigation is nothing but an unwarranted interference in privacy of people. The same hence, is in violation of Article 21 of the Constitution of India," the court held. Taking suo motu cognisance of the hoardings on Sunday, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government and termed the act "highly unjust" and an "encroachment on personal liberty". The compliance report has to be submitted to the Allahabad High Court on 16 March, Bar and Bench has reported. The advocate general had argued that the high court bench had no jurisdiction to take up this matter suo motu, given that the posters were displayed in Lucknow. Mathur, however, responded that the high court has jurisdiction over matters concerning the entire state. The advocate-general also argued on Sunday that the hoardings were put to deter other people from doing similar acts and to maintain strict law and order. He further argued that the petition is meant for law-followers and not lawbreakers. Hearing the matter in a special sitting, the bench on Sunday had also asked Lucknow commissioner of police Sujit Pandey and district magistrate Abhishek Prakash to explain the law under which the hoardings were put up. On Thursday, the Lucknow district administration had installed hoardings with photos and addresses of 53 anti-CAA protesters at prominent crossings across the city. According to News18, among those whose pictures have been put up on the posters are Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas, retired IPS officer SR Darapuri and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar. The court on Sunday said that the government's action of putting up posters of anti-CAA protesters was 'highly unjust' and that it was an 'absolute encroachment' on the personal liberty of the persons concerned, according to LiveLaw. The court has reserved its judgment for 2 pm on 9 March (Monday). 'Posters put up on CM's directive,' says govt spokesperson Some activists who figure in the posters had earlier said they will go to court over the "public humiliation" when the charges against them are yet to be proved. Opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, lashed out at the BJP government for branding the protesters guilty. A government spokesman said the posters have been up on the chief minister's directive at important intersections, including the main crossing in the busy Hazratganj area and in front of the Assembly building. He said the people on the posters are those who had damaged public property under the pretext of protests, and notices have already been issued seeking compensation from them. The posters say that property of the accused will be confiscated if they fail to pay the compensation. Sadaf Jafar, who is among those whose photos appear on the posters, termed the move unethical and vowed to take legal recourse. "How can we be publicly humiliated for something that has not yet been proved in court, she said. SR Darapuri claimed that the move is illegal. "Our life, property and freedom have been put in jeopardy by putting up these posters and our reputation has been damaged," he said. Darapuri added that he is writing to the state home secretary, director general of police and police commissioner, telling them that if they faced any trouble because of the posters, it would the administration's responsibility. With inputs from agencies Sometime between hand sanitizer and toilet paper, you will need food and water. That much we know in this unknown time of the new coronavirus. But how do you prep your pantry for a possible pandemic? We talked to a Chicago-area expert about how to stock up without going broke. Vineet Upadhyay By Express News Service DEHRADUN: In a move against alcohol sale and consumption, women from a village in Tharali block of Chamoli district and Didihat division in Pithoragarh district have decided to ban liquor in their villages citing alarming increase in consumption among youth derailing their lives. Suman Devi, president of Mahila Mangal Dal of Hunera village in Pithoragarh district said, "We have decided to impose Rs 1000 fine on anyone who consumes or serves alcohol and related substances during community celebrations in the village or consumes it individually too. Alcohol is an evil which destroys families and it should be eradicated from society completely." Devi said that the women have decided to make their village free of this 'evil' as they have realized the threat it imposes on future of tehri children along with economic, physical, mental and physiological health of the family. The decision was taken in a meeting in which all members of gram panchayat, Yuvak Mangal Dal and residents of the village were present. Similarly, women from Chepado village in Chamoli district have passed a resolution adding that if anyone serves alcohol of any form in the village in weddings or any other functions, they will face social boycott and a fine of Rs 5,000 will be imposed on them. The move is said to have come after women attended a de-addiction camp set up in their village last month which taught them ill effects of alcohol and the damages it inflicts in every sphere of life if abused incessantly. Afterwards, the women formed a group named 'Mahila Mangal Dal Chepado' and passed the resolution of complete prohibition of alcoholic substances in the village. The proposal mentions that if someone serves liquor then they will have to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 and if someone if found to be drinking liquor in the premises of the village then they too will be penalized for Rs 500. The women also criticized state government's decision to slash prices of alcohol in the recently concluded budget session in Gairsain. Asha Devi, a resident of Chepado village said, "The government should not encourage the consumption of alcohol but discourage it. On one hand, the state government encourages alcohol and on the other hand we call Mahatma Gandhi our father of the nation who termed it as a social evil." Prohibition on alcohol has been a long time demand of women in Uttarakhand with anti-liquor protests often. In February 1984 the inhabitants of village Basbhira in Chaukhutiya block, Almora district found a man with illicit liquor in his possession. They complained to the local officer, Kameshwar Prasady but he did not take any action. Then they caught the officer himself smuggling liquor and gheraoed him. In 2017, activists from different parts of the state held a padayatra (foot march) from Nainital to Gairsain to press for separate department for promotion of anti-liquor activities. In the year 2014, women in Dehradun protested against opening of an alcohol shop at Kanwali road. In the year 2015, women in Someshwar protested against opening of a beer bar in the area and ran a signature campaign too. Women in Gopeshwar area used to rub a stingy grass to people who lined up to buy alcohol to prevent them from alcohol abuse. A man has been booked in Arunachal Pradeshs East Siang district for allegedly posting misleading information on social media regarding novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the police said on Sunday. An First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against Subu Kena Tsering based on a complaint filed by the district medical officer Kaling Dai at Pasighat police station on Friday, the police added. Tsering allegedly posted in a Facebook group that coronavirus infection has reached Pasighat and two patients have been referred to Dibrugarh in upper Assam, officials were quoted as saying by news agency PTI. He is yet to be arrested, they said. The Arunachal Pradesh government has also decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners to check the spread of coronavirus infection, officials familiar with the developments said. Foreigners require PAPs to enter the sparsely populated state that shares a border with China. In an order issued on Friday, chief secretary Naresh Kumar directed all PAP issuing authorities to suspend the issue of the permit immediately till further orders. The spread of coronavirus in India is primarily from visitors who had a history of travelling abroad or through tourist who had visited India ... In order to prevent the spread of Corona Virus (COVID-19) in Arunachal Pradesh, it has been decided to temporarily suspend issuing of PAP to visit Arunachal Pradesh, the order stated. While there has been no positive case detected in the north-easts largest state yet, the ban has been issued as a precautionary measure. Earlier, the Sikkim government announced similar curbs by denying inner line permits (ILPs) to foreigners. On Friday, one United States (US) national, who had travelled to Assam, tested positive for COVID-19 after he reached Bhutan. This led the Assam government to issue a directive to all the district administration authorities to take preventive measures advised by the Centre. The virus, which first emerged in China last December, has spread to 97 countries and has infected 107,485 people, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker. So far, the virus has claimed 3,648 lives across the world. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Utpal Parashar Utpal is an assistant editor based in Guwahati. He covers all eight states of North-East and was previously based in Kathmandu, Dehradun and Delhi with Hindustan Times . ...view detail Coronavirus in India: After 3 new cases were found in the Kerala today, the total number persons affected by Coronavirus in India has grow to 39. Doctors said coronavirus can be cured by taking precautionary health measures. Coronavirus 5 new cases, all members of a same family, were confirmed on Sunday in Kerala that climbed the total to 39 in India. Kerala health minister said 3 persons who returned from Italy hided their travel history from the authorities and were not screened at the airport. Later, their 2 more family members got infected. So far, over 1 lakh cases have been detected globally and claimed 3515 lives. Earlier today, the Arunachal Pradesh government restricted infected foreigners entry to the state as precautionary measure. A day ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review meeting on preprations and plans to curb virus with top health officials. PM directed officials to identify locations for sufficient quarantine facilities to keep critical patients in isolation. PM also advised people to avoid handshakes and greet by joining hands (namaste). He said there no need to panic and corona can be cured by hygiene. Also read: Coronavirus in India: How to make hand sanitizers at home? Also read: Coronavirus in India: KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan says players, spectators health first On Saturday, the Ministry of Health had also confirmed 3 cases of coronavirus, 2 in Ladakh and 1 in Tamil Nadu, having travel history from Iran and Oman. Doctors said the novel coronavirus spreads through physical contact or respiratory droplets while coughing or sneezing. Frequent washing of hands, use of sanitisers, keeping handkerchiefs. It is like a normal virus but very difficult control. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Weve been hearing impeach Trump for almost four years, and its time to wrap it up. But that may be wishful thinking, because Democrats have weaponized impeachment and seem ready to try again. Well have to just wait and see. While moving toward conclusion, I have some oose ends Id like to deal with. First, consider a confusing comment from Alan Dershowitz when answering Senate questions. It dealt with Trumps attempt to investigate the Biden/Barisma situation. Democrats claim Dershowitz gave the president permission to do anything he wanted as long as there was an element of public interest. That, of course, is absurd and wasnt the point being made. Dershowitz stated, in somewhat tortured fashion, that doing something that serves a public interest isnt automatically off limits just because it also serves a presidents personal interest. And he emphasized that a president isnt allowed to be criminally corrupt just because it also serves the public interest. Upon examination his message makes sense. The Senate received testimony of more than a dozen House investigation witnesses. Nevertheless, Democrats falsely challenged the validity of a Senate trial without witnesses. And heres some hidden hypocrisy. During the 1999 Clinton impeachment hearings, Joe Biden wrote a private memo to the Democratic caucus, stating: The Senate may dismiss articles of impeachment without holding a full trial or taking any evidence. ... the Constitution does not impose on the Senate the duty to hold a trial ... even if the House wishes to present evidence and hold a full trial. Thats politics. Its all about whose ox is being gored. And recall the 2012 Fast and Furious gun walking scandal during Obamas administration. Attorney General Eric Holder wouldnt provide requested documents, and Obama asserted executive privilege. Republicans challenged it in court. In a hearing leading to Holder being declared criminally and civilly in contempt of Congress, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., joined a walk-out to protest the vote. Once again, its about whose ox is being gored. Democrats often quote the Federalist Papers with hopes of propping up their puzzling decisions in the House impeachment investigation and the prosecution before the Senate. We can all agree an impeachment process is an important defense against presidential high crimes and misdemeanors, and Hamiltons Federalist 65 offers valuable attributes of the process. However, those same Democrats forget to advertise the caveats presented by Hamilton and others. They pointed out that maladministration, or performing poorly, wasnt proper justification for impeachment. And in Federalist 65, Hamilton warns us of an impeachment result that is more dependent on the comparative strength of parties, than by the real demonstrations of innocence or guilt. Federalist 65 concludes by warning us about seeking perfection in our leaders. Doing so would soon become a general scene of anarchy. ... Where is the standard of perfection to be found? For me, that rings true. Democratic legislators seem to have sought something like a parliamentary vote of no confidence as a standard for removal. The Framers clearly steered clear of that. Finally, theres only one way to explain the puzzling strategy used by House Democrats, such as their feverish rush to vote on impeachment rather than satisfying their appetite for more witnesses by using the court system. Realizing they wouldnt remove Trump in the Senate, they were merely getting a head-start on the 2020 presidential campaign. Impeachment wouldnt have occurred if Trump had conducted himself with more discretion. His style is often outrageous. His comments represent a stream of unfiltered consciousness, sometimes neglecting precision. Nevertheless, Ive concluded many of Trumps sins are traits common among politicians, but hes the rare example whos public about it. For that hes paid a steep price. I wonder why the Constitution didnt provide guidance on how to impeach? I believe the Founders avoided those details in favor of vagueness. They were uncertain about future cultural and political realities, and left it for future generations to finish the job by filling in procedural blanks. We now have enough experience for Congress to clarify the impeachment process by defining goals, terms, rules, and standards for things like due process, evidence, and standards of proof. Well be facing these issues again, so next time lets be better prepared. Steve Bakke is a Courier subscriber living in Fort Myers, Fla. He is a retired CPA and commercial finance executive. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 HOPKINS, S.C. Whether a simple question from an elderly church parishioner persuaded Representative James Clyburn to make his seismic endorsement of Joe Biden before the South Carolina primary will probably be known only by Mr. Clyburn himself. But if the endorsement and the ballots of black voters in South Carolina and across the South transformed the presidential race, it would be hard to find a more appropriate co-star in the drama than Jannie Jones, a 76-year-old church usher whose great-grandmother came to South Carolina aboard a slave ship. A week after the South Carolina vote, she was still elated by her Feb. 21 encounter with Mr. Clyburn, whom she had never met before, and was astonished to have played a role in what might have been the most important moment in the Democratic race. Im still sitting here and having a hard time believing it, Ms. Jones recalled in the living room of her tidy home a couple of miles from the church. She added, Joe was nearly dead, and now hes come back to life. A hatchet-wielding man robbed Voodoo Doughnut early Saturday, and police said they found a suspect nearby carrying a pink box and eating a doughnut. Officers were called at 3:42 a.m. to a report of a disturbance with an ax at a doughnut shop in the zero block of Southwest Third Avenue. Portland police refused to identify the business, but Voodoo confirmed the incident occurred at its Old Town Chinatown location, which is open 24 hours on the weekend. In a written statement, Voodoo said no one was injured in the incident and that video footage has been turned over the police. Police spokesman Sgt. Kevin Allen said officers were told the man had jumped over the counter of the business and began filling a box with doughnuts. Nothing else was taken, Allen said. By the time officers arrived, the man had left the location on foot, police said. Officers found a man about a block away eating a doughnut and holding a pink box. The man ran, police said, but was apprehended about two blocks away. A hatchet was left behind at the business, police said. Christopher James, 40, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree robbery, police said. He is booked at the Multnomah County Detention Center. -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. In this March 4 photo, a sign on the door of the Daegu Small Enterprise and Market Service says it cannot process any new coronavirus-related hardship loan applications for the day as the daily limit of 200 had already been lodged. Yonhap Cash-strapped small biz irked by lack of manpower By Lee Kyung-min Many small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) hit hard by the rapid spread of the new coronavirus continue to experience difficulty in taking out loans, due mostly to a lack of manpower to process their requests coupled with overall administrative inefficiency. Experts said Sunday that the supposed fiscal stimulus, utterly lacking in follow-up execution measures, is leading to a faster deterioration of the livelihoods of the most vulnerable in the economy. They added that the focus should have been on how best to help the most in need in an effective and efficient manner rather than obsessing over how much money should be allocated. According to Small Enterprise and Market Service (SEMS), a quasi-government organization supervised by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, it takes up to three months for a borrower to go through the loan process from start to finish. This is about six times the normal time it takes to process out one of the most common credit guarantee-mediated loans; usually about one week or up to two weeks in some cases. Owners of SMEs are seeking a particular type of loan for which banks must have a guarantee from regional branches of the Korea Federation of Credit Guarantee Foundations. The foundation approves eligibility requirements after SEMS-submitted papers substantiate the extent and degree of how earnings of the businesses have dropped under certain "adverse" circumstances. The Allahabad High Court on Sunday termed as "highly unjust" the putting up of roadside banners with photographs and information of people asked to pay compensation for damage to property during anti-CAA protests, and hoped that they will be removed, but the Uttar Pradesh government asserted that it was a "deterrent" action and the court should not interfere in such a matter. The court, which had on March 7 taken suo motu cognizance of the issue and asked the district magistrate and divisional commissioner of Lucknow to inform it about the law under which such posters/hoardings were put on the streets of the state capital, on Sunday reserved its order till March 9. Taking up the matter on Sunday, a bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha, termed the action of Uttar Pradesh authorities as "highly unjust" and said it was an absolute encroachment on personal liberty of individuals. It later adjourned the matter till 3 pm as Additional Advocate General Neeraj Tripathi informed the court that Advocate General would represent the state government in this matter. As the bench rose, it expressed the hope that "good sense would prevail" on the State and it would remove the hoardings before 3 pm and apprise the court about this at that time. When the hearing resumed, Advocate General Raghvendra Pratap Singh contended that the court should not interfere in such matter as a public interest litigation as those involved have damaged public and private property. The Advocate General termed the act of the state government in putting up the posters of alleged CAA protestors as a 'deterrent', so that such incidents of violence are not repeated in future. The court then reserved its order till 2 pm on March 9, 2020. The state police have put up several hoardings across Lucknow identifying those accused of violence during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 in December last year. The names, photographs and residential addresses of the accused are listed in the hoardings and they have been asked to pay for the damage to public and private property within a stipulated time or have their properties seized by the district administration. Many of these people said they fear for their safety. Activist-politician Sadaf Jafar had termed the move as unethical and vowed to take legal recourse. "How can we be publicly humiliated for something that has not yet been proved in court, she said. This is not Afghanistan. Legal issues cannot be brought into public like this. Our bail order says there is no adequate evidence against us, Jafar told PTI. She was arrested after the violence in Lucknow and later granted bail. "We are not absconding, she said, adding that they have appeared before the court and police whenever asked. Former IPS officer, S R Darapuri claimed that the move is illegal. "Our life, property and freedom have been put in jeopardy by putting up these posters and our reputation has been damaged," he had said. Darapuri had said that he was writing to the state home secretary, director general of police and police commissioner, telling them that if they faced any trouble because of the posters, it would the administration's responsibility. "We will challenge it in court collectively and demand the immediate withdrawal of the posters as well as action against the officials responsible for it," he had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A US cruise ship stranded by a coronavirus outbreak off the coast of San Francisco will dock in Oakland, the vessel's owner said Saturday. The Grand Princess cruise ship has recorded 21 COVID-19 infections on board -- 19 crew and two American passengers -- out of 45 people tested. The vessel will begin disembarking guests in need of "acute medical treatment and hospitalization" from Monday, the Princess Cruises tour company said. Instructions from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had delayed earlier plans for the ship's arrival on Sunday, the company added. "Guests who are California residents will go to a federally operated facility within California for testing and isolation, while non-Californians will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states," Princess Cruises said. The ship's crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship, the company added. "It will take several days to disembark," Carolyn Wright, an American passenger on the ship told AFP, citing a message from the captain. "I'm really happy there's finally a plan, I just wish we knew more as to what's going to happen to us." California governor Gavin Newsom had given the vessel permission to dock, the San Jose-based Mercury reported earlier, citing comments by Oakland councilman Larry Reid. The US government was setting up a command center at the Marriott Convention Center and deploying US Marshals to help with the operation, Reid said, according to the newspaper. Vice President Mike Pence, who is in charge of the US government's response to the COVID-19 outbreak, said earlier that all 3,533 passengers and crew would be tested for the virus and quarantined if necessary. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has instructed that health check up programmes be undertaken for women police personnel in coordination with the Federation of Gynecologist Society of India. An official statement said a check-up programme was held in a hospital in Charni Road here to mark International Women's Day on Sunday, and was attended by the CM's principal secretary Vikas Kharage and others. Around 25,000 police personnel attended the check up camps held across Maharashtra on Sunday, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) She also looks effortlessly chic. And Sabrina Elba wowed in an elegant pink frock at the International Women's Day's Caring Foundation fundraiser held at London's Anabel's on Sunday. The 29-year-old model, who is married to Hollywood actor Idris, merged femininity with poise in the floor length pastel gown which boasted a peaked collar, pleated skirt and puffed sleeves which tapered to stylish barrel cuffs. Elegant: Idris Elba's wife Sabrina, 29, wowed in an elegant pink frock at the International Womens' Day's Caring Foundation fundraiser held at London's Anabel's on Sunday The former beauty queen showed off her slender waist with a narrow rose coloured belt and donned open toed sandals in a matching pink shade. Model Sabrina styled her ebony locks in a chic French twist while her bangs framed her stunning face in gentle waves. Sabrina kept it classic with minimal makeup while a simple pair of gold hoops were her only jewellery aside from her dazzling gold wedding ring from husband Idris. Mrs Elba- nee Dhowre- rubbed shoulders with the likes of megastar Salma Hayek and acting royalty Vanessa Redgrave at the charity event at the exclusive Mayfair club. Stunning: The former beauty queen showed off her slender waist with a narrow rose coloured belt and donned open toed sandals in a matching pink shade American-born Sabrina has her roots in Somalia and the influencer gave a rousing speech about the challenges faced by women in developing countries during the event. Sabrina wed Luther star Idris, 46, in an opulent Moroccan ceremony in April 2019 after the pair met at a jazz bar in Vancouver, two years earlier. Idris was in the Canadian city filming The Mountain Between Us, when he locked eyes with Sabrina, in classic tale of love at first sight. Passionate: American-born Sabrina has her roots in Somalia and the influencer gave a rousing speech about the challenges faced by women in developing countries during the event Sisterhood: Rita Ora and Salma Hayek also attended the International Women's Day Caring Foundation fundraiser on Sunday afternoon Molly's Game star Idris proposed to his paramour five days before Valentines Day 2018, getting down on one knee at East London's iconic Rio Theatre. Since their nuptials last year, the pair have been in full honeymoon period mode and will be spending even more time together since launching their own lifestyle brand Sable Labs. The Elbas debuted their brand in February 2020, kicking off with a podcast aptly named Coupledom, where the duo explained the ethos behind Sable Labs. Podcast pals: The Idrises debuted their brand in February 2020, kicking off with a podcast aptly named Coupledom, where the duo explained the ethos behind Sable Labs The couple aim to make Sable Labs a 'global community that celebrates partnerships of all kinds - romantic couples, business partners, creative duos, long standing friends, family ties and much more.' Speaking in a video shared to the brand's new website, Idris said: 'We've started something called Sable Labs - that's Elba's backwards! 'We believe if we can create a Coupledom community, we can share our experiences and help each other communicate better, and achieve more.' Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 06:49:54|Editor: yan Video Player Close NEW YORK, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired at least one unidentified projectile, Yonhap news agency reported Sunday. People reluctant to report their symptoms or travel history, those refusing to give their samples, or those running away from isolation facilities are adding to the woes of the health care workers scrambling to contain the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country. So far, 39 people have tested positive for the disease in India. Of them, three Kerala patients who were the first to be diagnosed in late January and early February, have fully recovered. Another five people from the state tested positive for the viral infection on Sunday. Three of the them a couple and their 24-year-old son reportedly did not inform health authorities about having returned from Italy, where the disease has infected 5,883 and killed 233, and then suppressed the early symptoms. The other two infected are older members of the same family. The health authorities came to know of the cases when these two, who had no recent international travel history of their own, sought treatment at private and district hospitals, according to Keralas health minister KK Shailaja. They (the three who had travelled to Italy) acted in a highly irresponsible manner. They have done injustice to the state and those who toil day in and out to contain the virus. People who behave like this will be dealt with sternly, she said. This may be the only instance so far of reluctance unwittingly causing greater damage, but it isnt the first of people with symptoms trying to stay away from hospitals and isolation facilities. An Irish national who arrived at Bhubaneswar with flu-like symptoms was asked to remain in the isolation ward of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, along with another person. Both, however, escaped on Thursday night, forcing authorities to file a police complaint. In Jammu, two people with travel history to Italy and South Korea (which has reported the highest number of cases outside China) showed flu-like symptoms, and were admitted to Government Medical College in Jammu. Authorities were able to bring them back on Thursday, confirmed the state Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme cell. The only way to curtail the spread of the disease is to isolate people who are suspected to have the virus. There are only three reasons why they would want to flee they might be thinking of their work or family, they are not satisfied with the isolation facility, or they do not think they have the disease. The thing is, many people with Covid-19 might experience mild symptoms, but they can pass it on to others. There is no way of knowing whether the others who get it from them will develop severe symptoms, said Dr Neeraj Gupta, a pulmonologist at Safdarjung hospital, where 24 people are under isolation. Punjab has also reported several cases of people fleeing from hospitals. A Moga-resident with Covid-19-like symptoms and a travel history to Dubai was asked to get admitted early on March 4 to the isolation ward of Moga Civil Hospital last week. He quietly left the hospital without even giving samples for testing. By the evening, the health workers were able to contact him, and convince him to remain in isolation at the hospital. He tested negative for Covid-19 later. Another 38-year-old Kotkapura resident, who returned from Canada after a nine-hour layover in Shanghai on January 27, refused to give samples and fled from Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital in Faridkot on February 3. The district administration issued an arrest order, but the patient later agreed to remain in the isolation ward. He, too, tested negative for the disease. I would request everyone in the country to follow all the protocol and advise given by the health workers. This will not only allow them to receive proper treatment but also prevent the disease from spreading. This is their responsibility to their fellow countrymen, said Union health secretary Preeti Sudan. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON WASHINGTON - When he became President Donald Trump's point man for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad was an anomaly. A Republican with decades of diplomatic experience, he hadn't disqualified himself by speaking out about the president. A polyglot Afghan native, he was a skilled bureaucratic operator with clout in the halls of Washington and the craggy peaks of the Hindu Kush. Those qualities appear to have played a meaningful role in clinching last month's landmark deal with the Taliban, a milestone after two decades of war. But it's uncertain whether they will prove decisive in the next, more difficult phase of negotiations, which will include a fractious group of Afghans and entail an unpredictable, potentially destabilizing role for Trump. Khalilzad is expected to be closely involved when representatives from the Taliban, the Afghan government and Afghan society sit down as early as this week to begin mapping out a future governing structure and finding consensus on divisive issues such as the role of Islam and women's rights. There are signs of trouble. Afghan and Taliban leaders are disputing the terms of Khalilzad's initial deal, and the militants have launched deadly attacks. The format, objectives and even precise location of the next negotiations remain a mystery. "This is his biggest challenge," said Carter Malkasian, a former Pentagon official who took part in some of the talks Khalilzad conducted with militant leaders over the past two years. "This negotiation is much more difficult than what we've done up to now, including in political terms for the United States." Looming over the negotiations is officials' hazy understanding of what Trump wants and will tolerate. While the president has consistently voiced his desire to get troops out of the country, it is less clear how he will define American interests in what will probably be a protracted effort to shape Afghanistan's future. "Countries have to take care of themselves," Trump said this week as officials scrambled to keep the negotiating process on track, referring to the 18-year American effort that has cost more than $900 billion and more than 2,000 American lives. "You can only hold someone's hand for so long." Khalilzad's unlikely path to becoming a high-wattage American diplomat began in the city of Mazar-e Sharif, which, like most of Afghanistan in the early 1950s, was an undeveloped place. In Mazar-e Sharif, children went to school on horseback. There was no radio station or sewage system, and health services were poor. His father, a civil servant, married Khalilzad's mother when she was between age 9 and 12, Khalilzad wrote in his autobiography. She gave birth 13 times; six of those children died. As a teenager, Khalilzad, along with current Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, secured what would become a life-changing opportunity when he was selected to spend a year in the United States as an exchange student. He saw his first television set and rode in an elevator for the first time. Khalilzad rose quickly through the Republican foreign policy world, joining the State Department in the 1980s after completing a PhD at the University of Chicago. By the time George W. Bush's administration launched a military campaign against the Taliban in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Khalilzad was already an important voice on Afghanistan policy. In December of that year, Khalilzad served as a top aide at the Bonn conference, designed to give shape to Afghanistan's post-Taliban state. Khalilzad had relationships with the main Afghan players and, like no other U.S. diplomat, could call up warlords on their satellite phones to cajole or coerce them. As U.S. ambassador in Kabul from 2003-2005 and Baghdad from 2005-2007, he helped oversee America's attempts to stabilize nations upended by war. But Afghanistan's conflict continued, year after year. By the time Khalilzad joined the Trump administration in the fall of 2018, Trump had grudgingly approved sending more troops to Afghanistan. Military leaders, long suspicious of cutting a deal with their enemy, had slowly warmed to negotiations as they concluded that nothing - not troops surges or a succession of commanders and strategies - would bring a Taliban defeat. From the start, Khalilzad's approach reflected his brand of vigorous, sometimes improvisational diplomacy. In Kabul, he took walks with Ghani, seeking to mollify the Afghan leader's fears that Washington would leave his government in the lurch. In the Qatari capital, where militant negotiators were based, he would often pull Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a senior Taliban official, aside for one-on-one conversations. Sitting down for lunch shared by American officials and the Taliban, the Afghans would switch to speaking Pashto, and the room would erupt in laughter, according to former officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive negotiations. While officials saw the power of Khalilzad's background and relationships, some accused him of glossing over or liberally wheeling and dealing with U.S. interests in his haste to clinch a deal. To some in Washington, those criticisms were compounded by Khalilzad's ties to shadowy figures or rumors that he considered running for Afghan president a decade ago, making him what one person with knowledge of the talks described as a "charming scoundrel. " Secretary of State Mike Pompeo proved critical in providing political cover for Khalilzad in Washington as he explored new ways to forge a deal with the Taliban. Pompeo had urged Trump to send more troops to Afghanistan early in the administration but came to accept the need to reduce the U.S. role in the conflict. Pompeo began using his formidable influence - and the perception that it curried the wishes of the president - to allow his envoy to stake out previously taboo positions. Officials close to Pompeo say he knew Trump viewed withdrawal as a priority. While the idea of a military departure contradicted the secretary's hawkish instincts, he began viewing the arguments against leaving as outdated "establishment thinking." Pompeo approached the talks asking, "If you're opposed to withdrawal, what's your alternative? Keep American troops there another 10 years? Another 20?" a senior administration official said. "He sees some critics as lacking any workable plan." In one important shift, Khalilzad was permitted to jettison an Obama administration-era requirement that the Afghan government take part in talks from the beginning, a position that had stymied progress for years. Crucially, Khalilzad was able to offer, for the first time, a full withdrawal of American troops, a move that reflected not only Trump's core desires but also the possibility that the president might lose patience and abruptly order a pullout, as he had in Syria. "Zal's willingness to rip up the failed negotiating playbook of the past and try new approaches" was significant in getting to this point, one U.S. official said, using the name Khalilzad commonly goes by. Some officials, especially at the Pentagon, believed Khalilzad was making dangerous concessions, especially in regards to counterterrorism. They doubted his gamble that the Taliban would follow through on a vow to break with al-Qaida and keep the Islamic State's Afghan branch in check. "His answer to CT was the Taliban dealing with it, which was magical thinking," one former official involved in the negotiations said, using an acronym for counterterrorism programs. Despite those concerns, Pentagon leaders fell in behind the deal after the resignation in late 2018 of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who was one of the few senior officials who seemed as if they might take a forceful stance against aspects of the deal. Khalilzad became, as one former senior military leader described him, "the only horse on the track." "It might look at times like he's giving away too much," said Malkasian, the former Pentagon official. "But people should not distrust his ultimate goal." Current and former officials remain divided on the merits of the deal, but many of them credited Khalilzad for having navigated an administration devoid of regular interagency coordination and overshadowed by the uncertainty created by the president's often contradictory positions. Khalilzad succeeded in getting latitude and support "from an otherwise fairly divided, not particularly well-organized administration," said James Dobbins, a veteran former diplomat who was Khalilzad's chief at the Bonn conference in 2001. "He showed remarkable perseverance." Facing opposition to a full withdrawal from then-national security adviser John Bolton, Pompeo held small meetings that included CIA Director Gina Haspel and Patrick Shanahan, the acting defense secretary at the time, as Khalilzad sought to push forward. The effort nearly came off the rails several times, including in January 2019 before the State of the Union address, which U.S. negotiators feared Trump might use to announce a troop withdrawal. Pakistan had suggested that Khalilzad meet with a different set of Taliban representatives, but after several days of U.S. officials waiting in Islamabad, Pakistani officials said they couldn't produce the group. So Khalilzad flew to Doha, Qatar, where he pushed ahead on staking out a possible deal with the Taliban's primary negotiating team. That allowed Pompeo to relay to Trump that they were making real progress, which the president cited in his address. How those dynamics will affect Khalilzad's prospects for helping reach a durable Afghan settlement is less clear. Already there are suggestions that Khalilzad's ability to finesse differences among Afghans is limited. A day after officials heralded the U.S.-Taliban deal in Doha and Kabul, Ghani publicly rejected one of its central points, a commitment that the Afghan government would release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners before the start of the Afghan-to-Afghan talks. Compounding the challenge ahead may be political pressure to execute the U.S. troop withdrawal on an agreed 14-month timeline, despite provisions allowing Washington to halt or reverse that if the Taliban doesn't uphold its side of the deal. That may be especially true as Trump heads into a reelection battle, again making the president's wishes an unpredictable element of Khalilzad's diplomatic test. "Before, the main thing Zal needed to do was to convince Trump to make concessions, then go into the room and play the string out as a negotiator," said Jarrett Blanc, who took part in discussions with the Taliban during the Obama administration. "Now, it's more complicated." Even Khalilzad's supporters acknowledge the meager odds of achieving a lasting peace for a nation locked in a seemingly endless conflict. "The Afghans might not be prepared to set aside their differences and make peace," the U.S. official said. "But fighting for another 18 years isn't a winning strategy either." Mark Bulgutch collected stories of physicians around the country for his book Thats Why Im a Doctor: Physicians Recount Their Most Memorable Moments. This excerpt is from Donna May Kimmaliardjuk. Kimmaliardjuk, Canadas first Inuk heart surgeon, is now chief resident at the Ottawa Heart Institute. She started life in a small community in Nunavut. It was a Sunday afternoon in July. I had been a fourth-year resident in heart surgery for just a couple of weeks. I was done seeing patients for the day but I was on call, which meant I was in the hospital to look after the 40 to 50 patients recovering from cardiac surgery, just in case any trouble popped up. I was sitting at my desk on the second floor of the hospital doing some paperwork when I heard an urgent call over the intercom. Code Red H3. Code Red H3. That indicated fire on the third floor. That sounds scary, but I didnt think much about it. It usually meant someone had left their lunch in the microwave too long or someone had been smoking too close to a smoke detector. But it was a little weird because when theres a Code Red lights are supposed to start flashing, and that wasnt happening. I thought, This doesnt make any sense. I sat there and wondered, Should I go up? Its only one floor above me. I found out later that a relatively new operator got her codes mixed up. Suddenly there was a new call. Code Blue H3. Code Blue means a patients heart has stopped and hes not breathing. It came over the intercom just once. That was even weirder, because any Code Blue gets called out four times. Its supposed to be very loud and my pager should have gone off too, but it didnt. I thought, What the heck is going on? I decided I had better go up to see for myself. When I arrived at the nursing station on the third floor there was no one there. It was quiet again a weird circumstance. Then I saw a nurse running out of a patients room. She saw me and said, Theyre doing CPR on a surgery patient. He has no pulse. I ran into the room and knew immediately that the patient was a man in his mid-seventies whod had open-heart bypass surgery four days earlier. In fact, I had seen him that morning because I was somewhat worried about him. I had been called to see him on Friday night about his breathing. When I came back on Sunday morning I purposely went in to see how he was doing. At that time, he looked well. I told him, Youre on the right track. Im really happy with your progress. Now, just a few hours later, he was dying. An anesthesiologist was trying to give him oxygen to get him breathing. A staff cardiologist and a cardiology fellow were doing CPR. An anesthesia fellow was trying to get an IV into him to give him drugs that might get the heart going again. And, of course, there were nurses everywhere. A Code Blue always produces a big scene with everybody working under tremendous stress. Now I arrived. I was the most junior person in the room, but because the patient had had heart surgery, he was my responsibility. I thought, Oh God. But everyone was very supportive, and they let me lead. In fact, no one else knew as much about heart surgery as I did. The cardiologist doesnt do surgery. The anesthesiologist doesnt do it either. I got in touch with the staff surgeon, who was not in the hospital. He said, Donna, whats going on? I gave him the story. By now the doctors had been doing CPR for about 10 minutes. I said wed keep going and he said, OK, call me back in five minutes with an update. Another five minutes went by and there was still no heartbeat or blood pressure. I had just read guidelines a few weeks before about what to do when a patient is recovering from open-heart surgery and his heart stops. The guidelines said you should open him up. You need to physically see inside and figure out whats not working. Is there bleeding? Is the pacemaker malfunctioning? Is it something else? I had never done that before opened up a patient by myself, let alone in a patients room rather than an operating room. Its an uncontrolled environment. Its not sterile. I didnt have a surgeon or assistant to help me. It was just me. But I knew this was what I had to do. We got the staff surgeon back on the phone and I told him, Its been 15 minutes. Theres no heart rate. Im opening him in his room. You need to come in and well take him to the OR. But Im opening him up here. He said, OK, Donna. When I told everyone what we were going to do, they were amazing. No one questioned my decision. I quickly got into a sterile gown and gloves. A nurse grabbed some alcohol solution and poured it over the patients chest to disinfect it. The doctors continued with the CPR until I was ready. We had a very basic tray of instruments. The scalpel was in my hand. The moment I started to cut was like a movie. Even though I know there was a lot of commotion, it seemed that everything went quiet and changed into slow motion. I cut through the skin. There was still no heartbeat or blood pressure. I had doctors on each side of the patient feeling for a pulse in the patients groins, but they didnt feel anything yet. At the end of any open-heart surgery the patients chest is closed with stainless steel wires that go through and around the breastbone. Im not a very big person and not particularly strong and the wires can be really tough to put in and take out. But I knew I now had to cut through them. I took the wire cutter and started to cut the wires to open the breastbone. As I cut the second wire, the chest moved. One of the doctors said, I have a pulse. Even now as I remember it, I can feel my heart rate rising and Im getting goosebumps. I exhaled and said, OK. I cut the rest of the wires and was able to pull them out. I still needed a clear view to figure out what had caused the heart to stop. Was there something I could fix? When I was opening him up, Id anticipated finding blood in his chest. Bleeding is one of the most common causes for the heart to stop. All the blood accumulates in the chest until the pressure becomes so great that it compresses the heart until it cant beat anymore. Expecting to find that, Id asked the nurses to have saline ready to pour into the chest to clean it out so I could see what was going on. But now that he was open, I didnt see any bleeding. I didnt see anything out of the ordinary. The staff surgeon arrived. He had a quick look and he said, I dont know whats wrong here. Lets get him down to the operating room. The patients chest was still open. I had some sterile towels and I was trying to cover his chest and hold it together with these towels. I stood beside him like that as we wheeled his bed down the hall, into the elevator and finally into the operating room. The nurses in the OR had no idea what was going on. When they saw me, one of them said, Oh my god, you have his chest open. I said, Yes, its a true emergency. Weve got to go. We got him on the table and had a look. Thankfully the bypasses were working well. There was no damage from the CPR or from when I opened him. We concluded that something was wrong with the pacemaker, or with the wires attaching the pacemaker to his heart. We replaced everything, closed his chest again and brought him back to the intensive care unit. In due time he woke up normally. No stroke. No brain damage. The best result possible. We had a man who was dying. He had no blood pressure and no heart rhythm. Im not sure even today why his heart started beating again. They were giving him drugs through the IV and maybe the drugs finally kicked in at the same time I was cutting the wires in his chest. Or maybe his brain was feeling the pain of his chest being opened and that was enough to get the heart going. Im not sure. Had I not reopened, I could have been criticized by colleagues because I wouldnt have followed the guidelines to reopen the chest with someone so soon after surgery because there could be something that you can only address by physically having your hands in there. I spoke to the surgeon who did the original open-heart surgery and he said, Donna, you saved his life. Thats the day I felt, this is badass. This is why I do what I do. From that day on I felt I have what it takes to be a heart surgeon. Part of the Family by Lisa del Giudice Lisa del Giudice runs a family practice from a major Toronto hospital. But she can get very close to her patients. These two stories are both about cancer. The first story happened in my first year or two of practice. One of my patients was a really delightful man the kind of guy who would come in and make everybody smile, make everybody feel good about themselves. He would leave, and everybody would say, Wow, that was a breath of fresh air that just came through here. I dont know why I feel really good, but I do. Just the most delightful man. He came in one day after he was newly diagnosed with diabetes. He was upbeat as always. He said, Im going to get over this. Im going to lose weight, and Im going to do everything Im supposed to do. About three months later his wife, who was also my patient, came in and said, I know you want him to lose weight but its kind of ridiculous. Hes already lost a lot of weight, but I think its too much. He doesnt even look good anymore. I said, Why dont you have him come in and well see what hes doing? Maybe hes doing something not quite right. Tell him to come in. So he came in and we talked about his diabetes. But then just as I was leaving the room, he said, Oh, by the way, Im not really swallowing well. Im kind of choking on my food these days. I thought, probably a bit of reflux, ordinary heartburn. I gave him some antacid, but I ordered an X-ray of his digestive tract as well. When I got the results back, it showed a six-centimetre tumour between his esophagus and his stomach. Cancer. Inoperable cancer. I called him and said, You need to come in. We need to discuss the X-ray results. And bring your wife with you and whoever else you need. He came in that same afternoon with his wife and son. I could not get the words out to tell them. I sobbed uncontrollably. I had to leave the room two or three times. I did everything they tell you in medical school not to do when youre giving bad news. I finally got it out and told them that it didnt look good, but I was going to send him to all the specialists to see what they could do. He wasnt even 60 years old. He was devastated. The wife was devastated. The son was devastated as well. That was the first time I had met the son. He was at university at the time and pretty soon he said he couldnt concentrate on school. He asked me to write a letter to the university explaining that he needed a break and should take off the rest of the semester. I did that. The wife came to see me a couple of times as well. It was really hard on her. About a month or two later he ended up in the hospital, the same hospital where I practice. The wife came down to my clinic, and she said, Hes asking for you. He has something he wants to tell you. So if you could pass by to see him, he would appreciate it. When clinic ended, I went up to his room. He told everybody else to get out and we closed the door. He started to talk. I cant do this to my family anymore. Tell me what I can do so I can go to sleep tonight and not wake up tomorrow morning. I was shocked. At the time, medically assisted dying was illegal. A non-starter. I asked him, Why would you want that? He said, My son needs to go back to school and my wife needs to get on with her life. Im just a burden on them right now. I just want to take a whole bunch of pills and die and let them get on with their lives. We had a long conversation. I remember saying to him, Where do you think your family would rather be? Do you think your son would rather be sitting in a classroom at the university listening to some boring lecture? He has the rest of his life to hear lectures. And your wife? Where does she want to be? I know shes very much involved in the community and volunteers a lot, but do you think shed rather be anywhere else than with you? Spending every last precious moment that shes got with you? I remember saying, Your son will get back to school. Taking a year off when hes 20 years old is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. And all your wifes activities are still going to be there later, but now she wants every precious moment she can have with you. She wants to help you with your daily activities. Im sure she wouldnt want to be anywhere else. Neither of them will have any regrets about being with you at this time. What could possibly be more important? Nothing in medical school had prepared me for that conversation, but something else probably had. My brother had passed away when I was 18. He had a stroke. There were just six days from the time he had the stroke to the time he passed away, with a couple of surgeries in between, and I remember wanting to savour every moment he was still alive. I wanted to be there. I didnt want to be anywhere else. I wanted to be by his bedside, and I think if I had been anywhere else, I wouldve had terrible regrets. So what I said to my patient probably came from my own personal experience. It resonated with him. His wife came in to see me about a week later and she said, Whatever you said to him has brought about a complete change. Hes writing his memoirs and hes got this whole new outlook. He wants to live now. Hes called in his entire family. He wants to see everybody. Every friend. Every relative. He wants to chat with everybody and wants everybody to come visit him. He died about four months later. I saw the family soon after, and I continue to see the family today. I saw his daughter-in-law the other day. I see his grandchild. Being part of their lives through such a difficult time and having those difficult conversations created a bond. I still feel very connected to that family, still very much a part of that family. I feel Im a family member, like a niece or a daughter. The second story is about another family I saw early on in my career. The parents were my patients and so were their four children twin daughters and two younger sons. The mother of the family was diagnosed with melanoma. She got through that fine, but then one of the daughters, at about 20 years of age, was diagnosed with a very rare cancer. Only about 40 people in North America get it every year, so its extremely rare. The mother searched for people all over the world who were researching this very rare cancer. She got in touch with them, wanting to make sure she was doing everything right, making sure her daughter was getting the best treatment. The daughter did well for a period of time two or three years. Then within about two months of each other, the mother was diagnosed with another cancer and the daughters cancer came back. This was obviously very hard on the entire family. One of the sons really took it hard. He was not coping well. The dad was not managing well either. So I was seeing him through all of that, just trying to be supportive. The mom got through her cancer OK, but the daughters cancer got worse before it got better, until after a while her condition was stable. Then one day when the mother was with her daughters, she suddenly passed out. She was brought to the hospital, and the daughters came upstairs to my office and said, Something just happened to Mom. She passed out and shes in Emergency on life support. I went down and sure enough she was on life support. Shed had a massive brain hemorrhage. The doctors showed me the imaging, and I could see her brain had been pushed down into the spinal cord. There was no way she would have been able to breathe without life support. The doctor in Emergency told the family, We can keep her on life support until you decide what to do. So I sat with the family and had a long session with them about pulling life support on Mom. It was a conversation about letting go, and they came to a decision fairly quickly. When they decided, I stepped out of the room and they pulled her off the life support. She probably passed away fairly quickly. I sat outside in the emergency area nursing station waiting for the family to tell me it was over. Then I went back in and sat through the evening to help them through it. And again I felt as though I was part of the family. The daughter was still quite unwell, and she passed away about a year and a half later. That was five or six years ago, but to me it still very much feels as though Ive lost two family members. I continue to see the dad, the surviving daughter, and one of the sons, who still lives in the city, and its like seeing family. I feel like I have the skills to have those difficult conversations and be there for them. Its not even tough. I feel like it comes naturally. I actually feel good being there with them. Thats why Im a doctor. In both cases I was not just treating the patient. I was treating the whole family and being there to support them all through very difficult times. It just felt like I was part of the family and I still feel Im part of the family. On Saturday, a Delhi court allowed police three more days' custodial interrogation of Shahrukh Pathan, who allegedly pointed a gun at an unarmed police head constable during the riots in Maujpur. New Delhi: Delhi police said on Saturday they have registered 690 cases and held nearly 2,200 people in connection with the communal riots that took place in northeast Delhi, claiming 53 lives and injuring over 200. Of the total cases registered, 48 were related to Arms Act, police said in a statement. They said 2,193 people have been either detained or arrested in connection with the riots. Of them, 50 have been arrested on charges under the Arms Act. Meanwhile, a 27-year-old man was arrested for allegedly being involved in another man's death during the violence. The crime branch, probing the murder cases registered during the riots, arrested Shahnawaz for allegedly killing Dilbar Singh Negi, 20, and is trying to identify other suspects in the case. Negi's, whose decapitated and charred body was found in Brahmpuri on 26 February, had come to the National Capital six months ago from Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal and worked at a sweet shop in northeast Delhi. Also on Saturday, a Delhi court allowed police three more days' custodial interrogation of Shahrukh Pathan, who allegedly pointed a gun at an unarmed police head constable during the riots in Maujpur. Pathan, 23, whose photograph pointing a gun at head constable Deepak Dahia had gone viral on social media, was arrested on Tuesday from Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district. On Friday, the pistol he pointed at Dahia was recovered from his home in northeast Delhi's Ghonda. In a viral video, Pathan was seen pointing his pistol at the policeman on Jaffrabad-Maujpur road on 24 February. After opening fire in the air, he kept the pistol at his residence and fled from the city in a car. Police said after seeing himself on TV news channels, Pathan changed his clothes and fled to Punjab. He then moved to Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh before hiding at a friend's residence in Shamli in the state. Uttar Pradesh police said they have arrested an alleged drug trafficker suspected to have helped Pathan escape from Delhi after the riots. Kaleem, 28, was wanted by the Narcotics Cell of Delhi police in a cannabis smuggling case. Suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, who was arrested on Thursday in connection with the killing of Intelligence Bureau official Ankit Sharma during the riots, has been sent to seven-day police custody. On a complaint by Ankit Sharma's father, police registered an FIR against Hussain, who has rejected the charge. The Aam Aadmi Party recently suspended him. On Saturday, the AAP government launched a two-day verification drive to ensure speedy compensation to riots victims. An official said the government has so far released nearly Rs 3 crore as compensation to the victims, many of who have been put up at a makeshift camp at an Eidgah in Mustafabad. Once the verification drive is concluded, the final list of victims will be prepared and the rehabilitation work will start next week, the official added. A senior police officer said 262 meetings with Aman Committee have been conducted across the National Capital since the deadly communal violence last week. The Delhi government has maintained that 53 people were killed and over 200 injured in the violence. During the violence, head constable Ratan Lal, attached to the office of the ACP Gokalpuri, was killed, while several police personnel, including Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Shahdara, Amit Sharma, were left injured. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) Cyprus riot police used pepper spray on Saturday to thwart Turkish Cypriot protesters trying to shove their way through a barricaded crossing point in the heart of the ethnically divided island nation's capital. Several dozen protesters tried to push their way through a cordon of riot police on the Greek Cypriot side of the east Mediterranean island nation, but were held back. Police said protesters hurled rocks during the brief demonstration, while four Greek Cypriot officers were injured. Last week, the Cypriot government closed four of nine crossing points along a 120 mile, United Nations controlled buffer zone, justifying the move on public health grounds. It said it would better enable medical staff to screen for potential coronavirus carriers crossing from the breakaway, Turkish Cypriot north, to the internationally recognized, Greek Cypriot south. Additional health workers have have been posted to the other openings for more thorough checks. Cyprus has so far no confirmed coronavirus cases. Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades pointed to the fact that 3,000 Iranians live and study in the north. Iran has been hard hit by the new virus. This division is not acceptable, this is not a coronavirus issue," said Turkish Cypriot activist Murat Kanatli. Greek Cypriot protesters on the opposite side of the barrier voiced their support for the Turkish Cypriots, with some directing chants of shame toward the police. This follows another protest a week ago that saw the arrest of a demonstrator who allegedly slapped a Greek Cypriot soldier. Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence. Although Cyprus is a European Union member, only the south enjoys full membership benefits. Turkish Cypriot officials have denounced the closures and have complained to the U.N. and the European Union. The U.N. peacekeeping mission on Cyprus expressed concern over the disruptive closures, earning a rebuke from the Cypriot president not to meddle in government affairs. Like many Americans, bartender Danjale Williams is worried about the growing threat of the novel coronavirus. What makes the 22-year-old in Washington even more frightened: The thought of medical bills she just can't afford, as one of almost 27.5 million people in the United States who don't have health insurance. "I definitely would second guess before going to the doctor, because the doctor's bill is crazy," she said. "If it did come down to that, I don't have enough savings to keep me healthy." As the virus began spreading in the west of the country, where the nation's first death was reported on February 29, public health experts warned the US has several characteristics unique among wealthy nations that make it vulnerable. These include a large and growing population without medical insurance, the 11 million or so undocumented migrants afraid to come into contact with authorities, and a culture of "powering through" when sick for fear of losing one's job. "These are all things that can perpetuate the spread of a virus," said Brandon Brown, an epidemiologist at UC Riverside. The number of Americans without health insurance began falling from a high of 46.7 million in 2010 following the passage of Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act), but has risen again over the past two years. The current figure of 27.5 million is about 8.5 percent of the population. Getting through the door Public health experts often worry about the destructive potential of a pandemic in poorer parts of the world like sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia. These poverty-plagued regions have hospitals that are ill-equipped to stop the spread of infectious diseases, or to adequately care for patients needing breathing assistance, which the most severe cases of COVID-19 require. By contrast, the US has some of the world's best hospitals and medical staff, but those not lucky enough to have good insurance through their employer, and not poor enough to qualify for state insurance, often opt out of the system entirely. A routine doctor's visit can run into hundreds of dollars for those without coverage. "I think that it's possible if this has the sustained spread, that might highlight some of those health care disparities that we already know about and are trying to work on, but haven't figured out a way to solve," said Brian Garibaldi, the medical director of Johns Hopkins Hospital's biocontainment unit. That's not to say uninsured people have no recourse if they fall seriously ill. US law requires that people who have a medical emergency can get the care they need, regardless of ability to pay. Abigail Hansmeyer, a Minnesota resident who along with her husband is uninsured, said that if she did fall ill, "we may seek out the emergency room for treatment." But being treated doesn't mean the visit was free and the uninsured can be lumped with huge bills after. "So we have to very carefully consider costs in every situation," the 29-year-old said. Presentee-ism One of the key messages the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has put out about the coronavirus is to stay home if you have mild respiratory symptoms, except to go to the doctor once you have called in and if they think you need to. "But a lot of people, depending on their jobs, their position and their privilege, are not able to do that," said Brown. The United States is alone among advanced countries in not offering any federally mandated paid sick leave. Though private companies offer an average of eight days per year, only 30 percent of the lowest paid workers are able to earn sick days, according to the Economic Policy Institute. For many of these people, missing even a day's work can make a painful financial dent. An October 2019 nationwide survey of 2,800 workers by the accounting firm Robert Half found that 57 percent sometimes go to work while sick and 33 percent always go when sick. Vaccine cost fears As the global death toll from the virus approaches 3,400 and the US braces for a wider outbreak, the race is on to develop vaccines and treatments. Current timeline estimates for the leading vaccine candidate are 12-18 months, but will it be affordable for all? That question was put to Health Secretary Alex Azar in Congress. His response: "We would want to ensure that we work to make it affordable, but we can't control that price because we need the private sector to invest." Ed Silverman, a columnist for industry news site Pharmalot, panned the comment as "outrageous." "No one said profits are verboten," he wrote. "But should we let some Americans who may contract the coronavirus die because the price is out of reach?" JIM MILLER Dear Savvy Senior, What kinds of legal documents do I need to prepare to help my family after Im gone? I would like to get my affairs in order but could use some help. Almost 75 Dear Almost, All adults especially seniors should have at least four essential legal documents to protect yourself and your family. These documents will make sure your wishes regarding your estate are legal and clear and will help minimize any conflicts and confusion with your family and your health care providers if you become seriously ill or when you die. Here are the key documents you need, along with some tips to help you create them. Will: This document lets you spell out your wishes of how youd like your property and assets distributed after you die, whether its to family, friends or a charity. It also allows you to designate an executor to ensure your wishes are carried out and allows you to name guardians if you have dependent children. This article is part of the developing Coronavirus coverage, and may be outdated. Go here for the latest. Its not the kind of thing you want to think about while youre in childs pose in yoga class, when your nose is close to the mat, but after hearing how you should stop touching your face to guard against the coronavirus, you might wonder: What are the risks of transmission while working out at a gym? Be mindful of equipment that is frequently handled The spread of the coronavirus could make even the most ardent gym rats stress out about picking up barbells. Theres a lower risk of picking up the coronavirus at a gym or health club than at a church service, for example, said Dr. David Thomas, a professor of medicine and director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. By comparison, church services may include shaking hands and being closer to people. But if youre in a community where there have been cases of the coronavirus, thats, perhaps, a time to be more cautious with all types of exposures, including a gym, Dr. Thomas said. She knows how to get heads turning. And Hailey Bieber, 23, was at it again as she flaunted her toned midriff during a lunch date with friends at South Beverly Grill in Beverly Hills on Saturday. Elsewhere in Los Angeles, Hailey's husband Justin Bieber was spotted carrying a basket full of toys into the studio. Top of the crops! Hailey Bieber beamed in a massive jean jacket, which included green flannel sleeves, layered over a cropped turtleneck and tinted aviators at South Beverly Grill in Beverly Hills on Saturday Child's play! Elsewhere in Los Angeles, Hailey's husband Justin Bieber was spotted carrying a cart full of toys into the studio While departing the restaurant, Hailey beamed in a massive jean jacket, with green flannel sleeves, layered over a cropped turtleneck and tinted aviators. The Arizona-born beauty, who relies on stylist Maeve Reilly, doubled up her denim in a pair of light-wash bottoms and her signature white trainers. Baldwin, who wed Justin Bieber in a private civil ceremony in 2018 and again with a South Carolina wedding ceremony last year, smiled brightly, while navigating back to her car. As she held onto her phone in the parking lot, eyewitnesses spotted the model's adorable screensaver of her and Justin on their wedding day. In addition to her enviable abs, the blonde beauty proved she's immune to bad hair days, as her locks blew fabulously into the wind. Sentimental: As she held onto her phone in the parking lot, eyewitnesses spotted the model's adorable screensaver of her and Justin on their wedding day Toned: All eyes were on Hailey Bieber's toned midriff, as she flaunted her taut tummy after grabbing lunch with friends Justin's wife looked particular at ease, just days after the couple's beloved cat Sushi was safely returned on Thursday evening. Celebrity chef Sandra Lee was the one who found the cat in her backyard after being missing for three weeks, and briefly cared for the kitty who she described as 'starving, cold, scared' and stuck with 'porcupine quills.' Unbeknownst to the Food Network star, the number on Sushi's collar belonged to Justin Bieber, who she said was 'happy, shocked and stunned.' Happy: Baldwin, who wed Justin Bieber in a private civil ceremony in 2018 and again with a South Carolina wedding ceremony last year, smiled brightly, while navigating back to her car I choose you! A Pikachu doll was among one of the many toys in Justin's possession She's home! Justin took to social media himself to share the good news that Sushi was back home with his sister Tuna 'I thought the young man on the other end of the phone was going to either burst out in shrieks of joy or burst out in tears,' Lee wrote. For his part, Justin took to social media himself to share the good news that Sushi was back home with his sister Tuna. 'Almost a month ago, my pal sushi decided to run away, after weeks passing by Hailey and began to lose hope that our baby was gone :(,' Justin wrote on Instagram on Friday. Bieber concluded: 'Yesterday we got a call that somebody found our baby.. it had made it miles and miles away! He looks extremely skinny and has a very sad meow, he is home now safe and sound! Thank you god for protecting him!' 'Yesterday we got a call that somebody found our baby.. it had made it Miles and miles away! He looks extremely skinny and has a very sad miow, he is home now safe and sound! Thank you god for protecting him!' Justin wrote on Instagram after reuniting with his beloved cat Sushi Chilling: Later on Saturday, Justin shared some photos that appeared to be on a set decked out in rock posters Rep. Elise Stefanik, a congresswoman from New York whose fierce defense of President Trump during the impeachment hearings made national news, was harassed at the grocery store with a 'vile' note. Stefanik, 35, revealed on Twitter that she went grocery shopping with husband Matthew Manda Saturday and later returned to their car to find a targeted note. 'Rot in Hell Fascist Pig,' the handwritten note reads. Stefanik blasted the 'vicious' radical far-left supporters for the note and criticized the move. Rep. Elise Stefanik (pictured) of New York revealed she received a 'vile' anonymous note on her car after grocery shopping The handwritten note read 'Rot in Hell Fascist Pig' and Stefanik blasted the radical far-left for the inappropriate message She wrote: 'It is truly sad that the radical Far-Left cannot see beyond their vicious hate. 'My husband and I went grocery shopping this morning before district events and enjoyed chatting with constituents throughout the store. This vile anonymous note was left on our car.' In a second tweet, the Republican congresswoman called on her Democratic opponent, Tedra Cobb, to publicly denounce the note. 'As an elected official, I understand that respectful & passionate policy disagreements are foundational to our democracy. But this note is just sad hatred. We are praying for the author,' Stefanik wrote. 'This hateful rhetoric should be publicly condemned by my opponent immediately,' she added. While continuing to criticize the note, Stefanik asked her Democratic opponent to publicly condemn the 'hateful rhetoric' Cobb responded that afternoon by calling the note 'damaging' and suggested they set an example 'not to name call' throughout the rest of their campaigns. '[Elise Stefanik] youre right, that type of discourse is damaging and wrong,' Cobb wrote. 'I think its time you joined me in pledging not to name call in this campaign. Id love to work with you to set a better example for #NY21.' Cobb's response referenced Stefanik's Trump-like tendency to refer to her opponent as 'Taxin' Tedra.' It's a nickname that North County Public Radio said has been fact-checked and found to be inaccurate. Democratic congress candidate Tedra Cobb responded on Twitter and called Stefanik's note 'damaging' Stefanik hit back at Cobb with claims that she didn't fully condemn the note Stefanik fired back in another tweet, claiming Cobb's tweet wasn't 'condemnation' as she requested. She also became angered that Cobb was reportedly trying to compare her 'Taxin' Tedra' moniker to 'Fascist Pig.' 'This is not a condemnation. Here is my opponent equating Taxin with ROT IN HELL FASCIST PIG",' Stefanik wrote. 'One is a policy difference (you have voted numerous times to raise taxes) the other is a vicious, vile, sick attack. They are not the same and voters know it. ' Stefanik became a household name after she made waves during the impeachment hearings last year. She vehemently pushed back at her Democratic colleagues for their prosecution of Trump and meticulously questioned witnesses who testified before the House Intelligence Committee. Stefanik spoke out publicly against the impeachment hearing, calling it 'the flimsiest, weakest case of impeachment in our nations history,' on Fox & Friends. Stefanik was given an honorary chair on President Donald Trump's 2020 campaign after she defended him during the impeachment hearings It has since placed Stefanik in the President's good graces and even earned her a shout out during a speech following his Senate acquittal. 'Elise, I just read this story. Its most incredible whats going on with you, Elise. I was up campaigning for helping her and I thought, She looks good, she looks like good talent,' Trump said, referencing a previous New York Post story. 'But I did not realize when she opens that mouth, you were killing them, Elise, you were killing them,' he added. Stefanik was also named an honorary chair for the Trump 2020 campaign in January. 'Im looking forward to working with his campaign to deliver another decisive victory in my district,' she said at the time. 'President Trumps record of results will win handily over far-left radical resistance in November.' Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, March 8, 2020 A look at ASEAN's busy calendar of annual meetings suggests that the organization is still predominantly run by men currently, nine out of 10 ASEAN leaders and foreign ministers are male. Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi stands out as the only woman to helm a Southeast Asian nation. Similarly, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi is the country's first woman to fill the role, and she is currently the only woman among top diplomats from the region. When Sharon Horgan was offered a starring role in a film, her first reaction was to try and talk the director out of it. I do this with loads of jobs, she says. I tell people why they shouldnt give me it. Shes half-joking, although with Horgan, 49, its always difficult to tell. She has made a career out of treading the thin line between comedic opportunity and painful truth in hit shows such as Catastrophe and Motherland. Luckily, the film director wasnt persuaded by Horgans insistence on her lack of qualification for the part and the result is Military Wives, a comedy drama based on the real-life story of a group of Army spouses who formed a choir while their other halves were serving in Afghanistan. Horgan plays Lisa, who is placed in charge of a social committee to keep wives occupied. Sharon Horgan has made a career out of treading the thin line between comedic opportunity and painful truth in hit shows such as Catastrophe and Motherland Horgans reticence to take on the role was twofold. For one thing, she was terrified about acting opposite Kristin Scott Thomas, who plays a grief-stricken colonels wife. Im such a huge fan and shes top-level brilliant, Horgan says. I was sort of scared that all my limitations would show up on screen. But the main reason was the singing. There is a lot of it in the film. And the director, Peter Cattaneo, was desperate for it not to be polished or professional, she recalls. If he caught anyone over-practising the harmonies, hed freak out. He wanted the women an ensemble of a dozen or so to embody the same spirit as the real-life choir they were based on, and that meant improving in real time over the course of the five-week shoot. For Horgan, this was a fairly nightmarish prospect. She doesnt even particularly like karaoke. But, in the end, she says, You kind of lost your fear because it was never about singing on your own. We just had this mad delight that it ever sounded good at all because as soon as you start singing together the pressure is off you its hard for it to sound terrible when everyone is in together doing it. And what was it like when she finally met Scott Thomas? Amazing. Shes so brilliantly nuts and funny. The formidable thing goes pretty quickly and you just end up really enjoying working with her. The resulting film is a sweet, warm-hearted ode to a certain kind of getting-on-with-it. Perhaps the most striking thing about the movie is that almost every scene has a woman in it, talking about things other than romantic love. It makes you realise how rare it is to see groups of women on the big screen, particularly middle-aged women who have so often been sidelined to supporting roles. Horgan agrees. It was a really smart bit of casting. Does having a nearly all-female cast change the atmosphere on set? It does, she says. I dont know whether it was that particular group of women but it was very relaxed. It was the opposite of tense. There was no watching ourselves. It was just a generally very chilled-out kind of vibe. Horgan herself is the essence of a womans woman. From the moment she walks into the room at her production company, Merman, where we are doing the interview, her manner is warm and shrewd. She is beautiful, but gives the impression of someone who doesnt believe this about herself. Today shes wearing high-heeled boots, a blouse with an oversized bow around the neck that she keeps fiddling with, and an aggressively cool pair of checked, high-waisted trousers that I immediately wish I owned. Horgan's new film is Military Wives, a comedy drama based on the real-life story of a group of Army spouses who formed a choir while their other halves were serving in Afghanistan Her brain seems to be constantly whirring and I can sense her observing and listening to the things that arent being said as well as the things that are. She hugs me hello, but seems slightly nervous and unsure of herself: her conversation is littered with ellipses and sort ofs, as if she is second-guessing what shes saying at the precise moment that shes saying it. This last year has been a time of transition for Horgan. It was a big year of changes, she says. Personal and professional. And sometimes those overlapping. I split with my husband Jeremy last year. But were still partners together at Merman. We still co-parent our kids. Were lucky. Their eldest daughter, Sadhbh (Irish for sweet, goodness and pronounced Saive), is 16, and their youngest, Amer, is 11. The failure of a marriage is always difficult. But perhaps especially so for Horgan who is, by her own admission, an approval seeker. Whose approval? Oh, definitely parents. Definitely peers, I suppose. And my kids, I would say. That would be a big one. But does she approve of herself? Im a bit up and down about that. It depends on what Im doing. When youre in the middle of the creative process is when I like myself the most. I like that feeling of, Im good at this. But then at the same time, if Im acting, Im very quick to not approve of myself. Im very quick to see what my failings are or notice that anxiety interferes with performance. Sharon Horgan and her Catastrophe co-star Rob Delaney. The show followed the story of a woman who found herself pregnant after a one-night stand Its like anything. Even in your personal life there are times when I think, Im f***ing nailing this mother thing! I really gave a good piece of advice there to my 16-year-old! Or I got the work-life balance thing right this week or month! And then it sort of flips and youre completely at sea and your arms are flailing and youre kind of drowning. It just massively depends on the day or the week or the month, I think. Horgan first came on the scene with Pulling, a show about three single women living in south London, which she co-wrote and which became an unexpected cult hit. Various critically acclaimed sitcoms followed, but it wasnt until she and the American comic Rob Delaney co-wrote Catastrophe that Horgan really hit her stride. The Channel 4 show followed the story of a woman who found herself pregnant after a one-night stand. It was loosely based on Horgans own experience she conceived her first child with Jeremy Rainbird after theyd been dating for six months. Im not in touch with Rob at all. I do get these pangs when I really miss him Catastrophe first aired in 2015 and ran for four seasons. It was notable for its portrayal of all the messy, frequently hilarious, realities of a chaotic and unanticipated family life and won a Bafta. Later, Horgan produced the American show Divorce for Sarah Jessica Parker and co-wrote Motherland, a BBC comedy following the trials and tribulations of a group of middle-class parents. She is now something of a creative powerhouse: her production company has signed a huge deal with Apple and shes got several works in the pipeline, including Herself, a film about a woman escaping an abusive relationship that earned a standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival. If there is one common theme to her work, it is that she takes the reality of a womans experience a reality that has so often been marginalised as domestic and trivial and makes it not only universal, but darkly funny too. I love writing about stuff that is a bit forensic and specific, she says, but then you realise that its just a version of something that everyone can relate to. When it comes down to it, Motherland is about friendship and it is about finding your tribe I think theres universal questions and truths in there that if you take the kids out of the picture, it would be just as interesting. And I think with Catastrophe it was always about relationships. And it wasnt about being parents. It was about being in a relationship and how you survive that with kids. Her writing doesnt fetishise motherhood, either for good or bad, which means those of us without children do not feel excluded. Horgan with co-star Kristin Scott Thomas in Military Wives. Im such a huge fan and shes top-level brilliant, Horgan says of Scott Thomas Oh thats so great to hear, she says when I tell her this. It could be because motherhood just sort of happened to me and if it hadnt happened, would I have ever done it? I dont know. Being a parent, Horgan explains, is one part of her life, but it doesnt monopolise everything. Her children are now of an age where they can watch her work she sometimes shows early edits to Sadhbh and her reactions are brutal. But when I can make her laugh its the most amazing thing because shes tough. Teenagers are so porous, arent they? Her youngest daugher, Amer, is more into watching re-runs of Friends on Netflix. Recently, Horgan went to dinner at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles with Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe on the show, and was appropriately star-struck: The amount of times she caught me staring at her, with pure love and admiration Back at home, Horgan is fully aware of the fact that her work can sometimes be cringe-worthy for her children. The embarrassment of having a mother who writes about sex, or the breakdown of sex in a marriage... Sadhbh has definitely had situations where boys in her group have said, Why did your mother write herself a part where all she does is have sex in the first ten minutes of the show? Why cant I allow myself to know that everythings fine? In another way, its handy because anxiety is what motors me She emits a full-throttled laugh. Her parenting style is, she says, a bit like her karaoke style: an attempt to exercise control over inherently chaotic circumstances. I expect a lot from them, which is not great. I wouldnt call it criticism, but I think it can be read as that. I think theyre both amazing and so therefore I have decided [to] dig into their choices, whether its school or friendship or boys or whatever. Im a bit too watchful. Its partly because she remembers what she was like as an adolescent. Horgan was born in Hackney, east London, but moved to Ireland when she was four when her parents, John and Ursula, bought a turkey farm in Meath. She still remembers plucking turkeys before the Christmas rush. The secret, she says, is to pluck down, never up. She is the second of five children two sisters and two brothers, one of whom, Shane, is a former international rugby player. As a teenager, she went to a strict convent school and I was a brat, for sure. I definitely gave my parents the runaround. I think thats why Im so on high alert with my daughters because I just have this sort of spidey sense that I know everything theyre going to do before theyve done it. Every lie or ruse Horgan moved to London in her 20s, and while she was struggling to make it as an actress, she worked for two years in a shop in Camden selling T-shirts emblazoned with Take Me To Your Dealer to the clientele. Looking back now, she sees her 20s as a period of being utterly unfulfilled and lost and scrambling around looking for something and hoping that I had the ability to find it but really unsure it was ever going to happen, professionally or personally. Her 30s were a big turnaround of all that, because thats when I was having babies and making Pulling. And then your 40s are a weird time because youre suddenly aware of an end I dont mean necessarily mortality-wise, but this mad sort of thing of this is what I have to get done because its against the clock. I get very frustrated and angry at myself because theres a built-in panic mode how will I pay my mortgage next year? She knows the panic is ridiculous but at the same time cant seem to find it in her to relax. Why cant I just allow myself to know that everythings fine? she asks, rhetorically. In another way its handy because it [anxiety] motors me. She turns 50 in July and is refreshingly honest about the huge fear attached to it. The kind of person I want to be in my 50s, Im not entirely sure Ive got the tools to be that. What kind of person would she want to be? Well, she smiles, I suppose a more relaxed person. I want to take my foot off the pedal and just enjoy it a little. I dont want to slow down but I do want to relax. I dont want to lose my energy because one of the things I like about myself is the energy I have. I hate feeling tired. I hate anything that even suggests that I have to slow down at all. But then I dont want to protest too much. I dont want to be like, Im 50! She assumes the gravelly American accent of a showy Hollywood grande dame and high-kicks her leg from the sofa to demonstrate. I just want it to go away a little bit. Horgan on working with Scott Thomas: Amazing. Shes so brilliantly nuts and funny. The formidable thing goes pretty quickly and you just end up really enjoying working with her She glances away, momentarily lost in reflection. She is, in many ways, at a crossroads in her life. She is newly divorced, and however amicable that separation has been, it must be difficult to navigate a different way of life after 14 years together. Professionally, too, Horgan is looking for something that will fulfil her in the same way that Catastrophe did. The show ended last year, but she has hinted it could be brought back again at some point, with grown-up kids at its centre. She had a very close working relationship with her co-creator, Rob Delaney, and when I ask whether theyre still in touch all the time, she surprises me by saying, No, not at all I think we spent five really intense years together. And I think its healthy to have a break from that. I mean, I get these pangs every so often where I really miss him and miss what we wrote, I miss that feeling of sitting in a room together and realising that we had this thing that we wanted to say Im in the process of trying to replace that, which is weird and not easy. Im quite ruined by it because if something isnt as fun as that then Ill feel short-changed. Instead, Sharon Horgan has spent the past year on other projects and just letting myself read and watch stuff that is going to inspire me. Its the first time in years where Im just allowing myself to soak things up a bit. She deserves it. Theres a lot to soak up. Military Wives is in cinemas now. The official soundtrack is out now on Decca Records Weve got to find some solution if we continue to be stuck as we are, said Omaha Sen. John McCollister, who is sponsoring an amendment to boost the states property tax credits by another $105 million, to $380 million. After a week of bickering among senators on lower-shelf issues like appointments to the State Health Board and funds for middle-class housing, one veteran observer said that he wonders whether lawmakers can come together on a property tax plan. This Legislature is like walking into a cowboy bar on Saturday night. Everybodys looking for a fight, said lobbyist Walt Radcliffe. Senators interviewed all said they expect some sort of property tax relief to be approved, but whether it will be the revamping of state aid to K-12 education, as envisioned in LB 974, or something else is unclear. What is clear is that moving the property tax proposal forward will play a huge role on the tenor of the rest of the session, what gets done and doesnt get done. Rana Kapoor, former CEO of embattled private lender Yes Bank, told a Mumbai court that he did no wrong, saying he has fully co-operated with the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and that he was not running away anywhere. Kapoor, a co-founder of Yes Bank, was arrested by ED officials at 4.00 am on March 8 after more than 29 hours of questioning. Kapoor was held under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), according to ED officials. The arrest became imperative after financial irregularities and mismanagement of Yes Bank surfaced, they said. The central financial crime-fighting agency argued that Kapoor, a veteran banker, was not co-operating with its investigation and sought his custody until March 13. But they got custody only until March 11. "I have been under psychiatric treatment since I lost my baby Yes Bank, Kapoor said in court. With folded hands, he said, "I am not running away anywhere. ED can take my passport. In September 2018, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) refused to extend Kapoors term as CEO. He had to step down by the end of January 2019. ED officials said they returned Kapoors passport on March 8 morning. Also read: RBI likely to offer Rs 8,000-10,000 crore special liquidity window for Yes Bank The total proceeds of crime against Kapoor and family are worth Rs 4,300 crore, ED officials said. Yes Bank, Indias fifth biggest private lender, purchased debentures worth Rs 3,700 crore from shadow lender Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL) and to cover the transaction, DHFL granted loans of Rs 600 crore against properties worth Rs 40 crore to DoIT Urban Ventures (India) Private Ltd, a company owned by Rana Kapoors children, they said. In his defence, Kapoor said DHFL was an AAA-rated company and in interest of Rs 130 crore was paid on the loan taken by his children's company. There has been no delay in payments to DHFL, said Kapoor, who broke down in court. The loan belonging to my children's company is a performing loan and the capital of that company is Rs 300 crore and the loan taken by them is around Rs 600 crore, he said. The debt-equity of my children's company is moderate, he told the court. Also read: How Rana Kapoor's 'authoritarian' streak proved to be the bank's undoing The counsel for ED argued in court that the money laundered by Kapoor has been used for personal purpose and the proceeds of crime Rs 4,300 crore is public money. Kapoor's lawyer told the court that his custody should not be granted to ED on medical grounds. No forensic audit has been done into the books of Yes Bank and ED is doing selective targeting of Kapoor as there is public outrage, he said. Earlier on March 8, Kapoor refused to sign on an arrest memo. ED officials then informed his wife Bindu Kapoor of his arrest. The call became necessary because as per ED regulations, officials have to get a signature from an accused as well as a witness who confirms he is the same person. "I swear by my wife and daughters that I will provide all cooperation, Kapoor told the court. A purge of royal princes is under way in Saudi Arabia, after the arrest of the royal familys highest ranking dissident Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, the brother of King Salman, for allegedly plotting a coup against the king's son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. As Middle East Eye reports, up to 20 princes have been arrested for allegedly being part of a coup to overthrow the crown prince, also known as MBS, Middle East Eye has been told. Four names so far are known to MEE. They are Prince Ahmed; his son Prince Nayef bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, Head of Land Forces Intelligence and Security Authority; the former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef; and his half brother Nawaf. Ahmed's son is the highest ranking member of the Saudi armed forces known to be arrested so far, MEE sources confirmed. Moments after the arrests, MBS ordered the kingdom's princes to tweet their loyalty to him. Three of them have already done so. According to a regional source cited by Reuters, MBS "accused them [the princes] of conducting contacts with foreign powers, including the Americans and others, to carry out a coup d'etat". Reuters quoted sources as saying King Salman himself signed the arrest warrants. They claimed his mental state was good. The king is known to suffer from dementia. There were concerns on Friday about the fate of Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender for the throne, who was released from detention and torture in the Ritz Carlton in 2017 after paying more than $1bn in a settlement with authorities. Miteb, 65, is the son of the late King Abdullah and former head of the elite National Guard. Desperate act The purge underway is the boldest and most desperate act yet of his nephew MBS in the crown prince's quest for absolute power. It has bigger implications for the stability of the kingdom than both the purge of up to 500 members of Saudi Arabia's business elite in the Ritz Carlton on alleged corruption charges on 4 November 2017, and the state ordered murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul a year later. Both US and British intelligence had sought and acquired guarantees from MBS that Prince Ahmed would not be arrested on his return to the kingdom from London in October 2018. Bin Nayef was himself a trusted member of the counter-terrorism alliance spearheaded by the CIA and the Pentagon. Since his unseating as crown prince, Prince Nayef has had his entourage, mobile phones and allowances stripped and was not allowed to travel. He and his half brother were arrested while at a private desert camp on Friday. According to MEE sources, Nayef had complained bitterly to friends and in letters to the king himself about the withdrawal of his royal allowances. His and Prince Ahmed's names had been consistently mentioned by other senior sources in the royal family about potential replacements for the crown prince, as discontent with his absolutist rule mounted in the kingdom. Opposition to MBS no secret Prince Ahmed is the highest ranking royal dissident in the kingdom and was open in his criticism of MBS. When he left his home in London to return to Saudi Arabia in October 2018, he calculated that his rank as the king's younger brother, and not least the last of the seven Sudairi brothers, gave him immunity from his nephew's actions. As I revealed at the time, Prince Ahmed had considerable doubts about the wisdom of his return, and was contemplating remaining permanently in exile. Ahmed was persuaded to return by pleas from other princes, showing the high regard in which he was still held in the kingdom, and by the fact that he still wielded official influence as a member of the Beya, or Allegiance Council, the body which still nominally has to approve MBS' accession to the throne. Ahmed made no secret of his opposition to MBS' appointment as crown prince, or to the Yemen campaign which the crown prince, as defence minister, launched in 2015, before himself going on holiday in the Maldives. Challenged by a token demonstration of Yemeni and Bahraini protesters chanting: "Down, down Al Saud. Criminal family," outside his London home, one month before he left, Ahmed walked over to them and asked: "Why are you saying this about Al Saud? "What does the whole of the Al Saud family have to do with this? There are certain individuals who are responsible. Don't involve anyone else." Asked by the protesters who was responsible, the prince replied: "The king and the crown prince, and others in the state." Question mark On his return, Ahmed was treated with official respect, retained his allowance and entourage as a senior prince, and was allowed to travel until now. A large question mark now hangs over the current interior minister Abdelaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, now that both his uncles are under arrest for treason. Abdelaziz's father Saud is the elder brother of bin Nayef and is currently the governor of Eastern Province. The current purge comes at a critical junction for MBS. Unlike in November 2017, when he launched his first purge against the business elite when the crown prince was at the height of his popularity, and known both inside the kingdom and without as a reformer, MBS is hated more than ever in his family. More than 18 months later, the crown prince's reforms are quagmired, the price of crude oil has dropped after Russia refused last week to cut production, and discontent is mounting in the kingdom over the crown prince's decision to seal the holy sites in Mecca and Medina from all pilgrims for Umrah - just months before the Hajj is due to start - over the coronavirus outbreak. Meghan Markle has praised those who 'had the strength to stand up for something that they knew needed to be done' in a post to mark International Women's Day. The Duchess of Sussex, 38, shared a series of unseen photos on the Sussex Royal Instagram today from her surprise visit to Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham, East London on Friday. The Duchess had marked the day by visiting the school to meet with Geraldine Dear, who was one of the sewing machinists of the Ford Motor Company who walked out on strike for equal pay. In a quote attributed to Meghan in the post, she wrote about the 'incredibly profound' visit to the school, saying: 'Being in Dagenham is incredibly profound. Because as you can see with Geraldine and the other women who had the strength to really stand up for something that they knew needed to be done.' Meghan Markle, 38, shared a series of unseen images on the Sussex Royal Instagram today from her surprise visit to Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham, East London on Friday (pictured) In the post, the Duchess advocated women who 'stand up for something that they knew needed to be done' In a quote which was directly attributed to Meghan, she continued: 'This is the best example of no matter how small you might feel, how low you may feel on the ladder or the totem pole, no matter what colour you are, no matter what gender you are, you have a voice, and you certainly have the right to speak up for what is right.' In a series of previously unseen photographs, the Duchess could be seen greeting children at the school who appeared overjoyed to be in her presence. In one snap, she could be seen sitting alongside pupils in a classroom, while in another she chatted with a group of girls who were dumbstruck to meet her. In one of her last solo engagements as a working royal, Meghan - who also revealed that 10-month-old Archie is trying to walk - spoke with delighted pupils and met one of the women who fought a historic equal pay battle in the nearby Ford car plant. The Duchess shared a series of unseen photographs from the visit on Friday, which was one of her last official engagements before stepping down In a speech addressing the school's boys in particular, she urged them to 'continue to value and appreciate the women in your lives and also set the example for some men who are not seeing it that same way'. 'You have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life, protect them,' she said 'Make sure that they are feeling valued and safe and let's all just rally together to make International Women's Day something that is not just on Sunday, but frankly feels like every day of the year. 'Make sure that they are feeling valued and safe and let's all just rally together to make International Women's Day something that is not just on Sunday, but frankly feels like every day of the year.' In the photographs, Meghan could be seen smiling as she spoke with students and listened to them speak about the significance of the day As part of her visit, the Duchess of Sussex joined the school in Dagenham for an assembly Meghan smiled broadly at two of the school's youngest pupils, 11-year-olds Fiona Addai and Harvi Shehi, who both appeared shocked as she approached and asked their names. The duchess thanked Fiona after the youngster presented her with a small bouquet of purple and white flowers. Fiona later said: 'I was so happy, I thought I was going to faint.' Meghan also marked the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act on her visit to the school. Her choice of location was noteworthy as strikes in the 1960s by female sewing machinists at the nearby Ford Motor Plant triggered the passing of the legislation. That struggle was depicted in the 2010 film Made in Dagenham. In another photograph, the royal could be seen beaming as she performed an equal sign to mark International Women's Day Meghan told around 700 pupils in an assembly: 'I think being able to be in Dagenham is incredibly profound... It is the best example of no matter how small you might feel, how low you may feel on the ladder or the totem pole, no matter what colour you are, no matter what gender you are, you have a voice and you certainly have the right to speak up for what is right.' The appearances over the last week have marked the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes' first official trip to the UK since announcing they would be stepping back as senior royals. The couple have had a number of appearances scheduled which will culminate tomorrow when they will join senior royals including the Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Commonwealth Day service in London. It is thought these will be Harry and Meghan's last official duties before their royal roles officially come to an end on March 31. Women workforce in the country fell to 18 per cent in 2019 from 37 per cent in 2006, non- government organisation Azad Foundation said on the International Women's Day on Sunday. The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report this year ranks India at 149th position out of 153 countries on economic participation and opportunity, the organisation said and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take create gender-sensitive infrastructure. According to the Foundation, the Global Gender Gap Report estimates that raising women's participation in the labour force can increase India's GDP significantly. "The declining women's labour force participation (from 37 per cent in 2006 to 18 per cent in 2019), gender pay gap (23 per cent), high rates of informal work (93 per cent) with lack of social security are seen as impediments to the goal of gender equality and empowerment of women in India," the Azad Foundation said in a statement here. Azad Foundation believes that infrastructure and norms play a crucial role in impeding women's entry and sustenance in the workforce. "We appeal to the Prime Minister and Minister of Women and Child Development for their attention and positive action towards creating gender sensitive infrastructure," Azad Foundation Founder and Executive Director Meenu Vadera said. The gender-sensitive infrastructure included full-time creches for children, affordable and safe working women's hostels, and basic public provisions such as piped water, she said in the statement. The organisation also suggested hygienic washrooms at public places and safe public transport for enabling women to access decent and dignified livelihood opportunities. Meanwhile, the ITC said it has been encouraging participation of women in its manufacturing facilities across the country. "ITC's Pudukkottai (Trichy) unit in Tamil Nadu... has close to 85 per cent women workforce across all three shifts in a day," the company said in a statement. The company's foods unit at Mysuru in Karnataka is the first FMCG factory in the region to deploy women across all shifts and their ratio is around 60 per cent, it added. "To encourage the participation of women in workforce, ITC's foods business has been carrying out several other initiatives at its factory locations. As a confidence building measure, family members of the women employees are invited to the plants to show them the work environment and culture," ITC said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kabul was reeling Saturday after Islamic State jihadists killed 32 people and wounded dozens more, with injured survivors describing scenes of terror as gunmen opened fire in the deadliest attack to hit Afghanistan since a US-Taliban deal. The attack at a crowded gathering in the capital has raised questions about Afghanistan's abysmal security situation and uncertain future following the February 29 agreement to pull foreign forces from the country within 14 months. Lying in a hospital bed in a run-down Kabul neighbourhood, 15-year-old Basira said she had attended Friday's annual commemoration ceremony for Abdul Ali Mazari -- a politician from the Hazara ethnic group -- for the first time, accompanied by her father and younger sister. "We were in the middle of the ceremony when the gunfire erupted," she told AFP in a frail voice. "It was non-stop firing for more than an hour," she said, describing chaotic scenes, with terrified people running for cover from the gunmen who appeared to be shooting at them from a height. As shrapnel tore into her right leg, she lost consciousness and was brought to a nearby hospital, along with 28 other wounded. Zamin Ali, who suffered a bullet wound, said hundreds of people had assembled to watch the ceremony, when the attackers began raining down gunfire. "I saw... a dead child lying on the ground", the 60-year-old said. "Everyone was fleeing... while the injured were pleading for help", he told AFP. The Sunni-extremist IS had claimed an attack on the same ceremony last year, which killed 11, and have in the past targeted Hazaras who are predominantly Shiite Muslim. Survivors expressed anger against the government for failing to improve security, with injured teenager Basira saying: "The political elites fled with their convoys and poor and innocent people were martyred and wounded". Several top political officials were at the ceremony, including Afghanistan's chief executive Abdullah Abdullah. All were safely evacuated. The devastating attack, which came days after the Taliban decided to halt a partial truce, ended a brief reprieve for Afghans weary of violence. Organisers of an annual gathering to commemorate the death of former vice president Mohammad Qasim Fahim said they had cancelled the event scheduled for Sunday "because of the sensitive security situation". - Prisoner row - The attack has cast doubt on whether the Taliban can stop groups such as IS from overrunning Afghanistan after foreign troops withdraw from the country in exchange for security guarantees and a pledge by the insurgents to hold talks with the Kabul government. The Taliban have also ramped up attacks in the country, including one on Friday night in the contested western province of Herat, where they killed seven villagers including two children, government officials said. "They opened fire on civilians killing seven and wounding 10," Jailani Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor, told AFP. Lal Mohammad Omarzai, chief of Robat Sangi district, where the shootings took place, said the insurgents were angry over the villagers' refusal to pay them money. Although the Taliban are due to start talks with Kabul on Tuesday, a long-running dispute over a prisoner swap has cast doubt on whether negotiations will in fact begin as scheduled. The US-Taliban accord includes a commitment to exchange 5,000 Taliban prisoners held by the Afghan government in return for 1,000 captives -- something the militants have cited as a prerequisite for talks but which President Ashraf Ghani has refused to do before negotiations start. On Saturday, Ghani said his government was willing to free the Taliban prisoners if they do not return to violence, but did not reveal whether he would accede to the insurgents' demands to release them before talks open. In a speech to parliament, Ghani said: "I, as the president, have no wish to have Taliban prisoners." But he added that Afghan "people want guarantees that these released people won't go back to violence". Apparent differences between the US-Taliban agreement signed in Qatar and a separate joint US-Afghan declaration made in Afghanistan underline the obstacles facing negotiators. The Doha deal committed to the release of prisoners, while the Kabul document only required both sides to determine "the feasibility of releasing" captives. mam-str-emh-amu/mtp One of the four patients in New Jersey who tested positive for coronavirus after initial testing traveled to a political conference that was attended by President Donald Trump. The American Conservative Union announced Saturday the patient was exposed to the virus before arriving at its annual Conservative Political Action Conference. The conference was held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Maryland just outside of Washington D.C. The person was tested at a New Jersey hospital and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the positive result, the ACU said. The patient is the 55-year-old man from Englewood who is in stable condition at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, a spokeswoman for the governor confirmed Saturday. The conference, which coins itself as the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world, ran from February 26 to 29. Trump spoke at the event at 3 p.m. on Feb. 29, according to the conferences agenda. This attendee had no interaction with the President or the Vice President and never attended the events in the main hall," the ACU said. Important Health Notification for CPAC 2020 participants and attendees. pic.twitter.com/NtahNO8st3 ACU (@ACUConservative) March 7, 2020 The 55-year-old Englewood mans exposure from the novel coronavirus is linked to a case associated with Temple Young Israel in New Rochelle, New York, state officials said during a telephonic press conference Saturday afternoon. The man attended a services on Feb. 23. His New Jersey contacts include three family members, state officials said. The Trump administration is aware of the situation, the ACU said. The group has been in contact with Marylands health department and any attendee may reach out to the ACU with questions. Only four people in New Jersey have tested positive for the new coronavirus, known as COVID-19. Nineteen others are awaiting in New Jersey are awaiting test results, state officials said. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @BeccaPanico. Vehicles used by Tada ride-hailing services are stationed at a parking lot in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Thursday. The National Assembly on Friday passed a bill aimed at Tada. Yonhap Law banning Tada service nips mobility innovation in the bud By Nam Hyun-woo The National Assembly's approval of a revision bill aimed at curtailing popular ride-hailing service Tada is feared to put the brakes on mobility unicorn firms, with industry officials saying the decision will have a negative impact on the country's startup ecosystem and discourage entrepreneurs from starting their own companies. On Friday, the Assembly approved a revision to the Passenger Transport Service Act that only allows transport service providers to provide outsourced drivers of 11- to 15-seat rental vans if the customer uses the vehicle for more than six hours for tour purposes, or the operators rent the vehicles at ports or airports. This effectively prohibits the main service of Tada, which has been offering ride-hailing services through an app since October 2018 with 11-seat Kia Carnivals. The app has more than 1.7 million registered users who choose the service as an attractive alternative to a taxi. Tada and taxi operators have been in a fierce dispute, with three taxi drivers burning themselves to death after leaving messages condemning Tada and other ride-sharing or hailing services. Hours before the revision was passed, Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee told reporters that it was "not aimed at prohibiting Tada" but sought to "renew the regulatory system on transport platform services." She cited the revision allows Tada and other rental car-based ride-hailing service firms to operate if they win a transport platform service license, pay certain "monetary contribution" to compensate taxi drivers, and abide by a government-set cap in the number of vehicles being operated. "Tada can operate because it has an 18-month period before the revision takes effect. It can then continue its service if it acquires a platform service license," Kim said. "The revision will help more service providers be registered and create more jobs." Tada said it was impossible to follow such rules, saying the "monetary contribution" was 100 billion won ($84 million), a vast amount compared to its annual sales of 26.8 billion won. Lee Jae-woong, CEO of Tada operator VCNC's parent company SoCar / Yonhap Tada said in a statement that it will stop it basic service, which is a standard ride-hailing service, within a month after the revision is promulgated. Lee Jae-woong, CEO of Tada operator VCNC's parent company SoCar, said on Facebook that "a foreign investor who promised to invest in Tada said the revision approval was shocking and that he would not be investing in Korea anymore." Lee added that he "doesn't know what to say to the future generation," demanding President Moon Jae-in veto the revision. In a statement, Tada operator VCNC CEO Park Jae-uk apologized to customers "who love Tada services," to Tada drivers whose jobs will be at stake, and other startups for "making a bad case." Startup industry officials says the revision puts Korea behind the global trend of allowing and encouraging startups to develop innovative mobility services. Uber is currently picking up speed in embracing artificial intelligence (AI) into its services for self-driving cars. In June last year, Uber acquired computer vision startup Mighty AI to help advance its technology for self-driving cars, and aggressively expand its AI portfolio. Grab is tapping into financial business, launching the GrabPay mobile wallet service based on its accumulated big data. Lawmakers approve a revision aimed at banning the Tada ride-hailing service during a plenary session at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap Government urged calm as some supermarkets were warning of shortages An amusement arcade hopes to slow down panic buying of essentials amid the coronavirus outbreak by making a toilet roll the star prize on their 30p-a-go grabber machine. Manager Eddy Chapman came up with the genius plan to halt shoppers in their tracks at the Chapmans Fundland amusement arcade in Bridlington, East Yorks. The Maxx Grab machine has had its plush toys replaced with lavatory paper and punters are queueing up to spend 30 pennies. Eddy, 34, said his idea was a way to spread some cheer in these worrying times and he hopes his customers will see the funny side. And like many across Britain, the leisure boss has been baffled by terrified shoppers clearing supermarket shelves in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. 'I think all this panic buying of toilet roll has been loo-dicrous, and so came up with this idea to hopefully get people to calm down,' he said. Chapmans Fundland amusement arcade in Bridlington has made 'bog standard' toilet roll the star prize on their 30p-a-go grabber machine 'I think all this panic buying of toilet roll has been loo-dicrous, and so came up with this idea to hopefully get people to calm down,' said Eddy, 34 'It's 30p a go and we've replaced the plush toys in the machine with the loo paper, it's not quilted or anything, just bog standard. 'It's just a bit of fun which is what coming to seaside towns like Bridlington is all about, I think people need to relax a little and stop panic buying.' The government last week urged calm as it emerged some supermarkets were warning of shortages of drugs, hand sanitiser and bizarrely toilet roll. 'It's just a bit of fun which is what coming to seaside towns like Bridlington is all about, I think people need to relax a little and stop panic buying' People have left supermarket shelves empty in the face of Coronavirus, with Tesco and ASDA among the supermarkets that are struggling to meet demands of soap, pasta and toilet roll (Tesco store pictured on March 3) The government last week urged calm as it emerged some supermarkets were warning of shortages of drugs, hand sanitiser and bizarrely toilet roll The number of coronavirus or Covid-19 cases rose to 206 on Saturday with over 20,000 people tested. A man in his 80s and a woman in her 70s, both with underlying health conditions, have so far died from the disease. Supermarkets including Tesco have begun rationing the amount of pasta, baked beans and hand sanitiser per customer to stop shelves being stripped amid coronavirus fears. In a move to ensure the supermarket has enough supply, they have decided to limit the amount of dry pasta, UHT milk and baked bean tins that each customer can purchase. Another 42 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Britain, bringing the total number of infections up to 206. Pictured: A graph shows the number of tests (blue), number of positive results (red) and the drastic increase in the amount of coronavirus tests on worried Britons (green) As well as the frequently purchased disaster goods, the store has decided to limit antibacterial gels, wipes, sprays and children's cold medicine, Calpol. Tesco confirmed that shoppers would be limited to five items on Saturday, adding that they would apply to online orders from tomorrow. The decision comes after shoppers were seen stripping supermarket aisles bare across the country, with footage emerging of frantic stockpilers pushing trolleys piled high with toilet rolls and forming huge queues. Tesco's baked bean section is completely plundered at this unspecified store on Thursday By Trend Chairman of the Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Javid Gurbanov met with a delegation led by the Minister of Economic Development of the Rostov Region of the Russian Federation Maxim Papushenko, Trend reports. Gurbanov emphasized that Azerbaijan's cooperation with Russia in the railway sector is at a high level. The development of international transport corridors passing through the territory of Azerbaijan was also discussed at the meeting. Gurbanov said that there are vast opportunities for cooperation in the transport and transit sectors, informing the minister that the volume of cargo transportation in Azerbaijan and Russia increased by more than 30 percent in 2019. The volume of rail freight transportation between the countries amounted to 6,240 tons in 2019, while in 2018 and 2017 this indicator was 4,744 tons and 4,774 tons, respectively. Thus, transportation icreased by 31.5 percent in 2019 compared to 2018, and compared to 2017 - by 30.7 percent. Gurbanov informed Papushenko about comprehensive measures in the direction of turning the country into a transport center of the region, as well as in the direction of reconstruction of railway infrastructure due to its geographical location. Papushenko noted the important role of the North-South and East-West transport corridors in strengthening the transport potential of both countries. Talking about the economic opportunities of the region, the minister expressed interest in the transportation of import, export and transit goods through international transport routes. During the meeting, the Rector of the Southern University (Institute of Management, Business and Law) of Rostov, Professor Imran Akbarov spoke about bilateral cooperation in the humanitarian field. Then the parties discussed issues of further expanding mutual cooperation. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz New vendor reviews and industry insights in latest release of The Medicaid Black Book - March 2020. Latest vendors reviews include: Acumen Fiscal Agent Avolution Cambria Solutions Corticon Elyon Enterprise Strategies Esystems, Inc eviCore Healthcare HealthEC MarkLogic Distribution of latest results 1 vendor achieved 5 out of 5 stars. 3 vendors were rated 3/5 stars, 4 vendors were rated 4/4 stars. There are now more than 40 in-depth vendor reviews in The Medicaid Black Book, with new ones added each month. See the full list of vendor reviews included here - https://www.mostlymedicaid.com/?page_id=12669. Selected excerpts from latest strategic insights: Industry thought leader interviews ----Aaron Lambert of Healthy Blue Louisiana gives his thoughts on the transformation of LAs Medicaid program and provides insights on NEMT and administrative simplification. ----Bruce Crosby of Health Velocity Capital weighs in on the impact of politics on the investment outlook, provides details on CareBridge (LTSS space), and the need for deep domain expertise to succeed in Medicaid vertical investing. Industry trends analysis MCO Financial Performance- The markets responded to the Wellcare-Centene deal. There was mixed EBITDA performance. Mergers, Acquisitions and Investment Activity- There was extensive plan activity (beyond Wellcare/Centene), especially for provider acquisition and small market buys. On the provider side, home health investment continued and a resurgence of hospice funding was observed. About The Medicaid Black Book The Medicaid Black Book is the premier market intelligence subscription product for business leaders in the Medicaid industry. Content includes: In depth review and rating of vendor firms that are currently trying to partner with Medicaid health plans or state agencies Exclusive interviews with Medicaid Health Plan CEOs and Investment leaders Highly focused content that matters to Medicaid industry business leaders, including ---Surveys of what is top of mind for health plan CEOs ---Analysis of key regulatory changes ---Analysis of Medicaid health plan financial performance ---Analysis of mergers and acquisitions activity Learn more or subscribe - https://www.mostlymedicaid.com/?page_id=12669 Photo: Glacier Media The captain of a cruise ship hit by the new coronavirus has informed the passengers, which include 237 Canadians, that the vessel is now headed to the port of Oakland, Calif. In a ship-board address Saturday night, Grand Princess Capt. John Smith said the vessel would likely dock Sunday afternoon and that people needing "acute medical treatment" would be taken to health-care facilities in California. Smith said other guests would be taken to federally operated isolation sites or transported out of California, however, he noted that he had been not given any specific information about non-U.S. citizens. So far, two passengers and 19 crew members, whose nationalities have not yet been disclosed, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The ship, with more than 3,500 people aboard, and has been idling off the coast of San Francisco for the several days now waiting for clearance to dock. In light of the situation aboard the Grand Princess and other cruise ships recently plagued by COVID-19 outbreaks, Canadian health officials are now advising people to avoid cruise ship travel. Meanwhile, British Columbia declared an outbreak of the novel coronavirus at a North Vancouver long-term care home on Saturday, saying two elderly residents were recently diagnosed with the virus along with four others in the province. Chief provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the two cases followed an earlier diagnosis of a care worker at the Lynn Valley Care Centre, making them especially concerning as examples of community transmission. The care home is now following an outbreak protocol that restricts visitors and imposes "infection control precautions" on all staff interactions at the facility. At least 57 people in Canada have COVID-19, with 27 confirmed cases in B.C., 28 in Ontario and two in Quebec. There are also two presumptive cases in Alberta that have yet to be confirmed by the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg. The lockdown is not expected to have any impact on the kingdom's oil production Saudi Arabia on Sunday imposed a temporary lockdown on its eastern Qatif province, home to a large Shi'ite Muslim population, to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the kingdom after recording four more cases that raised the total to 11. The move risks stirring resentment in Qatif, which has been a flashpoint between the Sunni-dominated Saudi government and minority Shi'ites in the country who have complained of discrimination and marginalisation, charges the government denies. Saudi Arabia's interior ministry said all the individuals diagnosed with the disease are from Qatif. Saudi authorities have previously said those infected have either been to Iran or interacted with people who visited the Islamic Republic, home to major Shi'ite holy sites. The restrictions in Qatif could also raise tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran after Riyadh on Thursday denounced Tehran for granting Saudi citizens entry amid the coronavirus outbreak. Saudi Arabia has banned travel to Iran and said legal actions will be taken against any Saudi national travelling there. Iran has emerged as an epicentre for the disease in the Middle East. The Islamic republic has reported 194 deaths from the virus on Sunday, putting it on a par with Italy as the country with the highest death toll outside China. The Saudi interior ministry said it had temporarily halted movement into and out of the oil-producing Qatif region while ensuring returning residents could reach their homes and that commercial supplies to the province continue. "Work at all public and private institutions is halted as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the disease, with the exception of vital facilities that provide security services and necessary provisions," a ministry statement said. The lockdown is not expected to have any impact on the kingdom's oil production, two industry sources told Reuters. Cement blocks were placed on the main road to Qatif, a resident said, declining to be named due to sensitivities. The Saudi health ministry earlier said the newly diagnosed people, three of whom are women, interacted with another case reported previously who had returned from Iran via the United Arab Emirates but did not disclose his visit to the authorities. On Saturday, the Saudi government restricted land crossings with the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain to commercial trucks only and said passenger arrivals will be limited to three Saudi airports. Several other Gulf states recorded new infections on Sunday. Kuwait reported two more cases, raising the total to 64. Its central bank announced a 10 million dinar ($32.79 million) fund to support state efforts to fight the virus. Qatar recorded three more infections bringing the total number of people infected to 15. Bahrain said its Formula One Grand Prix will go ahead this month without spectators, a blow to its tourism sector. In Oman, all events at the Royal Opera House in the capital Muscat, scheduled for March and April, have been cancelled as well as tours of the site, state news agency ONA reported. Search Keywords: Short link: The number of coronavirus cases rose to 39 in India on Sunday, after a couple and their son, who had flown from Italy last month and evaded airport screening, and their two relatives tested positive in Kerala, prompting the state authorities to warn of strict action, including prosecution, against those hiding travel history and symptoms of the infection. Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja said the state has been put on high alert in the wake of the new cases, reported more than a fortnight after India's first three coronavirus patients -medical students from Wuhan- were discharged from hospitals in the state. The minister said all the passengers who travelled with the infected family in the Venice-Doha Qatar airlines QR 126 flight on February 29 and Qatar Airlines flight QR514 from Doha to Kochi that arrived at 8.20 am on March 1 should get in touch with health authorities. The airlines, in a statement, said it was working with Indian health authorities in this regard. The state health department said failure to inform authorities about travel history and symptoms would be considered a crime, while the state police separately said it was "illegal and punishable" if anyone hid such information. "Strict action, including prosecution, will be initiated against them. Directives of various government agencies should be followed in this regard," a police release said The Kerala government, however, has decided to go ahead with "Attukal Pongala," one of the largest all-women religious congregations to be held on Monday, while issuing fresh guidelines including asking those coming from abroad especially from the affected countries to make the offering in their hotels itself. The minister said the couple in their fifties and their 24-year old son had taken a flight from Italy to India on February 29 and evaded health screening at the airport. The two others affected are their relatives, Shailaja said, adding they hail from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district, she said. "As of now their condition is stable. But there is need to take extra care", the minister. Two nonagenerian members of the family will be shifted to the Kottayam Medical College hospital s a precauation, she added. The three, who had returned from Venice, at first refused to cooperate with health officials, following which they were forcibly admitted to the isolation ward of the Pathnamathitta general hospital. "The Italy-returned family hid their travel details from the health authorities. Such practises have to seen as a crime. Those who come from countries like Iran, Italy, South Korea and China should report to the health department immediately," Shailaja said. The number of COVID-19 cases in India, which was just six till last Tuesday, now stands at 39 including 16 Italians. The figure also includes the three Kerala patients who were discharged last month following recovery. The minister said persons showing any symptoms of the virus should keep away from the congregation at Attukal temple complex. Temple officials would be asked to ensure that people with fever or any other symptoms do not participate in the festivity. Medical stall and ambulances will be stationed near the temple complex and video clippings of the festivities would also be taken, the minister said. Meanwhile, a cruise ship with a Panama flag 'MSC Lirica' was turned back at the New Mangalore Port on Saturday following the Centre's advisory to deny entry to cruise ships till March 31 in the wake of the coronavirus scare. In Tamil Nadu, a 15-year old boy who arrived in Chennai from the US via Doha with his father was sent to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai as he showed some symptoms associated with fever durig screening at the airport, officials said. After Sikkim, the Arunachal Pradesh government has also decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners to check the spread of coronavirus. It is "learnt that the spread of the coronavirus in India is primarily from visitors who had history of travelling abroad recently or through tourists who have visited India," the government order said. "In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) in Arunachal Pradesh, it has been decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permit (PAP)...," it added. Isolation facilities are being augmented in several hospitals across the country. The Union Health Ministry has asked the AIIMS administration in Delhi to designate a part of the new emergency wing for setting up of isolation beds for suspected COVID-19 patients. Six other AIIMS have been directed to keep an isolation bed capacity between 12-15 for coronavirus patients, which can be scaled up to 30 if need arises, an official said. Besides, the ministry has asked the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Jhajjar to augment its isolation bed capacity to 125 from the existing 25. Also, the Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry has been asked to keep aside 13 beds for isolating patients. The Delhi government has ordered DTC and cluster buses, metro and hospitals to be disinfected on a regular basis as a precautionary measure to deal with the novel coronavirus, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said 168 isolation beds had been set up at 25 hospitals for coronavirus patients. He appealed to the people in Delhi to inform the government if any person in their neighbourhood had returned from abroad in the last 14 days. The chief minister, who chaired a state task force on Sunday, said the government was fully prepared to deal with the novel coronavirus, adding that people do not need to panic. The Union Health ministry has made 52 laboratories functional for testing samples while 57 labs have been designated for helping in sample collection to enhance the capacity for diagnosis and detection of the virus. As of March 6, a total of 4,058 samples from 3,404 individuals have been tested by the network, officials said. The number of novel coronavirus cases stood at over 105,800 including 3,595 deaths, across 95 countries and territories. China, where the epidemic emerged in December, had 80,695 cases, of which 3,097 were fatal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hundreds of spectators cheered and jeered by the Old State House, watching as British soldiers clashed with American colonists in a special reenactment of the Boston Massacre. The performance took place Saturday night in Boston, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the historic skirmish, when British soldiers -- taunted by American colonists amid rising tensions over tariffs and political unrest -- opened fire, killing three colonists and injuring two others who later died of their injuries. Patriots labeled the street fight a massacre, seizing the opportunity to promote their cause for independence and unite the colonies against Britain. The event became known as a pivotal moment and turning point in the years leading up to the American Revolution. I think one of the things we can think about is how easily crowds are driven by passion. This whole notion of the mob mentality, said Jeffery Meriwether, a scholar and reenactor from Rhode Island, before marching with his fellow troops from the Old South Meeting House to Washington Street. Dressed in full Red Coats uniform, Meriwether said there is more for many of us to learn about the details of the Boston Massacre. "The way Bostonians and Americans remember this event is in a particular way and theres much more to that...and the problem is, there are so many inaccuracies in that one-dimensional memory, said Meriwether. "We take from it what we want to, and that becomes a myth. Newburyport resident Rory Thomas Nolan, a fellow re-enactor dressed as a British soldier, agreed: It wasnt this, you know, marauding band of violent Red Coats massacring people in the street. It was a very tumultuous, turbulent time in this citys history. The reenactment event was presented by the Newport Historical Society and Revolutionary Spaces, a new organization formed this year in a merger between the Boston Society and Old South Association. The next six years are an incredible opportunity for us to touch our nations founding history and think about the story that tells us about where we come from, but also who we are today and the nation that we want to be moving forward, said Revolutionary Spaces CEO and President Nathaniel Sheidley. Threats to the Russian diplomatic mission in Ankara are illegal, the Turkish side is responsible for the information campaign against the Russian ambassador and the consequences, spokesperson for Russian foreign ministry Maria Zakharova, News.am reports. Zakharova reminded everyone including the colleagues that any manifestation of aggression and threat, whether in social networks, or during a protest action near the diplomatic mission are illegal. Spokeswoman recalled the tragic murder of the Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov in 2016, noting that there was no court decision on this case. Earlier, Russian Ambassador to Turkey Alexei Yerkhov said that he was receiving threats due to the aggravation of the situation in the Syrian province of Idlib. The Russian Federation expects Turkey to ensure the security of Russian diplomats, Deputy FM Alexander Grushko said during the Munich Security Conference. WASHINGTON Kamala Harris endorsed Joe Biden on Sunday and said she would "do everything in my power'' to help elect him, becoming the latest dropout from the Democratic race for president to line up behind the former vice president in his battle with Bernie Sanders for the nomination. The decision by the California senator who was one of three black candidates seeking to challenge President Donald Trump further solidifies the Democratic establishment's move to close circles around Biden after his Super Tuesday success. Her endorsements comes before the next round of primaries, with six states voting Tuesday, including Michigan. There is no one better prepared than Joe to steer our nation through these turbulent times, and restore truth, honor, and decency to the Oval Office," Harris said in a statement. "He is kind and endlessly caring, and he truly listens to the American people.'' Harris said the United States is at an inflection point. And the decision voters make this November will shape the country and the world our children and grandchildren will grow up in. I believe in Joe Biden. Among Biden's former rivals, Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg, Beto O'Rourke, Mike Bloomberg, Tim Ryan, Deval Patrick and John Delaney have endorsed him. Sanders has gotten the endorsement of Marianne Williamson and Bill de Blasio. Harris withdrew from the race in December, ending a candidacy with the historic potential of becoming the first black woman elected president. The former California attorney general was seen as a candidate poised to attract the multiracial coalition of voters that sent Barack Obama to the White House. But she ultimately could not craft a message that resonated with voters or secure the money to continue her run. Biden and Sanders, two white men in their 70s, are now the front-runners for the nomination in what was once a field of candidates that includes several woman and much younger politicians. Harris said in her statement that like many women, I watched with sadness as women exited the race one by one. Four years after Hillary Clinton was the party's nominee, we find ourselves without any woman on a path to be the Democratic nominee for president. This is something we must reckon with and it is something I will have more to say about in the future, she said. "But we must rise to unite the party and country behind a candidate who reflects the decency and dignity of the American people and who can ultimately defeat Donald Trump.'' Biden on Friday won the endorsement of former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, who was one of the black candidates for the nomination. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker hasn't made a public endorsement yet. Black voters have anchored Bidens comeback since disappointing finishes in overwhelmingly white Iowa and New Hampshire in early contests that put his campaign on the brink of collapse. CHICAGO (AP) The Illinois Supreme Court on Friday refused to throw out charges against former "Empire actor Jussie Smollett that accuse him of staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself and rejected his effort to remove the special prosecutor in the case. Smolletts lawyers argued in an emergency petition that Cook County Circuit Judge Michael Toomin overstepped his authority and misinterpreted the law when he ordered the appointment of a special prosecutor. The court did not explain its decision to reject the arguments by Smolletts lawyers. Smollett. 37, was initially accused by Cook County prosecutors of falsely reporting to police that the alleged phony attack was real. Sixteen counts of disorderly conduct originally filed against him were dismissed and Toomin found Smolletts first prosecution was invalid. After another investigation by special prosecutor Dan Webb, six counts of the same charges we filed against Smollett, to which he pleaded not guilty last week. Smollett, who is black and gay, told police that two masked men attacked him as he was walking home in the early hours of Jan. 29, 2019. He said they made racist and homophobic insults, beat him and looped a noose around his neck before fleeing, and that at least one of his attackers was a white man who told him he was in MAGA country, a reference to President Donald Trumps campaign slogan, Make America Great Again. Weeks later, police alleged Smollett paid two black friends to help stage the attack because he was unhappy with his salary as an actor on Empire," a Fox series filmed in Chicago that follows a black family as they navigate the ups and downs of the recording industry. The friends, brothers Abimbola Abel Osundairo and Olabinjo Ola Osundairo, would be the state's star witnesses if Smollett's case makes it to trial. The brothers are bodybuilders and aspiring actors whom Smollett knew from the Empire set and the gym. After controversy dogged a proposal by the Election Commission (EC) to link voter ID cards to Aadhaar, Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa said on Friday that lack of the unique identity number would not take away any citizens right to vote. If you dont have an Aadhaar card, it doesnt mean you cant vote, Lavasa told Hindustan Times. The Right to Vote is guaranteed under the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951, he added. Lavasas remarks come in the wake of the law ministry giving its in-principle approval to the ECs proposal to link Aadhaar with voter ID cards. The poll panel had first made the recommendation in 2015, following which the proposal went on the back-burner as the Supreme Court addressed privacy concerns surrounding the Aadhaar Act, 2016. Another senior EC official concurred with Lavasa. The right to vote is supreme, the official said, requesting anonymity. We cant deny anyone the right to vote, Aadhaar card or not. The official added that if the proposal becomes law, the EC will enforce it. It is optional, but if it becomes a law, we will try to enforce it, the official said. The proposed law aims to change the Representation of the Peoples Act in order to link the two documents. At the same time, under Aadhaar Act, an Aadhaar number itself is not mandatory. The ECs move to link the two is an attempt to create an error-free electoral roll. In order to ensure preparation of an error-free electoral roll, and to prevent duplication of entries, a proposal to amend the Representation of the Peoples Act 1951 to enable linking of the electoral data with the Aadhaar system has been received from the Election Commission, the Law Ministry said in its response to a question in Parliament on Wednesday. Senior EC officials had earlier met the law secretary and the ministrys legal team three weeks ago to discuss whether the privacy concerns flagged by the Supreme Court had been addressed. Many security safeguards have been instituted to ensure that there is no data breach, said the above mentioned official. The EC held out a similar assurance last month. At the application level, various protocols like two-factor authentication encryption algorithm communication only through https protocol, and frequent security audits of applications are ensured. Electoral roll database system does not enter into the Aadhaar ecosystem and the system is only used for the authentication purpose keeping a tight air gap between the two systems. According to another EC official, Aadhaar linkage is a means to an end. This may help achieve the long-term goal of remote voting, that is, to ensure those who are away from where their voter ID is issued would be able to cast their votes, the senior official said. Allies of Labour leadership candidate Lisa Nandy have accused Party hierarchs of plotting against her as she demands answers over missing ballot papers. The Wigan MP has written to General Secretary Jennie Formby after Party members complained they were yet to receive their voting slips by post. Ms Nandy, 40, is a finalist in the race to secure the leadership of the Labour Party, alongside Sir Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey. But her camp has grown concerned that many Labour members affected by delays are among the 100,000 who joined after the Party's electoral disaster last year. Pictured: Lisa Nandy, who has written to the Labour General Secretary demanding answers as to why new members are yet to receive their ballot papers through the post Senior unnamed Labour sources believe the delays work against Ms Nandy and Sir Keir, who are more likely to gain the support of the new members. They further claim these delays will benefit Ms Long-Bailey, regarded by many as the so-called 'Corbyn continuity candidate', according to The Observer. Ms Nandy's allies have blasted what they have described as 'part cock-up, party conspiracy', while the Wigan MP has demanded answers from the General Secretary. In her letter to Jennie Formby, Ms Nandy asked how many members who applied to join after December's election were yet to pass the electoral register check. Ms Nandy is a finalist in the race to secure the leadership of the Labour Party, alongside Sir Keir Starmer (left) and Rebecca Long-Bailey (right). Her camp is concerned that many Labour members affected by delays are among the 100,000 who joined the Party after the election Pictured: Labour leadership rivals Ms Long-Bailey, Ms Nandy, and Sir Keir, February 24, 2020 She also wants to know if the same checks have been conducted on other party members before the election, and if not why not. Charlie Falconer, the former Lord Chancellor, said: 'The number of people complaining about not receiving their ballot papers gives me real anxiety that there is a high level of incompetence here - or perhaps something worse.' Dame Margaret Beckett, the former deputy leader who now sits on Labour's National Executive Committee, piled in: 'I know of people both in my family and my constituency who have not had their ballot papers - and this is inexplicable, in that some of these people have been Party members for more than 50 years.' The ballot to select Labour's new leader opened on February 21, and closes in April. Weather Alert ...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Kentucky...Illinois...Missouri... Ohio River at Paducah. Ohio River at Cairo. Ohio River at Olmsted Lock and Dam. .Recent heavy rainfall and snow melt will continue to keep water levels on the lower Ohio River in or near minor flood this week. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas. Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks. Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov. && ...FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Ohio River at Paducah. * WHEN...Until early tomorrow afternoon. * IMPACTS...At 39.0 feet, Minor flooding occurs affecting mainly bottomland and surrounding low lying areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 7:00 PM CST Monday the stage was 38.6 feet. - Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 39.0 feet tomorrow morning. - Flood stage is 39.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood && I'm not much given to signing petitions, but I've signed one asking Queen's University Belfast and the Queen's Students' Union to: 'End the Sectarianism towards Protestants and Unionist Students at QUB!' I'm the proud recipient of an honorary doctorate from Queen's and have many friends who have studied and taught there, but I've been more and more concerned about how unwelcome it seems to Protestant students. As the petition says: "It has long been accepted that QUB has become a 'cold house' for those from the Protestant and Unionist community." It went on to mention the recent election to the office of president of the Students' Union of someone who used "vitriolic sectarian language" against unionists and "seemingly" endorsed terrorism. Since politics student Calvin Reid went public about this, Ms Grian Ni Dhaimhin has deleted her Facebook page, but the evidence of her pro-IRA sympathies can still be seen on the internet. Most publicised was a friend's post she had 'liked' that showed a masked woman with an Armalite and the legend "Ni saoirse go saoirse na mban" (There will be no freedom without the freedom of women). Now I doubt if Grian intends to launch a female insurrection, but bearing in mind how upset a lot of people had been at the Freshers Fayre by the Sinn Fein stall's 'Brits Out' placard, it was depressing that she posted an article about a rap band that chanted "Get the Brits out now" on which she had commented: "Thank f*** I was there Tiocfaidh ar la." QUB Sinn Fein's website tells us that it "works to voice an alternative to the degrading whims of neo-liberalism north and south, in pursuit of a new Ireland, that is representative of all her people". I'd be interested in hearing how that fits with their and Grian's desire to eliminate from Ireland those who identify as British. Are they even aware of the assassination of law lecturer Edgar Graham on the campus in 1983 for the crime of being a unionist, and the failure of republicans to apologise for it? And how unionist students feel about that? Grian comes from Strabane, which is more than 90% Roman Catholic, so I doubt if she was given much exposure to Protestant unionist opinion. Although she claims not to be Sinn Fein, she toes their line. She also apparently shares their distaste for apologising. The army of Shinnerbot robots were out in force to defend her last week on social media and savage people like journalist Ben Lowry and DUP MLA Queen's graduate Christopher Stalford and any others supporting them for their comments what was happening at Queen's. As the petition puts it, "it is clear that equality is only afforded to you if you suit the agenda": there is "deeply ingrained sectarianism prevalent with in our Universities". It complains that the relevant institutions "have wilfully buried their heads in the sand" which allows this mentality to grow, which has a "profoundly negative impact on students from this community". Queen's spokesmen have made the kind of statements that are usually made in the circumstances, but I think ex-UUP minister Dermot Nesbitt, who was chatting to Edgar Graham when he was murdered, was right in saying: "It was disappointing that QUB did not acknowledge its own social media code of conduct for students when commenting on the row last week. The question needs to be asked - why did they not do it?" This is the time for the authorities to address the sectarianism that is poisoning the university. Grian does not become president until July, which gives plenty of time to talk to her and students across the board about how to address the issue constructively. They could, for instance, organise an event where Graham's sister Anne speaks to them. In a commemorative lecture last year about her big brother, Anne said she hoped and prayed "that as Northern Ireland continues to be convulsed by rancour and division that people and particularly politicians will consider carefully what they say and do so that we never again sink into the abyss of hatred and intolerance which led to Edgar's murder". I can't believe these young people want that to happen. In the meantime, I hope many people sign the petition. Bisahulal Singh of the ruling Congress in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday became the eighth MLA to return after remaining 'missing' for the last six days, prompting state Home Minister Bala Bachchan to say that the opposition BJP's bid to topple the government has failed. With the return of Singh, all but two 'missing' MLAs of the Congress are now accounted for. Singh boarded a flight from Bengaluru and landed in Indore from where he flew to the state Capital in a government plane, state Congress committee's media coordinator Narendra Saluja said. The MLA was accompanied by state tourism minister Surendra Singh Baghel. From Bhopal airport, Singh was driven to Chief Minister Kamal Nath's residence. Family members of Singh (65) had earlier lodged a missing person complaint after he became 'untraceable' amid the political drama in the state. Earlier this week, the Congress claimed that the BJP had "abducted" some MLAs of the ruling party as well as its allies BSP and the SP to bring down the Madhya Pradesh government, an allegation which the opposition party denied. Meanwhile, home minister Bachchan also expressed confidence that two more MLAs of the Congress, namely Hardeep Singh Dang and Raghuraj Kansana who are believed to be camping in Bengaluru, will return shortly. "Both the MLAs will return shortly. The BJP's bid to unseat our government has failed," Bachchan told reporters. He said the Kamal Nath-led government will complete its full term. The Congress has so far been successful in wooing back eight legislators--six from Delhi and two from Bengaluru. On Saturday, Surendra Singh Shera, one of the four missing MLAs supporting the state Congress government who went 'missing', returned to Bhopal. Upon his return, the Independent MLA stated that he continues to be on the Congress' side. The Congress holds a thin majority in the 230-member Assembly with its own 114 MLAs and support of two legislators of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), one of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and four independents. The BJP has 107 legislators while two seats are vacant. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The family of biker Harry Dunn has hit out after claims the woman who is alleged to have killed him has been promoted by the CIA. Mr Dunn was killed in a head-on collision with a car on August 27 last year near RAF Croughton, in Northamptonshire. Anne Sacoolas, 42, is believed to have been driving on the wrong side of the road and was charged with causing death by dangerous driving. She was granted diplomatic immunity following the incident and was able to return to her home country, sparking an international controversy. Now, it has been claimed the 42-year-old, who is a fluent Russian speaker, is now the boss of a 100-strong overseas team based at the CIA HQ in Langley, Virginia, as reported by the Sunday Express. Harry Dunn's family are trying to overturn the decision to grant Anna Sacoolas diplomatic immunity It is thought that she is so valued President Donald Trump even held a ceremony to praise her for her intelligence gathering prowess. Mr Dunn's mother, Charlotte Charles, said the allegations were 'inhumane and disgusting'. Anne Sacoolas, 42, is believed to have been driving on the wrong side of the road and was charged with causing death by dangerous driving Ms Charles said: 'It's clear that, as parents, we are just pawns in a diplomatic and espionage game and no one in authority in Washington or London really cares about how we feel.' It was previously reported that Mrs Sacoolas was the wife of an intelligence officer, but she is in fact understood to be a senior CIA operations officer who actually outranks her husband, Jonathan. It comes just days after Mr Dunn's mother, Charlotte Charles, has written to the Prime Minister asking for a meeting after the US refused to extradite Mrs Sacoolas. In a letter to Mr Johnson, Mrs Charles, 45, from Charlton, Northamptonshire, said: 'We think that what happened to Harry has highlighted a number of very serious problems which need to be fixed urgently. It has been claimed the 42-year-old, who is a fluent Russian speaker, is now the boss of a 100-strong overseas team based at the CIA HQ in Langley, Virginia (pictured) Pictured left to right: Harry Dunn's mother Charlotte Charles, step father Bruce Charles, father Tim Dunn. Charlotte has written to the Prime Minister asking for a meeting after the US refused to extradite Anne Sacoolas, 42, an American intelligence officer's wife, over the death of motorcyclist Harry, 19, last August 'This is not just an issue of diplomatic immunity for the Foreign Office to address, as important as that is. 'I don't know why you haven't wanted to see us. Please don't be frightened. 'Please meet with us so we can talk about and address the issues. We mean no harm and just want to ensure that Harry did not die in vain.' Downing Street has said Mr Johnson is 'committed to securing justice for Harry's family'. Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria, Sunday, 8th March 2020 -Nigeria has fully become a killing field of defenseless Christians. Available statistics have shown that between 11,500 and 12,000 Christian deaths were recorded in the past 57 months or since June 2015 when the present central Government of Nigeria came on board. Out of this figure, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen accounted for 7,400 Christian deaths, Boko Haram 4000 and the Highway Bandits 150-200. While 100 percent of the victims of Jihadist Herdsmen attacks across Nigeria are Christians, the estimated 4000 Christians killed by Boko Haram were part of the estimated 6000 massacred by the sect since June 2015. Generally, many, if not most of the victims of Boko Haram/ISWAP attacks in Nigerias Northeast are Christians. On the part of Bandits/Highway Kidnappers in Northern Nigeria, most of their rural victims are Muslims while many, if not most of their outlet or roadside victims are Christians traveling to Northern or Southern parts of the country using the Birnin-Gwari Federal Road, near Kaduna, etc. Also, in the past two months or Jan and Feb 2020, no fewer than 350 Christian deaths have been recorded and between 100 and 150 Christian travelers abducted on highways. And out of the 350 Christian deaths, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen accounted for no fewer than 250. Boko Haram and Highway Bandits are responsible for the remaining 100 deaths. The Killings targeted at Christians in Nigeria have continued into the first week of March 2020 leading to hacking to death of over a dozen more. Among the worst hit in the latest round of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen attacks are Plateau State with 70-80 deaths, Kaduna 50 deaths, Kogi 30 deaths, Benue 15-20, Delta 16 and Taraba 10. Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen have also in the past two months of Jan and Feb 2020 carried out attacks in Nasarawa, Adamawa, Edo and other parts of the country, leading to death of dozens of Christians. The anti Christian attacks by Boko Haram since Jan 2020 have also intensified in Borno, Adamawa and Taraba States; claiming between 50 and 70 Christian lives and loss of churches and other buildings belonging to Christians, while those of Highway Bandits/Kidnappers included raiding and looting of Christian villages and ambushing of Christian travelers. By the account of the Vanguard Newspaper, 320 persons were killed in Nigeria in the month of Jan 2020 and by that of Sahara Reporters, 223 persons died in Nigeria in the month of Feb 2020. The 2019 Global Terrorism Index also stated that 2,040 persons (all Christians) were killed by radicalized Fulani militants in Nigeria in 2018 alone. Intersociety, on its part, stated in March 2019 that no fewer than 2400 defenseless Christians were hacked to death by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in 2018 alone and in 2019; the number went down to between 1000 and 1,200 Christian deaths. This is just to cite but few. In all, not less than 10, 475 Christians were hacked to death by non state actor Jihadists in the past 57 months, out of which Fulani Jihadists accounted for about 62% or 7,400 deaths. At the state actor level, the countrys security forces (Army, Air Force and Police) have been responsible for 1,050 Christian deaths. All the deaths occurred outside the law and were perpetrated in gross violation of the international human rights and humanitarian laws. Till date, the perpetrators of these heinous crimes or atrocities have remained on the prowl. We Have Monitored Violence Against Christians In Nigeria Since 2010 Expertly speaking, the Intl Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law-INTERSOCIETY; formed and registered in Nigeria since 2008, is a leading investigative and research rights advocacy group in the country. Led by criminologists, lawyers, journalists, security, peace and conflict studies graduates; Intersociety opposes inter-faith violence or killing in the name of radical Islamism including persecution of Christians and destruction or burning of churches and other Christian worship centers. Intersociety had monitored and documented killing of Christians in Nigeria since 2010 and spoken out against same using several dependable mainstream and online media platforms of local and international credibility. In its monitoring and documentation, Intersociety relies on credible local and foreign media reports, eyewitnesses accounts and reports from Christian bodies and church media. Also relied upon are reports from local and international rights and research organizations and credible Government accounts (if any). 20 Clergymen Killed & 50 Abducted Since June 2015 No fewer than 20 clergymen including at least eight Catholic Priests/Seminarians were hacked to death in the past 57 months and not less than 50 abducted or kidnapped. Among the slain Priests are Rev Father Clement Ugwu, abducted and killed on 14th March 2019, Rev Father Paul Offu abducted and killed on 1st August 2019 and Rev Fathers Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha killed by Jihadist Herdsmen at St. Ignatius Quasi Parish Ukpor-Mbalom (Benue) on 24th April 2018. Among the newest victims of killings targeted at Nigerian Christian leaders are Reverend Pastor Lawan Andimi and Reverend Pastor Denis Bagauri, all top officials of CAN in Adamawa State. The abducted priests or clergymen included Catholic priests (Fathers Dim, Ezeokana and Chukwuemeka) abducted while returning from Nsukka to Onitsha and Nnewi when they were attacked by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in Sept 2016 along Nkpologwu-Nimbo Road in Enugu State. One of them later died. On the same Monday 26th September, 2016, a Vincentian Igbo Priest whose name was not given was also kidnapped with his brother along Abuja-Lokoja express way. Five pastors of the Reverend Enoch Adeboye owned RCCG; all Igbo citizens were abducted on Friday, 2nd August 2019, but later freed. The five Igbo-pastors are: Deaconess Ibelegbo Chidinma, Chidozie Eluwa, Chiemela Iroha, Okoro Ohowukwe and Ndubuisi Owuabueze. In Dec 2018, two Catholic Priests were abducted by suspected Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen. The two Priests were of St Teresas Catholic Church Umueze Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State. The source said the priests were abducted at Umuleri while returning from an official function. This is just to cite but few. Christian Travelers Abducted In Their Hundreds Targeting and abducting Christian travelers on highways particularly in Northern Nigeria who are mainly citizens of Igbo extraction have also intensified and taken a dangerous dimension in recent months-whereby the victims are separated at gunpoint according to their tribe and religion. Same is applicable to victims of house to house looting during which Christians are separated from others at gunpoint and taken away or killed on the spot. Christians particularly those of Igbo extraction are waylaid on highways and abducted into the bush and forced to pay ransom or face death including beheading or forceful conversion to Islam. Women among them are routinely subjected to sexual violence including rape and other forms of sexual assault. On 14th Jan 2020, no fewer than 58 Igbo Christian travelers through the Ezenwata Transports Luxury Bus were ambushed and forced to stop after which they were abducted. The Boko Haram, Jihadist Herdsmen and Highway Bandits have been abducting travelers on major Nigerian highways including Abuja-Okene, Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna and Benin-Ore Federal Roads, etc. The abductees are held and tortured in captivity until they pay ransoms running into millions of naira each. Those who are unable to pay run the high risk of being killed or raped to death in captivity, if they are young women. Jihadists Have Forced 4m-5m Christians To Flee & Destroyed 2000 Churches In 57 Months Ceaseless killing of Christians in Nigeria particularly since June 2015 and burning or destruction of their churches and other worship centers followed incessant attacks against them by Boko Haram/ISWAP, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and a branch of Boko Haram, called Bandits/Highway Kidnappers who engage in roadway abductions and armed robbery and house to house looting; all for purpose of radical propagation of Islam and raising of blood funds for themselves and advancement of their terror activities. Generally, the number of indigenous Northern Christians forced to flee their ancestral homes, farmlands and sacred places of worship so as to escape being hacked to death or face forceful conversion to Islam and concomitant sexual violence or enslavement had sharply risen from over 1.3m in 2014 (Open Doors Report 2015) to between 4m and 5m. The affected population had fled the country or relocated to some less risky capital cities in Northern Nigeria or cities and communities in the Southeast, South-south and Southwest parts of the country. The educated among them have become urban refugees. The total number of Jihadist Herdsmen and Boko Haram generated internally displaced persons and refugees in Northern Nigeria-mostly Christians, are presently estimated at over 3m, rising from 2.6m as at 2017. Among the refugees are some 90,000 Christian dominated Nigerian refugees (from Bornos Gwoza alone) presently in Cameroon. Joined in fleeing the Islamic jihad affected parts of the North are sizeable number of Igbo Christian population resident in the areas, but now resettled in the Southeast and the South-south parts of the country. The number of churches and other Christian worship centers destroyed or burnt since June 2015 in the North has also risen to over 2000, out of which Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen account for over 1500 while Boko Haram accounts for 500 others. Of the churches destroyed or burnt by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen, Benue, Plateau and Southern Kaduna are the worst hit. In eight years, between 2011 and 2019, Benue State had lost 600 churches and other Christian worship centers to Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen. By the account of Open Doors Intl, over 13,000 churches and 1,500 Christian schools were destroyed or burnt; with over 11,500-12,500 Christians killed and over 1.3 million Christians forced to flee their homes to escape being hacked to death by Boko Haram Jihadists between 2009 and 2014. Concise Background Of Christian Population In Nigeria & Their Settlements In The North Nigeria is home to between 95m and 100m Christians, out of which estimated 30m (indigenous) Christians are found in the North. This is going by the countrys estimated total population of 200m citizens. The indigenous Northern Christian population is boosted by estimated 11m-12m Christians dominated by Christian citizens of Igbo extraction living in the North. Southeast and South-south regions of Nigeria are also home to the largest Christian population in Nigeria, followed by the Southwest and the old Middle Belt Region in Northern Nigeria. The Southwest Christians are further boosted by estimated 6m Christians dominated by Christian citizens of Igbo extraction largely found in Lagos. In the Northeast, indigenous Christians are found in large numbers in Taraba State (about 60%), Adamawa (about 40%), Borno (about 40%), Gombe (sizeable) and Yobe and Bauchi (fraction). They are generally boosted by resident Christians dominated by Christians of Igbo extraction. Totality of these was the case as at 2009 and still substantially the case today particularly in Taraba and Gombe States. That is to say that Borno and Adamawa States are the hardest hit in the raging or ongoing anti Christian persecution or killing of Christians and burning or destruction of their churches. Before the 1961 plebiscite, the old Gongola (now Adamawa and Taraba States of Nigeria) was part of the Republic of Cameroon with moderate religious practices including substantial Christian population. In Borno State, the area formerly Kanem-Bornu (Kanuri) Empire, is one of the oldest moderate Islamic settlements in now Northern Nigeria and was then under the Duguwa Dynasty that lasted from 700AD to 1086AD. The areaspecifically embraced moderate Islamism around AD1090s when its King (Sef Mai Umme) became a Muslim and changed his name to Ibn Abd al-Jalil. That was about 128 years after the death of Prophet Muhammed in 632AD. The area later found itself under Kanem-Bornu Empire formed in 1380AD. It also embraced Islamic civilization early enough. Noted also is the fact that the area now called Borno and Adamawa regions were the only areas in Northern Nigeria that withstood and resisted the Fulani Jihadist incursion in early 1800s. Christian missionaries also went to the areas in 1800s and 1900s and established Christianity, which led many to embrace Christianity. Today, Christians and Christianity religion in the areas (Borno and Adamawa) are almost uprooted by terrorist activities of Boko Haram and Fulani jihadists. By the account of Dr. Bitrus Pogu, the Adamawa States senior member of Ekklesiyar Yanuwa a Nigeria (EYN: translated as Church of the Brethren in Nigeria: In many communities in Northeast Nigeria, the killers (Fulani and Boko Haram jihadists) take over ancestral lands and communities that for generations belonged to Christians. The majority of Christian-dominated areas in southern Borno have been taken over by terrorists. In the area, only southeastern Damboa has large Christian settlements Many of them [Christians living there] have been killed. The remnant who attempted to go to their farms were shot and killed, so the place is empty now. The area of Askira Uba, where Christians were dominant has all been deserted. In Gwoza, you will hardly find one Christian in all the settlements. Any Christian who goes home would see what had happened there and run away. The Cameroon refugee camp alone has more than 90,000 persons from Gwoza who are dominantly Christians. Many of them have moved out to Abuja and other cities. The villages are deserted; they have left even local government headquarters. A place like Chibok is predominantly Christian but people have left the villages around Chibok town as a result of series of attacks. Where Rev. Andimi hails from is about six kilometres from where the last settlement is. . there is nobody living there, apart from those who settled along the main road. Askia Uba is the last area north where Christians are. In Adamawa State, there is Madagali, where you have Gulak. Right south you find Christians, but north there are no people. The terrorists are approaching Adamawa proper, because Adamawa and Borno intersect from Uba Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen & Bandits: Three Names With One Mission At non state actor level, there are two major armed Islamic jihadist groups terrorizing Nigeria and its defenseless citizens particularly members of the Christian faith. They are the Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and the Boko Haram jihadists. The international offshoot of Boko Haram is called Islamic State in West Africa or ISWAP. While Boko Haram was formed in 2002, the terrorist Fulani Herdsmen were armed terrorist and Islamic jihadist department of the Fulani Herdsmen in Nigeria; created and funded by extremist Northern politicians and security chiefs and made operational immediately after the return to civil rule in late May 1999. The terror group was formed and funded using the instrument or hiding under the cover of existing Fulani rural cattle grazing in Nigeria. Initially formed and funded to wrestle the countrys seat of presidency power from the South targeted at making same ungovernable, the mission of the terror group and its sponsors later changed to jihadist Islamism in 2015. The change in its mission also followed the emergence of Mr. Muhammadu Buhari, a known Fulani (Daji) and member of conservative Muslim faith, as the sixth civilian president of Nigeria in late May 2015. Mr. Buhari, till date, is the life patron of the mother body of the association of Nigerias cattle herders, called the Miyatti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria. Also, by the account of Comrade Steven Kefas, a fiery Kaduna rights activist, what is called Bandits and Ansaru or northern kidnappers or cattle rustlers was nothing but a product of Government labeling. These groups are just cells or departments of Boko Haram charged with the responsibility of raising funds through various forms of roadway and street criminality including kidnapping-for-ransom, armed robbery and house-to-house raiding and looting. At times, their criminality includes pleasure crime such as rape and sexual harassment or religious crime including abduction and forceful conversion to Islam or death in captivity such as public beheading for refusing to be converted. Comrade Kefas recently interviewed some survivors of the highway abductions on Northern highways and they confirmed same while sharing their sad experiences in the abductors captivity. In all, there are three names associated with Nigerias Islamic terror groups, but they have one mission: to terrorize, pillage, plunder and kill others in the name of propagation of Islamic religion or Islamism. Both Boko Haram and its international offshoot, ISWAP, kill and destroy in the name of religion. They despise Christianity, Christians and western culture or education and seek to Islamize the entire country by deepening Koran in the Sea. Most of their victims from 2009 to date are Christians and it is only in rare circumstances that Moslems are targeted for collateral killings; usually in revenge against Government attacks. But for Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen, 100% of their victims are Christians, their churches, homes and lands. It has never been found where Muslim farmers and their Mosques or homes are attacked and their lands forcefully taken over by Jihadist Herdsmen, who appeared to be armed with communal and forest mappings across Nigeria. This is more so when majority of farmers in Northern Nigeria are Muslims. Apart from attacking Christian settlements in the North-Central, Northeast and some parts of the Northwest, Jihadist Herdsmen, with state cover, have also launched incessant attacks in the Southeast and South-south leading to death of no fewer than 200 Christians in the past 57 months. The killings were mostly recorded in Enugu, Anambra, Delta and Edo States. Religious Terrorists Operate Under State Cover & Complicity In Nigeria The greatest challenge facing the Nigerian security forces or Armed Forces and the Police is secularity question or lack of national cohesion, pluralism and belongingness. Going by the multi ethnic and religious composition of the country, its present Armed Forces and the Police ought to have been composed of 50-50 Muslim-Christian ratio, but reverse is sadly the case. The present headship of the countrys security establishments is structured along 80/20 Muslim-Christian percentage; thereby aiding and fueling the untamed butcheries in the country. Aided by near total collapse of intelligence and ICT policing and soldiering, the countrys security forces are now widely perceived or seen by many as a state actor insurgency organization. This is because it is difficult to differentiate between the security forces and Boko Haram or Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and their genocidal activities. It is also no longer hidden that Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen are allowed by Nigerian Government to bear or possess assault rifles like AK-47s, but the same Government arrests and prosecutes those found in possession of hunters guns. By the Firearms Act of 2004, assault rifles like AK-47s are prohibited from being borne by the citizens except members of the Armed Forces including Police and paramilitaries such as personnel of the Nigerian Customs, Prisons and Immigration Services as well as NDLEA, NSCDC, etc. But in practice presently, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen have earned the status of untouchable Janjaweed; operating from left, right and center across the country with prohibited firearms; killing and plundering at will and with impunity. Recently in Umuawulu Community, near Awka in Anambra State, some Fulani Herdsmen were openly caught bearing and brandishing AK-47s and till date, Government including the Inspector General of Police recently petitioned by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has kept mute. A recent study conducted by a research group published by the Cable strongly alleged that weapons used in farmer/herder conflicts (Jihadist Fulani terrorism) in the country are linked to Nigerian security agencies. The Government of Nigeria and its security agencies have also come out boldly to defend the terrorist activities of Fulani Jihadists. The Government also functions as their mouthpiece. Figure spinning and mangling have also become part of the Federal Governments conspiracy and complicity-whereby Government denies out-right the casualty figures associated with Jihadist Herdsmen killings or have same brutally mangled. Censorship, false denials and falsehoods also characterize the Governments response to Jihadist Fulani Herdsmens butcheries. Apart from releasing into the general and the regimented (security formations) societies thousands of the arrested Boko Haram terrorists, classified as low risk Boko Haram combatants, the Nigerian Government is also jihadist RUGA friendly. The Government is bent and moving with full speed at establishing throughout Nigeria Jihadist friendly RUGA and National Livestock Transformation Plan. RUGA in Fulani means rural grazing area and rural human settlement; designed to be hidden under to perpetrate Islamic jihadist campaign or violence. This is despite the fact that in the countrys landmass distribution, out of total of 923,000km2, the North is allocated with 72% or 730,000km2 while the entire South shares only 22% or 192,000km2; out of which the Southeast is allocated with the least or 29,525km2. The Nigerian Army has recently announced the floating of Nigerian Army (Cattle) Ranching Limited to be established throughout the countrys Army and military formations. Apart from deceitfully christening the massacre of Christians as herders-farmers clash, the Nigerian Government also censors the media and some researchers, compelling them to describe the killings as killings by unknown gunmen or arising from herders-farmers clash. Visa weavers were also announced recently by the Nigerian Government, allowing illegal aliens including violent African nationals to enter the country and live anywhere particularly in the Southern part. There has been steady influx of largely uneducated and religiously radicalized Northern Muslim youths into various communities and cities in the Southeast and the South-south. As at Dec 2019, forests and bushes of over 139 Igbo communities, towns and outlets had been forcefully penetrated and occupied by violent Fulani Herdsmen. Some rural communities in Igbo Delta, Anambra, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi have already become a no-go area. Strong accusations are also rife against the Buhari/Osinbajo Government concerning the open conspiracy of the security forces in the massacre of Christians across Nigeria. The other day, the Governor of Delta State, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa strongly and openly accused soldiers of accompanying the Herdsmen to massacre 14 rural Christians in Ughelli North LGA of the State. The killings took place on 16th Feb 2020. Several other instances abound pointing strong accusing fingers at Army or Police aiding the massacre of defenseless Christians or refusing to come to their rescue when they are under attack, only to emerge hours after such killings to arrest, detain and torture the same victim populations. Instances, such as the above, are too numerous to mention. Short Statistics Concerning 11,500-12,000 Christian Deaths In 57 Months Credible statistics since June 2015 or between June 2015 and Feb 2020 have shown that between 11,500 and 12,000 Christians were hacked to death by Boko Haram, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Boko Harams bandits/highway kidnappers; out of which Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen accounted for 7,400 deaths, Boko Haram 4000 and Bandits/Highway Kidnappers 150-200. The Nigerian military and police also accounted for 1,050 Christian deaths in the past 57 months. These included the killing of 480 Judeo-Christian Igbo citizens, 236 Christian IDPs, over 50 Adamawa rural Christians, estimated 70 Northeast Christian children and some 120 Christian detainees who Amnesty Intl said were among the 240 detainees starved to death at the Giwa Military Barracks in Borno State in 2016, etc. In the area of Jihadist Herdsmen killings, the breakdown further indicates that about 525 Christian deaths were recorded between June and December 2015, 1,300 between Jan and December 2016, 1,700 between Jan and Dec 2017 and 2,400 between Jan and Dec 2018. In 2019, Jihadist Herdsmen killed between 1000 and 1200 Christians leading to total Christian deaths by Fulani Jihadists since June 2015 to about 7,400. Also, between June 2015 and December 2018, Boko Haram/IWSAP terror group was responsible for about 2,800 Christian deaths. This is out of the estimated 5000 killed. Between Jan and December 2019, the Sect killed close to 1000 citizens who were mostly Christians. The Highway Bandits/Kidnappers have also been responsible for about 150-200 Christian deaths in the past 57 months. Researched & Compiled By: Emeka Umeagbalasi, Criminologist & Graduate of Security Studies Board Chair With: Lawyer Obianuju Igboeli, Head, Civil Liberties & Rule of Law Lawyer Ndidiamaka Bernard, Head, Intl Justice & Human Rights Lawyer Chidimma Udegbunam, Head, Campaign & Publicity Lawyer Chinwe Umeche, Head, Democracy & Good Governance www.intersociety-ng.org , +2348174090052, [email protected] Manama Lt Col Dr Manaf Al Qahtani, Infectious Diseases Consultant and Microbiologist at the BDF Hospital and Member of the National Task Force for Combating Coronavirus (COVID-19), noted all active COVID-19 cases are related to arrivals from abroad or contacts of arrivals from abroad. Dr Manaf added that there have been no local cases (community) registered within Bahrain, and that all active cases that have been registered within the past 24 hours have been identified at the Kingdoms entry points. Dr Manaf highlighted that two Bahrainis, a male and a female, have recovered from COVID-19, noting the two individuals have been discharged from isolation after responding positively to the medical care provided. On this note, Dr Manaf emphasised that Bahrains highly specialised medical team is incorporating best practice measures to all its monitoring and treatment activities, from testing to recovery Thiruvananthapuram, March 8 : At 105, Bhageerathi Amma must have her hands full cuddling for her 12 great-grandchildren, not to mention supervising her 16 grandchildren and six children, she has not let her hunger for education die even at this ripe age. Bhageerathi, hailing from Kollam district, is the oldest student in the country. She along with another Kerala woman Karthiyayini Amma, aged 98, has won the Nari Shakti Puraskar 2019. Due to advanced age, the centenarian failed to travel to Delhi to receive the award from President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday, though Karthiyayini received hers and was visibly ecstatic. Karthiyayini, hailing from Alappuzha district, also has six children like Bhageerathi. It was due to efforts made under Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority (KSLMA) that these two 'students' got this award. An official attached to the KSLMA project said that Karthiyayini was too excited on meeting the President. "Union Ministry for Women and Child Development officials, who announced these awards, told Bhageerathi that they will come in person and give her the award at her home, soon," said the KSLMA official. He said that the two women had passed two examinations conducted by the KSLMA as part of adult literacy. "Karthiyayini secured 98 marks out of 100 in 'Aksharalaksham' examination. This is a simple literacy programme conducted by us. Bhageerathi passed her Level 4 equivalency exams, thus becoming the oldest student in the country," added the official. Vasanthkumar, a neighbour of Bhageerathi, told IANS: "She stays with her youngest daughter and is fully aware of what's happening around. Now, she says she wishes to study further and appear in the next level of her literacy programme. As and when she is ready, a teacher will visit her house to teach her." Five people were killed and four injured when a gas tanker was involved in a collision with a Multi Utility Vehicle in Haryana's Sirsa district on Sunday morning, police said. The victims were travelling in the MUV when it met with the accident near Panihari village in Sirsa, a police official of Sirsa Sadar police station said over phone. He said the victims belonged to Sunam in Punjab and were travelling to attend a 'Satsang' in Dera Sacha Sauda sect at Sirsa. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 1. Yes. The downtown area needs a good draw. Some quality taverns would be a plus. 2. Yes. Too many storefronts are vacant. Bars could help to bring in needed revenue. 3. No. Putting a number of bars downtown is just asking for trouble. Dont change things. 4.No. Several churches have located downtown. Putting bars close by would be a bad fit. 5. Unsure. It would depend on how the law is written and what standards are enacted. Vote View Results Banner of CCPCJ: Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the principle policymaking body of the United Nations in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice Mandate and Functions The Commission guides the activities of the United Nations in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. It also reviews United Nations standards and norms in this area, including their use and application by Member States. It takes action through resolutions and decisions. FUNCTIONAL COMMISSION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL The Commission was created in 1992 by the Economic and Social Council as one of its functional commissions (resolution 1992/1), upon request of the General Assembly. The Council has established the Commission's mandates and priorities, which include international action to combat national and transnational crime, including organized crime, economic crime and money laundering; promoting the role of criminal law in protecting the environment; crime prevention in urban areas, including juvenile crime and violence; and improving the efficiency and fairness of criminal justice administration systems (resolution 1992/22). GOVERNING BODY OF UNODC The Commission acts as the governing body of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. It approves the budget of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Fund, which provides resources for promoting technical assistance in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice worldwide. The Commission provides substantive and organizational direction for the quinquennial United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. It also considers the outcome of the congresses and takes decisions on appropriate follow-up measures. The Commission also maintains links to the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Network, which supports the efforts the United Nations in the area of crime prevention and criminal justice and contributes to the work of the Commission. HISTORY The political agreement to establish the Commission derived from a ministerial meeting held in Versailles in 1991. It was preceded by a more technically focused Committee on Crime Prevention and Control, formed in 1971 to replace an earlier expert advisory committee and tackle a broadened scope of UN interest in criminal justice policy. Its the American dream: A home, job, spouse, two-car garage, dog, cat and 2.5 kids. Or maybe not. Millennials, it seems, want it all except for maybe the kids. If you dont believe me, do the Google. There are at least a dozen articles online that tout the reasons some brutally honest reasons why todays 20 and 30-somethings dont want kids, their own or anybody elses. I hadnt realized this was the case. A whole generation not wanting kids. But its true. According to data from the Urban Institute birth rates among 20-something women decreased 15 percent between 2007 and 2012 and the number of U.S. women who dont have children has doubled since 1970. Millennials were born (roughly) during the last 20 to 25 years of the 20th century, and according to the articles I read, have numerous reasons for not wanting children. Ill get to that later. First, as a mother of four, Id like to say no one needs a reason for not wanting children. If you dont want children, you shouldnt have children. It should be as simple as that. Dont worry about explaining yourself. Weve all been there. Honestly. And made the often difficult decision ourselves. Outlining reasons, as though they are new and unique to this generation is not new and unique to those of us from another generation because we already lived them. There have always been logical and resounding reasons not to have kids. Some of us just chose to ignore them. There are actually dozens of articles listing dozens of reasons not to have children, but as I read one after another, I noticed a handful plus one were referenced most often. Here are the six along with my thoughts about them: 1. The number one reason why people today dont want kids is because kids are not financially feasible. Its hard to afford both a kid and the latest iPhone. Priorities have to kick in somewhere. Its true. Kids have never been financially feasible, even before iPhones were invented. Kids are expensive. Have been. Always will be. If people waited until they could afford kids (or the latest iPhone), no one would have either. 2. Reason number two: Pregnancy is hard and potentially dangerous. Yes, it is. As it has been since the dawn of time, when it was even more dangerous. Giving birth in a cave without an epidural had to be nearly as dangerous as texting while driving. 3. The idea of carrying a child makes some people nauseous. If the mere idea makes you nauseous, try pregnancy, and I wont even get into the subject of the actual birth. 4. There is a ton of pressure to be the perfect parent. Why even try? Ill give them that one. I mess up as a parent every day. And there is guilt with that. Guilt and pressure. But guilt and pressure are a part of life. We feel guilty when we dont take the dog for a walk or when we sleep in on a Saturday or call in sick to work. Guilt is everywhere, including parenting. 5. Not all women have maternal instincts. Heres the best justification so far. You dont feel maternal, so you dont want children. Finally, some honesty. Having said that, I wasnt born with maternal instincts. I didnt like holding other peoples babies. When they sent us home from the hospital with our newborn daughter, I thought, Now what? When she was a week old I gave myself a silent high five that wed all survived. I had no idea what I was doing and found instinct lacking. With practice, however, I become maternal. Im not saying its for everyone, but being non-maternal isnt a lifetime sentence. At least it wasnt for me. 6. Kids dont fit their lifestyle. Of course they dont. Kids dont fit into any grown-ups lifestyle. They change it. They make it more chaotic and unpredictable and boo-boo prone and sticky. Sometimes those are good things. I struggled with the decision to have children. Its a biggie. The issues being touted as unique to millennials are perpetual; they have been for generations. I do believe there may be a difference in mindset and focus and priorities however, and this is causing the shift. Bottom line, if you dont want kids, reasons arent necessary. The same goes for if you do or if you choose to have more than your allotted 2.5. You shouldnt have to explain why or justify your feelings. They just are. And we shouldnt be judged for that either way. It isnt right or wrong. It just is. Jill Pertler is an award-winning columnist, published playwright, author and member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. UNODC helps Iraqi victims of terrorism regain hope and their lives From 2-6 November 2021, UNODC's Terrorism Prevention branch held two workshops in Jordan as part of its project supporting Iraqi victims of terrorism within the criminal justice framework, including through psychological support. Read More> Following the official launch of the Data Disclosure Framework on 28 October 2021, UNODC organized a series of introductory webinars on 7-15 December 2021, which will guide the audience through the publication and offer the opportunities to discuss it with experts. Read More > UNODC Supports Nigeria in Countering Incitement to Terrorism while Protecting Free Speech From 23-25 November 2021, UNODC's Terrorism Prevention Branch delivered, with the support of the European Union, a workshop in Abuja on incitement to terrorism through the media. Read More > UNODC and IAEA Join Forces to Promote Key International Legal Instruments Against Nuclear Terrorism From 11-12 November 2021, UNODC and the IAEA held their first ever joint event to promote the universalization of the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (A/CPPNM) and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT). Read More > UNODC and UNICRI work together to address the links between Terrorism and Organized Crime UNODC's Terrorism Prevention Branch and UNICRI delivered a workshop in Mali on 8-9 November 2021. The objective of the workshop was to discuss the national and international legal framework to counter the nexus between terrorism and organized crime and to present good practices and challenges in judicial cooperation. Read More > UNODC organizes the Second Informal Expert Group Meeting to Update the UNODC Model Law on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (2007) From 11 to 12 November, UNODCs Terrorism Prevention Branch, in cooperation with the Organized Crime Branch, organized the second informal expert group meeting (IEGM) to update the UNODC Model Law on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (2007) with provisions on the gathering of electronic evidence and the use of special investigative techniques. Read More > UNODC Launches New Tools on Integrating Gender in Counter-Terrorism Measures for South and South-East Asian Practitioners On 30 September 2021, UNODCs Terrorism Prevention Branch launched two E-learning modules on Complex Terrorist Cases for South and South-East Asia and Gender Dimensions of Criminal Justice Responses to Terrorism with the latter tailored to the national contexts of Bangladesh and Maldives. Read More> UNODC Supports South Asian Practitioners Mainstream Gender into Counter-Terrorism and PVE Measures On 14-15 July 2021, UNODC's Terrorism Prevention Branch delivered advanced regional training on mainstreaming gender in counterterrorism and PVE, further reinforcing South Asian public officials' understanding and knowledge of female radicalization processes and preventing women's involvement in violent extremism leading to terrorism. Read More> UNODC Strengthens the Criminal Justice Response to Terrorism On 21 October 2021, UNODC launched a User's Guide to the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 (TPA) as amended by the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 (TPAA) for use by law enforcement, security and judicial officials in their work to counter-terrorism in Nigeria. Read More > UNODC Launches New Website on the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) On 30 September 2021, UNODC held an online event to launch its new website on the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT). The website is intended to serve as a repository of all relevant information and existing resources on this international legal instrument. Read More > UNODC Reinforces Investigation Capacities and Cross-border Cooperation against Terrorism and Foreign Terrorist Fighters In September 2021, UNODCs Terrorism Prevention Branch conducted three training workshops for Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia. The workshops officially concluded a three-year project on "Supporting the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2396 (2017)". Read More > UNODC Ramps up Efforts to Counter Terrorist Acts on the Basis of Xenophobia, Racism and other Forms of Intolerance, or in the name of Religion or Belief On 8 September 2021, UNODC's Terrorism Prevention Branch conducted a webinar on the role of legal designations and banning in response to terrorist acts on the basis of xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance, or in the name of religion or belief (XRIRB) on 8 September 2021. Read More > UNODC Promotes the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism in Grenada On 7 September 2021, UNODC delivered an online national workshop on ICSANT together with the Government of Grenada. The event was a follow-up to the regional workshop for selected CARICOM countries, which was held in Barbados in February 2020. Read More > UNODC Launches New Tool on Mental Health Considerations for the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Foreign Terrorist Fighter Returnees and their Families On 2 September 2021, UNODC's Terrorism Prevention Branch and UNODCs eLearning Global Programme launched a new eLearning course on mental health considerations for the rehabilitation and reintegration of FTF returnees and their families, through an online event. The eLearning modules were developed under the framework of the project "Preventing and Responding to Terrorism and Violent Extremism in Central Asia", funded by the Government of Germany. Read More > This past week, UNODC and the Government of Germany delivered a second batch of specialized investigative equipment to the Mozambican National Service of Criminal Investigation (SERNIC). Read More > UNODC Builds Capacity in Niger to Enhance the Admissibility of Battlefield Evidence UNODC delivered an intensive five-week training in Niamey for a joint task force of Military Evidence Officers such as investigators, gendarmes and military, who will be deployed to conflict zones and tasked with leading the process of collecting, preserving and sharing of different sources of information during counter-terrorism operations in conflict zones. Read More> UNODC Calls for Accountability and Justice to Ensure Sustainable Peace in the Lake Chad Basin Region On 28 June 2021, senior representatives of the States in the region, regional organizations and think tanks, and the UN focused their attention on the role comprehensive measures for the prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration of Boko Haram associated persons have on the road towards recovery and sustainable peace. Read More> Building on UNODCs new Strategic Vision for Africa 2030, which emphasizes gender equality, and the empowerment of women and youth as key elements to support long-standing security, peace, human rights and development, UNODC is prioritizing its work with regional partners in Africa to support these efforts. Read More > UNODC, UNOCT and IPU Develop Model Legal Provisions to Strengthen Comprehensive National Assistance Plans for Victims of Terrorism On the margins of the 2021 United Nations Counter-Terrorism Week, H.E. Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna, virtually delivered her remarks at the High-Level session on The importance of model legal provisions to strengthen comprehensive national assistance plans for victims of terrorism on 25 June 2021. Read More> On 21-22 June 2021, jointly with MINUSMA, UNODC organized a training to improve cooperation between different judicial entities involved in the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of terrorism acts in Bamako. Read More > On 8-10 June 2021, UNODCs Terrorism Prevention Branch organized a cross-regional meeting for officials and civil society representatives from South and South-East Asia to discuss challenges and partnership strategies to unite local communities, civil society and the private sector to build youth resilience and participation in national frameworks to prevent violent extremism. Read More> On 24-25 May 2021, UNODC launched the online platform of the Regional Network of PVE Practitioners of South Asia (SAN-PVE). SAN-PVE is the first PVE network in South Asia. It facilitates networking, knowledge-sharing and learning. Read More> On 4-5 May 2021, UNODCs Terrorism Prevention Branch organized a legislative assistance meeting under the framework of a project on facilitating the use and admissibility as evidence of information collected by the military from the battlefield, launched in close coordination and consultation with Burkinabe authorities. Read More > The Government of Mozambique, UNODC and the Government of Germany jointly launched a training series on building the capacity of Mozambican defense attorneys to promote the protection of human rights in criminal justice responses to terrorism. Read More > UNODC Supports Morocco To Address Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters UNODC developed a new comprehensive capacity-building initiative in close coordination with Moroccan authorities to strengthen the expertise of stakeholders in developing effective and human rights compliant investigation and trial management standards for returning FTFs. Read More > Participants at the 30th session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in Vienna attended a virtual side event focused on the successes and challenges in mounting an effective criminal justice response to terrorism in North-East Nigeria. Read More > International legal approaches and criminal justice responses to the threat of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) terrorism were the focus of a webinar series conducted by UNODC between 2020-2021. Read More > Since 2020, UNODC and Germany have been supporting Mozambique through a joint project that enables criminal justice officials to enhance their knowledge and skills to effectively investigate, prosecute and adjudicate terrorist offences. Read More > UNODC has been working with investigators and staff of the Specialized Investigation Brigade (BIS) in Mali to counter the terrorism threat in the region. UNODC has been delivering assistance to strengthen capacity and knowledge on terrorism, as well as on the specific procedural rules for investigating cases of terrorism and cross-border crime. Read More > UNODC organized an informal Expert Group Meeting on updating the Model Law on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters on 17-18 March 2021 on UNODCs Counter-Terrorism Learning Platform. Read More > On 13-15 March 2021, UNODC conducted a regional event which officially concluded its Terrorism Prevention Branchs (UNODC/TPB) five-year project on Strengthening the Legal Regime against FTFs in the Middle East, North Africa and South-Eastern Europe (2015-2021), funded by the European Union. Read More > On 9-10 March 2021, UNODC launched the first event under a new project on facilitating the use and admissibility as evidence of information and material collected from conflict zones by the military in Burkina Faso. Read More > On 8-12 March 2021, UNODC delivered, as part of a series, a new practical training on crime scene management and forensic investigation at the Tunisian National Police Academy Salammbo. Read More > On 2 March 2021, UNODC handed over specialized forensic equipment to support Mozambique bring terrorists to justice, building on existing support which includes training on good practices in evidence collection, forensic exploitation and crime scene management. Read More > On 8-11 February 2021, UNODC/TPB delivered an advanced online training on effective investigation, prosecution and sentencing of complex terrorism cases, including those of RFTFs. Read More > As part of the UNs coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia, UNODC equipped five border crossings in the country with decontamination units as well as protective and medical equipment to isolate and test travelers with symptoms. The event brought together officials from the Tunisian ministries of health, interior and transport. Read More > In 2020, Cuba became the fifth country in the world to ratify, accede or otherwise become party to all 19 international instruments, showcasing its commitment to strengthening the international legal regime against terrorism. Full adherence to these instruments commenced in 2016 when the Dominican Republic finalized this process, followed by Cote DIvoire in 2017 as well as Kazakhstan and Turkey, who became party to all 19 conventions and protocols in 2019. Read More> Adamawa State "Investigator of the Year" Credits UNODC for his Success A police officer who has received repeated training support from UNODC has been awarded the prestigious title Investigator of the Year 2020 by Commissioner of Police, Adamawa State Police Command, CP Olugbenga Adeyanju. Read More> UNODC Supports Tunisian Practitioners in the Management of Terrorist Crime Scenes and Forensic Investigations From 15-19 February 2021, UNODC delivered a practical workshop on terrorist crime scene management and forensic investigations. The event brought together 15 law enforcement officers from the Salammbo Police Academy, including their forensic police, civil protection and counterterrorism units. Read More > UNODC Supports Lebanon to Strengthen Crime Management in Terrorism Cases 14-16 and 17-19 December 2020, UNODCs Terrorism Prevention Branch (UNODC/TPB) delivered two workshops for Lebanon on crime scene investigation management and digital evidence in terrorism-related cases. The events brought together 28 investigators, law enforcement and criminal justice officials. From theUNODCs Terrorism Prevention Branch (UNODC/TPB) delivered two workshops for Lebanon on crime scene investigation management and digital evidence in terrorism-related cases. The events brought together 28 investigators, law enforcement and criminal justice officials. Read More > MENA: UNODC Strengthens Interviewing Capacity in Counter-Terrorism Cases UNODCs Terrorism Prevention Branch (UNODC/TPB) delivered two training sessions for Jordanian and Lebanese law enforcement and criminal justice officials on investigative interviewing in terrorism-related cases. The sessions underscored the importance of respecting human rights and addressing vulnerable target groups. Read More > United Nations Assembly calls on UNODC for increased support to counter terrorism In December 2020, during its 75th session, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on measures to eliminate terrorism. The resolution requests the UN and the international community to increase measures against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Read More > UNODC, together with the Office of the Attorney General of Mozambique, delivered an inter-agency workshop for representatives from key national agencies responsible for supporting Mozambiques counter-terrorism efforts. The workshop aimed to strengthen inter-agency collaboration to effectively investigate, prosecute and adjudicate terrorism cases with respect for the rule of law and human rights . Read More > In December 2020, In December 2020, UNODC delivered a webinar on The Implementation of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT): The Experience of Cameroon. The webinar was conducted in French and focused on one Member States experience with the adherence to and national implementation of the convention. Read More > UNODC Supports Guidance on Mental Health Considerations for the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Foreign Terrorist Fighter returnees from Iraq and Syria On the 13 November and 4 December 2020 UNODC is delivering two online webinars as part of a series of e-learning tools to raise awareness on the relationship between mental illness and violent extremism leading to terrorism - with a particular focus on analyzing trends of foreign terrorist fighter returnees and their families Read More > UNODC Supports English-Speaking African Countries To Address the Risk of Nuclear Terrorism On 11 November 2020 UNODC delivered an online workshop for English-speaking African countries which are not yet party to ICSANT in order to promote the universalization and effective implementation of the Convention. Read More > In September 2020, UNODC delivered an online awareness-raising event on the International Legal Framework Against Biological Terrorism. Read More > It's been 100 years since the sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet welcomed a handful of women into a house on Western Avenue to begin The College of Saint Rose. The school has grown considerably since 1920, from that single building dormitory, library and classrooms all under one roof to a campus of 4,000 students spread over more than six dozen buildings in Albany's Pine Hills neighborhood. Culturally and structurally, its roots are set deep. That's why news that Carolyn Stefanco is stepping down as Saint Rose president is more than just an internal matter. During her turbulent tenure, Dr. Stefanco tried to shape a sustainable future for the college. But concerns about her restructuring plans, her handling of the college's budget gap and her closed management style sparked trustee resignations and a faculty no-confidence vote. Saint Rose's struggles mirror those of other small colleges: New York's Excelsior Scholarship has drawn students to public universities; visa restrictions have hampered international students' education plans; enrollment in institutions of every type, public and private, has been sliding for years. But institutions like Saint Rose are woven into the fabric of our communities. They draw in an educated workforce and young people who might choose to put down their own roots here. Colleges' cultural offerings enrich our civic life. And they boost our economy: Private, not-for-profit colleges contribute $4.4 billion to the Capital Region economy each year, according to the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities. Their successes elevate us; their failures would cast a long shadow. That's why Saint Rose needs leadership, and quickly leadership that the whole campus community can have a role in selecting and, ultimately, get behind. Let the kids sleep Want to boost teens' academic performance? Fight adolescent obesity and depression? More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com See More Collapse Start their school day later. The Bethlehem Central School District has joined a handful of other local districts that are looking at pushing back the start of the school day for high schoolers. Scientists have found that falling asleep early does not come naturally for adolescents, and that sleep deprivation can erode academic achievement, suppress physical activity, and elevate their chances of engaging in risky behaviors like drinking or smoking. That's why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics have both recommended later start times at middle and high schools. Research shows that a delayed school start is effective in getting teens the sleep they need, and the benefits that come along with it. It's a change every school district should be considering. Buckle up. No excuses. A car crash at 60 miles per hour turns a 160-pound man into a projectile with thousands of pounds of crushing force. That's all the physics you need to understand the reasoning behind the seat belt measure that passed the state Legislature last week, which requires adults to strap in even when they're in the back seat. Now, if we can all just find those belts behind the seat. ... Sharon Horgan doesn't especially enjoy watching herself on screen any more. She feels an awkwardness that she thinks comes from years of sitting in edit suites scrutinising take after take of television programmes she has created, co-written and starred in. Shows such as her 2006 breakthrough, Pulling, a black comedy about three female flatmates, and Catastrophe, the Channel 4 series (rejected by the BBC) about a one-night stand with long-term effects that ran for four seasons and has been broadcast in 133 countries and now means she has to have clocks in her London offices showing the time in New York and Los Angeles. But Horgan, who is 49 and has eviscerating self-awareness, also accepts that "vanity" might be a factor. "I just don't love seeing myself as an older person on screen," she says, with a snorty half-laugh that seems to punctuate her most radically honest statements. "There's always a weird transitional period where you go from being able to play a girl who doesn't know where her life is going to playing the mother of an 18-year-old. The adjustment for that just takes a little bit of time." Horgan is sitting in the boardroom of Merman, the production company she founded in 2014 with producer Clelia Mountford. It's a large, grown-up room with a view of the London Eye and a clutch of awards dotted around, but casually. She's wearing a black vest, wide-legged jeans and Adidas shelltoes, and looks unfussily chic. Expand Close Comedy gold ... Sharon wrote Catastrophe with co star Rob Delaney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Comedy gold ... Sharon wrote Catastrophe with co star Rob Delaney "I generally like to pick up my clothes from the floor from the night before and wear them for as long as possible," she explains. "It's fine when I'm at home, but if I come in here three days in a row and I'm wearing the same thing, people point it out." We're here to talk about Military Wives, which she stars in with Kristin Scott Thomas, and in which she plays, as it happens, the mother of an 18-year-old. It's a dramatisation, by the Full Monty director Peter Cattaneo, of the true story of the women from a Royal Marines base in Devon who formed a choir while their partners were away in Afghanistan and wound up with the Christmas No 1 in 2011. So, has Horgan seen it yet? "I didn't watch it at the premiere," she admits. "But my PR lady said, 'You cannot go into interviews to talk about the film if you haven't seen it'. So I got them to send me a screener and I watched it on my laptop, which I'm sure Peter absolutely abhorred." What did she think? "Kristin and I had the same experience when we read the initial script: it f**ked both of us up," Horgan says. "We knew that if they were the right songs, if they were done in the right way, that this female friendship - the female version of a bromance - could be a really moving and sweet and funny and life-affirming film. So, yeah, when I watched it, I thought: 'It's all those things I thought it would be'." While Military Wives follows a familiar formula, you would have to have a black heart - something, admittedly, Horgan has been accused of - not to have to wipe away a small tear by the end. Horgan is the best thing about it, undercutting any excess saccharine with a curl of her lip or a withering aside. (She didn't officially work on the script, but with Scott Thomas she did "inject a bit of us into it".) Military Wives probably won't do the full Full Monty in terms of impact, but there's a Calendar Girls-type market for it. "Different films, but similar ingredients," says Horgan. "It just makes people feel good." Military Wives is a tonal departure for her; "uplifting" and "feel-good" haven't exactly been in her wheelhouse. Horgan has summed up her work as being "funny and grim", but what makes her comedy rare is how much she makes you care about her characters, even when they are behaving abominably. The relationship between Rob and Sharon in Catastrophe feels real - screwed up but real. "You let me put my penis in your mouth, but you won't let me put my T-shirts in your drawer?" Rob notes when they start living together. The interactions between the parents in her BBC2 comedy Motherland are excruciating variations of ones you see at the school gates, especially if you are a bit middle-class. Horgan has an unerring ear and an unsparing eye. Expand Close On song ... Sharon Horgan stars in the musical drama Military Wives with Kristin Scott Thomas / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp On song ... Sharon Horgan stars in the musical drama Military Wives with Kristin Scott Thomas Video of the Day "I watched the trailer for Military Wives with my 16-year-old daughter and she laughed all the way through it," says Horgan. "And I was like, 'F**king cow.' And she was like, 'No, it's great. It's just funny seeing you with this beautiful song running throughout and then cutting to you on a keyboard and then cutting to you with your head in your hands. It's just funny. You have to admit it's funny.'" It is kind of funny, Horgan concedes. Military Wives is a step change to what she's done before, but she has her reasons for branching out. Merman exists because Horgan was fed up with coming up with ideas, writing them and then taking them to someone else to make them. The company started slowly, but in the past five years it has become an industry powerhouse. Its productions are ubiquitous on TV channels and streaming services, and it is known especially for developing new female talent. These include shows that Horgan co-writes, but doesn't appear in, such as Motherland, and Divorce with Sarah Jessica Parker for HBO, and also Aisling Bea's This Way Up, Frayed by Sarah Kendall and There She Goes, which won a Bafta for Jessica Hynes. Merman has also moved into drama and films: its first feature, Herself, by Irish writer and actor Clare Dunne, premiered last month at the Sundance Film Festival and was bought by Amazon. "I've spent so many years doing things that were always called cult comedies," explains Horgan. "So it's nice to do something that will have a bigger audience. And being cynical and business-minded, it helps your profile when I go into pitches here and in the US. If you're going in with a writer who is maybe less well known, who you're wanting people to take a chance on, people give a shit about that." Horgan sounds conflicted. She notes that Catastrophe, as popular as it was, probably had "half the numbers" of Derry Girls. She's dabbled in big studio films before, but in supporting roles, notably the 2018 comedy Game Night, with Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, and knows that these parts come with much less control than she's used to. It appears that Horgan is nailing that hard-to-square feat of allying a rich, diverse creative life with commercial success, but she's unsure whether to focus her energies on acting or writing or producing or directing, or just to continue, like now, doing all of them. "The weird thing I fight in myself is going after a mainstream audience and also thinking that I'm not entirely sure I know how to write for a mainstream audience," she says. "The sweet spot is to do that and to do it well. And to do it in a way that you're not compromising. But there's something very intoxicating about creating a show that has widespread appeal. You do want people to see your work." At any point, Horgan might be working on a mind-boggling 30 projects. It's hard not to trace this demented pace to the fact her career kicked off relatively late, in her mid-30s. She was born in east London, but moved to Ireland when she was four. The family settled in Co Meath, where they had a turkey farm. "I wanted to be a performer, but it didn't feel possible," she says. "I think that's why it took so long. I mean, I had a lovely childhood and my parents were super-supportive, but if you're brought up in a tiny village and your parents are turkey farmers, it doesn't necessarily equate that you go into show business." Horgan went to art college in Dublin, hung out with bands, did some backing singing. "At one gig, this crazy Swiss producer came up to me at the end and was like, 'I'm gonna make you a star. So, I flew with him to Zurich and he spent the week doing publicity photos, introducing me to people and trying to find out what my talents were," Horgan laughs, "So, after that week, I was like, 'Oh well, this is what happens to me. People walk up to me and say, I'm going to make you a star.' That handicapped me for years." Instead, Horgan moved to London and worked at the Jobcentre in Kilburn for six years. She only quit, aged 27, when she was instructed to pick up human excrement from the pavement outside. She moved around squats with Irish friends, before eventually renting a room in co-operative housing with a teacher and a nurse. "When I moved to London, I think I really was genuinely coming over not to make my fortune, but to be discovered," she says. "And I literally just got a job in the Jobcentre. I don't know who I thought was going to discover me there." Horgan ultimately poured the energy of this chaotic, feckless period into Pulling, the sitcom she wrote with Dennis Kelly. She and Kelly had worked on sketches together in the 1990s, won the BBC New Comedy Award in 2001, and began contributing material to Monkey Dust, Harry Thompson and Shaun Pye's subversive animated series for BBC Three. The late Thompson (instrumental in launching Have I Got News For You and developing the character Ali G) had a sitcom title, Pulling, but no characters or plot, and suggested that Horgan and Kelly fill in the gaps. Pulling wasn't exactly autobiographical, but some true stories found their way in: yes, Horgan once ate a takeaway she found in a phonebox. Around the time that Pulling was coming together, she met Jeremy Rainbird, who worked in advertising. Six months later she was pregnant, and not long after that they were married. They have two children, Sadhbh, 16, and Amer, 11. If some of this feels familiar, it might be because parts of it were the starting point for Catastrophe, which follows the characters Sharon and Rob from messy hook-up to messy life with children. We're evicted from the "posh room" we're in, which is needed for a meeting, so we scuttle across the landing to a writers' space. It's much smaller, there's no view of the London Eye, and there's a whiteboard on the wall and a sofa at one end. "There will be a bit of time where you run out of ideas and you just need to lie down," she says. While writing Pulling and Catastrophe, she shared a single keyboard with Kelly and Rob Delaney respectively; she and Kelly would share the typing, but with Delaney it was always Horgan. It's a draining way to work, but it has advantages: you receive immediate, brutal-if-necessary feedback, and there's the drive of trying to make the other person laugh. There are occasional rumours that Catastrophe will return in some form, perhaps as a one-off special, but that's not on Horgan's schedule. "I'd love to write with Rob again," she says. "We just fitted so well together. But we also spent five years writing something that was quite intense, and it's good to step away and do other things. So I'm my own partner right now, and yeah, that's OK." Horgan considers Pulling and Catastrophe as chapters one and two of a trilogy. What form the third instalment will take is something she's wrestling with now. Both professionally and personally, 2019 was a tough year: Catastrophe ended, and so did her marriage to Rainbird. "After Catastrophe, I knew I'd have a period where I was like, 'I don't know what the f**k I'm doing'," she says. "It was grand because I had so many other things, like Motherland and This Way Up and lots of Merman stuff, but I was also like, 'Shit, I don't have that thing. I don't have that idea.' And I was trying to not give myself a hard time about it, trying to just wait and see what came." On Catastrophe, Horgan and Delaney abided by one directive: make nothing up. It was designed to stop them slipping into cliche, and however gruelling it is to stick to, Horgan thinks it's worth it. "I feel when I write about what's either going on in my life or has gone on in my life, I just connect to it way more, have more stuff to say," she says. "It also provides me with a little extra therapy, getting stuff down on the page. "I really want to write about what it is to be a woman of a certain age whose life is changing," she goes on. "And I want there to be a teenagers element to it. But I don't want to write about my girls, because I think that's just not fair. "Also, I don't want to start watching them the way I watch everyone else. You know, when you're in the moment, but also part of your brain is thinking, 'I must scribble that down later'. So I'm trying to find a way round that, probably by giving the kids a different gender." Horgan sounds like she is happiest when writing. "It's like the ultimate escape," she says. "You open your laptop and immediately you're somewhere else." But 2020 is already filling up. She's in the film adaptation of the hit musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie, and is about to start shooting a romantic comedy, The Last Drop, opposite Vince Vaughn. She's also in advanced discussions to direct her first feature, The New World, an adaptation of Chris Adrian and Eli Horowitz's sci-fi novel. "I just want some adventures," she explains. "To do stuff that's challenging. You can get into a bit of a rut in terms of what you write about and what your safe space is. "So yeah, just take a few risks. It's weird, with the directing thing, I've done it a few times, but every time I do it, I think I can't do it. So it's like ignoring the negative side of my brain and continuing to push it. "But then I also want to take my foot off the pedal a bit, so all that doesn't make any sense," Horgan continues. Then there's that half-laugh again: "I want to get my daughter's GCSEs out of the way and come out the other side and have a happy, non-stressful home." Military Wives is in cinemas now. Solaris, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky in 1972, is a 165-minute Russian film about a psychologist sent to a space station who makes a breathtaking discovery The American University in Cairo is hosting a film screening event at the Tahrir Cultural Centre on 17 March, showing 'Solaris' in the 'Time and Memory in Cinema Series' organised by the Department of Philosophy. Solaris, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky in 1972, is a 165-minute Russian film that follows a psychologist sent to a space station orbiting a distant planet to investigate the death of a doctor and the mental problems of cosmonauts on the station. He soon discovers that the water on the nearby planet brings out repressed memories and obsessions. The event which will see a post-screening discussion organised by Dr Surti Singh and Dr Sami Khatib sponsored by Extimacies: Critical Theory from the Global South, funded by the Andrew W Mellon Foundation. Programme: Tuesday, 17 March at 6pm Armenian Gallery, AUC Tahrir For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Mozart-themed BYTs dig up Piccadilly, 1930 (Cecil Beaton with drill) A century ago, a bohemian set of aristos and artists oozed glamour and wreaked havoc all through the streets of London. Hannah Betts gets an exclusive look at a new exhibition that celebrates the era On leap years night, 1928, Loelia Ponsonby, soon to be Duchess of Westminster, hosted the Dream of Fair Women Ball in the heart of Londons Mayfair, at Claridges newly redecorated mirrored silver and green ballroom. The ball featured what Tatler magazine termed the loveliest women in England in a tableau vivant of futuristic fashions. It was the very embodiment of the Bright Young Things (a nickname given to them by the tabloid press), a hedonistic group of young artists and socialites who lit up interwar London with elaborate parties and pranks. The photographer Cecil Beaton, who had just celebrated his 24th birthday, was tasked with designing the outfits for this most talked-about event, be it for the huntswoman of 1960, the bather of the future, the nun or the bridge-player of 1980 or Ascot 2000. Several bridal or going-away outfits were also included, with his wilful sister Baba exquisitely attired as the bride of 2028, in a white and silver embroidered satin confection along neoclassical lines, adorned with a vast Elizabethan lace collar. Beatons portrait of the Hon Mrs Inigo Freeman-Thomas (or Blossom, as she was known) in her towering Ascot garb, has become something of a symbol for the excesses of this era, her angular gaze one of patrician disdain. Tickets for the ball cost three guineas, including supper and champagne, the equivalent of nine days wages for a skilled tradesman. Never before and quite possibly never again did so many glamorous society women parade in costumes as audacious as they were lovely. One could not find a more lavish example of the way in which Cecil Beatons Bright Young Things brought to us anew in the National Portrait Gallerys upcoming exhibition of that title found their playground amid Claridges art deco elegance. As Kate Hudson, the hotels archivist, recounts: Claridges has always been at the heart of London society, and in the 1920s and 30s, it was the place to party for any BYT worth their salt. Leading the charge was the brightest of BYTs, socialite Stephen Tennant, said to be the model for Evelyn Waughs Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead Revisited, Miles Malpractice in his Vile Bodies, and Cedric Hampton in Nancy Mitfords Love in a Cold Climate. Around him flocked artist Rex Whistler, stage designer Oliver Messel, composer William Walton, modernist poets Iris Tree and Nancy Cunard, debutantes Edwina Mountbatten and Diana Guinness (nee Mitford), and anglophile American actresses Tallulah Bankhead and Anna May Wong. Together they created what the exhibitions curator Robin Muir describes as a deliriously eccentric, glamorous and creative era of British cultural life, combining high society and the avant-garde, artists and writers, socialites and partygoers, all set against the rhythms of the Jazz Age. This fashionable set boasted its own language peppered with darlings and divines, negative phenomena being bogus, sick-making or frightfully tiresome. Beaton saw this world more clearly in his capacity as an outsider. As Muir elaborates: Cecils guiding impulse was a desire to escape what he perceived as a humdrum middle-class background and achieve the celebrity of those gilded, mostly aristocratic young people having a far more exciting time. Tellingly, he writes: I dont want people to know me as I really am, but as Im pretending to be. His experimentation with costume, camouflage and identity allows him to choose just who that Cecil Beaton might be. The Bright Young Things in full fancy-dress mode, 1927, including Cecil Beaton (rear, far right) and American screen siren Tallulah Bankhead (front right). If Beaton was making himself up, then so were the women he photographed. This was the period in which cosmetics finally became acceptable albeit shocking. Eyes, mouths and nails were painted, noses powdered, hair bobbed, breasts bound, skirts shortened, knees rouged. For Beatons flappers, make-up spelled rebellion and liberation. Faster types boasted kohl, block mascara, scarlet lipstick and Vaselined eyelids. Even country girls such as Mitfords heroines in The Pursuit of Love felt the need to daub paint-box blue on their eyelids, ruddy their cheeks and talc their noses like a couple of Dutch dolls. Perfume went from being a subtle, largely naturalistic affair to bold, synthetic and exotic a weapon of seduction for societys new sirens. Carons sumptuous, sexual Tabac Blond was taken up by smoking jazz babies. Guerlains sultry, spicy Shalimar led to the claim that there were three things no lady could do: smoke, dance the tango and sport Shalimar. Chanels No 5, launched in 1921, had a stark, bracing, modernist quality, the product of its volume of aldehyde crystals, which lent it a fizzing champagne aspect. The BYTs were often lambasted for being high on drugs; perhaps they were high on scent? As the decade wore on, cocktails became more ubiquitous, but, at first, flappers fizzed not with champagne, but lemonade. Left: A 1937 portrait of Cecil Beaton by Paul Tanqueray. Right: Beaton's sister Baba in costumes for the Great London Pageant of Lovers, 1927 In fact, their pursuits began as rather innocent, if not infantile. As Barbara Cartland recalled in her memoir, it was a group of girls who got things going. Along with their friends Enid Raphael and Lady Eleanor Smith, in 1924 sisters Zita and Teresa Baby Jungman set the craze for London-wide treasure hunts by fast car. From midnight, 50 motors sped across the capital in search of clues. The Hovis factory made a loaf with a clue baked inside; a special Evening Standard was printed, concealing clues in imaginary news stories. There were paper-chases across public transport, scavenger parties intent on stealing policemens helmets, and games of follow-my-leader across Selfridges, in pursuit of a chap in a scarlet cape. Pranks abounded. Lady Eleanor masqueraded as a Russian princess, fluttering her mascaraed lashes. And then there were the parties. Evelyn Waugh, fellow social outsider and Beatons sworn enemy, catalogued these excesses in Vile Bodies, his bestseller of 1930. Masked parties, Savage parties, Victorian parties, Greek parties, Wild West parties, Russian parties, Circus parties, parties where one had to dress as somebody else, almost naked parties in St Johns Wood, parties in flats and studios and houses and ships and hotels and night clubs, in windmills and swimming baths, tea parties at school where one ate muffins and meringues and tinned crab, parties at Oxford where one drank brown sherry and smoked Turkish cigarettes, dull dances in London and comic dances in Scotland and disgusting dances in Paris. Even if one merely considers the bashes held at Claridges, the list appears endless. As archivist Kate Hudson explains: Any excuse to dress up was met with giddy enthusiasm hence all the charity fundraisers held in Claridges new ballroom. There were so many high points the Porcelain Ball, for example, where a ballet of living porcelain figures emerged from a golden door representing historic pieces of china. Each ticket had a key attached, eight of which opened golden cabinets containing sets of china that winning guests could claim. There was the Romance of History Ball, at which Baby Jungman came dressed as the heroine of a Sir Walter Scott novel. And the Shawl Ball, at which a galaxy of society beauties donned the worlds most exquisite wraps. All of these spectacles garnered pages of press reports. The BYTs were in a sort of perpetual motion between private homes, hotels and bars. The older generation was horrified. Barbara Cartland remembered novelist Winifred Graham writing: She [the flapper] is a vapid pleasure-loving nymph. There is no comparison between these travesties of womanhood, painted and dyed and awaiting their cocktails, and their mothers. Moralists labelled the girls unfeminine, the boys effeminate, both parties over-sexed. As one character thunders in Vile Bodies: I dont understand them and I dont want to. They had a chance after the war that no generation has ever had. There was a whole civilisation to be saved and remade and all they seem to do is to play the fool. As Muir remarks: The BYTs fascinate us because they mark the first 20th-century youth movement. Like all such movements, the participants exist as a reaction against the stifling conformity of those who have gone before. In this case, it was a response to pre-Great War manners: the inflexibility of dress codes, the rigid orthodoxy of sexual relationships, and the strict rules and regulations that oversaw social interaction. Many have seen their frenetic merrymaking as the expression of some sort of survivors guilt following the slaughter of the First World War. Ringleader Stephen Tennants eldest brother Edward was one of the 300,000 lost at the Somme, aged a mere 19. And there is something of this obsessive frenzy in Beatons declaration: We must move on. We must miss nothing. We darent risk more than an hour or two of sleep, in case something happens while we arent there. Compare party girl Agatha Runcible in Waughs Vile Bodies, driven to madness by the idea that she and her friends are all driving round and round in a motor race and none of us could stop. Left: Baba and her sister Nancy, 1926. Both were leading lights among the BYTs. Right: Aristocratic BYT Paula Gellibrand, Marquesa de Casa Maury, 1928 We may be kinder to the BYTs than their elders because of our knowledge of what was to come. For it is difficult not to see the horrors of the Great Depression and Second World War looming over these dazzling creatures, dancing into the abyss. Beaton traded his wigs and gauzes to become a distinguished war photographer. His Ascot 2000 icon, Blossom Freeman-Thomas, became Mrs Frederick Miles and a gifted aircraft designer. As the Second World War approached, her technical skills found her producing training aircraft for the RAF. Beatons frozen emblem of the future had created her own destiny, not as a decorative racecourse mannequin, but a vital contributor in the fight against fascism. These Bright Young Things, at least, shone their brilliance elsewhere. Cecil Beatons Bright Young Things runs from 12 March to 7 June at Londons National Portrait Gallery (npg.org.uk), then tours to Sheffield and Cheltenham. Claridges Bright Young Things Experience offers exhibition tickets, a copy of Cecil Beatons Cocktail Book (in collaboration with the NPG) plus access to its BYT dressing-up box; from 1,200 per suite, see bit.ly/3aamVRT A steep sell-off swept Dalal Street, forcing equity indices to settle with deep cuts on March 6 after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) placed Yes Bank under a moratorium. Weak global cues fanned by coronavirus fears persisted, making the situation worse. Most Asian and European markets suffered big losses as concerns over the economic fallout of the virus roiled sentiment. "We continue to maintain our cautious view on Indian markets and expect volatility to remain high in the near-term. The updates on coronavirus would be the single biggest factor dictating global markets going forward. On the domestic front, updates on the resolution plan for Yes Bank along with the spread of coronavirus cases would be actively tracked by traders and investors," said Ajit Mishra, VP-Research, Religare Broking. For the week, the Sensex lost 721 points, or nearly 2 percent, while the Nifty retreated 212 points or nearly 2 percent. We have collated 15 data points to help you spot profitable trades: Note: The OI and volume data of stocks given in this story are the aggregates of the three-months data and not of the current month only. Key support and resistance level for Nifty According to the pivot charts, the key support level for Nifty is placed at 10,866.23, followed by 10,742.97. If the index moves up, key resistance levels to watch out for are 11,073.93 and 11,158.37. Nifty Bank The important pivot level, which will act as crucial support for the index, is placed at 27,293.4, followed by 26,785.4. On the upside, key resistance levels are placed at 28,178.3 and 28,555.2. Call options data Maximum call open interest (OI) of 17.81 lakh contracts was seen at the 11,500 strike price. It will act as a crucial resistance level in the March series. This is followed by 11,700 strike price, which holds 16.40 lakh contracts in open interest, and 11,300, which has accumulated 15.52 lakh contracts in open interest. Significant call writing was seen at the 11,000 strike price, which added 4.86 lakh contracts, followed by 10,900 strike price that added 3.28 lakh contracts. Call unwinding was witnessed at 11,600 strike which shed 1.29 lakh contracts. Put options data Maximum put open interest of 20.60 lakh contracts was seen at 10,500 strike price, which will act as crucial support in the March series. This is followed by 10,900 strike price, which holds 14.30 lakh contracts in open interest, and 10,800 strike price, which has accumulated 8.9 lakh contracts in open interest. Put writing was seen at the 10,300 strike price, which added 3.07 lakh contracts, followed by 10,200 strike, which added 2.46 lakh contracts. Put unwinding was seen at 11,200 strike price, which shed 3.97 lakh contracts, followed by 10,600 strike price which shed 1.45 lakh contracts. Stocks with a high delivery percentage A high delivery percentage suggests that investors are showing interest in these stocks. 4 stocks saw long build-up Based on open interest (OI) future percentage, here are the stocks in which long build-up was seen. 60 stocks saw long unwinding 73 stocks saw short build-up An increase in open interest, along with a decrease in price, mostly indicates a build-up of short positions. Based on open interest (OI) future percentage, here are the top 10 stocks in which short build-up was seen. 8 stocks witnessed short-covering A decrease in open interest, along with an increase in price, mostly indicates a short-covering. Based on open interest (OI) future percentage. Bulk deals (For more bulk deals, click here) Key corporate actions taking place on March 9 Stocks in news YES Bank: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Yes Banks former MD & CEO Rana Kapoor. The ED questioned him for almost 30 hours before arresting him. Rana Kapoor was arrested by ED on charges of money laundering under PMLA Act. BPCL: The government on March 7 has invited bids for the sale of its entire 52.98 percent stake in Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL). Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the strategic sale of BPCL were invited by May 2, as per the bid document from the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM). The last date for investor queries is April 4. Natco Pharma: US FDA issued single observation to its Hyderabad unit Sadbhav Engineering: Promotor created pledge on 1.29 lakh shares on February 29 FII and DII data Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 3,594.84 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares of worth Rs 2,543.78 crore in the Indian equity market on March 6, provisional data available on the NSE showed. Fund flow Stock under F&O ban on NSE No stock is under the F&O ban for March 9. Securities in the ban period under the F&O segment include companies in which the security has crossed 95 percent of the market-wide position limit. Washington: Senator Kamala Harris of California has endorsed former vice-president Joe Biden for president, raising expectations the former rival for the Democratic nomination could become his running mate. Kamala Harris has endorsed Joe Biden. Credit:AP "I have decided that I am with great enthusiasm going to endorse Joe Biden for president of the United States," Harris said in a video posted on Twitter on Sunday. "I believe in Joe. I really believe in him, and I have known him for a long time." In a tweet, Biden expressed gratitude and invoked his late son, Beau Biden, who served as Delaware's attorney-general when Harris held that post in California: "Kamala You've spent your whole career fighting for folks who've been written off and left behind and no small part of that alongside Beau. From our family: thank you." Harris is certain to draw speculation as a potential running mate for Biden. A man (left) is helped by rescuers as he is pulled from the rubble of a collapsed hotel in Quanzhou, in China's eastern Fujian province on March 7, 2020. Around 70 people were trapped after the Xinjia Hotel collapsed. Some 45 people were rescued from the rubble but 19 people were said to be still trapped.(AFP) Beijing: Rescuers are searching for 19 people who remain trapped in rubble following the collapse of a hotel used as a coronavirus quarantine facility in eastern China on Saturday, state media reported. A total of 48 people have been rescued out of the 67 initially trapped when the building first crumbled, state broadcaster CCTV said Sunday. Footage circulating on the Chinese social media platform Weibo showed rescue workers combing through the rubble of the 80-room Xinjia hotel in coastal Quanzhou city in the dark as they reassured a woman trapped under heavy debris and carried wounded victims into ambulances. Other footage published by local media, purportedly from security cameras across the street, showed the entire hotel collapsing in seconds. A total of 43 people have so far been rescued from the wreckage, state news agency Xinhua said. The hotel's facade appeared to have crumbled into the ground, exposing the building's steel frame, and a crowd gathered as the evening wore on. Officials have yet to confirm whether anyone died in the accident. China's Ministry of Emergency Management said some 200 local and 800 Fujian Province firefighters had been deployed to the scene along with 11 search and rescue teams and seven rescue dogs, according to Xinhua. Quanzhou authorities said ambulances, excavators and cranes had also been rushed to the site. Representatives from Beijing are also en route to Quanzhou to assist in relief efforts, Xinhua reported. Quanzhou has recorded 47 cases of the COVID-19 infection and the hotel, which opened two years ago, was repurposed to house people who had been in recent contact with confirmed patients, the People's Daily state newspaper reported. China is no stranger to building collapses and deadly construction accidents that are typically blamed on the country's rapid growth leading to corner-cutting by builders and the widespread flouting of safety rules. By PTI ROME: Italy's prime minister announced a sweeping coronavirus quarantine early Sunday, restricting the movements of about a quarter of the country's population in a bid to limit contagions at the epicenter of Europe's outbreak. Shortly after midnight, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree affecting about 16 million people in the country's prosperous north, including the Lombardy region and at least 15 provinces in neighbouring regions. The extraordinary measures will be in place until April 3. "For Lombardy and for the other northern provinces that I have listed there will be a ban for everybody to move in and out of these territories and also within the same territory," Conte said. "Exceptions will be allowed only for proven professional needs, exceptional cases and health issues. Around the world, more and more countries were bracing for a surge in virus cases. Western countries have been increasingly imitating China where the virus first emerged late last year, and which has suffered the vast majority of infections by imposing travel controls and shutting down public events." Italy on Saturday saw its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases since the outbreak began in the north of the country on February 21. In its daily update, Italy's civil protection agency said the number of people with the coronavirus rose by 1,247 in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 5,883. Another 36 people also died as a result of the virus, taking the total to 233. There was chaos and confusion in the northern Italian city of Padua in the Veneto region as word spread late Saturday evening that the government was planning to announce the quarantine. Packed bars and restaurants quickly emptied out as many people rushed to the train station in Padua. Travellers with suitcases, wearing face masks, gloves and carrying bottles of sanitizing gel shoved their way on to trains. Before Conte signed the quarantine decree, Stefano Bonaccini, President of the Emilia Romagna region, said parts of the decree were confusing, and he asked the premier for more time to come up with solutions that were more "coherent." "Around the world, events and festivals have been called off. Travel restrictions and warnings have been issued. A nose-dive in tourist traffic and possible disruptions to supply chains have set off fears of a worldwide economic slowdown. Benchmarks in global markets have gyrated in recent weeks, as hopes for stimulus measures mixed with widespread pessimism on the virus news. The spread of the virus has also taken a psychological toll." Authorities and manufacturers have been trying to assure panicking consumers they don't need to hoard toilet paper, which have vanished from store shelves in various nations. A particular point of concern are passenger-packed cruise ships, many of which are confronting their own virus problems. Transmission of the virus is now going in every direction. While the global death toll has risen past 3,400, more people have now recovered from the virus than are sickened by it. As of Saturday, nearly 90,000 cases have been reported in Asia; more than 8,000 in Europe; 6,000 in the Mideast; about 450 in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, and fewer than 50 cases reported so far in Africa. While many scientists say the world is clearly in the grips of a pandemic "a serious global outbreak" the World Health Organization isn't calling it that yet, saying the word might spook the world further. The virus is still much less widespread than annual flu epidemics, which cause up to 5 million severe cases around the world and up to 650,000 deaths annually, according to the WHO. The Maldives has confirmed its first two cases of deadly coronavirus outbreak on March 7 and placed two of its islands under effective quarantine, as authorities conducted further tests to contain the spread of the disease. As per the reports, the two infected people are expected to have caught the disease from an Italian tourist who had returned to Italy and tested positive there. The tourism minister, Ali Waheed reportedly said that the two cases that tested positive are from a resort and the employees of the resort are now quarantined. READ: Malta: Health Minister Confirms First Case Of Novel Coronavirus Health authorities restricts travel He added that the economy of the country is mainly dependent on foreign tourists. Earlier, the Maldives Health Protection Agency reportedly said that two French nationals who showed symptoms on a second island had been put under isolation. The health authorities reportedly said that they had restricted travel to and from the Kuredu Island Resort and the Summer Island resort. It was not clear how many tourists were under lockdown on each of the islands. READ: China Reports 27 New Virus Deaths, Lowest Rise In Cases Since January Malta confirms first case Meanwhile, Health Minister of Malta, Chris Fearne has reportedly confirmed the nation's first case of novel coronavirus on March 7. Fearne said that the patient is a 12-year-old girl who arrived from Italy on March 3. The minister added that the girl tested positive for the virus on early Saturday and is receiving treatment in a state hospital. The health minister reportedly said that the patient is doing well. According to the reports, she returned late last month from the northern Italian region of Trentino, passing through the capital city of Italy, Rome with her parents and sister and reported symptoms on Friday. China has reported 28 new fatalities from the deadly coronavirus outbreak, taking the death toll in the country to 3,097. Chinese health officials said on Saturday as the rapid spread of the epidemic hit a milestone, infecting more than 100,000 people globally. The virus that first emerged in China in December last year has spread to 97 countries and has infected 106,203 people, including 80,696 in China, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker. READ: Coronavirus: New Daily Cases In China Fall Below 100 For First Time, Death Toll At 3,070 READ: Italy Coronavirus Toll Tops 230; Cases Near 6,000 A young girl with physical and mental disabilities was repeatedly raped and abused by fellow special needs middle school students on the daily bus ride while the driver sat back and did nothing, a lawsuit alleges. The 14-year-old girl, identified only as Jane Doe, alleges that between April 4 and 20 of last year, she was groped and molested by another student who left his seat on the specialized school bus to sit next to her. Another student who was emboldened by the lack of discipline and restraint shown by the first student escalated the assaults against the girl, according to the lawsuit. During the 17-day period, there were at least 10 instances of abuse, according to WXIA-TV. Jane Doe is described as a special needs girl who has the communication skills of a five-year-old. Fulton County Schools in Georgia is being sued by a young girl, 14, with special needs who alleges that she was molested, groped, and raped by fellow special needs students on a school bus last year. The district's administrative building is seen in the above stock image On April 20, the girl was stripped naked, physically battered, and raped, according to the lawsuit. The driver at the time reported to his superiors that he noticed something, the lawsuit alleges. The school district, Fulton County Schools, is now being sued by the girl and her mother, identified in court papers as Jane Roe. Fulton County Schools told WXIA-TV that the driver was immediately separated from the district after the incident. According to the lawsuit, the bus driver in this case was completely derelict in his duties and repeatedly exhibited a willful and deliberate indifference to maintaining student discipline and ensuring student safety. A. Lee Parks, the Atlanta attorney who is representing Jane Doe and Jane Roe, told WXIA-TV that surveillance video captured inside the bus shows the alleged assaults. Parks said he was informed of the existence of the tapes by an employee of the school district. So it's not a matter of whether it happened, we have it on video, Parks said. The school district is being sued for failing to protect the girl. The district said it fired the driver involved. The above image is a stock photo of a Fulton County Schools bus There's a video of the rape, and then there's medical confirmation of the rape. Parks said he has not been given access to the video, which is currently in the hands of the school district. The school district is accused of failing to prevent the assaults and the rape through a string of failures, including the removal of an employee monitor from the bus before the alleged attacks took place. The district also could have reviewed the video and audio captured from inside the bus, but chose not to, according to the lawsuit. (Fulton County Schools) was deliberately indifferent to the sexual abuse and rape of Doe, the lawsuit states. Fulton County Schools says that it is still investigating the incidents. A. Lee Parks, the Atlanta attorney who is representing Jane Doe and Jane Roe, told WXIA-TV that surveillance video captured inside the bus shows the alleged assaults The allegations in this complaint are extremely serious and concerning to the district, the district said in a statement. Because we are dealing with minor students, this is a particularly sensitive matter. We need to allow any ongoing investigations to be complete and respect the privacy of all students allegedly involved. We look forward to the case being adjudicated through the legal process, not by attempting to make legal gains with press statements and grandstanding. It is not appropriate. Parks blasted the district for not taking action sooner against the driver. You just can't run a bus with a bus driver who is oblivious, Parks said. I mean, if this was a one-time incident, maybe he didn't catch it. Seventeen days! Of horrific, sexual assaults. That's a guy who, excuse the pun, is asleep at the wheel. Parks said that the students on the bus, a specially designed vehicle that is more like a big SUV that holds fewer than 10 kids, witnessed the incidents. Parks said the school district wholly failed to protect the girl from hellish abuse. The Fulton County School District is required by law to ensure all students are given a safe environment while at school and being transported, Parks said. It has wholly failed in that regard with respect to one of its most vulnerable students, and this lawsuit seeks to address the School Districts liability for creating an unsafe situation for a special needs student that exposed her to multiple sexual assaults over a 17-day period. While they realize they still have a long way to go, some Democratic lawmakers are feeling more confident about their chances of flipping the Senate in 2020. And they're mostly thanking former Vice President Joe Biden, Politico reports. Biden has re-established himself as the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination after he secured a coalition of sorts with the backing of some of his more mderate former contenders. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), although very much still alive in the race, has lost some of his momentum that had some Democratic members of Congress worried about losing House and Senate seats because of his more rigidly left-wing approach. "We have a better chance of winning now than we did just a few weeks ago," said Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), who has backed Biden since early in the campaign cycle. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), one of the most centrist voices among Senate Democrats, said he feels "optimistic," while Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) added Biden makes it "easier" for down ballot candidates running "in a moderate state." Democrats would need to flip four seats to capture a minimum majority, so it remains a tall task, but, in addition to the growing possibility of a Biden-led ticket, promising Senate candidates like Montana Gov. Steve Bullock have helped brighten the mood within the party at the moment. Read more at Politico. More stories from theweek.com Washington nursing home with coronavirus outbreak reported shocking escalation from 'no symptoms to death' Trump retweets White House photo of him fiddling, says he doesn't know 'what this means' Pete Buttigieg is going to be a late-night talk show host for a day STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Its International Womens Day, and the message that is being spread on Sunday is each for equal. The day is celebrated by countries around the world annually every year on March 8, and is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, as well as a call for gender parity, according to the International Womens Day official website. It has occurred for well over a century, with the first International Womens Day gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people. Today, it belongs to all groups collectively everywhere -- it is not country, group, or organization specific. The campaign theme for 2020 is #EachforEqual, which calls on people to actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations, and celebrate womens achievements. Collectively, each person can help create a gender-equal world, according to International Womens Day. The 2020 #EachforEqual campaign runs all year long, according to the International Womens Day website. It doesnt end on International Womens Day. The campaign theme provides a unified direction to guide and galvanize continuous collective action, with #EachforEqual activity reinforced and amplified all year. This year, you can put your arms out front and strike the #EachforEqual pose to motivate others and share on various social media platforms. HOW YOU CAN CELEBRATE Staten Island had a few scheduled events to celebrate International Womens Day on Sunday. The Staten Island Childrens Museum is hosting an event, The Riot Grrrls: Girl Power!, in which the Staten Island 'Zine League showed the impact of the Riot Grrrl movement and how 'zines help connect women and girls across the country. The children will be able to create their own 'zines to share with friends. Sessions were held at noon and 1 p.m., and an additional session will be held at 2 p.m. The childrens museum also held a Life Through the Lens - Alice Austen Birthday Tribute, in which the Alice Austen House presented a special photography workshop honoring the LGBTQAI photographer during her birthday month. You need to pick up a timed ticket at the front desk for two sessions at 2 and 3 p.m. The sessions are limited to 25 attendees. The Poetry of Audre Lorde: Staten Island OUTloud will present a spoken word performance at the Staten Island Childrens Museum on Sunday at 2 p.m. featuring the poetry of this writer, feminist, and civil rights activist. The Staten Island Dance Project will perform and accompany the poetry readings. There are also plenty of events throughout the month of March if you dont mind traveling to Manhattan. The Federal Bar Association is holding an event titled, Transforming the Future of the Legal Profession through Gender Equality on March 13 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Fordham Law School in Manhattan. A Women Empowering Women event will be held on March 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. by the Power Forward Group at 2 Park Avenue in Manhattan. A Womens Panel Featuring Peace Corps Director is being hosted by the New York City Peace Corps Association on March 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at New York Universitys Wasserman Center in Manhattan. You can go to https://www.internationalwomensday.com/EventSearch for more events in New York. FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Haiti - Politic : Gender equality some progress in the country, but challenges persist This March 8 marks the celebration of International Women's Day around the theme "Generation Equality: Realizing women's rights for an equal future." Although the road to the effective realization of women's rights is still long in the country, there are encouraging signs of progress in a number of areas : - Haiti has formulated a gender equality policy and an action plan for equality between men and women, the guidelines of which are in line with Sustainable Development Goal #5, which requires states to achieve gender equality and 'empower all women and girls by 2030'. - A positive development has been noted in the body of the National Police of Haiti, which now has more than 10% of women. However, much remains to be done and challenges persist: - Haitian women receive lower wages than men and the proportion of women with access to formal jobs is still low, limiting access to resources and economic opportunities. - Social rights remain difficult in the socio-economic and political context that Haiti is currently going through, maternal health remains a challenge with 529 deaths per 100,000 live births. - 3/4 of women victims of sexual violence cannot have recourse to psychological support. Gender-based violence is frequent and too often goes unpunished. The United Nations system in Haiti is making a vibrant appeal to all national actors to mobilize for accelerated realization of the rights of Haitian women and girls. Now is the time to assess the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which Haiti ratified in 1981. HL/ HaitiLibre US Senator and former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Sunday said she is endorsing Joe Biden for president, as the latter has served the country with dignity. "Joe Biden has served our country with dignity and we need him now more than ever. I will do everything in my power to help elect him the next President of the United States," Harris tweeted while sharing a video message. The California Democrat ended her 2020 presidential campaign in December 2019. The long-anticipated endorsement from Harris comes as a string of former 2020 presidential contenders have thrown their support behind Biden, including Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke. "When I started my run for president, I said America needs a president who reflects the decency and dignity of the American people; a president who speaks the truth; and a president who fights for those whose voices are too often overlooked or ignored. I still believe that to this day. That is why I am proud to announce I am endorsing my friend, Vice President Joe Biden, for President of the United States," Harris said in a statement on Sunday. Biden on Sunday morning thanked Harris for the endorsement, saying "from our family: thank you." "Kamala -- You've spent your whole career fighting for folks who've been written off and left behind -- and no small part of that alongside Beau. From our family: thank you," the former Vice President said in a retweet of her endorsement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Taliban says talks scheduled this week with Afghanistans government are unlikely to take place on time because of plans by two rivals for the Afghan presidency to conduct parallel swearing-in ceremonies. Since the United States signed a conditional peace agreement on February 29 with Taliban negotiators in Doha, Washington has been trying to push the Afghan government toward direct talks with the Taliban. The so-called intra-Afghan talks are meant to bring together negotiators from the Taliban and the Afghan government as well as representatives from a cross section of Afghan society. The Doha agreement calls for an exchange of prisoners to be completed before the start of the intra-Afghan dialogue on March 10. But Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says he doesnt think officials in Kabul will complete the prisoner exchange in time because of a disagreement between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his main rival in the September 2019 presidential election, Afghan Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah. In February, after months of delay, Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission announced that Ghani had been reelected with just over 50 percent of the first-round vote. Afghan election officials said Abdullah finished in second place with just over 39 percent of the vote. But Abdullah, alleging widespread fraud during the vote count, insists that he won the election and has vowed to form his own government. Both Ghani and Abdullah have issued invitations to parallel swearing-in ceremonies on March 9. "Instead of swearing in, we want them to focus on intra-Afghan talks, Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, told Reuters on March 8. We call upon them to leave the internal disagreements, stop the swearing in, and work for peace." Mujahid said no practical steps have been taken by Kabul for the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners held in Afghan jails. Ghani has publicly rejected the proposed release of the Taliban prisoners, despite pressure from Washington and the Talibans promise to reciprocate by releasing 1,000 Afghan troops and civilian government employees it has detained. Nevertheless, Mujahid said meetings between prison keepers from both sides took place in Doha on March 7-8. Those meetings were the first known official formal contacts between the Afghan government and the Taliban since the conditional peace deal was signed by the Taliban and Washington. With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan She underwent face feminisation and Adam's Apple removal surgery last month. And Roddy Alves was proudly flaunting the results as she headed out for a friend's birthday bash at the Golden Bee in Shoreditch, London, on Saturday. The TV personality, 36, put on an extremely busty display in a plunging black bodysuit which was complemented by a gold drop necklace draped down her decolletage. Strike a pose: Roddy Alves was spotted as she headed out for a friend's birthday bash at the Golden Bee in Shoreditch, London, on Saturday She completed the look by flashing yet more skin in a hot pink PVC lace-up mini skirt which she teamed with matching pointed-toe heeled boots and a feathery black handbag. Roddy wore her long blonde fringed tresses in a classic poker straight style and amped up the glamour with smoky eye-shadow and statement lashes. The Celebrity Big Brother star, who came out as transgender in January, playfully posed for pictures before heading into the Brazilian-themed club. Party girl: The TV personality, 36, put on an extremely busty display in a plunging black bodysuit which was complemented by a gold drop necklace draped down her decolletage Meet and greet: Roddy completed the look by flashing yet more skin in a hot pink PVC lace-up mini skirt which she teamed with matching pointed-toe heeled boots and a feathery handbag Roddy has been keeping her social media followers updated after undergoing the feminisation surgery which she described as the 'most painful' she had ever had. She exclusively told MailOnline that she jetted to Belgium to have her jawline, forehead and the bones around her eyes shaved in a bid to make her face more feminine. Speaking previously, Roddy said: 'I can't speak very well because they removed my Adam's Apple so I have a sore throat. My eyes are very purple and swollen, I can't see anything. I can't see my new face. 'If I want to see anything I have to hold my phone up in order to read. 'My pain threshold from one to 10 is four, I look dreadful but my pain is very low. I just have discomfort.' Fresh start: Roddy has been keeping her social media followers updated after undergoing the feminisation surgery which she described as the 'most painful' she had ever had 'My hairline is much lower, my temples are much bigger as I have two titanium implants on my temples to make my face much more feminine. 'Hopefully I won't get mistaken for being a man anymore. My face will change a lot, will be smaller. This surgery has given me the diamond face that I always wanted.' The media personality was transformed by Dr Bart Van de Ven from 2pass clinic who specialises in Facial Feminisation Surgery. Praising the surgeon and aftercare, she said: 'This surgery was pretty intense, it was four hours. I couldn't be at a better place than here. I am being very well looked after.' Illinois officials annually ask credit rating agency Moodys Investors Service to look down the road and evaluate the states fortunes. The most recent report said that while the Land of Lincolns situation appears optimistic, the agency predicted a slowdown that the states government isnt prepared to handle. The nonpartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability-sponsored State of Illinois Forecast Report by Moodys Investors Service was released in late February and discussed this past week in Springfield. The theme of the report was that Illinois has been in the late-cycle expansion phase of the economic cycle. Weak demographic trends and deep-rooted fiscal problems such as mounting pension obligations and a shrinking tax base represent the biggest hurdles to the longer-term outlook, the report said. The forecast anticipates that the state will grow a step behind the Midwest average and a few steps behind the nation over the extended forecast horizon. Commission members met this past week to discuss the agencys assessment of the states outlook. Our states fiscal crisis impacts decisions by businesses on whether they want to relocate or stay in Illinois, chief Clayton Klenke said. Manufacturing has been a bright spot but long-term trends forecast that it will be difficult to maintain the states manufacturing base. The college-age population in Illinois and the mMidwest is declining Illinois has seen lower personal income growth than the nation. This has led to underperformance in areas such as retail and hospitality. Klenke went on to highlight Illinois five consecutive years of population losses. Broken down by industry, the Moodys report showed growth in business and financial sectors centered mainly in Chicago while other parts of the states economic pie, such as manufacturing, would see tepid growth. Illinois manufacturers will face daunting competition in the global marketplace in the long term. They have been forced to shift operations to lower-cost regions of the world to remain competitive, and although this trend has slowed as labor has become more expensive overseas, it does not reduce the cost advantage sufficiently to reverse this process, it said. Manufacturing growth accounted for one of every four new jobs in Illinois over the last fiscal year. One woman is just starting her career in high-tech, breaking down barriers in a traditionally male profession. Another is retiring from policing, after having fought the fight for more female recruits for years. A third woman, a vice president at a state college, is paving the way for more women in engineering. In honor of International Womens Day, we interviewed eight women, who are not only making a difference in their field but leading the way for others. Ivonne Roman, of Jackson, is retiring as a captain from the Newark police force, where she advocated for more female recruits. Show me where its proven that women cant hack it, she says.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Ivonne Roman, an advocate for women in policing When Newark Police Capt. Ivonne Roman joined the police force, the percentage of women in policing was 10 percent. Twenty-five years later, as she prepares to retire, the situation remains pretty much the same. Its a problem thats vexed Roman, 47, and solving it became her mission when she studied for her masters degree. The data on evidence-based policing fascinated her. What did she find? Data going back to the 70s shows female officers are less likely to use force or be accused of excessive force, less likely to be named in a complaint and more successful in defusing aggressive behavior. Plus, the mere presence of a female officer leads to reduced use of force by fellow officers. So why arent departments hiring more women? Roman monitored academy recruits and found women were failing the physical fitness test at rates up to 80 percent higher than men, a far too wide disparity, especially for a career thats come to require more interpersonal skills than brawn. Show me where a community says they are unhappy with the service from their female officers. Show me where it says brute strength makes a better police officer," she said, pointing to the data. Roman sprang into action in 2017, starting the Womens Leadership Academy, a group where female recruits could keep each other accountable and work out together. Shes given a TED talk. And shes shouted the data from the rooftop, even if its controversial, while advocating for changes. And yes, shes used to taking flak for saying women make just as good, and sometimes better, cops than men. Its not really a popular topic, she said. I couldnt have done it earlier in my career. Once she retires, Roman, who lives in Jackson, intends to remain on the beat, working with departments across the country to improve their recruitment of female officers. Jessica Remo Jenn Hampton, 45, helped take art outside of the confines of gallery walls and onto the Asbury Park boardwalk with her "Wooden Walls Project." The project has brought dozens of murals to the shorefront town. Here, she is pictured in her Parlor Gallery.Russ DeSantis | NJ Advance Media Jenn Hampton, electrifying the boardwalk with art Jenn Hampton wants art to be accessible to all. So in 2015, the 45-year-old gallery owner came up with an idea: To splash colorful murals on bare walls of Asbury Parks boardwalk damaged by Hurricane Sandy and bring art to a wider audience. She brought her idea to the boardwalks developer, Madison Marquette, and successfully secured funding to launch the Wooden Walls Project. We live in a town where a ton of people are never going to be able to afford art. Id often notice people that just stand outside (galleries) and dont come inside and engage. To me, thats the saddest thing, said Hampton, who owns Parlor Gallery on Cookman Avenue. Wooden Walls gives me the opportunity to have a dialogue with a million people. Since then, Hampton, of Asbury Park, has hired dozens of artists from across the country to make their mark on a 2.6-mile stretch of the historic boardwalk. And its not just about art for Hampton. Hampton sees the project as an economic driver for a city that is undergoing a cultural renaissance. Mural tours and Instagram-able art installations draw tourists to Asbury Park, who then meander into restaurants and shops. Thats the bigger picture, Hampton said. Art should be a crucial component of development, not just something to make a building pretty. Avalon Zoppo Adenah Bayoh, who built a real estate and restaurant empire, opened Cornbread in Maplewood in 2017. It features farm to table ingredients and and provides a "farm to soul" experience, she says.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Adenah Bayoh, from refugee to entrepreneur and real estate developer Adenah Bayoh had a second grade education and, she says, a maturity beyond her 13 years when she arrived in the U.S. from war-torn Liberia in 1991. "When I got to the U.S., I saw opportunity -- the ability to do whatever I wanted so long as I worked hard toward it, she said. And she did. She put herself through college. Worked at a McDonalds, then as a bank teller and branch manager. Early on, she became interested in real estate. While walking home to Newark from her McDonalds job in Irvington, she would look around and take note of the homes she liked the most. After college, she bought a three-family house, and then quickly invested in other properties. She also got into the restaurant business. At 27, she opened an IHOP in Irvington, two others, in Newark and Paterson, followed. Her portfolio grew. In 2017, she and a partner opened Cornbread in Maplewood, which now also has three locations in Walmarts in Pennsylvania. Along the way, she amassed a $250 million real estate development portfolio by investing in urban properties in disadvantaged communities, to help empower residents. At 41, Bayoh is founder and CEO of Adenah Bayoh and Companies, the parent company for her restaurant and real estate investments. Bayoh, of Hackensack, is quick to note , she has had help in her journey and tries to pay it forward. At every corner of my career, there has always been a woman who has stopped and pulled me up, said Bayoh, who was on Ebony Magazines Power 100 in 2015. "Whenever I can help other women, I do it with joy. Allison Pries Elaine Helms founded the R.A.I.N. Foundation, a nonprofit that provides shelters and transitional housing to LGBT youth in Essex County. It's a blessing to be able to help others, she says.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Elaine Helms, providing a home for LGBT youth Elaine Helms said she decided to change her life after she was injured while escaping from the South tower in the 9/11 attacks in New York City. She left her job with the Port Authority with and dedicated her career to supporting the LGBT community, eventually opening a home in East Orange that serves as an emergency shelter and transitional housing for LGBT young adults. The Essex County LGBT R.A.I.N Foundation has helped 165 people since 2013. Your blessings come from helping others and creating things to give back to the community, said Helms, R.A.I.N. Foundations executive director. I realized that after I was given a second chance at life because some of my colleagues werent. Helms, 53, was driven to create the nonprofit while she was conducting drug screenings at a behavioral health center in Newark. There, LGBT people told her counselors didnt understand them or were unfairly treated by some people in the shelters. Helms said she used her own funds at first to open the house before she received grants for the operation. And today, she works nearly nonstop to get more resources for residents. LGBT young adults have a disproportionately higher risk of reporting homelessness and that fact is not lost on Helms, who prefers to call her place a home and not a shelter since it gives residents a sense of belonging and ownership. It does feel like a home away from home, said one resident, who has been living at the East Orange residence for several months. We cant save everyone, but the ones that we do, its just amazing to see how the belief came back in them, said Helms. Because we get them broken. They come in broken, not believing, not trusting. Rebecca Panico Brandi Fishman opened Breaking Grounds Coffee in Mount Holly to create job opportunities for people with disabilities. I really felt that it was my responsibility to cultivate the kind of community that I want (my daughter) to grow up in," she says.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Brandi Fishman, creating an inclusive community, along with jobs Brandi Fishman had no plans to own a cafe, spending her days making espressos and pressing paninis. The Medford woman worked as a hairstylist before becoming a stay-at-home mom. But she soon realized that loving and caring for her only daughter, Zoey, would also mean working to change the way the world saw and treated the now 12-year-old, who was diagnosed with developmental disabilities as a toddler. Fishman knew Zoeys opportunities could be limited, but wasnt ready to accept that reality. In 2015, she founded the non-profit Zefer Foundation, an organization aimed at increasing employment, housing and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities. She then opened Breaking Grounds Coffee & Cafe in Mount Holly in 2017 to further that goal of creating jobs. I really felt that it was my responsibility to cultivate the kind of community that I want her to grow up in, Fishman, 43, said. Because I realized that no one else was going to do it for me. There arent many opportunities like the ones she offers, and applications constantly pour in. Fishman said she decided on the idea of a coffee shop because it not only would provide employment but would offer social interaction for her dozen employees, more than half of whom have disabilities. A lot of times, they really need to work on their social skills, she said of her employees. This really puts them right out front interacting with the customers. And its great for the customers to see how they learn and grow, and how capable they really are. The quaint cafe has been a success, so much so that Fishman has plans to open a second Breaking Grounds location in Sewell next year. But other than smiling faces and tasty pastries, she said theres no secret behind it. There really is no magic trick to train these guys, theyre extremely capable, she said. You just have to give them the opportunity, and the appropriate supports when necessary. And they will surprise you. Amanda Hoover Beena Sukumaran, vice president for research at Rowan University and a civil engineer stands in the lab at Rowan University. Having women and minorities in the sciences is important, she says, because they bring different points of view to table. Beena Sukumaran, building a platform for women in engineering As a little girl in Malaysia, Beena Sukumaran went with her father to engineering work sites. There were no women on the site, she recalls. Now, 45 years later, she is still often the only woman at the table when she meets with her civil engineering colleagues. Youre used to being the minority in the room all the time, and sometimes you get heard and sometimes you dont, said Sukumaran, Rowan Universitys vice president of research. A national group for female civil engineering faculty still numbers only around 50, she said. We almost know every one of us in the profession nationally, which is a sad fact. Sukumaran researches the micromechanics of soil even individual grains of sand. It may sound like obscure work, but it has real-world applications. When an oil company wanted to build oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico in the 1990s, it came to her to learn how the soil below the sea would affect the massive subterranean structures needed to be built. Sukumaran, 53, of Washington Township, is now working to build something else: a more diverse engineering department and university. Having women and minorities in the sciences will help fill the jobs in the growing field, she said, and they will bring different points of view to the important work. The best solutions are usually derived when you have a diverse group of problem solvers, she said. She has helped double the number of women and minorities admitted into the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rowan. She still wants to do more. We will not have a skilled workforce to tackle the needs of the future, if we do not have these populations in our classroom, she said. Rebecca Everett Diana Kris Navarro is currently a software engineer at Tumblr and was in the first class of Girls Who Code, a national program that helps women get interested in tech. Anyone can code, she says, no one should feel it is off limits to them.Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media Diana Navarro, breaking down barriers in high-tech Diana Navarro never intended to make a career in tech. She hated the first computer science class she took in high school where she was one of two girls in a sea of 19 other boys. Still, she did well enough to get a good grade and was encouraged to apply for Girls Who Code, a national nonprofit that aims to place more women in the male-dominated field of tech. She attended the first ever summer class in 2012. For her final project, she used JavaScript to create a stacking game with ice cream scoops. From that point on, she was hooked. I loved making that game and the realization of there is more to computer science than what I perceived it to be when I was taking AP computer science in high school, she said. I always thought of what a software engineer was as, you had to be a genius, she said, and I was not a genius. A Rutgers University grad, Navarro, 24, of Jersey City, went on to intern at Adobe, Qualcomm, and Tumblr. She was a 2017 fellow at HackNY, a program that helps introduce students to the startup tech scene. I love speaking from my own experiences and making sure the people who go through Girls Who Code now understand where I came from and wherever you come from, tech is an option for you, Navarro said. The daughter of a single mother from the Philippines, Navarro grew up in two different worlds: the Filipino housekeeper community of Jersey City where she was born and spent her weekends, and an upscale suburb of Westchester County, where her mother worked as a live-in housekeeper during the week and where she attended school. In her latest endeavor, Navarro is hoping to find a way to bridge those two worlds: She wants to use her tech skills to help housekeepers find jobs more easily. I think its cool that I can talk to people of different backgrounds and kind of make them feel welcome in tech, which is something that I love doing, she said. Brianna Kudisch "Having a diverse group of leaders in any organization is vital, says Lori Linskey, the first female First Assistant Prosecutor at the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Lori Linskey, seeking justice case by case Lori Linskey was working as a private attorney in the early 1990s when she first heard of the murder of seven-year-old Divina Genao in Passaic. The story of the young girl, who was raped and killed in the spring of 1993 by a parolee with a long criminal record, resonated with Linskey, igniting a passion for public service that eventually would lead to her becoming the first female First Assistant Prosecutor in the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office. So she offered to work for free on an investigative committee her boss was leading into how the killer slipped through the cracks of the criminal justice system and bypassed mental health professionals. Linskey ultimately wrote a report detailing the need for better communication between the two fields. I really wanted to do something where I can help people, said Linskey, 56, of Sea Girt. I felt a passion I had never felt before for the work I was doing because there was a greater purpose. Two decades later, Linskey joined the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office following a 16-year career with the state Attorney Generals Office. Since joining in 2013, Linskey has helped lead the countys Special Needs Registry and its Unplugged and Alive distracted driving campaign. And Linskey takes pride in being the first woman in her role. It represents to the women in law enforcement and in this office that glass ceilings are being shattered all over the place, Linskey said. Having a diverse group of leaders in any organization is vital. It brings different perspectives and different ideas to the table. Avalon Zoppo Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @BeccaPanico. Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com Follow her on Twitter @briannakudisch. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. A yearly tradition has helped a Jacksonville group rebuild after being in limbo for several months. Bowl For Kids Sake, the signature fundraising event for Big Brother Big Sisters of West Central Illinois, started Friday and continues through today at Bowl Inn, 224 N. East St. The money raised from the event goes to services provided by Big Brother Big Sisters a mentorship program that works to pair children who need guidance in Morgan County with adult mentors for one-on-one relationships. Last year was a rocky one for Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Illinois, the agencys board of directors announced in April that it would end its services due to lacking the funding needed to meet the organizations criteria. In September, the agency announced that it would be returning to Morgan County. Due to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Illinois uncertain status, the agency could not host the annual Bowl For Kids Sake last year for the first time since its inception. Brian Ganz, program director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Illinois and the former executive director, said that organizing the event helped the agency rebuild connections after it shuttered. Ganz, who had not worked on the event for over 10 years said organizing it this year revived his ability to plan a high-energy event that involved a good deal of preparation,It got the juices flowing again, Ganz said. The agency did not have the names of previous participants to get in contact with them, Ganz said. However, he said that he was pleased with the support from the community that the agency received. Ganz thanked Blue Cross Blue Shield and Diversified Crop Insurance Services in particular for sponsoring the event for organizing teams to come to the event. Steve Jibben, a manager at Clue Cross Blue Shield, said the company has supported the agency for years and said that he was happy that Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Illinois came back. Jibben called Big Brothers Big Sisters a great organization that does important work in Morgan County and said he looks forward to supporting the agency for years to come. Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Illinois began Bowl For Kids Sake in the early 90s. Ganz said that the event was initially based on participants pledging to make donations based on how many pins they knocked down, If your bowling score was 202 and you pledged 10 cents a pin then you would $20.20. Ganz said the agency moved towards participants giving a straight donation when they played. (Natural News) In Singapore, if you have the coronavirus and you lie about it, you can be slapped with a six-month jail sentence, or a fine of nearly $10,000. This is the result of the city-states very heavy-handed but also very effective response to the coronavirus outbreak, which has infected 117 people in the country, but has also resulted in zero deaths and a very high rate of discharge of 69.2 percent. Singapore is implementing very strict measures for controlling the spread of the coronavirus. If you catch it in Singapore, you are obligated to answer as many questions as the authorities have, such as where youve been and whom youve met along the way. To verify this information and to contact anybody youve met, Singapores Ministry of Health is employing a dedicated team of contact tracers who will use police and surveillance footage, as well as ATM and other purchase records, to map out and verify where you went to in the days and weeks before you were diagnosed with COVID-19. If you refuse to comply with questioning, authorities can subject you to a fine of up to $10,000 (or nearly 14,000 Singaporean dollars), send you to jail for up to six months, or both. Contact tracing is when experts go through a process of identifying anybody with whom the infected individuals have come into contact, and following up with them to see if theyve also contracted the virus. According to experts from Harvards T.H. Chan School of Public Health, no country does contact tracing better than Singapore. The city-state has a very strong track record in disease surveillance, and their ability to detect new cases of infection is three times higher than the global average. Contact tracing teams have been working round the clock just to trace where coronavirus patients have been, according to a spokesperson from the Singapore Ministry of Health. As of March 5, Singapore has 117 confirmed cases. Along with that, 81 people, or 69.2 percent of cases, have been discharged from hospitals. https://twitter.com/RyutaroUchiyama/status/1234616723615166465 Singapore zeroes in on the origin of coronavirus cases The Singaporean Ministry of Health is employing 140 contact tracers. This dedicated team works seven days a week, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. They subject anyone whos been diagnosed with COVID-19 with very detailed interviews to figure out where the patients have been and whom theyve seen. (Related: Travelers appalled by lack of screening at NYC airports amid coronavirus outbreak.) Think of what has happened in the last five days, said Dr. Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious disease doctor at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, in an interview with Public Radio International. What did you do? Where did you go? Who did you meet? Nam recognizes that the chances of good recollection are very low, which is why the contact tracers make use of government resources, including tracking the digital signatures of their own citizens. This means the contact tracers can tap the police to run back surveillance footage from public spaces and local businesses, and they can get ATM and credit card information. Nam said that without investigating peoples digital signatures, Singapores contact tracing abilities would be weaker than they are. The contact tracer team outlines all the places the infected persons went to in the past 14 days before their symptoms began. This helps the team determine where the coronavirus originated. The goal of the contact tracers is to complete this map within 24 hours of the confirmation of the illness. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in Singapore, the Ministry of Health has, with the help of the contact tracers, quarantined at least 3,291 people who have had contact with at least one of the countrys 117 confirmed coronavirus patients. This includes family members, work colleagues and travel companions. As of press time, 381 people are still under lock-down, while the rest have either been released or moved to hospital isolation because they developed a symptom of the coronavirus. Other people who may have been in contact with patients, such as people who went to the same grocery store, may get a call from government officials, who will ask these people to monitor their own health for the next few days and put on a mask and see a doctor if they develop symptoms. Lying or withholding information about where youve been in the past two weeks to contact tracers is illegal. The team recently charged a Chinese couple with lying to health authorities. The couple could either serve jail time, pay a hefty fine, or both. The health officials determined the true movements of the couple through their detailed investigations. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, praised Singapores ability to act quickly and decisively during epidemics. He and other health experts have called the countrys response to outbreaks the model to emulate, saying that Singapore was leaving no stone unturned in its race to find every case, follow up with contacts, and stop transmission. Sources include: BusinessInsider.com WHO.int TheDiplomat.com CO.VID19.sg PRI.org The dialogue was co-chaired by Vietnams Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and First Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Vladimir Titov. The sides highlighted the trustworthy and close relationship between the two countries and peoples, and rejoiced at the positive developments of the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership over the past time. They said diverse activities have been held within the Vietnam Year in Russia and the Russia Year in Vietnam (2019-2020) to mark the 70th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the treaty on fundamental principles of the Vietnam-Russia friendship. Officials also reviewed the implementation of high-level agreements reached during official visits to Russia by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2018, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan last year, among others. The two sides affirmed their resolve to maintain and push the dynamic growth momentum of cooperation across spheres, ranging from politics to economy-trade, national defence-security, science-technology, education-training, culture and tourism, as well as collaboration between localities. They agreed to effectively realise the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union in order to raise trade between the two countries to US$10 billion. They also shared the views on the profound changes of the regional and international situation, and the need to step up information exchange and close coordination at multilateral forums, especially at the time when Vietnam serves as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 and the ASEAN Chair in 2020. Vietnam affirmed the importance the country attaches to Russias role and voice in global issues and security, while Russia lauded Vietnams increasing position in the region and the world at large, as well as the Southeast Asian countrys active role in ASEAN, the UN Security Council (UNSC) and multilateral forums. They committed to joining hands at the UN and other multilateral forums, and working together to contribute to maintaining peace and stability in Asia-Pacific and the world. The sides also applauded the progress of the ASEAN-Russia relationship over the past time, and pledged that Vietnam and Russia will continue with their close coordination to advance the ASEAN-Russia strategic partnership. They expressed their support for settling disputes in the East Sea by peaceful measures on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards an effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). Later the same day, the two deputy foreign ministers co-hosted a press conference on the outcomes of the dialogue, during which they stressed that the dialogue demonstrates a high spirit of cooperation. The Russian official expressed his hope for more high-level delegation exchanges between the two countries in the time ahead to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties, while the host Deputy FM reiterated that as the ASEAN Chair in 2020, Vietnam stands ready to closely coordinate with Russia to promote the cooperation agenda between ASEAN and Russia, focusing on priority areas set by the grouping. Vietnam appreciated Russias support for the countrys month-long UNSC presidency, and promised to continue its coordination with Russia to ensure the working programme and push ahead with the settlement of issues of international concern, thus ensuring global peace, stability and security. The Russian Deputy FM also spoke highly of Vietnams support for Russias initiatives in various fields. The two sides compared notes on new cooperation orientations to spur regional and global growth. Promoting Ratification The Terrorism Prevention Branch (TPB) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been entrusted by the General Assembly to provide technical assistance to requesting Member States on the ratification and implementation of the 19 international legal instruments related to the prevention and suppression of international terrorism. Over five decades, these 19 international legally binding instruments have been developed largely as responses to specific terrorist incidents or threats and cover offences related to civil aviation (i.e. hijacking, aviation sabotage); crimes against internationally protected persons (i.e. the kidnapping of diplomats); hostage taking; illicit use or handling of nuclear materials; acts against the safety of maritime navigation and fixed platforms located on the continental shelf; terrorist bombings; financing of terrorism; and acts involving the criminal use or handling of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear materials or weapons. These instruments do not define terrorism but create obligations on state parties to: criminalize the offences in question under domestic law; exercise jurisdiction over offenders under prescribed conditions; establish the obligation to extradite or prosecute; and set up mechanisms for enhancing international cooperation in criminal matters. Since 2003, when TPB began its technical assistance efforts, 688 new ratifications of the universal legal instruments against terrorism have been undertaken by countries assisted by the Branch. However, universal ratification is far from achieved, particularly for those instruments that were more recently adopted in 2010 and 2014. In addition, even after ratification, long-term sustained efforts are required to achieve effective implementation of the provisions of these instruments. To this end, TPB is encouraging Member States to avail themselves of the assistance it provides. Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford are one of Hollywoods golden couples. Most people remember Flockhart from the hit comedy Ally McBeal. Ford is probably best known for his work in Star Wars and the Indiana Jones films. The two actors have been able to maintain a happy relationship for roughly two decades. And Flockhart and Ford have shared their perspective on the secret to success when it comes to love and marriage. Take a stroll down memory lane, and reflect on how these two ended up in each others arms. Calista Flockharts romantic past Calista Flockhart | Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic For five seasons, Flockhart worked as the main character of the drama series Ally McBeal. What some fans might not have realized was that Flockhart spent the first few years of the show in an on-and-off relationship with the shows creator, David E. Kelley. But the two were not destined to work out. Shortly after, Flockhart began dating English film director and screenwriter Sam Mendes. This was around the same time Mendes directed the award-winning movie American Beauty. Their fleeting relationship quickly ended, but Flockhart did not let that get her down when it came to dating. Though there arent many details surrounding their dynamic, it seems Flockhart got together with Robert Downey Jr. in 2000. Downey has made a reputation for himself in the movie business as one of the highest-paid actors of his time. Since the relationship was a bit of a mystery, no one is sure what happened between them. Harrison Fords past dating life Harrison Ford at the premiere of The Call of the Wild | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Ford was married twice before he finally settled down with Flockhart. Fords first wife, Mary Marquardt, resulted in the birth of two of his sons, Benjamin and Willard. It is rumored that Fords marriage to Marquardt ultimately came to an end in 1979 due to another woman in Fords life. That woman was most likely Melissa Mathison. Ford met Mathison, a well-known screenwriter, in 1976. In 1983, she married Ford, and they eventually had two children, Malcolm and Georgia. After several years together, the couple separated and filed for divorce. In 2004, the divorce was finalized. Throughout his married years, it has been reported that Ford has had affairs with celebrities, including Carrie Fisher and Eve Babitz. Though Fisher was candid about her time with Ford, she did admit that she eventually regretted being so open with her revelation. Nonetheless, Ford continued on his trek for true love. In 2001, Ford was with Minnie Driver for a short time. The two stars both found themselves newly single and started exploring the option of being a couple. But the relationship lasted just a few weeks before coming to an end. How Harrison Ford met Calista Flockhart Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Everything changed for Ford and Flockhart at the 2002 Golden Globes. Both seemed to be completely smitten after meeting each other for the first time at the award ceremony. It wasnt long after that the two started dating. When they first started dating, Ford and Flockhart had to try their hardest to keep their relationship quiet because Fords divorce was still in the works. However, the first chance he got, Ford was beyond excited to share his new relationship with the world. The couple finally got married in 2010. Harrison Ford and Calista Flockharts secrets to a happy marriage From their photos to the way they live their lives, the love between Ford and Flockhart is extremely evident. When fans question how the couple has managed to stay together for so long, Flockhart has shared that laughter and humor are at the heart of their marriage. When asked by Closer Weekly about the secret to her marriage, Flockhart said: Harrison and I laugh a lot, and humor is everything to me. But theres more to their relationship than humor and good times. The two stand by each other through thick and thin. Case in point: In 2015, Ford was involved in a near-fatal plane crash, and Flockhart was reportedly very supportive through his recovery. Calista spent most of the weekend on Harrisons side. She arrived early every morning and returned home late every night. She was under stress, a source told People. In spite of her stress, Flockhart has been understanding of her husbands passion for aviation. My wife, who is a wonderful lady, understands my passion for aviation, she understands what it means to me and flies with me to this day, Ford said after the crash, according to People. Correction: An earlier version referred to their 20-year marriage, rather than their relationship. Flockhart and Ford married in 2010. In a late-night tweet, Yes Bank informed its customers on March 7 that they can now withdraw money from ATMs using their debit cards. This came days after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) took control of the crisis-hit bank. In the tweet, Yes Bank said: You can now make withdrawals using your YES BANK Debit Card both at YES BANK and other bank ATMs. Thanks for your patience. On March 5, RBI has capped the withdrawal limit to Rs 50,000 per account per month. The RBIs directive which came into effect from 6.00 am on March 6 will be effective till April 3. The tweet came as a respite to many of Yes Banks customers who have been queuing up at the bank to withdraw their money. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 8 arrested Rana Kapoor, the former MD and CEO of Yes Bank. He was arrested after being questioned by ED officials for around 29 hours. The central agency conducted searches at Kapoor's Mumbai residence Samudra Mahal late on the evening of March 6. He was then called in for questioning at the ED's zonal office in Mumbai. Kapoor is being investigated in the alleged irregularities in the investment of over Rs 4,100 crore Employees Provident Fund (EPF) of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPPCL), the state-owned power firm, in the scam-tainted Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL). The investments date back to a period between March 2017 and December 2018. On March 5, RBI had superseded the Yes Banks board with immediate effect. Former State Bank of India (SBI) CFO Prashant Kumar was appointed as the bank administrator. Virtual courts are to be set up to hear criminal and civil cases as part of emergency laws planned by the government to ramp up the UKs efforts to defeat the coronavirus epidemic, health secretary Matt Hancock was due to announce on Sunday. More than three million volunteers will also be given the right to leave their paid jobs for up to four weeks to help the health service cope in the event of a widespread outbreak. Within days ministers are expected to signal the end of efforts to try and contain the virus as the number of confirmed cases in the UK soared to 209 on Saturday. The government is preparing to unveil an emergency bill to put before MPs which will grant it sweeping powers to fight the disease. The Covid-19 Emergency Bill will include measure to allow civil proceedings in magistrates courts to be carried out via telephone or video, as well as expanding the use of audio and video links in criminal proceedings. This will mean anyone who is forced to self-isolate due to coronavirus will still be able to appeal to a court and courts will be able to continue working even during the height of the epidemic. Health bosses also want to make full use of the existing army of three million volunteers in the NHS with powers to prevent employers from taking any action against them if they leave their jobs to help during the outbreak. Any volunteer who decides to temporarily volunteer full-time for the NHS will be given employment protection for up to four weeks. The government is to consult with business leaders over how best to implement the changes. Retired doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff will also be protected from any impact on their pensions if they choose to return to work during the outbreak. The emergency legislation will include safeguards with so-called sunset clauses to end the powers but not until after two years, the Department of Health and Social Care said. It added the government would only use the measures if needed based on clinical and scientific advice. Health secretary Matt Hancock said: We will do all we can to contain coronavirus, but as we know, Covid-19 is spreading across the world, so I want to ensure government is doing everything in its power to be ready to delay and mitigate this threat. Public safety is my top priority. Responding to coronavirus is a massive national effort and Im working with colleagues across government to ensure we have a proportionate emergency bill, with the right measures to deal with the impacts of a widespread Covid-19 outbreak. Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Show all 11 1 /11 Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Ben Gurion International airport, Israel Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Daxing International Airport, Beijing AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Haneda Airport, Tokyo Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Changsha Huanghua International Airport, China Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Daxing International Airport, Beijing AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Haneda Airport, Tokyo Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam AFP via Getty The health service has boosted the NHS 111 advice line with 500 extra staff after the helpline received 120,000 extra calls in the past week. Between Thursday 27 February and Thursday 5 March, NHS 111 answered 389,779 calls 38 calls every minute. The increasing efforts to tackle the virus came as Italian doctors warned their hospitals have been overwhelmed with 10 per cent of all positive coronavirus patients needing intensive care. Across Whitehall, civil servants are preparing each division to cope with the expected fallout, with sporting bodies due to meet with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on Monday while Defra is due to meet with supermarket bosses later this week. Dozens of patients confirmed to have coronavirus are being quarantined in their own homes with public health officials scrambling to try and identify who they have been in contact with. The government has launched a public health campaign to reinforce its key message that people should wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. The number of worldwide patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus is now north of 100,000 as states in the U.S. announce new cases every day. The virus has spread to every continent except for Antarctica after it first broke out in Wuhan, China, in December. Tune into ABC News Live at noon ET every weekday for the latest news, context and analysis on the novel coronavirus, with the full ABC News team where we will try to answer your questions about the virus. Sunday's biggest developments: U.S. death toll increased to 22 Ted Cruz, Paul Gosar announce self-quarantine after exposure at CPAC 133 people have died in Italy in the last 24 hours First COVID-19 patient dies in Egypt Oregon declares state of emergency Grand Princess cruise ship to dock in Oakland Here is how the situation unfolded on Sunday. All times eastern. 11:57 p.m. More classes, sporting events are canceled Hofstra University in New York is the latest school to cancel classes due to the threat of the novel coronavirus. School officials announced late Sunday that they were canceling all in-person classes for the coming week after a student contacted the Student Health and Counseling Center reporting flu-like symptoms. Officials said the student had attended a conference where an attendee has tested positive for COVID-19, so the student is now being isolated and tested. Six others who were in close contact with the student were also instructed to self-isolate pending the students test results. In California, officials announced the cancelation of the 2020 BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament after a case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Riverside County. The event, which typically draws top men's and women's players, was offering $17 million in prize money this year, organizers said. Last year the two-week tournament reported attendance of 475,000. Qualifying play was to have begun on Monday. In New York, officials announced that the Eastern College Athletic Conference men's hockey quarterfinals between Harvard and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) will be held without spectators due to COVID-19 concerns. Story continues The best-of-three series will be held March 13-15 at RPI, but spectators will be banned due to two confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Albany's Capital Region, officials said. Concerns about the virus also resulted in the cancelation of a scheduled trip to California for RPI's mens and womens tennis teams this past week, school officials said. 9:34 p.m. Second member of Congress announces self-quarantine Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona became the second member of Congress to announce that he's placing himself into voluntary self-quarantine due to the threat of the coronavirus. Gosar said on Twitter that during the recent CPAC event in Maryland, he came into contact with the CPAC attendee who tested positive for COVID-19. "I was with this individual for an extended period of time, and we shook hands several times," Gosar said. The congressman said that he was not currently experiencing any symptoms. "In order to prevent any potential transmission, I will remain at home in Arizona until the conclusion of the 14 day period following my interaction with this individual," Gosar said. He also said that his office in Washington, D.C., would be closed for the week. Earlier Sunday evening, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz announced he will self-quarantine at his home in Texas after he was potentially exposed to the coronavirus at the CPAC event through the same attendee. The 2020 Conservative Political Action Conference took place during the last week in February. 8:55 p.m. Puerto Rico testing case from cruise passenger Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vazquez Garced said authorities are testing a possible coronavirus case on the island. The patient arrived Sunday on a cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a fever, dry cough and respiratory distress symptoms, and went to the Ashford Hospital emergency room, according to the governor. The patients husband was also seen in the ER. Currently, the patient's diagnosis is pneumonia, but the couple is in isolation as a preventive measure while testing is being performed, the governor said. 8:35 p.m. Scarsdale, New York, closes schools The Scarsdale Public School District in Westchester County, New York, announced that all schools will be closed between March 9-18 after a faculty member tested positive for the coronavirus. The unidentified middle school teacher is exhibiting mild illness, according to the school district. Health officials advised closing all schools out of an abundance of caution, district representatives said. The district will conduct cleaning, progress monitoring, and social-distancing, during the closed days. In addition, president Lee C. Bollinger of Columbia University in New York City announced the cancellation of classes Monday and Tuesday after a member of the Columbia University community went into self-quarantine after exposure to the virus. Bollinger said the person hasn't been diagnosed and that there are no cases of coronavirus on campus. "Please understand that the decision to suspend classes does not mean that the University is shutting down," he said in a letter sent to students. Bollinger said that the university will "prepare to shift to remote classes for the remainder of the week." 7:19 p.m. Washington records another death Health officials in Grant County, Washington, announced that one of its residents died from the coronavirus. They did not provide further details about the patient, who was earlier reported to be their 80s and was diagnosed Thursday. Washington leads the nation in coronavirus deaths with 19, the majority of which were residents of the Life Care Center nursing facility in King County. Two deaths have taken place in Florida, and one in California, bringing the total number of coronavirus fatalities to 22. 7:10 p.m. Ted Cruz to self-quarantine after exposure at CPAC U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz announced he will self-quarantine at his home in Texas after he was potentially exposed to the coronavirus at CPAC. The senator said on Twitter that he interacted "for less than a minute" and shook the hand of the CPAC attendee who tested positive for COVID-19. Cruz said that he is currently not experiencing any symptoms. The 2020 Conservative Political Action Conference took place in Maryland during the last week in February. Today I released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/XGXEa4ozcg Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) March 8, 2020 Although the interaction occurred 10 days ago, Cruz said he has decided to wait for the full 14-day incubation period. "Out of an abundance of caution, and because of how frequently I interact with my constituents as a part of my job and to give everyone peace of mind, I have decided to remain at my home in Texas this week," he said in a statement. Cruz is the first member of Congress to undertake self-quarantine since the outbreak began. 6:48 p.m. Pelosi and Schumer recommend stimulus measures House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer sent a letter to the president urging him to prioritize several plans to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus. Among those recommendations are paid sick leave for quarantined patients or for those who are caring for children whose schools are closed, protections for health care workers and other frontline employees and affordable coronavirus treatment for all Americans. "The administration must move more quickly and seriously to address the severe impacts of the coronavirus on the financial security of Americas families," Pelosi and Schumer wrote in their letter. 6:15 p.m. Maryland records two more positive cases Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said the state has two additional positive coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of patients with the disease to five. One of the new patients is a Harford County woman in her 80s and a Montgomery County man in his 60s, the governor's office said. Both residents contracted the virus while traveling overseas, according to the governor's office. Health officials said there are no major concerns over an exposure risk to their communities and there is no connection to the previous three patients. 5:30 p.m. Canada to evacuate citizens on board Grand Princess Canadian passengers on board the Grand Princess, the cruise ship currently anchored off the coast of San Francisco, will be evacuated and then quarantined at the Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Onatrio, according to a statement from Global Affairs Canada. The ship, which currently has 21 positive cases of coronavirus on board, is scheduled to dock in Oakland on Monday. It will take up to three days to disembark all the passengers, at least 1,000 of whom are elderly, California Gov. Gavin Newsom told reporters Sunday afternoon. MORE: Photos: Coronavirus outbreak sparks global health emergency 4:45 p.m. Washington nursing home now has enough test kits for residents Life Care Center, the Washington nursing home where the majority of deaths from the coronavirus stemmed from in the state, has now obtained enough testings kits for all residents. Testing will also be done on 11 residents who died at the facility in recent weeks who were not tested for the virus before their deaths, Tim Killian, spokesman for the nursing home, told reporters outside the facility on Sunday. Three employees have been hospitalized, and one has tested positive, Killian said. However, not all employees are being tested, as the nursing home does not yet have enough kits to do so, he added. PHOTO: A woman wears a protective mask as she carries flowers at a shopping mall, March 7, 2020, in Beijing, China. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) 4:05 p.m. State Department warns Americans to not travel by cruise ship The U.S. State Department is cautioning Americans, especially those with existing health conditions, to not travel by cruise ship, citing the increased risk of COVID-19 infection by doing so. "Many countries have implemented screening procedures, denied port entry rights to ships and prevented disembarking," a tweet from the State Department read. U.S. citizens, especially with underlying conditions, should not travel by cruise ship. #CDC notes increased risk of #COVID19 on cruises. Many countries have implemented screening procedures, denied port entry rights to ships and prevented disembarking. https://t.co/jh93gZTkpC pic.twitter.com/jI6S0UceVg Travel - State Dept (@TravelGov) March 8, 2020 Two Princess cruises are currently hovering off the U.S. Coast. The Grand Princess cruise, where 21 people have tested positive, is scheduled to dock in Oakland, California, on Monday, while the Regal Princess is been forced to remain off the coast of South Florida until two of its crew members have been tested for the virus. 3:55 p.m. 2 more deaths recorded in Washington state Two more people have died of the coronavirus in Washington state, according to local health officials. Both patients -- a woman in her 80s and a man in his 90s -- are Life Care Center residents, according to the King County Health Department. The woman died on Friday, and the man died on Thursday. Of the 18 deaths reported in Washington, 16 have been associated with the nursing home facility. Two deaths have occurred in Florida and another in California -- bringing the total in the U.S. to 21. PHOTO: A volunteer from Blue Sky Rescue wears a protective suit as she fumigates and disinfects an area of a local bus station, March 7, 2020, in Beijing, China. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) 2:50 p.m. 2 crew members aboard Regal Princess off Florida coast being tested The Regal Princess cruise ship has been forced to remain offshore by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Department of Health and Human Services until two of its crew members have been tested for the coronavirus. The U.S. Coast Guard transmitted a no sail order following the directive by the two agencies, according to a statement. A small crew out of the Coast Guard station in Miami transported test kits to the ship, which is sitting off the coast of South Florida. The crew members previously served on the Grand Princess, the ship in which multiple U.S. citizens who have tested positive for the virus were staying on, according to a letter sent to passengers obtained by ABC News. However, the workers are past the 14-day incubation period and are not showing any symptoms, the letter states. The cruise was scheduled to dock at Port Everglades on Sunday morning, ABC Miami station WPLG reported. PHOTO:The Regal Princess Cruise ship is seen at sea about 5 miles off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March 8, 2020. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP) 2:15 p.m. Oregon declares state of emergency Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency Sunday, which will remain in effect for the next 60 days. The total number of cases in the state is at 14, with seven of those new, state officials said. None of the new seven cases are related to international travel, Brown said. Some are being hospitalized, while others are only exhibiting mild symptoms. Nine governors nationwide have declared states of emergency. 2:05 p.m. Italy's death toll increases to 366 The number of people who have died from the coronavirus in Italy has increased by 133 people in 24 hours, making the death toll 366, the country's civil protection agency announced Sunday. More than 7,000 cases have been confirmed in Italy, nearly 1,500 of which are newly diagnosed, officials said. Italy is the among the countries outside of China with the highest count of the virus. South Korea has tallied 7,134 cases and 50 deaths, while Iran has 6,566 cases and 194 deaths so far. 1:35 p.m. 1st death reported in Egypt A 60-year-old German national has died in Egypt as a result of the coronavirus, Egypt's health ministry announced Sunday. The man showed symptoms of the illness after arriving at the Red Sea resort of Hurghada from the southern city of Luxor on Friday, officials said. He died two days later. The country has reported 48 coronavirus cases so far, including 33 who were aboard a Nile cruise ship in Luxor, where 19 foreigners contracted the virus. PHOTO: Virginia State Epidemiologist, Dr. Lilian Peake talks at a press conference, March 8, 2020, in Fairfax, Va., about a second presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in Virginia. (Luis M. Alvarez/AP) 1:20 p.m. 2nd presumptive case confirmed in Virginia The state of Virginia has confirmed a second presumptive case of coronavirus. The patient is in his or her 80s and had recently taken a Nile River cruise, similar to other positive COVID-19 patients elsewhere in the U.S., state health officials announced Sunday. The Fairfax County resident developed symptoms of respiratory illness on Feb. 28 and was hospitalized on Thursday with symptoms of fever, cough, fatigue and shortness of breath. He or she is currently being hospitalized in stable condition. The patient has had limited contact with others while ill and risk to the community remains low, officials said. The patient's spouse was also on the river cruise and is being tested but is not displaying any symptoms of the virus. Another patient -- a man who lives on the Marine Corp base at Quantico Station in Virginia -- began developing symptoms on Feb. 14 and returned to the U.S. three days later, officials said. He is currently being treated at Fort Belvoir, officials said, adding that they believe he became infected during his travels. MORE: Nursing home grappling with coronavirus outbreak struggling for answers 1:10 p.m. Connecticut confirms presumptive case -- 1st in the state The presumptive positive case of coronavirus in the state of Connecticut has been confirmed. The patient is a resident of Wilton who is 40 to 50 years old and is being treated at Danbury Hospital, according to a statement from Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. The patient likely became infected with the virus during a recent trip to California and sought medical care after returning to Connecticut, Lamont said. The case is not related to a Danbury Hospital employee who is a resident of New York State who was announced on Friday or another case involving a community physician who made rounds at Bridgeport Hospital and is also a New York State resident that was announced on Saturday. Twenty-nine tests in the state have had negative results, while the results of eight tests are still pending. PHOTO: Egyptians bound for GCC countries gather in front of the Central Public Health Laboratories in downtown Cairo as they wait to get tested for coronavirus, March 8, 2020. (Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images) 12:45 p.m. Students returning from Italy to be quarantined Eighteen students who recently returned to the U.S. from Italy are being quarantined in upstate New York. The students arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport Saturday afternoon and were taken by bus to an empty residence hall at The College At Brockport State University Of New York, ABC Rochester affiliate WHAM reported. Each student has been screened and so far have not shown symptoms of the virus. They will be quarantined on the college campus for 14 days as a "preventative measure," the school said in a statement. 11:40 a.m. New York governor calls for CDC to allow testing from private labs New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for not letting the state of New York use private laboratories to test for the coronavirus. The number of people to test positive in New York increased to 105 on Sunday, Cuomo said. Cuomo said the "single-best thing" health officials can do is test for the virus to identify and isolate the positive cases. The Wadsworth Center, which is run by the New York State Department of Health in Albany, is now overwhelmed with the number of coronavirus tests, so Cuomo is looking to enlist the help of private labs to keep up with the demand. One of the labs is run by hospital system Northwell Lab, which is equipped with automated testing -- or machines with the ability to run 120 samples at a time. "It expands exponentially the amount of tests that can be done," Cuomo said. PHOTO: A woman wearing a protective face mask, following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease runs on a street near Tamachi station in Tokyo, March 8, 2020. (Edgard Garrido/Reuters) 11 a.m. Vermont announces 1st presumptive case A patient in Vermont is the state's first presumptive case of the coronavirus, the Vermont Department of Health announced Sunday morning. The adult patient is currently hospitalized in an airborne infection isolation room, and health officials are currently investigating his or her travel and possible exposure history. Individuals who have been in close contact with the patient will also be assessed for their exposure risk. MORE: US death toll rises to 19, New York declares state of emergency Earlier The cruise ship with 21 positive cases of coronavirus and more than 1,000 elderly passengers on board is slated to dock in Oakland on Monday, according to officials. The captain of the ship initially announced to passengers late Saturday night that they would be docking in Oakland on Sunday afternoon. Guests who require acute medical treatment and hospitalization will be transported to health care facilities in California, cruise staff announced to passengers. California residents who don't require immediate care will go to a federally operated isolation facility in the state for testing and isolation. Americans from states other than California will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states, according to the announcement. Four of the passengers are Georgia residents and are expected to arrive at the Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta late Monday or early Tuesday, said Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. MORE: How coronavirus impacts climate change with emissions reductions A patient who had traveled aboard a Grand Princess cruise ship in early February became Hawaii's first case of the virus, Hawaii Gov. David Ige announced Saturday. Utah's first patient to test positive is also believed to have traveled on a Grand Princess cruise ship, according to state officials, but not the one that is currently off the coast of San Francisco. The Carnival cruise ship Panorama has been cleared to disembark in Long Beach, California, on Sunday morning after a passenger tested negative for COVID-19. A guest aboard the cruise had been taken to the hospital in Long Beach for evaluation, according to the cruise line. ABC News' Katherine Carroll, Alexandra Faul, Matthew Fuhrman, Matt Gutman, Ahmad Hemingway, Joshua Hoyos, Aaron Katersky, Sarah Shales, Ben Stein and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report. 3 more dead from coronavirus in Washington state, raising US death toll to 22 originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Under the setting sun, a doctor, in protective clothing, and a patient, nestled in his hospital bed, both look together at a ruby sunset while pointing their fingers ... (East Hospital Branch of the Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University/Gan Junchao) This photo touched countless people as it was shared through friends online, becoming viral. Netizens sighed looking to the photo exclaiming that it is "so soothing." Lets have a look into the story behind this photo. The photo was taken after 5 pm on March 5 at the East Hospital Branch of the Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. In the photo, Dr. Liu Kai, a member of the medical team from Zhongshan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, stopped while escorting the patient for CT, and the 87-year-old man, who had been hospitalized for nearly a month, seized the opportunity to savor a glorious sunset, something he had not seen in a long time. "It was so unexpected. It was just a photo that I thought would have great memorable value," said Liu. He kept saying that he did not expect this photo would resonate so much with so many people. On the evening of March 5, Liu and a volunteer, by the name of Gan Junchao, pushed the 87-year-old patient, suffering from a case of pneumonia brought about by the novel coronavirus, to the CT department for screening. On the way back to the inpatient ward, Liu was touched by the golden sunlight beaming down onto him. He asked the patient next to him whether to stop and watch for a while and the old gentleman said, "sure." The three stopped and enjoyed the stunning sunset. Volunteer Gan captured this super beautiful moment that has touched millions. Liu said, "After I came to Wuhan, I would leave early and returned home late every day. Basically, I stayed in the ward during the day and rarely saw the sun. So when I saw the golden sunset, he was instinctively moved." Liu was part of the fourth batch of members of the Zhongshan Hospital to support Hubei and arrived in Wuhan on February 7 with colleagues. The patient used to be a violinist in an orchestra before entering the hospital on February 9. When he first came in, the man was seriously ill, depressed and disengaged. During the treatment process, the entire medical team made great efforts to assist the patient in the process of gradually stabilizing both the physical and mental states. After getting along for more than 20 days, not only did this older man get better and better, the connection he had with the medical staff became more and more heartfelt. Just several days earlier, for example, the old man hummed a Chinese song (When will you come again) for the medical staff. The photographer, Gan Junchao, a 20-year-old hospital volunteer, joked that he was not good at taking photos. He said on the phone, "I rarely take pictures. This nice picture was just a matter of pot luck." NEW YORKShaid Muwakkil hunched his shoulders against an icy wind blowing along the Bowery, furrowed his brow and considered where he might spend the night. He would probably end up inside the subway system or a 24-hour fast food restaurant, Muwakkil said. A year ago he might have slept inside the Bowery Mission, one of New York Citys oldest and best-known homeless aid organizations, where he had just finished dinner. A night like this, the chapel wouldve been open, he said. It wouldnt have been eat-and-get-out. He was referring to the missions chapel, which, for years, was opened on cold nights so that scores of men could sleep indoors, on the floor, beneath a stained-glass window illustrating the Christian parable of the return of the prodigal son. But just before the start of winter, the chief program officer at the mission announced a new policy in an internal email. The Bowery Mission will NOT be offering Code Blue Shelter at Bowery, Tribeca or Newark campuses this winter, the November message read, referring to a term used by city officials when the nighttime temperature drops to 32 degrees or below, including wind chill. Last winter, from November 2018 to April 2019, the mission offered Code Blue shelter on 118 nights. Some advocates for the homeless were surprised. Mary Brosnahan, who was a longtime leader of the Coalition for the Homeless, a Manhattan-based aid organization, said the change was very significant. On those bitterly cold nights, she said, its about life and death. James Winans, the missions interim chief executive, said the decision to discontinue its Cold Blue program had been made after long deliberation, partly because it was meant only to supplement shelter offered by the city and partly because those seeking shelter would be better off in a setting with beds and other amenities. The Bowery Mission is always making decisions about how we offer the most excellent care to the most people, he said. This is a space in which we felt perhaps that we werent offering the most excellent care and that there were other options. Winans did not provide a figure for how much it cost to offer Code Blue shelter. Asked if finances were a factor in the decision to end that program, he said: We are always adjusting our plan according to our resources. He added that the staff had discretion to provide overnight shelter on an ad hoc basis to individuals who could not safely be outside. They had done so this winter, he said, but the mission did not keep track of how many times that had occurred. The Bowery Mission has long been a presence on the downtown street with which it shares a name, even as the neighborhood has moved beyond its old reputation as a notorious skid row. Time and gentrification have erased much of that grit. The flophouses and nickel-a-drink saloons have given way to nightclubs and luxury condos. But some of the old Bowery remains. A grim reminder of that reality came last October when four homeless men were murdered while sleeping on sidewalks in Chinatown, not far from the mission. The Code Blue policy change at the mission, coming against the backdrop of gentrification, has prompted questions about how the mission sees its role at a time when a record number of people in New York City are homeless. The Bowery facility the organization has seven locations in the city provides free meals three times a day, free medical services three times a week and access to showers for nonresidents twice a week. Although it no longer offers Code Blue shelter, the organization still offers people places to sleep more regularly: Its Tribeca location has 194 shelter beds, and the mission provides residential programs in several of its facilities, where hundreds of men and women live each year while receiving counseling and job training or while recovering from addiction. Additionally, it operates a childrens summer camp in Pennsylvania. The privately funded mission, which was founded in 1879 and is housed inside a former coffin factory, has for years been seen as one of the Bowerys leading institutions. President William Howard Taft spoke there. New York City mayors have taken part in the missions annual coat drives and Thanksgiving dinners. It was created to minister to the generations of men who gravitated toward the Bowery, long seen as a desolate, end-of-the-line outpost where the minutes were often measured sip by sip. Michele Campo, a photographer and artist, moved to the Bowery in 1971, attracted by the low rent and generous spaces. She said she considered the Bowery men, as they were sometimes called, her neighbors. As the area gentrifies, Campo said, it has saddened her to watch the mission the last vestige of hope for some people appear to roll back a bit of its compassion. It seems harsh, she said recently. When the mission closes its doors for Code Blue, thats as cold as it gets. The mission has faced recent budget shortfalls and is looking for a new president to replace David P. Jones, who stepped down just before Thanksgiving. During the nearly five years of Jones leadership, the mission doubled the number of people enrolled each year in its residential recovery programs, absorbing the Goodwill Rescue Mission in Newark, New Jersey, and the New York City Rescue Mission in Tribeca. But as it expanded its footprint, the Bowery Mission also cut back on some efforts. For example, a program that distributed food four times a week in the East Village, Chelsea and Bushwick was phased out. The Code Blue email sent by its chief program officer, Cheryl Mitchell, was one of the latest changes. Guests in need of Code Blue shelter will be referred to partnering agencies and shelters, she wrote, adding that the mission would provide overnight warming centers when subway and bus service is suspended because of extreme weather or when travel is too hazardous. Previously, the missions website had said that up to 150 nonresident men could sleep in the chapel and cafeteria whenever the temperature dropped below 40 degrees, stating: By providing a warm place to sleep, we are preventing victimization, illness and possibly death that sometimes comes with winter exposure. Flyers distributed at the mission now refer men seeking nighttime Code Blue help to a main portal into the citys shelter system on East 30th Street, a drop-in center on East 32nd Street and a warming center at West 28th Street. All are about 2 miles from the chapel. Recently, homeless men who had just had dinner at the mission discussed the end of Code Blue nights there. Youre going to see more people in the subways, more people in the street, said Lance Smith, 43, as he stood near the mission, both hands shoved into his jacket pockets. Some said that while they appreciated the free meals offered at the mission, it sometimes felt daunting to step outside to face wintry conditions. Youre on your own, out in the cold, said Aaron Johnson, 37. And the cold can definitely be dangerous. Lebanons public debt now stands at 166 percent of GDP, 37 percent of which is denominated in foreign currency. The Banque du Liban is only days from having to redeem a $1.2 billion Eurobond, but even if this passes smoothly, two more Eurobonds due in April and June will only further aggravate the Central Banks precarious reserve position and would hardly spare the country the cascading economic crisis. For several decades, Lebanon had demonstrated a particular skill at navigating safe passage through severe economic crises variously brought on by foreign invasions, civil war, regional tensions, political assassinations and even the absence of a government for extended periods. In this remarkable record of miracle-making, the country was always fortunate to have three firmly anchored pillars that always saved the day. First, is a political system that even if cobbled together from different denominations and ethnicities was more or less inclusive and had been stress-tested more than once. It is still a delicately balanced construction and certainly needs reform, but in the hands of reasonable men and women, the system generally functioned satisfactorily. Second, Lebanon is a liberal society and an open, market-driven economy underpinned by a banking system with deep roots in the countrys history. Benefiting from large and steady capital flows from a prosperous Lebanese diaspora and from nervous wealth in the less liberal neighboring economies, banks easily maintained high levels of liquidity, and this helped cushion the economic and geopolitical shocks that occasionally struck Lebanon. Finally, Lebanon had always enjoyed powerful friends and allies in Europe and in the Gulf that came to its aid when in distress. In an earlier debt crisis in 2002, with the lead support of France and the Gulf countries, Lebanon attracted more than $4.1 billion (equivalent to nearly 20 percent of GDP then) in external aid which, together with an extraordinarily ambitious reform program, helped turn the economy around and spurred a resurgence of confidence and growth Story continues However, in the past decade or so, all three pillars have weakened considerably, and this will make Lebanons ability to handle this economic crisis that much more challenging. The rise of an assertive Hezbollah to dominate the countys political system undermined the collaborative intent of the original national concord. Hezbollahs entry into the civil war in Syria in alliance with non-Arab Iran further alienated powerful Sunnis in Lebanon and the region, and essentially disabled the national concord. As a result, the government barely functioned and remained unable to pass a budget since 2006. What Lebanon needs to do now is to take the politically bitter medicine of approaching the international community, including the multilateral, and commit to the institutional and economic reforms that had long been debated but never agreed. International goodwill towards Lebanon may have diminished but it has not entirely vanished. More significantly, the government pursued inappropriate macroeconomic policies and resisted structural reforms. These were designed to trim government spending, raise revenues, break up monopolies and privatize public assets. But to the ruling elite, this also meant a loss of patronage and reduced access to the public purse. Fiscal deficits grew persistently, the current account deficit widened (to 12 percent and 20 percent of GDP, respectively, in 2019), and the countrys debt ballooned. With political paralysis in the face of economic deterioration, the central bank understandably chose to monetize the deficits, especially given ample liquidity in the system. But in doing so while defending the currency peg, central bank reserves dropped sharply (they may have turned negative by now) and the pound depreciated by more than 50 percent in the parallel market. Lebanons total debt is both extraordinarily large and unusually complex, but in the final analysis, the critical component is the stock of Eurobonds of about $30.0 billion. And while the Central Bank has the funds for next weeks redemption, it is in urgent need of developing a comprehensive plan for the entire external public debt of $91.6 billion. Lebanon may wish to tackle its debt problems piecemeal and on its own, but its options will quickly narrow, and the costs will inescapably rise. Moreover, paying back foreign debt now may be politically dicey, given that the countrys citizens access to their own foreign currency deposits is severely curtailed, a poverty rate that shot up to 40 percent and the countrys needs of essential foods and medicines becoming ever more urgent. What Lebanon needs to do now is to take the politically bitter medicine of approaching the international community, including the multilateral, and commit to the institutional and economic reforms that had long been debated but never agreed. International goodwill towards Lebanon may have diminished but it has not entirely vanished. And it is only with the support of the international community that Lebanon can hope to achieve an equitable arrangement with its creditors, one that would secure for the country a modicum of stability and a potential for the revival of growth. George T. Abed is Distinguished Fellow at the Institute for International Finance and former Director of the Middle Eastern Department at the International Monetary Fund. The views expressed are solely those of Mr. Abed and do not necessarily represent those of the IIF or any other organization. The post Lebanons Economy: To Avoid An Implosion appeared first on Emerging Market Views. GREENWICH The winners have been announced of an inaugural essay contest celebrating the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment and the founding of the League of Women Voters. For the contest, local students were asked to answer the question, What if women could not vote? The League of Women Voters of Greenwich and their affiliate high school clubs announced the winners of their recent essay contest for students in grades K-12. The League received 200 submissions, and chose three winners and nine students received honorable mentions. The students will receive their awards on Tuesday, March 10 at the Greenwich Historical Society in conjunction with their Suffragist exhibition, An Unfinished Revolution: The Womans Suffrage Centennial. The winners are Chelsea Hyland, a 10th-grader at Sacred Heart Greenwich; Leila Sherriff, an eighth-grader at Greenwich Academy; and Elizabeth Galgano, a fourth-grader at Sacred Heart. High schoolers receiving honorable mention are Sophie Jaeger, a 10th-grader at Greenwich High School; Dylan Mini, an 11th-grader Greenwich High School; and Pamela Rosenburgh, a 12th-grader at Sacred Heart. Middle school honorable mention recipients are Ella Ehrlich, an eighth-grader at Sacred Heart; YeonWoo Kook, a seventh-grader at Eastern Middle School; and Gabe Lopez, an eighth-grader at Brunswick School. Elementary school honorable mention recipients are Delaney Enright, a fifth-grader at Greenwich Academy; Ihsan Iftikar, a second-grader at Greenwich Country Day School; and Fiona Reilly, a fifth-grader at Greenwich Academy. The winning essays are posted on the Leagues website at www.lwvg.org/. GHS Math Team adds another win Greenwich High Schools math team won a math competition over last weekend, besting Brunswick School by a narrow seven points, with the final score of 86-79. King School, Christian Heritage School and Ridgefield High School rounded out the Top 5. GHS has not lost a match since November 2014. Sam Florin and Zach Wang had perfect scores of 18 points, Iris Shi scored 17 points and freshman Jason Zhong scored 15. Florin was the high-scoring junior and was second in total scoring for the league, which is the toughest math league in the state. The GHS team will head to the State Tournament, on April 1 at Cheshire High School, where the team will shoot for its 11th state title in the last 12 years. Wilkes announces Deans List Nicole Huber of Greenwich was named to the Deans List at Wilkes University for the fall semester 2019. To be named to the Deans List, students must obtain a minimum 3.5 grade point average and carry at least 12 credits. Randolph-Macon honors local student Elizabeth Cassidy of Old Greenwich has earned a place on the Presidents List for the second quarter of the 2019-20 school year. Elizabeth is a Falcon Scholar at Randolph-Macon Academy. Only students who achieve a GPA of 4.0 or higher are named to the Presidents List at Randolph-Macon Academy, a college-preparatory, coeducational boarding school for students in grades 6 through 12. Students in grades 9-12 participate in R-MAs 91st Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and have the opportunity to learn to fly through a unique flight program. Lehigh names local students to Deans List Students at Lehigh University in Bethleham, Pa., attained Deans List in Fall 2019. This status is granted to students who earned a scholastic average of 3.6 or better. The honored students are: Emma Banker of Greenwich; Adriana Caceres Ruiz Diaz of Greenwich; Isabel Steinthal of Greenwich; Carolyn David of Greenwich; Rebecca Grady of Greenwich; Alexander Schuler of Old Greenwich; Leila Schneider of Greenwich; Alissa Landberg of Cos Cob; Robert Lanni of Greenwich; Alexis Raskin of Greenwich; and Mitchell Katz of Greenwich. By Louise Michelle Mondejar and Jade Jared Rendon, BA International Studies, USJ-R The United States and China contribute a lot to the Philippines economically, politically, socio-culturally and militarily. Both states help shape the Philippines. In a news article of ABS-CBN on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte said the Philippines has no business being a republic if it cannot fight its own battles. Despite the Philippines military alliance with the US, Duterte said Filipino soldiers are still the ones handling the countrys communist insurgency and illegal drug problem. During the oath-taking of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts officials, he said the Philippines could not stand on its own feet, it might as well choose between becoming a territory of the US or China. This was his strategic response to the tenuous relationship between the economic superpowers. As a Filipino citizen, we stand for our right as an independent republic, which is capable of administering simple justice. We are supposed to exercise our own sovereignty. However, looking at the current state of the Philippines, we cant stand on our own. Considering the political, military and economic aspect: Can the Philippines maintain a stable government? Can the Filipino defend themselves without the help of other countries? Does the Philippines have a stable and growing economy? These questions are yet to be answered. We do not need to choose whether to be part of the US or China. What we need is for our President to make a decision that could ensure the survival of Filipinos. The President must prioritize national interest over foreign interest. The Philippines as a developing country needs to choose a strong ally to reduce poverty, promote resilience and to have a good quality of life. We have to accept the reality that we need stronger states that can support us, but let us not forget that we are a sovereign country that should know how to stand as a nation. The US-Taliban agreement signed at Doha on February 29 -- in the presence of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- does make a lot of sense from the American point of view as it marks an apparent progress on the promise of President Donald Trump that he would bring his troops back from the godforsaken Afghan territory which had been the scene of the longest running combat of America anywhere in pursuit of the post-9/11 'war on terror'. The US picked up from where it had suspended talks being held by its representative, Zilmay Khalilzad, with Taliban , after the radical outfit decided on a tactical move to scale down its militant activity to facilitate resumption of negotiations. The agreement meant to pave the way for a swifter move towards final peace, essentially opens up the course for the US to reduce the strength of American troops to 8,600 in the immediate range and withdraw the rest before 14 months were over. The Taliban had earlier rejected any negotiation with the Afghan government on power sharing compelling Khalilzad to hold the Doha dialogue at the back of President Ashraf Ghani but it has now agreed to participate in 'intra- Afghan' talks from March 10 by which time mutual release of 1,000 prisoners held by the Taliban and nearly 5,000 in the custody of the Afghan government would supposedly be worked out too. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the agreement is the nuanced distinction made by the US policy makers between the Taliban -- the Asian component of the radical Taliban-Al Qaeda axis -- and the Arab radicals led by Osama bin Laden who had dominated the Afghan Emirate installed at Kabul by Pakistan in 1996. The agreement rests on an affirmation from the Taliban that it would not allow Al Qaeda or ISIS to organise any act of terror from Afghan soil against the US. This clearly was designed to claim that the Trump Presidency had made America more secure -- notwithstanding the historical fact of the hands-in -glove kind of relationship existing amongst these radical entities. It is significant that the agreement has been hailed by Taliban supporters as a victory -- those of them attending the event chanted Allah-o-Akbar all through the proceedings. Also, the tenor of religious extremism was so evident in the bitter remarks made by the Taliban top leader Mullah Baradar before pressmen earlier to the effect that even though the US had ousted the Islamic Emirate from Afghanistan that regime was coming back finally. Mullah Baradar was the signatory to the agreement with Zilmay Khalilzad. The Afghanistan situation has differing implications for the US and India though their shared concerns would be on the possibility that the Taliban might again dominate Afghan polity and that Afghanistan might become the anchor once again of radical Islamic militancy in South Asia. President Trump had an innate aversion towards Islamic extremism and he was not keen beyond a point to fight somebody else's war overseas -- the 'war on terror' fundamentally required the Muslim world to fight the radicals on its own soil first. The US President, in his own words, would rather 'bomb out the enemy' on its home ground -- like he claimed to have done to ISIS in Syria and Iraq -- than leave American soldiers in a messy battleground. For India, it is like a trouble spot next door made more dangerous because of the total connivance of Pakistan with Islamic radicals of the Pak-Afghan belt as also its sponsorship of the India-specific militants of LeT, JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen. US has kept Pakistan on its side for handling the Taliban challenge and visualised India's role as somewhat limited to aiding development and helping the Ashraf Ghani government to run a democratic regime in Afghanistan. The agreement pleases Pakistan but compels India to watch out against further developments in Afghanistan. The first response of Ashraf Ghani against accepting any conditionality for intra-Afghan talks, by way of release of prisoners, speaks of the atmosphere of distrust that prevails all round. The Afghan strategy of India has to be to try to keep a democratic form of government going in Afghanistan and get both the US and Russia to work for that objective -- this alone will give India an effective channel of contact with that country. It is not ruled out that with the assertion of the Taliban in Afghan politics, the forces of the erstwhile Northern Alliance would also step up their activities and all of this would recreate domestic turbulence of the kind that had led Benazir Bhutto to despatch the Taliban to Kabul in 1993, in the first place. The Taliban were the radical fundamentalists produced by the Deobandi madrasas in the Pak-Afghan region particularly the North West Frontier and they suppressed all infighting ruthlessly to establish the Islamic Emirate at Kabul in 1996 under Mullah Omar. This regime wedded to extreme fundamentalism was -- it may be recalled -- given recognition only by Saudi Arabia and UAE, besides Pakistan. The Taliban rule then lost no time in unleashing its hatred against the US and because of its intrinsic radicalism went after the symbols of idol worshippers too, destroying the Buddhist statues of Bamiyan in the bargain. The attempt of the US to oust the Taliban government in which Osama bin Laden was Mullah Omar's main mentor, had laid the run up to 9/11. Much water has flown under the bridge since but the historical antipathy of Islamic radicals towards the US-led West is not likely to fade away any time soon. In the post- agreement period there should ideally be a total convergence between the US and India on Afghanistan in the interest of the democratic world. The Doha agreement is an expedient move forward for the Trump administration in a situation that had put the American troops in an Afghan quagmire on account of the persistent violence by the Taliban there, the duplicitous role of Pakistan as an intermediary between the US and the radical outfit and the inevitable play of Cold War alignments in a country that was aptly described once as 'the geographical pivot of history'. The new reality of the rise of faith-based terror propelled by radical Islam being a prime threat to the democratic order in the post- Cold War era is yet to sink in amongst the vulnerable countries. The danger of 'radicalisation' sustaining itself through the 'revivalist' forces within the Muslim world is still not fully grasped there -- the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) though broadly friendly to the West has not been able to proclaim its rejection of the use of Jehad as a form of 'warfare' in today's world. Perhaps no other country is in for the kind of threat that India faces on this count, primarily because of the planned 'proxy war' Pakistan had launched against this country since the mid-Nineties by infiltrating hardened Mujahideen across the LoC in Kashmir and elsewhere. The tentative US-Taliban agreement may help the Trump regime in the short run but it should ring in the alarm bells for India for the distinct possibility it creates of a hostile Pakistan further queering the pitch for India -- after acquiring a sway in Afghanistan through a friendly Taliban. Our strategy has to be a mix of strong counter-terror operations on our territory and even beyond our borders, an effective 'de radicalisation' programme and a diplomatic outreach to Afghanistan to prempt any anti-India manoeuvres of Pakistan in that country. (The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau) What do Ireland, the UK, France, Scandinavia and the US have in common, that China, Germany, Spain and Japan do not have? 'Population replacement' is the answer. There are two types of countries: those where there are enough people having more than two babies to replace the old, so that the population can continue to grow; and those that do not. This is measured by the 'Fertility Rate' before migration is accounted for. A figure of 2.1 births per female is a replacement rate. The average fertility rate in the EU is 1.58; France has the highest at 1.87 followed by Ireland at 1.75 and the UK at 1.67, while the US is 1.8. At the other end of the scale lie big countries with very low rates, such as Spain at 1.26 and Italy with 1.28. This good luck is rarely noticed, appreciated or commented upon by the fortunately fertile countries, but it's a national obsession in countries with low population growth - such as Spain, Japan, Poland and Hungary, which at 1.5 births per female has one of the EU's lower fertility rates, has just announced new tax and loan benefits for families as part of its government's efforts to increase the birth rate. It includes measures such as income tax exemption for any woman who has four children or more. A Japanese municipality claims that its fertility rate increased from 1.4 to about 1.9 in 2017 by offering new mothers a "gift" of 300,000 yen (2,500), as well as subsidies for child care, housing, health and education. Some countries have strongly 'pro-natal' policies that result in significant expenditure on families and children - with mixed results. This expenditure consists of a blend of cash, tax breaks and services. France spends the most, 3.7pc of GDP, and has Europe's highest fertility rate. Finland spends nearly as much, 3.2pc, yet it has one of the lowest. At 2.3pc, Ireland spends less than the EU average of 2.7pc - yet we have one of the highest rates. Population contraction brings many challenges. These range from practical concerns about less labour availability and shrinking consumer markets to deeper and more emotional or political issues concerned with changes or 'dilution' of cultural dominance. A clear instance of this type of demographic anxiety simmers in Northern Ireland, though in reality the 50/50 balance between the two traditions is likely to remain for a long time into the future - albeit with different age profiles. Changing demographics are going to throw up big surprises around the world during the rest of this century. India's population is expected to surpass China's to become the biggest in the world as early as 2025, while it is estimated that Nigeria will be bigger than the US and become the third most populous country in the world shortly before 2050. By the year 2100, the 10 most populous countries in the world will include the Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Egypt. These growths will contrast strongly with population losses in other very large countries - such as Brazil (-15pc) and Russia (-14pc) that, between them, will have 52 million fewer people by 2100. By that time China will have slipped back to be the second most populous country, by having 374 million fewer people than it does now - a loss of more people than live in the entire US today. China's huge population loss will occur during a period when their old age ratio will more than double, because of its one-child policy. This will result in hundreds of millions of couples trying to support four parents in addition to their own children. Ageing countries have different economic patterns and priorities. Patterns of savings, investments and spending change. The type, location and spending on housing also change. Public expenditure priorities change a lot in ageing countries, with less spent on education and infrastructure and more on health and social services. These figures point towards a growing underlying divergence between different countries. The relative youth of a country has many implications that range from employment and taxation through to culture, attitudes and expectations. Younger places are more likely to be more vital than those with significantly older populations. This, in turn, can have a deep impact on politics - with older populations usually being significantly more risk-averse and culturally conservative. In Europe, this trend points to a strong likelihood of a growing difference between a younger north-west and an older south-east. The fracture line passes between the largest EU member states, with France on the young side neighboured by an increasingly ageing Spain to the south and Germany to the east. Brexit throws a real spanner in the works in this regard, because the UK sits in the middle of the grouping of younger nations that will have demographics increasingly resembling the US, while the rest of Europe will be increasingly like Japan and China. In future, Ireland will be torn between two sets of divergent policy drivers. We will often find ourselves naturally aligned with a vital, expansionary younger and mostly Anglo American and Scandinavian axis that will often contrast with the EU's set of more conservative, cautious policies driven by the older Southern and Eastern European states. Winston Churchill said: "The longer you can look back, the farther you can look forward." This advice could be usefully followed when trying to map out a future for Ireland in this complex, changing world. We've been here before. At many stages during the past 500 years Catholicism has caused Ireland to have values that were more closely aligned with more distant France and Spain than to our nearest neighbour. However, the similarity of these circumstances needs to be viewed in light of a soberingly significant difference from history: population size. Many are surprised to learn that, for much of the past 500 years, the population of England was usually only about twice that of Ireland - so in 1841 Ireland's population was 8.2 million while that of England was only 13.7 million - in sharp contrast to today's difference where our neighbour's population is over 10 times larger than us. These factors add to a picture of Ireland moving on a distinctive and often different path from each of our neighbours in a variety of ways. For starters, we'll be the only country in the EU that will combine being English-speaking, common-law and young, as well as being one of the best educated and wealthiest. While potentially exotic, these differences have the potential to create significant friction, as larger and more powerful member states seek greater uniformity. These positive demographics and a complex web of interlocking relationships will provide Ireland with many opportunities, as well as the resilience of having common cause with such a diverse range of players. Navigation through this complexity will be difficult, though the experience of our whole-hearted engagement with the EU since 1972, has shown that Ireland's elected and official representatives have fared well, mostly by the simple expedience of making friends and working hard. There is no reason to believe that this will change any time soon, unless we become infected with smug complacency, fashionable cynicism or ideological stupidity. We're already in the Lucky Club, why change? Australia: In a bid to help their readers facing scarcity of toilet rolls caused by panic buy over coronavirus scare, an Australian newspaper decided to add extra pages in their edition to be used as toilet paper. The unconventional move by the newspaper The NT News was done in case (the reader) cant find any at the shops, and has gone viral. "Run out of loo paper? The NT News cares," the newspaper said in its March 4th edition. "That's why we've printed an eight-page special lift-out inside, complete with handy cut lines, for you to use in an emergency." YES, WE ACTUALLY DID PRINT IT #toiletpapercrisis pic.twitter.com/jusP50ojYu The NT News (@TheNTNews) March 4, 2020 The panic around the Covid-19 coronavirus scare prompted citizens in different parts of Australia to bulk buy household supplies, like toilet paper. The buying spree led to empty shelves and a scarcity of supplies in many places, leading a few supermarket brands to put a cap on the number of toilet paper one rolls can buy at a time both online and offline. New Delhi: Bhanwar Meghwanshi - a karsevak whose chant of Ram-ji ke naam par jo mar jayenge, duniya mein naam apna amar kar jayenge, (Those who will die for Lord Ram will be immortalised) reverberated in the 90s is disenchanted at the lack of marginalised voices of Dalits and Adivasis in the national decision making bodies of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He writes about his experiences of being a Dalit karsevak (one who serves a religion for free) and vistarak (householders who can marry and yet continue working in the RSS) in a book titled I could not be Hindu The story of a Dalit in RSS. The book was initially junked by some popular Hindi literature publications. However, it was published by Navarud Prakashan in Hindi 2019. The book was later published in English by Navanya. Meghwanshi, who belongs to Rajasthans Bhilwara, was in his teens at the peak of the Ram Mandir movement in the 1990s. Son of a Congress worker, he joined the Ayodhya-bound contingent of karsevaks without his familys permission. The former RSS worker in his book writes about experiences that antagonised him from the Sangh. He recounts an especially defining moment in his career with the organisation food cooked in his house was thrown away by the Sangh contingent that went to the villages of those who died in Ayodhya with their funerary urns. However, at the time he could not escape the humiliation and had resolved to take revenge. I was lower than the shudra, I was an untouchable not one of the four varnas, but an outcast the fifth caste, the avarna. I may well be a swayamsevak but I was not a Hindu all the way. This must be why I was unacceptable. Why I was permitted to rise only up to vistarak, and discouraged from being a pracharak, he writes. Struggle to rise in the ranks Meghwanshi aspired to be a black cat of Sangh no matter how life threw him about, he wanted to land on his feet. To this end, he poured his heart into activities of the shakha (branch). He performed havan, granth puja and also served as a chief teacher in the shakha. He would wear the ganvesh (uniform) of the RSS. He also brought out an issue on Annihilate Pakistan for Hindu Kesari. He lost no opportunity to build an image of a Hinduvaadi, a champion of the Hindu cause. But somehow I felt I was not being accepted the way I wanted to be, as was my right, given all my work, he writes. Meghwanshi recalls that sometime after returning from karseva, in May or June of 1990, he expressed to the Jodhpur district pracharak, Shivji Bhaisahab, his desire to become full time pracharak. Pracharaks, the very spine of the RSS, are ascetics dedicated to the nation, who sacrifice their homes and family life. The response to his request, he writes, jolted him. He was told that although his ideals were high-minded, society would not accept him. You would have to swallow the insult, was is superiors reply. My advice is to remain a vistarak for a while and serve the nation in that capacity, Shivji Bhaisahab told him. Although at the moment he was convinced that the Sangh would someday succeed in accepting a Dalit pracharak, he was time and again discouraged from aspiring to higher roles within the organisation. In one chapter of the book, Meghwanshi recalls that he was told, We dont really want people like you vicharaks who are constantly questioning and thinking. And thus my thinking made me unfit for the job of propagating the thought of the Sangh. He told News18.com, Thinking is discouraged, we are not the mind but the muscle of the Sanghs activities. Earlier in 1988, when he was promoted from chief teacher to karyavah the highest post in the shakha there was a dearth of Brahmin swayamsevaks in his village, which he believes could be the reason for his rise. The structure without the mind of Dalits In the RSS so far six pracharaks have been the sarsanghchalak (the chief of the organisation), of which five were Brahmins and one Kshatriya. Meghwanshi observes that questions have been raised about the lack of diversity within the Sangh, but only by those uninformed about it. Only a pracharak who has reached the top of the hierarchy would be considered Sarsanghchalak and at the top Dalits, Adivasis and Backward castes are negligible in number. Under the circumstances, there is no chance of any of them becoming Sarsanghchalak for the next fifty years, he writes. The author continues to lament the absence of marginalised voices in top decision making bodies like All India Representatives Assembly (Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha) or the All India Working Committee (Akhil Bharatiya Karyankani Mandal). The karseva saw massive participation by Dalits and Backward Castes, but very few became pracharaks and were restricted to the low levels. The Dalits usually find a place in the Samrasta Manch which is dedicated to societal harmony. The author remarks that Ramnath Kovind could become the President of India, which is the highest constitutional post in the country, but could never have made the cut to be considered for the unconstitutional RSS. RSS says equality core issue A senior RSS functionary called Meghwanshi's view an individual one and not reflective of Sanghs approach towards the marginalised Dalits and Adivasis. He said, In RSS there is no discrimination on the basis of caste - we dont inquire about caste. One is promoted on the basis of their work, contribution and intellect. At the state, zonal levels there is fair presence of the Dalits. The core issue of the Sangh is to have no discrimination among the swayamsevaks. This requires change in attitudes for which RSS is working, it is our core issue, he said. What happened Shares of railroad Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) shed 12.4% in value, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, in the month of February. While the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak triggered panic selling, Norfolk's already facing industry-specific concerns. So what Norfolk kicked off February on a strong note after announcing a relatively strong set of fourth-quarter numbers, compared to the info most peers released end-January: It reported 7% lower revenue and a 5% drop in net income year over year, despite macro-headwinds triggered partly by the trade war. Management expected weak commodity markets and a slump in coal market activity to be offset by stronger merchandise (which includes chemicals, agriculture, automotive, among others) and intermodal volumes. That, however, may not be the case anymore, thanks to the coronavirus. With manufacturing activity in China taking a sharp hit following the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, the ripples are being felt through the transportation sector. After the shipping industry, railroads are feeling the pinch, as volumes at ports are drying up after a slump in imports from China. Lower port volumes directly affect intermodal volumes -- intermodal containers transfer goods between two or more modes of transportation, say from ships and trains to trucks. In 2019, intermodal made up a quarter and coal 15% of Norfolk's revenue. No wonder investors are a worried lot. During Norfolk Southern's Q4 earnings conference call, management already expressed concerns about coal, with Chief Marketing Officer Alan H. Shaw even acknowledging how "additional gas and renewable generation capacity continues to erode coal share of electricity generation" during his overview of 2020. Mid-February, Norfolk even shut down a distribution center in Virginia as coal volumes continued to decline. The coronavirus epidemic has only made matters worse. Now what To understand how badly U.S. rail traffic is getting hit, all you have to do is take a look at the weekly data released by the Association of American Railroads. For the week ended Feb. 29, total carloads declined 6.5% and intermodal volume is down 12.5%, year over year. Intermodal had dropped only 6% in the week prior. Both weeks, coal traffic saw the biggest declines. Given the backdrop, investors in Norfolk Southern aren't sure when the company's volumes and revenues will pick up. News that an attendee at last months Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, D.C., has been diagnosed with coronavirus has thrown one of lifes changeups to at least one central Pennsylvanian, who was present for the entirety of the event. Political commentator and East Pennsboro Township resident Jeffrey Lord told PennLive he feels terrific, and hes not personally scared. But, watching the news and being a good citizen, he is making a personal decision to self-isolate through March 14, which would be a full two weeks after the end of the CPAC event and the apparent incubation period for the virus. Ive gotten a lot of attention over the last several years, and the last thing I want to do is cause people concern because they recognize me, and realize that I attended this event, Lord, 69, said in a phone interview. I dont want people to think: Oh my God, there he is. Run! Lord, a PennLive contributor, was at the PennLive offices in Hampden Township on Wednesday. Our folks have been notified that Jeff was a visitor in our building for a short time, said Cate Barron, president of PennLives parent company, PA Media Group. His contact with a few employees was very limited. Were glad to hear hes in good health and will stay in touch. In the meantime, were taking extra precautions to protect the health and safety of everyone at PA Media Group. Its our first concern. Lord said he doesnt expect the self-isolation to be a great burden. The nature of my work is, I work at home. When I write, I hit the send button, and off it goes," Lord said. Television or podcast appearances can be done remotely, too, he added. So this is not like this is some grand sacrifice," Lord said. Im perfectly willing. Lord, like other CPAC attendees, received direct notice of the coronavirus connection from the events organizer, the American Conservative Union, at about 5 p.m. Saturday evening. The American Conservative Union announced Saturday the patient was exposed to the virus before arriving at CPAC. The conference was held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Maryland just outside of Washington. The person subsequently fell ill and was tested at a New Jersey hospital and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the positive result, the ACU said. New Jersey officials have identified the patient as a 55-year-old man from Englewood who is in stable condition at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center. Lord was not the only CPAC attendee from the Harrisburg area at the conference, which drew an estimated 15,000 and is one of the largest non-partisan gatherings for American conservatives in any year, but has special significance at the start of a presidential election year. Charlie Gerow, the founder of Harrisburg-based public relations and issue advocacy firm Quantum Communications, is the current vice-chair of the ACU and was at the conference from start to finish. Gerow, reached Sunday, declined questions about the conference and said that as an officer he wanted to let the unions statement speak for him at this point. On a personal note, however, he told PennLive that he feels terrific," and that he has no real concerns about my personal physical condition. PennLives sister outlet NJ.com is reporting that the New Jersey mans exposure from the novel coronavirus is linked to a case associated with Temple Young Israel in New Rochelle, New York. The man attended services there on Feb. 23. The problem, for CPAC attendees, is that means the man was a carrier of the virus during the convention. The conference, which coins itself as the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world, ran from Feb. 26-29. President Donald J. Trump spoke at the event at 3 p.m. on Feb. 29, according to the conferences agenda. The ACU, in its notice, said that the attendee never attended the events in the main hall, which is where all the headliners speak and the largest concentration of visitors. The periphery of the convention is full of broadcasters, vendors and other exhibitors who are looking for new members, trying to sell books or services, or seeking support for a specific cause. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Saturday that health officials from his administration had discussed the CPAC-related infection with the Centers for Disease Control, the White House, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and state officials in New Jersey. Hogan, in a statement, urged people who attended the conference to take their temperature twice a day and notify their health-care provider or local health department if that temperature exceeds 100.4 or if they develop a cough, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Anyone with those symptoms should then stay home until they receive instructions about next steps, Hogan said. Lord said that he has no personal knowledge of the infected person was or why he was there and, therefore, no idea whether he came in contact with him. But as the nation starts to play what feels like six degrees of separation as cases of the virus start to appear in more and more places - and CPAC itself drew thousands - Lord sees staying at home as being part of the solution. Staying at home for a week is not exactly a terrible punishment, he said. I just want to do the right thing. NPS Photo March 5, 2020 Contact: Brent Everitt, 850-934-2600 -NPS- Gulf Breeze, Fla. At the request of Park Superintendent Brown, the National Park Service South Atlantic-Gulf Regional Director has approved a fee suspension for the first Saturday of May from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in honor of the sacrifice paid by Rosamond Johnson and his family. The entrance fee suspension will cover all park areas and will be in place until there is a change in park leadership or the entrance fee rate. In those instances, a new request would need to be made.After enlisting in the US Army at 15, Johnson died in combat two years later on the Korean Peninsula. While engaged with the enemy, on July 26, 1950, Private Johnson carried two wounded soldiers to safety. He was fatally wounded while attempting to save a third wounded man. On August 21, 1950, Rosamond was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for wounds he sustained while saving his fellow soldiers.At the time of his death, Pensacola beaches were racially segregated. The Sunset Riding Club, Inc. leased a county owned recreational area in 1950 for the sole use of bathing and recreational facilities for colored citizens. In honor of his ultimate sacrifice, and in recognition as the first Escambia County resident to die in the Korean Conflict, the recreational area became known as Rosamond Johnson Beach. The area became part of Gulf Islands National Seashore in 1971, and the name was retained. Today, a monument and exhibit honor Private Johnson and his service.On the first Saturday in May each year, the National Park Service is proud to partner with Escambia County, the Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce, and Florida Black Chamber of Commerce in honoring Private Rosamond Johnson. Johnson Beach is one of the most popular beach recreation areas of the national seashore and is open daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.Johnson Beach is an incredibly special place and the annual commemoration acknowledging the beachs namesake is one of the most important events to be held in the park, said Superintendent Dan Brown. Ensuring that all are able to attend this important ceremony each year has been a top priority of the park, and we are thankful this suspension has been approved.We are very thankful to Superintendent Dan Brown and his team for their efforts, said Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill. The National Park Service is not only a steward of our natural resources, but of the human stories and heritage that are as much a part of this land as the dunes and bayous. The Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce has worked hard to memorialize the sacrifice of the Johnson Family, every year. This development will enable them to reach out to a larger audience every year with the stories of a great American son.In addition to Johnson Beach at the Perdido Key Area, entrance fees at Opal Beach and the Fort Pickens, Fort Barrancas, and Okaloosa Areas will also be free during the suspension period. Fee suspensions may only be authorized by the NPS Regional Director, the Secretary of the Interior, or the President.About Gulf Islands National Seashore: Created in 1971, the national seashore stretches 160 miles along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico in Florida and Mississippi, and includes barrier islands, maritime forests, historic forts, bayous, and marine habitat. Visit us at www.nps.gov/guis, on Facebook www.facebook.com/GulfIslandsNPS, Twitter www.twitter.com/GulfIslands_NPS, and Instagram www.Instagram.com/GulfIslandsNPS. Open source Clashes between Greek police and migrants at the Greece-Turkey border crossing of Kastanies erupted On March 7. Greek police used tear gas to push back the migrants, reports Ekathimerini. Turkish police also threw tear gas at Greek police, but, for the first time, also targeted the migrants, apparently aiming at pushing them away from this part of the border. A drone is flying over the Kastanies border crossing, but it is unclear whom it belongs to and what its purpose is. In an unofficial handout, the Greek government accused Turkey of targeting Greek forces with tear gas. "Attacks with tear gas towards Greek forces at the Kastanies border crossing and around it, it said. The handout was accompanied by photographs and a video. The text says that one photo shows Turkish security personnel openly position(ing) themselves and assum(ing) formation shortly before the start of the incident." Although Greece has not yet released figures of migrants prevented to cross and arrests, the flow appears to have been reduced. This situation must end, because it is difficult both for us and the Turkish locals on the other side. But it is also hard on these kids sitting in the cold and rain and playing a cat-and-mouse game, said Theodoros Charisiades, resident of Kastanies. Over 76,000 migrants have left Turkish borders for Europe since February 28, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said. This is reported by Dailysabah. In a statement on his official Twitter account, Soylu updated the figure to 76,358 as of March 1 from 47,000 from a day earlier. Turkish authorities announced that they would no longer prevent the stem the flow of migrants who wanted to reach Europe. Deutsche Umwelthilfe has concluded that natural gas production is detrimental to the environment due to methane emissions Nord Stream 2 Open source German environmentalists from Deutsche Umwelthilfe intend to legally ban the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany. It is reported by WirtschaftsWoche. Deutsche Umwelthilfe requires a reassessment of the environmental impact of Nord Stream 2, as it has evidence of higher environmental damage from natural gas production than previously thought. The requirements of environmentalists are based on the legal opinion of the Institute of Economics and Law of the Technical University of Berlin and the environmental lawyer. "According to modern knowledge, there are significant signs that methane emissions from gas production in Europe and Russia are actually higher than previously thought or indicated by the project initiators," the lawyer's report said. Related: Russian Energy Minister believes Nord Stream 2 to be put into operation before end of 2020 Deutsche Umwelthilfe Managing Director Sascha Muller-Krenner said the organization has contacted the Stralsund Mining Inspection Office with a request to review the permit for the construction and operation of Nord Stream 2. Environmentalists intend to check the conditions of production and processing of natural gas in Russia, as well as the impact of such activities on the environment. However, Nord Stream 2 management sees no reason to revise the gas project. The Nord Stream 2 project was approved by competent authorities from five countries based on comprehensive environmental impact assessments, the company spokesman said. In Germany, permits for the implementation of the project were issued by the Stralsund Mining Authority and the Federal Agency for the Marine and Hydrographic Exclusive Economic Zone under the legislative procedure, with the participation of the public. Instead of addressing the crowd from a window overlooking St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis will deliver Sunday prayers via a livestream video from a library inside the Vatican because of the coronavirus outbreak in Italy, officials have said. The Pope would not hold his general audience from the window on Wednesday either, the church officials said on Saturday, The New York Post reported. Italy is the European country hardest hit by the virus, with at least 4,636 reported cases and 197 deaths, most in the last week. Last week, the 83-year-old authority cancelled a Lent retreat for the first time in his papacy, but the Vatican said he was suffering only from a cold. He was tested for coronavirus and the results came back negative on Tuesday. "The cold with which the Holy Father was diagnosed is running its due course," said Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni on Friday. "He continues to celebrate Holy Mass daily and follow the Spiritual Exercises, as we have reported in recent days," Bruni added. The Pope's contact with others has been limited in an effort to keep him from being infected. He has stopped celebrating the morning Mass before invited guests at the chapel in the Vatican hotel, where he lives. His age and history of respiratory infection - he had part of one lung removed when he was young - makes him especially vulnerable to the disease. Italy has recommended that older people remain at home. Also, the Vatican said it suspended its healthcare services to disinfect its facilities after a patient tested positive for coronavirus. Italy has temporarily closed all its schools, universities, cinemas and theaters due to the outbreak. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UNODC provides Youth with platform to explore solutions to the world drug problem Vienna (Austria), 5 March 2020 - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) convened 45 youths and 27 parents and guardians from 33 countries for the Youth Forum 2020, to involve them in efforts to address the world drug problem and to strengthen their voices on the global level. The Forum was held from 2 to 4 March in the margins of the 63 rd Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna. The world today is home to 1.8 billion youths, the largest generation of youth in history. The United Nations at large is committed to amplifying the voices of young people, to increasing their agency, reach and impact, as manifested in the United Nations Youth Strategy. The UNODC Youth Initiative is the umbrella under which UNODC aims to connect young people from around the world and empower them to promote evidence-based drug use prevention strategies. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC, opened the event and said: "We urgently have to act on the world drug problem. We have ten years left to achieve this and other targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. A Decade of Action, which is not much time, but I have confidence that with young people like yourselves we can make it." During the three-day Forum, participants discussed and analysed scientific information on drug use and helped come up with feasible and tangible solutions to drug use problems locally. They also delivered a message during the Plenary session of the CND. On 4 March, Hajibayli Bilgeyis from Azerbaijan and Muhammad Azhar Ibne Habib from Mauritius delivered the Youth Statement to the Plenary saying that "we call on Member States to provide opportunities for youth to become leaders and to find solutions that will lead to healthier communities. Youth need positive adult role models that will encourage them to think critically, respect diverse opinions and take action." The interest in promoting youth and the attention given to their voices is growing worldwide, and the demand of young people to participate in this year's Youth Forum was higher than ever. The participants learned about important scientific principles of evidence-based prevention and discussed risk and protective factors potentially influencing the use of drugs by youth. At this year's Youth Forum UNODC also held a session for the parents and guardians who accompanied their children, to learn about drug use prevention and parenting skills. This gives the adults an opportunity to have a better understanding of how to support their children to grow healthy and safe. *** With the generous support of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, UNODC is able to support approximately 25 youth each year to participate in the Youth Forum. In addition, Member States themselves provide funding for another group of approximately 30 youth to participate. This however is only a small percentage of the youth voices that can be heard around the world promoting youth participation in drug use prevention activities. UNODC has worked with youth leaders to keep the "connections" active on such platforms as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Further Information 63rd session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs Youth 2030: The UN Youth Strategy Preventing drug use among youth works A stoush is brewing on the state's inland rivers over the proposal for a new weir that could reduce flows to the "degraded" Macquarie Marshes just as the wetlands start to recover from drought. WaterNSW has begun consulting on a so-called re-regulating storage for the Macquarie River between Narromine and Warren in north-western NSW. The weir could store at least six billion litres and create a pool 30-60 kilometres long, potentially inundating river red gums and other ecosystems. An aerial view of the southern Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve taken in August 2019, during the recent drought. Credit:Wolter Peeters Ecologists, recreational fishers and some farmers worry that adding another dam to river flow would impede the recovery of endangered fish species already hard hit by the long dry spell over most of the region. Similar public works, proposed at the height of the drought, will move closer to construction in the months to come. "It is another barrier in a system with many barriers to native fish and sediment and nutrient transport," Richard Kingsford, director of the University of NSW's Centre for Ecosystem Science, said. A new study has discovered how to predict whether couples will stay together or split up [Image: Getty] It is now possible to predict the success of a relationship, according to scientists. Researchers have discovered, in a new study, how to tell whether a couple will stay together or split up. Psychologists claim behaviour during the early days of dating can reveal how the union will progress. They found those who had similar needs, but different interests, tended to be together for longer. READ MORE: How climate change inspired a new dating trend - 'Thunberging' Canadian and German researchers regularly interviewed 2,000 couples over a seven-year period. They discovered intimate relationship behaviour patterns could signal whether a partnership was thriving or failing. The team determined satisfaction by asking couples to what extent they considered their needs were being met. In general, those who had similar needs, a need for closeness for example, but who also wanted to continue pursuing their own interests, usually stayed together longest. READ MORE: Applications flood in after single man rents billboard to find a date Couples could therefore have advance information on the probability of their staying together. Study author Dr Christine Finn, from the University of Jena in Germany, said: Predictions as to the longevity of a relationship are definitely possible. Right at the outset of a relationship, one can find typical features - that is to say certain prediction variables - that provide information on whether or not the relationship will be long-lasting. Dr Finn said there are two psychological models which describe the course of a relationship. READ MORE: Tomorrow is the busiest day of the year for online dating apps One states that all couples are initially more or less equally happy, and if the relationship ends in separation, this can be traced back to problems that developed over the course of the couples time together. The second assumes the two people start at different levels of happiness - they generally maintain these levels, but a more negative initial situation increases the likelihood of failure. Story continues Dr Finn said: We too can confirm there are differing levels to begin with. In addition, happiness declines in both groups. However, in those who later separate, this happens significantly faster, meaning that a person who starts off unhappy becomes increasingly unhappy. READ MORE: From Faux-nogomy to Jekylling, the 2020 dating trends you need to know But Dr Finn does not want to be pessimistic. She said: Even if couples split up after a time, it can still be a valuable and important phase in their lives, which might have a positive influence on the next relationship. Couples can also consciously influence and work on their mutual interests and on cultivating closeness as well as independence - no relationship is doomed to fail from the outset. She believes the results could be valuable to counselling centres and therapists. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Lifestyle Bravo has the perfect antidote to the winter blahs as the network debuts its sunny but wild new series, Family Karma on Sunday, March 8. The show follows the lives of seven Indian-American families who live in South Florida. The playful show spotlights Indian traditions. But it also features issues most American families encounter such as family, careers, and friendships. Bali Chainani, Monica Vaswani, Brian Benni, Anisha Ramakrishna, Amrit Kapai, Vishal Parvani, and Shaan Patel |Tommy Garcia/Bravo Family Karma promises fun, dancing, and plenty of fireworks. Some of the cast members were taken aback at the amount of drama, especially while being on reality television. What was really shocking to me is the lack of accountability full-blown adults can have for their words and behavior, Bali Chainani told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Youre on camera for Gods sake! An engagement brings more drama than one cast member bargained for Previews show that every cast member experiences significant pressure to marry. Vishal Parvani explains why the urge to marry is so intense in the Indian culture. He is engaged to longtime girlfriend Richa. I believe in most cultures parents want to see their children happy, he shares. Indians, with the best of intentions, may take this a step further by involving themselves in their childs relationships. Most of the millennial children on the show are from families whose parents had an arranged marriage. In turn, [the parents] feel it is normal to also have a say in who we marry, he says. Viewers will see Parvanis engagement become an explosive situation. Family dynamics create more drama than he can handle. His mother-in-law has an issue with her future son-in-law. Unfortunately, unless he earns her consent, he cannot marry her daughter. If Richas mom wont accept me, there will be no wedding, Parvani insists. However, in general, I believe it becomes an issue in families where we seek and respect the approval of our elders. But everyone is under pressure to marry Shaan Patel is also urged to marry his longtime girlfriend Pooja. But hes in no rush to tie the knot. Actually, while I am under pressure from our parents and sometimes Pooja, we are taking our time to get engaged, he says. Our families growing up were against the idea of living together. However, hes been successful in convincing his parents that cohabitating is a positive step. We have been amazed by how cool they are with it, and are happy to have their support after some difficult conversations with them. Other cast members who are not in a relationship still feel the heat from their parents to marry. There is not a day that goes by without someone telling me to get married, Anisha Ramakrishna shares. My mom the other day bought 50 silver coins from India as future wedding favors, Monica Vaswani remarks. Dont you gotta be engaged or something before you start buying that kind of stuff? Some cast members are blazing their own path Chainani is divorced and has a teenage daughter. She has some advice for the other cast members who feel the pressure to get married. Marriage is a gorgeous journey only if you can give back selflessly exactly what you expect from your partner, she advises. So command excellence, respect, passion, and friendship. Also, marry someone boring because it is not fun being married to fun! Viewers will also meet Amrit Kapai, whose parents had to come to terms with their son being gay. He said he knew he was gay at a young age, before he understood what it meant to be gay. It wasnt until I was in my mid-20s that I finally came to terms and was ready to tell the world, he shares. Coming out is a struggle regardless of your background. He added that coming out was one of the hardest things hes ever had to do. It might be more difficult in the Indian culture because of the lack of exposure to the lifestyle in our society, not to mention our parents didnt grow up in America. For them, bringing home someone of non-Indian background is difficult to accept, let alone bringing home someone of the same gender. Viewers are in for a wild ride The Family Karma trailer shows plenty of fun and dancing, which is a cornerstone of the Indian culture. Chainani, Patel, and Ramakrishna host playful No Sharam dance parties. Those are my favorite! It came together one random Monday when the three of us met for happy hour and then headed to Shaans condo for more cocktails, Chainani dishes. We dont take ourselves too seriously and were in love with each others silliness so we just YouTubed some of our favorite Bollywood songs and danced with No Sharam, [which means] no shame! Brian Benni, who said he wasnt as into being Indian as a child, now fully embraces his heritage. What I love most is the culture overall and obviously the music and food, he shares. The best part about being part of Family Karma is getting closer with my Indian friend group. Family Karma premieres on Sunday, March 8 at 9/8c on Bravo. ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- Anton Kolomitsyn is used to receiving official papers. For more than 30 years, he has spent much of his free time tramping the remote corners of Russia looking for the undiscovered remains of Soviet soldiers killed in the area during World War II. He has an impressive stack of commendations, letters of gratitude, and other tokens of recognition of his efforts. But early on the morning of January 21, agents of the Federal Security Service (FSB) presented Kolomitsyn with two more official documents: a search warrant and an arrest warrant on charges of possessing state secrets. "I, of course, know what the FSB is and all their history, but I'd never had any dealings with them before," Kolomitsyn told RFE/RL. "But now one January morning at 7 a.m. I was sleeping a sweet sleep and -- boom! -- they hand me a search warrant. Everything happened politely, officially. They didn't turn out the drawers, but they went through everything. "They took the computers, the discs, the flash drives," he added. "And they took me to their headquarters on Liteiny [Avenue]." A few days after that incident, Kolomitsyn fled his homeland. He spoke to RFE/RL from an immigration center in the Netherlands, where he has applied for political asylum. "I was pretty upset by all that," he recalled. "I have a lot of connections and I consulted with them. They all told me, 'While you are free on your own recognizance, while you still have the chance, gather your stuff and get out.'" The charges against Kolomitsyn stem from his purchase in May 2018 of a computer disc containing a series of topographic maps of the Karelia region that were compiled by the Soviet Defense Ministry in the 1960s and '70s. Over his decades as a so-called searcher and a leading member of a volunteer group called Northwest, Kolomitsyn has assembled a vast collection of maps and reference materials that has helped him pinpoint the locations of many wartime skirmishes and engagements. Over the years, he has participated in expeditions in Siberia, the Urals, the Caucasus, and across central and northwestern Russia. "Anton will be the first to tell you that these searches are his entire life," said Kolomitsyn's wife, Darya Dedova, who remains in Russia. "He was raised in a family where his grandfathers were soldiers of the Great Patriotic War and his grandmothers survived the siege of Leningrad. As soon as he was old enough, at the age of 14, he began traveling around Leningrad Oblast with professional members of the searcher movement." "This wasn't just a matter of working with a pick and a shovel," Dedova said. "He spent huge amounts of time in archives. Every expedition came with enormous preparation. To reconstruct events, he studied all available sources: field reports, maps, German documents that he ordered from American archives.... He had one of the largest collections of maps in the world, without which his expeditions would have been impossible." A few months after Kolomitsyn made the purchase, in September 2018, officials contacted him and informed him that the maps were considered secret. Kolomitsyn immediately turned over the disc and was told that because he had cooperated, the authorities considered the matter closed. The maps, apparently, were part of a cache of documents taken from the Defense Ministry in 2008 by then-Colonel Vladimir Lazar. Lazar then allegedly gave the documents to an Estonian citizen named Aleksandr Lesment. Lesment has denied any illegal activity, although the Russian authorities have alleged he was working at the behest of an American spy agency. In 2012, Lazar was sentenced to 12 years in prison for espionage in connection with the leak of the maps. Although the authorities seem to have scrubbed the maps off the Russian Internet, they are easily available for sale on foreign websites, Dedova said. Kolomitsyn was stunned, then, when the FSB showed up at his door more than a year after he'd been told he was cleared and presented the criminal charges against him, which were punishable by up to four years in prison. Moreover, he suspects, the FSB was seeking to prove that he had not acted independently but was part of a "gang," that would involve a possible prison term of up to eight years. "One knowledgeable person told me that the FSB is only interested in working on 'gangs,'" Kolomitsyn said. "When they have a 'gang' case, all the perks and bonuses from the bosses come along." Why the accusations against Kolomitsyn were revived remains a mystery. In early 2017, Kolmitsyn discovered high levels of radiation in a string of decaying concrete bunkers built across Karelia in the 1930s as a defensive line against Finland. The so-called Stalin Line bunkers were upgraded in the 1950s and equipped with fluorescent panels coated with radioactive paint. Abandoned in the 1990s, the bunkers attract hikers, history buffs, children playing soldier, and homeless people. Some of them have been used as the foundations for homes. Others are used to store preserved fruits and vegetables. Although the Defense Ministry declared the bunkers safe, environmental officials and the state nuclear agency Rosatom undertook a project to decontaminate or close the most dangerous sites after Kolomitsyn and environmental activists sounded the alarm. Kolomitsyn suspects the FSB might have ulterior reasons for investigating him. During his interrogation in January, he said, the agents told him, "We know a lot about you." "They said they knew I had participated in demonstrations and that, maybe, I was in contact with 'certain known oppositionists,'" Kolomitsyn said. "Of course, that is not a crime, but it is enough for them to view me as an enemy." Russia's vague secrecy laws could make them an effective tool against dissent, lawyers say. Maksim Olenichev, a lawyer with the legal-defense organization Team 29, said the law allows state agencies to create their own lists of classified materials and that, often, those lists themselves are considered secret. "That means that citizens cannot know if there is secret information in any material they might be working with or not," he said. "And the FSB uses this fact." "Our case itself is secret," said Kolomitsyn's wife. "I cannot get access to the case files." For now, Kolomitsyn says, he is comfortable in the Dutch immigration center. But he worries that he may be ordered to apply for asylum in Finland because he has a long-term visa to that country. "I really don't want that to happen," he said. "There are many Russians there and, probably, a lot of security agents. Many of the Russians who live there support [President Vladimir] Putin. People are traveling there all the time and it would be easy to find me there." Written by RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson based on reporting from St. Petersburg by correspondent Tatyana Voltskaya of the North Desk of RFE/RL's Russian Service Two state senators sent a letter to the Pennsylvania Department of Health Friday pressuring officials to release the municipality where one of the presumed coronavirus cases has been confirmed. This is a public health matter in which emergency responders and residents need to be prepared for, Sens. Tim Kearney (D-Delaware) and Tom Killion (R-Delaware) wrote. State health officials have said they will not share that information. One of the cases - a Delaware County woman - presumed to have the coronavirus has self-quarantined. The other case is in Wayne County, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine confirmed on Friday. Lawmakers said the state health department needs to be operating with "utmost transparency. Yesterday @SenKillion and I wrote a letter calling on @PAHealthDept to release the home municipality of the Delaware County resident who has tested positive for the #coronavirus. Full text below. pic.twitter.com/r9RYyV0BFs Senator Tim Kearney (@SenTimKearney) March 7, 2020 "There are many families looking at national headlines today announcing the first presumptive case in Delaware County who are trying to understand the appropriate course of action, according to the letter. They said knowing where the woman is located is going to help defuse community concerns. "This information will enable families all over our region to calmly make responsible, informed decisions and will serve to combat the rising levels of uncertainty, they wrote. "Those we represent deserve to hear as much information as possible regarding this emerging public health crisis. We stand ready and willing to support the Department of Health in responding to the situation in Delaware County. On March 7, Delaware County Council Chairman Brian Zidek signed an emergency declaration. It would provide Council the authority to act in the public interest with regards to scheduling public meetings and assemblies. Also ensures that the County can receive financial aid. Philip Heron (@PhilHeron) March 7, 2020 Delco Coronavirus Update: Right now school officials are being advised by county & state officials not to close schools. Decision would be made by individual district.s Philip Heron (@PhilHeron) March 7, 2020 At a press conference on Saturday, Delaware County officials addressed residents, lawmakers, and emergency responders concerns, but added that they dont have the authority to "identify the location, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Delaware County Council Vice Chair Monica Taylor said the only agency that can release additional information is the state department of health. Anyone who has come into contact with the Delaware County woman has been notified, according to the news report. There are no new presumed coronavirus cases as of Saturday afternoon confirmed in that county. The council issued an emergency declaration that allows officials to provide increased support to agencies and local municipalities involved in the response to the virus, the report noted. Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. As she puts the final touches on a tiny white satin baby hat, Vicky Isliefson takes comfort that her stitches may ease the pain of a grieving family she will never meet. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 8/3/2020 (674 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. As she puts the final touches on a tiny white satin baby hat, Vicky Isliefson takes comfort that her stitches may ease the pain of a grieving family she will never meet. The seamstress for Manitoba Angel Dresses cuts up wedding dresses worn on someones happiest day and turns them into tiny outfits for families preparing to bury their infants. "Its part of life and its going to happen," says the retired math teacher who recently moved to Stonewall from Wichita, Kan., where she was involved in similar volunteer sewing. "When I do this I feel Im making this a little easier for someone." The non-profit organizations goal is to provide tiny handmade gowns, hats and blankets packaged into a layette to any Manitoba family experiencing a stillbirth or prenatal loss. They also provide keepsake pouches containing a tiny beaded bracelet attached to a condolence card. DANIEL CRUMP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Vicky Isliefson (from left), Diane Monkman, Susan Bruce and Jo, of Manitoba Angel Dresses, hope their work offers a more concrete response than condolences alone. "Theres no cost to families, funeral homes or hospitals," co-ordinator Diane Monkman says of the handmade products the organization attempts to provide to every hospital, nursing station and funeral home in the province. "We hope weve closed that gap and we hope that have no families missed." First formed in 2014, the organization regrouped under the joint leadership of Monkman and Winnipegger Susan Bruce in 2018, who then formulated a plan and distribution system to ensure grieving parents had access to their tiny gowns and hats. DANIEL CRUMP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Donated dresses in Diane Monkmans basement. The group of about 100 volunteer sewers, knitters and beaders across the province, including groups in Dauphin and Thompson, produce four sizes of fully lined gowns with back ties for infants as small as 1.5 pounds to about 8 pounds, providing families with alternatives to buying doll clothes, or burying their child with no clothes at all. That effort to be accessible resonates with one of their volunteers who lost a grandchild several years ago and discovered later the parents were not offered anything beyond a blanket for their baby. She now makes it her mission to tell people about the clothes and keepsakes offered by Manitoba Angel Dresses. "I talk about it to everyone just because I know you can go to hospital and have a baby and not be offered anything," says Jo, a Birds Hill resident who didnt want her last name used to protect the privacy of her family. DANIEL CRUMP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Susan Bruce (right) goes through what she calls the Manitoba Angel Dress bible which contains many of the patterns, notes and records she needs to stay organized. The group also makes fully lined wraps for infants too tiny to dress and small drawstring bags, called pathology pouches, for early miscarriage remains. All of their products are produced in smoke-free and pet-free environments. Although the group sews and knits for the tiny babies they call angels, it would be easy to make the case that the volunteers themselves are worthy of halos and wings, says chaplain Pat Fallis of Saint Boniface Hospital. "The angel dresses are such a wonderful thing to offer (mothers) because it gives us a sense of doing something tangible beyond what words can do," says Fallis, who works exclusively with women and children. DANIEL CRUMP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Diane Monkman (right) looks at a wedding dress donated to be turned into small clothing for babies stillborn or miscarried. Operating on a tiny annual budget of less than $3,000, volunteers bring their sewing skills to the effort, but they also offer their compassion and empathy by providing these tiny outfits to families facing a difficult loss. "I think what keeps everyone going is to help the grieving families," says the retired nurse, who suffered two miscarriages decades ago and more recently lost one young adult daughter to illness and another to an accident. "Im sure everyone who helps out has been touched in one way or another by loss." DANIEL CRUMP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Isliefson works on a small baby bonnet. Bruce keeps careful records of the completed hats, gowns, wraps and pouches in large binders, using the dining room of her Charleswood home as operation central for the organization. A road map of Manitoba hangs on one wall, with pins marking the locations which already have kits of their layettes. The kits contain layettes of various sizes, wraps, pathology pouches and bracelets, and are tailored to the requests they receive from hospital and funeral homes, says Bruce. Initially signing up to track the inventory of donated wedding gowns and completed baby items, Bruces role has grown to co-directing the entire organization with Monkman, including storing supplies of tiny knitted hats, bags of donated yarn, and boxes of blue plastic bins crammed with the donated wedding gowns in a corner of her unfinished basement. Right now the group cannot accept any more wedding gowns, although they appreciate the offers. DANIEL CRUMP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Monkman holds a Manitoba Angel Dresses kit that is ready to be sent to a family in need. "Were still working through the hundreds we got and we want to honour those brides who donated already," says Monkman. Manitoba Angel Dresses does accept donations of fabric, especially flannelette for lining wraps and construction pouches. Items such as crinolines from wedding gowns, dark coloured fabrics and excess sewing supplies are listed on Kijiji to raise money for printing and packaging costs. Seamstresses such as Isliefson work at their own pace in their own homes, removing the lace and beads from wedding gowns, and then making the best possible use of the remaining fabric to cut out components for gowns, hats and pouches. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. DANIEL CRUMP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS This map indicates all the places that Manitoba Angel Dresses have been sent. "It takes time to try to figure how to fit (the pattern) on a weird shape of fabric," says Isliefson, who adds little vests and matching bow ties on gowns for boys, and lace and ribbon for the girls gowns. Other volunteers remove thousands of beads from heavily embellished gowns, and then string them into the tiny keepsake bracelets which fit into a small fabric pouch big enough to also store printouts of ultrasound images. Right now, with 1,900 gowns, hats, wraps, blankets and bracelets in circulation, the organizations biggest challenge remains getting the word out. They want people to know that when a pregnancy goes wrong or a newborn baby dies, someone has already prepared clothing and keepsakes for their little angels. "Our hope is that baby is presented to the parents in the outfits and they can be buried in that outfit," says Bruce. "Were counting on them (hospitals and funeral homes) to carry through. We get them there but were counting on them to give them out." brenda@suderman.com DANIEL CRUMP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Finished Manitoba Angel Dress packages sit in bins in Diane Monkmanns basement waiting to be sent to hospitals and funeral homes. Advice for other refugees? I think the first step is to speak good English and to attend social groups church, the Center for People in Need, Lincoln Literacy, many other places that try to help refugees. It is a necessity to be close to people, to feel you are alive. I know the culture is different, but that's not difficult to learn. You can also explain your culture to others; we all get benefits. Some criticize allowing refugees to resettle in the U.S. or call for a stricter vetting process. What are your thoughts? It's a country for all people. But if it is possible to identify the type of people in order to avoid problems or to avoid any other dangers, let us put on some limitations or conditions in order to certify these people. That would be better than to prevent them from coming here. The procedure is very slow. We waited for four years. Now people have to wait more than six to eight years. It's gotten harder, unfortunately. I'm not sure what the reason is exactly, but maybe a lot of people are applying, so it takes a long time. ... I've faced some obstacles in becoming a (U.S.) citizen. My wife is a citizen now, and that is something I'm trying to pursue. https://www.aish.com/j/f/Purim-Around-the-World.html Here are some inventive ways Jews from around the world do away with Haman. Smile! Its Purim, which is the happiest, silliest, and yet serious Jewish celebration. We Jews kicked up a storm led by the courageous Queen Esther when we whooped the evil Haman and turned the day into one of joyful redemption and joyful we get! We Jews are commanded to be so stuporously silly that we cant tell the difference between Blessed is Mordecai and Cursed is Haman. (We also watch over Uncle Shmuel who, after celebrating cant tell a Haman from a Hamentashen.) We Jews read The Megillah, shake a grogger when (pooh pooh) Hamans name is mentioned, wear costumes, imbibe on drink, and celebrate with carnivals. Of course it wouldnt be Purim if We Jews didnt make a spiel which are comic stories, plays, skits, and music acting out the tale or even each other. Ah, but when we punk our nearest and dearest is it fake or real? Truth or fun? Do we know? Do we want to know? All of which is part of the magic that is Purim. What happens when Jews of all backgrounds are not only allowed, but expected to let loose? Lets look at some interesting world customs now and then. Most involve inventive ways to do away with Haman and triumph over evil. U.S.A.: From A Wild West Purim, with ropes a-spinnin, whips a-crackin and a rousing Yee Haw at the mention of Hamans name, to Wizard of ODD spiels, to Megillah blastoffs and moon-tashen in Outer Space many shuls and organizations plan rip-roaring events in keeping with the Purim spirit of courage and adventure. Italy: The throwing of the nuts has been a popular custom. The throwees? Two teams of children while their parents holding cypress branches would ride the streets on horseback. As for Haman, his rotten effigy was placed on high, as all would circle it and bleat trumpets in triumph. Persia: A macher in the congregation would provide a massive feast for his community. The merriment would be accompanied by the celebrants yelling May the memory of Amalek be erased! to a huge and mocking effigy of Haman prepared by the children then hung on a stick in the courtyard which was set on ablaze. Following the tradition of Talmudic times, once the fire died down youngsters would leap over the coals. All this leaping worked up an appetite, as the congregation would go back to gleefully gorging. Germany: Gunpowder in torches were lit the night before Purim that exploded with such force during the reading of the Megillah, the congregants met up at Miracle Ear. In one German town, two candles Haman and Zeresh were lit and let burn down, symbolizing the fate of the enemies of Israel. Among the goodies? Cake-shaped Haman dolls were gobbled with relish by children. Tunisia: Doomed Hamans were everywhere as children made effigies out of paper, straw, and rags. The people of the village would gather round the school as a large bonfire was lit. The little ones would then toss their models into the fire, beating the effigies with sticks made especially for this Purim tradition. With all Hamans now ash, sulfur and salt were added as the group yelled the traditional Long Live Mordechai, cursed be Haman, blessed by Esther, cursed be Zeresh. Egypt: Congregants would hold candles during the Megillah, while beggars would hold their hands out for a little something more. Virtually all pay these gratuities --Baksheesh-- (although in English, the sheesh part may taint the tzedakah part a little). At one time, young men, in keeping with the verse "and they brought him on horseback through the streets of the city" would ride around on camels and asses, dressed in costume often dyed in stripes. In Bukhara (Uzbekistan): What do you do when you live in snow during Purim? You build a Haman-man. To differentiate between evil and a jolly snowperson, Haman-man had a head like an elephant, fat legs, a beetroot mouth below a cracked pot hat. Around his belly, strung watermelon seeds meant Bigshot. After eating, it was bye-bye Haman as the congregants, using lit wood and rags melted him. Yemen: Creativity was not lost on Yemenites as children from olden times did a Dracula on Haman, using sticks, length and cross wise yelling: "Haman the wicked." In some areas, the children pulled a ridiculously decked out Haman scarecrow in a wooden cart admonishing thus shall be done to the wicked Haman." Needless to say Scarecrow Haman met with fiery end. Wherever you find yourself this Purim and whatever you do, just make sure its a happy one! A 44-year-old man has died after crashing into a utility pole while driving in Wales, according to Massachusetts State Police. The crash happened at 11:22 a.m. on Hollow Road, state police said. Troopers, along with Wales Fire and EMS, arrived and found a 2010 Toyota RAV4 that crashed into a utility pole. The driver, a Wales resident, was alone in the car, state police said. The driver, who was not publicly named, was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. No other cars were involved in the crash, state police said. The cause and circumstances of the crash remain under investigation. King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) has launched a host of eServices via the Sehati health services app, which is provided by the Information &eGovernment Authority (iGA). The hospitals services include uploads of medical report as they become available, medical appointment reservations, and medicine delivery. KHUH Commander, Major-General Dr. Shaikh Salman bin Atiyatallah Al Khalifa said: King Hamad University Hospital is the first government hospital in the kingdom to introduce an app and electronic system that makes communication easier between the hospital and its visitors. We always strive to offer our services through the most modern and effective methods in order provide better care to all patients. iGA Chief Executive Mohammed Ali Al Qaed said: Launching the hospitals services via the Sehati app is in line with our ongoing partnerships with the health sector. The hospitals decision to offer these online services is a continuation of the digital transformation of government services which aim to ensure faster and more efficient transactions. Patients can securely access the hospitals services via the app which can be downloaded on smart phones and devices. Sehati, available on the Government App Store bahrain.bh/apps for both Android and iOS devices, is a comprehensive app that contains a number of healthcare services from various healthcare institutions in the Kingdom. They are organised in a convenient way and are easy to use, featuring an attractive design. Sehati is one of the most important applications being introduced by the government with the aim of improving the quality and method of delivery of healthcare services in the kingdom. In addition to listing hospital services, the app is a unified and comprehensive health services platform which will greatly benefit citizens, residents and visitors.-- Tradearabia News Service : Five more people from Kerala, three with recent travel history to Italy, have tested positive for coronavirus following which the state has been put on high alert, Health Minister K K Shailaja said here on Sunday. The three, a couple and their son, had evaded health screening at the airport on their return about a week ago and all the five hail from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district, she said. "As of now their condition is stable. But there is need to take extra care", the minister said. The fresh cases have been reported days after the southern state had successfully treated India's first three coronavirus patients -medical students from Wuhan- who have been discharged from hospitals. Their home quarantine period is also over. While the three, a couple in their fifties and their 24-year old son, had taken a flight from Italy to India on February 29, two others affected are their relatives, the minister said. As a matter of abundant caution, two nonagenerian members of the family will be shifted to the Kottayam Medical College hospital, she added. The three, who had returned from Venice, had not informed authorities that they had come back from Italy. When two of their relatives had sought treatment at private and taluk hospitals with virus symptoms, the health authorities came to know about the travel history of the people who returned to Italy. They had evaded screening at the airport and were reluctant to get admitted at the hospital initially, she said adding they had at first refused to cooperate with health officials and were forcefully admitted to the isolation ward of the Pathnamathitta general hospital and are under observation. They were admitted to hospital on March 6 and their tests had been confirmed on Saturday night, she said. "The Italy-returned family hid their travel details from the health authorities. Such practises have to seen as a crime. Those who come from countries like Iran, Italy, South Korea and China should report to the health department immediately," Shailaja said. The government also released the flight details of the three persons who travelled from Venice. They took the Venice-Doha Qatar airlines QR 126 flight on February 29 which reached at 11.30 pm. For one and half hours they were at the Doha airport and took another Qatar Airlines flight QR514 to Kochi and arrived at 8.20 am on March 1 and took a private car to their home at Pathnamthitta district. All the passengers who travelled in the two flights should get in touch with health authorities, the minister said. The report of the five new cases comes a day ahead of "Attukal Pongal" festival in Kerala on Monday when thousands of women from various parts of Kerala and outside, including foreigners are expected to participate. There need not be any concern with regard to Pongala. But persons showing any symptoms of the virus should keep away from the ritual, she said. Devaswom officials would be asked to ensure that people with fever or any other symptoms do not participate in the festivity. Medical stall and ambulances will be stationed near the temple complex. "Video clippings of the festivities would also be taken," the minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Egypt's Ministry of Health announced on Sunday the death of a German citizen from the coronavirus, the first death from the virus in the country. A statement by health ministry spokesperson Khaled Megahed said that the 60-year-old German citizen tested positive for the coronavirus on 7 March at a hospital in the Red Sea city of Hurghada. "The patient experienced signs of illness including high body temperature after his arrival in Hurghada from Upper Egypt's Luxor governorate," the statement said, adding that the man "had spent only seven days in Egypt." The statement said that the German citizen checked into Hurghada General Hospital on 6 March and tested positive for the coronavirus the next day. "The patient was transferred to the intensive care unit after suffering respiratory failure caused by severe lung inflammation," the statement said. "The patient refused to be transferred to the specialised quarantine hospital," the statement said, adding that the man suffered health complications and died on 8 March. The spokesman said that the health ministry immediately took safety measures including the full sterilisation of the hospital in accordance with the World Health Organisation's instructions. Egypt said on Saturday that a total of 45 people on board a cruise ship in Luxor tested positive for the coronavirus. The health ministry said the source of infection was a Taiwanese-American woman who travelled in late January on the same ship, which has since been quarantined and towed some 20 kilometres away from the tourist hub. Before last Friday, Egypt had detected three cases of the virus, including one Egyptian citizen. Earlier on Sunday, Health Minister Hala Zayed said that the first Egyptian citizen confirmed to have contracted the virus earlier this month was in "critical condition." Search Keywords: Short link: The brewery, adjacent to the Athens Cotton Press, is the fifth to open in Athens, the first in the Normaltown neighborhood and the smallest in the city. By PTI NEW DELHI: CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury hit out at the Centre for "tokenism and gimmickry" on Women's Day on Sunday, and sought to know why the women's reservation bill was not tabled in Parliament yet. The comments come as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to hand over all his social media accounts to women as part of International Women's Day. "Women's Day is not just about one day. Its revolutionary origins for equal wages and rights are a powerful and important reinforcer of those who hold up half the sky," Yechury tweeted. "We must struggle every day to make that promise of equality come true." "For the past one decade, the women's reservation bill is sitting in the Lok Sabha speaker's room. Instead of gimmickry and tokenism, why has Modi not got it tabled and got it passed in the last 6 years?" the CPI(M) leader asked. Modi had on Tuesday said he would be handing over his accounts on various social media platforms to women who inspire. "This Women's Day (March 8), I will give away my social media accounts to women whose life & work inspire us. This will help them ignite motivation in millions," he had tweeted. EDWARDSVILLE Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilles Morris University Center was bustling with activity as area employers connected with eager job, co-op, internship and graduate school candidates during the Career Development Centers (CDC) Spring Career Fairs March 4-5. SIUE alumni were among the representatives from more than 185 major companies. Students from the Schools of Business and Engineering, and the College of Arts and Sciences shared their knowledge and skillsets with employers seeking full-time and co-op internship candidates. Also, in attendance were Graduate Schools promoting national higher education opportunities to students and alumni. An IT Fair for technical majors was new this year. The Career Development Center continuously creates engagement and networking opportunities between SIUE students and prospective employers, said CDC Assistant Director for Employer Relations Carrie Smolar. Our career fairs have grown tremendously. Employers continue to show interest in talented SIUE students and alumni as they look to recruit the next generation of employees. Employers emphasized their pursuit of prospective employees who can demonstrate strong soft and technical skills, both of which they have a history of finding in SIUE students. Its great to be back on campus connecting with high-quality candidates, said Kelly Wrap, a customer liaison with K-Force who graduated from SIUE in May 2019 with a bachelors in business administration. We are a staffing and solutions firm that works with multiple St. Louis companies. We have multiple SIUE grads on our team, so we love coming to this career fair to meet and recruit new talent. We are interested in bachelors possessing engineers, primarily right out of college with degrees in civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, said Kathryn Taylor, Human Resources Specialist with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. We have a demand for engineers, and weve been able to obtain a few good employees/hires from these events. Students in attendance emphasized their preparation for the career fairs through the support of the CDC and academic program faculty. I attended the Pre-Career Fair Crash Course which helped me feel prepared to connect with employers and graduate schools today, said Joseph Gassiraro, of Edwardsville, a junior double majoring in history and Spanish. Its useful to have everyone in one place. Ive talked with representatives from multiple grad schools and a few non-profits. I practiced how I will approach a company to initiative conversation and have my resume in hand, said Abigail Mobbs, of Dupo, a senior marketing major. Im interested in connecting with Abstrakt Marketing, because Ive done my research and know they have a great workplace environment. I see myself on the management and administrative side of a company, because I like leading people and offering oversight and guidance through orientation programs, added senior business management major Marlene Nguepnang, of Springfield. I have an internship with Enterprise this summer. It was great to be able to meet the companys HR manager face-to-face at todays career fair. Its good to get your foot in the door and get a feel for what a career fair is like, explained freshman mechanical engineering major Macy Deck, of Edwardsville. Even if I dont get an internship out of this event, at least I will know how to prepare for next time. Senior computer management and information systems (CMIS) majors Samantha Cleaves and Stephanie Spillers both secured interviews with companies during the career fairs. I gave almost all of my resumes away and was offered an interview during the IT Fair, Cleaves said. I hope to work in information security. Having a network is important for getting your name out in the field and making connections that may be beneficial in the future, added Spillers. I attended both days of the career fair and received an interview each day, so Im getting a lot out of this opportunity. The CDC will host its Nursing Career Fair on Monday, March 16, followed by the Education Career Fair on Tuesday, March 17. For more information about those and other upcoming CDC events, visit siue.edu/career-development-center/about/events. Estonian composer Arvo Parts Stabat Mater swoons with the anguish of the Virgin Mary as she watches her son die on the cross. At the end, each voice sings amen, which is passed from the soprano, to the alto and the tenor, soprano Jennifer Perez said. Each of the voices in the ensemble have moments when were alone and exposed and then we come together. Perez will perform the work based on a 13th century hymn to Mary at Chatter Sunday on March 8, at the Las Puertas Event Center. Part wrote his setting of the piece in 1985 for a trio of singers. Sarah Nickerson will sing the mezzo-soprano; Tjett Gerdom is the tenor. Throughout this piece we are all subjected to this tragic moment in history and at the same time utterly present, Perez said. We range from waiting to holding onto each other to becoming so thin we nearly break. Born in Ventura, California, the Rio Rancho resident has spent much of her life in New Mexico. But it wasnt until a Bernalillo High School chorus teacher encouraged her that she felt called to sing professionally. I didnt really know at the time it was the direction I was going to go, Perez said. I didnt get voice lessons when I was younger. Our teacher was incredible, Perez said. She told me I had a gift and if I wanted to pursue it I definitely could. She earned both her bachelors and masters degree in vocal performance at the University of New Mexico. I dont think theres been a minute of my life when I havent loved singing, Perez said. Im constantly learning; no two jobs are the same. Perez sang in the Opera Southwest production of Bless Me, Ultima and performs in various chamber music groups and ensembles. Flutist Jesse Tatum and pianist Judith Gordon will open the program with a performance of Belinda Reynolds Share, a spare setting for piano and flute. After Stabat Mater, the musicians will turn a hard right with a performance of Dvorak/Kreislers Slavonic Fantasy for violin and piano, based on Songs My Mother Taught Me. The program will end with Freddie Mercurys Bohemian Rhapsody for solo cello, string quartet and piano, arranged by the Brooklyn Duo. _WebHeadline>New Mexico resident to sing works by Part, Dvorak _WebHeadline>EXCERPT: Born in Ventura, California, the Rio Rancho resident has spent much of her life in New Mexico. But it wasnt until a Bernalillo High School chorus teachers encouragement that she felt called to sing professionally. Crowley Carbon, a Co Wicklow-based energy efficiency company, is planning to invest A$100m (58.7m) into Australia and New Zealand to combat climate change. The investment, which is part of a joint venture with Australian business Climatech, will take place over the next five years as part of a global expansion plan. Crowley Carbon's investment in the region will include funding his car business, Electrifi, and Cool Planet Experience, a live-action climate change experience, in Sydney. Speaking to the Sunday Independent, founder Norman Crowley, who recently raised 31m in new funding, said that he plans to achieve global expansion. He is also targeting moves in the Middle East, US, Canada and South America. "There is a huge demand for energy efficiency services over the world. Australia and New Zealand are taking up their part of that," he said. "We are expanding everywhere, really. "It's great because [this investment] is one of our joint ventures that is really working out. Joint ventures are like a marriage; you've got to pick the right partner. We've found ourselves very lucky that we chose the right partner, because if you pick the wrong one you've got a problem." Crowley also said that the company had benefited from the economic boom Australia had experienced over the past seven years. He feels the country as a whole is taking its responsibilities toward climate change more seriously, particularly after the recent wildfires which ravaged much of the country. "The other thing about Australia is that it has had a rapid expansion as a country over the last five to seven years. "It has been in a boom for a while now, and it didn't really experience the global financial crisis that has hurt other countries. It has been growing quite steadily. "The negative effect of that is that climate change has become a problem over there. You've seen over the last six months that the whole continent was practically on fire. Talking to Australians, they've been really affected by that. "Climate change wouldn't have been a top priority for Australia up until [the wildfires], and now it very much is. It's much easier to discuss climate change now than it was this time last year." The Australian and New Zealand market represents around 15pc of Crowley Carbon's overall business. The serial entrepreneur recently said that his firm, which employs 400 people and operates across 26 countries, had revenue of nearly 100m and was on track to double the figure by the end of the year. French actress Adele Haenel's storming out of the recent Cesar awards following the decision to award Roman Polanski, wanted for rape in the US, the best director award, has focused attention on sexual harassment within the film industry. It's not helped by a lack of gender parity. On International Women's Day, French film producer and founder of the 50/50 Collective Sandrine Brauer talks about the need for change. The 50/50 Collective for 2020 was first launched in Cannes in 2016 by the Swedish Film Institute in the wake of the #MeToo movement. It pushes for equal opportunities for women in all sectors of the French film industry and seeks to combat sexual harassment through a more equal distribution of power. Sandrine Brauer helped found the French chapter in March 2018. (This interview was produced for the Spotlight on France podcast and has been edited for clarity) SPOTLIGHT ON FRANCE: RFI: What has been your experience of discrimination as a woman film producer in France? Sandrine Brauer: Strangely enough, I've never thought of it this way until I started working with the Collectif 50/50. Being a producer was a struggle in the same way it would be for anyone starting their professional life. I didn't think of a gender un-balanced situation. Now that I think about it, and now that I look around me, probably the men that I know who started the same time as I did have better financial support. I can see that now, but I didn't feel it when I started. And that's what we're trying to do: to think of a bigger picture than our individual experiences. Because when you come and think only of yourself, then you don't understand the system. RFI: Did you ever have problems getting funding, going to the bank? SB: It's a very competitive job! Who's going to get the financing at the end of the day? How can I say it's because of gender bias? I can only tell by really looking at the figures, year after year. RFI: Where is France at in terms of gender parity in the film industry? SB: We're still working on getting figures. But in terms of directors, the situation is very clear: 23 per cent of films produced every year are directed by women. That's in the film industry. In television, 88 per cent of fiction is directed by men, meaning only 12 per cent is directed by women. This is very bad. In cinema, we're working together with the CNC (National Centre for Cinema), whcih really wants to promote parity. We worked with the CNC on incentives to promote balanced crews and heads of departments, because we know that crew members are more often men than women. It's a points-based incentive system. It's small, but it helps. RFI: What did you think when Adele Haenel left the Cesar ceremony after Roman Polanski won the Cesar for best director? SB: I was impressed, and I'm still very impressed. The more I think about it, the more I'm impressed. I think she made the right choice at the right moment. And we cannot thank her enough for being so sharp in her reaction. But let me say that she was sexually harassed, not by Roman Polanski. The reason I'm saying that it's that every time we speak about that, we tend to connect the two stories. If we want to open up the box of sexual harassment and violence, the biggest event of the year is what Adele Haenel spoke out for. And she expressed not only her personal experience, but she also addressed the whole industry very specifically and the process: How you get to remain silent, how the power games make it so different and so difficult to speak out. RFI: You want people to come forward. What do you want to obtain? SB: Our task is politically to try and make a move in terms of the system, and ask for measures that the Culture Minister can approve. We're preparing the Etats generaux contre le harcelement (Convention against harassment), a day of workshops with the entire industry, including unions, directors, producers, actors and so on, to think of tools that can help us to prevent and fight against sexual harassment, and harassment on shoots. RFI: What are some of those tools and measures? SB: We need training, so people can understand how to prevent harassment. We also want to work on the legal aspect, to remind all the people who work on a crew what the rules are: it's not only about signing the contract, they're making a commitment. We also need a person on the set whose job it is to hear or to help anyone who's being harassed. And then there's the financial aspect. When you shoot a film the budget is so big that people will probably try to put up with harassment to keep filming. If you need to replace a technician because she or he has been harassed or he or she is a harasser, or if you need to stop the shoot for a day or two because you need to rethink the whole process, there's a financial cost. We are working right now with insurance companies to see how they can cover that risk. RFI: Overall, are things improving in the French film industry, in terms of gender parity? SB: Sadly, we have noted that there were many more women-directed films three years ago than today. And for the past three years, there have been fewer women each year. We tend to think the contrary, because we had Celine Sciamma and Rebecca Zlotowski at Cannes, or Alice Winocour who also this remarkable film [Proxima]. We have a few remarkable films directed by women. But when it comes to the pictures and the numbers, unfortunately, it's not good enough. And we fear a backlash. RFI: What do you mean by that? SB: There was a sense of momentum when the CNC and the French film industry wanted to improve gender parity. But I worry that's it. Maybe the vote for Polanski [as best director] was also a kind of message to say 'OK women you've got what you wanted. Now let's get back to business, as usual'. It's worrying. This interview was produced for the Spotlight on France podcast. Rana Kapoor, the founder of crisis-ridden Yes Bank, was arrested by the ED on Sunday under money-laundering charges after over 20 hours of questioning and remanded to its custody till March 11, a day after the CBI booked him for allegedly receiving kickbacks of Rs 600 crore in form of loans to a company held by his three daughters. As the agencies tightened the noose around the 62-year-old, his daughter Roshni Kapoor was stopped by ED from taking a flight to London as she is required to join the probe, officials said. On Saturday, the agency had widened its probe as the premises of Kapoor's daughters in Delhi and Mumbai were searched to gather more evidence. The banker was taken into custody at the ED office in Ballard Estate under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act around 3 am on Sunday as he was allegedly not cooperating in the probe, they said. Kapoor was questioned for over 20 hours after ED raided his residence on Friday night. On Sunday, the ED produced Kapoor before a holiday court in Mumbai and sought his remand, saying the role of some companies run by his family members needs to be established and they need to confront all these people with him. The defence lawyer, however, said Kapoor has been selectively targeted by ED and he is cooperating with the probe agency. "We are ready to cooperate and submit all the documents that the agency wants. I have fully cooperated with them," Kapoor said in the court. "From the last few days I was not well, hence my family members took me to Breach Candy Hospital, but still I am cooperating with ED," he told in the court. However, the ED told the court it wants to conduct a through investigation and "many people are under the scanner". The court then remanded Rana Kapoor in ED's custody till March 11. Kapoor was arrested by ED on the basis of the CBI FIR registered on Saturday, after allegations of financial irregularities and mismanagement in the operations of Yes Bank surfaced and the RBI and the Union government initiated action to control its affairs. Sources said the CBI booked Kapoor, DoIT Urban Ventures Ltd, a company allegedly held by his family members and promoter-director of DHFL Kapil Wadhawan for alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption. The details of the FIR emerged on Sunday when the enforcement case information report (ECIR) of ED became public. The CBI alleged Kapoor entered into a criminal conspiracy with Wadhawan for extending financial assistance to DHFL though Yes Bank in return for substantial undue benefits to himself and his family members through companies held by them. According to the CBI FIR, the scam started taking shape between April and June 2018 when Yes Bank invested Rs 3,700 crore in short-term debentures of scam-hit DHFL. In return, Wadhawan allegedly "paid kickback of Rs 600 crore" to Kapoor and family members in the form of loans to DoIT Urban Ventures (India) Pvt Ltd, officials said. DoIT Urban Ventures is held by daughters of Kapoor - Roshini, Radha and Rakhee - which are 100 per cent share holders of the company through Mogran Credits Pvt Ltd, it alleged. "Rana Kapoor obtained undue pecuniary advantage from DHFL in the matter of investment in the debentures of DHFL by Yes Bank, through the companies held by his wife and daughters," the FIR alleged. The ED investigating officer had recorded Kapoor's statement under PMLA when he was first interrogated on Friday night at his upscale residence in 'Samudra Mahal' complex in Worli area here. He was brought to the ED office on Saturday noon for a fresh round of questioning. According to officials, Kapoor's wife Bindu and daughters Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Roshni Kapoor and Radha Kapoor are allegedly linked to some companies to which the suspected "proceeds of crime" have been traced. The central agency is also probing Kapoor's role in connection with the disbursal of loans to some corporate entities and the subsequent alleged kickbacks reportedly received in his wife's accounts. Other alleged irregularities are also under the agency's scanner including the one related to the alleged PF fraud in the Uttar Pradesh power corporation, they added. The CBI has recently taken over investigation into the Rs 2,267-crore Employees' Provident Fund fraud in Uttar Pradesh, where hard-earned savings of power sector employees were invested in Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL). The Reserve Bank of India had on Thursday imposed a moratorium on Yes Bank, capping withdrawals at Rs 50,000 per account, and superseded the board of the private sector lender with immediate effect. Yes Bank will not be able to grant or renew any loan or advance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse any payment. As per the RBI's draft reconstruction scheme, State Bank of India will pick up 49 per cent stake in Yes Bank under a government-approved bailout plan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British-based Albanian Kledjan Kurtaj, 20, helps organise fake IDs and flights via a European capital such as Dublin or Paris Human traffickers are exploiting a back-door route into Britain that makes it easy-peasy to get into the country. Operating from the UK, they arrange for illegal migrants to come here via European airports and boast that it is as simple as opening a front door. The shocking expose comes as a new migrant crisis sweeps Europe and people smugglers cash in on those fleeing their homelands. One trafficker told the Daily Mail he could arrange for a migrant to come to London from Albania for just 2,000. British-based Albanian Kledjan Kurtaj, 20, helps organise fake IDs and flights via a European capital such as Dublin or Paris. He boasted he could get migrants false European ID cards in Albania, before flying them to Italy and then on to Dublin, where a taxi could take them over the unmanned border into Northern Ireland. Last night MPs branded our findings shocking and demanded action to stop trafficking gangs brazenly exploiting the route into the UK. Kurtaj touts for business on a Facebook page and, when asked whether it would be possible to get to Britain, said it would be easy-peasy. He added: I do Italian ID in Tirana [the Albanian capital]. He said that after flying to Bergamo airport in Italy and then on to Ireland, they get into a taxi from Dublin to Britain and that will cost you 2,000. Kurtaj, who has footage of a zombie knife and gun on his Instagram page, warned the undercover reporter: This conversation has to be between us. Operating from the UK, they arrange for illegal migrants to come here via European airports and boast that it is as simple as opening a front door He also said traffickers have started using a route for women and teenagers to fly from France to Luton, because nobody asks many questions. The main problem is passing Albanian passport controls. After youve left Albania, the rest of the journey will all be good, he said. Girls pass like opening the door of a house. Kurtaj explained that his role was helping arrange the fake Italian IDs, which cost between 420 to 670, and are made by forgers in Albania. I will send one of my people in Tirana to meet you, he said. You only have to give them three photos for ID, in a letter write the colour of your eyes and how tall are you. At the same time, you have to give them the money. Then, after one to three days, the ID will be ready. When you are ready, just write to me. At one point during the Facebook conversation he insisted on a video call so he could see the undercover reporters face and location. However, he kept his own face hidden. But he later agreed to meet reporters posing as relatives of would-be customers in a busy London street. When confronted, he denied all knowledge of the Facebook conversations and switched off his phone. The Mail has passed his details to the authorities. Tory MP Philip Davies said: This is shocking and exposes clear weakness and loopholes in our system. It is completely unacceptable and a massive concern to the British people. He is completely brazen advertising on Facebook shows he doesnt fear the consequences. DUP MP Ian Paisley said the UK should put pressure on the Irish authorities. We cant stop the problem if they dont close the door, he said. The shocking expose comes as a new migrant crisis sweeps Europe and people smugglers cash in on those fleeing their homelands. Asylum seekers are pictured above at the Turlish border with Greece Irish sources told the Irish Independent newspaper last year that ten Albanians a day were arriving with false identify documents, most travelling on flights from other EU countries. According to the National Crime Agency, Albania is the biggest foreign source of people trafficking in the UK, with 947 cases referred to it in 2018 a rise of more than 50 per cent since 2015. But that is just those who are caught, with the true figure believed to be much higher. A Home Office spokesman said 100 traffickers were jailed for a total of 320 years last year, adding: We look for every opportunity to gather evidence and intelligence to disrupt and bring to justice these criminals. An NCA spokesman said: People smugglers treat migrants as a commodity and exploit their desperation. We are working closely with our law enforcement partners both here and overseas to target those people smuggling networks impacting on the UK. CRANSTON, R.I. - On a gray, bone-chilling morning, 18 men in a medium-security prison walked into an empty lunchroom and sat at stainless steel-topped tables, placing both hands palms down, as if they were about to receive a manicure. Over the next few minutes, they received the anti-addiction medication buprenorphine under their tongues, administered by a nurse and double-checked by guards - with military precision. Then they were strip-searched before returning to their cells. This half-hour routine happens every day, part of a program developed at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections to ensure that the clear strips of buprenorphine the inmates need to maintain recovery and stay focused on rehabilitation aren't diverted to black markets inside or outside the prison. Nationwide, two-thirds of the country's 2.3 million inmates are addicted to drugs or alcohol, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. But only a small fraction of those who need treatment behind bars receives it. The vast majority of the nation's nearly 2,000 state and federal prisons and 3,100 county and municipal jails do not offer addiction treatment that includes any of the three medications - methadone, buprenorphine and Vivitrol - approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. ADVERTISEMENT That's changing, albeit slowly. An estimated 120 jails in 32 states and prison systems in 10 states now offer evidence-based treatment for opioid addiction, triple the number in 2018. Rhode Island started providing medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, for opioid addiction in its unified prison and jail system in 2016. And with the help of Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo and a $2 million annual budget, it is doing more than any other state to ensure that all inmates who need addiction treatment have an opportunity to receive the best care available. That means offering all inmates with an opioid addiction, whether they were previously in treatment or not, a choice of one of the three FDA-approved medications, plus counseling. Research shows that MAT is at least twice as effective as abstinence-based treatment that does not include medications. In most lockups, people who are using heroin, fentanyl or painkillers when they enter are forced into painful withdrawal. The simple detox or "cold turkey" methods, even combined with motivational classes, fail 90% of the time, said Dr. Jody Rich, an addiction researcher at Brown University who studies Rhode Island's correctional treatment program. Even as more jails and prisons offer MAT, many limit the programs to people who received the medications before they were incarcerated. And few places offer a choice of all three drugs. ADVERTISEMENT In many cases, that's because state and local governments say they can't afford it. But advocates for prisoners argue that the failure to provide treatment to all inmates who need it also stems from a lack of concern for inmates' welfare and a lack of understanding about the effectiveness of the medications. Addiction physician R. Corey Waller of consulting firm Health Management Associates works with prisons and jails in several states. He says corrections officials often incorrectly believe that inmates who have detoxed after entering prison don't need to take medications such as methadone or buprenorphine to control their cravings and prevent relapse, because they're in a controlled environment with scant access to drugs. "But prisons aren't the sterile environment people think they are," he said. "The pressures to use drugs inside are even greater than they are outside. On the outside, you can escape pressures, go to your aunt's house or something. But when you're in a jail or prison, if you try to ignore the inmate in your yard who wants to sell you drugs, you're at risk for physical harm." Rhode Island's MAT program is unique: It includes all three medications, which are offered not only to those on treatment medication when they enter, but also to inmates who enter prison as active users of heroin or other opioids to ease their withdrawal and get them into treatment. The program also offers inmates who have detoxed during incarceration the opportunity to start any of the three medications before discharge, with appointments set up for continued treatment on the outside. Research at Brown University shows that the state's one-of-a-kind program has dramatically reduced overdose deaths after inmates are released. The number of recently incarcerated people who died from overdose dropped by two-thirds from 26 in the first half of 2016 - before the program started - to just nine in the first half of 2017, after the program's implementation. And if you ask those who have graduated from the program, they'll tell you it changed their lives. ADVERTISEMENT "It's a whole new world," said Lloyd Baker, 58, comparing his life now with just a year ago when, he said, he spent every waking moment either using heroin or chasing it. Baker left the Rhode Island Department of Corrections medium-security men's prison in 2017 with a prescription for buprenorphine and an appointment with a treatment center. "It was all set up for me," he said, "and it worked - for about a month and a half." But when a friend who had just received a cash windfall asked Baker to help him spend the money on heroin, Baker binged for more than a year, until overdosing twice in one day. That's when he decided to return to the kind of treatment he'd received during his 18-month stay at Cranston, he recalled. "They told me during treatment that relapse happens. But it's not the end," Baker said. "They said they'd take me back with open arms - and they did." These days, Baker attends a class three nights a week at an addiction recovery center here that he says feels like home. And he spends a lot of time walking his tiny white dog, Zippy, around his neighborhood. "Half my friends are in graveyards," he said, "because when they got out of prison, they used what they did before they got in - and now they're gone. I was one of the lucky ones." Research shows that inmates with an opioid addiction who leave lockups without a medication to ease cravings and block the euphoric effects of opioids are at extremely high risk to die of an overdose within days of their release. That's because unless treated with medications, incarcerated people with addictions continue to crave drugs even though they have little access to them. At the same time, their tolerance drops, making it possible for a small dose of drugs to be lethal. Twelve years ago, Baker served 17 months in a maximum-security prison in Florida that did not have a drug treatment program. He said he thought about drugs the whole time. "You got out with blue jeans and a hundred dollars," he said. "I no sooner got on the bus than I used the hundred dollars to buy drugs on the way home." A 2018 study in North Carolina found that, in the first two weeks after being released from prison, former inmates were 40 times more likely to die of an opioid overdose than someone in the general population. In 2016, fewer than 40 prisons and jails offered methadone or buprenorphine for opioid addiction, both of which are narcotics and considered contraband by most corrections officials. As of February, at least 120 jails offer methadone, buprenorphine or both to some inmates while incarcerated, as well as Vivitrol if requested prior to re-entry, according to Stateline research. In addition, 10 states - California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia - are offering MAT in state-run prisons. Separately, at least 300 jails and prisons that aren't offering methadone or buprenorphine started providing one or two injections of Vivitrol prior to discharge - as a protection against overdose and potential gateway to recovery. But research indicates that Vivitrol, approved by the FDA in 2010, may not be as effective as methadone (approved in 1972) or buprenorphine (approved in 2002) in treating addiction in incarcerated people. The recent growth in MAT programs results in part from federal lawsuits in multiple states brought by the American Civil Liberties Union to require prisons and jails to provide addiction medications under the Americans With Disabilities Act and as part of inmates' constitutional rights to adequate health care. The expansion also is an attempt to manage the incoming flood of heroin- and painkiller-addicted inmates over the past decade as the opioid epidemic ensnared millions of Americans, many of whom resorted to crimes to pay for their habits. Both the National Sheriffs' Association and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care support the use of MAT in corrections and offer guidelines on how to implement an effective program. But some sheriffs and top prison officials continue to resist the introduction of methadone and buprenorphine into their facilities, because they fear the narcotics could be diverted and contribute to an already troublesome illegal drug trade within correctional facilities. Cranston officials go to great lengths to prevent that. But not all prisons and jails are willing to go through that kind of process, and some officials say they can't afford the staff time it takes and don't have enough space in their facilities to administer the daily drugs. That's despite evidence that providing the medications in correctional facilities improves conditions inside and reduces crime and recidivism once inmates are released. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "decades of science shows that providing comprehensive substance use treatment to criminal offenders while incarcerated works, reducing both drug use and crime after an inmate returns to the community." Rhode Island Department of Corrections Director Patricia Coyne-Fague, who became acting director of the system in January 2018, two years after the state had launched its addiction treatment program, said it took some time before she understood the value of MAT. "At first, I didn't understand it. It didn't make sense to me. We're trying to keep drugs out of corrections, why would we bring them in? Why would you start someone on methadone and buprenorphine when they've been clean for 10 years?" Then, she said, she began to see that inmates had been abstinent all those years, but not in recovery. "When I saw the numbers of people not dying after release, that's all I had to see," she said. According to Rich, "Corrections officials around the country are starting to realize that MAT is not only good for the health of inmates, but it's good for the health of the institutions." "Inmates with untreated addiction struggle to get drugs inside, resulting in violence, extortion, stress, conflict and a strengthening of illegal drug networks and gangs. "Once you put them on addiction meds, most inmates become fine, perfectly reasonable people and stop causing trouble. It begs the question of why we lock them up for the disease of addiction in the first place." --- (c)2020 Stateline.org Visit Stateline.org at www.stateline.org Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Natural News) By now, anyone seriously following the outbreak of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) and the Chinese governments response to it knows that Beijings communist leaders have been less than truthful about how serious things are. We know, for instance, that Chinese authoritarians are censoring any and all citizen journalists who are trying to get the real word out about the scope and magnitude of the outbreak. We know that mostly empty Chinese factories, on the governments order, are ramping up electricity use to make it seem like the worst of the outbreak is over and production levels are returning to normal. We also know that Chinese government authorities are purposely undercounting infection rates, which in some cases are 52 times higher than official numbers. Now, according to whistleblowers and Chinese residents, the countrys reported recovery from the viral outbreak is also phony. The Week reports: Even before COVID-19 became a global crisis, Chinese leaders had been criticized for their handling of the situation and lack of transparency about the diseases progression. Things now look like theyre on the upswing, and businesses even appear to be headed back to work but whistleblowers and local officials tell Caixan thats just a carefully crafted ruse. According to the report, the Communist government has been pressing districts to continue business as usual or at least put up the appearance of same, with local governments even subsidizing electricity costs and implementing mandatory quotas. But, The Week notes in an example, Zhejiang, a province just east of the outbreak epicenter of Wuhan City, claimed that as of Feb. 24 it had restored 98.6 percent of its pre-viral outbreak work productivity. And yet, according to civil servants who talked to Caixan, businesses are really just fabricating those figures. Authorities from Beijing began checking Zhejiang business electricity consumption levels, and so local officials ordered firms and factories to leave their lights and machinery on all day long to ramp up usage numbers (as we have reported). The Chinese recovery mirage continues One civil servant noted that businesses have also faked staff attendance logs because, as Caixan writes, they would rather waste a small amount of money on power than irritate local officials. Oops. Busted. In the epicenter city of Wuhan, officials have attempted to make it seem as though full recovery efforts are underway, running on schedule and going well. But when central leaders make personal inspections of disinfecting regimens and food delivery, local officials are sure to make a special effort for them and them alone, according to a resident who spoke with Caixan. Also, in a video that has been circulating on social media, Chinese residents are seen shouting at visiting leaders from apartments where they remain in quarantine Fake, its all fake. As to the infection undercount, The Epoch Times reported late last month that the outbreak of the virus in Chinas Shandong province is far worse than previously stated by the government, according to several official documents the news organization has managed to obtain. Specifically, the Shandong Centers for Disease Prevention and Controls tallies from Feb. 9 through Feb. 23 were off by anywhere form 1.36 to 52 times the actual number published by the organization. Regarding the elevated use of electricity, the idea is clearly to pretend as though the Chinese economy is recovering and humming along again, no doubt to calm investors and the global markets, but also in a bid to convince Chinese citizens the government has a handle on things. Its all a mirage, and in fact, given supply chain shortages already hitting the U.S. and Europe, its increasingly clear that China is far from recovered from the outbreak. How long will it last? Thats anyones guess at this point. Sources include: NaturalNews.com TheEpochTimes.com WHO recommends Georgia to prepare for three scenarios amid Coronavirus cases - GeorgianJournal SCHENECTADY New York state's plans for a high-speed rail are still under way, but a final completion date remains unclear. The effort for high-speed began in 2009, but the project had been delayed because it needed longer to process comments on an environmental study, according to an earlier report from the Times Union. Initially the study was supposed to be wrapped up by April 2019, but was pushed to May 2020 for comment review. Department of Transportation officials said Saturday they anticipate they will be finishing reviewing comments by this spring. In late 2019, the Federal Rail Administration provided detailed comments back to the Department of Transportation in the review. The Department of Transportation is carefully reviewing all the feedback and preparing to adjust, DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said at an annual meeting of the Empire State Passengers Association, a volunteer network of people working to improve and expand mass transit in New York. She also spoke about a panel of experts who will be looking at how to best implement a high speed rail. The governor announced in January's State of the State address he will bring the group together. It will assess different strategies to bring high speed rail to New York, Dominguez said. The panel will be tasked with questioning, re-examining, re-imagining and rethinking the meanings and methods proposed in previous high speed rails, Dominguez said. She also mentioned the states strong support in other rail projects upstate, noting construction on a track in Albany and Schenectady as well as construction on a fourth track at Rensselaer-Albany's station. Since 2011, New York has invested nearly $1 billion in operation, maintenance and enhancement of upstate passenger rail services, Dominguez said. In fiscal year 2019, ridership increased by nearly 6 percent. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. She said she appreciates the states commitment to infrastructure and surface travel, but would like to see more funds from the federal government. She urged everyone to fill out the census, which directly affects federal funding states and localities receive. A member from the audience asked if funding from the state was so robust, why New York doesnt have as advanced rail systems as North Carolina or Virginia. He also said there are other federal grants the state could be applying for. Dominguez said she thinks the state has done well for surface travel considering how funding has shifted over the years. She also said she would look into the other grants. Amtrak officials also made a presentation. They said their ridership is continuing to grow, and with its growing population of users its keeping the publics health in mind. Leadership from the railroad service has been taking extra precautions during the coronavirus outbreak. Because this school was here, this woman was able to go from being homeless to having a career with good benefits, a good paycheck and a pension, he said. While there will be a cost to taxpayers to create an independent college in the Bitterroot Valley, Kahler said its really a choice between being proactive versus reactive. If we can provide opportunity for folks, there will be less reliance on government programs, he said. You are going to be taxed one way or another. This is a chance to create opportunities here so people dont need government help. Jennifer Johnson has been teaching chemistry and computers at the Hamilton school since 2017. Before that, she taught classes at a community college in California that had about 3,000 students. The student population here is very different than what I had experienced before in the larger school, she said. Our students have a greater need for fundamental knowledge and initial support. Many need individualized attention as part of that first step into higher learning. New Delhi, March 8 : Bina Devi, who popularised Mushroom cultivation in Bihar's Munger district, on Sunday suggested women specifically in rural areas across the country to go out from their homes and work to feel good. Popular as as 'Mushroom Mahila', Bina Devi, expressed her experience while handling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Twitter handle as a seventh woman achiever. The 43-year-old mushroom grower presented an example before the country through PM's tweet how women from her native village in Bihar's Munger have become an example. "Today, the women of Munger are presenting an example to the whole country. From farming at home to selling the produce in the haat, the whole task is carried on her shoulders. That's why I will say the same to all the women of the country - get out, work yourself and then see how good it feels," Bina Devi tweeted in Hindi. In a series of tweets, Bina Devi declared that women are not far behind in any field today and ascertained if the woman power of the country is determined, she can start her journey from her home. Referring to mushroom cultivation, she said: "Due to this farming, I got respect. I became a sarpanch. It is a pleasure for me that many women like myself are getting the opportunity to train. "Where there is a will, there is a way. Everything can be achieved with will. My real identity began with cultivating one kilo of mushrooms under the bed. But this farming not only made me self-sufficient, but gave a new life by increasing my confidence." A former 'Sarpanch' (village head) of Dhauri Panchayat in Tetiabamber block for five years, Bina Devi, has trained farmers on mushroom and organic farming, vermin-compost production and organic insecticide preparation at home over the years. She is among the 16 women who were on Sunday conferred Nari Shakti Puraskar 2019 by President Ram Nath Kovind. Bina Devi generated self employment among rural women and also engaged in dairy farming and goat farming. She has popularized mushroom production in five blocks and 105 neighbouring villages in Munger district, impacting 1,500 women by making them adopt mushroom farming. She has been involved in spreading digital literacy and was awarded for training 700 women on how to use mobile by Tata Trusts. She has trained 2,500 farmers on SRI Method crop farming and supported formulation of self help group. Bina Devi became the seventh woman achiever after Chennai-based social worker Sneha Mohandoss, bomb blast survivor Malvika Iyer, Kashmiri Numdha handicraft revival worker Arifa Jan, urban water conservationist Kalpana Ramesh, Maharashtra Banjara handicraft promotor Vijaya Pawar and lady mason Kalaveti Devi to handle the Prime Minister's account on Women's Day. The Ministry of Health has today confirmed there are no fresh coronavirus cases in New Zealand. The Ministry says the tally of officially diagnosed cases of the covid19 strain of coronavirus itst at five - where it was since yesterday, Saturday March 7. So far, 224 tests had been carried out with five people testing positive. The ministry says Healthline received 2600 calls yesterday which is almost double the number of calls for the same time last year. It says World Health Organisation information suggests Covid-19 spreads less efficiently than influenza but causes more severe illness. There had previously been concerns that virus could spread by people that had yet to show any symptoms of illness. However, WHO says it now appears only sick people are able to spread the virus. "Public health services here want to find any COVID-19 cases this step is fundamental to an effective public health response and protecting the community," says a NZ Ministry of Health spokesperson. "Finding cases means we can then take appropriate measures to prevent spread as has been happening to date." Meanwhile, some chemists are reporting a run on paracetamol, as customers stock up ahead of new restrictions. From tomorrow, there will be limits on how much paracetamol can be dispensed for prescriptions because factories in China which make the drug's active ingredient have closed due to Covid-19. Auckland Pharmacist Tracy Nguyen said orders for paracetamol have not appeared, and customers are buying many boxes at a time, so stocks are running low. "We've had a lot of people come in and ask for paracetamol, like five or six boxes of paracetamol at the same time. "We are actually running low, we haven't got any orders in the last few days of paracetamol, and our shelves do look quite empty." Her store is likely to limit how many can be bought off-the-shelf. She said hand sanitizer and masks have also been selling out, and many customers wanted supplements that could help their immune systems. Minister of Health David Clark says at this stage, there is unlikely to be any further rationing of prescription drugs. The anti-depressant fluoxetine is also being rationed because of a shortage. But Dr Clark told TVNZ's Q and A programme that New Zealand is in a reasonable situation. What you need to know COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by a recently discovered coronavirus. It spreads via droplets from the nose or mouth expelled when a person with the disease coughs, sneezes or exhales. To avoid infection, people should stay at least a metre away from someone who has, or may have, the virus. The viral incubation period, that is time between catching the virus and showing symptoms, ranges between 1-14 days. The most common symptoms are fever, tiredness and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhoea. Some people become infected but don't develop symptoms or become unwell. From what we know thus far, about four in five people recover without needing special treatment. About one in six become seriously ill and develop difficulty breathing. About one in 50 have died. The risk of catching COVID-19 from someone with no symptoms is very low, because the virus spreads via droplets expelled by coughing. However, it is possible to catch the disease from someone with very mild symptoms, including a cough. To minimise the spread of infection, wash your hands thoroughly with an alcohol-based rub or soap and water, cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and keep at least a metre away from other people coughing and sneezing. People who have been in or transited through China, Iran, northern Italy or the Republic of Korea, or have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19, should self-isolate for 14 days from the date of departure or close contact. They should also register with Healthline (0800 358 5453). People who display symptoms should phone Healthline in the first instance - don't head straight to your doctor or medical centre. Ministry of Health information is provided here Stuff/Tom Hunt / RNZ 06.03.2020 LISTEN A former presidential hopeful of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Steven Atubiga has disclosed that some influential figures including the then presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Akufo-Addo wanted him to contest on the ticket of the NPP as parliamentary candidate for Binduri in the Upper East Region. Let me tell you a secret, you could call his brother Fiifi and ask him, anybody could ask Nana Akufo-Addo, I had one-on-one [meeting] with him in Maryland around 2011, 2010 I met him. We sat one-on-one, I spoke to him, we spoke about an hour together and if you ask Boniface and co at that moment even they were poaching me to even come and be their candidate for Binduri unopposedput me on record ask Fiifi, Im talking about Fiifi today, Fiifi, Nana Akufo-Addos cousin in his house, in his living room and I refused, Mr Atubiga told Class FMs Blessed Sogah on the current affairs programme State of the Nation. Recounting the impression, he had after his conversation with the President back then, Mr Atubiga said he had the feeling that the presidential candidate of the NPP at the time was not corrupt. But look I had a lot of confidence in Nana Akufo-Addo, I believe that me, today I always (tell) my NDC people, I always tell them that look the man himself is not corrupt, he didnt wish that what he is going through now that was where he was going to be. Im talking about (2010, 2011) when I met Nana Akufo-Addo we had one-on-one meeting, I came out and said this man is really genuine, he said. Mr Atubiga, however, believes that Nana Akufo-Addo appears to be losing the fight against corruption because of his inability to deal decisively with alleged corrupt government officials. it is people that make you a president, it is people that finance your election, it is people that spend their money to bring you in power, it people that bring their vote, it is people that bring their cloud but once you are the leader, if you dont put your foot down like the way His Excellency John Dramani Mahama did, and even showed us an example of prosecuting his own member of parliament Abuga Pele and a businessman, and you want to feel that people invested in my party, they made me a president, that is what has brought Nana Akufo-Addo up to date that he has no control, Mr Atubiga stated. ---classfmonline The U.S. Army restricted travel for service members after a soldier came down with coronavirus in South Korea, and a sailor was found to have also tested positive for the deadly virus in Italy. A statement tweeted by US Forces Korea on Sunday announced that the Army had ordered 'all Army soldiers and family members moving to or from South Korea' to postpone their travel due to concerns over the infection. The virus, also known as COVID-19, has infected thousands south of the 38th parallel. The U.S. Army restricted travel for service members after a soldier came down with the coronavirus in South Korea and a sailor was found to have also tested positive for the deadly, virus in Italy. Service members are pictured being tested in South Korea A military police officer is pictured wearing a face mask at U.S. Army Garrison Casey in Dongducheon, South Korea, which service members can no longer travel to because of the coronavirus outbreak A statement tweeted by US Forces Korea on Sunday announced that the Army had ordered 'all Army soldiers and family members moving to or from South Korea' to postpone their travel due to concerns over the infection The travel ban will last until May 6, reports U.S. Forces Korea. There are 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, Fox News reports. Shortly after the announcement, the Army issued similar orders to troops stationed in Italy, where a sailor had been found infected as well. 'Our No. 1 priority is the protection of our soldiers, our families, our civilian work force and our Italian neighbors, protecting them from CODVID19 and ensuring at the same time we maintain mission readiness,' said Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier in a video posted on Facebook. Travel restrictions also were imposed against travel to Italy. Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier (left) and Col. Dan Vogel made the announcement in a Facebook video (pictured) on Saturday The sailor stationed at Naval Support Activity Naples in southern Italy tested positive for the virus on Friday, U.S. European Command confirmed in a statement. So far, three US service members are known to have contracted the virus worldwide. A sailor stationed at Naval Support Activity Naples in southern Italy tested positive for the virus on Friday, U.S. European Command confirmed in a statement. Sailors are pictured on board the GNV Majestic ship anchored in quarantine in Naples on Friday They include the soldier in South Korea, sailor in Italy and a Marine outside Washington, DC, who tested positive on for the virus. The Marine stationed in northern Virginia was the first US service member on American soil to test positive for coronavirus. 'A U.S Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir, VA, tested positive today for COVID-19 and is currently being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital,' the Pentagon said in a statement on Saturday. The Marine had recently returned from overseas where he was on 'official business', according to the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Mark Secretary Esper and the White House have been briefed. Fort Belvoir is the home to numerous significant military organizations, including the Defense Logistics Agency, the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command, and the Military District of Washington's 12th Aviation Battalion, which provides rotary-wing movement to the DoD and Congress. It's unclear what the infected Marine's duties involved, but a source said that he did not have direct contact with the nearby Pentagon. The Allahabad High Court on Sunday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to apprise it of the preventive measures taken to check the spread of coronavirus in the state. A bench headed by Chief Justice Govind Mathur asked the high court's Registrar General to ensure the presence of thermal scanners and adequate staff for checking at the entrance gates of its premises. The order came after the bench observed that the steps taken so far by the Chief Medical Officer of Prayagraj district "do not appear to be quite effective". The high court asked its Registrar General and the state government to apprise it of the action taken to control the spread of the contagious viral disease by March 17, the next date of hearing in the case. The court has also asked the Registrar General to improve the cleanliness in and around court premises. The bench, also comprising Justice Ramesh Sinha, passed the order on a Public Interest Litigation filed by Shashank Shri Tripathi who is an advocate. Additional Solicitor General Gyan Prakash and advocate Sanjay Yadav, appearing for the Centre, apprised the court of the steps taken so far to spread awareness about prevention of the viral infection.Additional Advocate General Neeraj Tripathi appeared for state government. During the course of hearing, counsel for the High Court submitted that the Registrar(Protocol) of the High Court on March 7 requested the Chief Medical Officer, Prayagraj to take certain precautionary measures to check the spread of COVID-19. In response, the CMO, Prayagraj conveyed that a team has already been sent to the High Court premises for anti-mosquito fogging and that certain teams have been constituted for rapid response to check the spread of the COVID-19. However, the bench observed that steps taken by the CMO do not appear to be quite effective. The matter was taken up after a special Sunday hearing on a suo moto CAA-related case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five exceptionally important Islamic coins dating from the 7th century AD are among the highlights of Morton and Edens next sale of Important Coins of the Islamic World in London on April 2. Collectively these five coins provide vital historic evidence for the birth of a purely Islamic coinage and are estimated to fetch around 700,000 ($1 million) Morton & Edens Islamic coin specialist Stephen Lloyd explains: These highly sought-after rare coins, two of them gold and three silver, tell the story of the first decades of Islam in a unique way. They show how as the Islamic empire expanded both eastwards and westwards in the 7th century AD, not only were the conquered lands unified through Islamic rule and culture, a pan-Islamic coinage system provided additional cohesion. In the early years of the great Muslim conquests, there was no existing tradition of coinage so the rulers simply adapted or took inspiration from what coinage was in use for their own purposes. However after three decades of varying forms of hybrid coins, in 77h the first Umayyad gold dinar was struck heralding the birth of a new purely Islamic coinage. Morton & Eden are delighted to be offering these remarkable five coins, which clearly demonstrate how Islamic coins evolved. The current market for Islamic coins of great rarity, such as these, is extremely buoyant as proved by the outstanding record price of 3.72 million paid for an Islamic gold coin from the Mine of the Commander of the Faithful in the Hijaz, which we sold in our Islamic coin auction in October last year. This has been supported by strong results in other recent European sales. Likewise, an exhibition entitled Coins of Islam: History revealed, currently on display in Abu Dhabi has aroused further interest, says Lloyd. The five coins are: Lot 1. The first coin is a gold solidus, probably struck in the 680s/60s. These were the first gold coins issued by the Muslims, who had captured large parts of the Byzantine Empire including Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt. People living in these provinces had used gold coins like these for centuries and the victorious Muslims showed little inclination to make significant changes. When it came to striking new gold coins the existing Byzantine prototypes were used but any overtly Christian symbolism such as a cross was simply removed, explains Lloyd. Very few examples of these modified cross solidi such as this rarity have survived. Its significance goes beyond its status as one of the first ever gold coins struck by the Muslims, its type served as the genesis and precursor for the reformed, epigraphic, purely Islamic gold coinage which came after. (Lot 1 - estimate 60,000- 80,000) Lot 2. Next in chronological order is an Arab-Sasanian Standing Caliph silver drachm, so-called because the reverse shows a standing figure of the Caliph with a sword in hand presenting a striking expression of the power of Islam, although there are clear similarities in imagery between contemporary extant depictions of the Byzantine Emperor. The obverse, with its bust of the Sasanian King Khusraw II wearing a crown, looks to existing silver drachms, which were in circulation in the east. By this time the Muslim conquests had united lands from the Byzantines in the West with the former Sasanian Empire in the East both areas already had their own distinct, very different coinage. This especially rare coin was in all likelihood struck at Damascus during the reign of Caliph Abd al-Malik in approximately 75H. Damascus, the Umayyad capital, was located at the boundary of these two regions. Thus the new Damascus silver coinage, not surprisingly, shows itself to be a hybrid, taking its inspiration from the traditional coinage of both the Sasanian and Byzantine Empires. (Lot 2 - estimate: 150,000-200,000). Lot 3. Another exceptional example from this Arab-Sasanian series is the Mihrab and Anaza drachm. This significant silver coin curiously lacks reference to both mint and date, although it is likely to date from around 75H and to have been struck in Damascus. The obverse depicts an armoured bust, a sheathed sword held in his right hand. The inscription written in Pahlawi states the bust is the Sasanian ruler Khusraw. The reverse shows an arch supported on a column (mihrab) in the centre of which is a spear staff, which has since been identified as the anaza of the Prophet himself. This has been hailed as the earliest depiction of this important Islamic architectural feature. Scholars have also suggested that the coin might have played a part in the so-called war of images between the Muslims and Christians, or another theory is that as the bust is wearing armour is the fact that the imagery is overtly military - these coins might have played a practical role as a military coinage. While it continues to intrigue Islamic coin scholars and historians, all, however, are in agreement that this is one of the greatest and most sought-after rarities of its kind. (Lot 3 - estimate: 100,000-120,000). Lot 4. The military iconography is even more pronounced in this silver drachm, one of the very last Arab-Sasanian drachms to be issued. Struck at Anbir in 84H during the caliphate of Yazid B. Al-Muhallab, the obverse shows a Sasanian bust wearing a helmet as opposed to the more usual crown. The reverse, however, shows an even more pronounced departure from previous prototypes as it depicts a threatening warrior. The soldier wears chain mail armour and is armed with both a sword and spear. While the warrior is not explicitly identified; he may be the Caliph or perhaps an idealised depiction of a Muslim fighter, it suggests that this coin was not only a practical object, struck from silver taken during campaigns in the East, it was could be considered as a highly symbolic token of Muslim military superiority. From an historical perspective, it also provides an accurate and naturalistic impression of the weapons and equipment of the first century of the Hijri. (Lot 4 - estimate: 120,000-150,000). Lot 5. The fifth and final coin in this group is a gold dinar and a very rare survivor from 77H, the first year in which a purely Islamic coinage was struck. Lloyd explains: Abd al-Malik B Marwans introduction of a single, unified and distinctive Islamic gold coinage has rightly been seen as a landmark in the early history of Islam. The gold dinar is beautiful in its striking simplicity and is obviously and uncompromisingly Islamic. The new Islamic coinage made a clean break with everything that had been used before. Gone were the modified crosses and imperial figural images of the Byzantine and Sasanian Empires, the new gold dinars were purely epigraphic in design, bearing quotations from the Quran, which emphasise the oneness of God. This dinar became the basis of a stable gold coinage produced in accordance with the Quranic precepts. The type lasted unchanged until the fall of the Umayyad Caliphate in 132h. It is a momentous tribute to the enduring power of Abd al-Maliks design that three of the four inscriptions used on these first Islamic dinars are also found on the last coins of the Abbasids issued nearly six centuries later. (Lot 5 estimate: 180 220,000). The Morton & Eden auction on April 2 will also feature many other rare and valuable pieces, including a fine selection of coins from the Holy Cities of Makkah and Madinah. Boeing Co. chief executive officer Dave Calhoun said he regretted berating his predecessor in an interview with the New York Times this week, backtracking almost immediately from a harsh critique that rattled employees of the embattled plane maker. I am both embarrassed and regretful about the article, Calhoun wrote in a message to senior executives at the company, referring to a story that appeared March 5. It suggests I broke my promise to former CEO Dennis Muilenburg, the executive team and our people that I would have their back when it counted most. The about-face suggests an attempt at damage control just two months after Calhoun took over as CEO following a decade of service on Boeings board. The new bosss first extensive print interview as CEO left many inside Boeing dumbfounded and angry, said current and former employees. The article spread like wildfire both inside the company and among the wide network of Boeing alumni, and a stunned wow was a common response, one of the people said. A veteran of General Electric Co. and Blackstone Group Inc., Calhoun, 62, is one of only a handful of outsiders to ascend to the top job at Boeing. His chiding of Muilenburg and other executives were especially meaningful given the setting: a leadership centre outside of St. Louis that was modelled on GEs famed Crotonville campus north of New York. Regarding Dennis, he is a friend, and I was personally invested in his success and still am, Calhoun wrote a day later in the memo, which was viewed by Bloomberg News. I explicitly stated to the reporters that I helped select the leadership team I have on the field and that they had my full support. I gave names. This discussion failed to make it into the story. Pot of Gold Calhoun has pledged to be transparent and to move decisively in steering Boeing out of one of the worst crises in the companys century-long history, two fatal crashes of its 737 Max that killed 346 people. He didnt mince words in the interview with the New York Times. Muilenburg made bets that were too risky, including pushing jet production rates to record heights, Calhoun told the newspaper. That ended up damaging relationships with customers, regulators and suppliers, he said. If anybody ran over the rainbow for the pot of gold on stock, it would have been him, Calhoun said of Muilenburg. The array of issues he now must deal with speaks to the weakness of our leadership, Calhoun said. Given Calhouns status as a longtime board member, his comments potentially give plaintiffs attorneys and victims families leverage by validating some of the most damaging allegations against Boeing. Calhoun may also have opened himself to being hauled before Congress to explain just how much worse the situation at Boeing is than he knew when he was chairman or lead director. Damaged Credibility It was damaging to his credibility and the company, said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with Teal Group. Saying your predecessor was motivated by gold to cut corners? Thats as damaging as it gets. The harsh rebuke was probably a calculated move by Calhoun to distance himself from previous decisions and clear the runway for Boeings recovery, said Gene Grabowski, a partner at crisis communications firm kglobal, in comments before the apology. Trouble is, it strained credulity. For a decade, Calhoun had been among the most outspoken and influential directors on Boeings board, one of the people said. Calhoun was lead independent director before replacing Muilenburg as chairman last year, and his opposition was enough to kill company initiatives. Years ago, Calhoun had been in the running to replace Jim McNerney as Boeing CEO. Instead, Muilenburg got the nod. Its a risky strategy, Grabowski said. Because of his long tenure on the board, Calhoun surely must have had a good idea of what was going on inside the company. If he didnt, he would have been negligent. Read more about: We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Sula Vineyards, Indias leading wine producer, recently announced its expansion into the Australian market. Sula is present in over 30 countries globally and in 2019, it had added China to the export list. Rajeev Samant, Founder and CEO of Sula Vineyards says, Australia is one of the highest wine consuming countries in the world and we are happy that the Australian consumer now has the choice of experiencing robust flavours of our wines. The company has partnered with Kismet Trading as their distribution partners in Adelaide to begin with and then plan to progress to Melbourne and Sydney. Sula will export popular wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Dindori Reserve Shiraz and Riesling to the Australian market, the company said. In order to sell Sula Wines and create brand awareness with retail shops, Kismet Trading will target the Australian market at approximately 800 venues where Sula Vineyards wines will be proudly listed in menus as an international wine, the company added in a statement. Wines from Nashikbased Sula Vineyards currently capture over 60 per cent of the market share in India and have a presence in countries including USA, Belgium, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Holland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Poland, Norway, Japan, South Korea, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, UAE, and China. In the domestic market, the winemaker had recently launched Indias first canned wine: Dia Sparkler. The company is selling both of Dias red and white wines in a 330 ml can priced at `180. The canned wine market is now worth $70 million in the US, up from 70 per cent in 2018, according to Nielsen data for the year ending March 2019 and it has increased by 125 per cent in the UK, which is now worth over 3.6 million. Sula Vineyards is now the only first player in India in this segment. According to reports, Indian wine market is growing at a CAGR of 20-25 per cent over the last five years and the overall market can be bifurcated into domestic and imported markets which account for 70 per cent and 30 per cent , respectively. Alabama Senate passes ban on puberty blockers, hormones, surgeries used to gender-transition youth Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Alabama Senate passed a bill barring the experimental medicalized gender-transition of youth, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and body-altering surgeries. Following a successful committee vote last week, the state senate passed legislation criminalizing the act of prescribing opposite sex hormones and drugs used to arrest puberty to youth under the age of 19, AL.com reported. The bill is called the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act. Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, was the sponsor of the legislation and he stressed that the practices should not be performed on children because of their inability to give consent. I just dont think and others dont think that kids should be given experimental drugs or surgeries that could have irreversible consequences for the rest of their life, Shelnutt said. Kids are not fully developed until later in life. I think we can all agree that kids arent capable of making certain decisions until certain ages. And so, we want to just stop these procedures from happening in Alabama. Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, asked whether legislators ought to restrict decisions made between parents and their children, criticizing the lack of data presented. The final Senate vote was 22-3. The Republican legislator noted that while he did not know how many youth were being hormonally transitioned in the state, the exact numbers do not matter. He does not know of any young people undergoing gender surgeries. It doesnt matter if its only 20 that its happened to. Ones too many, Shelnutt said. If signed into law, Shelnutt's bill would make prescribing, dispensing, administering or in any way providing the drugs and treatments to minors a class C felony. The law would also ban surgeries that alter a minors anatomy. Erin Brewer of Logan, Utah, who developed a transgender identity when she was a child but through psychological counseling was able to desist and reintegrate with her biological sex, has been advocating for similar bills across the country. Brewer was present for the Alabama debate as part of the nonpartisan Alabama Compassion Coalition and her written testimony was submitted into the record. "Transgender activists suggest that we be kind to transgender-identified children, and I agree wholeheartedly. But the transgender activists are the ones being cruel by telling these kids that they were born in the wrong body. We need to stand up for these kids, love them, help them heal, and assure them that the self-hatred they have is not a normal developmental path but a feeling that can be overcome," Brewer told The Christian Post in a Friday interview. "Because my school psychologist did not affirm my belief that I was born in the wrong body, my teachers did not use the name I wanted them to use, Timothy, or refer to me with male pronouns. I was not allowed to use the boys bathroom or participate in P.E. with the boys. Instead, my school psychologist, teacher, and parents helped me to manage my self-hatred rather than encourage it," she explained. Today, however, schools take the exact opposite approach, Brewer lamented, noting that the transgender ideology contains a dark underbelly, which few know. Before medical interventions are considered, young children are "socially transitioned" in various ways, such as girls wearing clothes typically worn by boys, she stressed, but "it can also include parents of young girls who are gender confused putting something called a 'packer' in their panties." A "packer" is a fake penis that resembles a sex toy. "Keeping in mind that many girls who develop a trans identity have done so as a coping mechanism after a sexual abuse, imagine that girl being told that her self-hatred is valid and then a parent putting a fake penis in her panties and told that she is, in fact, a boy," she said. Brewer held up one such penis packer at a press conference for the bill last week, explaining how they are used. At that same press conference, a teen girl who took testosterone for a year before detransitioning spoke about how the gender doctor treated her in an unprofessional manner and how the hormones damaged her body and caused her all kinds of health problems. Alabama's bill will now move to the House of Representatives where Republicans currently have a 77-28 majority. The legislative effort in the Yellowhammer state to address the issue follows a recent unsuccessful attempt to forbid such practices in South Dakota. The South Dakota House overwhelmingly passed their bill banning the gender-transitioning of children but was subsequently voted down in a Senate committee under pressure from the Chamber of Commerce. A handful of other states have introduced and are considering similar measures. On Michelle King's first day as a supervisor for a large multi-national organisation, she felt justifiably proud of herself. After years of hard work throughout her 20s, at last she was a leader. A manager. 'What I hadn't realised,' she says, 'was that the rules had changed. 'I walked into the kitchen area on that first morning and my boss was standing there. When he saw me, he picked up the tea towel, and threw it at me, saying, 'Michelle, there are dishes in the sink. You're a woman, why don't you wash them.' True story. 'It was really weird, one of those situations where it was a joke but not a joke. Some of the men who reported to me were standing around the kitchen island none of them said anything and I remember feeling the blood drain from my face. Michelle King, 37, (pictured) who lives in LA, explores sexism in the workplace in her new book, The Fix, subtitled Overcome The Invisible Barriers That Are Holding Women Back At Work 'In that moment, I had to choose whether to take it or not. In the end I said to him, 'You've got two hands, why don't you do it?' and then walked out. Of course, later he told me I couldn't take a joke, that classic line used by all bullies.' It is, says Michelle, the perfect example not of the glass ceiling but of what, in her new book The Fix, she calls the 'Glass Office', where the entire culture of a workplace undermines and undervalues its female workers, especially when they reach senior levels. 'It's as though organisations can tolerate women up until the point they're managing,' she says. 'But as soon as they are, they're under the microscope and all the gender stereotypes come out to define them.' At 37 now the director of inclusion at Netflix, responsible for promoting diversity within the streaming service Michelle is the latest in a line of women calling out what they see as a world designed for and by men, often to women's disadvantage. The Fix, subtitled Overcome The Invisible Barriers That Are Holding Women Back At Work, does for the office what Caroline Criado Perez's Invisible Women did for the world of data and design (revealing, among many other facts, how the smartphone is too big for women's hands and heart attack protocols have been researched exclusively on men), opening eyes to a deeply unfair status quo, where men are considered the default as both workers and bosses. In particular, Michelle identifies the 'ideal standard' to which workers are forced to aspire a man with a suspicious resemblance to the ego-driven ad-man Don Draper in the 1960s-set TV series Mad Men. She calls it the Don Draper Prototype. Michelle claims male leaders tend to hire and promote those who look like them, describing the behaviour as the Don Draper Prototype. Pictured: 1960s TV drama Mad Men, featuring ad man Don Draper (centre) 'Male leaders tend to hire, groom, accommodate and promote those who look like them, often unconsciously. Workplaces are hardwired to support Don's success. The more ways you differ from Don Draper, the more challenges you are likely to encounter trying to advance at work.' With a background in both HR and TV journalism, Michelle has worked all around the world, from London and Sydney to Malaysia and Houston, logging incidents like the tea towel 'gag' as she goes. In New York, she worked on gender issues for the UN, and today she lives in LA, with her husband and two small children, Milly, six, and four-year-old Rex. Immaculately groomed and polished, she looks every inch the token female in the boardroom whose solitary nature is very much her point. Everyone agrees that at the top of companies, change is far too slow. In the UK, while a third of FTSE-100 board members are women, the number of those who rise to the very top is falling. Just five of the CEOs of the top 100 companies are female earning a shocking 54 per cent of what their male equivalents are paid. Leaders are expected to be aggressive. But if women act like men they become 'less likeable' So why is this figure so low? 'The bottom line? People don't leave sexism at the door to the office,' she says. 'Women have internalised the problem so they think if they're not progressing, it's their problem. That's the saddest thing of all.' Indeed, the central message of The Fix is that women aren't to blame. Michelle's book is the antidote to the concept of Lean In, popularised in a 2013 book by Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer at Facebook, which exhorts women to work harder, strive more, network like crazy, take bigger risks all to bag that bafflingly elusive place at the top table. Michelle thinks it misses the point entirely. 'Lean In, and all those programmes that teach women to negotiate harder, speak up, do better, are saying the lack of women leaders at work is because of a problem with women. That's how it's framed we have to fix women. 'But it's not a woman's issue, it's a workplace issue.' Michelle (pictured) said despite having a masters degree and giving her all at work, male peers and those who were less qualified would be given bigger jobs that her In navigating workplaces still designed for Don Draper, where leaders are expected to be 'dominant, assertive, aggressive', women fail at the first hurdle. Michelle calls it 'The Confidence Catch-22'. If they act assertively and confidently, they confuse gender stereotypes and become 'less likeable' as women. Witness the flak aimed at Theresa May for being 'unemotional' or the host of negative labels applied in general to women in charge ball-breaker, ice queen, difficult, pushy, bossy. And yet, if they aren't confident, it's often said they lack ambition (which they don't, according to studies; women have exactly the same career aspirations as men). In this context, women can never fit the model and Leaning In is always destined to fail. 'Lean In was really popular right after I first became a mother,' says Michelle. 'But the thing is, I was doing it all already and I still wasn't being promoted. I'd taken four months' maternity leave and come straight back full-time. 'I had a masters degree, I'd just finished an MBA, I was giving it all at work, and still I watched my male peers, less qualified than me and honestly less good, getting those bigger jobs over me. 'When I asked for feedback, I was told, just wait, you're a bit young but some of the promoted men were younger than me! 'It felt humiliating and I didn't want to wait. 'I've always been interested in facts, not opinions, so I decided to start reading the academic literature to find out what was happening.' In fact, having left the toxic boss, she began a PhD on the subject, which became her new book, The Fix. Mother-of-two Michelle (pictured) claims men operate under a pressure 'to ensure they don't appear too committed to their families' As she speaks, you get a sense of a radically altered perspective. Male executives tell her the problem with women failing to rise up the ranks is primarily down to the time they take out with babies and children. 'But that's blatantly misogynistic,' she cries. 'It's saying it's only a woman's choice to have children. Women and men choose to have them. Are you saying men don't want to stay at home with their children? It's not a woman's problem. It's a question of inequality.' The average workplace isn't just tough-going for new mothers, she continues, but positively 'hostile'. 'I use that word deliberately. 'And it's especially hostile for women who are breastfeeding or pregnant.' She tells a horror story of an office in which a picture of a cow was pinned up in the side room given to a new mother for pumping milk. 'That happened recently, too. It wasn't years ago.' Men tend to promote those who look like them, often unconsciously. The more you differ from Don Draper, the more challenges you'll face When women and men enter workplaces they are equally confident about fulfilling ambitions to rise to the top but within just two years, the number of women aspiring to lead drops from 43 per cent to 16 per cent, while men see only a 3 per cent fall. Women's experience of the office, says Michelle, shows them how high the barriers are and what a typically successful worker looks like, which isn't them. But fixing the culture of Don Draper benefits men, too. Michelle says men operate under a pressure 'to ensure they don't appear too committed to their families', which requires them to hide or deny a big part of their lives. (Indeed, one 2013 study showed that men who took time off to look after children suffered a bigger wage penalty than women when they returned to work.) 'Once, in New York, my husband was going to take my son for a doctor's appointment, and just as I was leaving for work at the UN, he asked me what reason he should give his boss for being late that day. It frustrated the hell out of me. I actually put my bag down I was going to be late, too, but I thought the UN would understand and said, you tell him you're taking your son to the doctor. Michelle who is the director of inclusion at Netflix, said the idea of a 'superwoman' is a dangerous idea. Pictured: A scene from Mad Men 'Men have to do this and tell the truth about it. This is being an ally to women. If you admit to family responsibilities, you make it easier for everyone. 'We have to get rid of this shaming of people for having a life outside work. 'I know a female partner who'd put parents' evenings in her diary as work meetings so no one knew she was leaving early for the sake of her child.' What happens in her house? Yes, her husband is at home with their children right now, but it's a temporary thing, she says quickly. 'I married someone who was not a feminist and didn't necessarily get all this. But he's gone on his own journey through me being his wife. He had to learn how to value my career in the same way as his. That's just a requirement for us to be married. 'But it's also about allowing men to discover parts of their identities outside of work. My work at Netflix has freed my husband up to do that, too.' Michelle denies being 'driven' (though she's also competed in half Ironman triathlons, which sounds insanely driven to me). She's especially dismissive of the 'Superwoman' phenomenon that exceptional female CEO with half a dozen children, a beautiful house and doting husband who willingly concedes the limelight. 'It's such a dangerous idea,' she says. If she's done it, goes the theory, it's perfectly possible to do and if you can't, it's just because you're not trying hard enough. Midlife women face different problems. If women do get to a top-level position in their 40s and 50s, they're more likely to be dismissed from it irrespective of performance 45 per cent more likely, if they're a CEO. Michelle (pictured) believes boardroom quotas could cause a woman in leadership to question her legitimacy 'Women's careers are seen as expendable,' says Michelle. 'Very often the riskier top-level roles are reserved for women. They take them because nothing else is available, and when they fail, it reinforces the idea that women aren't as good.' So what's the solution? When I suggest boardroom quotas, where a certain number of seats are reserved only for women, Michelle winces. 'I can do a five-minute rant on this. I've had female partners say to me, we need them because otherwise we're never going to get there, but actually, I think they do real damage. 'If you cut and paste a woman into a leadership role, her legitimacy is questioned, she questions herself and she has to work ten times harder just to be considered average. The Superwoman phenomenon is a dangerous idea. If she's done it, goes the theory, it's your fault if you haven't 'When you ask them, men name women's advancement as the No 1 barrier to their advancement. Quotas result in backlash. They're a great example of lazy organisations wanting the points but not willing to do the work to create a real culture of equality where women rise to the top naturally.' That work, she says, starts with leadership treating inequality like a profit-damaging 'business problem'. She cites a host of ways to do it, and though many of them are clothed in management speak, it's hard to dispute their logic. Young women need to be fast-tracked and groomed for CEO positions just like young men, for example. Mothers and fathers need to be supported back into careers without paying a penalty; top roles should be open to job sharing; gender equality has to move beyond tokenism or PR. The concept of a sole breadwinner is outdated instead, we must learn to talk about 'bread-sharing' where responsibilities for work and family are split right down the middle; and of course sexist jokes disguised as 'banter' should be unacceptable. Michelle (pictured) argues organisations need to be accountable and have their consciousness risen in the same way as #MeToo All of this action, she says, would reduce the extraordinary iniquity of the gender pay gap, too. She cites big companies such as professional networking site LinkedIn and cosmetics firm L'Oreal as examples of good practice. At LinkedIn's sales division one (male) manager, frustrated by the lack of women leaders in his department, 'owned the problem' and set his team on to it with a demand for change. The proportion of female managers increased as a result from 6 to 30 per cent. 'If I could do one thing,' says Michelle, 'I'd spend a day with business leaders locked in a room just showing them where inequality lies in their organisation. It's a harsh message but it's their leadership that's holding women back.' She's sent free copies of her book to dozens of CEOs already. Whether they'll listen is another matter. Besides, some of the real problems are found much lower down the pay grade, in jobs like caring, where skills are undervalued because they are 'feminine'. The 9 per cent full-time gender pay gap in the UK hasn't shifted at all in three years, after all. 'We can be depressed about it and think it'll never change,' says Michelle. 'But this is a fight we have to have. We can hold these organisations to account and raise consciousness the same way #MeToo did. Things do change look what happened to Harvey Weinstein. 'Companies need to be clever, too. We're not going to wait. Technology is changing the way we work all the time, and when you ask people to rate leadership skills for the future, they think women have more of what's needed. Things like resilience, managing people, adapting to change, emotional intelligence. Companies that get this right will win. 'The reality is women are remarkable. They're taking on two jobs already, one in the office, which doesn't support them to succeed, and the other managing the home, which is completely devalued and invisible. Who wouldn't want someone on their side who can survive all that?' The Fix: Overcome The Invisible Barriers That Are Holding Women Back At Work by Michelle P. King (20 Simon & Schuster). It was not the grand affair of their dreams. She wore a borrowed maxi skirt. He felt the absence of his sister and grandmother. They swapped mood rings bought days earlier on Canal Street. Dana Cohen and Adam Quinn had planned a spring wedding, but instead married on Friday at the drab Brooklyn Municipal Building so Mr. Quinn could add his new wife to his health insurance. We dont know what the world will look like in three months, said Mr. Quinn, 38, who works for the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. That sentiment reverberates along the subways and sidewalks of New York City, where the usual throngs and random interactions with strangers the very things built into the magic and texture of this city are approached with an unsettling caution in the age of the new coronavirus. Austal Limited is pleased to announce the delivery of the sixth Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defence. In the latest milestone for the Pacific Maritime Security Program, Australia has handed over the newest Guardian-class Patrol Boat to Fiji at a ceremony on March 6, 2020, at Austal Shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia. Austal Limited is pleased to announce the delivery of the sixth Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defence. In the latest milestone for the Pacific Maritime Security Program, Australia has handed over the newest Guardian-class Patrol Boat to Fiji at a ceremony on March 6, 2020, at Austal Shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia. The RFNS Savenaca is a 39.5 meter Guardian Class Patrol Boat, designed and constructed by Austal Australia. (Picture source Austal) The vessel, the RFNS Savenaca, was today gifted by the Government of Australia to the Government of Fiji during a handover ceremony at Austal Australias Henderson shipyard attended by the Fijian Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, Australian Minister for Defence Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds CSC, Australian Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon. Melissa Price MP and Chief of Defence Force, General Angus Campbell AO DSC. Austal Chief Executive David Singleton said the first Guardian-class Patrol Boat delivery for 2020 highlighted the Australian shipyards continuing gains in productivity and efficiency, which is delivering a new naval vessel every 3 months. Faster, with improved seakeeping, better amenities and an enhanced mission capability including an integrated stern launch and recovery system the Guardian-class Patrol Boat(s) provide the Fiji Navy with a much improved naval asset to carry out border patrols, regional policing, search and rescue and many other operations domestically and internationally. The Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) Project was awarded to Austal in May 2016, with an additional contract option awarded in April 2018, taking the program to 21 vessels valued at more than A$335 million. Twelve Pacific Island nations including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Timor Leste will receive the vessels through to 2023. Guardian-Class Pacific Patrol Boats (GCPPB) are being developed by the Australian shipbuilding company Austal under the Pacific Patrol Boats Replacement (PPBR) project, which is aimed at replacing the existing Pacific Patrol Boats fleet. It has an overall length of 39.5m, an overall beam of 8m, a loaded draught of 2.5m, and a cargo deck area of 16m. It can accommodate up to 23 personnel. The patrol boat can carry a Work Ribs (WRH635FRB) fast rescue boat, certified by SOLAS. Driven by two 90hp Yamaha outboard motors, the fast rescue boat can seat 15 crew. A launch and recovery system fitted at the stern is used to deploy and retrieve the fast rescue boat. It also features GW / BW discharge pumps, saltwater WC flush system, fuel coalesce, and atmospheric crankcase breathers. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 05:43:58|Editor: yan Video Player Close BRUSSELS/ROME, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Italy started on Sunday morning to lock down the northern Lombardy region and 14 nearby provinces, in what World Health Organization (WHO) chief described as "bold, courageous steps" and "genuine sacrifices" to fight the coronavirus. COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, continued to spread across Europe, with the cumulative confirmed cases topping 10,000 in 39 European countries. The latest victim was Bulgaria. Local authorities said on Sunday morning that the Balkan nation has confirmed the first four cases of COVID-19. "GENUINE SACRIFICES" IN ITALY In Italy, Europe's hardest-hit country, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a government decree early Sunday morning, which imposes lockdown on the wealthy northern region, including the financial capital Milan and tourist hotspot Venice. According to the decree which goes into effect until April 3, unprecedented restrictions will be taken as preventive measures, impacting some 16 million people in the north, which accounts for over one-sixth of the country's population. Residents of the lockdown areas are "obligated to avoid any kinds of movement, whether in or out of the region," Conte told a press conference. The decree also shuts down museums, theaters, cinemas, night clubs, places of worship, ski resorts, gyms, swimming pools, schools, universities and other public places in the region. "We are facing a national emergency," Conte said, adding "We have two objectives: to contain the spread of the infection ... and to avoid overburdening our hospitals." WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Italy's action, in separate tweets written in English and Italian respectively. "The government & the people of Italy are taking bold, courageous steps aimed at slowing the spread of the #coronavirus & protecting their country & globe. They are making genuine sacrifices. WHO stands in solidarity with Italy & is here to continue supporting you," Tedros tweeted. SOARING DEATHS IN ITALY In Italy, 133 more people succumbed to the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 366. A total of 622 people have recovered, an increase of 33 from Saturday. Most of Sunday's fatalities occurred in Lombardy (113), followed by the regions of Emilia-Romagna (eight), Veneto (five), Lazio (two), Liguria (two), Friuli Venezia Giulia (one), Marche (one), and Puglia (one), said Civil Protection Department Chief Angelo Borrelli on Sunday evening. Borrelli also broke down the Sunday death tally by age ranges -- one fatality occurred in the 0-49 age group, one in the 50-59 age group, 14 in the 60-69 age group, 39 in the 70-79 age group, 60 among people aged 80-89, and 18 deaths occurred among those aged over 90. In total, Italy reported 7,375 accumulated COVID-19 cases, including deaths and recoveries, since the epidemic first broke out on Feb. 21. Italian media reported that the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army Salvatore Farina has become the latest official that tested positive for the coronavirus. Earlier in the day, Piedmont Governor Alberto Cirio announced that he has been infected, while Lazio Governor Nicola Zingaretti, leader of the center-left Democratic Party currently ruling Italy in a coalition government, reported himself positive on Saturday. Also on Sunday, Italian President Sergio Mattarella said in a speech to the nation that "for reasons we all know, this year we will not be able to celebrate International Women's Day at the Quirinal (presidential palace in Rome)." "First of all I wish to express gratitude to the many women who are hard at work in hospitals, laboratories, and red zones (quarantine areas) to fight the spread of the virus," Mattarella said. "They work in difficult conditions, with skill and a spirit of sacrifice, with dedication," Mattarella said. MORE CASES ACROSS EUROPE In France, the first European country to detect the COVID-19, 177 new infections were reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the country's total confirmed cases to 1,126. Nineteen people had died of COVID-19 as of 15:00 local time Sunday. In Germany, the number of confirmed cases had reached 902 as of 3 p.m. local time on Sunday, a rise of 107 cases in 24 hours, according to latest figures published by the Robert Koch Institute, the country's disease control agency. German Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn recommended that events with more than 1,000 participants be canceled for the time being, the German press agency (dpa) reported. In Romania, authorities decided to ban all activities involving more than 1,000 people, either indoors or outdoors, in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The measure goes into effect until March 31 and may be extended, said Raed Arafat, head of the Romanian Department of Emergency Situations. Romania added six new infections this weekend, bringing the country's caseload to 15. In Portugal, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will be quarantined at his private residence for two weeks, after a student he received last Tuesday was confirmed on Saturday night to have infected with COVID-19 and his school was closed, according to a presidential statement. "Having listened to the health authorities, the President of the Republic, despite not having any viral symptoms, decided to cancel all his public activities... during the next two weeks," said the statement. In Spain, authorities said there were 589 confirmed coronavirus cases in the country, an increase of 159 cases since Saturday. So far, 10 people had died of COVID-19. Also on Sunday, Belgium's confirmed cases increased to 200, up 31 from the previous day. In the Netherlands, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose by 77 to 265, and two more patients have died. In Luxembourg, a fifth person tested positive of the virus after returning from France. In Austria, the number of infected COVID-19 cases climbed to 102, with no deaths, according to local health authorities. In Greece, another seven people tested positive for the virus, bringing the total cases to 73. In other parts of Europe, the confirmed cases had risen to 35 in Denmark, 23 in Finland, 21 in Ireland, 11 in Poland and two in Latvia. Hyderabad, March 8 : Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu has crossed the nine million fan following mark on Instagram. The "Srimanthudu" actor also took to the micro-blogging site to thank his fans. "9 Million thanks to all my tweeple! Love and gratitude for everyone who's been a part of this amazing journey...#9Millionstrong," Mahesh Babu tweeted. Congratulating Mahesh Babu, a fan commented: "We all love you." Another wrote: "More followers coming your way." Mahesh Babu is currently being lauded for his performance in the latest release "Sarileru Neekevvaru". Ahead of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) polls, Maharashtra Housing Minister and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad on Sunday launched a frontal attack on local strongman and former party colleague Ganesh Naik, terming the latter as "blot on democracy". He also accused the BJP MLA of backing extortionists. Awhad said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of the NCP, Shiv Sena and Congress will end Naik's rule in the NMMC when the elections will be held there next month. Former Maharashtra minister Naik trashed Awhad's charges and also said that the latter was not worth the challenge. Addressing an event of the NCP's youth wing, party leader Awhad said, "Who has the sand contracts (in Navi Mumbai)? Who has the gravel contracts? Who has the building contracts? Should give answer? It is Ganesh Naik with whose blessing extortion goes on in Navi Mumbai." Naik does not allow any other person to grow in Navi Mumbai as he accused the BJP leader of encouraging dynastic rule, the minister said"He is a blot on democracy," Awhad alleged. Taking a dig at Naik, Awhad also said the BJP MLA from Airoli should be named as the "ambassador of coronavirus", as he uses sanitiser or camphor to clean his hands after every handshake. "He does not respect his followers...he forgot (late Shiv Sena founder) Balasaheb Thackeray when he was in the Shiv Sena and now (NCP chief Sharad) Pawar saheb," Awhad said. Naik quit the Pawar-led party ahead of the Assembly election last year to join the BJP. He was also with the Sena before joining the NCP. Countering Awhad, Naik said the NCP leader knows his speech would be paid attention to in Navi Mumbai only if his name is taken. "There is a commercial of Nana Patekar in which someone calls him an old man and challenges for arm wrestling. Then Patekar retorts the person saying that the latter is not worth the challenge and asks him (the challenger) to send his father instead (for arm wrestling). "Similarly, he (Awhad) is not worth the challenge. And if the father asks for name, he should tell it is Ganesh Naik," Naik told reporters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gantz revealed that a man tried to assault him Saturday evening as he arrived at a speaking engagement and that Netanyahu supporters have been threatening him online. One post called for Gantz to be murdered just like former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated by a Jewish ultranationalist in 1995. Another portrayed Gantz and his fellow party leaders in Arab headdress, similar to images that circulated of Rabin before he was killed. Rajasthan ministers on Sunday took stock of the damage to crops in parts of the state due to recent rainfall and hailstorm. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot had instructed them to assess the damage in 18 of 33 districts in the state. "The state government is standing by farmers. Compensation will be given to affected farmers. Assessment is being conducted by officials in all affected districts," Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria said here. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal visited affected areas in Jaipur and met farmers. He assured them that the government will give compensation against the losses. Technical Education Minister Subhas Garg visited affected areas in Bharatpur while Minority Affairs Minister Shale Mohammad visited Bikaner. Hailstorm and rainfall triggered by western disturbances hit parts of Rajasthan from March 4 to 6, damaging crops in 18 out of 33 districts in the state. The districts hit by the change in weather are Alwar, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bharatpur, Dausa, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Karauli, Dholpur, Sawaimadhopur, Bundi, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur and Sikar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Italy's prime minister announced a sweeping coronavirus quarantine early Sunday, restricting the movements of about a quarter of the country's population in a bid to limit contagions at the epicenter of Europe's outbreak. Shortly after midnight, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree affecting about 16 million people in the country's prosperous north, including the Lombardy region and at least 15 provinces in neighboring regions. The extraordinary measures will be in place until April 3. "For Lombardy and for the other northern provinces that I have listed there will be a ban for everybody to move in and out of these territories and also within the same territory," Conte said. "Exceptions will be allowed only for proven professional needs, exceptional cases and health issues. Around the world, more and more countries were bracing for a surge in virus cases. Western countries have been increasingly imitating China where the virus first emerged late last year, and which has suffered the vast majority of infections by imposing travel controls and shutting down public events. Italy on Saturday saw its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases since the outbreak began in the north of the country on February 21. In its daily update, Italy's civil protection agency said the number of people with the coronavirus rose by 1,247 in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 5,883. Another 36 people also died as a result of the virus, taking the total to 233. There was chaos and confusion in the northern Italian city of Padua in the Veneto region as word spread late Saturday evening that the government was planning to announce the quarantine. Packed bars and restaurants quickly emptied out as many people rushed to the train station in Padua. Travellers with suitcases, wearing face masks, gloves and carrying bottles of sanitizing gel shoved their way on to trains. Before Conte signed the quarantine decree, Stefano Bonaccini, president of the Emilia Romagna region, said parts of the decree were confusing, and he asked the premier for more time to come up with solutions that were more coherent. Around the world, events and festivals have been called off. Travel restrictions and warnings have been issued. A nose-dive in tourist traffic and possible disruptions to supply chains have set off fears of a worldwide economic slowdown. Benchmarks in global markets have gyrated in recent weeks, as hopes for stimulus measures mixed with widespread pessimism on the virus The spread of the virus has also taken a psychological toll. Authorities and manufacturers have been trying to assure panicking consumers they don't need to hoard toilet paper, which have vanished from store shelves in various nations. A particular point of concern are passenger-packed cruise ships, many of which are confronting their own virus problems. Transmission of the virus is now going in every direction. While the global death toll has risen past 3,400, more people have now recovered from the virus than are sickened by it. As of Saturday, nearly 90,000 cases have been reported in Asia; more than 8,000 in Europe; 6,000 in the Mideast; about 450 in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, and fewer than 50 cases reported so far in Africa. While many scientists say the world is clearly in the grips of a pandemic a serious global outbreak the World Health Organization isn't calling it that yet, saying the word might spook the world further. The virus is still much less widespread than annual flu epidemics, which cause up to 5 million severe cases around the world and up to 650,000 deaths annually, according to the WHO. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has sent a message to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on his 63rd birthday. Mr Osinbajo, a law professor and pastor, clocks 63 on March 8. In a letter he personally signed, the governor commended Mr Osinbajo for his zeal and commitment to a better Nigeria. Since 2015 that you assumed office as Vice President, you have no doubt, displayed an uncommon passion and burning zeal for the overall growth, progress, development and unity of our dear country, Nigeria. Your Excellency, you have over time proven yourself to be a very dependable ally to our President and my own political father, President Muhammadu Buhari since the dispensation of this present leadership in the country. See the full text of the letter below: Hearty cheers to VP, Prof Osinbajo @63 I, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and good people of Kogi State join millions of Nigerians to rejoice with His Excellency, our able Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), GCON on the occasion of his 63rd birthday anniversary. As an accomplished scholar, teacher, lawyer, administrator and a Man of God, you remained one of the nations leading experts on the Law of Evidence, National and Regional Corporate Commercial Laws and Public Laws. Since 2015 that you assumed office as Vice President, you have no doubt, displayed an uncommon passion and burning zeal for the overall growth, progress, development and unity of our dear country, Nigeria. Your Excellency, you have over time proven yourself to be a very dependable ally to our President and my own political father, President Muhammadu Buhari since the dispensation of this present leadership in the country. Permit me to use this auspicious occasion to appreciate you and your beloved wife for your immense supports and contributions towards the realization of my governorship aspirations for the first and second term. As you clock another year today, may the Almighty God continue to keep you in sound health, spirit, soul and body for many more years to accomplish more for the nation. Once again, hearty congratulations Your Excellency and do enjoy your day. Police in Kyrgyzstan on Sunday arrested dozens of protesters -- most of them women -- at a rally to mark International Women's Day after masked men attacked them and tore up their placards. An AFP correspondent saw dozens of women detained and placed in police vehicles in the centre of the capital Bishkek where women's groups had begun to rally against gender-based violence. The detentions came after the men wearing face masks and pointed national hats attacked the crowd, tearing up their posters, popping balloons with toy pistols and throwing eggs at the women before fleeing the scene. Erlan Atantayev, deputy head of the Sverdlovsky police department where the women were taken, told AFP that the protesters had been detained for their own safety and because police had not been warned about the rally. "Clashes began between the demonstrators and men wearing the face masks," said Atantayev. "We detained (the women) for violation of public order." Atantayev said that some of the demonstrators could face fines for resisting police. Police also detained three male assailants but did not chase after those who ran away. Journalist Nurjamal Djanibekova said that one of the attackers broke her telephone to prevent her filming the attack. Djanibekova said 70 people were being held in the Sverdlovsky police station. Atantayey told AFP police were carrying out "explanatory work" with the detained protesters. A court in Kyrgyzstan this week banned rallies in the centre of Bishkek until July 1 in response to a request by the city administration. But the city authorities later withdrew the request that came at the beginning of the country's traditional protest season and the court lifted the ban. Atantayev told AFP that he was unaware of the lifting of the ban, which the city administration had initially said was necessary to preserve public order and counter the threat of the novel coronavirus. Kyrgyzstan has so far had no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus that has killed 3,500 people and infected more than 100,000 across 95 nations and territories. Last year a March 8 demonstration angered conservative groups, who have grown in strength in recent years and complain the demonstrations promote gay rights. Kyrgyzstan, ex-Soviet Central Asia's most politically volatile country, is notorious for the illegal practice of bride kidnapping which boomed during independence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Advertisement A photographer has captured stunning images of pooches from underneath using plate glass - showing who the real underdogs are. Photographer Andrius Burba, 27, began the project 'Underlook' four years ago which specialises in photography from underneath. Since then, he has gone on to snap a whole range of adorable pups including Buddy the Golden Retriever, Milo the Pomeranian and Peanut the French Bulldog. Hilarious snaps showcase the true 'underdogs' as these gorgeous pooches are captured from underneath. Pictured is Hatchi the Samoyed Nami the Shiba Inu stares straight into the camera during the photo shoot organised by Photographer Andrius Burba, 27, from Lithuania Photographer Andrius Burba, 27, began the project 'Underlook' four years ago which specialises in photography from underneath. Pictured is Sfelton the Boxer Andrius, from Lithuania, has been a photographer for 13 years and quit his job in 2015 when he decided to focus on the new project which saw him photographing a whole range of animals including cats and even mice. These pics were taken during a trip to Cologne when the photographer offered people a free photo shoot for their pets. Andrius said: 'There was so many participants that in two weeks, we managed to photograph about 600 pets. Andrius, from Lithuania, has been a photographer for 13 years and quit his job in 2015 when he decided to focus on the new project which saw him photographing a whole range of animals including cats and even mice. Pictured is Picasso the Sheltie Peschka the Sheepadoodle was captured as part of the series of photos that were taken during a trip to cologne by the photographer The photographer has said that it was a very 'interesting, funny and frustrating journey' but the results paid off. Pictured is Ember the French Bulldog Pictured are Bella (left) and Milla (right) who are both Viszla breeds. The cute pooches pulled their best funny faces for the photoshoot 'It was a very interesting, funny and frustrating journey, but the results paid off. 'When I saw how cool and funny pets look from underneath, I was fascinated and I decided to try to make some photos for myself. 'My plan is to offer people professional photography from underneath as a service - my goal is to inspire other people. 'My favourite photo I have taken is called 'White Cloud' - I bet you can understand why once you look at them. One of the first dogs I photographed was a Pomeranian dog. The dog was so fluffy, that from underneath you can see only 4 paws and fluffy fur around'. The photographer said: 'My favourite photo I have taken is called 'White Cloud' - I bet you can understand why once you look at them. One of the first dogs I photographed was a Pomeranian dog. The dog was so fluffy, that from underneath you can see only 4 paws and fluffy fur around'. Pictured: Milo the Pomeranian The photographer said: 'When I saw how cool and funny pets look from underneath, I was fascinated and I decided to try to make some photos for myself'. Left: Chueo the French Bulldog-beagle mix, right: Mila the Havanese These pics were taken during a trip to Cologne when the photographer offered people a free photo shoot for their pets. Pictured: Chico the Yorkshire Terrier Photographer Andrius said: 'There was so many participants that in two weeks, we managed to photograph about 600 pets'. Left: Mora the Galgo Espanol, right: Cassy, a mixed breed Andrius at work. He said: 'My plan is to offer people professional photography from underneath as a service - my goal is to inspire other people' Peanut the French Bulldog works the camera during the photo shoot which took place in Cologne The photographer Andrius is pictured during the photo shoot with one of the dogs he worked with for the 'Underlook' project which he started four years ago Andrius, from Lithuania, has been a photographer for 13 years and quit his job in 2015 when he decided to focus on his new project Underlook Single-use plastic bags could be banned in NSW within 18 months if a state government discussion paper is acted upon. The paper released on Sunday calls for the phasing out of single-use plastic bags in NSW, as well as tripling the proportion of plastic recycled within 10 years and reducing plastic litter by a quarter. Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Sunday said the government would seek to legislate the bag ban by the end of the year and give business six months' notice before the ban comes into effect. Retail giants Coles and Woolworths have already banned the bags NSW is the only Australian state to not yet ban single-use plastic bags, while retail giants Coles and Woolworths have already banned the bags. The discussion paper will be open for public feedback for two months. 'We always want to make sure people aren't taken by surprise and have time to have their say and we're looking forward to moving forward after the consultation period,' Ms Berejiklian told reporters. 'We know other states have already done this but the difference with our paper is that it's whole-of-government, whole-of-plastics.' Ms Berejiklian said the plastics review follows the government's late-2017 enactment of a 'return and earn' container deposit scheme. Highlights Rana Kapoors daughter stopped at Mumbai Airport Roshini Kapoor stopped before she could fly to London A company linked to Kapoors daughter is under EDs radar Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoors daughter Roshini was stopped at Mumbai airport while attempting to board a flight to London on Sunday after her father was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the small hours in a case of alleged financial irregularities, including suspected money laundering, said a top ED official. The ED had issued lookout notices against Rana Kapoor and his family members including his wife Bindu Kapoor, daughters Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Radha Kapoor and Roshni Kapoor. ANI reported that Roshini was stopped before she could board a British Airways flight to London. ALSO WATCH | ED arrests Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor under money laundering charges Earlier today, after his arrest around 3 am, Kapoor was sent to EDs custody till March 11, where he is likely to be questioned over loans granted by Yes Bank to Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) which turned into non-performing assets (NPAs) along with other suspicious loans that are believed to have contributed to the banks present financial crisis. A news agency report said a company linked to Kapoors daughter had received loans from DHFL. It said the probe is likely to look at the possible quid pro quo in loans availed and granted by DHFL. ALSO READ:Yes Bank crisis: Rana Kapoors family under scanner as ED expands probe Kapoor is reported to have defended the DHFL loan to a company linked to his daughter in a Mumbai court on Sunday. Central Bureau of investigation also registered a case against Kapoor on Sunday to probe possible corruption and criminal conspiracy. Ranas arrest was carried out after he was questioned for hours at his Mumbai residence on Friday evening. Yes Bank is undergoing a financial crunch which has led to intervention by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian government. A moratorium has been imposed on the bank and the RBI has appointed an administrator to see it through the crisis period. The bank is battling NPAs and has failed to raise capital. RBI has barred withdrawal of more than 50,000 from bank deposits for a period of 30 days which ends on April 3 and has floated a draft plan to infuse fresh funds in the bank. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, which began in China in December 2019, has since spread rapidly around the world. The disease has now been detected in more than 75 countries, including India, causing over 3,000 deaths worldwide. It is caused by SARS-like corona virus. Other members of the group cause the common cold. The symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, fatigue, and a dry cough. Some patients have aches and pains, a sore throat, or diarrhoea. The good news is that for most people, the disease is mild; about 80% will recover from the disease without the need for special treatment. However, older people and those with medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes, may become seriously ill. About 2 to 3% of people with the disease have died. This death rate is much higher than for seasonal influenza (0.1%). Only 2% of confirmed cases have been in children and adolescents of less than 20 years it is unknown what role children play in transmission of the disease. There are as yet no specific treatments to treat the disease, nor is a vaccine available. Vaccines are in development, but it will be at least 12-18 months before any are ready for use. Many repurposed drugs (including those used to treat HIV, influenza and other viral infections) are undergoing clinical trials, along with adjunctive treatments. Currently, management consists of symptomatic and supportive treatment. India should participate in the research and development effort to develop new tools diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics for this novel virus, as well as contribute to better understanding of its epidemiology and transmission dynamics. The virus appears to spread through droplet transmission. When a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales, small droplets from the nose or mouth land on surfaces and objects around them. When others touch these surfaces and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth, or they breathe in droplets from an infected person, they can catch the virus. Fortunately, there are several things people can do to protect themselves. The most important is hand hygiene. People should wash their hands often with soap and water for 20 to 30 seconds; when water is not available, alcohol-based hand rubs should be used. Stay at least one metre (three feet) away from anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Practice good respiratory hygiene; cough or sneeze into a tissue or into your bent elbow. Dispose of used tissues immediately. People who feel unwell should stay at home. People who do not have symptoms do not need to wear a medical mask. But those who do have symptoms and those who are caring for people with symptoms should wear masks. The World Health Organization (WHO) is deeply concerned by disruptions to the global supply of personal protective equipment, including medical masks, gloves, gowns, and aprons. Some of these shortages have been caused by irrational panic buying. Everyone should follow the latest advice from national and local public health authorities. What should these authorities be doing now? All countries, including India, should have already activated their national public health emergency management mechanisms. For many countries, this will mean adapting an existing preparedness plan for influenza pandemics. The Integrated Health Information platform (IHIP) of the ministry of health can be used for epidemiological surveillance for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia. Large-scale laboratory testing is critical, as is information sharing. Cases need to be rapidly detected and their contacts comprehensively and rapidly traced. Infection prevention and control practices in health facilities and communities should be reviewed and enhanced where necessary. Health care facilities and staff should be prepared for large increases in numbers of people with suspected COVID-19. Geographic spread of the virus should be monitored, as well as transmission intensity, disease trends, characterisation of virologic features, and assessment of the impact of the disease on health care services. Information should be available for travellers and staff at points of entry (airports, ports). One of the most critical things governments can do is to communicate clearly and accurately with the public. People need to understand what public health authorities do and do not know about the disease, and what they are doing to contain it. Clear and consistent messages from trusted experts and community leaders need to be disseminated in local languages. Two-way channels, such as text and telephone hotlines, and social media should be established so the population can get information and ask questions. This is also key to combating the spread of myths and misinformation. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is for public officials to be transparent and open with the public. When citizens believe their government is being candid with them, they are more likely to take protective measures for themselves and their communities. Public health measures need to be tailored to particular situations and be frequently evaluated and updated, based on changing epidemiology. WHO is ready to assist India and all other countries in this outbreak. Technical guidance has been assembled, as well as a freely accessible database of publications on COVID-19. A wealth of resources, including a daily situation report, news releases, summaries of press briefings, and infographics for printing and social-media sharing, is available for the public, policymakers, clinicians, and public health officials. Coordination and collaboration are essential to combat this common threat. As the director general of WHO Dr Tedros has said Our greatest enemy right now is not the coronavirus itself. Its fear, rumours and stigma. And our greatest assets are facts, reason and solidarity. Soumya Swaminathan is chief scientist, World Health Organization, Geneva The views expressed are personal New Delhi: State-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is looking at setting up logistics bases in Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Sri Lanka as part of initiatives to woo the countries to buy India's light combat aircraft Tejas and military helicopters. Chairman and Managing Director of HAL R Madhavan said the HAL is considering to build logistics bases in the four countries as they use a number of Russian-origin military aircraft and choppers whose serviceability is "very poor". He said the HAL is now seriously focusing on boosting exports in sync with the government's priority and identified South East Asia, West Asia and North Africa to sell key platforms like Tejas, attack helicopter Rudra and advanced light helicopter Dhruv. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set an ambitious defence export target of $5 billion dollars in the next five years and asked all the key military manufacturers to work hard to achieve the target. "We are looking at setting up maintenance facilities in Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka. We can give them a lot of support to as these countries use lot of platforms which are common to India, and their serviceability is very poor," he told PTI. The HAL top executive said the company is looking at setting up maintenance facilities in these four countries as having logistics bases is key to sell the products and ensure after-sales services. Without divulging details, Madhavan said a number of countries in West Asia are also in touch with the HAL for possible procurement of its key products. "We now are looking at exports very seriously. A sizeable number of countries are showing lots of interests in the platforms we are producing as they are world class. We are in talks with so many countries," said the HAL chief. Specifically, he said that Tejas has a "very good" export potential as it is a four-and-half generation fighter jet which can compete with some of the famous military jets in its class. The Tejas has been Developed by Aeronautical Development Agency and the HAL. The lifespan of the jet would be a minimum of 30 years just like any other frontline combat aircraft. The combat jets are classified under various generations depending on their avionics, capability and weapons systems. The current fleet of fighter jets with the IAF range from three-and-half generation to the fourth generation. The Indian Air Force has already placed an order for 40 Tejas and is likely to seal a contract "very soon" with HAL for another 83 aircraft at a cost of around 38,000 crore. India is one of the largest importers of arms and military platforms globally. The government has been focusing significantly on promoting defence indigenisation by taking a slew of reform initiatives including liberalising FDI in defence sector. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics 2019 All languages General Assembly A/RES/74/178 International cooperation to address and counter the world drug problem ECOSOC Decision 2019/224 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its reconvened sixty-first session Decision 2019/225 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its sixty-second session and provisional agenda for its sixty-third session Decision 2019/226 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board CND Resolution 62/1 Strengthening international cooperation and comprehensive regulatory and institutional frameworks for the control of precursors used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances Resolution 62/2 Enhancing detection and identification capacity for synthetic drugs for non-medical use by increasing international collaboration Resolution 62/3 Promoting alternative development as a development-oriented drug control strategy Resolution 62/4 Advancing effective and innovative approaches, through national, regional and international action, to address the multifaceted challenges posed by the non-medical use of synthetic drugs, particularly synthetic opioids Resolution 62/5 Enhancing the capacity of Member States to adequately estimate and assess the need for internationally controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes Resolution 62/6 Promoting measures to prevent transmission of HIV attributable to drug use among women and for women who are exposed to risk factors associated with drug use, including by improving access to post-exposure prophylaxis Resolution 62/7 Promoting measures to prevent and treat viral hepatitis C attributable to drug use Resolution 62/8 Supporting the International Narcotics Control Board in fulfilling its treaty-mandated functions in cooperation with Member States and in collaboration with the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the World Health Organization Resolution 62/9 Budget for the biennium 2020-2021 for the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme Decision 62/1 Inclusion of parafluorobutyrylfentanyl in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 62/2 Inclusion of orthofluorofentanyl in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 62/3 Inclusion of methoxyacetylfentanyl in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 62/4 Inclusion of cyclopropylfentanyl in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 62/5 Inclusion of ADB-FUBINACA in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 62/6 Inclusion of FUB-AMB (MMB-FUBINACA, AMB-FUBINACA) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 62/7 Inclusion of CUMYL-4CN-BINACA in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 62/8 Inclusion of ADB-CHMINACA (MAB-CHMINACA) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 62/9 Inclusion of N-ethylnorpentylone (ephylone) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 62/10 Inclusion of "3,4-MDP-2-P methyl glycidate" ("PMK glycidate") (all stereoisomers) in Table I of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 Decision 62/11 Inclusion of 3,4-MDP-2-P methyl glycidic acid ("PMK glycidic acid") (all stereoisomers) in Table I of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 Decision 62/12 Inclusion of alpha-phenylacetoacetamide (APAA) (including its optical isomers) in Table I of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 Decision 62/13 Consideration of hydriodic acid for inclusion in the tables of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 Decision 62/14 Changes in the scope of control of substances: proposed scheduling recommendations by the World Health Organization on cannabis and cannabis-related substances 2018 All languages General Assembly A/RES/73/192 International cooperation to address and counter the world drug problem ECOSOC Decision 2018/245 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its reconvened sixtieth session Decision 2018/246 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its sixty-first session and provisional agenda for its sixty-second session Decision 2018/247 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board CND Resolution 61/1 Budget for the biennium 2018-2019 for the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme Resolution 61/2 Strengthening efforts to prevent drug abuse in educational settings Resolution 61/3 Laboratory support for the implementation of the scheduling decisions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs Resolution 61/4 Promoting measures for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and C and syphilis among women who use drugs Resolution 61/5 Promoting the implementation of the electronic International Import and Export Authorization System for licit trade in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances Resolution 61/6 Promoting the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development and related commitments on alternative development and regional, interregional and international cooperation on development-oriented, balanced drug control policy addressing socioeconomic issues Resolution 61/7 Addressing the specific needs of vulnerable members of society in response to the world drug problem Resolution 61/8 Enhancing and strengthening international and regional cooperation and domestic efforts to address the international threats posed by the non-medical use of synthetic opioids Resolution 61/9 Protecting children from the illicit drug challenge Resolution 61/10 Preparations for the ministerial segment to be held during the sixty-second session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, in 2019 Resolution 61/11 Promoting non-stigmatizing attitudes to ensure the availability of,access to and delivery of health, care and social services for drug users Decision 61/1 Inclusion of carfentanil in Schedules I and IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 61/2 Inclusion of ocfentanil in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 61/3 Inclusion of furanylfentanyl in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 61/4 Inclusion of acryloylfentanyl (acrylfentanyl) in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 61/5 Inclusion of 4-fluoroisobutyrfentanyl (4-FIBF, pFIBF) in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 61/6 Inclusion of tetrahydrofuranylfentanyl (THF-F) in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 61/7 Inclusion of AB-CHMINACA in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 61/8 Inclusion of 5F-MDMB-PINACA (5F-ADB) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 61/9 Inclusion of AB-PINACA in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 61/10 Inclusion of UR-144 in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 61/11 Inclusion of 5F-PB-22 in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 61/12 Inclusion of 4-fluoroamphetamine (4-FA) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 2017 All languages General Assembly A/RES/72/197 Promoting the implementation of the United Nations, Guiding Principles on Alternative Development and related commitments on alternative development and regional, interregional and international cooperation on development-oriented, balanced drug control policy addressing socioeconomic issues A/RES/72/198 International cooperation to address and counter the world drug problem ECOSOC E/RES/2017/20 Promoting the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development and related commitments on alternative development and regional, interregional and international cooperation on development-oriented, balanced drug control policy addressing socioeconomic issues Decision 2017/236 Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: extension of the mandate of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Decision 2017/240 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its reconvened fifty-ninth session Decision 2017/241 Preparations for the sixty-second session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in 2019 Decision 2017/242 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its sixtieth session and provisional agenda for its sixty-first session Decision 2017/243 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board CND Resolution 60/1 Preparations for the sixty-second session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in 2019 Resolution 60/2 Strengthening international cooperation to assist the States most affected by the illicit transit of drugs, especially developing countries, based on the principle of common and shared responsibility Resolution 60/3 Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: recommendations of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Resolution 60/4 Preventing and responding to the adverse health consequences and risks associated with the use of new psychoactive substances Resolution 60/5 Increasing international coordination relating to precursors and non-scheduled precursor chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances Resolution 60/6 Intensifying coordination and cooperation among United Nations entities and relevant domestic sectors, including the health, education and criminal justice sectors, to address and counter the world drug problem Resolution 60/7 Promoting scientific evidence-based community, family and school programmes and strategies for the purpose of preventing drug use among children and adolescents Resolution 60/8 Promoting measures to prevent HIV and other blood-borne diseases associated with the use of drugs, and increasing financing for the global HIV/AIDS response and for drug use prevention and other drug demand reduction measures Resolution 60/9 Enhancing the capacity of law enforcement, border control and other relevant agencies to counter illicit drug trafficking through training Resolution 60/10 Budget for the biennium 2018-2019 for the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme Decision 60/1 Strengthening the subsidiary bodies of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs Decision 60/2 Inclusion of U-47700 in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 60/3 Inclusion of butyrfentanyl in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 60/4 Inclusion of 4-MEC (4-methylethcathinone) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 60/5 Inclusion of ethylone in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 60/6 Inclusion of pentedrone in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 60/7 Inclusion of ethylphenidate in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 60/8 Inclusion of MPA (methiopropamine) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 60/9 Inclusion of MDMB-CHMICA in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 60/10 Inclusion of 5F-APINACA (5F-AKB-48) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 60/11 Inclusion of XLR-11 in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 60/12 Inclusion of 4-anilino-N-phenethylpiperidine (ANPP) in Table I of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 Decision 60/13 Inclusion of N-phenethyl-4-piperidone (NPP) in Table I of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 2016 All languages General Assembly Resolution S-30/1 Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem Resolution A/RES/71/210 Promoting the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development Resolution A/RES/71/211 International cooperation to address and counter the world drug problem ECOSOC E/RES/2016/19 Promoting the implementation of the United Nation Guiding Principles on Alternative Development Decision 2016/246 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-ninth session and provisional agenda for its sixtieth session Decision 2016/247 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board CND Resolution 59/1 Special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016: Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem Resolution 59/2 Outcomes of the meetings of the subsidiary bodies of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, including the Abu Dhabi declaration Resolution 59/3 Promoting informal networking within the scientific community and the sharing of scientific evidence-based findings that may inform policies and practices to address the world drug problem Resolution 59/4 Development and dissemination of international standards for the treatment of drug use disorders Resolution 59/5 Mainstreaming a gender perspective in drug-related policies and programmes Resolution 59/6 Promoting prevention strategies and policies Resolution 59/7 Promotion of proportionate sentencing for drug-related offences of an appropriate nature in implementing drug control policies Resolution 59/8 Promotion of measures to target new psychoactive substances and amphetamine-type stimulants Resolution 59/9 Implementation of the budget for the biennium 2016-2017 for the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme Decision 59/1 Inclusion of acetylfentanyl in Schedules I and IV of the Single Convetion on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 59/2 Inclusion of MT-45 in Schedule I of the Single Convetion on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 59/3 Inclusion of para-methoxymethylamphetamine (PMMA) in Schedule I of the Convention of Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 59/4 Inclusion of -pyrrolidinovalerophenone (-PVP) in Schedule II of the Convention of Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 59/5 Inclusion of para-methyl-4-methylaminorex (4,4'-DMAR) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 59/6 Inclusion of methoxetamine (MXE) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 59/7 Inclusion of phenazepam in Schedule IV of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 2015 All languages General Assembly Resolution A/RES/70/181 Special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 Resolution A/RES/70/182 International cooperation against the world drug problem ECOSOC Resolution 2015/25 Special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 Decision 2015/234 Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: extension of the mandate of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Decision 2015/237 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its reconvened fifty-seventh session Decision 2015/238 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-eighth session and provisional agenda for its fifty-ninth session Decision 2015/239 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board CND Resolution 58/1 Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: recommendations of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Resolution 58/2 Supporting the availability, accessibility and diversity of scientific evidence-based treatment and care for children and young people with substance use disorders Resolution 58/3 Promoting the protection of children and young people, with particular reference to the illicit sale and purchase of internationally or nationally controlled substances and of new psychoactive substances via the Internet Resolution 58/4 Promoting the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development Resolution 58/5 Supporting the collaboration of public health and justice authorities in pursuing alternative measures to conviction or punishment for appropriate drug-related offences of a minor nature Resolution 58/6 Strengthening international cooperation in preventing and combating illicit financial flows linked to drug trafficking, from the anti-money-laundering perspective Resolution 58/7 Strengthening cooperation with the scientific community, including academia, and promoting scientific research in drug demand and supply reduction policies in order to find effective solutions to various aspects of the world drug problem Resolution 58/8 Special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 Resolution 58/9 Promoting the role of drug analysis laboratories worldwide and reaffirming the importance of the quality of the analysis and results of such laboratories Resolution 58/10 Promoting the use of the international electronic import and export authorization system for licit international trade in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances Resolution 58/11 Promoting international cooperation in responding to new psychoactive substances and amphetamine-type stimulants, including methamphetamine Resolution 58/12 Budget for the biennium 2016-2017 for the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme Decision 58/1 Inclusion of mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 58/2 Review of ketamine Decision 58/3 Inclusion of AH-7921 in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol Decision 58/4 Review of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) Decision 58/5 Review of 1,4-butanediol Decision 58/6 Inclusion of 25B-NBOMe (2C-B-NBOMe) in Schedule I of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 58/7 Inclusion of 25C-NBOMe (2C-C-NBOMe) in Schedule I of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 58/8 Inclusion of 25I-NBOMe (2C-I-NBOMe) in Schedule I of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 58/9 Inclusion of N-benzylpiperazine (BZP) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 58/10 Inclusion of JWH-018 in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 58/11 Inclusion of AM-2201 in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 58/12 Inclusion of 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 58/13 Inclusion of methylone ( beta-keto-MDMA) in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Decision 58/14 Provisional agenda for the special segment to be held during the reconvened fifty-eighth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, on preparations for the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 Decision 58/15 Preliminary provisional agenda for the special segment to be held during the fifty-ninth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, on preparations for the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 Decision 58/16 Preparations for the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 2014 All languages General Assembly A/RES/69/200 Special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 A/RES/69/201 International cooperation against the world drug problem ECOSOC Resolution 2014/24 Special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 Decision 2014/233 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its reconvened fifty-sixth session Decision 2014/234 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-seventh session and provisional agenda for its fifty-eighth session Decision 2014/235 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board CND Resolution 57/1 Promoting the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development and proposal to organize an international seminar/workshop on the implementation of the Guiding Principles Resolution 57/2 Drug abuse prevention through sport: promoting a society free of drug abuse through sport and the Olympic ideal Resolution 57/3 Promoting prevention of drug abuse based on scientific evidence as an investment in the well-being of children, adolescents, youth, families and communities Resolution 57/4 Supporting recovery from substance use disorders Resolution 57/5 Special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 Resolution 57/6 Education and training on drug use disorders Resolution 57/7 Providing sufficient health services to individuals affected by substance use disorders during long-term and sustained economic downturns Resolution 57/8 Raising awareness and strengthening international cooperation in combating drug trafficking, which in some cases, misuses activities related to opium poppy seeds for illicit purposes, also produced from illicit opium poppy crops Resolution 57/9 Enhancing international cooperation in the identification and reporting of new psychoactive substances and incidents involving such substances Resolution 57/10 Preventing the diversion of ketamine from legal sources while ensuring its availability for medical use Resolution 57/11 Strengthening and expanding international cooperation to counter the threats posed by illicit production and manufacturing, trafficking and abuse of drugs in the Greater Mekong subregion Resolution 57/12 Implementation of the budget for the biennium 2014-2015 for the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme Decision 57/1 Inclusion of alpha-phenylacetoacetonitrile and its optical isomers in Table I of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 Decision 57/2 Preparations for the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 Decision 57/3 Provisional agenda for the special segment to be held during the fifty-eighth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, in March 2015, on preparations for the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 2013 All languages General Assembly A/RES/68/196 United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development A/RES/68/197 International cooperation against the world drug problem ECOSOC Resolution 2013/42 United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development Decision 2013/248 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its reconvened fifty-fifth session Decision 2013/249 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-sixth session and provisional agenda for its fifty-seventh session Decision 2013/250 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board CND Resolution 56/1 Implementation of the budget for the biennium 2012-2013 for the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme Resolution 56/2 Accra declaration Resolution 56/3 Strengthening international cooperation in combating illicit opiates originating in Afghanistan through continuous and reinforced support to the Paris Pact initiative Resolution 56/4 Enhancing international cooperation in the identification and reporting of new psychoactive substances Resolution 56/5 Promoting the sharing of expertise in and knowledge on forensic drug profiling Resolution 56/6 Intensifying the efforts to achieve the targets of the 2011 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS among people who use drugs, in particular the target to reduce HIV transmission among people who inject drugs by 50 per cent by 2015 Resolution 56/7 Promoting the development and use of the international electronic import and export authorization system for licit international trade in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances Resolution 56/8 Promoting initiatives for the safe, secure and appropriate return for disposal of prescription drugs, in particular those containing narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances under international control Resolution 56/9 Strengthening of the principle of common and shared responsibility as the basis for guiding international action in combating the world drug problem with a comprehensive and balanced approach Resolution 56/10 Tools to improve data collection to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem Resolution 56/11 Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: recommendations of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Resolution 56/12 Preparations for the high-level review of the implementation by Member States of the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem Resolution 56/13 Precursors: raising awareness on the diversion in international trade of non-scheduled substances for use as alternatives to scheduled substances in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances Resolution 56/14 Strengthening international cooperation in addressing the non-medical use and abuse, the illicit manufacture and the illicit domestic and international distribution of tramadol Resolution 56/15 Follow-up to the Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem with respect to the development of strategies on voluntary marketing tools for products stemming from alternative development, including preventive alternative development Resolution 56/16 Enhancing international cooperation to strengthen efforts in West Africa to counter illicit drug trafficking Resolution 56/17 Budget for the biennium 2014-2015 for the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme Decision 56/1 Transfer of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid from Schedule IV to Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 2012 All languages General Assembly Resolution 67/193 International cooperation against the world drug problem ECOSOC Resolution 2012/12 Strategy for the period 2012-2015 for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Decision 2012/240 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its reconvened fifty-fourth session Decision 2012/241 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-fifth session and provisional agenda for its fifty-sixth session Decision 2012/242 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2011 CND Resolution 55/1 Promoting international cooperation in responding to the challenges posed by new psychoactive substances Resolution 55/2 Promoting programmes aimed at the treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of drug-dependent persons released from prison settings Resolution 55/3 One hundredth anniversary of the International Opium Convention Resolution 55/4 Follow-up on the proposal to organize an international workshop and conference on alternative development Resolution 55/5 Promoting strategies and measures addressing specific needs of women in the context of comprehensive and integrated drug demand reduction programmes and strategies Resolution 55/6 Developing an international electronic import and export authorization system for licit trade in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances Resolution 55/7 Promoting measures to prevent drug overdose, in particular opioid overdose Resolution 55/8 Follow-up to the Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem with respect to the development of strategies on special marketing regimes for alternative development, including preventive alternative development Resolution 55/9 Follow-up on measures to support African States in their efforts to combat the world drug problem Resolution 55/10 Promoting evidence-based drug prevention strategies and policies Resolution 55/11 Follow-up to the Third Ministerial Conference of the Paris Pact Partners on Combating Illicit Traffic in Opiates Originating in Afghanistan Resolution 55/12 Alternatives to imprisonment for certain offences as demand reduction strategies that promote public health and public safety Decision 55/1 Organization of work for the future sessions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs 2011 All languages General Assembly Resolution 66/183 International cooperation against the world drug problem ECOSOC Resolution 2011/34 Support for the development and implementation of an integrated approach to programme development at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Decision 2011/258 Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: extension of the mandate of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Decision 2011/259 Joint meetings of the reconvened sessions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Decision 2011/260 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its reconvened fifty-third session and provisional agenda for its fifty-fourth session Decision 2011/261 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-fourth session and provisional agenda for its fifty-fifth session Decision 2011/262 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board CND Resolution 54/1 Implementation of the budget for the biennium 2010-2011 for the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme Resolution 54/2 Promoting international cooperation to prevent drug-affected driving Resolution 54/3 Ensuring the availability of reference and test samples of controlled substances at drug testing laboratories for scientific purposes Resolution 54/4 Follow-up on the proposal to organize an international workshop and conference on alternative development Resolution 54/5 Promoting rehabilitation- and reintegration-oriented strategies in response to drug use disorders and their consequences that are directed at promoting health and social well-being among individuals, families and communities Resolution 54/6 Promoting adequate availability of internationally controlled narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their diversion and abuse Resolution 54/7 Paris Pact initiative Resolution 54/8 Strengthening international cooperation and regulatory and institutional frameworks for the control of precursor chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of synthetic drugs Resolution 54/9 Improving quality and building monitoring capacity for the collection, reporting and analysis of data on the world drug problem and policy responses to it Resolution 54/10 Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: recommendations of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Resolution 54/11 Improving the participatory role of civil society in addressing the world drug problem Resolution 54/12 Revitalization of the principle of common and shared responsibility in countering the world drug problem Resolution 54/13 Achieving zero new infections of HIV among injecting and other drug users Resolution 54/14 Measures to support African States in their efforts to combat the world drug problem Resolution 54/15 Promotion of international cooperation to assist the States most affected by the transit of drugs Resolution 54/16 Budget for the biennium 2012-2013 for the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme Resolution 54/17 Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: recommendations of the standing openended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on evaluation and oversight 2010 All languages General Assembly A/RES/65/233 International cooperation against the world drug problem ECOSOC E/RES/2010/21 Realignment of the functions of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and changes to the strategic framework E/DEC/2010/244 Report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fifty-third session and provisional agenda and documentation for the fifty-fourth session of the Commission E/DEC/2010/245 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board CND Resolution 53/1 Promoting community-based drug use prevention Resolution 53/2 Preventing the use of illicit drugs within Member States and strengthening international cooperation on policies of drug abuse prevention Resolution 53/3 Strengthening national capacities in the administration and disposal of property and other assets confiscated in cases of drug trafficking and related offences Resolution 53/4 Promoting adequate availability of internationally controlled licit drugs for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their diversion and abuse Resolution 53/5 Strengthening regional cooperation between Afghanistan and transit States and the contribution of all affected countries to counter-narcotics efforts, based on the principle of common and shared responsibility Resolution 53/6 Follow-up to the promotion of best practices and lessons learned for the sustainability and integrality of alternative development programmes and the proposal to organize an international workshop and conference on alternative development Resolution 53/7 International cooperation in countering the covert administration of psychoactive substances related to sexual assault and other criminal acts Resolution 53/8 Strengthening international cooperation in countering the world drug problem focusing on illicit drug trafficking and related offences Resolution 53/9 Achieving universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support for drug users and people living with or affected by HIV Resolution 53/10 Measures to protect children and young people from drug abuse Resolution 53/11 Promoting the sharing of information on the potential abuse of and trafficking in synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists Resolution 53/12 Strengthening systems for the control of the movement of poppy seeds obtained from illicitly grown opium poppy crops Resolution 53/13 Use of "poppers" as an emerging trend in drug abuse in some regions Resolution 53/14 Follow-up to the implementation of the Santo Domingo Pact and Managua Mechanism Resolution 53/15 Strengthening international cooperation and regulatory and institutional frameworks for the control of substances frequently used in the manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances Resolution 53/16 Streamlining of the annual report questionnaire Decision 53/1 Transfer of phenylacetic acid from Table II to Table I of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 Decision 53/2 Follow-up to the revised draft annual report questionnaire PLUMAS COUNTY, Calif. - Officers with the Butte County Sheriff's Office worked to locate and save a mother and her one-year-old child when she took a wrong turn and her vehicle got stuck in the snow in Plumas County. This all started on Friday, March 6 just before 9 p.m., Butte County Sheriff's Office says they received a call from a woman stating she was en route to Oroville from Sacramento with her one-year-old baby. The woman told our dispatchers her GPS had her take Lumpkin Road off Highway 70 but she now didnt know where she was and was stuck in the snow. Officials say as temperatures dipped, our dispatchers kept talking with her to get a better location of where the womans car was stuck. Officials say dispatchers were unable to get a GPS location from her phone and an aircraft from CHP Air Operations responded to assist but was not able to continue due to weather conditions. Sgt. Evans and Deputy Brannon responded, started from Lumpkin Road, and searched the area using landmarks and signs the woman remembered seeing while driving. Officials say just before 1:00 a.m., Deputy Brannon located the woman and her child, safe in her vehicle on Hartman Bar Ridge Road in Plumas County. Deputy Brannon was able to get her vehicle out of the snow, and Deputy Brannon and Sgt. Evans escorted her back down the hill to Oroville. The Saudi-led coalition has started a military operation against Houthi rebels in the coastal village of Salif, in the western province of Hodeidah, Yemen, Al Arabiya reported on Saturday. It also announced the destruction of Houthi sites that were reportedly used for manufacturing explosive-laden boats and drones in Salif, Trend reports citing Sputnik. The coalition asked the civilians in Salif not to approach the targeted sites. In late February, Saudi Air Defence intercepted and destroyed several ballistic missiles launched from Yemen's capital of Sanaa towards its territory, Saudi media reported. Yemen has been engulfed in an ongoing armed conflict between pro-Saudi forces led by President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Houthis since 2015. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 00:10:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A Palestinian vendor dresses up a mannequin with a mask outside his clothing shop in Gaza City, on March 7, 2020, as part of an effort by a Palestinian merchant to raise public awareness of COVID-19. Palestine on Saturday announced that the number of COVID-19 cases in Palestine has risen to 19 after three new cases were confirmed. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) RAMALLAH, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Saturday announced that the number of COVID-19 cases in Palestine has risen to 19 after three new cases were confirmed. Ibrahim Melhem, spokesman of the Palestinian government, said in a press statement that the three new cases were confirmed in the West Bank city of Bethlehem who had been in contact with the workers of a hotel in the city, where the virus broke out on Thursday. The infected people have been put in quarantine in Bethlehem, Melhem added. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, over 500 Palestinians were tested for the coronavirus, and some 350 were put in quarantine. Most of them are Palestinians arriving in the West Bank after traveling abroad. Fiona Hill, President Trumps former top adviser on Russian affairs who testified before the House impeachment inquiry, says Vladimir Putin has the United States exactly where he wants us. Hill, who served as senior director for European and Russian Affairs on Trumps National Security Council under John Bolton, told CBS News 60 Minutes that Moscow is manipulating the divisive nature of American politics to serve its own ends. She said that Russia, which is accused of interfering in the 2016 presidential elections, is exploiting divisions in American society. The Russians didn't invent partisan divides, Hill said. The Russians haven't invented racism in the United States. Fiona Hill, 54, was President Trump's top adviser on Russia before she left the National Security Council in July of last year. She is seen above during an interview with 60 Minutes, which will air Sunday on CBS television According to Hill, Russian President Vladimir Putin (seen above in Moscow on Friday) is exploiting divisions within American society to sow discord and to undermine the legitimacy of national institutions But the Russians understand a lot of those divisions, and they understand how to exploit them. Russia has denied interfering in the US elections. Hill claims that Putin is satisfied with the bitter divide that has pitted Americans against one another. Putin, sadly, has got all of our political class, every single one of us, including the media, exactly where he wants us, Hill says. He's got us feeling vulnerable on edge, and he's got us questioning the legitimacy of our own systems. When asked if the US and Russia were in another Cold War, Hill replied: There is no ideological struggle. The Cold War were two systems against each other. In a sense, we're in the same system. We're competitors. Hill was one of nine government officials who testified before the House Intelligence Committee in November as lawmakers gathered evidence that served as the basis for the impeachment of Trump. Trump was acquitted in the Senate of two articles of impeachment over his actions toward Ukraine. The president conditioned military aid to the Eastern European country on its government's willingness to conduct investigations into domestic political opponents, namely Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Hill was one of nine government officials who testified before the House Intelligence Committee during the impeachment inquiry in November. She is seen left alongside David Holmes, an official from the American embassy in Ukraine, on November 21 on Capitol Hill Trump has accused Biden of corruption without offering evidence. Biden, a leading contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, has denied any wrongdoing. In November, Hill told lawmakers that a separate group of officials were running a Ukraine policy that was 'domestic and political in nature.' In her testimony, Hill outlined how EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland had been sent on a 'domestic political errand' on Trump's behalf that would 'blow up' and she warned against the dangers of mixing together domestic and foreign politics. 'He was being involved in a domestic political errand, and we were being involved in national security foreign policy,' she said of Sondland in her testimony, 'and those two things had just diverged.' She admitted to clashes with Sondland - particularly with his lack of coordination on a staff level - and said she told him flat-out: '"I think this is all going to blow up" and here we are.' During her testimony, Hill urged lawmakers not to promote 'politically driven falsehoods' that cast doubt on Russias interference in the 2016 US election. Hill and others testified that the Trump administration pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (seen left with Trump in New York in September 2019) to launch investigations into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, while using military aid as leverage Hill said some members of the panel appeared to believe that Russia and its security services did not meddle in the 2016 presidential race to support Trump, and that perhaps Ukraine did. 'This is a fictional narrative that has been perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves,' said Hill. 'In the course of this investigation, I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests,' she said during the hearing, which ended after more than five hours of testimony. Hill left the National Security Council in July of last year. She is currently a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a Washington, DC, think tank. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday presented 'Nari Shakti Puruskar' to Indian Air Force's first women fighter pilots Mohana Singh Jitarwal, Avani Chaturvedi and Bhawana Kanth. Last year, Flight Lieutenant Mohana Singh Jitarwal scripted history as the first-ever woman pilot to become operational on Hawk advanced jet aircraft. Singh along with Bhawna Kanth and Avani Chaturvedi joined the fighter stream in June 2016. The three of them are the first Indian women pilots to have taken a solo flight in MIG-21 in 2018. "I thank the Indian Air Force that we are now getting the opportunity to go into fighters. My message to all is that keep striving to achieve your dreams," Jitarwal told ANI after receiving the award. Flight lieutenant Bhawana Kanth said that the award gives the much-needed motivation to all women who aspire to be something in life. "Such an award is a privilege to us for all the hard work we put through. It gives a lot of motivation to the services that we are doing and to all the ladies who aspire of becoming something in the future," Kanth told ANI. Flight Lieutenant Avani Chaturvedi made it clear that only determination and hard work can help overcome all obstacles that one might face in their careers. "Whatever career you select for yourself, be determined and work hard because only that will help you to clear the obstacles that may come into your way," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) File photo The Nation reports that after previous attempts to nab Madam Queen, a notorious drug dealer, the Sokoto state Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the weekend confirmed her arrest along 18 others in a latest operation it carried out in Sokoto. Queen , known to be a popular drug baron is said to be on the top list of those under watch by the agency. Briefing reporters on the break- through, the agencys state Commander, Mr.Yakubu Kido said Queen as popularly known, had been in the most wanted list of the agencys state command for over a decade. According to Kido , the suspect had been into the illegal business of assorted drugs as a major dealer syndicate of Cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp), across Sokoto State before her arrest alongside 18 others who were discovered to be her sales boys. The notorious Madam Queen , according to the Commander was residing at Raymond village in Dange Shuni Local Government Area of Sokoto State before her arrest on February 28, 2020 in the same village where Pentazocine injection among others were also found in her possession. Pentazocine injection is topping the chart as a class A of prohibited and illegal drugs worldwide, Kido said. Disclosing further, Kido said the command had within the month of February 2020, it seized 141.534kg worth of illegal drugs within the state. The seizures, he explained , include tramadol diazepam, pentazocine injection and 134.128kg of cannabis Sativa while adding that a popular hotel in the state capital was raided along some drugs black spots within he metropolis in the month of February. In the same vein, Kido said following the commands frantic operational activities, noted that, sanity had been restored to the hotel. He however, disclosed that committed efforts were being fast tracked in making the state drug abuse free. A bus carrying COVID-19 patients leaves a virus-hit apartment complex in Daegu, Sunday. The apartment complex had been under lockdown as a third of its residents were confirmed to be infected with the virus. Most of them were followers of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. / Korea Times photo by Kim Jea-hyun Number of COVID-19 infections exceeds 7,000 By Jun Ji-hye The health authorities here are taking extra care with nursing homes, retirement complexes and other facilities housing the elderly as the COVID-19 epidemic has hit senior citizens harder than any other age group, officials said Sunday. Medical experts said while a major cluster of infections linked to the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus is expected to slow in the coming weeks, the emergence of other mass infections at those facilities is posing a special challenge for the government's quarantine efforts to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) confirmed 179 new cases as of 9 p.m., Sunday, bringing the nation's total number of infections to 7,313. On Saturday, the KCDC detected 367 additional cases. So far, 50 people have died from the virus, most of whom were elderly patients with underlying illnesses. Several cases seen as mass infections have already been reported at nursing facilities and retirement complexes where the frailest of senior citizens reside. According to North Gyeongsang Provincial Government, about 140 people have been confirmed to be infected with the virus at 23 nursing homes and other social welfare facilities in the province. About a third of the patients are from a nursing home in Bonghwa in the province after two inpatients there tested positive for the coronavirus March 4. A retirement complex located in Gyeongsan in the province has seen about 20 confirmed coronavirus infections since the first patient was reported there March 5. Amid growing concern over the risk of mass infections facing the elderly, North Gyeongsang Provincial Government has decided to put all 573 social welfare facilities under cohort isolation from Monday to March 22 as a precautious measure. Cohort isolation refers to the shutdown of entire facilities to prevent the spread of a virus. "We have designated the social welfare facilities of the province as virus danger zones," North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo said during a briefing. "We will seal the entries of the facilities. This is not advice, but a compulsory measure." Mass infections have been reported at Munsung Hospital in Daegu, and at Bundang Jesaeng Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Both hospitals were closed to be disinfected to prevent further mass infections. "Mass infections are increasing at hospitals, social welfare facilities and religious institutions," KCDC Director Jung Eun-kyeong said during a briefing. "What is the most important for now is to prevent the virus from spreading at nursing homes." Cheon Eun-mi, a pulmonologist at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, said the next two to three weeks will be crucial in the government's fight against COVID-19. "As the government's investigation into Shincheonji followers has been almost completed, the number of patients related to the church is expected to decrease. A bigger problem is that mass infections at large hospitals, nursing homes and apartments have occurred sporadically." Citing the example of Italy, she said, "Most fatalities in Italy were those over 80, meaning the death rate among the elderly is higher. Elderly patients must receive treatment as inpatients." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said earlier in the day that citizens' cooperation was essential in resolving a serious shortage of facial masks and ensuring their smooth distribution, encouraging people to use cotton ones instead of disposable ones. Chung's televised message to the public came a day before the government's implementation of measures that call for citizens to buy only two protective masks per week from pharmacies on designated days of the week, in accordance with the final number of their year of birth. James Casey (L) and his companion attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Phoenix Orphuem in Arizona, on March 7, 2020. (Yawen Hung/The Epoch Times) PHOENIXThroughout time, artists have sought inspiration from the divine in order to imbue their work with the most moving feelings and sublime beauty possible. Shen Yun Performing Arts out of New York continues this tradition and in March 2020, one of its seven touring companies took its renowned classical Chinese dance performance to Phoenix to share divinely-inspired storytelling dances and songs with Arizona residents. James Casey is one such audience member who took in Shen Yun on March 7, 2020, at the Phoenix Orpheum and was inspired by the spirituality and goodness he saw in the production. Casey has served as the vice president on the board of directors for Arizona Interfaith and brought to bear his familiarity with one traditional Chinese faith in particularFalun Dafathat he greatly respects and that he spotted in Shen Yun. Phenomenal. Phenomenal, was his response to his Shen Yun experience as a whole. I personally practice Tai-Chi most of my life and Taekwondo. All of the moves are in the dance. But Ive also studied dance. There [in Shen Yun] is an amazing performance of [dance], gymnastics, and martial arts. Its all blended as dance. This is my second time. This is the best so far Ive seen, he said. A little-known fact is that classical Chinese dance is actually the historical precursor to gymnastics and is where many of gymnastics tumbling techniques originate from. [Shen Yun] is extremely spiritual. Its nice how they tie the spiritual in with the dance movements and the message, Casey said. Traditional Chinese culture, which Shen Yun seeks to revive, is a deeply spiritual culture to begin with. It contains profound spiritual practices such as Buddhism, Daoism, and Falun Dafa, an ancient meditation practice centered around truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance and five energy-strengthening exercises. Falun Dafa is all about spreading good in our world. Unfortunately, theyve been persecuted in Chinaand most people dont know thatfor their organs because followers of Falun Dafa are very healthy people. Casey did not only just learn about these unfortunate events from Shen Yuns performance, which includes short vignettes that depict the persecution Casey mentioned. Casey has had more brushes with Falun Dafa and its followers than most due to his interfaith work. And, in fact, Shen Yuns artists themselves practice Falun Dafa, and say they find inner peace, increased strength, and better performance skills from the practice. I am in sales, but my volunteer work is in interfaith. I have been in the board of directors for Arizona Interfaith as a vice president. We represent 26 faith groups. One of our faith groups is Falun Dafa, so I am very familiar with Falun Dafa, Casey added. Casey could not pick just one aspect of Shen Yun that he enjoyed the most. I cant say one specific part. I mean the costuming is incredible. And the way they used props, just all the props, long sleeves, and how they worked that into the dance performance and choreography. Its just beauty. Its colorful. Its invigorating. Its inspiring. It just makes you feel good, he said. Its wonderful because you can see the story within the dance, he added. Finally, Caseys interfaith leadership background allowed him to appreciate the effect Shen Yun is having on a broader scale. I think its wonderful what this organization or this dance troupe is doing. Because not only are they entertaining, but they are educating as well. With reporting by Yawen Hung and Brett Featherstone. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday said his government is determined to empower women by ensuring them their rights and giving them employment opportunities. Baghel, in the eighth edition of his monthly radio address programme 'Lokvaani', spoke on 'Equal Opportunities for Women' on the occasion of International Women's Day on Sunday. Baghel said the sex ratio in Chhattisgarh is better than the national average and was continuously improving, adding that in tribal-dominated regions in the state, there were more females than males, which is an example for the entire world. "Women dedicate their entire lives in nurturing their families and are referred to as 'Annapoorna' (goddess of food). But if they suffer problems like malnutrition and anemia, how would they bear a healthy child and this would lead to an unhealthy generation. This is the reason why we believe malnutrition is a greater threat to the state than Naxalism and terrorism," he said. Baghel hailed works being done under 'Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao Abhiyan' in Raigarh and Bijapur districts of the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A New York rabbi who has tested positive for the coronavirus held services at a Passaic temple on February 23, possibly exposing congregants to the virus. The rabbi, who has not been identified, attended the synagogue Agudas Yisroel Bircas Yaakov of Passaic, according to a spokeswoman for Gov. Phil Murphy. State officials previously said that members of the synagogue were notified on Saturday morning of the possible exposure, and were told to contact local health officials if they developed any symptoms of the disease, which causes COVID-19. New Jersey has four people that have tested positive for the coronavirus so far three cases in Bergen County, and one in Camden County. Another 19 people were being tested Saturday, including some who came into contact with people who have already tested positive for coronavirus, health officials said. Staff reporter Rebecca Panico contributed to this report. Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 03:52:56|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The benefits of gender equality are not just for women and girls, but "for everyone whose lives will be changed by a fairer world," UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has said in her video message for International Women's Day, which falls on Sunday. In 2020, a massive year for gender equality, "we're mobilizing to realize women's rights, and to mark 25 years of implementing the Beijing Platform for Action" -- the historic and landmark gender equality plan drawn up in the Chinese capital, the UN Women chief said. "We don't have an equal world at the moment and women are angry and concerned about the future," she said. "They are radically impatient for change. It's an impatience that runs deep, and it has been brewing for years." Mlambo-Ngcuka underscored that girls are disappointed with "the stewardship of our planet, the unabated violence directed against them and the slow pace of change in fulcrum issues like education." "My greatest impatience is with unmoving economic inequality," she said, calling it "a driver of repeating poverty." She said that policies are needed, which promote equality in childcare responsibilities and provide state support to families and those who work in the informal economy. Though "radically impatient," Mlambo-Ngcuka said "we are not giving up." She cited the hopes: growing support in tackling gender-bias barriers, a driving will for change across generations and countries, and the last 25 years showing what is needed to accelerate action for equality. Police Beat a Man to Death and Claim He Died From Coronavirus A Chinese man in the Netherlands told NTDTV (New Tang Dynasty Television) that his brother in Wuhan died from police brutality, after hanging out with friends at midnight. Chen Zhonghe, former citizen of Wuhan who now lives in the Netherlands: The point I am making is that people in China, especially people in Wuhan, are suffering a double whammy. The first blow is the large number of deaths from the coronavirus epidemic. Many people were hospitalized, and some have lost their lives. This is the blow of the epidemic. The second blow is the tyranny of CCP, which I have experienced myself. My brother, the fourth child in my family, went out at midnight on Feb. 22, probably to drink with his friends because he couldnt bear staying at home any longer. When he returned home at 2 a.m., the police came, took him out, and 4 or 5 of them beat him cruelly. He died the next day. The hospital has detected Intracranial Hemorrhage, and, allegedly, pulmonary shadow suggesting coronavirus pneumonia. He was labelled as a suspected case of coronavirus in his death certificate. He explained further that the violent and unlawful acts of CCP police have caused horrific injuries to people in Wuhan. He mentioned a video in which police were hauling a woman out of her car. During the wrestling and fighting, they broke her neck and killed her. In communist China, police are trained to become heartless minions to help the Chinese regime suppress political dissidents. When police are ordered to enforce strict measures to combat the coronavirus, they apply the same brutality used against political dissidents to all Chinese citizens. THREE Limerick politicians are now clocking up the miles in earnest, chasing down votes for Senate seats. The three who have secured their nominations and are in the contest are outgoing Fine Gael TD Tom Neville along with outgoing senators, Paul Gavan of Sinn Fein and Maria Byrne of Fine Gael. Tom Neville secured one of Fine Gaels 13 party nominations and is contesting the Culture and Education panel where 20 candidates are chasing five seats. There he is up against a number of outgoing TDs, including Fianna Fails front runner Lisa Chambers, Malcolm Byrne from Wexford who won in the by-election last year but was ousted in the general election as well as environmentalist Saoirse McHugh, the Green Partys candidate from Achill Island. Tom took acting lessons when he spent a number of years in Australia and has a keen interest in film, having acted in a number of independent short films, one of which The Colour of Forgiveness was shown on transatlantic Aer Lingus flights. He also believes that the arts in general have a role to play in supporting mental wellbeing and in developing communities and social cohesion. Paul Gavan of Sinn Fein has been nominated by the Irish Congress of Trades Unions but also by his party and is contesting the Labour panel which has 11 seats. With 19 candidates in the contest, this former Siptu official is facing off against a number of other trade union activists, among them Martina Harkin-Kelly, president Irish Nurses and Midwives Association and Michael Smyth, a senior vice-president of the Forsa trade union. Outgoing Fianna Fail senator Ned OSullivan from Listowel is also contesting this panel. Senator Gavan is confident, given the number of Sinn Fein councillors, new TDs and outgoing senators that they can win five or possibly seven of the 43 panel seats. With 21 years of political representation under her belt, as councillor, Mayor and senator, outgoing Senator Maria Byrne was one of the first to hit the canvass trail. She accepted a nomination from a recognised outside Nominating Body and is contesting the Agricultural Panel, the same as in 2016 when she won one of the 11 seats. The Agricultural Panel is one of the most highly contested panels with 26 candidates chasing the 11 seats. The candidates include nine outgoing senators, six outgoing TDs and former MEP Lynn Boylan of Sinn Fein. Meanwhile, Labours City North councillor Conor Sheehan missed out on a party nomination for the agricultural panel. In an article in Mondays Limerick Leader, Cllr Sheehan criticised the decision , and pointed out it now means Labour has no Seanad candidates from outside the greater Dublin area. I think in many ways this would tell you about some of the issues we have in Labour. We need to sort ourselves out, if we are to be a party outside the Pale. The Labour party badly needs to change, or it will die. Its not seen as being particularly relevant to young, working people. We all have a role in bringing that change about, said the 26-year-old. Until the last general election, Labour has had a presence in the Dail in Limerick for the last 98 years and it was on this basis, Cllr Sheehan felt he should be considered. Geography is important in politics, and I think the Labour party needs to show its about more than just Dublin. The whole idea of appointing Senators in my view is that you appoint them to constituencies where they can seriously challenge for Dail seats in the next general election. We felt we were in a unique position in Limerick, he said. Former Sinn Fein councillor Seighin OCeallaigh, who narrowly missed out on the third Dail seat in the Limerick County constituency, was also unsuccessful in getting his partys nomination. He had hoped to be nominated for the Agriculture Panel for the Culture and Education Panel. He was, he said, a bit disappointed, I knew it would be a tough selection process, due to poor numbers from the local elections. It limited how many candidates we could stand. We are running seven, the same as in 2016 and it will come down very much to transfers. However, he stressed: I am by no means ruling myself out of politics. It depends when there is another election. I would have no problem putting my name forward for Co Limerick again and hopefully, with a few more votes, we may return a TD for Sinn Fein in the county. In addition to the Agriculture, Labour and Culture and Education panels, there is also an Industrial and Commercial panel with nine seats as well as an Administrative Panel with seven seats, making a total of 43 panel seats. There are also three NUI seats and three TCD seats as well as 11 senators who will be nominated by the new Taoiseach. The Senate has 60 seats. Voting papers go out on March 16 and the counts take place on March 30 and 31. OHSU Hospital alerted employees over the weekend that a patient has tested as a presumptive positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Update: Gov. Kate Brown declares coronavirus state of emergency, announces 7 new Oregon cases Erik Robinson, an OHSU spokesman, confirmed the email was sent to its 16,500 employees but could not provide any additional details about the new case. This would make Oregons eighth case after news on Saturday of four more presumptive positive cases in Washington, Jackson and Klamath counties. Three earlier cases were reported in Washington and Umatilla counties. We are grateful to the team that has cared for this patient using appropriate precautions from the moment the patient arrived, OHSU President Danny Jacobs said in a statement Sunday morning. He added that to protect the patients privacy, OHSU will not disclose where in the hospital the patient is being treated. Gov. Kate Brown and Oregon Health Authority held a press conference Sunday morning to announce seven new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Brown also declared a state of emergency to bring additional resources to the states response. The OHSU email informed employees that staff are reviewing all room logs and digital records to identify anyone who had close contact with the patient. The email said anyone who might have been exposed should expect an email from a county health department and the state. The email also said that OHSU has been screening patients with respiratory symptoms before admission and requiring them to wear masks so the risk of employee exposure is low. Robinson said OHSU officials and staff have been preparing for a potential COVID-19 case since January. In his statement, Jacobs also added that since the outbreak, many instances of profiling and targeting among Asian members of the community have been reported. This discrimination, rooted in fear and misinformation, is unacceptable, contrary to our values and will not be tolerated, Jacobs said. Tens of thousands of people around the world have been infected with the coronavirus and the death toll has topped 3,000. In the U.S., there have been 19 deaths so far, 16 of which are in the Seattle area. The Doernbecher Childrens Hospital emergency room was quiet Sunday morning, an SUV taking up a 20-minute parking spot while a man in a red valet jacket stood and looked out from inside the entrance. Nadja Smith was walking down the Southwest Sam Jackson Road sidewalk in front of the hospital when she paused to let her long-haired chihuahua, Shia, smell a bush. Smith, 57, seemed unperturbed at news of the OHSU coronavirus case. Thats interesting, said Smith, who lives a few blocks up the hill from OHSU. I guess this is the place they would come. I would come here if I had it. Smith, who works at a grocery store, said some customers at her store have been freaking out. But she isnt, she said, because she believes theres little to nothing that can prevent the viruss spread now. It might be in my apartment building, she said. Dr. Matthias Johannes Merkel, OHSUs medical director of adult critical care, told The Oregonian/OregonLive in a March 2 interview that though COVID-19 is a new disease, the hospital is used to treating the types of complications that could come with it. Merkel said the types of breathing support doctors give patients with a serious case of pneumonia range from minimally invasive, such as oxygen support through nasal tubes, to extremely invasive, such as pumping a patients blood through a machine that saturates the blood with oxygen and sends it back into their body. Its all standard treatments, Merkel said before the case was announced. It is not different than how we would take care of a patient who has influenza and gets critically ill, he said. To prevent a COVID-19 patient from spreading the disease, Merkel said that staff must wear gloves, gowns, masks and respirators, and they must keep the patients doors closed. Several rooms at the hospital are set up to have negative air pressure, which means that air can only go into the room, not out to the halls where an airborne virus could spread to others. This is something we do every day, Merkel said. We are well-prepared to do this. -- Laura Gunderson; lgunderson@oregonian.com 503-221-8378; Twitter @lgunderson Fedor Zarkhin contributed to this report. Subscribe to our Oregon coronavirus newsletter: CAMBRIDGE, CAMBRIDGESHIRE / ACCESSWIRE / March 8,2020 / Rowan Energy, a blockchain-based, peer-to-peer energy trading platform, is about to launch its IEO! The media has been going quite crazy about Rowan, the blockchain-powered energy trading portal that is targeting both the residential as well as commercial properties. In a recent interview David Duckworth, the Founder of Rowan Energy was quite candid about his personal life and spent hours talking about the project in detail. While talking about the journey of his life he said, "Initially I worked as a freelance consultant for security & Firewall with top banks, law firms, and even insurance companies. My introduction to bitcoin happened in 2014 through my father in law who found out about bitcoin from a UK newspaper. Soon after I started a venture of my own for mining bitcoins in Cambridge. The 50TH/s mine which filled an entire room was hosted in a shared office. But after a year, my landlord excluded electricity from the lease, which made the entire venture unprofitable so I had to sell off the equipment. In 2018, FIT, which is a solar incentive of the United Kingdom, came to an end which made me think about the importance of such projects in the society and the need for them. This is how I got inspired to start Rowan where the trading bot can be used for trading energy between the consumers and the solar owners. But after years of innovation and brainstorming it's only a minor part of the entire project that aims to deliver way more than trading of energy." What sets this project apart is the fact that unlike the others, they have built their own infrastructure which gives their business an added value and much more control over its operations. This is just the start, they also have multiple layers of protection to make sure that all the user data are safe and secure to keep the data away from the lookups of the regular block explorers. Having their own structure also means that they don't need to wait for anyone before making any upgrade to the system. This is also the first such project to have a massive presence in the UK which targets the various commercial properties. There are two major ways the Rowan Energy will get a boost to its values. Both the co-owners have previously built a smart meter network which gives them an added advantage with Rowan. Also they have a Proof Of Concept signed with PassivSystems, a meter reading company. Rowan will also have complete access to the market being the only certificate provider for residential properties. With only a nominal transaction fee, these guys plan on making peer-to-peer energy trading a reality. The plan is to gradually expand into France and Africa which will ultimately be beneficial for their economy too. Apart from Passiv there are so many other companies that believe in this vision of a world where energy trading is so accessible and affordable. Elexon has also joined hands with Rowan and hopefully soon Ofgem will join the bandwagon too. Another reason why Rowan seems to be the perfect option for investors is the fact that unlike others, these guys have a vision of selling the company at a value of $100 million after around 7 years. So they are definitely here to stay even after the IEO. Rowan mainly targets the rooftop solar owners, consumers looking for green and affordable options, and also the business organizations that are trying to reduce their carbon footprint. Even though the target is mainly on the corporate, the residential owners are also a major part of the target audience. So with Rowan both the parties can benefit limitlessly. While investors can expect the value of the Rowan coin to skyrocket in the near future, the users can benefit immensely from the easily accessible platform secured by blockchain. Being a certificate authority they need to stay as a completely separate entity instead of getting into partnerships with the top energy companies to avoid any kind of conflict of interest. Right now, the plan is to have the IEOs on LATOKEN, but pretty soon they will also be launching on various other exchanges. But, even though they are launching on these exchanges they won't be doing anything more than simply listing the tokens. As per most experts, the key reason why people will be attracted to this project is their contacts within meter reading. After the roll out begins, they will start functioning on behalf of Ofgem, which will soon be joining hands with Rowan. Rowan can be extremely beneficial for the energy companies too. This is mainly because all the energy companies which sell roof top energy to grids, require a certain certification. This certification is needed to ensure the environment friendly nature of the energy. Known as the REGO certificate, this is extremely important for the energy companies to buy before selling anything. But Rowan will assign the REGO to all these energy companies so that they don't have to buy it from somewhere else. This is not only convenient and time saving but also cost effective for these huge companies. So it can be expected that individuals as well as the big corporations will be taking quite an interest in this project. Another good news for the investors is that they can buy the RWN tokens even before the IEO! For that they will have to simply log in to the website and follow the buying process mentioned there for easy access. What makes it more fun is the pre-IEO sale that is going on at their website right now! So not only they can access the RWN tokens, but can also do it at a much discounted rate. One can get around 20% off on the IEO rate right on the Rowan Energy website. But before anyone starts buying the tokens they need to create a wallet for the transactions. Once the wallet is created, one can use it to buy any amount of tokens with ETH/BTC. Rowan Energy is a brilliant platform that is powered by blockchain, where users can engage in energy trading with the help of the Rowan Tokens (RWN). This is not all, countless innovations are still going on, to add more impressive features to the platform to offer people much more on a single platform. Media Contact Company: Rowan Renewable Energy LTD Email: support@rowanenergy.com Website: https://www.rowanenergy.com/ SOURCE: Rowan Renewable Energy LTD View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/579446/The-Rowan-Creator-gives-a-Candid-Interview-about-the-Project-its-future-Prospects Kimberly Guilfoyle celebrated her 51th birthday party at Mar-a-Lago Saturday night with an all-star Republican line up of guests, President Donald Trump singing happy birthday to her, and dancing in the grand ballroom until the late hours. Guilfoyle, whose actual birthday is Monday, was feted in speeches by Donald Trump Jr., her boyfriend of almost two years; by Eric Trump and his wife Lara Trump; and by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Tiffany Trump was also spotted in photos posted to social media by attendees at the party, a rare sighting of the first daughter. Also seen was Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal attorney; Vice President Mike Pence; Republican Senator Lindsey Graham; Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida; and Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Melania Trump, who turns 50 next month, was not seen in any photos posted online. Birthday girl Kimberly Guilfoyle thanks guests with Donald Trump Jr at her side Kimberly Guilfoyle celebrated her 51th birthday party at Mar-a-Lago Saturday night with a lavish party filled with high-profile Republican guests and President Trump helped sing happy birthday Kimberly Guilfoyle and Lara Trump at Guilfoyle's birthday party at Mar-a-Lago Eric Trump, Don Trump Jr and Lara Trump feted Kimberly Guilfoyle during a dinner in the main ballroom at Mar-a-Lago Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro joined President Trump in toasting Guilfoyle In his tribute to his girlfriend, Donald Trump Jr called Kimberly 'Princess'; the two have been dating for almost two years Eric Trump joked he was going to take Kimberly Guilfoyle home with him Ivanka Trump praised Kimberly Guilfoyle for her work supporting the president; Guilfoyle erves as the national chairwoman of the Victory Finance Committee Jared Kushner also spoke to the crowd but - unlike other speeches - no video of his remarks have appeared on social media The head table of Don Jr, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Eric Trump, Lara Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at Guilfoyle's 51th birthday bash Katrina Pierson, a spokesperson for the Trump 2016 campaign; Manhattan Republican Party Chairwoman Andrea Catsimatidis; conservative commentator Madison Gesiotto; and Senator Rand Pauls Deputy Chief of Staff Sergio Gor pose with Guilfoyle at her birthday party It was a busy night at Mar-a-Lago as President Trump also hosted a working dinner with the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, who serve as advisers in the White House, attended that dinner, which took place on a patio at Mar-a-Lago, as did National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien. Bolsonaro was there and did a toast to birthday girl. Also spotted at the birthday bash were Senator Rand Pauls Deputy Chief of Staff Sergio Gor, Fox News Jesse Watters and his wife Emma Watters. New acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell was also present. Guilfoyle, wearing a sparkly black and gold dress, was feted in the Winter White House's main ballroom by some of the administration's most prominent supporters in addition to the first family. Photos posted online showed a red carpet laid out for guests to walk up to the club. Several guests were spotted arriving in Rolls Royces, Bentleys and other upmarket motors on Saturday night. Men wore suits and women were in cocktail dresses. During the bash, President Trump toasted Guilfoyle and joined attendees in singing 'Happy Birthday' to her as she was brought a cake with a large, sparkling candle on it with the flames shooting up toward the ceiling. 'Four more years,' Guilfoyle yelled after her birthday song, urging the crowd to join her in supporting the president. President Trump also teased her during his toast. 'This is a special deal with Kimberly,' he said as seen in video posted on social media. 'So Kimberly how old are you?' He then paused and chuckled: 'No Im not going to ask you that.' '29,' someone at the party was heard yelling. '29,' Guilfoyle yelled in agreement. Trump continued to lavish praise on her. 'She looks young to me and beautiful and shes done an incredible job,' President Trump said of his son's girlfriend, who also serves as the national chairwoman of the Victory Finance Committee. Photos from the party show guests taking selfies with Giuliani and capturing photos of Trump introducing Bolsonaro to various guests, including Tucker Carlson. At one point, a conga line circled the ballroom and Guilfoyle was seen dancing with girlfriends to pop music, her heels replaced by a pair of black sneakers. The dinner menu was spotted to contain one of the president's favorite foods: an iceberg lettuce wedge salad with bacon and blue cheese dressing. Guilfoyle was also toasted by her boyfriend and his siblings. Eric Trump joked he would take Guilfoyle home with him. 'Youre so freaking beautiful I might take you home tonight,' Eric said, putting his arm around Guilfoyle as she hugged him. 'Would Don be upset?' He turned to his wife Lara Trump: 'Honey would you be upset?' Ivanka Trump kept her remarks short. 'The second best thing to a really funny speech is a short speech so Ill keep it at that,' she told the crowd. 'Were all here obviously to support the president and to support Kimberly, who works so so hard to support the president and celebrate her amazing birthday.' There was a photo of Jared Kushner standing at the table where all the sibling sat, microphone in hand, but no video of his remarks. Guilfoyle thanked the crowd and said she was grateful to be taken in by the Trump family. 'I pray every day and every night about how lucky I am and fortunate to be able to be taken in to this incredible American family that puts it on the line every single day,' she said. Tiffany Trump attended Guilfoyle's 51th birthday party at Mar-a-Lago - a rare sighting of the first daughter Katrina Pierson, a spokesperson for the Trump 2016 campaign; Manhattan Republican Party Chairwoman Andrea Catsimatidis; and conservative commentator Madison Gesiotto pose with Guilfoyle at her birthday party Kimberly Guilfoyle dances with guests at Mar-a-Lago having changed her shoes Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro posted a photo with Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien Rudy Giuliani posed with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at Mar-a-Lago Sen. Lindsey Graham with Kimberly Guilfoyle speaking to dinner guests Fox News host Tucker Carlson with a party guest Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro; Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump pose with 'Make Brazil Great Again' caps Donald Trump Jr. also praised his girlfriend, whom he called 'Princess.' The two are believed to have been dating since April 2018 and often appear at campaign rallies together to speak to the crowd ahead of the president's arrival. 'Im a one-trick pony, as you can see from Kimberly - shes got nuance, subtlety, class, kindness,' he said. 'Im just a sledge hammer a useful tool, a useful a tool when you need but everything is a nail when Don Jr has the mic. He then turned to Guilfoyle. 'Princess you are the best; thank you for everything that you do,' he said. 'I love you very much.' Mandate The international community has repeatedly expressed its concern with the negative impact of the proliferation of illicit firearms in societies whether at peace or in times of war. The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) and the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (COP) urged Member States to ratify and fully implement the Convention and its Protocols, and requested UNODC to assist Member States in this endeavour, inter alia through the provision of legislative advise and legal drafting support, technical assistance, training and capacity building activities aimed at strengthening the capacities of States to respond to the challenges and threats posed by transnational organized crime, as well as through the development of specialized legal and operational tools. By its decision 4/6 and resolutions 5/4 and 6/2, the COP further urged States Parties to the Protocol to strengthen their national legislation in a manner consistent with this instrument, and requested UNODC to support States and facilitate technical assistance for the implementation of the Protocol. To this end, the Implementation Support Section (ISS) of the Organized Crime and Trafficking Branch (OCB), created in 2011 the Global Firearms Programme (GFP). Five Pillars and Cross Cutting Issues Saudi Arabia's King Salman was shown in state media Sunday in apparent good health and working, just days after the arrest of two senior princes triggered speculation about a possible coup attempt or a sudden deterioration in the king's health. Two people close to the royal family said Saturday that the two princes were under arrest for not supporting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has consolidated control of all major levers of power inside the kingdom with the support of his father, King Salman. The arrests of the king's younger and beloved brother, Prince Ahmed bin Abdelaziz, and the king's nephew and former counterterrorism czar, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, came after what one person in Saudi Arabia with knowledge of the arrests described as an accumulation of behaviour that was provocative to leadership. The source added that the arrests sent a message to anyone in the royal family feeling disenfranchised: Stop grumbling and toe the line, because if Prince Ahmed can be arrested, any prince can and will be. Prince Ahmed was seen as a person who royals could look to when feeling vexed with the crown prince's grip on power, the person said. The reports of a crackdown emerged early Friday. In the king's first appearance since then, state media showed the 84-year-old king on Sunday standing and greeting two Saudi diplomats being sworn in as ambassadors. He was previously seen Thursday meeting with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in Riyadh. The arrests came as a surprise, given that Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 60, was widely known to be under close surveillance since he was shunted out of the line of succession by the king's son in mid-2017, a person close to the royal court said. The arrest of Prince Ahmed, 78, was also unexpected since he is the king's full younger brother and also a senior member of the ruling Al Saud family. Prince Ahmed, however, has long held unfavourable views of the crown prince and was one of just a few senior princes to abstain from pledging allegiance to him when the young royal sidelined more senior princes to become first in line to the throne. Both princes had served previously in the post of interior minister, overseeing security and surveillance inside the kingdom. The Wall Street Journal first reported the arrests, quoting unidentified sources allied with the royal court as saying the princes were plotting a palace coup that would halt the rise of the crown prince. The Journal has since reported that the sweep broadened to include dozens of Interior Ministry officials, senior army officers and others suspected of supporting a coup attempt. The two people who talked to The Associated Press declined to characterize actions by the two princes as a coup attempt. They agreed to discuss the highly sensitive matter related to security only if granted anonymity. There has been no official comment from Saudi authorities on the arrests. The crown prince has succeeded in a few short years at sweeping aside any competition from royals older and more experienced than him. He has also overhauled the most powerful security bodies to report to him. Prince Mohammed bin Nayef is well-known and liked by U.S. intelligence officials for his counterterrorism cooperation in past years against al-Qaida. As head of the interior ministry, he was a feared and towering figure who oversaw the long arm of the government that both prosecuted and closely monitored and jailed dissidents and critics of the kingdom. Prince Ahmed has been seen as critical of the crown prince, including telling protesters who were accosting him in London to ask the king and his son about the humanitarian disaster sparked by the war in Yemen. Religiously conservative, the prince also recently grumbled over the decision to close Islam's holiest site in Mecca to stymie the spread of the new coronavirus, according to one of the people familiar with the arrests. The arrest of the two senior princes is most likely a preemptive move to manage risks of a transition from King Salman to his son, according to an analysis by Eurasia Group. Both princes were seen as possible alternatives to Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The crown prince has succeeded in consolidating power and cementing his place as the day-to-day ruler, in part through far-reaching crackdowns on perceived critics or competitors. The October 2018 killing of Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi by agents close to the crown prince inside the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul, however, damaged the prince's reputation globally. Foreign investors were also rattled by an anti-corruption operation overseen by the prince in late 2017 that saw top royals, officials and senior businessmen rounded up and detained for up to several months in the luxurious Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh and forced to sign over billions of dollars in assets in exchange for their freedom in secretive agreements. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Marine stationed in northern Virginia has become the first U.S. service member on American soil to test positive for coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. 'A U.S Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir, VA tested positive today for COVID-19 and is currently being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital,' the Pentagon said in a statement on Saturday. The Marine had recently returned from overseas where he was on 'official business', according to the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Mark Secretary Esper and the White House have been briefed. Fort Belvoir is the home to numerous significant military organizations, including the Defense Logistics Agency, the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command, and the Military District of Washington's 12th Aviation Battalion, which provides rotary-wing movement to the DoD and Congress. A Marine stationed at Fort Belvoir (above) in northern Virginia has become the first U.S. service member on American soil to test positive for coronavirus It's unclear what the infected Marine's duties involved, but a source said that he did not have direct contact with the nearby Pentagon. It follows the Navy's first confirmed coronavirus case and the first of a service member stationed in Europe, after a U.S. sailor deployed to Naples, Italy tested positive. The sailor stationed at Naval Support Activity Naples in southern Italy tested positive for the virus on Friday, U.S. European Command confirmed in a statement. 'The member is currently restricted to their residence, receiving supportive and medical care in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control,' said European Command. 'Military health professionals are conducting a thorough contact investigation to determine whether any other personnel may have been exposed,' it said. The Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Carson City transits the Gulf of Gaeta in the Tyrrhenian Sea on its way to Naval Support Activity Naples in a file photo. A sailor stationed at the facility tested positive for coronavirus on Friday Naples is outside of the northern Italy 'red zones' that have been locked down in the outbreak Personnel that the infected sailor had close contact with have been notified and are in self-isolation at their residence. Naples is outside of the northern Italy 'red zones' that have been hardest hit by the virus, but the outbreak has quickly spread, making Italy Europe's hardest-hit country so far in the epidemic. On Saturday, the number of confirmed cases in Italy jumped by more than 1,200, to 5,883, the biggest daily rise since the epidemic began there just over two weeks ago. Deaths due to the highly infectious virus were up 36 to 233, said the head of Italy's civil protection agency, Angelo Borrelli The sailor in Naples is the second confirmed case among U.S. forces following another in South Korea. A U.S. soldier stationed near the southeastern city of Daegu and his wife both tested positive for the virus. An ambulance drives through the main gate of US Army Camp Carroll in South Korea in late February, after a soldier stationed there tested positive for coronavirus The 23-year-old soldier stationed at Camp Carroll tested positive for the virus on February 25, according to United States Forces Korea. USFK said it 'remains at risk level 'high' peninsula-wide and is implementing all appropriate control measures to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.' Outside of China, where the epidemic began, South Korea has seen the most cases of the deadly virus. South Korea's coronavirus cases jumped above 7,000 on Saturday, up by 448 from the previous day, health authorities said. The death toll rose by two to 46, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Military officials have begun taking measures to prevent the spread of the virus among troops. The Army is screening all new recruits at four basic training centers around the country for coronavirus. The US Army will begin screening as many as 1,000 new recruits per week at either Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; or Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Pictured: Soldiers stationed on US Army Garrison Casey in South Korea undergo screenings, February 26 Recruits will undergo the screenings at Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; or Fort Jackson, South Carolina. In the U.S. the number of coronavirus cases exceeded 430 on Saturday, and the death toll has reached 19. Two new deaths were reported in the state of Washington on Saturday, raising the death toll there to 16. At least 10 of those who died in Washington had been linked to a nursing home in the Seattle area. As well, two people have died in Florida and one has died in California. Horse riders from Mexico and the U.S. came together at the border and rode into Columbus on Saturday. The annual binational cavalcade event commemorates Pancho Villas cross-border raid on the town in 1916, though the modern day version is described as a gathering of goodwill and friendship not to mention the longest horse parade in Luna County. From the global outbreak of coronavirus to improvement in healthcare facilities, several healthcare issues were discussed at the 26th edition of the three-day Medical Fair India 2020 at Bombay Convention and Exhibition Centre here, according to a press statement. Rajiv Nath, Founder and Forum Coordinator, Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AIMED), was quoted as saying that the world is now watching at India as a possible second source of supply after China. "So we have definitely a lot of you driving the race for the last few weeks about coronavirus and about the disruptions to supply chain all over the world of medical device industry to importers to healthcare providers of sourcing products. The silver lining is that the world is now watching at India as a possible second source of supply after China," Nath said. India has 39 confirmed cases of deadly coronavirus so far. The disease, which first broke out in China, has left at least 3200 people dead globally. Discussing the scope for investment in the healthcare industry, Dr Girdhar Gyani, Director General, Association of Healthcare Providers (India), said, "There is no need to panic. Although there is a slowdown all over the world, I must tell people here that we have 1.6 million beds and we need 3.5 million beds in the next three years. This means there is so much scope in for investment in the healthcare industry including equipment. In the next five years, the necessity would be 5 million beds. Kind of requirement which has been projecting from Government of India is to set up 3000 hospitals of 100 beds in tier II and tier III cities, which is a huge opportunity for the industry." Touching upon the points on how to streamline manpower planning, plugging the gaps in financial planning, Dr Mudit Saxena, managing director and CEO, Ovum Hospitals said: "There are ways to improve the revenue of the hospitals such as utilizing the unutilized machines in the hospitals such as a discount can be given for MRIs for the night time when MRI machines are not utilized." The "Smart Hospitals" platform is created as a new entity in this year of Medical Fair India. The objective is to help the small and midsized hospital owners to rethink their business models, create new opportunities by evolving newer smart ways of delivering healthcare. The event started on March 5 and concluded on March 7. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans. The European Commission will release its Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAC) on March 11. Key issue: will the plan enshrine a right to repair for smartphones as part of its ecodesign directive? This would allow regulation of device design and capacity for repair, as the Commission has already done for household appliances (see EU Adopts Right to Repair for Household Appliances). Or will the Commission roll over and succumb to the blandishments of tech lobbyists Im looking at you Apple and sidestep or water down right to repair requirements? Motherboard reported on Friday in Leaked Plans Suggest Europe Wants to Pass Right to Repair Laws for Electronics: Two versions of the CEAC have leaked ahead of its March 11. One draft obtained by Motherboard says the commission will explore ecodesign requirementsfor [informations and communications technology] products that the ecodesign directive does not already cover, including mobile phones, but does not mention the right-to-repair. Another draft of the CEAC appears more explicit. It says the Commission will focus on electronics and [information and communications technology] as a priority sector for implementing the right to repair, including the possibility of necessary upgrades, and explore regulatory measures for mobile phones under the Ecodesign Directive. Which way will the Commission jump? We wont know until Wednesday. Here a little context is in order. Over to Motherboard: In 2015, the European Commission carried out a study to determine which products should be included in eco-design directives. This was the study that determined washing machines and fridges should be easily repairable. According to Jean-Pierre Schweitzer, Product Policy and Circular Economy Officer for the European Environmental Bureaua network of people and groups dedicated to fighting for environmental legislation in Europe, that same study concluded that smartphones were one of the most important products to make repairable and that laws around that should be prioritized. But, for whatever reason, [the European Commission] didnt put smartphones onto the list of products which they were going to address in [2018], Schweitzer told Motherboard over the phone. At the time, different excuses were made. They felt that products like smartphones were innovating too quickly, that the policy cycle couldnt keep up with it. Schweitzer said he and his fellow activists believe that the Commission didnt push smartphones for political reasons. They werent willing to take on the big tech companies, he said. What we want them to do is commit to putting smartphones on the eco design work plan. If its on the work plan, they have to go through the process and develop requirements for the phones. Even if the European Commission opts to mandate a right to repair for smartphones, thats only one battle in the right to repairwar. Because the big tech companies such as Apple will certainly fight back, as they did in January when the European Parliament voted 582-40 to set a standard charging cable for smartphones (see Europe Just Voted in Favor of Making iPhone and Android Use the Same Charger, in which Motherboard tells that story). Apple responded with a statement, as discussed in the Financial Times, Apple hits out at EU plans for a universal smartphone charger: Apple has hit out against European plans to force tech companies to adopt a universal standard charger for all smartphones and other electronics, arguing that doing so would hamper innovation. Earlier this month, the European Parliament revived a decade-long argument about mandating a so-called common charger for mobile devices. Maros Sefcovic, vice-president of the European Commission for inter-institutional relations and foresight, said in a recent speech that such a scheme would be more convenient for consumers and reduce electronic waste. We will look at a combination of policy options, including regulatory and non-regulatory measures, to achieve our objectives, he said, after what he called a missed opportunity for a voluntary approach from the tech industry. Since Europes campaign for a common charger began in the late 2000s, the number of different charging cables and connection ports used by smartphone makers has reduced from dozens to three: two variants of USB, an industry standard, and Lightning, which is proprietary to iPhones and iPads. In its first statement in response to the latest proposals, Apple said on Thursday that forcing it to ditch Lightning would inconvenience hundreds of millions of its customers and create an unprecedented volume of waste. We believe regulation that forces conformity across the type of connector built into all smartphones stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, and would harm consumers in Europe and the economy as a whole, Apple said. We hope the Commission will continue to seek a solution that does not restrict the industrys ability to innovate and bring exciting new technology to customers. Note that the charging cable issue is small potatoes, compared to what a right to repair might do to Apples sales. Such a change might also reduce excess eWaste estimated at 50 million metric tons of e-waste is generated globally per year, with an average of more than 6 kg per person; whereas total e-waste generation in Europe in 2016 was 12.3 million metric tonnes, equivalent to 16.6 kg on average per inhabitant, according to the European Parliament. Not to mention start to direct us back on a more sustainable path for our use of electronics. Imagine being able to upgrade or repair a device without having to pony up for a new device? Or to avail oneself of cheaper, third party repair repair services, rather than being beholden to the tender mercies of Apple? So I will be watching closely to see what the European Commission will do on Wednesday. And if the European Commission makes a courageous decision and mandates some right to repair, we must continue to pay attention to how any policy will be implemented. You can be sure that Apple and those opposed to a right to repair will not accept any decision as final. This is how right to repair advocates see the issue as well. As Fridays Motherboard article notes: Former President Goodluck Jonathan has hailed Nigerias ex-Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on her new appointment. South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, named the former Managing Director, Operations, World Bank, as a member of the countrys Economic Advisory Council. Cyril Ramaphosa heads the council which comprises local and international gurus. I congratulate [email protected] who served as the co-ordinating minister for the economy/finance minister in my cabinet, on her appointment as a member of South Africas Presidential Economic Advisory Council, Jonathan wrote on Twitter. As a two-time minister in Nigeria you left indelible marks as an astute manager of the nations economy and resources. I am delighted that you have continued to place your substantial wealth of experience as a development economist at the service of many nations and international organisations to aid global growth and progress. I have no doubt in my mind that you will excel in the new assignment, he added. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and the Vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last election, had earlier hailed the Nigerias Okonjo-Iweala , on her new appointment. The Trump administration reportedly overruled US health officials who wanted to warn elderly and physically fragile Americans not to fly on commercial airlines due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) submitted the plan as part of efforts to control the spread of the deadly virus, before White House officials ordered the recommendation to be removed, a federal official with direct knowledge of the plan told the Associated Press news agency. Trump administration officials have since suggested certain people should consider not travelling over the outbreak, which has killed at least 19 people in the US, but stopped short of the guidance sought by the CDC. The official was not able to say why the recommendation was removed from the plan and a spokesperson for the US vice president, Mike Pence, denied the story. This story is complete fiction. It was never a recommendation to the Task Force, Katie Miller, Mr Pences press secretary, said on Twitter. Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty Show all 10 1 /10 Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A man wearing a face mask crosses a road in Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Reuters Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A view of the empty entrance to the UniversitA Cattolica (Catholic University) in Milan, northern Italy, on 24 February, 2020. EPA Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty Empty streets in Daegu, South Korea, on 23 February, 2020. EPA Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty Empty streets in Daegu, South Korea, on 23 February 2020. EPA Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A lone sanitation worker sits near the closed Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, on February 24, 2020. Reuters Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A view of a deserted street in Codogno, northern Italy, on February 23, 2020. EPA Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty Italian police officers set a road block in Codogno, Northern Italy, on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. AP Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A supermarket closed in Codogno, one the northern Italian towns placed under lockdown, on February 23, 2020. EPA Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty A lone cyclist wearing sanitary masks pedals in the center of Codogno, Northern Italy. LaPresse via AP Coronavirus: Streets around world left empty An empty road at the entrance of the small Italian town of Codogno on February 23, 2020. AFP via Getty On Saturday, Mr Pence gave a similar recommendation to a narrower group older people with serious health problems after a meeting with cruise ship industry leaders in Florida. If you're a senior citizen with a serious underlying health condition, this would be a good time to practice common sense and to avoid activities including travelling on a cruise line, he said. He added political authorities were looking to cruise line officials for action, guidance and flexibility with those passengers. One day earlier, the CDC quietly updated its website to tell older adults and people with severe medical conditions, such as heart, lung or kidney disease to stay home as much as possible and to avoid crowds. Its advice also urged people to take actions to reduce your risk of exposure, but did not specifically mention flying. Alex Azar, the health and human services secretary, has suggested older Americans and those with health problems should avoid crowds especially in poorly ventilated spaces. In February, a report by The Washington Post claimed US health officials were also overruled by the State Department when Americans who were infected with coronavirus were allowed on a plane with healthy people. The CDC had argued for keeping 14 people who tested positive for coronavirus in Japan, where they were docked with the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship, instead of allowing them to return to the US, the report said. Although no reason was given for the apparent overruling of health advice for elderly people flying, Donald Trump has repeatedly sought to downplay fears about coronavirus as global stock markets have fallen sharply in recent days. They care about one thing; the presidents re-election. And they think that depends on the economy, Chris Hayes, a MSNBC host and political commentator, said in response to APs report. And so they want to pretend theres nothing going on so it doesnt hurt GDP. Its sociopathic and dangerous. On Friday, Mr Trump visited the CDC in Atlanta, where he defended his administrations handling of the outbreak and tried to reassure Americans about the governments strategy. However, he also drew criticism for calling Washington state governor Jay Inslee a snake over criticism of his administration, and for saying he would prefer people who are stuck on a virus-hit cruise ship off San Francisco to not be allowed to come to the US. They [health experts] would like to have the people come off, I would rather have the people stay, the president told reporters. I would rather because I like the numbers being where they are. I don't need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasnt our fault. Mr Trump's comments were taken by some as explicit acknowledgement of his political concerns over the outbreak, which threatens the US economy ahead of the November presidential election. For most people, coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, but for others, it can cause pneumonia and be potentially deadly. As of 10am on Saturday, there have been 100,000 confirmed cases and more than 3,000 deaths from coronavirus, according to the World Health Organisations latest figures. Additional reporting by AP Officials are considering a package of measures to revolutionise the way private investors vote on big issues Millions of small shareholders could be given more power to block takeovers and challenge fat-cat pay at Britains biggest firms under a major shake-up later this year. The Mail on Sunday understands that officials are considering a package of measures to revolutionise the way private investors vote on big issues. It would mean that firms will no longer be able to keep investors in the dark about crucial votes if they hold shares through stockbrokers such as Hargreaves Lansdown, AJ Bell or Barclays. Voting would also be made far easier for private shareholders when they want to object to hostile bids, bumper bonuses or plans to relocate companies abroad. Small investors may also be given an automatic right to attend annual meetings without having to ask permission, as many do today. And firms could be banned from using a legal loophole that means they have the power to give each stockbroker a single block vote to represent tens of thousands of shareholders. The plans, which will be discussed by officials from the City watchdog and Law Commission before being presented to the Government as potential new laws in the autumn, would empower savers, who hold 254billion worth of shares in UK firms. Experts hope to reignite the small shareholder revolution that took off in the 1980s with Margaret Thatchers privatisation of firms such as British Gas, but has since faded. Now companies including Lloyds Bank, BT, Vodafone, BP and Royal Mail all have large contingents of private investors. Peter Parry, policy director of the UK Shareholders Association, which is advising officials on the law changes, said: The private shareholder has been ensnared into holding their shares in a way that disenfranchises them from acting as responsible owners of the business in which they have invested. 'This has led effectively to ownerless corporations. Cliff Weight, a director at ShareSoc, another group representing small investors, said: Low rates of voting by individual investors mean opportunists can overly influence takeovers. The Law Commission, a body set up to recommend law changes to the Government, is working on a shareholder voting report and will meet officials from the Financial Conduct Authority and Financial Reporting Council on April 1. A key law change under consideration could force companies listed on the stock market to register every single shareholder as an individual. Currently, most people who hold shares through stockbrokers do not hold the legal title to the shares they own. These are held by a stockbroker instead as the legal owner, in what are called nominee accounts. Up to 90 per cent of private investors now hold shares in a nominee account after it replaced paper share certificates as the default way to buy and sell shares. Many are likely to have no idea that they are not the legal owner of their shares, as they still profit from the rising prices and receive dividends as normal. The 405 million takeover of Yorkshire miner Sirius Minerals by Anglo American also showed how shareholders can find it difficult to join forces to block takeovers. Under the court process for the Sirius vote, brokers such as Hargreaves Lansdown and AJ Bell received one vote each to account for all the shareholders on their books. In total, 78,000 Sirius shareholders owned shares through nominee accounts but just 1,314 different shareholder votes were counted. However, the value of their shares was also taken into account for the final outcome. The vote passed and investors lost huge sums on the last-gasp rescue deal. The Mail on Sunday understands that the Law Commission is considering banning counting votes like this. A retired geologist who owned shares in Sirius through an Isa with an online stockbroker told The Mail on Sunday he received no communication about the takeover. He says when he asked about voting, he was referred to the Sirius registrar, Link Asset Services, and gave up. A spokesman for Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: We recognise that the system can make it difficult for individual investors to have a say. Photo: CTV News Prince Harrys wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has visited a school to offer an International Womens Day message with an appeal to men to honour the women in their lives. The surprise visit Friday took place at the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham in east London. The community was the site of famous strikes by female sewing machinists at a Ford plant, an equal pay fight depicted in the 2010 film Made in Dagenham. In one of her final duties as a senior British royal, Meghan urged the boys in the school assembly of 700 students to "continue to value and appreciate the women in your lives and also set the example for some men who are not seeing it that same way. "You have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life, protect them, she said. "Make sure that they are feeling valued and safe. And let's all just rally together to make International Women's Day something that is not just on Sunday, but frankly feels like every day of the year." The Duchess of Sussex asked for a male volunteer to offer their thoughts on the importance of International Women's Day. Aker Okoye, 16, raced to the stage, greeting her with what appeared to be an air kiss to her cheek. "She really is beautiful, innit? he said as he took the podium. I had to speak the truth there." Meghan gave him a hug and later praised his "incredible confidence". The police in Borno State have arrested an inspector, Abubakar Musa, for allegedly raping two minors, aged 10 and 12. The arrest came amidst rising cases of paedophilia and related sex and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the state. Hadiza Saidu, the mother and aunt to the two girls allegedly raped by the police inspector, said the officer lives in the same neighbourhood with her family and was secretly having sexual intercourse with her girls. The two girls, aged 12 and 10, are cousins. A police officer in our neighbourhood raped my two daughters, she said in tears. His name is Abubakar Musa. He used to sneak into our house when none of us was around to sexually abuse the children. According to the kids, he used to finger one of them while directly having sexual intercourse with the other one. We took the matter to Metro police station and his colleagues called me aside to beg me that I should let the matter die for the sake of his job. I asked why were they not concerned about my own kids that have been abused? I insisted that justice must be served to my daughter and her little cousin who is the daughter of my younger sister, said Ms Saidu, a widow. She said the accused officer has been sending emissaries to beg her not to report the matter. If he is not guilty, there is no way he would be begging us to save his job and sending people to beg us as well, she said. Lucy Yunana, the Executive Director of Women In the New Nigeria and Youth Empowerment Initiative, said her organisation was following the case. I got the report that a police inspector defiled two little girls from the same house, she told PREMIUM TIMES. When I got to the police station, I met the accused policeman in the office of the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) who confessed that the girls attend the same school as his son and that there was a day when his son was not at home and he gave N50 to one of the girls who, in turn, hugged him in appreciation. Even though he was initially pleading not to be exposed, the accused policeman changed his narrative at the police station. The officer was on Thursday taken to the state police headquarters before he was detained at the metro divisional police headquarters. We are not going to let this go or swept under the carpet, said Ms Yunana. Rape of minors, by reckless paedophiles has been an everyday thing here in Borno State, especially in Maiduguri. But one man raping little cousins from blood sisters is one act of irresponsibility pushed beyond the limit, she said. The police spokesperson in the state, Edet Okon, confirmed the case when approached by PREMIUM TIMES at the police command headquarters. He denied the rumour of attempts to sweep the matter under the carpet. Of course the matter has been brought to our notice here at the Command Headquarters, and CP in his usual disposition directed that the accused policeman be put up for prosecution as soon as all the records of medical investigations are ready. The CP and indeed the Nigerian police command dont protect errant personnel, most especially when it comes to issues of allegations bordering on sexual abuse of minors. The concerned police inspector is currently in detention and would remain there until the case is charged to court. The accused officer could not be reached for comment as he was in custody. Sexual violence, particularly against underaged, has been on the rise in Maiduguri. An under two years old girls was last week sexually violated by the boyfriend of his mother and was left for days with a mutilated vagina that got so bad before she was taken to the hospital, said Ms Yunana. Advertisements The child died while being attended to at the intensive care. Borno Assembly to amend laws Civil society activists have blamed the trend of rape on the weakness of the laws in place to check the crime. The Borno State House of Assembly has now moved to amend certain sections of the states Penal Code dealing with SGBV. The lawmakers on Friday called for a public hearing on Monday, on the proposed bill. The current penal code operating in the state since 1994 does not prescribe adequate punishments for rape, they said. Under the current penal code, offenders, especially pedophiles, are sentenced to either life or 14 to ten years imprisonment without an option of fine. The rape of minors by youth and aged persons who are old enough to be grandfathers have become a trend in Maiduguri and environs, said Ms Yunana. There is no day that passes we dont receive a case of rape of children some even developed complications and died. In most cases, victims and their parents are muzzled from speaking out; others are forced to suffer in silence because they fear the stigma; some are being harassed by the families of the offenders because the victims are mostly financially or educationally disadvantaged, the activist said. Sexual and gender-based violence has been reported even in the camps of persons displaced by Boko Haram. Hamsatu Allamin, another strong voice that speaks for the rights of abused women in Borno, said females, especially underaged girls, are being violated by both inmates of the camps, officials and security personnel. According to her innocent girls are forced to have sex either for the satisfaction of the males, or in exchange for ration tickets, or for a chance to be allowed to go outside the camp to fend for themselves. We have lost count of girls who were raped and left pregnant with no one to cater to them and their babies because they have been orphaned by the insurgency. And in many cases, camp officials and security personnel are often fingered as perpetrators. Ms Allamin, who is the founder and chief executive of the Allamin Foundation, lamented that offenders often go scot-free because there are no strong laws punishing them. The proposed bill is to amend certain provisions in the penal code law of Borno state 1994 (Amendment Bill 2020). It seeks to raise the punishment for rape by altering Section 283 which prescribed punishment for rape to now read under subsection (1) that whoever commits rape shall be punished with death by hanging. The proposed law also criminalises gay marriage and bestiality. It proposes to amend Section 284 (1) of the existing law to become whoever has sexual intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman, or animal, such as sodomy, lesbianism or bestiality shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not less than 21 years imprisonment and shall also be liable to fine of not less than N200,000. The amendment also seeks to alter Section 285 (1) to become whoever commits an act of gross indecency upon the person of another without his or her consent or by the use of force or threats, compels a person to join him or her in the commission of such act, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than 14 years and shall also be liable to a fine of not less than N100,000 or both. The Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Abdullahi Askira, called on members of the public to take advantage of the public hearing to contribute to the law that we hope would help us bring sanity in our society and protect the rights and dignity of our women and girls. The proposed amendment bill 2020 also covers Sections 388, 389, 390, 274, 275, 278, 281, which cover a wide range of SGBV related offences including abduction, enticement, unlawful detention with intent to have sex, trafficking, buying and selling of minors for immoral purpose and exposing minors to abuse through hawking. Alwars Juvenile Justice Board on Saturday deferred the judgment on the sentencing of two minors convicted by it in the Pehlu Khan lynching case of 2017. The board deferred the judgment today (Saturday), a senior police official said. Counsel for both the minors, Adarsh Yadav, told HT that the JJBs principal magistrate Sarita Dhakad has reserved the decision, adding that the verdict is expected on March 12. The JJB found the two guilty on Thursday, making it the first conviction in the case. Another juvenile, who is older than 16 years, is facing trial in another court. The JJB hears cases against people below the age of 16. The maximum punishment under the Juvenile Justice Act is three years. The Alwar additional district judge on August 14, 2019, acquitted six other accused in the case, giving them the benefit of doubt. The state government has filed an appeal against the ruling in the Rajasthan high court. Khan was attacked on the Delhi-Jaipur highway near Behror in Alwar district on suspicion of smuggling cows when he was transporting cattle bought from a market in Jaipur to his home in Nuh with his two sons. He died in hospital on April 3, 2017. (With PTI inputs) https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Wise-Men-of-Chelm-Fact-and-Fiction.html The mythical comic town of Chelm was a beloved staple of Yiddish literature. Once upon a time, an angel, carrying a sackful of foolish souls back to heaven for repair, snagged his sack on a tree growing on top of a tall mountain top. The sack tore and alas, all the poor, foolish souls spilled out of the ripped sack, rolled down the mountain side into the town of Chelm where they stayed from that day on.(1) For generations, Jewish readers have enjoyed tales of the town of Chelm - a world where the wise are foolish and townspeople believe in their outlandish schemes. The Wise Men of Chelm may be fools, but they're fools of the sweetest nature who manage to convey profound wisdom even with their silly antics. Take the time that one of their schemes went wrong and everyone in Chelm was downcast. Mottel the Mayor came up with a plan to cheer them up: getting down on his hands and knees, he crawled all around the floor, searching in every nook and cranny. Mottel, what are you looking for? the Chelmites cried in astonishment. Replied Mottel: I see that everyone lost heart, so Im trying to find it. (2) In real life, Chelm is a sizable town in eastern Poland on the banks of the Ochrza River, near the Ukranian border. Its not far from the city of Lublin. Jews have lived in Chelm since the Middle Ages. The city prospered significantly in the 1500s, when it became a center of trade and commerce. Jews were key players in Chelms industry, and the Jewish community in Chelm was one of the largest and most influential in all of Poland during the Renaissance. A melamed (Jewish teacher) in Chelm once told his wife that if he was Rothschild, hed be richer than him. How can that be? asked his wife; If you were Rothschild, youd both have the same fortune. Yes, said the melamed - but Id do a little teaching on the side. (3) Later years saw political upheaval in Chelm and its environs, as the city became first part of Austria, then Russia, then was subject to rebellions from local Poles who agitated for independence. Anti-Semitism increased, and there were waves of pogroms in Chelm and the region. In 1648 and 1649 Chelm Jews were among the victims of the vicious Chmielnicki Pogroms, led by the Cossack leader Bogdan Chmielnicki, who agitated for independant rule. The pogroms led to the deaths of at least 100,000 Jews and the destruction of about 300 Jewish communities in the region. Illustration from F. Halperin's 'Khakhme Khelm,' Warsaw 1926. Chelm reverted to Polish rule with the establishment of an independent Polish state in 1918. The city grew rapidly, and once again Chelms Jews were a key part of the towns economic development, where they often worked as merchants, buying and selling livestock. Chelm also developed a large Jewish printing industry and a thriving Jewish cultural and religious life. Which is more important, the sun or the moon? a citizen of Chelm asked the rabbi. What a silly question! replied the rabbi. The moon, of course! It shines at night when we really need it. But who needs the sun to shine when its already broad daylight outside? (4) Hersh Sziszler grew up in Chelm before World War II and remembers Chelms rich Jewish life. The Jewish population was approximately 60% of the general population he recalled. There were many Jewish artisans, merchants and shopkeepers. There were sawmills, alcohol trade, mills and various industrial undertakings that belonged to Jews Jewish banks, such as the Merchants and Artisans Bank, charitable societies and institutions, a Talmud Torah (religious school).... There was an intensive communal Jewish life: various unions, clubs, dramatic circles, libraries and Jewish newspapers. By 1930, over 13,000 Jews called Chelm home. Berel was the Gabbai, caretaker, of the synagogue in Chelm. Each morning he would walk through the streets of Chelm, rapping on the shutters of the Jewish homes, waking people for morning prayers. As Berel got older, it became more and more difficult to make his rounds through the town. At last, the citizens of Chelm came up with a brilliant solution: they took the shutters down from all the townspeoples homes and filled Berels bedroom with them. This way, without even leaving his house, he could knock on every shutter in town. (5) Given the vibrancy of Chelms Jewish life, it might seem surprising that the town became associated with tales of foolishness. Indeed, for generations, Jews enjoyed many of the comic tales of without identifying Chelm as their setting. Some of the Chelm tales seem to have their origin in a collection of German comic stories published in 1597 called the Schildburg Tales, named after a fictional village inhabited by fools. A few of these stories are immediately identifiable as tales that are today commonly included in books of tales about Chelm. One example concerns the village leaders who built a new synagogue (the town hall in the original German version) but forget to put windows in the building. To solve the problem of it being dark inside, they decided to fill sacks with sunlight to illuminate the windowless building. Lublin Street in Chelm For generations the Schidburg Tales were enjoyed by Jews and non-Jews alike in their original German. In 1700, they were translated into Yiddish. Prof. Ruth von Bermuth is a professor at Duke University and author of How the Wise Men Got to Helm: The Life and Times of a Yiddish Folk Tradition (NYU Press, New York: 2016). She notes that at the time, Yiddish and German were so similar that if someone read the tales aloud, both Yiddish speaking Jews and German speaking Christians could understand them. For years, Yiddish versions of these comic tales continued to identify the protagonists as Christians living in the imaginary town of Schildburg, not Chelm. It was only in 1887 that an edition printed in the nearby city of Lvov identified the characters as Jews living in Chelm. Dr. von Bermuth isnt entirely sure what motivated the authors of that particular volume to shift the stories to Chelm, but she suggests that if they were looking for a typical eastern European Jewish community, Chelm might have seemed representative. The book was called Der Khelmer Khokhem (The Wise People of Chelm), and the only surviving copy is currently housed in the National Library in Jerusalem. It includes many classic tales we today associate with Chelm, including this one A rabbi from Chelm decided to visit a nearby town, and set out with a wagon driver who hid the rabbi under a blanket to deter anti-Semites from attacking them. After driving around for a while, the unscrupulous wagon driver deposited the rabbi back in the same spot in Chelm where theyd set off. As he walked around, the rabbi was shocked to find that the big city hed heard so much about was just like Chelm! No matter how far he traveled, everything seemed like Chelm. Perhaps the entire world is just like Chelm, the rabbi concludes. Stories about the Wise Men of Chelm continued to be published in Yiddish and became a key component of Jewish culture. Menachem Kipnis was a famed chazzan (cantor). Born in Volhynia, Ukraine, a major center of Jewish learning, in 1878, Kipnis wrote extensively about music for Yiddish newspapers. He also wrote a series of comic articles for the Warsaw-based Yiddish newspaper Haynt (Today), in which he claimed he was reporting ridiculous events live from Chelm. His column became so popular that its said a Jewish woman actually living in Chelm wrote to him begging him to stop: she feared his comic dispatches would prevent her daughter from ever finding a husband, once potential young men learned she was from Chelm. Residents of Jewish old age Home in Chelm, 1918 Although he didnt actually live there, Kipnis became one of Chelms most famous sons. He perished in 1942 in the Warsaw Ghetto, and his death mirrored that of other Jews from across Europe, including Chelm. The murder of Chelms Jews began on December 1, 1939, when German forces forced 2,000 Jewish men between the ages of 16 and 60 into the central market square. Some were murdered and the rest were forced to walk to the city of Hrubieszow, over 50 km away. On the way, a further thousand Jews were shot. German troops forced 400 of the men to swim across the Bug River, partially frozen in January. Most of them drowned. Almost all of Chelms other Jewish residents were deported to the Sobibor Concentration Camp. When the town was liberated on July 22, 1944, only 15 Jews remained alive. The beautiful Jewish life that existed in Chelm and across all of Yiddish speaking Europe today lives on in the many stories that are told about Chelm. The comic antics of Chelms imaginary fools have entertained generations of Jewish readers and continue to do so today. In some versions of The Wise Men of Chelm, these beloved stories conclude with the destruction of the town by fire and its residents scattering across the face of the earth. "But surely it cannot be for nothing that not even a lonely feather is left in Helm, the town rabbi proclaims after a fire destroyed the town. My people, the Lord works in mysterious ways This is a sign from on high. Like the destruction of Jerusalem in ancient times, the destruction of Helm is a sign that we must go out into the world and spread the wisdom that is our heritage and tradition. Like our forefathers of old, let us go forth with courage in our hearts to fulfill our destiny! And that is what the Chelmites did. Not with sorrow and not with tears, but proudly, they went forth from Helm and dispersed over the face of the earth. They mingled with all the peoples of the world and dutifully spread the wisdom that was once the pride of Chelm alone. And so, dear reader, if you discover a bit of the Chelmite in yourself, youll know the reason why. (5) (1,2,5) Adapted from The Wise Men of Helm and their Merry Tales by Solomon Simon, Behrman House, New York: 1952. (3,4) Adapted from Edward Portnoy https://yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/Wise_Men_of_Chelm Artwork used above by Jeffrey Allon, "The Wise Men of Chelm Capture the Moon", from the book Ten Traditional Jewish Children's Stories. His "lavish fullpage watercolors use dramatic closeups and innovative perspectives to lend movement and action to the stories" (School Library Journal). www.jeffreyallon.com. Jeffrey Allon lives in Tekoa, Israel Whether producing more oil will help the kingdom is another question. There is no easy cure for the predicament that Saudi Arabia and the rest of the oil industry face. The world is awash in oil, analysts say, and demand will probably continue to decline. The prospect of more oil on the market could accelerate the collapse in prices, which have fallen about a third this year. Both Russia and Saudi Arabia appear to be acting for short-term advantage with risky strategies. Russia has gained significant political clout in the Middle East by aligning with OPEC. Helping to support oil prices in concert with Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states has helped the government of President Nicolas Maduro survive in Venezuela. Now, the Russians have chosen to go it alone, refusing to coordinate with OPEC in proposed production cuts perhaps in the hope of undercutting American oil producers. For Saudi Arabia, cooperation with Russia had reinforced OPECs clout at a time it is being threatened by the recent surge in American oil production that has turned the United States into a major crude exporter for the first time in decades. Saudi Arabia is protecting its market position in the face of a collapse in oil demand, a shrinking physical market and greatly reduced prices, said Sadad al-Husseini, a former executive vice president of Saudi Aramco. He argued that both Russia and Saudi Arabia would come out of this down cycle as stronger players, while shale oil, oil sands and other costly or politically unstable producers struggle for financing. But their success is far from certain. The last time Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members allowed global supplies to rise in the face of increasing volumes of oil from shale producers in the United States was in late 2014, and prices plummeted to below $30 a barrel. Two years later, Russia joined with OPEC in a production pact that has helped prop up prices for the last three years by coordinating cuts in output. RTHK: Trump defiant over US response to virus threat President Donald Trump defended the "perfectly coordinated" US response to the coronavirus epidemic on Sunday amid heavy criticism over health cuts and strategic blunders that have failed to stem its rapid spread. The virus has reached 30 US states, with Oregon the latest to declare a state of emergency on Sunday, and 60 million people in California and New York states under crisis measures. Two more deaths were reported in Washington state - both linked to a virus-hit care home near Seattle - bringing the nationwide toll to at least 21. Trump, who has been accused of peddling misinformation on the outbreak, blamed the media in a tweet for trying to make his government "look bad" as criticism mounted with nearly 500 cases recorded. "We have a perfectly coordinated and fine-tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus," Trump tweeted. "We moved VERY early to close borders to certain areas, which was a Godsend. VP is doing a great job. The Fake News Media is doing everything possible to make us look bad. Sad!" But Larry Hogan, the Republican governor of Maryland, criticised Trump, telling NBC the president "hasn't communicated the way I would, and the way I might like him to." New York governor Andrew Cuomo said federal health authorities had been "caught flat-footed" and had "handcuffed" the ability of individual states to respond. "Their messages are all over the place, frankly," he told Fox News. Trump has been heavily rebuked for repeatedly contradicting the advice of his administration's experts in his public pronouncements about the coronavirus. He has downplayed the threat posed by the epidemic, which has killed more than 3,500 people since emerging in China, suggesting cases were "going very substantially down, not up," falsely pledging that a vaccine would soon be available and claiming that the official estimate of the death rate was "false." From the start of February, the Trump administration focused on cutting off travel from China and imposing quarantines in an effort to keep the virus out of the United States. Epidemiologists say the initial containment effort may have slowed the arrival of the virus but accuse the White House of wasting time with a strategy concerned more with the political narrative than domestic readiness. Chief among the complaints has been the lack of testing caused by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developing its own flawed kits, rather than using those approved by the World Health Organization. Meanwhile critics point to deep CDC cuts and the White House's removal of a position on the National Security Council for responding to pandemics. Oregon became the latest state to declare an emergency as the number of patients in the northwestern state rose to 14. Governor Kate Brown said the measures to "unlock" key resources would remain in place for at least 60 days. Officials reported that two people at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference attended by Trump and the administration's coronavirus point man, Vice President Mike Pence, had tested positive for the new coronavirus. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told NBC that officials were "accelerating dramatically" on coronavirus testing. He told Fox News the possibility of following Italy's example in locking down large sections of the population, or even entire cities, could not be ruled out. "You don't want to alarm people but, given the spread we've seen, anything is possible," he said. California prepared to disembark passengers from the Grand Princess, a virus-hit cruise ship with 21 novel coronavirus infections among the 3,500 people on board. It is set to dock in Oakland on Monday after four days held off the coast of nearby San Francisco. Passengers "will not be released into the general public" but will either be moved to hospitals for treatment or to federal "isolation facilities" in California, Texas and Georgia, officials said on Sunday. Several hundred foreign passengers will be repatriated to their countries. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2020-03-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. There is bloodbath on the mutual funds street. A day after the RBI took control of Yes Bank and capped the amount that depositors can withdraw (Rs 50,000), it put out a reconstruction scheme. The proposal, which is a draft, stated that although all liabilities of Yes Bank would continue as before, the additional tier 1 (AT1) capital bonds that the bank had issued, shall be written down permanently. This announcement has caught the Rs 28 trillion Indian mutual funds (MF) industry by surprise. Eleven fund houses hold a total of nearly Rs 3,000 crore of papers issued by Yes Bank and a majority of these are AT1 bonds issued under the Basel III guidelines, according to data from Morningstar India. Rating agency ICRA downgraded Yes Banks bonds to D the lowest credit rating that indicates a default. Thus, fund houses are mandated to completely write down the value of such instruments in their portfolio, which all fund houses holding these bonds did. This resulted in a fall of debt funds net asset values (NAV). For the week-ended March 6, Nippon India Strategic Debt funds NAV nose-dived 25 per cent. Nippon India Credit Risks value fell by nearly 12 per cent, while that of Baroda Treasury Advantage declined by nine per cent. IDBI Credit Risk Funds value decreased by almost 3.5 per cent. In all, 14 debt funds NAVs fell last week. So, as a debt fund investor, what do you do now? The carnage For a while, Yes Banks financial situation has weak. Observing its continuously deteriorating financial situation, the RBI finally stepped in last week and took control of the bank. State Bank of India (SBI) will also acquire a large stake in the bank. In short, Yes Bank will not sink, but till such time as SBI takes charge of Yes Bank and things get back to normal, RBI has put a moratorium for a period of 30 days. It means that while the bank will not be functional in the sense of business as usual, depositors can withdraw up to Rs 50,000 in this period from all their accounts put together. A loss-making and a badly-managed firm such as Yes Bank will take time to put its house in order. This means recognizing its losses and paying off its creditors and depositors first and then getting its books in shape. In such a scenario, it will line up all its creditors in the order in which it owes them, depending on the nature of the borrowing. AT1 bonds, by way of regulation, rank low in terms of how soon its holders (the investors in these bonds) can get their dues from the issuer Yes Bank in this case. And that is why there is heartburn for MF industry stakeholders, the advisory and distribution communities and investors. Can mutual funds recover investors money? Thats hard to tell right now, but chances are slim. All debt funds value their portfolios on a daily basis. These valuations norms went through a major change last year, amidst the credit crisis. When the rating agencies reduce the rating of an underlying instrument to below BBB (investment grade), fund houses have the option to segregate these assets. This means the infected portion of the portfolio is cast aside and quarantined. Later, if and when the MF recovers its dues, it gives the amount back to investors. Meanwhile, life continues for the unaffected part of the portfolio investors are free to buy and sell these units. By Saturday, at least five fund houses Nippon India, Franklin Templeton, Bank of Baroda MF, PGIM and UTI have segregated their portfolios. The idea is that even though the RBI has said that AT1 bonds would be written off, fund houses have found it wise to segregate them. In fact the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mutual funds guidelines state that schemes have to segregate their portfolios on the day of the credit event (March 6 in this case) after getting trustees approval within one business day from the day of the event. Since Saturday is a non-business day, fund houses have time till Monday to get their trustees approval for portfolio segregation, although the separation would have to be effected from Friday, March 6. Once the 24-hour window goes, fund houses cannot, at a later date, segregate their portfolio. The idea is that although RBIs proposal to restructure Yes Bank is a draft one, the final plan that will be unveiled shortly, may grant a leeway for AT1 bonds. Here again, chances are slim and the MF industry as well other lenders (investors) in Yes Bank AT1 bonds (Rs 52,612 crore worth of bonds in all issued by Yes Bank, according to ICRA) will contemplate what to do next, perhaps even consider going to courts to recover their dues. However, according to RBIs circular July 2015, instruments that qualify for inclusion in a banks tier 1 capital (such as AT1 bonds) would be just above equity shares, but lower than all other creditors, when it comes to claiming in case the bank (borrower) gets into financial trouble. This is what has caused heartburn to mutual fund managers. Can I sell my units and get my amount back? Investors can exit their mutual funds that had Yes Bank bonds, but they may have to do so at a loss. Depending on your funds holding in Yes Bank bonds, your loss would vary. For investors in those fund houses where assets of schemes have been segregated, its a bit safer to withdraw. This is because your fund house has already quarantined the bad bonds. Now, if your fund house were to get any amount back in the future, the money will belong to the investors who are a part of segregated portfolio. If your fund house does not segregate the portfolio and you withdraw, chances are that new investors who enter such funds will also get to have a share in that pie, if and when the recovery happens. Of course, the proportion that fund houses may recover is highly questionable, given the nature of AT1 bonds and their repayment capabilities depending on the borrowers (Yes Banks) financial health. That said, the worst for Yes bank is over. And all fund houses have completely marked down the value of these bonds to zero. So, investors have already suffered the loss. Exiting now will not minimise the loss. The best thing to do in these times is to ascertain how much risk you can digest. Go for mid-term, long-term and credit risk funds only if you can stomach credit risks. Else, stick to low-risk PSU and Banking debt and corporate bond funds, where the assets are of a higher quality. Also, its high time investors and their financial advisors and distributors take a good, hard re-look at what credit risk entails. Given the spate of debt market accidents that have happened in the past 12-16 months, it has gotten tougher to understand credit risk. Advertisement Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined the Queen for a church service in Windsor today. This is the first time that Meghan, 38, and the Queen, 93, have seen each other since the bombshell announcement on January 6 that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are quitting as senior members of the Royal Family. Prince Harry, 35, looked relaxed and smiling as he drove to the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park, where his grandmother was attending the service. Harry and Meghan are currently visiting the UK for a series of final engagements as working royals. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined the Queen for today's church service in Windsor (pictured) Wearing a pair of sunglasses, the Queen looked excited to see her grandson and his wife (pictured) Meghan Markle, fresh from her glamorous appearance at the Royal Albert Hall last night, looked radiant this morning The Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined the Queen for church after they were invited by Her Majesty The couple looked relaxed as they arrived in Windsor Great Park, after their engagement last night The Queen sported a blue outfit with specs of green and a matching hat adorned with a flower (pictured) Prince Harry kept his eyes forced on the road while Meghan and him drove up to the church (pictured) As the car drove closer to the church, the Queen switched from sunglasses to a pair of seeing one The Queen wore a pastel blue outfit for today's service where she would be reunited with her grandson and his wife The Queen has not seen Meghan since January 6 after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were withdrawing from royal life The royal couple have left baby Archie at home which has reportedly left the Queen disappointed she will not get the chance to see her great-grandson again. It is understood Her Majesty wanted to support the royal couple by inviting them today. A source told People: 'It was a really sweet gesture that the Queen asked them to church. 'It's telling in the sense that these two are still her family. And as a family they all love each other.' Yesterday The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall. Prince Harry, who attended the event at the South Kensington venue in his role as Captain General of the Royal Marines, wore a mess dress uniform complete with medals awarded from two tours of Afghanistan. The Queen is understood to want to support the royal couple by inviting them to the church service this afternoon Prince Harry has a look of concentration as he drives to the church service today while Meghan smiles at well-wishers standing in the rain The royal couple seemed in good spirits as they attended the church service in Windsor today ahead of their final royal engagement tomorrow Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex leave Windsor Great Park after attending Sunday service with the Queen at The Royal Chapel of All Saints It is the final time that the Duke will go on an engagement in his official Royal Marines capacity, having inherited the rank of Captain General from his 98-year-old grandfather Prince Philip in 2017. Meghan Markle, who arrived at the venue with a huge smile on her face, wore a red full-length 1,295 Safiyaa dress, jewelled Simone Rocha earrings, and gorgeous red Aquazurra heels. She and Harry were greeted by five members of the Royal Marines, before they were escorted to the royal box to enjoy a night of musical entertainment for the Royal Marines Association - The Royal Marines Charity. Members of the Royal Marines showcased their musicianship and pageantry during the two-day festival, which is marking the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex received a long round of applause and a standing ovation from the audience in the Royal Albert Hall in London as they took their seats at the Mountbatten Festival of Music Prince Harry, who attended the event at the South Kensington venue in his role as Captain General of the Royal Marines, wore a mess dress uniform complete with medals awarded from two tours of Afghanistan It is the final time that the Duke will go on an engagement in his official Royal Marines capacity, having inherited the rank of Captain General from his 98-year-old grandfather Prince Philip in 2017 This intimate picture of the Sussexes about to attend their seats in the royal box was shared on the couple's Instagram page It is also marking the 80th anniversary of the formation of Britain's Commandos. Proceeds are going to the Royal Marines Association - The Royal Marines Charity, and cancer support charity CLIC Sargent. Warrant Officer, Reg Sheen, the festival manager, said it was 'absolutely fantastic' to see the Sussexes and that he was 'delighted' that Harry was the force's Captain General. Mr Sheen, who was a member of the greeting party when the couple arrived on Saturday evening, added: 'The reaction they got from the audience when they arrived was very emotional for the Royal Marines.' As crowds marvelled at the couple, their body language suggested that the pair were dealing with the evening in very different ways. While Meghan seemed to embrace the spotlight, Harry seemed ill at ease, a body language expert has said. Speaking to The Mirror, body language expert Judi James said it was clear the couple were trying to make a statement as they once again co-ordinated their outfits. Meghan Markle, who arrived at the venue with a huge smile on her face, wore a red full-length 1,295 Safiyaa dress, jewelled Simone Rocha earrings, and gorgeous red Aquazurra heels The Duke and Duchess of Sussex received a standing ovation at the Royal Albert Hall as they attended one of their final public engagements before they step back as senior royals on March 31 Harry is Captain General of the Royal Marines, having taken over the role from his 98-year-old grandfather Prince Philip in 2017, and the couple were greeted warmly when they arrived at the venue in South Kensington The Duke and Duchess then received a long round of applause and a standing ovation from the audience as they took their seats in the royal box before the national anthem - and singing hits from Sir Tom Jones The arrival of Prince Harry and Meghan to the Royal Albert Hall for the Mountbatten Festival of Music in London She also compared Meghan to the First Lady of the United States: 'The statuesque styling looks like a power statement as it closely mirrors the recent looks worn by the First Lady of America, Melania Trump, and Meghan's body language reflects that mood of star status, confidence and resilience.' This is while she claimed Harry looked like he was sweating and said it looked as though he 'might be struggling'. 'Harry looks like a man in a hurry, striding out ahead as he leads his wife by the hand, Meghan's backward tilted posture looks straight off a runway as she smiles to engage with the crowds and her hosts'. Ms James added that Harry looked to be suffering from some tension and appeared to be restless - fiddling with his fingers, suggesting 'mounting pressure'. Harry and Meghan have embarked upon a series of high-profile engagements in recent days, ahead of their departure from public life after March 31 - a day that has been branded 'Megxit'. The event comes one day after Harry officially opened the Silverstone Experience in Northamptonshire, a museum charting British motor racing through the years, alongside Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton. The Prince was driven to the doors of The Silverstone Experience in Northamptonshire yesterday morning in a 65,000 electric Mercedes EQC 400 AMG by six-time champion Hamilton. Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry leave the Royal Albert Hall following the event on Saturday It was the couple's penultimate engagement before they step down as working Royals on March 31 Harry waves goodbye as he and Meghan leave following their attendance at the Royal Albert Hall in London this evening Meanwhile, Meghan made a surprise trip to the National Theatre in London on Thursday, releasing photographs of her tour via the couple's Instagram account yesterday. The Duchess, who is patron of the theatre, was shown VR technology aimed at helping people 'better connect and empathise with each other as people, regardless of race, age or nationality'. She also visited a comprehensive school in east London this afternoon on her second day back in the UK. The couple also attended the Endeavour Fund Awards on Thursday evening to recognise the achievements of wounded, sick and injured service personnel. The annual event celebrates the achievements of wounded, sick and injured servicemen and women who have taken part in sporting and adventure challenges. All eyes were on Meghan, 38, who has not been seen in this country since she and Harry, 35, made the dramatic announcement that they were quitting public life in early January, much to the distress of the Queen. She presented the Celebrating Excellence Award during the event, saying: 'Its very nice to be back. Its the third year I've had the incredible fortune of joining my husband here. It's just the most inspiring space. 'When we were watching the [nomination] videos all the way in Canada we had the same moment of 'how are you going to choose?' Well, we've done our best.' The event is just one of just a handful of engagements the couple are undertaking this weekend in the UK before returning to Canada to embark on their new life, ahead of their official departure on March 31. Prince Harry and Meghan went backstage to meet The Royal Marines Band backstage at the half time interval at the Royal Albert Hall in London, where they had the opportunity to laugh and joke before the second act Proceeds from the event go to the Royal Marines Association - The Royal Marines Charity and CLIC Sargent, who support cancer victims aged under 25 and their families (pictured, Meghan at the event) The arrival of Prince Harry and Meghan to the Royal Albert Hall for the Mountbatten Festival of Music in London On Wednesday, Harry waved to well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace as he was driven away in a Range Rover after a series of internal meetings with his team. It came after they had a 'heart to heart' for four hours in her private apartments at Windsor Castle on Sunday about his imminent departure from the Royal Family. Harry is said to have requested the meeting, and the Queen - who last saw her grandson during their showdown at Sandringham in January after Harry broke the news that he and Meghan were quitting - was happy to agree. The Queen is believed to have told her grandson that she was keen to keep the door open for him and Meghan to return, and stressed that he would be welcomed back from Canada at any time. Harry, who has always enjoyed a warm relationship with his grandmother, was apparently keen to 'clear the air' before he and Meghan formally step down as working royals on March 31. It is understood that he and his grandmother shared a light lunch and tea on Sunday as they discussed his future. Harry has been staying at Frogmore Cottage, the couple's home on the Queen's Windsor estate, since returning to the UK last week to undertake a handful of final official engagements. He and Meghan have agreed to pay back 2.4million in taxpayer funds used to rebuild the property in light of their decision to move to North America. Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan attend the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall in London The Albert Hall performance marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the 80th anniversary of the formation of Britain's Commandos (Harry is pictured leaving) The couple will step down as senior royals on March 31 but have carried out a series of engagements over the past days (they are pictured leaving the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday) The Queen was left deeply upset after Harry and Meghan decided to suddenly announce their plans to step down and move abroad in early January in an apparent effort to bounce the Royal Family into agreeing to their demands to retain the trappings of royal life, while pursuing independent commercial careers. And the couple were taken aback when Buckingham Palace made clear its displeasure and insisted that Harry would have to relinquish his HRH title as a non working royal and hand back their official patronages and his military positions, as well as dropping their plans to market themselves as 'Sussex Royal'. The Queen is said to be 'very sad' that she sees so little of Harry and Meghan's son Archie, her great-grandson. Last autumn, American former Suits actress Meghan opened up about her struggles with royal life in an ITV documentary filmed on their Africa tour. She revealed that she had tried to cope with the pressures by putting on a 'stiff upper lip', but admitted she was not prepared for the intensity of tabloid interest. 'It's not enough to just survive something, that's not the point of life. You have got to thrive,' she added. Meghan told presenter Tom Bradby: 'Not many people have asked if I'm OK.' The Sussexes attended the previous annual Endeavour Fund Awards ceremony in February 2019, when the Duchess was heavily pregnant with Archie. They were last seen together on an official engagement on January 7 when they visited Canada House to thank the nation for hosting them during their festive break in Canada. Countdown to Megxit: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's final six events before they step down as senior royals February 28: Invictus Games choir (Harry) The first event for the couple's farewell set will saw Harry attend a recording session with US rock star Jon Bon Jovi and the Invictus Games choir, who are rerecording his song Unbroken to promote this year's tournament. The song will be recorded in Studio 2 at Abbey Road Studios in London, which was made famous by The Beatles who recorded 11 out of their 13 albums there. The competition is designed to highlight the importance of sport as part of the recovery journey of those with life changing injuries or illnesses. Prince Harry will attend a recording session with Jon Bon Jovi, pictured in Edinburgh in 2011 The Duke of Sussex attends the Team UK launch for the Invictus Games in London last October Harry staged the first games in 2014, and in September 2019 celebrated its fifth anniversary, saying had changed society's perception of disability and mental health. Harry was inspired to found the global tournament after attending the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013 and seeing how injured American military personnel thrived on the challenge of taking part in competitive sports aiding their recovery. He went on to stage the inaugural games in London's Olympic Park in 2014, followed by Orlando in 2016, Toronto in 2017 and Sydney in 2018, with The Hague chosen for the 2020 event where 500 competitors will take part in ten adaptive sports. Organisers have said that after 2020, Invictus will be staged every two years. March 5: Endeavour Fund Awards (Harry and Meghan) The couple later attended the Endeavour Fund Awards which recognises wounded, injured or sick military personnel and veterans who have gone on to use sport and adventurous challenges as part of their recovery and rehabilitation. Harry has attended every ceremony since the inaugural one in 2017, which he went to with his brother William. He went to the event in 2018 and 2019 with Meghan. The Endeavour Fund was led by his and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Royal Foundation which saw them step up the drive to help wounded service personnel. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pose with nominees and guests at the Endeavour Fund Awards at Drapers' Hall in London on February 7, 2019 The Fund has brought about programmes such as Climb2Recovery, led by former Royal Engineer Neil Heritage Team Endeavour Racing, which was started by former Infantryman Stu Croxford and carried on by Royal Engineer veteran Brian Seggie. It has also resulted in an expedition to Oman organised by a veteran Rifleman, Matt Fisher, which saw him and the team spend several days crossing the desert with Fund ambassador Levison Wood. Harry has said of the Fund: 'I am continually amazed by the tenacity, fortitude and unshakable humour displayed by the men and women who sign up to run races, cross oceans, climb mountains or take on challenges few would even contemplate.' March 6: Silverstone Experience (Harry) The following day, Harry joined British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton at the official opening of the Silverstone Experience. The much-anticipated museum - which the Duke has been backing for years - will tell the story of the past, present and future of British motor racing. Harry official launched the project for the 19.3million visitor attraction in March 2018 and is the patron of the museum in Northamptonshire. Prince Harry (right) meets racing drivers Jenson Button (left), Lewis Hamilton (second right) and former F1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart (second left) at Silverstone in July 2011 Prince Harry, his cousin George McCorquodale and his mother Princess Diana are shown the workings of a Williams F1 car at Silverstone by driver David Coulthard in July 1994 It was built inside a former Wellington bomber hanger located within the grounds of the track and officials hope it more than 500,000 people a year will visit. Harry had promised it would be 'an exhilarating attraction, based here at the home of British motorsport and I'm sure it will help to engage children in engineering'. Harry is a big F1 fan, and congratulated Hamilton on his title win in November 2014 by telling him on the radio: 'Lewis, you're an absolute legend. Well done mate.' March 7: Mountbatten Music Festival (Harry and Meghan) The couple will also attend the Mountbatten Music Festival at the Royal Albert Hall, which see the Royal Marines showcase their musicianship and pageantry. The festival takes places over two days - March 6 and March 7 - at the venue in London, with Harry expected to attend the Saturday evening performance. Last year's concert saw the Marine bands performed a range of different songs, including versions of popular hits by Take That and the Greatest Showman. The Duke of Sussex at the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall in March 2019 The 2019 event also marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day. All proceeds from the concert this year will again go to The Royal Marines Charity and CLIC Sargent. This event will also be Harry's last engagement as Captain-General of the Royal Marines, before he loses this title as he steps down as a senior royal. The couple will continue to be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as well as by the Earl and Countess of Dumbarton and the Baron and Baroness of Kilkeel. March 8: International Women's Day (Meghan) Meghan is expected to undertake an engagement to mark International Women's Day on March 8, although no specifics have yet been revealed. Speaking on a panel to mark International Women's Day last year, she said she would like her first child to be a feminist, regardless of whether they are a girl or a boy. She told an audience at King's College London last March: 'One of the things they said during pregnancy was 'I feel the embryonic kicking of feminism'.' Meghan speaks at a panel in London in March 2019 with model Adwoa Aboah (left) and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (right) to mark International Women's Day last year In March 2018, Harry and Meghan took part in an International Women's Day event in Birmingham to encourage young women to pursue careers in Stem subjects Meghan has spoken about how noticed during a school assignment that an advert for a dishwashing detergent suggested women do all the cleaning. She complained about it in a letter to Proctor and Gamble when she was aged just 11, and the firm responded by changing a line in the advert. In 2018, Harry and Meghan took part in an International Women's Day event in Birmingham to encourage young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects. March 9: Commonwealth Service (Harry and Meghan) Harry and Meghan will both attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey the next day with the Queen and other senior members of the Royal Family. Earlier this month it was revealed that the Queen had requested that Harry and Meghan attend the annual service with the rest of the royals. The event will likely see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reunite with Prince William and Kate, a year after they were pictured smiling together at the 2019 service. Prince Harry and Meghan arrive for the Commonwealth Day service in London in March 2019 But the Sussexes have severed professional ties with the Cambridges by pulling out of the Kensington Palace household and their joint charitable foundation. At last year's event, Harry and Meghan were seated beside Prince Andrew, who has left his royal duties after an interview about his paedophile friend Jeffrey Epstein. The 2019 service included performances by the Dhol Foundation drummers, Clean Bandit, William Barton on the didgeridoo, tenor Alfie Boe and the B Positive choir. Commonwealth Day has been celebrated since 1977 annually on the second Monday in March, celebrating the historic ties Britain has with the 53 other countries. Advertisement 'She really is beautiful, innit': Head boy, 16, steals a kiss and a hug from Meghan Markle during her final solo engagement as a working member of the Royal Family to an east London school By KATE MANSEY DEPUTY FEATURES EDITOR FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY For a woman who plans her every public appearance in meticulous detail, it must have come as quite a surprise when 16-year-old Aker Okoye bounded on to the stage and went straight in for a kiss on the cheek. To rapturous applause from fellow pupils at Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham, East London, Aker beamed as the Duchess of Sussex laughed and wagged her finger in mock admonishment. And he still wasn't finished. Waiting for the cheers to die down and with excellent comic timing he then leaned in to the microphone to say: 'She really is beautiful, innit.' Cue more whoops. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (L) smiles as the student Aker Okoye speaks during a school assembly as part of a visit to Robert Clack School in Essex yesterday in support of International Women's Day. Aker broke protocol and kissed Meghan on the cheek Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (L) smiles as the student Aker Okoye speaks during a school assembly as part of a visit to Robert Clack School in Essex, yesterday, in support of International Women's Day Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (L) smiles as the student Aker Okoye speaks during a school assembly as part of a visit to Robert Clack School in Essex, yesterday, in support of International Women's Day Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visits the the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham to attend a special assembly ahead of International Womens Day (IWD) held on Sunday 8th March, on March 6, 2020 in London, England This was Meghan's final solo engagement as a working member of the Royal Family, and for those present not least head boy Aker it will be remembered for ever. The Duchess had chosen to mark today's International Women's Day with a visit to Dagenham, where a group of women machinists at the nearby Ford car factory sparked a famous revolution not to mention a feature film with their demands for equal pay. Showcasing her favourite themes of female empowerment and education, Meghan could hardly have picked a better way to bow out. Pupils arriving at school on Friday had been told to expect a VIP, and between them they speculated that perhaps Boris Johnson, Beyonce or even Jackie Chan might be paying them a visit. The Duchess of Sussex talks to pupils at the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham, Essex, during a surprise visit to celebrate International Women's Day Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, arrives to visit the Robert Clack School in Essex, yesterday, in support of International Women's Day Not even those names would have outshone the Duchess for full Hollywood charm, however. Meghan Markle told Dagenham schoolboys to 'protect the women in your life' and 'stand up for your rights' during her last solo royal engagement 'Good afternoon, everybody. I thought you knew I was coming so I'm sorry for the surprise.It is such an honour for me to be here today. 'When we thought about what I wanted to do for International Women's Day this year, for me it was incredibly important to be with the women of our future. And that is all of you young women here, as well as you young men who play a very large part in this. 'I think specifically coming to your school made a lot of sense for me because of this social justice and the impact that it's rooted in. 'Your school mantra as you all know is excellence for all, excellence from all, right. So if that's the case, how does that apply in your minds do you think to International Women's Day? 'I think in many ways it's very much the same thing isn't it, the idea of excellence for all and from all, equality for all and from all. 'Before I continue I'm going to go off the cuff here because I do think what's really key is if there's one brave young man in this room who wants to come and say what he thinks the importance of International Women's Day is, I know there's going to be one of you.' Meghan picked a volunteer from the audience, 16-year-old Aker Okoye, who discussed the importance of men supporting International Women's Day - after first saying the duchess is 'beautiful'. Afterwards, Meghan continued: 'Well done, very well said, and incredible confidence, don't you all agree? 'I think that is the point, right? In many societies, it doesn't matter where you are, it's very easy to sometimes compartmentalise or silo this idea of International Women's Day solely being about women - but it's not, it's about all of us. 'So I think what you said is incredibly important for all of us to remember, not just on Sunday, not just on International Women's Day, but every day to remember the value that we all bring to the table. 'And I think being able to be in Dagenham is incredibly profound because as you can see with Geraldine (Dear) and the other women who had the strength to really stand up for something that they knew needed to be done is the best example of no matter how small you might feel, how low you may feel on the ladder or the totem pole, no matter what colour you are, no matter what gender you are, you have a voice and you certainly have the right to speak up for what is right. 'And I think what's really key for all of you to remember is especially looking at the people who have paved the way for you to get to this point in your lives and be able to have the access that you do, it's not just an opportunity to continue that, it's a responsibility. 'So I just encourage and empower each of you to really stand in your truth, to stand for what is right, to continue to respect each other, for you young men to continue to value and appreciate the women in your lives and also set the example for some men who are not seeing it that same way. 'You have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life, protect them. Make sure that they are feeling valued and safe and let's all just rally together to make International Women's Day something that is not just on Sunday, but frankly feels like every day of the year. 'So thank-you so much for having me, it's really a privilege to be here, thank-you.' Advertisement She was in no way deterred by the minor matter of coronavirus. Teachers who met her joked they weren't sure whether to offer her a handshake or elbow bump. 'It's OK!' she said, holding out her hand. As ever, Meghan had done her homework. When introduced to one of the teenagers in the debating team, she recognised his name from her briefing notes and said: 'You're student mayor as well, aren't you? Impressive.' An endless supply of gushing compliments ('Amazing! Talented!') was punctuated with rhetorical questions 'Am I right?!' and motivating soundbites about how we must all 'stand in our truth'. 'I'm just so proud to be able to witness so much of this activism and this energy that you have in this room,' she told one group. 'So well done. You guys are going to do great.' Meghan dropped another clue about her private thoughts in a poetry lesson when a pupil explained that she felt a particular connection with a poet's Sikh heritage. 'Oftentimes, when it's someone who looks like you and comes from where you come from, it's easier to connect,' replied the Duchess. Only when she met Geraldine Dear, 66, one of the women who took part in the 1984 strike for equal pay at the Ford plant in Dagenham, did Meghan appear to hit a rare false note. 'Well done on making such an important change for this country,' she told Geraldine, whose bravery had helped bring about the Equal Pay Act. 'I'm sure it's not an easy thing to do but it's the right thing to do.' If Geraldine felt slightly patronised, she didn't show it: 'It wasn't easy but it was the right thing to do,' she confirmed. Standing up in front of the school assembly, Meghan was in her element: 'Your school mantra, as you all know is what? Excellence for all, excellence from all, right?' she asked the room. 'So if that's the case, how does that apply in your mind, do you think, to International Women's Day? 'I think it's very much the same thing, isn't it? This idea of excellence for all and from all; equality for all and from all.' And that's when she called for a 'brave young man' to come up on stage to explain the importance of it all and for one rare moment, Meghan found herself upstaged by 16-year-old Aker. 'I had to speak the truth there,' he told the room. 'International Women's Day is a reminder to everyone that women can do it all and do do it all. 'This is more of a message to all you guys. 'Maybe this Sunday could be the one day we don't look at women as objects.' 'Well done. Very well said,' replied Meghan as Aker hugged her and left the stage. 'And incredible confidence, won't you all agree?' Aker is not the only one to be dazzled by Meghan, of course. This is a woman whose unrelenting optimism and love of the limelight gives her public engagements a real sense of razzmatazz. The Duchess might have been the first person ever to describe the town of Dagenham as 'incredibly profound', but she got away with it. It was, she said, because of 'Geraldine and the other women who had the strength to really stand up for something that needed to be done. It's not a dance - It's a demand for equality... People are being urged to post pictures on social media making the 'equals' sign the official symbol for today's 2020 International Women's Day. To strike the pose, put your arms across the front of your body so they are parallel, with one arm slightly higher than the other, and palms facing downwards. Organisers of this year's event say the symbol 'shows that you are committing to being 'each for equal' and that you will challenge the status quo and help forge women's equality'. Ideally this should be done in a group, with one or more of the group foregoing the stance to hold up a Selfie Card, which can be downloaded from the IWD's site. Post snaps on social media using hashtags #IWD2020 #EachforEqual. Advertisement 'No matter how small you might feel you have a voice.' Before she left, headmaster Russell Taylor asked all the students to pose for a picture with the Duchess, holding their forearms parallel to make an 'equals' sign this year's IWD symbol for equality. Meghan's tub-thumping speech about how 'you can be whatever you want to be' might seem schmaltzy to some but will be remembered for ever by these teenagers. That, and the fact that their chum wangled a kiss from a Duchess with a real talent for this sort of thing and a clear wish to emulate the grace of Michelle Obama. Why, then, is Meghan quitting Royal life? Is it because, with the Duchess of Cambridge in the mix, Meghan would never be Head Girl? What a pity that Meghan couldn't take her own advice that, no matter how small you feel, you can still make a difference. And she could still be 'everything she wants to be' while staying in the Royal Family to such effect. 'The Banker' stars hope film motivates church leaders to discuss financial literacy, inequality Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment MEMPHIS, Tenn. The forthcoming film The Banker should motivate the church to address the issues of financial literacy, caring for the least of these, and perseverance in the face of adversity, according to stars Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Mackie, and Nia Long. Based on historic events that took place in the 1950s and 60s, The Banker tells the true story of Bernard Garrett (Mackie) and Joe Morris (Jackson), a pair of African American entrepreneurs who made themselves part of the real estate game in Los Angeles, California, and Texas. Due to racial inequality, the two men decide to hire a white man, a home-repair worker named Matt Steiner (Hoult), to act as the head of their company while they posed as a janitor and a chauffeur and ran the business. Thanks to their savvy and financial ingenuity, Garrett and Morris made it possible for black citizens to move into formerly all-white neighborhoods before the Fair Housing Act of 1968 made discrimination unlawful. Their success ultimately drew the attention of the federal government, which threatened everything they had built. Directed by George Nolfi, The Banker brings to life a fascinating true story of financial gamesmanship and racial discrimination in a segregated America. The film premiered at a special event at the National Civil Rights Museum on Monday that was attended by The Christian Post. Mackie (the Avengers series), told CP he hopes the film motivates church leaders to address the issue of financial literacy from the pulpit. Financial literacy is something that we need to talk about in the church weekly, he stressed. I feel like when we go to church, we look for guidance and leadership. So we need the spiritual understanding of our day to day lives, but also our financial security so that we can take care of our families. The actor added that Scripture often addresses the importance of stewarding ones money wisely, adding: Tithing is there to build and grow the church and spread the Lords work. So in order for me to be a vehicle of the Lord, I need to have a home and a strong family system so that I can go out and live by His Word. Thats why its so important to talk about financial literacy. Jackson, who grew up in segregated America, told CP that while the country has come a long way, theres still a serious wealth gap that makes it difficult for many African American and low-income families to achieve the American dream. As much as people think time changes, time really doesn't change or things don't change, he said. We hope that they do, but often they don't. And you've got to get the right people in the right place to make change happen. And we have to be part of that change. Stories like The Banker are necessary because they highlight the importance of doing right and pushing for change regardless of the cost, Jackson said. The Chattanooga, Tennessee, native said that in the face of inequality, the Church has an obligation to understand the difference in the haves and have nots. They need to understand what their part is in sustaining the community and their parishioners, and the people that come into the church need help, need support, need someone to help them get out there and find what they need or the resources they need to get things done, he said. Long ("The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," "Empire"), plays Eunice, Bernards savvy and determined wife. Raised Catholic, the actress told CP that The Banker, although not overtly faith-based, is a film about faith. The whole movie is about faith: When you have faith in something that's bigger than what you see in front of you, you can create miracles, she said. While we never actually saw them in church, faith was a big part of Eunice and Bernards life. I think if we can just hold on to something bigger than ourselves, keeping Jesus Christ in the forefront, I think we're good, the actress added. This film is a beautiful moment in a time where black people were mistreated. I think our world is being mistreated right now. I think humanity is in jeopardy right now. And when humanity is in jeopardy, the only thing you can hold on to is something bigger than self, and that is God. "The Banker" will premiere in select theaters in the U.S. on March 6, and will become available to stream on Apple TV+ on March 20. Watch the trailer below: THE COUNCIL has made a compulsory purchase order to acquire land and extinguish rights of way necessary to develop the N20 ORourkes Cross road improvement scheme. A list of all the lands to be permanently acquired was part of the statutory notice in last weeks Limerick Leader. The new roundabout works includes the construction of new N20 approaches to the junction, alteration of the existing R518 approaches, a new combined cycleway/footway, relocation of bus stops, road and drainage impact attenuation, fencing, landscaping, public lighting, accommodation and site works. Bruree landowners / lessees / occupiers issued with notices can make objections to the compulsory acquisition of land and extinguishment of private rights of way that affect them to An Bord Pleanala. Closing date is Friday, April 24. This is a big step in the controversial projects journey. Back in October 2017, engineers from the Mid-West National Road Design Office unveiled their plan to the then local councillors in the Cappamore-Kilmallock area. It was for a four leg roundabout. The meeting heard that if all goes to plan it could be in situ by 2019/2020. Councillors expressed reservations about a four leg roundabout. Cllr Mike Donegan strongly recommended that serious consideration be given to adding a fifth arm to the roundabout to go directly into the filling station, and relocating both bus stops to the parking area. Engineers said there is a 60% higher accident rate on five-leg compared to four-leg roundabouts. One said: We have to design to the TIIs operating standards. In the end, the seven councillors backed the four legs. In 2018, the councillors said a gun was put to their heads to vote for a four-legged roundabout at ORourkes Cross in 2017. All seven said they wanted a five-legged roundabout with a dedicated entry to the petrol station. They called a rare special meeting with Conn Murray, then Limerick Council CEO, in October 2018. They asked Mr Murray to use his executive power to rescind their decision to proceed with a four leg roundabout. Mr Murray said it is a matter of road safety and their original decision was the correct one. Last October, polar opposite legal advice on behalf of the council and Cllr Ger Mitchell was read out at a municipal meeting. In welcoming the CPO, Minister for State Patrick ODonovan said it is long overdue. They need to show the road users of the locality, as well as the road users who use it on a regular basis, that this project is going ahead because there was a lot of doubt in peoples minds. I have been engaged with the council over a long period of time to try and make sure that it happened. I have had umpteen people on a regular basis contact me because they are very concerned over the state of the junction. You are taking your life in your own hands trying to cross the road, said Minister ODonovan. He says he doesnt think it is appropriate for us as local representatives to be commenting on the design or the engineering works to that extent when it comes to road safety. We can comment on design for other issues but for road safety I think we have to really defer to the experience of the engineers that have come up with a design. At the end of the day my primary concern here is for the safety of people using that junction. It is probably the busiest junction in County Limerick outside of the city. It carries a massive volume of traffic. This is an important stage but ultimately what people are looking to now is diggers on the ground to see the actual construction phase starting, said Minister ODonovan. Deputy Niall Collins agrees with councillors as he said: The TII and the council should accommodate an established existing business by providing a five leg roundabout. He says they are not uncommon in Limerick and other parts of the country. I am at a loss to understand why the design engineers did not incorporate a direct entrance to the filling station in the original design. There is a five leg roundabout at Northern Trust in Ballysimon; at the cement factory in Mungret; Rosbrien off the motorway there are numerous examples, said Deputy Collins. Telangana Health Minister E Rajender on Sunday asked the state machinery to be on alert in the backdrop of fresh coronavirus cases reported in Kerala as he inspected measures at the government TB and Chest Hospital here to deal with the infection. Only one positive case of COVID-19 has been reported from Telangana so far and the condition of the 24-year-old man was stated to be stable, official sources said. Rajender, who has been inspecting different government hospitals in the city as part of measures to deal with the virus, visited the isolation wards in the TB and Chest hospital. He also said the state machinery should be on alert in view of fresh cases being reported from Kerala, where five people have tested positive for the coronavirus. The Minister directed that a building in the premises of the TB and Chest hospital be earmarked for those who report with symptoms of COVID-19, the sources said. On Friday, he had visited the government Gandhi Hospital and interacted with the techie, who tested positive for the virus on return from Dubai, and others with suspected symptoms of the virus being treated there. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had on Saturday said the state government would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the coronavirus infection does not spread in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sebastian Partogi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, March 8, 2020 11:49 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad2069168bd 1 Books #literature,#book,#bookreview,#author,#singapore,#Indonesia,#horror,#novel Free Mainstream stories about popular teenagers can be a little bit boring sometimes, since their lives are kind of predictable and go smoothly most of the time. What is not so predictable is the second novel of Indonesian-born Singaporean author Clarissa Goenawan, The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida, which is scheduled to be released on March 10 via SoHo Press. It follows the lives of Ryusei (male) and Chie (female), two invisible, perhaps even ill-fitting teenage university students as they try to make sense of the suicide of their close friend Miwako Sumida. Set in 1989 in Japan, the story is told using a double plot structure, with the two friends finding themselves going on a soul-searching journey as they try to gain clues as to what drove Sumida to take her own life in a remote mountainside village. Before her death, the three teenagers are bound together by their painful family histories, prominently marked by the losses of their parents at an early age. The friendship circle expands when Sumida gets closer to Ryuseis older sister Fumiko the only adult in the group as Sumida, who lost her father at an early age, can relate to Ryusei and Fumis experience of being orphaned after their parents died in a fatal car crash. Deprived of the nurturing of a loving parental figure, the story vividly portrays the four peoples difficulties in forming secure emotional and social lives as they grow older. Although they are relatively functional at their university (and in Fumis case, work), they find it difficult to relate to and trust others as they attempt to navigate their complex feelings. These intellectually functional but troubled teenagers gravitate toward each other and find a sense of solidarity, until Sumidas tragic death comes, undoing all the moments of joy. Left behind is a female cat named Tama (meaning jewel in Japanese) for Ryusei to take care of. The main premise seeks to remind us that life is messy, unlike the idealistic portrayals of happiness we often get from Hollywood films or luxury lifestyle magazines. The author embraces this message with the ironic title The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida. Yes, despite not having many friends and not being the typical girl in university, Sumida is looked upon as perfect among her friends, as someone who is so comfortable with herself that she can speak her mind bluntly at any time. As readers flip through the pages of the story, they will revisit and reconnect with their inner lives as they travel with the friends who survived Sumida to unravel the dark niches of her psyche, layer by layer. As we examine the pain of Sumida and her friends, we will, without escape, examine ours as well. No need to worry, though, as the inward journey to examine our past wounds through the novel need not always be achingly painful. Thanks to Clarissas literary skills, she also equips us with the much-needed balms as we go on this journey. She oftentimes uses humor very dark but humor that will tickle your funny bones nonetheless as well as cultural references full of imagination. For instance, she mentions a confessional-style local magazine that allows readers to submit excerpts of their own diaries under pseudonyms, resulting in a rat race among writers, some of whom are teenage girls who seek to gain attention by publishing the lurid stories of their fantastic sex lives. Clarissa does not present this story for shock value only. By describing the lives of the magazines writers, she also raises an age-old question on the fine line where literature ends and life begins. But the magazine's confessionals can also describe the power of literature as an escape route for those who have difficulties in articulating their emotional states in an everyday life setting. Also, she uses other exciting literary techniques, like combining elements of surrealism and horror, to make for a satisfying reading experience, and to make the examination of pain less painful. Her storytelling techniques allow us to fantasize about acting in some kind of a gothic film as we delve deeper into our inner lives through the characters. Clarissa has said that she is heavily influenced by Japanese authors, most prominently Haruki Murakami, whose 1987 novel Norwegian Wood helped her rediscover the magic of literary fiction following years of being too busy to pick up a book due to her work at a Singaporean bank. Thus, many reviewers have compared her style to Murakamis and, quite honestly, this novel is reminiscent of elements of his novels, especially his 2002 work Kafka on the Shore, with references of a cat, getting lost in a forest, loneliness and horrific, if not painful sexual tales. Yet, to avoid making facile comparisons here, it is also fair to say that Clarissa has her own distinctive voice, as she sensitively explores traumatic sexual experiences through a womans perspective. All in all, read this novel, as you will start to find yourself caring about the lives of the relatable main characters, whose destinies might as well reflect yours; or all of us really. After all, life is messy and literary works can offer us some remedy. (ste) Tragedy struck at the weekend at Oku Abak community in Abak Council Area of Akwa Ibom, as a woman simply identified as Eka Sammy was reportedly beheaded in her farm and the head dumped in front of her house. Vanguard gathered that the woman fondly called Mma Iko Mbakara was ambushed in her farm while harvesting cassava by a young man, one Lucky Michael from Delta State, working hands in gloves with three others. An eyewitness account averred that the suspect was caught by the irate youth of the community when he dumped the head of the woman in front of her house and immediately stripped himself n3ked before taking the youth to the farm where the lifeless body of the woman was found. One Augustine Ekwere said, the youth of this village caught him and called on the police after their own assessment. The police then arrested him and his accomplices. Continuing, Ekwere said the suspect confessed to the crime at Abak Police Station, saying that a prophetess contracted him for a fee of N150, 000 to bring human head for rituals. According to him, although the suspect did not mention the name of the prophetess, he had already received the cash payment to carry out the dastard acts. At the Police station, the boy confessed to beheading the woman in the farm because he was paid a N150, 000 by a prophetess to do so. I fear that such crime is coming to my community, my stress and our house, he said. Police Public Relations Officer, Fredrick Nnudam, Chief Superintendent of Police confirmed the incident and applauded the youth of the community for supporting the Police which led to the arrest of the suspect and his cohorts. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said in the armed forces, women's participation has increased over the years and further enhancing their role is the priority of the government. "In India's armed forces, women's participation has increased over the years and further enhancing their role is the priority of the government," Rajnath Singh said at an event here on the occasion of International Women's Day today. Citing the example of Tania Shergill, who led an all-men contingent in Republic Day Parade, he said that women are now leading on many fronts which were once not even open for women. The Defence Minister also said he is of the opinion that no door of the armed forces should remain closed for women, adding that women are endowed with impeccable capabilities of creating, nurturing and transforming. Singh emphasised the role of women in the workforce in contributing to the economic growth of the nation. He said a society grows only with the upliftment of its women. Women participation is necessary for the country to achieve the 5 trillion dollar economy target, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Allahabad High Court on Sunday pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for putting up hoardings of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protestors in Lucknow and termed it insult of state and its public. The court reserved the judgment for Monday at 2 pm. A bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and justice Ramesh Sinha said that the act was highly unjust and that it was an absolute encroachment on personal liberty of the persons concerned. Court pulled up state authorities for putting up of hoarding containing photographs and details of persons accused of violence during anti-CAA protests at Lucknow. However, on request of state government counsel that Advocate General was going to appear in the matter and was coming from Lucknow but due to bad weather conditions could not reach Prayagraj in time, the bench adjourned hearing in the case till 3pm. However, the court, while concluding said that good sense should prevail on the State and it must take some action before 3pm. The police had put up several hoardings across Lucknow on Thursday identifying those accused of violence during the protests against the citizenship law last December. The hoardings which carry names, photographs and residential addresses of the accused have triggered fear among them for their safety. The accused have been asked to pay for the damage to public and private property within a stipulated time or have their properties seized by the district administration. While a coffee break might seem like just the thing you need when you're feeling uninspired at work, a new study suggests it might not be the best strategy for creative thinking. Researchers from the University of Arkansas looked at how caffeine affects our ability to do two cognitive tasks: problem-solving and brainstorming. The researchers found that while consuming caffeine "significantly enhanced" problem-solving abilities, meaning they solved problems faster and more accurately, it has no effect on people's ability to think up new ideas. The reason? These two thinking tasks require the brain to work in completely different ways. On one hand, there's "convergent thinking," which is the ability to come up with one correct solution and relates to problem-solving. It requires several cognitive processes, including executive control and focused attention. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, which makes you feel more focused, energized, alert and awake, according to MedlinePlus. Then there's "divergent thinking," which entails thinking of a wide range of responses that are novel or interesting and is related to brain-storming. It requires "spontaneous thought," lower attention levels and reduced cognitive control. That's why other studies suggest that boredom triggers creativity. For the study, researchers gave 88 participants (who were an average of 21) a 200 mg caffeine pill, which is about one strong cup of coffee, or a placebo. They then had to answer 72 problem-solving questions, and three open-ended prompts. For example, they were asked to think about problems that would arise from being able to walk or fly without an airplane or vehicle. It's possible that 200 mg is not enough caffeine to impact people's ability to generate ideas, the study authors wrote. Most people can safely consume 400 mg of caffeine a day, equivalent to about two strong cups of coffee. An excess of caffeine can cause shakiness, headaches, anxiety, sleep problems, dehydration and a rapid heartbeat. While extra caffeine has the potential to make you feel uncomfortable, the good news is it won't negatively impact your creativity, Darya Zabelina, study author and assistant professor of psychology at the University of Arkansas, said in a press release. "[S]o keep drinking your coffee; it won't interfere with these abilities," she said. Caffeine also has other perks: it's been shown to boost your mood, which could be useful if you're heading into a brainstorming session or working on a creative project. That said, there are plenty of other science-backed ways to boost your creativity. Studies have shown that going for a walk in nature "opens up the free flow of ideas." Even taking a nap is shown to improve your memory and focus better than caffeine. Check out: The best credit cards of 2020 could earn you over $1,000 in 5 years Don't miss: Phoebe Waller-Bridge attends the 25th Annual Critics' Choice Awards - Press Room at Barker Hangar on January 12, 2020 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) James Bond writer Robert Wade appears shaken and perhaps a little stirred about Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge being drafted in to spruce up his initial No Time To Die script, after he said for a woman, she is very witty. Wade was discussing the much-anticipated new 007 film on the James Bond Radio podcast when the subject turned to Waller-Bridge and he made the comment - which he added was a joke. Wade, who has co-written seven Bond movies with Neal Purvis, said: Its like a relay race, Phoebe did the bit where you get the prize at the end. For a woman, she is very witty. Read more: Phoebe Waller-Bridge shoots down claims she was hired to help write 'No Time to Die' because she's a woman When the host expressed shock at the comment, Wade responded: Its a joke. He went on to say the process of making the film coincided with the MeToo movement and that it was a good thing for women to be included in the process. Wade said: There havent been many women involved and obviously its a good thing for women to be involved. "When we were in the middle of this whole process, the MeToo thing came about. Writer Robert Wade attend the launch of 'Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style', a new exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise, at the Barbican Centre on July 5, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Dave M. Benett/Getty Images) It was interesting for me to reflect on because Id never worried about the portrayal of women in our movies. "If they are not strong characters, then it makes Bond look weak. He said the process was slightly experimental, adding: We had an idea of what the next Bond film should be. Read more: The 50 most exciting movies coming in 2020 "It was a very specific idea but a very brave idea. We spent a lot of time thrashing it out. It was slightly experimental and felt like thats what we needed to do. We went to New York to talk to Daniel and he was on board for doing something kind of different. Im not sure we fully pulled it off. But there was a certain amount of nervousness about it. No Time To Die has been hit by a series of setbacks, the latest of which has seen the release date pushed back six months due to concerns about coronavirus. Soon after August 5, 2019, when the Centre scrapped Article 370 from the Constitution and bifurcated the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories and put almost every prominent political leader either in detention or in jail, four women emerged as dominant voices in the Valley. Iltija Mufti, daughter of Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti and Shehryar Khanum, daughter of former minister Naeem Akhtar mustered the courage to talk about the situation and censure the government. Of late, Sara Abdullah Pilot, daughter of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has approached the Supreme Court to seek justice for her brother and former chief minister Omar Abdullah. But, the swiftest and most vocal of them all was senior journalist Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal who approached the Supreme Court against the communication blockade immediately after August 5 and on whose petition the court gave a verdict after five months. The top court directed the administration to carry out a weekly review of internet restrictions in the area. Iltija Mufti, the 32-year-old, emerged the most vociferous critic of the government after her mother was put under detention ahead of August 5. By mid-August, when everything was shut, communications barred and restrictions on roads, she wrote a bold letter to Home Minister Amit Shah questioning why her mother was under detention. She was allowed to move out of the Valley where she approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to meet her mother, which was ultimately granted. Since then she has been very vocal on social media using the Twitter account of her mother to criticize the actions of the government in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the revocation of its special status. It is very important to talk now when Jammu and Kashmir has been hit by a massive calamity which has been deliberately inflicted upon us, she said. Not only on social media, she even gave interviews to many news channels and newspapers talking about the central government and the BJP. She was stopped from visiting the grave of her grandfather and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayed on his death anniversary. But is she not afraid when most mainstream politicians have either been under detention or silent? My mother is my family and her incarceration is the worst thing that could happen. Life has become very gruelling. I am already in a kind of jail as there is constant surveillance. What worse can happen now, she says. She often switches her multiple identities to take on the central government. They violated the consent of the people here. And they are not even talking about the facade of development now. Everything they do is isolating Muslims and subjugating them, she says. She graduated in political science from Delhi University and went on to do her Masters in international relations from Warwick University in the UK. Not only the state but many Kashmiris too are not sympathetic to her. When I talk, everybody criticizes me. I am seen as an extension of my mother and her political baggage but the truth is I am talking as a Kashmiri, she says. Every section of society is suffering because of the collective assault on us and very few people are talking about it. I have an advantage that I am Mehbooba Muftis daughter, so if I say something it will have traction. And if I dont talk then who will, she says. The elder of the two sisters, Iltija, has been mostly brought up by her mother owing to the estrangement of her father, Javed Iqbal Shah, a businessman and briefly a National Conference leader. She rubbishes rumours that she will join politics now but cautions about lifes unpredictability. If I had to come into politics I would have come in my grandfathers time. I dont think I will join politics but then looking back I think life is very unpredictable, what will happen tomorrow nobody can say. I had never imagined the things I am doing currently, she says. She has filed a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court challenging the detention of her mother Mehbooba Mufti under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on February 5. The court has set the next date of hearing on March 18. The slapping of PSA on her has been done on impulse and I am waiting for the next hearing, she says. Shehryar Khanum, another young woman and daughter of former education minister Naeem Akhtar has been keenly keeping a track of the petitions filed before the Supreme Court by the families of two former chief ministers. She says that she is not going to challenge the PSA slapped on her father till the outcome of PSAs on the former chief ministers. I dont think it is a legal battle, I believe it is a political battle because there are no substantive allegations on my father. There is hope in the forum of the court but till now we have witnessed very un-urgent approach from the court, she says. The court has shown no urgency on Kashmir matters be it the restrictions or the detentions. We are made to feel we are second class citizens, she says. The 33-year-old corporate lawyer and an entrepreneur, Khanum has many times appeared on TV and talked to the media to criticize the detentions of people in Kashmir including her father post-August 5. She has been vocal against the governments claims that things are normal in Kashmir and has castigated their approach of treating mainstream politicians at par with those not believing in the idea of India. I am talking because it is the right thing to do. I believe India is a democracy this is the only thing we can do. Though our freedom of expression has been suspended what is the alternative, she says. And I dont talk only because my father is a politician. I raise my voice as a Kashmiri and that is what a strong Muslim woman is also supposed to do, she says. Khanum did her LLB from the Nalser University of Law in Hyderabad and worked in a law firm in Mumbai for many years before returning to Kashmir in 2017. She started an organic farm last year in June and has also been part of an NGO working for the victims of domestic violence. She feels Kashmiris need to be articulate to express their miseries. And has she fear of persecution. The worst has happened, my father is in jail, what else can happen, she says. The family of two former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah has mostly maintained public silence since their detention on August 5 except for a protest in October along with a group of women. But, early in February Farooqs daughter Sara Abdullah Pilot approached the apex court against slapping of PSA on Omar. Sara moved court early this month after Omar Abdullah was booked under the stringent PSA for three months on February 5 following his preventive detention since August 5. Sara is a social worker married to Congress politician Sachin Pilot. She made a rare public appearance on February 14 after the court issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir administration on her plea and decided to hear the case. We are here because we want all Kashmiris should have the same rights as the citizens of India and we are waiting for that day, she told the media and did not take any further questions. Though all these women had some political background, however, it was a woman journalist who took the lead and first raised her voice against the communication blackout and press curbs in the erstwhile state. Executive editor of the Kashmir Times, Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal filed a petition in the top court demanding restoration of communication modes and taking of necessary steps for ensuring free and safe movement of journalists and media personnel. This was an abnormal and exceptional situation. Never before had we seen curbs on communication of the scale we saw from August 5. We have the job of informing people. There was absolute silence and the working of the media was put on hold. And it was in this scenario that I approached the court, Jamwal says. It was because of her petition that the court on January 10 directed the administration in Jammu and Kashmir to review the curbs on communication every week. We were talking about something fundamental the right to be informed. And the court took five months for passing the order, she says. Jamwal, 52, daughter of late Ved Bhasin a veteran journalist in Jammu and Kashmir, says that she could have chosen to stay silent but she did not want to get reduced to a government mouthpiece. I had two choices either to surrender and get our newspaper reduced to a pamphlet or fight whatever the circumstances. As a journalist, it was my job to inform and that is why I choose to fight back, she says. Four people were killed after a hotel used as a quarantine facility for coronavirus suspects collapsed in south east China's Fujian province, official media reported on Sunday as authorities pulled out 42 people from the debris. Around 71 people were trapped in the hotel that collapsed on Saturday in Quanzhou city of the province. The hotel was used to quarantine and observe people who had come to the province during the novel coronavirus prevention and control and had come in contact with the virus patients. "Four people were dead, 42 others were rescued from the collapsed hotel in Quanzhou, SE China's Fujian, which trapped 71 people," State-run People's Daily, China tweeted on Sunday. The accident happened on Saturday night during a house modification operation and the owner of the building is currently under police control, it said. Currently, Chinese cities are quarantining people returning to their homes and workplaces after two-week holidays to ensure they are not infected with the deadly virus. The Xinjia hotel collapsed around 7:15 p.m. in Licheng district of the city. It was in operation since 2018 and had 80 rooms. Among the rescued, a two-year-old boy and his parents were pulled out from the rubble and sent to hospital for treatment, state-run Xinhua agency reported. City's fire department has sent more than 200 fire fighters to the site, while the province dispatched 11 search and rescue teams with over 800 fire fighters and seven rescue dogs, the report said. The Ministry of Emergency Management has sent a work team to Quanzhou to help with rescue and investigate the cause of the collapse. The ministry has called for all-out efforts to rescue the victims and emphasized on the prevention of secondary disasters, while ensuring the safety of rescue teams. The novel virus originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year and has claimed over 3,000 lives in the country. Apart from China, over 3,400 people have died of the deadly disease and over 101,000 have been infected from the virus globally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on March 8 registered a case against Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor; Kapil Wadhawan, former chairman, Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL); and Doit Urban Ventures (India) Limited, a company owned by Kapoor's daughters, on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. As per CBI's charge sheet, during April-June 2018, Yes bank invested Rs 3,700 crore in short-term debentures of DHFL. Simultaneously, Wadhwan paid a kickback of Rs 600 crore to Kapoor and his family members under the garb of loans worth Rs 600 given by DHFL to Doit Urban Ventures (Rana Kapoor's daughter's family). As per Rajendra Mirashie's statement to ED (President Project Finance of DHFL), the company had sanctioned and disbursed loan of Rs 600 crore to Doit Urban Ventures India Private Limited in 2018 for repayment of an earlier loan of Rs 300 crore and rest for general corporate purpose. Against this, five properties were given as collateral by DUVPL, which DHFL had valued at Rs 735 crore, as per valuation based on future development potential and Wadhwan's instructions. However, the acquisition cost of the said properties was only Rs 39.66 crore. In a statement to Enforcement Directorate on March 7, Radha Kapoor Khanna, daughter of Rana Kapoor, said that in addition to the aforementioned properties, she had also given personal guarantee to DHFL, which on primary basis of that guarantee was 33.33 percent shareholding in Morgan Credits Private Limited and value of unlisted businesses held under the company. Morgan Credits Private Limited is a company owned by the three daughters of Rana Kapoor. However, in 2019, she had sold all the shares of Morgan Credits Private Limited and the amount was used for repayment of debt borrowing for mutual funds. Subsequently, Morgan Credits Private Limited owns zero shareholdings in Yes Bank. Further, the statement of Charted Accountant of RKW Developers was also recorded in the remand copy. Sonpal Jain, CA of RKW Developers, stated that the loan of Rs 750 crore was disbursed in 2018 by Yes Bank to Belief Realtors Private Limited (RKW group company) for SRA redevelopment of Bandra reclamation project. Out of the said Rs 750 crore, Rs 118 crore was taken by Yes Bank as processing fees and GST, and balance amount of Rs 632 crore was transferred to Belief realtors private limited and from there immediately to Kyta Advisers through three other group companies of Dhiraj Realities." Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 16:47:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A total of 28,000 female medical workers have been sent to the central Chinese province of Hubei including its capital Wuhan to help battle the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to date, accounting for two-thirds of the total number, a Chinese health official said Sunday. Up to now, China has sent 346 medical teams with 42,600 medical staff to Hubei, including 19,000 intensive care medical staff and medical personnel specializing in respiratory, infectious and psychological illnesses, among other fields, Guo Yanhong, an official with the National Health Commission, said at a press conference in Beijing. She noted that a team of academicians from across the country have also been sent to carry out consultations for severe and critical patients. "Frontline female medics have played a vital role in treating COVID-19 patients," Guo said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 17:30:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close China is taking a string of measures to ensure job creation, facilitate employment of migrant workers and college graduates, and solve difficulties for businesses to stabilize employment amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. Although the outbreak has hit the job market hard, there will still be vast job opportunities in the development of new growth engines and the upgrading of traditional engines, said vice education minister Weng Tiehui. NANJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Spring is usually a peak hiring season in China. But this year's novel coronavirus outbreak has disrupted the pace of recruitment, especially for college graduates, and stranded a large number of migrant workers in the country's west, resulting in labor shortages in some eastern regions. In order to mitigate the impact on employment, China has started to take a string of measures to ensure job creation, facilitate the employment of rural migrant workers and college graduates, and solve difficulties for small and household businesses. MORE SUPPORT FOR MIGRANT WORKERS There were 290 million rural migrant workers in China in 2019, with 75 million working outside their home provinces. They are among the hardest-hit by the epidemic. In order to organize migrant workers to resume production in the wake of the prolonged Lunar New Year holiday, authorities across China have arranged chartered vehicles to take workers from their homes directly to the factories. Migrant workers from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region get off a chartered airplane at Sunan Shuofang International Airport in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Bo) Days ago, a chartered plane carried over 140 migrant workers from the city of Tongren in the southwestern province of Guizhou to the manufacturing city of Kunshan in east China's Jiangsu Province. The workers, each carrying their health certificates, boarded the chartered aircraft after body temperature measurement. After landing, they were directly picked by buses of Kunshan Q Technology Co., Ltd., a high-end camera module manufacturer, to avoid unnecessary human contact. Wang Jianqiang, general manager of the company, said the company has received 70 percent more orders for March than a year earlier. However, he was not sure whether the company could deliver products on time because of labor shortages amid the epidemic. After learning the urgent need of the enterprise, local authorities decided to seek more workers to fill in the vacancies. "We worked with related departments in Tongren to dispatch more than 700 workers to Kunshan, half of whom are poverty-stricken individuals, with free flight and railway services," said Liu Ping, a local official in Kunshan. Migrant workers from Anhui Province board a special train to Kunshan of east China's Jiangsu Province to resume work, in Suzhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Bo) Liu added that the measure can both help workers acquire jobs and ease labor shortages in Kunshan. "More importantly, it can develop a talent pool for the future industrial shift from the well-developed east to the less-developed west." Authorities in many regions are also helping rural workers secure jobs in their hometowns. In the city of Huai'an in northern Jiangsu, the local government has announced a slew of measures including the introduction of jobs and employment subsidies to encourage migrants to work in their hometown. After a series of online employment procedures, Zhou Dongxia scored a job at a local hat manufacturing factory with a monthly salary of 4,000 yuan (about 577 U.S. dollars). Zhou worked in a cable factory in Shanghai last year but was stranded at home after the Spring Festival. As she was worrying about her family income, the hat factory began to recruit more workers, especially returned migrants like her. "Now I can work and look after my family at the same time," Zhou said. PAYMENT EXEMPTION FOR ENTERPRISES In the epidemic center of Hubei Province, enterprises are trying every means to resume production and provide more jobs. Kanghong Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Co., Ltd. in the lockdown city of Huanggang has promised an extra daily subsidy of 100 yuan for every contract worker during the epidemic. Now 80 percent of its contract workers have returned to work and another 32 temporary workers have been recruited. Yu Xibing, a business manager of the company, said despite a 60-percent rise in operation costs, the company will take on greater social responsibility and provide more job opportunities. Large companies can withstand the impact of the epidemic over a long period, while small and medium-sized firms are more vulnerable. According to a survey of over 6,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) conducted by the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, nearly 70 percent of the respondents said their operating incomes decreased amid the epidemic, and nearly 90 percent said their funds for business operations could hardly last over three months if the contagion continues. The Chinese government has rolled out a series of policies, including subsidies and cuts and exemptions of tax and social insurance payments, to help enterprises through the epidemic and lower the unemployment rate. A total of over 500 billion yuan in social insurance payments is expected to be cut and exempted. Suzhou Tongjin Precision Industry Joint-stock Co., Ltd. has received about 34,000 yuan in subsidies for stabilizing the employment of over 80 workers. The subsidy can help sustain staff confidence and resume production more quickly, said Cheng Xianfeng, general manager of the company. A worker works at a production line of Suzhou Tongjin Precision Industry Joint-stock Co., Ltd. in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, March 6, 2020. (Xinhua) In a bid to stabilize employment, many companies also offer online vocational training programs and some authorities even offer subsidies for workers taking part in the online programs. EXPANDED CHANNELS FOR COLLEGE GRADUATES College graduates in China are experiencing more pressure to find jobs this year as their number reaches a record high of 8.74 million while job recruitment has dwindled or been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Ministry of Education has announced measures to ease the pressure, including launching an online campus recruitment service and expanding the enrollment of master's degree students. Li Hu, who is to graduate this summer from Jiangnan University, is looking for job opportunities through an online spring campus recruitment. During the popular hiring season in normal years, masses of companies go to campuses to advertise their jobs. "After submitting my resume on the university's employment system, I have been receiving job matches on my smartphone," said Li, who has not returned to the university campus since the coronavirus outbreak. An employer (R) uses internet to interview job seekers at a human resources market in Xiushan County, southwest China's Chongqing, Feb. 27, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Chan) The university will also hold an online job fair this month, which is expected to provide more than 48,000 jobs by attracting nearly 800 companies. To provide more job opportunities, the country will expand recruitment in basic education, primary-level medical care and community services, according to vice education minister Weng Tiehui. Although the outbreak of novel coronavirus has hit the job market hard, there will still be vast job opportunities in the development of new growth engines and the upgrading of traditional engines, said Weng. Many Internet firms are adding new staff to cope with business surges amid the epidemic. Yuanfudao, an online tutoring platform based in Beijing, has launched its new spring recruitment plan with over 10,000 job posts ranging from teachers to programmers. (Reporting by Zhu Xiao, He Leijing, Chen Shengwei, Qin Huajiang, Li Baojie; Video reporters: Liu Yuxuan, Han Xile, Cheng Ji'an, Chen Shengwei; Video editor: Lin Lin) She came to the defense of her show's writers after fans expressed outrage over a major recent plot twist. And on Friday, Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo was seen with another departed Grey's Anatomy castmate, T. R. Knight, posing on Instagram for a charming selfie. The sighting comes after Thursday night's episode finally wrapped up Alex Karev's storyline on the show the character played by actor Justin Chambers, who suddenly departed the program last fall in order to focus on his mental health. Grey's reunion: on Friday, Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo was seen with departed castmate from the show T. R. Knight, with whom she also posed on Instagram for a charming selfie Cute: Knight reposted the photo to his feed, captioning it with 'I'm just happy we met when we were fetuses ' In the social media selfie on Friday, Pompeo, 50, smiles sweetly with Knight, 46, just behind her. 'Old friends are the BEST friends @t.r.knight...,' the actress captioned the post. 'But like we aren't old... we've just known each other for a very long time yes yes that's it....,' she continued jokingly. Knight reposted the photo to his feed, captioning in kind, saying 'I'm just happy we met when we were fetuses. ' On the same day: Pompeo and Knight who played Dr. George O'Malley on the Shonda Rhimes hit were seen out in Los Angeles together On the same day, Pompeo and Knight who played Dr. George O'Malley on the Shonda Rhimes hit were seen out in Los Angeles together, both in jeans with T.R. in the same blue T-shirt he wore in the IG post, which features a cartoon raccoon. Ellen wore an over-sized striped men's dress shirt in shades of blue and white, rolled up at the sleeves, and she hid her eyes behind thick black sunglasses. She kept her blond hair up in a relaxed ponytail, carried a tan leather purse, and donned black heeled leather ankle booties. Earlier in the day, Pompeo posted a video montage of her character Meredith Grey interacting with Chambers's Alex Karev, urging fans to 'not be sad' and 'pull up and celebrate' the recent events on her show, which saw Alex send a letter to his wife Jo informing her he had reunited with his ex Izzie (played by one Katherine Heigl). Old friends and costars: T.R. was in the same blue t-shirt he wore in the IG post, which features a cartoon raccoon Casual Friday: Ellen wore an over-sized striped men's dress shirt in shades of blue and white, rolled up at the sleeves, and she hid her eyes behind thick black sunglasses 'Hi here I go again ... Thank YOU! You are truly the best most passionate most loyal fans anyone could ever ask for. Because of you we got to make great tv... because of you we got to make television history!' she said. Pompeo also seemed to defend the lack of wish fulfillment in the end of Chambers' time on the show. 'I say often life is hard and thank God it is because like I tell my kids... it shows us what we are made ...of how strong we really are and let's face it... without the lows there would be no dancing it out or celebrating this incredible experience we call life.' Earlier in the day: Pompeo posted a video montage of her character Meredith Grey interacting with Justin Chambers's Alex Karev, urging fans to 'not be sad' over his sudden exit Ellen praised her fellow cast member and Executive Producer Debbie Allen, who directed the episode from March 5, as well as the writers and the show's creator and former showrunner Shonda Rhimes. 'For me personally for Karev to go back to the beginning.... was the best possible storyline. It pays homage to those incredible first years and the incredible cast ...that created a foundation so strong that the show is still standing. So let's not be sad. As our fearless leader DA [Debbie Allen] always says let's PULL UP and celebrate the actors the writers and the fantastic crew who make this show come to life every week. No matter what the challenge or how tired we all are in the end... you keep us going.....That is worth dancing it out over! So much love and gratitude to you all. Xo E' Grey's Anatomy is currently the longest-running medical show on TV, now in its 16th season with a 17th on the way. Watch previous seasons on Hulu, or on Stan in Australia. CROWN POINT Police found a man on a church porch in Hammond and arrested him Tuesday on allegations he raped a woman there after he met her at a laundromat just across the state line, records show. Romie D. Cooper, 35, is accused of striking up a conversation with the woman at the Quick Cycle Laundromat in Calumet City by asking if she remembered him. The woman told police she didn't know Cooper, but he said he knew her mother and she has a learning disability so she believed him, Lake Criminal Court records state. Cooper asked the woman to take a walk with him and lured her to what she described as "the nun's house," which police determined was a porch at Convent at All Saints Church, 570 Sibley St., records allege. The woman told police Cooper raped her two times and forced her to perform a sex act on him while they were on the church porch. During the alleged rape, Cooper put his hands around her throat and she felt dizzy and faint, records allege. The woman was able to escape, leaving her pants and wallet behind, and sought help at the Hammond Public Library. A library employee called police. Without fanfare or mainstream news coverage, S&P Global Market Intelligence recently reported that oil and gas companies in New Mexico wasted more natural gas than is consumed by the states nearly 600,000 residential customers. Wasting natural resources is not the New Mexico way. Leaks, venting and flaring from the tens of thousands of wells across New Mexico amount to hundreds of millions of dollars a year in lost profit and tens of millions more in lost revenue to the state. Treating natural gas as a waste product instead of capturing and marketing this valuable energy resource is bad for business and bad for New Mexico taxpayers, and it has dire consequences for our childrens education, the health of our communities and the climate. It is important to understand that methane is the main component of natural gas. It is the primary energy resource used to generate about one-third of our nations electricity. Without oversight, methane can leak at every step in the gas supply chain and throughout the oil production process. When natural gas is vented, flared or leaked due to faulty oil and gas operations, New Mexico taxpayers lose out on tax and royalty revenue that could fund our schools and critical public services. Recapturing estimated annual losses of $40 million in taxes and royalties would allow the state to increase pre-K enrollment by 80% and offer more than 7,000 additional New Mexico kids access to quality early childhood education. Wasted natural gas is also ruining our air and harming our climate for future generations. Methane is a powerful climate change pollutant, responsible for 25% of the warming we experience today. And the hundreds of thousands of tons of smog-producing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released alongside oil and gas methane emissions in New Mexico can trigger asthma attacks and worsen respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Eddy, Lea, San Juan, Rio Arriba and Chavez counties the five New Mexico counties home to 97% of the states oil and gas wells are all at risk of violating the federal ozone standard of 70 parts per billion. The status quo is not a viable option. Unlike other top producing oil and gas states, New Mexico has no requirements prohibiting methane waste and associated pollution from escaping. In Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, leaks from oil and gas facilities must be monitored and fixed promptly. With rules in place, the industry can reduce emissions while it continues to grow. Businesses operate best when they have clear, fair guidelines that reward good actors and hold everyone accountable to the same set of standards. Leading oil and gas producers, such as BP, recognize the need for action to cut methane and are taking concrete steps including installing methane measurement at processing sites in part because they recognize their investors are demanding it. Pioneer Natural Resources CEO Scott Sheffield recently called on investors to sell shares or pull funding from companies that have high rates of natural gas flaring. Meanwhile, a top 10 asset manager in the world, Legal & General, has said it will push energy companies to have zero tolerance for methane leaks. Fortunately, Gov. Lujan Grisham is committed to reducing methane waste and pollution. New Mexicos methane challenge is big, but strong state regulations are an opportunity to improve state revenue, economic growth and the health of our communities. And New Mexico is well-positioned to realize economic gains from a growing methane mitigation industry. We are already home to several companies involved in the manufacture and deployment of technologies used to limit methane waste from the oil and gas industry. State methane rules would spur growth in this promising new industry. We support Gov. Lujan Grishams efforts to create a cleaner, more robust economy for future generations in the Land of Enchantment. Alexandra Merlino of Santa Fe is executive director of the Partnership for Responsible Business. Johann A. Klaassen is executive vice president and chief investment officer for Horizons Sustainable Financial Services, also in Santa Fe. Highlights Sanjay Raut hits out over Delhi riots in his Saamna column Raut had earlier compared the riots to the anti-Sikh pogrom of 1984 Raut describes the riot as the dance of death Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has described Delhi communal riots in February as inhuman dance of death and added that even Yamraj, the god of death as per Hindu faith, would quit seeing the carnage. Writing in his Sunday column Rokhthok in party mouthpiece Saamana, Raut said politics today lacked humanity while indirectly seeking Union home minister Amit Shahs resignation over the violence. Politics has lost humanity, from that politics rises cruel religious hysteria, and from that hysteria, the newfound nationalism is born. That nationalism is killing countrys remaining people, Raut wrote. He added that innocent children of warring communities were orphaned in the riots. The scene of the Delhi riots is heart-wrenching. Seeing the inhuman dance of death, Yamraj will also resign from his post. Innocent children of Hindus and Muslims became orphans. We are creating a new world of orphans, Raut commented. The Shiv Sena had earlier, too, hit out at Amit Shah and questioned his absence when the violence raged in northeast Delhi killing over 50 people. Saamana, too, equated February riots with the 1984 Sikh riots in Delhi. Also Read: Shiv Sena slams Centre for failing to curb Delhi violence, draws comparison to 1984 riots The world is on the brink of destruction due to fight over Hindutva, Atheism, Hindu-Muslim, Christian-Muslim. People are dying in communal riots. There are cries to save them in the name of God. But no Ishwar, no Allah, no Jesus rescues. People have to survive on their own strength. The governments, too, shut their doors in time of dire need. Raut added that the number of children orphaned due to Delhi riots will be over 100. A photo of a boy standing in front of his dads dead body was viral on social media. Who were those who took life of over 50 people (in reality, it will be over 100) in the violence and injured over 500 people? Even after looking at the images of children who lost their family members, if people still believe in Hindu-Muslim, it is the death of humanity, he wrote. The Sena leader said the government could not save Muddasar Khans son or the son of 32-year-old Ahmednagar farmer Malhari Batule, who committed suicide due to the inability to repay loan, from being orphaned. He said while the death toll in riots, drought, floods are announced, the number of children who are orphaned or those who lose everything is never announced, hiding the real extent of the tragedies. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Taliban is likely to dishonour the historic peace deal signed in Qatar's Doha last week, a report citing compelling US intelligence said on Saturday. NBC News on Saturday reported that the Afghan Taliban does not intend to abide by the agreements. Acknowledging the crucial input, US President Donald Trump on Saturday also claimed that the Afghan Taliban could possibly overrun the US-backed Afghanistan government following the withdrawal of troops from the region. In addition, the news report citing an official claimed that the US intelligence community has seen "explicit evidence" that sheds light on the intentions of the armed organisation. According to the peace deal, the Afghan Taliban promised to stop providing safe harbour to terrorists and engage in a dialogue with the democratic government in Kabul, led by Ashraf Ghani, in return the United States promised the full withdrawal of troops within 14 months. "They have no intention of abiding by their agreement," an official told the US-based news organisation." "We all hope they follow through with their side of the agreement, but we believe we know their true intentions," the report added, citing another US official. Following the news break, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen, in a tweet rejected the allegations by US intelligence officers, saying, "We categorically reject allegations by US intel official that the (Taliban) has no intention of abiding by the agreement. The implementation process is going good so far and such comments by US officials cannot be justified." READ| Afghanistan Peace Deal: Taliban rejects intra-Afghan talks until prisoner release On Friday, interacting with the media outside the White House, Donald Trump asserted that countries have to care for themselves, saying, "You can only hold someone's hand for so long." When questioned if the Taliban could possibly seize the power from the democratic Afghan government, he responded saying, "It is not supposed to happen that way but it possibly will." The statement came as the Taliban launched an offensive on March 3 killing 20 Afghan army and police officials in a string of overnight attacks. Following which, the US in retaliation launched an airstrike on the Taliban's fighters in Helmand, international media reported citing US officials. The first stalemate in the agreement was witnessed on March 2, when the Taliban told international media that no talks would proceed until the release of all 5000 prisoners. US-Taliban peace deal Diplomats from the Afghanistan, United States, India, Pakistan and other members of the United Nations gathered alongside the Taliban representatives in Doha's Sheraton Hotel on February 29. The deal if signed, will end the 18-year-old long war of the United States in Afghanistan. "The United States will reduce the number of US military forces in Afghanistan to 8,600 and implement other commitments in the US-Taliban agreement within 135 days of the announcement of this joint declaration and the US-Taliban agreement and will work with its allies and the Coalition to reduce proportionally the number of Coalition forces in Afghanistan over an equivalent period, subject to the Talibans fulfillment of its commitments under the US-Taliban agreement," the joint Afghan-US declaration read. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani speaking about the peace deal said that all contents in the agreement are 'conditions-based'. He added saying that the withdrawal of the foreign forces from the region will depend on the Taliban's fulfillment of their commitments. The Taliban had even ordered its fighters to refrain from any attacks. READ| Trump to 'personally meet' Taliban; expects 'regional nations' to fight war on terror READ| Donald Trump calls Osama bin Laden, Hamza "tall, very handsome" Prisons and HIV Prison health is public health Virtually all people in prison will return to their communities, many within a few months to a year. Health in prisons and other closed settings is thus closely connected to the health of the wider society, especially as it relates to communicable diseases. People in prison have multiple vulnerabilities to HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis and other infections Globally, prisons are characterized by relatively high prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and C virus and tuberculosis, as well as elevated risks of contracting such diseases and diminished access to health services.In some settings, the HIV burden among people living in prisons may be up to 50 times higher than in the general population. HIV transmission in prison often occurs through the multi-use of equipment among people who inject drugs; consensual or coerced unsafe sexual practices; unsafe skin piercing and tattooing practices; multi-use of shaving razors, blood brotherhood rituals and the improper sterilization or reuse of medical or dental instruments. HIV in prison may also be transmitted from mothers living with HIV to their infants during pregnancy or delivery. Almost 11 million people are held in prisons and other closed settings at any given time 4.8% are living with HIV 15.1% are living with hepatitis C 4.8% have chronic hepatitis B 2.8% have active tuberculosis The UNODC/ILO/UNDP/WHO/UNAIDS policy brief HIV prevention, treatment and care in prisons and other closed settings: a comprehensive package of interventions recommends 15 key interventions that are essential for effective HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care in prisons and other closed settings. While each of these interventions alone is useful in addressing HIV, together they form a package and have the greatest impact when delivered as a whole. Isolated from public health services including national HIV and TB programmes, prisons and other closed settings are seriously neglected in country responses to address HIV and TB prevention, treatment and care. A comprehensive package of 15 interventions for HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care for people in prison A man is lucky to be alive after being shot in the head and driving himself to the hospital for treatment. The incident happened at approximately midnight in the 1600 block of West Ogden Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, when the man was driving his vehicle and suddenly hit in the head by gunfire, according to ABC News Chicago station WLS-TV. MORE: Library security guard killed after being stabbed repeatedly without provocation The man who was driving a small SUV then drove himself to Stroger Hospital about one mile away from where the incident allegedly took place to be treated, according to authorities. The 28-year-old victim is now in serious condition. MORE: Man accidentally kills roommate, shoots her while negligently handling gun Police are currently investigating the circumstances around the shooting but he has not been able to tell investigators exactly where the shooting happened. It is unclear if the shooting was targeted or accidental. Man somehow drives himself to hospital after being shot in the head originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Officials from Princess Cruises, the company that operates the Grand Princess ship that has been quarantined 50 miles off the San Francisco coast with at least 21 people who have tested positive for coronavirus, said late Saturday night that the ship is expected to dock at the Port of Oakland sometime on Monday, so passengers who require acute medical treatment and hospitalization can get it. Earlier Saturday night, a Princess spokesperson had said that docking was set to occur sometime Sunday, but at about 10:30 p.m. said that, "Centers for Disease Control has just informed us that further modifications of the plan are necessary and will impact the arrival of the ship. The ship will now arrive in the Port of Oakland on Monday." Manama The Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health, Dr Mariam Al Hajeri, highlighted that the medical mobile testing units have tested a total of 2,062 individuals returning from Iran during the month of February, before Iran has announced the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in its cities. Dr Al Hajeri further highlighted that all individuals tested had contacted the hotline no 444, or visited the Ministrys website to schedule their medical examinations. Dr Al Hajeri added that out of the 2,062 samples, 2,055 tested negative for the COVID-19, with seven testing positive. Dr Al Hajeri emphasised that all individuals testing positive for COVID-19 have been swiftly transferred for isolation and treatment, and their contacts prior to isolation have also been tested to ensure their health and safety. On this note, Dr Al Hajeri underscored the efforts of the Kingdoms health professionals, who are an important component of Team Bahrain, highlighting the role they play in containing and combating COVID-19. Dr Al Hajeri underlined the Ministry of Healths commitment to ensure the safety of all citizens and residents, and added that all tested individuals are provided strict guidelines to follow, including self-isolation and monitoring for 14 days, for which they will receive paid medical leave. The ministry has urged citizens and residents to take various measures to protect themselves from coronavirus. The ministry sources had said that educational campaigns are in full swing to create awareness in the public about the novel coronavirus. The modes used to create awareness include traditional media, social media and even SMS campaign, which was recently done: Kindly be reminded to take the following precautions to reduce the risk of contracting the Coronavirus (Covid-19): Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly using soap and water. Use alcohol-based sanitisers. Clean and disinfect frequently used objects and surfaces such as door handles. Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing, and dispose of used wipes properly. Avoid contact with people experiencing a fever or suffering from a cough, the ministry stated in a mass SMS campaign, which was sent out to Bahrainis and expatriates across the Kingdom. TUSCOLA COUNTY, MI -- Two people were airlifted for treatment of their injuries after a crash in rural Tuscola County. Deputies with the Tuscola County Sheriffs Office responded around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7 for a report of a two-vehicle crash in the area of Hinson and Gilford roads in Fairgrove Township near Caro. An initial investigation has revealed a vehicle driven by a 16-year-old boy -- with two female passengers aboard -- was headed south on Hinson Road. The driver failed to stop for a stop sign and hit a vehicle driven by a 35-year-old woman headed east on Gilford Road, police said. Both vehicles had people that were pinned inside. Firefighters with the Caro and Fairgrove fire departments were able to help rescue them. LifeNet and FlightCare helicopters were called in to transport the female passengers in the southbound vehicle to the hospital. Both drivers were transported via ambulance to a hospital. No conditions on the drivers and passengers were immediately available from law enforcement officials. The crash remains under investigation. Michigan State Police assisted the Tuscola County Sheriffs Office at the scene. Changed law virtually bans ride-hailing service The National Assembly's passage of a revision to the Passenger Transport Service Act has dealt a severe blow to the fledgling innovative ride-hailing service industry. This legislation no doubt is designed to put a virtual ban on Tada, an increasingly popular mobility platform operator with 1.7 million users. On Friday, the Assembly approved the amendment aimed at imposing new regulations on ride-hailing service providers such as Tada. The revised law will go into effect a year after it is proclaimed. A six-month grace period will be given to ensure smooth implementation. Tada, meaning "to ride" in Korean, began offering ride-hailing services with 11-seat vans via a smartphone app in October 2018. It is now synonymous with innovation. The current law bars any business from providing paid ride services with rented vehicles attached with a driver. However Tada is taking advantage of a clause that enables a mobility platform operator to rent 11-15 seat vans and arrange for drivers. Under the changed law, however, mobility platform operators will be allowed to provide those services only for tourism purposes. They will be subject to restrictions on service hours and locations. The amendment stipulates that vehicles should be rented for at least six hours. It will also allow the outsourcing of drivers only when vehicles are returned at airports and seaports. For these reasons, the legislation is seen as nothing but a ban on Tada. Furthermore, it will stifle innovation in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and deprive consumers of their right to enjoy innovative services. More seriously, adding more regulations to the passenger transport industry runs counter to President Moon Jae-in's policy of promoting "innovative growth." In a nutshell, the country is taking a step backward, not forward, in promoting innovation as well as future-oriented new industries and services. Lawmakers and government officials stressed that the revision was aimed at permitting mobility platform operators to do business within legal boundaries. The new law calls on these operators to register for licenses, contribute money to a fund to compensate the taxi industry and be subject to an aggregate ceiling in the number of taxis. We have to interpret the legislation as a politically motivated move to appease the country's 300,000 taxi drivers and their families before the April 15 general election. That is why most taxi drivers welcomed the passage of the bill. But Lee Jae-woong, head of car-sharing app operator SoCar, which owns Tada, strongly denounced the revision for stifling innovation and bringing an end to new services. He even threatened to stop Tada's operation. Lee must have felt deep frustration at the legislation, not least because it came after a Seoul Court ruled in favor of the Tada service as a legitimate rental car service operator Feb. 9. The court turned down the prosecution's claims that Tada had unlawfully conducted a call taxi business without a license. Many people had expected the ruling to have positive legal implications on the revision. However, the Assembly reneged on such an expectation. This means a failure to solve the conflict of interest between traditional taxi operators and emerging innovative ride-hailing service providers through dialogue and compromise. It is regrettable to see the Assembly protecting a conventional industry by sacrificing innovation. Armenias ex-president Robert Kocharyan was taken to Nairi medical center, News.am reports. The former president, who is charged with overthrowing constitutional order during the March 1, 2008 events, was taken to hospital because of variability in blood pressure. The doctors will decide on treatment after all results of the tests are available, office of the second president told Armenian News-NEWS.am. Head of Kocharyans office said now ex-president feels better. 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. Saudi Arabia released images of King Salman carrying out his royal duties on Sunday, after a stunning purge of at least three princes including his brother and nephew for allegedly plotting a coup. Saudi royal guards on Friday detained the trio, multiple sources told AFP, in a move that signals Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's tightening grip on power. The detentions also raised speculation about the health of the 84-year-old king and whether Prince Mohammed's succession to the Arab world's most powerful throne was imminent. But the official Saudi Press Agency posted photos of the king presiding over the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed Saudi ambassadors to Ukraine and Uruguay. A source close to the Saudi leadership told AFP on Saturday the "king is healthy and fine" and the detentions were meant to enforce "discipline" within the royal family. The crown prince is "in control" and the purge was carried out "after an accumulation of negative behaviour by the two princes", this source added without elaborating. Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, a brother of King Salman, and the monarch's nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef were detained after they were accused of plotting a palace coup aimed at unseating the crown prince, heir to the Saudi throne, sources said. Prince Nayef's younger brother, Prince Nawaf bin Nayef, was also detained, they added. The detentions mark the latest crackdown by Prince Mohammed, the king's son who has consolidated his grip on power with the imprisonment of prominent clerics and activists as well as princes and businessmen. He is already viewed as the de facto ruler, controlling all the major levers of government, from defence to the economy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Riteish Deshmukh is making headlines almost every other day and it has nothing to do with his latest release Baaghi 3, most of it at least. On one day when he's busy flaunting his 'DJ Snake' avatar, the other day is about him trolling the trolls who tried to make fun of his new look by calling his 'Sasta DJ Snake'. On the rest of the days when the actor is not flaunting his new look, he is busy sharing BTS pictures and videos from his movie sets. Basically, Riteish Deskhmukh and his Instagram is like a gift that keeps on giving. But do you know what else he gives? Daily, and sometimes weekly, dose of humour. Yesterday happened to be one of those days when he decided to channel his inner Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan and recreate their signature styles. After Riteish and Ajay's friendly banter on social media last year, almost everyone knows by now how obsessed Riteish is with Ajay Devgn's movie Phool Aur Kaante. This certain scene in particular. YouTube Well, looks like his obsession is still not over as he recreated his pose on the sets of Baaghi 3. While Ajay did a perfect split on two bikes, Riteish chose two tanks. He wrote in the caption, "Hello @ajaydevgn from the sets of #Baaghi3". While he was at it, he decided to go ahead and recreate another iconic step - Shah Rukh Khan's open arms pose. He wrote, "A bit of romance amidst action - @iamsrk style on the sets of #baaghi3." Well, it's his movie set so he can do whatever he wants. Riteish's fans, as expected, got super excited and started flooding social media with comments on his poses; but we're eager to know how Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan will react once they see the post. Directed by Ahmed Khan, Baaghi 3 stars Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor in lead roles. Riteish plays Tiger's older brother who gets kidnapped in Syria and Tiger sets out to free him from the kidnappers, no matter what it takes. HUD Secretary Ben Carson, a member of the Trump administrations coronavirus task force, on Sunday refused to reveal how the administration is planning to handle the 3,500 passengers aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship that has been hit with a coronavirus outbreak and is scheduled to dock in Oakland, California as early as Sunday afternoon. During his appearance on ABCs This Week, Carson was asked by anchor George Stephanopoulos what plan was in place for the ship when it docked as 21 passengers, 19 of which are crew members, have already tested positive for the virus. The cruise ship personnel and, as you know, the vice president met with the CEOs of the major cruise ship companies yesterday, and they are coming up with a plan within 72 hours of that meeting, Carson replied. The ship is docking tomorrow, Stephanopoulos interjected. The plan will be in place by that time, the HUD secretary countered. But I dont want to preview the plan right now. The ABC News host, meanwhile, declared that Carson should be able to reveal the administrations plan at this time, prompting Carson to give a rather interesting defense. I think it needs to all come from a solitary source, he said. We shouldnt have 16 people saying what the plan is. Particularly when it hasnt been fully formulated. A clearly frustrated Stephanopoulos eventually moved on, but not before noting that Carson was the presidents representative on the program. With coronavirus cases exploding across the globe and causing countries like Italy to institute unprecedented measures in an effort to stop the spread of the disease, President Donald Trump has appeared preoccupied with keeping the public numbers of reported cases in the United States low, which included keeping the Grand Princess at bay. During a tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention facilities in Atlanta last week, Trump explicitly stated that he didnt want the cruise ship full of American passengers to dock, adding: "I like the numbers being where they are. I don't need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn't our fault. Story continues Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. By Express News Service BHOPAL: Bringing the five-day suspense to an end, former Madhya Pradesh minister and one of the four missing Congress MLAs Bisahulal Singh returned to Bhopal on Sunday evening. Accompanied by MP tourism minister Surendra Baghel, the three-time Congress MLA from Anuppur seat, Bisahu Lal Singh met with Chief Minister Kamal Nath and announced there was no threat to the state government. Humko koi bandhak nahi banaya thaa, hum toh tirthyatra par idhar udhar ghoom rahe they, hum sarkar ke saath hain aur sarkar ko koi khatra nahi hai (I wasnt held captive, but was on a pilgrimage. Im with the government and there is no threat to the Congress regime headed by Kamal Nath), he told journalists after meeting the CM in Bhopal. Singh was among the four MLAs (three Congress and one independent MLA) who as per Congress leaders, including ex-CM Digvijaya Singh and MP minister Jeetu Patwari, had been abducted by BJP leaders five days back from Gurugram and then flown to Bengaluru to topple the Kamal Nath government, which enjoys a thin majority in the 230-member Vidhan Sabha. ALSO READ | Madhya Pradesh poaching row: 'Missing' MLA returns, denies he was abducted When asked by journalists about him being inducted into the cabinet by the CM, the tribal strongman Bisahu Lal Singh said, Please ask that question to CM only. The former ministers return to Congress camp came a day after another missing MLA, Surendra Singh Shera Bhaiya (independent legislator) returned from Bengaluru and met the CM, later announcing no threat to the state government. But two missing Congress MLAs, including HS Dang (who reportedly resigned recently from Vidhan Sabha recently) and Raghuraj Kansana, are yet to return from Bengaluru. Responding to media queries about Bisahul Lal Singhs claims that he wasnt abducted or held captive to topple the Congress regime in MP, higher education minister Jeetu Patwari (who had earlier claimed that Singh was kidnapped by BJP leaders) said He (Singh) is our senior tribal leader. His return has exposed that BJP leaders, including ex-CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, ex-ministers Narottam Mishras conspiracy to topple our government. In another significant development, BJP MLA from Maihar seat Narayan Tripathi met with CM on Sunday evening for the third time in four days. I met the CM for a short while and took up the issue of making my constituency Maihar a separate district. I also demanded that a resolution be passed to create a separate Vidhya Pradesh out of MP, said Tripathi. When asked whom he would back in case of a show of strength in the Vidhan Sabha, the former Congressman Tripathi said, it will be known when the time comes. Tripathi is among the two BJP MLAs (Beohari MLA Sharad Kol being the other one) who had voted along with Congress MLAs over a crucial bill in the Vidhan Sabha in July 2019. His recent meetings with the CM had triggered speculations about him quitting the State Assembly membership and later contesting from the same seat as Congress candidate. He, however, has been denying about resigning from the Assembly membership. CM Kamal Nath flying to Delhi amid the possibility of cabinet expansion In other related developments, CM Kamal Nath was expected to fly to Delhi late on Sunday evening. In Delhi, he is likely to meet former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and also attend party meetings to finalize candidates for the March 26 Rajya Sabha polls. Three RS seats will be up for polls from MP. Also, a senior Congress leader told The New Indian Express that a cabinet expansion/reshuffle is likely soon to take care of concerns of disgruntled Congress and allied MLAs, but its not clear whether it will happen before Holi or after the Vidhan Sabha budget session next month. A parliamentary panel has said the Indo-US nuclear deal has not yet resulted in any "new" power projects with foreign assistance and that the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) should, for now, adopt home-grown 700 MW heavy water reactors for its expansion programme. Signed in 2008, the Indo-US nuclear deal ended India's nuclear pariah status and enabled import of uranium for its power reactors. In 2008, France also signed a deal. Under the deal signed with US, WestingHouse Co is to build six reactors of 1208 MW each. GE-Hitachi, another US company, is also to build six reactors at Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh. France's EDF also has to build six reactors of 1650 MW each. The projects with WestingHouse Co and EDF are at the discussion stage. "The committee is also aware of the fact that apart from helping India acquire badly needed natural uranium from other countries, the Indo-US nuclear agreement has not yet resulted in new commercial projects with foreign assistance," the panel which submitted its report on Friday said. The Standing Committee Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, headed by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, also observed that negotiations with American and French companies have been going on for a decade. "The committee feels that at this point of time it would be better for the DAE to adopt a standardised 700 MW heavy-water reactor and use that standardised design for its expansion programme in an aggressive manner," the panel added. India has 22 power reactors. Of these two are Boiling Water Reactors (BWR) at Tarapur built with American help in the 1960s, the other two are Russian made Light Water Reactors at Kundakulam. The rest are Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) developed by the DAE at a time when India was under sanctions post the 1974 and 1998 Pokhran tests. The government in 2018 gave approval to build 10 new PHWRs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There are surprise guest stars and then there are truly surprising guest stars. This week, right as America felt the need for a bit of a pick-me-up as coronavirus continues to spread across the country, "Saturday Night Live" managed to feature the latter by having the real Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., in the cold open alongside Kate McKinnon's version of her. Whether that serves as a pick-me-up or not, of course, likely depends on your politics. At first glance, the sketch felt like another by-the-numbers open. It relied on a new trick the show's been employing lately by setting it as a Fox News show. This time it was "The Ingraham Angle," featuring McKinnon as the eponymous host Laura Ingraham, who wants to assure the country that coronavirus "is an urban legend" and "liberal fan fiction." After all, she says, there are bigger things to worry about such as "women who keep their maiden names," "Montessori schools," "Mexican teenagers rehearsing a dance for a quinceanera in a public park," "fat Barbies," what the maid is saying, "black marching bands" and "Harry Styles." Cecily Strong drops by the show as Judge Jeanine Pirro, who insists that "Americans are not at risk" for the virus, "especially not our viewers, who skew elderly, are in bad health, live cloistered together in homes specifically for sick people and have smoked their entire lives." She insists that if anyone sees her avoiding Chinese restaurants, it's not because she's afraid of falling ill. No, she simply doesn't trust the Chinese, because "a fortune cookie once told me to lower my voice and I've never looked back." Following a familiar formula for these sketches, Mikey Day and Alex Moffat appear next as Trump's sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. As always, the joke centers on the latter being as dimwitted as a small child. As Day's Trump Jr. assures the public that his dad has everything under control, Moffat's Eric says his dad often uses the "n-word." He then discovers he has a 104-degree fever after sticking a thermometer in his mouth that he found in "the park." Finally, Darrell Hammond guests as Chris Matthews, who just can't get over how wonderful a place Fox News proves to be for him. "Oh my God, this place is amazing. Everyone here is hot, crazy or both!" he exclaims, before explaining the state of the 2020 election as "the race is down to Hitler and an ice cream cone to see who can beat the Michelin man." Thus far, all as expected. A few good jokes, and a few familiar impressions. Then, in a truly jaw-dropping moment, Warren appears, looking elated to be on the show. The mere fact that she was there overshadowed much of what she actually says, though she makes a few solid quips as she describes what things have been like since she dropped out of the presidential race. "I'm doing just fine. My friends and family have been so supportive. They've been calling nonstop, asking, 'Are you OK? What do you need? Were you electable?'" she says later adding that she's not endorsing anyone yet. "Maybe I'll pull a New York Times and endorse them both." As for regrets, Warren claims not to have any. "I'm so proud of our campaign. We built a wide coalition of teachers, preschool teachers, middle school teachers and teacher pets. And not only did I not accept money from billionaires, I got to give one a swirlie on live TV," she says, referring to her debate performance against Mike Bloomberg, which The Washington Post referred to as "slaying a billionaire." The sketch ends with what might be the most impressive costume change in the show's recent history. McKinnon, seen just seconds earlier as Ingraham, somehow manages to change into the same clothes Warren is wearing. Together, with McKinnon as Warren and Warren as herself, they shout the iconic "Live from New York, it's Saturday night!" Many critics, this reporter included, have pointed out the shows reliance on flashy celebrity guest stars from week to week. The primary issue is that they cease to be surprising. The sixth time Robert De Niro or Alec Baldwin shows up, what once caused a jolt of excitement turns into a yawn. Warrens appearance, however, serves as a good reminder that when done cleverly, an unexpected guest can truly elevate a sketch. Sana Khan Reacts To Melvin Louis Recording, Says It Wasnt A Phone Call But Parts Where She Repeated His Words Q: What are advance health care directives, and why are they a good idea? A: Living wills, health care powers of attorney and other advance directives are written, legal instructions regarding your preferences for medical care if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. Advance directives help guide doctors and family members when patients are unable to make their own health care decisions. In extreme cases, this inability can arise because the patient is permanently unconscious or is terminally ill. Its important for adults of all ages to prepare advance directives, because a health emergency or accident can happen at any time. Its a gift to your family to get these plans in place, said Sally Hurme, an elder law attorney based in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Why create chaos, indecision, confusion, frustration, turmoil all of these may happen if you dont have advance directives. Nearly 37 percent of Americans have advanced directives for end-of-life care if they become seriously ill or unable to make health care decisions, according to a 2017 analysis published in Health Affairs. Older patients and those in hospice or palliative care were more likely to have an advanced directive, according to the 2017 report. Heres what you need to know about living wills and health care powers of attorney. Some information came from the Mayo Clinic website. Health care power of attorney Health care power of attorney is also called health care proxy, durable powers of attorney for health care, or medical powers of attorney. This legal form allows you to appoint someone to be your voice if you are unable to communicate with health care providers, explained Ronald Wayne, a trusts and estates partner with the Cleveland law firm Buckingham, Doolittle and Burroughs. The person holding the health care power of attorney makes all health care decisions only when the patient cant make decisions for himself or herself. This could include medical treatment, placement in a skilled nursing facility, surgery and medications. The agent also is the person who will field late-night calls from a hospital or nursing home. It does not grant access to the sick persons finances. Although not legally necessary, a doctor will sometimes write a letter stating that the sick person isnt competent to make his or her own medical decisions, said John Thomas, an attorney with Schraff Thomas law firm with offices in Willoughby Hills and Strongsville. The firm concentrates on elder law. The person chosen to hold your medical power of attorney can be a spouse, family member, friend or clergy. If you dont have a health care power of attorney, your nearest next of kin, such as a spouse or child 18 or older, is authorized by law to make health care decisions for you, Wayne said. (Some hospitals do not accept decisions made by a spouse or adult child without a power of attorney or guardianship, Thomas said.) Choose someone you trust to follow your wishes when making decisions and advocate for you. You may not choose your physician or a member of your medical team. Consider naming a first and second choice. Is that person: Able to understand your wishes? Willing to advocate for you, even if it means questioning doctors? Able to understand complex medical conditions? Available, at least by phone, in emergencies? Living wills A living will tells family and doctors how to proceed and outlines your wishes when you are not able to advocate for yourself in critical or end-of-life situations. Living wills are also called health care directives and advance directives. Two doctors must determine that the patient has no chance of recovery in order for the living will to go into effect, Thomas said. Like a health care power of attorney, a living will can be revoked and rewritten at any time. Here is an explanation of treatments that you may or may not want doctors to perform: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) restarts the heart when it has stopped beating. Comfort care (palliative care) includes measures used to keep you comfortable and manage pain. Tube feeding supplies nutrients and fluids intravenously or via a tube in the stomach. Dialysis removes waste from the bloodstream if the kidneys no longer function. Mechanical ventilation breathes for you if youre unable to breathe on your own. Antibiotics or antiviral medications can be used to treat many infections. If you were near the end of life, would you want infections to be treated aggressively or would you rather let infections run their course? How to get advance directives Advance directives can be created with or without the help of a lawyer, Thomas said. He encourages adults to use a lawyer to be sure the paperwork is done correctly. If there is a problem with a do-it-yourself form, you wont know about it until theres a health care crisis. Thomas charges about $50 for advance directives. Ohio law requires that living wills and health care powers of attorney be signed by two witnesses or signed in front of a notary public. These forms are widely available on DIY legal internet sites, such as LegalZoom.com, for a fee. Thomas endorses the use of an advance directive online form that has been approved by the Ohio State Bar Association, Ohio Hospital Association and other organizations. The Franklin County Probate Court website has a packet that includes information on living wills, donor registry and health care power of attorney in Ohio. You do not have to be a Franklin County resident to access the forms. Summit County has living will and health care power of attorney forms online. Ways to keep advance directive paperwork safe Keep the originals in a secure but easily accessible place at home. Your attorney will keep copies as well. File the paperwork with a county recorder office, which will scan and index the documents so they are easily searchable. Cuyahoga County charges $40; Medina County charges between $28 and $40. Check to see if your county offers this service. Give copies to your family, doctor, hospital and the person who holds your health care power of attorney. Be sure the hospital adds the advance directive to your electronic medical records. Carry a wallet-size card that indicates you have an advance directive, gives contact information for your health care agent and states where a copy of your directives can be found. Pack copies to take with you during trips. In her column, patient advocacy writer Julie Washington will answer readers questions about navigating health-care systems. (She will not address individual treatments.) Your comments may be published in a future story or column. Send questions and comments for publication including your name, city and daytime phone number to jwashington@plaind.com. You can also find Julie on Twitter @JulieEWash. Recent Health Matters columns by Julie Washington: Tips for finding a reliable home health aide: Health Matters Common heart tests can tell your doctor a lot: Health Matters What are the best ways to keep reusable bags germ-free? Health Matters Shingles shot shortage, other related questions answered: Health Matters Where to get help paying your medical bill Three Infosys employees, attached to the Income Tax department's Centralised Processing Centre here, were arrested for allegedly taking bribes from tax-payers for speedy processing of their refund, police said on Sunday. According to police, the key accused among the three was attached to the CPC's data division and had demanded and collected money through his friends from some major taxpayers with whom he had contact over phone for processing their I-T refund claims at the earliest. He would allegedly charge them four per cent of the refund money as his commission, they added. Recently, one of the taxpayers refused to pay the money and shared the audio recording of his conversation with the accused with Income Tax officials who held an internal enquiry and then approached the police. The Electronics City police have registered a case of cheating and criminal breach of trust against them. The police suspected the trio might have made about Rs 15 lakh so far as commission from taxpayers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Trend The new coronavirus has spread to nearly 100 cities in Iran, while a few days ago, it was spread to about 70 cities, said Hamid Suri, a member of the Iranian Anti-Coronary Center, Trend reports citing IRNA. According to Suri, if the population is paying attention to the recommendations of officials and specialists not to travel, this can prevent the spread of the disease. Suri added that additional controls should be applied at the entry and exit of cities where the virus has not yet spread. This control can prevent the spread of coronavirus. Iran is one of the recent countries, affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 5,823 people have been infected, 145 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 1,669 have reportedly recovered from the disease. The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease. Following the reports of coronavirus spread in the Islamic Republic, several countries have taken measures, including closing borders and banning flights. The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections cases and death from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Bangladesh on Sunday confirmed its first three cases of coronavirus in the country, a senior health official said. The affected people--two men and one women-- were aged between 20 and 35 and two of them had recently returned from Italy while the third is a relative of one of the returnees, said Meerjady Sabrina Flora, Director of Bangladesh's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research. "Three Bangladesh nationals have tested positive on Saturday for coronavirus in the country. Two of the infected recently returned from Italy," she told reporters here. Italy has seen the highest number of deaths due to coronavirus infection in the European region with the toll reaching 233 on Saturday. The government has imposed strict restrictions to contain the spread of the deadly virus. China, where the coronavirus epidemic brokeout, continued to witness fatalities due to the infection with the toll on Sunday reaching 3,097. Flora also said three more Bangladesh nationals who came in contact with the infected people were being quarantined. Bangladesh recently restricted the entry of people from four major coronavirus-prone countries of Italy, South Korea, Japan, and Kuwait without the virus-free medical certificates in its efforts to prevent the outbreak of the disease. Our strategy is to detect coronavirus cases in soonest possible time and put them in isolation, Flora said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On the occasion of International Womens Day, we asked four prominent women achievers and leaders from the city for their thoughts on what should be expected from men to make life better for women in the country. Each one of them, without exception, said that womens empowerment has to begin at home. With rapidly changing times and technological advancement, women have made great strides in all fields today. Be it space and missile technology; industry, entrepreneurship and business; education, social work and information technologyright down to driving trucks, buses and autorickshaws. The women of our country made us immensely proud recently when the Supreme Court in a landmark judgement paved the way for permanent commission for women officers in the Army. These officers will be now eligible for command posting, the court ruled. While these are the big changes taking place in our country, what exactly is the situation at home? Heres what our women leaders themselves had to say: Renu Sharma, the first woman DRM (divisional railway manager) in the Central Railways, posted presently in Pune said irrespective of the high achievements of a woman in the outside world, in most Indian homes, a womans opinion is secondary to that of her husband or the elderly males in the family. They can take a major decision only with the consent and agreement of their husband or father. Dr Vidya Yeravdekar, pro chancellor, Symbiosis International (Deemed University) noted, its important to educate the boys and men to empower their wives, sisters and other women in the family. Yamini Joshi, the first woman divisional controller at the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), heading Pune division- the largest in the state- had similar views. She noted that generally what happens in Indian society is that it is the elderly men in the family who tell the girl or the woman in the family to abide by their views. In her view, it is the men who mostly take the decision for their daughters with regards to education, career choices or a life partner. They dont take the opinion of the woman. This is what clearly needs to change in Indian society. Shaila Bootwala, principal, Abeda Inamdar Senior College spoke of how Muslim men need to contribute more to household chores. She noted that important changes were taking place in Muslim society; women were taking to education in a big way and there was greater support from the men. Along with this, it is important that husbands contribute to the household chores of their wives, she said. This of course, applies to all Indian men, not just Muslims. Such a change in the mindset of men in Indian society would go a long way in making life better for Indian women. abhay.vaidya@hindustantimes.com A teenage girl who was r.a.p.e.d by serial s.e.x attacker Joseph McCann has said she feels failed in every single way. The 17-year-old and her younger brother were both attacked after McCann tied up their mother in their home in May. The girl told the BBC she now lives in a constant fear of everything and is confused as to why the 35-year-old was not recalled to prison. It comes after a report said probation staff were warned he posed a risk of sexual offending. The report disclosed that in 2011, when McCann was in prison for burglary, police shared information dating to 2003 and suggested he might pose a risk of sexual harm and exploitation to teenage girls. In January 2019, he was released from prison and went on to target 11 women and children across two weeks in parts of Watford, London, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire. McCann was sentenced in December to 33 life sentences after being convicted of 37 offences. The teenage victim said she had lost everything, including her Lancashire family home which McCann tricked his way into on 5 May to carry out the sex attacks. She said: Before any of this happened I had a lovely home, a close family and a really good job. After this happened I lost everything, including my family home of 12 years and my relationship with my family. I struggle to sleep each night and live in fear. I cant be in places on my own and my confidence has gone down since the incident. The girl said she had developed really bad anxiety and I have bad days when I do not want to do anything. Theres not a day goes by where I dont think of what happened and that man feels no remorse for his actions, she said. My whole life will be controlled from what happened, living in constant fear of everything. I constantly feel like my life is in danger, I question situations during the day and feel nervous around people. The teenager and her younger brother were both raped by McCann before the girl was able to escape by jumping out of a first-floor window and then freeing her family. During the trial she said she feared becoming McCanns sex slave. I was my familys hero and saved our lives thats what gets me up each morning, the girl said. Knowing I have my whole life to live and I got away from such a dangerous man shows I have courage and the fact I was able to keep my brother and mother safe is enough for me. The girl also said she felt angered and upset by failings from the probation service. It causes anger and so much upset for everyone that the probation service failed to keep us safe. He has previous for sexual abuse and nothing was acted on, she said. On Thursday, the Ministry of Justice said the chief inspector of probation, Justin Russell, would be asked to carry out an independent review of the National Probation Services management of McCann and how the process of recalling offenders to prison was working. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates On March 8, South America reported its first death with a person dying in Argentina. According to the Argentinian Health Ministry, a patient diagnosed with coronavirus died in Argentina on March 7. COVID-19, the deadly viral outbreak which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019 has now spread to 103 countries and territories. According to reports, coronavirus has now infected over 106,482 and killed nearly 3,600 people with a majority in mainland China. Read: NIV Scientists Working 'round-the-clock' To Ensure Smooth Coronavirus Testing Across Country Meanwhile, a 32-year-old Paraguayan who arrived from Ecuador is the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in Paraguay, the country's health minister said March 7. Neighbouring Colombia reportedly confirmed its first case of coronavirus on March 6. The patient, age 19, had visited Milan, Italy, the Health Ministry said in a statement posted on Twitter. She sought medical care after presenting symptoms of the virus, the ministry added, without providing further details. Peru confirmed five new cases of the new coronavirus contagion on March 7, raising the official count to six after announcing the first confirmed case on March 6. Read: Japan's Ancient Sport Of Sumo Grappling With Harsh Reality Of Coronavirus Outbreak Worse Hit Nations China: As for now, China has the highest numbers of infected cases with figures passing 80,000. The viral outbreak has claimed over 3,097 lives and infected nearly 80,701 people across the nation. South Korea: The Korean nation has the second-highest numbers of cases. According to reports, there were 50 deaths and 7,313 infections reported. Italy: Italy has become the hub of Coronavirus cases in Europe with the number of infected cases rising beyond 5,883. Meanwhile, the nation has reported 233 deaths until now. Iran: Iran witnessed a sharp surge in cases with numbers of infected cases rising to 5,823 and number of deaths touching 145. First cases The Maldives has confirmed its first two cases of deadly coronavirus outbreak on March 7 and placed two of its islands under effective quarantine, as authorities conducted further tests to contain the spread of the disease. As per the reports, the two infected people are expected to have caught the disease from an Italian tourist who had returned to Italy and tested positive there. Bulgaria confirmed its first two cases on March 8. The national coronavirus task force confirmed that a 27-year-old man from the northern town of Pleven and a 75-year-old woman from the central town of Gabrovo had tested positive for the virus. Read: Telangana Government Increases Surveillance Due To Coronavirus Outbreak Read: Coronavirus: '3 More Positive Cases In New Delhi,' Says CM Arvind Kejriwal Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday expressed disappointment that the communal violence in Delhi has not been debated in Parliament so far, but hoped that discussion on the issue would be allowed in the House on Wednesday. The opposition has been demanding a discussion on Delhi riots, but the government has not relented. Functioning in both houses of Parliament has been affected following opposition uproar over their demand that has led to adjournment of both Houses. "We are very-very disappointed that the debate was not taken up in the first week of Parliament. In fact somebody tweeted, there is a parliament which is discussing the Delhi riots and it is not the Indian Parliament. "The discussion took place in the House of Lords in England. I sincerely hope that both presiding officers will allow a debate to start at 11 am on March 11," Chidambaram told reporters. The former union minister also criticised the government over the ban imposed on two Malayalam news channels, which were later revoked. He said the reasons cited for the ban were "atrocious". The government on Saturday revoked a 48-hour ban on the two leading Malayalam news channels hours after imposing the punitive measure on separate charges of being critical of the RSS, Delhi Police and siding with one community while covering last month's violence in the national capital. "The reason is atrocious, the ban is even more atrocious. Thankfully wiser counsel prevailed and lifted the ban at about 9.30 or 10 this morning," Chidambaram noted. This is a story of why you should immediately throw the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip (or most new phones, for that matter) into a case as soon as you receive it. Take it from my experience - all it takes is one grain of dirt to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to cause a huge inconvenience. My issue was with the Galaxy Z Flip, and no - it wasn't even the folding display. I was in the process of reviewing the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip that I purchased as Samsung was not giving review units of the Z Flip. I headed to the restroom and set the Z Flip down on the sink top. My (expensive) mistake was setting the phone down in the closed position and with the camera side down. As soon as it set down, I heard a crack and my heart sank. I lifted the Z Flip up off the counter and froze as I realized that the camera glass was fractured. Flustered and unsure of what to do, I called Samsung support. The accident happened just 7 days after I picked up the phone at Best Buy. I went onto Samsungs online support chat who suggested I call another division of Samsung support. The phone number I was given was for the Galaxy Premiere customer care line its the dedicated customer care for owners of the Galaxy Fold and now the Galaxy Z Flip. I spoke to a very nice lady, let's call her Marcia. She was very friendly and eager to help. I explained the situation and asked her what my options were. She suggested that I mail the device in and have a Samsung lab look at it before she could tell me whether it was a warranty issue or customer damage. Granted, I didn't have the time to be sending a device I was still reviewing through the mail, so I told Marcia that I couldn't wait that long and I'd reach back another time. She felt my frustration and suggested I could bring it into an authorized service center in my area, and that's when I learned that uBreakiFix has a partnership with Samsung (as well as Google to service Pixel devices) to provide same-day repairs. She assured me that they'd be able to look at the crack in the cameras and tell me my options. Marcia then took my information, the devices IMEI and model number, and set up an appointment on my behalf at the repair shop for that Saturday. I felt good about the situation that is until the night before my appointment. Friday arrived and when I opened the email confirmation for the service appointment and realized I was set up for service on a Galaxy Fold - after giving Marcia the full model number, IMEI, and I definitely mentioned to her that it was a "Galaxy Z Flip". I had to call the repair shop to find out of theyd be able to help me at all. I ended up calling the store and spoke to a technician who confirmed to me that they didnt have any parts yet for the Z Flip, so I missed that appointment and called Samsung back once the weekend was over. Monday rolled around, and I called Samsung back. I spoke to another representative, his name was Billy. He was just as friendly as Marcia, but Marcia got information wrong in the initial service ticket. Billy fixed it up and as I voiced my concern about the phone getting damaged so early on and so easily, he assured me that Samsung's warranty does not cover any kind of accidental damage to anything. He did offer to find out exactly which uBreakiFix locations would have the parts but it sounded like there was no way, so he called me back a few minutes later and connected me with store. It was a 35-minute drive, so I went the next day, Tuesday. I spoke to the guys at the Kendall location and told them what happened. They'd already known I was coming so they had the parts ready. To my luck, the regional manager of several Florida locations was at this store. Chris and his team were friendly and eager to help me with my repair. It turned out that in order to replace the glass behind the camera, the entire upper glass panel needed to be replaced as an entire assembly, which included the LED flash, and the tiny cover display panel. The repair came out to $109.99 before sales tax, which seems reasonable. I dropped the phone off and the phone was ready to pick up in a little over two and a half hours. Backside of the old panel assembly. Can you spot the "Bloom"? A closer look at the damaged glass after removal Removing the protective film after replacement The next day, as I continued my evaluation of the Z Flip, I noticed something off about the phone. Both the main and ultrawide cameras had a smeary effect, almost as if someone had rubbed lotion on a lens though the ultrawide significantly worse. Upon inspecting the cameras, I realize there are traces of fingerprint prints under the camera, which means that someone must have smudged the camera before sealing the glass back up. Cameras didn't work great after the first service trip I gave Chris another call and explained what happened. He insisted that I bring the phone back down to open it up to take a closer look. He also said that if there was any damage to the cameras, they had the parts and were prepared to replace the sensor if necessary. Following the repair of a device, uBreakiFix offers a 90-day warranty of the repair. If a sensor, speaker, camera, or something related to the area of the repair stops working, they'd fix it for free. So, I took the phone back to the store. I explained to Chris what was going on and I showed him how the camera feed looks smudged, specifically on the ultrawide camera. Under the glass, there was also a foreign smudge that was visible. He took it into the back and came back out in about 15 minutes. He showed me the phone with no back cover and suggested that I check the cameras to make sure it was clean. He'd been inspecting it under a microscope to ensure there was nothing in the cameras. Uncovered upper panel of Galaxy Z Flip He sealed it back up and I was on my way, happy that the ordeal was finally over. At least, that's what I thought as I walked to my car. The next day I plugged the phone into my PC to offload some camera samples I'd taken that day. To my surprise, my computer wasn't recognizing the Z Flip. I tired another USB port and nothing, I tried another USB cable - nothing. Then I tried to charge it with my USB-C charger - nothing. I then took the factory charger out of the box and plugged it in. No dice. The symptom I was getting was strange. The phone would recognize that a charger was being plugged in, made the "boop" sound and everything, including the charging animation, but the charging symbol on the battery icon was not present. I used a meter to test a USB current and confirmed my suspicion that there was no current going to the phone and the phone wasn't being recognized by my computer. Up until now, I'd been dropping the Z Flip on a wireless charger, so I didnt know exactly when the USB-C port stopped working. I called Chris again and explained what was happening. He said it was strange that this was happening but that they would have to open it up to see whats going on he initially thought it may be related to some charger port issues theyd been seeing in the store with some Galaxy Note10+. He apologized for the inconvenience and asked to bring it in. I dropped the phone off and received a call from Chris later in the day. It had turned out that the machine used to open the phone, which is proprietary equipment from Samsung that automates the process, was inadvertently tugging on a connector that bridges the lower daughter board to the main board and passes through the hinged portion of the Z Flip. They sealed it back up for the third time and that was the end of the ordeal Conclusion Though there was all the necessary equipment to tackle the job, there are still these kinds of details that need to be ironed out. It's fascinating that companies have the infrastructure to provide after-sales support for customers on their smartphones. It is inconvenient for other parts of the US where its a long way to a UBreakiFix location, since they aren't very abundant throughout the United States. From left to right: Ricky, Christian, Chris, and William Though I did have to go to the store three times. I didn't mind. This was a learning process both for me and for the repair shop. Since this phone is so drastically different, there will be a learning curve for not only customers, but for repair service providers. The phone was barely a week old when I brought it in, and it was the first Z Flip that the shop ever had come to the store. The biggest lesson to learn from all this is that smartphones are delicate, especially new folding phones like the Galaxy Z Flip. Always protect your investment with a carrying case, or at the very least, you should get the extended protection plan. That's the last time I try to a fresh-out-of-the-box device with no sort of protection. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Pushana gently brushes soft kisses across her daughters brown cheek. Her toddler turns and gazes up at her. She reaches out her tiny hand, which her mother covers with another kiss. I first met Pushana four years ago in the Banchara community of India. She was still a teenager at that time, and she was one of the first girls who taught me about the horrific reality of nari mata the tradition that forces girls to sell their bodies to pay for their brothers dowries. This year, I got to speak with her again and meet her beautiful little girl. Pushana wants to boldly speak out about this abuse so her own daughter wont have to suffer. And today on International Womens Day, you can help give a voice to women like Pushana and fight for their freedom from sexual slavery. Pushanas family doesnt approve of her speaking out against this work. They believe its simply a normal part of their culture. So, Pushana asked that I not tell you her real name or show you her picture. Ive chosen to use the name Pushana for this brave young mom because it means protector and provider, and thats exactly what she is for her two children. Pushana doesnt want her daughter, whom Ill call Angel, to follow in her footsteps someday. She dreams of her 2-year-old growing up, graduating from school, and having a beautiful wedding and a compassionate husband everything Pushana did not. She dreams of her little girl living in a nice house, not the tiny, one-room dwelling they now call home. The colorful paint on the walls is faded and peeling. A few dishes sit in the kitchen, located only a few feet from the bed. And in this small space, Pushana tries to give her children everything. Pushana holds Angel on her lap as the afternoon sun casts a sliver of light in the dark room. They sit on the bed, a subtle reminder of the work that dominates Pushanas entire life. She is paying off the debt of three brothers marriage dowries. What she owes totals around $9,500 an astronomical amount for someone living in poverty. And the interest compounds daily. Her brothers do nothing to help her with the debt, although they are aware their sister works in the sex industry to pay for their security. It will take Pushana most of her life to pay the debt. She looks down at Angel and kisses the childs head. Her daughters life could easily mirror her own if Angel doesnt escape the traditions that her community has followed for generations. I dont want her to suffer like I do, Pushana says. The single mother is doing her best. Her 8-year-old son goes to a good school thanks to child sponsorship, and she hopes her daughter will follow in his footsteps. But theres one problem. When her brother is old enough to marry, its Angel who will be expected to go thousands of dollars into debt for him and to repay it with her body. For now, though, Angel is tired of sitting on her mothers lap. She slides off and wobbles into the sunlight. When I ask Pushana how she will make sure her daughter doesnt have to suffer, she doesnt hesitate. I will pay the money, she says, tears slowly sliding down her cheeks. Her answer floors me. This mom, already burdened with her three brothers debts, is willing to add even more of a burden so her daughter can have a different future. Youre a good mom, I tell her as we both quietly contemplate the weight of her words. Those words mean she will add years to an already life sentence as a slave to the sex industry. She will add countless more nights of being used by men who dont care about her. And her chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases will increase even more. But to Pushana, its all worth it because it means her daughter will be free. When she says I will pay the money, Pushana is saying so much more. What she is really saying is, It ends here with me. The debt. The pain. The line of customers. The abuse. The limited future none of this will pass on to her daughter. Today on International Womens Day, we can join Pushana in this fight. We can help a girl have a happy, dignified life instead of paying off mountains of debt by selling herself. You, too, can say, It ends here with me. Through World Helps freedom programs, we introduce girls like Pushanas daughter to freedom by helping provide her with essentials like a safe place to live, education or vocational training, medical care, trauma counseling, and more. These homes are havens for girls who are looking for a way out. When I asked Pushana if she had any other way to pay off her debts, she shook her head. She has no education so she has no job prospects. But at the Freedom Homes girls can go to school and learn valuable skills so they can find a good job and avoid this vicious cycle of sexual slavery. The question is: Will we be brave like Pushana? Will we make sure one more little girl doesnt have to follow in her mothers footsteps? The heartbroken parents of a severely anorexic young woman have hit out over her care at a private mental hospital following her inquest. She had been cared for at unit run by the Cygnet Group which has had nearly a dozen of its hospitals given poor ratings by the Care Quality Commission. There have also been concerns about the deaths of a number of patients in hospitals run by the group. Georgia Partington was discovered with a ligature around her neck in her room at Cygnet Hospital, in Derby, where she was undergoing treatment. Georgia Partington (pictured) suffered from anorexia and personality disorder for several years before she died at the hospital she'd been sent to after being section The 23-year-old, described as 'beautiful and caring', passed away in August 2017, having battled with anorexia and personality disorder issues for several years. She had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Giving evidence at a four-day inquest at Derby Coroners' Court, Miss Partington's heartbroken mother, Elizabeth Partington, accused the hospital of lacking the 'knowledge or training' to cope with her daughter's anorexia. The family also expressed concern that a change of care plan just before Miss Partington died lead to her sending distressing texts to her mother. Messages included 'I need you' and 'I can't do this anymore'. However, hospital bosses told the inquest they were aware of Miss Partington's texts to her mother but did not feel the need to reassess her care plan and suicide risk as the texts were normal for her behaviour during her time at the hospital. Dr Elizabeth Gethins was consultant psychiatrist at the hospital when Miss Partington died. While giving evidence, she said: 'Georgia was making progress and hit a target (of putting on more weight) that she had set herself. We then felt it was the right time to primarily focus on her other challenges, which was her personality disorder. 'Her personality disorder was dragging her down and this was an area of expertise the hospital could help with.' Because Miss Partington, from Walsall, was sectioned under the Mental Health Act when she died, a jury was called to record and conclude the circumstances of her death. Georgia Partington was discovered with a ligature around her neck in her room at Cygnet Hospital (pictured), in Derby, where she was undergoing treatment The jury concluded that Georgia's death was suicidal misadventure as there was no evidence to suggest she intended to take her own life. The foreman, speaking on behalf of the jury, said: 'We conclude that Georgia applied the ligature for some other reason.' Speaking after the inquest, Georgia's family said: 'It has taken a long time to uncover the facts about our daughter's death. 'We are in agreement with the jury's finding of misadventure and that Georgia did not intend to take her own life. It was a cry for help that sadly was not detected in time. 'We are disappointed that in light of all the evidence reviewed over the last days that the hospital entrusted with her care was not able to keep her safe. 'We hope that the corrective actions identified by Cygnet following this incident can prevent this happening to any future patients. We would rather not be here at all but it's been a long time, at least now it's sorted.' A spokesperson for Cygnet Hospital said: 'We remain deeply saddened by Georgia's death and would like to offer once again our sincere condolences to her family. 'At the time we reviewed all relevant policies and procedures, and we continuously ensure our staff receive the training required to provide the highest standards of care. We take very seriously our duty of care and patient safety is our priority.' In her closing remarks, assistant coroner Emma Serrano also expressed her sincere condolences to the family. She said: 'I'm very sorry to have had to meet Georgia's family in these circumstances. From what I've heard you say it sounds like she was a lovely young lady who I would much rather have met in life For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details. The wife of the New York lawyer who was diagnosed with coronavirus is speaking out on the ordeal saying the rest of the family is healthy and they're 'hopeful' for his full recovery. Lawrence Garbuz, a 50-year-old attorney from Westchester County, was hospitalized with the contagious disease on February 27 and has infected his children, wife, neighbor, a friend and other family member with the virus. His wife Adina Lewis Garbuz shared a statement on Sunday saying no one in her family is sick besides her husband and no one has showed signs of infection other than a 'slight cough'. 'We would have preferred this all remain private but since it is no longer, I wanted to at least share some truths and allay peoples fears. Other than Lawrence no one else in my family has been sick other than a slight cough,' she shared in a lengthy Facebook post. The family of New York lawyer Lawrence Garbuz, who is hospitalized with coronavirus, says they're hopeful he'll make a full recovery. Lawrence Garbuz is pictured above with wife Adina Lewis Garbuz Lawrence Garbuz, a 50-year-old attorney from Westchester County, was hospitalized with the contagious disease on February 27 and has infected his children, wife, neighbor, a friend and other family member with the virus 'As for my husband, while he still remains critical, I and my family remain very hopeful of his full recovery. 'He is a tenacious person in all aspects of his life and I know he will come out of this strong. He is a very caring, hardworking person who constantly cares for his clients and those around him over himself. I think it is from this that he was run down and susceptible to the illness he acquired,' she added. Speaking on how the Garbuz family responded to the diagnosis Adina said: 'We shuttered the windows, turned off the internet and together stayed strong and in good spirits' Lawrence is currently hospitalized at the Intensive Care Unit at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in Manhattan's Upper West Side. She urged New Yorkers to 'learn from this and take a moment to take care of yourself', adding 'nothing can be more important than our health'. Garbuz is a partner with the Lawrence and Garbuz law firm, where he worked with his wife. The firm is located across the street from Grand Central Terminal and specializes in wealth management, estate litigation, guardianship and elder law, according to its website. 'As for our law firm, Lewis and Garbuz, as soon as I was made aware of the diagnosis, I personally immediately contacted everyone in our firm and all were quarantined. All have been working remotely ever since. No one is commuting into the Manhattan office and no one will be until we have clearance to do so,' Garbuz said. His wife Adina Lewis Garbuz shared a statement on Sunday saying no one in her family is sick besides her husband and she's hopeful he'll make a full recovery She said that when she first realized that her husband tested positive for coronavirus, she knew her family's life would be upended. 'When I first heard that Lawrence was positive, I immediately recognized there was going to be pandemonium all around us,' she said. Soon after she and her kids, a 14-year-old and 20-year-old, tested positive for the virus. 'Other than offering what I could to stop this from spreading further, all I and my family care about is that my husband/their father get better,' she said. 'We shuttered the windows, turned off the internet and together stayed strong and in good spirits. I am incredibly blessed that my children while still relatively young have the wisdom to know to keep their heads clear and focus only on the important, the health of their dad and those around us,' she added. She noted that she and her family have been actively cooperating with several Departments of Health and they're thankful for their friends and cooperative neighbors. 'I would also like to take this opportunity to personally thank all of you for the outpouring of love from literally around the world and in particular members of my community who in their own way, many but not all of whom are under quarantine, are living this surreal life with us.' Lawrence is being treated in the ICU at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in Manhattan's Upper West Side Garbuz's diagnosis is linked to an outbreak of the virus in Westchester County. Governor Andrew Cuomo said the disease spread from the lawyer to his family and other people close to him in New Rochelle, a suburb north of New York City. Garbuz had recently returned to New York from a trip to Miami before he was diagnosed. He marked the first case of community spread of the coronavirus in New York. By Friday at least 28 people who had direct or indirect contact with Garbuz tested positive for coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China around late December to early January. There were 516 confirmed coronavirus cases and 21 deaths in the U.S. as of Sunday evening Temple Young Israel of New Rochelle, a synagogue in Westchester County, told congregants to self-quarantine last week as they may have been exposed to the deadly virus through Garbuz. The synagogue has been temporarily closed as other congregants and the rabbi tested positive for the illness. As of Sunday the coronavirus death till in the US hit 21 after two new deaths were reported in Washington state. As of Saturday night there were a total of 89 cases of coronavirus in New York state leading Cuomo to declare a state of emergency. On Sunday Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city has 13 confirmed coronavirus cases, seven of which were diagnosed within the last three days. He warned the city could see at least 100 or more confirmed cases over the next two or three weeks. 'We have to be prepared for that reality,' de Blasio said. There are 516 confirmed cases of coronavirus, dubbed COVID-19, in the US as of Sunday afternoon, scattered across 33 states, the District of Columbia and two cruise ships. ALBANY On International Women's Day, in the 100th year after women's suffrage, it's easy to celebrate the female powerhouses leading the country and the world. Many are outward-facing: politicians, celebrities, advocates but often, some of the most inspiring women are those working behind the scenes. In Albany, a hotspot for politics and the center of New York's decision-making, a core group of reporters work day in and day out at their Capitol offices to bring New Yorkers the latest news and hold politicians to account. They are members of the Legislative Correspondents Association one of the oldest groups of its kind nationwide and there are more female members than ever before. The authors of this piece are also female members of the LCA, but we wanted to shine a light on our colleagues who are shaping the narrative in Albany and working tirelessly to serve as government watchdogs and inform the public while also overcoming some of the challenges that still exist for women in political journalism. Here, we asked them to answer three questions: Why is it important to have female journalists in the NY Capitol? Cayla Harris/Times Union "A strong democracy needs an independent press corps that reflects and works for the public. Having diverse journalists at the statehouse helps ensure that journalists are asking questions and covering issues that impact the lives of all New Yorkers. We have work to do - women are roughly 51% of the states population, according to the latest Census figures, while about 47% of New Yorkers identify as black, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Asian, Hispanic or Latino. We must support female journalists and others who have faced discrimination, exclusion and harassment while doing their job holding officials accountable at the statehouse." - Marina Villeneuve of the Associated Press Courtesy of Josefa Velasquez "Everyone has their own experiences and knowledge that color the way they perceive the world. It's critical to have a wide-ranging variety of reporters not just men and women, but of different backgrounds and races to draw on that wealth of knowledge." - Josefa Velasquez of THE CITY Amanda Fries / Times Union "We make up half of the population, therefore, it's important for our voice, our touch, our ideas to be represented. Also, as someone who is new to covering the Capitol, I've looked around a lot the last few weeks. I studied the plaques and photos hanging in the LCA there from decades of reporters. I couldn't help but notice the number of women is sparse. We haven't been here very long, and is a great reminder of what the women who came before us did to pave the way. Will work every day to make their legacy proud." - Kate Lisa of Johnson News "It is important to have female journalists covering the Capitol because we offer different perspectives. We, arguably, face more adversities than some men, too, but it only makes us more dedicated and determined to do our jobs." - Gwendolyn Craig of the Adirondack Explorer Do you have any female journalists who have inspired you over the course of your career? Who, and why are they an inspiration? Courtesy of Anna Gronewold "I had a journalism professor who worked in both national and international bureaus for The Wall Street Journal and ABC News. She was notorious for harsh critiques that often prompted tears from students, myself included. I had a personally challenging semester while taking her reporting course, and had to muster up the courage to explain to her why I missed a big deadline and how Id compensate in order to pass the class. She didnt let me off easy (I had to *work* for that B-), but shocked me by looking me in the eye and telling me exactly why she understood. I later found out she recommended me for a fellowship I was completely unqualified for that has been essential to my career path. She taught me its possible, even in journalism, to be relentless and demanding, but also emotionally intelligent and unnecessarily kind." - Anna Gronewold of POLITICO Amanda Fries / Times Union "My great aunt Beth Fallon was a reporter, the first female New York City Hall bureau chief for the New York Daily News. I grew up living a block away from her and she once told me during an afternoon when I had my nose stuck in a book -- (I was shy then): 'Bernadette, books are interesting, but I've found people to be infinitely more interesting.' She took no BS from anybody." - Bernadette Hogan of the New York Post Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "My late broadcast journalism professor Marlene Sanders. She broke several barriers for women in my field. Check out Waiting for Prime Time: The Women of Television News if you want to learn more about her. Also, Hoda Kotb. She is everything." - Corina Cappabianca of News 10 ABC What challenges have you faced as a woman in the industry and/or on this beat, and how have you worked to overcome them? Kevin Waldron "I think often women in this field are underestimated, and sometimes talked down to. At times theyre passed over for jobs that theyre more qualified for, and their voices sometimes arent heard by those in positions of power. Ive had the most difficulty when covering topic areas that are generally male dominated, such as politics and crime and law enforcement. It can be challenging to gain the trust of male sources in those fields, particularly when youre competing against male reporters whom they may feel more comfortable talking to. Looking young doesnt help either. Ive been called 'girl,' 'young lady,' and 'kid,' numerous times. To cope, I try not to take it too personally. Besides, it makes it that much more gratifying when you do break news or get a scoop on your own merits." - Keshia Clukey of Bloomberg Industry Group Courtesy of Karen DeWitt "I dont notice it any more but when I was younger it seemed like my opinion counted less than that of the men. I think just dogged perseverance eventually pays off. People respect that." - Karen DeWitt of New York State Public Radio Amanda Fries / Times Union "My greatest challenge has been overcoming the idea that to be tough, you cannot also be fun, self-deprecating and kind. Too many people confuse kindness with weakness." - Susan Arbetter of Spectrum News Courtesy of Romy Cabral "The biggest challenge for me has been to let people know that as women we can do the job, even when we need to hold equipment to record with a camera and edit our stories, which was a job considered for men years ago. With my work, I am demonstrating that even if is hard, I can do it, and all women in their different positions can do it as well." - Romy Cabral of Univision March 7, 2020 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, concluded his visit to Latvia, Ukraine and Poland yesterday where he emphasized Canadas continued commitment to safeguarding regional security and defence. While in Ukraine, Minister Champagne highlighted Canadas continued commitment to the countrys ambitious reform efforts and engaging women in peace and security efforts. The Minister also announced more than $2 million over three years to help strengthen the capacity of the National Police of Ukraine in planning, implementing, monitoring and reviewing reform processes. The Minister also discussed the work that Canada is doing to stand up for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression. During his visit, Minister Champagne visited Canadian troops deployed to NATOs enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia as part of Canadas Operation REASSURANCE. He also visited Canadian troops deployed on Operation UNIFIER at the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre in Yavoriv, Ukraine, where he was able to see first hand the important work our troops are doing in support of security in the region. Tesla has been all over the news these past few years. This is thanks to several factors. First off, their stock continues to grow higher and higher. Second, the company's CEO, Elon Musk, seems to be a controversy magnet. And third, as people become more aware of their ecological impact, they are turning to alternative fuel vehicles like Tesla's electric car. If you're wondering "are all Teslas electric?" then continue reading to find out more. Are All Teslas Electric? Yes, all Teslas are electric. This is the company's main selling point to consumers. They've been electric since their first vehicle, the Roadster, came out in 2008. In fact, the company doesn't just make all-electric cars and trucks, but they also make clean energy storage products and generators. All of the company's vehicles are produced at Tesla's factory in Fremont, California. This is also where most of the components for their cars are manufactured. In order to make their factories as safe as possible, the company requires that their employees go through a multi-day training program. Aside from making cars that run on alternative energy, they also make Solar Roof, Powerpack, and Powerwall. These are energy solutions that allow utilities, businesses, and homeowners to manage their renewable energy consumption, storage, and generation. Tesla also manufactures its own batteries so they can reduce costs and meet the volume that's required to bring their products to market. How Does a Tesla Vehicle Work? A Tesla vehicle runs on a powerful battery that is charged via electricity. This gives the car the power it needs to work for a certain period of time. This battery is actually quite similar to the ones that you can find on your smartphone and your laptop. This is because Tesla utilizes lithium-ion batteries to energize their vehicles. Don't be mistaken, though. These batteries are super powerful. In fact, the battery inside of a Tesla vehicle is made from several thousand lithium-ion cells. This also means that the battery weighs a lot. How much does it weigh? Several thousand pounds would be the answer to that question. All of these batteries are made at their factory in Fremont, California. This helps them keep costs down while ensuring that the durability and quality you would want are guaranteed. Also, all of their batteries come with a dedicated heating system. This heating system is put in place to help people start their vehicles when it's cold outside. People who purchase and own a Tesla shouldn't have to worry about experiencing any battery issues for many years to come. How Does the Battery Work? Tesla's lithium-ion battery is rechargeable. The new Model S Tesla can drive about 370 miles on one full charge. This is generally around how much you'll get with a full tank of gas in a standard sedan. When the battery becomes depleted, you'll have to recharge it. Recharging a Tesla vehicle isn't that different from recharging the portable devices that you use in your day to day life. However, this is one of the primary differences between using a hybrid vehicle like the Toyota Prius and a Tesla vehicle. A hybrid car is going to use a battery along with hydrocarbon fuel in order to power the vehicle. A Tesla vehicle, on the other hand, only uses its rechargeable battery for power. In a hybrid, the battery will recharge on its own as you drive the car. This doesn't happen with a Tesla car. You're going to have to charge it at your home or a dedicated charging outlet. There are a couple of different ways that a Tesla vehicle owner could recharge their car. The best option would be to find a professional electrician who can install a recharging station in your home. If that isn't possible, it's recommended that you plug your Tesla car into a 100-volt outlet so that you can recharge the battery. Tesla has also gone ahead and installed hundreds of charging stations all over the country to make it easier for their drivers. The Motor All Tesla vehicles come with a small motor. It's roughly around the same size as a watermelon. This is one of the most recent advances in electronic engineering. The motor is able to convert electrical energy that it takes from the batteries and turns that energy into mechanical power. This is how it's able to move the car. When compared to standard combustion engines within most cars, Tesla's motor is much more energy-efficient. The induction motor in a Tesla is able to generate 270 kW of power, and it weighs around 32 kg. A standard combustion engine, on the other hand, puts out 140 kW of power and weighs about 180 kg. Also, a standard engine generates usable power and torque within a very limited range. Because of this, you need a complex transmission in order to connect the engine to the drive wheels. A Tesla motor remains constantly efficient from zero rpm all the way to around 18,000 rpm. The Tesla Model S, like most electric vehicles, utilizes a simple single-speed transmission. All of these reasons help to explain the popularity of Tesla. And why so many investors are currently seeing Tesla stock exploding. The Answer to the Question: Are All Teslas Electric? As we can see from the above article, not only are all Teslas electric, but they're also supremely energy efficient. If you're looking for a car that's powerful and efficient, a Tesla may just be the vehicle for you. Interested in reading other helpful articles? Check out the rest of our blog today for more! The Lagos state police command has arrested a 37-year-old man named Bamidele Olajide in Okokomaiko for beating his 5-year-old son to death for misplacing his betting ticket. According to reports, the man had a sum of money and kept the ticket on the table only for the little boy to throw it away while the father was still sleeping. Confessing to the tragic incident, Bamidele Olajide Said: It wasnt intentional, I only beat him out of annoyance for throwing away the ticket, it when l was beating him he ran outside and fell from the staircase before hitting his head on the ground. She's one of Australia's most hardworking TV and radio stars. And in June last year, the 58-year-old found herself at the centre of an awards saga, when a comedian mocked the candidates who sincerely campaigned for the trophy. In addition to being a host, she is also a mother-of-two - but would you recognise her from the photo taken at her school formal, posted to Instagram on Sunday? Guess who! She's the Australian TV and radio host who found herself at the centre of an awards saga - but would you recognise her from this throwback photo taken at her formal? In the picture, she wore a black V-neck dress with a sheer navy floral cover-up. Her hair, which is usually blonde, was dark brown, and styled in tight curls. Proving she hasn't aged a day, she drew attention to the same striking facial features. The young adult in the photo is none other than Dancing With The Stars host, Amanda Keller, 58. Revealed: The young adult in the photo is none other than Dancing With The Stars host, Amanda Keller, 58 Plugging this week's episode of the show which has a teenage prom theme, Amanda wrote in the post's caption: 'Tonight we're all going back to high school! Here's me at my sixth form formal in an outfit made by Mum from a Butterick pattern. 'I wanted to look like Princess Caroline from Monaco. Sooo close. Didn't stop me doing the Nutbush all night.' A familiar face on television, Amanda was a no-brainer when it came to being nominated for last year's Gold Logie. Headlines: Amanda found herself at the centre of headlines in July last year, when fellow nominee Tom Gleeson divided the room with his rambling Gold Logie acceptance speech However, she found herself at the centre of headlines, when fellow nominee Tom Gleeson divided the room with his rambling Gold Logie acceptance speech. The Hard Quiz host, 45, mocked the candidates who had sincerely campaigned for the award, and said his victory was a win for 'taking the p**s' and 'not giving a s**t'. Amanda, who was also nominated for the Gold Logie, admitted on her WSFM radio show in July that year, that she found Tom's speech upsetting. Poking fun: The Hard Quiz host (pictured) mocked the candidates who had campaigned for the award, and said his victory was a win for 'taking the p**s' and 'not giving a s**t' 'He's a comedian and I get what he was doing, which was trying to subvert the result and good luck to him, he did it. That's how it goes. I have no problem at all with that,' she said on Jonesy & Amanda. 'But I think in his speech when he said, "Everyone that works in television, if you want to win this, you're a wanker", that kind of upset me.' Amanda felt he was being 'unnecessarily mean' to Grant Denyer, who won the previous year's Gold Logie. 'It wasn't a joke to me': Amanda, who was also nominated for the Gold Logie, admitted on her WSFM radio show in July that year, that she found Tom's speech upsetting Amanda continued: '[Tom] said, "Yeah I won it last year for Grant, and sucker, now I've done it on my own for me!" That's not fair to Grant, he won that last year on his own two feet.' '[I have] no problem with Tom, but it gave everyone permission to say, "Yeah, you're all up yourself, this is all a big joke". And it wasn't a joke to me. 'I don't know why we're embarrassed in television to be proud of our work.' A man is seen wearing a mask during Pope Francis' live streaming of his Sunday Angelus (AFP or licensors) Pope Francis assures his closeness in prayer to those affected by the current coronavirus epidemic. By Vatican News Speaking from the Library of the Apostolic Palace on Sunday, Pope Francis assured those suffering from the current coronavirus epidemic and to all those who are caring for them of his prayers. The Pope prayed his Sunday Angelus from the Apostolic Palace, rather than from the balcony in St Peter's Square, at the request of Italian authorities. The notice came from the Holy See Press office on Friday, who explained that such measures were necessary in order to avoid the risk of the spread of the COVID-19, due to the large groups that gather at security checks for access to the Square. The Pope explained that he dedicated much thought to those suffering from this crisis during his retreat over the past week. I unite myself to my brothers Bishops in encouraging the faithful to live this difficult moment with the strength of the faith, the certainty of hope and the ardour of charity, he said. Having originated in Wuhan, China, the coronavirus has now spread all across the world. Of the over 100,000 people infected, over 3,500 have died, though the deaths of the majority of the cases has been linked to previous health issues such as cardiovascular diseases and respiratory problems. The World Health Organisation declared the COVID-19 coronavirus a public health emergency on January 30 2020. Pope Francis Angelus was streamed live in St Peters Square and through Catholic media channels around the world. With the exception of Native Americans, African Americans are the people who are most behind socially and economically in the United States and our needs are not moderate, Jackson said in a statement the Sanders campaign released early Sunday. A people far behind cannot catch up choosing the most moderate path. The most progressive social and economic path gives us the best chance to catch up and Senator Bernie Sanders represents the most progressive path. Thats why I choose to endorse him today. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday revealed in the state assembly that he too had no birth certificate. When I don't have a birth certificate, how can I produce the certificate of my father? asked Rao, referring to the new format of the National Population Register (NPR) that is set to be rolled out from April 1. He added: I am concerned too. I was born in my house in the village. There were no hospitals then. The village elder used to write a 'Janma Nama' which carried no official seal. The chief minister then asked if he could not produce his birth certificate, how will Dalits, tribals and poor produce their certificates. Speaking on the issue in the House, KCR said Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had firm commitments and principles on which it would never compromise. The CM said the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) went against the very fabric of the Constitution of India that promises to treat all citizens equally irrespective of their religion, caste and creed. No civilised society will accept a law which keeps out people of one particular religion, he said. KCR said the House will thoroughly debate the issue and pass a resolution to send a strong message to the entire country as the issue relates to the country's future, its Constitution and its stature in the world. DENVER - With the nation's capital mired in gridlock and the Affordable Care Act facing a dire legal challenge, the prospects of lowering health care costs for Americans this year seem unlikely. Just don't tell that to Coloradans. Democratic majorities in the state House and Senate and a Democratic governor eager to push aggressive health care measures have turned Colorado into one of the foremost health policy laboratories in the country. State lawmakers have taken swift action on many of the same health issues being debated at the federal level, including a government-run health plan known as a public option, surprise medical billing, drug importation and high drug costs. Colorado has emerged as a potential model for revamping health care in other states - and provided a glimpse of what a sweeping Democratic victory in November might mean for Americans. "From a national perspective, this is known as one of the cool places for health care reform, where people are trying new ideas, where there is leadership, where there is community, where there are all the critical elements to get something done," said Dr. Jay Want, executive director of the Peterson Center for Healthcare, a New York-based health policy think tank. ADVERTISEMENT Colorado's push started in earnest when Gov. Jared Polis took office in January 2019 with the promise of helping consumers cut health care costs. He literally created an Office of Saving People Money on Health Care in his first month on the job. What followed was a four-month legislative session in which lawmakers pushed through a decade's worth of health care bills. "You can argue it was the most consequential legislative session for health care since Colorado expanded Medicaid much earlier this decade," said Joe Hanel, director of communications for the Colorado Health Institute, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on health policy analysis. Lawmakers passed a reinsurance bill that shielded insurance plans from the costs of their sickest patients, resulting in a 20% drop in 2020 premiums for Coloradans who buy their coverage on the individual market, not through their employers. Surprise billing protections, which took effect Jan. 1, cap what out-of-network doctors or other medical providers can charge when patients receive services in hospitals that are not part of their insurance network. The new provision establishes an arbitration process for ongoing billing disputes. Legislators capped copays for insulin at $100 per month and approved the importation of drugs from Canada, once federal authorities establish the process for doing so. And the legislature authorized the Polis administration to develop a public option proposal that would provide competition to private insurance carriers selling plans on the individual market. Hanel said state officials have taken an aggressive approach to reining in health care costs. "They've really transformed their agencies in a short year or so," he said. ADVERTISEMENT For example, Colorado Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway has shifted the Division of Insurance from mainly an actuarial agency reviewing rate filings into more of an advocate for consumers. The division is developing a standard for insurance that would consider whether premiums are affordable when approving insurance rates. This year, the legislature will decide whether to implement the public option plan developed by the Polis administration. While many thought that plan would create a government-run alternative to private insurance similar to a Medicare plan open to anyone, the final draft retains a role for insurance companies in administering public option plans. The plan would also benchmark hospital payment rates to a percentage above what Medicare pays, developing a formula to adjust those rates for each hospital. A small rural hospital would be paid differently from a large urban hospital, while independent hospitals would be paid differently from chain hospitals. Insurance carriers would be limited to using no more than 15% of total premiums collected for administrative costs and profits, which is lower than the Affordable Care Act cap. They would also be required to use any rebates from drug companies to reduce patients' premiums. The state is asking legislators for the authority to force hospitals and health plans to participate if they won't do so voluntarily. "What Colorado is doing is very innovative. There is really only one other state, Washington state, that is doing anything comparable to a public option," said Billy Wynne, a Washington, D.C.-based health policy consultant who recently formed the Public Option Institute. "Other states have been looking at it and will pursue similar programs in the future, especially if (Colorado) can pull off the 'triple lindy' and make this successful." Hospital representatives have expressed skepticism about the public option plan, which they see as mainly targeting hospitals to achieve savings. "The rate-setting as it is currently proposed is a 40% hit to some hospitals," said Katherine Mulready, senior vice president and chief strategy officer of the Colorado Hospital Association, which represents more than 100 hospitals. Hospitals and other providers, she said, may not be able to maintain the same level of services and access now available. ADVERTISEMENT But state officials point to recent studies suggesting prices at Colorado hospitals are among the most expensive in the country: A Rand Corp. study found that Colorado hospitals charge three to four times the Medicare rate, and an analysis of the Denver market showed the area's 27 hospitals netted a combined $2 billion in pretax profits in 2018, with average profit margins exceeding 19%. Hospitals say they must charge higher rates to privately insured patients to make up for the shortfall from Medicare, Medicaid and uninsured patients. But the state released a report in January showing that even when Medicaid rates went up and the need for charity care went down, hospitals still raised their prices. "We're getting close to the mark because some of the hospitals and pharmaceutical companies sent out a mailer against the public option," Polis said in a Jan. 14 public forum on the proposal. "We must be getting something right if they're that worried about it. But it also adds insult to injury for those of us who are consumers of medical services ... to know they're using some of that money from overcharging to lobby against reforms that are saving people money. That is rubbing salt in the wounds." Insurers are also wary of the plan. "We are very concerned - and I would say opposed - that the government will tell us the product, the price and the place that we have to sell," said Amanda Massey, executive director of the Colorado Association of Health Plans. "That is fundamentally opposed to private business and competition." The Colorado Medical Society, which represents physicians, issued a statement generally supporting the goals of the public option plan but didn't go so far as to endorse it. The public option would initially be available only to those consumers who buy policies on the individual market in 2022, estimated to be fewer than 7% of the state's population. State officials said that they plan to later expand to the small-group market and that they expect the lower prices will put pressure on rates for large-group employer-sponsored plans as well. The proposal, while not as disruptive as a "Medicare for All" or single-payer approach, represents a step toward government-run health care. "What the state is doing is intervening, to some degree, in commercial negotiations between plans and hospitals," Wynne said. "Let's be honest: The state will be leaning on hospitals on their participation and reimbursement rate, and that is a tremendous benefit to health plans." Colorado Democrats are betting that by addressing what residents have identified as their highest priority - reducing the cost of health care - they'll be well positioned to build on their state majority in the 2020 elections. "I haven't met a single voter," Polis quipped recently, "who said, 'I don't pay enough for my health care.'" --- (Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.) --- (c)2020 Kaiser Health News Visit Kaiser Health News at www.khn.org Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. More than 64 million people receive Social Security benefits, and more than half of all retired workers who get Social Security count on it for the majority of their income during their retired years. That makes it crucial to have a sense of what you can expect to receive from Social Security. A lot of what you get from Social Security depends on exactly which benefits you qualify to receive. Many workers end up relying primarily on their own work records to determine their retirement benefits. However, with several other types of benefits being available from Social Security, knowing what to expect from each type can be extremely helpful. Here, we'll look at what the average American gets from each of the five primary benefits that Social Security pays. 1. Retired workers: $1,506 per month About seven in every 10 people receiving Social Security -- 45.3 million as of January 2020 -- receive Social Security benefits as retired workers based on their own work records. In order to qualify for those benefits, you need to have worked for 10 years in covered employment, earning 40 Social Security credits in the process. Social Security paid out a total of $68.2 billion in monthly benefits to retired workers in January. That works out to $1,506 per person -- making retired workers the recipients of the largest monthly benefit of any group that the Social Security Administration breaks out in its statistics. 2. Spousal benefits: $787 per month Spouses of retired workers are also entitled to receive benefits from Social Security. Even if you've never worked, you can collect on your spouse's work history if your spouse is eligible for retirement benefits. The benefit amount you'll receive is typically one-half of your spouse's full retirement age benefit, adjusted downward if you claim earlier than your own full retirement age. Only 2.4 million people claim spousal benefits, receiving just over $1.9 billion monthly. That works out to just $787 per month, showing that for many working spouses, what Social Security pays for spousal benefits is less than what they've managed to earn in regular retirement benefits from their own work histories. 3. Survivor benefits for spouses: $1,425 per month If your spouse passes away, then you'll be eligible for a different type of Social Security benefit. Survivor benefits generally pay you 100% of whatever your spouse was receiving from Social Security in retirement benefits, or your spouse's full retirement age benefit if your spouse dies before claiming Social Security benefits. That amount can also get adjusted downward if you claim your survivor benefits prior to reaching your own full retirement age. About 3.6 million surviving spouses who aren't disabled split $5.1 billion in benefits each month, working out to $1,425 per person monthly. That's relatively close to the average retired worker's benefit, showing the link between the two payouts. 4. Survivor benefits for children: $903 per month Some children are also eligible to receive benefits if a parent passes away. Eligible children can receive up to 75% of their parent's Social Security retirement benefit. However, there are some maximum family benefit limitations that can reduce the amount that children in large families are able to receive. To qualify, a child must be 17 or younger, or still be in high school and no older than 19, or be disabled. The average surviving child receives $903 per month, for a total of $1.7 billion over 1.9 million beneficiaries. Those benefits typically go away when the child reaches adulthood, but the temporary support can still be invaluable in helping sustain them financially. 5. Disabled worker benefits: $1,258 per month Finally, Social Security pays disability benefits to workers prior to retirement age who become permanently disabled and unable to perform their jobs. About 8.4 million disabled workers get benefits totaling $10.5 billion, averaging $1,258 per person each month. Family members are also eligible to receive benefits under certain circumstances, but those situations are relatively rare, and payouts are modest. For those who become disabled, however, Social Security payments play an important role in maintaining the ability to cover basic living expenses. Make the most of Social Security With so many different Social Security benefits, it can be hard to keep them all straight. However, every aspect of the program is working to protect you, and benefits you're entitled to receive can make a huge difference in helping you make ends meet financially. The Punjab and Haryana High Court, on Friday, dismissed the bail petition of a teenager accused of slitting the throat of a Class-2 student of a private school in Gurugram in September 2017. The father of the 18-year-old suspect, who was a juvenile at the time of the incident, had filed an application on March 3, seeking interim bail for his son so that he could take his Class-12 practical and theoretical examinations conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) between March and April. The father had also stated that since his examination centre was in Nuh, an interim bail was necessary for his son to take the examinations. His bail petition was challenged by the counsel for Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the victims family. The counsel for the teenager argued that the suspect was already registered with the NIOS and that the institute had issued a letter intimating that the examination centre was in Nuh, where the practical examination has been scheduled for March 11 and 21. After hearing the arguments of both sides, judge Arvind Singh Sangwan dismissed the bail application, stating that the teenager could appear for his exams in Karnal. On the date of the practical and theory exams, the superintendent, Place of Safety, Karnal, would make the necessary arrangement to allow the suspect to reach the Jail centre, Karnal, one hour before conducting the exam, and after the exam is over, the petitioner may be taken back (sic), stated the order. The court further observed that the NIOS examination centre could be changed from Nuh to Karnal. A copy of the letter from NIOS is in possession of Hindustan Times. The CBI counsel produced a letter dated March 5, issued by the director (evaluation), NIOS, that there is an examination centre in Karnal jail and that the centre could be changed to Karnal. This would enable the suspect to take the examination. This was the 15th time that bail was denied to the teenaged suspect within the last 28 months. Earlier in May last year, he was shifted from an observation home in Faridabad to a Place of Safety in Madhuban, Karnal. Sushil Tekriwal, counsel for the father of the victim, said that the suspect had approached the High Court at the eleventh hour to secure an interim bail on the ground of examination. The teenager should not be granted a bail as the probe in the case is still pending and is at a crucial stage with witnesses yet to be examined. He may tamper with evidence and even intimidate or influence the witnesses. He may even try to abscond, which would hamper the course of the investigation, he said. The father of the victim said they have been demanding speedy trial but despite the passage of two years, the CBI has not been able to file the supplementary charge sheet for which the trial is unable to start. Last year in September, the father of the suspect had filed a bail petition on medical grounds. He had stated that his son had lost weight and was not keeping well. A medical examination was conducted by a board of doctors constituted by the civil surgeon of Karnal and his medical condition was found fit. On October 3 last year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had dismissed his bail application. Even earlier, the bail plea of the suspect was rejected by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), the sessions court of Gurugram, the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The decline in sexual morality we see in our era did not begin in the year 2000. Today's "sexual revolution" is expressed by our being told by the highest court in the land that homosexual marriage can and must be married and by women being encouraged to abort children as a "right." In today's society, drag queens reading to little children in libraries is considered delightful by many. Further, vast numbers of people consider one's sex designation psychological and not biological, and, increasingly, parents encourage their little children to "choose" which sex/gender they want to be. As additional evidence of the "sexual revolution," the overall percentage of children born out of wedlock has risen from 5% in 1960 to about 40% the last three or four years (albeit much higher among black and Hispanic persons). Tthese trends are the result of a series of developments that have been ongoing for more than 100 years. Sexual fantasies and desires were depicted by Sigmund Freud as repressed, and in their repressed unconscious influence on the personality, these desires and fantasies were leading to neurotic and psychotic behaviors in society. Deep sexual needs were being sublimated in creative activities, but many aspects of sexuality, being afforded no legitimate outlets or channels for expression, were wreaking havoc on personalities. One of Freud's patients, referred to as "the Wolf Man," had a recurrent dream of six or seven wolves sitting on bare branches outside his window. Although they were wolves, they had foxes' tails. Applying the method of psychoanalysis, Freud concluded that the Wolf Man had castration anxiety. Freud claimed to reveal the deep, unconscious significance of the Pleasure Principle in our psyches, thereby freeing us from the excessive rigidity of late 19th-century Western Civilization. For Freud, the individual decision-making agent exercised his so-called freedom with decisions made by the "I" or ego. But the identity of the "I" was within the context of the rules of social living. In Freud's Vienna, those rules expressed Christian values (which included Old Testament prohibitions as well as virtues) integrated in the psyche by the superego. However, both the ego and the operant rules of the superego were unaware of the unconscious dynamics that were significantly impacting the ego's adjustments to society and to its consciousness of itself. These challenges emanated from that vast unconscious tier of existence referred to as the id. In the id lay the repressed memories, dreams, aspirations, needs, lusts, and even attraction to death. Greater acceptance of one's sexuality (i.e., the Pleasure Principle) was needed. Further, the psycho-sexual implications of breastfeeding or toilet training also had to be factored into one's makeup. These influences were wholly unconscious, yet they are the most powerful influences in shaping our understanding of ourselves and our "adjustment" to society. For Freud, religion conceals rather than reveals the true foundations of morality and our interactions with others. Influenced by Freudian psychoanalytic theory, the post-WWI world of artists and writers unlocked the door to expression of the unconscious and to sexual license as the path of freedom and creativity. Many notable literary figures did not maintain a married, monogamous, heterosexual relationship "'til death do us part." These included such notables as Henry Miller, a non-political iconoclast (married five times plus numerous lovers); Gertrude Stein (had a lifelong lesbian partner); Ernest Hemingway (married four times); Ezra Pound (he, his wife, and another woman had threesomes); T.S. Eliot (multiple affairs while his wife was in a mental asylum); James Joyce (had two children with Nora before marrying her); and Sherwood Anderson (married four times). These great writers constituting the "Lost Generation" felt alienated from Western, Christian socio-political culture as being too bourgeois or too puritanical. They were more comfortable in a European artistic climate marked by artistic freedom and burgeoning communism in the USSR with its anti-bourgeois rhetoric and policies. Lara Feigel notes that in post-WWI Russia, "these ideals [anti-bourgeois and anti-family based sexuality] were enshrined in law in 1918 when the new Soviet government ratified its Code on Marriage, the Family and Guardianship abolishing the inferior legal status of women, eliminating religious marriage, giving children born outside marriage equal rights to those born within it, and making divorce an easy formality. The author of the Code, Alexander Goikhbarg, looked forward to the time "when 'the fetters of husband and wife' were obsolete and love could be enjoyed freely." Fourteen years later, in 1932, Alexandra Kollontai, founder of the Soviet Women's Department, wrote a book in which she insisted there was "neither morality nor immorality" in nature, and a sexual act should be recognized as "a manifestation of a healthy organism [much the same] as the quenching of hunger or thirst." Although the USSR formally reversed its anti-family and pro-abortion position in the mid-1930s, the distaste for the family conceived as a bourgeois institution first stated in the Communist Manifesto of 1848 remained as a steadfast pillar of extreme left-wing thought. The USSR backing off from its anti-family agenda in the mid-nineteen-thirties was more of a practical decision than a change in ideological commitment. Situation ethics came into being during the 1960s regarding Christian sexual morality with the writings of Joseph F. Fletcher, an Anglican theologian. Non-marital sexual intercourse could be accepted if the parties believed in Jesus Christ and really loved each other, even if not married. This view is generally held by liberal churches today, even if it does not appear on their websites under "Our Beliefs." When this writer attended a liberal United Church of Christ and Congregationalist seminary in the early 1970s, some of the ministerial candidates were shacking up with their girlfriends in the dorms, and no action was taken by the seminary's administration. Another friend, in the 1960s, pursued his lifelong dream to become an Episcopal priest only to find homosexuality rife in the seminary as the students goosed each other as they went down the stairs to meals. He then dropped out of the seminary to protect his body, his morals, and his sanity. The hippie movement with its counter-culture drug and sexually "liberated" mores presented yet another challenge to 2,000-year-old Christian morality. However, while it attracted a lot of press coverage, this writer does not believe it had the destructive effect on the unity of sex, love, and marriage as did Freudianism, the left-wing assault on bourgeois capitalist culture, and the selfish examples set by some of the greatest creative minds of the post-WWI generation. To say these developments are a cause for concern would be an understatement. This breakdown in the moral order regarding human sexuality is not just a difference in values between some sectors of the population and others. Rather, it is a difference in values between fallen mankind and the Author of the moral law Himself. If it exists in what formerly was called Christian America, then judgment is likely to follow. It's as inevitable as the bite of a mosquito buzzing around one's body on a humid day, yet the consequences are far more serious. - A complainant from "Raffy Tulfo In Action" has recently gone viral on social media after she was rushed to the hospital - In the episode, the woman filed a complaint against her partner and his new girlfriend for abusing her - However, due to the stress the issue has caused her, the woman had to be sent to the hospital after a staff member noticed that she was bleeding - The said video garnered various reactions and comments from netizens who sympathized with the woman PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Raffy Tulfo, alongside the staff of his show Raffy Tulfo In Action, got the shock of their lives after their latest complainant had to be rushed to the hospital after filing her complaint. In the video, KAMI learned that the woman named, Sheena Atanacio, was filing a complaint against her partner, Sgt. Arid Arison, a police officer as well as his new girlfriend, Marilyn Sante. Watch the video below: Upon coming to the show, Raffy immediately asked why Sheena had cuts and bruises on her face. She then revealed that she was punched by her partner who was helped by Marilyn as well. By the end of the video, however, the staff of the show noticed that Sheena was already bleeding. This prompted Raffy to immediately order his staff to rush Sheena to the hospital. A short message was also included in the video regarding Sheena's current state, "Kasalukuyang naka-admit sa Mandaluyong City Medical Center si Sheena upang maobserbahan ang kanyang kalagayan at kinakailangan siyang maraspa dahil nalaglag ang dinadala niyang sanggol dulot ng sobrang stress." The said episode also elicited various reactions and comments from netizens on social media. "I feel sorry for the complainant. She lost her baby." "Umalis kana sa relasyon mo, wag kanang maging martyr ikamamatay mo yan." "Only a mother who sacrifices a lot to have a good life of her children can understand her situation." "Stay away from toxic/abusive relationship. If a man doesn't t love you anymore, have self respect and walk away and move on. You deserve better." PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! As reported earlier by KAMI, Raffy Tulfo's program, "Raffy Tulfo in Action" was recently featured in Lolit Solis's latest online post - In her online post, Lolit aired her opinion regarding the issue between Sarah Geronimo's bodyguard and her husband, Matteo Guidicelli. Raffy Tulfo is one of the most popular broadcast-journalists in the Philippines. He has been helping many people with their problems with life, love, and other matters. POPULAR: Read more viral stories here Please like and share our Facebook posts to support KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinion about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts! The cast of Descendants of the Sun including Dingdong Dantes, Jennylyn Mercado, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, and Rocco Nacino spoke to KAMI about their primetime series! Check out all of the exciting videos and celebrity interviews on our KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel ! Source: KAMI.com.gh Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello di Montalcino are three royal reds to know and savor Italy produces many great wines, but three are considered the King Bs. Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello di Montalcino are recognized throughout the global wine market for their world-class quality and unique heritage. What sets these wines apart, and why are they so treasured by connoisseurs? Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello di Montalcino are all intense, complex red wines uniquely tied to their regions. They were among the first wines to be awarded DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) status, the highest designation of quality under Italian wine law, in 1980. Under their respective DOCGs, these wines may only be made in their designated region, using single-variety, indigenous grapes, and following strict aging requirements. Distinct Terroir and Tradition Each of these wines impart a strong sense of place, or terroir, something many wine drinkers appreciate and seek out. They all exhibit a powerful combination of high acid, alcohol, and tannin, but deliver different tasting experiences on the palate. Barolo and Barbaresco are produced in the Langhe Hills of Piemonte in northern Italy, around the town of Alba, an area also known for hazelnuts and white truffles. Both wines are made from 100 percent Nebbiolo, a complex and tannic grape variety. Piemonte, being close to the Maritime Alps, has a cooler climate where Nebbiolo thrives. A longer growing season allows for more time to ripen the fruit. The hilly vineyards are frequently shrouded in a misty haze; in fact, Nebbiolos name is derived from nebbia, the Italian word for fog. These Nebbiolo wines start out powerful on the palate, but evolve into subtler, soft textures as they mature. Nebbiolos intense fruit comes in like a wrecking ball, and evolves into earthy flavors of tar, black tea, and orange peel, said Master Sommelier Kathy Morgan, director of wine education at Southern Glazers Wine and Spirits in New York City. As the wine opens, it softens to deliver more lush fruits and softer cherry and cranberry notes. Popular local dishes that complement these wines include risotto al Barolo and brasato al Barolo, beef marinated in Barolo wine and braised with herbs. Brunello di Montalcino, meanwhile, is produced around the Tuscan hill town of Montalcino, which is dominated at its highest point by a fortress. The climate is Mediterranean: sunny and mild with cooling breezes from the Apennines to the east. Brunello is made with 100 percent Sangiovese, a variety that delivers intense ripe dark cherry notes and silky, lingering flavors on the palate. While similar to Nebbiolo in structure, Sangiovese has a much easier, more cushioned opening, Morgan explained, starting with plush bright cherry and sour cherry fruits that ease into stony and herbal notes, with tomato leaf and violets. The darker elements are underneath. These wines complement the hearty meat dishes of the region, such as cinghiale (wild boar) and bistecca alla Fiorentina (Tuscan steak). Built to Last These wines, being higher in tannins, are meant for long aging and cellaring. Barolo DOCG must be aged at least three years, of which 18 months must be in wood barrels. Wines labeled Barolo Riserva must be cellared for at least five years from the date of harvest. Barbaresco DOCG must be aged a minimum of two years, of which nine months must be in wood barrels. Barbaresco Riserva must be cellared for at least four years from the date of harvest. Finally, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG must be aged a minimum of two years in wood barrels, plus at least four months in the bottle, and must be cellared for at least five years from the date of harvest. Brunello Riserva requires an additional year. Most bottles of Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello di Montalcino can be opened after 12 years, but many sommeliers recommend a sweet spot of 20 years. Barolo in particular has even longer aging potential, without the effect of oxidation common with some older vintages. I remember tasting both a 1958 and 1978 Barolo vintage that were stunning, Morgan recalled. Producers really made wine built to last back then! For anyone trying these wines for the first time, Morgan suggests Barolo and Barbaresco for people who enjoy drinking wines from Burgundy, Northern Rhone, and Rioja, and Brunello di Montalcino for Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers. Accessible, Affordable Alternatives Depending on the vintage and producer, a bottle of one of the King Bs can cost upwards of $100, and much higher at retail. However, there are younger, more accessible options to enjoy, delivering excellent quality for around $40 a bottle, or even less. In Piemonte, Nebbiolo dAlba DOC, also made with 100 percent Nebbiolo, offers similar characteristics as its more well-known neighbors, but the aging requirement is only one year. Roero DOCG, Gattinara DOCG, and Nebbiolo Langhe are all predominantly made with Nebbiolo, but allow smaller percentages of other grape varieties. Rosso di Montalcino, often referred to as baby Brunello, provides a fresh, fruity, easy-drinking alternative to Brunello. Also made from 100 percent Sangiovese, Rosso di Montalcino may be released one year after bottling. Producers and Bottles to Try Here are a few well-known producers of each style. Prices are suggested retail and may vary by region and retailer. Barolo Vietti: This estate has been making Barolo cru wines in some of the regions best vineyards for four generations. Try Vietti Rocche di Castiglione Barolo DOCG 2015, $200. Michele Chiarlo: A family-run estate producing exceptional single-vineyard wines. Try Michele Chiarlo Cerequio Barolo DOCG 2015, $105. Barbaresco Gaja: Angelo Gaja has been called the king of Barbaresco, recognized for creating a more modern style prized by collectors and sommeliers. The winery is now run by fifth-generation family member Gaia Gaja. Try Gaja Barbaresco DOCG 2015, $225. Pio Cesare: A family-run producer in both Barolo and Barbaresco for more than 135 years. Try Pio Cesare Barbaresco DOCG 2015, $83. Nebbiolo dAlba DOC Bruno Giacosa: Another leading producer in Piemonte. Try Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo dAlba 2016, $35. Brunello di Montalcino Most Brunello producers also make Rosso di Montalcino. Each year the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino rates its new vintage. The following wines are all five-star vintages, the highest rating. Donatella Cinelli Colombini: An entirely woman-run estate with top-rated wines. Owner Donatella Cinella Colombini is recognized throughout Italy for her efforts to build Italian wine tourism and women producers. Try Donatella Cinelli Colombini Casato Prime Donne Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015 (rated 95 points by wine critic Robert Parker), $86 or Donatella Cinelli Colombini Rosso di Montalcino 2015, $32. La Fiorita Estate: Owner Natalie Oliveros produces a softer style of Brunello di Montalcino. Try La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012, $55 or La Fiorita Rosso di Montalcino 2018, $34. Melanie Young writes about wine, food, travel, and health. She co-hosts the weekly national radio show The Connected Table LIVE! and hosts Fearless Fabulous You! both on iHeart.com. Twitter@connectedtable We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. In February 2020, former Bigg Boss contestant Sana Khaan had announced that she broke up with her boyfriend of less than a year, choreographer, Melvin Louis, claiming that he had cheated on her. While everyone thought that was the end of things, their break-up has now taken several drastic and nasty turns as new details have emerged. For the unnerved, here's the complete breakdown of what has happened between Sana Khaan and Melvin Louis. 12th February 2020. In February, in an interview with Times of India, Sana opened up about why she broke up with Melvin. I broke up with Melvin because he was cheating on me. I had loved him with all my heart and was committed to him. What I got in return has disturbed and shaken me. I have developed anxiety issues and am dealing with depression ever since," Khaan said. 7th March 2020. Melvin Louis was silent until yesterday. The dancer took to Instagram to share an uncensored audio clip between himself and Sana Khaan where Sana accepts that she is going to make up the fact that Melvin cheated on her. During the conversation, supposedly Sana Khaan's voice, a female voice says, "I have to humiliate you! The point is, to feel better, publicly! A male voice, presumably Melvins, says I am very sure that that is your intention, and seconds later, the female voice continues, yeah, yeah, that is my intention. The male voice continues because you are wondering now what? Abhi how will I go and correct my image out there. Why have I left Melvin? Let me say that he is gone out there and he is cheated on me. Is that your plan? The female voice replies Yeah, Yeah that is my plan? This audio clip clearly dismisses any claims made by Sana Khaan on Melvin Louis cheating on her. Melvin captioned this post by writing, "You mocked me ! You mocked my race and my skin color ! You mocked my family ! You mocked my most favourite people with disgusting allegations ! You did your best ! I hope you feel better now PUBLICLY ! #MenAreVictimsToo #YouAskedForIt #NotGuilty #BulaatiHaiMagarJaaneKaNahi . P.S : For all those who didnt judge too quick or jump to make quick conclusions, I remember your names and you have my respect ! Thank you for not judging a book by its cover #LoveAndRespectToAll #PooraAudioNoteSunogeTohGirJaaoge #BasAbhiDoneZyadaDramaNahi 8th March 2020. Naturally, Sana Khaan is not the one to take these accusations lightly. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Sana Khaan has now revealed that she was in an abusive relationship with Melvin Louis and that he would beat her up. "This guy was abusive. He had beaten me up. I had bruises on my neck that I can show you with the date and all the conversations where he told me he was sorry (for his behavior). He broke my phone on my head and I got a cut." While we don't know if Sana Khaan is now going to seek legal action or how Melvin Louis will respond to these claims, a lesson for all of us it to never wash our dirty linens in public. From the start, Khalilzads approach reflected his brand of vigorous, sometimes improvisational diplomacy. In Kabul, he took walks with Ghani, seeking to mollify the Afghan leaders fears that Washington would leave his government in the lurch. In the Qatari capital, where militant negotiators were based, he would often pull Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a senior Taliban official, aside for one-on-one conversations. Sitting down for lunch shared by American officials and the Taliban, the Afghans would switch to speaking Pashto, and the room would erupt in laughter, according to former officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive negotiations. What does the constitutional amendment mean for the gun control debate in the US? Deadly mass shootings in the United States have occurred for years and a spate of shootings last year fueled the continuing debate over what can be done to stop such crimes in the country. Proponents of gun control face a difficult roadblock, however: The Second Amendment. The Second Amendment to the US Constitution states that a well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. History Throughout much of US history, the amendment was hardly discussed. Passed by Congress in September 1789 and ratified in 1791, the Second Amendment was proposed in a political setting markedly different from that of the modern US. Politics in the newly founded US were shaped by centuries of English tradition. The men of the USs founding generation feared a standing army could be used to oppress the people, as had occurred during the controversial rule of Oliver Cromwell, whom some regard as a military dictator who ruled England from 1653 until his death in 1658. Instead of a standing army, groups of men in localities throughout the US were expected band together to form militia groups, which had their own weapons and received part-time, unpaid military training. However, the US Revolutionary War showed that militias were not adequate to deal with invading forces such as those of the British Empire. A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Second Amendment, US Constitution The issue was a matter of debate between two camps of influential men who framed the writing of the US Constitution: the Anti-Federalists and Federalists. Federalists saw a strong, national government as necessary for the success of the newly formed US. The US Constitution was seen by the Federalists as a way of guaranteeing such a government. Anti-Federalists wanted to block the ratification of the Constitution, claiming that a national government would be unable to address the needs of people far from the capitol. While they were unsuccessful at blocking its ratification, the Anti-Federalists were instrumental in proposing 12 amendments to the Constitution which laid out inalienable rights for US citizens 10 of which were ratified in 1791, including the Second Amendment. Court precedents While the Second Amendment was used to keep the federal government from regulating guns, states were left to regulate firearms as they saw fit. Many blocked black men from owning weapons and guns used for militias were kept on a government roll, according to the National Constitution Center, a historical organisation founded by the US government. Still, the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) has in recent years bolstered the amendment. Modern debate over the Second Amendments meaning and implementation first came to SCOTUS in 1939, with the case United States v Miller. SCOTUS ruled in that case that the transportation of a sawed-off shotgun across state lines from Oklahoma to Arkansas, this case could be regulated by Congress under the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934, the first federal gun control act. A protester holds a sign during a March For Our Lives demonstration demanding gun control in Sacramento, California [Bob Strong/Reuters] The NFA levied taxes but was also meant to curtail the sale of shotguns and rifles having barrels less than 18 inches in length, certain firearms described as any other weapons, machineguns, and firearm mufflers and silencers, due to their frequent use in crimes, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. That precedent lasted until 2008, when a near-total ban on firearm ownership in Washington, DC, passed by the federal government, was challenged. SCOTUS ruled in a 5-4 decision that the history and language of the Second Amendment protected an individuals right to bear arms, not solely within a militia. The ruling struck down the ban. The judges who disagreed wrote in their dissent that it was merely a nominal right of an individual and applied to the right of the people of each of the several States to maintain a well-regulated militia and that state governments should be able to decide when and if to ban guns in high-crime areas. In 2010, a similar case involving a ban on handguns in Chicago, Illinois, was again struck down by a 5-4 decision. That case saw the majority agreeing that the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868 to make former slaves US citizens and guarantees legal due process and that all citizens fundamental rights will be protected, makes gun ownership a right, the National Constitution Center said. However, there were still situations in which commercial firearm sales could be stopped, guns could be banned in sensitive areas such as schools, and a felons right to own guns could be curtailed. Lower courts throughout the US continue to see cases regarding the regulation of firearms. Even with the decisions of 2008 and 2010, these courts often disagree, according to the National Constitution Center. Debate over the Second Amendment is far from over, in the public, political and judicial arenas. Foreign tourists are sent to quarantine in Ha Long Town of Quang Ninh Province on March 7, 2020 as they are found to board the same flight with a Covid-19 patient in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Chinh. Nine foreigners whod flown in from London on the same flight as Hanois first Covid-19 patient have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Of the nine, seven are British, one Irish and one Mexican, aged between 58 and 74. All have been quarantined. The latest confirmed Covid-19 case, a 66-year-old British woman, has been quarantined in the central town of Hue since Saturday. She is in stable health with no fever or cough. The remaining eight foreigners were touring Vietnam when they were tracked down by local authorities on being informed that they were passengers on the same flight as Nguyen Hong Nhung, who tested Covid-19 positive Friday. Four of them were intercepted in Quang Ninh Province, two in Lao Cai Province in northern Vietnam and two in the central city of Da Nang. Nhung, 26, who had flown to Hanoi from London on Vietnam Airlines flight VN54, became the capital city's first Covid-19 patient and the nations 17th. There were 201 passengers on the flight, including 21 in the business class, Vietnam Airlines General Director Duong Tri Thanh said Saturday. Of the 21, 18 were foreigners. The nine new Covid-19 cases take the national total to 30. On Sunday, it was confirmed that a 61-year-old Hanoian on the same flight as Nguyen Hong Nhung had contracted the novel coronavirus. The man, the nations 21st Covid-19 infection, lives in the same neighborhood as Nhung in Ba Dinh District. City authorities have been working with Hanois Noi Bai Airport to collect information about 217 passengers and crew members on the flight. Before Nhung was confirmed as the 17th Covid-19 patient in Vietnam, the country had gone 22 days with no new infection. On Saturday, a 27-year-old man returning to Vietnam from South Koreas Daegu City became the 18th while Nhungs personal chauffeur and her aunt were the 19th and 20th cases. The Covid-19 outbreak has thus far spread to 103 countries and territories around the world, with the death toll climbing to 3,649. The state government has been warned the public will lose confidence in its coronavirus messaging if it insists "it's all business as usual" and is not completely transparent about the extent of the crisis. Both the Australian Medical Association (WA) and WA's opposition said the government had fumbled its initial communications as the impact of the disease unfolded. AMA(WA) president Andrew Miller speaks to reporters on Friday about coronavirus. Credit:Nathan Hondros Last week, Health Minister Roger Cook did not reveal details about the flight from London to Perth taken by the state's third coronavirus patient and at a subsequent media conference could not say how many people on the flight would be contacted by the Health Department because of possible exposure. There was also changing information as to when the state would open dedicated coronavirus clinics, with the date brought forward to Tuesday. Greek soldiers patrol while migrants and refugees gather at the fence of the borderline between Greece and Turkey near the closed Kastanies border crossing in northern Greece, on March 7, 2020. Thousands of refugees on Saturday continued to try and cross from Turkey to Europe by land and sea despite the interventions of Greek security forces and coast guard teams. (Photo by Dimitris Tosidis/Xinhua) Thousands of refugees on Saturday continued to try and cross from Turkey to Europe by land and sea despite the interventions of Greek security forces and coast guard teams. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that over 143,000 migrants have so far managed to cross the border to Greece from Turkey's northwestern border province Edirne. Speaking at an event in Turkey's eastern province of Elazig, Soylu said that the Evros River, separating the two countries, provides an easy journey for the refugees to the other side. "Now the weather is getting warmer ... The water level of the river fell to 40-45 centimeters in some places, which means that they can effortlessly pass to the other side on foot," the minister noted. Meanwhile, the intervention of Greek security forces against the refugees has continued on Saturday at the Pazarkule border crossing, an eyewitness told Xinhua. "They frequently fired water cannon and tear gas throughout the day to push them back to Turkey," the eyewitness said over the phone. "To back the migrants, Turkish police also retaliated Greek security forces by firing tear gas," he added. The efforts of the migrants to go to Europe have also continued on the sea. The Turkish coast guard rescued at least 177 illegal immigrants in different incidents off Turkey's Aegean coast for the last two days, the force said in a statement on its website on Saturday. The incidents happened off the western provinces of Aydin, Mugla, and Izmir when Greek coast guard teams pushed the boats carrying migrants back to Turkey, the statement added. Meanwhile, in a tweet posted on Friday, the coast guard announced that illegal immigrants would not be allowed to cross the Aegean Sea upon the order of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. After the announcement, the Turkish coast guard teams intercepted a total of 60 Afghan migrants off Izmir's Dikili district the previous day from sneaking into Greece. The Aegean Sea was once the main route for migrants trying to enter Europe via Turkey. A deal was signed between Ankara and the European Union in March 2016 to curb the flow of illegal immigration. As part of the deal, Turkish authorities had stopped a total of 60,802 illegal immigrants from reaching Greece via Turkey last year, according to figures released by the Turkish coast guard. On Feb. 28, Turkey said that it would no longer stop illegal immigrants from going to Europe, noting that it could not cope with the burden of over 3.7 million refugees in its territory. Boris Johnson was heckled today as he finally visited a flooding site after announcing a 5billion Budget boost for defences. The PM was met met with shouts of 'traitor' as he arrived in Bewdley on the banks of the River Severn, Worcestershire. The town has been overwhelmed by flood water in recent weeks and properties and businesses have been inundated with water. The trip - Mr Johnson's first to an affected area since the extreme weather hit 22 days ago - came as it emerged Chancellor Rishi Sunak will use his first financial package to double funding for flood defences by 2024. The PM came under heavy criticism for his slow response to the crisis last month - including staying at a country residence in Kent for a week rather than going to see those suffering. However, he has insisted his presence would merely have distracted from the rescue efforts, and praised the way Environment Secretary George Eustice handled the situation. No10 sources said Mr Johnson had gone to Bewdley at the 'first opportunity' as it was now 'in recovery from the flooding. In footage of the PM's visit this afternoon, locals can be heard shouting 'traitor' as he was shown defences by Environment Agency staff. Boris Johnson ran the gauntlet of local fury in Bewdley, Worcestershire today some 22 days after extreme weather started Mr Johnson insisted the government was ramping up funding for flood defences as he took a tour of the affected area today Onlookers shouted 'traitor' as the PM was shown flood defences by Environment Agency staff During his visit Mr Johnson was also asked: 'Aren't you about two weeks too late?' While a number of teenagers asked him to stop for a selfie in the town centre, as he walked back on to the river bank, one man shouted 'do your f****** job'. As he spoke to residents affected by the floods, Mr Johnson said he would 'get Bewdley done'. Told some homes had been overwhelmed by as much as 2ft of water, the premier said he was 'so sorry to hear it'. He said he had discussed with Environment Agency officials what 'permanent defences' can be installed. Parents of sick newborn babies will get an extra 160 a week Parents of sick newborn babies will be able to claim an extra 160 a week under measures set to be announced by the Chancellor. Rishi Sunak will outline plans to allow new mothers and fathers to claim statutory paid leave for every week their child is in neonatal care, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. Treasury Minister Kemi Badenoch said the cost of the leave would almost entirely be footed by the Government, rather than business. She said: 'We will bring in an historic new entitlement ensuring parents having to take time off work because they have a sick baby will get paid parental leave. 'This will be in addition to the usual maternity and paternity leave, and finally give parents the time, the resources and the space to handle these difficult circumstances.' Advertisement He added: 'We are doubling the funding for flood defences to 5.2billion and we're also going to be looking at all the things we can do upstream.' Downing Street said since Storm Dennis struck last month 1,000 Environment Agency staff had been working round the clock with local police, firefighters and councils. The government says over 128,000 properties were protected by flood defences this winter. In a statement after the visit, Mr Johnson said: 'My every sympathy is with the families and businesses suffering because of the recent floods - I am determined to help them get them back on their feet. 'I want to pay tribute to the tireless efforts of the Environment Agency and emergency services who are working to protect communities hit by the recent storms. 'We need to keep improving our protections against extreme weather, that is why we are investing 5.2billion for flood defences to support communities up and down the country.' Earlier, Mr Sunak told Sky News: 'What we are announcing today is a doubling in cash terms of the amount of money that we spend on flood defences in this country. 'It's going to pay for over 2000 different flood schemes around the country, it's going to protect over 300,000 homes. 'We have all either in our constituencies as MPs or watching on TV seeing the devastation wreaked on communities by flooding, this will make an enormous difference to people's lives and I think it's absolutely the right thing to do and this is something that wherever you live, whether you are in the south-west or the north-east, this impacts you, this investment will make a difference.' Communities struggling to recover from the damage will be able to claim from a 120million Winter Defence Fund designed to repair flood defences as quickly as possible. The funding - which doubles the 2.6billion spent on flood defences between 2015 and 2021 - is expected to be targeted in every region, and will be available from next April. Meanwhile, Mr Sunak insisted the Budget will give the NHS and business 'whatever it needs' to stop coronavirus wreaking permanent damage to the economy. Mr Johnson's visit tooday came as the Budget is due to double funding for flooding defences Boris Johnson was heckled as he arrived in Bewdley on the banks of the River Severn, Worcestershire today It was the first time the PM had visited a flood-battered area since the storms hit 22 days ago The move comes after a winter in which the UK has been hammered by some of the worst storms in recent memory. PIcture is the scene in Snaith, near Goole in Yorkshire, yesterday Boris Johnson (pictured watching the Six Nations Rugby match at Twickenham yesterday with fiancee Carrie Symonds) came under criticism for his response to the flooding crisis last month Mr Sunak warned that UK plc is set for a 'shock' as the killer disease spreads around the globe. But he insisted the effects would be 'temporary' and Britain is 'well prepared' to cope with the situation. He made clear his first financial package this week will focus on supporting businesses amid fears a fifth of the workforce could end up being off sick, and pledged to give the NHS would get the resources to deal with a feared mass impact in this country. But he flatly dismissed the idea that the crisis would result in the Brexit transition period being extended beyond December 31. Other items in the Budget will include plans to move significant numbers of Treasury staff to bases in the North, as part of Mr Johnson's plan to spread political power away from Westminster. There will be a 643million package of investment to help rough sleepers off the streets and reintegrate them to society. Parents of ill newborns will also be given an extra 160 a week to ease financial stress at a traumatic time. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 16:38:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LHASA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 words and terms related to the novel coronavirus have been added to the Tibetan vocabulary and spread to thousands of households in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region through radio, video, posters and cultural shows, as part of its efforts to provide epidemic-related knowledge. "The newly added words and terms covering areas including epidemic prevention and control measures, policies and pathological symptoms provide a standard for the spreading of anti-epidemic knowledge in Tibet," said Yeshe Sangpo, an official with the regional Tibetan language working committee. After the virus outbreak, multiple measures have been launched in Tibet to provide effective virus-related knowledge and updates. Local authorities have invited experts from hospitals and centers for disease control to give more than 10 talks in both Putonghua (standard Chinese) and Tibetan. The region's traditional Tibetan opera troupe has promoted 12 anti-epidemic shows with ethnic characteristics, broadcasting bilingually on WeChat and other platforms. Folklore artists are also taking action by incorporating anti-virus knowledge into their popular audio podcasts usually dedicated to the stories of King Gesar, a legendary 11th-century hero who fought evil and helped the weak. As listening to and chanting the epic of King Gesar is an essential part of Tibetans' daily life, the combination of anti-epidemic knowledge with the stories of the king makes it more accessible to ordinary Tibetans. "Such programs are effective in spreading knowledge of epidemic prevention. I've learned some precaution measures through them," said Nyima, a 59-year-old villager in Tibet's Dangxiong County. The regional government lowered the local emergency response from the top level to the second level, which will enter effect on Saturday. Certain areas will be managed under the requirements of the third level. As of Thursday, the autonomous region has reported zero suspected or confirmed cases for 36 consecutive days. Vietnams Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has ordered that top officials temporarily scrap overseas business trips in order to concentrate on the fight against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The order was published on the Vietnam Government Portal on Sunday afternoon. Ministers, chiefs of agencies equivalent to ministries, heads of bodies under the central government, and chairs of provinces and centrally-administered cities are required to consider postponing their business trips to foreign countries so as to focus on curbing the COVID-19 epidemic and promoting business and production in the country, the prime minister said in the order. The centrally-administered cities include Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hai Phong, and Can Tho. A 61-year-old man, N.Q.T., was confirmed as the 21st COVID-19 patient in Vietnam on Sunday, according to an announcemen by the Ministry of Health. The patient, living in Truc Bach Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, returned to Vietnam from England on the same flight as patient No. 17 N.H.N. on March 2. N. tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Friday, after she had been through immigration without a fever. The woman had traveled to Lombardy (Italy), Paris (France), and London (England) before the flight back to Hanoi. Her chauffeur and aunt, who had close contact with her, caught the virus after taking N. to the hospital for testing in a car. T. showed symptoms of fatigue and dry coughing on Friday. His sample was taken on Saturday morning and returned positive the same day. He is being treated at the second branch of the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi. The London-Hanoi flight carried 201 passengers, of whom 48 are Vietnamese. They have traveled to different provinces and cities in Vietnam upon their arrival in Hanoi. Vietnamese authorities are tracing the passengers on board the flight. The flight crew and those in contact with the patients have been isolated. COVID-19, which first surfaced in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 105,800 people and killed 3,605 globally, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. Vietnam has so far confirmed 21 infections, including 18 Vietnamese, two Chinese nationals, and one Vietnamese American. Sixteen of the patients have recovered and been discharged from the hospital. Patient No. 17 was confirmed after Vietnam had reported no infection since February 13. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Open source Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne announced his Governments intention to allocate $ 2 million to Ukraine to support the police. The press service of the Foreign Ministry of Canada stated this. "The minister also announced the allocation of more than $ 2 million over three years to help strengthen the capacity of the National Police of Ukraine in planning, implementing, monitoring and reviewing reform processes," the report said. Champagne emphasized Ottawa's continued commitment to Kyivs ambitious reform efforts and the involvement of women in the efforts to ensure peace and security. The head of the Canadian Foreign Ministry also recalled that his country was working to uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the face of the Russian aggression. As we reported before, Canadian lawyers who previously successfully sued Iran are seeking class action status in a lawsuit on behalf of victims aboard a Ukrainian plane shot down over Tehran in January 2020, looking for at least $1.1 billion in compensation. The suit names Iran, its supreme leader, the elite Revolutionary Guards and others as defendants. The lead plaintiff in the case is anonymous, preliminarily identified as John Doe, and described as immediate family to a victim identified as Jack Doe. A cruise ship with a Panama flag has been turned back at the New Mangalore Port here following the Centre's advisory in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, officials said. The vessel 'MSC Lirica' was sent back on Saturday as the Union Ministry of Shipping had directed all ports not to allow any cruise ship from foreign destinations to call on Indian ports. No further details about the ship were disclosed. New Mangaluru Port Trust chairman A V Ramana said the ministry has directed all ports to deny entry to cruise ships till March 31 in the wake of the coronvirus scare. Around 25 vessels were expected to call on the port here during the cruise season. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) conducted an awareness programme on prevention of coronavirus COVID-19 at Mangaluru International Airport. The stakeholders were sensitised on handling passengers affected with covid-19 and precautions to be taken for dealing with affected passengers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Costco has joined the list of businesses taking precautions in response to continuing reports of confirmed coronavirus cases. Staffers at several Portland-area stores confirm that shoppers will no longer find free food samples at Costco, at least temporarily. Though Costco corporate headquarters, in Issaquah, Washington, were closed on Saturday and no corporate spokespeople were available, multiple news reports say that, for the moment, Costco samples are suspended in several states. As the Oregonian/OregonLive reported earlier today, the Oregon Health Authority announced Saturday that four additional Oregonians have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Subscribe to our Oregon coronavirus newsletter: Email: One of the new cases is from Washington County, two are from Jackson County, and one is from Klamath County. Three more confirmed Oregon cases of COVID-19 had previously been reported, two of them occurring in people who live in Washington County. and another in a man who works at the Wildhorse Resort and Casino, in Pendleton. The popular Costco warehouse chain, which has locations in Portland, Clackamas, Tigard, Aloha, and Hillsboro in the metro area, is known for its free food samples, a service that draws hungry and curious shoppers to have a taste of all sorts of goodies. The news that the food samples are being suspended has already drawn alarmed reactions on social media. The Twitter responses include a Costco fan who wrote, There is a rumor going around that Costco is not doing free samples anymore due to the #coronavirus. I see no reason to go there anymore. I dont want to live in this world without free samples at Costco. The policy comes in the wake of other coronavirus-caused business decisions, including the postponement of Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, and cancellation of the South by Southwest festival, in Austin. -- Kristi Turnquist kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Abdullahs spokesperson says invitation issued for Mondays inauguration which will coincide with Ghanis event. Political rivals in Afghanistan have issued separate invitations for inauguration ceremonies on Monday. Abdullah Abdullah, rival of Afghanistans president-elect Ashraf Ghani, issued invitations to a parallel swearing-in ceremony due next week, his spokesman said on Saturday. Weve sent the invitation to all national and international organisations and all necessary preparations have been taken, Fraidoon Khwazoon, Abdullahs spokesman said, referring to invitations to an inauguration ceremony due to take place in Kabul on Monday morning at a similar time to Ghanis. A political impasse and threat of parallel governments jeopardise a nascent peace process in the nation, as the United States tries to push the Afghan government towards talks with the Taliban. In February, Afghanistans Electoral Commission announced Ghani as the winner of Septembers presidential election, but Abdullah claimed that he and his allies had won the polls and insisted that he would form a government. 200218135530575 Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for Ghani, emphasised that his side was the recognised winner of last years polls. The election season is over and president-elect Ghani was given the winners certificate by the independent election commission based on the outcome of the election and countrys constitution, Sediqqi said on Saturday. Ghani and Abdullah are old rivals who held roles in the previous government under a US-brokered power-sharing agreement. A former foreign minister, Abdullah held the specially created post of chief executive in the outgoing government. Diplomats and experts have said a lack of cohesion among Afghan political leaders will make it difficult for talks with the Taliban, which are due to start on Tuesday, to take place. This is a bad omen for the peace process, a diplomat whose countrys embassy in Kabul had been told an invitation to Abdullahs ceremony was on the way, was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. He said diplomats from different countries were calling and messaging each other to find out about each others plans. US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was holding talks with both camps to try to broker a solution before Monday, the diplomat said. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has cleared the air on the incident involving its patrol team and a road traffic offender who drove with a pregnant woman in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital. In a statement signed by the Corps Commander, Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, it described the incident as distorted account, adding that the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi had ordered investigation into the matter. In the first instance, the front seat occupant who was alleged to be pregnant, was not wearing her seatbelt at the point of arrest even when the driver persuaded her to comply, the statement read. Read Also: FRSC Officials Allegedly Puncture Tyre Of Car Driven By Lady Rushing Pregnant Woman In Labour To Hospital (Video) Secondly, the alleged pregnant woman was not in labour as reported by the media, neither were they rushing to the hospital but was only given a lift to her destination by the driver. Thirdly, the identity of the alleged woman in labour is not known by the driver nor any other person that witnessed the incident. Lastly, the tyre was not punctured but the team leader who carried the act only stopped the driver from escaping. As at the time of this press statement, the investigative panel set by the Corps Marshal is still in touch with the woman who drove the car so as to ascertain the identity of the alleged woman in labour to know the truth and resolve the matter amicably. While the Corps (FRSC) appreciates the public and the social media for always bringing issues of this nature to the knowledge of the Corps, we wish to admonish the public to always be constructive and get their facts straight before making such posts especially when highly delicate and sensitive allegations like this are to be made. On our part, it is instructive to reiterate that the Corps, being the lead agency in road safety administration and traffic management in Nigeria, does not and will never condone indiscipline. As such, the entire patrol team members involved in the matter have been grounded from all patrol activities and to face a disciplinary panel immediately for sanctions were applicable. The announcement of swap ratios for the combination of 10 public sector banks (PSBs) into four has put the spotlight on such unions, and how they have fared before. Analysts would be keenly watching as to how the entities deal with the integration in a challenging business environment. Each of the 10 banks participating in the process has more bad loans than it did five years ago (chart 1), though much of it is to do with better disclosures. The slowing economy has reduced credit offtake (chart 2). Bad loan ratios are expected to largely worsen for the anchor banks, though net ... Ljubljana Joze Pucnik Airport is actively seeking out airlines for flights from the Scandinavian market. Although former flag carrier Adria Airways, which declared bankruptcy last September, served Copenhagen, Ljubljana has had poor connectivity to Northern Europe in recent years. Airport operator Fraport Slovenija says Scandinavia is a priority market for them. "Flights to Helsinki with Finnair resume this summer season and will be strengthened with an additional two weekly rotations, resulting in daily services. We are looking to connect Slovenia to Scandinavia with another airline", Fraport told the Siol portal. Ljubljana has been seeking better connectivity with Scandinavian countries for several years, with low cost airlines considered as potential operators. Norwegian Air Shuttle previously said it was planning services to Ljubljana. Several years ago it noted, Slovenia is definitely of interest to us in the future. We always explore the possibility to add new destinations to our network. This is a very important market for Norwegian. Weve had scheduled flights to the Balkans since 2004 and our presence and network has grown every year". The two sides are believed to have held talks over potential services in 2017, however, no flights have materialised since. The airport is also believed to have proposed for Ryanair to introduce operations from Oslo to Ljubljana over a decade ago but ultimately no deal was reached either. For its part, Fraport Slovenija noted, Attracting new carriers is a continuous and never-ending process for us. We are constantly in discussions with at least fifteen airlines. We stick to the principle that we hold discussions with carriers and possible new routes are not publicly disclosed until they are officially scheduled in the timetable". This summer, passengers will be able to travel from Ljubljana to 22 destinations in fifteen countries with more than 160 flights scheduled per week. New routes include Madrid operated by Iberia, Tel Aviv by Israir, Kiev run by Windrose Airlines and London Luton operated by easyJet. A local companys advanced infrared cameras and basic thermometers are being used to help limit the spread the COVID-19 coronavirus strain in China. The company has experience with increased demand during global outbreaks, but its founder and CEO sees change on the horizon. Gary Strahan, CEO of the Beaumont-based Infrared Cameras Inc., has been working with and on infrared technology since his days as a welder in the U.S. Navy. Once in his civilian life, he started working as a salesman for companies like FLIR and was present for the consolidation of some of the early innovators in the field before striking out on his own in his hometown. Since founding his company in the late 1990s, Strahan and his team of camera makers and programmers have been developing systems used in industries including aerospace, oil and gas, and medicine. His company has been tapped before to provide equipment in the SARs epidemic, H1N1 breakout and mostly recently the 2014 Ebola pandemic in Africa, but he sees the latest virus making headlines as something different. Weve never seen something like this impact the modern global market in the way coronavirus will, Strahan said. Its going to change the way we live, in my opinion, and trying to catch it early is my goal. Infrared companies like ICI have been flooded with demand for equipment, especially for inexpensive thermometer guns that can be used to check for fever. Strahan said his companys lines have been ringing off the hook for radiometers in the hundreds for use in China or fixed cameras to monitor public spaces in places like the United Arab Emirates. The response from countries across Europe, Asia and the Middle East looking to prevent more infections has kept them busy, but it has also put a strain on the supply chain, he said. So far, ICI has kept ahead of the curve by stockpiling the sensors and components that are largely made in the areas of China that came to a near standstill with workers staying home amid the outbreak. Strahan said his company could likely go on producing at the same rate for the next several months before it runs into shortage issues if the supply chain is completely disrupted. He said there is also a possibility to experiment with sensors that havent previously been used for medical purposes. In its latest earnings call Feb. 27, executives for infrared technology powerhouse FLIR addressed the surge in orders and supply for components. James J. Cannon, president and CEO of FLIR, said the company was seeing great upticks in orders for equipment used to detect fevers, as it had in other outbreaks, but being cautious about completely focusing most of its resources on medical-related products. We have seen a significant increase in those orders in the past month, Cannon said, referring to the basic radiometers used to check body temperatures. Were also cautious when we look at the bookings that were getting around it to be mindful about how much that really converts to revenue. In the past, we would get a tremendous amount of bookings. But as the concerns of the virus elapsed, those bookings would be canceled and not turn into revenue. The company started out the call by stating it didnt expect a foreseeable issue with its supply chain due to the virus outbreak, but Cannon later said it was monitoring the situation. Infrared cameras cant detect a viral infection but could be used to identify those with fevers for testing and take some the fear of exposure out of daily life, according to Strahan. Gov. Greg Abbott recently addressed the states ability to test for coronavirus and the risk to the general public. The state of Texas continues to build on our existing capabilities to protect public health and safeguard our communities against the coronavirus, Abbott said in a statement. With six of Texas public health labs now equipped to test for the coronavirus, and the remaining four soon to follow, our state is better positioned to confront and mitigate any potential spread of this virus. The risk to Texans remains low, and I ask that communities across the state continue to heed the guidance of local, state, and federal health officials. Strahan said he has been affected by the stories from his friends and colleagues living in China. ICI has an office in Wuhan, China the area identified as an epicenter of infection there where technicians repair and calibrate the many units the company has sold to Chinese businesses. Strahan said ICI has cameras in more than 100 medical facilities in China, but its applications have been limited in the United States. ICI became approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the early 2000s, a process Strahan said was rigorous but helpful in making better equipment. That approval and the guidelines the FDA upholds for how infrared technology is used in a medical setting also means the same applications for ICIs equipment being used in China wouldnt be available at least readily if something similar happened in the United States. The FDA has only approved infrared cameras for adjunctive uses, meaning they have to be used for a primary purpose like early detection of breast cancer. In other countries, infrared cameras can be used for full scans of the body or for monitoring people in public places to make sure crowds arent exposed to individuals with fever. Were currently working on outfitting metal detectors with sensors that can activate a camera, make a quick scan of someone to see if they have a fever, he said. According to Strahans vision of what the technology can offer, restrictions in the U.S. are potentially creating a situation where Americans will find themselves confined to their homes, much like people in China are currently experiencing. The use of infrared cameras in public has already caught some flack on the federal level, though. In 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the use of thermal imaging to obtain search warrants for a home suspected to contain a marijuana farm was a form of unreasonable search and seizure. Where ... the government uses a device that is not in general public use, to explore details of the home that would previously have been unknowable without physical intrusion, the surveillance is a Fourth Amendment search and is presumptively unreasonable without a warrant, Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in his opinion. Even without monitoring in public places like airports, Strahan said infrared monitoring could help keep productivity rolling when the country needs it most. Were used to our freedoms and we havent really had a situation where they might be limited by something outside our control, Strahan said. With infrared working as the first line of screening, it could help be a buffer. Thats why were gearing up to help people. jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/jdickjournalism UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill.University Park Mayor Joseph E. Roudez III saw Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time at Governors State University on March 7, 2020, and recommended all who were able to see it to do so. The colors, the fantastic dance, the choreography. It is a fantastic event. The Mongolian dancers are very impressive. And when they disappear into the landscape, thats awesome, he said. They are fantastic. I think anyone ever has an opportunity to come see Shen Yun. They should see it no matter where it is. What a fantastic group of dancers and very goodvery, very good. Im so pleased to have this in Governors State University. What a fantastic show, the mayor said. New York-based Shen Yun is the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music company. According to the website, For 5,000 years, divine culture flourished in the land of China. Through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is reviving this glorious culture. Mayor Roudez was impressed from the beginning. When I saw the ladies [in the opening scenes], it looked like they were just moving like on-air and its fantastic. The choreography and the way they move it is really fantastic, he said. The women seem like theyre being pulled by animated evokes, theyre fantastic. Theyre moving. Their footwork is so fantastic. Theyre so well in step with each other. Im very, very impressed, he said. [The dancers] are very energetic, timely, choreographed perfectly, and their outfits are so colorful and brightfantastic. Chinas culture is divinely inspired, and Mayor Roudez felt this aspect of the culture came through. Its just perfect, he said of the spirituality mingled with the dancing. Its perfect. The divine dancing, the colors the show everythingvery eye-catching, Through the performance, the mayor gained a new appreciation of some of the universal values that are exhibited within the performance and was enthusiastic about the idea of Shen Yun touring the world. They are the best of the best there. And I know there are lots of people who will love to see this show, he said. He pointed out there was one more show in University Park, and that Shen Yun performances are constantly sold out locally. If you ever have an opportunity to come see Shen Yun, or if youre traveling somewhere and theyre performing, definitely go see it. Thats a definite must. And you are in New York where they are at home. Go see it. Its a must, he said. Im fortunate enough to be here today at Governor State University seeing such a fantastic show, and I encourage everyone if you ever have an opportunity to see it, whatever city youre in, definitely go see it. Its definitely worth the while. Its a learning experience about the Chinese culture. The colors are magnificent and the choreography is perfect. I encourage everyone to go take a look at Shen Yun, he added. With reporting by NTD Television and Andrew Darin. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. It was a beautiful evening for the ND tribal flags dedication ceremony at Fargo City Commission. The five flags are now... The largest city in North Dakota has shut down a community-run sweat lodge due to concerns about health and safety. January 2020 memo from the planning director in Fargo stated that the sweat lodge was being operated in an "inconsistent" manner. The concerns contributed to its closure in December 2019. "We need to further define liabilities and ensure volunteers and users of the facility are adequately protected," the memo stated. "Until this can happen, the sweat lodge needs to be closed until new management can be vetted by the Native American Commission, the City Commission, and the City Attorney." The memo was written to the Fargo Native American Commission , a city board. A follow-up said the city plans to hold meetings with the community to decide how to move forward. "By taking these steps and including all community members, we hope there will be no unanswered questions or things left unsaid," the February 28 memo read. "We hope we can come to a resolution as a community that everyone can feel good about." Community members contacted by the Associated Press expressed concerns about the closure of the sweat lodge. But two women -- including a member of the Fargo Native American Commission -- told the the AP that they haven't always felt comfortable with the way sweats were run by certain individuals. The sweat lodge represents a small but growing portion of the commission's expenditures, according to minutes published in December . Most of the budget in recent years has gone toward sponsorships, events and toward planning for a potential Native American Center. Some community members said the sweat lodge could eventually be located at the site, the AP reported. Native Americans represent about 1.4 percent of the population in Fargo, according to the 2010 Census. Read More on the Story Join the Conversation : Twenty-seven people, who came into contact with a 45-year-old coronavirus patient in Tamil Nadu, have been placed under home surveillance, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh said here on Sunday. The top official also said steps were afoot to set up more testing facilities in places including Theni, for the coronavirus. The man who tested positive on Saturday was asymptomatic when he arrived here on February 28 from Muscat. On March 4, he reported to a hospital with symptoms, including fever, she said after chairing a review meeting of stakeholders including state, central and civic authorities. The infected person, who was admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, was stable and under treatment, she said. Contact tracing was important and it was being done, she said adding 27 people who came in contact with him have been placed under home surveillance. The man's family members were also being monitored as per the protocol, she said. Also, "second-level contacts," (people who came in contact with those who were in touch directly with the infected) were being traced, the secretary said. The government has data of all international passengers and they all were being screened, she said. "So far, of the 60 samples that were tested, 59 samples turned negative and one was positive," she noted. Blood samples were being taken for the "person who arrived now," to test for the virus indicating the arrival of the 15-year-old boy at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Earlier in the day, the 15-year-old boy who arrived here from the US via Doha was diagnosed with fever during screening at the airport and was sent to RGGGH for observation. To a question she said: "Now, we are developing a testing facility at Theni," and indicated that it may be functional in a day or two. Also, the government is working on putting up the testing facility in other places that have suitable infrastructural support, she said. Authorities have been asked to do sterilisation at railway and bus terminals and other important public places, she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Harare, Zimbabwe (PANA) - Businesses are under increased threat of collapse due to the continued depreciation of the Zimbabwe dollar (ZWL), foreign currency shortage and policy inconsistency A Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) operative was arrested on Sunday for allegedly torturing and killing a journalist in 2007. Superintendent of Police, Bara, Krishna Pangeni said Narendra Faujdar aka Kundan, 50, was arrested from his residence in Baragadhi Rural Municipality after his phone was tracked using the Global Positioning System. Acclaimed print and broadcast journalist Birendra K Shah was allegedly killed by two Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) associates -- Narendra Faujdar and Ram Ekwal Sahani -- in October 2007. Sahani is on the run. The killing took place a year after the Maoists signed a 12-point peace deal with a seven-party alliance, representing the Nepal government, following a decade of insurgency. "Faujdar, aided by local politicians, was in hiding. We were successful in nabbing him in the fourth attempt," said the senior police officer. Faujdar will be present at the district court on Monday to deliver his court statement. He is one of the five accused in the case. Journalist Shah was abducted in Pipara Bazaar in Bara district near the Nepal-India border on October 4, 2007 when he was on an assignment. He was taken to a jungle area and tortured before being shot dead. Shah's body was discovered in Tangiya Basti in the district a month later. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghan Markle has adopted a styling trick used by Kate Middleton on royal tours by wearing the national colours of the British flag during her final official appearances. The Duchess of Sussex, 38, paid homage to the country as she stepped out in red, white and blue outfits over the past few days. She donned a turquoise Victoria Beckham dress for her first appearance back in UK since announcing her plan to step back from royal duty, opted for chic white and cream pieces while visiting patronages, and selected a bold red gown for the Mountbatten Festival of Music. The styling tactic comes days after Kate Middleton, 38, showed off a similar trick during her royal tour of Ireland. Meghan Markle, 38, adopted a styling trick used by Kate Middleton, 38, during royal tours as she paid homage to the national colours of the UK on her post-Megxit appearances (pictured, the Duchess of Sussex at the Endeavour awards on Thursday night) During her last few public outings, the Duchess has tipped her hat to the UK's national colours. On Thursday, Meghan made time to stop off at the National Theatre, which was one of the last places she visited before relocating to Canada in January. For her return to the venue, Meghan showed her support for the British high street by wearing a 29 white Topshop blouse with chiffon sleeves. The royal wore the blouse tucked into a cream pencil skirt by Roland Mouret and carried a Loewe handbag. The Duchess has selected a number of red, white and blue outfits during her royal appearances over the last week as she prepares to step back from life as a senior member of The Firm (pictured, at the National Theatre on Thursday) And that evening she stepped out in a stunning 950 azure blue dress by Victoria Beckham and a navy Lucia Plexi Clutch by Stella McCartney for the Endeavour Awards. Meanwhile last night she wowed in a red full-length 1,295 Safiyaa dress, jewelled Simone Rocha earrings, and gorgeous red Aquazurra heels for the Mountbatten Festival of Music. During her royal tour of Ireland last week, Kate showed off a similar trick and indicated she was in the Irish spirit by opting for a series of green outfits with Shamrock charm jewellery. And she adopted a similar tactic by wearing Pakistan's national colours while visiting the Aga Khan Centre in London ahead of her visit to the country. Meanwhile she opted for a bold red gown while attending the Mountbatten Festival of Music Royal Albert Hall in London last night The tactic to pay homage to the country one is visiting has served Kate well over all manner of royal tours. Honouring the country shes visited with her sartorial choices is a trick Kate learned from the Queen, who has always given a nod to the national culture with her clothes, be it a brooch or the colour of her hat. Meanwhile Meghan has become famed for her love of chic and elegant monochrome clothing and simple styling. The styling trick is one used by Kate to pay homage to the country one is visiting with the Duchess of Cambridge adopting the tactic last week in Ireland (pictured in Dublin last Tuesday) The appearances over the last week have marked the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes' first official trip to the UK since announcing they would be stepping back as senior royals. The couple have had a number of appearances scheduled which will culminate tomorrow when they will join senior royals including the Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Commonwealth Day service in London. It is thought these will be Harry and Meghan's last official duties before their royal roles officially come to an end on March 31. President Donald Trump speaks before a dinner with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at Mar-a-Lago, Saturday, March 7, 2020, in Palm Beach, Fla. Read more PALM BEACH, Fla. Cases of coronavirus touching on the Washington, D.C., area arose Saturday, but President Donald Trump said he wasnt concerned that the virus was getting closer to the nations capital and the White House. Maryland officials warned Saturday that a person who attended the recent Conservative Political Action Conference in the suburb of Oxon Hill had tested positive for the virus. Both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the conference, but the White House said there was no indication that either was in close proximity to the infected attendee. Asked if he was concerned about the virus getting closer, Trump said: No, Im not concerned at all. No, Im not. Weve done a great job. When asked whether he would continue campaign rallies in light of the CPAC case, the president replied, Well have tremendous rallies. He has a campaign rally coming up next week in Reno, Nevada. Trump waved off other questions to join a dinner for the president of Brazil, who was visiting Trump in south Florida. A Marine at Virginias Fort Belvoir became the first military case of coronavirus reported inside the U.S., a Pentagon official said on background prior to the announcement. The Marine was being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, located south of Washington, and had recently returned from an overseas assignment, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a tweet. The District of Columbia recorded its first case on Saturday. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said testing at the public health lab of the D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences yielded its first presumptive positive coronavirus case. On Friday, the political group AIPAC said two people who attended its Washington conference this past week had tested positive for coronavirus. Senator Kamala Harris on Sunday endorsed former vice-president Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination, becoming sixth of his former rivals to back him. She has frequently figured in speculation about Bidens pick for running mate should he win the nomination. I have decided that I am with great enthusiasm going to endorse Joe Biden for president of the United States, Harris, the first Indian American (she is also part African American) ever elected to US senate, said in a video message. I believe in Joe. I really believe in him, and I have known him for a long time. There is no one better prepared than Joe to steer our nation through these turbulent times, and restore truth, honor, and decency to the Oval Office. He is kind and endlessly caring, and he truly listens to the American people. Harris ended her White House run in December. The former vice-president has been on a roll since his thumping victory in the South Carolina primaries, which he capped with a landslide in the Super Tuesday nomination contests last week, picking up 10 of the 14 states on the ballot. Senator Bernie Sanders took the rest four in what is now a two-man race. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is still there but with no real path to the nomination. She has not won a single primary yet. On Saturday, the Biden campaign unveiled plans to spent $12 million on ads ahead of the upcoming nominating contests on March 10 and March 17. Harriss endorsement was the sixth from Bidens erstwhile rivals, including Senator Amy Klobuchar, former Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former congressman Beto ORourke and billionaire Michael Bloomberg in recent days and is being seen as a consolidation of moderates in the party. Speculation about Bidens running-mate has picked up steam as well. He has not named names, but indicated last August he could pick someone of color and/or a different gender. Harris has been on a list of those he could select, along with Stacy Abrams, who shot to national celebrity in 2018 as a candidate for governor in Georgia. Others in the changing list include Klobuchar and former deputy attorney general Sally Yates. According to her friends, teen mom Megan Maggie Boswell loved spending time with her young daughter, Evelyn Mae Boswell. Maggie is a doting mom, her friend, Anne Freeman, tells PEOPLE recently. Evelyn adores her. But in a shocking turn of events, the 18-year-old mom from Blountville, Tennessee, is behind bars in Sullivan County, where she faces charges in connection with the disappearance of her happy-go-lucky 15-month-old. Though the child was last seen in December, she wasnt reported missing until more than seven weeks later. This case is unlike anything Ive been involved in, Sullivan County Sheriff Jeff Cassidy told reporters on Feb. 21. While Boswell awaits her next court date in May, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced on Friday that they believe theyve located the remains of the blonde, blue-eyed girl on the Blountville property of Boswells family member. Calling the discovery a heartbreaking update in their ongoing investigation, authorities said an autopsy is still pending. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Evelyn Mae Boswell Here are four things to know about the troubling case: 1. Evelyns Great-Grandfather Reported the Child Missing On Feb. 18, Boswells maternal grandfather and Evelyns great-grandfather, David Jones, 68, contacted authorities to report that the toddler was missing and hadnt been seen since the holidays, say police. An Amber Alert was issued for her. A reward for information leading to Evelyns return has now reached more than $60,000. RELATED: Mom of Missing Toddler Evelyn Mae Boswell Is Arrested for Allegedly Filing False Police Report 2. Boswell Was Arrested on Feb. 25 and Charged with Lying to Police During the course of the investigation, Boswell provided detectives and agents with a number of conflicting statements, the sheriffs office said in a statement. In addition, some of the information she provided was false, the sheriffs office says. She remains held on a $25,000 bond, which her lawyer unsuccessfully tried to have a judge reduce to $10,000 Monday. Story continues Megan keeps changing her story, Jones has said. Megan knows the truth. RELATED: Mom of Tenn. Girl Missing Since December Gave Conflicting and Inaccurate Information: Sheriff 3. Boswell Accused her Mother of Kidnapping Evelyn In an interview with local TV station WJHL in February, Boswell said she believes her own mother, Angela Boswell, 42, kidnapped Evelyn and took her to Virginia. I told [the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation] where to find her, she told the station. My mom took her to a campground in a silver camper. My mom did threaten me if I told anybody, she claimed. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Evelyn Mae Boswell Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLEs free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. On Feb. 21, police arrested Boswells mother and her boyfriend, William McCloud, 33, after they were found driving a stolen gray 2007 BMW authorities say is connected to the case. Evelyn was not with them. They werent charged in connection with the childs disappearance. 4. Boswell Was Raising Her Daughter by Herself The product of divorced parents with a tumultuous relationship, Boswell began dating Evelyns father, Ethan Perry, when she was 16. When she became pregnant with Evelyn, the couple broke up. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Evelyn Mae Boswell Perry, who has declined interview requests, joined the military, leaving Boswell to raise Evelyn. Married At First Sight's Elizabeth Sobinoff and Seb Guilhaus look to be going strong. The 'intruder couple' showed off their figures in party attire, while catching up with former MAFS star Tamara Joy at the Ultra Music Festival in Sydney on Saturday. Lizzie, 29, showed off her slim figure in a plunging black bodysuit with sandals, while Seb, 30, revealed his bulging biceps in a black tank and light blue jeans. Who knew they were friends? Former Married At First Sight star Tamara Joy (second left), 30, caught up with 'intruder couple' Elizabeth Sobinoff (second right), 29, and Seb Guilhaus (far left), 30, at the Ultra Music Festival in Sydney on Saturday. Pictured right: Samuel Levi Tamara, 30, shared a photo from the festival to Instagram, and joked in the caption how it was 'awkward' for herself and Seb to run into Lizzie and former MAFS New Zealand star Samuel Levi. The Melbourne-based influencer, who had a short-lived 'marriage' with Dan Webb on the 2018 season, turned heads in a skin-tight white frock and pristine sneakers. She styled her long locks in glamorous curls and enhanced her striking facial features with an immaculate makeup palette. Playful: Tamara joked in the caption of one photo how it was 'awkward' for herself and Seb to run into Lizzie and former MAFS New Zealand star Samuel Levi Svelte: Tamara, who had a short-lived 'marriage' with Dan Webb on the 2018 season, turned heads in a skin-tight white frock that showed off her toned figure Tamara stood next to Seb for the photo, and embraced Lizzie, who teamed her festival look with a baker boy cap, drop earrings and straight brunette tresses. Lizzie also drew attention to a dark tan, false lashes and a glossy nude lip. Her 'wedding' to former footy player Seb was filmed late last year, and aired during Monday night's episode. Intruder couple: Lizzie's 'wedding' to former footy player Seb was filmed late last year, and aired during Monday night's episode The pair appeared to be a great match, with Seb immediately smitten as he watched his bride walk towards him. 'I am absolutely blown away. My dream girl has just walked up the aisle! I can't stop smiling,' Seb confessed. And he made a good first impression on Lizzie too, who admitted she was unsure about returning to the show following a disastrous match with Sam Ball, 27, last year. Instant attraction: The pair appeared to be a great match, with Seb immediately smitten as he watched his bride walk towards him 'He seems lovely. He is handsome and, just, you know, nice smile as well,' she said of Seb. After carrying out a series of breathing exercises in an attempt to keep himself calm, Seb prompted a laughing Lizzie to quip, 'We'll get along just fine.' The sparks continued to fly at the wedding reception, with Lizzie and Seb bonding over their love of silly dancing. From left to right: Jay, Darcy, Jo, and Fin Sturman. (SWNS) The family of an 11-year-old cancer patient have been forced to spend 5,000 at car parks to visit their son in hospital. Darcy Sturman has been battling leukaemia and has spent much of the last 30 months at a hospital in Sheffield. Since Darcy was diagnosed in September 2017, his parents Jay and Jo Sturman have regularly made the 166-mile round trip from their home in Louth, Lincolnshire, to be by his bedside. They estimate they have racked up 20,000 miles and spent 7,000 on fuel during their average twice- weekly trips. The Sturmans also say they have spent a total of 5,000 on parking at a 16-a-day private car park because the 26 spaces at Sheffield Hospital are always taken. Darcy has spent most of the last 30 months at hospital in Sheffield. (SWNS) The cost is absolutely relentless and to be honest its heartbreaking, Mr Sturman said. We are obviously going to do whatever it costs to be here with him but financially it is crippling. These sorts of things are the hidden costs of cancer. For us it is like having to pay for a second mortgage. I have had to take out credit cards just to pay for petrol and parking and it doesnt seem fair. We are in loads of debt because of the travel costs. All we are doing is visiting our son in hospital and its financially crippling us. To date, Darcy has spent around 20 months in hospital and when not admitted to a ward has been driven to-and-from Sheffield on a weekly basis. Olympic athlete Jessica Ennis-Hill visiting Darcy in hospital. (SWNS) To help with the 166-mile return trips from Louth to Sheffield multiple times a week, Mr Sturman said he had to sell his 2001 Volkswagen Beetle car and buy a new more reliable car. He said he bought the replacement - a reliable 40,000 Mercedes A220 A Class - on finance for 400 a month. Mr Sturman said: The entire hospital only has 26 spaces which is a bit of a joke. We have no chance of being able to park there. Read more: Hancock tries to reassure UK public as GPs warn of coronavirus crisis Story continues The parking issue is just an absolute nightmare. From next month the government is supposed to be providing free parking at all hospitals. But I just cant see it. Ive asked the hospital about it myself and they have told me, We cant make it work. From what I can see nothing is going to change here and we will be left to pay all the time. Mr Sturman has set up a GoFundMe page to help with tackling the costs and is appealing for donations. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK It really is possible to have too much of a good thing -- just ask the organizers of this year's Iditarod. The annual sled dog race across Alaska, which is set to start on Saturday, has an abundance of snow. An "epic amount of snow" awaits the mushers this year, according to Mark Nordman, the race marshal. Many areas along the route from Anchorage to Nome are more than five feet deep. It's not a total surprise. Alaska is in the midst of its coldest winter in 21 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). And Anchorage, where the race starts, just had its 6th snowiest February on record. Not a single day in the last two weeks has had a high temperature above freezing, so most of that snow hasn't melted. Although the Iditarod is a snow race, too much can actually be difficult for the mushers and their dogs making the trek. Nordman explains that an excess amount of snowpack could slow down the race at certain times. "There is snow in the forecast in the next two days so we will see what happens, but the trail is really good to Finger Lake." The distance from Willow to Finger Lake is the first 112 miles of the race. While the ceremonial start begins Saturday in the city of Anchorage, the restart will take place the next day in the town of Willow, and then continue along the Northern Route, which is used in even years, to Nome. In recent years, not enough snow was a problem. Three of the last five years are in Alaska's top 20 Februaries with the least snowfall. February 2019 was in 20th place, February 2016 was in 12th place, and February 2015 was in 8th place for the least amount of snowfall accumulation. Typically, the teams finish in about nine to 11 days. But the fastest the race has been completed was in 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes. That was in 2017, when there wasn't too much snow. But this year will be a different story, as even more snow is forecast for areas along the route. While most areas will pick up somewhere between 6-10 inches during the race, there will be isolated higher amounts, as well as reduced visibility along other sections. By Express News Service Netflix and UN Women have launched Because She Watched a special Netflix collection of series, documentaries, and films to celebrate International Womens Day. The collection, which will be available all year, is curated by female creators from behind and in front of the camera including Shefali Shah, Kiara Advani, Mithila Palkar Salma Hayek, Millie Bobby Brown, Lana Condor, and Ava DuVernay. Still from Delhi Crimes This collaboration takes on the challenge of telling womens stories and showing women in all their diversity. Its about making visible the invisible, and proving that only by fully representing and including women on screen, behind- the-camera and in our narratives overall, society will truly flourish, said Anita Bhatia, UN Women Deputy Executive Director. Created for International Womens Day, whose official theme this year is I am Generation Equality: Realising Womens Rights, the collection celebrates the stories that have inspired the women who inspire us. These series, films and documentaries from Unbelievable and Delhi Crime to Lust Stories, Orange Is the New Black, Hannah Gadsby: Nanette and Sex Education have started important, often hard, conversations that have helped to challenge the way we see the world. The collection is available at Netflix.com/BecauseShe- Watched or by searching Because She Watched on Netflix. Every title in the collection will be labeled XXXXs Womens Day Pick so members can easily see who picked which story. In addition, members will be able to choose from a selection of Because She Watched profile icons to celebrate their favorite female characters from the collection. For instance, Shefali Shah picked Delhi Crime for the collection, saying, Women need to and must stand up for the rights of other women. The series brings to life the battle for justice that one woman fights on behalf of another, and the impact we can together make. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)The only female robotics team in Indiana competing in FIRST robotics this season hosted their annual reveal on Saturday. The all girl group call themselves the "Girl Gang Robotics." They showcased their robot for competition season. In just seven weeks the Girl Gang Robotics created their robot. By promoting integrity, acceptance and teamwork the girls hope to represent women in the STEM field. President of Girl Gang Robotics Liz Jones said this will prepare these young girls for their future education and careers. It will also show that girls can do this too. "I'm hoping more so that we can get guys to realize that girls are just as capable as boys in STEM," said Jones. "Because I don't want these girls to have to leave their team. I want them to feel comfortable with whatever team they are on." Their first competition will be in Mishawaka, Indiana next week. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4 by Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend: Azerbaijan has all financial and technical capabilities and human resources to fight coronavirus, said Ibadulla Agayev, the chief epidemiologist of the Health Ministry. He made the remarks at a conference dedicated to coronavirus at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, Trend reports. Talking about the work to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Azerbaijan, Agayev said that the work of the Republican Center for Control of Particularly Dangerous Infections in this direction was highly appreciated by foreign experts. Vice-President of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Academician Irada Huseynova said that this event was organized on the initiative of the President of the Academy, Academician Ramiz Mehdiyev. She spoke about the proactive measures taken by the state to prevent the spread of the disease. Huseynova gave detailed information about viruses, their origin, occurrence and spread, as well as the fight against infectious diseases. According to her, 93,574 people were infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus in 81 countries. A couple of days back, we spotted actress Malvika Sharma at a criminal court near Namapally, Hyderabad. We assumed she was there for the shooting of her upcoming film, Red. However, much to our surprise, we learnt that the actress was at the court as an intern under criminal lawyer V. Pattabhi. I am in my final year of LLB (at Rizvi Law College, Mumbai), with criminology as my specialisation. I am working as an intern, which is part of my curriculum, and I will be writing my exams next month, explains Malvika, adding that she plans to enrol for her masters degree (LLM) after she graduates. So when will we see her arguing cases for real? I am already going to the court, but as an intern; I will be going to court as a lawyer two months after my LLB exams, and I cannot wait for that, she beams. Malvika said she got the opportunity to explore Hyderabad of late. Earlier, when there was no shooting, I use to return to Mumbai. But since I have been staying in Hyderabad because of my internship, I got the time to explore some historic locations. I have been to Charminar and Golconda, and they are quite spectacular, she said "The city holds a special place in my heart for shaping my career. Talking about how she landed her internship in Hyderabad, she says, One of my managers referred me to Pattabhi Sir and I joined him in November 2019. I have been staying with relatives in Hyderabad. When I am not shooting, I work on my internship; I explained to Pattabhi Sir about my uncertain shoot schedules, and he was very understanding. However, balancing shoots and internship was indeed hard. At times shooting took a toll on me physically, but that did not dampen my spirits, she hastened to clarify. The actress said she was able to develop logical thinking capabilities during her internship. Gathering and analysing the facts, understanding each case and building on it fostered my logical thinking. The whole process has broadened my thought process. As someone who always wanted to become a lawyer, why did she take up acting, we asked. I am passionate about films, and showbiz is just part of my life, she concludes. By Neil Jerome Morales MANILA, March 7 (Reuters) - The Philippines said on Saturday it had confirmed its first case of community transmission for the new coronavirus, prompting health ministry officials to call on the president to declare a public health emergency to contain its spread. The case involves a 62-year-old male Filipino who had not travelled abroad recently. His 59-year-old wife has also been infected, bringing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian nation to six, the health ministry said, adding that both are being treated at a government hospital. The health ministry declared a code red alert which calls on medical professionals to be prepared to report for duty and recommended that President Rodrigo Duterte declare a public health emergency which would help with the procurement of critical supplies as well as with quarantine measures. "This is a preemptive call to ensure that national and local governments and public and private healthcare providers can prepare for possible increase in suspected and confirmed cases," Health Secretary Francisco Duque told a news conference. There have been three cases reported in two days. Before that, three Chinese tourists were diagnosed with the virus in January and the first week of February. The coronavirus has spread to more than 90 countries, infecting more than 100,000 people and killing over 3,400 people worldwide. (Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) A view of the City of London, in London, Britain, March 4, 2020. The impact of coronavirus on British economy could "prove large but will ultimately be temporary", Mark Carney, governor of Bank of England (BoE) said Tuesday. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua) IMF forecasts global growth in 2020 would drop below last year's level of 2.9 percent. China brings hope of recovery with a "good sign for the global economy." BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- As the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide has reached over 100,000, the world's major economies including the United States, Europe and South Korea have felt the resulting impact on their markets. Meanwhile, positive developments such as a nationwide return to work and resumption of production in China bring hope of recovery, which, as some experts said, is a "good sign for the global economy." A trader works at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, the United States, on March 6, 2020. U.S. stocks ended lower on Friday. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts global growth in 2020 would drop below last year's level of 2.9 percent on Wednesday. In February, the IMF already revised down 2020 global growth to 3.2 percent. Europe's leading economy Germany saw a rising number of infected people this week as the Federation of German Industries warned that "the coronavirus and its worldwide distribution currently has the greatest negative impact on the economic development in Germany." Supply chains were already at risk and "major problems would be inevitable," said Germany's Institute for Economic Research. However, major economies, especially those hit hard by the disease, have rolled out economic stimulus in response. South Korean army soldiers in protective suits sterilize the Kim Kwangseok street in Daegu, South Korea, March 5, 2020. (Photo by Lee Sang-ho/Xinhua) South Korea with the most COVID-19 cases outside China has unveiled 9.8 billion U.S. dollars' worth as part of an extra budget on Wednesday to boost private consumption, which was the country's biggest extra budget in seven years. The supplementary budget bill came hours after the U.S. Federal Reserve cut its target rate by 50 basis points in its first emergency move since the 2008 global financial crisis. Italy, the European country with the most COVID-19 infections, passed an emergency package worth about 1 billion dollars to support companies and households in the 11 towns put under quarantine in northern Italy. The measures included the suspension of some payments and delays in taxes and house mortgages. On Thursday, the Italian cabinet announced a second and broader package of financial stimulus. Furthermore, what is happening in China, including the restarting of roughly 60 percent of production in the country and supportive measures to help foreign trade enterprises, is appreciated by foreign industry leaders and economic experts. Commending the Chinese government's measures in response to the epidemic, especially those taken by the Ministry of Commerce to assist foreign companies, Richard Burn, Britain's HM Trade Commissioner for China, said, "these assistance policies apply to domestic and foreign enterprises alike, providing a strong guarantee for British companies to overcome difficulties." The economic effect of the epidemic both for China and other countries which do business with China would be transitory, CEO of Turkey's industrial conglomerate Ciner Group Gursel Usta has said. Usta said that China has developed a strong industry, particularly in chemistry and engineering, and he is confident about future cooperation with his Chinese partners. An employee inspects the electrolytic cells at the United Initiators Hefei Co., Ltd. at a circular economy demonstration park in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 18, 2020. (Photo by Zhou Mu/Xinhua) China's technological prowess has aided the country's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, said Po Chun Lee, a professor of public economic policy at Ecuador's National Institute of Higher Studies. Calling the resuming activity of China's offices and factories since February "a good sign for the global economy," Lee said as the world's second largest economy, China's COVID-19 battle is bound to have a wider impact, particularly on global production chains, tourism and stock markets. Singapore Business Federation chairman Teo Siong Seng also expressed his confidence in Singapore-China trade relations despite the COVID-19 outbreak, saying their trade relations will remain strong and robust. Citing positive developments in fighting the novel coronavirus in China, U.S. macroeconomic research body MRB Partners said that in their view, investors "will conclude that while the immediate impact on Q1 and possibly Q2 is negative, there is no risk of global recession in 2020." On Friday, U.S. stocks ended lower as the market sell-off continued amid concerns of slower economic growth. The German DAX index continued to fall and has so far decreased by more than 13 percent within the last two weeks. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 8 arrested Rana Kapoor, the former MD and CEO of Yes Bank. He was arrested after being questioned by ED officials for around 29 hours. Kapoor will be in ED custody till March 11. Read more: Court orders police custody for former Yes Bank MD & CEO Rana Kapoor till March 11 The central agency conducted searches at Kapoor's Mumbai residence Samudra Mahal late on the evening of March 6. He was then called in for questioning at the ED's zonal office in Mumbai. The Joint Director left the venue at around 4. 15 am after completing Kapoors questioning. Kapoor is being investigated in the alleged irregularities in the investment of over Rs 4,300 crore Employees Provident Fund (EPF) of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPPCL), the state-owned power firm, in the scam-tainted Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL). The investments date back to a period between March 2017 and December 2018. ED has registered a separate case against UP Power officials and DHFL under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Sources told Moneycontrol, "DHFL had sanctioned a loan of Rs 600 crore to Doit Urban Ventures, which was reportedly controlled by Rana Kapoor's family. Yes Bank debt exposure in DHFL in terms of short term debentures between April-July 2018 was Rs 3,700 crore and Yes Bank also gave a loan of Rs 750 crore to RKW Developers." RKW Developers and DHFL are under the scanner for financing underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's aide Iqbal Mirchi, who purchased properties in South Mumbai. Also read: How Rana Kapoor's 'authoritarian' streak proved to be the bank's undoing On March 6, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a separate case against DHFL and government officials of the UP state power firm. On March 5, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it is superseding the board of troubled private sector lender Yes Bank with immediate effect. Former State Bank of India CFO Prashant Kumar has been appointed as the bank administrator. "This has been done to quickly restore depositors' confidence in the bank, including by putting in place a scheme for reconstruction or amalgamation," the RBI said in a statement. The central bank has also imposed a moratorium on the private lender till April 3, 2020. Withdrawals from the bank have been capped at Rs 50,000 per depositor. The move by RBI comes nearly six months after it did the same with Mumbai-based Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank. Yes Bank has been grappling with mounting bad loans and has been struggling to raise fresh capital. Sheriff-elect David Criner has three priorities for the future of the Midland County Sheriffs Office: to make the streets safe, hold predators accountable and become a pillar of respect in the community. A neighbor and friend of the late Sheriff Gary Painter, Criner told the Reporter-Telegram Friday he hopes to someday be the symbol that Painter was to Midland. I hope I can be as respected in the community as he was and have that reputation that Gary Painter had as a sheriff, he said. I cant fill his shoes, but I hope I can uphold his reputation, and maybe equal his reputation as a sheriff for the county. That goal of being a respected sheriffs office extends to who he will choose as his second-in-command, his chief deputy, Criner said. He said he will choose someone based on their integrity, professionalism, experience in management and how they treat others. Someone that will treat the public fair, because we want to be defined by our character, he said. Criner will become the first newly elected sheriff in more than 30 years, following Painters death in May. He will be appointed by county commissioners to finish Painters term beginning April 1 and begin his own term in January. A devout Christian and long-time worshiper at Fannin Terrace Baptist Church, Criners faith was a central focus of his campaign and his life, he said. I dont know how anybody lives without faith and trusting God, Criner said. I told people (that) I didnt know how this election was going to turn out, but I knew that I took this step of faith. With the results, when they came out, that was just confirmation that God has his hand all over this election process. Criner is also a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment and has said he will not abide by red flag laws, should they be passed. When asked if a local agency has the authority to defy red flag laws if theyre passed at the state or federal levels, he said, Darn tootin. No. 1, it affects due process. No. 2, it violates the Constitution, he said. And as officers, were sworn to uphold the Constitution first and then the laws. Criner was born and raised in El Paso before moving to Midland to work for the sheriffs office and attend University of Texas Permian Basin. After earning his bachelors in criminal justice, he went on to the Texas Department of Public Safety, first in the traffic enforcement division then in the criminal law enforcement division. After retiring from DPS, Criner returned to MCSO before serving as Midland County Constable for Precinct 1 for seven years. He said the main responsibilities of a constable are to serve civil processes and maintain their precincts Justice of the Peace court. He met his wife of 38 years in Sunday school, after they were set up by his brother. They lived in Irving, Denton and Dallas before moving back to Midland to raise their two daughters. We always wanted to come back here we knew that Midland was the place to raise our kids, and we never looked back, Criner said. His youngest daughter, 31, is a probation officer in Midland; his other daughter, 33, is a nurse practitioner in Odessa. His favorite things about Midland are the people and the small-town atmosphere, he said. When hes not working, Criner said he spends time with his wife, daughters and five grandchildren. They enjoy Midland RockHounds games, community theater shows and eating at Dickeys Barbecue Pit, Carambas Spanish Inn Kitchen and Italian Village. The sheriffs office has come under scrutiny since it was reported last month the Texas Rangers were investigating the department for various criminal allegations. Two additional investigations were also reported in the last two weeks. Criner said he met with the Rangers in preparation for taking office and was told there are no current employees under investigation. He said he needs to step into the role as sheriff before he determines what changes, if any, need to be made in the office. I need to go in and see whats working, and what can be tweaked a little bit, he said. He defended the sheriffs office against speculation raised by other candidates during the campaign that the sheriffs office was still in the 80s. This wasnt an ancient sheriffs office as it was characterized to be, Criner said. He said Painter prioritized keeping up with changes in society and technology, and although policy changes might have been memos, just because it wasnt in a manual doesnt mean they werent keeping up with the 21st century. After a long and at-times contentious election cycle, Criner said he and his wife are heading out of town for a few days. Theyre going to Ruidoso and El Paso to visit his mom. Itll be a good break for us, to just get away and finally relax for a little bit, he said. Criner was packing up his constables office Friday in preparation for setting up shop in the sheriffs office. He said county commissioners will vote March 23 on appointing him to serve the remainder of Painters term. After speaking with the commissioners, he said they were encouraging, and he expects it to be a unanimous vote. Pending approval by the commissioners, Criner will be sworn in as sheriff at 10 a.m. April 1 at the Midland County Courthouse. Hong Kong and Singapore have also seen shelves cleared as people worry whether they will have enough for self-isolation. Melbourne, Australia With 74 confirmed cases and three deaths, Australia is far from making the top of the countries worst-affected by the new coronavirus. But thousands of shoppers seem to think otherwise, and it appears their worst fear is finding themselves stuck in the toilet without a square to spare. Panic-buying increased across Australia this week amid fears that the outbreak will accelerate, leaving families trapped inside their homes with limited supplies. On Saturday, inside a Melbourne Woolworths supermarket, canned goods and other food items remained in stock while toilet paper shelves were completely bare, despite the store rationing the number each shopper could buy. People are so ridiculous!! Its no worse than flu season yet theyre acting like its the zombie apocalypse, said shopper Karen Ficheroux. Beginning in February, the Australian Department of Health has steadily increased restrictions on travellers returning from mainland China, Iran and South Korea the countries worst hit by COVID-19 with returnees required to self isolate for 14 days and seek medical attention if any symptoms appear. The same applies to anyone who has been in close contact with an infected person, the department advises on its website. Its crazy In Sydneys northern suburbs, where cases have been confirmed at a school, a hospital, a care home and a child care centre within a four-kilometre radius, 117 people have been placed in isolation while hundreds of others have been advised to stay at home, avoiding all contact with the outside world. The new restrictions have fuelled a rush on essential supplies. Back in the Woolworths store, as two employees emerged with a full pallet of toilet rolls, shoppers rushed to grab their pack. A shop assistant guarding the new stock said, Weve had to limit one pack per family. Its crazy. Shoppers in this supermarket found the toilet roll aisle all but empty. [Tracey Shelton/Al Jazeera] Walking proudly with a multi-pack under her arm, one shopper could be overheard on the phone bragging excitedly, I managed to get toilet paper! Other products, such as sugar, rice, nappies and cat litter, while not sold out, were running low. Were talking about a virus which is a biological contagion, but whats happening [as a result] is social contagion where you sort of catch what other people are doing, said Jill Klein, Professor of Marketing at Melbourne Business School. The bulky size of toilet roll packs compared with smaller items like canned goods coupled with the sensitive nature of being caught without has fuelled the rush on toilet paper above other more essential items. When youre in the grocery store, and you see people with carts full of toilet paper, you think I better get some toilet paper, Klein said. And when the shelves are empty, people think Oh my gosh, theres no more toilet paper in Australia. Social media frenzy Social media is now packed with images of empty shelves, shoppers squabbling over packets and memes of Australians wrapped up in toilet paper like mummies or barricading themselves behind a wall of toilet rolls. The hashtags #toiletpapergate and #toiletpapercrisis have been trending since Wednesday, while regional newspaper NT News even printed Thursdays edition with toilet paper sheets as a pull-out centre spread. YES, WE ACTUALLY DID PRINT IT #toiletpapercrisis pic.twitter.com/jusP50ojYu The NT News (@TheNTNews) March 4, 2020 Offices and public facilities have complained of toilet paper theft, and online marketplace Gumtree saw dealers asking for as much as 2,000 Australian dollars ($1,329) for a pack. Treat yourself with Rare collectable item, sealed (and never used of course) NO TIME WASTERS PLEASE, wrote one user asking 50 Australian dollars for a nine-pack. But the online toilet humour has further fuelled the panic. Its the same psychology as bank runs during a recession Sometimes these things are fads, but I would think that the more scared people get, the more this is going to happen, Klein said. On the other hand, at some point everyone will have stocked up on all the toilet paper they think theyd need. If youre a toilet paper company, you better expect a future slump in sales, she added with a laugh. On its Facebook page, Kleenex Australia assured customers it was working around the clock to keep supermarkets stocked. Next to an image of a warehouse full of supplies they posted: As you can see we wont be running out any time soon. But Australia is not the only country that has been hit by panic buying. Panic buying elsewhere Three knife-welding men in Hong Kong held up a delivery truck and made off with 600 toilet rolls last month. Hong Kong got pretty crazy and there was panic buying for a period and there was even some theft, but nothing like what seems to be happening in Australia, said Robert Burton-Bradley, an Australian journalist working in Hong Kong. People were stripping shelves of staples like toilet paper and rice for a few weeks, but when the sky didnt fall in, it all went back to normal pretty quickly. Toilet paper manufacturer Kleenex took to Facebook to reassure Australian shoppers about toilet paper supplies. Mass buying of toilet paper and other items has also been reported in the US and Canada. But David Savage, behavioural economist at the University of Newcastle said what is happening is not really panic buying. Its actually fairly rational in a sense, he said, adding that while many people were clearly buying more than they need and causing a shortage, the motivations behind it are actually pretty clear. We have seen around the world that there are places where theyre running out of stuff, Mr Savage said adding that the images of others buying up here in Australia get people thinking that if they dont do the same they will miss out. So its a really instinctual, fairly rational behaviour. But Savage said the real problem was not the run on toilet paper. People are also buying things that they shouldnt be, like masks, medications, gloves, which are actually causing major problems, he said. Not having a couple of extra weeks supply of toilet paper is inconvenient, but doctors not having access to the proper materials to treat people who actually have the virus well, thats when we really put ourselves at risk. People in Hong Kong also cleared supermarkets of toilet rolls and queued for hours to buy face masks. [File: Anthony Wallace/AFP] State authorities have assured people that those in quarantine will receive practical support. According to the Queensland Health website, this includes organising the delivery of items such as groceries, access to educational materials, replacement of medications etc. Treat quarantine as an opportunity to do some of those things you never usually have time for, such as board games, craft, drawing and reading, the website advised. Unfortunately, it is unclear whether the legislation will make it to the floor of either chamber before the sessions end next month. The House, which easily passed the bill last year, seems to be looking to the Senate to take the first step. But Mr. Smith and Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore) have said they wont advance the bill unless they are assured the votes for passage. One senator who voted for the bill last year resigned for health reasons and was replaced by a former delegate who voted against it. Sen. Obie Patterson (D-Prince Georges), who punted last year with his non-vote, has not disclosed his intentions. I know what Im going to do. I just dont want to reveal it at this point. . . . I need to keep it sacred, he told Maryland Matters reporter Bruce DePuyt last month. The coronavirus scare in India has dampened the mood for many for the upcoming Holi celebrations. Not only have the Resident Welfare Associations and housing societies across the national capital region called off the otherwise boisterous Holi events, the sale of Holi toys and other items have also taken a hit. Many farmhouses and five-star hotels across Delhi/NCR have cancelled their Holi celebration events and signature pool parties. We have cancelled it as a precautionary measure against Covid-19, said Vishal Singh, General Manager at Delhis Hyatt Regency. An unprecedented slump in the sales of Holi toys has been reported at Sadar Bazar. According to reports, Made in India Holi products are selling fast over their Chinese counterparts. A prominent trader at Sadar Bazar told Hindustan Times that most of his Holi goods are lying unsold. Almost 80 per cent of the Holi toys had come from China before December when the coronavirus scare first surfaced in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Vicky Gupta, one of the biggest importers of water-guns from China says around 40 per cent of his pichkari stock remains unsold. Soft toy dealer Rajender Sharma, who is also the general secretary of the Federation of Sadar Bazar Trades Association, said that people are wary of buying Holi toys and pichkaris as most of them are made in China. People are under the scare of coronavirus. The virus has infected as many as 40 in India, no death has been reported. Over half of the total number of positive cases in India comprises foreign nationals. Other patients have reported to have travelled to at least one of the coronavirus affected countries. FLINT, MI Bernie Sanders was like a returning rock star Saturday night during a town hall on the campus of Mott Community College. Its great to be back here in Flint, the Vermont senator and Democratic presidential candidate told the crowd of roughly 1,200 supporters waving Bernie signs handed out as they entered the main doors at Ballenger Fieldhouse on the campus of Mott Community College. Sanders was in Flint for a town hall meeting on racial and economic justice that included panel speakers Jennifer Epps Addison, co-director of CPD Action, Victoria Dooley, former U.S. Sen. Don Riegle, Branden Snyder, director of Detroit Action, author Cornel West, and Nayyirah Shariff, director of Flint Rising. Questions were not taken from the audience. Instead, panelists asked questions of Sanders and were asked questions by the presidential candidate. Bernie Sanders to hold Flint town hall ahead of Michigan primary Shariff asked Sanders how his administration could bring about a full recovery for Flint, including long-term health care, education resources, and repeal of the emergency manager law. We are tired of dragging our poisoned bodies to (Washington) D.C., to Lansing, and all over the country because we have multiple communities across the country who are now dealing with the same thing weve been dealing with since 2014, she said, adding residents have seen Democratic candidates come through and are tired of broken promises and just another campaign stop. Sanders countered with his call for Medicare for all, as well as sharing a story of a private visit with Flint families during a visit to the city in 2016, during his first presidential run. My wife, she had to leave the room because she was in tears, she couldnt deal with it, he said of the sit-down. It was one of the most painful meetings that I have ever been to in my life. The damage that was done to these kids. To hear parents talking about what happened to their own kids was just terribly traumatic. Sanders noted hes not running on a platform with a promise to solve all problems, but he argued, We have to transform this country and fundamentally reorient our priorities that includes the help of all people across the country. Former U.S. Sen Don Riegle, who represented Flint for 28 years -- 10 in the House and 18 in the Senate called it a special community. How were really one family, he said, while speaking on the Sit-Down Strike and election of Floyd McCree as the first African-American mayor of a major U.S. city in 1966. This community more than any other youll probably visit in this whole country. Sanders asked for voters support on Tuesday, admitting hell need big numbers to win against Joe Biden and in a potential race against President Donald Trump. In order to win here in Michigan against Trump, in order to defeat Trump nationally, we are going to have the highest voter turnout in the history of this country, he said. Biden is due to hold rallies Monday, March 9 in Grand Rapids and Detroit. A total of 125 delegates are up for grabs during Tuesdays Democratic primary in Michigan. Biden coming to Detroit, Grand Rapids on Monday Bernie Sanders discusses Flint water crisis during community forum On International Women's Day, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel talked on the issue of women empowerment in the eighth episode of his monthly radio programme 'Lokvaani'. In his address on Sunday, Chief Minister said that the sex ratio in the state is better than the average, besides, the population of women is more than that of men in the tribal regions. He also said that state administration will provide complete support and preference to the goods manufactured by women self-help groups (SHGs) for procurement by various institutions, schools, hostels and other government departments. "'Ek Dukaan-Sabbo Saamaan' innovation has opened up a new path of prosperity and development of rural women. Surajpur is just an example. I salute thousands of women self-help groups actively working across the state," he added. Talking about the employment opportunities in the state, Baghel said that doors to recruitment through PSC (Public Service Commission), VYAPAM, Departmental Examinations have been opened. He further said that 30 per cent of posts in government services have been reserved for women. The chief minister also informed about the schemes implemented for women's security, saying, "CCTV cameras have been installed in 4255 public places and local organizations are also being encouraged to install CCTV cameras at their level. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Joe Swash, Perri Kiely and Libby Clegg will go head-to-head in the final of Dancing On Ice today. TV presenter and actor Swash is battling an injury after his ear was caught by his partner Alex Murphys skate as they rehearsed a roly poly move on the ice earlier this week. However, he will still compete against Diversity dancer Kiely and Paralympian Clegg. Someone's going to claim that trophy tomorrow night. Looks like our finalists have been practising... #DancingOnIce pic.twitter.com/yP4TLSYdIg Dancing on Ice (@dancingonice) March 7, 2020 Magician Ben Hanlin narrowly missed a place in the final after he and professional partner Carlotta Edwards lost a skate-off against Clegg and Mark Hanretty in the semi-final. Swash has said the large bandage he has to wear after injuring his ear has been a source of amusement for his friends, family and colleagues. His ear swelled up and needed to be drained at hospital, and he must now wear the bandage around his head until the final. Speaking ahead of the competition, Swash said: Ive knocked the ear and its like a cauliflower ear, it just got swollen and they had to drain it and cut it a little bit. But the bad thing is Ive got to keep (the bandage) on until Sunday. Im going to have to take it off for the show, but Ive got to keep it on all week. Video of the Day I did say to them, Is it not a little bit overkill? And they were like, No, its the only way we can bandage an ear. He joked: Id have loved to have had a bit of sympathy from people. I phoned up Alex and Dan Whiston (Dancing On Ices associate creative director) and they just laughed at me. My mum phoned me and made me go round the house just so she could see it and have a laugh. Then Stacey phoned me going, Where are you? and then she did a whole build-up (on Instagram) saying, I dont know where Joe is. And then I turned up and she had the camera straight in my face! Kiely has said he hopes he will be able to pull off a daring move in one of his routines in the final showdown. The 24-year-old dancer said it is the most dangerous thing he has done, and added: I dont want to say what it is, but its something Ive wanted to do from the very beginning. I knew I wouldnt be able to put it in if I didnt get far in the competition, because it needed lots of work. His skating partner Vanessa Bauer said: I think its the most dangerous move on Dancing On Ice ever. Its going to get into Dancing On Ice history. The Dancing On Ice final airs at 6pm on Sunday on ITV. A crucial court decision that could revive plans to build a third runway at Heathrow will be announced within weeks, sources have told The Mail on Sunday. Heathrow Airport Limited and rival Arora Group, which also wants to build a third runway there, have appealed to the Supreme Court over last months ruling that halted the project on environmental grounds. The Supreme Court must now decide whether to hear the appeal. Plans to challenge the court ruling on a third runway at Heathrow are set to go ahead If it agrees and the appeal ultimately succeeds the project would be back on, having been delayed by at least 12 months. But if the Supreme Court decides against hearing the appeal, Heathrow will be unable to proceed at all without a major intervention by the Government. Sources said that Supreme Court justices are likely to expedite the high profile case, meaning a decision on whether to hear the appeal is likely to be issued before the end of this month. Heathrows third runway has been billed by business groups as vital to Britains prosperity as it forges a new path outside the EU. But the Court of Appeal declared the 14 billion project illegal because Ministers had failed to take into account the Paris agreement to cut climate emissions when they signed off the project in 2018. The Government was lead defendant in the Appeal Court case, so its backing would have been the easiest route to securing a Supreme Court hearing. But it decided not to appeal itself, leaving Heathrow Airport and Arora owned by hotels tycoon Surinder Arora and which is heading a rival bid to build the runway to battle to keep the project alive. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said last month: Airport expansion is core to boosting global connectivity. We also take seriously our commitment to the environment. This Government wont appeal todays judgment given our manifesto makes clear any Heathrow expansion will be industry-led. Critics of the Governments stance blame political wrangling for decades of delays. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also vigorously opposed a new runway in 2015 when he became MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip just a few miles from Heathrow even pledging to lie down in front of the bulldozers. Heathrow Airport and Arora were listed as interested parties at the appeal. The Supreme Court will have to decide if their arguments in favour of raising the case before the court are legally sound. A spokeswoman for Heathrow said after the Appeal Court decision: This ruling has meant there will be a delay in realising the benefits of Heathrow expansion until the Government remedies an eminently fixable issue. Failure to fix it rules out airport growth anywhere in the country and casts doubt on other infrastructure projects. She said Heathrow has taken a lead in meeting climate targets and that environmental concerns could be addressed within the plan. Supporters warned further dithering could risk losing business to rival European airports. A Department for Transport spokesman said: We do not comment on ongoing legal proceedings. For incidents involving more than one person, the clerks have to read each of these reports, going through the narrative portions and any other accompanying documents to redact information related to the person who qualifies for expungement but not the one who doesn't. In a unique social media initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday handed over his accounts on various platforms to seven woman achievers from different fields to share their life journeys and messages on the International Women's Day. From a farmer to activists working in the fields of sanitation, disability rights, water conservation and fighting hunger to somebody dedicated to reviving Kashmir handicraft industry, women used Modi's accounts which enjoy a huge following, to share their stories and spread their messages. Known for his imaginative communication initiatives, the prime minister handed over his accounts on platforms like Twitter and Facebook to these women, saying they have done great work in a wide range of sectors and their struggles and aspirations motivate millions. "As I'd said a few days ago, I'm signing off. Through the day, seven women achievers will share their life journeys and perhaps interact with you through my social media accounts. Let us keep celebrating the achievements of such women and learning from them," he said in his tweets. The seven women were drawn from different parts of the country and came from varied backgrounds. The prime minister's outreach to women with the innovative exercise drew praise from the BJP with its president J P Nadda saying that the Modi government has not only empowered women but has also brought to fore their glorious works. The world will take inspiration from these seven women, he said. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, however, accused the government of pursuing "tokenism and gimmickry" and sought to know why the women's reservation bill was not tabled in Parliament. The women chosen to use Modi's accounts included Sneha Mohandoss, who works to eradicate hunger, Malvika Iyer, who survived a gruesome bomb blast that blew off her hands and damaged her legs when she was 13 and is now a motivational speaker, disability activist and model, and Arifa Jaan from Kashmir who promotes traditional crafts of Kashmir. Others were Kalpana Ramesh, a water conservator, Vijaya Pawar, who promotes handicrafts from the Banjara community of rural Maharashtra, Kalavati Devi of Kanpur, who collects money to build toilets, and Veena Devi, who is from Munger in Bihar and made her name by growing mushrooms under her bed due to lack of space. "Where there is a will, there is a way. Anything can be achieved with willpower. My real recognition came from cultivating one kilo of mushrooms under bed. This not only made me self-sufficient but also gave me a new life by boosting my self-confidence," said Veena Devi, who now trains other women. "I feel empowered when I do what I'm passionate about! I wish to inspire my fellow citizens, especially women to come forward and join hands with me. I urge everyone to feed at least one needy person and contribute to a hunger free planet," Mohandoss tweeted from Modi's handle. While sharing their stories and messages from Modi's personal handle, these women also responded to some of the message they received. "It is a fantastic way to throw light on ordinary women wanting to accomplish extraordinary work," Kalpana Ramesh said when a Twitter user registered her appreciation of the entire exercise. The prime minister is one of the most-followed world leaders on social media with 53.3 million followers on Twitter, 44 million on Facebook and 35.2 million on Instagram. The Twitter handle of Prime Minister's Office has 32 million followers. In September 2019, PM Modi was the third-most followed world leader on the microblogging site, behind only US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Barack Obama. The prime minister was the first Indian to cross the 50-million-followers mark on Twitter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) General Secretary of the Progressive People's Party [PPP], Murtala Mohammed, believes certain actions, especially vigilante justice by members of the public are as a result of their lack of faith in the security agencies. To him, youth of Sogakope deliberately blocked the road leading to the main Sogakope Bridge after the death of their Assemblyman, Marcus Mawutor Adzahli because they believed findings about the case will not be a true reflection of what actually happened. They [Sogakope South Electoral Area youth] took laws into their hands and blocked roads because they have seen almost every investigated case, particularly ones associated with death not ending well to the satisfaction of families who have lost their loved ones, even though I dont side with their actions, he stated. Rioting & Military Intervention Some rioting youth in Sogakope in the South Tongu District of the Volta region, on Monday, blocked the main Accra-Aflao road, burnt car tyres and attacked the District Police Station over the alleged murder of the Assemblyman of Sogakope South Electoral Area. The deceased, Mr Marcus Mawutor Adzahli, alias Mac Greenline, was allegedly shot dead midnight at his residence on Sunday by some eight unknown assailants with his wife sustaining knife wounds. The youth, in protest of the incident, accusing the police of laxity, blocked the road, burnt tyres, threw stones and later besieged the District Police station in an attempt to burn it down. The District Police Commander and a few police officers fired warning shots to disperse the crowd. Despite having retreated, they continued throwing stones into the Police yard and offices and damaged the windscreen of some vehicles. An hour later, the militry was called in to clear the road and help the police contain the situation. Unprofessional Police Officers Speaking on UTVs Adekye Nsroma newspaper discussion programme, the PPP communicator bemoaned the unprofessional nature of some security officers to seek justice for the downtrodden. I dont know why cases of this nature stall, the main reason why some individuals take laws into their hands to seek justice is because of that.....there are no tangible reasons why cases are not investigated to the root...I believe the police are not doing enough in this regard," Murtala added. Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/ peacefmonline.com / [email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Amid political drama, Madhya Pradesh Cabinet to be expanded soon India oi-Madhuri Adnal Bhopal, Mar 08: Against the backdrop of alleged poaching attempts by the BJP, the Congress-led Madhya Pradesh government will expand its Cabinet soon, a senior leader of the state's ruling party said on Sunday. The Congress recently alleged that the BJP "abducted" 14 MLAs to bring down the Kamal Nath government in the state. However, the BJP denied the allegation, saying it has nothing to do with the development, which it claimed was the result of "infighting" among Congress leaders ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled on March 26. "We are going to expand the state Cabinet shortly. There is no threat to the government now as the BJP 'money bag operation' has failed," a senior Congress leader told PTI. A political observer, however, said the Cabinet expansion would be a herculean task for the state government as it has to accommodate MLAs of "different factions" of the ruling Congress, and its allies and Independents. Madhya Pradesh crisis: Congress MLA goes 'missing'; son files police complaint Earlier, it took time for the Congress to expand the Cabinet one year ago, after formation of the government in December 2018, due to "infighting" among groups of senior party leaders Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia, he said. The Congress holds a thin majority in the 230-member Assembly with its own 114 MLAs and support of two legislators of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), one of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and four independents. The BJP has 107 legislators while two seats are vacant. The state Cabinet currently has 29 members, including Chief Minister Kamal Nath. NEWS AT 3 PM MARCH 8th, 2020 The Congress can induct six more ministers into the Cabinet to placate the disgruntled MLAs. Ten legislators, including two of the BSP and one of the SP went 'missing' on Tuesday, following which Digvijaya Singh alleged that they were taken to a hotel in Haryana by the BJP, which offered them bribe to topple the Kamal Nath government. The ruling party in the state has been successful in bringing back seven of these MLAs - six from Delhi and one from Bengaluru. Three Congress MLAs -- Hardeep Singh Dang, Bisahulal Singh and Raghuraj Kansana -- are reportedly still untraceable. Madhya Pradesh: Big blow to Kamal Nath govt as Congress MLA Hardeep Singh Dang resigns A resignation letter purportedly written by Dang went viral on social media recently, but the MLA could not be contacted for verification. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 14:37 [IST] (Newser) Young people played tug of war and others shook their bodies to crowd-pleasing music as a scorching African sun set near the Ugandan capital of Kampala. A tipsy poet drew loud cheers by repeatedly reciting: "One day. Someday. Could be this day." The good-natured weekend gathering attracted scores of people in support of the time when all of Africa would be free of armed violence, the AP reports. The Mara Mara peace festival drew inspiration from the African Union's declaration of 2020 as the year for "silencing the guns" on a continent that has long faced civil war, ethnic rivalries and rebel insurgencies. In an effort to reduce the number of illegal weapons in circulation across the continent, the AU has said there will be an amnesty during September when illegally owned guns can be turned over to local authorities. story continues below The AU, often accused of not doing enough to end armed violence, has said it will reach out to youths to discourage them from taking up arms. Africa has multiple conflict zones, including Islamic extremist violence in West Africa's Sahel region and in parts of Nigeria, as well as armed rebellion by militias in eastern Congo. In South Sudan, hundreds of thousands were killed in a civil war that officially ended in 2018 but still simmers. Africa Peace Zones, a network of volunteers who organized the peace gathering, cited challenges such as gender-based violence, unemployment and climate change but said young people are the key. "Some of Africa's strongest attributestolerance, kindness, generosity, resilience, problem solving and a team spiritare the very foundation of negotiation, mediation and reconciliation as alternatives to violence," the group said. "We don't have to fight, a dance instructor and mental health advocate at the fair said. "We can talk to each other." (Read more African Union stories.) Camilla was left 'extremely upset' after the Duchess of Sussex drew away attention from her domestic abuse address. The Mirror claimed Meghan violated an agreement after sharing photos of her visit at the National Theatre the same day Camilla was speaking about domestic abuse at the Women of the World Festival in London. The Daily Mirror reported Camilla was infuriated after Markle allegedly 'insisted' to post photos on the Sussexes official Instagram account. Camilla was left devastated after her year-long preparation was overshadowed by the posts. Palace officials have yet to comment about the row. The Duchess was photographed by Chris Allerton who also snapped pictures of Markle's wedding to Prince Harry as well as their son's christening. Meghan wore a 29 ivory organza Topshop blouse to the event paired with a 595 Roland Mouret skirt. The Duchess also displayed a 400 necklace that was inspired by a French Poem 'The Eternal Song.' The necklace, which was made with gold, diamonds, and rubies, is on sale. 10 percent of the proceeds will go to Wild at Heart Foundation. Meghan's trip to the National Theatre marks one of her last trips as a senior royal member. #EveryonesProblem Today, The Duchess of Cornwall attended the Grand Opening Session of the Women of the World Festival and spoke about why domestic abuse is #EveryonesProblem. Read the speech in full: https://t.co/pEvCR9i54k pic.twitter.com/VEpspSjZhY Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) March 6, 2020 Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, took to stage to raise awareness on domestic violence Friday. Camilla addressed the 'taboo' issue at the annual women of the World festival, putting forward a report that shows one in four women in Britain suffers domestic violence. The Duchess urged the public to publicly talk about the issue to combat abuse. The royal described the silence surrounding the subject as 'corrosive', saying it is the result of 'coercive control and violence in the home.' In a message to the CEO of SafeLives Suzanne Jacob, Camilla said: "We need to change the conversation from, 'Why doesn't she leave?' to 'Why doesn't he stop?'" She also recalled listening to the stories from victims of manipulation and abuse and described the experience as harrowing. Camilla clarified that not all abuse cases see the man being the abuser and the women as victims. 'It's complicated,' she said. "We need to teach our young men and women what healthy and loving relationships are, and that it is never 'OK' to treat anyone with less than respect." The Duchess of Cornwall ended her speech by urging everyone to start a movement under #EveryonesProblem in hopes of raising awareness and starting a conversation between victims and society. The Women of the World Festival is a global movement that celebrates women and girls and the achievements they attain in the face of many obstacles. The festival takes place in London annually in the month of March. The movement was launched by Jude Kelly CBE at Southbank Centre London and has reached over 2 million people worldwide. WOW produces festivals as a platform to discuss issues that prevent women around the world from achieving their potentials. It is also the stage where speakers raise awareness and suggest solutions to fight problems women face in their everyday lives. Camilla has been the president of the movement since 2015. Saudi Arabias interior ministry says it temporarily halted movement in and out of the oil-producing Qatif region. Saudi Arabia has imposed a temporary lockdown on its eastern Qatif area, home to a large Shia-Muslim population, to prevent the spread of coronavirus after recording four more cases that raised the total to 11. The move risks stirring resentment in Qatif, which has been a flashpoint between the Sunni-dominated Saudi government and minority Shia in the country who complain of discrimination and marginalisation, accusations the government denies. Saudi Arabia will suspend all educational and Quranic activities at mosques starting on Monday to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, state television reported. Saudi Arabias interior ministry said on Sunday all the individuals diagnosed with the disease are from Qatif. Saudi authorities have previously said those infected have either been to Iran or interacted with people who visited the Islamic Republic, home to important Shia holy sites. The restrictions in Qatif could also raise tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran after Riyadh on Thursday denounced Tehran for granting Saudi citizens entry amid the coronavirus outbreak. Saudi Arabia has banned travel to Iran and said legal action will be taken against any Saudi national travelling there. Iran has emerged as an epicentre for the disease in the Middle East. It has reported 194 deaths from the virus on Sunday, putting it on a par with Italy as the country with the highest death toll outside China. Vital facilities The Saudi interior ministry said it temporarily halted movement in and out of the oil-producing Qatif region while ensuring returning residents could reach their homes and that commercial supplies to the province continue. Work at all public and private institutions is halted as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the disease, with the exception of vital facilities that provide security services and necessary provisions, a ministry statement said. The lockdown is not expected to have any effect on the kingdoms oil production, two industry sources told Reuters news agency. Cement blocks were placed on the main road to Qatif, a resident said, declining to be named because of sensitivities. The Saudi health ministry earlier said the newly diagnosed people, three of whom are women, interacted with another case reported previously who returned from Iran via the United Arab Emirates (UAE) but did not disclose his visit to the authorities. On Saturday, the Saudi government restricted land crossings with the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain to commercial trucks only and said passenger arrivals will be limited to three Saudi airports. The Qatif lockdown comes after the kingdom suspended the Umrah year-round pilgrimage over fears of the disease spreading to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in western Saudi Arabia. The unprecedented suspension of the Umrah has raised uncertainty over the annual Hajj pilgrimage, scheduled for the end of July. The pilgrimages, a major source of revenue, could also be a source of contagion and the move mirrors a precautionary approach across the Gulf to cancel mass gatherings from concerts to sporting events. More cancellations Several other Gulf states recorded new infections on Sunday. Kuwait reported two more cases, raising the total to 64. Its central bank announced a 10 million dinar ($32.79m) fund to support state efforts to fight the virus. Qatar recorded three more infections, bringing the total number of victims to 15. Bahrain said its Formula One Grand Prix will go ahead this month without spectators, a blow to its tourism sector. Bahrains Crown Prince Salman bin Hamads announcement was carried by the state-run Bahrain News Agency. He said the decision was to preserve the safety of citizens, residents and racing fans. The race is scheduled for March 22. In Oman, all events at the Royal Opera House in the capital Muscat, scheduled for March and April, have been cancelled along with the tours of the site, state news agency ONA reported. Middle East stock markets fell sharply on Sunday amid plummeting demand for crude oil and OPECs inability to agree on a production cut. The wider region now has more than 6,900 confirmed cases of the virus, the majority in hard-hit Iran. Infected cruise liner A 60-year-old German tourist died in Egypt on Sunday, becoming its first fatality from the new coronavirus, the health ministry announced. The man was taken to hospital with fever after arriving in Hurghada from Luxor on March 6, and was placed in intensive care but refused to be transferred to a designated isolation hospital, the ministry said. Egyptian crew and foreign passengers on a Nile cruise ship with 45 suspected coronavirus cases disembarked on Sunday in the southern city of Luxor. The health ministry said the 45 would be quarantined even though 11 tested negative in follow-up tests. The A Sara docked in Luxor days after authorities were alerted that a foreign tourist who previously disembarked had contracted the virus and infected others on board. On Saturday, Health Minister Hala Zayed said 33 people on the ship had tested positive without showing any symptoms. The boat was carrying 171 people 101 foreigners and 70 Egyptian crew Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said on Saturday. He did not specify the foreigners nationalities but said their respective embassies had been contacted. It was not immediately clear where the other 126 passengers and crew went after disembarking. On Sunday, Zayed and other officials travelled to Luxor to follow up on quarantine procedures at the citys airport as part of Egypts response to the virus, a government statement said. The city of Luxor, home to some of Egypts most spectacular monuments, is among the countrys top tourist draws. Besides the cruise ship cases, Egypt has detected three cases of the virus, the first of which was announced on February 14. The health ministry said last week the first patient, a Chinese national, had been released after recovery. The other two cases, a Canadian working in an oil company and an Egyptian who returned from Serbia through France, were still undergoing treatment, according to the ministry. By Express News Service KOCHI: An attempt to outsmart Customs officers and smuggle in gold was foiled at CIAL on Saturday. A Malappuram native was arrested for attempting to smuggle gold by concealing it in the cable of a hairdryer and electric kettle. The Air Customs Intelligence (AIU) unit also arrested a Kozhikode native who concealed gold inside a measuring tape. In the first incident, the Malappuram native, who arrived on a flight from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, was intercepted for smuggling 750 grams of gold. During the baggage checking, the presence of gold was detected. Later, we physically verified the goods inside the baggage. We found a newly purchased electric hairdryer and an electric kettle. After dismantling the gadgets we found the gold was concealed inside the cables. We are still interrogating the arrested person, an officer said, adding that it is for the first time such a modus operandi was busted in CIAL. In the second incident, the Kozhikode native who arrived from Bahrain was intercepted with 500 grams of gold, which was camouflaged as a measuring tape with black paint on it. He was also intercepted while his baggage was checked. Smugglers use different techniques to smuggle in gold. Last year, a Malappuram native was caught while attempting to smuggle gold in paste form concealed in a wig. Often, smugglers use electric goods like table fan, iron box and hairdryer for smuggling. They mould the gold in the shape of certain parts inside these gadgets and attempt to smuggle it, an officer said. Millions of people were placed under forced quarantine in northern Italy early on Sunday as the government approved drastic measures in an attempt to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus that is sweeping the globe. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Twitter he had signed off on plans to strictly limit movement into and out of large areas of the north, including Milan and Venice. "#Coronavirus, the new decree is finally approved," Conte wrote. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 8) An Australian lawmaker is pushing the countrys parliament to pass legislation which would enact sanctions against foreign officials who are proven to have committed human rights violations. Australian parliament member Chris Hayes, Labor Partys chief opposition whip in the House of Representatives, has called on the legislature to follow suit with the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom in passing a law that would ban the entry and freeze the assets of foreign officials who have violated human rights, including those from the Philippines. The introduction of such legislation ensures that serious human rights abusers are held accountable for their actions and that Australia does not become a haven for a global corruption and human rights violators, Hayes said in a recent speech in parliament. The proposal for Australia to impose sanctions on individuals who commit gross human rights abuses is being investigated by the Human Rights Subcommittee of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. The sub-committee is still accepting position papers from people outside Australia until March 23. Hayes also noted in his speech the alleged extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and the detention of opposition Senator Leila de Lima as one of the human rights issues in the Asia-Pacific region. He also hit President Rodrigo Duterte for acting with some impunity even if the UN Human Rights Council has approved a resolution calling for a probe into extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. He added that countries which sided with the Philippines in opposing the resolution like China have a dubious human rights record. De Lima has thanked Hayes for his push in the Australian parliament for a law to impose what are known as Magnitsky sanctions, named after Russian tax accountant Sergei Magnitsky who was allegedly beaten to death while imprisoned in Moscow in 2009. It is heartwarming to note that there are efforts in the Parliament of Australia, which are being spearheaded by your goodself and like-minded parliamentarians, to pass a national legislation that will hold human rights abusers and corrupt officials accountable for their actions, she said. The US passed in its 2020 spending law a provision that mandates State Secretary Mike Pompeo to ban the entry of Philippine officials who have had a hand in the imprisonment of De Lima, who has been in detention for three years over drug charges. EXPLAINER: How the US budget law bans Philippine officials The US Senate also passed a resolution calling on President Donald Trump to also freeze the US assets of Philippine officials who are proven to have been involved in human rights violations. These proposed sanctions angered Duterte, prompting him to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement a military pact between Manila and Washington on the treatment of US troops in the Philippines. Radio personality and author Sami Lukis has revealed that she was stalked for months by a man after ending their fling. The Australian presenter, 49, wrote an article for 9Honey explaining how the man stalked her for months after she told him she did not want to see him again. The man's campaign of harassment included constant messages, phone calls, emails and even handwritten letters, Sami said. 'He wouldn't stop, so I blocked him on social media and stopped replying to his messages altogether. Still, it continued,' she wrote. It wasn't until seven months on that Sami decided to report the man to the police after receiving a disturbing email. Sami Lukis (pictured) provided a detailed insight on 9Honey into her terrifying ordeal with a man who stalked her for months after she declined seeing him again She said this wasn't a 'cute infatuation' but an 'issue of control with a 'narcissistic bully' who refused to accept and respect her decision. Sami said she called the police because she was worried about what would happen to her if she kept ignoring him. 'I asked the cops if it was pointless to report someone who hadn't actually caused me any physical harm, but they assured me I'd done the right thing,' she explained. 'That's when I had the sickening thought: at least they now had a record of the guy, so they'd know where to start looking if something terrible did happen to me.' 'I asked the cops if it was pointless to report someone who hadn't actually caused me any physical harm, but they assured me I'd done the right thing,' she explained Prior to the unsettling situation, Sami said she knew something didn't seem right about the man from the dates they went on. 'I knew something was off with the guy, but I told myself he was just aggressively persistent,' she said. Though rather than acknowledging the red flags, she instead chose to let him into her life, her home and even her bed which she admits was a 'big mistake'. 'It takes a degree of risk and vulnerability to let a stranger into your world,' Sami said, adding how dating is not supposed to make you feel unsafe though caution should be considered. Prior to the unsettling situation, Sami said she knew something didn't seem right about the man from the few dates they went on. Though rather than acknowledging the red flags, she instead chose to let him into her life, her home and even her bed In the UK members of the public can visit a police station to discover if their former or current partner has a history of domestic abuse, which is a scheme Sami hopes will be employed by Australian governments. For the time being, Sami says she now Googles her dates to uncover background details about them and whether it's truly safe to be with them, even on a first date. She said how dating and getting to know someone is always a 'little daunting' but more so 'delightful', though she never considered it to be dangerous until her recent experience. Tickets are now on sale for the fourth West Wicklow Festival which takes place from May 20 24 boasting an incredible line-up of musicians and artists from all over the world, with concerts being held at Russborough House and St. Marys Church, Blessington, plus the world premier of a special piece of work commissioned to mark the 80th anniversary of the sinking of Blessington Lakes. Having doubled in size since 2017, the Festival has once again expanded its programme and this year will feature 15 incredible artists over five days. The 2020 programme features performances from the captivating Polish mezzo-soprano Hanna Hipp, internationally acclaimed American violinist Tai Murray with German pianist Silke Avenhaus, renowned French string quartet Quatuor Arod, prominent Swiss based ensemble Trio Gaspard, principal flute of the London Symphony Orchestra Adam Walker and the Festivals Founder & Artistic Director, celebrated Irish pianist Fiachra Garvey. The festival will also feature rising Irish stars Phoebe White (violin) and Peter Regan (piano). This years programme marks two very important events the 250th Anniversary of the birth of Beethoven and the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the Blessington Lakes. We celebrate some of the most iconic chamber works by Beethoven and continue our commitment to contemporary music by featuring a newly commissioned work by Gerald Barry, as well as works by Helena Winkelmann and Ian Wilson, said Fiachra Garvey. 2020 also marks the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the Blessington Lakes. West Wicklow Festival and the Thomas Dammann Junior Memorial Trust have commissioned a new piece of music by legendary Irish composer Gerald Barry. This work will receive its world premiere on Wednesday 20th May and will be performed by Adam Walker (flute) Fiachra Garvey (piano) Since 2018 the West Wicklow Festival has partnered with the National Concert Halls Learning & Participation team to deliver interactive Family Concerts, and a programme of musical activities for children and families. This collaboration will continue in 2020 with full details of the Festivals family and educational activities being announced shortly. For further information and to book your tickets, visit westwicklowfestival.com. L ondon tour guides are marking International Women's Day by sharing the history of some of the capital's most under-appreciated women. The tours include talks on a woman believed to be Britain's first black nurse, an early advocate for women's sexual education and an 18th-century aristocrat who invented a new art form aged 72. Annie Brewster was a nurse at the London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, in the 1880s. Katie Wignall, who organises the tours, believes she is one of many British women who have been overlooked by history in favour of men. Ms Wignall added: Ive noticed a lot of the history we celebrate is mens achievements, most of the blue plaques are for men, most of the statues are of men. I wanted to do some walks to celebrate more unsung heroes." She continued: Theres been a history of overlooking the achievements of women as a side note to the history of humanity as a whole, which has tended to be focused on male achievements. Annie Brewster / Barts Health NHS Trust Archives and Museums Annies grave was only rediscovered last year by the award-winning author and historian Stephen Bourne. Mr Bourne said that although it is tempting to think of Annie as a trailblazer today, it is unlikely this would have been the case in her lifetime. Mr Bourne told the Standard: We know from hospital records that her colleagues loved her. People think Victorian Britain everyone was racist, but they werent. There may have been other black nurses, well never know. We only know she was black because her photo appeared in a hospital journal. Ms Wignall, who usually leads tours for her organisation Look Up London, is running this series of walks alongside seven other guides. Tours are taking place across central London: in Whitechapel, Marylebone, Chelsea, St James, the Temple and Hampstead. Walks are also taking place in the National Gallery and the British Museum. Tour guide Muriel Carre / Katie Wignall Muriel Carre is the guide for the British Museum tour, which celebrates the work of two remarkable - and under-appreciated - pioneers in biology and the arts respectively. Marie Stopes was a researcher in plant fossils at the British Museum in the early twentieth century, when, according to a biography by Stephanie Green, she discovered a locked cupboard containing an array of books about human sexuality. This was a subject Ms Stopes knew very little about despite being married, according to Ms Carre. Within a few years of this discovery, Ms Stopes wrote a radical new book on sex education - Married Love. The book quickly sold out six editions in the UK and was banned in the US. But Ms Carre doesnt shy away from telling her audience about the darker side of Ms Stopes career. A few years after Married Love, she published Wise Parenthood, which dealt with the subject of birth control - a radical topic, but one which Ms Carre says may have been informed by Ms Stopes pro-eugenics stance. In the Second World War, she exchanged letters with Adolf Hitler on the topic. Tour guide Emily Lawrence Baker / Katie Wignall A happier subject for Ms Carres audience is Mary Delany, an eighteenth-century artist who is credited with inventing the paper collage art form. Ms Delany, according to Ms Carre, was married off to an inattentive husband in his 60s when she was just 17. He died eight years later. Ms Delany remarried and made friends with the Duchess of Portland, a great natural history collector. According to Ms Carre, it was when Ms Delany mistook a piece of red paper for a petal from one of the duchess flowers that she was inspired to create the new art form. Several of her artworks are on display in the British Museum. Ms Carre, who also runs the Marylebone tour, said: Its great that I can tell people about these wonderful women. People walk past and they like the art, but they tend not to appreciate the life behind it. Tour guide Katie Wignall / Roman Fox When hearing about these underappreciated women, it might be easy to develop some negative feelings towards the men who stole their thunder. But the guides are keen to emphasise how inclusive their tours are. Ms Wignall said: Ive made it very clear that men are very welcome on the tour. Weve had lots of very enthusiastic chaps, and one of our guides is a man. Emily Laurence Baker, who runs a tour called Kickass Chelsea Women featuring Mary Quant, Elizabeth Fry and Anya Hindmarch, among others, said the day shouldnt feel exclusive to other groups." She continued: It is a celebration of womens achievements but also a reminder that women still have a long way to go. The walks run until March 8 - International Womens Day itself. But Ms Wignall will carry on looking for more unsung heroes. Tennessee authorities believe they've found the remains of 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell, who was reported missing a little more than two weeks ago. Evelyn was last seen in December and police initially said last month they were investigating why it took so long to report the toddler missing. On Friday, Sullivan County Sheriff Jeff Cassidy said detectives received a tip that led to a property belonging to a "family member of Evelyn's mother." Police will confirm Evelyn's identity after an autopsy is conducted, Cassidy said. The investigation is still active and in its early stages, officials said. The discovery follows two weeks of efforts from local, state and federal authorities to locate the child, navigating through interviews with a mother who police said changed her story each time she spoke to them. The mother was arrested for giving false reports Megan Boswell, 18, Evelyn's mother, was arrested in February and charged with one count of false reports, Cassidy said last month. "During the investigation we determined that some of the statements Megan Boswell provided to us were false," the sheriff had said. "Many of the false statements that Megan made delayed our investigation and also impeded our investigation on trying to find Evelyn." The sheriff said the mother's story would change "every time" she spoke to police. Boswell, who did not return CNN's previous request for comment, told CNN affiliate WJHL in a Facebook message that she was pregnant and unable to take a polygraph test. But the sheriff's office said it didn't use polygraph tests. And the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations told CNN she wasn't scheduled to meet with a polygraph examiner from the bureau either. Jail records released by the sheriff's office last month indicated Boswell was not pregnant, WJHL reported. Boswell has sole custody over the child, and Evelyn's father is an active-duty military serviceman stationed in Louisiana, officials have said. Grandmother was arrested Days after an AMBER alert was issued for the baby, Evelyn's grandmother was arrested alongside her boyfriend, after police said they may have information about the disappearance. Angela Boswell, 42, and William McCloud, 33, were found traveling in a gray 2007 BMW in Wilkes County, North Carolina. The two were charged with possession of stolen property, according to the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office and were extradited to Tennessee. On Wednesday, Angela Boswell appeared in court for the property theft charge, where she told the judge she was having difficulty finding an attorney because of the "stigma" surrounding the case. The judge reset the case to March 24. She was reported missing months after she was last seen The TBI said it received at least 890 tips in connection to the case. But authorities eventually determined there had been no credible sightings, a spokesman with the sheriff's office said. The young child was last reported seen December 26. She had blonde hair, blue eyes and was wearing a pink tracksuit, pink shoes and a pink bow when she went missing. "We're conducting the investigation and obviously we've been talking to as many people as we've come in contact with that knew about the child," Sullivan County Sheriff's Office spokesman Capt. Andy Seabolt had told CNN affiliate WCYB at the beginning of the search. "We want to know why the child was not reported missing earlier." As days went by, the reward for finding the child topped $71,000. "We pray every day she is found, in good health and can be brought back and taken care of," her great-grandfather, David Jones, told WCYB. "It's just been a stress on all of us," he said. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Sunday urged people to make suggestions for a law the state government plans to bring to stop atrocities against women. Deshmukh said the state government will try to raise the percentage of women staffers in the police force from current 15 per cent to 30 per cent. In his message marking International Women's Day on Sunday, Deshmukh asked people to give their suggestions on the proposed law in the comment section of his Twitter post. "The Maharashtra government will soon bring a law to stop incidents of atrocities against women from happening. The law aims to ensure speediest action against the perpetrators," the minister said in a video shared on Twitter. "If you want to make suggestions about the law, I request you to do so in my comment box," he said. Later, Deshmukh attended a women's safety rally held at Marine Drive here, with women personnel from Mumbai police also taking part. Deshmukh reiterated the government's resolve to bring the law to stop crimes against women soon. Speaking on increasing the number of women in the state police, Deshmukh said, "At present, there are around 2.25 lakh officers and staffers in the police force. Of these, around 28,000, that is 15 per cent, are women. The government will try to increase percentage of women staffers to 30 per cent. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Editors note: The Journal-Courier has been working with a group of business and community leaders to shine a light on the importance of the sometimes behind-the-scenes work taking place to improve the present and build for the future of our hometown. Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce held its 41st Agri-Industry Banquet on Thursday to celebrate agriculture and the businesses that support this vital industry in our region. The importance of a strong rural community cannot be overstated. Although I grew up on a farm, I did not realize the economic and social impact this industry has on our community and region until I was out of college. Farming was just my dads occupation and my familys way of life. Our Morgan County farm is right in the metro hub of Bethel. We raised Hereford beef cattle and swine and grew corn, soybeans, alfalfa and wheat. I participated in 4-H, showed cattle and hogs at the Morgan County Fair and was honored to serve as the 1988 Illinois Beef Queen my five minutes of fame. I wasnt your stereotypical farm girl. I only wore boots at the fair. (I preferred flip-flops until my 1,000-pound heifer stepped on my foot.) I have never driven a tractor, but have spent countless hours on a riding lawnmower. Breaking curfew meant a stint in the bean field with a hoe. I know the basics of raising livestock and growing crops, but do not ask me in-depth questions about gestation periods, feed nutrients or chemical application. A week-long stint at the fair every summer was my immersion in agriculture. I really enjoyed taking care of my livestock projects. I was in awe of those kids who really knew what they were doing and could actually read the ear notch on their pig. The social aspect also was enjoyable. We played a lot of cards, had a daily water fight and waited for evening, when we could go over to the carnival side of the fair after the chores were done. Many good memories and friendships were born during those weeks at the fair. When I graduated college and came back to begin work in Jacksonville, I became immersed in the industry and service-sector sides of business in our community. Many wise business professionals would remark on the strength of our community because we had both manufacturing and agriculture. If one was down, the other was able to pull the economy up. One businessman remarked that his retail sales would be higher in a good year for the farmers. Based on the Morgan County DIS study, Morgan County agriculture supported 2,551 jobs, or 13% of total jobs, in 2019. The total output, or sales, generated from ag or related industries totaled an estimated $880.8 million. There is an estimated $160.8 million in household income supported by ag and related industries in our county. We have 693 farms, averaging 433 acres, which generate a market value of crops at $152.3 million and livestock at $19.7 million. The economic impact of ag in our community is obvious, but do not overlook the social impact. The work ethic of the people, the stewardship of the land, and the spirit of camaraderie and community also are paramount to the strength and vitality of our region. Watch the farmers plant their fields this spring or visit the Morgan County Fair in July to see that all in action. Sitting with more than 300 other aggies in that banquet hall Thursday was a great reminder of my love for agriculture, of the pride I have in my familys occupation and the importance of the industry to our community. Join the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce in celebrating the agricultural industry and its important impact. Our Agri-Industry Division always welcomes new members. Thank an ag professional for their work in our community. A great big thanks goes out to you, Dad. I think Ill wear my boots today. . Lisa Musch is president of the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce. Oil markets tumbled the most since the Gulf War in 1991 after the disintegration of the OPEC+ alliance triggered an all-out price-war among the worlds biggest producers. In one of the most dramatic bouts of selling ever, Brent futures sunk by 31% in a matter of seconds after the open of trading in Asia on Monday after already suffering their biggest loss since the global financial crisis at the end of last week. As Brent collapsed as low as $31 a barrel, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. warned prices could drop into the $20s. Hammered by a collapse in demand due to the coronavirus, the oil market sank deeper into chaos on the prospect of a supply free-for-all. Saudi Arabia over the weekend slashed its official prices by the most in at least 20 years and signaled to buyers it would ramp up output -- an unambiguous declaration of intent to flood the market with crude. Russia said its companies were free to pump as much as they could. Its unbelievable, the market was overwhelmed by a wave of selling at the open, said Andy Lipow, president of Houston energy consultancy Lipow Oil Associates LLC. OPEC+ has clearly surprised the market by engaging in a price war to gain market share. RELATED: Saudi's plan big output boost Aramcos unprecedented pricing move came just hours after the talks between Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies ended in dramatic failure. The breakup of the alliance effectively ends the cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Russia that has underpinned oil prices since 2016. The cuts in monthly pricing by state producer Saudi Aramco were the first indication of how the Saudis will respond, an opening salvo in the impending price war. Offering huge discounts in Asia, Europe and the U.S., the worlds biggest exporter will be hoping to entice refiners to purchase Saudi crude at the expense of other suppliers. At the same time, Aramco has privately told some market participants it plans to raise production well above 10 million barrels a day next month and could even reach a record 12 million barrels a day, according to people familiar with the conversations, who asked not to be named to protect commercial relations. Brent for May settlement tumbled as much as $14.25 a barrel to $31.02 on the London-based ICE Futures Europe Exchange. Thats the biggest intra-day loss since the U.S.-led bombing of Iraq in January 1991. It pared back some of those losses to $35.76 a barrel by 6:25 a.m. in Singapore, down $9.51. OIL PLUNGES: Thousands of jobs in Houston at risk West Texas Intermediate crude slid as much as 27%, or $11.28, to $30 a barrel. Trading was frozen for the first few minutes of trading because of the scale of the loss. The prospect of another price war is spooking traders who will remember the crash that began in 2014, when an explosion in U.S. shale production prompted OPEC to open the spigots in an attempt to suppress prices and curtail shale output. That strategy ended in failure, with shale producers proving too resilient and Brent crude tumbling below $30 a barrel in 2016 amid a global glut of crude. And it was that crash that prompted OPEC to club together with Russia and others to curtail output and help shore up their oil-dependent economies. --With assistance from Javier Blas, Anthony DiPaola and Ramsey Al-Rikabi. NEWSLETTER: Get energy news delivered to your inbox with the Fuel Fix newsletter A man wears a face mask as he exits a subway in New York City on March 5, 2020. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images) Cuomo Declares Emergency Over Coronavirus, Urges New Yorkers to Remain Calm New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency on Saturday over the coronavirus as the total cases in the state increased to 76. At the same time, he urged New Yorkers to stay calm and informed. Cuomo said that the emergency declaration will help mobilize resources for local health departments. An emergency declaration allows the state to perform expedited procurement, leasing of lab space, hiring, and more, he said in a statement on Twitter. This will help us get resources to local health departments and others who need it quickly and efficiently. He announced during the Saturday press conference that therere currently 76 coronavirus cases in New York State, with 32 of them new. Of the 76 cases, Westchester County, New York City, Nassau County, Rockland County, and Saratoga County have 57, 11, 4, 2, and 2 cases respectively. Twenty-three new cases in Westchester County are all connected to New Rochelle, the main cluster of the New York coronavirus outbreak. We have a situation in New Rochelle, youre seeing those numbers in New Rochelle expand as you have seen in other clusters around the country, Cuomo said. Some schools in that community have already been closed, and the governor suggested that he may consider closing more schools and expanding the closure to nursing homes and senior care facilities. Cuomo also said he may close any imminent big gatherings in the New Rochelle community: In terms of closing any gatherings, if thats going to happen anywhere, its going to happen in New Rochelle. Cuomo: Risk to Public Health Still Low During the press conference, Cuomo said one of the priorities for New York state is testing: We are testing aggressively. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has allowed the states laboratories to do coronavirus testing and contract outside laboratories. New York state is asking the CDC for permission to conduct automated coronavirus testing and is still waiting for approval. The governor reaffirmed that the risk to the public health of New Yorkers is still low unless they are senior citizens or residents with underlying conditions. Otherwise you will basically have symptoms for two weeks and you will recover, he said. Based on New York State data, 10 of the 76 patientsabout 15 percent were hospitalized. If you get the coronavirus, 80 percent of the people will walk around and self-resolve, Cuomo added. But he suggested that senior citizens or citizens with respiratory illness, compromised immune systems, cancer, HIV, pneumonia, and other underlying conditions think seriously about attending any large gatherings. Dubai Tourism has honoured its Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors, including doctors, scientists, industry experts, academics, business leaders and government officials from across the city, who have been leading the way in bidding for and winning major international conferences and congresses for Dubai and helping to define it as both a knowledge hub and a leading business events destination. Dubai Business Events (DBE), the citys official convention bureau and a division of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, presented awards to 20 member organisations at the Programmes annual appreciation ceremony, held last week at the newly opened Jafza One Convention Centre in Jebel Ali. Over 100 ambassadors attended the event, with Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of Dubai Tourism, presenting the award winners with their trophies. The Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme last year supported in securing 28 international association conferences that are to be hosted in Dubai over the coming years, set to attract over 16,500 industry-specific professionals and experts from around the world. This came amid 301 overall successful bids for meetings, conferences and incentives, set to bring over 150,000 delegates to Dubai over the coming years. Since its establishment in 2010, the programme has made a vital contribution to Dubais growth as a business events destination, by the end of 2019 assisting in successfully bidding for 172 events with almost 219,000 delegates in attendance, amid a total of more than 1,200 bid wins for the city, bringing over 720,000 delegates. Almarri said: It is with great honour and pride that we congratulate and thank all our ambassadors for their commitment and efforts towards securing leading international business events for the city. The work undertaken by the Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme plays a pivotal role in Dubais journey towards becoming a global knowledge hub, and the efforts of the ambassadors contribute significantly to this vision. As we continue to develop the programme, we welcome interest from potential ambassadors and look forward to collaborating with them to demonstrate the citys ability to host successful and impactful events. As we gear up for Expo 2020 Dubai, the city has a unique opportunity to showcase itself and convince more international associations and corporations to bring their events to Dubai, and our ambassadors will play a crucial role in achieving this. Among the events won in 2019 thanks to the contributions of Ambassadors were: the fifth World Academic Congress of Emergency Medicine WACEM 2019, the Space Generation Congress 2020, the Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems 2020, the World Hospital Congress 2021, and the AIPPI World Intellectual Property Congress 2025. In addition to the awards, last weeks event also had an educational element, with Dubai Tourism providing a city update and a panel session with ambassadors discussing how hosting international conferences can contribute to the development of Dubai and the UAEs knowledge economy. Also among the guest speakers at the event was Shaun Vorster, vice president of Strategy and Business Integration at Expo 2020 Dubai, who shared insights on the upcoming mega-event. Vorster outlined how business events and organisations can learn from and collaborate with Expo 2020 Dubai to deliver events with long-lasting social, innovation, and economic impact. Issam Kazim, chief executive officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: The Al Safeer Programme is at the forefront of DBEs network as it allows industry-specific knowledge-sharing as well as access to expertise across various sectors. Through the programme, we continuously engage with and support our ambassadors, and as a result our bids for key industry events strengthen exponentially. As the programme continues to grow, we see more potential for ambassadors to exchange knowledge and learnings from previous bids as they continue to propel each other and attract more business events to Dubai. Since being established in 2010, the Al Safeer Programme has grown to become a strong network of over 345 members to date, each of whom are industry experts in their field and are helping grow Dubais position as a business platform that provides world-class infrastructure to support new industry discoveries and progression. In 2019, the programme was strengthened through the signing of several memorandums of understanding, with members joining from Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Courts, Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Award for Medical Sciences, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), the Professional Communication Corporation (Nedaa) and Dubai Sustainable City. The Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors community is set to further grow in 2020 as the Programme continues to target government entities, key universities and other organisations in Dubai to join and support in the citys success. Translating to The Ambassador, the Al Safeer Programme was established by Dubai Business Events to engage with UAE-based key opinion leaders and government representatives, tapping into their expertise and professional networks to attract international business events to Dubai. Dubai Health Authority was among the entities recognised at the appreciation ceremony, for its role in winning the World Hospital Congress 2021. Dr Muna AbdulRazzaq Tahlak, CEO of DHAs Latifa Women and Children Hospital, said: Dubai is a global hub for tourism and also has the infrastructure for meetings and conference, and being part of the Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme has enabled us to present strong bids and showcase Dubai as the ideal destination for international associations to host their events in. It is an honour for us to be recognised for our contribution in winning events and showcasing Dubai as a hub for Science and Innovation. Working with Dubai Business Events has made the bidding process easy and their support has been invaluable. I encourage all entities to work and collaborate jointly to bring great events to Dubai. IEEE UAE, a member of the Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme, was recognised for winning its bid to host the IEEE International Conference on Electronics, Circuits and Systems 2021. Dr. Fatma Taher, IEEE UAE Section Chair, said: One of our objectives was to bid for an international conference and bring it to Dubai, so being part of the Al Safeer programme was of great help. We are proud to be part of the programme and appreciate the recognition for our work and efforts. I would encourage other associations and organisations to join the Al Safeer programme as it will aid them in their own work and help them to achieve their plans. - TradeArabia News Service Bernie Sanders on Sunday accused Democratic Party officials of putting pressure on Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar to drop out of the presidential race to endorse Joe Biden as he vowed to keep on campaigning during coronavirus fears. The Vermont Senator has long argued establishment Democrats are against his campaign, going back to the 2016 race when party officials admitted they were helping Hillary Clinton win the nomination. But now he's arguing they pressured fellow contenders to endorse Biden in order to deny Sanders the chance to face President Donald Trump t his fall. 'The establishment put a great deal of pressure on Pete Buttigieg, on Amy Klobuchar who ran really aggressive campaigns. Well, I know both of them. They work really, really hard. But suddenly right before Super Tuesday they announced their withdrawal,' Sanders told NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'If they had not withdrawn from the race before Super Tuesday, which is kind of a surprise to a lot of people, I suspect we would have won in Minnesota, we would have won in Maine, we would have won in Massachusetts. The turnout may have been a little bit different,' he noted. Bernie Sanders accused Democratic party officials of putting pressure on Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar to drop out and endorse Joe Biden Amy Klobuchar denied she was pressured to exit the Democratic primary to endorse Joe Biden Pete Buttigieg endorsed Joe Biden's presidential campaign shortly before Super Tuesday at a stop in Dallas, Texas Bernie Sanders, who appeared on four Sunday shows, argued he is a just a few delegates behind Joe Biden and still has a chance to win the nomination When Buttigieg and Klobuchar dropped out of the presidential race before the Super Tuesday contests and endorsed Biden, many saw it as an efforts by moderates to coalesce the party around Biden and make him the nominee. Biden won the most states on Super Tuesday although Sanders took California - the biggest prize of the night. 'We're just a few delegates behind Joe Biden. And we have a real shot to win this,' Sanders said. Klobuchar denied she was pressured to exit the Democratic primary to endorse Biden and said there is no conspiracy among moderate Democrats to stop Sanders' from becoming the nominee. The Minnesota senator told NBC's 'Today Show' last week she left the contest because it was 'the right thing to do.' 'There literally was no push from anyone. It was a decision I made,' she said. Sanders also said his campaign would continue despite fears of the Coronavirus outbreak. Large gatherings like the SXSW convention and this week's AFL-CIO forum for Democratic candidates have been canceled. Asked if and the other candidates - Biden and President Donald Trump - should limit their travel and avoid crowds, Sanders told CNN's 'State of the Union': 'In the best of all possible worlds, maybe. But right now, we're running as hard as we can.' Health officials have advised older people and those with medical conditions in particular to avoid crowded spaces. Sanders is 78 years old while Trump is 73 and Biden is 77. 'I've been working really, really hard,' he noted. 'Look, this is the most consequential election in the modern history of the United States of America. Trump, in my view, is a president who is a liar, who is running a corrupt administration, who does not understand the Constitution of the United States, who thinks he's above the law. He has to be beaten.' Sanders has placed heavy hopes on Michigan, which he won in the 2016 Democratic primary - a victory that shocked rival Hillary Clinton's camp. Bernie Sanders told CNN he would not stop campaigning despite fears of the coronavirus Joe Biden took the lead in the race for the Democratic nomination after Super Tuesday but Sanders is pushing to get it back with a win in Michigan on Tuesday Bernie Sanders told Fox News he would not consider dropping out if he loses Michigan on Tuesday On Sunday he announced the endorsement of Jesse Jackson, who won Michigan in his 1988 presidential campaign. The legendary civil rights leader campaigned with Sanders in Grand Rapids on Sunday. And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will hold a rally with Sanders in Detroit on Sunday night. Sanders would like to repeat his win there and reclaim the frontrunner status from Biden, who surged ahead in the Democratic primary after a strong showing in the Super Tuesday contests. But he said if he loses the state in Tuesday's primary he's not dropping out of the primary race. 'I certainly would not consider dropping out,' he said on 'Fox News Sunday.' Sanders said on Sunday that he would not linger in the race if it couldn't be warned but he also noted the next two Tuesdays have big states voting. 'Look, we will fight for every vote that we can, as were -- as we try to win this election. Im not a masochist who wants to stay in the race that can't be won,' he said on ABC's 'This Week.' 'But right now, that's a little bit premature. Let's not determine what will happen on Tuesday, what will happen in future,' he said. 'We have a long, long way to go to the Democratic nomination and we're going to fight for every vote that we can get,' Sanders noted. The Vermont senator also argued he was the strongest candidate to defeat Trump in November. 'I believe that we are the strongest campaign to defeat Donald Trump, A, because we have a grassroots movement that is unparalleled, B, because we have a voting record that speaks to the needs of working families,' he said on CNN's 'State of the Union.' Michigan and five other states vote Tuesday. Then Florida, Ohio, Illinois, and Arizona are among those states that vote on March 17. Qatar Airways on Sunday said it is working closely with Indian health authorities after some people who had travelled on one of its flights to Kochi tested positive for coronavirus infection. Fivemore people from Kerala, including three with recent travel history to Italy, have been tested positivefor coronavirus infection.Three of them, a couple and their son, had evaded health screeningat the airport on their return about a week ago. The three had taken a Qatar Airways flight (QR 126) fromVenice to Doha and took a flight (QR 154) from Doha to Kochi. They arrived in Kochi on March 1. "In relation to reports that passengers with suspected coronavirus were on Qatar Airways flight QR514 Doha to Kochi on February 29, we can confirm that Qatar Airways is working closely with Indian health authorities," the airline said in a statement. Earlier on Sunday, Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja said all the passengers who travelled in the two flights shouldget in touch with health authorities. Qatar Airways also said it was working with global and local health authorities to help stop the spread of coronavirus. "If you have any concerns about your own health following your travel schedule, we recommend you speak with your local medical facility or authorities for further guidance," it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nine months after the 17th Lok Sabha was constituted, the lower house of Parliament is yet to elect the a deputy speaker. And with just 17 working days left in the budget session, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to even initiate a discussion within the party or with allies on a probable candidate of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This is a departure from the last four terms of the house, when the post had been occupied within 1-3 months of the constitution of the new Lok Sabha. PM Sayeed of the Congress was elected deputy speaker in December 1999, a little over a month after the national elections in which the BJP-led (NDA emerged victorious and Atal Bihari Vajpayee became Prime Minister. In 2004, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) ousted the NDA and Charanjit Singh Atwal of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) assumed the post within two months of the constitution of the 14th Lok Sabha. BJP veteran Kariya Munda was elected to the post in 2009, again within two months.In 2014, after the BJP won the general election with majority under Narendra Modi, the NDA offered the post to a friendly party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), and its leader M Thambidurai was unanimously elected deputy speaker in August, nearly three months after the 16th Lok Sabha was constituted. The deputy speaker presides over the Lok Sabha when the speaker is absent from house. In the current Lok Sabha, in the absence of speaker Om Birla, members of a panel of chairpersons preside over the House. Constitutional expert and former Lok Sabha secretary general PDT Achary said the Constitution is clear on both posts. The speaker and the deputy speaker are called the officers of Parliament in the Constitution and both have to be elected. Constitution makes it very clear. Deputy speaker is a must. When the speaker is absent, the deputy speaker will preside over the proceedings of the House. Normally, the deputy speaker is elected soon after the speakers election. That has been the practice, he said. The Congress hit out the BJP for the delay in the deputy speakers election. The BJP has trampled upon the Constitution repeatedly. The deputy speakers post is a constitutional one but they (BJP) dont follow the Constitution. It is unprecedented that the post is lying vacant for nearly one year, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said. BJP leaders see no design in keeping the post vacant for so long. Several BJP leaders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the position will be filled in due course and maintained that it was not unusual for the ruling dispensation to take its time in finding a suitable candidate for the post. There have been instances in the past when the position was not immediately filled. There is no time limit for announcing a name and the party will in due course come up with a name, said a senior BJP functionary and a member of the Lok Sabha. He said the position could be filled by the time Parliament convenes for the monsoon session in July. A second person, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha, said the functioning of the lower house hadnt been affected by the absence of a deputy speaker. On whether the BJP had begun negotiations with allies or even with a friendly party to finalise a name, the second functionary said the issue has not been discussed yet. There has been speculation that the BJP this time may offer the post to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), a friendly party headed by Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik. The name of senior BJD leader and Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) who also heads the parliamentary standing committee on labour, is doing the rounds. If he indeed elected, he will have to give up his membership of the PAC. Both BJP and BJD functionaries declined to comment on the issue. In the Rajya Sabha, the BJP offered the post of deputy chairperson to its Bihar ally, the Janata Dal (United). Harivansh of the JD(U) is among the Rajya Sabha members whose term ends in April. In all, the term o f 51 members comes to an end in April and there are already four vacancies in the Rajya Sabha. The elections for these 55 seats in 17 states will be held on March 26. Seven seats will go to the polls in Maharashtra followed by six in Tamil Nadu, five each in West Bengal and Bihar, four each in Odisha, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, three each in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Assam, two each in Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Jharkhand and one each in Himachal Pradesh, Manipur and Meghalaya. New Delhi: The Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday (March 8) assured that the nation's security agencies are capable of handling "any untoward situation", according to a report by news agency PTI. His remark comes days after protests had erupted in Dhaka and other districts against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The protestors demanded that PM Hasina should cancel Modi's his visit. "We will welcome Prime Minister Modi with the state of honour. Members of our law enforcement agencies will act alongside armed forces across the country to ensure his security," Khan was quoted as saying by the Daily Star, reported news agency PTI. He added that the Bangladesh home minister said the law enforcement agencies are ready "so that no one can create any untoward situation" during Modi's visit. PM Modi is scheduled to visit Dhaka on March 17 at the invitation of his Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the centenary celebrations of Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. According to sources, PM Modi is expected to assuage Bangladesh's concerns over the citizenship law and the NRC during his visit. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla who was in Bangladesh earlier this month, assured Bangladesh that the updation of the NRC will have "no implications" for its people. He also asserted that the process is "entirely internal" to the country. Guwahati (Assam) [India], Mar 7 (ANI): As the coronavirus continues to spread across Asia and Europe, the small kingdom of Bhutan amid the steep Himalayas, reported the first case of the novel virus on Friday. A US citizen tested positive after spending at least a week on the Brahmaputra river cruise in Assam as part of his India tour last month just before he flew to the Himalayan country. District Collector Jorhat Roshni Korati of Assam, in a statement, said that the foreigner had travelled to Jorhat on February 22 and proceeded to Guwahati via the river cruise MV Mahabaahu Brahmaputra on February 23. The river cruise that has returned to Neematighat in Jorhat consisted of 22 guests and 29 crew members. "We are monitoring the issue closely, and are equipped to deal with the situation. Hence, there is no need for panic," Korati in a statement. Meanwhile, the crew as well as the passengers who travelled on the MV Mahabahu Brahmaputra cruise, from February 22-28, have been placed in isolation. In relief, the health team who have been monitoring the daily status of those quarantined informed that they are all asymptomatic. As of March 6, India reported 31 cases of the deadly virus that originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last December. Six days after Chinese state media reported the first known death from an illness caused by the virus which has already killed more than 3,000 people and spread to 60 countries, India began screening people at airports located at various parts across the country from January 17 onwards. (ANI) By Express News Service BENGALURU: Even as the state machinery is ramping up its efforts to tackle the spread of COVID-19, a 28-year-old software engineer, employed in Paris, was admitted in a Vijayapura hospital with symptoms of the disease on Friday. The techie, a native of Hungund, was working in Paris for the last eight months and returned on February 5. In Ballari district, a third suspected case was reported on Saturday. The Hosapete native landed in Bengaluru from Dubai last week and later travelled to Hyderabad, where he is being treated. The Holi celebrations at Hampi, hugely popular with locals as well as foreign tourists, may also take a hit this time due to the coronavirus fears. Health department officials surveyed over a thousand houses in Gokarna of Karwar district, and 849 houses in the Tibetan colony at Mundgod. With masks and hand sanitisers becoming scarce and many pharmacies overcharging, the State Government has set up a special task force to deal with the situation. In Bengaluru, the BBMP has prepared a cluster contingency plan wherever there are suspected cases. The government has also planned to suspend biometric attendance for the time-being at its offices, and also in corporate and IT companies, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Saturday. Meanwhile, three more persons tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday, taking the number of confirmed cases in the country to 34. Tamil Nadu reported its first case of COVID-19 with a 45-year-old man, who recently visited Oman, testing positive. The two others are from Ladakh with travel history to Iran. reports: There is a reason the children of Fulorepada and Pisepada situated around 22 km east of Bhiwandi in Thane district drop out of school after Class 7: Autorickshaw fares. The nearest school from two of Maharashtras most backward tribal villages is more than eight kilometres away at Padgha, and the only way to reach that educational institution is an autorickshaw. The cost? 20 per person. One way. In a place where the average income barely manages to make a familys ends meet, 40 per day is a steep price to pay for education. Sakharam Katkari, a brick kiln worker, earns around 1,000 per week, and much of that income goes in sustaining a family of seven he and wife have four daughters and a son. One of his daughters, though, made history this past week. Dipali and three other teenagers became the first students from these two villages to appear for the career-defining Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams. Ravi Mali, Pooja Waghe and Avinash Waghe all 15, like Dipali are the other three. Ravis father Tukaram, a small-time fisherman, says his son wants to become a cop. Its been tough for us to continue his education. But he wants to be a policeman, so lets see how it goes, he says. The four students belong to the Katkari community, a vulnerable scheduled tribe with less than three lakh members spread across the 35 districts of Maharashtra, according to the 2011 Census. There are Katkaris in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Karnataka, too, but the numbers are negligible. Both Fulorepada and Pisepada have zilla parishad schools up to Class 4. To study up to Class 7, children have to go to the neighbouring Chiradpada. Heres where it gets tricky. With autorickshaw fares being what they are (I will have to give up my entire income to afford the transport, Katkari says), most families opt out of schooling as they just cannot afford the ride to Padgha. The girls that drop out of school, locals say, end up helping their mothers with household chores and get married by the time they are 18. Child marriage is the norm here, a villager told HT. The boys, on the other hand, help their fathers in the family vocation or move out in search of a job. However, some things changed in 2015, when a Mumbai-based organisation stepped in to support these four children. Children had to drop out due to socio-economic reasons and because the school was just too far, says Aniket Salvi, a Vile Parle-based political science teacher, who founded Rajani Foundation India the same year, along with like-minded college friends. A few volunteers from our foundation would come here (the two villages) every Sunday to teach these students so that they do not lag behind. Soon, the foundation decided to support 100 children from the two villages. This meant that Pooja, Dipali, Ravi and Avinash could continue their education. The first three enrolled at Sharda Vidyalay, Padgha, while Avinash is a student of New English School, Aamne, around 4 km from Fulorepada. For the villagers, the absence of a senior secondary school is just one of those things they have come to accept. Children want to study and parents too want to educate them, but what option do we have, says Gulab Katkari, the sarpanch of Pisepada. For girls, travelling far on foot is a risk no family wants to take. Parents would rather let their daughters drop out of school and start working to add to the family income, she says. Pooja Waghe, who lives in Pisepada with her parents and two siblings, says children who go to school have to often juggle between work and studies. My father is a plumber and travels to Padgha every day. I help my mother at home and also have to be on the farm to work. Whatever time is left, I study. On days when there is no transport, the children have to spend close to two hours to reach their school. Salvi, now 28, says convincing parents to keep their children, especially girls, in school is a herculean task. Girls often get married early in these communities, and sending them to school is seen as a burden, he says. Avinash Waghes sister Komal, for instance, dropped out in 2017 while in Class 9 after their mother died of cancer. My sister had to stay at home because there was no one to cook meals and take care of the house, Avinash says. We tell her to go back to school, but she seems to have lost interest. Komal is not alone. Laxman Karve, principal of the Chiradpada ZP School, says student chronic absenteeism is a problem. Children are not serious about school, and both parents and the faculty struggle to get them to attend every day. Once their parents go to work, there is no one to monitor them. This is another reason for the high dropout rate. It is a minor miracle, therefore, that these four children have survived all kinds of odds to give the SSC exams that began on March 3. It is not just about the physical barriers of distance and public transport; it is also about the prevailing socio-cultural norms. I like to study, says Dipali, but we have a small house and there is hardly any space to sit peacefully and concentrate. She points to a makeshift swing tied to a tree and says she sits there all day to try and study as much as she can. While she is doing that, her father Sakharam climbs atop a small raft made of packaging material and makes his way to work on the other side of the Basta River. Lunch time is over, and he has to go back to earning money for his family. are you reading now? Transcendence: How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty And Time by Gaia Vince. It's poignant and maybe downright perverse that we are only coming to a popular understanding of ourselves just as we might be going over, in our lemming-like fashion, the cliff of climate criminality. But here is the miraculous creature we are: unlikely, poignant, astonishing. It is interesting that there is no part of the brain particularly given over to language it pervades every part. And yet music and words are sisters, more or less. Costa-winning novelist Sebastian Barry is reading Transcendence: How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty And Time by Gaia Vince Much to think about, before we wave goodbye to ourselves. This book gives rise to many such thoughts and, for all its science, is written with merciful clarity. Was ever a writer for this topic graced with a more fitting first name? would you take to a desert island? The Collected Poems of Jack Gilbert would be as permanently fertile as any other book. He was, impossibly, the laureate of fiery Detroit, or at least a native son. When I lived in Greece in 1980, he had a house the other side of our mountain. His beloved fellow poet Linda Gregg had a house neighbouring to mine. One day on the old mountain track a surface of worn Parian marble, a fringe of herbs and snakes in the twilight I bumped into Gilbert briefly. He looked like a Roman emperor in miniature, steely and intent Marcus Aurelius (above) maybe. We greeted each other, we passed by. We said almost nothing, but for some reason, I often think of him there. He is dead now, as is Linda. But truly dead? Unlikely. His glorious poems are proof of Einsteinian time. first gave you the reading bug? A vexed question, because it is my memory that I couldn't read till I was eight or so. I don't remember it being a huge problem, though I do recall my teacher sitting me down with one of the brighter pupils to try and learn. I only remember how beautiful she was. But it didn't help me read. Marble head of Roman Emperor Marc Aurele Finally, we returned to Ireland, and at the little National School in Dalkey, after first retrieving an Irish accent for fear of being murdered in the yard for my London one, they had a book called the Catholic Catechism. Who made the world? God made the world? An immediately interesting plot, then. And small words, and helpfully spoken out loud. My parents were agnostic so I had never heard such things. Gradually though it opened up the previously closed world of the shelves and shelves of Penguin paperbacks with their red spines in my father's bookcase. left you cold? A book that leaves you cold might not necessarily be a bad book, of course. Almost any book will be rejected by some. Maybe I loved many of his poems too much, but it was painful trying to get through Sir Philip Sidney's The Old Arcadia. I read it in the summer break from Trinity College, and I still remember its strange and ancient landscapes. Also, I read it in rather similar Arcadian circumstances, aged 20, sitting by a beautiful little river in Coolattin, Wicklow, with my then seven-year-old brother wading there eternally, catching minnows in his bucket. So it should have been perfect. But the chill of an evaporated classicism drove my heart from that book. One thing thats been really striking about the long-running (too-long-running?) series of Democratic presidential debates is how many hours have been spent jawboning about universal health care plans like Medicare for All and how little time has been spent debating something else that could save tens of thousands of American lives. That thing is universal higher education, which unfortunately is often simplified by friend and foe alike into free college. OK, so most people agree that it should be easier and less expensive to attend college, in an economy where a diploma is frequently demanded as the price of admission. But not going to college in todays America could kill you? To a lot of folks, thats going to sound a little crazy. But thats the explosive premise of a new book called Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism, which was written by the married Princeton University academics Anne Case and Angus Deaton and comes out on March 17, right in the middle of the 2020 primary season. Based on the advance write-ups, the perfectly timed tome could reshape Americas political debate much as another academic work, Thomas Pikettys Capital in the Twenty-First Century, altered the way we looked at income inequality. Case and Deaton first broke into the political conversation about three years ago when they reported that a lot of things that were happening in 2010s America including the crisis of opioid abuse and overdoses and a sharply rising suicide rate among middle-aged, middle-class men were part of a broader trend they dubbed deaths of despair. Their initial research dovetailed with the startling statistic, that contrary to just about every other developed nation the United States had seen its life expectancy decline for three consecutive years for the first time since a story thats been getting rehashed a lot in the news lately, the years surrounding the global influenza outbreak of 1918. Yet the jarring term of deaths of despair gave the conversation a better grasp of what but not so much why. Clearly the rapid deindustrialization of America during the latter 20th century, most intense in those inland Rust Belt counties that also swung dramatically to the right-wing populism of Donald Trump in the 2016 election, seemed to be a factor, as well as the lack of social bonds in an atomized society. Now, the years of additional research by Case and Deaton has brought the No. 1 factor into clearer focus. They found that rates of death by suicide, drug overdoses and alcohol-related illnesses were relatively low among older white men without college degrees as recently as the late 1990s but have skyrocketed since then. Whats more, death rates are also spiking for younger men without diplomas. The authors blame both working conditions for the millions whove been shut out of the so-called knowledge economy, the frayed institutions that make so many feel alone, and a uniquely American sense that failure isnt because of the system, that instead its your fault. European countries have faced the same kind of technological change we have, and theyre not seeing the people killing themselves with guns or drugs or alcohol, Case told the New York Times David Leonhardt and Stuart A. Thompson in a major op-ed announcing the book. There is something unique about the way the U.S. is handling this. They note that in the past, working-class people were part of both stable companies and, often, labor unions that offered not just better working conditions and a sense of self-worth thats not easily found in oppressive warehouse or fast-food jobs with erratic hours or a lack of access to health care. This results not only in early death but divorce, social isolation, or even, they note, struggling just to walk up the stairs. But rising despair among even younger people isnt breaking news to people who live in historically working-class areas like lower Bucks County just north of Philadelphia; in 2018 I wrote in this space about the Pennsbury school board president who lost one 20-something child to heroin and another to suicide, and who looked at one high school graduating class from the late 2000s and found about 100 out of 890 had died, most from drugs or suicide. I dont know how many of those 100 didnt attend college, or dropped out because of the cost in a state like Pennsylvania, which has some of the highest public university tuition in America. I suspect the number was high. In recent days, Ive become fascinated with the idea that the warped way that American higher education had developed in the 75 years since the end of World War II has more to do with why were so divided, angry, and pessimistic about the future than people realize. Think about it. In the middle of the 20th century, only 5 percent of Americans, from the most elite families, earned four-year degrees. Starting with the GI Bill in 1944, we defined college first as the aspirational American Dream and later as a requirement for the only jobs worth having in a knowledge economy. Yet, incredibly, after opening the post-war spigot of college for the average American, we shut it down at close to the 50 percent mark. And yet somehow were surprised that the other 50 percent are so angry and resentful. Its become conventional wisdom that Trump and the GOP recaptured the White House in 2016 with massive support from the white, not-college-educated classes, including many who hadnt voted in past elections but were energized by a demagogue who seemed to hate the elites in academia or journalism as much as they did. Less well understood is that working-class contempt specifically for college was the secret sauce of Trumpism. According to one survey after the 2016 election, 61 percent of white working-class men had a negative view of college education as a risky gamble, and those voters were twice more likely to vote for Trump. That reports author called this economic fatalism and explained: The enduring narrative of the American dream is that if you study and get a college education and work hard, you can get ahead. The survey shows that many white working-class Americans, especially men, no longer see that path available to them." Dig deeper and youll find that college is the thing that broke America in two, although these days its really more a case of dividing us into three. Its not surprising that the three remaining major presidential candidates represent each of these classes and their increasingly warring cultures. Trump is clearly the candidate of what he calls the forgotten Americans, especially those over 50 who came of age when blue-collar work was still a path to a vacation cottage or a motorboat, and who now wonder what the hell went wrong. Sen. Bernie Sanders is fighting for the under-35 voters who so internalized college as the only path to the American Dream they took on crushing debts in the quest to get there. And while Joe Bidens support is more diverse and more complicated, a chunk of it comes from boomers in affluent bedroom communities like Northern Virginia who benefited from college before the system was broken, who dont see what the Bernie fuss is all about, and who want to return to their mimosa-fueled Sunday brunches without Trumps rude tweets. READ MORE: Suicide, drugs, despair: Americas biggest crisis is the one we dont talk about | Will Bunch Heres the deal. No one would ever create a system the way that American higher education has devolved with insane runaway tuition, private universities that serve as country clubs for the children of the 1 Percent, a worsening mismatch between college coursework and the jobs that actually exist, and predatory lenders and for-profit scamsters starting from scratch. A radical rethinking should be the top campaign issue in 2020. Two things need to happen. The first is to stop defining the American Dream strictly as a four-year college diploma, but instead with a greater role for vocational schools, community college or even less traditional post-high school paths like internships or public service. Thats to be followed by the political will to make all of these options not just accessible but essentially universal to our young people in the 18-22 age group, which will require a big increase in government spending. We cant afford that, you say? First of all, you never asked if we could afford $1 trillion for a nearly 19-year war in Afghanistan that has accomplished absolutely nothing, And now, knowing that the current rigged system is literally killing people who ought to be happy and productive citizens, how can we afford not to? READ MORE: What Pete Buttigieg doesnt get about how college has ripped America in two | Will Bunch And yet no one is quite there. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who, regrettably, left the presidential race last week, had maybe the most detailed higher-ed plan that was heavily focused on eliminating most of Americas staggering $1.4 trillion college debt but arguably less attentive to the needs of the half whove been shut out. Among those still in the hunt, the Biden plan that focuses on free community college is arguably way too narrow, while Sanders who deserves a lot of praise for injecting the idea of free public-university education into mainstream politics can do a better job making the average voter understand how hed finance this. And Trump scores far too many political points bashing egghead-y elites to actually care about breaking down barriers. We need to do a lot better. All but a few crackpots think that free universal public education in America up to age 18 is a basic human right, so its time to widen our definitions and expand those ideals into the 21st century. A country that holds out college as the only route to the American Dream and then makes it either unattainable or unaffordable to all but the children of multimillionaires is instead creating a nightmare. Lets mark 2020 on the calendar as the year we turned that around and even saved a few lives in the process. Are pets at risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus? After a dog in Hong Kong tested a weak positive for the virus, questions have been raised over how pet owners can best proceed during an outbreak. Still, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization say there is no evidence that pets can spread the virus. What about the dog in Hong Kong? Officials in Hong Kong have urged dog owners not to kiss their pets, the Guardian reports. The dog that tested positive is a Pomeranian whose owner has the coronavirus disease, or COVID-19. Information is preliminary, but it is believed that the dog possibly contracted the virus from its owner. The dog reportedly did not show symptoms, but a second test this month confirmed the initial weak positive result after a nasal swab was taken following a quarantine period, ScienceNews reports. What should pet owners in the United States do? No dogs have tested positive for the coronavirus in the United States. However, CDC guidelines say pet owners who are sick or show symptoms of the coronavirus disease should limit contact with their pets. People who are sick with infectious diseases are careful to avoid transmitting that disease to other people, and they use common-sense measures to do so," Dr. Gail Golab, chief veterinary officer of the American Veterinary Medical Association, told NJ Advance Media in an email. These common-sense measures include minimizing contact, washing their hands and using hand sanitizer, and coughing or sneezing into their elbow or sleeve rather than directly at another person. "The same precautions apply to preventing the spread of COVID-19 to people and, out of an abundance of caution, were recommending they take the same common sense approach when interacting with their pets. A man wearing a face mask carries his dog along a street in Jiujiang in China's central Jiangxi province on Friday. Masks are one measure being recommended for when pet owners have symptoms of coronavirus disease.Noel Celis | AFP via Getty Images Not recommended: sharing food with dogs and pets as well as snuggling, petting, or other close contact, like letting dogs lick you. If you were to become ill with COVID-19, you should have someone else take care of walking, feeding, and playing with your pets, Golab said. If you must care for them, then wear a face mask; dont share food, kiss, or hug them; and wash your hands before and after any contact with your pet. She said those who are in quarantine should stay in a room away from other people and pets and use a separate bathroom, if possible. What else can you do for your pet to prepare for the coronavirus? Golab recommends having an emergency kit prepared with at least two weeks worth of food and medication for your pet, in case pet owners must enter self-isolation or quarantine. If possible, you should have another member of your household care for your pet in your home in a separate area, she says. Have a tip? Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. May 2021: INDEPENDENT EVALUATIONS DURING COVID-19: UNODC's GLOBAL PROGRAMME FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DOHA DECLARATION: SUCCESSFUL SIDE EVENT AT THE COMMISSION ON CRIME PREVENTION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (CCPCJ). Click here for the full web story. The Independent Evaluation Section (IES) held an on-line CCPCJ side-event, organized with the support of the Programme Management, with a focus on the In-depth Evaluation of the Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration. See Evaluation Report; Evaluation Brief. April 2021: INDEPENDENT EVALUATION RESULTS OF UNODC WORK IN WEST AND CENTRAL ASIA: SUCCESSFUL SIDE EVENT AT THE COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS (CND). Click here for the full web story. The Independent Evaluation Section (IES) held an on-line CND side-event, organized in collaboration with Programme Management, with a focus on the In-Depth Evaluation of UNODC's work in West and Central Asia. See Evaluation Report; Evaluation Brief. March 2021: EVALUATION FOR CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGIES: SUCCESSFUL WORKSHOP ON EVIDENCE-BASED CRIME PREVENTION AT 14TH CRIME CONGRESS IN KYOTO. Click here for the full web story. The Independent Evaluation Section (IES) held a workshop at the 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (Crime Congress) in Kyoto, in cooperation with UNODC's Research and Trend Analysis Branch, with a focus on Evidence-based Crime Prevention. November 2020: EVALUATION OF THE GLOBAL PROGRAMME GLOZ82 FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DOHA DECLARATION: TOWARDS THE PROMOTION OF A CULTURE OF LAWFULNESS. Click here for the full web story. Due to COVID-19, the Independent Evaluation Section (IES), has invested in enhanced evaluation methods and innovative solutions. One best practice is the In-depth Evaluation of the Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration. See Evaluation Report; Evaluation Brief. October 2020: EVALUATION IN THE TIME OF COVID-19. Click here for the full web story. The COVID-19 pandemic is increasing risks and changing environments related to UNODCs mandated areas of work. This means that the need for effective evaluation is as important as ever. See Evaluation and COVID-19. April 2020: EVALUATION OF GLOT60 - SUPPORT TO THE WORK OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME: WORKSHOP TO DEVELOP A THEORY OF CHANGE FOR SUCCESSOR PROGRAMME. Click here for the full web story. The results of the Final Evaluation of the Global Project GLOT60 were presented in a workshop, with an aim to develop a Theory of Change for the follow-up initiative. See Evaluation Report; Evaluation Brief. March 2020: THE ROLE OF NATIONAL MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEMS IN POLICY AND PROGRAMMING FOR DRUG PREVENTION AND HIV/AIDS: SUCCESSFUL SIDE EVENT AT THE COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS (CND) Click here for the full web story. The Independent Evaluation Section (IES), organized a CND side-event, co-sponsored by UNODC's Drug Prevention & Health Branch, with a focus on lessons learned and challenges in national monitoring and evaluation systems. In the age of #MeToo, women in the arts are being listened to and celebrated like never before. They are making art that changes the world, fighting for the female gaze, and holding powerful men to account. But theres still a long way to go. This years Oscars were widely criticised for snubbing female directors such as Greta Gerwig and Marielle Heller, and the lack of nominations for women at the Brit Awards was branded an absolute disgrace. Frances Cesar Awards, meanwhile, made headlines after convicted sex offender Roman Polanski was named Best Director. His win prompted walkouts with actor Adele Haenel shouting shame! as she left the ceremony. And just last month, Harvey Weinstein was convicted of rape, but many of his victims were left disappointed that he was acquitted of the most serious charges made against him. In 2020, International Womens Day is more important than ever, and encourages us to applaud the women in our lives and strive for more progress. To mark the day, we spoke to women in the arts who inspired us, from actors Kristin Scott Thomas and Kathy Burke and musicians Ella Eyre and Anna Calvi, to authors Tayari Jones and Sophie Mackintosh. Whats the most satisfying challenge you have overcome? Seeing my first, unpublished novel rejected by over 40 publishers, but writing another one anyway Sophie Mackintosh, author of Blue Ticket and The Water Cure, which was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2018 Childbirth Priyanga Burford, star of Press and The Thick of It Being a black female debut author Candice Carty-Williams, writer of Queenie I used to walk into a room full of people. I would find it intimidating, I was shy. But now, whilst this remains challenging, I have more trust in myself and have found the tools to face this head on Kristin Scott Thomas, star of Military Wives, in cinemas now Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Kristin Scott Thomas in Fleabag (BBC) What changes do you want to see in your industry? I want to see more voices represented. We need to represent our society, not just a tiny fraction of it. I also want to see more family friendly hours so people can have a life at the same time as being good at their jobs. They shouldnt be mutually exclusive Daisy Haggard, star of Breeders out on Sky1 on 12 March Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up I would like it to be kinder, fairer and the catering to be better. Aaaand it should be an industry standard that I am paid minimum 1 mil per day Natasia Demetriou, star of What We Do in the Shadows and Stath Lets Flats Bigger and more frequent deals for diverse voices, less underestimating readers desire for difficult books, better support for authors at all stages of their careers, and greater visibility for small presses Sophie Mackintosh Equal opportunities. The scale is still tipped the other way. Women are not paid equally and it still baffles me that its like this in 2020 Twinnie, whose album Hollywood Gypsy is out on 17 April More LGBTQ+ artists breaking into the mainstream in music and therefore acting as representation for younger queer kids Arlo Parks, whose new single Eugene is out now Aminatta Fornas The Memory of Love was shortlisted for the 2011 Orange Prize for Fiction (Getty) I wish people would stop telling novelists what we can and cant write. There was a time women writers (when they could get published) were told to stick to the domestic. Women fought hard to write about themes traditionally reserved for men, in my case war. But once again we have people insisting we writers stay in our lane, be it race, sex or sexuality. Fiction is an imaginative art. Accept that even if you dont like whats written or stick to reading non-fiction Aminatta Forna, author of Happiness Comparisons. As a young female artist in the UK, I find that the industry tends to compare me with other female artists just because its easier to do that than hold us all in different ways. Thats quite frustrating. Particularly when I feel like were all doing things so differently Mahalia, whose album Love and Compromise is out now Supporting and believing in women further, prioritising quality over quantity and culturally impactful artists over something trendy and cheap. More understanding of the health of artists from people in the industry and fans Lynn Gunn from PVRIS, whose new album Use Me is out on 1 May Like everybody else, I want to see more women on festival line-ups. Not only because we deserve equal opportunities to share music with those audiences, but because there are so many phenomenal female performers out there that those audiences deserve to discover Ella Eyre, whose single New Me is out now Ella Eyre performing at the Roundhouse in 2018 (Rex) I want to see more female producers and I want Instagram to get a good therapist Delilah Montagu, whose In Gold EP is out now I want to see more women. More! More! More! Of every colour, creed, shape and size. I have said it before and I will say it again, unless the plot demands the character do a party trick with his penis, then I see no reason why that character cant be a woman Sinead Keenan, star of Little Boy Blue and Being Human "Its unfortunate that there are so many starving artists. I would love to see more people thriving, and creating from a place of freedom, and it be less of a financial burden" - Warpaint's Jennylee, whose new single "Im So Tired" is out now What makes you happy? Eating, sunlight Sophie Mackintosh Writing, singing, dancing, playing live, being creative, hanging out with my family and friends. FOOD Twinnie Japanese food, the Beach Boys, messy birthday parties, FaceTiming loved ones Arlo Parks Tanya Reynolds and Patricia Allison (right) in Sex Education (Netflix) Finding the rogue pure chocolate one in a packet of Revels Priyanga Burford My default state is melancholy. But I like it when women tell me that Queenie made them feel less lonely Candice Carty-Williams Fresh air Tanya Reynolds, star of Sex Education and Emma (From left) Jessie Ware, Mahalia, Laura Whitmore and Ella Eyre attend last months Central Saint Martins MA show at London Fashion Week (PA) What makes you angry? Racism Kathy Burke, comedian and actor of French and Saunders fame Ignorance, sexism, racism, climate change deniers Daisy Haggard Constipation Natasia Demetriou Ignorance, violence, arrogance and being interrupted Arlo Parks Cruelty and stupidity. Social media has done a lot to unmask the awfulness of some people. Maybe we should be grateful. After all, they were always there Aminatta Forna All the -isms. Racism, Sexism, Ageism, Homophobia, Xenophobia. Bigotry in general Tayari Jones, the winner of the Womens Prize for Fiction in 2019 for her novel An American Marriage Natasia Demetriou in California in 2020 (Getty) People who refuse to dance themselves and then stand at the edge of the dance floor judging all the people who are dancing... miserable gits... Priyanga Burford Self-service check out counters Ella Eyre Injustice. Not much else makes me actively angry. Apart from people getting on the Tube before the other passengers have stepped off Candice Carty-Williams When was the last time you cried? Over the passing of my mate Michael Daisy May Cooper, creator and star of BBC mockumentary This Country Talking with a mutual friend about the glorious Roger Lloyd Pack. They were happy memory tears. He was a unique human being and I miss him Kathy Burke In the shower a few days ago, but I quite enjoyed it. Theres really something about a cathartic shower-cry Sophie Mackintosh When Divina de Campo (RuPauls Drag Race UK finalist) talks about being in school as a kid with Section 28 and how hard it was with bullying to be a gay kid in Britain Fiona Campbell, BBC3 controller Winner of Female in a Comedy for This Country at the 2018 Baftas, Daisy May Cooper (Getty) Oh I cry a lot. And laugh even more Daisy Haggard This morning Rosie Price, author of What Red Was When I came across a picture of 14-year-old George Stinney being prepared for his execution in South Carolina in 1944 Aminatta Forna Yesterday because I felt sad for no reason Delilah Montagu Mahalia attends the Warner Music Group pre-Grammy party in 2020 (Getty) I cried recently watching Judy, what a tragic life. It made me cry when she no longer had the strength to perform Georgia, whose album Seeking Thrills is out now Yesterday I listened to Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel and cried for about 10 minutes. It doesnt take a lot to set me off, though Candice Carty-Williams At JFK airport a few days ago after spending a very special week with one of my dearest friends who is seriously ill. The security guard asked me to take my trainers off and I burst into tears. I think he was a bit taken aback Elizabeth Day, the host of the How To Fail podcast and book of the same name Yesterday when I saw Portrait of a Lady on Fire. It is divine in every way and there is a moment that made me bawl Tanya Reynolds I woke up crying from a dream a few nights ago where I was marooned on an island and a tiger was stalking me Anna Calvi Anna Calvi (Maisie Cousins) Who is the woman who has most inspired you in your life? Im going to say my godmother, Professor Heidi Mirza. Because of her, I knew what feminism was before I could even speak Candice Carty-Williams My mum, she taught me how being kind is the most important quality to have Daisy May Cooper Actress and film director Mia Zetterling is the woman who has most inspired me. I was fortunate enough to have her as my very first director. She took me under her wing and horse-whispered all the right advice about how I could make a success of myself as a woman in our industry Kathy Burke One of the earliest women who inspired me was French actress Jeanne Moreau because she was different from any other actress, she was a beautiful woman without the usual feminine appeals. She was different, she was an intellectual, she was fiercely independent. I loved her in Jules & Jim which I watched very young, I listened to her records a lot too. Nina Simone was also a big role model for me. The way she would command her piano and her audience onstage was mesmerising. There is no one like her Jehnny Beth, whose album To Love is To Live is out 8 May My mother. I didnt realise it until I wrote a piece about a trip we took together last year. She was born into a conservative Scottish family. She wrote her own script for the life she wanted and as a result I grew up assuming every choice was mine to make Aminatta Forna Kathy Burke (Ian Gavan/Getty) (Getty) My mum, not just because she is sitting with me now but her strength and the fact that she has never cared what anyone else thinks has always been an example to me. Along with her stunning poetry Delilah Montagu My manager Jeannette Lee is so inspiring, and the women who work in the management company. My mum is incredibly inspiring, she has overcome so many challenges in her life and to see her do that and still be strong and individual has been the most incredible thing to witness. She would hate me mentioning her, but she deserves it, she has been such a supportive force in my career, I really could not do it without her. I would also mention Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, Karen Carpenter & Missy Elliot have been the soundtrack to my development as a human being Georgia What would you tell your 16-year-old self? Grow your bloody hair! I had a skinhead and looked like a t**t Kathy Burke Just F it you have to believe in your path it will work out fine but keep working bloody hard, be nice to everyone you meet, you are lucky to be here Fiona Campbell That Wonderbra doesnt make your boobs look bigger, it makes it look like you have one boob in the middle of your chest with a bum crack in it Natasia Demetriou When life kicks in, kick back Jehnny Beth One day people will listen to you and it will feel better than you ever imagined Arlo Parks The coursework element of your Food Technology GCSE is not as important as you think it is, but its also fine if you really want to try Rosie Price Jehhny Beth (Getty) If I had to give myself a word of warning I would say, dont take other people at their word so much. It has taken me a long time to accept just how much people dissemble. A little financial planning might not be the worst idea, either Aminatta Forna Stop stressing in school so much. It turns out, youre not gonna go to college, lol. Also that hair 100% does NOT look good on you or anyone, please save yourself now and just dont do it Lynn Gunn Youre an absolute corker, and dont you forget it! Priyanga Burford I know that fitting in seems like the most important thing in the world but when you leave school, all youll want to do is stand out. So be yourself, and youll thank yourself for it later L Devine, whose album Boring People is out now Love yourself, know yourself, trust yourself Mahalia You have done nothing wrong and you are beautiful Delilah Montagu Youll feel amazing when youre 40 Elizabeth Day Priyanga Burford (Rex) Speak up, stop making yourself feel small, and stop worrying about how a boy might feel about you and consider how you actually feel about boys. Your feelings are valid, young lady Tanya Reynolds I would tell myself that no, Im not the only queer person in the world, and I will eventually meet someone I love, and who loves me back Anna Calvi Look! Youre actually doing it! Georgia "Embrace your freak! Its ALWAYS the cherry on top... and dont be frightened of the roads less travelled" - Jennylee What is your biggest indulgence? Scented candles and ghost hunting equipment Daisy May Cooper Napping Sophie Mackintosh Crisps and taxis and Deliveroo think Im a business, embarrassingly Daisy Haggard Farting Natasia Demetriou Jammie Dodgers and a cup a tea to dip them in. I actively avoid the biscuit aisle now because I have absolutely no restraint when it comes to finishing a whole packet in one go Ella Eyre Genuinely, books Candice Carty-Williams Daisy Haggard (Getty) What are you watching, listening to, and reading at the moment? Im reading Saving Missy by Beth Morrey. Its a beautifully written novel about the loneliness and subsequent saving of an elderly woman in north London. Im watching series three of This Country by the genius Cooper siblings and the second series of Home by the gorgeous Rufus Jones Kathy Burke Succession [on HBO] / Masseduction by St Vincent / Real Life by Brandon Taylor Sophie Mackintosh Watching the brilliant Unbelievable on Netflix, a true story about two female detectives who join together after a series of sexual assaults are left unsolved. I found it devastating and empowering and just brilliant Daisy Haggard I am watching a lot of life hack videos because I just bought a glue gun and learning that you can melt a bag of toy soldiers into the form of a bowl and spray paint it gold is invaluable Natasia Demetriou Im listening to a lot of Sega Bodega, Prince and the Meters. Im reading Anna Karenina by Tolstoy at the moment and recently started binge-watching all the Studio Ghibli movies Arlo Parks Sophie Mackintosh (Sophie Davidson) (Photo credit: Sophie Davidson) I am listening to a lot of Lizzo, on repeat. The world is not always an easy place to be, and there are certain songs that can take you to a place of hopefulness, or at least to the possibility of hope. I also just listened to an amazing interview with Rebecca Solnit where she talks about the ways that different extremes of gender violence feed off one another the power of subtler, more pernicious examples of gender violence, or simply violence as a threat, lies in the knowledge and fear of its most extreme expression. This is why the narrative of people overcoming experiences of sexual violence can be misleading theres no way of moving on if you are still living with violence as a possibility. I think its really vital to acknowledge this. Crucially, it doesnt mean we shouldnt have hope that we can change things Rosie Price I just finished watching I Am Not Okay With This on Netflix. It was really fun, I love anything about teen angst. And Ive been relistening to a lot of my favourite albums from my childhood this week, its Gwen Stefanis Love. Angel. Music. Baby L Devine I just watched Love is Blind on Netflix which absolutely blew my mind. The concept is pure chaos from start to finish and I finished it in 48 hours Ella Eyre I am OBSESSED with the Dear Joan and Jericha podcast. I am listening to it on repeat because Ive finished it all but I cant get enough of it. And Im reading Orlando by Virginia Wolfe Tanya Reynolds Im watching Love Is Blind on Netflix (and anyone who isnt is missing out). Im finally getting around to reading Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo and its brilliant Elizabeth Day Im reading The Outsider by Albert Camus, listening to Mina, and the last film I watched was The Lighthouse directed by Robert Eggers Anna Calvi The family of a Navy diver are demanding answers after his sudden death at a charity-run accommodation for homeless veterans. Specialist diver Josh Manning's body was found in his room at RSL Lifecare's Anzac Village in Narrabeen, on Sydney's northern beaches, last October. The 36-year-old father-of-one had complex health requirements and had been taking anti-seizure medication in the lead up to his death. Mr Manning's parents are questioning whether nurses caring for him up had ensured he was taking his medication in the days before he suffered a seizure and died. His father, Mike Manning, told ABC: 'We still haven't got the answers we want as to... why they, in our opinion, failed in his duty of care.' The family of specialist navy diver Josh Manning (pictured right), 36, are questioning the circumstances surrounding his death at RSL Lifecare's Anzac Village in Narrabeen in 2019 The family are calling for RSL Lifecare to release a report on the care that Josh received prior to his fatal seizure. Mr Manning joined the navy at just 18 years old in 2001 and qualified as a Navy clearance diver in 2006. He was sent away on classified missions that his family believe eventually caused him great trauma and anxiety. The diver suffered from a serious hip fracture in 2010 which saw him begin to drink heavily. He was then discharged from the navy in 2013 after he began experiencing frequent seizures. Mr Manning ended up on the streets of Melbourne after struggling with depression, seizures and alcohol abuse. In 2016 he was offered an apartment at the Anzac Village through the the Homes for Heroes program. The program for homeless veterans provided Josh with regular medical treatments for his PTSD, life-threatening seizures and drinking problem. Mr Manning said that his son was dependent on a variety of medications to stay alive and needed close supervision in order to ensure he took them. Josh was transferred to a triage facility in August 2019 which his family claimed caused him more anxiety and worsened his health conditions. Manning (pictured) suffered from PTSD, life-threatening seizures and a drinking problem His mother, Diana Lord, said that she insisted Josh be checked on twice a day to ensure he was taking his medication but later found out staff were not doing so. Ms Lord said that on the day her son died 'Some other guys heard some noises in his room, but no-one went to check on him.' 'Around 11.15am one of the staff called his phone, but he did not answer, and at about 12.15pm she decided to go and check on him in his room and found that he'd passed away,' Ms Lord said. The Manning family are calling for a coronial inquiry into the circumstances of Josh's death. A spokesperson from RSL Lifecare, Wesley Mission and Homes for Heroes said they were 'deeply saddened' by Josh's death. Saudi Arabia's King Salman was shown in state media Sunday in apparent good health and working, just days after the arrest of two senior princes triggered speculation about a possible coup attempt or a sudden deterioration in the king's health. Two people close to the royal family said Saturday that the two princes were under arrest for not supporting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has consolidated control of all major levers of power inside the kingdom with the support of his father, King Salman. The arrests of the king's younger and beloved brother, Prince Ahmed bin Abdelaziz, and the king's nephew and former counterterrorism czar, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, came after what one person in Saudi Arabia with knowledge of the arrests described as an accumulation of behaviour that was provocative to leadership. The source added that the arrests sent a message to anyone in the royal family feeling disenfranchised: Stop grumbling and toe the line because if Prince Ahmed can be arrested, any prince can and will be. Prince Ahmed was seen as a person who royals could look to when feeling vexed with the crown prince's grip on power, the person said. The reports of a crackdown emerged early Friday. In the king's first appearance since then, state media showed the 84-year-old king on Sunday standing and greeting two Saudi diplomats being sworn in as ambassadors. He was previously seen Thursday meeting with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in Riyadh. The arrests came as a surprise, given that Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 60, was widely known to be under close surveillance since he was shunted out of the line of succession by the king's son in mid-2017, a person close to the royal court said. The arrest of Prince Ahmed, 78, was also unexpected since he is the king's full younger brother and also a senior member of the ruling Al Saud family. Prince Ahmed, however, has long held unfavourable views of the crown prince and was one of just a few senior princes to abstain from pledging allegiance to him when the young royal sidelined more senior princes to become first in line to the throne. Both princes had served previously in the post of interior minister, overseeing security and surveillance inside the kingdom. The Wall Street Journal first reported the arrests, quoting unidentified sources allied with the royal court as saying the princes were plotting a palace coup that would halt the rise of the crown prince. The Journal has since reported that the sweep broadened to include dozens of Interior Ministry officials, senior army officers and others suspected of supporting a coup attempt. The two people who talked to The Associated Press declined to characterize actions by the two princes as a coup attempt. They agreed to discuss the highly sensitive matter related to security only if granted anonymity. There has been no official comment from Saudi authorities on the arrests. The crown prince has succeeded in a few short years at sweeping aside any competition from royals older and more experienced than him. He has also overhauled the most powerful security bodies to report to him. Prince Mohammed bin Nayef is well-known and liked by U.S. intelligence officials for his counterterrorism cooperation in past years against al-Qaida. As head of the interior ministry, he was a feared and towering figure who oversaw the long arm of the government that both prosecuted and closely monitored and jailed dissidents and critics of the kingdom. Prince Ahmed has been seen as critical of the crown prince, including telling protesters who were accosting him in London to ask the king and his son about the humanitarian disaster sparked by the war in Yemen. Religiously conservative, the prince also recently grumbled over the decision to close Islam's holiest site in Mecca to stymie the spread of the new coronavirus, according to one of the people familiar with the arrests. The arrest of the two senior princes is most likely a preemptive move to manage risks of a transition from King Salman to his son, according to an analysis by Eurasia Group. Both princes were seen as possible alternatives to Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The crown prince has succeeded in consolidating power and cementing his place as the day-to-day ruler, in part through far-reaching crackdowns on perceived critics or competitors. The October 2018 killing of Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi by agents close to the crown prince inside the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul, however, damaged the prince's reputation globally. Foreign investors were also rattled by an anti-corruption operation overseen by the prince in late 2017 that saw top royals, officials and senior businessmen rounded up and detained for up to several months in the luxurious Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh and forced to sign over billions of dollars in assets in exchange for their freedom in secretive agreements. ABOUT CHRISTIAN YELICH AND FRANCISCO LINDOR Some Cleveland Indians fans are extremely upset about the Milwaukee Brewers signing MVP Christian Yelich to a nine-year, $215-million contract extension. Why cant the Tribe do something like that with Francisco Lindor? After all, since when is Milwaukee a major market? Cleveland is bigger! On the surface, that makes some sense. But Lindor and Yelich made two very different money decisions after their second season in the big leagues and those decisions are why Yelich cut a deal with Milwaukee. And its also why Lindor could end up with a contract worth twice as much as Yelich when the Tribe shortstop hits free agency after the 2021 season. Heres the situation: 1. Yelich was the 23rd overall pick by the Miami Marlins in the 2010 draft. He reached the majors in 2013. 2. In his first two big league seasons, Yelich showed some promise. He batted .286 (.765 OPS) with 13 HR and 70 RBI in 873 at bats. But he didnt look like a superstar. 3. Heading into his third season (2016), Miami offered him a contract extension to buy out at least two years of free agency. Yelich was interested in security. He signed a seven-year, $49-million deal. 4. Yelich was traded to Milwaukee in January of 2018. At that point, he had been a big leaguer for four years. The outfielder had yet to make an All-Star team. 5. Playing in hitter-friendly Milwaukee, Yelich averaged 40 HR and 104 RBI over the last two seasons, batting .328. He won an MVP award. Hes a legitimate superstar... but that didnt happen until 2018. 6. Yelich still had three years left on his 2015 Miami contract when the Brewers approached him about an extension. He had very little leverage. He would not be a free agent until he reached the age of 31. 7. Yelich made the same decision now that he did in 2015. They offered him a lot of money. He likes Milwaukee. The Brewers took two years from his old deal and added seven more... coming up with a nine-year, $218-million deal. 8. Yelichs future was set up by the decision he made in 2015. Is there anything wrong with being guaranteed nearly $50 million? By the end of his new contract, he will have pocketed about $260 million, THE OTHER ROAD Meanwhile, Lindor made a different decision after his first two big league seasons. 1. Unlike Yelich, Lindor emerged as an immediate star once he reached the Majors. He batted .313 as a rookie in 2015, .301 in 2016. There are lots of other stats to prove he was a great player in the field and at bat. 2. Lindor was an All-Star and Gold Glove winner in 2016. In the spring of 2017, the Indians made their first big push for an extension. I heard it was for more than $100 million over seven years. This was the same point where Miami offered Yelich a seven-year extension for half the money of Lindor. 3. Lindor quickly turned down the extension. Had he accepted it, then the Indians would be in much the same position as Milwaukee with Yelich. Theyd have him under control for several more years. That could have led to a more team friendly second extension. 4. Instead, Lindor and his agent kept their eyes on free agency, where they know contracts grow richer each year. 5. Lindor can look at contracts such as $330 million (Bryce Harper with the Philadelphia Phillies), $300 million (Manny Machado with the San Diego Padres) and $324 million (Gerrit Cole with the New York Yankees) and correctly think, Im better than those guys. 6. Lindor hits the open market after the 2021 season and he could join Mike Trout in the $400 million club. He was headed in that direction from the moment he rejected the various Tribe offers in 2017 (and since then). Signing a long-term deal with the Indians paid off for Grady Sizemore when injuries hit after his fourth MLB season. Photo by Chuck Crow/The Plain DealerThe Plain Dealer THE GRADY SIZEMORE EXAMPLE Other agents and media members could criticize Yelich for signing that seven-year deal back in 2015. But $49 million is $49 million. And those who knock the first contract operate on one key assumption: The player stays healthy. In 2006, Grady Sizemore was heading into his second MLB season with the Tribe. He signed a six-year, $24-million deal. Word was Sizemore made a mistake by delaying free agency for two years. Sizemore made All-Star teams in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Then he got hurt. And he kept getting hurt. In the last three years of that deal, he made about $18 million and never could regain anything close to his All-Star form. A more recent example is Michael Brantley. In 2014, he signed a four-year, $25-million extension with the Tribe. He was a star in the first two years of that deal. But injuries hit in 2016-17, he played only 101 total games (earning $13 million in that span). That contract also included an $11-million team option in 2018. The Indians gambled on Brantley getting healthy and they picked it up. He was an All-Star. That 2014 extension gave Brantley two seasons to recover from shoulder and ankle surgeries. THE BOTTOM LINE Yelich wanted to protect himself and his family in case of injury. He also wasnt an All-Star until his sixth big league season (2018). There are a lot of sound reasons to explain why the Milwaukee outfielder grabbed the big money when first made available. Lindor received a $2.9-million signing bonus after being the Tribes top pick in the 2011 draft. That set him up as a multi-millionaire at the age of 18. It also allowed him to play year-to-year, count on staying healthy and know hed begin to cash in when he became arbitration eligible. In the last two years (2019-2020), hes been paid $28 million. Lindor is an elite player and wants to be paid like it. Assuming he stays away from a major injury, hes in position for a monster contract. While they dont publicly admit it, the Indians know at some point they will probably have to trade him. The only question is when that will happen. RECENT COLUMNS BY TERRY PLUTO Inside story of how Akron rebuilt its basketball team Rob Senderoff: From stakeouts to Kent State Hey Terry, who can replace Joe Schobert? Thinking about the Kyrie Irving trade now. What messages are Browns sending Baker Mayfield? Hey Terry, any contract extensions for Tribe? Progress for Cleveland State basketball Lessons for Andrew Berry Bickerstaff & Altman need to stick together. John Beilein does the right thing by admitting NBA was the wrong fit The Cavs should be better than this, period. Terry Talkin Browns, Myles Garrett, Joe Schobert Inside the revival of Akron basketball Cleveland Indians need Carlos Carrasco How Cheri Harrer went from a 1,000-acre farm near Bucyrus to 600 wins at Baldwin Wallace Good or bad fit, Cavs smart to find out about Andre Drummond. Whats up with the Cavs & Andre Drummond trade? Some advice for new Browns GM Andrew Berry If John Beilein had to do it over again, would he come to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers? As former PDP leader Altaf Bukhari announced a new political party here on Sunday, the National Conference said it is pretty clear that the Centre is contriving to prop up yet another formation in Jammu and Kashmir to "serve its interests at the cost of democracy". Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president A Mir also termed the new political party as "an offshoot of the saffron party". In a statement, NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said it is becoming clear that the continued detention of legitimate and tall political voices of J-K is not about law and order, but it is purely political in nature. He said the emergence of the new political formation is a "handiwork of those who want to blunt the true representative voices of J-K". The move is aimed to ditch genuine political aspirations of the people of J-K, he said. "The way things are unfolding here in J-K, it is pretty clear that the Central government in connivance with few is contriving to prop up yet another formation in J-K to serve its interests at the cost of democracy and political probity," Dar said. "They want to fill the political vacuum of Kashmir with those who parrot what New Delhi wants them to. It is therefore safe to call this new formation as Delhi's party and nothing else," he said. Bukhari, 60, announced the formation of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) at his residence and was flanked by former MLAs and senior leaders of political parties like the National Conference (NC), the PDP, the Congress and the BJP, besides some former Independent legislators. He was elected president of the JKAP unanimously. Dar said the NC was not against having new parties in J-K, but the timing and the constituent elements of the newly-formed outfit "is what frets common people who are privy to everything". "A new political amalgamation of strange bed fellows is being pushed down the throats by crowing out genuine representatives of people - former chief ministers, sitting member of Parliament, former law makers. It is no less than a mockery," he said. He claimed that the members who have joined the new group are the same who pulled down Farooq Abdullah's government in 1984 to cobble up with the Centre. "It is crystal clear now, that the genuine and representative voices of J-K have been crowed out with a sole purpose to benefit few. New Delhi and BJP wants to give them time to poach people from the NC, the PDP and the Congress," he said. The JKPCC described the party as a "creation of various quarters, which have always been hell bent upon to create chaos and divisions in the political system of J-K". Mir said the political class of J-K was well aware as to how different quarters and government machinery had been used to impress various mainstream political leaders to join the new formation. "As a result, some have succumbed to pressure and were made to join it. But, such pressure tactics won't make any difference on the ground, rather it has exposed the motive behind it," he said. The JKPCC president urged the people of the union territory to rise to the occasion and expose such new and old formations to bring stability in the region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 07:18:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People wearing masks are pictured at Times Square subway station in New York City, the United States, March 7, 2020. Governor of the U.S. state of New York declared a state of emergency on Saturday as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the northeastern state rose to 76. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) NEW YORK, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Governor of the U.S. state of New York declared a state of emergency on Saturday as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the northeastern state rose to 76. At a press conference, Governor Andrew Cuomo said that New York City, the most populous metropolis in the country, has seen 11 cases, and Westchester County now has 57, an increase of 23 overnight. Long Island's Nassau County has four, Rockland County has two and Saratoga County has two new cases. All cases in Westchester County are related to the state's second confirmed case, which involves an attorney who worked in Manhattan. "Westchester is an obvious problem for us," the governor said. "They talk about the contagion in clusters and the clusters tend to infect more and more people." However, Cuomo repeatedly urged the public to stay calm, noting that about 80 percent of the COVID-19 patients will self-resolve. As to the 20 percent who have to be hospitalized, Cuomo said most of them are senior citizens and those with underlying health issues. The state is "hyper cautious" about nursing homes and senior centers where the vulnerable people gather, he said. "If you are a senior citizen or immune compromised, I would think seriously about attending a large gathering," he noted. "Now I've said that to my mother." Meanwhile, the state is testing aggressively, especially among suspected populations. "The more tests, the better. The more positive you find, the better. Because then you can isolate them and you slow the spread," said Cuomo. The state of emergency declaration will speed up the purchasing of supplies and the hiring of workers who could assist local health departments, especially in monitoring those who are self-quarantined, according to the governor. Thousands in the state are currently under self-quarantine, including over 2,700 people in New York City. Many of them have just returned from a country or a region where there is a COVID-19 outbreak. Cuomo urged those who are under voluntary quarantine to comply with specific rules, saying violating those rules is disrespectful to members of the community and may be putting people in danger. The governor also warned businesses that price-gouging at a situation of emergency is not allowed. "It is not worth it to the store owner. You can lose your license. And we are very serious about this," he added. BELLEVILLE After an emergency meeting Thursday, the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois voted to close all four of its remaining camps including Camp Chan Ya Ta near Worden and Camp Torqua near Edwardsville by Dec. 31. Im disappointed that we did not get a straight answer for many of our questions, said troop leader Theresa Pitts-Wuebbels via email Friday. We left angry and disappointed. Our girls will really suffer. Volunteers have already struggled to trust council; this meeting just added to the disconnect. Some girls and their troop leaders reportedly left the meeting at St. Matthews United Methodist Church in Belleville crying after, earlier this week, troop leaders learned of the councils decision to sell the camps. Troop leader Christina Wright summarized the 45-minute meeting as less than helpful. Armed security was hired by the CEO and the board of directors, seemingly to protect them from all us scary moms, aunts and grandmothers, she said. Also closing will be Camp Butterfly near Farmington, Missouri and Camp Wassatoga near Effingham. The choice the board of directors has selected will not provide financial security for the council, said Wright. It removes experience opportunities for the girls it is meant to be serving, and in direct response, this decision will push girls to quit or move to [the Boy] Scouts. The Boy Scouts began accepting girls as members more than a year ago. The four Girl Scouts camps are expected to generate around $3.5 million for the council, which plans to invest the funds and, using $200,000 a year, will fund what it calls The Girl Scout Experience Fund, or GSE Fund, which will let troops and leaders to take the funds to use for whatever experiences they like. The sale also will reinforce the councils finances which were reportedly $740,000 in the red last year, with the council run at a loss for the past decade or so. Leadership officials said they believe the funding shortfall has compromised their ability to steward the camps properly and pushed some troops to seek experiences elsewhere. Troop leaders disagree. They fear taking girls to state parks or other places on trips or overnight camping jaunts. It definitely adds a big burden as a leader, troop leader Crystal Guard said. I probably would not sleep at night, honestly, if we camped anywhere else. She said at Camp Butterfly and the other GS camps she knows who the staff are, who the neighbors are, and the girls can get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom safely as long as they use the buddy system. At a state park, anyone can camp there, she said, and it is a completely different environment. Other troop leaders questioned why all four camps had to close. Girl Scout officials said picking one camp to remain open would encourage favoritism between the more rural and more suburban areas of the council, which were two separate councils until 2009. Last nights meeting was nothing less than a figurative slap in the face to those who drove hours to attend, gave up another night of family time to be involved and disrespectful to those who had followed the directives provided that werent followed, Wright said on Friday. A peaceful protest of the camp closures has been scheduled across from the Girl Scouts Annual Meeting at 7 p.m. March 28 at 225 E. A St., Belleville. Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at (618) 659-5735 Amina, who hails from Shiv Vihar, was home when rioters barged into her Gali. I had three homes in the area, they burnt down all three. I had 13 buffaloes and used to supply milk to the whole neighbourhood. It's all gone now. My daughter's wedding was next month, I had saved up money and jewellery - but they looted everything. I have nothing left anymore," Amina told News18. With an eerie vacancy and hopelessness in her eyes, she narrated how men chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' had surrounded her and her family with weapons when a Hindu family living close by had come to their aid. "Our neighbour helped us, but we had to leave the next day because we didn't want their lives to be in danger because of us. I don't know what happened to them after that," she added. When asked about what she plans to do, Amina said, "Right now, I'm here. I am at least getting food to eat and a roof over my head. I don't know what's going to happen after that." (Photo: Jashodhara Mukherjee/News18) Air Force One arrives in West Palm Beach with President Trump. YURI GRIPAS/Reuters The US military operates a fleet of VIP civilian aircraft converted to military use in addition to its warfighting, troop transport, and cargo planes. The most notable user of the fleet is the President of the United States who flies on a modified Boeing 747 under the call sign Air Force One when the president is on board. Other aircraft include modified Boeing, Gulfstream, and Bombardier aircraft that fly high-ranking officials in the government and military. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Private aircraft are often tools of the rich and famous to travel the world luxuriously without hindrance, but they also have a major role in the United States Armed Forces In addition to its warfighting, troop transport, and cargo aircraft, the military operates a fleet of converted civilian aircraft for use by VIP government officials, military leaders, and in combat zones. The most notable user of the fleet is the President of the United States, who flies primarily in a modified Boeing 747 that bears the name Air Force One when the president is on board, though that represents a fraction of the private jets currently enlisted in military service. On the home-front, the fleet is accessible by cabinet secretaries, top military officials, and even high-ranking elected officials. Private travel on these aircraft is often the most convenient and secure way to transport government officials as they are often outfitted with communication suites providing a vital link to the outside world should an incident occur. On the battlefield, the aircraft serve as lifelines to troops fighting on the front line, with some providing vital intelligence and others relaying critical communications. Take a look at the private jet aircraft converted for military use. The most notable converted civilian aircraft in the military's fleet is a VC-25 used by the president of the United States, known to many as Air Force One. Story continues Air Force One VC-25 Chris Graythen/Getty The most iconic aircraft to currently roam the skies, the VC-25 is used exclusively by the president and operated under the famous call sign when the commander-in-chief is onboard. It's the military variant of the Boeing 747-200, used primarily as a passenger liner in its peak and can now be seen flying cargo around the world. Though its full amenities and capabilities are classified, the aircraft has a private office for the president, a conference room, passenger seating section, medical suite, and a communications hub upgraded after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to the Air Force. The modified 747 can also be refueled while in the air to remain flying for as long as the Air Force can keep it fueled and until the food runs out. The aircraft features the blue-and-white livery with a gold cheatline that is the hallmark of the US Air Force's VIP fleet. Air Force One Chris Graythen/Getty The unmistakable livery has even gotten the aircraft in trouble, with a plane spotter photographing the plane while it was flying over the UK and ruining the president's surprise trip to Afghanistan. With the words "United States of America" emblazoned on both sides in all caps and two American flags on the tail, there's no question of what the plane represents. The Air Force has two of the aircraft in its fleet to ensure the president can always access his flagship plane. The two VC-25s are identical on the inside and travel together frequently on presidential missions. When the VC-25 is too big for the mission, the next largest jet in the military's stable is the VC-32A, a modified Boeing 757-200 aircraft. Air Force Two C-32 Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Similarly dressed in blue-and-white, the VC-32 occasionally flies the president but is one of the aircraft of choice for high-ranking government officials. Though not as iconic as the VC-25, the modified Boeing 757 is frequently tasked with high-profile missions as it frequently flies the vice president and secretary of state around the world. The president will typically use the VC-32 when the modified Boeing 747 is too big for the task. President Obama used the aircraft to visit smaller cities during his re-election campaign and President Trump used the aircraft for a quick hop between the Indian cities Delhi to Agra when touring the Taj Mahal during his visit. Though the aircraft doesn't feature all the same amenities as Air Force One, the VC-32 does feature a stateroom for its primary flyer, communications suite, and a range of 5,500 nautical miles, according to the Air Force. The baby Boeing in the Air Force's fleet is the C-40 Clipper, a modified version of the popular Boeing 737-700 aircraft. A US Air Force C-40B Kevin Wallace/DVIDS/US Air Force The C-40 Clipper is seldom used by the president and vice president, with cabinet secretaries, military leaders, elected officials, and other high-ranking government officials using the aircraft instead. The military offers two variants of the aircraft, the C-40B for use by military combatant commanders and the C-40C for use by government officials, according to the Air Force. The range of the aircraft is 4,500-5,000 nautical miles, according to the Air Force, which is comparable to the VC-32, and it can over 100 passengers depending on the configuration. The C-40B is known for its extensive communications apparatus and is referred to as an "office in the sky" by the Air Force. Not all Clippers are painted in the iconic blue-and-white livery as some as painted in less noticeable colors, ideal when traveling to destinations where a low-profile helps mitigate safety concerns. Large congressional delegations frequently use the aircraft because of its capacity. The United States Navy also operates the C-40A variant, though not in the blue-and-white livery. US Navy Boeing C-40 Clipper aircraft. Jesus Sepulveda Torres/DVIDS/US Marine Corps The aircraft are mixed-use cargo and passenger aircraft with changeable configurations depending on the needs of the mission, according to the Navy. The aircraft seldom carry VIP government officials as they are largely based outside of Washington, though the secretary of the navy may use them. Multiple branches of the military also operate modified Gulfstream aircraft for VIP transport. A US Air Force C-37B Kenny Holston/US Air Force The current aircraft type used by most branches is the C-37, which features two variants including the C-37A and C-37B. The C-37A is a modified Gulfstream V and the C-37B a modified Gulfstream 550. The C-37A is an older model which costs $37 million, according to the Air Force, with a range of 5,500 nautical miles. The C-37B is a newer aircraft produced by Gulfstream in the early 2000s, which has a unit cost of $64 million, according to the Navy. The Air Force operates multiple Gulfstreams, some are painted in the blue-and-white livery and others are painted more low-profile. While most branches of the military use the Gulfstreams to fly officials within the branch, the Air Force uses its Gulfstreams to fly officials throughout the US government including cabinet secretaries and others in the presidential line of succession. Other branches that operate Gulfstream aircraft include the Coast Guard and Navy. 1078406 (1) Barry Bahler/DVIDS/Department of Homeland Security The US Coast Guard's C-37A aircraft is primarily used for transporting leaders such as the secretary of homeland security and the commandant of the Coast Guard. Though a branch of the military, the Coast Guard is under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security and does not have its own cabinet secretary, unlike the Army, Navy, or Air Force. Unlike other VIP military transport aircraft, the Gulfstream jet is parked at Ronald Reagan National Airport, where the Coast Guard maintains an air station. The aircraft is an unmistakable Coast Guard aircraft, with the branch's racing stripe and emblem located on the front of the aircraft with "United States Coast Guard" emblazoned on the fuselage. The US Navy and Marine Corps also have their own Gulfstreams, including the C-20G. Gulfstream IV - USMC C-20G Sgt Alex Kouns/DVIDS/US Marine Corps The military variant of the Gulfstream IV business jet, the C-20G is used by the Navy and Marines for the transport of military leaders, government officials, and other dignitaries. The aircraft almost half the cost of the larger C-37 with a unit cost of $37 for the C-20G and can fly around 5,100 nautical miles, according to the Navy. The US Navy and Marine Corps do also maintain a fleet of the larger C-37s, used for VIP transport. US Navy Gulfstream C-37A Lt. Shawn Eklund/DVIDS/US Navy The secretary of the Navy is one of the primary users of the aircraft, which is utilized for official travel and visits to bases and combat zones. Along with the Coast Guard, the aircraft do not feature the blue-and-white livery found on Air Force jets, but rather a low-profile paint with "Department of the Navy" written on the fuselage of some aircraft. Some of the military's private jets are used for more than just VIP transport, such as the E-11A. Air Force E-11A Crash Afghanistan Anna-Marie Wyant/DVIDS/US Air Force A modified Bombardier Global Express aircraft, the E-11A is a communications node that acts as a flying repeater and facilitates communications between various forces. The aircraft is particularly useful in allowing forces to communicate with their base when separated by mountainous terrain or other obstructions. The small fleet of three aircraft is solely based in Afghanistan, far from the other converted private jet aircraft based in Washington. One Air Force E-11A recently crashed in Afghanistan, with the cause of the incident still unknown. While no converted civilian jet aircraft are equipped with weapons, the Air Force called the plane "as essential to mission success as bullets." Read the original article on Business Insider Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 04:49:02|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close A civilian enters a destroyed house in the abandoned suburb of Al-Sedra near the Salah Al-Din frontline in southern Tripoli, Libya, on March 7, 2020. A spokesman of Libya's UN-backed government's forces Saturday said its forces targeted units of the east-based army in south of the capital Tripoli. (Photo by Amru Salahuddien/Xinhua) TRIPOLI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A spokesman of Libya's UN-backed government's forces Saturday said its forces targeted units of the east-based army in south of the capital Tripoli. "Our forces destroyed an ammunition store and gatherings of the militias (belonging to the east-based army) in Qasr Bin Ghashir (southern Tripoli)," Mohamed Gonono said in a statement. On the other hand, the east-based army announced on Saturday the shooting down of a Turkish-made drone belonging to the UN-backed government's forces in southern Tripoli, accusing the UN-backed government forces of targeting civilian areas in Tripoli. The east-based army has been leading a military campaign since April 2019 in and around the capital Tripoli, attempting to take over the city and topple the UN-backed government. The fighting killed and injured thousands of people and forced more than 150,000 civilians to flee their homes. The rivals have agreed to cease-fire on Jan. 12. However, both parties exchanged accusations of breaching the truce. The Seanad race has well and truly commenced with Cllr Mark Wall officially nominated by the Labour Party, and fellow Kildare residents, Sarah Walshe and Fiona OLoughlin also having secured nominations. Cllr Wall was validated at a Labour party executive committee meeting in Liberty Hall, Dublin on Saturday last. The Athy based councillor is seeking a seat on the industrial and commercial panel at the Seanad. He stated: I am honoured to receive the nomination; since the general election, Ive spoken to a large number of constituents, family and friends who have encouraged me to put my name forward for selection. Former Fianna Fail TD for Kildare South, Fiona OLoughlin announced her nomination on Sunday last to contest a seat on the admin panel for the Seanad. The Newbridge based politician stated previously she still felt she had much to give as a public representative, having served as a county councillor prior to being elected to Dail Eireann in 2016. She lost her seat in February. Ms OLoughlin contributed to several Oireachtas committees over the past four years, especially in the areas of disability, equality, education and immigration. I have been nominated by the Alzheimers Society of Ireland, for which I had worked with on both local and national issues during my tenure as a TD. Im most appreciative of the nomination which is supported by the Fianna Fail party, she told the Leinster Leader. Sarah Walshe, also living in Newbridge, has been a stalwart spokesperson for the Wives and Partners of the Defence Forces Group. Ms Walshe, who earlier this year withdrew as a candidate in the general election in support of Independent Cathal Berry (who was subsequently elected), was nominated by the Irish Convention of Professional and Services Association. Miss Walshe is hoping to achieve a seat on the labour panel. Already this week, she visited Bru na Bhfiann, a shelter for homeless members of the Defence Force located in Dublin. One of the biggest issues facing DF members who have led strict institutionalised lives is an inability to socialise. Sadly, members of the Defence Forces record one of the highest percentile in marriage breakdowns. Miss Walshe hoped to travel to Cork later this week and has to date, emailed the 948 councillors who have a vote. In total, the Seanad comprises of 60 members, of whom 43 are elected from panels of candidates representing specified vocational interests including cultural and educational panel, admin, acricultural, labour, industrial and commercial. A further six members are elected by university graduates with 11 members to be nominated by the Taoiseach. Nominees County councillors and sitting senators will vote for nominees for each panel. Other Kildare residents hopeful of a Seanad nomination were Thomas Redmond (Sinn Fein) and Cllr Vincent P Martin (Green Party). However, nominations have now closed; the returning officer will confirm final full listing on March 9. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Sun and clouds mixed. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High 7F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 5F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. North Korea had best return to dialogue It was somewhat surprising that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in. It was also baffling to see the letter delivered to Moon one day after Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong issued a statement harshly criticizing Cheong Wa Dae for complaining about the North's test-firing of short-range missiles. Last Wednesday, Kim sent the personal letter to Moon to voice his support for the South's battle with the rapidly spreading new coronavirus. The presidential office quoted Chairman Kim as expressing his hope in the letter that the South will overcome the situation. He also wished for the good health of South Koreans. The next day, Moon sent a reply to Kim, thanking him for his support. The exchange of letters could be interpreted as showing that the two leaders have kept trust in each other, despite the stalled inter-Korean ties following the deadlocked denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington. Kim has initiated "letter" diplomacy not only with Moon, but also with U.S. President Donald Trump since 2018 as part of his peace offensive. Kim and Moon have so far exchanged letters four times, paving the way for reconciliation between the two Koreas. But this time, it is doubtful whether the new letter from Kim will represent his readiness to resume the suspended dialogue. Most North Korea watchers here share the opinion that the letter was a positive sign, but that it is hard to expect any breakthrough in stalled inter-Korean relations for the time being. First of all, Pyongyang needs to change its hardened stance on the South if it seeks to mend ties with Seoul. Then it should stop military provocations, including repeated launches of short-range ballistic missiles and other new projectiles. It is also necessary for the North to stop making vitriolic verbal attacks on the Moon government as just seen in the statement issued by Kim Yo-jong, who also serves as first vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party. Some pundits speculated that Kim's latest letter could be related to the coronavirus issue in the North. Pyongyang tightened its border with China soon after the COVID-19 outbreak in the neighboring country. However it has not yet reported any confirmed cases although the South's intelligence agency said that around 7,000 people appeared to have been quarantined in the North. The Kim regime has yet to accept Seoul's offers for inter-Korean cooperation and exchanges, including South Koreans' individual trips to the North. It has also yet to respond to President Moon's latest proposal for joint efforts to fight the coronavirus. Against this backdrop, the two sides need to focus on rebuilding trust and reviving momentum for dialogue. Most of all, Kim should realize that the North's isolation will only aggravate its economy and destabilize its own security. New Delhi [India], Mar 8 (ANI): President of BJP Mahila Morcha Vijaya Rahatkar on Sunday called Maharastra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as "opportunist" and targeted him for not taking up the cause of intrinsic issues related to Hindutva. Rahatkar's response comes after Maharashtra Chief Minister drew flak from BJP over his comments over parting ways with BJP but not with Hindutva. Cornering Thackeray, BJP Mahila Morcha chief claimed that Thackeray is being an opportunist on the issue of Hindutva and needs to answer why he did not take a stand on issues intrinsic to Hindutva. "He (Thackeray) said he has not parted ways with Hindutva then he needs to answer why he kept mum on issues intrinsic to Hindutva. The issues that were close to late Bala Saheb Thackeray's heart are being forgotten," Rahatkar told ANI.During his Ayodhya visit, where he paid obeisance to Ramlalla, Thackeray claimed that he has parted ways with BJP but not with Hindutva. The senior BJP leader accused Thackeray of tainting the title of "Hindu Hriday Samrat" given to his father. "He appropriates the issues as per convenience. When their two coalition partners (NCP and Congress) put pressure on him on issues pertaining to Hindutva, he is silent. Bala Sahab Thackeray is an example and he left those issues behind. He even tainted the title of Hindu Hriday Samrat used for him. But then everyone has the right to go and take blessings from Ramlalla," she said. Questioning the 'Hindutva' of Shiv Sena chief, the BJP leader said: " He did not play a role in matters of Hindutva, be it Veer Savarkar or removal of Chhatrapati Shivaji's statue in Madhya Pradesh. Why did he not take a stand? Weren't these Hindutva issues?" Asked about Shiv Sean's mouthpiece Saamana lambasting BJP over Delhi violence, Rahatkar said that it is the leadership of Shiv Sainiks, who need to answer why did they not speak when the opposition was spreading misinformation on Citizenship Amendment Act. "There are so many issues left unattended by Shiv Sena. They have formed govt in Maharashtra but ignored many issues deliberately. They have turned a blind eye on issues taken up by Bal Thackeray as well," she said. Rahatkar also claimed 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament will be accomplished during Modi 2.0 regime. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is looking at setting up logistics bases in Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Sri Lanka as part of initiatives to woo the countries to buy India's light combat aircraft Tejas and military helicopters. Chairman and Managing Director of HAL R Madhavan said the HAL is considering to build logistics bases in the four countries as they use a number of Russian-origin military aircraft and choppers whose serviceability is "very poor". He said the HAL is now seriously focusing on boosting exports in sync with the government's priority and identified South East Asia, West Asia and North Africa to sell key platforms like Tejas, attack helicopter Rudra and advanced light helicopter Dhruv. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set an ambitious defence export target of USD 5 billion dollars in the next five years and asked all the key military manufacturers to work hard to achieve the target. "We are looking at setting up maintenance facilities in Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka. We can give them a lot of support to as these countries use lot of platforms which are common to India, and their serviceability is very poor," he told PTI. The HAL top executive said the company is looking at setting up maintenance facilities in these four countries as having logistics bases is key to sell the products and ensure after-sales services. Without divulging details, Madhavan said a number of countries in West Asia are also in touch with the HAL for possible procurement of its key products. "We now are looking at exports very seriously. A sizeable number of countries are showing lots of interests in the platforms we are producing as they are world class. We are in talks with so many countries," said the HAL chief. Specifically, he said that Tejas has a "very good" export potential as it is a four-and-half generation fighter jet which can compete with some of the famous military jets in its class. The Tejas has been Developed by Aeronautical Development Agency and the HAL. The lifespan of the jet would be a minimum of 30 years just like any other frontline combat aircraft. The combat jets are classified under various generations depending on their avionics, capability and weapons systems. The current fleet of fighter jets with the IAF range from three-and-half generation to the fourth generation. The Indian Air Force has already placed an order for 40 Tejas and is likely to seal a contract "very soon" with HAL for another 83 aircraft at a cost of around Rs 38,000 crore. India is one of the largest importers of arms and military platforms globally. The government has been focusing significantly on promoting defence indigenisation by taking a slew of reform initiatives including liberalising FDI in defence sector. Rana Kapoor sent in judicial custody ; lawyer fears he may get COVID19 Banking crisis: Hindus are in true danger India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 08: With some private sector lenders including Yes Bank facing liquidity crisis, the Congress on Saturday said Hindus are in danger in a "true sense" under the Narendra Modi government and claimed that majority of the hassled account-holders belonged to the majority community. Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant has claimed that funds worth Rs 545 crore of Lord Jagannath Temple of Odisha are deposited in the crisis-hit Yes Bank. "Even Gods are in danger on the Centre's watch," he added. The RBI on Thursday imposed a moratorium on Yes Bank for a period of one month and capped the withdrawal limit at Rs 50,000, after the cash-starved lender faced "regular outflow of liquidity" following an effort to raise new capital failed. Evaluating draft reconstruction scheme for Yes Bank: SBI "While the BJP and its affiliated organisations talk about 'Hindus being in danger' for the lowly polarising politics, the Hindus are in danger on Modi government's watch in a true sense. "The money in banks is of majority Hindus which is not safe now. Several families have been ruined. Only the Modi government is responsible for it," Sawant said in a statement. Sawant also referred to the alleged Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank scam, saying some people even died while worrying over the stuck money. The Congress leader alleged that fugitives like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya had "looted" money which belonged to majority Hindus. NEWS AT 3 PM MARCH 8th, 2020 Sawant said Yes Bank has a total of 18238 staffers and claimed that almost all of them are Hindus whose jobs are now under threat. He further said as many as 109 banks from Maharashtra are in trouble as their deposits are stuck in Yes Bank. Yes Bank update: FinMin in continuous interaction with Reserve Bank Referring to the Vadodara Smart City Development Company withdrawing Rs 265 crore from Yes Bank a day before the RBI imposed the moratorium, Sawant said this shows Prime Minister Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah being worried only about Gujarat and not the country. He said the BJP-led Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation in Maharashtra has Rs 905 crore deposited in Yes Bank, but it was allegedly not informed by the Modi-Shah duo. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 10:53 [IST] Ayesha Singh By One day, Australian videographer Lucy Zee ran short of plates when she threw a party. Undeterred she put out the food on a sheet of brown paper on the table. The grazing table was born. Parul Pratap, executive chef, Music and Mountains, Delhi, who recently set up one for a private party gives it a desi twist: It also draws from Indias age-old way of eating together. What is it? On a large table is placed a thin sheet of paper. Bite-sized hors doeuvres of just about anything and everything are laid out from one end of the table to another. Fruits, olives, and cheese are a constant, so are dips. Cold cuts, exotic nuts, crackers, seafood, vegetable sticks, peppers, breadmake it as simple or exotic as you want. Plates and cutlery? Nope. What makes it great? Pratap says grazing sheets make a party more intimate and informal minus the liveried waiters. She says, It harnesses a sense of community that food tends to build. Her recent layout resembled a decadent food installation using a huge granite slab base. Wooden planks are okay too. A grazing table gives a party the wow factor, she says. Wedding catering companies have begun to explore the grazing table idea. Theyre gaining popularity at cocktail parties, bachelor dos, mehendi nights, birthdays and anniversaries. Home parties At private parties, the grazing feast can be the centrepiece with tiered plates to add elevation. Select a place roomy enough for guests to move around and admire the arrangement. A well-put grazing table has premium ingredients, intelligent pairing and diverse flavours. Avoid sweet with savouries. The food should be bite-sized sans sauces, says Vikram Ganpule, executive chef, Andaz Delhi. Place moisture-laden items on a non-porous base. Dont leave white spaces on the table. It allows you the freedom to be as much a part of the party as your guests, says Chiquita Gulati, chef and co-owner, Gulati Spice Market, Delhi. The desi challenge Indian finger foods are largely drippy, greasy or sticky. We love our food hot. We also like to be served. These are polar opposites to the grazing plating concept, says Gulati, adding, Indian foods versatility leaves scope for creativity and makes Indian food lovers comfortable. Prataps suggestions? Parsi style devilled eggs, Goan chorizo on mini pao, aloo chaat canapes, bite-sized malai koftas, Chicken 65 mini tostadas, cottage cheese skewers and mini stuffed paranthas with raita which serves as a dip, she suggests. Ganpule reminds you of the vast Indian regional repertoire of dhokla, patra, khandvi, chaats on papdis and vegetable chips, among others finger foods. Health factor Health nuts would love grazing tables. Faux nuts contain more calcium than milk. Add them with salt and pepper to clarified butter. Walnuts and chia seeds high in omega 3 are a good replacement for buttered popcorn or chips. Include mashed cauliflower tikkis and rice cakes as they are a source of good carbs, says Nutritionist Gaurav Taneja. Drawbacks Indian food put outside goes bad sooner than most European snacks. Hygeine horrors can be a put off at a grazing table. Says Zee, That gross guy you work with at office, who does not wash his hands in the bathroom, hes just fingered through the mixed nuts looking for a grape to go with a strawberry cheese stick. Replenishing the snacks costs time and patience. Grazing tables pack everything closely together, so vegetarian guests may have a problem. Does it have a future? Versions of the grazing table have always been there and will continue to reign, says Gulati. But the times for super formal dining seem to be behind us. Now people enjoy casual get-togethers where food isnt fussy. Amazing graze indeed. An ideal spread I would add cooked foods in addition to cheese, cold cuts, fruits and berries. Goat cheese and smoked aubergine tartlets, zaatar pizzettes with cumin gouda, feta, mint and tomato conserve crostini, pork belly cubes served with dates infused whole grain mustard, mini waffles, trio of olives tapenade crostini, dark chocolate and blue cheese cheesecake bites can go in there. There will be an assortment of sliced sourdough bread with a slew of flavoured butter, in addition to flavoured cream cheese, says Parul Pratap. [March 08, 2020] Over 300 High School Students attend TechOlympics 2020: ACTIVATE CINCINNATI, March 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati is proud to announce that TechOlympics 2020: ACTIVATE was a huge success! The largest student-run technology conference in the nation held on 22-23 of February, brought over 300 high school students, 30 businesses and 5 local universities together for a technology-packed weekend focused on showing the students how exciting a future in IT can be! Presented by P&G, this one of a kind event was held at the Great American Ball Park and granted an opportunity for students to learn about different pathways in IT as well as see the innovations happening in the biggest businesses around them. Over thirty different companies participated giving the students the chance to make connections and learn about each company and the jobs they offer. Passionate students from around the tri-state attended and had fun being around friends, experiencing speakers, learning about technology, and competing with other like-minded students. The event featured keynote speakers Nicole Smith from NASAs Glenn Research Center, Katy Moeggenberg, Head of NA Hair eBusiness & Global Marketing Technologies at P&G, and Ankur Sehgal, PMP at Anthem, Inc. Students were also given the chance to experience over 70 sessions such as mock interviews, game design, drones, cybersecurity and AI, as well as participate in roundtable mentoring with business executive. Many attendees competed in challenges in innovation, public speaking coding, graphic design and much more! INTERalliance would like to thank our amazing group of Sponsors! Presenting Sponsors: Procter & Gamble Gold Plus Sponsors: FIS, Anthem Digital Gold Sponsors: Kroger Technology, Vora Ventures, Western & Southern Financial Group, ITA Audio Visual Solutions, Xavier University Silver Sponsors: Fifth Third Bank, GE Aviation, ZeroDay Technology Solutions, Ambiance Bronze Sponsors: Great American Insurance Group, Brooksource, ADM University Sponsors: Girls Who Code, Miami University, Northern Kentucky University, Mount St. Joseph, UC School of IT, UC Carl H. Lindner College of Business This event is produced by The INTERalliance Leadership Council, a group of 30 high school students from around the tri-state that volunteer throughout the year to create events such as TechOlympics, IT Careers Camps, training sessions, mentoring sessions and more. This dedicated team of students is already busy planning TechOlympics 2021: ILLUMINATE! TechOlympics is presented by The INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati, a non-profit technology organization. INTERalliances core mission is that, by working with surrounding Cincinnati businesses, Universities and high schools to host a plethora of technology events, the region will foster a diverse and successful pool of IT talent. INTERalliance hopes to better the chances of IT job placements for every student, no matter their current technology experience. Members of the INTERalliance include Procter & Gamble, The Kroger Co., The Cincinnati Regional Chamber of Commerce, Great American Insurance, FIS, GE, Vora Technologies, Fifth Third Bank, Western & Southern Financial Group, The University of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky University, Xavier University, among many others. For more information on TechOlympics and INTERalliance visit www.interalliance.org. Contact Heather Ackels: (513) 415-7707 or [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Protesters marking International Women's Day in ultra-conservative Pakistan on Sunday came under attack with stones and sticks, reflecting the movement's challenge in a society where females are still put to death under ancient "honour" codes. During a march in the capital, Islamist counter-protesters hurled sticks and stones at the women's rights demonstrators, causing some injuries and forcing a crowd of people to seek cover before the police intervened. Tension had risen in Islamabad when about 1,000 women and men gathered to call for greater reproductive and other rights. They carried signs including "Be a Man Support Women", and "Let's Work For a Day Where Women Walking in the Streets Feel Safe". The march ended at a park alongside a separate "anti-feminist" Islamist rally, where women's faces were veiled and one large sign read: "We Claim That Only Islam Gives Rights to Women". The duelling protests were separated by a line of police and a flimsy barrier. Amnesty South Asia called on Pakistani authorities to hold accountable those who attacked the women's rights marchers. "The horrific attack on the #AuratMarch, which includes stones being hurled at peaceful protesters, represents the very violence women are protesting against today", Amnesty tweeted. Pakistan's Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, also in a tweet, said "local Administration is taking actions against those who attacked the peaceful protesters with stones, sticks etc violating the law". This year's tensions follow last year's second annual Women's Day "Aurat (Women) march", which sparked a backlash including rape and death threats. In a society where women have been shot, stabbed, stoned, set alight and strangled for damaging a family's "honour", marchers have been accused of promoting Western, liberal values and disrespecting religious and cultural sensitivities. "The women in Pakistan are considered property by their male counterparts," said Tahira Maryum, 55. "There is nothing vulgar in asking for your rights." At the Islamist counter-protest, dozens of women in burqas held their own placards including one saying "Anti-Feminist", while shouting, "Our bodies, Allah's choice". AFP saw several men throwing sticks and stones at the women's march. Ismat Khan, a 33-year-old woman, said women's rights activists were "naive" and being exploited by non-governmental groups and "the Jewish lobby". "We are free and to live our lives are according to Sharia," she told AFP. In Lahore, several hundred women and men took to the streets chanting slogans including: "Give me what's mine" and "We want freedom", while more than 1,000 people gathered at a park in the southern port city of Karachi, chanting slogans, beating drums and singing. "We are not scared of mullahs (religious leaders). Let them be jealous of us," said Anis Haroon, a veteran women's right activist in Karachi. - 1,000 killings annually - The nationwide "Aurat march," from the Urdu word for women, also saw a group of women gather in the southern city of Sukkur near the Indus river. The waterway is where the bodies of women who have been slain in "honour" killings are sometimes dumped. This year, anti-march campaigners filed unsuccessful court petitions to try to ban Sunday's events, and a religious political party warned it would stop the march at "all costs". Much of Pakistani society operates under a strict code of "honour", systemising the oppression of women in matters such as the right to choose whom to marry, reproductive rights and even the right to an education. According to estimates, at least 1,000 women fall victim to honour killings in Pakistan each year. Rights activists have long fought against the patriarchal notion of "honour". In neighbouring Afghanistan, frequently rated one of the world's worst places to be a woman, a handful of people took to the streets to mark Women's Day. University graduate Tahmina Ghoori said that while urban Afghan women have seen some progress since the end of Taliban rule in 2001, they still face many challenges due to "gender inequality and the misogynistic views in our society". She was especially worried about the possibility of the insurgents returning to power on the back of a US-Taliban deal signed last month. Pakistani riot police in Islamabad separate activists from the Aurat (Women) March (L) and a rival rally organised by Islamists (R, on the other side of a flimsy barrier) -- rocks were hurled against the Aurat group In Lahore, a crowd of several hundred women and men took to the streets Pakistani riot police escort activists from the Aurat (Women) March in the southern port city of Karachi Supporters of the Pakistani Islamic political party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) hold placards during a rally to mark International Women's Day in Lahore A veiled female supporter of Pakistani Islamic political party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) marches in Islamabad - Queen Sono is online streaming giant, Netflixs first made-in-Africa production - The series is a spy thriller starring South Africas leading actress Pearl Thusi, and has been making waves since its launch in February - Many are optimistic about it and have said it is time Africa started telling its own stories Netflix Inc. sees the opening of new crime-drama series Queen Sono as the first of many original African TV series that will win it a bigger slice of a market still dominated by satellite TV. The new Netflix series is about a South African secret agent searching for the truth behind her mothers assassination. While doing this, she undertakes a dangerous assignment which requires her to traverse the African continent. Bloomberg reports that this series will be followed by an animation series from Zambia, a mystery-thriller set in Cape Town, SA and a Nigerian production which is yet untitled. All these have been commissioned by a producer from Kenya, Dorothy Ghettuba. Netflix hired Ghettuba last year to seek out content from the African continent which boasts of more than 1 billion people. In an interview in Johannesburg ahead of a glitzy premiere to mark the launch of Queen Sono, Ghettuba said they are diving all in when it comes to Africa. According to her, the African continent has a large population that wants to see their stories represented. The potential market for series starring African characters was hinted at by the success of the movie Black Panther, made by Walt Disney Co.s Marvel Studios, released two years ago. According to report, the movie broke box-office records across the continent after its release. Netflixs chief rival, Showmax, already produces as many as 5,000 hours of local African content every year. The path toward producing African content began when Netflix started making a version of its core service available on the continent in 2016. Ghettuba has disclosed that Netflix is not allocating a specific budget to the continent. "We look at stories, and we provide the financing that a certain production needs to tell the best story, she said. Queen Sono was shot in over 30 locations including in Zanzibar, Nigeria, and South Africa. Legit.ng had reported that the popular American streaming firm has finally established its presence in the Nigerian market by officially opening up shop. This move by Netflix indicates its interest to use Nollywood, one of the world's recognised movie industry, to make it big. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Apart from being available in almost 200 nations, so far, Netflix in Nigeria already has more than 12,000 followers. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better. Nigerian Military in new collaboration with Nollywood | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng The new coronavirus has now infected more than 100,000 people around the world, but in mainland China the number of new cases fell on Saturday to just 99 the first time since January 18 that fewer than 100 cases were recorded. Chinas National Health Commission said 74 of the new infections were reported in Hubeis provincial capital Wuhan, with the remainder occurring in other provinces. This is the second day there were no further cases elsewhere in Hubei province where the outbreak began. Of the 25 cases outside Wuhan, all but one of them had been imported from overseas, the commission said, bringing to 60 the number of imported cases. It was also the first time since January 26 that more than 20 new infections were reported outside Hubei province. There were 28 new deaths all in Hubei, with 21 in Wuhan bringing the total number of fatalities on the mainland to 3,070, as of Friday. There have now been 80,651 infections in mainland China. Dont count on summer: WHO Mike Ryan, executive director of WHOs health emergencies programme, called for caution against the assumption, which has been proposed by some scientists, that Covid-19 the disease caused by the new coronavirus would subside in the summer like a seasonal flu. We have to assume the virus will continue to have the capacity to spread, Ryan said in Geneva. Its a false hope to say, yes, that it will disappear like the flu. He added that, while it would be a godsend, we cant make that assumption. And there is no evidence. Philippines to declare national emergency President Rodrigo Duterte planned to declare a nationwide public health emergency after confirmation of the countrys first community transmission of the disease, a presidential aide said on Saturday. The Philippines identified its first case of local transmission on Friday, after a 62-year-old man with no travel history tested positive for the disease. Migrant workers return A senior Chinese health official said migrant workers were not required by national rules to have a swab test for the virus and obtain a health certificate to return to work. Story continues Yang Wenzhuang, head of population and family affairs at the National Health Commission, said clarified the position after authorities in Sichuan province, in Chinas southwest, asked its residents to apply for such certificates in case they had to travel to another city or prefecture to work. Cai Tuan, from the Ministry of Transport, said authorities throughout the country were organising buses for people returning to work elsewhere, adding that passengers would not be able to disembark before reaching their destination. Cai said the ministry expected the transport programme for migrant workers would be completed by early April. California hotspot California is emerging as a hotspot within the US, where 19 out of 50 states reporting cases, as of Friday afternoon, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. New cases emerged across California on Friday, with 45 people now infected with Covid-19. Several of those cases are linked to the Grand Princess cruise ship, which docked in San Francisco on February 21. Twenty-one people, including 19 crew members, now on board the ship on another cruise have tested positive. Vice-President Mike Pence, who is leading the US coronavirus task force, said the federal government was working with California to move the ship to a non-commercial port over the weekend, after it was denied entry to San Francisco Bay. In Washington state which has the highest number of cases, including the first infection in the US the University of Washington has cancelled all in-person classes and exams for the remainder of the winter term across its three campuses. The university has tentative plans to reopen on March 30, pending public health guidance. South Korea cases rise to 7,041 South Korea reported a further 274 cases on Saturday, taking its national tally to 7,041, the Korea Centres for Disease and Control and Prevention said. Hubei imposes more stringent measures in prisons A total of 1,795 people in Wuhans prisons and other confinement facilities had been infected with Covid-19 as of Thursday, with an additional 164 suspected cases of the disease, according to Changanjian, an official media outlet of the partys political and legal affairs commission. Infections in some mainland jails have escalated since February 23 when there were 323 Wuhan inmates diagnosed with the virus, including 297 from Wuhan Womens Prison. Control measures have been strengthened in the citys prisons, detention centres, juvenile correctional facilities, elderly care centres, welfare centres and mental asylums, a week after Wuhans top prison officials were sacked, following the case of an infected inmate who was released and then travelled from the locked-down city to Beijing. Chen Yixin, a central level Communist Party official parachuted in from Beijing to oversee the containment effort in Hubei, said more stringent measures should be adopted in these special venues including body temperature checks and a 14-day quarantine for inmates before they are released. Additional reporting by Reuters Purchase the China AI Report 2020 brought to you by SCMP Research and enjoy a 20% discount (original price US$400). This 60-page all new intelligence report gives you first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments and intelligence about China AI. Get exclusive access to our webinars for continuous learning, and interact with China AI executives in live Q&A. Offer valid until 31 March 2020. More from South China Morning Post: This article China coronavirus cases fall below 100 as world total climbs over 100,000 first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. I first heard the incantation decades ago, in the Senate chamber, where Glenn McConnell would recite it reverentially: One legislature cannot bind another. I always assumed it referred to the fact a legislature can repeal any law that legislature has passed. So, for instance, if a law says the Legislature cant amend it except by a two-thirds vote, the Legislature can, by simple majority, repeal that law. SC House and Senate at odds over renegotiating NextEra's offer for Santee Cooper A House committee advanced a bill Thursday that would allow the Legislature to ask NextEra to restructure its bid for Santee Cooper. It would also give lawmakers a chance to reform Santee Cooper, the 86-year-old public water and electric utility. When I finally got around to reading Manigault v. Springs, the 1905 U.S. Supreme Court case that enunciated the principle, it turned out to be much broader. The decision, which still controls more than a century later, involved a dispute between two landowners in Georgetown County. Mr. Manigault had negotiated a deal for his neighbor Mr. Springs (the order doesnt give first names) to remove a dam over Kinloch Creek. Five years later, the Legislature passed a law authorizing Mr. Springs to rebuild the dam. Mr. Manigault sued, claiming that the Legislature had violated a state law that said no bill for the granting of any privilege or immunity, or for any other private purpose whatsoever, shall be introduced or entertained in either house of the general assembly except by petition, to be signed by the persons desiring such privileges, with extensive notice given. The high court said the Legislature was free to ignore its earlier law, explaining: As this is not a constitutional provision, but a general law enacted by the legislature, it may be repealed, amended, or disregarded by the legislature which enacted it. This law ... is not binding upon any subsequent legislature, nor does a noncompliance with it impair or nullify the provisions of an act passed without the requirement of such notice. In other words, a legislature doesnt even have to repeal a previous law that limits its actions; it can simply exceed that limit. But for the purpose of S.C. House Speaker Jay Lucas proposal to reform Santee Cooper while renegotiating a better deal to sell the state-owned utility to NextEra, my initial understanding suffices: The 2020 Legislature is perfectly free to pass legislation setting up a negotiation process, despite the 2019 law that prohibited amendments to the proposals to purchase Santee Cooper, take over its management or let the utility reform itself. Not, as some House members have suggested, because the state owns Santee Cooper. And not, as is usually the case when we talk about legislative power, because the S.C. Legislature is such a power-hoarder. Simply because the Legislature is a legislature. And it is free, absent constitutional constraints, to change its mind. Jay Lucas: SC needs to reform Santee Cooper while we negotiate better NextEra sale For the past month, the S.C. House has been carefully considering the future of Santee Cooper. The effort has been spearheaded by an ad-hoc co Now, its possible that the House would violate the law and its clear that NextEra would if they started negotiating before the Legislature actually authorizes that negotiation, because the law prohibiting amendments to the proposals and prohibiting bidders from trying to influence the Legislature would still be in effect. But Mr. Lucas summed up the situation pretty well when he told The Associated Press that senators suggestion that the 2019 law ties their hands marked the first time in the history of South Carolina that the Senate has admitted that there is a limit on their legislative authority. Editorial: Santee Cooper reforms would be better late than never When SCE&G and Santee Cooper abandoned their decadelong effort to construct two nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer site, there wasnt muc Senators suggested that changing the rules mid-bid would make companies reluctant to enter into any deal with state government. Perhaps it would scare off bidders the next time the Legislature tried to sell a $10 billion utility. But how often is that going to happen? Santee Cooper CEO Mark Bonsall told senators that changing the rules for NextEra was unfair, and that might be true. And that might concern me if I thought the Legislature was going to sell Santee Cooper. I dont. The Finance Committee, composed of half the members of the Senate, made that clear Thursday when it voted to reject NextEras bid and get to work reforming Santee Cooper; the other half of the Senate might be even less impressed by NextEra. Im not sure that even representatives really want to sell. Which is understandable now that weve seen the numbers, along with NextEra CEO Jim Robos admission that higher rates will accompany any concessions. But by saying they want to negotiate a better sale while simultaneously getting about the hard work of reforming Santee Cooper House leaders can fend off attacks by the must-sell crowd and maybe even push the Senate into tougher reforms than it otherwise would have accepted. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 06:24:06|Editor: yan Video Player Close COPENHAGEN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A Danish high school has told all students not to attend lessons from Monday after two students tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, Danish broadcaster TV 2 reported. The closure affects over 900 students aged from 16 to 19 who attend Rysensteen high school in the Danish capital city of Copenhagen. The latest infections at the school came after reports on Wednesday that one student at the high school had been confirmed for COVID-19 infection after a ski trip to Italy and that four classmates were quarantined as a safety measure. The decision on the closure of the high school is made because the two new cases of COVID-19 infection cannot be directly linked to the first case and therefore there are fears of community-based infection, Denmark's DR TV reported. There have been 35 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the country so far, according to the press release of the Danish Patient Safety Authority on Sunday. It's definitely a farewell. But will it be fond? Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will fulfill their final royal commitment when they appear Monday at the annual Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in London. It's the last time they will be seen at work with the entire royal Windsor clan before they fly off into self-imposed exile in North America. The service marks the end of a two-month drama that began when the couple announced plans to walk away from their roles as senior members of Britain's royal family and into a world where they will have to earn a living, pay their own way and even open some doors for themselves. It's uncharted territory for the House of Windsor, even as the family seeks to downsize. "I think this is a blow because I don't think (the Windsors) would have envisaged that the slimmed-down monarchy would have actually meant that there was no role for Meghan and Harry,'' said Pauline Maclaran, co-author of Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture. I mean, they really brought a new dimension to the royal family brand." It wasn't supposed to happen this way. Less than two years ago, Harry and Meghan were seen as a golden couple that would help extend the royal family's appeal to a new generation. Their wedding on May 19, 2018, united a grandson of 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth II with the former Meghan Markle, a bi-racial American actress who had starred for seven years on the US television series "Suits.'' George Clooney, Serena Williams and Elton John attended their wedding at Windsor Castle, which ended with the royal couple kissing for their flag-waving fans and riding through the streets in a horse-drawn carriage. But the horses were barely back at the stable before pressures intensified on the couple, who became the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their wedding day. Even before the ceremony, Britain's tabloid newspapers featured stories about a rift between Meghan and her father. When Meghan became pregnant, some commentators criticised her for jetting off to New York for a baby shower, a strange American tradition to many in Britain. Others lampooned Meghan's politically correct pronouncements on the environment and women's rights. Meghan's supporters saw racism at work. Harry publicly defended his wife and directed his anger at the intrusive media he has resented all his life because of the paparazzi's role in chasing his mother, Princess Diana, on the night in 1997 when she died in a Paris car accident. The prince himself was stung by media reports of a split between him and his older brother, Prince William. The notion that the brothers and their glamorous wives would be a royal "Fab Four'' for the 21st century began to fade. For me, and for my wife, of course there's a lot of stuff that hurts, especially when the majority of it is untrue,'' Harry, 35, told ITV last fall. I will not be bullied into playing a game that killed my mum.'' Then in January, the couple sparked a royal crisis when they revealed that they intended to step back from their duties as senior members of the royal family. The move came after holiday pictures were released of the queen along with son Prince Charles, grandson Prince William and great-grandson Prince George. The future was pictured and Harry wasn't part of it. In a personal statement, Harry and Meghan revealed that they intended to become financially independent and "balance their time between the U.K. and North America, while continuing to honor and serve the queen. They wanted, in essence, to be part-time royals. Hours later, Buckingham Palace issued a statement hinting that this part-time notion had caught some in the royal household by surprise. Discussions with the Duke and Duchess, it said, were at an early stage.? With his ginger hair, close-cropped beard and easy manner, Harry had become one of the royal family's most popular members after shedding the hard-partying image of his youth. The youngest son of Charles and the late Princess Diana, Harry is sixth in line to the throne, after his father, William and William's three children. More importantly, he and William were seen as a new generation who would modernize the royals. But there's no precedent for a part-time role in the House of Windsor's family firm. After all, Edward VIII was largely shunned by the royal family after he abdicated the throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson in 1936. Anguish followed the dueling announcements. Aggrieved taxpayers insisted that Harry and Meghan repay the 2.4 million pounds (USD 3.1 million) of public money spent to renovate the house in Windsor where they had planned to live. Their social media feeds, normally full of heart-shaped emoticons, were flooded with ill-tempered commentary about their decision to abandon Britain. A family summit sought to hash out a way forward. Finally, the queen stepped in: Harry and Meghan would stop carrying out royal duties in March, would pay back the renovation costs and would receive no public money after they stepped aside. While Harry and Meghan would always be part of the royal family, they won't be allowed to use the word "royal'' to earn a living. That meant the couple had to abandon plans to use the SussexRoyal brand they had sought to trademark. So, what now? Well to start with, they won't use their royal titles. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sixty-seven members of the Dan River Middle School Junior Beta Club traveled to the 2020 Virginia State Beta Convention on Feb. 12 to 13. Students participated in multiple events to showcase their talents in academics, music, technology and visual arts. Students returned to Ringgold with the following awards: Anna Campbell Stoler, first place painting; Samuel Rodriguez, third place science grade 6; Olivea Cook, third place performing arts-solo/duo/trio; and Gold Key Award for Convention Growth, Songfest, third place. Club sponsors are Elizabeth Hutson, Chrystal Mayhew and Laura Wiles. SHEFFIELD, Ohio -- St. Patricks Day isnt usually thought of as a childrens holiday. The French Creek Theatre in the Lorain County Metro Parks in Sheffield Village begs to differ. On two upcoming Saturdays and a Wednesday, the theater is offering a family event and two childrens events. The first event is a St. Patricks Day celebration from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 14. It is a free event with no registration required. The celebration will include live music, Irish dancers, crafts and snacks. The following Saturday, March 21, an animated Irish fable, Song of the Sea, will be shown on a big screen with surround sound. The fable is described as An Irish youth discovers that his mute sister is a selkie who must find her voice and free supernatural creatures from the spell of a Celtic goddess. Note: A selkie is a mythical creature that resembles a seal in the water, but assumes human form on land. The showing of Song of the Sea runs from 2 to 3 p.m. Admission is $1 and includes popcorn. The following Wednesday, March 25, a BIG STORIES little actors childrens production will keep things lucky, with a class reading of How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace. BIG STORIES little actors is an ongoing childrens program, usually once per month, for pre-K through first-grade kids. Erin Moran, cultural arts and nature programmer, said, After we read a story, we have an acting exercise inspired by the story. The leprechaun in this story is constantly outwitting the people trying to trap him, she said. So, after the story is finished, the kids will come onstage and be challenged to trap a leprechaun by moving swiftly and quietly with agility around the stage to become a trap for the leprechaun. The production begins at 10 a.m. and runs for one hour. It is a free program with no registration needed. Moran is in her first year at the theater. We offer a wide variety of programs to appeal to everyone in the community, but theater is our specialty. We are so pleased to share the acting class, BIG STORIES little actors, and our Backstage Pass program at no charge with children from all backgrounds. We are fortunate enough to have a wonderful platform that is the Lorain County Metro Parks. The parks system allows us to provide programming that introduces the joy of the performing arts," Moran said. "I personally value a creative outlet. I know Artistic Director Brian McNally and I find it very fulfilling, and we are thankful to share our talents with the families of the Lorain County community. Note: Backstage Pass participants sit in on a rehearsal, then enjoy a question-and-answer forum with members of the cast and production team. The French Creek Theatre is located at 4530 Colorado Ave. in Sheffield Village. For more information, visit http://www.loraincountymetroparks.com/theatre or call 440-949-5200. Read more from the Sun Sentinel. By Panos Kotzathanasis | Published on 2020/03/07 Film historians consider 1955 a very important year for S. Korean cinema, in essence, the beginning of the Golden Age, despite the fact that only 15 films were produced during that year. "Piagol" holds a special position even in such a significant year, although for negative reasons, since it was eventually banned due to its supposedly pro-communist propaganda. The press, audience, and critics criticized the film for reasons that now may seem completely illogical, but just two years after the Korean war and with the hostile moods still strong, mostly instigated by the continuous North Korean guerilla activities, one can only find some logic in the ban, to say the least. The critique focused mostly on two aspects: the fact that no South Korean troops are presented in the film and the humane depiction of the North Korean troops, whom the S. Korean audience were used to see as "faceless" monsters. Let us take things from the beginning though. Advertisement The story revolves around a group of communist partisans who cross a mountainous area (Piagol means Pia Valley) just before the armistice between the two countries. Their leader Agari is ruthless in his implementation of the official line and his almost vengeful tactics soon leave the band with just a few members, including two female ones, the very beautiful and capable Ae-ran and the more "timid" So-joo. The rest of the group includes the skeptical Cheol-soo, who is the second in command, an almost illiterate older man, a young boy, and a few others. After the leadership of North Korea awards Agari a medal for his services, the band is ordered to attack a village that harbors counter-revolutionaries, but also happens to be the young boy's birth place. The mayhem that follows brings up much questioning about the leadership's tactics, while Agari's actions, who forces himself upon So-joo and is turned down by Ae-ran, when he does the same to her (since she seems to be interested in Cheol-soo, who has no interest for her however), bring even more tension to the group. A number of unexplained deaths worsen the situation even more, while Agari tries to keep the group together by becoming even harsher. The public and the authorities may have criticized the film for the humanization of the North Korean partisans, but seen in retrospective, the film is anything but pro-communist. The members of the band are portrayed as filled with faults, both as human beings and as soldiers. The love triangle (and the addition of So-joo) is probably the harshest element in that regard, particularly since General Agari is presented as a true satyr, a man who uses his authority to have sex, with the fact that he is eventually turned down by Cheol-soo being another "nail in his coffin". Agari is actually the main source of anti-communist propaganda, since he is portrayed as overly proud, cruel, completely unforgiving, having almost no control over his troops apart from when he kills them, and in essence of being the only one who does not understand the situation. The fact that Ae-ran is portrayed as smarter, more down-to-earth and in essence more loyal, could also be perceived as a kind of mocking towards him. These two characters are the most memorable in the film, with Lee Ye-chun and Kim Jin-kyu giving excellent performances, respectively, while their antithetical chemistry is one of the best elements of the narrative. The critique, however, does not stop here. Cheol-soo, who seems to function as a metaphor for communist intellectuals is portrayed as timid, inactive, and constantly lost in thought despite the direness of the situation, an in essence unable to do the slightest thing even when his life is in danger. Furthermore, the practices of the group, and particularly the attack on the village who is ordered by the High Command, also present a propagandistic comment about communist practices, while the fact that many soldiers kill old people with no remorse, since the higher ups deemed them counter-revolutionaries, is probably the harshest comment presented in the film. Technically, the film is exceptional. DP Gang Yeong-hwa takes full advantage of the mountainous area to present both the claustrophobic setting the protagonists inhabit and to highlight the few but very impactful action scenes. Of course, due to censorship, most of the violent acts are implied instead of depicted but the fact remains. Furthermore, he also does not neglect portraying the beauties of the area, which form an eloquent antithesis with the events that benefits the narrative immensely. Yang Ju-nam's editing induces the film with a rather slow pace considering its nature, which allows Lee Kang-cheon, though, to analyze his characters and the situation fully. This tactic actually sets the film towards a more art-house path than a mainstream one, although the action and the succession events are not missing. "Piagol" is a very interesting film, equally competent in its direction, acting and production values, which demands from the viewer, though, to overcome its evident propagandistic purposes in order to fully appreciate it. Review by Panos Kotzathanasis Facebook ___________ "Piagol" is directed by Lee Kang-cheon, and features No Gyeong-hui, Lee Ye-chun, Kim Jin-kyu, Heo Jang-kang, Yoon Wang-gook, Song Gwak-sang. Release date in Korea: 1955/09/23. Available on DVD from YESASIA DVD (En Sub) Chandigarh: Five people were killed and four injured when a gas tanker collided with a multi-utility vehicle in Haryana's Sirsa district on Sunday (March 8, 2020) morning, police said. The victims were travelling in a MUV when the accident took place near Panihari village, a police official from the Sirsa Sadar police station said over the phone. He said the victims belonged to Budhlada in Punjab's Mansa and were going to attend a "Satsang" at the Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa. The injured had been hospitalised, he said. (Further details awaited) We all freak out at stories of how our every move is being tracked by apps such as Google. But is it possible there is now a coldly effective use for that tracking data to help contain the coronavirus here? I write about tracking quite a bit. It is always quite something to see every second of your day tracked at myactivity.google.com (literally on a map). Usually it's a chilling reminder of our new surveilled society. But it must now be tempting for authorities to want to leverage that crucial information in what could develop into an emergency public health situation. Imagine being able to see, on a map, exactly where an infected person has been for the last day, week or month? It may not be a case of compelling someone to hand over the data (which would probably be illegal anyway - we don't live in China). An infected individual might voluntarily hand over a temporary password to their Google account. The investigator could then, within a few minutes, get an astonishingly full and accurate picture (on a map, with timestamps) of the person's recent movements. The infected person is entirely within their rights not to be comfortable with this process, or to object. But it's hard to fathom that authorities trying to contain the virus's spread wouldn't at least ask. As it always is, treading a path between privacy and security could get very, very tricky if the coronavirus outbreak deepens. One of the most controversial - even disturbing - entities to emerge in the last year is the US facial recognition company Clearview. Against the rules of all social media companies, Clearview 'scraped' (copied) and stored three billion faces from any online source it could find. It then applied algorithms to match those faces. The result is a slightly terrifying database where you can probably be identified by uploading almost any new cameraphone snap or high-resolution video camera or CCTV image. But in the US, police forces love it. Many claim they have used it to solve cases of assault or worse. Here, it wouldn't be countenanced for solid privacy reasons. And yet, and yet. Suppose buying that Clearview database was the difference between slowing the spread of the virus and not? Would we still say it's not worth the clear infringement on privacy? We may not be at that point yet. But if it came to it, would we be as steadfast as we - rightfully - are now in prioritising privacy rights over the spread of a pandemic? Last week, I wrote about a related, though much milder, tension between privacy and security: whether dashcams and bike-mounted GoPros now constituted a clear risk to our privacy, because of their high resolution quality and the more frequent incidence of people posting footage online - to point out bad behaviour, usually. Predictably and understandably, those who normally prioritise privacy take a much more nuanced view if they believe bike-mounted GoPro footage published to show the dangers cyclists face every day might be threatened. This is surely the same tension some householders feel when they are criticised for deploying high-powered CCTV cameras. Whether everyone would admit it or not, it is universal and can be roughly summarised thus: When it comes to my security and safety, this particular technology that may stretch the data privacy rights of others should be allowable. Will such an equation rear its head with the coronavirus? ***** Last week, Dublin underwent fresh trauma unrelated to the coronavirus. A tech company, HubSpot, announced 450 new jobs. Within minutes, the public anguish was loud. "Where will they live?" "Oh great, more people on the Luas." "Once again, the rest of the country settles for crumbs while Dublin is handed the jobs." This column has written at length about the first two complaints. That Dublin refuses to deal with any kind of proportionate planning development - housing, transport - to match its unusually strong industrial economic investment is baffling. But the third complaint, that Dublin is being repeatedly favoured, is worth looking at afresh. In short, it's nonsense. There is a view out there that the powers-that-be steer big tech companies into Dublin whenever there's a big jobs project going. This, the argument goes, is completely unfair and wrong-headed. Why is it that such jobs are always being 'put' into Dublin when they could do so much to transform Mullingar or Waterford or Castlebar or Tullamore or Carrick-on-Shannon? Moreover, don't these companies know what they're missing out on by not choosing the regional locations? There'd be no traffic! Housing would be less than half the price! There'd be an amazing work-life balance! Staff retention would be amazing! Alas, the reality is very different. The real reason these giant tech firms still covet a central Dublin location, even with the sky-high rents, chronic congestion and other urban disadvantages, is that it is where they can maximise recruitment. There is literally no more to it than that. Highly sought-after young workers like being in or around cities. It's not just because of the choice of jobs. It's the ability to go out at night, attend events, meet other young people. As for the government 'putting' these jobs in Dublin, almost every minister or IDA executive I've ever spoken to would give their right arm to have more of the job announcements outside Dublin. So we should ditch the conspiracy theories about a 'Dublin first' agenda. 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #10 Posted on 8 March 2020 by John Hartz Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Reviews... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... Want to Go for Inclusive Climate Action? Then Start with Integrating Gender Equality into Climate Finance This article is part of special IPS coverage of International Womens Day on March 8 2020 UNITED NATIONS, Mar 6 2020 (IPS) - Gender equality and womens rights have progressed immensely since the adoption of the most visionary agenda on womens empowerment, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 25 years ago. However, gender equality experts across the world are signaling that we need to identify additional paths for a sustainable world, including in our response to climate change. This year, we have the opportunity to make a real difference in our climate response and to recognize its critical links to gender equality. In addition to the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration this year, 2020 is also the year when countries are requested to deliver stronger climate action plans to adapt and cut their emissions further and faster under the global Paris Climate Accord. As UNDP plays a central role in strengthening countries capacity to plan and implement their climate targets, the organization has worked with countries on gender-responsive climate action and climate finance. UNDPs Strengthening Governance of Climate Change Finance Programme (GCCF), supported by the Government of Sweden, has worked with countries to include gender in climate change policies and budgets in Asia and the Pacific since 2012. Want to Go for Inclusive Climate Action? Then Start with Integrating Gender Equality into Climate Finance by Verania Chao & Koh Miyaoi, International Press Service (IPS), March 6, 2020 Toon of the Week... \ Hat tip to the Stop Climate Science Denial Facebook page. Coming Soon on SkS... CSLDF publishes guides to scientific integrity at federal agencies (CSLDF) (CSLDF) Can you change your cranky uncle's mind? (John Cook) (John Cook) SkS New Research for Week #10 (Doug Bostrom) (Doug Bostrom) Worlds intact tropical forests reached peak carbon uptake in 1990s (Simon Lewis) (Simon Lewis) What does Net Zero emissions actually mean? (Climate Adam) (Climate Adam) 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11 (John Hartz) (John Hartz) 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #11 (John Hartz) Climate Feedback Reviews... Data from glaciers around the world show most are shrinking as a consequence of global warming CLAIM: "90 percent of the worlds glaciers are growing." VERDICT: SOURCE: Climate Shock: 90 Percent Of The Worlds Glaciers Are GROWING, iceagenow.info, Principia Scientific, Nov 26, 2016 KEY TAKE AWAY: This claim is an inaccurate representation of a single studys results, which concluded that the Antarctic Ice Sheet is gaining mass and is therefore not contributing to global sea level rise. Other scientific studies contradict the results of this study. There is also a large body of peer-reviewed research by glacial scientists which concludes that the Antarctic Ice Sheet is, in fact, contributing to sea level rise due to prominent ice loss on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Data from glaciers around the world show most are shrinking as a consequence of global warming, Edited By Clara Deck, Climate Feedback, Feb 26, 2020 Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... The last of the cresting wave of baby boomers is now 55. The oldest ones have 20 years on them. For 75 years, the bubble of 76 million people born from 1946 to 1964 has always had an outsized impact on the U.S. economy, culture and lifestyle, particularly in their teenage and young adult years as they marched and rioted through the counterculture of the 1960s and discoed through the 1970s. Boomers eventually shed their bell bottoms and platform shoes, and, like generations before, settled down, got married, bought a house, had children and are now spoiling their grandchildren. But unlike their parents, they aren't staying in the same home where they raised a family as they glide into their golden years. Baby boomers are likely to make three more home purchases before they slip into history, according to David Kalosis, the owner of Strategic Insights, a real estate research and consulting firm based in Atlanta. For those nearing retirement, especially in colder climates where their mortgages might be paid off, they might buy a smaller vacation home in the Sun Belt, Kalosis said. When they leave the workforce, they will likely sell the longtime home where they raised a family and the small vacation home and move into a larger house in a warmer climate. Once one of the couple passes away, Kalosis said the remaining partner is likely to downsize to a small condominium or apartment or, for health reasons, a continuing care community that offers independent living, assisted living and eventually memory care. Relocating Jim and Judy Williams, formerly of Ohio, are among those baby boomers who are on the move. The retired couple he's 70, she's 68 left the Cincinnati area in 2015 and bought a two-story, three-bedroom house with 2,185 square feet in the Brighton Park Village neighborhood of Nexton near Summerville. They wanted to be closer to their son, Rick, his wife Amelia, and their two daughters, who live on James Island. The two looked for a new home across the Charleston area and decided they could buy a bigger house for less money a little farther away from the hubbub of the metro area's central core and still enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Both retired educators, they did not want to live in any of the large 55-plus communities still developing on the edge of Charleston. "I wanted to be around families and different age groups," Judy Williams said. "I wanted my granddaughters to feel welcome when they came here." Though her husband is experiencing some health issues, the two are still active, taking yoga classes, doing yard work and spending as much time as possible with their granddaughters, Emma Claire, 12, and, Thea, 14. They also say their latest home purchase will not be their last. Sign up for our real estate newsletter! Get the best of the Post and Courier's Real Estate news, handpicked and delivered to your inbox each Saturday. Email Sign Up! "I have always enjoyed yardwork and taking care of things," Jim Williams said. "But there will come a time when I won't be able to do that anymore, and we will look for a condo or something smaller than we have now." For now, they are content in Nexton, where their two-story house with a wrap-around porch sits among a growing neighborhood of manicured lawns, walking trails and a central square. And they are in good company among others from their generation. 'Long runway' About 11,000 U.S. residents are turning 60 every day, Kalosis said. Another 10,000 a day are turning 65. And they can expect to live another 20 or so years on average, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. "Because people are living longer now, we have many people coming in the front end and not going out the back end," Kalosis said of the over-55 demographic. A Washington Post report in 2017 projected boomers will be around until about 2088, when the last one passes at the ripe old age of 124. Meanwhile, a Census Bureau estimate shows 30 million people born before 1965 will still be around in 2055, most of them boomers. "Our math suggests we have a pretty long runway in the baby boomer space," Kalosis said. Longer life expectancy, and the sheer mass of baby boomers, are the reasons so many 55-plus developments have sprung up. The Charleston suburbs are home to four large communities for the 55-and-up crowd: two Pulte-sponsored Del Webb neighborhoods and K. Hovnanian's Four Seasons at Lakes of Cane Bay all in Berkeley County and Kolter Homes' Cresswind at the Ponds in Dorchester County. More developments could be on the way in the Southeast as the region attracts retirees, but the rush of 55-plus developments won't be as pronounced as in recent years, said Sam Abruzzo with K. Hovnanian Homes. Because retirees are taking advantage of more housing choices than ever and the first of more than 80 million millennials are getting married and settling down, homebuilders are pivoting to cater to those markets. "The 55-plus-community market won't compound as aggressively as it has in the past," Abruzzo said. That doesn't mean developers are abandoning communities set up for older residents. They will continue to attract buyers and be built, Abruzzo said. After all, right behind the boomers is Generation X. Though smaller at 66 million, that group will begin turning 55 this year. For many years, investors have been willing to pay significantly more for shares of natural gas utilities compared to electric utilities. In more recent times, natural gas is also increasingly being viewed favorably as a bridge to climate breakdown, even as coal power generation gives way to its cleaner counterpart. However, the warm glow has not stopped investors from fleeing natural gas utilities as the fossil fuel sector has come under increased scrutiny for its role in climate change. In a rare occurrence, electric utility valuations have blown past those for gas, an ominous sign that investor confidence in the future of fossil fuels is approaching a nadir. Natural gas discount For the first time in a decade, shares of local gas distributors are cheaper than those by electric utilities based on projected earnings. The S&P Gas Utilities Index is now trading at an average P/E ratio of 16.7 times vs. 17.1 for the S&P's electric utilities index is trading at 17.1, according to Bloomberg data. In sharp contrast, NextEra Energy Inc. (NYSE:NEE), the worlds largest publicly listed developer of wind and solar, is trading at a staggering 30.5x fwd earnings. The huge discount is a clear reflection of the dimming prospects of fossil fuels in general. Its also a reflection of the poor state of the industry, with natural gas prices currently hovering at multi-year lows. Source: Business Insider The near-and mid-term prospects for natural gas, however, still appear bright. Related: Does Saudi Arabia Really Fear A Bernie Presidency? Hydraulic fracturing has made the fuel plentiful and cheap making it hard to find a suitable substitute. In fact, natural gas consumption has accelerated in recent years, with the IEA predicting it will increase another 40 percent to nearly 200 quadrillion Btu by 2050 as the global transition from coal gains momentum--natural gas produces about 50% less CO 2 emissions than coal for the same amount of energy. Natural gas is also able to keep the grid stable as solar and wind power fluctuate. And climate advocates might have a harder time kicking it out compared with coal. Climate advocates in dozens of cities in liberal-leaning states such as Washington, California and Massachusetts have been pushing for natural gas to be banned from homes and businesses with lawmakers in New York to California taking a stand against greenhouse gas emissions. But all that is easier said than done, if California is any indication. California is regarded as one of the greenest states in the United States. Although its millions of vehicles still produce tons of smog that pollute the air, the state has been very vocal and proactive than most at keeping greenhouse emissions low. For instance, the Golden Bear State produces more renewable energy than any other state in the nation and has even set an ambitious goal to generate 100% clean power by 2045.California has also become the first state to vanquish coal for power generation. But unlike the states successful push to ditch coal, early efforts to phase out natural gas have been facing heavy pushback. Pushing out coal was relatively painless for California residents and businesses because it mostly affected out-of-state mines and power plants. Its a different story though with natural gas, with the states powerful homegrown company, Southern California Gas Co.(OTCMKTS: SOCGP)-- a natural gas utility that serves nearly 22 million people from the Central Valley to the U.S.-Mexico border--determined to stay put. SoCalGas--a subsidiary of San Diego-based Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE)--has launched a sweeping campaign to preserve the role of its pipelines in powering society and convincing local officials that policies aimed at replacing gas with electricity would be wildly unpopular. Related: Oil Prices Collapse 8% As Novak Tells OPEC+ To Pump At Will Natural gas is Californias largest electricity source. Obviously, SoCalGas is fighting for self-preservation with revenue from residential gas sales clocking in at nearly $2.3 billion in 2017. But it also appears to have a much better clean energy value proposition than your average fossil fuel company. The Los Angeles-based company plans to produce biomethane using waste from dairy farms, landfills and sewage treatment plants. It contends that doing this can kill two birds with one stone: replacing some of the natural gas in its system with renewable gas as well as limiting heat-trapping methane emissions. The company has already injected small amounts of renewable gas into its pipelines with plans to add more. It appears investors have not lost faith in the natural gas utility, having bid its shares up 11.7% in the year-to-date. Utilities as defensive plays Natural gas defenders such as BlackRock Inc. contend that the fuel should have a long life as a bridge to clean energy with constraints imposed on development few and far between. At the same time, the value of utilities in general as an investment vehicle is not likely to fade any time soon. Utility companies tend to be slow-growing, but high-yielding and inexpensive relative to earnings. They are generally viewed as good defensive plays because of their relatively steady and safe cash flows both in both good and poor economic cycles. Utilities are more recession-proof than most sectors, as evidenced by their positive returns during the last recession when the rest of the market tanked wildly. Indeed they are still living up to their billing, with the 4% YTD return by the S&P 500 Utilities Sector Index trumping the -6.4% yield by the S&P 500. By the same token, utilities can be a drag on your portfolio during the good times. The S&P 500 Utilities Index has yielded a 8.5% annualized return over the past decade compared to 10.6% return by the S&P 500 over the timeframe. For perspective, putting $10,000 in the Utilities SPDR ETF (XLU) over the last 10 years would have resulted in a nearly $5,000 lower profit before fees compared to the same amount invested in the S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY). By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Attending the sessions The Commissions meet for their annual regular sessions in the M-building of the Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria. NGO representatives must obtain a photo identity badge upon arrival at the United Nations and before attending the session at Gate 1 of the Vienna International Centre. Representatives accredited to the session as described above can pick-up their badges in person, upon presentation of an identity document (i.e. passport) and a copy of the letter of request for accreditation from the concerned NGO. NGO representatives in possession of an annual grounds pass for the Vienna International Centre and valid for the duration of the session, will have access to the conference rooms, but will not be included in the list of participants unless accredited to the session. To be included in the list of participants, representatives must be registered and get a pass for the duration of the meeting. All travel-related expenses, accommodation and medical insurance are the responsibility of the NGO or its representatives. NGO representatives accredited to the session can attend the plenary meetings, the meetings of the Committee of the Whole and side events. At the plenary meetings, the Commissions discuss the issues that are contained in the provisional agendas (the agenda is contained in document number 1 of the session, please see the documentation sections of the Commissions' websites). In order to examine draft decisions, draft resolutions and specific technical issues, a Committee of the Whole is convened in parallel with the plenary meetings of the Commission. NGO representatives can participate in the Committee of the whole as observers, but cannot take the floor. Informal consultations conducted by Member States are not open to NGO participation. Audio and video recordings of sessions and live transmissions of the meetings are not permitted, except for accredited media. One of the six pillars of the Chester County Historic Courthouse on North High Street will shine in blue light on January nights beginning Tuesday evening in recognition of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. As the festive notes of a guitar fill the room, and smartly dressed men and women set up towers of tamales that threaten to overwhelm their containers, it feels for a moment as if nothing could go wrong in the world of Andrea Thomes rapturous Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes). But the truth is that most of the characters in this En Garde Arts production are undocumented immigrants gathering in a church on the eve of an ICE raid that threatens their presence in the United States. They are there for a fandango, a traditional gathering in which musicians, dancers and guests take turns performing on a wooden platform surrounded by the others. Inspired by stories of real-life immigrants (including Sinuhe Padilla, who wrote the songs and portrays a musician), Thomes play is a sensitive portrait of the in-between: characters balancing the small joys of everyday life with the fear of uncertainty. At the center of the festivities is Mariposa (Jen Anaya), who has become the unofficial leader of this immigrant community. As Anaya portrays her, Mariposa (the word for butterfly in Spanish) is the embodiment of Zen, all sweet smiles and softly spoken responses. But look closely at her careful movements and alert eyes and Anaya also reveals anxiety. She is not exempt from the terror. An elderly widower who was questioned over the disappearance of William Tyrrell has claimed police tried to pin the crime on him after botching the investigation. Paul Savage, 75, lived across the street from the three-year-old boy in Kendall, New South Wales, and was among hundreds of persons of interest early in the investigation. The elderly man was called to testify at a coronial inquest into William's disappearance last year and has long denied having any involvement in the case. Three-year-old William Tyrrell disappeared from a home in Kendall, New South Wales, in September 2014 Paul Savage lived across the street from the three-year-old boy in Kendall, NSW in 2014, and was among hundreds of people interrogated in the investigation. Mr Savage has long denied any involvement in the boy's disappearance Mr Savage told The Australian that investigators accused him of taking the toddler because they needed someone to blame and ultimately let the real perpetrator 'get away.' 'They mucked it up from day one, and had nobody. All I did was help look for him,' he said on Sunday. 'You've got a little fella missing and they want to get somebody, but I had nothing to do with it.' The court heard Mr Savage, who is from Kendall, was subject to listening device surveillance at times during the investigation. He accused leading investigator and former homicide detective Gary Jubelin of being the one to point the finger at him. 'He [Jubelin] made it sound like I was somebody who was hiding the truth. I always told the truth.' Former NSW homicide detective Gary Jubelin is facing charges after he allegedly illegally recorded conversations with Mr Savage which the Crown alleges were not covered by surveillance warrants Members of the NSW Public Order and Riot Squad search bushland in Kendall on the NSW mid-north coast Jubelin is facing charges after he allegedly recorded conversations with Mr Savage that weren't covered by surveillance warrants. But the retired detective told the court he'd been assured by Deputy Commissioner David Hudson that he wouldn't be criminally charged over the recordings following an internal investigation. 'Don't worry, you won't be charged. There's no public interest in you being charged,' Jubelin said Mr Hudson told him when he quit the force in 2019. Jubelin says he made the recordings to protect himself in the event Mr Savage lodged a complaint or harmed himself. Mr Savage claimed investigators accused him of taking the toddler because they needed someone to blame and ultimately let the real perpetrator 'get away' 'He's a volatile person. I'm pushing buttons. I'm poking him,' he said of one of the occasions a recording was made. 'Everyone was aware I was going there to stir him up. I felt I needed to protect myself.' Hundreds of people have been dubbed 'persons of interest' during the investigation and a case detective admitted during the inquest there's 'a very low standard to meet in order to become a person of interest'. Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Mr Savage was in any way involved in William's disappearance. An inquest, which began last March, has been beset with delays and adjournments and will resume in Taree on Monday. Mr Savage said he doesn't expect to be called back into the second round of hearings and is 'happy they're finished with me'. Pope Francis has cancelled his regular appearances in public to stop crowds gathering to see him and will stream them on the internet from inside the Vatican because of the coronavirus outbreak in Italy, Global News reports. The Vatican said that on Sunday the pontiff will not address crowds from a window overlooking St. Peters Square, and will also not hold his general audience from there this Wednesday. Both attract tens of thousands of people. It will be one of the few times in the past 66 years that a pope will not appear at the window, a ritual deeply ingrained in Roman tradition, with some families attending every week. Both the address and general audience will be held without public participation inside the official papal library in the Vaticans Apostolic Palace and will be view-able on the internet or television, the Vatican said in a statement on Saturday. Popular Yoruba movie actor and producer, Yomi Fabiyi, has in recent times been plagued with several controversies. From announcing his decision to divorce his British wife on social media to numerous feuds with colleagues and most recently, a sex-for-role scandal, the talented actor has not been spared by gossip blogs. In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the actor explains how irresponsible blogging is affecting the peace of the Yoruba movie industry PT: Youre an actor with a lot of controversies. How do you cope? Yomi: Well, controversies can be negative or positive. Im an actor that likes to do what is right and stand by what is right. Ill like to correct the impression that I like controversies. As a person that likes to speak the truth in a society where people are not used to doing what is right, of course, theyll tag you as a controversial person. If I live in the western world, Im one of the people that will be appreciated for standing by the truth and doing what is right. If you look critically, youll see that Im not associated with crime or violence or dishonesty. Im only going to be talked about when Im demanding that the right thing should be done for peace and serenity to reign. PT: You and your colleagues have been targets of faceless gossip blogs in recent times. Does this bother you at all? Yomi: Anybody can choose to blog. Anybody can choose to work in the media. It is allowed. Theres that freedom to express yourself. But when anybody chooses to go into that business of writing about others, you should know that that is a responsibility to credibility and honesty. You will not come and start writing about another persons image, behaviour, and life and keep your own life and those of your family sacred. If you want to write, you write because you swore to always report verified truth. Even if you run a gossip blog, you gossip about things that are true. Some people will not look at the positive parts of those arts, they focus on the evil part of it. They stay on the other side and call it blogging but they use it to hurt people, to damage people, to oppress and to create anarchy. If care is not taken, things will go the wrong way because social media will end up ruining the unity and peace in the society. That is why people like us will say that blogging does not mean you should start creating a problem all over the place. If you want to gossip that should be after you probably got an authentic story that you want to blog about. If youre in the media business, people will definitely write about you but you cannot operate a media platform in secrecy. Immediately you start making use of a media platform and youre not known to the government, one, they cannot hold you accountable. Two, youll use it as a tool of oppression and lastly, you wont be called to reckoning whenever you make mistakes. If you want to gossip and make money from it or choose it as your hobby, you should be ready to face the heat because if you lie about somebody and throw it into the public, it might not be traceable back. It is important that if youre not going to be credible, dont even go into it. PT: Speaking about secrecy, many believe that the owner of Gistlovers blog is a member of the Yoruba film industry. Do you think that is true? Yomi: it is becoming a dangerous situation now, whereby many people are being suspected to be behind it. The style of practice of that particular blogger is criminal. It is antisocial and a breach of fundamental human rights. This person is a quack blogger. The sad part of it is that this person is so criminal that there are people that have actually gone to face this person with the true facts and this person will still demand money before the story can be taken down. If the person was not hidden, the courts will be doing that for the victims. Now, a lot of people are grieving. A lot of people are in pain. A lot of my colleagues are unhappy. Theres no peace. People are beginning to suspect one another in the industry and before you know it, actors will start killing, poisoning and start hurting themselves diabolically. There are some stories going out there that youll think this person is a snitch, meanwhile, one of those you think are quiet is one of those syndicates that sell you out. It is a serious situation that the government and important people in society should take up because everybody is a potential victim of this criminal. READ ALSO: PT: Does this mean that the recent sex-for-role allegation levelled against you is fake? Yomi: That is what I am saying. You cannot be calling everything allegation when the person talking is actually a complete liar apart from a syndicate. I cannot even call it allegation, it is all part of the criminality. People cannot come up with allegations without proof and you cannot ask me that because the person that chewed it out did not do any findings. They did not balance their story. Anybody can just decide that they want to tarnish someones image, using social media. The person should go and report at the police station and show him/herself. I will get the person into prison for false information. In a saner country, you dont even raise a false alarm, it is a criminal offence. People will write nonsense about you, theyll want you to die, theyll want you to suffocate and have high blood pressure. It is not going to work again. This time, no turning back unless they kill me. Ill make sure I get to the bottom of this and the person will pay with everything they have. I can bet that with my life. It is better they kill me before then. PT: Youve been at the forefront of a lot of humanitarian gestures in your industry yet you seem to always have issues with your colleagues? Yomi: A lot of people tend to think that because we shoot films together in the industry that theres that bond. The truth of the matter is that somebody like me will want to do everything within my capacity to see that we are united. The only thing that we can share within ourselves, under a normal working relationship, is our welfare. There is no way Im going to say Im going to a bank to get a loan for another producer to shoot movies. The only thing that we can share among ourselves that will show that we can cohabitate and there is love among us is to look into our welfare and protect ourselves, when we are alive and when we are dead. This is a duty we owe to ourselves. I know where I am good at. I might not be able to lead like a president, but I know when it comes to PR or welfare, I can easily deliver. Ive been doing this in the industry before social media came and nobody has ever complained. PT: This clearly didnt start today Yomi: A lot of people thought it started with Moji Olaiya. When the late Remi Abiola died in America, the son had no dime to bring his mother back home. When they were raising the committee, I was part of the presidential committee under Jide Kosoko in 2006. That was when they started giving me responsibilities. That was when I was shown how to care for people in the industry. How Remi Abiola came to Nigeria, how we received the corpse at the airport, nobody knew. I was very young but I had the responsibility. Several others like that. Bisi Ogunde died on a movie set, a work of a pioneer president of this industry. How did we receive the corpse from Gbagada General Hospital? How did we manage those situations? None of these people writing rubbish on social media knew anything. If we are showing all of these things on social media and some devilish, demonic people, because they are so competitive, they feel if youre doing these things, people will like you and they see that as a completion. Everybody wants to be loved than others. I am not doing all these to be loved, I am just playing roles that I should in the industry; to love and to stand by my colleagues. Most of them have done many things for me too. If this is what I choose to do in an industry with so many departments, why are some people angry about it if they are not ready to do it? PT: Can you give us other instances where you went the extra mile for your colleagues? Yomi: When one of the dialogue guys, Itakure, died, we assembled and buried him. We realised there was no money for the wife and children. We decided to shoot a movie for him. I drove myself to Oyo State and spent days on the set without collecting a dime. When we sold the movie, we ensured the money was given to the family. Some of these demonic people will even die in an aircraft and they wont see their bodies to bury them because they will always want to type against anything sacred because it is social media, forgetting that there is life behind every account used. Even if we dont see their punishments, it will get to them. It will get to their children. PT: Does this show that there is no love in your industry and that your colleagues go diabolical? Yomi: We are Africans. If any actor tells you that there is no love in the Yoruba movie industry and that some of their peers can sometimes go diabolical, they know what they have been through. Everything is not for attention, they are only using their platforms to express themselves. Im not against anybody using their platforms to express themselves if they are truthful about whatever they are going to say. What I wont support is anybody using fake accounts to do evil. You want to be loved, you want people to think you are loved yet you hide behind fake accounts and be talking from January to December on different blogs. When someone is honest on his or her page, you tag the person a talkative, whereas the real talkative are the ones behind those fake accounts you see. They are the ones that see everything everywhere. They are the ones causing problems. They will say things that youll know that this account talking is this person but how do you prove it to the world of social media? It becomes a serious menace. PT: You used to be very close with Toyin Abraham do you think your friendship can ever be rekindled? Yomi: The only thing I can say is that Iyabo Ojo contacted me and connected us. I expressed myself, she apologised and I did the same because I believe you must be humble even in forgiveness. That being said, we are not enemies. When somebody apologises to me, I will not attack again. But for every reason that I reacted, they were too much for me and she was the last person I would have expected that from. I wouldnt want to go into the details of what happened. People have mediated and everything is sorted. Whether we are going to be close like before a topic for another day. Advertisements (Bloomberg Opinion) -- The eminent economist Bob Solow once said his profession requires three qualities: faith, hope and clarity; and the greatest of these is clarity. For the past four years the British view of its future trading relationship with the European Union has reflected much more of the first two virtues than the latter. Thankfully, were now seeing signs of lucidity. A speech last month by the U.K. trade negotiator, David Frost, was admirably clear on the subject. Reasonable people can disagree about whether remaining in or leaving the EU is a good thing. But, as Frost said, theres little point in giving up the advantages of membership without getting the benefits of leaving. The previous U.K. government, under Theresa May, started by arguing that a no-deal Brexit was better than a bad deal and ended up by arguing that a bad deal was better than no deal. She was prepared to sacrifice the good things about being an EU member without reaping the dividends of separating. As we move into the next stage of Brussels negotiations, its important to recognize that while a free trade agreement is desirable it cant mean having to follow rules and regulations that are created and monitored by the EU, with no British input. Id also argue that its far more important for the City of London to be aligned with the U.S. than it is with Europe. This week the EU General Affairs Council, which is overseeing the talks with the U.K., approved the blocs negotiating mandate for the discussion on a possible free trade deal. As the Financial Times remarked, one of the EUs aims from the talks is to ensure that it does not allow an economic threat to emerge on its doorstep. It will do this by insisting on the U.K. sticking to a level playing field on its rules and regulations. Such a view speaks volumes about the EUs mercantilist ambitions. Since when did the case for free trade rest on the need to impose restrictive laws and regulations on trading partners, as opposed to the opportunity to exploit comparative advantages? David Ricardo, the political economist who dismantled the case for mercantilism, must be turning in his grave. Story continues There is no logic in the argument that a trade agreement requires countries to align their regulatory and legal systems. And the EU is attempting to impose conditions on the U.K. that it does not on other trading partners. As things stand, Britain would be better off leaving and trading under World Trade Organization terms than agreeing to abide by EU regulations. A deal at any cost makes no sense for the U.K. In my experience the attitude of EU politicians is driven by a combination of dislike of Anglo-Saxon markets, which are seen as outside political control, and envy of the global role of the City. The U.K. should be most wary of aligning with the EU in financial services. This was brought home to me in the immediate aftermath of the financial crisis a decade ago when I was chairman of the Governors and Heads of Supervisors in Basel. I met with Michel Barnier (then the relevant EU Commissioner, now the Brussels Brexit negotiator) to discuss the adoption of the new Basel III capital adequacy regulations into EU law. The aim was to raise the amount of equity capital that banks had to issue to improve their ability to absorb losses. From the start of the Basel process these requirements were always seen as a minimum individual governments were free to go further to make their banking systems safer. And the U.S., Switzerland, Sweden, as well as the U.K., were indeed keen to set a higher bar. Those countries didnt insist in turn that the EU should impose tougher regulation on its banks, as it was unwilling to do. But Barnier, strongly encouraged by his staff, wanted complete EU harmonization and opposed the U.K.s wish to enforce stricter rules on its own lenders. His guiding principle was that there should be a single regime in Europe determined by the Brussels machinery. He was left in no doubt that the U.K. wouldnt accept this. Since then EU regulation of financial services has gone down a road of increasingly detailed and often pointless directives that offer little protection to retail investors but add to the costs of the system. MIFID II is a classic example that has created unnecessary problems for the U.K.s Financial Conduct Authority, such as the calculation of future returns that fund managers must provide to their investors. Bankings culture needed to improve, but you dont do this by setting up an expensive and incomprehensible burden of compliance. Equivalence with EU regulation is not, therefore, an attractive path for British officials to follow. Recent comments by the outgoing and incoming governors of the Bank of England suggest they understand that. As a global financial center, any threat to the City will come not from various European hubs that would like to take business from London but from New York. Thats why equivalence with the U.S. should take precedence. The first reason for prioritizing the Americans over the Europeans is that much of the U.K. financial sectors business in Europe is already being done through separate subsidiaries or branches in the EU. Obviously, those companies will have to abide by EU regulations when selling within the bloc. But theres no reason why Britain would wish to force those rules on firms operating in the U.K. when theyre selling either domestically or to the rest of the world, including to the U.S. Second, New York is the real rival to the City, not Frankfurt, Paris or other would-be EU financial centers. As such, any regulatory alignment should be determined by the U.K.s interest in remaining the pre-eminent financial hub in the European time zone. Why align with Europe when the real game is elsewhere? Third, whatever the disagreements between London and Washington over Huawei, Iran or chlorinated chicken, it would be foolish of the U.K. to ignore the benefits from cooperation between the two countries on financial regulation. In the post-crisis debates on regulatory reform, the Americans and the Brits worked together well to toughen capital requirements on banks. This was often opposed by continental regulators more interested in protecting their national banks, which remain financially weak to this day. The transatlantic partnership offers a better hope for future regulation than tying London to a EU model. If equivalence must be the aim, then its with the U.S. rather than the EU that the future lies. To contact the author of this story: Mervyn King at mking154@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Boxell at jboxell@bloomberg.net This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners. Mervyn King is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a member of the U.K. House of Lords, and a professor of economics and law at New York University. He was governor of the Bank of England from 2003 to 2013. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Attorney-General Christian Porter is "carefully considering" a plea from Australia's Muslims for more protection in new religious discrimination laws, as the community warns it has "never felt this unsafe" as the first anniversary of the Christchurch mosque massacre approaches. In a submission on the second draft of the bill, more than 160 Muslim organisations renewed their calls for anti-vilification measures to be included in the religious discrimination bill, arguing anti-Muslim hate networks are growing online, "thanks to an environment of legal uncertainty". Muslim Australians say they need greater protection against vilification and violence. Credit:Lisa Wiltse "The atrocity of the Christchurch terror attack continues to reverberate in the Australian Muslim community," the Muslim community submission says, referring to the March 15, 2019, shooting that killed 51 people. "Australian Muslims have never felt this unsafe." Their warning coincides with concerns raised by new Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation head Mike Burgess about the growing threat of right-wing extremism. Groups estimate more than one million women rallied across the country for womens rights and against state repression. Antofagasta, Chile Cities across Chile erupted in mass celebration and outrage on Sunday as women and their supporters rallied for International Womens Day. In Santiago, a plaza that has become the citys ground zero for protests in recent months could not contain the crowd, extending for blocks along significant boulevards. Marches were under way in several cities, with others to follow Sunday evening. Nearly two million women were expected to participate in marches across the country on Sunday, day one of a two-day feminist strike. The actions are taking place in the context of broader protests against structural inequality that have been rocking the country since October 2019. High school student demonstrations last year set off nationwide mass protests for systemic change, including the overhaul of education, health and pension systems. Protests have continued despite ongoing police crackdowns that have resulted in thousands of arrests and injuries, including hundreds of eye injuries. A group of Indigenous woman demonstrate during a march in Santiago on International Womens Day [Martin Bernetti/AFP] The feminist movement, in recent years, has been an important factor in both broader protests and the massive scope of this years International Womens Day marches, according to Katerine Tapia, a member of Encuentro de Mujeres de Antofagasta, a grassroots feminist coordination space in Antofagasta, a city 1,335km (830 miles) north of Santiago. It is important to take a look back before October 18, because we had a year of feminist uprising as of April 2018 and the [International Womens Day] march last year was one of the biggest in Chile in many years, she told Al Jazeera. Feminist movements in Chile have a long and powerful history. The 2018 surge in activity began when students began occupying their universities to protest harassment on campus and institutional inaction. Those feminist occupations led to all the feminist sectors, of neighbourhood women, of women workers, to rise up, too. The list of feminist demands began to broaden with all the historical demands, but especially against institutional violence, police violence, and machista (male chauvinist) violence, said Tapia. Aerial picture showing demonstrator gathering outside La Moneda Presidential Palace in Santiago during a march on International Womens Day [Martin Bernetti/AFP] The 2018 feminist resurgence and march last year set a precedent for the nationwide protests that broke out last October, Tapia said. Women have been at the forefront of grassroots organising and diverse protest actions in recent months. We are more present than ever in history on all combat fronts, not just on the front line but on all fronts, from assemblies to collective childcare, as well as the front lines, said Tapia. Echoed across Latin America, world Chilean feminism has echoed throughout the Americas, Europe and beyond. Women in more than 50 countries worldwide have performed, A Rapist in Your Path, a choreographed chant against institutionalised rape culture developed by the Chilean feminist collective Las Tesis. Women reprised the chant on Sunday at International Womens Day events in Turkey, France, Brazil and several other countries. The A Rapist in Your Path chant has been adapted to local realities, but both the lyrics and choreography contain specific references to long-standing patterns of sexual violence by Carabineros police against women and girls in Chile. Those patterns have persisted in crackdowns on protests in recent months. From October 18 to March 5, the National Human Rights Institute, an autonomous state institution, took legal action in 112 cases of sexual violence against women and girls by authorities, in most cases Carabineros police officers. The institute has also taken action in 247 cases of torture and other cruel treatment against women and girls. A woman takes part in a march on International Womens Day in Santiago [Martin Bernetti/AFP] An end to state repression and political persecution was a top priority at a January assembly in Santiago, where women and non-binary people from across the country gathered to coordinate this years International Womens Day actions and demands. That is where the general framework of the strike was established, as well as the unifying slogan: We are the front line against state terrorism,' said Tapia. At an official Chilean government Womens Day event on Sunday morning, President Sebastian Pinera said his government is firmly committed to working urgently for a Chile where women and men have equal rights and opportunities. Chiles next constitution could be written by a citizen body comprised of half women. After months of debate and rejections, both levels of Chiles bicameral Congress passed a bill, on Wednesday, that establishes a formula for gender equality in an eventual constitutional convention, should Chileans vote in an April 26 plebiscite in favour of a new constitution and of an all-citizen convention to write it. Last week, a bill that broadens the definition of femicide was enacted. Previously, the law was only applicable if the perpetrator was the victims current or former husband or common-law partner. Across Chile, there will be marches and other protest actions on Monday when the two-day nationwide feminist strike action is set to continue. Roadblocks and marches will get started early Monday in Antofagasta, as will wildcat strikes in some sectors. Even though there was no concrete call from our association at the national level, here in Antofagasta we have united with other unions, said Patricia Romo, president of the Antofagasta chapter of the National Teachers Association. Local members of unions representing teachers, assistant teachers, support staff, and school food-service providers at the dozens of public schools in the city have joined forces for the feminist strike. We will be striking on Monday, said Romo. Four people have been rescued from a burning block of flats in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast. Firefighters were called to Flax Street at 5.29am on Sunday morning after a fire broke out at a flat on the fourth floor of the building. NIFRS Group Commander Geoff Somerville told the Belfast Telegraph that two people were rescued from the external of the building using an aerial ladder and two people self-rescued. Each of the people rescued were treated at the scene for minor burns and smoke inhalation. They were all taken to hospital for further treatment. Group Commander Somerville said: "We have five fire appliances in attendance and an aerial platform ladder, with 10 fighters using breathing apparatus going into the building. "We first received the call by an automatic fire alarm and then there was subsequent callers who phoned to confirm the fire. "The incident was concluded at 9.50am. We isolated the power and gas. Phoenix Gas came to isolate the gas and NIE came to isolate the electricity. Expand Close General view of Flax Street in north Belfast where four people were rescued from a fore at the block of flats on Sunday morning. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp General view of Flax Street in north Belfast where four people were rescued from a fore at the block of flats on Sunday morning. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye "We have now handed the building over to Radius Housing to see that repairs are done prior to allowing residents to come back into the flats." Eight other residents were evacuated during the fire and the cause of the fire has been confirmed as accidental ignition from a device that had been plugged in overnight. SDLP councillor Paul McCusker tweeted: "This was a very frightening experience for all the residents and thankfully everyone was evacuated assisted by NIFRS. The flats will not be accessible for at least 24 hours. Liasing with NB Housing." Sinn Fein councillor Ryan Murphy said: "I want to commend the rapid response of emergency services in overcoming this fire. Their actions helped prevent this from escalating into a more serious incident. I also wish those who suffered smoke inhalation and minor burns a full recovery. "This fire is believed to have been started accidentally by an electrical appliance. I would urge everyone to be careful at leaving electrical devices on over night. Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Prevention The Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on the Prevention of Corruption, called the "Working Group on Prevention" is a subsidiary body of the Conference of the States Parties. It is responsible for advising and assisting the Conference in regard to preventive measures under chapter II of the Convention against Corruption. Since its establishment in 2009, the Working Group on Prevention has held one meeting per year during which its participants exchange information and experiences, present actions taken by States parties, discuss specific substantive topics as well as the implementation of resolutions dealing with the prevention of corruption, and take recommendations to be presented to the Conference. Many citizens of Times City urban complex in Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi flock to a local supermarket to stock up on necessities, March 6, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy. Theres no need for Hanoians to stock up on necessities; and crowding while shopping could actually increase infection chances, says Hanois Communist Party secretary. Vuong Dinh Hue stressed at an emergency meeting called Saturday by the Hanoi Peoples Committee that the city has ample supplies to be able to meet its residents needs. Locals were flocking to supermarkets en-masse to hoard up on necessities, Hue said. The rush followed confirmation Friday night of the nations 17th Covid-19 infection and the first in the capital city - a 26-year-old woman returning from Europe. "I have discussed with a leader of a major supermarket chain in Hanoi, and this person guarantees that there is enough to meet peoples demand," Hue said. Hanoi can also source supplies from outside supermarkets, he added. "If too many people go shopping without taking appropriate safety measures, it increases infection chances. It's right for people to worry but one should respond with concrete actions like protecting families' health and informing authorities of abnormal health statuses," Hue said. Supermarket and convenience store sales in the capital increased 40-50 percent within Friday night and Saturday morning, almost immediately after news of Hanoi's first Covid-19 case broke, said the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade. It has directed supermarkets, stores and other units not to increase prices or withhold goods. Current good shortage situations are only temporary, the department assured. The capital has around 455 markets, 26 department stores, 142 supermarkets, 1,800 convenience stores, the department said. Nguyen Hong Nhung, the 26-year-old woman, had left Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport on February 15 to visit family members living in London, England. Three days later, she traveled from London to Milan City, in the province of Lombardy, Italy, and returned to London on February 20. On February 25, she traveled from London to Paris to visit her sister. She contracted a cough on February 29, but did not get it checked. On March 1, she reportedly felt body pain and fatigue, but it was unclear if she had a fever. The same day, she boarded flight VN54 of Vietnam Airlines from London and landed in Hanoi at 4:30 a.m. on March 2. She did not have a fever then. After completing entry procedures, the patient was allowed to drive a family car home to Truc Bach Street in Ba Dinh Districts Truc Bach Ward. Later, she developed a mild fever and coughed a lot, and was admitted to Hong Ngoc Hospital in Ba Dinh District Thursday. The very same day, she was transferred to the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases where she tested positive for the novel coronavirus. 33 people were in close contact with Patient 17, including several family members, while 90 others had indirect contact, said director Nguyen Khac Hien of the Hanoi Department of Health. All of them have been quarantined and monitored. 25 of them has tested negative for the virus as of Saturday morning, he added. Authorities are also trying to look for 217 passengers and crew members of the VN54 flight, which the patient was on board. The global death toll has reached nearly 3,600 in 102 countries and territories, mostly in mainland China (3,097), followed by Italy (233), Iran (145) and South Korea (50). Just hours after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) took former MD and CEO of Yes Bank Rana Kapoor in custody, his daughter Roshini Kapoor was allegedly stopped by officials at the Mumbai Airport on March 8. According to news agency ANI, Roshini was about to leave for London in a British Airways Flight. ED officials arrested Rana Kapoor at 4.00 am on March 8 after more than 29 hours of questioning. Kapoor was held under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), according to ED officials. The arrest became imperative after financial irregularities and mismanagement of Yes Bank surfaced, they said. The central financial crime-fighting agency argued that Kapoor, a veteran banker, was not co-operating with its investigation and sought his custody until March 13. But they got custody only until March 11 Fewer people are donating blood in the US as donation drives are being cancelled amid fears of being public places and contracting the coronavirus from others, say officials at the nation's largest blood banks. Despite the virus' pronounced impact on the West Coast, where 11 people have died in Washington state and 1 in California, the impact on blood donations has been felt across the county. One drive that was cancelled has been expected to collect 500 units of blood, which would have been enough to treat up to 1500 patients, say officials at the American Association of Blood Banks, or AABB. Fewer people are donating blood as donation drives are cancelled amid fears of being in public places or contracting the coronavirus from others, say officials at the nation's largest blood banks. A retired firefighter is pictured donating blood in Thousands Oaks, California Passengers wear face masks to protect against the COVID-19, or Coronavirus, after arriving at the LAX airport in Los Angeles, California on March 5, 2020. Fears of being public places or being contact with people who are infected are driving blood donations down One blood donation drive that was cancelled had been expected to collect 500 units of blood, which would have been enough to treat up to 1500 patients, say officials at the American Association of Blood Banks. Pictured are blood donations packaged at the American Red Cross Each donation can help roughly three people, reports the LA Times. There is currently no shortage in the nation's blood supply. But there may be cause for concern if donations continue to decline in the coming weeks says, Eduardo Nunes, vice president of quality, standards and accreditation for AABB. Experts suspect that fears of being public places and exposure to people who may be infected are driving the numbers in donations down. A single donation of blood can last 42 days, which means steady donations are required to keep the nation's supply stable. 'The use of blood seems to be steady at this point while collections are dropping,' Nunes told the Times. 'We've had a steady depletion of inventory over the past few weeks, with no sign that we'll be able to make up deficit.' Donations already were on the decline before the virus outbreak began in Wuhan China in December, says Dr. Claudia Cohn, chief medical officer for AABB. A single donation of blood can help up to three people. Pictured is blood being collected from a donor at a blood drive in Washington, DC There is currently no shortage in the nation's blood supply. But there may be cause for concern if donations continue to decline in the coming weeks. An American Red Cross bus is pictured at a California blood drive earlier this year Blood donations were already on the decline when the outbreak of COVID-19, the latest strain of the coronavirus (pictured) began in Wuhan, China, in December That's most likely because older people are more often blood donors, and their demographic has been shrinking over the years. 'Younger generations are not showing up in the numbers as the 'Greatest Generation' Cohn said. 'That is the fact.' To counter the decline, officials have already begun taking steps to boost donations. The blood bank in San Diego in San Diego County, which has not had any confirmed cases of infection, has started asking for donations in the event travel restrictions are imposed in response to a rise in cases. Officials in Washington state, where at least 11 people have died, tweeted a request for donations last week, writing 'the COVID-19 outbreak is starting to impact the blood supply in WA. Anyone who is symptom-free is encouraged to donate blood!' Washington Gov. Jay Inslee similarly tweeted an appeal for donations. 'Our region's blood stores are extremely low. You can help,' he wrote, including a link that a potential donor could use to sing up with one blood bank, Bloodworks. Curt Bailey, the CEO of the Seattle-based nonprofit, has issued a public call for 1,000 people to donate at a local community blood center. Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee tweeted an appeal for donations. 'Our region's blood stores are extremely low. You can help,' he wrote, including a link that a potential donor could use to sing up with one blood bank, Bloodworks Curt Bailey, the CEO of the Seattle-based nonprofit, has issued a public call for 1,000 people to donate at a local community blood center. Blood banks, however, are requesting help with some restrictions. The Red Cross asks that potential donors who have been to China, Iran, Italy and South Korea, or in contact with someone suspected of having the infection, wait out 28 days before making a donation. 'We ask that only healthy people give blood,' Cohn of the AABB said. She noted that people are unlikely to be exposed to a knowingly infected person at a blood drive since being in good health is a requirement to make a donation. George Brannigan and his new Propain Rage. George is continuing on with his mullet set up from last year with 29er up front and 27.5 in the rear. Third place for George. Matt Walker and his Pivot Phoenix. Despite being 6 foot, Matt runs a medium size frame for all his bikes as he prefers an agile ride. Ainhoa Ijurko and her new Canyon Sender. Ainhoa recently signed with the new Canyon Collective team and is a local shredder from our hometown of Squamish, BC. Anneke Beerten was one of the only riders not on a Downhill bike but still tamed the blown out and rough track. Mick and Tracey Hannah's Polygon XquareOne's, both the fastest bikes of the day. Vaea Verbeeck and her Rocky Mountain Maiden. Kiwi pinner Sam Gale and his new Pivot Phoenix. The Downhill was the last event of Crankworx Rotorua and riders battled it out on a very blown out and dusty track. Mick and Tracey Hannah took the wins and it was only the second time they have ever shared the top step of the podium. Check out eight bikes from the day's events. New Delhi: Roshini Kapoor, daughter of Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor, was prevented from boarding a flight for London at the Mumbai airport in the wake of a corruuption investigation into one of India's largest private banks. The Enforcement Directorate had issued a lookout notice against her and other family members of Rana Kapoor, who is currently being held in the agency's custody. A lookout circular is typically issued by a probe agency in India, when a case is registered against an individual. The circular is then forwarded to all airports informing them that the said individual is to be stopped should they try to leave the country or the city. These orders were issued in anticipation that Kapoor's family may try to slip out of the country,just like fugitive Indian businessman Nirav Modi, a senior government official said on condition of anonymity. As of now, passports of the family members have not been cancelled but this could happen anytime when the government deems fit, the official added. When contacted, neither Mumbai airport officials nor British Airways make any comments. The ED had arrested Rana on Sunday on charges of money laundering, after carrying out searches at his and his daughter's houses in Delhi and Mumbai. Kapoor is facing charges that Yes Bank had bought 3,700 crore worth debentures of Dewan Housing and Finance Ltd, which had as a favor granted a 600 crore loan to a company called Doit, owned by Rana Kapoor's three daughters Roshini Kapoor, Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, and Radha Kapoor. The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday had imposed a moratorium on the capital-starved Yes Bank, capping withdrawals at 50,000 per account and superseded the board of the private sector lender with immediate effect. Yes Bank will not be able to make any loan or advance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse any payment. As per the RBI's draft reconstruction scheme, State Bank of India will pick up 49% stake in the crisis-hit bank under a government rescue plan. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang Sun, March 8, 2020 15:00 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad20691eb8a 1 National bullying,UN,unicef,Ganjar-Pranowo,Central-Java,Semarang,children,school-bullying,school Free More than 150 children from various communities discussed coping with bullying in their surroundings with United Nations special representative of the Secretary General on violence against children Najat Maalla M'jid in Semarang, Central Java, on Friday. The dialogue about the prevention of violence against children was also attended by Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo. The UN special representative said the children could help victims of bullying by assuring them it was not their fault. "The victims are never wrong. It's the bullies who are at fault, Najat said in response to a student's question on how to behave towards bullying victims. She also told discussion participants to report any bullying they encountered to school authorities to deter the perpetrators. Bullying, she added, could happen anywhere in the world, including her own home country of Morocco. "What's most important is that you know how to handle it." The event was organized by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) as part of its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to end all forms of violence against children, to realize the right of every child to live free from fear, neglect, abuse and exploitation. (vny) After being under unprecedented security and an Internet lockdown for almost seven months since the effective revocation on August 5 of Article 370 of the Constitution that conferred special status on it, Jammu & Kashmir is ushering in a spring marked by a calibrated easing of restrictions and the release of political leaders. The latest straw in the wind is an effort by Altaf Bukhari, Kashmirs leading business tycoon and an expelled senior leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to revive the political process in the erstwhile state, which on October 31 was split into two Union territories J&K and Ladakh .On Sunday, Bukhari is expected to announce the formation of a new political party, named J&K Apni Party, which translates as J&K Ours. Bukhari spoke about the challenges he faces in an interview with Hindustan Times. What is your reading of the current situation in J&K? Post August 5, perceptions may vary but the hard reality is that Article 370 has been scrapped. Some people have moved the Supreme Court. Khuda kare wohi ho jo log chahte hain (May the will of the people prevail). But, life has to go on. In last seven months, problems have piled up. J&Ks economy has been shattered, tourism is zero, hotel industry has gone down. Everyone is affected. So, somebody has to speak up for them. There are day-to-day problems which cant wait for the normalcy to return. One good thing is that our people behaved maturely. They have not come out on the streets. Lives were saved...Of course, the administration also gets the credit that they didnt kill. What needs to be done to restart the political process? The starting point is to articulate peoples woes and get them redressed. That is what I am trying to do with a clear-cut purpose. I believe that Delhi cannot get somebody elected in Kashmir. It is your own people who will elect you. That stage will come when assembly elections are held. And I dont see elections for a year-and-a-half because delimitation process is to be undertaken. But if we wait and do nothing till there is normalcy, our economy will further suffer. That is why I have got active to feel the pulse of the people and am launching the J&K Apni Party. What will be the agenda of your party? We will seek what is achievable. Restoration of statehood and domicile rights for land, jobs and education will be our prime agenda. There is a perception that your political venture has the blessing of Delhi. So dont you run the risk of being dubbed the Centres stooge? It is a common perception in Kashmir that Delhi has not stood by anybody. But at the end of the day, somebody has to start talking. I am not talking to Pakistan. Our issues are with Hindustan. That means prime minister or home minister of India. Whom else will one talk to? I would not say that I dont know them. I have been a minister who delivered. I have a clean image. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants clean politics in Kashmir, but I dont go by his perception of blaming all of Kashmirs problems on politicians and Article 370. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON One of Nigeria's most prospective and promising Beauty Queens, popularly known for her creative and artistic designs in shoe-making under her brand label the SB Design Shoe Line, Her Majesty, Queen Sandra Bassey, former Most Beautiful Model in Nigeria International, has lost her Mother to the parting tranquillity that keeps her soul serene "death". In a phone conversation with our correspondent, few minutes after she the death of her mum, Queen Sandra Bassey told us in an expression of grief, that the loss of mum can never be recovered as she may never stop mourning. She described the death of her mum as painful, narrating that it was just 5years ago when she lost her father and now the mum has joined him, leaving her alone in this cruel world. The Ex-Beauty Queen who quit modeling few years ago for shoe-making and eventually unveiled the SB Shoe line, is yet mourning the soul of her departed mother. The Screen goddess has received encouragement messages, condolences and sympathetic gestures from friends, family members, fans, colleagues and followers, but none of this seems to put her back in shape. According to State Press, Sandra Bassey is yet in grief, with tears soaked in her towels, still finding it hard to accept the truth about the death of her mum. Sandra is one of the few ladies whose mum was more than just a mother, but also a sister, her bestie, her earth-god, she was everything to her. Arrangement for the burial will immediately commence as required by the traditions and religion of the family By Tom Gellert After my grandfather proudly served our country in WWII he founded Atalanta, a food importing company specializing in trade with Eastern Europe. This year, our family company celebrates its 75th anniversary. For many years, our business was with former communist countries such as Poland, Hungary and Romania. It is hard to imagine that we face more uncertainty in our business today dealing with our own country, than dealing with countries that were behind the Iron Curtain. While it is true, the imported cheese industry was spared additional tariffs on Feb. 14 when the U.S Trade Representative (USTR) made its most recent announcement, the Trump administrations threat to impose up to 100% trade tariffs on select European Union products including cheese and wine still stands. There is still great uncertainty as the administrations carousel tariff strategy can rotate different products on and off the tariff list every few months. Imagine the trepidation our industry feels waiting to see whether the products from which we make our livelihood will face even more severe tariffs than the 25% tariffs we got hit with in October. Who knows what to expect in August when the next list is to be released? These tariffs, which stem from two separate disputes between the United States and the European Union related to military aerospace and digital services, do not hurt our trading partners as much as they hurt American companies. They simply pass their additional costs onto us. In less than four months since the first round of tariffs was imposed, my company has already paid in excess of $6 million as a result of these tariffs. Through three generations, we have built our family business to over $1.3 billion in sales. For 75 years, our company has never taken a distribution (other than to cover tax liabilities) as we have reinvested everything in the business. We have close to 600 employees in 22 states. We have never had layoffs and it sickens me to think that reckless trade policy is forcing us to consider that as a real option. In the last two years, my family"s company has increased our headcount by almost 50%, adding close to 200 jobs. We have a number of employees who have celebrated 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-year anniversaries with us. Several of our employees children work for us. These members of our family business are as important to us as members of our actual family. Each has chosen to commit to our organization to help with our growth and that of our industry. Why are they being put at risk? With additional tariffs, every investment we make whether it is a capital investment or investment in human capital needs to be scrutinized. In addition to our own employees, we create thousands of additional American jobs up and down the supply chain as each case we sell is touched by truckers, warehouse workers, service suppliers and eventually someone in a restaurant kitchen, food plant or retail store somewhere in this country. Approximately 14 million boxes of goods were received and shipped by our American employees and put into trucks driven by American drivers going to American distributors, and ending up in American restaurants or stores for products consumed by American customers. Every individual that handles those boxes is impacted by punitive tariffs or Food Taxes. The head of the Cheese Importers Association of America estimates that 20,000 jobs related to imported cheese alone will be at stake should these tariffs be enacted. The additional $6 million we already had to pay as a result of these tariffs is being sucked out of our local economy. Where does that $6 million come from? Among other things: raises, bonuses, salaries for new hires and investment. For example, we delayed indefinitely an $8 million investment in expanding a cheese packing facility in Lakewood (we recently completed a $12 million investment there). Thats millions of dollars of contracts that wont be awarded to American manufacturing and construction companies, new jobs that we wont be hiring and local taxes that we wont be paying. A friendly competitor in the industry told me he just cancelled a $1.5 million order for machinery that was going to be made by an American manufacturing company. Certainly, our increased costs will be passed onto our customers and eventually the American consumer who will be forced to pay what is for all practical purposes a Food Tax. In addition to increased prices on imported products, American food producers will surely increase prices because there will be less competition from overseas. The tariffs inhibit our ability to plan for growth. While a decision on the digital services tax has been put off until late 2020 (still no definitive, long-term resolution), the tariffs that are in response to the aerospace dispute will potentially change every few months. When running a business, its customary to plan ahead, initiate contracts and guarantee client prices. But the Administrations carousel-tax strategy makes that all but impossible for U.S. based companies in the importing business. We never know from one quarter to the next if new tariffs will be imposed on additional products or raised on products already being taxed or maybe even removed from the list entirely. As a concerned citizen, I have personally invested time going to Washington, D.C. (at the expense of spending time with customers, vendors or employees), I have attended hearings, spoken with USTR Representative officials and government representatives from other agencies, and met with congressional representatives who represent districts where my companies have offices. I could not get any explanation as to why trade disputes over digital services and the aerospace industry are leading to tariffs on the food and wine industry. I understand that the tariffs are meant to punish European companies but the damage is being felt mostly by American companies and American workers I believe in fair trade as well as free trade. I support our governments efforts to resolve trade imbalances. However, the current strategy is backfiring, hurting Americans more than our trading partners. As one of my European cheese suppliers told me, his cows wont stop producing milk. Hell keep making cheese; hell just sell it to other countries, which will have the unintended effect of hurting American cheese exports. I strongly urge the USTR to reconsider the current tariff strategy and allow business owners like myself to keep investing, keep hiring and keep growing for the next 75 years and beyond. Tom Gellert is president of the Atalanta Corporation in Elizabeth. The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 8 Trend: First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva has thanked children with autism for their congratulations on the occasion of March 8 the International Women`s Day. In a post on her official Instagram page, Mehriban Aliyeva said: "A video clip on the International Women`s Day made with love by children with autism filled me with joy, warmth and brightness. In the person of these children, I give a hug to all of our little fellow countrymen who sent their congratulations, wish each of them the best of health, long life and happy future!" A group of HIV-infected persons has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to include them in the Centre's flagship health protection scheme -- Ayushman Bharat. The Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna aims to provide a coverage of Rs five lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. Brijesh Dubey, the chairman of Global Alliance for Human Rights (GAHR), Jaipur, said more than 500 HIV-positive people wish to meet the prime minister and submit a plea in this regard. "It is needless to mention that the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in India are undergoing a high degree of stigma, discrimination and isolation in society. Many of us are dying due to unaffordable treatment, especially during shortage of drugs. "Often, doctors deny us treatment and do not conduct surgeries because of the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and because PLHIVs can't afford to pay. So, we want to request the prime minister to include us in the Ayushman Bharat Yojana," he said. Anjali Gopalan from Naz Foundation, an NGO working for health rights, hoped that PLHIVs are included in all government schemes including Ayushman Bharat, and that the prime minister will consider their request favourably. Vrinda, a PLHIV and a widow from Satara in Maharashtra, said, "I work as a community care coordinator in Satara anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centre. My salary is very low. I have three daughters and my in-laws don't support me. I have been staying separately." "With this salary and three daughters to support, it has become almost impossible to survive. If any emergency arises, I have nowhere to go. I request that we be included in the Ayushman Bharat Yojana," she said. Sumita from Kolhapur in Maharashtra, said, "I work at the ART Centre Care Coordinator. However, I face a lot of stigma and discrimination. Whenever I fall sick, OPD staff treat me as if I'm HIV positive. All other HIV patients are also treated. But for any surgery we are turned away by hospitals. We face same experiences with ART medicines also. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 8) President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a state of public health emergency upon the recommendation of health officials following a confirmed local transmission of the coronavirus disease or COVID-19, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo confirmed to CNN Philippines. A written order for the declaration, however, is not expected to be released until Monday during Panelo's regular press briefing at Malacanang. Panelo said among the possible effects of the declaration are price freezes on certain goods and faster procurement processes for medical supplies. Health Secretary Francisco Duque earlier said the declaration will allow for easier access to financial resources to control the spread of the disease in the country. Under Republic Act 11332, a public health emergency refers to an occurrence of an imminent threat of an illness or health condition which could pose a high probability of a large number of deathswidespread exposure to an infectious agent. The Department of Health raised "Code Red sublevel 1" on Saturday after it confirmed that one of the new COVID-19 patients -- a 62-year-old man from Cainta, Rizal -- did not have recent travel history to other countries. The patient's 59-year-old wife also tested positive for the infection, making her the second case of local transmission. Code Red means a "preemptive call to ensure that national and local government and public and private health care providers can prepare for possible increase in suspected and confirmed cases." The agency immediately recommended a national public health emergency. Duque earlier said the department will raise the alert to sub-level two once several transmissions are reported, which will trigger community-wide lockdowns. Schools and work may also be suspended under this alert level. The country currently has six confirmed COVID-19 cases, including three Filipinos. Aside from the couple, a 48-year-old man who works for Taguig-based consulting firm Deloitte Philippines also tested positive for the infection. He recently traveled to Tokyo, Japan and returned on March 3 on board flight PR421 from Haneda Airport. Earlier, three Chinese visitors were infected with the virus one of them died, while the remaining two have since recovered and left the country. CNN Philippines' Janine Peralta, Catherine Modesto and Eimor Santos contributed to this report. The 15th annual Lines on the Pines arts festival will be held March 15 from 11am-4pm at the Campus Center of Stockton University in Galloway Township, NJ. Read more Inside their spacious home in Mullica Township, Linda and Jim Stanton sat at their kitchen table early last month. Their focus was on food, but no plates or silverware were in sight. Before them were the ingredients for a cookbook thousands of pages, front, and back covers. They were assembling them for sale at the annual Lines on the Pines, a celebration of the South Jersey Pinelands and its culture, set for March 15 at Stockton University in Galloway Township. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the event, which was founded by Linda. So she knows this home stretch well. This is our crunch time, she said, as Jim used a binder and binding combs to assemble the books while she checked that the pages were in the right order. The end result will be Bounty of New Jerseys Pine Barrens: Recipes, Short Stories, and Tall Tales, a 258-page volume. The Stantons know not to rush. We had some books the first year where whole sections were in backward, Jim recalled. The idea for Lines on the Pines came to Linda during a visit to Sweetwater Casino in Mullica Township in 2005, where she discovered an interesting book in the restaurant gift shop: Heart of the Pines by John Pearce. She stumbled upon a several more locally authored tomes about the Pines while visiting historic Batsto Village, prompting her to organize a meet-and-greet book signing with some of the authors in March 2006, at Sweetwater Casino. The event featured not just six authors, but a photographer and archaeologist, too. She dubbed it Lines on the Pines. If she worried that the public might not be as intrigued as she was to learn more about the regions history and culture, the event taught her otherwise, said Jim. It started at 1 p.m., and people started coming at 12, he marveled. Since then, Lines on the Pines has evolved into an annual social highlight of the region, with the addition of dozens of artists, crafters, videographers, and musicians. Were going to have over 80, if not 90, vendors this year, Linda predicts, with an expected turnout of about 1,500 attendees at the event, which will be at Stocktons Campus Center. We call ourselves the AHHA event Authors and History, Humanities and the Arts. Carleton Montgomery credits Lines with keeping the areas arts alive and thriving. It provides a unique opportunity to expose the public to this globally rare ecosystem through photography, painting, music, traditional crafts, and writing, said Montgomery, executive director of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. READ MORE: At 101, this South Jersey preacher-turned-author has plenty of new chapters READ MORE: Former Atlantic City dealer is a soldier, a bodybuilder, and an inspiration Linda credits her relationship with Jim with kick-starting her interest in the Pine Barrens. The couple met online in 2001. She was wearing a plaid shirt and work boots, said Jim, 76, a retired civil engineer. My type of woman. On their second date, as they kayaked on the Mullica River through the Pine Barrens, Linda became more enamored with the area through every pull of the paddles. She and Jim married in 2002 and moved into a home they had passed on that kayaking trip. Linda, a longtime educator, said her classroom skills have transferred well to her work with Lines on the Pines for Kids, a program that introduces young ones to the scope of the Pinelands National Reserve. Not everyone knows that the expanse is a vast, 1.1-million acre tract of farms, forests, and wetlands containing 56 communities of 700,000 permanent residents in portions of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Ocean counties. Kids are our future historians, she said. If we dont teach the kids, what good is it just keeping the adults informed? When shes not organizing the arts extravaganza, Stanton donates her time at the AtlantiCare Medical Centers Mainland Campus, where she has logged more than 30,000 volunteer hours since 1974. For the last five years, she has managed its gift shop, gratis. Volunteering was a way to serve our local hospital, which serves our local community, she said. She has clearly embraced that philosophy as the founder and president Sign of the Pines, the nonprofit parent organization that oversees the Lines extravaganza. In addition to the annual festival, the organization has produced books, most recently Owls of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, featuring sketches by Mullica Township artist Shannon Askins. Longevity aside, Lines has survived the occasional setback. In June 2008, fire destroyed the Sweetwater Casino, the festivals annual site. Lines was then held at various Pine Barrens venues before finding its current home at Stockton in 2018. The plan is for the university to one day take the Lines reins from the Stantons. Jim and I are not getting any younger and we need to prepare an exit strategy, said Linda. Thomas Kinsella, director of the South Jersey Culture & History Center at Stockton, believes the school will be an excellent steward of the organization the Stantons have nurtured for so long. They've made thousands of people more aware of the Pine Barrens, he said. Theyve been glad to do it, said Linda Stanton, given how the areas beauty and culture has sustained them all these years. This is our thank you to the Pine Barrens, she said. For more information, go to linesonthepines.org. The Allahabad High Court has observed that putting up hoardings by the Uttar Pradesh government featuring names with photographs of those accused of violence during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is a violation of the privacy of a person. Chief Justice Govind Mathur had suo motu taken up the case and expressed hope that corrective action would be taken by the government. The hoardings, carrying the addresses and photos of the accused, were put up at prominent intersections in Lucknow. Those named were asked to pay for damage to public property during the protests in Lucknow, in which one person had died. The hoardings also say if the accused fails to pay up, their properties would be attached. On Friday, the Chief Minister's Office sent an unsigned two-page note justifying the hoardings. They said they were put up keeping larger public interest in mind and after following all rules. On Sunday Lawyer KK Ray said, "Chief Justice observes that photographs placed on hoardings are a violation of privacy and honour of a person." "The court observed that the government could do something to rectify it," he further said. The court of Chief Justice Govind Mathur has summoned the District Magistrate and Divisional Police Commissioner of Police of Lucknow in this case. On Thursday, the district administration installed hoardings with photos and addresses of 53 anti-CAA protesters at prominent crossings across the city. Among those named in the hoardings are activist-politician Sadaf Jafar, lawyer Mohammed Shoaib, theatre personality Deepak Kabir and former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer SR Darapuri. All of them are out on bail and have said they will contest in court any move by the government to attach their property. Calling the government's move unethical, Sadaf Jafar said, "I'm not absconding... It's pathetic to put our names and addresses here." "We were arrested, assaulted, sent to jail and then given bail. Now this is a new tactic to put pressure on us. I got a recovery notice while in jail. I sent a letter via the jail superintendent asking how I could plead my case when I was in jail. I got no reply. No one listened to me and then they sent me a recovery order," Deepak Kabir said. Massive violence had broken out across Uttar Pradesh in December last year after protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act turned violent at many places. As part of the crackdown, thousands were arrested across the violence-hit districts in the state and charges of rioting and attempted murder were filed against them. The police said at least 60 personnel were hit by bullets across the state while trying to control mobs. Questions have since been raised on the police action, including how the police in many areas appeared to have used excessive force. The UK market watchdog wants big British public companies to disclose more about their exposure to climate risks - or tell investors why they can't. The proposal from the Financial Conduct Authority is part of a growing effort by policy makers and money managers to confront how companies will manage the shift to a lower carbon economy. The voluntary programme could cover 480 issuers with a combined market value of 2.3trn (2.6trn), about 60pc of the main market at the London Stock Exchange. Companies in the FTSE 100 index would be captured, along with many smaller firms that opted for a premium listing. "Improved disclosures will support better asset pricing and enable investors to make more informed choices about where to allocate their capital - which will ultimately support the transition to a low carbon economy," Andrew Bailey, outgoing chief executive of the FCA and next governor of the Bank of England, said in a statement. Companies would have to reveal the risks to their business in line with the approach set out by the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, which was founded in 2015 and is chaired by Michael Bloomberg, founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News. Bloomberg Two of the top leaders in the General Assembly this weekend announced to Hearst CT Insider their very different picks for the Democratic presidential nomination. State Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney said Saturday he supports U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders for president because his progressive policies and goals for working families are what the country needs at a time when income inequality has reached the highest level since the Gilded Age of more than 100 years ago. Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz on Friday said he is backing Joe Biden, the former vice president, because of his deep policy experience and ability to bring the country together at a time of historic divisiveness. The picks not endorsements in the fine line of politics capped a week in which the once very-crowded field was cut drastically, with the departures of Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Mike Bloomberg. The two-man race forces Democrats to confront a much starker choice for the April 28 primary in Connecticut. Many other prominent elected Democrats in the state some who backed other horses in the race to face President Donald Trump in November are holding off on endorsing, though it appears that Biden will end up with far more support among top leaders. U.S. Sens Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, for example, havent said where their support will go, and will likely wait until after Connecticuts April 28 primary, which has 60 convention delegates up for grabs. Politics is about policy and long-term working relationships. In Hearsts informal survey, many high-profile Democrats said pragmatism is creating momentum emerging around Bidens moderate candidacy because of the high stakes in November and because of their ties to Biden over the years. Gov. Ned Lamont is leading the charge for Biden in Connecticut, having gone to New Hampshire for the recent primary. But Sanders performed well here in the 2016 primary and remains a hero for party progressives. Holding off Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff is a big backer of Buttigieg, the former South Bend mayor, says its too soon to throw his weight behind another candidate. Hes among many supporters of now-vanquished candidates who are holding off. Ive will endorse someone at the right moment, Duff said. Obviously Im sad about Pete. Joe Biden is a good and decent man who Ive met a number of times. Hell make a great president and is someone who can heal a fractured nation. Comptroller Kevin Lembo, who supported Warren until she dropped out last week, said he too will hold off on shifting his support to another. I went with the smart candidate and now shes now out of the race, Lembo said in the State Capitol. I am with whoever our nominee is and will work hard for them. I think more than one endorsement per cycle is a little bit weird. Now well see what the Bernie-Joe dynamic looks like. Their vice presidential choices will influence me, of course. Sen. Alex Kasser of Greenwich backed Klobuchar. Sen. Will Haskell, D-Westport, was in Buttigiegs camp. They, too, are holding off on public pronouncements. Although my first choice was Pete, he got out of the race in a way that was really graceful, respectful of the other candidates and forward-thinking, said Haskell, who could endorse before the primary. Respected political veterans Four years ago, Sanders and Hillary Clinton had a close primary race in Connecticut, with 170,045 votes for the former first lady and U.S. senator and 152,379 for Sanders. I certainly have a great admiration for both Joe Biden and Senator Sanders, Looney, D-New Haven, said on Saturday. They both have had long national careers and both are superb public officials, but I think that Senator Sanders has been an important advocate for progressive causes. He is driving the national discussion in a progressive way. Looney said that Sanders core issues, including income inequality, the need for better health care and the crippling costs of college, have been hallmarks of the Vermont senators career, and which drove the early rounds of the presidential debates. The Democratic party really has to be identified as the party of working families, Looney said. Income inequality is the worst since the Gilded Age of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and it has a potentially destabilizing effect on America. I think its a dangerous thing for us. Looney is also impressed by Sanders ability to raise campaign funds, mostly through small amounts that now likely totals over $100 million. The fact that he is among the leading fundraisers is both an amazing thing and a gratifying thing, he said. Aresimowicz, in his final year representing Berlin and Southington before retiring from the legislature, said that Sanders has the potential to campaign too far to the left and possibly alienate moderate voters Democrats need to take back the White House. I think Joe Biden has the experience and the knowledge of state and federal government to do the best job as president, Aresimowicz said in his office. I also think divisive politics in this country have hit an all-time low and both the left and right are guilty of it. I think thats a bad formula for the entire country. Many state Democrats built coalitions with Biden when in the aftermath of the Newtown School massacre in 2012, the then-vice president led the White House effort for better gun safety. That meant a lot to me, said Brendan Sharkey of Hamden, who was speaker of the state House of Representatives back then, when the state banned military-style rifles and large-capacity ammunition magazines. John W. Olsen, the former president of the state AFL-CIO who remains on the Democratic National Committee, said that on Super Tuesday, he was pleasantly surprised by Bidens solid support. When the Texas results came in I almost dropped, said the former union leader who has led the Democratic State Central Committee for many years. People out in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania realize now that Trump has been absolutely no good for them, Olsen said. I think Biden is a good guy. I like him. I always have. Hes always been about the country, the party. He represents the old Democratic party, which when it comes down to it, could appeal to the new generation. Sanders does have an appeal and a solid message, Olsen said. A lot of my friends are with him and I know it. Im a labor leader. I dont have to appeal to 51 percent. I agitate and advocate. And I wouldnt discount having those kinds of people. I dont want to see the Democratic mirror, the other side of the coin, with the Trump divide, said veteran state Rep. Bob Godfrey of Danbury. I know Joe Biden as someone who can start to heal the divisions in this country. I truly think he saved lives My decision was made on Tuesday, said state Rep. Joe Gresko, D-Stratford. I was leaning toward Pete Buttigieg. Then there was the poor showing by Mike Bloomberg and his willingness to step aside quickly is good, so we can all get behind Biden and get a Democrat back in the White House. Rep. Caroline Simmons of Stamford worked in the Department of Homeland Security during the Obama administration and remembers Biden as a crucial proponent of Barack Obamas two dozen executive orders on gun safety after Sandy Hook. I saw how Joe Biden was able to bring all sides together. I truly think they saved lives, said Simmons, who is co-chairman of the legislatures Commerce Committee. I think what our country needs right now is someone who can help our country heal and come together and I think hes best positioned to do this and best positioned to beat President Trump in November, Simmons said last week. I think hes been an effective champion on so many issues, whether it was getting the Affordable Care Act passed, championing climate change, and so many issues. I do think its going to be important after this election when the vice president wins that we really bring all sides together. Rep. Sean Scanlon, whose district includes Branford and Guilford, worked hard for Biden in New Hampshire and will likely have a major role in organizing the Connecticut effort. He expects that a 40-member state steering committee will be announced soon. Ive been helping the Biden team for a couple of months and when we name the steering committee, youll see that it will be very diverse. Martin Dunleavy of New Haven, another state leader for Bidens nascent campaign, stressed the importance of electability. I think no one has a better resume and is better prepared to lead this county domestically and in terms of foreign policy, said Dunleavy, an assistant clerk in the state Senate who has an informal advisory roll with Bidens national campaign. Under Trump our friends are now our enemies and our enemies and now our friends, Dunleavy said. We have to rebuild our relationships with NATO, with Europe and Africa and Asia with our traditional trading partners. And domestically we have to bring some dignity back to the White House. State Sen. Cathy Osten of Sprague, co-chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee said she likes Bidens moderate positions, but she hasnt yet made up her mind. Im not sure how the primary is going to play out in my district, she said. Four years ago the district went for the two outliers, Trump and Sanders. But Sanders opponent was Hillary Clinton, who I dont think went over very well. I havent endorsed anyone, Blumenthal said last week. Until yesterday two of my colleagues [Warren and Klobuchar] were still in the race. Im really waiting to hear and see more. I endorsed Hillary very early last time. This time I may wait until after the Connecticut primary. Blumenthal added, It is a very fast-moving picture. If I endorsed someone three days ago, it might be someone not in the race today. kdixon@ctpost.com @KenDixonCT Kindra Crick Crick, who has a degree in molecular biology, is a multimedia artist inspired by neuroscience and is on the board of the arts-integrated neuroscience outreach group NWNoggin. She lives in Portland. Finding it difficult to wake up after we spring forward to daylight saving time? Oregon has plans to end this biannual ritual. But if we lock the clock to daylight saving time as Oregon hopes to, our problems will be far worse than just recovering from the jarring consequences of losing one hour of sleep. Instead, well be doomed to losing sleep year-round and gaining weight in the process. Science and history tell us this is a recipe for disaster. We need healthy sleep all year long to maintain a robust immune system, critical cognitive functions, metabolic health, alertness and mood. However, the week following our annual spring forward, heart attacks and car accidents temporarily increase. This balances out with fewer heart attacks the day after we gain an hour of sleep in the fall. But there are chronic problems with staying on daylight saving time, as chronobiologists those who study sleep and our natural body rhythms have found. Shifting our social clock forward permanently has far greater implications and lasting impacts on health, including decreased life expectancy, shortened sleep, mental problems and sleep disturbances. If Oregon wants to get out of the spring-forward, fall-back trap, it should opt for permanent standard time. This is based on a growing body of research. Russia essentially conducted an experiment on its entire population from 2011 to 2014, when the country permanently switched to summertime what we call daylight saving time. In the depths of winter it was anything but! Waking up an hour earlier during the coldest and darkest time of the year robbed an entire population of the early morning sunlight that scientists say helps the body clock align with earths solar clock. The shift had negative influences on adolescents sleep habits, moods and behavior, with the most pronounced effects on those living in Russias northern latitudes. Citing health problems and a rise in early morning car accidents, in October 2014, Russia switched to permanent wintertime. Share your opinion Submit your essay of 500-700 words on a highly topical issue or a theme of particular relevance to the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and the Portland area to commentary@oregonian.com. Please include your email and phone number for verification. Permanently shifting sunrise later by an hour increased something scientists call social jet lag, the miserable effects similar to when you fly across time zones. Each hour of social jet lag is associated with an 11% increase in the likelihood of heart disease, according to a 2017 study published in the journal Sleep. These effects are independent of sleep duration. Scientists have evidence of how even living on the western edge of a time zone affects people differently than those on the eastern edge. People on the western edge are forced to get up an hour earlier than people on the eastern edge, relative to sunrise. Analysis of health data from millions of people shows that people on the western edges get on average 19 minutes less sleep every night than people on the east, and have significantly higher rates of obesity, diabetes and heart attacks. Why is this? Sunset and sunrise are powerful biological triggers. Drops in temperature and evenings fading light cause a natural release of melatonin, a hormone that induces drowsiness. Sunrise and natural early morning light sends a strong wakeup signal to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the brain region that scientists sometimes call our bodys master clock. When we shift our social clock to daylight saving time, we are more likely to wake up in darkness and are exposed to more evening light. Darker mornings and brighter evenings push our circadian rhythms later even though work and school times do not change. This mismatch between body and environment influences the associated deleterious health effects. Here in the Pacific Northwest, permanently delaying sunrise an hour during the winter would lead to months of starting work and school in darkness. In Portland, an 8 a.m. work or school start would now be in darkness for 109 days as opposed to zero days out of the year as we have today. Waking up will become more difficult for adults and school kids, likely worsening mental health conditions such as seasonal affective disorder. Circadian research also tells us that when high schoolers have later start times aligned with their body clock, their mental health, grades and performance measurably improve and there are significantly fewer car accidents due to drowsy driving. With this in mind, California lawmakers chose to mandate later school start times, but then, in a counterproductive move, also voted for permanent daylight saving time. By delaying their winter sunrise, the circadian health benefit of later school schedules is negated. Shifting when we first get morning sun has consequences for our children, but will also affect adults, leaving us all miserable and groggy. We need to learn from history. In 1973, the United States wanted to save electricity during the national energy crisis. Congress instituted a plan for almost 16 months of continuous daylight saving time nationwide starting in 1974. But it was wildly unpopular school officials in Florida blamed the deaths of six children in the first month on their having to go to school in darkness. The effort was cut short after just 10 months. Oregon is currently in a holding pattern as states are forbidden from increasing time spent on daylight saving time without approval from Congress. Its simpler to switch to year-round standard time as Hawaii and Arizona have been on for over 50 years. Its the only switch endorsed by circadian scientists, and can be done today in Oregon, without an act of Congress. On the West Coast, Oregon needs to take the lead for its citizens health and safety and switch to permanent standard time. You can find Save Standard Times petition here. Update: 08-03-2020 | 21:04:35 Assistant to Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu has affirmed Vietnams consistent policy of supporting all efforts to accelerate disarmament of weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapon, at a recent plenary session of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva, Switzerland. Assistant to Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu at a recent plenary session of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva. At the March 5 event, part of his activities to attend the 43rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council from March 4-6, Hieu stressed that Vietnam, a member of all key treaties on disarmament, has proposed numerous initiatives and contributed to promoting the CDs activities, particularly during the term the country served the president of the CD in 2019. He also affirmed that as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-21 tenure and ASEAN Chair in 2020, Vietnam will give priority to disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Vietnam stands ready to cooperate with CD members and other partners for the sake of peace and security in the region and the world, he said./. VNA You know that someone has struck a nerve when his Facebook post about coronavirus has well over 632,000 shares. Thats the case with a post that Abdu Sharkawy, an infectious diseases specialist, wrote about coronavirus. His is the modern version of Franklin Roosevelts famous warning to Americans on the occasion of his First Inaugural Address, that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Sharkaway works for the University Health Network, which is affiliated with the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine. It is also the largest health research organization in North America. An infectious disease specialist at this organization must be presumed to have a better knowledge about coronavirus than talking heads on the news or the writers at the New York Times and Washington Post. Whatever youve been thinking about coronavirus, this post will give you some rare clarity on the issue: I'm a doctor and an Infectious Diseases Specialist. I've been at this for more than 20 years seeing sick patients on a daily basis. I have worked in inner city hospitals and in the poorest slums of Africa. HIV-AIDS, Hepatitis,TB, SARS, Measles, Shingles, Whooping cough, Diphtheria...there is little I haven't been exposed to in my profession. And with notable exception of SARS, very little has left me feeling vulnerable, overwhelmed or downright scared. I am not scared of Covid-19. I am concerned about the implications of a novel infectious agent that has spread the world over and continues to find new footholds in different soil. I am rightly concerned for the welfare of those who are elderly, in frail health or disenfranchised who stand to suffer mostly, and disproportionately, at the hands of this new scourge. But I am not scared of Covid-19. What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic, stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world. I am scared of the N95 masks that are stolen from hospitals and urgent care clinics where they are actually needed for front line healthcare providers and instead are being donned in airports, malls, and coffee lounges, perpetuating even more fear and suspicion of others. I am scared that our hospitals will be overwhelmed with anyone who thinks they " probably don't have it but may as well get checked out no matter what because you just never know..." and those with heart failure, emphysema, pneumonia and strokes will pay the price for overfilled ER waiting rooms with only so many doctors and nurses to assess. I am scared that travel restrictions will become so far reaching that weddings will be canceled, graduations missed and family reunions will not materialize. And well, even that big party called the Olympic Games...that could be kyboshed too. Can you even imagine? I'm scared those same epidemic fears will limit trade, harm partnerships in multiple sectors, business and otherwise and ultimately culminate in a global recession. But mostly, I'm scared about what message we are telling our kids when faced with a threat. Instead of reason, rationality, openmindedness and altruism, we are telling them to panic, be fearful, suspicious, reactionary and self-interested. Covid-19 is nowhere near over. It will be coming to a city, a hospital, a friend, even a family member near you at some point. Expect it. Stop waiting to be surprised further. The fact is the virus itself will not likely do much harm when it arrives. But our own behaviors and "fight for yourself above all else" attitude could prove disastrous. I implore you all. Temper fear with reason, panic with patience and uncertainty with education. We have an opportunity to learn a great deal about health hygiene and limiting the spread of innumerable transmissible diseases in our society. Let's meet this challenge together in the best spirit of compassion for others, patience, and above all, an unfailing effort to seek truth, facts and knowledge as opposed to conjecture, speculation and catastrophizing. Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts. Our children will thank us for it. #washurhands #geturflushot #respect #patiencenotpanic Also, remember that, while panic can be a useful short-term incentive (although it often leads to bad decisions), its not a sustainable long-term emotion. Marie Vassiltchikovs Berlin Diaries, 1940-1945 tells about her time working in Nazi Germany and helping groups within Germany that were fighting Hitler. One of the points she makes as she writes in real-time about the paranoia of the Third Reich and the terror from Allied bombings is that people adjust. What induces panic in the beginning eventually becomes tolerable, no matter how awful it is. If Sharkawy is correct about coronavirus and the mainstream media is wrong, it won't be the end of the world and well learn to live with it. ARCHIVED - 589 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Spain: Sunday morning update Murcia has finally succumbed and has declared its first case on Sunday morning. All regions of Spain now have confirmed cases of coronavirus. The Spanish National Ministry of Health has confirmed the official figures gathered through its central Emergencies Coordination Centre, although there is a continued discrepancy between the number of cases officially reported by the Spanish National Ministry of Health, from which the figures are drawn listed below, presented by Fernando Simon, head of the Health Alerts and Emergencies Coordination Centre who quoted 589 confirmed cases and the national media, who are compiling figures from the individual health authorities of the 17 Autonomous Communities of Spain. The latest figures confirmed are: Comunidad de Madrid 202 Pais Vasco; Basque Country (102) Cataluna (49) La Rioja (55) La Comunidad Valenciana which includes Alicante province (37) Andalucia (35) Castilla y Leon (22) Canary Islands (17) Castilla-La Mancha (15) Cantabria (12) Aragon (13) Asturias (7) Balearic Islands (8) Extremadura (6) Galicia (5) Navarra (3) Murcia (1). The Spanish health ministry maintains that the majority of the known cases in Spain relate to individuals who have returned to Spain carrying the virus after a trip abroad, cases which they denominate as "imported", for which reason they currently see no need to change the status of the virus as in a "contention phase." The evolution in the number of cases was "as expected" according to Sr. Simon, who stated that 60% of the cases relate to three focal points, and 70% to four focal points. Containment measures had been implemented in the principal points of contagion and in the majority of identified cases there is no further transmission as all of the patients have been quarantined and work continues to identify known contacts, and place them under quarantine. The government is reported by Fernando Simon to be considering the various options available to it, and is keen to avoid "committing important errors" by "failing to evaluate all of the information available from various sectors." When asked by journalists whether major events such as Semana Santa and public gatherings should be cancelled to limit potential transmission to large groups, he explained that the situation is a complex one, "banning an event without closing the metro lines in Madrid would not be logical" he said. "We cant react when we have only a partial perception of the situation, "he said, and the government would be working in "close consultation with the health services of the autonomous communities" to make the correct decisions. The biggest single outbreak is in La Rioja, where "exceptional measures" have been imposed following the diagnosis of 60 cases in the areas of Haro, Casalarreina and Alava. All those diagnosed had attended the same funeral in Vittoria two weeks ago. The Guardia Civil has been called in to reinforce the compulsory quarantine of the 12,000 residents and will maintain a "discreet vigilance" to impose the quarantine of those who have been placed under compulsory isolation. Information on social media however, points to the vigilance being less than discreet and the national media report that a police chase took place after one of those infected left the house on Thursday. The new measures being enforced by the regional authorities include a minimum fine of 3,000 euros for anyone diagnosed with coronavirus and under quarantine attempting to leave their homes and break the isolation order. Sr. Simon also called for "public responsibility" and said that the residents of Spain must act according to the instructions of their regional governments and health authorities, who were better placed to identify needs at a local level and respond accordingly. Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities, each of which has its own regional and local government structure and manages its own health services at a regional level. Some communities would be implementing their own local controls, others would be better placed to isolate patients at home rather than bringing them into hospital isolation facilities and some would implement home nursing he said, all of this would be decided by the individual regional governments working in consultation with the national government. From Monday, the health authorities would also be reporting daily on the number of recovered patients as well as the current cases, he said. Sensible precautions The advice being issued to members of the public by medical authorities all over the world coincides on the following points: Wash hands frequently with either soap and water of a sanitiser gel Catch coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues and throw the tissues away immediately after use before immediately washing your hands! If you dont have a tissue, use your sleeve and wash the item of clothing used at the next opportunity AVOID touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands AVOID close contact with people who are unwell 6. Dont panic. Symptoms Although over 100,000 cases have been diagnosed worldwide there is still no definitive description for the standard development of symptoms, but they seem to start with a fever and tiredness, followed by a dry cough. After a week or so these lead to shortness of breath and some patients require hospital treatment. Muscle pain and headaches can also accompany the early symptoms, along with nasal congestion, sore throat or diarrhoea: in short, they are not at all dissimilar to those associated with flu. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but dont develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing, this being most likely in older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes.(WHO says that 81% will develop mild symptoms, 14% severe symptoms and only 5% will become critically ill). At the moment, between 1 and 2% are dying from the disease, but at the moment this figure is difficult to corroborate. Follow Murcia Today on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news, events and information in the Region of Murcia and the rest of Spain: https://www.facebook.com/MurciaToday/ article_detail --> Five more people have been tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 39 in India. Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja on Sunday said five new positive patients had been admitted in the isolation wards. "Three people recently returned from Italy, due to which two more got the disease here in Pathanamthitta district," she added. Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja: 5 new positive cases of #Coronavirus have been admitted in the isolation wards here. Three people recently returned from Italy due to which two more got the disease here in Pathanamthitta district. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/3v0uO4UkjP ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2020 The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Saturday had informed that the condition of all patients currently under treatment was stable. "Three patients have already recovered," it added. Apart from Kerala, the latest three cases that have been found positive for COVID-19 include two from Ladakh with travel history to Iran and one from Tamil Nadu, with travel history to Oman. Also Read: Avoid handshakes, greet with 'namaste', says PM Modi The government has said that the health authorities have put more than 150 persons under integrated disease surveillance programme (IDSP) after they were found to have had contacts with an American national who was found COVID 19 positive in Bhutan. As of now, 52 laboratories are operational across the country for testing COVID-19 virus. Additional 57 laboratories have been provided with Viral Transport Media (VTM) and swabs for sample collection, the ministry added. Meanwhile, China's new confirmed case count of coronavirus fell by roughly one half, the Chinese government said on Saturday. The Chinese government said 44 new confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus were reported as at the end of March 7, a decline from 99 the previous day. The fall comes as Chinese cities gradually relax quarantine measures put in place over a month ago, while authorities keep a close watch on the virus' spread overseas, reported Reuters. The new cases took the total number of confirmed cases in China to 80,695 as of the end of March 7. The total number of deaths reached 3,097. Also read: Coronavirus cases surge to 34; 150 placed under surveillance programme It is important to ensure that the human rights of vulnerable groups that may be subject to marginalization, such as women, children, minorities, refugees, and displaced persons, are addressed in the context of crime prevention and criminal justice reform. The United Nations is responsible for establishing the rule of law on the basis of equality, with particular attention to gender equality and to the rights and vulnerabilities specific to children. Justice for Children The goal of the justice for children approach is to ensure that children, defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child as all persons under the age of eighteen, are better served and protected by justice systems, including the security and social welfare sectors. It specifically aims to ensure the full application of international norms and standards for all children who come into contact with justice systems as victims, witnesses and alleged offenders, or for other reasons where judicial, state administrative or non-state adjudicatory intervention is needed, for example regarding care, custody or protection. Children in conflict with the law The number of children deprived of liberty as a result of conflict with the law is estimated to be at least one million worldwide. In countries that do not fully understand the unique situation and vulnerabilities of children, children in conflict with the law are treated similarly to adults. Both adult criminal justice systems and juvenile justice systems may frequently use deprivation of liberty as the primary sentencing option. Both may also fail to consider the needs and best interests of the child and address the root causes that bring them into conflict with the law. Indeed, whilst a country may implement specialised procedures for children in conflict with the law, an effective juvenile justice system requires that the varying needs of children be assessed, that children in conflict with the law are referred to appropriate services, and that they are offered care and assistance with reintegration into the community. Moreover, a juvenile justice system should embody a child-friendly environment, using appropriate language and the minimum possible use of physical restraints. Once in contact with a justice system that is unresponsive to children's needs, children deprived of liberty are at a heightened risk of abuse, violence, exploitation, and health related concerns, such as injury and HIV/AIDS infection. They also risk becoming further isolated from society, particularly where children's welfare, education, and reintegration are not fully promoted within the formal justice system. Child victims and witnesses Millions of children throughout the world suffer harm as a result of crime and abuse of power, and as a result, come into contact with the criminal justice system. The vulnerabilities of children in criminal justice processes, due to their age and still developing levels of maturity, require that special measures be taken to ensure their rights are adequately protected. Services UNODC offers assistance in: Conducting technical assistance needs assessments in the area of child justice reform; Providing legal assistance and legal advisory services to review legislative and regulatory frameworks, identify gaps and recommend action to comply with the requirements of the international legal framework in the area of justice for children; Conducting research and analysis in relation to children in contact with the law, as a basis for the development of prison reform strategies and policies; Developing national and local professional capacities and skills relevant to child justice reform; Providing advisory services and technical input to design, implement and monitor child justice reform strategies and action plans at national and local levels; Developing communication strategies, public information and education programmes to raise awareness on the rights of children in contact with the law (victims, witnesses, and alleged offenders); Training law enforcement and justice officials in child-sensitive intervention techniques. For more specific information on justice for children, please follow the links below: Relevant international legal framework on justice for children: The following instruments, although not exclusively applicable to children, are of direct relevance to issues related to child justice: Reports of the Secretary General: Other Relevant Information: Support and Assistance to Victims A fair, effective and efficient criminal justice system is a system that respects the fundamental rights of victims, suspects, and offenders. It focuses on the need to prevent victimization, to protect and assist victims, to treat them with compassion, and to respect their dignity. Victims should also have access to judicial and other mechanisms, to seek prompt redress for harm they have suffered. Additionally, victims should have access to specialized assistance in dealing with any emotional trauma and other problems caused as a result of victimization. Crime takes an enormous physical, financial, and emotional toll on victims. However, in many criminal justice systems, victims of crime are often forgotten and sometimes even re-victimized by the system itself. They are rarely allowed to fully participate in decisions that concern them and do not always receive the assistance, support, and protection they need. Redress for the harm they have suffered as a result of victimization is often not available and, when it is, it is too often insufficient or comes too late. Services UNODC offers assistance in: Reviewing and enhancing the legal framework and how it addresses the rights of victims; Developing national policies with respect to victim assistance, victim protection, and witness protection; Developing the capacity of existing institutions and agencies to offer victim assistance services; Conducting victimization surveys to understand existing victimization patterns and monitoring the experiences of victims who come into contact with justice systems. For more detailed information on victims and witnesses, please see: Gender in the Criminal Justice System Gender-based discrimination in the criminal justice system creates significant obstacles to achieve access to justice for all. This problem disproportionately affects women, who face still face significant barriers in accessing justice, whether they are victims, witnesses, alleged offenders or prisoners. Criminal justice systems tend to focus on the needs of a predominantly male population of offenders and prisoners, although the global number of women in prison is growing at a faster rate. The key challenges range from discriminatory criminal laws and procedures and a lack of gender diversity among criminal justice professionals, to gender bias, stereotyping, stigma and impunity. To effectively address gender-based discrimination against women in conflict with the law, a comprehensive set of targeted interventions are needed to address the obstacles women face throughout the criminal justice chain, in line with the Bangkok Rules and related international standards and norms. Our Services Promoting gender-responsive non-custodial measures to reduce the unnecessary imprisonment of women through legal reform, capacity building training and awareness-raising; Strengthening women's access to legal aid though legal and policy advice, capacity building for legal aid institutions and service providers, as well as legal empowerment for women in the community; Supporting prison administrations to provide for the distinctive needs of women in prison, in order to eliminate discrimination and achieve substantive gender equality, through policy reform, training and social reintegration programmes; Promoting the equal representation of women in criminal justice institutions, particularly in positions of authority, through policy advice and mentoring. Publications A Practitioner's Toolkit on Women's Access to Justice Programming English, Spanish The Bangkok Rules-United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders with their Commentary English French Spanish Handbook on Women and Imprisonment English 2nd edition, Arabic 2nd edition, Russian, Turkish, Spanish Training curriculum on Women and Imprisonment Version 1.0, English, Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, Macedonian, Montenegrin, Serbian Toolkit on Gender-Responsive Non-Custodial Measures English E-learning course on Alternatives to Imprisonment for Women Offenders English Afghanistan: Female Prisoners and their social reintegration English Our Work UNODC, UN Women and OHCHR are improving access to legal aid for women in West Africa under a joint project funded by the UN Development Account. UNODCs Global Prison Challenges Programme is promoting gender-responsive non-custodial measures and social reintegration of women after imprisonment. Join the webinar series on gender-responsive criminal justice and prison reform to learn more. UNODC promotes victim-centered approaches under its Global Programme on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Responses to Violence against Women. Learn more Gender-based discrimination in the criminal justice system is not limited to women. See also the Tools and publications page for further information regarding the abovementioned issues on children, victims, and women's issues. Advertisement Trendy 'Notting Hill' style homes on streets with brightly-coloured houses can be worth an average of 20 per cent more than plain properties - but owners might have to put up with social media influencers outside. Colourful homes have seen their prices surge against neighbouring roads, according to new analysis by property experts the HomeOwners Alliance. The largest price difference was discovered on Ten Bell Lane in Norwich. Here, an average three-bedroom on the vibrant street is worth 65 per cent more than a similar house just a few streets away on Victoria Street. Meanwhile, an average three-bedroom house on the colourful Priory Street in Lewes in East Sussex is worth 32 per cent more than a similar sized home on nearby Sun Street. Trendy 'Notting Hill' style homes on streets with multi-coloured houses can be worth an average of 20 per cent more than plain properties - but owners might have to put up with social media influencers outside. Pictured is a street in Notting Hill in west London Colourful homes have seen their prices surge against neighbouring roads, according to new analysis by property experts the HomeOwners Alliance. Pictured is a row of colourful homes in Notting Hill in London that is popular with influencers However residents living on colourful street across the country often complain at the presence of social media influencers and tourists taking pictures outside their homes. Pictured is a street in Notting Hill in London The colourful houses of Notting Hill are being overrun by Instagram-lovers looking for their next picturesque setting to snap for social media. Santinisarah (left) perched on a wall in Notting Hill while madalinaelena_96 (right) sat on some steps and looked at the camera However residents living on colourful street across the country often complain at the presence of social media influencers and tourists taking pictures outside their homes. The colourful houses of Notting Hill are being overrun by Instagram-lovers looking for their next picturesque setting to snap for social media, according to the people who live there. First introduced to a global audience by Hugh Grant in his 1999 rom-com of the same name, the west London neighbourhood has long been a popular place with tourists. Yet the garnered attraction has apparently become unbearable. This woman poses on the railings of a pink house in London for her Instagram. Residents often complain about the people taking pictures If you choose to live on a colourful street you may have to deal with social media influencers taking pictures outside your home. Jodyintechnicolour (left) posed on stairs and MarcellaCarelli (right) captioned her photo #housegoals in Notting Hill Many who choose to live on colourful streets often see people taking pictures for their social media outside. Anta.p.fl (left) posed outside a pink house while luanaa__g sat on stairs 'looking into the distance'. Hundreds of people visit the street every week These 'influencers' pose in front of brightly coloured houses. Lenajosefineb posed under a tree while popular marta_sierra (right) got 15,000 likes on her photo sat on a London wall First introduced to a global audience by Hugh Grant in his 1999 rom-com Notting Hill, the west London neighbourhood has long been a popular place with tourists. Pictured is Portobello Road The largest price difference was discovered on Ten Bell Lane in Norwich (pictured). Here, an average three-bedroom on the vibrant street is worth 65 per cent more than a similar house just a few streets away on Victoria Street Women getting changed in the streets and photographers carefully placing branded products in shots in front of the multi-million pound homes has also been mocked on Twitter. However, the colourful homes don't seem to have quite the same appeal in towns where there is already a lot of character. For example, in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull in Scotland, there is just a 12 per cent price difference between homes on the multi-coloured Main Street and the non-colourful nearby Rockfield Street. However according to the research, the colourful homes don't seem to have quite the same appeal in towns where there is already a lot of character. Pictured is a street in Notting Hill, London For example, in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull in Scotland, there is just a 12 per cent price difference between homes on the multi-coloured Main Street (pictured) and the non-colourful nearby Rockfield Street A Google Street view of the famous house from Love Actually. The council has now asked people to stop going to the property to take pictures In Notting Hill, locals are so fed up of the people standing outside their houses (pictured), that some are considering painting their colourful properties a dull white It has been suggested that the colourful-house Instagram phenomenon will likely wear off soon as bloggers get bored of the now unoriginal backdrop. Pictured: People in front of the properties in Notting Hill A woman poses in front of a bright pink house in the west London neighbourhood of Notting Hill during a getaway Paula Higgins, Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance told Real Homes: 'The value of a property can be thousands of pounds more in a street where all homes are painted brightly. 'Of course, we can't all persuade our neighbours to redecorate their exterior walls in pink, green and orange, to boost our street's value. 'But it is worth bearing in mind the premium you will pay for a vibrant street. As little as a few metres away from a colourful road, there could be a huge saving to be made.' Oslo, 8 March 2020: Yara has signed a Share Purchase Agreement with Qatar Petroleum (QP) to sell its 25% share in Qatar Fertiliser Company (QAFCO) for USD 1 billion. The transaction will mark the conclusion of a long-standing and highly value-creating partnership. Since the establishment of the joint venture company QAFCO in 1969, the company has become the world's largest single-site urea producer, representing a significant percentage of the world's traded supply. Yara has owned a 25% share in QAFCO, with the remaining 75% share owned by Industries Qatar (IQ), which in turn is owned 51% by QP. The parties have agreed on a purchase price of USD 1 billion for Yara's shares in QAFCO. The transaction is conditional on obtaining necessary local regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. "We are very proud of our partnership with Qatar Petroleum and Industries Qatar over the past half century, where we have succeeded in delivering a top quartile venture in every respect," said Svein Tore Holsether, President and Chief Executive Officer of Yara. Before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle begin a new slate in Canada, the pair will reunite with the Queen and other members of the royal family at the annual Commonwealth Day service next week. Markle and the Queen have developed a great friendship over the past couple of years, with Markle embarking on her first solo visit with the Queen weeks after her royal wedding in May 2018. When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in May 2018, the Queen gained a confidant. According to the author of "Royal Marriages: Diana, Camilla, Kate and Meghan and Princesses Who Did Not Live Happily Ever After," Susanna De Vries said that Meghan was the missing piece to help modernize the royal family further, along with her talent and educated mind. An endearing factor about Markle is her close relationship with Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth reportedly did not want Meghan to feel alienated like Princess Diana did, so she made an effort to reach out to the Duchess. Given all of the hoopla that went down back in the day with the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret who was not allowed to marry her divorced beau, it would not have been surprising for the Queen to not protest against Prince Harry wanting to tie the knot with an American divorcee. In June 2018 after her royal wedding, Markle accompanied Queen Elizabeth to a series of royal engagements in Cheshire wherein they giggled and chatted. Also Read: Kate Middleton May Quit Royal Duties Like Meghan Markle Due to This Reason Markle's first official joint engagement with the Queen was significant for several reasons. The pair took an overnight train ride together and appeared to be having an absolute blast during their visit to Cheshire, U.K. The former "Suits" star, 38, reflected on their friendship, "It's incredible to be able to meet her through his lens, not just with his honor and respect for her as the Monarch, but the love that he has for her as his grandmother." On their first encounter, Markle confessed that the meeting was surreal. Both came from wildly different backgrounds. Queen Elizabeth came from a long line of nobility and is the longest-reigning British monarch in history, while Markle is a young former actress introduced to the world of royal politics. Since day one, both reportedly developed an instant bond out of a love for pets and care for public service. The Queen invited Doria Ragland, Markle's mother, to tea at Buckingham Palace before Prince Harry and Markle's wedding which proved that she cares about having a relationship with her family. Royal commentator Duncan Larcombe claimed the Queen has interacted far more with Markle than she typically does with those who marry into the royal family. He also pointed out that Markle's arrival into the royal family is more similar to Princess Diana's than Kate Middleton's. Related article: Meghan Markle's Biggest Disappointment with Ex-Husband @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. To the Editor: Re What Is the Power of Celibacy? (Op-Ed, Feb. 25): Celibacy is a gift to the church from those who are called to it, like those called to the religious life as monks or nuns. In the Bible, and in subsequent centuries, it was not a condition for priesthood. There were even married men elected to be bishop. Making it a condition for priesthood, even for those not called to it, results in a priesthood that does not represent the church at large and results in the many evils we have seen brought to light in recent years. Celibate clergy and lay people can do what married clergy and laity cannot, but equally the married can serve Christ in ways that the celibate cannot. The experience of married clergy in the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Anglican Ordinariates (established by Pope Benedict for those Anglicans who have entered full communion with the Catholic Church) needs to be called upon and listened to if the Catholic Church is to have a rounded view of what kind of priesthood is needed in our time. This is not a time for culture wars in the church but for a priesthood that serves the mission of the church today. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 01:32:02|Editor: yan Video Player Close PARIS, March 8 (Xinhua) -- France has confirmed 1,126 cases of coronavirus infection and 19 patients have died of the virus as of 15:00 local time Sunday, the Health Ministry announced on its website without giving details. The total cases of infection increased by 177 in 24 hours. At the moment France maintains pre-epidemic alert at national level. Though all regions have been affected by the virus, the gravity varies in different regions. Across the country gatherings expected to attract more than 5,000 people in confined space and some events of similar scale in open air have been banned. In the two most affected regions, l'Oise and Haut-Rhin, reinforced restrictions including two-week closure for nurseries and schools have been ordered. Officials and health experts have sent the message that the highest level of alert is unavoidable but the transition will be done in a progressive and proportional way. President Emmanuel Macron, who has shaken his agenda this week to focus on the coronavirus crisis, is to meet with ministers in early evening to forge new response to combat the virus outbreak, local media reported. Contributed Photo HAMDEN The town has renewed the Street Outreach Worker Program in an effort to decrease gun violence among teens and young adults, officials announced Saturday. Mayor Curt Balzano Leng and Police Chief John Cappiello announced the renewal in a joint statement that indicated the programs funding was allocated in the police department's budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. With the media focused on Harvey Weinsteins trial and conviction, we are seeing firsthand the reverberating impact of the #MeToo movement. It should serve as a reminder that Connecticut has a new law with a looming deadline for businesses to take required action. Connecticut, like many states, adopted expanded requirements for workplace sexual harassment training and prevention. While the preventive measures are a welcome addition to the workplace, implementation of the new training programs can be a strain on businesses, particularly small businesses, with many needing to initiate training programs for the first time. With an October 2020 implementation deadline looming, state businesses must grapple with the financial and administrative impacts of these new training requirements. The states Times Up Act became law last summer, expanding sexual harassment training requirements for Connecticut employers. Under the prior law, required training was limited to supervisors and for businesses that employed at least 50 people. The new law, however, mandates that Connecticut businesses with just three or more employees provide training to all. This applies to companies headquartered out of state with employees working within our borders. Connecticut businesses now must provide existing employees with two hours of sexual harassment training by Oct. 1, 2020. For new employees, the law requires that businesses must provide two hours of training within six months of the new employees start date. Employers with fewer than three employees must provide two hours of training and education to all existing supervisory employees by Oct. 1, 2020, or within six months to new supervisory employees. So, what is the impact of these new requirements for the average Connecticut business? First, there is the cost of providing the training to employees. The cost of hiring a law firm or other company to come in and present this training to employees can be significant. To alleviate some of the financial burden, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities has developed a free online training video that employers may use to comply with the laws requirements. For smaller companies, however, it may be the loss of employee work time and the administrative burden of maintaining accurate compliance records that could create the greatest financial impact. The burden of noncompliance can be greater. Businesses that fail to provide the required training may be subject to fines of up to $1,000. This fine is relatively small in comparison to the financial risk if a company fails to provide the required training, and subsequently is sued for sexual harassment by an employee. Post-#MeToo juries are likely to come down hard on businesses that fail to provide the required training. One thing is certain: in this post-#MeToo era, businesses of all sizes must do their part to ensure for employees a work environment free from sexual harassment and misconduct. While the financial and administrative impacts may be significant, preventive measures such as mandated sexual harassment training requirements are good for Connecticut businesses. If a business fails to provide the training, not only could it be subject to a fine, it could face a lawsuit. Jessica A. Slippen is an attorney with Stratford-based Mitchell and Sheahan. She handles employment litigation matters before state and federal courts and administrative agencies and can be reached at 203-873-0240 or JSlippen@mitchellandsheahan.com. Actor Salman Khan has been shooting for his next film, Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, in Mumbai. Now, a BTS picture from the films shoot has emerged online which shows him wiping his face. In the picture, it is not clear if he is wiping sweat or makeup off his face. He is casually dressed in a denim jacket, white T-shirt and a pair of jeans. A Mid Day report on Saturday had mentioned that the team of Radhe including its lead pair of Salman and Disha Patani were to leave for Baku in Azerbaijan. The shooting schedule had to be cancelled following the rapid spread of coronavirus across nations over the last week. The team were to shoot a song and some action sequences in the South Caucasian nation. It also said that few members of the crew had already left for that country to do the prep work. They were later called back. Also read | Ekta Kapoor on becoming a mother: I had stored my eggs when I was 36. Had a calling for a long time Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai will see Salman work with a number of artists he had worked with before. He worked with Disha Patani in last years Bharat, while Randeep Hooda, who plays the chief antagonist in Radhe: Your Mosted Bhai, was seen with Salman in Kick and Sultan. The film also united director Prabhudeva and Salman, who previously worked together in last years Dabangg 3. Considering the fact that Salman sir is such a huge star in Bollywood for years, never have I ever imagined that I will get another chance to work with him again, after Bharat. When the film worked I was just happy with the fact that I had worked with Salman Khan. However, when the opportunity for Radhe came, I was on cloud nine. I loved the story and working again with sir! I think along with my hard work, everything is happening also because of good fortune, Disha told IANS. (With IANS inputs) Follow @htshowbiz for more 'You know when you get shocked by electrics? That's how it feels. It's really hard to describe. It's so painful." Ifrah Ahmed was eight when she and nine other girls who lived near her were subjected to female genitalia mutilation, in her home just outside Mogadishu in Somalia. "I grew up in war, and there was nothing," Ifrah tells me as we sit in her Dublin home. "The only thing I knew was bombing and killing." Growing up, Ifrah and the other girls had no idea of what was in store for them, yet the practice was considered custom in her native country; 98 per cent of Somalian women and girls undergo this treatment, something which Ifrah, through her charity the Ifrah Foundation, has now dedicated herself to eradicating. "I remember being held and tied down," she says now. A lively talker, when we come to this part of her story, there are long pauses between each sentence. "There is no medical procedure," she explains, adding that she was cut with a scissors, by a doctor. Her grandmother, who with her father reared her, was with her. "My grandmother was holding me. And it was really, really, really painful. There was a medical doctor, he had a scissors, needles and razors. When he cut three people, he would pour hot water on the blade, and then go on to the next. I remember my hands being tied, and screaming." Afterwards the girls, whose legs were tied together, had to lie where they were for 40 days. Going to the bathroom was excruciating, Ifrah recalls. "Because of the cutting and the sewing, when you wee it's very bad. Imagine you cut yourself and you put lemon on it. Pain that cannot be described. It's very difficult." Ifrah's wounds were level three - the most severe form of female genital mutilation. In the film about her life, A Girl from Mogadishu, made by Mary McGuckian, we see Ifrah arriving in Ireland in 2006; she was almost 18, she tells me. On leaving Somalia, she had thought she was going to Minnesota, where her aunt, who funded her trip, lived. In fact, the people her aunt had paid to get her niece out of war-torn Somalia had different plans. When her social workers in Dublin began processing her refugee status, Ifrah was brought for a medical examination. In the film, her doctors are visibly shocked when they witness the extent of the physical damage Ifrah has suffered. Seeing their consternation, Ifrah wonders if she is ill; have they discovered something in her blood tests? Her realisation that they are horrified at what she has suffered, and her subsequent own dawning horror, is one of the most moving parts of the story. Ifrah moves rapidly from in some way accepting such brutality to a determination to try to stop this happening to other women. Video of the Day "For me it was a normal practice; 'this is our culture'," she explains now. "But we have to change. Living in Ireland gives me the voice. I want to be the voice and not the victim." While Ifrah doesn't expand on her 'culture', this crime against girls and women has been variously described as a rite of passage by families and communities who believe it to be a necessary preparation for adulthood and marriage, or attempt justification of it for hygiene and aesthetic reasons. Campaigners argue it is carried out to control women's sexuality - that the coercive removal of part of young girls' genitalia, especially the clitoris, is done to control virginity before marriage and fidelity afterward, and to increase male sexual pleasure. An estimated three million girls worldwide are at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation every year What Ifah did next was extraordinary. Far from home and traumatised, she nevertheless almost immediately began her campaign to ban FGM, initially reaching out to her community. "In that place where we were living, we had made a little home for ourselves," she says of the refugee centre where she originally lived in Dublin. "We made a little family. We are from different countries, but we have been through FGM in different ways. The moment I had my check-up, I thought 'oh my God, what happened to the other girls?' I remember going back to the place and speaking to the other girls." The women shared their stories, one woman describing how she had been cut with broken glass. Shortly after her medical examination, Ifrah underwent surgery to try to alleviate some of the problems she had suffered. Rather than being overwhelmed by the dawning realisation of just how wrong what had happened to her and her friends was, Ifrah was immediately energised. "People say 'how did you move on?' I say 'you can't carry your past always. You have to think positively. And you have to think of a way to make a difference'," says Ifrah, whose natural charm and deep reserves of strength and energy would seem to make her perfectly suited to her career as an activist. "If I think only of my past, I would never move on, and I would never do anything for myself. For me it's important to move on and have the strength to do something for myself and for other girls." Not all of her friends felt the same. "I felt like let's do something, and they were all like 'no no no'," she says. Unlike the others, she was not afraid to rock the boat. "I said 'you know what, I'm going to do it'." First, Ifrah, now 31, gathered together the Somalian community in Dublin, to talk to other women about what they had experienced, and to encourage them to see that FGM must be stopped. "I wanted to know how they feel and how they were treated." Not everyone welcomed her actions. She began to receive calls and messages, threatening her, telling her to stop. "Some people felt I was bringing shame on the community. I never care about anybody," she says stoutly. The threats didn't stop her, but she has taken precautions for her safety. "That is why nobody knows where I live," Ifrah explains. "And I only have a select number of friends, and they know that rule number one is that they cannot give my number to anybody. Rule number two, they cannot give my address to anyone." To raise awareness, Ifrah organised a fashion show with a friend, a beauty pageant titled Miss Ethnic Ireland. A Facebook page was set up, which became the origin of the Ifrah Foundation, Sammy Leslie, of Castle Leslie, now a good friend, whose home provides a place of refuge when Ifrah's work becomes too taxing, helped her to turn the foundation into a registered charity. Designer Helen Steele created clothes for the show. Later, Ifrah connected with TD Joe Costello, whom she describes as "one of the best human beings I can think of," and his wife, then Mayor Emer Costello, who later credited Ifrah with being largely responsible for the passing of legislation in Ireland outlawing FGM in 2012. In January of this year, in the first case of its kind in Ireland's history, a married couple originally from an African nation were convicted of female genital mutilation on their then one-year old daughter. Originally, the father had claimed the child's injuries were due to falling on a toy, yet medical evidence as described during the trial indicated that her injuries were not consistent with this explanation. The head and glans of the child's clitoris had been completely removed. "I think I was too bossy when I was growing up," Ifrah laughs when I ask if she had always displayed such remarkable self-starting tendencies. "My grandmother said when I was a kid I would steal the eyeliners from my sisters and use their face mask. And I never liked cleaning house or anything. When you're a child you grow up doing things in the house. Maybe I used to escape things." She did things her way, she reflects. In A Girl from Mogadishu, in a speech to the EU Commission, Ifrah tells her listeners this was "the greatest gift of my life; the gift of survival. The gift of a voice, where before there was only silence." "I never thought I would be this way," she tells me. "I got the voice in Ireland. I felt I could take this voice back to Somalia." Which is exactly what she did. In 2013 Ifrah became an Irish citizen. Having a passport meant she could travel, and so she began working in Somalia towards her goal of eradicating FGM, attempting to implement a national programme to eradicate it in Somalia. She was appointed gender advisor to the president of Somalia. "It felt that I was part of the community," she says of becoming an Irish citizen. "And it gave me the opportunity to travel back and do the work I'm doing in Somalia." Reactions were mixed. "I went back to Somalia and I was told I should go back to my country. I feel like, where do I belong?" Her work as an activist has meant she cannot now visit her father when she returns to Somalia, as her campaign - with the threats she still experiences - would endanger his life. "I could not associate with my father because of the risks and the dangers. I decided to take the risks. But I could not allow myself to risk my father's life, because if anything happened I could not forgive myself." Her grandmother died in 2015; Ifrah did get to see her before she passed away. "She was very old, and I didn't want her to die without her knowing that I never blamed her. And I never did." In part, she says, she got her strength from the woman who raised her. "My grandmother was very strong. She said growing up I was very tough." The last few years have been spent travelling in Somalia, on the foundation's work. It is, she reflects, a stressful place to be. "When I get tired, I say I'm going back to Ireland." The support network she has created here sustains her. "I've got friends in Ireland that would text me if anything happens. I have really good people. Mostly what helps me is the people who surround me." She is home in Ireland now, focusing on the Irish FGM issue. Her next plan? To meet with the new government, she replies with a huge smile. "Make sure that no more girls are cut in Ireland. When I came to Ireland, I was told I had a voice." Watching how she uses her voice is deeply impressive. The charity premiere of A Girl from Mogadishu takes place on March 24 at the Lighthouse Cinema; the film goes on general release from April 3. The Ifrah Foundation is working on the implementation of an FGM elimination plan for Somalia. Screenings of A Girl from Mogadishu to the World Bank and the United Nations have contributed to this work by putting focus on the issue at the highest levels. This in turn has led to the development of a five-year plan to focus resources on FGM in Somalia through the United Nations Family Planning Agency. To find out more about the work of the Foundation visit www.IfrahFoundation.org Allentown, PA (18103) Today Mostly sunny and bitterly cold. It will feel like it's in the single digits and low teens.. Tonight Partly cloudy and extremely cold. Wind chills around or below 0 degrees. The billionaire owner of Louis Vuitton and Moet champagne is unlikely to make an offer for The Ritz, the MoS understands. Luxury goods giant LVMH, controlled by French billionaire Bernaud Arnault, had mulled over a bid for the London hotel and was shown key documents and expansion plans. But LVMH is understood to have gone cold on the deal. The Ritz was put up for sale by the feuding Barclay family last October as part of business restructuring. Sir Frederick Barclay, the billionaire co-owner of the Ritz Hotel, says he has received competing bids to buy it for more than 1billion Last week Sir Frederick Barclay, whose daughter Amanda owns 25 per cent of The Ritz, said he would sue other members of his family if the hotel is sold for less than 1billion. Sir Fredericks three nephews Aidan, Howard and Alistair who own the remaining 75 per cent hope to seal a deal for between 700million and 800million by the summer. Researchers have 3D printed a complex brain tumour to closely model what happens inside the fast-growing tissue, an advance that may lead to better ways of testing and developing drugs against the malignant disease. The scientists, including those from Northeastern University in the US, explained that glioblastomas are complex, fast-growing malignant brain tumours which are made up of various types of cells. They said even with aggressive treatment, which often includes surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, glioblastomas are difficult to treat, leading to an average survival of 11-15 months. The study, published in Science Advances, describes a methodology that combines the 3D printing and imaging of glioblastoma cells in a cost-effective way to more closely model what happens inside the human body. "There is a need to understand the biology and the complexity of the glioblastoma," said study co-author Xavier Intes from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the US. "What's known is that glioblastomas are very complex in terms of their makeup, and this can differ from patient to patient," Intes said. In the study, the researchers made bio-inks out of patient-derived tumour cells, and printed them along with blood vessels. They said the blood vessel network in these cells allowed the printed tissue to live and mature, enabling researchers to study it over a matter of months. The bio-printed blood vessels also provided channels for therapeutics to travel through -- in this case, the cancer drug Temozolomide. According to the study, drug delivery to glioblastoma cells in the body is especially complicated because of the blood-brain barrier -- a wall of cells that blocks most substances from reaching the brain. Due to this hurdle, the researchers believe that their new method may provide a more accurate evaluation of a drug's effectiveness than directly injecting the therapy into the cells. "That's the unique part of the bio-printing that has been very powerful. It's closer to what would happen in vivo," Intes said. To see if the drug was making it to the glioblastoma cells and working, Intes and his team developed a special technique to quickly take images of the bio-printed tissue at the cellular level using as little light as possible, so as to not damage the cells. "We developed a new technology that allows us to go deeper than florescence microscopy. It allows us to see, first, if the cells are growing, and then, if they respond to the drug," Intes said. According to the scientists, the novel technique may allow researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of multiple drugs at the same time. However, the scientists cautioned that the technique is not suited yet for studying the effectiveness of certain drugs on a person's individual tumour because of the short time period in which doctors often have to provide treatment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, March 8, 2020 17:09 673 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206927e7b 1 National coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,Diamond-Princess,cruise-ship,health-ministry,outbreak,outbreak-in-Indonesia Free Two more patients have tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), bringing the total confirmed cases in Indonesia up to six, the Health Ministry announced on Sunday. Today, based on laboratory tests, two more cases have tested positive, Health Ministry Disease Control and Prevention Directorate general secretary Achmad Yurianto said in a press conference at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Sunday afternoon. The first, Case 5, is a 55-year-old man who is part of the Jakarta cluster, he said, referring to a number of suspected and confirmed cases connected to a Japanese woman who tested positive for COVID-19 in Malaysia after visiting Jakarta in February. Read also: Indonesia confirms new cases, calls for calm Case 6, Yurianto said, is a 36-year-old man who was among the Indonesian crew members of the virus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship that was docked in Yokohama, Japan. The man and 68 other crew members were evacuated to Sebaru Island, Jakarta to undergo quarantine. Both men are stable and do not require oxygen or IV fluids. They are fully conscious. They dont have a fever, cough, or runny nose, he said. He added that Case 5 was being treated at the Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital in North Jakarta, while Case 6 was being treated at the Persahabatan Central General Hospital in East Jakarta. (kmt) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 22:38:49|Editor: yan Video Player Close LONDON, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A new exhibition marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale opened Sunday at a museum named after her in London. The exhibition, running from Sunday to March next year at the Florence Nightingale Museum in the grounds of St. Thomas' Hospital, presents 200 items that explore the reasons for Nightingale's international fame and enduring influence. Among the items that never displayed before, there is a gold watch she wore while working in the Scutari hospital between 1854 to 1856 during the Crimean War, and her family album that has passed down through generations. The museum also exhibits the lamp she carried on her nightly rounds of the wards during the Crimean War, for which she was called the legendary "lady with the lamp". Her medicine chest, writing case, the first nursing uniform designed by her, as well as an audio recording of her voice, were also among the key exhibits. Regarded as the founder of modern nursing, Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during the Crimean War, in which she organized care for wounded soldiers. She revolutionized nursing while suffering physical illness during the later years of life and established the world's first professional nurse training school in the St. Thomas' Hospital in 1860. David Green, director of Florence Nightingale Museum, said the opening date of the new exhibition coincides with the International Women's Day to pay a special tribute to the female icon in British history. Green told Xinhua that many people from different countries, including China, are still influenced by Nightingale's spirit and legacy, and he praised the great job and sacrifices made by Chinese nurses during the current battle against the novel coronavirus outbreak. "I think they are invoking the same passion, commitment, energy, diligence, these sort of things Florence held so dear. And I am sure they are doing amazing job, just as Florence did," he said. He added that they need also to take care of themselves at the same time, as nursing is always a tiring and challenging job that requires bravery, sacrifices and exposure to risk. The exhibition is part of a year-long celebration of Nightingale's bicentenary across Britain. Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820 and died in 1910. Her birthday is marked as the International Nurses Day every year. Medical officers were Sunday set to board a virus-hit cruise ship stranded off California and begin screening passengers for an "unprecedented and difficult" landing operation. The Grand Princess, which has 21 confirmed novel coronavirus infections among 3,500 people on board, is due to dock in Oakland on Monday after four days held off the coast of nearby San Francisco. The operation to move passengers ashore will be a "two-three day process," with the start time yet to be determined based on currents and tides, Governor Gavin Newsom told a press conference Sunday. "We are still working out the enormity of complexity of making sure we prepare the site and... prepare for a quick turnaround," he said. In an "unprecedented and difficult operation," medical workers were due to board the ship Sunday afternoon and conduct "rapid assessments" of passengers, added epidemiologist John Redd. Authorities have already begun delivering prescription medication to onboard passengers in need, Carolyn Wright, a passenger on the Grand Princess, told AFP. Passengers in urgent need of hospitalization will be moved immediately through the sealed, 10-acre Oakland site to medical centers for treatment. Those US residents not requiring treatment will then be moved to military bases in California, Texas and Georgia for a 14-day isolation period. Several hundred foreign passengers, representing 54 nationalities, will be repatriated to their countries. Oakland's port was chosen as it was the easiest viable location "to seal off, securely move passengers toward their isolation destinations and protect the safety of the public," the governor's emergency services office said. Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf moved to tamp down fears that nearby residents and port workers could be exposed. "No one will be quarantined in Oakland, or released to our community," she said. Crew will remain quarantined on board the ship, which will depart Oakland as soon as passengers have disembarked. Surgeon General Jerome Adams earlier called the operation to help those on board a "delicate balance" but also played down any risk to the wider US public. "The most important thing for American people to know is that folks who test positive will be kept isolated so that they cannot expose other people," he told CBS. On Sunday afternoon, passengers -- who have been confined to their cabins since Thursday -- were allowed to start going out on deck in small groups for fresh air, Wright, 63, told AFP. Crew will remain quarantined on board the Grand Princess cruise ship which "will depart Oakland as soon as possible" A former president, Goodluck Jonathan, has felicitated with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala over her appointment as a member of South Africas Presidential Economic Advisory Council. South Africas president, Cyril Ramaphosa, appointed Mrs Okonjo-Iweala as a member of his countrys presidential economic advisory council. Mr Ramaphosa appointed the council on September 27, 2019. In a statement published on its website, the South African presidency said the council will ensure greater coherence and consistency in the implementation of economic policy and ensure that government and society in general is better equipped to respond to changing economic circumstances. Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, an international development expert, had served two terms as finance minister of Nigeria (2003-2006, 2011-2015) under former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Jonathan respectively. Mr Jonathan, in a post via his Facebook page, said he was delighted about her recent appointment. As a two-time minister in Nigeria, you left indelible marks as an astute manager of the nations economy and resources. I am delighted that you have continued to place your substantial wealth of experience as a development economist at the service of many nations and international organisations to aid global growth and progress. I have no doubt in my mind that you will excel in the new assignment, Mr Jonathan said. Ifayeni Okowa, Delta State Governor, also sent a congratulatory message to the ex-minister. Mr Okowa said her appointment Is a testament to her competence and experience as a renowned economist and international development expert. On behalf of the Government and people of Delta State, I congratulate a worthy Ambassador of Delta State, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her appointment into South Africas Economic Advisory Council. Dr. Okonjo-Iwealas appointment by President Cyril Ramaphosa, is a testament to her competence and experience as a renowned economist and international development expert. As she continues on in this remarkable role, we wish her success in all her endeavors. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala with President Cyril Ramaphosa [PHOTO CREDIT: @NOIweala] The Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, said her appointment is proof of her tireless efforts. I learnt with great excitement the appointment of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala into South Africas Economic Advisory Council. Her appointment by President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa is proof of her tireless efforts to making our world a better place with her wealth of experience gathered over the years. Shes indeed one of Nigerias best. Congratulations. DDI. I congratulate Dr.Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who served as the co-ordinating minister for the economy/finance minister in my cabinet, on her appointment as a member of South Africas Presidential Economic Advisory Council, Mr Ishaku said. A Mumbai court has sent YES bank founder Rana Kapoor to three-day custody of the Enforcement Directorate as part of the probe in a money laundering case against him. Kapoor was arrested under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) around 3 am today, as he was allegedly not cooperating in the probe, the agency said. He was arrested from his Ballard Estate in Mumbai after 20 hours of grilling by the ED. The agency says Kapoor's wife Bindu and daughters -- Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Roshni Kapoor and Radha Kapoor -- are allegedly linked to some companies to which the suspected "proceeds of crime" have been traced. The ED, in its report to the court, stated how a Rana Kapoor-led company inflated the value of a property worth Rs 40 crore to Rs 735 crore. The loan was taken from Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL). The company was also owned by his daughters, Radha and Roshni Kapoor. The agency questioned them on Saturday, along with Radha's husband Aditya Khanna. As per the agency, his wife Bindu Kapoor is the director in as many as 18 companies, while his daughters, Roshni and Radha, hold top posts in 23 and 20 firms, respectively. Also Read: SBI sets Rs 10,000 crore boundary for Yes Bank investment: Chairman Rajnish Kumar On Saturday, the agency widened its probe in the case as the premises of Kapoor's three daughters in Delhi and Mumbai were searched to gather more information. Also Read: YES Bank crisis: How SBI executed a perfect 'rescue plan' CBI case against Rana Kapoor's daughters, DHFL A Rs 600-crore worth loan extended by DHFL to Doit Urban Ventures, a venture owned by Kapoor's daughters, is also at the centre of both the ED and CBI probes. The central agency is probing Kapoor's role in connection with the disbursal of loans and subsequent alleged kickbacks he received in his wife's accounts. After ED, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also registered a case against DHFL, Doit Urban Ventures (India) Limited, DHFL promoter Kapil Wadhawan and Rana Kapoor for cheating and criminal conspiracy. The case has been registered under Indian Penal Code's Sections 7, 12, and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR says that Rana Kapoor extended financial assistance to DHFL in place of "substantial undue benefit" for himself and his family members through companies held by them. Notably, during April to June 2018, YES Bank invested Rs 3,700 crore in the short-term debentures of DHFL. As per the allegations, DHFL's Wadhawan simultaneously paid kickbacks worth Rs 600 crore to the Kapoors in the form of a loan worth Rs 600 crore to Doit Urban Ventures, a venture owned by his daughters. With PTI inputs Also read: YES Bank ATMs up and running now; withdraw from others too Highlights A six months pregnant Sunaina Patel continued to serve with an elite police unit She is part of the elite District Reserve Guard Danteshwari Fighters She carries a bag that includes an AK-47 and a backpack weighing 8-10 kg In keeping with her commando training of being tough and never giving up in the face of difficulty, a six months pregnant Sunaina Patel continued to serve with an elite police unit that conducts anti-Naxal operations. Woman commando Sunaina Patel continued to patrol the Naxal-infested jungles, carrying a full load of weapons, that includes an AK-47 and a backpack weighing 8-10 kg, even when she was almost six months pregnant. She is part of the elite District Reserve Guard Danteshwari Fighters, deployed in one of the worst Maoist-affected areas of Chhattisgarh. This International Womens Day Patels story is one of the most inspiring. She only decided to take it easy when her senior asked her to take rest in view of her advanced stage of pregnancy. I was 2-months pregnant when I joined the unit. I performed all my duties with sincerely. But now have been asked by my seniors to take proper rest, Patel told ANI. Sunaina Patel, 8-month-old pregnant woman deployed as Danteshwari fighter in District Reserve Guard to combat Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada: I was 2-months pregnant when I joined. I never refused to perform my duties. Today also if I'm asked I'll do it with utmost sincerity. pic.twitter.com/6tUOruZsbz ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2020 Today also if Im asked Ill do it with utmost sincerity, she said. Patel is now eight months pregnant and is working in a comparatively relaxed atmosphere. Sunaina Patel has also played the lead in the Police commissioned short film Nai Subah Ka Suraj. When officials got to know about her pregnancy, they immediately stopped sending her to field operations and advised her to take proper rest. Speaking to ANI, Abhishek Pallav, SP Dantewada, said, Sunaina had suffered a miscarriage once while she was on duty. Even now she was reluctant to go off duty but we have asked her to take adequate rest as we are concerned about her health, Pallav said. On her contribution to the unit, the SP said, She has motivated many women to join the anti-Naxal force since she has become a commando. In May last year, a team of women DRG was constituted and Sunaina inducted into the elite anti-Naxal unit. Dantewada is the only district in the state with a team of women DRGs who perform regular jungle patrols against the Maoist cadres. Virgina Calvo realised that the world of gaming was about to become big when she and her husband Jose Ramon were running a cybercafe in Torremolinos back in 2003. In 2019 she started to position the company to be at the forefront of this global trend and made sure her company was the first to introduce new gaming products the to Spanish market. WOMEN IN BUSINESS Building up a successful English-language business in a Spanish-speaking world 17 years on and Calvo is considered one of the most influential women in gaming in Spain. She is director of Atlas Informatica, which owns seven of its own brands including high-end gaming accessory company, Ozone and BG Gaming, as well as making equipment for other companies. She is also the founder of the national association of e-sports clubs (ACE) and runs Vodafone Giants; a professional e-sports organisation which has teams competing in games such as League of Legends, Call of Duty, FIFA, Fortnite, and Rainbow Six Siege. Calvo runs her company from a warehouse in the San Luis industrial estate in Malaga. Three adjoining buildings house a shop and a series of offices for her 110-strong workforce. Her employees include engineers, IT, marketing and sales experts. "60 per cent of the departmental managers are women," Calvo says. The company started off selling computer chassis in different colours and designs and began to import exclusive American brands "which revolutionised the market", the business woman explains. Atlas Informatica now has an annual turnover of 15 million euros and focuses on high-end gaming accessories which are sold all over Europe, in physical shops as well as online, including via Amazon. Virginia explains that while she and her husband are not "big gamers" they understand the industry and "the ecosystem of gamers", which helps them to develop their business and respond to the demands of their customers. She has also competed as a professional athlete and studied physiotherapy as part of her degree, so also understand the world of sport, which is why she is passionate about the e-sports aspect of the company. Other keys to her success Virginia puts down to learning a business philosophy from her father who also owned a business. She says that "hard work" and a "passion" for what she does are essential as well as "intuition". Victoria, who is a mother to two daughters, says that she has come up against sexism at work. "It's often micro sexism, for example you are the finance director but in a meeting people will talk to your male assistant instead of you." Although she points out that this is general and not just in her sector, which she recognises is male-dominated. "It is something that we have to fight against from director level through to employees and we need to support each other." "I am the director of my company so I don't have anyone above me but society also creates obstacles," Calvo comments. In the world of e-sports she has also noticed that up until the age of 12, girls and boys participate equally, but from age 12 girls' participation drops. "I think it's because they don't have references," Calvo says. She adds that she teachers her daughters to "fight back" and "speak up" to people making sexist comments or behaving inappropriately. Acwa Power, a leader in power generation and water desalination projects, has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) and investment deal worth $1.2 billion for the development, construction and operation of a 1,500 MW combined cycle gas-turbine (CCGT) power plant in Uzbekistan. This is one of the three new strategic agreements, potentially worth up to $2.5 billion, sealed by Acwa Power with the Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan to amplify power generation and develop technical expertise. The power plant will contribute to Uzbekistans fast track ambitious plan to attract foreign direct investment in essential key sectors and the implementation of its energy diversification strategy. The project will be located in Shirin City in the Sirdarya region and will be developed as a build, own, operate, transfer projects, said a statement from the Saudi-based group. The PPA has a 25-year duration, with JSC National Electric Grids of Uzbekistan acting as the sole off-taker, while Acwa Power will take the lead in constructing, engineering, operating and maintaining the plant. The CCGT plants efficiency rate will be in excess of 60 per cent - saving almost twice the natural gas currently used for electricity production. An implementation agreement worth $550 million-$1.1 billion has also been signed with the Ministry of Energy to utilise Uzbekistans natural renewable energy sources. The agreement envisages the development, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of a 500-1000 MW wind farm. The third agreement is an MoU between the Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan, Air Products and Chemicals and Acwa Power. This agreement entails training programmes to bolster the technical expertise of students and professionals at one or more colleges in Uzbekistan. It will equip potential talent with the tools and knowledge to gradually support a local supply chain for the utilities and chemicals sectors in Uzbekistan. On the key agreements, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Aripov, said: "With infrastructure development key to our economic progress, we want the best international expertise to support our ambitious energy goals. We have chosen Acwa Power to be the governments partner in upscaling Uzbekistans energy generation capacity because of their exceptional track record in delivering results." "Our collaboration with Acwa Power will enable the government to benefit from the strong private sector participation which we believe is vital for Uzbekistans ongoing transformation and growth. We look forward to working with the company and building on this partnership in the future", Aripov elaborated. Minister of Energy Alisher Sultanov said: "These newly agreed power projects represent a historic milestone for Uzbekistan and support our mission to strengthen energy security through self-sufficient power sources." "Acwa Powers focus on smart, energy efficient technologies will provide more than 2000 MW of added power and enable us to achieve a more sustainable, secure and affordable energy ecosystem for our country," he added. Acwa Power Chairman Mohammad Abunayyan said: "With our relentless pursuit to align with the pillars of the Saudi Vision 2030 and contribute effectively to achieving its aspirations and goals, we are moving forward on our path of global growth through expanding our geographical footprint and presence in the central Asia." "The market in this part of the world is thriving with economic activity that will stimulate private sector investment and participation in the energy sector," stated Abunayyan. "With our proven track record as a global leader in the sectors of power generation and water desalination, with in-depth knowledge and expertise, we are proud to have been granted this opportunity to build strategic partnerships with the Uzbek government," he added.-TradeArabia News Service ONTARIO Teachers at Brookwood High School describe senior Hanna Brey as a humble and diligent student, a role model mature beyond her years. Brey is this years La Crosse Tribune Extra Effort Award winner for Brookwood, and with an extensive and varied resume, she is as focused and driven a student as they come. With her senior year coming to a close, Brey already has a plan and vision for her future: she wants to be a nurse. My parents have worked laborious jobs," she says. "They inspire me to get a degree to not struggle financially. At home, Hanna and her family have seen some tough times. Her mother works at the local String Swing Displays factory, and her father did as well before retiring early for health reasons. Because resources are limited, Hanna pushes herself to excel both academically and in extracurricular activities so she can be competitive for scholarships. To get a jump start on college, Hanna has opted to take advantage of her schools Youth Options program, and has pushed herself to complete a variety of college-level courses online through Western Technical College. During the fall, she also completed a certified nursing assistant program at Westerns Tomah campus. For weeks after school she would head straight there and study until 10 p.m., then get up the next day and do it all over again. In terms of extracurricular activities, Brey is just as driven. She is a cheer captain and vice president of her schools FFA chapter, plays flute in the band and pep band, and sits on student council. She has also participated in National Honor Society, theater and forensics making it so far as to become a state finalist her freshman year. In addition to all of that, Hanna also does a variety of volunteer work and holds down a part-time job at Swing String. She says juggling all of her commitments hasnt always been smooth sailing, conceding that she finds it difficult to balance everything sometimes. Doing well in school is high priority for Hanna. Her freshman and sophomore years particularly, she remembers that she didnt have a lot of time for homework, but I always came through. I had to work a little harder to make sure that I maintained a high academic standard. Her teachers cite that work ethic as one of her best qualities. Paul Olbert, Hannas English teacher, says, (Hanna) always has a smile on her face, and she is a good role model for students because of her work ethic and her positive attitude. Other teachers describe Hanna as a quiet, determined presence in our school, noting that she is a huge contributor to our school community, but she contributes quietly because she is incredibly humble, Hanna is facing a big decision: where to go to school. Shes been accepted to the nursing programs at both Viterbo and Milwaukee School of Engineering, but has yet to choose. She confesses, Im still in between, but Viterbo is a little bit less expensive so Im leaning more that way. Wherever she decides to go, Brey will be a first-generation college student, which she cites as a big motivator. Its a passion of mine to climb the ladder, to make my parents proud, she says. I want to be the first in my family to finish college. ABOUT EXTRA EFFORT The La Crosse Tribune Extra Effort Awards honor seniors in our area who have been chosen by their high schools for their perseverance and dedication to overcoming obstacles or providing exemplary service to the community. As original partners in our 23-year-old program, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Viterbo University and Western Technical College continue to provide scholarship support and host a year-end reception for winners, their families and area educators. In addition, the list of scholarship contributors continues to grow as the inspiring stories of Extra Effort winners bring more generosity from our community. Donors include Johns, Flaherty & Collins; the La Crosse Community Foundation through its General Fund, Randy Smith Leadership Fund, Neil P. Hengst Scholarship Fund and Robert and Eleanor Franke Charitable Fund; the Mitchell/Kruck Scholarship, and the American Association of University Women, La Crosse chapter; Trust Point; Fred and Ruth Kurtz of Onalaska; Mary Jo and Shawn Werner, town of Campbell; Jerry Raddatz of Winona, Minn.; Marine Credit Union; and the La Crosse Tribune. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-07 20:56:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A Palestinian who is put in quarantine takes pictures with his cell phone from his room at Angel Hotel in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on March 7, 2020. The governor of the West Bank district of Bethlehem ordered on Saturday a total shutdown of the district until Monday night, except for the health sector, according to an official press statement. Palestine on Saturday announced that the number of COVID-19 cases in Palestine has risen to 19 after three new cases were confirmed. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua) RAMALLAH, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The governor of the West Bank district of Bethlehem ordered on Saturday a total shutdown of the district until Monday night, except for the health sector, according to an official press statement. The decision to shut down Bethlehem was made following the declared state of emergency in Palestine, the governor Kamil Hmeid said. "The measure was taken to block the spread of the coronavirus and restore public security in the district," said the statement, adding Palestinian security forces were deployed in the district to control public movement. Meanwhile, a Palestinian emergency committee formed on Thursday will evaluate the situation and send its recommendations to Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye. After the Palestinian Health Ministry announced on Friday that the number of COVID-19 cases had risen to 16 in Bethlehem, a series of tight measures have been taken in the district and all over the West Bank. The measures included the closure of churches, mosques, schools, universities and cancelling reservations in hotels for foreign tourists. In a press statement on Saturday, Musa Haddid, mayor of Ramallah city, announced the postponement of all activities in the district in March. The efforts to sterilize mosques, churches, and homes in the district have started, according to Haddid. In the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Businessmen Association called for suspending all commercial activities in the coastal enclave as a precaution against the virus. In an emailed press statement, the association announced its decision to cancel all meetings, workshops, and conventions of the private sector. "The decision to suspend our activities was made following President Mahmoud Abbas' declaration of emergency for one month in fear of a large spread of the virus in the Palestinian territories," it said. Schools and universities have shut down in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip until a full evaluation of the situation in the enclave. A Health Ministry committee, which convened in Gaza on Friday, announced that the Gaza Strip is free of the virus. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, we are living in the United States of Propaganda. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Bahrain's Formula 1 Grand Prix scheduled for March 20-22 will be held without spectators, the organisers said Sunday in the latest sporting event to be hit by measures to contain the new coronavirus. "In consultation with our international partners and the kingdom's national health task force, Bahrain has made the decision to hold this year's Bahrain Grand Prix as a participants-only event," the Bahrain International Circuit said in a statement. Bahrain has reported more than 80 cases of the disease, mostly among pilgrims returning from Iran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Theres a growing disconnect between Missoulas leadership and certain critics of an economic development tool known as tax increment financing. Some residents feel strongly that local government should be doing more to reduce their property tax burden. While there is a lot of support for tapping into other sources of revenue such as through a gas tax or a sales tax others would prefer that the city start by cutting its spending. In general, this view is represented on the City Council by a minority coalition of councilors: Jesse Ramos, Sandra Vasecka and John Contos. For their part, the majority of city councilors find themselves defending their budget decisions, and TIF in particular as a valuable economic tool that pays big public dividends, while also trying to dispel persistent misunderstandings about how it works. The same arguments seem to flare up every time City Council votes to approve TIF funding for a major development. TIF opponents dont feel heard. TIF supporters dont feel understood. And around and around it goes. TIF is a complicated public finance method used by thousands of communities large and small throughout the United States. It has undeniable benefits, but also some real flaws. Theres a lot of room for misunderstanding and disagreement, and other cities besides Missoula have long grappled with how to address TIFs various defects, both real and perceived. But in Missoula, a long-simmering conflict went completely off the rails recently after one vocal city critic was jailed for making death threats in a video posted on YouTube this past December. The man, Brandon Bryant, is a U.S. Air Force veteran with a cadre of supporters working to free him and worried that his arrest has a chilling effect on other critics of city leadership. Yet some members of City Council have themselves advocated on Bryants behalf, even as they acknowledge that threats of violence are inexcusable. City Councils next steps should be to form a united front and reassure the public, especially those with bones to pick, that councilors welcome civil criticism about TIF or any other municipal business. Then, they must join with the citys administrative and economic leaders to get this discussion back on track. Public support for TIF will be key to making improvements that promise to mitigate concerns on both sides. A 2018 report titled Improving Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for Economic Development provides an instructive overview of TIF programs from Chicago to California, and even includes a case study in Montanas Jefferson County. The report, by David Merriman for the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge, Massachusetts, examines the potential benefits and pitfalls of TIF, and concludes with a short list of recommendations. Not all of these recommendations are applicable or desirable for Missoula. Our TIF policy is crafted to address the unique needs of our community, but is also limited by a framework outlined in state law. One of the recommendations is to increase state oversight of local TIF programs. We dont agree. Montanas legislators, especially those in more rural communities that have no experience with TIF, have proven reluctant to allow for more flexibility one of the recommendations in the report. Flexibility is key to freeing some of the money created by TIF district for public projects of arguably higher priority. In Missoula, housing affordability and energy sustainability are two areas where TIF has enormous potential to provide enormous public benefit. Thats not to downplay the advancements in affordable housing that have already been made thanks to TIF. More than half a dozen local affordable housing projects have received TIF reimbursements, from the Palace Apartments downtown to the environmentally sustainable Equinox and Solstice buildings. But the ability to use TIF funds more broadly to support community priorities is extremely limited. Awaiting action in the Legislature, the city continues to seek creative ways around these limitations. It has twice pulled money from TIF districts to bolster the general fund, and in doing so avoided raising property taxes. Indeed, TIF reduces the overall tax burden of property owners, because it creates money that otherwise wouldnt exist. For example, the Mercantile property was vacant for several years while various plans were proposed and found to be poor fits. Now it is home to a private development that includes a Marriott hotel, as well as several shops and restaurants. And it is surrounded by upgraded public infrastructure $1.9 million in TIF reimbursements for new sidewalks, lights, trees and utility lines. That money comes from the increase in taxable value caused by an increase in property value. Similarly, the proposed $16.5 million in TIF for an event center at the Riverfront Triangle, which has been vacant for decades, would leverage the private investment in that property in order to provide for public facilities. Sure, the development could conceivably go forward without it but these five riverfront acres are critical to connectivity in one of the busiest parts of Missoula, and it would be a shame to turn down an opportunity to dramatically increase public enjoyment of this key asset. Another of the recommendations of the TIF report involves providing extensive, easily accessible information about TIF use, revenues, and expenditures, and Missoulians can take pride in the fact that the Missoula Redevelopment Agency is as transparent with this information as its possible to be. Its revenues and expenditures and whole lot more documentation are readily available online, and regularly updated. The challenge is in distilling all this data and better communicating the process, goals and outcomes for the general public. It wouldnt put an end to the arguments, but it would go a long way toward clearing up the misunderstandings. This editorial represents the views of the Missoulian Editorial Board: Publisher Jim Strauss, Editor Gwen Florio and Opinion Editor Tyler Christensen. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 5 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 BAHRAIN King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) launched a host of eServices via the Sehati health services app, which is provided by the Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA). The hospitals services include uploads of medical report as they become available, medical appointment reservations, and medicine delivery. KHUH Commander, Major-General Dr. Shaikh Salman bin Atiyatallah Al Khalifa said: King Hamad University Hospital is the first government hospital in the Kingdom to introduce an app and electronic system that makes communication easier between the hospital and its visitors. We always strive to offer our services through the most modern and effective methods in order provide better care to all patients. iGA Chief Executive Mohammed Ali Al Qaed said: Launching the hospitals services via the Sehati app is in line with our ongoing partnerships with the health sector. The hospitals decision to offer these online services is a continuation of the digital transformation of government services which aim to ensure faster and more efficient transactions. Patients can securely access the hospitals services via the app which can be downloaded on smart phones and devices. Sehati, available on the Government App Store bahrain.bh/apps for both Android and Ios devices, is a comprehensive app that contains a number of healthcare services from various healthcare institutions in the Kingdom. They are organized in a convenient way and are easy to use, featuring an attractive design. Sehati is one of the most important applications being introduced by the government with the aim of improving the quality and method of delivery of healthcare services in the Kingdom. In addition to listing hospital services, the app is a unified and comprehensive health services platform which will greatly benefit citizens, residents and visitors. CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. The Northeastern American Red Cross joins with the efforts of all the American Red Cross chapters in all fifty states to closely monitor the rapidly evolving outbreak of coronavirus. The Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross serves the communities of Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington counties. The American Red Cross is also supporting government agencies to assist evacuees who have been quarantined after returning to the United States from overseas. In particular, they partner with Advancing Transfusion and Cellular Therapies Worldwide (AABB), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure the safety and availability of the United States blood supply for patients in need. It is important to note that there have been no reported blood transfusion transmissions of respiratory viruses including coronaviruses and influenza-like viruses worldwide at this time. While the risk of contracting any coronavirus through a blood transfusion is extremely low, the American Red Cross has implemented new blood donation deferrals out of an abundance of caution following the outbreak. Officials are now asking that individuals postpone their donation for 28 days following: Travel to China and its special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau, a diagnosis of COVID-19, contact with a person who has the virus, or who is suspected to have it. Overseas, Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are supporting communities in preparing for the virus and protecting families from getting sick. Red Cross and Red Crescent teams are educating communities about how to mitigate the spread of this virus, offering community-based health and hygiene promotion, providing access to basic services, and fighting rumors and stigma. For everyday health safety and preparedness steps people in the U.S. can take now in response to coronavirus concerns, people review these helpful tips. LIMIT THE SPREAD OF GERMS AND PREVENT INFECTION There are common sense steps we can all take to prevent the spread of any respiratory virus: Get your flu vaccine. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay home when you are sick. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious food. Disinfect doorknobs, switches, handles, computers, telephones, bedside tables, bathroom sinks, toilets, counters, toys and other surfaces that are commonly touched around the home or workplace. Follow the CDCs recommendations for using a face mask. GET YOUR HOUSEHOLD READY There are things you can do right now to be ready for any emergency, and many of these same tips will help you prepare as the coronavirus situation continues to evolve in the U.S. Italys government has implemented the most restrictive measures outside China to try to contain the rapidly spreading coronavirus. Early Sunday, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree that virtually locks down large parts of the countrys wealthy northern region, affecting a quarter of its population. The extraordinary move amounts to the country sacrificing much of its fragile economy in an effort to try to slow the increase of new cases. The unprecedented restrictions, which will affect the movement of some 16 million people, forbid anyone from entering or leaving Lombardy, which is Italys richest region, as well as 14 provinces in four other regions. Affected areas include the countrys economic and cultural capital of Milan as well as landmark tourist destinations such as Venice. It is still unclear what the restrictions mean for foreigners who are currently in one of the affected areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced the new restrictions in the middle of the night, saying that there would be no exceptions to the prohibitions except for those who had proven, work-related or health reasons that required them to travel in and out of the affected areas. We are facing a national emergency. We chose from the beginning to take the line of truth and transparency and now were moving with lucidity and courage, with firmness and determination, Conte said. We have to limit the spread of the virus and prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed. The measures, which also ban funerals and cultural events, are in place until April 3 for now. All of the countrys schools had already been closed. Advertisement It remained unclear exactly how stringent the controls would be, but it marks the first test of whether the types of restrictions of movement that have been imposed in China can work in a countryand regionthat prizes its freedoms. When word started to leak out about the upcoming decree, many in the affected areas rushed to train stations as chaos and confusion reigned. Regional politicians expressed surprise at the move and were not shy about making their anger at Rome known for not giving them a heads-up before the news started to be reported in the media. The restrictions were announced after a day in which Italy suffered its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases, with the number of infected people rising 1,247 to 5,883. Among those infected was the head of the governing coalitions Democratic Party. Well, its arrived, Nicola Zingaretti said in a Facebook video. I also have the coronavirus. Deaths rose to 233. Egypt's Ministry of Health announced on Sunday the death of a German citizen from the coronavirus, the first death from the virus in the country. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health announced on Sunday the registering of two new coronavirus cases, including one Egyptian expatriate, Kuwait's Minister of Health Abdallah Al-Sanad said in a statement. "The two new cases are a female citizen who came back to Kuwait from Iran and an Egyptian expatriate who had travelled to Azerbaijan via the United Arab Emirates. The Egyptian expatriate had returned via the same route and hadn't visited Egypt during the past six months," the statement said. "The Egyptian expatriate checked in at an emergency ward with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health. He was placed under quarantine is currently at a specialised hospital," it added. With the two new cases, the overall number of coronavirus infections in Kuwait has climbed to 64, according to Kuwaiti official figures. On Saturday, Kuwait said it was suspending all flights to seven countries, including Egypt, for one week in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus outbreak. The Gulf country said it is suspending all flights to and from Egypt, Bangladesh, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Syria and Lebanon to "stem the spread of COVID-19 and protect public health." Several Gulf countries have introduced restrictions on travellers from Egypt. The coronavirus has infected over 100,000 people and killed over 3,000 globally. In the past weeks, Egypt had upped preventive measures at all entry points nationwide. The Egyptian expatriate had not visited Egypt during the past six months, Kuwait's Ministry of Health said. On Sunday, Egypt's Ministry of Health announced the death of a German citizen from the coronavirus, the first death from the virus in the country. Egypt's Health Minister Hala Zayed also said earlier on Sunday that the first Egyptian citizen confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus earlier this month is in "critical condition." The 44-year-old patient is currently receiving treatment at a quarantine hospital in Marsa Matrouh governorate. On Saturday, Egypt's Ministry of Health announced that 45 people, including 19 foreign tourists, tested positive for the coronavirus in an outbreak on board a Nile cruise travelling between Luxor and Aswan. The patients were transferred to the quarantine hospital in Marsa Matrouh city. Search Keywords: Short link: UNODC works closely with governments and civil society to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat among people who use drugs and people in prisons by 2030, by promoting public health, human rights, justice and equality of access to HIV services, within the framework of the UNAIDS Joint Programme. The UNODC global HIV programme provides targeted support to countries in sub-Saharan Africa (west and central Africa, eastern Africa, southern Africa), Middle East and North Africa, south-eastern Europe and central Asia, south Asia and south-east Asia and Pacific. In these regions, together with national and international partners, UNODC supports countries in their efforts towards ending AIDS by 2030 through: ADVOCACY: Supporting reform, development and implementation of effective legislation and policies to facilitate access to evidence-informed HIV services. Reducing stigma and discrimination, and promoting human rights and evidence-based public health-centred approaches to drug use and HIV. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Supporting the development and implementation of comprehensive evidence-informed gender- and age-responsive strategies and programmes. PARTNERSHIPS: Brokering multisectoral alliances between drug control, justice, law enforcement, health, civil society organizations (CSOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs). Photo: Creative Commons/Nicolas Raymond Gandhinagar March 8 : M.K. Dave, the special SIT judge hearing the 2002 Naroda Gam riot case, has been transferred and made the principal District Judge of Valsad by an order of the Gujarat High Court. He is replaced by S.K. Baxi, the principal District Judge, Bhavnagar. The Naroda riots case is one in which 11 Muslims were killed during post Godhra riots in Gujarat and in which former BJP minister Maya Kodnani is an accused. The notification of the transfer was issued by the Gujarat High Court on Friday. The hearings of the Naroda Gam riots case are about to end. Even the arguments by the prosecution have also ended. Accused BJP leader and former MLA and minister Kodnani's lawyer had started his arguments in the case last week. The Naroda Gam massacre is one of the nine major riot cases investigated by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT). The riots had broken out following the call for a 'Gujarat Bandh' to protest the Godhra train carnage. Kodnani, one of the 82 accused in the case, was Minister for Women and Child Development in then Chief Minister Narendra Modi's government. Security reinforced in Galim after bloody attack Facebook Cameroons elite force, the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) are part of a mixed security squad currently on patrol in Galim, Bamboutous Division of the countrys West Region following simultaneous attacks on a gendarmerie brigade and police station Saturday, March 7, 2020 by armed men believed to be separatists operating in the North West and South West regions. Soldiers could be seen patrolling the streets of Galim this Sunday as the death toll in Saturdays night attack is said to have risen from five to nine. New casualty figures suggest that two police officers, two female gendarmerie officers and five civilians have died while many others are nursing injuries. Cameroon-Info.Net understands from security sources that scores of assailants attacked both security facilities under the cover of darkness, the result of an electricity blackout. The armed men said to have been on board motorbikes are reported to have made away with weaponry before fleeing towards Bafanji in the North West Region. This may well suggest that the attack might have come from members of the Non-State Armed Group seeking to make of the countrys North West and South West Regions an independent country christened Ambazonia. While investigations are expected to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the attack, it follows two previous attacks on the West region one on December 22, 2018 and the other on January 6, 2020. In December 2018, armed men stormed Bangourain killing at least one person and kidnapping others. Inhabitants of this locality in the Noun Division of the West Region blamed the armed men for over sixty houses burnt down following the attack. In January this year, some nine unidentified armed men suspected to be separatist fighters reportedly attacked a Gendarmerie post in Bangourain carrying away arms and weaponries. Cameroon's Head of State, President Paul Biya had promised tougher days for the Non-State Armed Group. Speaking in a televised address to the nation Tuesday, December 31, 2019, President Paul Biya said the countrys military will fight in all professionalism to protect all citizens. For those who persist in going down the wrong road and continue to use violence, we will have no other choice than to combat them in order to protect all our fellow citizens. Our Defence and Security Forces will, once again, perform their duty with restraint, but without weakness. I wish to reassure them of my full support and high esteem, Biya warned. He however agreed that without a doubt, the security situation in the North West and South West regions is one of the most urgent problems at the moment. He regretted that: The criminal activities of armed groups continue to disrupt public, economic, and social life in these regions, yet various measures have been taken in recent months to reason with these youths, most of who have been brainwashed. They have been called upon to lay down their weapons, and social reintegration prospects have been offered them. The Kutch police has arrested four youngsters including a minor on suspicion of spying on defence installations for Pakistan's intelligence agency. Police said that the youths were sending information of vital installations related to national security to an unidentified person in Pakistan. Superintendent of Police, Kutch (West), Saurabh Tolambiya, while confirming the case, told DH, "We have arrested them on Saturday evening on suspicion that they were sending out vital information pertaining to national security. We have found information in their phones and they haven't been able to give valid reasons for keeping them." He also said that all the four youths have been booked under the Official Secrets Act among other charges. When asked if the accused benefitted from sending the information, Tolambiya said, "Prima facie, they have been arrested on the basis of suspicion. The other aspect of this case is a matter of investigation which the Special Operation Group (SOG) is doing." The arrested have been identified as Hajam Mamadrafik, 23, Sumra Arbaz Ismail, 20, Padeiyar Abas, 18 and a 17-year-old minor who all are residents of Abdasa taluka of Kutch district. While the last two are students of a private school, Mamadrafik is a barber and Ismail runs a mobile shop. The FIR has been registered at Naliya police station under section 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war), to be read with section 120B (conspiracy) and the Official Secrets Act. Kutch district, that shares its border with Pakistan, has seen a number of cases of alleged espionage. In the past, the ATS has booked several people for allegedly sending information of Army or Air Force movements, their deployments among others details, to Pakistani spy agencies. Last year, several youths were picked up on similar charges. In 2016, ATS had booked two persons -- Alana Sama and Shakoor Sumra -- residents of Bhuj, on charges of spying. The probe found out that one of the suspects had been trapped by a 17-year-old ISI agent in Pakistan and were forced to provide information on movement of Border Security Force. A 33-year-old businessman was arrested by Sahar police on Saturday for allegedly molesting a 21-year-old woman on an international flight to Mumbai. According to the police, the arrested accused, identified as Ankitkumar Patel, is a resident of Gujarat. The 21-year-old complainant is a student and resident of Gujarat as well. Both were seated next to each other on a 12-hour flight from Rwanda in Central Africa to Mumbai, early on Saturday. The complainant alleged that she was asleep when she felt Patel inappropriately touching her. She woke up and raised an alarm. Soon after the incident, the complainant raised an alarm and informed an air-hostess in the vicinity. The complainant was then given another seat away from the accused. The air-hostess, in turn, informed the flight captain, said Shashikant Mane, senior inspector of Sahar police station. After the flight landed in Mumbai, airport authorities briefed the Sahar police about the incident. The complainant and accused were taken to the police station where a first information report (FIR) was registered under section 354 (criminal force or assault on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Patel was arrested and produced before a magistrate court on Sunday. The shoot of Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai in Azerbaijan has been cancelled. According to a report, the cancellation came about following the dangerous spread of Coronavirus. A song and an action sequence was suppoesed to be shot there. Salman Khan and Disha Patani were to travel to Baku in Azerbaijan via Dubai or Doha, the report says. A unit source mentioned, Considering the Coronavirus outbreak, its scary to travel with a large number of unit memebers abroad. It doesnt make sense. Now, it will have to be shot elsewhere. READ: Salman Khan Wishes To Bring Chulbul Pandey, Kick's Devil & Radhe Together In One Frame Radhe shoot cancelled? The report adds that some members of the crew had already left for Baku for prep for the shoot. They have reportedly been called back. This film will be the second one when Salman will work with Disha after Bharat. Speaking about her role in the film, Disha told PTI, Salman sir just asked me if I would like to do the film. I said yes. There is a reason why I chose to do the film, besides the fact that it had Salman sir and it was directed by Prabhu Deeva sir. It has to do with the story and my character. Radhe will also star Randeep Hooda, Jackie Shroff, and actor Govind Namdev. Deepak Dobriyal was to work, too, but could not because of date issues. Speaking to a news agency, the Hindi Medium actor said, We were going to collaborate on Radhe but I couldnt be part of it due to date issues. It was a positive role. It would be unfair now to talk about the role. We couldnt adjust the dates as I had the promotions of Angrezi Medium and then another film of mine got pushed so things didnt work out. READ: Is Disha Patani Worried About Being Overshadowed By Radhe Co-star Salman Khan? Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai is being co-produced by Salman Khan, Sohail Khan and Atul Agnihotri under the banners Salman Khan Films, Sohail Khan Productions and Reel Life Production. The film will hit theatres on Eid this year which is in May. READ: Dabangg 3: Salman Khan Reveals Prabhudhevas Hilarious Reaction When He Dubbed In Tamil READ: Salman Khan Reacts To 'Dabangg' Controversy: People Are Trying To Get 2 Mins Of Fame Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment. GrainChain, a commodities tracing platform that uses smart contracts to open up liquidity for low-income farmers, has raised $8.2 million in its latest funding round, the company announced Friday. Chief Executive and founder Luis Macias said the money will bolster GrainChains burgeoning operations in Mexico, Honduras and the southwest United States. This funding is really going to allow us to add to our operations and scale up the levels that we are anticipating, giving us the ability to implement across the entire supply chain, he said. Related: Vermont Turns to Home-Grown Blockchain Company to Track Hemp With Ethereum Overstock VC wing Medici Ventures contributed the bulk at $5 million. An early backer of GrainChain with a $2.5 million equity stake in late 2018, Medici had previously agreed to consider purchasing future equity. It now controls 17.65 percent of GrainChain, according to a Medici spokesperson. Other new backers include Eden Block, according to a press release. GrainChain envisions itself as a sort of glue between disparate actors in the agriculture supply chain. It brings farmers, bankers, insurers, exporters and trade associations on a unified blockchain platform where they can validate the movement of crops and commodities, and even make payments through event-triggered smart contracts. In September, part of that vision took form as GrainChain inked deals with stakeholders from across the Honduran coffee industry. This included low-income farmers picking the beans, many of whom struggle to secure loans from bankers weary of supply chain inefficiencies. Related: Appealing to Normies: Advancing Bitcoin Starts With Better UX Both farmers and bankers expressed hope at the time that GrainChains traceability trust factor could change that. Medici CEO Jonathan Johnson said the VC got on board to help support GrainChains efforts to eliminate middlemen and re-humanize commerce. Macias said the platform has attracted interest from more supply chain stakeholders in the time since. People are excited about the implementation, he said. Story continues The new funding will also build out GrainChains global presence. Macias said he is currently brokering deals in two more countries that he expects to announce later this year. Were pleased to support their continued global expansion. Medicis Johnson said of GrainChain. Related Stories The Lehigh Valley has seen around 1,400 age-restricted or assisted living units approved over the last five years. It's one housing sector that never really suffered from a slowdown, says Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Executive Director Becky Bradley. Its the one form of development that didnt really have much of a chill on it, she told lehighvalleylive.com. It had a mild chill. It was more of a refrigeration situation than a deep freeze. This month, Bethlehem officials will consider a rezoning request that would pave the way for a 40-unit residential retirement development at 2105 Creek Road. The city planning commission is scheduled to review the project Thursday, followed by a city council public hearing on the rezoning request set for March 17, said Bethlehem Planning and Zoning Director Darlene Heller. Developer Abraham Atiyeh describes the project on 10.5 acres as independent living for residents around an average age of 75. The proposal calls for 20 one-bedroom units and 20 two bedrooms, with an existing home on the property to be converted into a clubhouse with administrative offices. The request before Bethlehem to rezone the property to residential retirement complex from rural residential touches on part of the reason age-restricted housing remains so popular with developers. Adding another area within the Bethlehem City map meets a growing need for the aging Baby Boomer generation while allowing them to age in the City and not move to other municipalities that officer residential retirement complex, wrote Sue Kandil, president of Penn Technology Consulting LLC, which is working on the plan. Along with more Baby Boomers looking to downsize their space and property maintenance chores, Pennsylvania's tax structure is also helping to fuel age-restricted housing construction, says Bradley. Pennsylvania does not tax retirement income of workers who met the requirements for retirement under their employers plan, according to the state Department of Revenue. That extends to Social Security income, making Pennsylvania one of only two states -- and the only one on the East Coast -- that considers retirement income exempt from state taxes, says senior living developer Cornwall Manor. Toll Brothers' Regency at Creekside Meadows 55-and-older residential community is under construction Friday, March 6, 2020, along Route 512 in East Allen Township. Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com In another addition to the Lehigh Valleys age-restricted housing stock, the East Allen Township Board of Supervisors on Feb. 27 approved the 82-home Phase 2 of Toll Brothers Regency at Creekside Meadows 55-and-old community along Route 512, across from Steuben Road. That entire project is 232 homes, with Phase 1 under construction, according to township Manager Brent Green. It breaks down into 143 single family dwellings, 38 single family attached townhomes and 51 single family triplexes, along with a clubhouse. Toll Brothers' timeline calls for 35 of the homes to be sold this year, followed by 54 annually in 2021 through 2023, 30 in 2024 and five in 2025, Green said. The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission reports 1,201 age-restricted homes approved from 2015 through 2019 in Lehigh and Northampton counties. The three-phase East Allen Township project is in addition to that, with 181 homes approved so far and a 51-home third phase slated for future approval. Including the entire 232-home East Allen project, thats 1,433 homes, not counting the 40-home 2105 Creek Road project in Bethlehem. Following is a table listing the projects by type, number of units and municipality, along with any commercial component included. If the graphic is not displaying, consider viewing this article via your web browser at lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A fishery owner who killed an otter that had been eating his valuable fish has been sent to jail in the first prosecution of its kind in the UK. Stuart Jones, 54, shot the heavily-protected Eurasian otter with a rifle after it had been caught by an angler in his landing net. At the time Jones was the owner of Lyons Gate Campsite and Fishery in Dorchester, Dorset, and had set traps for otters that had been emptying his four fishing lakes of carp worth up to 40,000 each. Jones' 'barbaric act' was witnessed by shocked guests at the campsite and they reported the slaughter to the authorities. Stuart Jones, 54, (pictured outside Bournemouth Crown Court) shot the heavily-protected Eurasian otter with a rifle after it had been caught by an angler in his landing net They had assumed he would remove the otter and release it elsewhere. But they were horrified when Jones arrived on the bank with a rifle and blasted the aquatic mammal in the head. Jones was prosecuted for killing a wild protected animal under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations Act 2017 and for setting a trap for a protected animal under the Wildlife and Countryside act 1981. He was jailed for two months by a judge at Bournemouth Crown Court. Afterwards Dave Webb, founder of the UK Wild Otter Trust, said it was the first case of its kind in the UK and he was 'over the moon' with the outcome. Otters were on the verge of extinction in Britain in the 1950s due largely to pollution from pesticides and habitat loss. They were successfully reintroduced by conservationists in the 1970s and '80s. Since then they have been blamed for the loss of thousands of pounds worth coarse fish like carp and barbel which they eat. The court heard that Jones found the carnivorous creatures a nuisance at his fishery and had 'planned their demise'. Victoria Hill, prosecuting, said father and son James and Lee Ritchie and Tony and Karen Keane were fishing at the lake between July 7 and 11 last year and saw the same otter swimming before it got out and disappeared into a wooded area. Shortly afterwards another fisherman caught the otter in a net and shouted for someone to get Jones. The otter (left, in a trap) was shot in front of horrified campers and Jones has been jailed after laying traps (right) Miss Hill said: 'They became aware the defendant was trying to trap otters because they were on the lakes and eating his fish. 'They thought it was being caught to be relocated but when the defendant arrived with his wife and daughter he was carrying a rifle. 'He pulled the bolt back on the rifle, put it to the back of the otter's head and pulled the trigger. The otter seemed to thrash a few times and then it was deceased.' Reading a statement from James Ritchie she said: 'I feel complete shock this has happened. I would certainly not ever go back to the site again, I'd rather give up fishing, a sport I have done for 30 years.' A report from Mr Webb described the execution as 'barbaric and inhumane'. The court heard otters have a limited impact on the fishing population within this environment and were actually a positive feature as they demonstrate good quality water for fish. Miss Hill said: 'If people were to behave in the way this defendant has, the impact on the otter population as a whole would be devastating. That's why they are a protected species.' The court heard Jones had also set up a fox trap over the opening of an overflow pipe the otters had been using to get between two of the lakes, but the trap would not have been able to bear an otter's weight and would have sunk below the water level, drowning any otter in it. Jones pleaded guilty to the two counts of killing and trapping a protected species. The court heard Jones had run the fishery for 17 years but has recently sold the business and is no longer involved at all. Jamie Porter, defending, said: 'He found the otter a nuisance, as chicken farmers find foxes and cattle farmers find badgers. 'It was proposed that fences are put up but that's not an option that a great many fishermen go for. Two rods for a day pitch are 6 - it is not a high income business. 'He had rather a lot of otters on the site at that time, at least three, and clearly wasn't thinking clearly when he took the action he took. 'He may well have taken the view the people around him were entirely sympathetic to the action he was going to take. He badly misjudged his audience and as a consequence finds himself here today. 'It was utterly inappropriate. He has handed back his rifle licences and no longer engages in any activity at all to do with wildlife.' He added that Jones had 'disposed' of the animal in the 'cleanest, kindest and quickest way' like a vet would. But Judge Stephen Climie said: 'If they are ill and need to be put to sleep yes, but in the context of this case it was both unnecessary and illegal.' Judge Climie sentenced Jones, who was of previous good character, to two months in prison. He said: 'You had made it clear to visitors that you regarded the otters not just a nuisance but likely to have a significant and damaging impact on your business and potentially the reputation of the campsite and fishery. 'You had planned the demise of this otter and had set up your own makeshift traps. You were aware that it was illegal to trap and/or kill this species but despite that knowledge you continued with the plan you had. 'You went with one clear intention in mind to kill that otter. Your motivation was both financial and reputational.' Judge Climie said he could not suspend the sentence because 'the point has to be made' and Jones had deliberately attempted to avoid the law, which had been in place since 1981. Speaking after the case Mr Webb said: 'I am surprised, but absolutely over the moon, he has got a custodial sentence. This will set a real precedent and send a stark warning out to other fishery people. 'There is no excuse to remove a native predator for commercial reasons and everybody knows about the law.' The CPS also intends to pursue a Proceeds of Crime Act application for the cost of otter fencing, the action Jones should have taken to prevent the otters taking his fish stocks. Temporary electric fencing would cost about 3,000 but higher permanent fencing can cost up to 20,000. Mr Webb said one large 40lb carp which fisheries use to attract anglers can be worth up to 40,000, so half that amount on fencing should be worth it to fishery owners. Wildlife presenter Richard Taylor Jones, who has appeared on BBC Countryfile and Springwatch, welcomed the sentence. He said: 'It is astonishing that people should still be killing otters. I hope that this sentence will send out a strong message that otters are and will be protected by law.' Watched by 43 million people on TV as she hosted the 2014 Oscars, comedienne Ellen DeGeneres walked through the audience at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Mobile phone in hand, she approached the actress Meryl Streep. She said: Meryl, heres my idea. You were nominated a record-breaking 18 times, right? Meryl glanced up with a look of slight bewilderment. I thought we would try to break another record right now. Im gonna take a picture of us. And then we can see if we can break the record for the most retweets, Ellen announced. Ellen stuck out her phone and struggled to get a decent frame. Cooper, kneeling at the front, reached up and nabbed the phone out of Ellens hands. Thats it. Ready? Ready? said Cooper. Snap. We did it! Ellen shouted before tweeting the image on her personal account She dipped down slightly and extended the phone between herself and the legendary actress. Meryl turned to the woman behind her, four-time Oscar nominee Julia Roberts, up for Best Supporting Actress. Get her in, Meryl insisted. Ellen called over Channing Tatum, the former-male-stripper-turned-actor, and Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, nominees for Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor. They gathered around Ellen. Then Ellen called for another Brad Brad Pitt. Kevin Spacey [before he was accused of sexual assault] crept up from behind, smiled, and raised a thumb. Soon, a whole host of rowdy celebrities were making faces and creating minor chaos. Ellen stuck out her phone and struggled to get a decent frame. Cooper, kneeling at the front, reached up and nabbed the phone out of Ellens hands. Thats it. Ready? Ready? said Cooper. For many years, Samsung had supplied Apple with technology in fact, the iPhone was made possible only thanks to Samsungs electronic memory chips. But in 2010, Samsung released its own smartphone, the Galaxy S, which some dubbed the iPhone killer Snap. We did it! Ellen shouted before tweeting the image on her personal account. Eleven of the greatest legends of Hollywood among them winners of ten Oscars who together and $9 billion in earnings had spontaneously gathered together in a single shot. A short while later, Ellen announced: We just crashed Twitter! It was the first time the social media site had broken in its eight-year history. Within an hour, the selfie had more than one million retweets. By the next day, it had more than three million. But thanks to an image of Cooper taking the selfie subsequently going viral, Ellens phone a Galaxy Note, made by South Korean electronics giant Samsung, sponsors of the Oscars was to become the biggest star. This was Samsungs moment. For some time, the firms bosses had been seething at the omnipresence of celebrities holding its arch-rival Apples iPhones. This was incredible, free, word-of-mouth advertising, an unbeatable way of forging a cultural movement. But now Samsung had achieved the ultimate product placement: a photo of one of its products in the hands of that moments most high-profile person on the planet the host of the Oscars. The ironic truth is theyd had to train Ellen, an iPhone user, how to use the Galaxy. But the rewards were immediate. That financial quarter, Samsung would ship 85 million smartphone units a combined total greater than its four biggest competitors, LG, Lenovo, Huawei and Apple. This is the story of how South Korean Samsung trumped the all-American Apple iPhone in its own backyard. It is also the story of how South Korea went from being a poor farming nation to one of the worlds most successful economies in two generations. Rivalry between Samsung and Apple goes back to the early days of the battle to dominate the nascent smartphone market. For many years, Samsung had supplied Apple with technology in fact, the iPhone was made possible only thanks to Samsungs electronic memory chips. But in 2010, Samsung released its own smartphone, the Galaxy S, which some dubbed the iPhone killer. Steve Jobs, Apples founder, was livid. He wanted to launch thermonuclear war on the operating system used by Samsung phones and accused his rival of slavishly ripping off the iPhone with a similar array of designs, features and packaging. Samsung reacted furiously. And so began one of the costliest business battles in history. In April 2011, Jobs initiated more than 50 lawsuits around the world, demanding $2.5 billion (1.92 billion) in damages. Then came countless reports of Galaxy Note 7s catching fire. Regulators and the public were looking for answers from Samsung. The brands reputation was in freefall, yet it was failing to act. Airlines banned the Note 7 from flights Undaunted, six months later, Samsung released its Galaxy Note, a device halfway between a tablet and a smartphone, and, commercially, it caught on. In turn, Apple introduced iPhones with larger screens. This motivated the South Koreans to continue their frenzied quest to replace Apple as the worlds most famous and successful electronic devices company. Employees were constantly reminded of their mission to take a bite out of Apple. We had one objective beat Apple. Im not kidding you, said a senior Samsung executive. To this end, trucks carrying fresh apples arrived at Samsung offices, and baskets of the fruit were placed in rooms where employees took coffee breaks and they were encouraged to take a bite out of an apple. Fittingly, for a company that would face so many cut-throat battles, Samsung had begun life against a backdrop of war. Its founder, Lee Byung-chul, known as BC Lee, opened a vegetable and dried fish shop in 1938 named Samsung Sanghoe Three Stars Shop in Korea, at the time a Japanese colony, supplying food to the Japanese war effort in north- east China. Lee admired, and decided to try copying, the Japanese zaibatsu (wealth clans), some of the largest and most powerful corporations in the world. These industrial and financial conglomerates, run by family dynasties, profited immensely from the Second World War. In 1945, after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing Japan to surrender, Lee, by then a provincial tycoon, established relationships with the new American military occupation government in Korea and bought a local university and a newspaper. However, five years later, after hed prospered well enough to shift his headquarters to the capital, Seoul, the Korean War began. North Korean Communist forces invaded the South. Samsungs warehouse was looted and its employees and their families were evacuated south. When the war ended in 1953, the West did not regard South Korea as a country with a great deal of promise. Nevertheless, Lee rebuilt his company to profit from the post-war boom, using his political savvy and connections. Now importing raw materials such as wool and transforming them into clothing, by the end of the 1950s he was reputed to be South Koreas richest man. This is the story of how South Korean Samsung trumped the all-American Apple iPhone in its own backyard. It is also the story of how South Korea went from being a poor farming nation to one of the worlds most successful economies in two generations Above all, he prized loyalty and sat in on almost every employee interview reportedly about 100,000. He hired professional physiognomists, or face readers, to help interpret the structure of a candidates eyes, nose, lips and ears to get a sense of their personality. Detail, precision and cautious record-keeping were the bosss trademarks. He hated waste and at meals he would tear his napkin in half and save the other piece for later. The firm also began a series of physical and mental training exercises for managers. These included 40-mile mountain hikes to test mental toughness. Company was family, and family was company. A Samsung Man commanded respect in Korea as a genteel and hard-working husband. Samsung treats you the best. Thus, you are the best, a company motto declared. There are, indeed, similarities between the culture of Samsung and the totalitarian dictatorship of North Korea. They share an extreme reverence for family dynasties; they practise military-like rituals, ceremonies, and slogans. They also share a paranoia and distrust of outsiders, and the veneration of a paternalistic emperor-like leader. By the 1960s, Samsungs businesses included banks, a sugar refinery, a wool-spinning plant, an insurance company, a department store and a Confucian university. But the company became mired in a corruption scandal and Lee was forced to step down. When he returned to the helm, Samsung turned to a much riskier and faster-paced endeavour electronics, opening its first manufacturing plant in 1983. By the time Lee died in 1987, it was beginning to close the gap with Japanese competitors such as Sony. Lees son, Lee Kun-hee, took over as chairman. He was an awkward and brooding recluse who spent his free time blazing around Samsungs private racetrack his favourite car was a Porsche 911. Driving at 200mph puts your life at risk, he told Business Week in 1994. It makes you fully alert and relieves most of your stress. Manic and mercurial, he had a dark streak. Rumours always denied spread that he had a prescription drug addiction and had fathered numerous children outside his marriage. On the claim he had 95 children, he said hed had a vasectomy so this wasnt possible. There were hookers, too. In videos that were leaked, he was seen sitting in a recliner chair, wearing a ragged white T-shirt, watching a TV, while proceeding to pay four women for their sexual services. Lees son, Lee Kun-hee, took over as chairman. He was an awkward and brooding recluse who spent his free time blazing around Samsungs private racetrack his favourite car was a Porsche 911 One of the women had secretly filmed him from a hidden camera attached to her handbag. Three people were subsequently jailed for attempting to blackmail Lee with the video. Despite the scandal, Chairman Lee built a quasi-religious corporate culture at Samsung, producing a book of proverbs encapsulating his philosophy. It was like Chairman Maos Red Book, joked an American executive, but it was Chairman Lees Blue Book. His sayings included Neglecting to nurture talent is a kind of sin and A genius is one in 100,000. Employees watched on the in-house broadcasting service 30-minute sermons by him every morning and ironically were ordered to examine their morality. How rich! However, by 1999, Lees lofty business ambitions were faltering, as a result of colossal, high-risk expenditure. The phrase made in Korea was still an international laughing stock. Lee duly initiated a management revolution, learning lessons from German car assembly plants, employing leading American technology designers and visiting sights such as the Taj Mahal, for inspiration. For example, he instructed executives about Japanese master craftsmen called shokunin who sought erudition through repetition. He explained that they were so skilled they could put their hand in a bowl of dry rice and take out exactly 250 kernels the number needed for a single piece of sushi. Another executive compared electronic products to a banana. He said: Nature is the best designer. The banana fits in your pocket. It comes in its own sanitary package. Its biodegradable. And the colour indicates when the fruit is ripe. Now imagine if you could design a product that uses these same principles. With this injection of design talent, and Lees ruthlessness and vision, Samsung blossomed from an obscure family-run electronics business to a global giant. Its principle weapon was its first premium smartphone, the Galaxy S, launched in June 2010, three years after Apples first iPhone. The name Galaxy came about after the firms top executives had enjoyed a $95 bottle of red Californian wine of the same name and thought it had a premium ring. During 2011, Samsung surged past Apple to the No 1 spot as the worlds top smartphone vendor. But two years after its Oscars break the internet triumph, a damaging scandal engulfed the firm in 2016, bringing Samsung Electronics to the brink of disaster. Having pushed the limits of smartphone technology through rapid-fire incremental improvements, Samsung had released phones with bigger screens and stronger hardware, sold at greater volumes. Next was the Galaxy Note 7 with eye-catching glass and metal casing, giving it a luxurious rather than cheap plastic feel. But the phone quickly became a source of trouble. There were reports of them overheating. Some had caught fire. Initially, Samsung blamed the batteries. On October 5, 2016, Brian Green took his seat on plane at Kentucky Louisville International Airport when he suddenly found smoke billowing out of his pocket where hed put his phone. He pulled it out and threw it on the floor. I didnt want it to explode in my hand, he said. The cabin crew evacuated the plane. Leave your bags. Get off the plane immediately! shouted the flight attendant. After three weeks of stumbling and stammering, Samsung recalled the Galaxy Note 7s in the US but sounded sceptical that the phone was at fault. Investigators from the Consumer Product Safety Commission saw things differently. The day before Greens phone caught fire, Michael Klering from Kentucky had woken up to a hissing noise. The whole room just covered in smoke, [it] smells awful, he said. The phrase made in Korea was still an international laughing stock. Lee duly initiated a management revolution, learning lessons from German car assembly plants, employing leading American technology designers and visiting sights such as the Taj Mahal, above, for inspiration His phone, it turned out, was on fire. Later that day, Klering started vomiting black fluid; in hospital he was diagnosed with acute bronchitis due to smoke inhalation. As technology journalist Jordan Golson pointed out: The most disturbing part of this is that Klerings phone caught fire one day before Brian Greens flight and Samsung knew about it and didnt say anything. Then came countless reports of Galaxy Note 7s catching fire. Regulators and the public were looking for answers from Samsung. The brands reputation was in freefall, yet it was failing to act. Airlines banned the Note 7 from flights. Pranksters posted YouTube videos of Grand Theft Auto V showing characters buying Note 7s and hurling them at people and cars like grenades. Samsung wanted people to believe there was a problem with the batteries but knew it needed to turn the debacle around fast or see its brand sullied. Two weeks after the Galaxy Note 7s release, Samsung halted sales and offered replacement handsets to all customers. The Galaxy Note 7, the shining light of the Samsung empire, was now its greatest disaster. Of the 2.5 million on the market, Samsung was set to recall an estimated one million. It was one of the greatest brand disasters in recent history. Engineers set about designing a series of much tougher tests on the phones batteries. The case, as far as Samsung was concerned, was closed. And consumers are fickle. When the Galaxy S8 was released in April 2017, they had moved on and they loved it. Just months after catastrophe, Samsung overtook Apple as the most profitable tech company in the world, with profits of $12.1 billion in the second quarter of 2017. Geoffrey Cain, 2020 Extracted from Samsung Rising by Geoffrey Cain, published by Virgin on March 19 at 14.99. Offer price 11.99 (20 per cent discount) until April 30. To pre-order go to mailshop.co.uk or call 01603 648155. Free delivery on all orders no minimum spend. As Amber Heard waited for husband Johnny Depp to board their private jet on May 24, 2014, she felt excited about the planned romantic weekend ahead. She had flown to Boston, where the Hollywood star was filming Black Mass, a film about American mobster James Whitey Bulger, and now, after a two-hour wait, he was finally boarding the flight to Los Angeles. What happened next is at the heart of his libel battle against The Sun, which begins later this month in the High Court in London. Depp is suing the newspaper over articles he claims are libellous and damaged his reputation and ability to work in the film industry. He claims the articles, from April 2018, mean he was guilty of serious domestic violence against his former wife, leaving her fearing for her life. The case is due to start on March 23 and is expected to last ten days. Heard claims Depp was drunk and physically abusive to her during a flight from Boston to LA (they are pictured together in 2015) Amber Heard said pictures proved she was hit by Johnny Depp Crucial and central to the outcome will be two previously published exchanges of text messages five days apart that Heard, an actress and model, will argue provide compelling evidence of abuse, which she alleges she suffered at Depps hands during their four-year relationship. Depp brought the action against the newspaper after it published an article questioning the decision given the claims made by Heard to cast him in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald, a 2018 fantasy film written by J K Rowling. When the messages were first disclosed in 2016, Depps side insisted they were doctored. However, The Suns legal team were last week given the go-ahead to use them. Heard claims Depp was drunk and physically abusive to her during that flight from Boston to LA. The next day, she texted Depps assistant Stephen Deuters, saying: Look, He thinks he doesnt deserve this. Obviously he has no idea what he did or to the extent that he did it. If someone was truly honest with him about how bad it really was, hed be appalled. The man johnny is would be humiliated. And definitely wouldnt say to me that he doesnt deserve it. Im sad that he doesnt have a better way to really know the severity of his actions yesterday. Unfortunately for me, I remember in full detail everything that happened. Mr Deuters replied: It was disgusting. And he knows it, later adding: He was appalled. When I told him he kicked you, he cried. On May 30, Depp sent a series of texts to friend and fellow actor Paul Bettany. In one, he said: Im gonna properly stop the booze thing, darling Drank all night before I picked Amber up to fly to LA this past Sunday... Ugly mate... No food for days... Powders... Half a bottle of whisky, a thousand red bull and vodkas, pills. 2 bottles of Champers on the plane and what do you get... ?? An angry aggro Injun in a f****** blackout, screaming obscenities and insulting any f*** who gets near... Im done. I am admittedly too f***** in the head to spray my rage at the one I love... For little reason as well Im too old to be that guy. But pills are fine!!! At a recent court hearing, Depps lawyer, David Sherborne, said of that message: It is denied he had been drinking heavily and the entire account of what happened on that flight is denied. But a legal source close to Heard last night claimed: This text undermines that pleaded case. The Mail on Sunday can also reveal that Depps legal team has questioned Heards mental state by comparing her to the unstable character Amy Dunne, played by Rosamund Pike in the hit 2014 film Gone Girl. Hollywood actor Johnny Depp leaves the Royal Courts of Justice in London on February 26 Dunne fakes her own kidnapping in an attempt to blame it on her husband. In paperwork approved by Mr Justice Nicol, the libel judge, American lawyer Adam Waldman, representing Depp, wrote to a legal representative from The Sun: When we last met you said Amber would have to be gone girl for her abuse allegations to be false. One audio tape alone (plus frankly a mountain of other evidence) has shown her to be so. There are more tapes to come. I assume you were blind sided by these tapes, which Ms Heard has admitted she possesses because she didnt provide them to you. The court hearing will see Heard testify against Depp for the first time since she claimed he beat her during their relationship. She faces having to repay the 5 million she received from him when they finalised their divorce in January 2017. Under the terms of the settlement, she was prevented from ever talking about their relationship. If Heard wanted to share details with the police, she would have to tell Depp. When she was asked to testify against Depp by The Sun, he refused to release her from the terms of the settlement. It means she risks a high financial penalty for speaking out, despite donating the money to charities. One friend said: There was no other option. As well as being told to hand over his tapes of conversations with Heard, Depp has also been ordered to give his medical records, which reveal he has a full-time nurse. His lawyers have won the right to feature audio recordings of Heard, which are said to feature her talking about hitting Depp. Representatives for the actor did not respond to a request for comment. It might be unfair to say that we should celebrate women on a particular day while on other occasions we question womens safety, health issues, navigate around violence against women worldwide and more. March is also the designated month to celebrate the literary works of women around the world. With the written word in the digital age and the growing platforms on social media, people are connected through a lot more than shared interests that might not have been able to be discussed until a little over a decade and a half ago. From important topics such as gender, feminism, self-care, mental health, body positivity, environment, climate change, to evergreen discussions pertaining to poetry, spoken word, romance, erotica, relationships among others, the conversations are aplenty as much as the platforms - social media, podcasts, videos, blogs and more. A popular quote that circulated on social media a few years ago read: When you see a person reading a book you love, its like the book is recommending the person. When it comes to finding the right gift to give, theres nothing like a book in paperback or Kindle form or any literary gift which will remind you of each other everytime you recollect the memories in your mind. Gifting a book is not just a basic gift, its a gift of knowledge and something everyone will love and cherish. When you recommend and gift literature to someone, youre bringing them closer into your inner circle and nothing can trump that feeling. ALSO READ: Top 10 Instagram handles to follow if you love quaint, beautiful book cafes This International Womens Day, weve compiled our list of women authors you must read, their popular books and why you should read them. The list can never be narrowed down into a handful and were glad about that, but this list is simply in order of the classic nostalgia factor, recent mentions, and popular voices extending beyond books: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Since her iconic TED talk which subsequently became a bestseller, We Should All Be Feminists, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has written several other novels namely Purple Hibiscus, Americanah and others which have found a place in many hearts, bookshelves and night stands. As of today, Chimamanda is an important feminist voice and multitasks as a fashion influencer on Instagram, all while inspiring other women. In We Should All Be Feminists, she brought up oft ignored yet necessary discussions on being treated equal like the man whom she was entering a restaurant with, being presented the bill because she too had the purchasing power along with several other pointers highlighting what feminism means and should be rightly perceived as instead of being confused for a particular kind of feminism. There is no variety, it just is. Louisa May Alcott: Having written one of the most popular literary classics, Little Women, Louisa May Alcott changed perceptions about women back in the nineteenth century. Little Women was a coming-of-age story of a kind of four sisters who lived with their mother and waited for their fathers return from war. The story develops into more complex themes of falling in love, dealing with loss and an ailing parent and more. This book was followed by sequels on the March sisters titled Good Wives, Jos Boys and more. Jane Austen: Through the six novels Jane Austen wrote, she created vivid fictional worlds, drawing a large part of her literary material from the lives led by the English country gentlefolk that she knew of or had met during her lifetime. Austen had a magical knack of transforming the stories of unremarkable people and situations into notable works of literature. Even in the present day, Jane Austens storytelling skills inspires awe and finds newer fans every day. The best part, her headstrong female characters who would always stand their ground. Enid Blyton: One of the first reasons to begin reading, Enid Blyton has fed the imagination of many children across decades through her characters in The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, Noddy and many more. The authors literary works can easily be credited with taking you back to the carefree days of the summer holidays from school, waking up at leisure, enjoying great food at home and also learning about usually unheard of concepts such as high tea and supper in Indian homes. J.K. Rowling: The seven-book-long Harry Potter series is J.K. Rowlings most famous work to date and have been touted to be a childrens books when they first released a little over 20 years ago and became a sensation soon after. It is, however, inaccurate to assume that one of the most-loved authors in the world today, wrote only for children. A large part of the content in the Potter books is layered and dark - something you wouldnt understand without personal experiences or learnings from around you as time goes by. The Bronte Sisters: Charlotte, Anne and Emily Bronte originally published their poetry and literature under male pseudonyms. Charlottes Jane Eyre, Emilys Wuthering Heights, and Annes Agnes Grey came out in 1847 but after great trouble of finding a publisher. Emily Bronte is only credited with writing one of the greatest stories of love and loss in Wuthering Heights, however, Charlotte went on to write other titles in her lifetime. Toni Morrison: The first African-American woman to become a Nobel Laureate in Literature, Toni Morrison wrote her books managing her job and single-motherhood. Her works, even though fictionalised accounts of the African-American experience, belonged to a world similar to her own but remained invisible from mainstream literature at the time. She was unapologetically flawed and broken from her experiences, but the characters she wrote into existence black and mostly female remained true to her cause. Their lives were woven together by love, pain, trials and triumph and can be seen in all her works beginning with the widely popular Beloved. Bernardine Evaristo: The Anglo-Nigerian author, whose book, Girl, Woman, Other follows the lives and strife of twelve contrasting characters from different walks of life tied for the coveted Man Booker Prize last year. Mostly women, black and British, the characters tell the stories of their families, friends and lovers, through the years. Olga Tokarczuk: The 2018 Nobel Prize in literature laureate, made her debut as a fiction writer in 1993 with Podroz Iudzi Ksiegi (The Journey of the Book-People). Olga Tokarczuks third novel Prawiek i inne czasy which came in 1996 was a breakthrough. Tokarczuk is the author of eight novels and two short-story collections and her books have been turned into plays and films and translated into more than 25 languages, including Catalan, Hindi and Japanese. Virginia Woolf: A video by TED explains why one should read Virginia Woolf, saying that if William Shakespeare had a female version, it would be Virginia Woolf. The prolific authors haunting language, her insights into a wide array of issues including historical, political, feminist and the non-linear approaches to the narrative which she adopted, exerted a major influence on the modernist genre. Through her popular books like To the Lighthouse and The Waves, Virginia Woolf became one of the three major English-language Modernist experimenters in stream-of-consciousness writing along with noteworthy names such as James Joyce (Ulysses) and William Faulkner (The Sound and the Fury). Candace Bushnell: Sex and The City became a phenomenon on television with its six seasons that spoke about adult friendships, finding love after 30, getting married after 40, fashion weeks, open conversations about men, desire and so much more. Over two decades later, the show is a pop culture phenomenon with dedicated pages on social media. But it all started with Candace Bushnells genius chick-lit that took the world by storm. The author has since also written a prequel that talks about Carrie Bradshaw coming to New York City and working her way up the journalistic ladder, meeting her friends and more. A sequel also released last year and is titled, Is There Still Sex In The City? Sophie Kinsella: She is the quirky brain behind the very popular Shopaholic series that also got made into an equally popular film, except on opposite shores. Madeline Wickham, who writes and is best-known by her pen name Sophie Kinsella, inspires young minds through the simplicity in her writing. Its usually the simplicity one misses the most while dealing with the other complexities of life, and Kinsellas writing fills that vacuum just fine. Aside from the Shopaholic series, Kinsella has written other interesting stories namely The Undomesticated Goddess, Ive Got Your Number, an endearing story of a teenager dealing with depression in Finding Audrey among other titles. Have you read any of these authors works? Tell us your favourite authors, titles and why you loved reading them. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Seoul Samsung Electronics said on Friday, March 6, that it would temporarily move some smartphone production to Vietnam from South Korea after another of its Korean staff tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing it to close a factory. A company spokeswoman said the group had suspended operations at its factory in the southern city of Gumi in South Korea after a worker tested positive for the virus. The plant, which makes Samsung's premium phones like S20 and Z Flip foldable phones, will resume production on Saturday, she said. Since late February, a total of six workers have tested positive at the factory complex in Gumi, close to the city of Daegu - the epicentre of South Korea's virus outbreak - leading to previous temporary closures at the plant. The Oregon Health Authority announced seven new cases of the novel coronavirus Sunday morning, doubling the number of known COVID-19 patients in Oregon. Gov. Kate Brown said she is declaring a state of emergency to bring additional resources to the states response. Sundays announcement brings the number of cases of the virus in Oregon to 14. Five of the new cases are in Washington County, officials said. Douglas and Marion counties announced their first cases. All seven new cases are the result of the virus spreading within the community or contact with another known case; none are the result of international travel. Three patients were hospitalized at the time they were diagnosed. At least one person with the novel coronavirus COVID-19 is being treated at the Oregon Health & Science University, according to a message sent to employees of the hospital Sunday morning. Because OHSU screens patients prior to admission, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, and asks anyone with respiratory symptoms to wear a mask, the message says, the risk of employee exposure is low. We have been preparing for this moment since January, the message reads. This is what we do every day. Health officials from Marion, Douglas and Washington counties withheld the age, sex and condition of the newly identified coronavirus patients. Douglas County officials said only that the patient is medically stable. Washington County officials said four new cases are linked to the states first case of coronavirus. The fifth isnt linked to any known case and is likely the result of the virus circulating in the community. The Douglas and Marion county cases are also believed to be the result of community spread. As of Sunday, 100 Oregonians had tested negative for COVID-19, and another 53 tests were pending results. The state is monitoring 203 people who do not have symptoms but might have been exposed through contact with a patient or international travel. No Oregon deaths have been linked to the coronavirus. Oregon health officials are testing only people sick enough to be hospitalized who dont have the flu, people with symptoms who also have traveled to the countries most affected by the coronavirus outbreak and people who have had contact with a person with the disease. The Oregon Emergency Board on Monday will consider a $5 million funding request for the states response to the coronavirus outbreak. Subscribe to our Oregon coronavirus newsletter: Email: The first person to test positive for COVID-19 in Oregon was a male custodian between the ages of 40 and 50 at Forest Hills Elementary School in Lake Oswego. The man, who lives in Washington County, had not recently traveled, suggesting the case was attributable to community spread. The man remained hospitalized, his condition unknown as of Saturday. On March 1, a second case was identified in a female relative of the man between the ages of 40 and 50. That woman is isolated at home. The next day, the third case of community spread COVID-19 was announced in a man from Umatilla County between the ages of 60 and 70. On Saturday, after a lull in new cases that lasted several days, health officials announced four cases: two in Jackson County, one in Klamath County and one in Washington County. Officials said three were travel-related while the Washington County case was the result of contact with an earlier patient with the virus. Most infected people will have only mild, flu-like symptoms. The World Health Organization said earlier this month that about 3.4% of COVID-19 cases reported globally have died. However, the actual death rate is believed to be significantly lower when unreported cases are taken into account. The mortality rate for COVID-19 increases with age. More on coronavirus in Oregon NASHVILLE On a frigid morning in North Nashville, Ishvicka Howell stood in her driveway and peered down the street at several utility trucks. When I saw those blinking lights, it was like Christmas, she said. Howell has been without electricity since a tornado tore through her neighborhood shortly after midnight Tuesday. No power. No heat. We pioneering it, Howell said. Grilling it and boiling water on the grill. Were in survival mode. The tornado that struck Nashville last week wrecked several neighborhoods as it hopped across the city, smashing in trendy Germantown and Five Points, where two people died. In all, 24 people were killed by the storms in Tennessee. But North Nashvilles historically African American neighborhoods were already suffering from decades of redlining and neglect, isolated from more affluent neighborhoods by the interstates that cut through the heart of the city. More recently, they have begun to feel the pressure of gentrification as new residents and short-term renters search out affordable areas near downtown. And now this. The killer storm devastated whole blocks, tearing off roofs, blowing down walls, uprooting trees and toppling electrical poles. Some wonder if North Nashville can recover from this latest hit or if its African American families will be permanently displaced. We are worried because we know developers are going to come in, said Cornelius Hill, pastor of Ephesian Primitive Baptist Church. But Hill said he was encouraged by the outpouring of aid. His church, too, is without power. But outside in the parking lot, donations of all sorts have been pouring in for grateful residents. It was a scene repeated on nearly every corner of the storm-damaged blocks. Volunteers manned folding tables with free water, batteries, diapers, trash bags, and hot food like barbecue, hot dogs and pizza. This is a historic part of Nashville. Some of these homes have been here 40 or 50 years, said Jonathan Williamson with the community group Friends and Fam. Its beautiful to see everyone come out and work together to get things fixed. North Nashville is home to several historically black colleges and universities. Fisk University and Meharry Medical College were largely unscathed from the storm. But Tennessee State University suffered the near total destruction of its agricultural research center. The loss is estimated at between $30 million and $50 million. College of Agriculture Dean Chandra Reddy said the school has never been funded on par with the University of Tennessee. Its only in the past few years that the state government has started matching federal funding, and the school has been working hard to build up the program. This tornado is a double whammy for us. We were barely putting something up there, and then this comes and wipes it out, said Reddy, who is hoping the state government will come through to help the program quickly rebuild. Travis Loller is an Associated Press writer. Bravery Award winner Zen Sadavarte said that her speech was interrupted by Shiv Sena leaders at an event organised here on Women's Day as she didn't know how to speak Marathi. "When I spoke in Hindi and English, everybody got the message. But I don't know what happened to the people on the stage. They started getting angry and attacked me. The panel on the stage consisted of Shiv Sena leaders," Sadavarte told ANI here. "I talked about several issues that affect India, things that are going wrong in the country. Like, mid-day meals are not given to children on Saturdays and Sundays. Those are the issues I talked about. I talked about horizontal reservation to be given to transgender," Sadavarte said. "I don't know what happened to the MLAs and representatives of Shiv Sena who were present there. They started humiliating me. They started lying on stage that we have given reservation and claiming that they were the state and knew better," she said. Sadavarte said that she had the right to speak in whichever language she wishes. "They started exploiting my right to expression. I have the right to speak in English and in Hindi as both are union languages. They told me that 'if you want to live in India, you need to learn Marathi'. It is my right to speak the language I wish to speak," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Harris County officials on Sunday night announced one more presumptive positive case of the new coronavirus, bringing the region's total to 12. The woman, who is between 60 and 70 years old, is from the unincorporated area of northwest Harris County, according to Harris County Public Health. She is associated with the same known group of people who traveled on a cruise in Egypt. She has been quarantined, and her test will be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for official confirmation, health authorities said. The new case is the latest to be confirmed in the Houston area. Earlier Sunday, Fort Bend County health officials announced three more residents who tested positive. Officials said the patients are all in good health and kept in isolation at their homes. Two of the Fort Bend patients were among the 17 Houston-area residents who returned in late February from the same Nile River cruise in Egypt, while one patient took the same cruise at a later date. County officials gave the following descriptions of the infected patients: a man in his 70s who was hospitalized and discharged; a man in his 70s who had a one-day fever; and a woman in her 60s who had mild symptoms which have resolved. Doctors at the Memorial Hermann health system said Saturday that 11 health-care workers were asked to self-quarantine due to contact they had about a week ago with an infected patient from the cruise. To date, doctors have identified six infected patients in Fort Bend County and six in Harris County. All 12 were passengers on the same cruise line in Egypt. None have died. The Fort Bend and Harris county health departments, as well as the city of Houston Health Department, asked Sunday for all residents who traveled on the cruise line M.S. Asara between Feb. 12 and March 5 to self-quarantine for two weeks and contact one of the departments. The cruise line traveled to and from Aswan, Eygpt. County health officials advised residents to monitor for fever, cough and difficulty breathing for at least 14 days after returning from areas with a COVID-19 outbreak. The areas with the most widespread infections include Chinas Hubei province, northern Italy, and parts of Iran and South Korea. About 500 cases of COVID-19 and 21 deaths from the virus have been confirmed in the U.S. as of Sunday afternoon, according to data compiled by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. jacob.carpenter@chron.com Express News Service HYDERABAD/NALGONDA: T Maruthi Rao (55), the prime accused in the honour killing of his Dalit son-in-law P Pranay, waas found dead at Arya Vaishya Bhavan in the city on Sunday. Police suspect that he consumed poison in his room, but other angles are also being investigated. Pranay was hacked to death in September, 2018, at Miryalaguda when he was leaving a hospital with his pregnant wife, Amrutha, after her check-up. Maruthi Rao was detained under the PD Act and was released from jail a few months ago. He came from Miryalaguda to Hyderabad with his driver Rajesh on Saturday night. He stayed at Room No 306 of Arya Vaishya Bhavan in Khairatabad. "He met some people between 7 -9.30 pm on Saturday and returned to the room. He had a dosa brought by his driver Rajesh. He might have later committed suicide by consuming poison. When the incident took place, his driver was sleeping in the car outside," the Saifabad police said. Early on Sunday, Maruthi Raos wife Girija called him, but there was no response. Then she called Rajesh who, along with Arya Vaishya Bhavan staff, found Maruthi Rao lying dead on the bed. The police said Maruthi Raos businesses took a hit and he faced a social boycott after the honour killing. He also slipped into depression. His wife would rarely step out of the house as relatives and friends began avoiding them. Clues teams collected Maruthi Raos viscera samples and a post-mortem was also conducted before the body was handed over to the family. Police are investigating who Maruthi Rao met and who all he made calls to. A single page note in which Maruthi Rao apologised to his wife Girija was also found. He is said to have asked his daughter Amrutha to come and stay with her mother. However, police have sent the letter to forensics to analyse whether the letter was indeed written by Maruthi Rao. It may be mentioned here that a week ago, an unidentified body was found in his car shed at Miryalaguda. It is said that Maruthi Rao tried to buy peace with his daughter by offering her a large share in his property. After Pranays killing, Maruthi Rao and seven others, Mohammed Asghar Ali, Mohammed Abdul Bari, Subhash Sharma, Raos brother Shravan, driver Shiva and Congress leader Abdul Kareem were arrested. A flea market in Jongno District, Seoul is crowed with visitors on Sunday. Such a scene is rare in recent days as people shun crowded venues because of the epidemic. / Yonhap Medical volunteers bear the brunt of coronavirus battle By Kang Hyun-kyung People of the southeastern city of Daegu were panicking until recently as their city suddenly made the headlines for several weeks since mid February when the nation's 31st coronavirus case was confirmed and became the prelude to an unprecedented public health crisis there. With each new day, hundreds more people were tested positive for the virus which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan last year. People were suffering from fear and anxiety but this soon turned into anger with many Daegu citizens asking, "Why us?" Even now, the city is still reeling from the epidemic. Kim Dae-hyun, a physician and professor of Family Medicine at Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital in Dalseo-gu, however, cautiously presented optimism about the battle against the virus. "The worst may be over," he said. "People here were shocked at the virus outbreak. Some displayed anger," he told The Korea Times over the phone on Friday. "As more about the novel virus and its health impact is known, the initial fear has been gradually dispelled and people seemed to believe that it's more like a flu. Now many patients are calm and follow what medical staff tell them to do." Over 7,100 Koreans were confirmed to have been infected with the virus with reported 50 deaths as of Sunday afternoon. Daegu accounts for 75 percent of the confirmed cases and 31 people there died of complications of the virus. Korea's fatality rate stands at 0. 7 percent, higher than the influenza fatality rate (0.1 percent) in the United States during the past 11 days on average. However, Korea's rate is much lower than that of other virus-hit countries, such as Italy, China and Iran. According to experts, over 80 percent of infected people have mild symptoms. But the virus is still dangerous, particularly for the older and those who have underlying medical conditions. "People don't need to be panicked even if they contract the virus. Still, prevention is better than cure," Kim said. He is one of the medical volunteers who joined Dongsan Hospital, a sister hospital in Jung-gu of the Keimyung University medical center. The hospital houses nearly 300 coronavirus patients. After treating his patients at the medical center, Kim comes over to Dongsan Hospital to take care of chores and assist the medical volunteer corps. His work continues there until evening. Kim responded to fellow doctor Lee Sung-gu's desperate call to help save Daegu from the epidemic. On Feb. 25, Lee, a practicing physician and president of the Doctors Association of Daegu, pleaded to healthcare workers to join to treat virus patients there in an open letter sent to Daegu-based doctors. It was later made public by popular YouTubers upon the request from some doctors in order to recruit more healthcare workers. In the tearful note, Lee urged fellow doctors to come to Daegu to treat the sick people. "Please join us to save our city Daegu. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Please come to the clinics, Daegu Medical Center, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital and emergency rooms of hospitals to take care of virus patients," the open letter reads. A Daegu-native, Lee himself set an example for other healthcare workers. He closed his clinic to fully focus on treating patients who were hospitalized in a negative pressure room with the infectious virus at Dongsan Hospital. He was not available for a Korea Times interview. Lee's heart-felt note and pioneering work ethic, meanwhile, moved doctors all across the nation. Some 550 doctors rushed to the southeastern city. Ninety percent of them are Daegu-based doctors, while the other 10 percent are from other cities. Like Lee, some shut down their hospitals to become medical volunteers for the Daegu-based patients, while some came to the hospitals housing the virus patients in addition to running their own practices. Some practicing doctors in Seoul, Gwangju and other cities temporarily shut down their hospitals to lend their help to the patients most in need. Another 1,000 paramedics joined the volunteer corps. These medical school graduates were supposed to serve for years in clinics in remote rural areas grappling with shortages of medical staff as a substitute for mandatory military service. The government placed them in virus-hit Daegu as the city was in dire need of healthcare workers. Kim said the addition of over 1,550 doctors in total helped a lot in resolving the shortages of doctors, although there is still a shortage of nursing staff. Kim Dae-hyun, a physician and professor of Family Medicine at Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital / Courtesy of Kim Dae-hyun By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 07, 2020 | 01:57 AM | PADUCAH The National Park Service has recognized Paducah as a participant in its Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Sustainable Community Partnership Program.The program celebrates Paducahs historic connection to Lewis and Clarks 1803 expedition, known as the Corps of Discovery expedition.In order to qualify for this designation, the National Park Service requires that a community demonstrate its connection to the Corps of Discovery and that the connection is showcased and celebrated in a public way.Riverfront "Wall to Wall" murals by the Dafford Murals Team weave the story of Paducah's past including the intersection with the Lewis & Clark expedition.The William Clark Market House Museum, housed in one of Paducah's architectural landmarks, presents artifacts from Paducah's storied past, and a Lewis & Clark Trail of Discovery tribute stands on the lawn of the National Quilt Museum.The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, administered by the National Park Service, is more than 4,900 miles long, traverses sixteen states and many tribal lands, along the historic route of the expedition.The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail was designated by Congress in 1978 to commemorate the 1803 to 1806 Corps of Discovery expedition.As a community partner, Paducah will act as a steward in growing the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Geotourism project.In Paducahs application to participate in the program, Laura Oswald, Director of Marketing for the Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau noted: Paducah's significant American heritage can be traced to the city's strategic location at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers."With its designation as a Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Sustainable Community Partner, Paducah will receive tourism marketing support and resources to help educate visitors and residents about the communitys connection to the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.Paducah will also be featured on the Trails tourism promotion website, www.LewisandClark.Travel.The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail provides an opportunity for people from across the country and around the world to follow in the footsteps of the most iconic explorers of the American frontier, says Dan Wiley, Chief of Integrated Resources for the Trail. The new community partnership program showcases those communities along the Trail where visitors can learn about the historic expedition and the legacy which helped make these towns the communities they are now.The epic journey contributed significant scientific knowledge and profound political, social, economic, cultural, and environmental changes to the peoples and landscapes of the North American continent. On the Net: International Women's Day is celebrated across the globe to focus on ambitions such as gender balance across the world, creating opportunity to recognize SHEroes throughout history who took bold steps to break through barriers. Image Source: IANS News International Women's Day is celebrated across the globe to focus on ambitions such as gender balance across the world, creating opportunity to recognize SHEroes throughout history who took bold steps to break through barriers. Image Source: IANS News International Women's Day is celebrated across the globe to focus on ambitions such as gender balance across the world, creating opportunity to recognize SHEroes throughout history who took bold steps to break through barriers. Image Source: IANS News International Women's Day is celebrated across the globe to focus on ambitions such as gender balance across the world, creating opportunity to recognize SHEroes throughout history who took bold steps to break through barriers. Image Source: IANS News International Women's Day is celebrated across the globe to focus on ambitions such as gender balance across the world, creating opportunity to recognize SHEroes throughout history who took bold steps to break through barriers. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, March 8 : International Women's Day is celebrated across the globe to focus on ambitions such as gender balance across the world, creating opportunity to recognize SHEroes throughout history who took bold steps to break through barriers. Walk in the footsteps of women who defied expectations and broke stereotypes, and the destinations where they made history or where their stories began with Booking.com. These iconic women set an example of independence, confidence and legacy guiding the way. Anasuya Sarabhai Anasuya Sarabhai was a pioneer of the women's labour movement in India and supported in her work by Mahatma Gandhi, with whom she set up Gujarat's oldest labour union for textile workers. The union later paved the way for the founding of the Self-Employed Women's Association of India (SEWA), the founder of which Ela Bhatt, Anasuya mentored. Gujarat-born Anasuya, and orphaned at a young age moved to England to study medicine but later switched to study at London School of Economics (LSE). Where to stay: Anasuya's home is today home to The Calico Museum of Textiles, a museum devoted to centuries of Indian fabrics and weaving techniques - the industry of which Anasuya's trailblazing activism helped to protect. The Hyatt Regency Ahmedabad offers the perfect base to explore the central business district and surrounding areas and is just a short drive from The Calico Museum of Textiles. Michelle Obama Raised in Chicago, Illinois, Michelle began her legal career after graduating from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. In 2009 she moved to Washington, D.C., when her husband took office at the White House. To celebrate Michelle and her legacy that champions a healthier country, educational opportunities and even classic American design and fashion, why not travel in her footsteps with a visit to these iconic US cities? Where to stay: Among the largest cities in the US and famed for its bold architecture travellers will be spoiled for accommodation choices in Chicago. Sophy Hyde Park, located in The Hyde Park neighbourhood and is just a stone's throw away from where the Obama's lived. This culturally rich area is also bookended by two of the city's most significant institutions - the University of Chicago and the Museum of Science, so visitors will have plenty to see when staying in the area. Frida Kahlo Mexican artist and feminist icon Frida Kahlo is best known for her iconic portraits in a folk-art style which combined both realism and surrealist elements. Frida was part of the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement in the early 20th century , which sought to define a Mexican identity and her works continue to inspire popular culture and raise questions of identity, postcolonialism, gender, class and race in Mexican society. Kahlo spent most of her life living in her family home in CoyoacAn, Mexico City, which is now known as the blue house and is publicly accessible as the Frida Kahlo Museum. Frida is also famous for her relationship with fellow Mexican artist Diego Rivera who she married in 1928. In 1930 Frida and Diego moved from Mexico to settle in San Francisco, USA, where Frida showed her painting of the pair "Frida and Diego Rivera" at the Sixth Annual Exhibition of the San Francisco Society of Women Artists. They later returned to their native Mexico. Where to stay: H21 Hotel Boutique in Mexico City offers travellers their very own home-away-from-home, just a short stroll from Frida's family home, now the Frida Kahlo House Museum. This modern and luxurious guest house offers a range of room styles to choose from, some even offering a terrace for guests to enjoy and bask in Frida's home suburb. The tragedy at YES Bank has been averted all depositors of the bank have been assured by the government that their money is safe, and the State Bank of India (SBI) has been asked to step in as a white knight but the crisis at one of Indias largest lenders is far from over. Theres work to be done in terms of recapitalising the bank; SBI is to hold a maximum of 49% in the bank (for which it will pay around 11,760 crore), and existing shareholders are seeing a significant dilution in their holding to 11%, so other investors will have to be found to pump in around 9,600 crore. While some State-controlled companies and corporations will, no doubt, be conscripted to do this, the government should ensure that banking remains attractive to investors. With YESs restructuring plan writing down to zero, the value of so-called additional tier-1 bonds (there are reports that bond-holders may seek legal recourse), its not going to be easy for Indian banks to raise money through this route any more. Theres also the painstaking process that the banks new management will have to undertake of sifting through all the lenders loans to see whether there are any hidden surprises. Even as this is being done, investigative agencies have been tasked with probing the role the banks founder and former chief Rana Kapoor played in fostering the crisis. Mr Kapoor sold his and his familys entire stake in the bank after being told, in 2018, that he could no longer remain chief of the bank. While it is clear that many of YESs loans were to companies with questionable abilities to repay around 30,000 crore of its book is junk-rated debt the question to be asked is whether this was a result of poor risk-assessment practices, herd mentality (everyone, including many State-owned banks were lending to some of these companies), or plain old-fashioned kickbacks. YESs aggressive lending wasnt a secret operation it has been known for sometime. That, the Reserve Bank of Indias treatment of Mr Kapoor, and the promoters promptness in selling their stake in the bank, are all issues that need investigation, as do other financial transactions involving Mr Kapoor and his family. Meanwhile, both the finance ministry and RBI would do well to assess whether the latter did all that was necessary, and when it was required. In hindsight, Mr Kapoor and YES Bank may have been given too long a rope. Gov. Phil Murphy was discharged from the hospital Saturday after he underwent hours-long surgery to remove a likely cancerous tumor from his kidney three days prior, his office said Sunday morning. Murphys office announced in a statement the governor resumed the duties of the job Saturday evening. Murphy is expected to recuperate at his Middletown home over the next couple of weeks. Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver served as acting governor while Murphy was in the hospital and state officials reacted to the rising number of people to test positive for the coronavirus. At least four people in the state so far tested positive by New Jersey officials as COVID-19 cases continue to soar in New York. Oliver will still lead a 1 p.m. conference call with reporters to discuss the latest news with the coronavirus. Murphy will not be on the call, according to his office. Murphy, 62, disclosed last month he was diagnosed with a 3-centimeter tumor on his left kidney that is 92 percent likely to be malignant. Murphy underwent a procedure called a partial nephrectomy in New York City on Wednesday, in which doctors remove part of the kidney but not the whole organ. The surgery involves doctors freezing the kidney to extract the tumor. People with kidney cancer that has not spread beyond the organ have a 93 percent chance of surviving at the five-year mark. We caught it early, Murphy told NJ Advance Media in an interview last month. We consider ourselves incredibly lucky. NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Egypt's House of Representatives approved on Sunday new amendments to the anti-money laundering law (80/2002). Parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal said the amendments are necessary and aim to dry up the sources of funding for terrorist and organised crime. He explained that the approved amendments will be referred to the State Council to be revised in constitutional and legal terms before they are put up for a final vote. MP Osama Sharshar said the amendments come at the right time to target terrorist militias, which resort to money laundering activities to commit their crimes. The majority speaker Abdel-Hadi El-Qasabi said money laundering has become a major source of funding for terrorist activities in recent years. These amendments target these crimes and implement Egypts commitments in line with the Middle East and North Africa Financial Task Force in this respect, said El-Qasabi. Adel Nasser, the parliamentary spokesperson of the Future of a Homeland Party, said the amendments are necessary as 80 percent of terrorist crimes were funded by money laundering operations, said Nasser. A report prepared by the House's constitutional and legislative affairs committee said amendments to the 16-article law are part of a wider effort to crack down on terrorism funding. "Amendments to laws on anti-terror and terrorist entities were amended and approved by the House last month in a bid to tighten the grip on terrorism funding, and the amendments to the anti-money laundering law serve this objective and go in line with new developments in the area of terrorist crimes over 18 years," said the report. "Besides, the amendments come at a time when Egypt's legal framework against money laundering and terrorism financing has become subject to review by the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force," added the report. Bahaaeddin Abu Shoka, chairperson of the legislative and constitutional affairs committee and leader of the opposition Wafd Party, told MPs that the amendments, approved by the committee on 2 March, generally aim to update the law in terms of widening the scope of the definition of money laundering to include the selling and smuggling of oil, natural resources, securities and cryptocurrency, among other assets. "The amendments will also toughen penalties in the form of a seven-year prison sentence and hefty fines will be imposed on those convicted of laundering any of the above assets," said Abu Shoka. The report explains that three main articles of the anti-money laundering law will be amended. "Article 16 will be amended to give greater powers to the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Funding Unit, with the objective of expediting the necessary measures in this respect, primarily freezing the assets and cash of those suspected of funding terrorist crimes," said the report. Article 18 will be amended to make it compulsory for local authorities and the anti-money laundering unit to reinforce cooperation and exchange information with international organisations focused on fighting money laundering and the funding of terrorism. Article 9 will be amended to require the anti-money laundering unit to publish up-to-date and comprehensive statistics and figures on its activities and operations in tracking the illegal funding of terrorist crimes. Search Keywords: Short link: Afghanistan defeated Ireland by 21 runs in the second T20I match here on Sunday. With this victory, Afghanistan sealed the three-match T20I series against Ireland as they have gained a 2-0 lead. Chasing a massive target of 185 runs, Ireland witnessed a poor start as Mujeeb Ur Rahman took the wicket of Kevin O'Brien (19) in the third over of the innings. In his next over, Mujeeb Ur Rahman sent Paul Sterling back to the pavilion. Andy Balbirnie and Gareth Delany then took the field but the latter was removed by Gulbadin Naib in the seventh over. Balbirnie played brilliantly despite his side being under pressure. However, Rashid Khan dismissed Balbirnie, who played a knock of 46 runs. Afghanistan bowlers dominated Ireland did not let them form a good partnership. Hence, the Asghar Afghan-led side managed to restrict Ireland to 163 runs. After opting to bat first, Afghanistan got off to a flying start as openers Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz took their side over the 50-run mark in eight overs. Gareth Delany provided Ireland with the first breakthrough as he caught and bowled Zazai (28) in the ninth over. Soon after, Gurbaz was run out after scoring 35 runs. Asghar Afghan and Mohammad Nabi then took the field and the former started playing aggressively. Afghan struck two sixes and two boundaries to Craig Young in the 16th over. In the next over, the partnership was broken as Nabi was dismissed by Boyd Rankin. Afghan (49) too then gave away his wicket in the 19th over. Najibullah Zadran and Gulbadin Naib played furiously in the final over of the innings as they smashed two sixes each in the over to take their total to 184 runs. The third T20I between both teams will be played on March 10. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rampur : March 8 (IANS) The much-talked about strong room of the Khasbagh Palace in Rampur was finally opened on Saturday in a seventh attempt, only to reveal empty coffers. All that it had were two large empty lockers -- eight feet high and four feet wide -- and three small lockers, four feet high and three feet wide, all of which were bereft of anything precious. They were found to be broken. Gas-cutters had been used. There were 11 trunks. These too were empty. The opening of the strong room soon led to blame game among kin of the Rampur Nawab. One of them, Nawab Kazim Ali Khan, claimed that his aunt who last had the keys of the room till her death in 1993 had 'replaced the items from there before her demise.' Others in the family alleged that the room was emptied in a robbery in 1980. Court-appointed commissioner Saurabh Saxena said, "We were excited when we finally made it into the dark strong-room, but it turned out to be empty. This is a huge disappointment. All the lockers built by Chubb company and trunks had nothing in them. There is a small opening which was drilled by thieves who had entered it in 1980 from the roof." The room was built in 1930s by Nawab Raza Ali Khan who had acceded to India in 1949 and was survived by three wives, three sons and six daughters. After his death in 1966, the government recognized the eldest of his three sons - Nawab Murtaza Ali Khan - as the sole inheritor as per the customary law. But this was challenged by his siblings in a 47-year-long legal battle. In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that the property would be divided among all family members, according to Muslim law. Apart from Khasbagh Palace which is spread across 450-acre, other properties to be divided among 18 claimants are the 200-acre Benazir Bagh Palace, Sarhari Kunda, Shahbad Bagh Palace and a private railway station -- all in Rampur. Kazim Ali Khan, whose father Nawab Zulfiquar Ali Khan was the second son of Nawab Raza Ali Khan, said, "The strong-room used to have Basra pearls, trays filled with diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies. It had a crown, carpets with stone-work, heirlooms and sword scabbards. However, we just found empty boxes of crown and necklace. Lockers in which jewelries were kept were blank and all shelves were empty." Kazim is a former five-time MLA while his mother Begum Noor Bano is former Congress MP. Kazim Ali Khan said, "The key to the strong-room was with my aunt Begum Aftab Zamini, wife of Murtaza, till 1993 and we suspect that she shifted the items before her death. The missing jewels should be recovered from them and distributed among all the inheritors." Meanwhile, Shehzadi Naghat Abdi, daughter of Murtaza, termed the allegations as 'disgusting' and said, "We knew that nothing was left in the strong-room as thieves stole all valuables kept here. It was one of the biggest thefts of that time. The other party is in politics and they are making allegations to seek publicity." The family members are now planning to start the process of getting the valuables kept in the police treasury (malkhana) for decades. After the theft in 1980, police had arrested a few accused and recovered gold plates and few other valuables which were kept in the treasury. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday waded into the controversy over the hoardings put up by the Lucknow administration featuring photographs of those accused of violence during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) last December. In a tweet, she accused the Yogi Adityanath government of acting unconstitutionally. The attitude of the BJP government of UP is such that the head of the government and the officials following his footsteps believe that they are above the constitution written by Babasaheb Ambedkar. The High Court has told the government that it is not above the Constitution and that its accountability will be fixed, she tweeted in Hindi. The tweet came after the Allahabad high court took suo moto cognizance of the hoardings and called for a hearing on Sunday. The hearing which was to take place at 10 am was later postponed to 3 pm. A two-judge bench comprising chief justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha Sunday morning said that the act was highly unjust and that it was an absolute encroachment on personal liberty of the persons concerned. The hoardings carry names, photographs and residential addresses of those accused of violence during the anti-CAA protests last December. The accused have also been asked to pay for the damages to public and private property within a stipulated time with a warning that failure to comply will lead to attachment of their properties. Priyanka Gandhi formally joined politics in January last year and was tasked with reviving the partys fortunes in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. But she is yet to make any significant impact in the state that sends 80 lawmakers to the Lok Sabha. Recently the intelligence community made clear it will be a player in the 2020 presidential election. No one should be surprised. On Feb. 13, the House Intelligence Committee held a meeting at which intel officials briefed lawmakers on foreign efforts to influence U.S. elections. By several accounts, the officials told the committee that Russia is working to re-elect President Donald Trump. A number of Republican committee members were deeply skeptical. What the officials said was classified, so they cannot discuss it publicly, but in conversations later, GOP lawmakers made it clear that the intel officials did not have the evidence to support their assertion. "How should reporting take place?" one member said later. "You would say, 'We believe X is true based on A, B, C and D.' When that doesn't happen, it's very suspect." "If you're going to make an accusation like that, you darn well better be ready to answer questions and have evidence to support it," said another member. When pressed, the member added, officials gave "very vague and unsatisfying answers." The Republicans' objection was not to the idea that Russia is trying to interfere in a U.S. election. That is an accepted fact. The problem was the assessment that Russia is specifically trying to help re-elect Trump. That claim, so incendiary in the 2016 election, was unsupported by the evidence, they said. As they left the meeting, Republicans agreed that the news would leak soon. It almost seemed to be why Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, the committee chairman and impeachment leader, had called the meeting in the first place. No one was surprised when, a week later, The New York Times published a story headlined "Lawmakers Are Warned That Russia Is Meddling to Re-elect Trump." The news quickly became another one of those bombshell reports that consume hours of talk on cable TV. Democrats, who were also barred by law from revealing classified information, were nevertheless happy to play along. For example, not long after the story broke, Democratic Rep. Jim Himes, an Intelligence Committee member, appeared on CNN. "I can't talk about what happened in a classified setting," Himes said. "But ... you don't need an intelligence briefing to think about what Vladimir Putin might want. Would he want a return to sort of conventional, much more confrontational policy with respect to Russia? Or might he want a president who will criticize everybody on the planet except Vladimir Putin?" Himes' point was clear: I can't talk about it, but of course Putin is working to re-elect Trump. The problem was, intel officials did not have the evidence to make that assertion. And almost as soon as the story broke, officials with knowledge of the meeting suggested that the headlines were wrong. On Sunday, CNN reported that Pierson had apparently "overstated" the Putin-wants-Trump story. And then there were the circumstances of the briefing. The intelligence community works for the president. Yet officials chose to brief Chairman Schiff's House Intelligence Committee on this extraordinarily consequential finding before telling the president. Whatever the motive, spilling the beans in a room with dozens of people present -- intel officials brought a lot of staff with them -- increased the chances of precisely the type of leak that occurred. The whole thing hit the White House by surprise. "I have not seen that analysis," national security adviser Robert O'Brien told ABC Sunday, referring to the Putin-wants-Trump assessment. "I've been with the leaders of the Intelligence Committee. They don't have it. So if there's some lower-level people at [Office of the Director of National Intelligence] that came in and gave this analysis to the House -- look, I'd like to see it. But I haven't seen it." Later, just to make matters more difficult, there were leaks that Russia is also trying to help elect Bernie Sanders. The leak left many experts baffled -- except to the extent that, with the Trump leak, it seemed to target the intelligence community's two least-favorite candidates. There were lots of reports that Trump was angry after the news broke. And why shouldn't he be angry? Way back in January 2017, when Trump was president-elect and protesting that the intelligence community was out to get him, Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer famously said, "You take on the intelligence community, they have six ways from Sunday of getting back at you." The years that followed proved that to be true. And it still is. Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Compared with just about everywhere else in the world, here in Australia weve had it good for a very long time. Although we did suffer an economic downturn in 2008-09 during the global financial crisis, we still managed to dodge a recession, unlike most developed countries. In fact, the 29 years since we last entered a recession is the longest run of continuous economic growth in our history. The economic effects of the coronavirus have yet to be fully realised. Credit:AP As we contemplate the very high likelihood that this run is now coming to an end - thanks to someone in China eating a pangolin that had been bitten by a bat, thus sending a new variety of coronavirus around the world and probably infecting millions - we will all have the opportunity to reflect on how we deal with national misfortune. And what we want to do after the worst of it is over. When COVID-19 officially reaches the pandemic stage, our society will face one of the biggest tests in its recent history. The run on toilet paper and food staples has engendered bemusement and even a little amusement among some not those who rushed out to empty the shelves, of course but it was a useful reminder about the true nature of advanced societies such as ours. Richard Fifield isn't sure what the difference is between his first and second novels, but technically speaking, "The Small Crimes of Tiffany Templeton" is a young adult novel. His new book, out this week on Penguin's YA imprint, Razorbill, is similar in tone and content to "The Flood Girls," his debut, which drew a readership around the country and has been optioned for a television series. It's very snarky, set in small-town Montana with a smart outsider protagonist coping with being different and growing up surrounded by lovable, unlovable and sometimes idiotic people and circumstances it is a satire, after all. At first, Fifields agent pitched him on a contract book and he was given a detailed synopsis that he described as a classic YA love story set in a larger city, but decided he needed to write one about a girl growing up in a trailer park in a rural town, with self-discovery replacing the boy. "I really wanted to write that because it's not out there, and those girls need representation and they need to see themselves in fiction," he said. He also thinks "it's helpful for people who aren't used to red-state protagonists to read it, not in a condescending 'Hillbilly Elegy' kind of way and realize that many people in small towns have the same problems, but its more difficult to escape them in the glass bowl of a tiny community. Tiffany, a black-clad outsider teen, burgeoning writer and slasher film fan, has returned to Gabardine, her small hometown in western Montana, after a stint in a reform school for a series of "small crimes." She lives in a trailer court where everyone knows everyone else's business and she has few friends, except David (tall, handsome, gay). For a project, she decides to write and stage a play, "The Soiled Doves of Gabardine," about the town's founding prostitutes, performed by a group of retired but tough women. She's also coping with the death of her father, a theme Fifield had picked out before his mother's cancer returned while he was writing the book. Fifield, 44, grew up in Troy, which now has a population of just over 900, and graduated from high school there. His fictional burg, Gabardine seems like an amalgamation of many small towns in Montana. There are references to the Big Burn, which nearly destroyed it, and a smaller forest fire that did. There's no cellphone coverage and "the slowest Internet in America." The big news involves an announcement that the National Christmas Tree will be culled from nearby. Fifield's previous novel, "The Flood Girls," was also a biting but lived-in satire of small-town Montana, a feature that, like the movies of Alexander Payne, led to criticism that he was "punching down," predominantly lobbed at him from people who live in larger cities. "What was so mind-blowing to me was that when I would go on tour to bigger metropolitan areas, and almost every single time during a Q&A, an audience member would accuse of me of being condescending towards poor people, and people who live in red states, and I'd be like, 'Lady, I live in a trailer in East Missoula, I stay in my lane.' I write what I know, and you are welcome to come over and have some gas-station coffee with me because I would never, ever, ever, ever punch down, 'cause I am those people, and I'm proud of those people. I am proud to live in East Missoula," he said. Fifield lives in an immaculately decorated trailer in a court a short walk from Ole's with his two shelter dogs, one of whom was wearing a knitted sweater on a recent afternoon. His office, besides its writing desk, houses a rack of vintage thrift store clothes that he alters and bedazzles for fun. Photographs from a fashion project he did with friends cover the walls, along with a mounted LP, "Madonna's "True Blue." The shelves contain fashion books along with Montana literary fiction he teaches creative writing, and the older women putting on the play are an homage to the many students he's taught. "For as difficult as it was growing up in a small town, it made me the person that I am today, and I learned that lesson over and over and over again, that there were benefits that I didn't realize until I was an adult," he said. The public education, for instance, was strong and the classes were small he graduated high school with 51 other students, most of whom he knew since kindergarten. Main characters in both of his books are different, just like he was growing up. Tiffany knows that David is gay, but most people don't. Fifield had no such refuge. "I had no confidantes I had lots of girlfriends, and Im sure they knew I was gay, but I didnt feel comfortable telling anybody until my first year of college." (He came to the University of Montana to study English, then Sarah Lawrence College for his MFA in creative writing.) Mainstream culture in the 1980s was not at all kind or tolerant toward gay people. "Growing up, if I had had any story about a gay person, it would have changed my life. It didn't exist. Every portrayal of a gay person that I came across was negative," he said. "After 1990, I had Madonna, and especially 'Truth or Dare,' the documentary I watched obsessively (and secretly). My friend's mom owned a video store, and she kept a copy behind the counter!" he wrote in a message. Tiffany lives with a single mother. Her father, a sensitive man who raised African violets, died of a heart attack due to his morbid obesity, and (no spoilers) circumstances around it spur her misbehavior. (She spends time discussing his weight with her probation officer, who counters her stereotypical views about the subject.) Her spitfire mother runs the town's gas station on her own, and lobbies for Tiffany to have a space to stage her play. She's a direct homage to Fifield's own mother, Loretta Jones, who died of leukemia while he wrote the book. He volunteered to stay with her, either at the hospital or at home, during the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. shifts. "She said, 'I want you to hit your deadline, no matter what happens,' " he said. Loretta ran the Town Pump in Troy when Fifield was a kid. "Owning a business in a small town and essentially being the only employee and being a woman is not easy," he said. "It takes unheard-of strength to not doubt yourself and to not listen to, you know, the naysayers." "That strength and that community-mindedness was one of the reasons I wanted to write this book," he said. Because you don't see that in YA fiction. Community means something completely different when it's 100,000 people." His mother had prior bouts with leukemia, and more than 10 years ago, she and Richard had reconciled, and he let go of the animosity he felt from his youth, that he needed a kind of support that she couldnt provide. Part of being in a 12-step program is doing, you know, work, and I had to do the work to realize that my mother was just a person who did the best she could with what she had, and as soon as I was able to do that, it changed our relationship completely. She became my friend," he said. Tiffany's mom is a tribute to her, and so was "We Leave the Flowers Where They Are," an anthology he edited that was published last fall. He solicited women writers from his memoir class to produce first-person stories. "With my mom, I wish that she had had the stories she needed," he said. He was there when she died, typing on his laptop in the middle of a chapter. That depth of feeling is in the book, but Fifield is a funny writer. Sometimes, he said, trauma comes out sideways in art, and in his case, satire. The local sheriff and Tiffany's brother, a Forest Service ranger, are obsessed with the threat of terrorism, despite living in a remote town closer to Canada than New York. Gabardine is also like many small towns Montana un-diverse and almost exclusively white. This was mentioned by Kirkus Reviews, which includes a note in each of its reviews of young adult books about racial diversity. "All main characters are white except for Tiffanys probation officer, who is black," it read. Fifield, who wasnt aware of the policy, said he took "huge exception" to it, since he felt it made him look racist. "I included an African-American character because I wanted to show that Montana has some diversity, because if I had just written a real document of where I come from, there's zero diversity," he said. The officer, Kelly, hails from Cleveland, a relative metropolis, and is an adult "echo" for Tiffany to indicate to her that Gabardine "is not representative of a lot of the world." Fifield did live in New York for about 10 years, but felt himself drawn back to Montana and its small towns. He spent two years recently living in a primitive cabin in the "snow belt" in Olney, an hour from Troy, and "got real plugged in to small town life," although has since returned to his home base in East Missoula, where hes working on another book and perhaps a play. "To people in Missoula, the towns I write about are foreign," he said. "I should never work for the tourism bureau." You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Around-the-clock cleaning and sanitation of Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. An Operation Clean Sweep in the works at Montgomery Regional Airport. An update to Mobile Regional Airports communicable disease plan for the first time since the Ebola scare six years ago. These are some of the things that Alabamas larger commercial airports are doing amid the coronavirus outbreak threatening to wipe out up to $113 billion in worldwide revenues to airlines around the world. Airport officials in Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery and Mobile claim there has been little impact to their business since the COVID-19 outbreak made its way into the U.S. a little more than a week ago. We will continue to operate business as usual because our standard procedures already include frequent and thorough cleaning of the facility, said Jana Kuner, spokeswoman at Huntsville International Airport. Candace ONeil, spokeswoman with the Birmingham Airport Authority, said, There is currently no evidence of a threat to the operations. Significant cuts But at least one industry observer believes its only a matter of time before economic effects trickle down to airports throughout the U.S. We are already seeing effects already with a reduced schedule of flying, said Kimberly Kenville, professor at the University of North Dakotas Department of Aviation. There were concessionaires asking for rental refunds at (Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport), at high end terminals due to no passengers in the terminal with travel bans in place. The effects will be felt by some carriers chief among them, United Airlines that have announced cutbacks in international and domestic flights. Uniteds plans call for a 10% reduction in U.S. flights, and a 20% slash internationally. The company is also freezing hiring until June. Chris Curry, president of the Mobile Airport Authority, said he anticipates Uniteds 10% cut to lead to a ripple effect throughout the industry that other airlines will follow. He said a 10% cut would mean roughly 2,500 fewer passengers traveling through Mobile Regional Airport per month. We dont expect that cut to be overwhelmingly significant, said Curry. Opening day fresh Marshall J. Taggart, Jr., executive director of Montgomery Regional Airport. The virus outbreak is prompting the airports to be scrubbed and sanitized, from the toilets to the ticket counters and beyond. Marshall Taggart Jr., executive director at Montgomery Regional Airport, is calling Montgomerys project Operation Clean Sweep, occurring on March 14 and 26. The airport is partnering with two firms that will provide a deep clean to airport restrooms, ticket counters and carpets. Custodial workers will receive additional training as the airport looks to standardize its cleaning operations. We want to make it opening day fresh, said Taggart. He said plans were in place for Operation Clean Sweep before the coronavirus outbreak, but that the virus makes it that much more critical in terms of us doing this. We want to reassure the public that flying through (Montgomery) is a safe and secure experience. ONeil, at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth, said that cleaning and sanitation efforts continue around the clock at the airports terminal. We are also working with professional outside companies to be available to assist our staff with deeper cleanings of the terminal as needed, she said. Kuner touted Huntsvilles self-check ins where passengers can bypass other people standing in line at ticket counters. She said that Huntsville International Airport is spacious so if a passenger wants to keep to themselves then there is plenty of space for them to do that. The travel process at (Huntsville International Airport) is one of ease so we dont expect for that impede travel at all, Kuner said. Curry, in Mobile, said that the airports will monitor alerts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other medical agencies as the outbreak continues. He said that Mobile airport officials updated their disease plans for the first time since the Ebola outbreak prompted a public health emergency in August 2014 (it ended two years later). We normally keep a plan like that as updated as possible based on real-time issues that might be going on, he said. Expansions continue The inaugural flight from the Mobile Downtown Airport took place on Wednesday, May 1, 2019, in Mobile, Ala. Frontier Flight 413 to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport was the first flight to depart from the approximately $8 million new terminal. In this picture, Chris Curry, president of the Mobile Airport Authority, provides remarks before the flight departs the new terminal. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). Curry and Taggart dont anticipate the coronavirus outbreak, and a softening of the airline industry, affecting their long-term projects. In Mobile, the city is pushing forward on a complete shift of its commercial aviation services from its current airport west of the citys limits to a newer airport closer to downtown Mobile. A federally funded master plan detailing the airport switch is expected to be wrapped up later this year. Montgomerys plans call for funding another baggage carousel, runway and taxiway improvements, opening a consolidated rental car facility and building an on-site micro-hotel to service stranded guests. Taggart said that airport officials are examining changes to their master plan to include those projects. But he said it wont be another two to three years before construction begins, and that a pending slowdown due to coronavirus isnt a concern. The smaller framed works here are, as a rule, less powerful than the larger ones. And in general, Mr. Parlas free-standing totem walls, done in a similar style but in a way that looks as if theyve been chiseled off an abandoned building, are more moving than the canvases hes showing here. His many small details get activated when the context is huge. Parla is loose with his fields of color, but never splenetic. There are also signs of written life throughout scrawls about cuts in government services, the Fania Records logo and, on Its Yours, Mr. Parla adds tags from older graffiti writers, including Coco 144 and Chino BYI, a gesture that bonds the painting not just to the museum, but to the streets outside. When Mr. Parla was a young graffiti writer, his tag was Ease some of his old books and tools are displayed here in vitrines. Even though hes long been deliteralizing his work, it still captures the structural recklessness of the best graffiti. The impatience of the paintwork juxtaposed against the permanence conveyed by the representation of decay is a backdoor way to capture the graffiti impulse and make sure its never erased. (For the last few months, the museums other main exhibition space has held a bounty of Henry Chalfants 70s and 80s subway graffiti photographs, the original way to capture graffiti permanently.) Early in JRs exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum there is a set of photos and videos of his early years as a graffiti writer, a means of establishing his bona fides. But that quickly recedes when the show arrives at the meat of his work, which has learned one crucial thing from graffiti but maybe just one the impulse to be seen and to interject new narratives into environs that arent naturally receptive. JR is a photographer, activist and social engineer who made his name in the mid- 2000s by photographing residents of Les Bosquets, a housing project in a Paris banlieue, up close and with a sense of whimsy, then wheat-pasting those images around the city, a subversive sort of quasi-advertising. This has become JRs primary mode capturing the overlooked and forcing people to gaze upon them. It is, without doubt, noble. In JRs projects, which take place around the world, he is both interloper and collaborator; a recurring refrain in this show is the question of what the communities he collaborates with will gain. In a video documenting the artists work in Kibera, a slum in Nairobi, Kenya part of his Women Are Heroes series one resident plainly describes the appeal: It is like marketing, he says. A large portion of a flyover at the Delhi-Jaipur rail line near Pataudi in Gurugram, collapsed on Saturday, allegedly due to poor construction. The flyover caved in on Saturday after seasonal rains. While no loss of life has been reported, the flyover has now been closed for vehicular traffic. What is even more shocking is that it was newly-constructed and was inaugurated by the Haryana Public Wealth Department in September 2019. ANI The Haryana Public Wealth Department had spent Rs 14 crores for the construction of the flyover. "This is because of the carelessness that was on show by the authorities. The authorities never showed up when this flyover was being constructed," Pradeep Kumar, Sarpanch, Pahari Village told ANI. The PWD which has launched an investigation into the incident, has however, blamed the rains for the collapse. "It appears that due to heavy downpour over the past few days, rainwater might have seeped inside some pillars and weakened the structure," a PWD official told The Times of India. ANI The construction of the flyover had begun in 2016 and was supposed to be completed in 24 months and the inauguration was allegedly rushed in view of the assembly elections. Locals blamed PWD for oversight. They have alleged that the structure had started developing cracks within a few months of inauguration, shortly before the assembly election when then PWD minister was on a spree to hurriedly inaugurate long-pending projects. ANI A few months ago, the flyover developed potholes too, but the department ignored the alarms raised by the residents. On Saturday, they said, that after a few heavy vehicles crossed the flyover small crumbles began falling down, and then, the bigger chunk followed. PWD has denied the charges. In fact, former PWD minister and six-time MLA from Rewari, Captain Ajay Yadav, reacted sharply to the incident and blamed the government for shoddy work that is spoiling the reputation of the department. ANI Taking a dig at the BJP government, Yadav said, "Their ministers are only concerned about cutting ribbons and making tall claims. Firstly, they opened it after much delay, and that too, without proper inspection or strength testing. This is the sheer wastage of people's money and risking hundreds of lives. From Hero Honda and Rampura flyover in Gurugram to this flyover, every structure is crashing down within months of construction. There should be proper investigation and the guilty must be strictly punished." MBABANE Desperate times call for desperate measures. With neighbouring South Africa confirming its second coronavirus case yesterday, Prime Minister (PM) Ambrose Dlamini announced the need to seal the existing informal border crossings with the neighbouring republic. There are several illegal crossing spots between South Africa and Eswatini and some of these are found along the strip of fence that lines the road between Pongola and Piet Retief. Previous reports have indicated that it is not just emaSwati who used these spots to move between the two countries but Mozambicans and other nationalities are said to favour these routes because they are considered less risky. Asian nationals, who are now found in every region in the kingdom, are also known to be frequent users of the informal crossing points where they manoeuvre in and out of Eswatini without producing the required documents. Yesterday, the PM acknowledged that the Kingdom of Eswatini remained high risk in terms of the coronavirus outbreak, but called for calm. He said as a country, there was no other option but to take all the necessary steps to amplify intervention and response strategies. Closing the informal crossing is one of these strategies. It is also crucial that we effect a total shutdown of all informal crossings while upscaling screening in all our ports of entry. The PM said. Pupils who live close to these informal crossings use them to attend school in the neighbouring republic where they are enrolled from primary to high school. Those residing near the crossings also use them to go to South Africa daily for various activities, mostly trade and employment. Neighbours engaged The PM said government was engaging with neighbouring countries to heighten collaboration efforts in the response to the epidemic. Dlamini said this during his tour of the Lubombo Referral Hospital and other health facilities in readiness for the coronavirus. The referral hospital, according to the PM, has been identified as the facility where individuals who might test positive for coronavirus would be quarantined. He said government was intensifying its preparedness and response strategy to tackle this public health emergency of international concern. Currently, the PM said, an agreement has been established with NICD laboratory in South Africa for sample testing. But, he said, based on currently available information, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had not yet recommended restrictions of travel or trade. However, government continues to advise emaSwati to take major precautions when travelling to the most affected countries. If possible, we would advise emaSwati to only travel to these countries when it is absolutely necessary, he cautioned. Dlamini appealed for vigilance instead of panic and for the nation to take all the necessary prevention measures to minimise the risk of getting infected. This is a time to be vigilant as a nation in our preparedness for an unfortunate eventuality of a coronavirus outbreak in our shores, but it is not a time to panic. It is when we panic and are not measured in our response to this epidemic that we involuntarily allow an infiltration of myths and misinformation on prevention measures to take centre stage, the PM said. The E100m request He highlighted the E100 million that Cabinet has requested from parliament to strengthen the countrys operational readiness to respond effectively to the coronavirus epidemic and effect a detailed contingency plan. The success of this response and intervention relies on the support of all sectors of society, including the business sector, development and implementing partners, traditional authorities and communities across our country, the PM said. He mentioned that government remained indebted to the countrys international partners for rallying behind the kingdoms intervention efforts. He appealed for more collaboration and assistance in strengthening the health care delivery system to ensure it consistently meets international health standards and is equally effective in preventing and managing any outbreak of infectious diseases. Dlamini stated that yesterdays tour of the health facilities that have been converted into isolation centres or infectious disease facilities gave government an opportunity to assess the centres readiness for the eventuality of an outbreak. The intention is to ensure that these facilities are fully equipped and have resources to manage current and future emerging infectious diseases, he said. The PM outlined that government was going ahead with the process of strengthening preparedness for health emergencies and coronavirus in particular, in line with international health regulations. He said risk communication to the public would be intensified to avoid and limit transmission of the virus and to dispel disinformation, which tends to gain traction whenever there was a vacuum of accurate information. It is important that the public receives appropriate messages on the prevention and management of this virus for which there is still no cure, yet it is equally important to emphasise that it is not a death sentence, he emphasised. He added that coronavirus was a flu like illness hence infection prevention and control remained key in its control. Constant hand washing can never be over emphasised since it reduces the risk of getting infected, he stated. The Kingdom of Eswatini does not yet have a confirmed case of coronavirus but has had a suspected case involving a woman who entered the kingdom on February 6 after travelling from China to South Africa. The results, however, came back negative; something that brought huge relief to a nation that was on tenterhooks. Dr Vusi Magagula, the Director of Health Services, revealed that tests carried out in South Africa came back negative, saying this case helped them to assess the state of readiness for a potential case in future. At least 20,000 people have been denied information that could prove their right to stay in the UK, in what campaigners are warning is a revival of the hostile environment. A controversial loophole passed into law despite warnings it risked the next Windrush has been used to block almost 43 per cent of requests for the government to release vital data, The Independent can reveal. The huge impact of the clause allowing data to be kept secret if release would undermine immigration control comes despite ministers promising it would be used only on a case-by-case basis. Campaigners and MPs seized on the revelation to demand that the Home Office end the secrecy surrounding the immigration exemption, to prove it was not complicit in further injustices. Diane Abbott, Labours shadow home secretary, attacked a shameful abuse of process, while Liberty said the legacy of Theresa Mays notorious immigration clampdowns was still inflicting harm. This shows that the immigration exemption is just another tool used by the government to enforce its hostile environment, said Gracie Bradley, the civil liberties groups policy manager. Two years ago, lawyers echoed fears that withholding potentially vital proof of the right to live in the UK would lead to people being wrongly deported, detained or denied health treatment. The clash was billed as the first test of government promises to learn the lessons of the Windrush debacle but the loophole was nevertheless created by the Data Protection Act. Now a freedom of information response to The Independent has revealed that 45,238 subject access requests for information were made between May 2018 and January 2020. The immigration exemption was used to block or restrict the release of data for no fewer than 19,353 of those applications 42.8 per cent the Home Office said. However, the database was only able to record such instances from July 2018, which means the true total of thwarted requests is almost certainly above 20,000. Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Show all 15 1 /15 Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' arriving at Tilbury Docks from Jamaica, with 482 Jamaicans on board, emigrating to Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaican immigrants being welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' landed them at Tilbury. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner who arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex, speaking at his home in Leeds PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner in Leeds shortly after he arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Gardner was 22 years old when he boarded the ship in Kingston, Jamaica, with his brother Gladstone before they and hundreds of Caribbean migrants called on to rebuild post-war Britain disembarked the ship in Tilbury Docks PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner (right), during his RAF service in 1947 PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The son of Ruth Williams, a Windrush-generation immigrant, wants to the leave the country after threats of deportation. According to his mother, Mr Haynes applied for British citizenship in 2016 but was rejected, despite Ms Williams having lived in the UK almost permanently since arriving from St Vincent and the Grenadines in 1959. Ruth Williams, 75, said she felt "betrayed" by Britain after the Home Office twice turned down applications for her 35-year-old son, Mozi Haynes, to remain in the country. Ms Williams is understood to have cancer and said she relies heavily on her son for support. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The British liner 'Empire Windrush' at port in 1954. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Ruth Williams, 75, with her British passport. "I feel betrayed and a second class citizen in my own country," she said. "This makes me so sad and the Home Office must show some compassion. "I am unwell and almost 75, I live on my own and I need my son to stay here. I need my family around me and I cant face being alone. He has applied to the Home Office and been refused twice." PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK From the top, hopeful Jamaican boxers Charles Smith, Ten Ansel, Essi Reid, John Hazel, Boy Solas and manager Mortimer Martin arrive at Tilbury on the Empire Windrush in the hope of finding work in Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaicans reading a newspaper whilst on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' bound for Tilbury docks in Essex. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK After half a century in Britain, Anthony Bryan decided it was time to go abroad. But the decision set off a nightmare that saw him lose his job, detained twice and almost deported to Jamaica. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaica-born Anthony Bryan poses outside his home in Edmonton, north London. Now 60 and a grandfather, Bryan thought the issue could be resolved swiftly, as he legally moved to Britain with his family as part of the Windrush generation of Caribbean migrants after World War II. In 1948, the ship Windrush brought the first group of migrants from the West Indies to help rebuild post-war Britain, and many others followed from around the Commonwealth. A 1971 law gave them indefinite leave to remain, but many never formalised their status, often because they were children who came over on their parents' passports and then never applied for their own. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Three Jamaican immigrants (left to right) John Hazel, a 21-year-old boxer, Harold Wilmot, 32, and John Richards, a 22-year-old carpenter, arriving at Tilbury on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush', smartly dressed in zoot suits and trilby hats. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Newly arrived Jamaican immigrants on board the 'Empire Windrush' at Tilbury in 1948. Getty Yet, when questioned as the act was passed, ministers insisted fears of widespread use were misplaced, insisting it would only be deployed on a case-by-case basis. The exemption does not give the Home Office a free hand to invoke the permitted exceptions as a matter of routine, Victoria Atkins, the then home office minister told MPs in March 2018. The exemption will not and cannot be targeted at whole classes of vulnerable individuals, be they victims of domestic abuse or human trafficking, undocumented children or asylum seekers, she also pledged. Ms Abbott told The Independent: There can be no doubt that the government is using this exemption to conceal facts that might help the migrant. This is a shameful abuse of process by the government. It makes it almost certain that more Windrush type scandals will eventually emerge. David Lammy, a Labour MP and Windrush campaigner, said: The Home Office has shown repeatedly, before, during and after the Windrush scandal, that it makes frequent mistakes that ruin peoples lives. It is an outrage that 20,000 people have been denied access to information the government holds about them under this exemption. The Home Office is complicit in further injustices that we simply do not know about. And Ms Bradley added: Everything about the exemption and how its used is shrouded in secrecy people dont know things such as whether its being used to access their health or education records. It is unclear how many requests were refused outright, how many saw data partially redacted, or whether some files were eventually released after requests for additional information about the applicant. The use of subject access requests has mushroomed as awareness has grown and as the hostile environment laws have required strict proof of immigration status to live and work. The Law Society, which represents solicitors, and the Bar Council, which represents barristers, had also warned people would be unable to obtain files about themselves. And 34 organisations, including Amnesty, the Refugee Council, the National Aids Trust, the National Education Union and the trade union Unison, signed a protest letter. A Home office spokesperson said: The government takes both the protection of personal data and the right to privacy extremely seriously. The immigration exemption can only be applied where it is necessary and proportionate to do so, and where to uphold a data subject request would be likely to prejudice the maintenance of effective immigration control. The immigration exemption is not a blanket measure, and its use is justified and on a case-by-case basis. In nearly all cases the immigration exemption applies to a limited amount of data. Two candidates challenging the Incumbent MP for Akuapem North Seat in the Eastern Region have being disqualified. The 2 are Lawyer Philip Addison and William Agyei Twumasi, who is the Bursar of Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong. Addison, who rose to fame during the 2012 election petition hearing at the Supreme Court, was hoping to unseat incumbent and deputy Minister for Information Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah Adjei. Sources say Addison, who lost the Korle Klottey seat in the Greater Accra region during the 2016 elections, was disqualified from contesting the Akuapem North seat because he hasn't nurtured the party at the constituency. The other parliamentary hopeful William Agyei Twumasi, was also disqualified for allegedly using the party logo fraudulently for his own health insurance other than the national health insurance. Also, during vetting it was discovered that both of them had started campaigning openly before nominations were opened, which flouted the rules of engagement hence the need to disqualify them. It was clear at the vetting that the two disqualified candidates had little knowledge about the constituency they are vying for. It came out that they didn't even know the number of polling stations in the constituency as well as the electoral areas. As it stands now it is clear that the current MP Nana Ama Dokua will go unopposed if the two do not appeal the decision of the vetting committee. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Another case of COVID-19 was detected in Vietnam at 19:30 on March 8, raising the total number of cases in the country to 30. browser not support iframe. The new patient is a UK citizen who boarded flight VN0054 from London to Hanoi-based Noi Bai International Airport on March 2. After entering Vietnam, the 66-year-old female patient travelled to Hue city in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. She is now in stable heath condition, showing no symptoms of fever, cough and breathing difficulties. Of the 30 COVID-19 infection cases in Vietnam, 16 had been successfully cured and discharged from hospitals. Earlier, eight new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Vietnam. The new cases comprise four in the northern province of Quang Ninh, two in the northern border province of Lao Cai and two in the central city of Da Nang. All of them boarded flight VN0054 from London to Noi Bai on March 2 the same flight as female patient N.H.N who was confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 on March 6. Vietnam has to date detected 29 COVID-19 infection cases. Of them, 16 patients had been successfully cured and discharged from hospitals, while 13 are being put in quarantine. They are in stable health condition. Earlier the day, Vietnam reported that a 61-year-old man in Hanoi, who also boarded the flight, was confirmed positive for the virus. Hanoi ramps up efforts to contain COVID-19 spread Hanoi is promoting epidemiological investigation to identify the persons having contact with its first COVID-19 case, confirmed on March 6, and localising areas with infected patients. The city reported the first infected patient on late March 6 and this is also the 17th case of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in Vietnam. The 26-year-old woman had visited her sister in the UK, then travelled to Italy and France, and returned to Hanoi on March 1 on flight VN0054. Three others in Hanoi having contact with her were tested positive for COVID-19 on March 7 and 8, raising the number of cases in Vietnam to 21. The 18th patient is a 27-year-old man in Ninh Binh province returning from the disease-hit Republic of Korea. At a meeting of Hanois steering board for COVID-19 prevention and control on March 8, Vice Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Ngo Van Quy predicted more positive cases who had direct contact with the 17th patient. He said the most important now is to conduct epidemiological investigation to identify those having direct and indirect contact with the first patient in the city, stressing that this is the decisive factor in containing the spread. Quy noted over the last 40 hours, the steering board has worked around the clock to deal with new developments of the outbreak in a timely manner. All relevant information has also been publicised. All areas that have COVID-19 cases need to be disinfected, the official said, asking the departments of health and finance to prepare infrastructure at a higher level so as to make timely response when necessary. At the session, Chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung said the city has clarified the sources of infection of the confirmed cases, as well as persons having close contact with them. Quarantine has been carried out as soon as they were identified, and all have been put in quarantine. Health of the four patients is improving, and none of them are in critical condition, he added. Chung said to actively prevent coronavirus infection, authorities will publicise all the places the patients have lived and gone to so that people can avoid those areas. The city even considers a suspect case resifinh on Lang street in Dong Da district as a new patient so as to quarantine people having contact with this person and disinfect this area. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has ordered ministers, heads of ministerial-level and Government agencies, along with leaders of provinces and centrally-run cities to review all plans on foreign trips and consider suspending those visits to focus on the fight against COVID-19. WHO chief lauds Vietnams efforts against COVID-19 Assistant to the Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu (C) at a meeting with WHO Director-Geenral Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Geneva on March 6 Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has praised Vietnams early, effective measures against COVID-19, especially political commitments of senior leaders and the resolve of agencies and localities in the disease combat. He made the praise at a meeting with Assistant to the Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu in Geneva on March 6, where the WHO chief appreciated Vietnams ASEAN Chairmanship as well as the fruitful coordination between ASEAN member countries in the fight against the epidemic. Ghebreyesus said he had recommended the African Union to learn from the ASEANs coordination model in disease control. WHO stands ready to further cooperate and share relevant information, assessments and research outcomes with countries, he pledged. For his part, Hieu thanked the organisation for its close cooperation and support for Vietnams health sector, especially in public health care, disease prevention and the improvement of the capacity of health workers at different levels. He informed the WHO Director General about Vietnams comprehensive countermeasures and ASEAN cooperation in the fight against the acute respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Hieu was in Geneva from March 4-6 to attend sessions of the UN Human Rights Council and the Conference on Disarmament. Vietnam informs movement history in Europe of COVID-19 patient The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the Embassies of France, Italy and the UK in Hanoi and asked the Vietnamese Embassies in Paris, Rome and London to share with relevant agencies of the host countries about movement history and temporary residence address in the UK of a Vietnamese woman who was tested positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 after travelling to several European nations. Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang revealed this information on March 7, adding that the ministry also informed the nations which had citizens on the same flight with the confirmed patient so that they could deploy proper measures in order to prevent the spread of the virus in the community. Vietnam will continue and regularly share information and coordinate with other countries and international organizations and relevant partners in the fight against the acute respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, she added. The 26-year-old patient earlier visited her sister in the UK, then travelled to Milan (Italy) and Paris (France) and returned to Hanoi on March 1 on flight VN0054 of Vietnam Airlines. After coming back to Vietnam, she showed symptoms of fever, cough and tiredness. The patient then came to Hong Ngoc hospital in Hanois Ba Dinh district for medical check-up and was diagnosed to suffer pneumonia. As she had gone through COVID-19-hit countries, the patient was brought to the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases for treatment and supervision. Her sample then was tested positive for the virus. Vietnam has to date confirmed 20 COVID-19 infection cases. Of them, 16 patients have been cured and discharged from hospitals. VNA Without a plan, a Predator Free Aotearoa is only a dream. This strategy will help us go further and faster to give nature a helping hand and save more than 4000 of our native plants and wildlife that are threatened or at risk of extinction, says Eugenie. To do this we need to permanently eradicate their biggest threat: rats, mustelids like stoats and possums. The Strategy, launched today, sets out a structure to achieve the Predator Free goal in the next 30 years, and the action plan describes what we need to do over the next five years. The Strategy has three key phases of work Mobilise, Innovate and Accelerate Mobilise - to engage people and resources Innovate - create or improve predator eradication tools and methods for across rural, urban and natural landscapes, and Accelerate rapidly deploy and effectively manage predators throughout the country. The Predator Free 2050 Strategy was developed by the Department of Conservation in consultation with iwi, and with input from technical experts, scientists, environmental groups, communities and the public. It draws from matauranga Ma=aori, derived from generations of interactions between people and te taiao, and expertise gained through decades of successfully removing pests from 117 of New Zealands offshore islands, says Eugenie. Predator Free 2050 is a world first there is no map to guide us, and it is an iterative process. The Strategy values learning by doing from large landscape scale projects such as are happening with Tiakina Nga Manu, on offshore islands, on Taranaki Maunga, in Hawkes Bay, and in the Mackenzie Basin through Te Manahuna Aoraki. It involves changing what we do as we learn more and improve existing tools and methods. We have a biodiversity crisis around the world and in New Zealand. In 2018, this Government delivered the biggest boost to Department of Conservation funding since 2002 which enabled DOC to undertake its biggest ever predator control programme Tiakina Nga Manu over more than 800,000 ha. of conservation land to ensure our unique native birds can thrive. In 2018, the Government approved $81.28 million over four years to suppress predators in specific areas, protect and increase biodiversity on offshore islands, and develop better predator control methods and tools. North Island kaka. Photo: Sabine Bernert In 2019, through the Provincial Growth Fund, the Government invested a further $16 million in Predator Free 2050 Limited to expand predator control in regional New Zealand, and a further $3.5 million to fund development of new products which reduce the need for repeated 1080 use. New Zealand now has 117 islands which have been declared predator free, thanks to committed work by conservation staff, scientists, and support from philanthropic organisations and volunteers. With 2019 the most successful breeding season for kakapo ever, it is important to develop more safe, predator free areas as homes for kakapo and to enable so many other of Aoteroas unique birds, insects, wildlife and plants to thrive. A future Aotearoa, flourishing with abundant native wildlife and forests, is the bold vision that has galvanized thousands of New Zealanders to get stuck in and work towards a Predator Free New Zealand by 2050. Not everyone can roll up their sleeves and get involved on the ground doing the predator trapping or aerial control but everyone can support healthy indigenous nature by recognising the need to control and eradicate pests such as possum, stoats and rats, says Eugenie Sage. Self setting trap. How much does Bill Pratt love airplanes? Enough to spend nine years building one knowing only others would get to fly it. Now, everyone can enjoy it without leaving the ground. Pratts replica of the famous British World War II fighter plane, the Spitfire, is on display at the Southern Heritage Air Foundation Museum in Tallulah, which features airplanes from that era. This Spitfire is a little more than half the size of the fighter plane credited with saving Great Britain before the U.S. entered the war. The single-seat fighter aircraft helped fight off the German air force, discouraging Adolf Hitler from invading. Unlike the Spitfires that served in the war, Pratts is built almost entirely from wood. +5 Cajun 'Frenchies' helped win the war; historian now writing a book about their stories As youngsters, they were forbidden from speaking French at school. As adults, those south Louisiana children went on to help win World War II. The 86-year-old longtime Hammond resident said he bought blueprints for the plane in the 1970s from England. The replica was designed for amateur craftsmen by John Isaacs, who worked during the war for the company that made the Spitfire. As far as I know, thats the only flying example in the United States, Pratt said. A native of California, Pratt worked for the Federal Aviation Administration, ending his career in New Orleans, the hometown of his wife, the late Myrle Forsyth Pratt. Years ago, he built a Turner T-40 airplane for his own use, then sold it. He built his Spitfire in the garage of his Hammond home. +6 On Pearl Harbor anniversary, Baton Rouge woman recalls seeing attack from bedroom window Seventy-eight years ago today, Lydia Diane Grant woke to the sound of a machine gun bullet smashing the wall above her bed. But disturbed sl Where To Go, What To Eat Each week we'll highlights the best eats and events in metro Baton Rouge. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The wing was 23 feet long, so I built it diagonally in my garage, and built the rest of it (there), also, Pratt said. Then, I trucked it out to the airport and assembled it out there. A lot of people are building kit airplanes now," he said. "Some are all metal and some are composite construction. Not too many people are building wooden aircraft now. That was a lot more popular back in the 70s. Modern construction methods have kind of moved on. Wooden aircraft are definitely a throwback; the combat Spitfire itself was a metal aircraft. But wood was the material of choice for military planes in World War II and continued to be used into the 1930s. +2 Civil Air Patrol cadets get close-up view of military aviation history at Hammond Air Show Cadets and senior members of the Ascension Parish Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol saw World War II aircraft including the B-29 Supe Pratt built the framework for his plane from Sitka spruce and the covering out of mahogany plywood either 1/8th- or 1/16th-inch thick. He obtained the material from aircraft supply houses. You cant go to Home Depot, he said. Pratt did the vast majority of the work himself, getting help for some of the most strenuous manual labor, such as installing the Jabiru 3300 engine, a six-cylinder, 210-horsepower power plant that gives the Spitfire replica a 135 mph cruising speed and 200 mph top speed. After completing the airplane in 2014, two friends who were pilots each flew it. Pratt said he doesnt regret not adding features to make it look more like an actual warplane. Somebody suggested I mount some dummy machine guns on the wings, but I figured I didnt need to spend my time doing that, he said. I just needed to get it flying. Two young girls have used money from the tooth fairy to buy toilet paper to give to struggling pensioners. Petrina McGuire posted a photo on Saturday of her daughter Addyson, six, with her friend Lucy, four, in their hometown of Mareeba in Far North Queensland. The adorable photo shows the pair each holding a toy in one hand while lugging a wooden cart brimming with toilet rolls and boxes of tissues. 'Loaded with toilet paper and tissues they purchased with pocket money and are walking around pensioner cottages seeing if they need any,' the proud mum wrote on Facebook. Ms McGuire told Daily Mail Australia the idea struck Addyson when she walked through the baron toilet paper section of Coles on Friday night. Addyson, six, with her friend Lucy, four, gave toilet paper to pensioners in their hometown of Mareeba in Far North Queensland Petrina McGuire (centre) walks behind Addyson (left) and Lucy (right) as they walk along the street with the wooden cart The youngster asked why there were no rolls left on the shelves and grew concerned after learning shoppers were stockpiling due to coronavirus fears. 'Addyson asked if she could buy some to hand out to those that may have missed out using money she had saved from the tooth fairy.' The responses were overwhelmingly positive. 'The pensioners loved having them knock on the door and ask if they would like some as the shops run out - some people needed some and were very grateful.' One woman offered the excited girls a bag of 'fairy crystals' in exchange for toilet paper. Another man took rolls for a man across the street who was unwell and couldn't buy his own. One woman offered the excited girls a bag of 'fairy crystals' in exchange for toilet paper (pictured: Lucy, left, and Addyson holding the 'fairy crystals') Ms McGuire told Daily Mail Australia the idea struck Addyson when she walked through the baron toilet paper section of Coles with her daughter on Friday night 'Maybe a lot of adults could take a leaf outta the little ones book,' one person commented on facebook Ms McGuire said she shared the photo because 'there has been so much negativity lately and just wanted to share something positive'. The post prompted a series of supportive responses. 'Parenting done right! Thank you to these parents for teaching their kids what kids and some people are lacking these days - Compassion and looking after one another,' one person commented. 'Omg thank you I live in New Zealand and it breaks my heart to think of the elderly that cant even get loo paper your girls are amazing,' another wrote. 'Maybe a lot of adults could take a leaf outta the little ones book,' someone else said. The post comes as brawls break out over toilet paper in other parts of the nation amid COVID-19 coronavirus fears. Two women are seen brawling in the toilet roll aisle in Coles in Melbourne (pictured) on Saturday amid coronavirus shopping panic Police were called to the scene at a Woolworths store at Chullora in Sydney's south-west on Saturday morning after reports a 49-year-old woman had been assaulted. A video of the incident went viral on social media and showed women pushing, yelling and fighting over a jumbo packet of toilet paper amid panic buying caused by the coronavirus. Coles also introduced a temporary four-packet limit on Thursday. The restriction has since been cut to one packet per person. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has urged the public to remain calm, saying there were no issues with toilet paper supply in NSW and no need for bulk-buying. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he was 'disturbed' to see footage from the altercation. 'This is a time for calm. This is a time for Australians to pull together, to work together, to respect their fellow citizens,' he told reporters in Melbourne. HARTFORD A newly registered lobbying group opposed to mandatory childhood vaccinations is threatening legal action against state lawmakers who have been critical of their tactics. The CT Freedom Alliance, in a written statement, charged that Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, and Sen. Mary Dougherty Abrams, co-chair of the legislative Public Health Committee, mischaracterized the groups funding sources. The lawmakers earlier this week said three groups, which have led near-record turnout at the Capitol for a public hearing and a committee vote in recent weeks, have expended enough money to reach the $3,000 threshold required for organizations to register as lobbyists under state transparency rules. We are a legitimate grassroots organization [comprised] of parents who are fighting for their children, the statement said. To accuse us of being funded by dark money from foreign sources is not only inaccurate, it is malicious and libelous. They have presented no evidence for their allegations and the reason for this is simple: they have none. Instead they have decided to fabricate these claims as a means of intimidating us into silence, in the hopes that we will stop exercising our constitutionally-protected rights to free speech and assembly. According to the Office of State Ethics, both the CT Freedom Alliance and Health Choice 4 Action registered as lobbyist firms this week while the other major group opposed to mandatory vaccinations - Informed Choice Connecticut - which is registered as a limited liability corporation, has not filled out lobbyist disclosure documents. The Democratic senators said the groups have sophisticated social media sites and have distributed posters and stickers, as well as paid for billbioard rentals. The senators want pu blic transparency on the sources of money for the lobbying efforts. Registered lobbyists are required to submit reports on expenditures with the Office of State Ethics. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT Saudi Arabia has paid lip service to womens rights while imprisoning the very women who have campaigned for them. It has been two years since Saudi Arabia intensified its crackdown on women activists and many of those jailed are still languishing in prison. On March 4, Lina al-Hathloul, the sister of Loujain al-Hathloul, 31, who campaigned against the ban on women driving in Saudi before being arrested at her home in May 2018, told a symposium of human rights organisations in Geneva, that Loujain has once again been denied access to legal representation. According to Amnesty International, al-Hathloul has been tortured and mistreated while in prison. In August 2019, her family said she rejected a proposal to secure her release from prison in return for a video statement denying that she was tortured. During her first court appearance in March 2019, she was charged with promoting womens rights, calling for the end to the male guardianship system and contacting foreign organisations including the media, other activists and Amnesty International. The Saudi government lifted the ban on women driving in Saudi in the summer of 2018 and pledged to relax male guardianship laws in July 2019. But all this has coincided with the jailing of the women activists who had championed the campaign. In the world of logical politics, if a demand is addressed positively, then those who called for it ought to be normalised in the eyes of the government (if not recognised as champions). In Saudi, the opposite has happened. The crackdown on female activists by the Saudi government reached its peak when the authorities arrested and detained al-Hathloul, Eman al-Nafjan and Aziza al-Yousef on May 15, 2018. Al-Nafjan and al-Yousef were temporarily released in March 2019 on the condition that they attend future court hearings. Other leading womens rights advocates and feminist figures were also arrested. These include Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah, who were arrested on July 30, 2018, and remain in jail; Nouf Abdelaziz, who was arrested on June 6, 2018, and remains in jail; Hatoon al-Fassi, who was arrested on June 27, 2018, and granted temporary release in May 2019; Shadan al-Anezi, who was arrested in May 2018, and remains in jail; and Amal al-Harbi, who was arrested in August 2018, and was granted temporary release in May 2019. Human Rights Watch says the charges against these women are limited to their human rights activities and lack substantiation or evidence. Both it and Amnesty International reported to have acquired evidence of ill-treatment, sexual assaults and abuse against some of these activists. While the campaign to end the driving ban for women gained the most international attention, these women activists have been working to bring all of Saudi Arabias deeply enshrined patterns of discrimination and exclusion to an end. They have made tireless efforts to protest against their lack of freedom with grassroots-level mobilising and campaigning against the male guardianship system that limits womens freedom of movement. Most of these women have also engaged in contesting a socio-economic regime of law and order that is constructed to prevent women from participating in society and the economy, to fundamentally disempower them to the maximum extent. While there is a movement of women and men calling for reforms in Saudi Arabia, a large proportion of this movement consists of women activists who are fearlessly spearheading causes like the arbitrary detainment of political prisoners, freedom of expression and participation in public life. Some have received international recognition for their struggles. Samar Badawi, for instance, was awarded the 2012 International Women of Courage Award by the US Department of State, recognising among other things her role in bringing a lawsuit for womens suffrage. She remains in prison. On May 21, 2019, PEN America, the non-profit human rights literary organisation, awarded Nouf Abdelaziz, Loujain al-Hathloul, and Eman al-Nafjan the 2019 PEN America/Barbey Freedom to Write Award. Activists have been imprisoned arbitrarily, without due process or fair trial. The use of sexual abuse and torture against jailed women is more than just ill-treatment, and should rather be seen as a weapon that is designed to serve as an aggressively chilling warning to other women not to walk the same path. This is a particularly effective deterrent because many women activists are care providers to children and immediate family members. By separating them from their children and families, the Saudi government is hugely increasing the price paid by women for feminist activism. Observers might argue that feminist movements in Saudi Arabia have gained traction and that imprisoning women and treating them so brutally has only led to a heightening of support for their causes However, it remains highly dangerous to engage in this sort of activism. In societies where civic space is restricted, and where opportunities for organising and engaging peacefully in social action are nonexistent; these activists become vulnerable to isolation because associating with them and their causes carries severe consequences. If Saudi Arabia was serious about relaxing its restrictions on the freedom and autonomy of women, the safe spaces in public spheres necessary for women to participate in public life and to lead and engage effectively would exist. No such spaces exist. Femisecution is a combination of persecution and prosecution of female voices within our societies, because of what they are: independent voices who aim to help women claim their rights and status within a society which is topped by oligarchic and discriminatory classes. Womens activism in Saudi Arabia is a movement that not only brings hope, but also challenges an outdated social contract that has been proven to be a tool for de-development and exclusion that damages everyone, not just women. Jailed Saudi women activists are the first layer of such a social movement in their country to let them fade away in jail, means, among other things, the killing of the movement, and of hope. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Nearly 10 months ago, Mayor Tim Keller and the city of Albuquerque signed onto the Vision Zero pledge, a promise to work to end traffic fatalities in Albuquerque. Were going to make the necessary changes to end needless deaths on our roadways and protect our residents, Keller said at the time. And, indeed, the city has taken a number of steps toward that goal over the last year. It cut the speed limit in Downtown. A task force spent months identifying crosswalks to update at schools citywide. And plans are in the works to revamp travel on West Central and Rio Grande. But none of those changes is occurring in the place hit hardest by fatalities: a nearly 3-mile stretch of the International District where eight pedestrians were killed last year. A Journal analysis found that nearly one in five fatal pedestrian crashes in Albuquerque last year occurred in the dimly lighted and highly congested portion of Central Avenue between San Pedro and Eubank, a place Department of Municipal Development officials refer to as forgotten. Known for high crime rates, a large homeless population and outdated infrastructure the area has languished for years. Meanwhile, Keller and the city adopt initiatives to end fatal crashes and pump money elsewhere in Albuquerque. Pat Montoya, director at the DMD, acknowledged no city projects aimed at pedestrian safety are planned for that area, which he says presents its own challenges because of the population that frequents it. Its unfortunate, and you hate to say it, but the population thats on Central in that area is much different than the population in Nob Hill and much different than University and much different than Downtown, Montoya said. Once you hit Wyoming. All the way up to Juan Tabo. That stretch is tough. Its a tough crowd and that makes it hard. Safer streets for all As part of the Vision Zero commitment and Complete Streets ordinance aimed at safer streets for all the city is gearing up to use millions of dollars to update 21 crosswalks at schools citywide, revamp West Central and develop a similar plan for Rio Grande Boulevard. Officials also reduced the speed limit in the Downtown area from 25 to 20. Few, if any, pedestrian fatalities last year happened in those areas. Montoya said Vision Zero is currently one of the departments primary focuses, with a task force that meets monthly to review crashes, find fatality hotspots and tries to identify areas for improvement. One of the things we look at with Vision Zero is where is the highest number of fatalities, Montoya said. We know where these trouble spots are at. Montoya said its a given that legislative money will go toward pedestrian safety, but no major city projects are planned at this point for the problem area on East Central. Albuquerque police determined none of the fatalities in that stretch happened at crosswalks or major intersections. All were ruled as pedestrian error. Montoya questioned whether the fatal crashes happened at night and how many of those pedestrians were drunk, high on drugs or worse. To say its a pedestrian fatality because someone is crossing the street is much different than someone thats crossing the street that is so drunk that person doesnt even know theyre on the street, he said. A fatality is a fatality, I respect that, but on the same token, some responsibility falls on the individual. Dumb is dumb, you cant stop behavior, Montoya later added. People have to take some responsibility. Change of mindset Scot Key, a traffic safety advocate involved in the Vision Zero initiative, said theres one area for improvement that has nothing to do with medians or better lighting: a change of mindset toward pedestrians in those areas hardest hit. Key criticized what he sees as a dismissive attitude toward some victims based on their class, living situation and neighborhood which often have the poorest lighting, farthest distance between signalized crosswalks and highest need of behavioral health services. He said the authorities, politicians and community as a whole need to care more about every pedestrian fatality in order to drive the numbers down as a whole. If we dont change that, this Vision Zero thing is a complete joke, in my opinion, Key said. I try to stay optimistic but nothing that has happened since the day the mayor signed that really changed my feeling. Weve not even scratched the surface. He said Vision Zero, which aims to eliminate all traffic deaths by 2040, is an ambitious goal that will take a lot of work to achieve. I dont know if the mayor, and those in the mayors office, understand how much is really involved, he said. Key worries that theres not a real dedication to Vision Zero and that its just a reaction to these few acute cases where theres so much outrage expressed that the city theatrically reacts to it. DMD spokesman Johnny Chandler said multiple departments are working on the Vision Zero initiative and the city is in the process of naming a full-time coordinator. He said the city is planning to release a Vision Zero report and action plan this summer. Councilor Pat Davis, meanwhile, said the rise in fatalities in the area comes as no surprise. It totally makes sense, he said. When you look at the maps of where were dealing with infrastructure needs pedestrian fatalities, lack of lighting all of that stuff is decades of underdevelopment. Part of a county project, Davis said a HAWK signal will be put in the problem area, at Texas and Central, but has taken years to get going. Getting one crosswalk took us four years. Its been kind of frustrating, he said. Davis said when he became a city councilor, Zuni was the hotspot for pedestrian fatalities and the county used $5 million to redo it over four years. The county is planning to use federal dollars to revamp the Wyoming and Central intersection in fall 2020. Were just having to take on this one at a time and there are other parts of town that have gotten a lot more attention. Were trying to make up for it, he said. However, Davis said he is encouraged by the work done by Kellers administration to update sidewalks and streets around the Trumbull neighborhood in the International District. He hopes that commitment carries over to the Central corridor. We took one neighborhood off the table in one year compared to 30 years of not doing anything. I think it was a big step but we have a long way to go, he said. Air India will operate more than 50 flights, including eight on overseas routes, with an all-woman crew to mark the International Womens Day on Sunday. Air India is operating 8 international and 44 domestic momentous flights with all women crew to mark #IWD2020. Were proud of our women colleagues who play a key role to propel us ahead, it tweeted on Saturday with a hashtag #InternationalWomensDay2020. It also said in a release on Saturday that it would operate several all-women crew flights on its international and domestic routes, including the non-stop Delhi to San Francisco flight. According to the release, women cockpit and cabin crew of Air India are operating both wide and narrow-body aircraft to salute woman power in sync with socio-cultural ethos. Air India is perhaps the only single airline to operate so many domestic and international flights, operated and supported by women employees, the release added. Last year, Air India had flown 12 international flights as well as 40-plus domestic flights with an all-women crew on Womens Day. It had deployed its B787 Dreamliners and B777s aircraft to operate to 12 international medium and long-haul flights solely operated exclusively by women pilots and attended by women cabin crew. And in 2017, Air India set a world record by flying a Boeing 777 from New Delhi to San Francisco and back with an all-female crew, just in time for International Womens Day. He is the laser-sharp lyricist behind James Bonds most stirring theme songs, the man with the Midas touch. The Oscar-winning writer was responsible for five 007 classics: Thunderball, Diamonds Are Forever, The Man With The Golden Gun, Surrender from Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough. Such is Blacks standing in Hollywood that even Steven Spielberg was starstruck when he met the legendary songwriter. The Don Black? gasped the director. Maud Adams, Roger Moore and Britt Ekland in The Man With The Golden Gun (1974). Don Black was responsible for five 007 classics, including this one Black is also a lyrical legend in musical theatre. His work with Andrew Lloyd Webber on Sunset Boulevard, Aspects Of Love and Starlight Express has produced some of the genres most memorable moments. Next month he will receive the prestigious Olivier Special Award, joining a curtain call of previous winners including Stephen Sondheim, Harold Pinter and Alan Bennett. His songs touch peoples lives. Love Changes Everything, written for Aspects Of Love a number Michael Ball made his own has become a modern-day standard. I remember being in the South of France when Andrew first played the tune to me, Black recollects. Walking around this fabulous place in Cap Ferrat with that melody playing in my head and the sentiment is true love does change everything. If you can hit on a truth like that in a song, then youve done your job. Black is loyal to Lloyd Webber, with whom he began working in 1978. Im godfather to his son, says Black. So hes family. Andrew is often maligned for no reason. Probably jealousy. He is the most successful composer the world has ever known, they tell me. I read that hes made more money than all the great songwriters combined. Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, the lot. But I feel protective when critics say his music is trite or simple or familiar. Hes the most stimulating person to write with, because when he gets the right melody its like an archaeologist finding a lost city. Black is sitting in the kitchen of his elegant apartment in Londons Holland Park. He modestly claims that his job mostly involves a lot of walks around parks and staring out of windows, but this laid-back approach has won him a clutch of Ivor Novello Awards, a Golden Globe, five Academy Award nominations and, for Born Free in 1966, an Oscar. He has recently completed his memoir, The Sanest Guy In The Room (out on June 18), which takes us from his humble East End Jewish beginnings to Tinseltown phoniness and pop-star excess. Black was present at the birth of pop in the early Sixties. I had an office next to Brian Epstein, The Beatles manager, and I got very friendly with him, but I didnt see much of the boys. I suppose they were busy. He later met Paul McCartney and had a good songwriters shop-talk. Hes on his way up, that boy, chuckles Black, 81, who is four years Maccas senior. Blacks other hits include Michael Jacksons 1972 ballad Ben, about a boy and his rat. They said, You wrote about lions for Born Free, why cant you write about a rat? tuts Black. But, of course its not about cheese and traps, its about friendship. Legendary lyricist Don Black When Black decamped to California for tax purposes in the mid-Seventies, Jackson became a regular visitor at his house in Bel Air. Michael used to come over to play pool with my kids, says Black. It was innocent, he was 14 and hed be in the swimming pool with us just having a great time. So what happened to that young man? He was so protected from real life by his father, he sighs. His father wasnt very nice. Family is sacrosanct to Black. His wife Shirley, whom he called my secret weapon, died in 2018. You hear people say that their marriages had ups and downs, but we never had any downs. It was 60 years of happiness. It was such a big thing when I lost her. Black graciously accepts accolades. Just dont call him a genius. Genius? He scoffs. People have told me Im a genius, he says, raising a Bond-like eyebrow. They dont know what theyre bloody talking about. The Olivier Awards 2020 with Mastercard take place on Sunday, April 5 at the Royal Albert Hall, with highlights broadcast the same evening on ITV Defendants have forfeited more than $200,000 in connection with civil proceedings that have targeted Mexican fast-food restaurants in Wyoming and Colorado, a spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration said Friday. Although the proceedings which have targeted bank accounts that authorities say show the restaurants laundered drug money with falsified invoices remain largely sealed by a judge's order to keep secret details of a parallel criminal case, the spokesman said on Friday that among the people forfeiting money was Jose Aguilar-Martinez, who ran a Colorado Springs, Colorado, food supplier alleged to be at center of the scheme. David Tyree, special agent in charge of the federal agency's Wyoming office, told the Star-Tribune by phone Friday that he could not specify how much of the money had belonged to Aguilar-Martinez, whom Tyree referred to as the investigation's target. Tyree declined to comment further on the case, citing confidentiality of the criminal investigation. New Delhi, March 8 : On the International Women's Day, Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland on Sunday stressed on gender equality and education of girls to urge all 53 member-countries, including India, to make this 'the decade of gender equality'. Despite decades of activism and reforms, only six countries in the world have given women and men equal rights to work -- an increase from none about 10 years ago. Scotland said: "Our Commonwealth Charter speaks of gender equality and women's empowerment as being essential components of human development and basic human rights. "Advancing women's rights, the education of girls and their participation in the workforce are critical prerequisites for effective and sustainable development," she said in a statement. "For instance, on an average, for every A1 invested in business, those with all-male boards show a loss of two per cent, while those with two or more women yield a return of six per cent. "But many countries need help to make it happen. So today, we are consulting on a toolkit that will support country-level efforts with training programmes and campaigns to accelerate gender equality." She declared March 2020 as Commonwealth Gender Equality Month' to "sharpen the focus on the need to accelerate the rate at which action is taken by our member-nations to achieve gender equality". Ahead of the International Women's Day, the Secretary General joined a gathering of leaders, celebrities, academics and activists in London to discuss ways to accelerate the progress. Delegates watched a new film that follows Livia Firth, co-founder of Eco-Age, to Botswana. In the film, she listens to women who have improved their living standards by working in Botswana's diamond industry. On the occasion, an expert panel discussed how diamonds have contributed to the sustainable development of Botswana uplifting communities and protecting the environment. The panel presented a list of progressive practices that had helped close the gender gap in the Botswana workforce. These include engaging women in the development sector, investing equally in women and men, and getting women into male-dominated industries. The Secretary-General launched a toolkit, developed in partnership with the NO MORE Foundation, that will help implement the sustainable development goal five for gender equality. In a shocking attack on Pakistani women during the Aurat march on Sunday, several Lal Masjid affiliates had pelted stones, bricks, and shoes at the women participating in the march. Visuals show that a stampede had resulted due to an attack on the peaceful march. Moreover, the march's twitter handle has questioned the police inaction in stopping the attackers from targetting the women. Pakistan: Heavy rains claim at least 20 lives, dozens injured Aurat march in Pakistan attacked Mullahs are stoning the participants of #AuratAzadiMarch a march that was and is peaceful. Where is the security that was promised? Where was the police that was promised? Iss nizaam se chahtay hain Azadi! Aurat Azadi March Islamabad (@AuratAzadiMarch) March 8, 2020 Mud houses collapse in heavy rains killing 17 in NW Pakistan Lal Masjid threatens Aurat march Reports state that Lal Masjid had issued threats to the Aurat March and had filed a complaint against the organisers alleging that they were promoting obscenity. Moreover, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) - a Pakistani hardliner affiliate had allegedly taken out its own march to counter the Aurat March. The march which included Lal Masjid affiliates was named 'Haya March' (March of Shame) to counter the women's march on International Women's Day (March 8). Coronavirus Outbreak: Pakistan donates surgical masks to China, amid its own shortage Death toll in Pakistan building collapse rises to 18 Jamie Hale/The Oregonian The forest trail winds a short way above the scenic Beaver Creek, over thick roots and jagged rocks, ending at a scene that seems to sparkle with beauty in Oregon's Coast Range. Beaver Falls pours majestically over a lip of basalt, the water cascading 48 feet into a turquoise swimming pool that glimmers in the sunlight. Tiny waterfalls tend to trickle from the cliffs whenever the water is high, and at the right time of day you'll find rainbows in the mist. Despite its beauty, Beaver Falls remains relatively unknown though some locals are hoping that will change. READ MORE: The 12 best waterfalls in Oregon's north Coast Range Don't Edit Jamie Hale/The Oregonian A woman and her dog enter the forest at the Beaver Falls Trailhead. Don't Edit Jamie Hale/The Oregonian Beaver Falls plunges into a pool at the end of a short trail in Oregon's north Coast Range. Don't Edit Jamie Hale/The Oregonian A painted sign on a tree points to Beaver Falls. Don't Edit The waterfall is managed by Columbia County, which considers it an "unimproved county park." That means it gets little attention from officials, who say a practically nonexistent parks budget forces them to pick and choose among many needs. Local residents, however, pay the waterfall plenty of attention. Casey Garrett, the director of Columbia County general services, which includes its parks, said people flock to the waterfall on practically every sunny weekend in the spring and summer, filling the small swimming hole to capacity. "If you grew up in the Rainier-Clatskanie area, a lot of your days were probably spent at Beaver Falls," Garrett said. "I think people cherish it and know about it, especially in north Columbia County." It was once also well known to tourists. In 1922, crews completed the Lower Columbia River Highway (better known as U.S. 30), offering a driving route along the Columbia River from Portland to Astoria. That route ran alongside Beaver Creek, passing just above Beaver Falls and Upper Beaver Falls. The year the highway opened, The Oregonian ran a full-page photo of Beaver Falls, describing it as "one of the most picturesque spots between Portland and Astoria." At some point during the ensuing decades, the Lower Columbia Highway was rerouted about a half-mile to the south, offering a more direct route to downtown Clatskanie, but bypassing the falls altogether. Since then it's become something of a "secret spot," known mostly to locals, waterfalls hunters and those in the know. Garrett said Columbia County officials would like that to change, however, as they continue to look for ways to bring more tourism dollars to the area. "We're at a point where, as a county, we've decided that we actually want to promote all our great locations like that," Garrett said. "I'd say we're in a great spot to promote what's a little bit of a secret." Don't Edit Don't Edit Jamie Hale/The Oregonian Beaver Falls plunges into a pool, painted with sunlight streaming down Beaver Creek. Don't Edit Jamie Hale/The Oregonian Faded paint on an old wooden post is the only sign at the Beaver Falls Trailhead. Don't Edit Jamie Hale/The Oregonian The Beaver Falls Trail winds through a forested canyon in Oregon's north Coast Range. Don't Edit Beaver Falls practically sells itself, but it still lacks one thing that would help people find it: signs to show the way. There are no signs on Beaver Falls Road that announce the waterfall trail, nor any signs at the parking area itself. The only sign at the trailhead is an old wooden post, on which the letters "BFTH" are painted in red though it's so faded now, it's practically indecipherable. If you manage to set off on the correct trail (a second trail leaves from the parking lot, heading dangerously down a rocky slope to the shores of Beaver Creek), the only sign that proves you're on the right path is a red arrow spray-painted onto a tree, pointing in the general direction of the waterfall. The lack of signage is a problem, Garrett said, but fixing it just hasn't been a priority for Columbia County officials. Instead, they've been investing money in other county parks, like the Crown Z Trail and Salmonberry Lake. "Beaver Falls, it is what it is for the moment, it isn't really a big priority," he said. That's not to say Beaver Falls is neglected completely. Once or twice a year, a volunteer cleanup crew comes to take care of the area, Garrett said, primarily to pick up trash. On a recent visit this winter, I found some graffiti on the rocks, as well as some trash and broken glass underfoot. The trail to the waterfall was clear of brush and fallen trees, and access was easy until a slight scramble down loose rock at the end. Officials are unaware of any significant incidents or injuries at Beaver Falls in recent years. In 1995, two people died after falling from the cliffs while trying to get a better view of the waterfall from the highway. At some point, a car also apparently drove over the cliffs and crashed into the water at the base of the falls. The car remains there today, Garrett said. Vandalism and sunken car aside, the scenic waterfall seems to be a little slice of paradise between Portland and Astoria. Some locals might bemoan a surge in popularity, but all beautiful places are bound to be discovered or in this case, rediscovered. --Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Don't Edit Don't Edit The retail world is already fatigued after almost a decade of competitive threats from e-commerce players and the fast-changing world of technology. Over the last few months weve heard about Pier 1 Imports and Carlton Cards shuttering their doors. A recent visit to malls within the GTA, from Etobicoke to Burlington, with a client revealed as many as 10-15 closed stores. There were no coming soon sign announcing new stores as was common in the past a clear indicator that retail is undergoing a transformation. Add to this the impact of the coronavirus and it is like a perfect storm that will separate the weak retailers from the stronger. About five weeks ago, I was working on a project for clients to better understand the impact of this virus on the supply chain as my business depends on providing clients with strategic perspective on changes that can impact their overall business results. Having lived in China and led and developed a 200-plus store chain there, I knew what to look for and that had to do with transparency of the information available. It wasnt clear at the time if the virus was spreading outside of China or if it was being contained. I spent time tracking the virus using the online sites Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) and Worldometer. I read English versions of newspapers from Japan, South Korea and Singapore because they provided close to market reporting and unbiased analysis similar to what we are used to in Canada. And I also focused on consumer behaviours as the virus spread. I was curious how consumers were reacting to the threat of getting ill. I found human patterns were the same in all countries: consumers were fear shopping buying up paper goods, sanitizers and medical supplies. The Japan Times carried an article telling the public that the country would not run out of toilet paper. At any other time that might be funny. During a personal trip to Costco last week, I noticed consumers with carts loaded with bottled water, bundles of toilet paper, paper towels and even plastic gasoline cans. Over the weekend there were reports of long lines of consumers at Costco stocking up these products. On any other day that may seem normal. But right now, you cant blame consumers for being scared. So much is unknown. There are spill over of facts, misinformation, and not enough guidance on how to prepare. Both retail and shopping are already about to be transformed and the fear of a coronavirus epidemic could speed up those changes. We didnt face this scenario during the SARS outbreak in 2003, because the situation was right. There was little competition online, few social networks to connect with and not much had changed in the way retailers advertised or conducted sales. Buying online was still a discussion in strategy. Smartphones and apps didnt exist yet to order online or share anything with friends. Today we can do all of that and more. And if consumers isolate themselves out of fear of getting the coronavirus, this could accelerate the changes that retailers fear. Retailers need to prepare. E-commerce sales have already picked up in Asia as consumers use technology to change their shopping behaviours. This could be a tipping point for retailers that have been sitting on the fence unable to decide how to transform their businesses. The social impact of a virus spreading could lead to school closures which would see more parents staying at home. Taking them out of the workforce could put financial pressure on households, ultimately impacting a retailers revenue and store operations. If this virus were to spread across Canada, it will be a domino effect of significant proportions. Despite the growth of e-commerce in Canada albeit small in overall retail volume, more than 90 per cent of retail is still conducted in physical stores. The coronavirus will change all of that because it is a Black Swan Moment, something that you might think of but never expect to happen and have not planned for. George Minakakis is CEO of Inception Retail Group and author of The Great Transition The Emergence of Unconventional Leadership Read more about: Mr. Azars assertion echoed one made by Vice President Mike Pence at a White House news conference Friday evening, in which the vice president said that doctors treating potentially symptomatic Americans could contact local officials and have state labs do the testing. During a visit to the mask producer 3M in Minnesota on Thursday, Mr. Pence acknowledged the constraints of testing. We dont have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward, he said. In recent weeks, Mr. Trump has remained publicly upbeat, minimizing the potential consequences of the virus, which he has said could disappear this spring in warmer weather. A vast majority are going to be fine, the president said on Friday about Americans who have the virus, portraying it as similar to the flu. Im not concerned at all, the president said on Saturday when asked about the coronavirus getting closer to the White House. In private, White House officials have cast Mr. Azar as alarmist. On Friday, Mr. Trump characterized the governments testing aptitude as amazing and called the C.D.C.s test perfect, statements that have been roundly disputed by scientists and health officials who have expressed alarm over the speed with which the C.D.C. has tested and over the quality of its tests. Consistent messaging, Dr. Sharfstein said, helps with the fear of the unknown. Testing is a more confusing topic than it can seem, he said. People can be overly reassured by a negative test or overly panicked by a positive test. Having a thoughtful approach to testing is important. The number of people who can be tested for the coronavirus and the number of tests available are fluid, federal officials said on Saturday at the White House briefing. A senior Al-Shabaab commander was killed in a recent US air strike in Somalia, the director of US African Command (Africom) said Sunday. "Bashir Mohamed Mahamoud was a senior operational leader responsible for exporting terror in Somalia as well as attacks into Kenya," said Africom director Colonel Christopher Karns. "He has been a senior al-Shabaab member for more than a decade." Bashir was killed in a February 22 airstrike, said Karns, describing him as an "individual (who) had a role in planning and directing terrorist operations in Somalia and on the Kenya border region". Bashir also was suspected of having had a role in a January attack on a US-Kenyan military base in southeastern Kenya in which three Americans were killed, he added. General Roger Cloutier, commander of US land forces in Africa, recently declared al-Shabaab to be "one of the biggest threats on the continent". Some analysts have questioned the effectiveness of the US campaign in Africa. Amnesty International said in a 2019 report that US air strikes sometimes hit civilians as well as Shebab fighters, killing farmers, workers and children. The US military has generally denied the charge, though it did admit responsibility for civilian casualties in one attack that killed a woman and a child near the central town of El Buur in April 2018. Colonel Karns described al-Shabaab as "the largest and most kinetically active al-Qaeda network in the world". "What we are doing in Somalia, as part of an international effort, is meaningful basic security insurance for Africa and the longer term security of America, the continent, and our international partners," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Michele Audette feels disappointed when she looks online and sees a barrage of violent threats towards Indigenous women. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 8/3/2020 (673 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Girls Commissioner Michele Audette speaks during a press conference at the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak office in Winnipeg on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018. Audette feels disappointed when she looks online and sees a barrage of racist and violent threats towards Indigenous women. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski Michele Audette feels disappointed when she looks online and sees a barrage of violent threats towards Indigenous women. "It made me so mad that we tolerate this. There's no real ... reprimand," says Audette, who was one of the commissioners for the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. As she gently places her eight-month-old grandchild into her vehicle in Quebec City, Audette explains that she understood it would take time for governments and society to work towards the more than 200 recommendations included in the inquiry's final report last June. The report called violence against First Nations, Metis and Inuit women and girls a form of genocide. Audette had hoped the work would mean a better and safer future for children such as her granddaughter. She wonders if Indigenous women feel any safer, especially with threats levelled during recent anti-pipeline protests, rail blockades and demonstrations. In many of those cases, she feels that women are more often targets than men. "Here again, status quo. We are not safe," she says. "For me, in 2020, it's unacceptable." Bardish Chagger, Canada's minister of diversity, inclusion and youth, has called racist taunts and threats directed at Indigenous people following recent protests horrible and ignorant. She says many Canadians are unaware of Indigenous history and rights. Erica Violet Lee, a community organizer from Saskatoon, says the treatment of Indigenous people in Canada has always been violent. When they speak out about issues, "Canadian politeness" crumbles away, she says. It was similar during the Idle No More protest movement, which was started by four women in 2012. "When Indigenous communities and nations exercise our inherent right to self-determination, we become troublemakers, 'bad Indians,' who don't respect the Canadian rule of law," Lee said in an email. "But Cree laws and the laws of our lands say that we have a responsibility to act in situations of injustice and environmental devastation." Lee recently attended a demonstration at a Saskatoon rail line in support of Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs opposed to a natural gas pipeline on traditional territory in British Columbia. She says some men began yelling at young protesters to jump in front of the trains. She says she and the youth were called everything from "stupid" to "terrorists." They also received death threats. "How do we respond to that? We keep living," Lee says. During the pipeline protests, it was common to see online comments encouraging drivers to run over protesters. One photo showed blood on the front of a train with a laughing face emoji. The SooToday news website in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., citing a rise in racism, closed its comment section on Indigenous stories in February. "We have read your ignorant ramblings, your subtle, but hurtful racism," editor Mike Purvis wrote in an editorial. "We have moderated your thinly (and not-so-thinly) veiled threats of violence." Uttering threats is a criminal act. RCMP spokeswoman Catherine Fortin said in an email that a "hate-motivated incident," such as name-calling or racial insults, may not reach the threshold of a criminal offence, but can still be reported to police. Nickita Longman, a Saulteaux woman from George Gordon First Nation in Saskatchewan, says it has been inspiring to see Indigenous people across the country come together in protests, but it has come with alarming backlash. The longtime activist and organizer, who lives in Winnipeg, says the most concerning aspect of online hate and threats towards Indigenous women is how often it goes unchallenged. The cross-Canada demonstrations have for the most part been peaceful, she says, and women will not be swayed by threats. "Until our inherent rights are recognized and respected to the fullest capacity, we will continue to resist," Longman says. "It is important to continue because our resistance has the capacity to dictate the future for generations to come." Her main concern is online rhetoric moving offline. "The more these comments find space on the internet, the more they embolden people to act on them in person. "As an Indigenous woman, that is by far the scariest part." This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2020. About the class This story was developed as part of a UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications depth-reporting project examining the impact of climate change on Nebraska. This semester, the 20 students are assessing the impact of climate change on, among other things, Nebraskas agriculture, water, livestock, wildlife, health and national security. In the fall, the focus of the class will shift from examining the problems associated with climate change to evaluating the potential range of solutions globally, nationally, locally and individually. More: go.unl.edu/climatechangene SOUTHINGTON An apartment building with some below market rate units slated for a downtown property is development that Connecticut housing officials hope to encourage. But its not welcomed by some neighbors of the 22-unit complex that was approved for a 2-acre parcel off Liberty Street. Roxanne Miranda, a resident of West Center Street, said it will overcrowd the residential block and likely bring down the property value of her two-family house. By pricing a third of the apartments below market rate, developers were able to invoke a state law and sidestep many local zoning regulations, including those on density. While Planning and Zoning Commission members worked to explain that their vote in favor of the plan last month was driven by affordable housing mandates, the result still frustrated Miranda and others. Local residents can get lost in the zoning jargon and legal language. Whats affordable? State officials consider housing affordable if it doesnt take up more than a third of a familys income. For Hartford county, the median income for a family of four is $97,000. That allows for more than $29,000 annually in housing costs, or $2,425 per month. For families or individuals making less than the median income, a mortgage or rent can consume more than the recommended third of annual income. To encourage affordable housing the state has several methods, according to Michael Santoro, state Department of Housing policy research and housing support director. It can subsidize housing through local housing authorities. The state can also subsidize low-income individuals or families by paying a portion of their housing costs. A third method is giving an incentive to private developers to offer below market rate apartments or houses. That method, referred to as affordable or workforce housing, was made into state law in 1989. Planning officials, lawyers and developers refer to it by its statute designation, 8-30g. Who qualifies? Local developer Carl Verderame initially proposed a 30-unit apartment building for a property in the middle of a residential block bordered by Liberty Street, Eden Avenue, West Center Street and Bristol Street. Its called Center Pointe Crossing. To qualify as affordable housing, a third of the units must be below market rate while the remainder can be priced at market rate. Of the third which are affordable units, half of those have to be affordable to an individual or family earning 60 percent of the median area income and half to those making 80 percent of the median area income. For families of three people, that would be $52,380 and $69,840, respectively. At the 80 percent calculation, a two-bedroom at Center Pointe Crossing would rent for $1,514 a month, according to plans submitted by the developer. At the 60 percent calculation, tenants would pay $1,262 a month. Those plans didnt indicate how much a market rate two-bedroom apartment would cost. Mark Lovley, a local developer, said affordable housing is often misunderstood. The income limits and allowable rents for affordable units show that it is intended for working families, retirees and those starting in their careers. You have teachers who are first year teachers, you have firemen, you have police officers who arent working a lot of overtime, he said. They always think Section 8. Affordable is not Section 8. Whats not affordable? While some units at Center Point Crossing are considered affordable, they still might be out of reach for those with incomes far below the area median. For those families, the state offers subsidized housing or housing vouchers. Subsidized housing includes housing authority properties or other state or federally subsidized homes. There are 500 governmentally assisted housing units in Southington out of more than 17,000 total dwellings. Section 8 is a reference to a federal housing law that provides subsidies to low income families and individuals rather than to buildings. According to the state Department of Housing, Section 8 vouchers generally go to those with income below 50 percent of the area median income. At least three-quarters of the available vouchers go to those earning less than 30 percent of the area median income. For the Hartford area, Section 8 recipients would most likely be making less than $29,100 annually. Unlike affordable or subsidized housing, a person or family with a Section 8 voucher can live in any type of unit thats approved by the program. There were 69 units with residents receiving rental assistance in Southington last year. Santoro said that number can fluctuate as qualifying families move in and out of a town. Why do developers build affordable housing? The need for cheaper housing is clear to Tony Denorfia, a local developer and a director of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Connecticut. He said builders cant construct a new house in Southington for less than $400,000 due to land prices, regulations and construction costs. Housing costs just keep going through the roof, Denorfia said. We cannot build in todays market for the average family to live in a suburban town. The problem is most acute in the suburbs where land values are high. Thats also where theres the least affordable housing, Denorfia said. Homes bordering the vacant lot where an apartment building with affordable units is proposed. | Dave Zajac, Record-Journal Homes bordering the vacant lot where an apartment building with affordable units is proposed. | Dave Zajac, Record-Journal State officials set a goal of 10 percent affordable housing out of housing stock in each municipality. Cities, including Meriden, meet or exceed that goal. Many towns are below the 10 percent including Southington, which stands at 5.43 percent, according to the state Department of Housing. To encourage the building of affordable houses and apartments, the state allows developers to bypass some local zoning regulations if they include below market rate units in their projects. That allows developers to get more units per acre than theyd normally be allowed. Without allowing for greater density, Lovley said it wouldnt be feasible to build housing that sells or rents below market. Those affordable units are your loss leaders. Youre not making money on those at all, he said. Lovley said when building homes in an affordable housing project, developers are losing money by selling homes at the rate affordable to those making 60 percent of the median area income. Developers can break even at the 80 percent rate and make up losses by building more market rate units than allowed by town regulations. Denorfia said he considered buying the Liberty Street parcel but declined. We looked at the piece. And without the affordable component youre going to get one house on it, he said. While Verderame initially proposed 30 units, the Planning and Zoning Commission reduced it to 22 units. As with all affordable housing under the state law, the affordable rates will be determined by a deed restriction which remains with the apartments for 30 years. Chris Smith, an attorney representing Verderame, didnt return calls for comment. Its unclear whether the developer will challenge the planning commissions decision to reduce the number of apartments. Is affordable housing law working? Deed restricted housing, such as that described by state law, is the smallest portion of below market rate housing in Southington. That category comprises only 51 units in town. Rob Philips, Southington Town Planner, said the affordable housing in town hasnt grown substantially since he started seven years ago. He doesnt see much progress towards the 10 percent state goal. When a town is below that goal, the burden of proof shifts when considering a housing application. The local planning board can only deny a developer based on health or safety concerns rather than other zoning considerations. Robert Hammersley, the Southington Planning and Zoning Commission chairman, said he would have liked more say over the layout and design of Center Pointe Crossing. Since it was submitted under the 8-30g statute, the commission couldnt have that discussion. (We have) virtually no flexibility over the design, Hammersley said. Santoro said the state law isnt a problem for towns that work with developers to site affordable housing projects. Every community has some need for affordable housing, he said. Unlike housing or tenant subsidies, affordable housing built under the 8-30g statute is constructed with private money. We have gotten affordable housing built that we otherwise wouldnt have gotten built, Santoro said. The state doesnt have an unlimited pocketbook. If we can get it done with private development money, thats only to the good. Roxanne Miranda said she understands the difficult situation some are in but still worries about the effect of a large apartment building so close to her West Center Street house and on such a small parcel. This is not the proper place, she said. Miranda is also worried about the type of tenants that will live at Center Pointe Crossing, she said. She pointed to a discolored mattress leaning against a fence near the propertys driveway. I dont want more of that, she said. jbuchanan@record-journal.com 203-317-2230 Twitter: @JBuchananRJ Two members of the Australian Defence Force have tested positive for coronavirus. The pair are now in isolation and NSW Health has begun contact tracing. At least one of the members flew from Sydney to Canberra on February 28. The tracing is expected to affect members of Parliament and their staff, as health authorities look to track down anyone who may have had contact with the two Defence Force members. Minister for Health Greg Hunt said Australia was deep in preparation for the virus to spread throughout the community. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen There are now 74 confirmed cases of the virus in Australia, rising sharply from 15 a fortnight ago. Worldwide, 105,000 have now been diagnosed with the virus. This figure includes 3559 deaths and three in Australia. 58,382 people have recovered. It announced the Ministry of Health Saudi Arabia on Saturday for the results of the laboratory confirms the injury two women by Corona virus new (Kovid 19) Total injuries rises to seven cases. The ministry said, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) today, that one of them is coming from Iran via the Kingdom of Bahrain, and did not disclose at the Saudi port of their presence in Iran. She pointed out that the second case of a citizen coming from Najaf in Iraq through the United Arab Emirates, did not disclose this at the port. The ministry added that, according to the precautionary procedures followed by the competent authorities, they were immediately transferred to the quarantine to take samples for laboratory testing, which proved the infection with the virus and were subsequently transferred to the hospital's isolation. Businessinsider.com Saudi Arabia plans to increase oil production in April in response to the failure of the OPEC + deal with Russia. This is reported by Bloomberg. On March 7, Riyadh reduced the price of oil that it sells to foreign markets by maximum in the last 20 years, trying to induce oil refineries in Europe, Asia and the United States to buy Saudi oil by unprecedented discounts. A few hours after the failure of the negotiations in Vienna, Riyadh lowered the so-called official sales prices by offering record discounts on some types of crude oil that it sells around the world, the agency writes with reference to a copy of the price offer. State oil company Saudi Aramco once a month tells refiners the price at which it will sell its oil, usually adjusting it from a few cents to a couple of dollars, the agency explains. But on March 7, the company informed customers that it was cutting official prices by $ 68 per barrel in all regions. Related: OPEC, Russia discuss oil production cut amid spread of coronavirus In particular, Saudi Aramco offered a discount of $ 8 per barrel for its Arab Light brand oil for refineries in northwestern Europe. The price of a barrel of this oil was $ 10.25 lower than Brent crude. Russian Urals oil is offered at a discount of $ 2 per barrel to Brent oil prices. Riyadhs decision can also affect other Gulf countries that export 14 million barrels of oil daily: usually producers in the region follow Aramco, the publication concludes. We recall that the OPEC + countries at the negotiations on March 6 were unable to agree and extend the agreement to reduce oil production. The current transaction will cease to be effective on April 1. After that, all restrictions on oil production in the OPEC and non-OPEC countries will be lifted. The increase in oil production by Russia will depend only on the plans of oil companies. The stumbling block in the negotiations was the position of Moscow, which refused to deepen restrictions. Without Russia's participation, OPEC countries do not see any reason to continue to artificially limit production. Prudential is expected to pave the way for a listing or partial sale of its American business this week following pressure from an activist investor. The FTSE 100 insurer, which demerged its UK business M&G in October, has been urged by Third Point to spin off its US arm and focus on fast-growing Asian markets instead. Prudential has been urged by Third Point to spin off its US arm The companys board, led by chairman Paul Manduca, is reportedly preparing to outline plans to raise cash that could be invested into the Asian business by floating a minority stake in US arm Jackson. Another potential option could be to sell a partial stake in Jackson to private equity. It comes after Third Point revealed it had built a 5 per cent stake in the Pru. Yes Bank crisis: With tears in eyes, Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor told the court that he wanted to cooperate and hasn't slept from last 3 days. Earlier today, the CBI level corruption charges against Rana Kapoor after ED's investigation. Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor, who was grilled by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from last 2 days, broke down in a Mumbai court today after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) leveled corruption charges against him. The investigation agency in its report said on Kapoors recommendations, Yes Bank invested in bankrupted DHFL in return of favours to a company owned by his daughters. Earlier on Sunday, after hours of grilling and several raids at Rana Kapoor and his daughters residences and offices in Delhi and Mumbai, the investigating agency produced the 62-year-old in a Mumbai court with proofs against of financial frauds. Sunil Gonsalves, who was presenting ED, in court, said that the scam involved over Rs 4,300 crore, adding that Rana Kapoor didnt cooperated during the probe. The accused denied allegations, with tears in eyes, stating he wanted to cooperate with officials. Also read: Coronavirus in India: How to make hand sanitizers at home? Also read: Coronavirus in India: KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan says players, spectators health first He said he is willing to cooperate to the fullest despite the fact that he hasnt slept from last 3 days even for a minute. Defense lawyer Zain Shroff countered saying his client has been made a scapegoat as the agencies, RBI, Yes Bank and Government has been facing public outrage. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday suspended the Yes Bank managing board and put a Rs 50,000 on cap withdrawal for Yes Bank customers till April 3. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had addressed a press conference to assure bank customers that their money, deposits, liabilities are totally safe and soon the situation would be normal. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Worshippers are being urged to stop the passing of bread and wine in church and be prepared for live stream services online to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Anglican Archbishop Glenn Davies has issued new recommendations for the Diocese of Sydney that include replacing open packets of biscuits with individually wrapped biscuits, suspending communal meals and not allowing food to be served on open trays. Pope Francis was seen wiping his nose during the Ash Wednesday Mass last month. Credit:AP NSW Presbyterian Church spokesman Kamal Weerakoon said they have recommended to their churches to "skip morning tea and supper" and the sharing of food. The measures come as Pope Francis is further limiting his public appearances to prevent crowds from gathering as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19. By Express News Service KOCHI: With three passengers who had arrived at the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) from Italy, testing positive for COVID-19, airport authorities have decided to step up precautionary measures to combat the spread of the virus. Initially, staff at the airport who had been in direct contact with the three passengers will be quarantined. Till now, the CIAL authorities have identified six staff members who will be put in home quarantine for two weeks under the precautionary protocol. The three-member family from Pathanamthitta had landed at the airport by the Doha to Kochi (QR 514) flight at 8.30 am on February 29. ALSO READ: As Kerala reports five fresh cases, Cochin airport starts tracing all 182 passengers on Qatar Airlines flight As per CIAL director A C K Nair, the CCTV visuals show staff inside the aerobridge, one security personnel, and one staffer each from ground booking and emigration counter coming directly in contact with the three passengers. It was also learnt that the trio had visited the duty-free shop inside the airport, said the director. An employee from the duty-free shop will also be put under home quarantine, said the director. Hundreds of staff were present in the airport when they landed. "The rest of the staff who were on duty were also instructed to undergo check-ups. The guidelines issued by the Health Ministry, including isolation, will have to be followed if anyone is found having symptoms like fever, he added. Meanwhile, all the international passengers arriving at CIAL will be asked to complete the declaration form. Those who are suspected to have the symptoms during the screening counter set up at the airport will be shifted to the hospitals. The ambulances of the Health Department will be ready at the airport. Airport authorities will also arrange for dedicated aerobridges to those passengers who are arriving from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. They will also have seperate parking bays. Passengers from these countries will also have dedicated screening and immigration counters. Instead of selected screening, the CIAL has started Universal screening from March 3 itself. Passengers arriving at international and domestic terminals through connection flights from other countries and states will also be instructed to undergo the medical procedures at the airport. Airport authorities will also carry out sanitisation drives at regular intervals. Two more persons admitted in Kochi district Two more persons were admitted to the isolation ward at Kalamassery Medical College on Sunday as part of the precautionary protocol to combat COVID-19. With these, a total of eight persons are now admitted at the isolation ward here. All these persons either came from COVID-19 hit countries or have contacted with suspects. According to health department, a total of 152 persons are now house quarantined and are under observation in the district. Measures for stringent screening Hectic tracing operation for all passengers in the QR 514 flight, their secondary contacts and employees who contacted them on Feb 29 As the universal screening was started only on March 3, there were in-flight announcements and intimation at immigration counters for the passengers who were coming from COVID-19-hit countries like Italy Flights arriving from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore to be given dedicated parking bay and aero bridge Dedicated health screen counters, immigration counters, hand baggage screening X-ray and registered baggage belts to be given to passengers arriving from the COVID-19 hit countries Man considering whether to sell or buy As markets continue to see more volatility and it appears that a global recession is becoming more likely, its natural for investors to want to buy stocks that can be relied upon and will perform well during these uncertain times. Historically, dividend stocks are some of the top investments you can own during a recession, allowing you to earn passive income and grow your cash position while stocks all around you go on sale. High-yield dividend stocks can be even more attractive, returning major cash to shareholders and helping to stabilize their portfolios. One high-yield stock thats looking extremely attractive for Canadians seeking to invest some money today is Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund (TSX:BPF.UN). Although its had its trouble in the past, now that it has trimmed its dividend, the fund has bought itself some time and some breathing room to re-strategize, allowing the market to cycle before there will be more pressure to do so again. With Boston Pizza, the level of income doesnt fluctuate all that much because it receives a royalty on the sales of the restaurants in its royalty pool. To give you an idea of how little sales fluctuate, 2019 was an extremely poor year for the fund, with sales were only down just over 2%. The problem is the fund aims to pay investors 100% of its earnings, essentially the exact royalty it receives from sales, so when sales are down 2% in a single year, it needs to fund the shortage in the dividend with its own cash. As this goes on long enough, its inevitably forced to trim the dividend in order to bring it back below its expected earnings level. Boston Pizza did this just a few weeks ago, reducing its dividend by just 11%, which was more than enough to put it in a stable position. At current levels the fund now has a payout ratio of just 93.4%, and although that may not seem like that much room, for a royalty fund like Boston Pizza, that will buy it a lot of time. Investors also shouldnt expect this decline in sales to continue that much longer. While the restaurant industry can be cyclical, as sales decline now, eventually they will need to pivot and start growing again. Story continues In addition to the naturally cyclical market for restaurant sales, Boston Pizza can help to drive additional sales through strong marketing or additional restaurant renovations, which worked so well for so long. The company has also experimented with various digital platforms to help drive growth, whether it be an increase in takeout deliveries with its easy to use app, or the MyBP loyalty program it recently started that already has more than one million members. Boston Pizza is still the number one casual dining brand in Canada, operating roughly 400 restaurants coast to coast and nearly double its closest competitor. In order for investors to be able to buy shares today and receive a dividend yielding upwards of 9.5%, it makes the stock one of the most attractive income options on the TSX today. The post This TSX Stock Is a Screaming Buy After Its Dividend Cut appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Daniel Da Costa has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020 For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers. It is too early to gauge the full economic and trade effects of the coronavirus outbreak, however, a number of global agencies have come out with their estimates of the likely damage to international trade and various economies across the globe. The United Nations trade agency estimated that a shortage of industrial parts from China caused by the outbreak has set off a ripple effect significantly affecting other countries around the world. Because China has become the central manufacturing hub of many global business operations, a slowdown in Chinese production has repercussions for any country depending on how reliant they are on Chinese suppliers. The report states that Chinas slowdown has caused a drop of over 40bn in exports to the country in the last month. The European Union was most affected, according to the agency, accounting for about one-third of the total loss in trade, or nearly 14bn. Exports of the United States were second at nearly 5bn, and Japan was third at almost 4.6bn. This loss of trade is likely to increase over the coming months as the virus reaches global epidemic dimensions, and forces the shutdown of manufacturing plants in Europe and America. A more worrying report was issued by the OECD. Its outlook statement warned of the likely impact from the broader virus contagion across the wider Asia-Pacific region and on into Europe and North and South America. The outlook says such expanded contagion, now only too evident, could cut global growth to as low as 1.5% this year, halving the OECDs previous 2020 projection. Attempted China-like containment measures, with associated factory closures, loss of business and consumer confidence is forecast to drive some countries into recession, including the Eurozone countries and Japan. If the economic consequences of the virus reach this level of severity, Irish exporters will take the type of battering not seen since the aftermath of the financial crisis and with them the Irish economy as a whole. Even in the best-case scenario of limited outbreaks in countries outside China, a sharp slowdown in world growth is expected in the first half of 2020 as supply chains and commodities are hit, tourism drops and confidence falters. Global economic growth is then seen as falling to 2.4% for the whole year, which is deemed very weak. The Irish Government would be well advised to take the OECDs recommendation with regards to facilitation of flexible working to preserve jobs. And also its recommendation that governments should implement temporary tax and budgetary measures to cushion the impact in sectors most affected by the downturn, which in the case of Ireland would include travel and tourism businesses, agri-food producers and the wide range of small manufacturing companies who are the supply chain for many of the multinational export corporations operating here. The pressures arising from the virus outbreak brings into sharp focus the need for a frictionless trade deal with the UK, which accounts for a major slice of the EU and Irelands international trade as demonstrated by the 319bn of EU exports to Britain last year. By comparison, the EU exported a third less (198bn) to China in 2019. Whereas we have limited control over the spread of the coronavirus and its impact on trade, the negotiation of a deal with the UK that does not disrupt trade is within our control in Europe. Equally, the UK should be conscious of the double impact of a loss of trade this year because of the virus and the potential for even further losses next year if they exit the EU without a deal. It is an ill wind that blows no one any good. FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2020, file photo, people wearing face masks walk down a deserted street in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province. As the coronavirus spreads around the world, International health authorities are hoping countries can learn a few lessons from China, namely, that quarantines can be effective and acting fast is crucial. On the other hand, the question before the world is to what extent it can and wants to replicate Chinas draconian methods. (AP Photo/Arek Rataj, File) JOHANNESBURG (AP) South Africa is set to evacuate 151 citizens from the Chinese city of Wuhan as a new virus continues to spread across the globe, authorities said Sunday. The South Africans will be evacuated in a military operation that will see them quarantined for 21 days after they arrive in the country, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said. All of the South Africans returning are healthy and have tested negative for the virus, but as a safety precaution they will be under quarantine upon their arrival in South Africa, Mkhize said. The airlift would take place in about 10 days, he said. South Africa is the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to evacuate its citizens from China and affected areas. The decision to evacuate the citizens follows pleas from families of South Africans still held up in Wuhan, the city identified as the main source of the outbreak. South Africa's health care facilities are ready to receive the evacuated South Africans, though these sites wouldn't be made known, Mkhize said. He said the country has prepared to deal with the new virus and has designated selected public hospitals to deal with any possible infections. South Africa hasn't recorded any confirmed COVID-19 cases within its borders. Three countries in Africa Algeria, Egypt and Nigeria have reported cases of the disease. Other African countries are on alert, with some health experts saying several national health systems on the continent are weak in disease surveillance and control. South Africa confirmed last week that two citizens who had been working on the Princess Diamond cruise ship have the virus and will continue to receive treatment in Japan. ___ Follow APs coverage of the new coronavirus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak Advertisement Ultra Music Festival kicked off this weekend, with tens of thousands of revellers flocking to Sydney's Parramatta Park and Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. Eric Prydz, Afrojack, DJ Snake, Luciano and Dash Berlin headlined the electronic dance music festival, which also featured Tigerlily, UMEK, DJ Tora and Eats Everything. Ultra Music Festival in Miami was cancelled earlier this week due to ongoing fears coronavirus could spread in the US. Four cases of the virus are confirmed in Florida, none in the Miami area. Ultra Music Festival kicked off this weekend, with tens of thousands of revellers flocking to Parramatta Park in Sydney's west on Saturday and Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Sunday. Pictured: A reveller at Sydney's leg of the festival yesterday A reveller donned a harness-style bra, a Louis Vuitton bumbag, suede pink skirt and chunky black sneakers at Parramatta Park on Saturday A blonde-haired beauty opted for a colour-blocked pink and blue playsuit and Dr. Martens Two friends got into the spirit in the moshpit, both donning silver chains, large sunglasses and skimpy bikini tops The cancellation was confirmed by Billboard, making it the first time in 21 years Ultra will not go ahead. Ultra also canceled its Abu Dhabi festival which was set to take place this weekend. The decision was made after organisers of the Spring Break festival, scheduled to take place between March 20 and 22, met with city officials on Wednesday. But the Australian leg of the dance music festival went ahead this weekend, with tens of thousands of revellers donning their skimpiest outfits. With tickets costing up to $175, partygoers spared no expense for their festival wear. Festivalgoers flaunted plenty of skin - opting for barely-there bikinis, hot pants, fishnet tights, chunky boots and bumbags. Scantily-clad women flaunted their figures in tiny two-pieces adorned with glitter and sequins. Harness-style bras, Louis Vuitton bumbags, Gucci handbags, silver belt chains and Dr. Martens were all the rage at both festival locations. Police charged 26 people with drug possession at Parramatta Park on Saturday night. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest anyone pictured was charged. One reveller donned acid-wash mini shorts, white sneakers, a Gucci handbag, tiny sunglasses and a crop top Saudi Arabia Starts Oil Price War Following OPECRussia Rift Saudi Arabia has fired the first salvo in an oil price war, slashing crude prices after OPECs supply pact with Russia collapsed March 6 in bitter acrimony. State oil giant Saudi Aramco said in a statement March 7 that it was cutting its official selling price (OSP) for April for all its crude grades to all destinations, amounting to unprecedented discounts of nearly 20 percent in key markets. The move is an overt bid to wrest market share away from Moscow, Saudi officials told The Wall Street Journal, after talks between Russia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) failed to agree on production cuts amid a coronavirus-driven collapse in oil demand. Its time for a good old-fashioned bloodbath, for which Russia deserves all the blame, said Matt Reed, vice president at energy consultancy Foreign Reports, according to Foreign Policy. While cheaper oil will translate into more affordable energy for consumers and businesses, it hurts producing countries and companies. Citing Saudi officials and OPEC delegates, the WSJ reported that besides the price cuts, the kingdom was also planning to boost output to some 10 million barrels per day, placing further downward pressure on prices. After OPEC and Russia failed to agree on supply cuts on March 6, oil prices plummeted roughly 10 percent in international markets, falling the most since the 2008 global financial crisis. The U.S. oil patch has already been shedding thousands of jobs and suffering through a surge of bankruptcies, and lower prices will exacerbate those problems. Meanwhile, all major markets in the Middle East plummeted March 8 as investors weighed the impacts of an all-out price war. Markets are finding it difficult to cope with all these variables that have been happening over the past 10 days, said Mohammed Ali Yasin, chief strategy officer at Al Dhabi Capital Ltd., in remarks to Bloomberg. Thats why we see this panic-selling across the board taking certain markets to lows not seen even during the financial crisis. Painful Decision The spread of the new coronavirus has sharply reduced air travel and thus the demand for fuel, while industry in China, the worlds second-largest economy, has been severely disrupted through shutdowns and travel restrictions. To cope with falling oil demand, OPEC and its allies, a grouping known as OPEC+, earlier agreed on production cuts to buoy prices and were in negotiations to extend those cuts. On March 5, the 14 OPEC countries agreed to cut output by 1.5 million barrels a day, or about 1.5 percent of world production. But the cartel couldnt overcome Russian resistance. Russia can tolerate low oil prices better than Saudi Arabia can and appears reluctant to slash output of its main revenue-making export. While Saudi Arabia can produce oil cheaply, it needs $83.60 per barrel to balance its state budget, according to the International Monetary Fund, as it is almost exclusively dependent on oil revenue. Russia needs only $42.40 a barrel. OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo of Nigeria said March 6 that the meeting had been adjourned in what he called a painful decision. At the end of the day, there was the general painful decision of the joint conference to adjourn the meeting, Barkindo said. He said informal talks would continue because the situation was urgent. The numbers are clear: The demand destruction is real, he added. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Israel will require any travelers arriving in the country from New York, California and Washington state to self-quarantine for 14 days in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus, according to Israeli media. Army Radio reported that health officials decided on the new regulations on Saturday night and would soon be making a formal announcement. The outlet said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office had heard about the decision through the media but had not confirmed it. Dan Benjamin of Tel Aviv - who returned to Israel from New York on Saturday evening - told DailyMail.com he has not yet been asked to quarantine. He said he was informed by Israeli authorities that he and his fiancee might be asked to self-isolate in the coming days. The couple have stocked their fridge in preparation. Israel will require any travelers arriving in the country from New York, California and Washington state to self-quarantine for 14 days in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus, local media reported Sunday. Israeli citizens are seen wearing protective masks as they wait to cast votes in the legislative election last week in Jerusalem Israel will not be banning any flights under the new regulations, despite officials previous indications that they were considering a travel ban for the US, according to the Army Radio report. The report also said that officials had reversed their decision to require people to enter quarantine if they attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy conference in Washington, DC, last week. Some 80,000 Israeli citizens are said to be in voluntary quarantine for 14 days after 25 coronavirus cases were confirmed in the country. One of those patients, 38-year-old bus driver, is in serious condition. Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed grave concern over the coronavirus outbreak earlier on Saturday. 'First of all, this is a global pandemic, whether the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) calls it such or not,' Netanyahu said. 'It is doubtful whether there has been a similar pandemic in the last 100 years. It seems that the rate of infection is greater than we figured.' He went on: 'The assumption that the virus will disappear or evaporate in hot weather is unproven. At the moment, this has no basis that we can build on. The virus is currently spreading to Africa. 'There is no vaccine and anti-viral drugs are ineffective. Economies are starting to be hurt. Governments are ordering their gates closed. This is important for the supply of products for all economies. Nobody knows how the pandemic will end.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed grave concern over the coronavirus outbreak on Saturday, hours before the nation reportedly decided to quarantine all people who recently traveled to New York, California and Washington state Israel has already imposed travel bans on 11 countries: Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, mainland China (including Hong Kong and Macau), South Korea, Japan, Thailand and Singapore. Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin on Sunday morning said that national officials were working with American officials as they considered banning travelers who recently visited the US. He noted that 'such a decision has internal significance in the US' and said: 'It's important to work on this issue in collaboration with the Americans.' Levin's remarks came hours after the director-general of Israel's Health Ministry, Moshe Bar Siman Tov, said officials were making decisions on a state-by-state basis. Bar Siman Tov spoke to Channel 12 on Saturday night and indicated that California, New York and Washington state could be added to the quarantine list. Other Western nations - including Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands - are also being considered for quarantine, Bar Siman Tov said, adding that the health ministry is cooperating with the National Security Council. All Israelis who attended the AIPAC Policy Conference last week in Washington and returned to the country after March 5 were previously said to have been ordered to immediately enter isolation at home. That decision, which has apparently been reversed, came after at least two people in New York and one in California tested positive after attending the 18,000-person conference, which ran from February 28 to March 2. A spokesperson for AIPAC said he did not know how many Israelis attended the conference. The pro-Israel organization called for all conference participants to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and consult with their health care providers if they feel ill or have medical questions. 'If you test positive for coronavirus, we urge you to inform your local health authorities, so they can properly coordinate their response to this situation with the appropriate health authorities,' the pro-Israel organization said. The DC Department of Health issued a statement Friday saying that it was investigating alongside the New York State Department of Health (NYSDH) and that: 'There is no identified risk to conference attendees at this time.' All Israelis who attended the AIPAC Policy Conference last week in Washington, DC, and returned to the country after March 5 were previously said to have been ordered to immediately enter isolation at home. The AIPAC issued this statement about the coronavirus cases on Friday Vice President Mike Pence, who is heading the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were among the speakers. Pence and Dr Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health appeared to have been caught unaware of the positive tests in the two AIPAC attendees. Asked at a White House briefing if he was concerned that the coronavirus was now in Washington, Pence said: 'It's the first I heard of it amidst a busy day and we will be engaged, I am confident, with the same contact tracing like with any case.' Dr Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health called contact tracing - the process of trying to find out whom the person had been in contact with - 'the public health weapon'. Vice President Mike Pence, who is heading the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus, was the keynote speaker at the AIPAC conference The number of coronavirus cases in the US surpassed 400 over the weekend, with the national death toll standing at 19. On Saturday night, 31 states and the District of Columbia reported at least one confirmed or presumptive positive case, with those cases totaling 372. Including those infected people repatriated from abroad, and those trapped aboard the quarantined cruise ship Grand Princess off San Francisco, the total is at least 437. Washington state had the most cases with 103, including 16 deaths, followed by New York with 89 cases and California, with 81 cases and one death. Florida, which reports 11 cases, has also seen two fatalities. In the interior of the country, a number of more sparsely populated states reported their first cases on Saturday, including Missouri, Indiana, Minnesota and Nebraska. In various editions of his Mann ki Baat radio address, the Prime Minister has emphasised that our daughters are our pride and from our daughters only does our society draw its strength, and hope for future. He has stressed that ensuring women have equal participation in every sphere of social and economic life is our duty. Accordingly, a campaign, #SheInspiresUs, has been launched in the run-up to International Womens Day, 2020. The inspiring role of women in the Indian economy is evident from their crucial role in nurturing a healthier generation through the Anganwadi system staffed by over 1.6 million female workers. Women are also creating wealth through self-help groups (SHGs) from Kudumbashree in Kerala to Self Employed Womens Association (SEWA) in Gujarat. Around 60 million women have been mobilised into over 5.4 million SHGs under the Deen Dayal Antodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission. Recognising the potential of these SHGs and women entrepreneurs, the government has launched Womaniya on Government e Marketplace (GeM) to develop female entrepreneurship . Also, as part of this years International Womens Day celebrations, the government is planning to give 3,000 women belonging to 150 SHGs access to the GeM portal so that they can sell their products. Despite these successes, as the Economic Survey 2019-20 shows, the trend in participation of women in Indias workforce is not encouraging. While women account for almost half of Indias population, their participation in the labour market is almost one-third; the worrying part is that it is declining. Female labour force participation rate (LFPR) for productive age-group (15- 59 years) has shown a declining trend from 33.1% in 2011-12 to 25.3% in 2017-18. Although female LFPR is higher in rural areas than in urban areas, the rate of decline is also sharper in rural areas than in urban areas. Thus, gender disparity in Indias labour market has increased. Among young females (15-29 years), around 52.3% were engaged in domestic activities in 2017-18; this proportion has increased over the last two decades. Similarly, in the age group 30- 59, the proportion of females attending to domestic duties increased from 46% in 2004-05 to 65.4% in 2017-18. In the productive age group (15-59 years), about 60% of working age females were attending to domestic duties only; this proportion is less than 1% for males. A McKinsey Global Institute report estimates that improved gender diversity can add $12 trillion to the world GDP by 2025 and India can contribute an incremental $700 billion to the global GDP one-third of the additional GDP required for a $5 trillion Indian economy. Therefore, the enhancement of womens LFPR can contribute immensely to economic growth while bringing the necessary balance in social norms relating to women. What may be the underlying reasons for the low and declining female LFPR in India? As detailed in the Economic Survey, 2019-20, various studies have shown that the pursuit of higher education, increase in rural incomes, cultural factors, social constraints, higher responsibilities of domestic work and childcare could be constraining womens participation in the labour market. On the demand side, the absence of job opportunities, quality jobs and significant gender wage gap are restraining factors. The structural shift away from agricultural employment not accompanied by a concomitant increase in opportunities for women in the manufacturing sector may be a major factor. Government policies aimed at addressing the falling LFPR have mainly focused on launching employment programmes with special provisions to incentivise female employment such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Prime Ministers Employment Generation Programme and Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency. These have been supplemented with supportive legislation, special skill training programmes; and promoting education of the girl child. However, not much attention has been given to addressing the underlying social norms that may compel women to be primary caregivers and homemakers and look down upon males contributing to this work. In India, where social and cultural norms play a dominant role in influencing behaviour, using the principles of behavioural economics can provide a valuable instrument for change. The success of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme has demonstrated a powerful use of the insight on social norm in its #SelfiewithDaughter initiative. By drawing attention to positive influencers, especially friends/neighbours who represent role models with which people can identify, the celebration of the girl child quickly became the norm. Two elements enabled the campaigns success: first, telling people what the norm is, and second, showcasing the thousands of other people who were acting in line with that norm. Our scriptures worship women as the Goddess Lakshmi who is the embodiment of shakti and wealth. Given the importance of messaging, the cultural and social norms empowering women need to be emphasized. The social norm that women are equal to men and that it is great to share the burden of domestic chores needs to be created. Since many positive mythological insights about gender equality are readily available and deeply understood in Indian society, these can be used to bring about a revolution in womens participation. This involves an explicit statement of the new norm of gender equality and sharing the burden of domestic work, focusing attention on all those who adopt the new norm (and avoiding giving attention to those who do not) and to continuously reinforcing the norm over time. Identifying, engaging with and publicizing local role models in the community is a useful way to reinforce the message. Partners working together have a greater ability in challenging social norms (a key step in dismantling an existing social norm) compared to individuals acting on their own. Promoting the visibility of working women and emphasizing their role as a significant contributor can help counter norms about the role of women. It is necessary to not only shift social norms held within communities, but also within institutions and workplaces. These are norms that prevent employers from hiring women in certain occupations, fairly remunerating them and discouraging sexual harassment in workplaces. Positive deviants within the sectors need to be highlighted to promote positive social norms within their own organizations and act as the first movers in their industries/sectors. So, on this womens day, let us join forces, irrespective of gender, to create wealth and contribute equally to making India a $5 trillion economy and a vibrant inclusive society. (K V Subramanian is Chief Economic Advisor to Government of India and Surbhi Jain is Director in the Ministry of Finance) President Donald Trump says he isnt concerned at all about the coronavirus getting closer to the White House after the nations capital reported its first case Saturday. Maryland officials warned Saturday that a person who attended the recent Conservative Political Action Conference in the suburb of Oxon Hill had tested positive for the virus. Both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the conference. The White House said Saturday there was no indication that either had met or were in close proximity to the infected attendee. Asked if he was concerned about the virus getting closer, Trump said: No, Im not concerned at all. No, Im not. Weve done a great job. When asked whether his thousand person campaign rallies would would continue in light of the CPAC case, the president replied, Well have tremendous rallies. Trump held his most recent campaign rally last Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina.He waved off other questions to join a dinner for the president of Brazil, who was visiting Trump at the presidents home in south Florida. A Marine at Virginias Fort Belvoir became the first military case of coronavirus reported inside the U.S., a Pentagon official said on background prior to the announcement. The Marine was being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, located south of Washington, and had recently returned from an overseas assignment, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said on Twitter. The District of Columbia recorded its first case on Saturday. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said testing at the public health lab of the D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences yielded its first presumptive positive coronavirus case. Mike Bloomberg drops his presidential bid after Super Tuesday. He entered the race late and was focusing on Super Tuesday. The Federalist reported he spent $550 million of his own money on his failed bid for president. His campaign showed promise in the beginning. He became the front runner. He was not a part of the debates until the last two debates held by the Democratic Party. The end of Mike Bloombergs campaign for president He bought advertising in the states that held Super Tuesday contests. This strategy was working and he garnered respectable poll numbers. On the television, he looked like the perfect candidate. However, the Democratic party changed the rules to qualify for the debates. They dropped the rule of a certain number of individual donations since Bloomberg was using his own money and not soliciting donations. This did not end well for Bloomberg. He was the front runner, and that put a target on his back. The other democrats attacked him. Mike Bloomberg sputtered, and that led to his downfall and the end of his campaign. Attacks on Mike Bloomberg Elizabeth Warren attacked Bloombergs employment record for women that worked for him as reported by Breitbart. Former female employees of his company stated that they had a non-disclosure agreement. Bloomberg released the women from their agreements so they could talk freely about what happened while employed by Bloomberg. Mike Bloomberg was using his own money for his campaign. He was not using donations or federal money and this led to accusations he was trying to buy the election. That money led to philanthropic efforts that garnered him national attention. Discuss this news on Eunomia He helped inner-city dwellers with these efforts. Mayors widely accepted him because he was once the mayor of New York City. Those are examples of the allegations that he used his money to buy the election. He did not involve himself with these activities while he was campaigning. Mike Bloombergs use of his money The race to become president is expensive. Most candidates ask donors to help fund their campaigns. They raise funds in the millions of dollars. Bloomberg was not getting donations and he was using his own money. Before withdrawing from the race, Mike Bloomberg earned 44 delegates. He won the primary in American Samoa but did not win one state on Super Tuesday. He used 5.1 million dollars on each delegate he won. With his withdrawal from the race, he took the path of his two prior drop-outs, Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg. He endorsed Biden. He wanted to unite with the candidate that has the opportunity to defeat Donald Trump in November. Mike Bloomberg entered the race late because he believed he was that candidate. 550 million dollars later and he was defeated. He will now use his resources to help Biden get elected for President. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 00:18:27|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has reiterated its commitment towards women's rights as the International Women's Day is marked under the theme "I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women's Rights." In a statement on Sunday, the Executive Secretary of IGAD Workneh Gebeyehu said IGAD would use the occasion to recommit and strengthen its resolve and momentum towards protection, promotion and fulfillment of women's rights through its measures addressing peace, prosperity and regional integration. "We shall deepen our work in enhancing the resilience of women in drought prone areas of the region; increasing attention to women and girls on the move (migration) and displaced women (refugees and internally displaced); strengthen attention to women's land rights; strengthen women's participation in peace building and conflict resolution through mediation and advocacy work by the IGAD Women, Peace and Security Forum among others," said the IGAD Executive Secretary. IGAD member states include Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda, and Gebeyehu has commended IGAD member states and partners for their efforts towards empowering women and girls in the region. He has further pledged to strengthen regional cooperation in addressing shared challenges in this realm, guided by agreed regional and international normative principles and standards on gender equality and women's empowerment. Reiterating women's pivotal role in the socio-economic and political transformation of the region as well as in building resilience to natural and human induced hazards, peace building and conflict resolution, wealth creation and economic integration, food security and improved health among others, the Executive Secretary of the East African bloc underlined the need that these roles should be fully appreciated, harnessed, and strengthened. "In commemorating International Women's Day 2020, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action; the end of the African Women's Decade (2010-2020); the 20th Anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security; and the five-year milestone for delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (2015)," said the Executive Secretary. The statement said it joins its member states and other Regional Economic Communities (RECs), AU, UN, and other regional and international organizations on the occasion to mark the International Women's Day on March 8th, 2020. The Executive Secretary has congratulated all women in IGAD Region, Africa and Internationally for reaching yet another milestone in the quest for a world that is fair to all; a world where women and men and boys and girls are treated equally with dignity and respect; a world free from gender based violence; a world of equal opportunity for all, without discrimination on grounds of sex or any other social standing. A man is dead following an officer-involved shooting Saturday evening in Monroe County, after troopers responded to calls a female victim was stabbed and her assailant fled with a knife, state police said. Authorities have identified the man, who was shot outside a Coolbaugh Township home, as 33-year-old Matthew Adam Miller of Tobyhanna, Monroe County. At about 7 p.m. Saturday, troopers were called for reports Miller stabbed the woman at the home, 9266 Westwood Drive, and ran armed with a knife, Pennsylvania State Police in Stroudsburg said. Miller was found in back of the home and was shot and killed by a Pocono Mountain Regional police officer during a confrontation with police, according to authorities. Its unclear the relationship between the pair, what led to the altercation or the victims condition Sunday morning. Trooper Anthony Petroski III, public information officer for Pennsylvania State Police Troop N in Hazleton, declined to provide further information, saying the incident remains under investigation. The Pennsylvania State Police Troop N Major Case Team and the Monroe County District Attorneys Office continue to investigate. Additional details are expected to be released as information becomes available. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. MANILA, March 7 (Reuters) - Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte plans to declare a nationwide public health emergency following confirmation of the country's first community transmission of the disease, the presidential aide said on Saturday. Earlier in the day, the nation's health officials said the new coronavirus recorded its first case of local transmission, and called for measures to contain its spread. Duterte has agreed to declare a health emergency following the latest development, Bong Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and a close aide of the president, told reporters. (Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales Editing by Shri Navaratnam) By AFP TEHRAN: Iran's health ministry on Sunday reported 49 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, the highest toll within 24 hours since the start of the outbreak in the Islamic republic. The new count brings the number of those killed by the virus in the country since mid-February to 194, one of the highest tolls outside of China, where the disease originated. The virus has spread to all of Iran's 31 provinces with 6,566 confirmed cases. Meanwhile, Iran Air has announced the suspension of all its flights to Europe until further notice. The national carrier said in a statement that the decision was taken due to "restrictions" imposed by European authorities for "unknown reasons". Sweden blocked Iran Air flights from landing in the country in recent days, citing concerns over the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus in the Islamic republic. Justin Chambers' character Dr. Alex Karev departed suddenly in last Thursday's episode of Grey's Anatomy after 16 years on the hit show. Even with the anticipated shake-up behind-the-scenes, his on-screen wife Camilla Luddington, who plays Dr. Jo Wilson, appears to be excited about what the future holds for her character. 'Reading "Dear Jo..." like,' Luddington captioned an Instagram photo of herself lounging poolside, in a nod to Alex's goodbye letter on the show, while reading a future Grey's Anatomy script. 'Reading "Dear Jo..." like': Camilla Luddington shared a photo of herself on Instagram on Saturday lounging by a pool while reading a future script of Grey's Anatomy Looking forward: Luddington revealed that she's excited to see what's next for her character, Dr Jo Wilson, following the exit of her husband Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) A slew of fans took to the comments section to weigh-in, including one person who said they 'can't wait to see what's next' for her character Jo. 'omg me too!' the actress, 36, replied. 'The scripts for Jo this season are [shock emoji]! JUST. WAIT.' The explanation: Fans learned Alex sent Jo divorce papers in the mail and that he went to re-connect with ex-wife, Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) after learning she secretly had his twins Chambers did not appear in Thursday's episode but he did make a voice cameo to wrap up his character. Fans learned that Alex sent Jo divorce papers in the mail and that he went to re-connect with ex-wife, Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) after learning that she secretly had his twins. During his last on-screen appearance in November, Alex decided to leave Jo behind and go home to Iowa to take care of his mother. In the end, he never did return to Seattle but he did send letters to Jo, Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) and Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), which were voiced by Chambers. Last exit: Dr Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) was among the people Alex sent letters to explaining his decision to leave behind his life and wife in Seattle 'I love Jo deeply, still. I think I always will and if it was just about two women I love, I'd choose my wife. You know I would, but it's not just her. Izzie made our kids,' Alex wrote in a letter to Meredith (Pompeo) in the episode. 'She had our embryos.' In another letter, Alex apologized to Jo and admitted that he was 'in live with Izzie.' 'When I asked you to marry me, I meant it. When I told you I loved you, I meant it. But Izzie has our kids,' he added. Chambers made the big reveal that he was leaving medical drama series in January, after starring in all 16 seasons, so he could work on his mental health. Grey's Anatomy airs Thursday's on ABC at 9 p.m. ET, or watch on Stan in Australia. Abortion is a topic that ignites passions and incites rhetoric. Despite what some have optimistically stated, the common ground between pro-choice and pro-life factions is strewn with land mines. But not all rhetoric is the same. This week, as lawyers were arguing the merits of a controversial anti-abortion law before the Supreme Court, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N .Y., the Senate minority leader, was outside at an abortion rights rally. This is what he had to say: I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You wont know what hit you. Gorsuch and Kavanaugh are, of course, the two junior justices appointed by President Trump. Both of them are believed to be in favor of the Louisiana law in question, which would require doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. Opponents of the law argue that its not necessary because abortion is according to them a safe procedure. They believe that the Louisiana law is designed to prevent a womans access to her constitutional right to choose. They point out that it is virtually identical to a Texas law that was recently struck down by the court as impermissibly limiting a womans options. Pro-life activists disagree, and warn that it is precisely this lack of oversight that leads to situations like Kermit Gosnell, the notorious West Philadelphia abortionist who was convicted of gruesome crimes against babies who had already been delivered. Given the high stakes, it is not uncommon to hear intense arguments about both the procedure and the laws that regulate it. I recently spoke to a group of female lawyers who did not agree with my pro-life stance, and while they listened politely (for the most part) as I explained how I had arrived at my belief that Roe v. Wade should be overturned, some made a point to remind me that abortionists have been killed while performing a legal procedure. Fair enough. But what Chuck Schumer did on Wednesday morning was unconscionable. More importantly, it was dangerous. The second most powerful senator in the chamber called out two Supreme Court justices and essentially threatened them that if they performed their constitutional duty, they would pay the price. Those words are unambiguous, despite later attempts to backtrack. Schumers spokesperson Justin Goodman said the senator meant that the justices will unleash major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision. Cue the eyeroll. The fact that the senator felt it necessary to issue that follow-up statement shows just how much he was aware that his initial comments were damning. To tell a Supreme Court Justice that he will pay a price is eerily reminiscent of the threats that doctors who performed abortions received from radical anti-abortionists shortly before they were killed, or their clinics were bombed. While I am not saying that Schumer was threatening actual violence against the justices, the mere fact that he would make that type of comment in this highly charged climate is completely irresponsible. These days, we have stopped measuring our words. Social media has made it much easier for us to say the first thing that comes to mind. We operate behind an invisible screen, speaking to an invisible audience, and we dispense with the filters that, once upon a time, helped us engage in equally passionate but much more respectful discourse. I have been guilty of that myself, on numerous occasions. But I am not the second most powerful senator in Washington, D.C., and my voice does not carry to the steps of the Supreme Court. Regardless of his later attempt at triage, Schumers admonition that the Trump-appointed justices would pay a price mirrors the same type of rhetoric that liberals (including Schumer himself) have criticized when employed by the president. So offensive were those comments that Chief Justice Roberts came out and publicly reprimanded Schumer, noting statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous. This is reminiscent of the time that the chief justice admonished Trump when he criticized the court. The First Amendment protects our right to protest. It does not protect a senators right to make threats. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital will host the Attukal Pongala, touted to be the worlds biggest gathering of women, on Monday. The temple trust expects about 45 lakh women to participate in the ritual. In the wake of COVID-19 threat, the health department has asked women with illness symptoms not to attend the festival, besides other instructions. Devotees have already started booking space for their hearths by placing bricks on the temple premises and footpaths. Those from far off places have started pouring into the city in buses and trains. The arrangements for the festival are complete, said office-bearers of the temple trust. It would comply with all directions of the Health Department in the wake of COVID-19 threat. At present, we have been instructed to enhance sanitation. Almost all arrangements are made to help the devotees perform the ritual with satisfaction, said trust chairman K Sasidharan Nair. The trust office-bearers said more number of temporary toilets will be set up for the convenience of the devotees. Police have been asked to deploy a sufficient number of personnel to ensure the safety of women. About 3,000 cops will be deployed for safety and traffic arrangements. Various rounds of review meetings were held with the attendance of devaswom minister and district collector. Pongala rituals The rituals associated with the pongala offering will start at 9.45 am. After the sudha punyaha ritual, temple thantri Thekkedath Parameswaran Vasudevan Bhattathiripad will hand over a lamp to chief priest P Easwaran Namboodiri, who will light the hearth in the thidappalli.Easwaran Namboodiri will hand over the lamp to the co-chief priest. The latter will light the pongala hearths in the valiya thidappally and the pandara aduppu, the hearth set up near the flag mast. Crackers will be burst during the lighting of the pandara aduppu, signalling devotees lined up on the temple premises and the numerous roads to light up their hearths. The sanctification of the pongala will be held at 2.10 p.m. Kuthiyottam to be held About 830 boys are participating in the Kuthiyottam ritual. Their ceremonial procession to the Sastha temple at Manacaud will be held at night.The ten-day festival will conclude on Tuesday night with the kaappazhikkal and guruthi rituals at 9.20 pm and 12.30 am the next day. COVID-19 threat: No need to panic, says min TPuram: Dismissing the concerns with regard to holding the Attukal pongala festival amid COVID-19 threat, health minister K K Shailaja said there is no such scenario in the state that warrants to ban festivals and mass gatherings. However, the minister had a word of caution as she requested those with symptoms, including fever, sore throat, running nose and dyspnea, to keep themselves away from festivals and crowds. Speaking to media persons here, she said adequate arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the festival. At present, there is no alarming situation in the state. However, people should remain cautious and have to follow the Health Departments instructions. Awareness messages will be provided to devotees through the public address system. Temple trust will ensure necessary arrangement for the same, she said. Instructions to devotees The trust has asked devotees to avoid the use of unbaked clay bricks for hearths. All types of plastic materials, covers and paper cups should be avoided and steel wares should be used instead. The pongala hearth should not be set up on tiled footpaths. Devotees are also advised not to wear gold ornaments. Organisations and individuals distributing food and water to devotees should obtain prior permission of the police and food safety departments. It was the West that blazed the trail for American womens right to vote. In 1869, a legislature made up entirely of men passed a law giving women the right to vote and hold public office in the Wyoming Territory, the first place not only in this country but perhaps anywhere in the world to grant that privilege to its female residents. Almost every Western state had already given statewide voting rights, or suffrage, to women before the 19th Amendment, which gave women the vote in state and federal elections in the United States, was ratified in 1920. But New Mexico was not one of those pioneering Western states. Here the society was a little different, Sylvia Ramos Cruz said of New Mexico. There were a lot of Spanish-American citizens and they might have had a different idea of what Spanish-American women should be doing. Also, women living on the American continent who came from Spain were used to having rights, such as owning property and power over their own money, that other women living in America did not have. And the Catholic Church worked against suffrage and (predominantly Catholic Hispanic citizens) did not want to go against the church. But there was an awareness of suffrage here and campaigns for suffrage going on. Tough fight March is Womens History Month . In recognition of that, and the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Special Collections Library, 423 Central NE, is featuring displays that trace the road to womens suffrage in the United States and also pay tribute to prominent women in New Mexico history. As part of the Making Change speakers series, Ramos Cruz gives a talk titled They Won the Vote Suffrage and Suffragists in New Mexico at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 14, in Botts Hall at the Special Collections Library. Admission is free. Born in Puerto Rico and educated in New York, Ramos Cruz, 73, is a surgeon who moved to New Mexico in 1990. She retired from her medical practice three years ago and now devotes her time to poetry, researching and writing womens history and advocating for womens rights. She said that in 1910, two years before New Mexico would become the 47th state, the New Mexico Constitutional Convention adopted a state constitution that included womens right to vote in school elections. But getting broader voting rights for women was a tough fight. Ramos Cruz said amendments to the New Mexico constitution required approval by three-quarters of state legislators, three-quarters of voters in the state and two-thirds of voters in each county. That was almost impossible to do in New Mexico, she said. But that did not mean there were not people trying to make it happen. Even though the Hispanic culture of the late 19th and early 20th century can be cited as an impediment to womens suffrage in New Mexico, some of the most fierce and tireless advocates for womens voting rights were Hispanics such as Adelina Otero-Warren and Octaviano A. Larrazolo. Otero-Warren (1881-1965) was born near Los Lunas, served as Santa Fe Superintendent of Instruction from 1917-1929, became the first Hispanic woman to run for Congress during an unsuccessful bid for office in 1922 and started working with the N.M. womens suffrage campaign in 1914. Larrazolo (1859-1930) was born in Mexico but served as New Mexicos fourth governor from January 1919 to January 1921. He was also this countrys first Hispanic senator, serving briefly in the U.S. Senate from December 1928 until March 1929. He battled for the rights of Hispanic citizens and also for womens right to vote. Women would never have had suffrage without the help of men because men were in the legislature and they had the vote, Ramos Cruz said. Making hay Ramos Cruz said many women didnt think they needed suffrage or didnt think they could get it. But womens clubs started talking about issues important to them and out of that came the desire to change the lives of women and society, she said. Men legislators were not willing to listen to women, so women needed to have the power of the vote in their own hands. Ramos Cruz said Americas women failed to marshal their forces to the fullest potential, often excluding minority women in their campaigns to win the vote. All of these people were of their time, she said. Ramos Cruz said New Mexico suffragist Ada McPherson Morley (1852-1917), who ran a ranch outside of Datil after her husbands death and opposed the powerful political alliance known as the Santa Fe Ring, originally pushed for voting rights for educated women. Like any movement in history, Ramos Cruz said it was a confluence of events that led to womens suffrage. The last thing that got us to that confluence of events was World War I because women got the chance to show they could do the work men did, she said. One example of this was the Womens Land Army of America in which women during World War I took on the farm jobs left vacant by men in military service. Ramos Cruz said Isabella Selmes Ferguson Greenway King (1886-1953), who would later become Arizonas first U.S. congresswoman, was a prominent Land Army member in New Mexico. A native of Kentucky, she settled in the Silver City area in 1910 because her husband at the time, Robert Munro-Ferguson, had contracted tuberculosis and needed the dry climate. (New Mexico) Gov. Washington Lindsey appointed her to lead the Land Army and pick the crops, Ramos Cruz said. During the war, women showed they could bring in the hay, work in munitions factories, knit scarves and other things for soldiers, conserve food at home and handle public affairs. Battle on On May 21, 1919, the U.S. House passed the 19th Amendment. The U.S. Senate approved it on June 4, 1919, sending it on to the states for ratification. Thirty-six states needed to ratify the amendment for it to become law. New Mexico was the 32nd state to vote for ratification and Tennessee, the 36th, sealed the deal by ratifying the amendment on Aug. 18, 1920. The 19th Amendment was officially adopted Aug. 26, 1920. It had been a long fight. A womens suffrage amendment was first introduced to Congress in 1878. But while some battles are won, others still rage on. Im still working to get the Equal Rights Amendment ratified, Ramos Cruz said. (Bloomberg) -- In a Berlin pizza parlor, a secretive group of politicians is drawing up a plan to put climate policy at the center of the next German government. The network, half-jokingly known as the Pizza Connection, has spent years honing proposals for an unprecedented coalition between Angela Merkels Christian Democrats and Germanys increasingly powerful Greens. With the chancellor due to step down in little over a year, the group senses that their time may be arriving. There is no alternative to a Green government, said Juergen Falter, professor of politics at the University of Mainz. As politicians across Europe wrestle with the decline of traditional parties and the challenges of climate change, Green movements are emerging as serious contenders for government across the continent. Theyve formed a coalition in Austria, are reshaping European Union policies and are poised to define Europes biggest economy in the post-Merkel era. The Greens are second only to her CDU-led bloc in national polls and underscored their growing influence by doubling support in Hamburg elections late last month. Across the rest of Europe too, officials are preparing to work with the German Greens. In a back room at the Munich Security Conference last month, French President Emmanuel Macron met with Green party leaders Robert Habeck and Annalena Baerbock for three hours, an unusually long audience for a pair of opposition lawmakers. The French leader spent much of his time with the two Greens pressing them for their views on strategic challenges to Europe like the western Balkans and Syria, according to a person briefed on the conversation. It seemed like the French leader was testing the duo, said the party official asking not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the talks. For the Greens, the Macron meeting was part of a strategy to raise their profile beyond Germanys borders and to show their environment-focused approach can address the full range of political challenges. Story continues Before Munich, Habeck -- a stubble-cheeked writer -- was in Washington talking about the need for companies and politicians to protect the planet and about how a new global economy can emerge around climate-friendly policies. In January, he made his first visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. We have this cliche that the Greens, because they are the Greens, they are for the trees and the weather, Habeck told Bloomberg News in Davos. Thats not true anymore. With Merkels party in the midst of a power struggle following the resignation of her chosen successor, the Greens are presented with a historic opportunity. Building on the Pizza Connection, theyre in position to form a coalition with the conservatives, cementing ties that have been decades in the making. Some 25 years ago, a small group of Greens began to meet with their Christian Democratic counterparts in an Italian restaurant in Germanys then-capital Bonn. The meetings have taken place periodically ever since, building a rapport between the groups and quietly establishing common ground for a possible alliance. Secret Roster There are now 15 members from each party involved, and while the roster of attendees is secret, high-ranking CDU members have taken part, including Economy Minister Peter Altmaier, Health Minister Jens Spahn and General Secretary Paul Ziemiak, according to people familiar with the gatherings. What we discuss inside the room stays inside the room, said Silvia Breher, a CDU lawmaker who has participated in the meetings. When the Pizza Connection started, the idea that the Greens and the CDU could one day form a government was unthinkable for the general public and conservative bigwigs. The Christian Democrats were the venerable party that had led Germany throughout much of its post-war reconstruction and reunited East and West. The Greens arose from the anti-nuclear movement and the left-wing fringe. Joschka Fischer -- foreign minister under Gerhard Schroeder, the one and only time the Greens played a role in national government -- admitted to beating a policeman during militant protests in the 1970s. Since Merkel came to power in 2005, the Greens have steadily moved closer to the CDU, shifting more to the center as environmental concerns become mainstream. By 2013, the idea of a coalition started to take hold among the leadership and base of both parties, and the frequency of Pizza Connection meetings was stepped up. Close Call Things were almost ready after the 2017 election, when Merkel sought to form a three-way alliance with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats. But the talks collapsed after the FDP pulled out, and Merkel was forced to revive the unpopular grand coalition with the Social Democrats. Still, the aborted negotiations demonstrated to Christian Democratic leaders that they could work with the Greens when it counted, anchoring the idea in Berlin power circles that the two would be natural partners after the next election. The ties have held in day-to-day politics since. In a vote on Brexit in February, the Greens backed the ruling coalition, while the FDP opposed. Such gestures of support have been well-received by conservative lawmakers as a sign that the party can suspend ideological dogma. The Greens backing of our Brexit motion and other steps show that they are acting more and more responsibly and getting ready to take on government responsibility under the CDU, said Juergen Hardt, a high-ranking Christian Democratic lawmaker who is a supporter of the Pizza Connection. The coalition talks in 2017 have proven that there is common ground. To be sure, a workable governing coalition is a far cry from chatting over pizza and pasta, and the recent surge in Green support risks collapsing if climate change disappears from the headlines. But in Berlin, the question for now is less about whether the Greens will be in government, and more about whether theyll be governing with the CDU. While Merkels party is struggling to hold on to supporters, the Greens are gaining under Baerbock and Habeck -- one of the countrys most popular politicians. That means the environmental group could even nip in and take the chancellery for themselves in a coalition with the Social Democrats and the anti-capitalist Left party. They dont want to sit on the opposition benches anymore, said Falter, the politics professor from Mainz. The Greens are ready to govern. --With assistance from Patrick Donahue. To contact the reporters on this story: Birgit Jennen in Berlin at bjennen1@bloomberg.net;Brian Parkin in Berlin at bparkin@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.net, ;Ben Sills at bsills@bloomberg.net, Chris Reiter, Raymond Colitt For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. 12 years ago, Eva came here from her hometown of Chupa in the Puno region to La Rinconada - a settlement of around 50,000 which is believed to be the highest in the world. Five of her eight children live with her in her corrugated zinc home. During his month-long trial, film producer Harvey Weinstein was surrounded by an expansive, and expensive, entourage of advisers and assistants. He had four lawyers, a jury-selection expert, a crisis manager and a spokesman. There was even an employee who made sure his court-ordered ankle monitor was functioning correctly. But about three weeks ago, well before a jury found Weinstein guilty of two felony sex crimes, another paid professional was brought into his camp: a prison consultant named Craig Rothfeld. Rothfelds private firm, Inside Outside Ltd., was created to help new inmates understand the details of what he calls the journey the confusing and often frightening passage from living an ordinary life to living behind bars. Minutes after Weinstein was convicted, the judge in his case, Justice James M. Burke, revoked his bail and ordered him to be sent at once to jail. But despite the ruling, Weinstein has so far been housed in a prison ward at the Bellevue Hospital Center, where he has been receiving treatment for chest pains, diabetes and high blood pressure, his spokesman, Juda Engelmayer, said. In the past few weeks, Rothfeld has worked with Weinsteins lawyers to make sure city jail officials give the producer medical attention while he is being detained before his sentencing, now set for March 11. Over the weekend, photographs emerged online of Weinstein sitting in what seemed to be a common room at Bellevue, watching television in an armchair with a wheelchair parked beside him. The images prompted questions about whether the wealthy and well-connected mogul was getting special treatment. Different pokes for different folks, writer Denis Hamill said on Twitter. City correction officials have repeatedly declined to discuss why Weinstein is being held at the hospital rather than in a cell at Rikers Island. Any suggestion that Mr. Weinstein is receiving special treatment is false, said Peter Thorne, a spokesman for the Department of Correction. He has access to the same services as anyone else at his location, no more, no less. Rothfeld agreed with the department. Everyone thinks he has a sweetheart deal, but he doesnt, he said. Hes in the hospital, but hes still in a prison cell a regular cell, with a toilet open for the world to see. Rothfeld said quite a bit of work went into getting Weinstein sent to Bellevue. To persuade Burke to recommend the hospital, he and Weinsteins lawyers submitted copies of his medical prescriptions and a notarized letter from a doctor certifying his physical disability. It helped Weinsteins argument, he said, that over the summer, the celebrity investor Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in the Manhattan federal jail cell where he was awaiting prosecution on sex-trafficking charges. Because of Epsteins death, there were now major security issues surrounding high-profile people, Rothfeld said. It is likely Epsteins suicide is being taken into account by jail officials in their decision to keep Weinstein at Bellevue rather than transferring him to Rikers, according to one former jail official and one city official, both of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal Department of Correction practices. The city official said keeping Weinstein at Bellevue was extremely unusual. Rikers inmates are normally not housed at the hospital for an extended period unless they have serious medical problems. They dont know what to do with him, understandably, the city official said. Post-Epstein, Im sure there is more concern. Weinstein could spend as many as 29 years in prison, and after he is sentenced, he will no doubt face conditions far less pleasant than those he has at Bellevue. Rothfeld said he has met with Weinstein one-on-one to prepare him for the fast-approaching moment when he will be sent to prison. Their conversations, he said, have focused on getting the producer ready for having his head shaved and wearing handcuffs. When you go away, youre largely entering the Bermuda Triangle, Rothfeld said in an interview this week. Theres little information available, and at the lowest point in someones life, they usually have no idea of whats in front of them. Like all city inmates convicted of violent felonies, Weinstein will first be sent to a reception area at the Downstate Correctional Facility about 120 kilometres north of the city, in Fishkill to await his assignment to an upstate prison, where he will start to serve his term. Rothfeld said he was working with Weinsteins lawyers on a sentencing memo designed to persuade Burke to recommend sending the producer to a prison with a medical or protective-custody unit, so he can be housed apart from the general population. Weinstein also wants to be sent to a prison close to New York City or to one with a significant Jewish population, Rothfeld said. Rothfeld, 49, founded Inside Outside in 2017, after he served two years in prison. In 2015, he pleaded guilty in Manhattan to charges of defrauding investors in a securities company he owned out of $11 million (U.S.). As ashamed and remorseful as I am for what I did, he said, Im just as proud for taking responsibility and making something out of it. Prison consulting is a relatively rare line of work whose practitioners generally cater to the wealthy. Companies including the Justice Advocacy Group in Virginia and Jail Time Consulting in Florida help new inmates navigate the federal and, on occasion, state penal systems. Rothfeld declined to discuss his rates in detail, but said the cost of hiring him was more than what the average accountant charges to prepare a yearly tax return, but less than the retainer a white-shoe lawyer charges. He said that on occasion he has waived his fees for people who cannot afford them. In the past two years, he said, he has had about 20 clients, though none has been as famous as Weinstein is. As part of his contract, Rothfeld said, he has counselled not only the producer, but members of his family, too, advising them on how to visit Weinstein once he enters prison, how to send him packages and how to contact him by phone. Youre a therapist, a rabbi, a priest, a marriage counsellor and a big brother, Rothfeld said. All the questions people have, if you can answer them correctly, it sheds a little light on the ultimate mystery: the prison system. Gov. Andrew Cuomo slammed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sunday for not being better prepared to contain the new coronavirus and for the federal government not allowing private laboratories to process patient tests. Cuomo appeared at Northwell Health in North New Hyde Park, Nassau County, on Sunday morning to provide an update on the COVID-19 illness, for which positive tests now number 105 statewide. The numbers Sunday morning included one case in a previously unaffected county, Ulster, of a man who had recently traveled to France. The majority of cases are still in Westchester County, where an infected man had attended large gatherings at a synagogue, inadvertently spreading the virus to 81 people as of Sunday. The governor said that despite the federal government allowing the states Wadsworth Lab in Albany to test for COVID-19 the respiratory illness that develops from the novel coronavirus demand has now eclipsed capacity. Cuomo urged the CDC to allow state-approved private labs to handle tests. He also called on the federal government to allow the tests to be done by automation, which will speed up processing times. He said there are seven labs the state would authorize to analyze tests. In an update Sunday night, Cuomos office said Northwell Laboratories had since been approved to do testing, with manual testing of 75 to 80 samples per day to start immediately. In the updated statement, the governors office also seemed to be correcting what agency is directly responsible for approving such testing, saying it was the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that approved Northwell, While this approval is a good first step, the FDA must increase the testing capacity for the state and private labs, the statement read. However, Cuomo said, automated testing still needs to be approved to perform thousands of tests per day. The CDC, I believe, was slow to begin with. They were not ready for this. They should have been ready for this, Cuomo said early Sunday. We saw what was happening in China. Anyone who didnt realize that someone from China was going to get on a plane and come to the United States was delusional, frankly. Cuomo said that if private labs are brought online, the state could handle 1,000 to 2,000 tests per day. Currently, not everyone can get a test; patients are prioritized based on their travel history or their exposure to those already infected, or if they are in the hospital and a cause for their illness has not been determined. We are trying to contain the spread of the virus. How do you contain the spread of the virus? By testing as many people as you can. Find the positives and then isolate the positive people. That is how you contain the spread of the virus, Cuomo said. He said that identifying those infected and quarantining them will help halt the virus spread to the elderly and chronically sick and hopefully avoid what China and Italy are going through as mass closings of businesses and schools cripple their economies. The CDC says the patient outcomes from COVID-19 are not fully known. Reported illnesses have ranged from very mild (including some with no reported symptoms) to severe, and some cases have resulted in hospitalizations and death. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Cuomo also criticized what he called mixed messages coming from President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, saying that the federal government has left people confused as to whether there are enough tests and testing capacity for everyone who wants a test to get one. CDC, wake up. Let the states test; let private labs test. Lets increase as quickly as possible our testing capacity so we identify the positive people, so we can isolate them and we can be successful in our containment, Cuomo said. Meanwhile, on CNNs State of the Union Sunday, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said that by early in the week there should be 2 million tests available. He added: By the end of the week, through partnerships with private industry, over 4 million tests available. Adams also told CNNs Jake Tapper: No public health doctor who was asked for a test has not been able to get a test. So people should talk to their health care providers.lstanforth@timesunion.com 518-454-5697 The United Nations refugee agency voiced concern Sunday over the risk that the new coronavirus could spread through migrant detention centres in Greece. A UNHCR team visited the Greek border to offer advice on hygiene and related issues. UNHCR official Margaritis Petritzikis also urged Greek authorities to "refrain from any type of violence" against refugees or migrants, although he accepted that Greece had a right to protect its borders. Thousands of migrants have been trying to cross from Turkey towards Greece after Ankara said earlier this month that it wouldn't prevent them from doing so. Greece has deployed riot police to the border area to deter people from trying to cross over, and there have been a number of violent confrontations. It was reported last month that she's 'happier than ever' with her girlfriend Bianca Butti. Amber Heard looked peaceful and affectionate as she arrived at LAX in Los Angeles on Friday. The 33-year-old Aquaman star clasped hands with the 38-year-old cinematographer as they arrived at the airport. Loved-up: Amber Heard, 33, looked peaceful and affectionate as she arrived at LAX in Los Angeles on Friday with her girlfriend Bianca Butti, 38 Amber bundled up in a wrinkled tan coat that reached down to her knees. The 5ft7in actress also had on a brilliant white blouse, a black skirt and a knee-high pair of black leather boots. She carried along a striped black leather Yves Saint Laurent bag and let her wavy blonde tresses rest messily over her shoulders. Bianca rocked a more androgynous look with a gray Cordovan hat, a black leather bomber jacket and dark jeans. Low key: Amber wore a wrinkled tan overcoat with a white blouse, black skirt and a black Yves Saint Laurent handbag Study in contrasts: Bianca rocked a more androgynous black bomber jacket with a Cordovan hat and dark jeans. They happy couple held hands as they arrived and smiled ear-to-ear The loved-up couple beamed as she strolled through the airport, and Amber seemed to crack up at something her girlfriend said. The couple were first linked in January after they were spotted kissing in January in Palm Springs, California. Bianca, an LA-based cinematographer, has a diverse set of credits ranging from lensing multiple episodes of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta to shooting the upcoming indie revenge thriller Leave Not One Alive, starring Bella Thorne and Oscar winner Melissa Leo. She's been open about her struggles with cancer on social media. She was previously diagnosed at age 34 in 2015, then went into remission at after an aggressive regimen of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. She confirmed that the disease had returned in March last year, and she's currently eschewing Western medical treatments in favor of alternative medicine and experimental treatments. The filmmaker started an online fundraiser to cover $60,000 worth of treatments that aren't covered by her insurance. New love: Amber and Bianca were linked in January when they were seen kissing. The cinematographer is currently battling cancer for the second time Cancer battle: Bianca set up an online fundraiser to raise $60,000 to pay for alternative and experimental cancer treatments not covered by her insurance Earlier on Saturday, Amber shared some behind-the-scenes photos from a shoot for Wonderland Magazine. She flashed an infections smile and in one shot while covering her chest, which was draped with sheer white ruffles. 'All the ruffles and frills,' she wrote. Another photo showed her in the studio wearing a black suit-style dress with puffy sleeves and a white ruff around her neck, which she captioned 'Frills...' She sat on the floor in a third shot, though she changed into a lacy white collar. Covered up: Earlier on Saturday, Amber shared some behind-the-scenes photos from a shoot for Wonderland Magazine, including one where she covered her chest, which was draped with sheer white frills Old school: Another photo showed her in the studio wearing a black suit-style dress with puffy sleeves and a white ruff around her neck, which she captioned 'Frills...' Delicate: She sat on the floor in a third shot, though she changed into a lacy white collar Amber has been leaning on her new girlfriend for support amid her ongoing legal brawl with ex Johnny Depp. Johnny, who she was married to from 20152017, is suing her for defamation based on a 2018 Washington Post essay in which she implied he had abused her, though she didn't use his name. The Pirates Of The Caribbean star has turned the tables by arguing that Amber was the true abuser, though text messages and recordings suggest that both may have been engaged in a mutual campaign of physical and emotional abuse. In November 2013, Depp allegedly sent text messages to his friend Paul Bettany that seemed to admit to abusing alcohol and drugs and behaving abusively toward Heard. 'Im gonna properly stop the booze thing, darling Drank all night before I picked Amber up to fly to LA, this past Sunday,' he wrote. 'Ugly, mate . No food for days powders half a bottle of whiskey, a thousand red bull and vodkas, pills, 2 bottles of Champers on plane and what do you get??? An angry, aggro Injun in a fkin blackout, screaming obscenities and insulting any fk who got near Im done I am admittedly too fked in the head to spray my rage at the one I love For little reason, as well Im too old to be that guy. But, pills are fine!!!' In January, DailyMail.com acquired audio of Heard admitting to hitting her husband and pelting him with pots and pans. A subsequent recording caught her mocking him for claiming to be a domestic violence victim. The case is expected to begin in August, after it was pushed back from the original February star date after Depp missed the deadline to submit records on his drug and alcohol use. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked senior government functionaries to identify sufficient locations for quarantine and also for critical care provisioning in case the coronavirus spreads further. He also urged them to adopt best practices for coronavirus (Covid-19) management from across the world. After reviewing the situation and the actions taken by the various ministries on the growing coronavirus scare in the country, the Prime Minister said that an immediate exercise should be taken up to identify "sufficient locations for quarantine and also for critical care provisioning in case the disease spreads." He emphasised on the need for advance and adequate planning, saying that timely response is critical for managing the infectious disease. The Prime Minister said that the concerned officials should identify the best practices for Covid-19 management from across the world and within the states and ensure their adoption. He added that people should be advised to avoid mass gatherings as far as possible and be made aware of the Do's and Dont's with regard to the virus. The Prime Minister also instructed the concerned officials to plan for early testing and evacuation of Indians from Iran. The meeting was attended by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Minister for State Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Niti Aayog member Vinod K Paul and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, among others. The Health Ministry informed the Prime Minister about the measures taken to contain the virus. Senior government officials told Modi that it is vital to maintain constant vigil at all airports, seaports and land border crossings, besides ensuring the availability of sufficient beds for isolation. Harsh Vardhan emphasised the need for effective coordination with the states for timely response. By Mark Peterson I've been struck by how the age ratings of the movie "Parasite" differ slightly in Korea and in the U.S. I thought I'd take a minute to look at how the ratings in each country are different, and what this might mean. The first question for many people when considering whether to watch a movie is its age rating. The rating in the U.S. for "Parasite" is "R," meaning age 17 and above, but the rating in Korea is "15" age 15 and above. Some of my Korean friends have talked about the differences in how Americans and Koreans see the film particularly in how each culture views its potentially offensive or "mature" material. The basic definition of material that could be offensive is material that is sexual or violent in nature, or that contains nudity or violent language. The most interesting differences between the U.S. and Korea, in the interpretation of these standards, is probably related to language. In the case of "Parasite," both cultures may perhaps agree on issues relating to sex, nudity, and violence. But I think the greatest difference in registering objectionable content was probably language. Linguists have, in fact, conducted serious studies into "swearing" or "cursing," and comedians have made money pointing out the humor of the American standard see, George Carlin's famous, "Seven Bad Words You Can't Say on TV." The point I get from this, compared to Korean "bad words" is that the American style of swearing is very limited seven words. Korean swearing is unlimited and creative. The American seven words, are: (sorry, folks, I can't write them here). When I was working in Korea, one time our office staff discussed the different styles of swearing, and I learned that Korean swearing contains a lot of variety. In English, you can call someone a SOB in effect questioning their parentage. In Korea, you have "SOB," "offspring of a dog," but you can also say offspring of pig, horse, insect, rat, and all kinds of things. It's creative swearing. The biggest offender, in that it is least acceptable in polite company yet is heard most "on the street" is the so-called "F-word." I don't have data on this, but it seems that the threshold for using the equivalent word in Korea is lower. I think this was the main reason for the "R" rating in the U.S., and the "15" rating in Korea. One of the standards in the American system is the number of offensive words in the movie basically, the number of times one of the "seven bad words" is used. One of the evaluations available on American movies (or Korean movies with English subtitles) actually informs the reader how many times a bad word is used. It's almost like "uh, once or twice, I can live with; but not 10 or 20? I don't want to hear that." "Parasite" used the F-word how many times? Twenty-two. If you thought, after watching the movie, "hmm, yeah, there were two or three usages of the F-word" maybe someone is used to hearing the word, and it doesn't "register." I confess, I was surprised at the fact that it was used 22 times. This was, perhaps, one of the key reasons for the R rating. The violence was also, arguably, gory enough for an R rating in America, but clearly not in Korea. The one sex scene without nudity leaves room for doubt as to whether it would get an R rating. I think, if that were the only questionable scene, it might have been PG-13. One school I know where parents don't want movies with offensive content shown had a problem showing a Korean movie where the English subtitles had the F-word, but the Korean original did not. The Korean dialogue might say, for example, "Get out of here," and the English translation used the F-word. In total, there were four instances where the subtitles were translated as the F-word in English, which seems stronger than the original Korean word. This goes against my earlier observation that Korean movies use the F-word without as much offense here, the American subtitles opted for the "easy" use of a much more offensive word. It's an endless debate how much coarseness is one willing to put up with? And it's a question in literature as well. I frankly can't remember all 22 uses of the offending word in Korean in "Parasite." I know at times, it was the actual Korean F-word, but I feel that some words may have gotten lost in translation. I'm not going to go back and watch the movie to analyze the 22 F-words I'll leave that to my linguistics friends. Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah. Cruise companies will change how they board passengers after Princess Cruises said Saturday that a California man who died on Wednesday was likely infected with the coronavirus before he boarded the Grand Princess last month. The discovery that a Grand Princess passenger apparently boarded the ship with an infection suggests that community spread began weeks before officials first diagnosed the nation's first coronavirus case of unknown origin, also a California resident. In a conference call with reporters Saturday evening, Grant Tarling, the chief medical officer for Carnival Corporation, the parent company of Princess Cruises, said the man boarded the ship in San Francisco on Feb. 11, when it set sail for Mexico. Tarling said the man sought medical treatment from the ship's medical center on Feb. 20 and reported symptoms of an "acute respiratory illness" for about a week. Since Tarling noted that the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has an incubation period of five to six days, it's likely that the man was infected prior to boarding the ship. "We believe this case was community acquired in California and brought on the ship," Tarling said. Tarling said Princess was told on March 2 that the man, in his early 70s, had tested positive for coronavirus in Placer County, California. The man died on Wednesday at a hospital in Roseville, California, where he had been placed in medical isolation. Tarling didn't say if anyone knew how and where the man became infected. Tarling added a waiter on the Grand Princess who had come into contact with the California passenger was one of 19 Princess employees who tested positive for coronavirus on Friday. Two passengers also tested positive. Since returning to San Francisco from Mexico on Feb. 21, the ship sailed to Hawaii. It is now holding off shore near San Francisco with about 3,500 passengers and crew members, awaiting word from local, state and federal officials about what will happen next. Story continues The Grand Princess is the second Princess Cruises ship in recent weeks to be put in limbo due to the coronavirus. Last month, the Diamond Princess was held for nearly two weeks off the coast of Japan as officials figured out what to do with its passengers and crew. Of the roughly 2,700 passengers on board, more than 700 tested positive for coronavirus, and six died. New boarding protocols Earlier Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence and Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf met with officials from cruise companies in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and announced new procedures cruise operators will adopt to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus on their ships. Pence said the goal of Saturday's meeting was for the cruise industry "to step up their efforts to protect the health and safety of their passengers, their crews and the communities to which they all return." The American people value our cruise line industry, Pence said. Nevertheless, we all recognize the recent challenges posed on the Diamond Princess and the ongoing challenge with the Grand Princess in the spread of the coronavirus. Within the next 72 hours, the industry, with the assistance of the DHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Coast Guard, Pence said cruise operators will develop new guidelines in three areas: Further enhancement of entry and exit screening and shipboard testing for the coronavirus. New quarantine standards will be coordinated with the CDC for all cruise ships. A protocol to move any patients that contract the coronavirus or otherwise become seriously ill to land-based facilities. Pence said the approach to screening, testing and handling ill passengers and crew will be an industry-led effort. He added there was no need to discourage people from taking cruises, other than the most at-risk population specifically senior citizens with serious, underlying health conditions. Pence said he saw no need to discourage Americans from taking cruises or traveling in general. In the conference call, Tarling said Carnival would encourage more widespread use of hand sanitizer and regular handwashing among its passengers and crew. He also said ships would be supplied with a disinfectant that can kill the coronavirus in 30 seconds. Tarling also said the company would advise its passengers to practice social distancing, such as sitting at least one seat away from their dining companions. "Its all being done fleet-wide," he said. "Weve adopted these measures throughout our entire fleet." The Cruise Line Industry Association, a trade group, said in a statement it would provide more details about the new procedures in the coming days. "We are hard at work already," said Adam Goldstein global chairman of the industry group. Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises, said in the conference call that the coronavirus had created a new reality for the cruise industry worldwide, adding, "We intend to be flexible and adapt." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: California passenger brought virus on Princess cruise After a gruelling 24 hours, the PhonePe team has fully restored UPI on the payment platform. The app is up and running again with ICICI Bank as its new partner with all payment instruments enabled. On Thursday evening, PhonePe employees were looking forward to the weekend, but then they were caught by surprise when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) placed YES Bank under moratorium. PhonePe and its users were hit the hardest as YES Bank is the Walmart-owned payments platforms exclusive UPI (unified payments interface) partner and the PhonePe app had to be shut down. After a gruelling 24 hours, the PhonePe team, led by chief technology officer Rahul Chari and CEO Sameer Nigam, has fully restored UPI on the payment platform. The app is up and running again with all payment instruments enabled. This is an engineering feat as it was a multi-location effort and the teams worked on it round the clock, according to people familiar with the matter. He (Rahul Chari) has not slept in 24 hours and the teams were working around the clock. But to get this size of operations up and running is really amazing, said a PhonePe team member. Industry executives said this was an example on how to deal with adversity. PhonePe has ICICI Bank as its new partner. This was already in the works for a few months, according to sources. The firm is also in talks with other banks such as HDFC, Axis Bank, State Bank of India (SBI) and RBL Bank to become a multi-bank platform as recently mandated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), according to a person from the financial services sector. Customers and merchant partners dont need to change the UPI address and can continue using the existing handle, said sources. The Bengaluru-based firm had already anticipated such a situation and put in place contingency plans to protect the company and its customers. Otherwise, it wouldnt have been possible to be up and running at this scale in just 24 hours, said a team member, who did not wish to be named. We were not running like headless chicken. The groundwork was already done and we just executed the backup plan, said the person. Indeed, the firms scale is massive, as PhonePe -- which competes with rivals such as Alibaba-backed Paytm, Google Pay and Amazon Pay -- is accepted as a payment option at 10 million outlets across 350 cities in India. It has 200 million registered users and does 570 million monthly transactions. The company witnessed annualised total payments value (TPV) of $180 billion and has 10 million merchants. Last year, the app, which went live in August 2016, crossed the 5 billion transactions mark. During the weekend, the PhonePes offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru were buzzing with engineers and employees, executing the backup plan, which included coding continuously, migrating users and looking at all the touchpoints. A majority of the firms 1,200 employees are engineers, and 25 per cent of them are women. Around half of the employees have been holed up at PhonePe offices since Friday, according to sources. A lot of coffee, availability of good food and bunk beds arranged by the company kept them going, said a person familiar with the matter. The mood among the employees was euphoric once the job was done. Interestingly, on Friday, Noida-based Paytm took a dig at its rival PhonePe by inviting it to the Paytm Bank UPI platform. It already has huge adoption and can seamlessly scale manifold to handle your business. Lets get you back up, fast! Paytm Payments Bank tweeted. Paytm even started to poach PhonePes customers by sending messages to its merchant partners that read QR code not working? Switch to Paytm All-in-One QR code now and accept unlimited payments, said a person familiar with the development. What is remarkable is that a lot of payments start-ups rallied behind PhonePe and offered help. Bipin Preet Singh, co-founder and CEO of MobiKwik, tweeted that at such a time of systemic failure in the UPI ecosystem, We at MobiKwik extend our full support to our friends Sameer Nigam and Ashneer Grover (BharatPe co-founder) and others who are impacted by YES Bank mess. We are here to help and hope there is a quick resolution. Photograph: Courtesy, phonepe.com. Sen. Bernie Sanders expressed shock and disbelief Sunday when he was asked about the man who unfurled a Nazi flag at one of his rallies on Thursday. Obviously, it is unspeakable. It is disgusting. It is something, I got to tell you, I never expected in my life, as an American, to see a swastika at a major political rally, the Vermont senator said on CNNs State of the Union. Its horrible. "I've got to tell you, I never expected in my life as an American to see a swastika at a major political rally. It's horrible," Bernie Sanders says about an incident at his rally where an individual was removed after unfurling a Nazi flag #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/s93TwDHcj3 State of the Union (@CNNSotu) March 8, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man unfurled a flag with the image of a swastika while Sanders, who is Jewish, was speaking at a rally in Phoenix. Video from the event shows that the crowd quickly began booing when the flag was unfurled, and someone nearby ripped the flag out of his hands. The man was then kicked out of the event. Sanders said that when he turned around to see why the crowd was booing, the flag was no longer there. A man brought a literal Nazi flag to the rally of a Jewish Socialist candidate for President He was escorted out by security forcespic.twitter.com/KOLhyJJFxZ Siddak Ahuja (@SiddakAhuja) March 6, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement He was behind me. And I was speaking to the crowd, and I saw crowds booing, and I turned around, I didnt quite see what it was. I learned about it right after I left the stage, Sanders said. The idea that there was a swastika, a symbol of everything that this country stands againstwe lost 400,000 people fighting that symbol, fighting Nazism. Six million Jews were killed, other people were killed. The most devastating war in the history of humanity. Sanders extended family in Poland died during the Holocaust, something he learned about in detail when he appeared on the PBS show Finding Your Roots. Horrifying. Last night, a man brandished a Nazi flag at a Bernie Sanders rally in Arizona. Its a clear attack on the only Jewish presidential candidate in a time of rising white nationalism & antisemitism spurred on by Trump & the GOP. It must be condemned all over the news. pic.twitter.com/Y0XEbpvCtk Bend the Arc: Jewish Action (@jewishaction) March 6, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Vice President Joe Biden condemned the move in a tweet in which he made reference to how Sanders could be the countrys first Jewish president. I dont care who youre supporting, attacks like this against a man who could be the first Jewish President are disgusting and beyond the pale, Biden wrote. Hatred and bigotry have no place in America. Irish eyes at the US Capitol will not smile on US president Donald Trump on St Patricks Day. He is skipping an annual lunch with House and Senate politicians celebrating the ties that bind the US and Ireland, a White House spokesman said. The president blamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Donald Trump will have an early St Patricks Day celebration with Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (Liam McBurney/PA) Since the Speaker has chosen to tear this nation apart with her actions and her rhetoric, the president will not participate in moments where she so often chooses to drive discord and disunity, spokesman Judd Deere said. The House Speaker traditionally hosts the lunch. Mr Trump instead will celebrate with Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the White House on Thursday five days before St Patricks Day. Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Ms Pelosi, said congressional support for the US-Ireland relationship has never been stronger. One would think that the White House could set petty, partisan politics aside for this historic occasion, he said. Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi remain at loggerheads (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) Mr Trump attended the lunch in 2017 and 2018 when Republican Paul Ryan was Speaker and in 2019 after Ms Pelosi won back the gavel. But he remains incensed with Ms Pelosi for leading the Democratic-controlled House in December to impeach him after he asked Ukraines leader to investigate Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden while delaying delivery of military aid Congress had approved to help the country defend against Russian aggression. The Senates Republican majority voted in February to acquit Mr Trump. Speaker Thomas ONeill hosted the first St Patricks Day lunch in March 1983. Bill Clinton is one of four presidents to have missed the lunch, sending his regrets after having knee surgery (Brian Lawless/PA) President Ronald Reagan and other House and Senate politicians attended the gathering, which had been arranged to ease tension between the two Irish-American leaders, according to the House. The lunch became an annual event on Capitol Hill in 1987, missed by presidents just four times since then. Bill Clinton sent regrets after having knee surgery two days before St Patricks Day in 1997, while George W Bush passed on the 2003 lunch, held days before the US invasion of Iraq. Last year, Ms Pelosi said the lunch is a tradition where we dispense with our differences, whether theyre political or whether theyre competitive in any other way. Key mobile phone evidence led to the arrests last week of four members of the same family as part of the cross-border police investigation into the abduction and attack on Kevin Lunney. The family, arrested in Co Fermanagh and Co Cavan last Thursday morning, are known locally to be supporters of Sean Quinn, the former billionaire who lost control of his businesses in 2011. It is understood the family members came under suspicion when police analysed mobile phone traffic on devices they believed are linked to the attack on Mr Lunney, a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, informed sources said. A man and a woman, both aged 61, and a 23-year-old man were arrested by the PSNI early last Thursday morning on suspicion of conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and assisting offenders. A man in his 30s was arrested around the same time by garda in Co Cavan under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act. All have been released without charge and files will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. The family at the centre of the arrests are regarded locally as supporters of Sean Quinn. A campaign group that lobbied for Mr Quinn's return to his business has thanked family members publicly for their support. The arrests mark the second phase in the extensive joint police investigation into the attack on Mr Lunney last September. Cyril McGuinness, a Border criminal who was suspected of organising the attack on Mr Lunney, died of a heart attack when police raided a house he was staying in in Derbyshire in the UK. Mr Lunney has been left with life-changing injuries since his abduction. He and four other directors of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) have been living under police protection since and have been informed in recent weeks the threat remains in force. The hostilities began after Sean Quinn lost control of his businesses on the Co Cavan and Co Fermanagh border in 2011 over colossal debts to the former Anglo Irish Bank. Mr Quinn briefly returned as a consultant in 2015 after his old management team, backed by American investors, bought the businesses from the receivers. Mr Quinn fell out with his old management team and left within a year. In 2018, a fresh round of arson attacks was launched against the company, including the fire-bombing of a car belonging to a relative of the daughter of one of the directors. Mr Quinn has repeatedly condemned the attacks, including the kidnapping of Mr Lunney, insisting he had no hand, act or part in it. Chief Superintendent John O Reilly of Cavan/Monaghan Garda Division said the arrests are "a further significant step to ensuring that the perpetrators of this vicious attack will be brought to justice". - At least two people have died of coronavirus in Australia as the epidemic spreads - NT newspaper confirmed it had printed the pages for use in emergency cases as toilet paper shortage hits the country - COVID-19 which originated in Wuhan, China, has so far killed more than 3,500 people and infected more than 100,000 others across 99 countries globally An Australian newspaper has printed eight blank pages to be used as toilet paper after coronavirus fears caused panic among residents making them to buy the commodity in bulk. At least two people have died of the disease in Australia as the epidemic spreads. READ ALSO: Late Nyeri governor Gachagua's widow pleads with Uhuru to fulfill his job promise Empty tissue shelves as an Australian supermarket. Source: Getty Images READ ALSO: Section of Nyeri residents ask Uhuru to greet William Ruto for them In a tweet on Thursday, March 5, The NT newspaper confirmed it had printed the pages for use in emergency cases as toilet paper shortage hits the country. "Run out of loo paper? The NT News cares. That's why we've printed an eight-page special liftout inside, complete with handy cut lines, for you to use in an emergency." According to a report by CNN, there were several empty tissue shelves in some supermarkets in the city of Brisbane. Woolworth's, the country's largest supermarket, said it had restricted customers to buying four packs of toilet roll per transaction so as to ensure other shoppers accessed the item in response to a high demand. Kenya has enhanced its border surveillance to ensure virus does not spread to the country. Source: Getty Images READ ALSO: Nairobi: Police shoot dead 1 carjacker as 4 suspects escape COVID-19 which originated in Wuhan, China, has so far killed more than 3,500 people and infected more than 100,000 others across 99 countries globally. The illness has not yet been confirmed in Kenya as all 31 suspected cases turned out negative. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. The agony of underage mothers in Nairobi slums | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green State University has suspended university-supported travel to China, South Korea, Iran and Italy because of concerns about the spread of coronavirus. Containing the spread of a contagious disease presents challenges and will require BGSU to take proactive measures to protect the health and safety of all members, and particularly the most vulnerable members, of our community while working to maintain University operations and responsibilities, the university said in a news release Saturday. BGSU has prohibited all university-supported travel to countries under a CDC Level 3 travel restriction and all student group trips to CDC Level 2 or 3 countries. That list currently includes China, South Korea, Iran and Italy as level 3 and Japan as level 2, the school said. The BGSU has helped to arrange the return of a number of BGSU faculty and students over the past few weeks, the school said. A cruise ship is being held off the coast of Florida on Sunday awaiting test results on whether two crew members have contracted the new coronavirus. The Miami Herald reports that the Regal Princess was supposed to dock in Port Everglades on Sunday morning but was instead sailing up and down the coast. The Regal Princess is sailing off the coast of Florida but not docking. Credit:AP The crew members in question had transferred from the Grand Princess cruise ship in California where nearly two dozen on board have tested positive for the virus, including 19 crew members. The Coast Guard delivered testing kits to the Regal Princess on Sunday morning and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention issued a "no-sail order" for the ship. The Allahabad High Court will hear at 10 am on Sunday, the case related to hoardings put up by Uttar Pradesh government, with names, addresses, and photos of those who were accused of violence during protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The hoardings were put up at prominent intersections in Lucknow. Taking suo moto cognizance of the matter, the court has decided to hear the case on Sunday inspite of its being a holiday. The court of Chief Justice Govind Mathur has summoned the District Magistrate and Divisional Police Commissioner of Police of Lucknow in this case. On Thursday, the district administration put up hoardings with photos and addresses of 53 anti-CAA protesters at prominent crossings across the city. The hoardings included pictures of Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas, Darapuri and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar, all of whom were named as accused in the violence that swept the state capital on December 19 last year. Activist Deepak Kabir has said that the hoardings put up by the government bearing names of anti-CAA protesters is creating an atmosphere of fear. He said that people whose names are mentioned in posters can be lynched anywhere."It is shameful. There was no need for that. The government is creating an atmosphere of fear. People whose names are mentioned can be lynched anywhere. The environment after Delhi violence is not safe. Government is putting everyone at risk," Kabir told ANI. Uttar Pradesh Minister Mohsin Raza alleged that people whose names are put up in hoardings destroyed public properties. "Photos have been put off those people who tried to create unrest under the garb of the Citizenship Amendment Act. They harmed people of the state and tried to destroy public properties. Now damages will be recovered from them," he said. Former IPS SR Darapuri termed the administration's action as 'unconstitutional' and said that the government is trying to defame protesters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi: The last three months haven't been quite normal for Khatoonhas. She has not cooked for over 90 days now. She has bought no new clothes. There has been no banter with women and curfew time outings. This is her life in protest mode. She now has no time for the ordinary things in life-- Occupying the streets and browsing social media for fake and real news have been Khatoonhas life the last three months. We are not privileged like many women from elite backgrounds, who moved with curfew hours. Spending hours out of house is not a normal life for us, and now we are doing this for a reason, she said. The reason, she says, is Hindustan mein Mussalmano ka Mustaqbil. Occupying streets. Breaking myths. Setting the stage. With one protest slogan at a time, the Indian Muslim woman has changed the stereotypical narrative. Soon after the Citizenship Amendment Act came into place, it was the Indian Muslim women who occupied the streets, set the stage, rejected the self-appointed saviors within the community and in the government. They got hold of the microphone, and their voice was clear and loud. As one of the protestors on the stage said, Amit Shah aur Modi ne Immediately, the speech was interrupted by the women of Shaheen Bagh. The women at Shaheen Bagh not only braved nights after nights of sit-ins, but they also ensured that the movement against the CAA does not become politically motivated. There were no crackers burst at the Delhi election results. The Imams and clergy got no space. Prateek Kuhad and Shubha Mudgal sang for them. Together, they raised posters of Dalit leader Chandrashekar Azad as he came to meet them. Solidarities were forged while the Muslim women constructed their own sentences - sometimes broken while sometimes perfect. Curfew Hours No More Fight for the Fate & Future of Muslims On December 15, following the police crackdown in Jamia Millia Islamia where protesting students were assaulted, the women were outraged with the treatment meted out to the Muslim youth in educational institutes. As a reaction, they occupied Shaheen Bagh to protest against CAA and joining the demoralized students of Jamia/Aligarh Muslim University. The following days saw the organic multiplication of the crowd at Shaheen Bagh and other areas of Delhi. In the aftermath of Delhi riots many sites have been dismantled, but not the spirit woh kya kehtein hainMain akela hi chala tha janib-e-manzil magar Log saath aate gaye aur karwaan banta gaya (I left alone in pursuit of my goals but people kept joining and it became a huge group), said Shagufta Bano from Gujarat, a frequent protestor in Delhi quoting Majhrooh Sultanpuri and added, One of the biggest gains is the unity of the people to fight for rights we are all Shaheen Bagh. Rafeeqan stands at the makeshift checking point at 12:00 pm. It is too early for anyone to visit Shaheen Bagh. There is not much crowd so its a light hour for her. She is feeding her son who has just recovered from an infection I have been on duty for quite some time, some mischief makers tried to defame us. Since then, my role has assumed more importance. After feeding them some food, I will be back on duty. She immediately clarifies that she is not neglecting home. She has never stayed away for 12 hours at a stretch In fact, my family is behind me. We can Fight our battles Tarrannum Begum who has been sleeping and staying at Shaheen Bagh with the dadis has not gone home to Batla House, How do we go? We have to fight and have only learned to fight in these three months. The police threw teargas at me, I treated it with some salt. I know the trick to cure the marks and burns." Tarrannum is joined by other women protestors. "We have all learned how to fight". The women say it's the students of Jamia and AMU who showed them the threat looming large in front of the community detention centre. When the police thrashed the students of Jamia Millia Islamia, I decided to put my foot down and raise my voice for the students. They are our children, when the police assaulted them something broke in us. But we are here to fight, Tarrannum said. One of the earlier participants in the Shaheen Bagh protests is Afreen Fatima, JNU student and former student of AMU. In her opinion, the movement has broken many long-held myths and has also paved the way for change. Speaking to News 18.com, she said, The anti-CAA protests across India by Indian Muslim women has broken two major myths. One is the idea that Muslim women cannot speak for themselves or are not allowed to. Second is, they can be role models for Muslim women, she said. Elaborating on the points, Fatima said, There was a time, people thought Muslim women need saviors or spokespersons but today they are speaking out their concerns, even if in broken sentences they are out there on stage. All this without any social and cultural capital. She said that there was a time Muslim women had non-Muslim role models or crusaders. But today, with the protests, Muslim women are the role models for other Muslim women. "The young Muslim girls can associate with them and relate to them, she added. Fatima remembered this one moment when Arundhati Roy passed the microphone to Fatima during one of her addresses at Shaheen Bagh. She passed on the mic to me! said Fatima, excitedly. The women say they have been raising their voice for the protection of the Constitution and have muted the voices of politicians and of religious leaders. There are religious leaders who do not give proper knowledge about religion, she said regarding the practice of triple talaq in India due to the dominance of the conservative clergy. But now that is not going to be the case. Even in the anti-CAA protests, we sidelined them. We did not allow them to speak from this platform as religious leaders, the same way that we did with the political leaders. No one can befool us about politics and religion now, we have the confidence now. These women will be able to tell their children to stand up for their rights, said Bano. Activist Sidrah Patel said it is the time of reckoning for the Muslim Indians. There's a consciousness like never before because we have everything to lose - citizenship, rights of our children, voting rights. The law is blatantly unconstitutional and anti-Muslim. Coupled with the NPR and the NRC, it is meant to de-legitimize, de-stabilize and criminalize not just Muslims but hundreds of millions of Indians who do not have the requisite documents. Patel said, the Muslim woman who are out on the streets and those who are speaking out know that they can't afford the silence. She added, At the protests, I have seen elderly women cry when the National Anthem is played. They wonder if they can be buried in this land that their ancestors have been laid to rest in. Is there a humiliation worse than that? As a parent, I worry about my child's future as a Muslim Indian. I know that I'm not alone. AMU-JAMIA see the sea of change In December last year, when first images of anti-CAA protests emerged from Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia, women were seen leading the front. Be it confronting the cops during police violence in the university or leading the sloganeering. Few days later, women of adjoining Shaheen Bagh neighbourhood sat on an indefinite protest demonstration and the protests are continuing till date. For women, the anti-CAA protests have been no less than a revolution. Women are not just challenging the controversial law, but also the patriarchy, says Alima (name changed), a student of Jamia Millia Islamia. She adds that the women have been vocal and assertive about their identity like never before. For women students like Alima, the protests on the street have brought about changes in families too. Earlier, my brother would ask me to stay away from any sort of protest for the fear of my safety. But now things have changed. He tells me how tremendously the women have led the fight and how we all should be a part of it, Alima adds. With the anti-CAA protests being held 24X7, the public spaces around such places have become more acceptable to the presence of women. Even if I move out at 2:30 am in the night, I am not met by uncomfortable gazes or moral policing. The women have inspired this movement, she adds. Fatima who studied in AMU said there are many young girls who are representing the fight against CAA. Speaking about the changes in Aligarh campus, she said, Every time protests happened against Vemula, Najeeb or any other movement male students went from the university (unofficially). But this year, it has changed. Girls of AMU are coming to Delhi and speaking on CAA. This is a good change on campus. There are female faces to movements . The way forward Zakia Soman of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan said it is her hope that the democratic experience will permeate all aspects of their lives. We saw this during the movement of Triple Talaq and now for the fight against biased citizenship law. Soman sees the anti-CAA protests as "the direct leadership of community women themselves. The movement is led by women who are directly affected by it. She knows that this a fight for an equal citizenship and right to life with dignity. This is not a battle for Islam but a fight for our identity in this country that our ancestors gave our blood and sweat too," Patel said. Incessant rains in Pakistan claimed lives of at least 20 people and left dozens more injured and resulted in collapsing of several homes. As per the reports, heavy rains lashed stretches of the country near the Afghan border since March 5. Local relief official Taimur Ali reportedly said that fourteen children and three women were killed in "rain-related incidents" in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. READ: Mud Houses Collapse In Heavy Rains Killing 17 In NW Pakistan Another Strong #WD expected to effect Pakistan from Coming Tuesda. This time the Core of the Western Disturbance, Western low will hit Southern Punjab so again Servere thunderstorms will develop in Punjab & Kpk. Northern Sindh will also see some rains. Hit\miss chances for Khi! pic.twitter.com/R0uyjsBRaQ The Pakistan Weather (@ThePakistanWea1) March 6, 2020 Five children killed The National Disaster Management Authority reported the deaths and in addition reportedly said that three more people had died in southwest Balochistan province. According to the reports, five children were killed when the roof of their home collapsed in northern Dargai town. Officials reportedly said that the heavy rains ravaged another 51 houses and snowfall encroached several roads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. READ: Death Toll In Pakistan Building Collapse Rises To 18 Terribly saddened by the deadly consequences of heavy rains in KP. Our condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims. #France #Pakistan France in Pakistan (@FranceinPak) March 7, 2020 #ClimateLens: More than 3,000 lakes have been created as a result of melting glaciers in the Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions of #Pakistan. Around 33 are considered hazardous, putting some 7.1 million people at risk from glacial lake outburst floods. @UNDP pic.twitter.com/SVxVKYYSAr UNDP Climate (@UNDPClimate) March 6, 2020 According to the Met Department, the weather is expected to get more worse in the coming days. The kutcha houses across the country, particularly in rural areas, are at a greater of collapse during the annual spring rains. Heavy rains, avalanches, flooding and harsh winter weather killed more than 130 people across Pakistan and Afghanistan in January. READ: Delhi Receives Heavy Rains, Highest In 24 Hr In March Since 2015 READ: Hazardous Toxic Foam Reappears On The Surface Of Yamuna In Delhi; Froths Up Amid Rains The Ghana Health Service (GHS) says it is uncomfortable with the alarming manner in which some media outlets reported Thursday's suspected case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). Reports that doctors at the nation's premier hospital were in a state of fear and panic, it said, only put the country in a bad state and undermined the national efforts at preventing an outbreak and preventing its spread. Dr Franklin Asiedu- Bekoe, Head of Disease Surveillance Department at the GHS, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview, in Accra, on Friday that the Service would investigate to find out who was behind such sensational reports. "The KBTH has so far recorded two incidents of suspected cases of COVID-19, both of which have come to the attention of the public in an alarming manner," he noted. "We need to engage them to be able to understand them because even in smaller hospitals when suspected cases are detected, it is handed without the knowledge of the public". So far, Ghana has tested 46 suspected cases and they have all proven negative. The recent one involved a United States-based Ghanaian woman who arrived in the country, six days ago and had reported to the Maternity Block of the KBTH for a scheduled gynaecological medical procedure. Commenting on the reported allegation that the emergency line dedicated to reporting cases of the virus was unresponsive, Dr Asiedu- Bekoe explained that was not the routine, therefore, it would be unprofessional for any doctor to call an emergency line to report a case. "The protocol is to isolate a suspected case, take samples and present it for testing and not to run away," he stated. "When a doctor identifies a case of COVID-19 is his line of work, his role is to treat the patient and to a follow-up but not to run away". According to the World Health Organisation, (WHO), COVID-19 belongs to the family of Coronaviruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MARS) Symptoms of Coronavirus include; fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing which could be fatal. The disease is spread through coughing and sneezing; close personal unprotected risk by touching or contact with infected person. At present, various treatment options are being explored. Treatment is mainly symptomatic, there is no vaccine and prevention is mainly by adherence to cough and sneezing etiquette and improved personal hygiene. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video JACKSON, MI After three years away, Stephen Osmond will return to the Jackson Symphony Orchestra for one night only. Osmond retired as the JSOs music director after a 40-year career in 2017. He is preparing to wield the baton and conduct the orchestra once again at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 21 at Jackson Colleges Potter Center, 2111 Emmonds Road. The orchestra will perform three of Osmonds favorites, including La Valse by Ravel, Shostakovichs Symphony No. 5 and Prokofievs Piano Concerto No. 1. Osmond described La Valse as a contemporary waltz that grows intense as the music progresses. Ravel was in World War I and was a soldier, he said. The grotesque, awful things that happened there are kind of represented in the music. As the orchestra plays the piece, the audience will view a PowerPoint presentation displaying period pieces from the World War I era. Since retiring, Osmond has become a grandfather. He and his wife Melissa, who is retiring from leading Hillsdale Colleges vocal program, have purchased a second home in Annapolis, Maryland, an hour away from their 1-year old granddaughter. They wont be without continued involvement in music, as Stephen Osmond has met the conductor of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, and a local opera is interested in working with Melissa Osmond. This time around, he said, hell be able enjoy the music without the pressure of preparing for concerts. In his spare time, he has been talking to his granddaughter in pentatonic scale, hoping to get her acquainted with music early. Slowly, she is starting to respond to it, Osmond said. Music is a language and you have to really hear it first before you can understand what it means, he said. Osmond looks forward to reacquainting with old friends in the JSO and in the audience during his return. The thing I really like about it is being a guest, what I did for 40 years in terms of making sure the tickets were sold, the money was raised and the details of making sure the equipment got out to the college all that stuff its no longer my responsibility, Osmond said. I just get a chance to go out there and make music. Im really grateful for that opportunity and Im going to enjoy that very much. Tickets for the March 21 show start at $20 and can be purchased on the JSOs website. In the United States, the death toll from the coronavirus has risen, with new cases reported in at least four new states from Colorado to Texas. On Thursday (March 5) families outside of a nursing home in Washington - where six people have died from the virus - demanded answers from US officials and staff. Kevin Connelly, son-in-law of one of the residents spoke to the press: (SOUNDBITE) (English) SON-IN-LAW OF NURSERY HOME RESIDENT, KEVIN CONNOLLY, SAYING: "I don't think that the Life Care Center of Kirkland have done a particularly good job but I don't think they are equipped or trained to deal with this. Whomever the people are who are supposed to fly in and deal with this highly infectious and deadly disease they are the people that I am personally incredibly angry with." Vice President Pence tried to soothe fears, and visited health workers in Seattle. But he did admit there were serious shortfalls in the number of testing kits. In the background, Congress quickly approved more than $8 billion to fight the outbreak. Meanwhile, out at sea a helicopter flew in testing kits to a cruise ship off the coast of California after at least 35 people developed flu-like symptoms aboard. The cruiseliner has been barred from docking in San Francisco. Across the globe, South Korea has reported a rise in cases, tallying to nearly 6,300 cases on Friday (March 6). India's total hit over 30, and Bhutan reported its first case of infection and banned the entry of tourists for two weeks. But for China's central province of Hubei, excluding the provincial capital Wuhan where the outbreak began, it reported zero new cases of coronavirus over 24 hours for the first time since the outbreak. The head of an elite New York members' club is being sued after he allegedly had an affair with a submarine explorer and then booted her and her husband out of its offices. The Explorers Club, whose members include Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, has been rocked by allegations that its president Richard Wiese had a 'sexual relationship' with explorer Christine Dennison while he was living with his now-wife Nicole Young. The illicit relationship came to light in a $1.9 million lawsuit filed by Dennison and her husband Timothy Taylor against Wiese and the club claiming that the boss then booted them out of rental offices in an act of vengeance. This comes amid a tumultuous time for the club, as members have slammed plans to partner with the Discovery Channel. The Explorers Club has been rocked by allegations that its president Richard Wiese (above) had a 'sexual relationship' with explorer Christine Dennison and then booted her and her husband out of the club The illicit relationship came to light in a lawsuit filed by Dennison and her husband Timothy Taylor against Wiese and the club (headquarters above) claiming that the boss then booted them out of rental offices in an act of vengeance According to the suit, Dennison and Wiese embarked on an affair in 2003 when the prolific scuba diver first became a club fellow. The club boss was allegedly in a relationship with the group's executive director, Nicole Young, who he later married, at the time. Dennison, who was the first woman to scuba dive in the Northwest Passage and the Amazon's Rio Negro, told The Post that she broke the affair off when she discovered he was two-timing the women. 'I did break it off when I became aware he was living with this woman as well. He wasn't honest,' she said. Wiese went on to marry Young in 2007 and Dennison wed Taylor in 2010 at the club. Dennison and Taylor have now filed a $1.9 million lawsuit for breach of contract, defamation and negligence after being expelled from the elite club. The dispute centers around the couple's rental of office space in its Manhattan headquarters. Dennison and Taylor claim that Wiese wanted rid of them so he could take their space for his own office. The couple also claim that their expulsion is a personal attack, citing Dennison and Wiese's past relationship in the court documents filed last month. Dennison told The Post: 'It feels like a personal issue is involved as I have not done anything that warrants these extreme actions.' Dennison said it is 'sad' that the club 'has tried to diminish my accomplishments and value by revoking my membership.' Wiese and his wife Nicole Young in 2018. He was allegedly in a relationship with Young, who is the group's executive director, at the time of the affair Timothy Taylor (left) and Christine Dennison (right) at the 2011 WINGS WorldQuest Women of Discovery Awards in New York. The couple filed the $1.9 million lawsuit for breach of contract, defamation and negligence after being expelled from the elite club 'I feel it is important that I stand up and not accept being bullied, intimidated and harassed by an organization that allows this behavior towards its female members,' the explorer said. Wiese brushed off the allegations as 'baseless and frivolous' and said the couple 'intended only to harass and intimidate.' He has also branded claims of an affair with Dennison 'a lie', according to club fellow and former board member Vanessa O'Brien. The saga comes as another blow to the non-profit as it has faced a backlash over its decision to make a deal with the Discovery Channel. Members, who count astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin and the first man to summit Mount Everest Sir Edmund Hillary among their peers, voiced outrage after it emerged in January that Wiese had secretly agreed to partner with the network. The deal, which would give the Discovery Channel naming rights to the headquarters and filming rights for expeditions, is being branded a sellout by some members. The Explorers Club counts Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos as members. Its headquarters in New York City houses some memorabilia from expeditions including a stuffed polar bear (left) and stuff sperm whale penis (right) The suit comes as another blow to the non-profit as it has faced a backlash over its decision to make a deal with the Discovery Channel, giving the network naming rights to the headquarters and filming rights for expeditions One member Julian Monroe Fisher wrote a letter to members saying: 'The current deal is an overreaching, one-sided proposal in favor of Discovery that would irreparably impact the club's assets, mission, reputation and legacy.' Fisher is among members calling for a vote to be held on the deal. Some are also muting the possibility of filing a vote of no confidence in the board, which would oust Wiese and reinstate Dennison and Taylor. Elliot Keck works for BICOM, and is a Conservative Party activist in West London. This piece is written in a personal capacity. Do you realise what youre asking for here? Insurance, taxes, social security for three people, an incredulous David Wallace exclaims as he processes Michael Scotts demands for the buyout of his eponymously-named paper company in the American version of The Office. Michael Scotts paper company is effectively bankrupt, the consequence of predatory pricing designed to steal clients from Dunder Mifflin, of which David Wallace is the Chief Finance Officer. Wallace would appear to have all the cards in his hands as the CFO of a corporate giant against a brave, tenacious, but ultimately naive and desperate start-up. But as Scott explains to a stunned Wallace: Your company is losing clients left and right. You have a stockholder meeting coming up and you are going to have to explain to them why your most profitable branch is bleeding. So they may be looking for a little change in the CFO. So I dont think I need to wait out Dunder Mifflin. I think I just have to wait out you. Knowingly or not, Boris Johnson is taking the Michael Scott approach in negotiations with the European Union. The power differentials are stark. The European Union is a vast, highly integrated trading bloc of nearly 450 million people; the UKs population is just shy of 70 million. The EUs nominal GDP (2018 figures) once the UK is stripped out stands at just under 16 trillion dollars. The UKs nominal GDP in the same year was under three trillion dollars. True, the EU exports more to the UK than vice versa, but as a percentage of total exports there is no comparison. None of this is to deny the economic strength of the UK, but rather to acknowledge the economic might of the EU. So why the hardball on the part of Johnson? Well, because the balance of power in negotiations cannot simply be boiled down to a state-centred analysis of relative strength. This is a traditional international relations approach, in which states are seen as discrete units with clear, identifiable interests. But the development of a different school of thought within academic international relations provides a new and arguably improved framework Foreign Policy Analysis. The essential insight of Foreign Policy Analysis is that foreign policy is decided at multiple levels, and as a result of myriad competing factors which weave their way into the decision-making matrix. To return to Michael Scott and David Wallace, Michael Scotts gamble is that although it is in Dunder Mifflins interest to simply wait for the inevitable collapse of his paper company, it is in David Wallaces interest to wrap things up quickly, due to fears for his position. Johnson is making a strikingly similar gamble. His victory last December has given him breathing space. He has a sizeable majority of MPs loyal to him to ensure that he has four to five before needing to face the electorate again. Other European leaders are not so lucky. By the end of 2022, barely halfway through Boriss term, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Czech Republic among others will have gone to the polls. If the UK leaves with no deal it may well be the case that the UK suffers more than the EU but suffer the EU will. And it will be EU leaders who have to explain themselves to angry electorates long before Boris has to do the same. So while according to the traditional international relations framework, the EU should be willing to push the UK to the brink, the EUs leaders may not be. David Wallace ceded to Michael Scotts demands; concerned for their jobs, and fearful of their electorates, its possible that EU leaders may do the same. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. COVID-19 CASE CONFIRMED IN JOHNSON COUNTY!!! GOLDEN GHETTO GETS GLOBAL SICKNESS!!! Gov. Kelly: Johnson County woman tests positive for coronavirus, first confirmed case in Kansas The Kansas Department of Health and Environment confirmed its first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Kansas. The presumptive positive case was identified Saturday with testing sent to KDHE's Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories. These results will be verified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lab but will be treated as positive unless determined otherwise.Kansas Gov. JOCO FIRST!!! Johnson County woman tests positive for coronavirus, 1st confirmed case in Kansas by: Nexstar Media Wire Posted: / Updated: TOPEKA, Kan. - A Kansas woman has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Governor Laura Kelly announced. Governor Laura Kelly announced the news on Saturday afternoon, KSNT first reported. This is the first confirmed case in Kansas and in the KC metro. KANSAS COVID-19!!! The First Case of Coronavirus In Kansas Is Confirmed In Johnson County TOPEKA, Kansas - Kansas has its first case of the new coronavirus, officials announced Saturday. The Johnson County woman infected with the virus appears to have contracted her illness while traveling in the northeastern United States, state and local public health officials said at a Statehouse news conference early Saturday evening. GUV KELLY UPDATE!!! Johnson County woman is Kansas' 1st case of coronavirus TOPEKA, KS (KCTV) - On Saturday, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced that one person in Kansas has tested positive for coronavirus. Governor Kelly said that the woman is under 50 years old and lives in Johnson County, Kansas. She is in home isolation, which is in accordance with the guidance from the CDC. At the outset of this pandemic threat the smarter denizens of our blog community told us that it was just a matter of time until the new cases hit the metro.And now, once again, our blog community conversation becomes news fact . . .Here's the relevant info, assorted artistic representations of the bug and links from better sources along with the hope that local officials will start taking this threat health situation seriously given the repeated advocacy of our snarky blog community . . .Developing . . . Tools and Publications Assessments I International cooperation tools I Databases I Manuals, Handbooks and Best Practices I Model laws and treaties I Legislative Guide for the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto Assessments In order to enhance the knowledge base available for Member States to develop effective international responses to transnational organized crime threats, UNODC has produced a series of regional and global and thematic transnational organized crime threat assessments. International cooperation UNODC has developed a variety of tools and publications to facilitate international cooperation, including an online directory of competent national authorities, a mutual legal assistance request writer tool, a legal databases and best practices case law. Databases SHERLOC (knowledge management portal) http://sherloc.unodc.org Sherloc Brochure The SHERLOC (Sharing Electronic Resources and Laws On Crime) knowledge management portal was developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to facilitate the dissemination of information regarding the implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three Protocols. It consists of a Database of Legislation, a Case Law Database, the Directory of Competent National Authorities, a Bibliographic Database, a Database on Strategies and a Treaties Database. Moreover, it also hosts the Legislative Guide to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. UNODC eLearning Platform https://golearn.unodc.org/lms/login/index.php Our eLearning courses deliver online training on international security threats such as organized crime, terrorism, illicit drugs, trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, wildlife & forest crime and cybercrime as well as provide training on border control, intelligence analysis, criminal investigations, anti-corruption, HIV/AIDS prevention, gender mainstreaming, human rights protection and programme evaluation. These courses, developed by leading international experts, enable law enforcement officers and other professionals to expand their knowledge and stay up to date with the international community's fight against illicit drugs, crime and terrorism experts in line with United Nations standards and norms and other relevant international instruments. After successful completion of each module, participants are provided with a certificate issued by UNODC. The Module on Understanding Organized Crime, available in English, French and Spanish, focuses on understanding organized crime, organized criminal groups and provisions of UN convention on organized crime. It also focuses on the social and criminal justice responses to organized crime, including law enforcement tools and prosecution strategies. goCASE (Government office case management system) http://gocase.unodc.org The Government office Case Management system (goCASE) supports government agencies to conduct and manage investigations, prosecutions and regulatory actions of any kind. goCASE facilities the collection and development of intelligence to strengthen intelligence-led investigations and prosecutions, to support all criminal justice actors. It supports analysts in developing inferences and hypothesis, front-line officers and investigators in identifying and reacting to investigative leads, and prosecutors in handling court cases. As with other UNODC IT solutions, goCASE can be provided to Member States as a "stand-alone" solution or it can be seamlessly integrated with other criminal justice data management systems to form one global solution at substantially less cost to Member States than commercial software solutions. Human Trafficking case law database http://www.unodc.org/cld/en/about/index.html UNODC has developed a human trafficking case law database to provide immediate, public access to officially documented instances of the crime. The database contains details on nationalities of victims and perpetrators, trafficking routes, verdicts and other information related to prosecuted cases from across the world. In doing so, it provides not only statistics on numbers of prosecutions and convictions, but also the real-life stories of trafficked persons as documented by the courts. The database aims to assist judges, prosecutors, policy-makers, media researchers and other interested parties by making available details of real cases with examples of how relevant national laws have been used to prosecute human trafficking. Drug Control Repository https://drugcontrolrepository.unodc.org The Drug Control Repository is an information management portal aimed at facilitating the dissemination of information regarding the implementation of the International Drug Control Conventions namely the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988. The repository provides a unique gateway to access information related to drug control and the implementation of the international Drug Control Conventions. In addition to the legislation database, the repository includes portals of designated competent national authorities as requested under the three conventions, status of adherence to the Conventions, and "other resources". It was developed in 2018 and the migration of laws previously hosted by the "Legal Library" and upload of most recent laws is currently ongoing . Manuals, Handbooks and Best Practices Policimaking and the Role of Online Intermediaries in Preventing and Combatting Illicit Trafficking English This issue paper considers the question, from the perspective of State policymaking, of the role of online intermediaries in preventing and combating three forms of serious crime online: wildlife crime, falsified medical products-related crime, and trafficking in cultural property. Digest of Cyber Organized Crime English Information and communications technology (ICT) has transformed conceptions of organized crime. Specifically, ICT has had an impact on the nature of organized crime activities and the types of individuals who can participate in organized crime. One of the main challenges is to identify cyber organized crime and cyber organized criminal groups, as well as the extent to which these groups operate exclusively, predominantly and/or partially online. The digest identifies and analyses cyber organized crime cases from various regions with the objective of finding out the ways in which cases involving such crime are investigated, prosecuted and adjudicated, as well as the limitations of and lessons learned from criminal justice responses to such crime. Digest of cases of international cooperation in criminal matters involving the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime as a legal basis. English Developed pursuant to UNTOC-COP resolution 9/3, the Digest represents the first and most comprehensive study of the practical use of the international cooperation provisions of the Convention, as documented in actual cases. The goal of the Digest is to present the fullest possible picture of the practical use of the Organized Crime Convention as a legal basis for international cooperation at a significant juncture: having already celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the adoption and opening for signature of the Convention and with the accumulated experience gained after 18 years since its entry into force. As such, the Digest fills a gap in the range of technical assistance tools developed by UNODC to support States parties in preventing and combating organized crime more effectively and in line with UNTOC requirements. The Digest also facilitates the sharing of relevant experiences of States parties and, on the basis of the lessons learned, the development of recommendations aimed at enhancing and increasing the use of the Convention as a tool for international cooperation to combat transnational organized crime more effectively. The Digest of cases of international cooperation in criminal matters involving the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime as a legal basis was developed by the Conference Support Section, Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch, Division for Treaty Affairs of UNODC, with the financial support of the Government of the People's Republic of China. Organized Crime Strategy Toolkit for Developing High-impact Strategies English The Organized Crime Strategy Toolkit aims to assist States in the development of comprehensive strategic frameworks to prevent and combat organized crime. As such, it provides guidance on overarching strategic principles while describing some of the more specific approaches, capabilities and instruments that can be adopted to address this problem. Furthermore, it offers recommendations relating to the implementation and monitoring of strategies. Combating Falsified Medical Product-Related Crime: A Guide to Good Legislative Practices English - French The growing phenomenon of the falsification of medical products threatens the right to life, as enshrined in different international human rights instruments. Despite the growing nature of the problem, legal systems around the world are facing numerous challenges in effectively combating these crimes. This Guide is intended to support States in enacting or strengthening domestic legislation to combat falsified medical product-related crime and, in so doing, contributing to the protection of public health. States may use this Guide as a practical tool as they draft, amend or review relevant national legislation within their constitutional and legislative framework. It is not a model law and does not provide a "one-size-fits-all" model ready to be introduced into a State's legal system. Guide on drafting legislation to combat wildlife crime English - French - Portuguese Despite considerable efforts in recent years, wildlife crime remains a growing problem worldwide. Once described as an emerging threat, wildlife crime has evolved into one of the most significant transnational criminal activities and has major economic, social and environmental impacts. The primary objective of the Guide on Drafting Legislation to Combat Wildlife Crime is to assist States in protecting wildlife by criminalizing serious wildlife offences, as defined in this Guide, thereby enhancing States' prosecution and criminal justice capacities. The Guide is intended as a technical assistance tool to assist States in reviewing and amending existing legislation and adopting new legislation against wildlife crime in line with the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Needs Assessment Tools, 2016 Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto require action by States parties to harmonize their legislation with the Convention requirements. Article 34, paragraph 1, of the Convention calls upon each State party to take "the necessary measures, including legislative and administrative measures, in accordance with fundamental principles of its domestic law, to ensure the implementation of its obligations under this Convention". Digest of organized crime cases English - French - Spanish- Italian On the occasion of the Tenth Anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Organized Crime Convention), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Italian and the Colombian Governments and INTERPOL decided to launch an initiative aimed at facilitating and assisting States in the implementation of the Convention by providing them with a compilation of illustrative cases of organized crime, and related "good practices" in investigative and prosecutorial techniques, as well as in international cooperation in criminal matters. The Digest is developed by the Implementation Support Section of the Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch of the Division for Treaty Affairs in cooperation with relevant units of UNODC, and in close cooperation with INTERPOL and from the sponsoring countries Italy and Colombia. For more information please see: http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/organized-crime/digest-of-organized-crime-cases.html Manual on Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition, 2012 Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish This manual is offered in response to Conference of Parties resolution 5/8 entitled "Implementation of the provisions on international cooperation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime". In that resolution, UNODC was directed to develop a practical guide to facilitate the drafting, transmission and execution of requests for extradition and mutual legal assistance. The manual is intended for by central and other competent national authorities, policy makers and criminal justice practitioners including lawyers, investigators, judges and magistrates who are involved international legal assistance. Manual on International Cooperation for the Purposes of Confiscation of Proceeds of Crime, 2012 English - French - Spanish The focus of the Manual is national efforts aimed at successfully preventing criminals from profiting from crime. Its primary purpose is to facilitate asset recovery in accordance with the provisions of the Organized Crime Convention. It is to be used in close conjunction with the companion Manual on Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition. Handbook on the International Transfer of Sentenced Persons, 2012 English The nature of transnational organized crime means that it is increasingly common for criminals involved to be convicted and sentenced in foreign countries. This Handbook is designed to explain how transferring sentenced persons to serve their sentences in their home country can contribute to dealing with them fairly and effectively, and the cooperative process to facilitate their transfer. Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit, 2012 English The Toolkit is designed to assist government officials in wildlife and forestry administration, and Customs and other relevant enforcement agencies to conduct a comprehensive analysis of possible means and measures related to the protection and monitoring of wildlife and forest products. In addition, other stakeholders at the international and national levels, as well as civil society, may find the Toolkit useful regarding their daily responsibilities. (Published by the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime, of which UNODC is a member.) Current practices in electronic surveillance in the investigation of serious organized crime, 2009 English Criminal Intelligence Manual for Analysts, 2011 English This manual offers criminal intelligence guidance to analysts from understanding relevant concepts and categories, through to specific components of the intelligence process. Specially, the manual clarifies evaluation sources of intelligence and data, focusing particularly on basic analytical techniques, including link analysis, event charting, flow analysis and telephone analysis. The manual also equips practitioners to develop inferences and present he results of their analysis. Criminal Intelligence Manual for Front-line Law Enforcement, 2010 English This manual offers criminal intelligence guidance to law enforcement officers, from understanding relevant concepts and categories, through to specific components of the intelligence process. The Manual specifically address the evaluation of sources and data, analysis and the analytical process, the role of analysis and analytical techniques. This manual offers criminal intelligence guidance to analysts from understanding relevant concepts and categories, through to specific components of the intelligence process. Specially, the manual clarifies evaluation sources of intelligence and data, focusing particularly on basic analytical techniques, including link analysis, event charting, flow analysis and telephone analysis. The manual also equips practitioners to develop inferences and present he results of their analysis. Criminal Intelligence Manual for Managers, 2011 English This manual offers criminal intelligence guidance to managers, from understanding relevant concepts and categories, through to specific components of the intelligence process. The manual addresses evaluation of source and data, analysis and the analytical process, types of analysis, security and the intelligence process, management of intelligence unit as well as standards and guidelines Guidance on the use and preparation of serious organized crime threat assessments (The SOCTA Handbook), 2010 English The Serious Organized Crime Threat Assessment Handbook (SOCTA handbook) was produced by UNODC in conjunction with Interpol to guide States to prepare national serious organized crime threat assessments, to empower policy makers to design tailored responses to serious crimes. The SOCTA handbook also provides practitioners with step-by-step guide to creating their ownational threat assessment, in line with international best practices. It outlines how such an assessment can aid understanding of serious and organized crime and its effects, how it can be used as a basis for developing strategies to defeat it, and how it can be an effective tool for determining the deployment of resources to be used in combating it. Good practices in the protection of witnesses in criminal proceedings involving organized crime, 2008 Arabic - English - French - Russian - Spanish The good practices provided in this tool offer a comprehensive picture of witness protection measures and offer practical options for adaptation and incorporation into diverse legal systems around the world, depending on their operational procedures and their particular social, political and economic contexts. The good practices were developed in a series of regional meetings comprised of expert representatives from the criminal justice sector, so as to reflect a range of experiences from different regions and legal systems. In developing these good practices, UNODC consulted with more that 60 United Nations Member States as well as international organizations such as Europol, Eurojust, the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Interpol, SECI Regional Center for Southeast Europe, Sierra Leone Special Court as well as UNAFEI and UNICRI. Handbook on Identity-related Crime, 2011 English - Spanish This Handbook sets out a range of options and consideration to be taken into account when addressing domestic criminal justice matters pertaining to identity related crimes, including specific challenges in the field of international cooperation and potential partnerships between public and private sectors. The Handbook is intended for use by legislators, policy-makers, prosecutors and law enforcement practitioners, as well as other non-governmental stakeholders. Combating Transnational Organized Crime Committed at Sea - Issue Paper, 2013 English The Issue Paper underscores the common and interlinked emerging crimes at sea, including piracy and armed robbery at sea, migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, organized crime within the fishing industry and oil bunkering; it identifies the applicable maritime laws and regulations and their potential gaps as well as the relevant good practices and challenges in international cooperation at the legal and operational level with respect to crimes at sea; it discusses the problems concerning the investigation and prosecution of crimes at sea, including questions such as where capacity-building is needed. United Nations Counter-kidnapping Manual, 2006 The manual presents a constructive tool for policy makers, law enforcement officers and criminal justice practitioners and is aimed at providing national authorities with guidelines on how to deal with a kidnapping case in a practical and effective manner. Legislative and national policies to target kidnapping are addressed, but focus is primarily on the key responses needed for success in prevention and investigation. The manual is available upon request. Model Laws and Treaties UNODC develops model laws and model provisions with the view to assisting governments to translate their obligations under international treaties into national legislative provisions. The model laws aim to facilitate the review and amendment of existing legislation as well as the adoption of new legislation. The model provisions are supplemented by commentary that explains the legal basis for each provision. The model laws are not intended to replace the meticulous process of drafting national legislation and they focus on substance over form that differs depending on the legal system of a given state. States can adjust the text offered in the model laws to their own needs and circumstances in a way that best reflects the preserves the obligations at international law in their own local contexts. UNODC stands ready to provide further custom-tailored legislative drafting assistance to States, upon request and subject to availability of funds. http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/legal-tools/model-treaties-and-laws.html Model Legislative Provisions against Organized Crime, 2012 English - French - Chinese - Russian - Arabic - Spanish The model legislative provisions against organized crime were developed in response to a request made by the General Assembly to the Secretary-General to promote and assist the efforts of Member States to become party to and implement the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto. The model legislative provisions will facilitate the review and amendment of existing legislation and the adoption of new legislation by Member States and they are designed to be adapted to the needs of each State, whatever its legal tradition and social, economic, cultural and geographic conditions. Model Law against Trafficking in Persons, 2010 Arabic - English - French - Russian - Spanish The UNODC Model Law against Trafficking in Persons has been developed to assist States in implementing the provisions contained in the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing that Convention. It aims to facilitate the review and amendment of existing legislation as well as the adoption of new legislation. The Model Law covers not only the criminalization of trafficking in persons and related offences, but also the different aspects of assistance to victims as well as establishing cooperation between different state authorities and NGOs. Each provision is accompanied by a detailed commentary, providing several options for legislators, as appropriate, and legal sources and examples. Model Law against Smuggling of Migrants, 2010 Arabic - English - French - Russian - Spanish The Model law against Smuggling of Migrants has been developed to assist States in implementing the provisions contained in the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. It aims to facilitate the review and amendment of existing legislation as well as the adoption of new legislation. It specifically addresses criminalization of the offence of migrant smuggling, protection and assistance of smuggled migrations, coordination and cooperation, and processes of return. The Model Law aims to harmonize definitions of the crime and strengthened coordination in response to smuggling of migrants across borders, and also to provide a basis for prevention, investigation and prosecution of the crime. Model Law on Illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, 2011 English The UNODC Firearms Model Law aims to assist States in implementing the provisions contained in the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Part 1 contains Model Law text on the introductory provisions and definitions States may choose to include in their domestic legislation. Part 2 contains Model Law text on all the mandatory provisions of the Firearms Protocol that States are required to ensure are included in their domestic legislation. Finally, Part 3 elaborates on non-mandatory provisions in the Firearms Protocol on brokers and brokering activities that States are required to consider for inclusion in their national legislation. Money-Laundering and Financing of Terrorism UNODC has developed, in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Commonwealth Secretariat, model laws for both common law and civil law legal systems, to assist countries in setting up their anti-money-laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) legislation in full compliance with the relevant international legal instruments, and in particular the 40 + 9 FATF Recommendations, the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Model Laws on International Cooperation The model legislation on extradition and on mutual assistance in criminal matters was developed by UNODC to assist Member States in giving effect to the provisions of the model treaties approved by the General Assembly, in order to enhance effective international cooperation. The model laws take into consideration the developments occurred after the adoption of the model treaties, in particular the adoption of the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the 2003 United Nations Convention against Corruption. The reports of past expert working groups on extradition and mutual legal assistance casework also contain guidelines, from a practitioner's perspective, that may be useful to legislative drafting in this area, as well as to national central authorities established to promote international cooperation in criminal matters. Model Law on Extradition (2004) - English - French - Arabic Model Law on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (2007) - English - French - Arabic Model Treaty on Extradition (General Assembly resolution 45/116, as amended by General Assembly resolution 52/88) - English Model Treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (General Assembly resolution 45/117, as amended by General Assembly resolution 53/112) - English Revised Manuals on the Model Treaties on Extradition and Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters - English Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance Casework Guidelines Report of the Expert Working Group on Mutual Legal Assistance and Related International Confiscation, Vienna, 15-19 February 1993. - English Report of the Informal Expert Working Group on Mutual Legal Assistance Casework Best Practice, Vienna, 3-7 December 2001 - English - Russian - Spanish Report of the Informal Expert Working Group on Effective Extradition Casework Practice, Vienna, 12-16 July 2004. - English Basic Tips For Investigators And Prosecutors For Requesting Electronic/Digital Data/Evidence From Foreign Jurisdictions, December 2014 - English - Russian - French Justice in matters involving child victims and witnesses of crime: Model Law and related commentary, 2009 UNODC in cooperation with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Bureau for Children's Rights, offers a model law to assist States in adapting their national legislation to the provisions contained in the Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime (resolution 2005/20 of the Economic and Social Council), which forms part of the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, as well as in other relevant international instruments. English - French - Spanish Hazelwood is very walkable, is great for biking and is a haven for transit riders, according to Walk Score's rating system. So what does the low-end pricing on a rental in Hazelwood look like these days and what might you get for your money? We took a look at local listings in Hazelwood via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find in this Portland neighborhood. Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, below. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 10332 N.E. Oregon St. Listed at $1,150/month, this 800-square-foot two-bedroom, one-bathroom space is located at 10332 N.E. Oregon St. The building features on-site laundry. Also, expect stainless steel appliances and a dishwasher in the unit. Pets are permitted. There's no leasing fee required for this rental. (See the complete listing here.) 217 N.E. 146th Ave. Next, this two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom apartment, situated at 217 N.E. 146th Ave., is listed for $1,195/month for its 813 square feet. In the unit, look for a dishwasher, carpeted floors and in-unit laundry. Building amenities include assigned parking. Pet owners, take heed: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. (See the complete listing here.) 1313 N.E. 131st Place Finally, here's a two-bedroom, one-bathroom address at 1313 N.E. 131st Place, which, at 750 square feet, is also going for $1,195/month. The building offers outdoor space and additional storage space. The unit also includes carpeted floors. Pet lovers are in luck: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (See the full listing here.) This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Additionally, if youre in the real estate business learn how to do local real estate advertising in your ZIP codes. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 23:27:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NANJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- East China's Jiangsu Province has issued a statement to attract 10,000 PhD graduates for postdoctoral research over the next five years. The province will attract more overseas PhD graduates and expand the scale of recruitment of foreign postdoctoral researchers, the provincial government said. For postdoctoral researchers who finish their work at research centers and choose to continue working in Jiangsu, they can enjoy living subsidies and other privileges. The statement also encourages enterprises, universities and research institutions to support postdoctoral researchers to start up businesses. The number of postdoctoral researchers involved in research programs in Jiangsu has exceeded 21,000, and 70 percent of those who completed their research have chosen to stay and work in the province, according to the provincial department of human resources and social security. Looking for information on coronavirus? Here are several online resources that offer everything from tips on preparing for a potential outbreak, to information on how to prevent spread. The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with world public health. They have both up-to-date situation reports on cases around the globe, plus a list of widely circulating coronavirus myths. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The CDC is is the leading national public health institute of the United States and has a wealth of information including virus facts that cover symptoms and what to do if you're sick, tips on preventing spread, answers to commonly asked questions and updates on cases in the United States (Note: This page may not be up-to-date with all patients in the country with positive tests.) Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA is a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association. They currently have studies on coronavirus, including a report on 72,000 cases from China's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Texas Department of State Health Services Updates on the latest cases in Texas and what the state is doing to protect the public, as well as answers to commonly asked questions about the virus, are available here. San Antonio Metropolitan Health District The latest information on the preparations and actions the city is taking in relation to the current worldwide coronavirus outbreak can be found here. Bexar County Office of Emergency Management The county has taken multiple steps to combat any possible spread of infection with Bexar County, including a declaration of public health emergency by Judge Nelson Wolff, which you can read here. For a list of county resources and other information related to COVID-19 as it relates to Bexar County here. County Public Health Departments MedlinePlus MedlinePlus provides health information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine. U.S. Food and Drug Administration The FDA is a federal agency responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of everything from medications to vaccines. The agency has updates on conavirus' impact on the medical supply chain, as well as updates on medical countermeasures, vaccines and therapies. U.S. Department of State The State Department responsible for carrying out U.S. foreign policy and international relations has a list of the latest travel advisories. American Red Cross The American Red Cross a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States currently has a template for creating a family disaster plan for any emergency. Federal Emergency Management Agency Part of the United States Department of Homeland Security, FEMA offers an online tool called Ready Kids to help parents and teachers educate children ages eight through twelve about emergencies and how they can help get their family prepared. MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Despite our best efforts to prove otherwise, the coronavirus is making some of us consider that we might, in fact, be old. At a party last week for the launch of therapist Julia Samuels book This Too Shall Pass (a title that hopefully will apply to Covid- 19 as well as the difficult life transitions it addresses), the room was filled with cheery members of the 60-plus age group. We were a pretty lively and not bad-looking bunch (the winner by a mile was Tom Stoppard, whos well into his 80s). Old, us? You must be joking. People are pictured above wearing face masks in London. Despite our best efforts to prove otherwise, the coronavirus is making some of us consider that we might, in fact, be old Yet the chief conversational topic was how many of us were members of a susceptible demographic though that didnt stop the kissing, the hugs or the handshakes. Aside from the fact that discussion of the virus is in danger of killing off interesting chat at any social gathering, weve done a pretty good job of not being old. Not really old. Its not just the cosmetic interventions and hair dye but how we spend our time. The music business is bankrolled by old rockers swaying to other old rockers, were beginning so many new sexual relationships that the biggest rise in STDs is in the over-65s and its not unusual, if youre a bloke, to become a father in your eighth decade. Aside from the fact that discussion of the virus is in danger of killing off interesting chat at any social gathering, weve done a pretty good job of not being old. Not really old. Seniors are pictured above in Texas, US listening to how they can protect themselves against coronavirus As an old dad-to-be, Boris is a stripling at 55. Unfortunately, though, it appears this nasty new virus hasnt got the memo and is cutting into our carefully honed perception of ourselves as age invincible. Its no respecter of how satisfactory our highlights are or whether we can still run a mean 10K and rack up the sun salutations with the best of them. We know that age is just a number. But coronavirus is making it just that bit harder to avoid the fact that one day the time will come when that numbers up. Princess Haya is a beacon of bravery Bravest woman of the week is Princess Haya the ex-wife of Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum. I cant think of anything much more terrifying than successfully revealing her husbands appalling behaviour, including kidnap and torture, in the High Court. Princess Haya may be possessed of millions of pounds but all the money in the world wont help when you wake up in the middle of the night scared for you and your childrens lives. Especially when the man you are confronted with is one whose total belief in his omnipotency is matched only by his ruthlessness. Bravest woman of the week is Princess Haya the ex-wife of Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum. She is pictured arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice in London Life lessons from a Labour lady in a lift Last week I found myself in the lift of Fortnum & Mason with two other women, heading up to a charity lunch for Cancer Research. One was Labours Jess Phillips who had agreed to interview LBC host Nick Ferrari on stage as of part of the event. Whenever the lift stopped at a floor, the other woman impatiently pressed the button to get it moving again so we could get to our destination. Theres no point doing that, said Jess, who I only realised was Jess once wed all left the lift. I know because my husbands a lift engineer. She continued: It wont make any difference. It just makes you feel better because you think youre doing something. She was completely right. Its exactly how I feel about having cast my vote in the Labour leadership ballot. One was Labours Jess Phillips who had agreed to interview LBC host Nick Ferrari on stage as of part of the event. Whenever the lift stopped at a floor, the other woman impatiently pressed the button to get it moving again so we could get to our destination This Vampires Wife is never going to die... Every now and again a dress comes along that defies the death-knell of over-exposure and, with every sighting, just becomes more popular. That dress is now the Falconetti by Susie Bick aka The Vampires Wife, worn last week as part of the Duchess of Cambridges turn as the Green Goddess, during her visit to Ireland That dress is now the Falconetti by Susie Bick aka The Vampires Wife, worn last week as part of the Duchess of Cambridges turn as the Green Goddess, during her visit to Ireland. The Falconetti is one of the several nearly-identical VW dresses sporting high necklines, puffed shoulders and flounced hems that have been making an appearance at glamorous parties, premieres and weddings for the past couple of years. Couple of years? Most high-fashion buys are lucky to keep their currency for more than six months but these have the same long-life formula as Roland Mourets famous figure-hugging Galaxy dress a decade ago. Even costing upwards of 1,000 a pop. And why? The secret, say those who wear them, is that the dresses clever seaming gives you the narrow waist and bust you wished you had while the sleeves and skirt have the requisite primness popular in fashion now. I wish I could tell you more about why its so loved but Ive tried, more than once, to wear one. And Ive had to admit defeat. Unlike Gillian Anderson, Alexa Chung and Goth Queen Susie Bick herself whove all been seen looking gorgeous in the dress recently on me the shape and fabric looks less sexy puritan and more comfy sofa upholstery. Not that with continuing huge sales, this revelation is going to give The Vampires Wife any sleepless nights. Keep calm and carry on baking brownies Im sure were not the only household who have turned to baking as solace over the past week of relentless rain and coronavirus obsession. The smell of straight-from-the-oven brownies is a delicious panacea. Forget stockpiling loo paper and pasta, I suggest making sure youve got a good supply of baking ingredients should isolation strike. Why we all love a baddie in a beanie Arch-manipulators are so fascinating, arent they? Which is surely a huge part of the appeal of Hilary Mantels trilogy about Thomas Cromwell. You may or may not like Dominic Cummings way with a beanie hat but its a fact that most of us are intrigued by him and the enormous influence he seems to hold over the Prime Minister. The eminence grise, who lurks in the shadow of power, is almost always a far more compelling character than the leader themselves. Theres something about the way their manoeuvrings take place under the official radar that lends them a thrill that their supposed masters lack. But the real lure is that were convinced theyre baddies, cynical Machiavellis conspiring and conniving to get their evil way. Whereas the good guys? Theyre not nearly as much fun. PhD Dinh Van Minh, director of the Legal Department from the Government Inspectorate, talks on the Governments plan to develop a decree on asset and income declaration of Government officials. Dinh Van Minh. Will you please explain why the Government Inspectorate decided to take public comments on the draft decree on asset declaration and income of Government officials? In 1998, all public employees and Government officials had to declare their annual income in the national campaign to fight corruption. However, the campaign was not really successful. Every year, more than 99 per cent of public employees and Government officials filed reports on their assets. Yet, nothing abnormal was detected in the reports. Vietnam introduced asset declarations as a part of its 2005 Anti-Corruption Law. Under the law, all senior Party and Government officials have to declare their annual income. However, we had to consider two factors - i.e. to prevent corruption, yet not cause negative impacts on the safety and rights of asset owners. This is the key reason why the draft decree on asset declaration and income of Government officials has been posted for people to comment on. What are the major changes in the draft decree from the 2005 Anti-Corruption Law? Under the 2005 Anti-Corruption Law, only a certain number of communal officers and deputy heads of a section from a district Peoples Committee upwards have to declare their assets and annual income. However, under the revised decree, all public employees, Government officials, army officials and police officers who have been promoted to positions from deputy head of a section in a Government office have to declare their assets. That means the number of people who have to declare their annual assets will increase. The draft decree has included a long list of assets that a public Government official has to declare. Why? All laws must reflect what is really happening in society. So a public official must declare their assets of value. A key objective of declaring their assets is to make things objective. What will happen if a Government official falsifies their asset declaration? In the long run, a Government officials asset declaration may be posted in a public place where he/she lives. However, for the time being, we should encourage them to post their asset declaration reports on a wall in their offices only. The relevant agency should develop a mechanism to check and verify their declarations. If anyone is found to have falsified their asset declaration, they will be given due punishment. However, in the long run, asset declarations should be posted in a public place where these people are residing so the local people can check if their declarations are true or false. Can you explain the process of verifying asset declarations? Asset declarations by Government officials could be verified at random annually. Ideally, in each Government office, two staff will be chosen at random perhaps one senior official and one employee. Or in a locality where there are many Government offices, we could select two representatives from each office an office worker and a senior official. When will the draft decree be released to the public? The draft decree has already been made public for comments or suggestions from all Government agencies, including ministries, departments, provinces and others. After receiving comments/suggestions on the draft decree, the drafting board will then revise and submit it to the Government for approval. What I want to emphasise is all the measures the drafting committee has come up are for prevention. However, if any fraudulence is detected, due sanctions will be handed down. VNS/Hanoimoi Anticorruption drive takes positive turn: report Vietnamese people believe that corruption is declining and that the nations anticorruption efforts are becoming increasingly more effective, according to the Vietnam Corruption Barometer 2019 report. Vietnam under pressure to address corruption in private sector: UNDP Corruption increases the cost of doing business, distorts the competitive environment, limits opportunities for investment and widens the growing social inequality, according to a UNDP expert. 08.03.2020 LISTEN It is not easy to remove or amend a clause entrenched in a nation's constitution. However, a well-communicated and intelligently explained reasons backed by a national referendum on the subject can make the amendment or the removal possible. Many a Ghanaian is not enthused over the absolute immunity for Ghana President, well into three years of their exit from office, as it is entrenched in the Constitution. In the Ghana 1992 Republican Constitution by which the country has been governed since it was accepted by the nation, there are some clauses that need amending, especially, the one granting absolute immunity to a sitting President from both civil and criminal suits, thus, court prosecutions, until after three years of him/her leaving office. Regardless of any commissions or omissions by the president, whether they are criminally executed for his personal, family or political party gains or not, he is immune from any form of judicial prosecution. Find below the immunity clauses as are enshrined in the Constitution under Article 57, Clauses or Sections 4, 5 and 6. (4) Without prejudice to the provisions of article 2 of this Constitution, and subject to the operation of the prerogative writs, the President shall not, while in office, be liable to proceedings in any court for the performance of his functions, or for any act done or omitted to be done, or purported to be done, or purported to have been done or purporting to be done in the performance of his functions, under this Constitution or any other law. (5) The President shall not, while in office as President, be personally liable to any civil or criminal proceedings in court. (6) Civil or criminal proceedings may be instituted against a person within three years after his ceasing to be President, in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by him in his personal capacity before or during his term of office notwithstanding any period of limitation except where the proceedings had been legally barred before he assumed the office of President. In my candid opinion, it is absolutely wrong on the part of the framers of the Constitution to have smuggled in that absolute immunity for the president. From which model Constitution in the world that we got that clause from? I know Ghana Constitution is a mixture of that of America, the United Kingdom, Australia and France. The framers are alleged to have studied the Constitutions of the mentioned countries and probably from a few others, to copy from them with their own modifications where needed. However, from where did they get that absolute immunity clause for the sitting president until after his three years exit from office? It is obvious that it could have been designed at the insistence of then military junta leader, Chairman Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, turning a civilian and willing to revert the nation to a civilian rule and then contest election himself. The objective was to guarantee his safety and protection from prosecution for all the obvious illegalities he had committed against the people of Ghana. Other than that, why should a Ghana president be granted absolute immunity for all their actions, be they criminal and selfishly intended or otherwise? Find below how the immunity for the President applies in the United States of America by which it had made it possible for some of their Presidents to be impeached and/or prosecuted. "A. Ernest Fitzgerald filed a lawsuit against government officials claiming that he lost his position as a contractor with the United States Air Force because of testimony made before Congress in 1968.[2] Among the people listed in the lawsuit was former President Richard Nixon. Nixon argued that a President cannot be sued for actions taken while in office. The trial and appellate court rejected the President's claim of immunity and the case went to the Supreme Court". "In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the President is entitled to absolute immunity from liability for civil damages based on his official acts. The court emphasized that the President is not immune from criminal charges stemming from his official (or unofficial) acts while in office". To curtail corruptions, or attempts of corruption by the Presidents, both present and future, I will only appeal for its amendment by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, when he wins a second term of office. As personally incorruptible as he is, not desiring to take a pesewa that does not legally belong to him from the nations coffers unlike some of his predecessors, he is the right leader to effect the requested amendment. Should he fail to, then the path is permanently clear and wide for Ghana Presidents to commit personal crimes with impunity. Had it not been the entrenchment in the Constitution of the absolute immunity against prosecution for the President, the Airbus and Embraer airplanes scandals involving Ghana would not have occurred to shame and to cause financial loss to the State. My present day Joseph or David, Nana Akufo-Addo, please cogitate about this request from the obvious son of Kumawu/ Asiampa to effect the needed amendment. Ghana Presidents must be liable for prosecution for the personal corruptions, especially embezzlement of State funds and acceptance of bribes that they indulge themselves in whether they are in office or immediately after leaving office. Presidents had better lead by example. Their actions must be worthy of emulation but not to frowned on! Rockson Adofo Sunday, 8 March 2020 3.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard We hear these days about the importance of the African American vote within the Democratic base, and rightly so. This base has played a key role in the Democratic primaries and, according to all indications, will play a key role in determining the Democratic presidential candidate. Democratic candidates would also be wise as well as both humane and politically responsible, though, to pay attention to another population that, while historically endorsing Trump, has been nonetheless largely ignored by Trump, and is in dire need of attention and support. With some much needed attention from Democratic candidates, these voters could certainly make the difference necessary to defeat Trump in key states like Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. And it is also a vital matter of standing up for the equal rights of all and serving all constituencies, making particular efforts to serve the least visible among us in cultivating a democratic society and economy. Im talking about rural America, which isnt, of course, exclusively white but which is nonetheless a white majorityand unquestionably, and more to the point, a forgotten one. What is one of the latest key developments in terms of Trump turning his back on ruraland, really, working-classAmerica? Trumps Department of Education, led by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, is up to its old tricks of cutting funding for public education and doing its best to make public education less rather than more accessible to Americans and making the nations public education system increasingly unequal. And these cuts are targeted to hit rural America, a typical stronghold of Trump support, the hardest. This time, through what Andrew Naughtie, reporting for The Independent, calls an under-the-radar bookkeeping change at the Department of Education, DeVoss squad is setting up over 800 public schools across the nations primarily rural school districts to lose thousands of dollars per school in key funding. These cuts will cost these schools everything from reading specialists, to computers, to counselors, to language lessons for non-English speakers and more. Really, we are talking about the basics. How can these under-resourced schools offer an education equal to what students receive elsewhere in America and prepare their students to compete in our economy and make their most meaningful contributions to American society? And whats more, as Erica L. Green reports in The New York Times, rural schools are already, according to advocates, the most underfunded and ignored in the country, even though they serve nearly one in seven public school students. These students, according to a report from the Rural School and Community Trust, are largely invisible to state policymakers because they live in states where education policy is dominated by highly visible urban problems. What has happened exactly? Well, public schools have previously been able to demonstrate they qualify for the Rural and Low-Income School Program by counting the number of students who qualify for federally subsidized free and reduced-price meals in order to determine poverty rates in the schools. The Department of Education, however, recently determined many of these schools that had been receiving funding had qualified erroneously, according to the Census Bureaus Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. To qualify for funds, schools must demonstrate 20% of their areas students live in poverty. Using this census data is less accurate than actually using the data of who actually is attending a school. The push-back against this policy move has been decidedly and firmly bi-partisan. Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine indicated that this change would mean 100 of the 149 schools in Maine previously receiving funding from this program would no longer qualify, costing its schools $1.2 million in funding. Democratic Senator Jon Tester of Montana underscored that 220 of its most remote schools would lose some $400,000 in funding. The Trump administration is not making life better for our rural populations, despite the hopes of advocates that it would, given these regions electoral support for Trump. Alan Richard, for example, a board member of the Rural School and Community Trust, a non-profit advocacy group, told The New York Times, Rural education advocates definitely hoped that a president elected, in part, because of rural and small-town voters would pay more attention to rural children. Even after the last election, with all the attention to rural America, little has been done to correct the inequity so many rural students face. Trump can be called out for his broken campaign promises, his outright lies, and his complete lack of concern for people in need. The real question is whether or not Democrats will listen to, pay attention to, and take up the concerns and cause of our rural populations. Senator Amy Klobuchar spoke to and about rural America. At times, Senator Kamala Harris did as well. Both, of course, are no longer in the running to be the Democratic presidential candidate. Other than that, we dont hear too much from Democratic candidates regarding rural America. And it also needs to be said that there is a tendency in Democratic politics to demonize and dismiss poor white and white working-class people in America as racist and backward, as not on board with the progressive politics of change. Maybe listening, paying attention to, and creating actual policy to address the needs of these Americansas opposed to dismissing themwould go a long way towards courting these voters. It would certainly go a long way toward addressing the severe class stratifications in our society and working-class issues overall. Will Democrats take advantage of this opportunity to serve the needs of those Trump has abandoned, address them, and cultivate their support? Is the Democratic tent big enough? Can Democrats be big enough? Immigrant defense fund Regarding County OKs immigrant defense fund, (A1, Feb. 26): Kudos to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo for proposing a county-funded program to provide legal services to local immigrants. At American Gateways, which provides legal help to immigrants in more than 20 central Texas counties, weve seen the success of such efforts. In 2017, Austins city government led by its mayor and city council joined the Vera Safe Cities Network to ensure that immigrants facing deportation win legal representation. In partnership, American Gateways was enlisted to line up lawyers for immigrants facing deportation while keeping families together and the supportive council has continued to fund needs. Hidalgo is right too in pointing out that children of detained or deported parents who all too often lack attorneys face trying health and mental health challenges. Legal representation helps keep families together, safe and healthy. Good on Harris County for stepping up. Rebecca Lightsey, executive director of American Gateways Austin/San Antonio/Waco As a business owner in unincorporated Harris County and a taxpayer, I am outraged to see Harris County Commissioners Court vote to use taxpayer funds to provide legal services for immigrants including those who are here illegally and facing deportation. I believe the priority of the commissioners is to build and maintain county infrastructure. As with most of Harris County, this area was hit hard by Hurricane Harvey. As a result many roads are in disrepair. The commissioners are charged with being good stewards of taxpayer funds. Taxpayer funds should not be diverted for a controversial cause while real county needs such as roads and flood prevention are deprived of necessary and valuable funds. Use the money to deal with these infrastructure problems which will benefit everyone who lives here. Those commissioners and anyone else that have a desire to help with undocumented immigrant legal issues should do it on their own time and with their own dime, not taxpayer dollars! Lenette Miller, Pearland Coronavirus Regarding CERAWeek succumbs to virus fears, (A1, March 2): Rice Universitys decision to quietly begin implementing a limited quarantine based on best practice public health standards is both wise and exemplary. Starting with the known, assessing risks and analyzing fact patterns is an example of the public health model in action. With prevention and vigorous early intervention as its focus, this model efficiently targets scarce resources. In the Rice University quarantine example, the decision to impose a focused quarantine minimizes risk of a local epidemic and at the same time avoids a full shut down of all facilities. The Universitys example reminds us there are more options than either panicking or waiting until something big happens. Leaders at the municipal, institutional, state and even federal levels should take notice of how the public health model, implemented at both local and regional levels, might help address whatever threat we face with COVID19. Dr. John H. Jones, Houston The Mexican state of Baja California along the US-Mexico border region was shook by a 5.5 magnitude earthquake, Friday. At about 7:52 in the evening, the northeast portion of the state felt the tremors just north of Alberto Oviedo Mota and about 30 miles south of Mexicali, based on information from the United Stated Geological Survey (USGS) who previously released am initial magnitude of 5.5. The quakes were felt by people as far as San Diego, Long Beach, Blythe, and Phoenix. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries or damage to property caused by the quake. The earthquake came only a few days after the Earthquake Engineering Institute (EERI) Sand Diego chapter released a report regarding a 6.9 magnitude earthquake from the Rose Canyon Fault in San Diego can cause damage to 100,000 homes and result to failure of road and bridge structures. The report also indicated that some parts of Mission Bay can sink about a foot after an eartquake of such strength. Furthermore, the reports by the EERI have also found that a temblor of such magnitude can cut gas and water service between Silver Strand and La Jolla for as long as a month. The fault line starts from the coast between Encinitas and Oceanside and is said to extend south up to the shores of La Jolla. Scientists say that from there, the fault cuts through Old Town, Little Italy and then San Diego before it extends to offshore of the Silver Strand and stretches almost to Tijuana. According to the EERI, the study estimates that the temblor from the earthquake would inflict as much as $38 billion in infrastructure and building damages. It also has the potential to displace 36,000 households and disrupt San Diego's economy. Read also: Vatican Confirms First Coronavirus Case, Pope Francis Health a Primary Concern The authors of the research that the quake on the Rose Canyon fault is already imminent since it only appears to produce temblors once every 700 years. The last significant quake that had a 6.0 magnitude occurred in 1862. However, previous research has shown that there is still an 18% chance of a 6.7 magnitude earthquake to happen in San Diego within the next 30 years. The EERI also stated that branches of the fault exist beneath San Diego International Airport, which welcomes nearly 70,000 passengers daily. The said branch also extends beneath the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal and San Diego Conventional Center. EERI is a society of engineers and scientists who evaluate risks and consequences of huge quakes in places including Seattle's Puget Sound and the Bay Area. The group also collaborates with the government and responders to mitigate potential damage which may be caused by disasters. There is no information yet if the reports by EERI has any connection with the 5.5 magnitude earthquake that rocked the US-Mexico border region of along Baja California. The origin of the earthquake as of the moment is still under review. However, authorities still ask people within the area to take precautions and move to safer places in case of aftershocks. Related article: NASA Insight Mission Detects 450 Earthquakes on Mars @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Vadodara Municipal Corporation has shifted its entire corpus of Rs 265 crores deposited with Yes Bank to Bank of Baroda just 5 days ago, said Sudhir Patel, Deputy Municipal Commissioner of Vadodara. On Thursday, the RBI said a moratorium has been imposed on Yes Bank, stressing that the bank's financial capability has undergone a steady decline largely due to the inability of the bank to raise capital. "Our Smart City account was in Yes Bank. As per our rule, we have an internal auditor too who gives us a report every three months. We had received a report three months back that Yes Bank is not financially well so we must go for another nationalized bank," Patel told ANI. He added that around two months back a board meeting was held where this matter was discussed with the Board of Directors. "It was decided to move to a nationalised bank, the CEO had the power to do that. We contacted all nationalized banks and invited offers from them," said Patel. "After discussion, it was decided to transfer the account to Bank of Baroda. One month bank we opened our account in Bank of Baroda and luckily, transferred our entire fund of Rs 265 Crore into Bank of Baroda, five days back," he added. Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Sunday arrested Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor. During the period of moratorium, the Yes Bank Ltd will not, without the permission in writing of the Reserve Bank of India, make in the aggregate, payment to a depositor of a sum exceeding Rs 50,000 lying to his credit in any savings, current or any other deposit account. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) If you have always wanted to become an astronaut, now could be your chance. For the first time in more than four years, the U.S. space agency NASA is seeking candidates to be future astronauts. The search comes after NASA announced plans to send the first woman and the next man to the moon as part of its Artemis program. Artemis aims to return humans to the moon by 2024. NASAs next goal is to establish a long-term base on the moon by 2028. From there, NASA says it will be able to launch regular space operations, including missions to Mars. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said these plans present a growing need to choose and train future space explorers. America is closer than any other time in history since the Apollo program to returning astronauts to the Moon, Bridenstine said. We will send the first woman and next man to the lunar South Pole by 2024, and we need more astronauts to follow suit on the moon, and then Mars, he said. Bridenstine added: If you have always dreamed of being an astronaut, apply now. NASA says it expects to choose the final candidates in the middle of 2021. They will then immediately begin training to become Artemis Generation astronauts. NASA says it currently has 48 active astronauts. The last time it sought new candidates was in late 2015. At that time, a record-breaking 18,300 people applied. Eleven of them were chosen to become NASA astronauts. After going through an intensive training program, the astronauts officially graduated in January. So what exactly is NASA looking for in its crew of new astronauts? Two general requirements are that applicants must be U.S. citizens and hold a masters degree in a field related to science, technology, engineering or mathematics, or STEM. This masters requirement can also be met with the completion of at least two years of a STEM PhD program, or by finishing a test pilot school program. A medical degree will also be accepted. In addition, candidates must also have at least two years of professional experience in their field. Or, in the case of pilots, candidates need at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command flying time. Of course, all applicants will have to complete a NASA physical examination to test their fitness for long-term spaceflight. The positions are based in Houston, Texas, headquarters of the Johnson Space Center. However, applicants must also be willing to live and work at 400 kilometers above Earth during possible stays at the International Space Station. And, for the first time, all candidates will also need to take an internet-based test. The pay for a beginning astronaut is officially listed at between $105,000 and $161,000 a year. In a NASA video, some current astronauts explain what they think it takes to succeed at the job. Warren Hoburg identifies three important areas. The three things that it takes to be an astronaut are technical skill, operational skills, and then just being fun and easy to be around. Matthew Dominick noted the necessity of being able to fix things that break down. If you were to boil it down into something simple, I would say were all mechanics. Its just really, really hard to get to the work site. And Frank Rubio gives candidates a highly practical suggestion. It would probably not be great if you were scared of tight spaces. The astronaut application process will continue through March 31. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from NASA and Agence France-Presse. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Quiz - Want to Be an Astronaut? NASA Could Be Looking for You Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story regular adj. happening repeatedly over a period of time mission n. a task or job that someone is given to do apply v. ask officially for something, usually in writing follow suit phr v. to do the same thing as someone else has done graduate v. to complete an education successfully at a college or university boil it down phr v. to reduce or summarize mechanic n. person whose job it is to repair machines practical adj. relating to real situations or actions and not to thoughts or ideas In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, Uttarakhand Health Department has suggested closure of schools in the state. "The Health Department has suggested that schools in the state be closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The directive for the same is expected to be issued after the Holi festival," sources added. Moreover, the use of biometric attendance in offices has been stopped immediately in the state, sources added. India has 39 confirmed cases of deadly coronavirus. The disease has caused deaths of 3200 persons globally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The phone call came 24 hours after Sudan refused to endorse an Arab League resolution supporting Egypt in its dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) Related Sudan refuses to endorse Arab League resolution supporting Egypt in Nile dam dispute Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and chairman of the Sovereign Council of Sudan Abdel-Fattah El-Burhan discussed bilateral relations in a telephone call on Saturday evening, the Egyptian presidency said. The phone call came 24 hours after Sudan refused to endorse an Arab League resolution supporting Egypt in its dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). During the phone call, El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to supporting Sudan's stability and security, while Burhan praised Egypt's efforts to ensure Sudan's success during its transitional period. Sudan has expressed "reservations" over the draft resolution proposed on Thursday by Egypt to the Arab League to support both Egypt and Sudan in the dispute over the GERD, which Ethiopia is building on the Blue Nile. Sudan argued that the resolution does not serve its interests and expressed fears that it might result in "an Arab-Ethiopian confrontation." Sudan is yet to sign an agreement on the GERD drafted by the US Treasury Department, whereas Ethiopia skipped the last round of US-mediated talks between the three countries in Washington. Egypt, which initialled the agreement, described it as "fair and balanced" and said it "achieves the interest of the three countries," while Ethiopia accused the United States of being "undiplomatic" in its efforts to resolve the dispute Ethiopia hopes the mega project will make it Africa's biggest power exporter. Cairo, however, fears the dam, which is under construction near Ethiopia's border with Sudan, would significantly diminish its water supply from the Nile, its major source of freshwater. Search Keywords: Short link: THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has directed all local governments in the National Capital Region to activate their local Covid-19 task forces in a bid to prevent community transmission of the respiratory disease. The DILG issued the directive shortly after the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Saturday, March 7, local transmission of the novel coronavirus, which causes Covid-19, and raised its alert level to Code Red sub-level 1. This is also in anticipation of President Rodrigo Duterte declaring the country under a State of Public Health Emergency on Monday, March 9, 2020. In a statement, DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano said the Local Covid-19 Task Force of NCR must work double-time to ensure that further spread of the virus will be halted. Local transmissions pose greater chances for the virus to spread and thats the last thing we want to happen. Kaya naman inaatasan ko ang mga LGU ng NCR to activate their LCTF o Local Covid-19 Task Force to prevent the situation from escalating, Ano said. He also said the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT), which has been organized in six out of 10 barangays nationwide, could help monitor and contain the spread of the virus. The BHERT is expected to visit the homes of arrivals from a coronavirus-infected country to ensure that they have followed quarantine protocols. The DOH on Saturday announced that the fifth Covid-19 case in the country, a 62-year-old Filipino who lives in Cainta, Rizal and is known to visit a Muslim prayer hall in San Juan City, is a case of local transmission. The patient, who is in critical condition at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), infected his wife, who became the countrys sixth Covid-19 case. The wife, 59 years old, has a mild case of Covid-19. Household members have been placed under home quarantine. The fourth case, a 48-year-old Filipino, also has a mild form of Covid-19. He works for Deloittes office in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, Metro Manila and has history of travel from Japan. Story continues The first three cases were Chinese tourists. One had died while the two others have recovered and returned to China. Two were confined at the San Lazaro Hospital while the third was admitted to a hospital in Bohol in Central Visayas. Ano said the Local Covid-19 Task Force or LCTF shall direct the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and local City Health Office, upon receiving the referrals from the DOH-Emergency Operations Center, to coordinate directly with, and convey or transport, the symptomatic persons to the nearest DOH referral facility for Covid-19 testing. At the DOH referral facility, the symptomatic persons confirmed as patients under investigation (PUI) will undergo triage to distinguish between mild and severe cases. Ano said the LCTF will coordinate closely with the DOH-Center for Health Development. The DILG also directed all DILG city directors to coordinate closely with their local chief executives, who will in turn work closely with the DOH regional office. Meanwhile, Ano urged barangays that have not organized their own BHERT to do so. A BHERT is composed of an executive officer, a barangay tanod, and two barangay health workers, including a nurse or a midwife. Data from the DILG-National Barangay Operations Office showed that only Bicol Region registered 100 percent compliance with all 3,471 barangays having organized BHERTs. Other regions with high compliance rates are Central Luzon with 99.42 percent, Soccsksargen with 96.9 percent, and Caraga with 90.47 percent. Other regions that have organized BHERTs are Western Visayas with 89.24 percent compliance rate, Central Visayas with 83.85 percent, Calabarzon with 81.19 percent, NCR with 78 percent, Zamboanga with 63.71 percent, Mimaropa with 52.74 percent, Ilocos with 35.2 percent, and Northern Mindanao with 5.29 percent. (MVI/SunStar Philippines) Saudi marketing professionals introduced to a new marketing paradigm DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MBLM (pronounced: emblem), the brand intimacy agency, hosted its first-ever Brand Intimacy workshop in Riyadh, KSA, on the 26th of February 2020. The workshop is part of a series of knowledge-sharing sessions run by MBLM with the community of marketing professionals. Participants were introduced to the new paradigm of Brand Intimacy, the advantages of emotionally connecting with their audiences, and how brands can build strong emotional connections. "The marketers in our first Riyadh session were engaged, inquisitive and very enthusiastic. We look forward to seeing these marketers apply what they've learned into their marketing strategies," said Lyutha Al Habsy, Executive Director, MBLM. Brand Intimacy measures the bonds consumers form with the brands they use and love. Understanding the science behind these bonds equips marketers with the knowledge they need to build more meaningful relationships with consumers. Intimate brands have proven to deliver higher revenue and profit margins than those in the Fortune 500 and S&P 500 according to MBLM's Brand Intimacy Study, now in its 10th year. "Despite changing market forces and consumer tastes and preferences, brands continue to be built using methods of the past. The situation has changed, as technology, consumer behavior and expectations are all different compared to 50 years ago. Brand Intimacy seeks to empower the modern marketer to analyze and build strong emotional bonds between brands and consumers. This will create better returns for their companies," said William Shintani, Managing Partner, MBLM. MBLM recently released the 2020 Brand Intimacy Study, which contains a comprehensive ranking of brands based on emotions, across all years, the study has analyzed the responses of 25,000 consumers, 200,000 brand evaluations, 400 brands and 20,000 in-depth stories across 15 industries in the U.S., Mexico, and UAE. About MBLM: MBLM has invented a new marketing paradigm, Brand Intimacy, delivering expertise and offerings across three areas of focus: Agency, Lab and Platform. With offices in seven countries, our multidisciplinary teams help clients build stronger bonds and deliver optimized marketing outcomes and returns for the long term. To learn more about how we can help you create and sustain ultimate brand relationships, visit mblm.com. CONTACT: Lyutha Alhabsy Executive Director MBLM M +971 54 555 1925 O +971 4 276 7300 ext. 154 lalhabsy@mblm.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1099597/MBLM_Brand_Intimacy_Workshop_Riyadh.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/710748/MBLM__Logo.jpg New Delhi, March 8 : Twitter activist and Saudi whisleblower Mujtahid has claimed that King Salman of Saudi Arabia is most probably dead or is currently on his deathbed, an Iranian media report said. His comments came on Saturday after news that Saudi authorities had detained two of the kingdom's most prominent figures for an alleged coup attempt. In a Twitter post on Saturday, Mujtahid, the Twitter handle of a pseudonymous activist, explained that tens of people from the royal family had been detained and not only the King's brother Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, and the monarch's nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. The court staff, the royal palace personnel, and the royal guard members have been told that visiting the king is impossible due to his health condition, Mujtahid added. The whistleblower also noted that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will issue a statement on behalf of his father to declare the King's abdication and declare MBS as his successor. Citing unnamed sources, Wall Street Journal had reported on Friday that Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Nayef were taken from their homes early on Friday by royal guards on treason charges. The New York Times also reported the detentions, adding that Prince Nayef's younger brother Prince Nawaf bin Nayef had also been detained. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Two senior princes in Saudi Arabia are under arrest for not supporting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has consolidated control of all major levers of power with the support of his father, King Salman, two people close to the royal family said Saturday. The arrests on Friday of the kings younger and beloved brother, Prince Ahmed bin Abdelaziz, and the kings nephew and former counterterrorism czar, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, came after an accumulation of behaviour that was provocative to leadership, one person in Saudi Arabia with knowledge of the arrests said. Both princes had served previously in the post of interior minister, overseeing security and surveillance inside the kingdom. The move came as a surprise, given that Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 60, was widely known to be under close surveillance since he was shunted out of the line of succession by the kings son in mid-2017, a person close to the royal court said. The arrest of Prince Ahmed, 78, was also unexpected since he is the kings full younger brother and also a senior member of the ruling Al Saud family. Prince Ahmed, however, has long held unfavourable views of the 34-year-old crown prince and was one of just a few senior princes to abstain from pledging allegiance to him when the young royal sidelined more senior princes to become first in line to the throne. The Wall Street Journal first reported the arrests, quoting unidentified sources allied with the royal court as saying the princes were plotting a palace coup that would halt the rise of the crown prince. The Journal has since reported that the sweep broadened to include dozens of Interior Ministry officials, senior army officers and others suspected of supporting a coup attempt. The two people who talked to The Associated Press declined to characterize actions by the two princes as a coup attempt. They agreed to discuss the highly sensitive matter related to security only if granted anonymity. One added that the arrests were a message to all those in the royal family feeling disenfranchised to stop grumbling and toe the line, saying that if Prince Ahmed can be arrested, any prince can and will be. Prince Ahmed was seen as a person that royals vexed with the crown princes grip on power could look to, the person said. There has been no official comment from Saudi authorities on the arrests. The crown prince has succeeded in a few short years at sweeping aside any competition from royals older and more experienced than him. He has also overhauled the most powerful security bodies to report to him. Prince Mohammed bin Nayef is well-known and liked by U.S. intelligence officials for his counterterrorism co-operation in past years against al-Qaida. As head of the interior ministry, he was a feared and towering figure who oversaw the long arm of the government that both prosecuted and closely monitored and jailed dissidents and critics of the kingdom. After being removed from the role of crown prince and replaced by the kings son, he was stripped of his power and closely monitored. Prince Ahmed has been seen as critical of the crown prince, including telling protesters who were accosting him in London to ask the king and his son about the humanitarian disaster sparked by the war in Yemen. Religiously conservative, the prince also recently grumbled over the decision to close Islams holiest site in Mecca to stymie the spread of the new coronavirus, according to one of the people familiar with the arrests. The arrest of the two senior princes is most likely a preemptive move to manage risks to a transition from King Salman to his son, according to an analysis by Eurasia Group. Both princes were seen as possible alternatives to Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The reports of a crackdown on senior royals who could pose a threat to the 34-year-old crown princes ascension to the throne sparked speculation once again about the 84-year-old monarchs health and ability to rule. A U.S. official said King Salman appeared healthy and lucid in his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Feb. 20 in Riyadh. The two discussed the Saudi-led war in Yemen, efforts to counter Iran, the war in Syria and human rights issues. As recently as Thursday, the king met with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in Riyadh. The crown prince has succeeded in consolidating power and cementing his place as the day-to-day ruler, in part through far-reaching crackdowns on perceived critics or competitors. The October 2018 killing of Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi by agents close to the crown prince inside the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul, however, damaged the princes reputation globally. Foreign investors were also rattled by an anti-corruption operation overseen by the prince in late 2017 that saw top royals, officials and senior businessmen rounded up and detained for up to several months in the luxurious Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh and forced to sign over billions of dollars in assets in exchange for their freedom in secretive agreements. The crown prince is popular among many in Saudi Arabia for pushing through bold reforms that have transformed life in the kingdom for many, including loosening severe restrictions on women and allowing concerts to be performed and movie theatres to open. Still, his economic transformation plans have struggled to take off. The kingdom continues to rely heavily on oil for revenue, despite efforts to diversify. Oil prices have plunged amid the disruptions caused by the new coronavirus, signalling trouble for producers like Saudi Arabia. Foreign investors have been rattled by the princes unpredictability. ___ Associated Press diplomatic writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Colo. pro-life group may get 22-week abortion ban on ballot after submitting 138K signatures to state Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Colorado pro-life group collected over 138,000 signatures in the hopes of getting an initiative on the state ballot to ban late-term abortions in most circumstances. The Due Date Too Late campaign announced that they turned in the signatures to the Colorado Secretary of States Office on Wednesday, putting them one step closer to getting their initiative on the ballot. In order to be added to the Colorado ballot, the proposed measure needs to have at least 124,632 valid signatures. The state has 30 days to review the petitions. The campaign noted in a Facebook post on Thursday that they were able to get around 43,000 of the signatures over the past week alone. We reached the minimum for submission and are now waiting for an official count. We have the best volunteers in the world! Thanks for speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves, they stated. Lauren Castillo, a spokeswoman for the campaign, told Colorado Public Radio that she was confident that the measure has enough to qualify for the ballot. It was an all-volunteer effort, said Castillo. I think it was really indicative of the grassroots movement. As word-of-mouth continued to spread, the momentum just continued to build. If passed by a majority of Colorado voters, the measure would ban abortions performed after 22 weeks gestational age, except when the mother is facing a life-threatening medical emergency. Fawn Bolak of the pro-abortion group ProgressNow Colorado, denounced the ballot initiative in comments to the website Colorado Politics last month. Lets be clearthere is nothing remotely 'reasonable' about medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion care and access, stated Bolak. The folks pushing this ban clearly dont understand the unique, often devastating, circumstances that would lead someone to seek an abortion later in their pregnancy. In April 1967, Colorado became the first state to legalize abortion, with then Gov. John Love signing a bill that allowed the procedure in certain circumstances and with the approval of a three-doctor panel. At present, Colorado does not have any restrictions on late term abortions, though the state does require parental notification and that a licensed doctor perform the procedure. Last month, the Colorado House of Representatives killed two bills aimed at banning late-term abortion and mandating that abortionists and doctors provide medical care to babies born alive after an abortion. Both bills died in the Colorado House Veterans and Military Affairs Committee following hours of debate and testimony that included graphic descriptions of abortion. You can always count on Democrats to say they'll protect the little guy, except when the little guys weigh 6 pounds and is 19.5 [inches] long, the Colorado GOP House Caucus lamented on Twitter. WASHINGTON Two members of Congress, Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Paul Gosar, said Sunday they are isolating themselves after determining they had contact at a political conference with a man who has tested positive for coronavirus. Cruz, R-Texas, said he had brief contact with the man at the Conservative Political Action Conference nearly two weeks ago and would spend the next few days at his home in Texas until a full 14 days had passed since their interaction. Gosar, R-Ariz., said he had sustained contact with the man at CPAC and that he and three members of his senior staff were under self-quarantine. His office will be closed for the week, Gosar said in a tweet. Besides Cruz and Gosar, the CPAC schedule listed three other senators and 12 House members who were scheduled to speak. They included No. 2 House GOP leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, No. 3 Republican leader Liz Cheney of Wyoming and congressman Mark Meadows of North Carolina, who has since become President Trumps choice to be White House chief of staff. Also on the schedule was Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke at CPAC, but the White House said there was no indication that either had met or were in close proximity to the infected attendee. Cruz said he met the man being treated for coronavirus 10 days ago at CPAC in suburban Oxon Hill, Md. The Texas Republican said hes not experiencing any symptoms, feels fine and has been advised by medical authorities that the odds of transmission were extremely low. Yet out of an abundance of caution, Cruz said he will remain at home. He said medical authorities advised him that those who have interacted with him in the last 10 days should not be concerned about potential transmission. David Popp, spokesman for McConnell, said Sunday evening that no changes have been made in the chambers schedule in the wake of Cruzs decision to remain in Texas. McConnell has spoken with Cruz, Popp said. The Senate has a vote scheduled Monday evening and plans to be in session this week considering energy and possibly other legislation. The Senate and the House are set for a one-week recess the week of March 16. Meanwhile, Maryland reported two new cases on Sunday, raising to five the total confirmed cases in the state. Virginia reported its second case. In a separate case of coronavirus, a prominent Episcopal church in Washington suspended all activities after announcing that one of its senior leaders was the first person in the nations capital to test positive for the virus. The Rev. Timothy Cole, the rector of Christ Church Georgetown, was in stable condition after being hospitalized Saturday night, according to a statement from the Rev. Crystal Hardin, the assistant rector. According to Christ Church Georgetown website, Cole has been the rector since September 2016, is married and has two children. Ashraf Khalil and Michael Balsamo are Associated Press writers. A government statement reportedly said on March 8 that Macao has announced a mandatory quarantine on travellers from Germany, France, Spain and Japan amid the novel Coronavirus outbreak. According to the reports, all the travellers who have been to these four countries in the past two weeks will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine in allocated facilities. Local residents of the country will be required to undergo quarantine at home, while the non-Macao residents will need to pay to stay in one of the hotels designated for quarantine. READ: Macao Declares Mandatory Quarantine For All Travellers From Italy, Iran 14-day mandatory quarantine The new measure will come into effect at noon local time on Sunday. Macao has reportedly repatriated 57 of its residents from the Chinese city of Wuhan. According to international media reports, the evacuees returned to the city on a chartered flight on March 7. However, one evacuee was also prevented from joining the flight as his body temperature was above Hubei immigration services' permitted limits. According to the government press release, the evacuees were aged from three months to 77 years old and they were immediately transferred to a public facility for a 14-day quarantine. Furthermore, they will be required to take three tests to detect any traces of the deadly coronavirus. READ: Japan Confirms 47 New Coronavirus Cases Bringing Total To 461 Ten confirmed cases China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) has recently announced a 14-day quarantine period for all arrivals from Italy and Iran. Both countries have suffered major coronavirus outbreaks. According to reports, the quarantine period will take effect from 12:00 pm local time on February 29. Macao till now has announced ten confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of these confirmed cases, eight cases have reportedly recovered. Earlier, even US President Donald Trump said that the scope of travel restrictions could be expanded to Italy and South Korea over the virus fears. The United States has already banned foreign nationals travelling from China within the past two weeks and South Korea and Italy could also face travel restrictions with the rising number of cases. While South Korea has reported around 7,313 cases of coronavirus, around 5,883 infected people in Italy have been identified. READ: Telangana Government Increases Surveillance Due To Coronavirus Outbreak READ: Coronavirus Outbreak: Macao Repatriates Its 57 Nationals From Wuhan Latinx authors Julissa Arce, Esther Cepeda, and Reyna Grande felt anxious about appearing on Oprahs Book Club on Apple TV+ to discuss Jeanine Cummins controversial novel American Dirt. They also felt a responsibility. When the book, about a Mexican mother and her son fleeing their country for the U.S., was released in January, members of the Latinx, Mexican-American, and Chicano communities reacted with sharp criticism. American Dirt launched with the wind of a huge advance and blurbs from literary figures like Stephen King in its sails. Further, it was lauded by publisher Flatiron Books as a definitive account of the migrant experience despite Cummins' lack of personal connection to the Mexican-American experience. Arce, Cepeda, and Grande all spoke out against the book in recent weeks. Once the two-part episode of Oprahs Book Club about American Dirt dropped Thursday evening, they had the chance to watch themselves and reflect on the experience both discussing the book with Oprah Winfrey, who has praised the novel but also acknowledged the debate around it, and of the larger conversation thats recently sparked. Before I went on the show, I had written about American Dirt and my biggest criticism of the book was how it pretended like immigration isnt a political issue, Arce, author of the best-selling 2016 book My (Underground) American Dream, tells EW. It wants to make immigration a feel-good story. For a lot of us that are immigrants that have been undocumented, we know the experience is not that. Cepeda, a nationally syndicated columnist for the Washington Post Writers Group, says her feelings after the episode have not changed: I read the book and it was fine. I didnt care about the book or her in terms of its literary value or whether she had the right [to write it] because everyone should have the right to write whatever they want. I was more concerned with the publisher picking her and elevating the story as being representative of the migrant experience, which its not. Story continues For Cepeda and others, the main issue is the praising of American Dirt at the expense of other #ownvoices books. My issue is, why her and why this story? she asks. Why do people of color who have stories to tell from real experiences never even get their foot in the door to get a literary agent? Much less get their book pitched and have people fighting over how much theyre going to pay for it. Why does it have to be that way? None of that has changed. (Cummins was born in Spain; her grandmother is Puerto Rican.) Grande (who documented her experiences as a migrant in 2019s A Dream Called Home) appreciated aspects of American Dirt, and says she is satisfied with her experience on Oprahs Book Club. Before we went up on the stage, Oprah came into the green room to tell the three of us Julissa, Esther, and me that she wanted us to say what we came here to say, to not hold back, she says. I believe the three of us were given enough time to express ourselves and say what was in our minds and hearts. Arce questioned Cummins directly on stage about who she wrote the book for and what she plans to do for immigrants, once all has been said and done. At one point, she said that she now donates a lot of money to organizations, and shes able to do that because of Macmillan, Arce recalls. That really rubbed me a certain way. Like, really? Youre going to rub your money all over our faces? (Cummins' quote in the episode: I continue to be involved with the organizations that I visited when I was doing my research. I am actively involved with several of them. I donate a lot of money to them; thanks to Macmillan Im able to do that now.) Amid debate around American Dirt, the movement #DignidadLiteraria has taken shape, led by Mexican-American authors Myriam Gurba, David Bowles, and Roberto Lovato. In the Apple TV+ special, Winfrey credited Gurba with sparking critical conversations around the novel, via a negative review posted online; she also mentioned Bowles. Both claimed on social media that they were not invited to participate in the Oprahs Book Club panel discussion. Karen Ballard OBC: Author Jeanine Cummins is interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on Thursday, February, 13th, 2020 in Tuscon, Arizona while appearing on Oprah's Book Club. Photo by Karen Ballard They deserved a seat at the table, and it was unfortunate that they were not invited, Grande says. I believe that all of us in the Latino community have to do our own part to speak up and advocate for ourselves and our community. We can't let Myriam, David, and Roberto be the only ones doing all the work. We all have to take responsibility, use our own voice to speak up and fight. Cepeda adds, I felt bad that #DignidadLiteraria was not invited. I felt that at least Myriam should have been invited. I struggled [knowing] that I was and she wasnt. She spoke out about this on the panel, though it was edited out. During the show, I said, I wish Myriam were here to speak for herself, says Arce. I wish she had been on that stage and that she had been invited. Apple TV+ declined comment for this story. Cepeda also has her mind planted firmly in the future. She took the opportunity to talk to Macmillan president Don Weisberg and book editor Amy Einhorn, who were in the audience, after the show wrapped, about how they could work together to increase diversity in publishing. Don said during the episode that he was committed to diversity and had paid a lot of consultants to figure out how they could diversify publishing. He came up to me after the taping and said he really wanted to connect with me, and he gave me his email address. (Theyve since gone back and forth via email.) For her part, Arce feels hopeful, if a bit torn. There were so many segments that were clearly there to justify the book and to justify Oprah picking the book, Arce says. What I was there to say is that we deserve books to see ourselves in. Related content: Four persons have been booked under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) for spying after they allegedly clicked photos of a radar at the Naliya Air Force Station in Gujarat's Kutch district bordering Pakistan, police said on Sunday. The four persons, including a 17-year-old boy, were intercepted by personnel of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on January 29 while taking photographs of the prohibited area, and later handed over to local police. Photographs of the sensitive defence area, mobile phones and a camera were recovered from the possession of the accused, a police officer said, adding that a case was registered on Saturday under Section 3 of the OSA. The Section 3 deals with penalties for spying at a prohibited area. "Four persons, including a minor, who all are residents of Naliya and surrounding villages had taken photographs of a radar at the Naliya Air Force Station on January 29. "An offence was registered against them on Saturday under the Section 3 of the OSA," said Police Inspector, Special Operations Group (SOG), Ajay Zala. The accused have been identified as Rafiq Azam, Arbaz Ismael Umra, and Abbas Padhiyar, apart from the 17-year-old youth, he said. They are yet to be arrested, the officer added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi: CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury hit out at the centre for tokenism and gimmickry on Women's day on sunday, and sought to know why the women's reservation bill was not tabled in parliament yet. The comments come as Prime minister Narendra Modi announced to hand over all his social media accounts to women as part of International women's day. "Women's Day is not just about one day. Its revolutionary origins for equal wages and rights are a powerful and important reinforcer of those who hold up half the sky, Yechury tweeted. For the past one decade, the women's reservation bill is sitting in the Lok Sabha speaker's room. Instead of gimmickry and tokenism, why has Modi not got it tabled and got it passed in the last 6 years? #WomensDay https://t.co/3Sx1cEH1E4 Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) March 8, 2020 Modi had on Tuesday said he would be handing over his accounts on various social media platforms to women who inspire. Criminal Justice Reform UNODC's work in the area of Criminal Justice Reform covers: Police reform, Prosecution service, Judiciary (the courts), Access to legal defence and legal aid, Prison reform and alternatives to imprisonment, and Restorative justice. Police reform The complexity of the role police have in law enforcement should not be underestimated. The police are entrusted with a diverse set of tasks to maintain peace and security and the rule of law. In most countries, police are given extensive powers to enforce the law and they play an important role in the criminal justice system, although the nature, quality and underlying doctrine of the law varies between countries. In some countries, the police are direct instruments of government policy and extensions of ministerial authority. In others, they have a more independent role. In either case, the police must be accountable for the way in which they exercise the powers entrusted to them. In principle, police powers are designed to protect the fundamental liberty and rights of people. However, in some environments, including post-conflict situations, the police perpetrate serious human rights violations against the civilians they are supposed to protect. Therefore, transforming police organizations into rights-respecting institutions and promoting training for police officers with a focus on human rights principles is necessary. Where the community is fully engaged in and consulted on the delivery of police services, many benefits accrue, such as; the strengthening of public confidence in the authorities, improved compliance with the rule of law, and lower crime rates. Services UNODC offers assistance in: Developing the capacity of the police to improve oversight, accountability, and integrity systems and mechanisms; Supporting comprehensive police reform through strategic planning and organizational change management; Developing the capacity of the police to promote urban safety (Community-Policing); Preventing crime in cooperation with local authorities and civil society; Promoting measures to prevent and respond to violence against women; and Assessing Public Safety and Police Service Delivery, the Integrity and Accountability of the Police, Crime Investigation, and Police Information and Intelligence Systems. For more detailed information on police reform, please follow the links below: Prosecution service Public prosecutors play a unique role in criminal justice systems as they appear on behalf of the government as representatives of the people during a trial. This role differs from that of defense lawyers, who represent persons accused of a crime. A public prosecutor is obligated to uphold the rule of law and to ensure the accused receives a fair trial. Miscarriages of justice damage the integrity of criminal justice systems and violate public trust, therefore it is imperative that public prosecutors protect the right to a fair trial. In 1990, the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders at Havana, Cuba, adopted the Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors. The Guidelines assist Member States in ensuring basic values and human rights protections underpin their prosecution services and that criminal proceedings are effective, impartial, and fair. The Guidelines provide a framework for the international standards, which can guide Member States in assessing their prosecution service. Services UNODC offers assistance in: Supporting legislative reforms to enable/enhance prosecutorial independence and discretion; Enhancing both accountability and public understanding of the prosecution service; and Developing the professional and administrative skills necessary to meet the demands of increasingly complex criminal caseloads. For more detailed information on the prosecution service, please follow the links below: Judiciary (the courts) The judiciary plays an important role in stabilizing the balance of power within government and in enhancing public confidence in the government. The right to a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal is articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 10) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 14), as well as in regional treaties and conventions. Recognizing the essential role played by a competent, independent, and impartial judiciary in the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in 1985, the seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders adopted, and the General Assembly endorsed, the Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary . These principles are to be "taken into account and respected by Governments within the framework of their national legislation and practice and be brought to the attention of judges, lawyers, members of the executive and the legislature, and the public in general." The Principles cover the independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and association, qualifications, selection and training, conditions of service and tenure, and discipline, suspension, and removal. As such, the Guidelines provide a framework which can be used by states to assess the functioning of its judiciary with respect to international standards. An effective court system is an integral part of a functioning criminal justice system. Services UNODC offers assistance in: Developing legislation that will allow the judiciary to function independently, impartially, and with integrity; Enhancing the capacity of the judiciary to train and educate judges and judicial officers; and Enhancing the capacity of the judiciary to uphold human rights standards and norms in criminal cases. For more further information on the judiciary, please see the Tools and publications page. Access to legal defence and legal aid International human rights instruments recognize that when a person's fundamental rights to life and liberty are put at risk by the State, that person has a right to legal assistance to ensure that the State properly fulfils its obligations imposed by law, without violating the rights of the individual in the process. As a result, the Eighth UN Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders adopted, in 1990, the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers making its first principle the following: "All persons are entitled to call upon the assistance of a lawyer of their choice to protect and establish their rights and to defend them in all stages of criminal proceedings." The Basic Principles further place responsibility upon the government and the legal profession to ensure that everyone has access to counsel, regardless of means or background, to protect the right to equality before the law. More recently, on 20 December 2012, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems (A/RES/67/187), These new principles were developed under the auspices of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) pursuant to resolution 2007/24 of the Economic and Social Council, in consultation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Women's empowerment (UN Women) and several relevant non-governmental organizations. The Principles and Guidelines extend beyond previous international conventions, standards and norms, and Economic and Social Council resolutions by adopting a broad definition of legal aid to include, "legal advice, assistance and representation for persons detained, arrested or imprisoned, suspected or accused of, or charged with a criminal offence and for victims and witnesses in the criminal justice process that is provided at no cost for those without sufficient means or when the interests of justice so require. Furthermore, "legal aid" is intended to include the concepts of legal education, access to legal information and other services provided for persons on through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and restorative justice processes" (General Assembly resolution 67/187, annex, para. 1). The Principles and Guidelines are also notable as the first international instruments to recognize the contribution paralegals and other actors, such as universities, law students, and charitable organizations have in providing legal aid; to include the right to be informed of the right to legal aid before coming into contact with the criminal justice system; to extend the extent to which services for victims, witnesses and women should be differentiated; and to encourage states to provide legal aid free of charge to every person if it is in the interest of justice and while the application of the means test is under consideration. The project Promoting the Rule of Law and Governance In the Criminal Justice System in Liberia implements the UN Standards and Norms. The project is the first UNODC project to support public defenders with the aim of ensuring human rights of suspects and accused. In this video, the first female public defender in Liberia, Edwina, talks about the importance of her work as a public defender and how the project will assist public defenders. It is also the first UNODC project to partner with academic institutions to develop a fellowship programme for law students, Access to Justice, which includes courses and an internship within a public defense office. Tonia Wiles, current Access to Justice fellow, shares her experiences in this video. The Johannesburg Declaration on the Implementation of the United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems, 26 June 2014 More than 250 experts met in Johannesburg for 3 days of deliberations on ensuring access to legal aid to accused, suspected, and imprisoned persons. The Declaration is the outcome of their deliberations. Services UNODC offers assistance in: Assessing the legal aid system and assisting governments in developing a national strategy for the provision of legal aid at all stages of the criminal justice process; Assisting in building the capacity of public defenders offices; mentoring of public defenders/defence lawyers; as well as training on defence lawyers on specific thematic issues; Developing legal aid services for victims and child-friendly legal aid; Assisting in establishing networks of paralegals to provide legal advice at the community level, in police stations and in prisons; and Developing legal empowerment and legal information programmes in relation to the criminal justice system. Collect data on legal aid delivery through the Global Study on Legal Aid For more detailed information on access to legal defence and legal aid, please follow the links below: Prison reform and alternatives to imprisonment In most countries of the world, detention and imprisonment are the main measures imposed on individuals who are suspected of having breached the criminal law, or have indeed been convicted of a criminal offence. The overuse of prisons leads to a series of mutually reinforcing challenges in responding appropriately to the social reintegration needs of offenders, whilst also violating the rights of those who are innocent. Some key areas of concern regarding prisons include: prison overcrowding, poor prison conditions, poor health services within prisons, lack of social reintegration programmes, lack of information systems and strategic planning, lack of inter-institutional communication, lack of inspection and monitoring mechanisms, lack of support of, and information for civil society, lack of economic and human resources, and increasing numbers of prisoners with special needs that are rarely addressed within prisons. The promotion of human rights provides the underlying rationale for the promotion of prison reform, and indeed the UN standards and norms on crime prevention and criminal justice. However, this rationale alone is often unable to bring about prison reform in countries with scarce human and financial resources. The detrimental impact of imprisonment, not only on individuals, but also on families and communities, together with economic factors, must be taken into account when considering the need for prison reform. It is also important that activities focusing on vulnerable groups, including children, women, and prisoners with special needs, should be included in prison reform programmes. Services UNODC has the mandate to assist countries in building and reforming their prison systems, and in implementing non-custodial sanctions and measures in compliance with human rights principles and UN standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice. UNODC offers assistance in: Improving legal safeguards for prisoners; Introducing and widening the scope of alternatives to pre-trial detention within domestic criminal codes; Increasing the scope of alternatives to imprisonment, decriminalizing certain acts, and reducing sentences for selected offences; and Supporting offenders and ex-offenders to address their social reintegration needs (including in the area of criminal justice as well as labor, education, and social welfare). For more detailed information on prison reform and alternatives to imprisonment, please follow the links below: UN standards and norms in the areas of prison reform and alternatives to imprisonment Directly related to the prison system: United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish NEW! Other UN instruments relevant to the prison system: Restorative Justice Restorative justice is an approach to criminal offending which involves the victim, the offender, their social networks, justice agencies, and the community. Restorative justice programmes are based on the fundamental principle that criminal behavior not only violates the law, but also injures victims and the community. Any efforts to address the consequences of criminal behavior should, where possible, involve the offender as well as injured parties, whilst also providing the help and support that the victim and offender require. Restorative justice refers to a process for resolving crime by focusing on redressing the harm done to victims, holding offenders accountable for their actions and, often also, engaging the community in the resolution of the conflict. For more detailed information on restorative justice, please follow the links below: Deputy Premier John Barilaro's support for a One Nation bill to allow nuclear power in NSW is bitterly dividing the Coalition, with a senior Liberal minister prepared to quit cabinet over the issue. In the latest split over environment policy in the Berejiklian government, several Liberal ministers say they will refuse to support Mark Latham's private members' bill when it comes before cabinet. Deputy Premier John Barilaro says the Liberals should be prepared to have a discussion around nuclear energy. Credit:Nick Moir Mr Barilaro's position is also causing division in his National Party, with some of the party's coastal MPs concerned that his position would put their seats at risk. The Nationals' leader last week declared his party would support Mr Latham's bill when it comes back before the upper house for a vote this month. To make car insurance more affordable, insurers provide a wide range of discounts. However, only a few of these discounts can significantly lower the price of insurance, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. To obtain cheaper car insurance, drivers should take advantage of the discounts that are available for them. Car insurance companies are known to offer discounts for various reasons. However, only a few are capable to significantly lower the price of auto insurance. The most valuable discounts, that can help the drives lower their insurance policies the most, are the following: Multi-policy discount. Also called bundling, this type of discount is one of the most rewarding. Policyholders can get significant savings by insuring houses and cars together to one insurance company. Multi-vehicle plans can also provide significant savings. Depending on the number of combined policies and the value of the insured belongings, the value of the discount can be pretty high. Some insurers can offer a discount as large as 20% of the value of the whole bundled package. Low-mileage discount. Policyholders that moved closer to their workplace, or they retired, should ask their insurers if they are eligible for this discount. Drivers that drive fewer miles than a certain amount are eligible for this type of discount. Depending on the insurance company, this discount can be as high as 20%. Good driver discount. Drivers that manage to keep a clean driving record for a number of years can be rewarded with a discount from their insurers. Depending on the insurance companies, drivers will have to keep their driving records clean for a period that ranges from three to five years. Good student discounts. Insurance companies think teenagers are hazardous drivers. Teenagers tend to be more reckless than other drivers and are also less experienced, so even the responsible ones are rarely given the benefit of the doubt. However, insurers often provide discounts to students who maintain a 3.0 GPA in school. Safety gear discount. Insurance companies will reward those car owners that are willing to make their cars safer. Policyholders should check with their insurers and see what safety devices are approved. Safety devices like anti-lock brakes, GPS tracking systems, rear-view cameras, and more can potentially lower the price of insurance. Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. For more information, free quotes and money-saving tips, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/ This is the most divided I have ever seen this school system, said Natalie Thomas, a retired county educator who started in 1975 and has long been active on issues of African American student achievement. I thought we were much more evolved than this. I know people are worried about their kids, but we have to think about all kids. https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Fighting-Anti-Semitism-Both-Left-and-Right.html Contemporary anti-Semitic libel of the Jewish State parallels classic anti-Semitism against Jews. Over the past two millennia, anti-Semitism has infected peoples, religions and civilizations, battering its Jewish victims on religious, racial, nationalist and post nationalist grounds. Whether its the massacre and expulsion of Jews from ancient Jerusalem, the assault on Alexandrias Jewish community in the year 38 of the common era, the trumped-up charges against French officer Alfred Dreyfus in the 1890s, or Germanys Kristallnacht in the late 1930s, each episode is seen to emanate from a mix of political, social, economic, cultural, and religious factors, that seem to elude one deeper cause. However, a closer look at the historical processes that have led to the current alarming state of anti-Semitism against Jews whether in Israel, Ireland, or Indiana reveals an eternal truth; throughout the ages anti-Semitism has consistently targeted and undermined each eras center of Jewish identity. Religiously-based hatred of Jews during the Middle Ages was distinct from the racially-based anti-Semitism of the modern era. Today, anti-Semitism assaults Jews by attacking Israel, the center of Jewish collective identity. However, it is more difficult for many to understand Israel-centered anti-Semitism, because it is not as self-evident. The 3D Test helps diagnose and unmask unacceptable anti-Semitic statements, noting their style and pattern, while allowing for legitimate criticism, which is good, productive, and acceptable. Many in the West are confused by the new Left anti-Semitism, since it is historically unprecedented. However, contemporary anti-Semitic libel of the Jewish State parallels classic anti-Semitism against Jews. Jews who lived in Stalinist Russia easily identify this symmetry. Soviet propaganda regularly vilified Jews by accusing them of being Zionists. This anti-Semitic tool gained international credibility in the United Nations infamous Zionism is racism resolution in 1975. Paradoxically, the world now uses rhetoric identical to Stalins in the name of postmodernism, guided by the noble ideas of equality, human rights, and universal peace, which sees nationalism as the obstacle to an ideal world without nations and borders. In this dream, Israel as a Jewish national state is problematic, and symbolizes the last remnant of colonialism and the dark past. Stalin's Anti-Semitism/Anti-Zionism In my childhood in the 1950s Soviet Russia, Zionists was a code word for Jews. In the 1940s, the Stalinist government placed restrictions on and conducted purges of Jews, calling them Zionist agents or kosmopolit, a term referring to the cosmopolitan, international, and rootless nature of Jews.[1] In Stalinist Russia, anti-Semites did not bother to hide their hatred of the Jews; it was clear to us. Zionists and cosmopolitans that the terms represent two ironically opposite criticisms: Zionists implies that the Jews are disloyal because they are nationalists, loyal to Israel instead of the Soviet Union, and cosmopolitans suggests that the Jews are disloyal because of their internationalist nature. In Communist Party documents, the Soviets officially claimed to vehemently oppose all types of racism, but ironically, they included both anti160 Semitism and Zionism. This would lay the foundation for Soviet propaganda conquering the United Nations and the international communitys vindication of Soviet anti-Semitism. 1975 United Nations Assembly Resolution 3379: Zionism Is Racism The international community ratified Stalins anti-Semitic propaganda by equating Zionism with racism in UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 of November 1975.[2] This was the sequel to the anti-Israel battle that had begun in 1965 when the Soviets tried to push for the inclusion of Zionism as a kind of racial discrimination, as they proposed it be included in the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.[3] The Convention was affirmed, but the Russian proposal failed. The international community ratified Stalins anti-Semitic propaganda by equating Zionism with racism in UN's 1975 Resolution 3379. However, this would change in 1975 when the international community vindicated Stalins anti-Semitism by passing UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 affirming that Zionism is racism. The American ambassador to the United Nations, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, noting the Soviet-sponsored resolution, admonished the UN assembly, saying the abomination of anti-Semitism has been given the appearance of international sanction.[4] In fact, at the time, the free world, including Europe, stood with Israel against the Zionism is racism resolution. Before this turning point in 1975, the Soviet Unions attacks on Israel were disregarded as bogus. Yet now, if Zionism was racism, and racism was a crime, it followed that Zionism was also a crime. This justified, popularized, and mainstreamed Soviet anti-Semitic propaganda. This resolution lent credibility in the international community to the Soviets obscured messages regarding the Jewish state, which clouded the similarities between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. In 1975, most of the nations who supported the Zionism is racism resolution were third-world countries and Soviet satellites. Today, however, many in the free world have changed sides. Due to the popular human rights and global discourse of leftist postmodernism, Israels detractors come from the developed Western world and insist that anti-Zionist polemics are legitimate criticism of Israel. The 3D Test as a Response to Anti-Israel Invective in the Second Intifada When I was a minister in the Israeli government during the start of the Second Intifada in the early 2000s, disturbing anti-Israel media agitation encouraged a worldwide wave of anti-Semitism. A cartoon of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon,[5] monstrously eating Palestinian children, won a prize for the best caricature of the year. Jose Saramago, a Nobel laureate, visited Israel and spoke of concentration camps and the spirit of Auschwitz.[6] However many people in the free world did not recognize the rhetorical and political attacks on Israel as anti-Semitism. It became clear that we needed objective criteria. In response to defamation of Israel, Ron Dermer, Israels ambassador to the United States, and I formulated the 3D Test to show how anti-Israel propaganda paralleled anti-Semitic propaganda against individual Jews. The 3D Test is a formula to recognize the repetitive historical pattern of anti-Semitism, now aimed at Israel. It includes three criteria for detecting anti-Semitism in the form of anti-Zionism: 1. Demonization, 2. Delegitimization, and 3. Double Standards. These are tools with which to reveal anti-Israel bias and hatred that takes the form of classic anti-Semitic speech. The 3D Test is a metaphor for 3D glasses, worn by moviegoers at a three-dimensional film. Without these 3D spectacles, the movie appears distorted, unclear, or blurred. Now internationally accepted, the 3D Test clarifies and sharpens the parallels of classic anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, bringing them into full focus and facilitating the unmasking of the new anti-Israel face of Jew hatred. The same arguments that were historically used against Jews are now being brought up against Israel as the collective Jew. This is especially important in the postmodern world, which denies a connection between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism. Examples of the 3Ds abound: anti-Israel protest signs depicting Jews with horns and tails, perpetuating the belief that Jews are demonic or satanic,[7] anti-Israel cartoons with classic anti-Semitic themes, such as one of a dying Jesus, represented as a Palestinian, in his mother Marys arms, with the text, Do not kill him twice,[8] or depicting Jews as a Christ-killers, now applied to the Jewish State, are all examples of demonization. Depicting an Arab Palestinian as Jesus, at the same time delegitimizes Israel by distorting and manipulating Jewish history, reminiscent of the super-sessionary Christian claim that Judaism was replaced by the New Testament. The reversal of historical victim roles as in the Zionism is Nazism inversion claim, the denials of ancient Jewish archeological discoveries, Jewish indigeneity, Jewish peoplehood, all common in traditional and social media sources, all aim to delegitimize the Jewish State and its connection to the Jewish people. The third measure, double standards, are commonly reflected in UN resolutions exclusively condemning or censuring Israel, over the course of decades since the organizations inception. This singling out of the Jewish State has occurred while representatives of the worlds most oppressive dictatorships sit on UN councils and committees that condemn Israel. This double standard is reminiscent of the thousand-plus discriminatory laws of czarist Russia against Jews. Postmodernism and Anti-Semitism Why, when in 1975 the free world knew that Zionism was not racism, now, in the postmodern world, do they think that Zionism is racism? Additionally, today, just like in Soviet Russia, it has become common for people to use the word Zionism as a slur. However, the difference today is that it has become more difficult to recognize anti-Zionisms connection to anti-Semitism. Stalinist Russia and todays postmodern worldview reach similar conclusions about Zionism. The postmodern world, born of respect for the noble causes of human rights, social justice, and peace, uses the same formulas to blast Zionism as did the Stalinist anti-Semitic regime. Postmodern political thought, popularized, and postulated by French intellectuals, rejects nation-states as antithetical to its sacred aims. This was well expressed in John Lennons signature song, Imagine: Imagine theres no countries.no religion, tooImagine all the people sharing all the world.[9] Postmodernism was largely an outgrowth of neo-Marxism, in which nationalism, group identity, and religion are considered the obstacles to achieving the ultimate goal of world peace. Israel, the epitome of a combative ethnic nation-state, a relic and remnant of the colonial past order, is deplorable. This serves as the basis for vicious anti-Zionist propaganda that views Israel as an undesirable and illegitimate entity. As opposed to Stalinist communism, in which individual citizens were cogs in the Soviet machine in which no individual had rights beyond their instrumental value, in the postmodern ideal, individual human rights embody the highest value. The postmodern ideological frame will deny any connection to anti-Semitism because it views Judaism as a faith and an individual choice. Any form of national identity of Jews or others is considered antithetical to the ultimate postmodern vision for the world. Soviet communism and postmodernism reach the same conclusion in opposing Zionism, each from an opposite angle, as if the ideas of Stalins Russia have revisited the free world, now manifested in the language of peace, equality, and freedom. There has been a counter-reaction to the postmodern denial of nationalism, as witnessed in ultra-nationalism and neo-fascism on the right-wing extreme of the political spectrum. Forces on the Left say they love Jews, but hate Israel, while those on the Right admire Jewish nationalism, but hate Jews. Extremism on both sides has inflamed anti-Semitism. Nationalism is still a self-evident phenomenon, as is liberalism, and both can be positive forces but can also be driven to negative extremes. In Europe, we observe obvious expressions of nationalism, from Brexit to the Eastern European countries, with many far-right parties gaining power and momentum. In the United States, the Alt-Right movement has gained traction. Today, both in the United States and in Europe, neither anti-Semites nor anti-Zionists bother to mask their hatred of Jews and the Jewish State. Today, both in the United States and in Europe, neither anti-Semites nor anti-Zionists bother to mask their hatred of Jews and the Jewish State. A Belgian parade float recently depicted big-nosed Hasidic Jews with rats and money bags,[10] demonstrating that conventional, classical anti-Semitism is still acceptable. On the other side of the spectrum, anti-Zionist hatred is still less recognized as anti-Semitism. Why is this? Anti-Zionists still view Israel as a vestige of nationalism and colonialism. This postmodern mindset justifies anti-Israel harassment and even violence on college campuses directed at Jewish students, which, as expressions of anti-Semitism, have become increasingly more common. The 3D Test has been an effective tool to expose the anti-Israel form of anti-Semitism. However, today since classic anti-Semitic statements are openly being used to demonize the Jewish state, the 3D Test may become obsolete. We dont need a 3D Test to understand that U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omars statements that Israel hypnotizes the world and that American Jews are loyal to a foreign power[11] are anti-Semitic tropes. However, 3D is still unexpectedly valuable when Jews in todays public discourse misrepresent anti-Israel and anti-Semitism as political critique. For example, Jewish author and perennial Israel detractor, Peter Beinart, denied the anti-Semitic nature of Omars statements.[12] This is a fundamental error. The 3D Test still helps us to diagnose and unmask unacceptable anti-Semitic statements, noting their style and pattern, while allowing for legitimate criticism, which is good, productive, and acceptable. In todays world, in the world of the new nationalism on the Right and postmodernism on the Left, anti-Semitism exists in two parallel realities. Anti-Semitism exists on the extremes of both the political Left and Right, with each camp recognizing it in their opponents, while denying it in their own spaces. Both sides should be held responsible for energetically fighting anti-Semitism and denouncing it with moral clarity in their own political camp. This article is from Israelophobia and the West: The Hijacking of Civil Discourse on Israel and How to Rescue It, Dan Diker, editor ENDNOTES 1. Rootless cosmopolitan was a pejorative term widely used during the Soviet anti-Semitic campaign of the late 1940s and early 1950s, culminating in the infamous Doctors plot against Jewish doctors. Kosmopolit referred especially to Jewish intellectuals, and their alleged lack of allegiance to the Soviet Union. https://sites.fas.harvard.edu/~hpcws/egorov.htm 2. https://ecf.org.il/media_items/1395 3. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CERD.aspx 4. https://unwatch.org/moynihans-moment-the-historic-1975-u-n-speechin-response-to-zionism-is-racism/ 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Brown_(cartoonist) 6. https://www.haaretz.com/1.5224268 In 2002, renowned Portuguese writer and Nobel Prize-winner Jose Saramago, drew comparisons between Israels blockade of the West Bank city of Ramallah and the Holocaust. Referring to the IDFs siege on Ramallah, Saramago said that it had the the spirit of Auschwitz, and This place is being turned into a concentration camp. 7. http://www.zombietime.com/sf_rally_february_16_2003/ 8. https://www.theguardian.com/global/gallery/2008/dec/19/middleeastisraelandthepalestinians 9. https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/3403160/John+Lennon/Imagine 10. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/08/world/europe/belgium-carnivalanti-semitism.html 11. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/11/opinion/ilhan-omar-antisemitism. html 12. https://forward.com/opinion/national/419206/the-sick-double-standardin-the-ilhan-omar-controversy/ Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 15:20:30|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KABUL, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Three people, including a member of provincial council from the eastern Logar province, were killed and another one was injured in a shooting attack in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, the police said. "Nasir Ghairat, a member of Logar provincial council, along with two of his security guards were killed and his driver was wounded following a gun shooting in Sayid Noor Mohammad Shah Mina neighborhood," Ferdaus Faramarz from the Kabul police told Xinhua. The gunmen fled the scene after the attack in Police District 8, southeastern side of Kabul. An investigation has been launched into the incident. The Sunday's shooting attack was a latest in a string of targeted attacks in the country. On Saturday, local official and civil-society activist Hamza Ghafari was shot dead in Ghazni city, capital of neighboring Ghazni province. More than 3,400 civilians were killed and over 6,900 others injured in conflict-related incidents in 2019, according to the figures released by UN mission in the country. Of the total casualties, 817 people were killed and 2,015 wounded in targeted attacks. (Wondering what the next few months hold in store for you? Write me with your date, time, and place of birth and Ill send you a free sneak preview!) Last time, I discussed the ingress of Saturn into Aquarius in terms of the Saturn-Uranus square. I admit that may have been jumping the gun a little, since that aspect wont be exact until 2021. However it will still be within range through much of this year, and I suspect that theres going to be more than the usual amount of panic around it. One way to get a sneak preview of how an important major aspect might manifest can be to look at the last time that it happened. Lets do that now, specifically from the perspective that many people will put two plus two together and make some statement like this: Saturn rules difficulties and breakdowns. Uranus rules computers and the internet. OMG ITS THE CYBER APOCALYPSE! *** JULY 17TH, 1999. Saturn at 15 degrees Taurus square Uranus at 15 degrees Aquarius. There was a building panic in the world about what was called the Y2K bug. For those of you who werent there, or who dont recall it: this was a potential problem with how the vast majority of computer programs were written at the time. Most software coded the year in a date with two digits. 1978 was 78, 1993 was 93, and so on. Thus, without extensive intervention, most computer systems in the world would read January 1st, 2000 as actually being January 1st, 1900. Predicted possible results of the Y2K bug included: a collapse of international finance, aircraft falling from the sky, nuclear reactors exploding, and the accidental launch of nuclear weapons. Its important to keep in mind that much of the fear was being fuelled by a so-called prediction by Nostradamus. In one of his quatrains he clearly stated in the year 1999, in the seventh month, from the skies shall come an alarmingly powerful King. If you know much about Nostradamus, you know it was rare for him to be that specific about a date. This prediction appeared to line up with the total Solar Eclipse of August 1999. (A side note, one I know that will annoy a fair number of you. Ive read a fair amount about Nostradamus, and the idea that he could see major events far in the future appears to be complete garbage. Interpreting Nostradamus requires fluency in both Medieval French and Latin, plus a familiarity with medieval history, and an understanding of both idiom and puns from that place and time. Even if youre equipped with all that, the predictions of Nostradamus made were so maddeningly vague that (at best) they only halfway make sense after the events they have allegedly predicted. And really can we call that a prediction at all? Besides, if Nostradamus a physician credited with being great at treating the plague was so great at seeing the future, why was he off touring Italy in 1534 when his wife and two children died of the plague? ) NOVEMBER 14TH, 1999. Saturn at 13 degrees Taurus square Uranus at 15 degrees Aquarius. Billions have been spent worldwide attempting to fix the Y2K bug in time. Nonetheless, there were significant doubts. People began hoarding canned food and bottled water. With many, panic had begun to set in. Televangelists were doing a booming business collecting peoples soon to be worthless money in preparation for the return of the Messiah. Meanwhile, the programmers kept working away on software patches, and Coast To Coast AM with Art Bell kept pushing the doomsday prophets. Take my word for it if you werent there: it was tense. MAY 13TH, 2000. Saturn at 20 degrees Taurus square Uranus at 20 degrees Aquarius. The biggest news event on May 13th, 2000? A fireworks factory in the Netherlands exploded, killing 22 people and injuring another 950. This event does, I admit, have a certain Saturn square Uranus sound to it. Wait, what? What about all that end-of-the-world stuff from January 1st? Major events from January 1st 2000 included: A radiation alarm sounding falsely at a nuclear power plant in Onagawa Japan, bus ticket validation machines failing to operate in Australia, and 150 Delaware Lottery slot machines stopped working. (Yawn) *** So what does this all mean for the here and now? Does it mean we can safely dismiss any concerns about our technology or cyber-security? Probably not. But I do think that this is an excellent sign that sometimes the things we panic about simply dont manifest. And sometimes, working hard to prevent those things from happening can actually prevent them. Keep this in mind when you are either dismissing the risk of coronavirus or losing too much sleep over it. Treating it like the next great plague may very well prevent it from becoming a bigger problem than it will. Also, remember this lesson in 2021 when everyone is worried about the robot uprising. That isnt very likely. On the other hand, is it more likely that there will be increased problems with Internet privacy, hacking, electronic surveillance, interference with social media, and so on? Gosh, thats sort of thing doesnt happen now, does it? Want to know how to work with the current and future energy to get maximum benefit? Feel free to write me about it! CLICK HERE to find out how you can get a personalized, informative, life-changing consultation that will help you take charge of your life in the next year! CLICK HERE to join the OH MY STARS Facebook Fan Page, and get exclusive content, an additional discount on a reading, and more material on blog entries! It was one of the most-talked-about films when it premiered in 2013. But today, we know the stars of Spring Breakers from many other projects. Actors Ashley Benson, Selena Gomez, and Vanessa Hudgens starred in the controversial crime flick, which is celebrating its seventh anniversary in February/March 2020. So are these stars still close with or, at the very least, supportive of one another? Read on to learn what theyre saying about the film in 2020. Spring Breakers came out in 2013 (L-R) Ashley Benson, Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens attend the Spring Breakers Germany premiere on February 19, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. | Andreas Rentz/Getty Images Lots of great movies came out in 2012, but Spring Breakers was one of those ones that stands out, even years later. Perhaps this is due to its combination of a controversial premise, high-profile stars, and an utterly bizarre promotional campaign. Whatever the case, were still talking about it, so there must have been something there. Spring Breakers follows a group of college students who fund their Florida vacation with less-than-legal methods. Bensons Brit and Hudgens Candy are the reckless party girls, who enlist the help of Cotty (Rachel Korine) while bringing the religious Faith (Gomez) along for the ride. They get wrapped up with Alien (James Franco), leading to dangerous consequences. The movie is now on Netflix The film, which was directed by Harmony Korine, is available for viewing on Netflix in the U.S., in case youre looking to stream it in celebration of the anniversary. Benson took to social media to celebrate, sharing an array of promotional and behind-the-scenes images on Instagram. Its not uncommon for (some of) the stars to share throwbacks. Hudgens posted one in January 2020, in which she tagged Benson. Yall remember these shenanigans??? she wrote of the photo in which shes posing provocatively. Benson supports her former co-star Selena Gomez Yes, its been many years. And the stars of Spring Breakers have gone on to do many other projects. Benson is still best known for her role in the teen mystery drama Pretty Little Liars, while Hudgens has performed in live TV productions of the musicals Rent and Grease. Gomez has done some acting as well, but is focused on her music career these days. Benson celebrated the anniversary of the Berlin premiere of Spring Breakers with the above post, sharing photos of them traveling and at the event (and she explained Korines absence). The next day, Feb. 21, 2020, she posted a screenshot of her phone, revealing that she was listening to Gomezs new song, Feel Me. Are the stars of Spring Breakers still friends? So are this group of women still close? We have to assume that their schedules keep them apart. Gomez last shared a reunion photo in March 2014, just one year after the film came out. In 2017, Hudgens posted a photo of herself with Benson at a fashion show. But aside from that, their friendship appears to be mostly virtual. Hopefully, someday well get the real Spring Breakers reunion were dreaming of. KAMPALA Lawmakers have appealed for the evacuation of Ugandans especially students in China in the midst of the deadly coronavirus in Wuhan province. Hon. Latif Sebaggala Kawempe North raised a matter of national importance during a plenary sitting on 11 February 2020, saying that he has received messages from students who are concerned about their plight. According to the letter from the students read by Ssebagala, there has been a general lack of necessities including groceries and masks. The students added that prices of groceries have been hiked making it hard to afford. In their letter, the five students appealed to the government to use its diplomatic engagement with the Chinese government to allow for timely evacuation. If other countries have evacuated their citizens, why cant Uganda do so? We just need to ensure that they are quarantined when they return, said Sebaggala. Hon Muhammad Nsereko (Indep. Kampala Central Division) advised the government to consider chartering a Uganda Airlines plane to evacuate citizens in China. This is not a matter that any of them (students) could have foreseen. We need to get them to safe passage and assess them for two weeks. Thailand has done it, Nigeria has done it, and the Senegalese have done it, Nsereko said. Mbale Municipality MP, Hon Jack Wamanga-Wamai urged East African countries to work together to expatriate their students before they get exposed to the virus. Uganda does not have a long-range aircraft but Kenya does. The mission in Beijing cannot do anything. These are government students and the government is responsible for them when they are abroad, Wamanga Wamai said. Attempts by the Government Chief Whip, Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa to assure MPs that the government was handling the issue left legislators dissatisfied, who called for immediate intervention. Nankabirwa said that the cabinet tasked the Health ministers and Ugandas Ambassador to China to ensure the students are helped. We are still weighing on evacuating them or sending logistics to help them where they are quarantined. We dont want our children to continue suffering but we have to work with the government of China to accept our request, she said adding that, We are taking this as a matter of urgency for the safety of the students and the safety of the 42 million Ugandans. Hon Paul Mwiru (FDC, Jinja Municipality East) however, said that the government should not be hesitant on evacuating the students. Government is weighing whether to bring Ugandans to their country or to leave them to China and China takes a decision for them. We have ever seen the government evacuate UPDF soldiers who were suffering from Ebola and were brought to Uganda. It is a duty of our country to secure Ugandans abroad, he said. Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga directed the Prime Minister to provide the governments strategy to help Ugandans in China on 12 February 2020. The situation is really bad, there is no food, the banks are closed, and there is no transport. They are going to starve. You should support all the children in universities with basics as you hold your night meetings, said Kadaga. She said the strategy should include immediate and ultimate interventions towards Ugandans in China. The coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan, China last month and it spread to neighboring Asian countries. International media reports indicate that the death toll since the first case was reported has passed 1,000. According to the World Health Organisation, the coronavirus is a strange type of virus that causes respiratory illness which they are still investigating on how it affects people, how they can be treated, and what countries can do to respond. Related The Punjab Police lathicharged unemployed teachers on Sunday to foil their march towards Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's in Patiala, resulting in injuries to five of them. One of the teachers jumped into the Bhakra canal. He was rescued immediately. Police said some members of the force were also injured. The protesters were demanding jobs, saying they had cleared the elementary teacher training (ETT) and qualified the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), but they were still jobless. The protesters included women teachers. The Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal has condemned the lathicharge. "The SAD condemns the brutal lathicharge by police on unemployed teachers in Patiala," said party spokesperson and former state Minister Daljit Singh Cheema in a tweet. He said the way women teachers were manhandled and assaulted was a matter of shame for the whole state. "Instead of listening and assuring them, the Cong govt is suppressing their voice," the SAD spokesperson said in the tweet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kamala Harris is Endorsing Joe Biden for President zo Zo is a staff writer at Okayplayer where he covers There is no one better prepared than Joe to steer our nation through these turbulent times, and restore truth, honor, and decency to the Oval Office. Kamala Harris has put her support behind Joe Bidens campaign for president. In a video released on Twitter this morning (see below,) the California Senator officially endorsed Bidens run, claiming the former Vice President speaks to the best of who we are and challenges us to live up to our ideals. .@JoeBiden has served our country with dignity and we need him now more than ever. I will do everything in my power to help elect him the next President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/DbB2fGWpaa Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 8, 2020 In a separate written statement, Harris added, You can see in his eyes how he takes to heart the experiences of mothers and fathers working to make ends meet and worrying about whether their children can be safe in their classroom, or young people who fight tirelessly to tackle climate change as they ask for a fair shot at the future in front of them. And with a lifetime in public service, Joe has a proven track record of getting things done. With her endorsement, Harris joins South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Texas Senator Beto ORourke, in supporting Bidens presidential run. Harris dropped out of the race late last year after running out of money in her own bid for president. Despite having clashed with the former VP over busing desegregation in one of the debates, in the week following the termination of her campaign, Biden alluded to considering Harris as a running mate, noting She is solid. She can be president someday herself. She can be the vice president. She can go on to be a Supreme Court justice. She can be an attorney general. She has enormous capability. And with the invitation to join her and Biden at a rally in Detroit on Monday, it appears we may be on the cusp of precisely that announcement ahead of Tuesdays batch of primaries in six additional states where hell finally square-up with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who has yet to receive a single endorsement from fellow contenders in the race. Kolkata, March 8 : Giving weightage to experience, West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Sunday fielded its national General Secretary Subrata Bakshi, theatre personality Arpita Ghosh, former Union Minister Dinesh Trivedi and former MP Mausam Noor for the coming Rajya Sabha polls, while dropping all its retiring members. Announcing the list of four nominees on her Twitter handle on International Women's day, party supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee pointed out that of the four candidates, two - Ghosh and Mausam - are women. All four are former Lok Sabha members. Excepting Bakshi, the other three had lost the general elections last year to BJP rivals. "I am glad to announce that @AITCofficial will be nominating Arpita Ghosh, Mausam Noor, Dinesh Trivedi & Subrata Bakshi to the Rajya Sabha. As a part of my constant endeavour towards woman empowerment, I am proud that half of our nominations are women #InternationalWomensDay," Banerjee said in her tweet. Five RS seats in the state will fall vacant on April 2. Four of the retiring members are from Trinamool - K.D. Singh. Ahmed Hasan Imran, painter Jogen Chowdhury and Manish Gupta. The fifth is an expelled CPI-M member Ritabrata Banerjee. As per the arithmetic in the state assembly, the four Trinamool candidates are likely to sail through. All eyes are now fixed on the fifth seat, which could go the way of the Left Front-Congress combine, if they can put up a joint candidate. Bakshi, Banerjee's close confidante and teouble-shooter, is an old warhorse, considered one of the top rung leaders of the party. He is a two-time MP from Kolkata South, having first won in a by-poll in December 2011, replacing Banerjee, who resigned on becoming the Chief Minister. He was re-elected in 2014, but did not contest the polls last year due to health issues. Ghosh, who rose to prominence politically during the Nandigram movement one and a half decades back against the then Left Front government's bid to acquire huge tracts of firmland to build a chemical hub, had failed to retain Balurghat seat in 2019. But even after her loss, Banerjee reposed faith in Ghosh, making her the South Dinajpur district party President. Trivedi, a former Railway Minister, is the only one among the four to have been a Rajya Sabha member - for 12 years (1990-1996 representing Janata Dal and 2002-2008 as Trinamool member). He won the Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat twice in 2009 and 2014 before going down last year to BJP candidate Arjun Singh, who had crossed over from Trinamool after not getting the ticket for the seat. Mausam has been a two-term Lok Sabha member of the Congress representing Malda North from 2009-2019. She crossed over to the Trinamool ahead of last year's Lok Sabha election but lost the seat. The notification for the polls were issued on March 6, with March 13 being the last date for filing nominations. The scrutiny will take place on March 14 and March 18 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature. The polls are scheduled for March 26. The votes will be counted on the same day. -IANS ssp/vd Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday demanded to know as to why the Union Finance Ministry and the RBI did not act earlier and allowed the Yes Bank crisis to come to such a pass where lakhs of its account holders are staring at a bleak future. He also equated the government selling out public sector enterprises to meet the shortfall in tax collection with selling family silver to meet the expenses."The real question that arises is what was this government doing for so many years? We have known about Yes Bank and the difficulty it would be facing in the years to come. We knew that (bank's founder) Rana Kapoor had exited, so why was this allowed to happen?" Sibal told ANI over the latest bank crisis. "The RBI nominee was on the Board since I think May 2019. What was he doing? They knew about the fact and about this crisis that Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL) had been given loans by Yes Bank and a subsidiary of DHFL had given Rs 600 crores to Rana Kapoor's family. How was this allowed to happen and why did finance ministry not move earlier? "After all, the banks come under the direct control and supervision of the Union Finance Ministry. So they would have known, the Finance Ministry would've known, (Finance Minister) Nirmala Sithraman ji would've known, and I am sure when Sitharaman comes in Parliament, she will blame the Congress party for this because when they have no answers, they always blame the Congress party," Sibal said. Sibal said that those businesses who were dealing through Yes Bank and who transact in lakhs every month would be in dire straits after RBI putting a cap of Rs 50,000 on monthly withdrawals. "They (government) don't care about poor ordinary people. People don't have money to spend. They don't care about institutions and their health. The economy is in a bad shape, what they are trying to do is to use the public sector to bail out banks. Now the State Bank of India apparently will invest Rs 10,000 crores. God alone knows that whether the bank (Yes Bank) will be able to revive or not," the Congress leader said. He said that in the face of an economic crisis, the Finance Ministry is just "blank" and doesn't know what to do. "It has no answers. Hope people need to give them an answer in the time to come," he added. "As you know money is not coming from direct taxes, money is not coming from GST, there is a shortfall. Because of that shortfall they don't have money to spend on social welfare schemes. "They don't have money, even for that they are selling the silver or gold at home, which are public sector enterprises in order to meet the expenditure. They are selling our gold. Whose money is it anyway? It's ours money. It's the money of an ordinary people's investments in the public sector," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hanoi's latest Covid-19 patient might have spread virus to dozens: official Residents on Truc Bach Street where Nguyen Hong Nhung, Hanoi's first Covid-19 patient, resides fill in health declarations on March 7, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy. Hanoi's latest coronavirus patient had been in direct contact with over 20 people before being quarantined. The patient, a 61-year-old man on the same flight from London to Hanoi as 26-year-old Nguyen Hong Nhung, the first Covid-19 patient in the capital city, had attended a gathering of many people at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences in Ba Dinh District last Wednesday. On the flight that touched down in Hanoi on Monday, he was sitting five-six meters away from Nhung, "yet he contracted the virus," Hanoi Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung said at meeting Sunday. The man is Hanoi's fourth infection case and the nation's 21st. The citys Health Department has identified at least 26 people who had direct contact with him, and they, in turn, had directly contacted 23 others, Chung said. "Hes been to many places and got in touch with many people, so the risk of spreading the infection is high," Chung said. The chairman requested all related agencies to swiftly compile a list of all the people that have met with the patient and take samples for testing. Before Nhung tested positive on Friday night, all 16 persons confirmed with Covid-19 infections in Vietnam until then had been discharged from hospitals and the nation had recorded no new infection for 22 consecutive days. In Nhungs own circle, two people have so far tested positive for the novel coronavirus - her personal chauffeur and an aunt. Apart from preventive measures by authorities, Chung called for all citizens at risk to report themselves to medical authorities to limit the spread of the infection, especially if they develop any symptoms of Covid 19 such as cough and fever. Nhung had left Hanoi for London on February 15, then traveled to Milan City, in the province of Lombardy, Italy, before returning to London on February 20. During her time in Milan, Lombardy had not recorded any Covid-19 positive case. On February 25, Nhung traveled from London to Paris and contracted a cough on February 29, but did not get it checked. On March 1, she reportedly felt some body pain and fatigue, but it was unclear if she had a fever. The same day, she boarded flight VN54 of Vietnam Airlines from London and landed in Hanoi at 4:30 a.m. on March 2. She did not have a fever then. After completing entry procedures, she was allowed to drive a family car home to Truc Bach Street, Hanois Ba Dinh District. Later, she developed a mild fever and a severe cough, and was admitted to Hong Ngoc Hospital in Ba Dinh District Thursday. The very same day, she was transferred to the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases where she tested positive for the novel coronavirus. As of Sunday afternoon, Vietnam has confirmed 30 Covid-19 infections, with the latest nine being foreign tourists who were on the same flight from London to Hanoi as Nguyen Hong Nhung. All the nine foreigners have been quarantined. The global death toll caused by the novel coronavirus has jumped to 3,600 while infections have reached 106,467 in 103 countries and territories. South Korea, Iran and Italy are now home to the two biggest outbreaks outside China, recording 7,313, 6,566 and 5,883 infections as well as respective death tolls of 50, 194 and 233. A man was booked in Arunachal Pradesh's East Siang District for posting misleading information on social media regarding coronavirus, officials said on Sunday. A case was lodged against Subu Kena Tsering based on a complaint filed by district medical officer Kaling Dai on Friday at Pasighat police station, they said. Tsering posted in a Facebook group that coronavirus has reached Pasighat and two patients have been referred to Dibrugarh in Assam, officials said. He is yet to be arrested, they said. The virus that first emerged in China in December last year has spread to 97 countries and has infected 102,180 people, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker. More than 3,500 people have been killed due to the virus so far. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The decline is attributable, the IIF said, to global lowered demand for oil, exposing oil-exporting countries in the Middle East to vulnerabilities The Institute of International Finance (IIF) lowered Sunday its assumed averaged Brent oil price by $10/bbl, to $54/bbl for 2020. The IIF attributed its adjustment to global lower demand for oil. It added that the decline exposes significant vulnerabilities among oil-exporting countries in the Middle East region, especially Oman and Bahrain. It also said that external and fiscal positions are expected to weaken. Search Keywords: Short link: And environmentalists insist the legal battle is just beginning. "The storm is brewing on the horizon," said Patrick Donnelly, Nevada director of the Centre for Biological Diversity. Researchers' attempts to grow the rare wildflower. Credit:AP The US Fish and Wildlife Service is considering the centre's petition, filed in October, to add the flower to the federal list of endangered species. And the Nevada Division of Forestry announced this week it would soon start gathering public comments to help determine whether to take its own action to protect the plant. "If you look at a map of the lithium deposits and a map of the buckwheat, there's really no way to build the mine without wiping out the buckwheat," Donnelly said. "We fully anticipate a fight for many years to come." The company acknowledges Tiehm's buckwheat hasn't been documented anywhere else on earth, but denies the mine would lead to its extinction. Company officials say they've been researching the plant since 2016, going to great lengths to ensure its protection and examining how it's fared during previous mining operations at Rhyolite Ridge, near the small town of Tonopah, over the past 80 years. Ioneer president Bernard Rowe. Credit:Nick Moir They recently spent $US60,000 for a yearlong study at the University of Nevada, Reno. Scientists there are growing hundreds of seedlings in a greenhouse to determine whether it's feasible to transplant them into the wild to bolster the limited population, an estimated 43,000 plants covering a total of 8.5 hectares. "We have always been aware of the buckwheat. It didn't come as a surprise," Ioneer president Bernard Rowe told The Associated Press in a phone interview from Australia. All site activity has been undertaken with the "protection of the buckwheat first and foremost in mind," Rowe said. He added the company's mitigation strategy "will ensure protection and, in fact, the expansion of the buckwheat population." "We're seeing evidence of that at the greenhouse at UNR," Rowe said. "We've got a reasonably high degree of confidence we can successfully propagate these plants and protect them." University researchers are doing their best to replicate the harsh desert conditions with poor soil quality at the greenhouse where they planted 3276 Tiehm seeds in January. "We torture them. We want them to know life is hard, starting now," said Beth Leger, a UNR plant ecologist who has done extensive research on invasive cheat grass and native plants of the Great Basin region. She and her graduate assistant Jamey McClinton hoped as many as 600 would germinate, but were pleasantly surprised when 900 had sprouted by mid-February. "We didn't even know if it would grow in a greenhouse," said McClinton, who did her master's work on the related but distinct Crosby buckwheat and isn't aware of anyone else trying to grow Tiehm's. The slow-growing flowers have fragile roots that dry out easily and make up 70 per cent of the plant. "We know they are very tolerant of horrible soil. That's unusual," Leger said. "What we don't know is how it will grow in other kinds of soil." Leger, who also serves as director of UNR's Museum of Natural History, said those who dismiss the flowers as weeds unworthy of all the fuss don't understand the value of biodiversity. "Weed is a human construct. A weed is a plant that grows anywhere a human doesn't want it," she said, adding biodiversity is "magic" and a safeguard against future loss. The research funded by Ioneer is examining the possibility of transplanting plants as well as growing new ones from seedlings to be planted at or near the mining site. Loading As far as transplanting, Leger said, "I don't think it's an awesome idea." "To establish a real population," McClinton added, "you have to grow them from seedlings on their own." But Donnelly said the new research appears to be aimed at finding an alternative site "to keep the species alive so Ioneer could destroy its habitat." In 2014 the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) expanded its work beyond the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean to address maritime crime challenges in West Africa, with main focus on the Gulf of Guinea region, where there had been a significant rise in piracy, armed robbery, and other maritime crimes. The modus operandi of assailants in the Gulf of Guinea is distinct from the typical piracy attacks seen off the Horn of Africa, which have primarily involved armed attacks on commercial vessels with a view to hijacking the vessel and taking the crew hostage for ransom. Attacks in the Gulf of Guinea, on the other hand, primarily take the form of illegal oil bunkering and cargo theft. Despite the differences in the piracy models between East and West Africa, GMCP's experience with maritime law enforcement (MLE) capacity building and strengthening of criminal justice responses to maritime crimes, made the GMCP uniquely placed to assist States address the challenges in the Gulf of Guinea. In the first phase of the Programme, the GMCP Atlantic Ocean Programme carried out a mapping exercise of the maritime risk situation in the Gulf of Guinea Region through consultations with law enforcement and legal officials. Areas for regional coordination and capacity building support were identified through this exercise, which now forms the foundation for programme activities, duly in line with the Yaounde agreement. The first step in GMCP's Gulf of Guinea programming has been to conduct legal reform support to coastal states with regard to piracy and maritime crime more broadly, as well as training in prosecutors and judges, with the aim of preparing for maritime crime prosecutions. Alongside the legal reform work, GMCP has been focusing on MLE capacity building by placing experts within relevant agencies. In addition to day-to-day mentoring, these experts assist with planning and executing exercises at sea. The GMCP Atlantic Ocean Programme continues to deliver programming within legal reform, MLE capacity building, and regional cooperation and coordination in the Gulf of Guinea Region. The Programme has also expanded its activities to include States further up the West African coast. Further, the Programme has expanded into the Caribbean Sea with an assessment of maritime law enforcement capacity in responding to drug trafficked through the region. Work in response to the latter and maritime crime in a broader sense will be developed in close consultation and cooperation with CARICOM/IMPACS. For the first time in Delhi Universitys history, the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) established an official Foreign Cell to address the grievances and issues of international students. The cell will also aim at developing mutual comprehension, cultural exchanges as well as mural diplomatic understanding in University. The DUSU also convened an inauguration ceremony of the Foreign Cell on Friday that was attended by Rajya Sabha MP and ICCR President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, National Joint Organising Secretary of the ABVP Shriniwas and Afghanistan Ambassador Sediqullah Sahar, Ambassador , Embassy of Afghanistan among others. Speaking about the initiative the DUSU President Akshit Dahiya said, the Foreign Cell will have ample amount of services as well as activities. This includes Assistance in admissions, assistance in FRRO registration as well as organising extracurricular activities. A special heritage walk was held in the campus of the historic Patna Collectorate on Sunday, seeking to highlight its historical and architectural value and promote preservation of the built legacy in the city. The event 'Walk for Patna Collectorate' was attended by a group of students, professionals, photographers, lawyers and journalists. The walking trail began from Christ Church, a Gothic-design church built in 1852, and traversed through Dutch-era and British-built buildings of the collectorate before culminating at DM Office Building. The over two-hour-long eventwas organised by 'Save Historic Patna Collectorate', a people's movement to promote heritage preservation in Bihar, to mark theInternational Women's Day. "We wanted to highlight the historic values of the Patna Collectorate, and raise awareness among the people, seeking their support for its preservation, as its future currently hangs in the balance. At the same time, we wanted to highlight the plight of these buildings in urgent need of upkeep," said Patna-based lawyer Kumar Shanu, 26, a core member of the organising team. The US-educated advocate said even in New York such people-led movement have brought an ethos of historic preservation. The Bihar government had in 2016 proposed to demolish the old Patna Collectorate for a new high-rise complex, triggering public outcry and appeals from various quarters in India and abroad to spare the demolition and preserve it as a "signpost of Patna's history". Subsequently, the Indian National Trust for Art and Culture (INTACH) had last year filed two petitions in the Patna High Court challenging the demolition proposal and seeking constitution of a Bihar heritage commission. The Patna High Court on Thursday had fixed March 17 as the next date of hearing in the case of demolition of the collectorate. Situ Tiwari, a city-based journalist who works with a leading international media organisation, said, "My knowledge about Patna's modern history and Patna Collectorate's heritage increased manifold after the walk". "I felt very ashamed, and it was at two levels. First, the state government has largely failed in preserving the heritage using it for tourism and employment generation," Tiwari rued. "Secondly, we residents hardly know our own city. Crumbling old buildings, vintage road rollers dumped, and Burmese teak benches rotting in the open put us to shame that we have failed in preserving the historic fabric of the city," she said. She was referring to the vintage seating benches dumped in the open in the premises of the Patna Collectorate. These benches were once kept in the iconic Meeting Hall of the Patna District Board building constructed in 1938. The Patna Collectorate complex, parts of which are over 250 years old, is situated on the banks of the Ganga and is endowed with high ceilings, huge doors and hanging skylights. The collectorate is one of the last surviving signatures of Dutch architecture in the Bihar capital, especially the Record Room and the old District Engineer's Office. Neel Madhav, a Patna native who studies at Delhi University was also among those who took part in the walk. "If we youth do not take the lead role in preserving our own heritage, who else will. The government had allowed this historic building to decay and then proposed the demolition. Heritage does not belong to a person or government, it is for the future generations, and we must come forward to save it," he said. Anish Kumar Singh, 31, a photographer, who also attended the walk, said, the "event was an eye-opener". "We Patna people have become blind and insensitive towards our own heritage. These buildings should have been celebrated after restoring them as a cultural and recreational hub. A new collectorate building can be built elsewhere," he said. Historians, urban planners, conservation architects and other heritage experts have been appealing to the Nitish Kumar government to not dismantle the collectorate, saying it will "set a very bad precedent" and "jeopardise" the fate of other colonial-era buildings. After hearing the two PILs filed by INTACH, thePatna High Court had last September stayed the proposed demolition of the government complex while restraining the state authorities from "causing any harm to the collectorate building until further orders", bringing some relief to the heritage lovers. Parts of Oscar-winning film 'Gandhi' was shot in the Dutch-era Record Room and British-era DM Office. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tipperary will contest a National Camogie League Division 1 final for the first time in 11 years after shocking champions Galway in a pulsating affair at Duggan Park (1-8 to 0-10). Captain Cait Devane was inspiration for Tipp, scoring six points in the opening period to supplement Roisin Howards early goal and then dropping deep to help protect the 1-8 to 0-5 interval advantage into the wind. Cathal Murray will be disappointed that his charges could only match their first-half return with the elements after the resumption, Carrie Dolan adding to her three first-half points and Niamh Kilkenny also on target. Aoife McGrath was sensational in added time, nipping in to clear after Aoife Butler saved well from Aoife Donohue and then got in a tremendous block on OReilly to maintain her sides advantage. Group 2 remains up for grabs but Cork signalled their intentions with an emphatic 2-17 to 0-9 victory over an inexperienced Kilkenny at Pairc Ui Rinn. Kilkenny led early on thanks to points from Denise Gaule and Danielle Morrissey but Orla Cronin levelled with a brace and the Enniskeane sharpshooter continued to find the target. So too did Chloe Sigerson and Amy OConnor for the Leesiders to go in at the break leading 0-10 to 0-3. Aoife Doyle made it a six-point game but Cork replied with a goal from OConnor in the 34th minute, after a fine pass from Linda Collins. Laura Murphy and Katie Nolan kept Kilkenny in touch but Cork had too much know-how and pace down the final stretch. Ashling Thompsons return to the fold has certainly strengthened Cork and she began another delightful move that ended with Cliona Healy rifling beyond Emma Kavanagh. A scintillating Karen OLeary goal with four minutes remaining crowned a wind-assisted second-half comeback and cemented Limericks Division 1 status at LIT. In the process, Paul Sextons troops consigned Dublin to a relegation play-off by virtue of the 1-10 to 0-10 scoreline. The visitors led 0-7 to 0-3 at half-time but Limerick were a transformed side on the restart and their fighting spirit was rewarded with OLearys late goal. On Saturday, Beth Carton scored 1-9 as Waterford inflicted a first defeat of the campaign on Clare and secured the first win of the Fergal OBrien reign on a 2-11 to 1-11 scoreline. International Women's Day Special: Where is the media with women's sport? While regions of Italy are under an extreme quarantine in which people face a three-month prison sentence for leaving locked-down areas, Britons in the coronavirus-ridden zone are free to travel home without facing penalties. The death toll in Italy from coronavirus has risen by 133 to 366 while the number of confirmed cases in the country increased by 1,492 to 7,375. The Foreign Office confirmed that British tourists in the northern parts of the country - the worst affected region - 'are free to return home or complete their holiday' under guidelines from the Italian government. They said nationals will not be met by anyone at the airport in Britain, nor will they be put into quarantine or told to take a test for the bug which has killed 3,500 world wide and has infected more than 100,000. While regions of Italy are under an extreme quarantine in which people face a three-month prison sentence for leaving locked-down areas, Britons in the coronavirus-ridden zone are free to travel home without facing penalties. Pictured: Travellers at Linate, Milan's city airport The Foreign Office confirmed that British tourists in the northern parts of the country 'are free to return home or complete their holiday' under guidelines from the Italian government. Pictured: Linate airport in Milan A passenger wearing a protective face mask, amid concerns about coronavirus, walks in Linate Airport in Milan The foreign office advises 14 days of self isolation once back in Britain. Pictured: Those in the orange regions are advised against all but essential travel by Britain's Foreign Office Passengers depart from a train in Naples arriving from Milan as people scrambled to flee from quarantined regions of northern Italy after the government imposed a lockdown Mass panic swept in after the Italian government imposed a quarantine affecting 16 million people in the country's northern region in a bid to combat the spread of deadly coronavirus. Pictured: People queue at bus stations trying to leave Lampugnano The foreign office advises 14 days of self isolation once back in Britain - but there is nothing stopping people from using public transport or entering crowded places on their way home. People evacuated from Wuhan - the epicentre of the outbreak - were quarantined for 14 days in an isolation compound. They were transported back in a secure plane with a separate cabin for anyone displaying symptoms and those who display symptoms on landing were transferred to an NHS hospital. The Italian government today announced a lockdown affecting 16 million people lasting until April 3 in a desperate bid to combat the spread of deadly coronavirus. Anyone who flouts the quarantine rules - in which no-one can leave the 'orange zone' without a serious reason - could face three months in prison or a fine of up to 206 euros (around 178). Panicked shoppers queue to buy food in Via Rubattino, Milan, after it was announced that multiple regions of northern Italy would be quarantined People on buses wear protective face masks as they wait to flee Lampugnano, Milan, after the area was put on lockdown Police officers and carabinieri talking with relatives as inmates protest in the Poggioreale prison in Naples today during a protest The protest at Poggioreale prison flared up because of the announced suspension of talks on the fight against coronavirus infection A man having his temperature screened outside the Allianz Stadium in Turin ahead of a football match as the number of coronavirus cases grows around the world The killer disease has gripped Italy where the number of cases rose by 1,247 in the last 24 hours - the country's biggest daily increase in cases since the outbreak began - taking the total to 5,883. Another 36 people died as a result of the virus in Italy, bring the death toll to 233 in the largest outbreak in Europe. The foreign office claim they are 'working really closely with the Italian authorities to understand the implications of what these restrictions are' for Britons in Italy. A spokesman added: 'We advise all British nationals to follow our travel advice for Italy, which is under constant review. 'The safety of British nationals is always our number one priority.' People scrambled to flee quarantined regions after the announcement today with airports and bus stations still running. A woman with a trolley full of shopping can be seen in Via Rubattino, Milan. People frantically rush to stockpile goods after the country's northern regions were put on lock down Staff check the temperature of a man before he goes into the AC Milan and Genoa CFC game at San Siro, Milan, today While information about the penalty for breaking the rules was released, confusion still reigned from Milan to Venice as residents and tourists tried to figure out exactly when and how the new rules were coming into effect. Travellers rushed to train stations and crammed aboard standing-room-only trains, tucking their faces into scarves and sharing sanitizing gel. News of the impending quarantine was leaked to media early prompting further chaos as people rushed to get out of the affected areas. Under the quarantine, bars and restaurants will remain open but must ensure that everyone is seated at least a three feet apart or face being shut down. Weddings and funerals are also forbidden under the new rules. BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav exuded confidence on Sunday that his party will defeat Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections and form government there. He said Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior BJP leaders are spending considerable time in Bengal to consolidate the party's vote base. "In West Bengal, we are trying to win the election due next year. The home minister himself is spending a lot of time there and other senior leaders are also trying hard. Within a year, we will be in a position to win there," Madhav said at a press conference here. "We will defeat Mamata Banerjee and will form a BJP government in West Bengal." He also exuded confidence that the ruling BJP-led alliance in Assam will return to power again in the Assembly polls to be held together along with that in West Bengal next year. "We believe that the NDA government in Assam will return to power in next year's election. We have done lots of work and (Narendra) Modi ji has also done a huge amount of work. We are fully confident of winning in Assam," Madhav added. Asked about the possible impact of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Assam, Madhav said the BJP has taken an elaborate programme to combat the "misinformation and rumours" surrounding the CAA in the state. "We have organised a big rally in Dibrugarh recently. The way people of Assam are reacting to us, we do not think there is any confusion in their minds regarding the CAA... The Congress is trying to do a false campaign in the country and abroad," the BJP leader said. About the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls and the BJP's possibilities in Assam, Madhav said the NDA has the strength to win two out of the three vacant seats and the candidates will be announced in the next two to three days. "We have certain commitments with our alliance partners. Those commitments will be honoured," he said without elaborating on reports that one seat will be offered to BJP's ally BPF. On the overall scenario regarding the Rajya Sabha polls, Madhav said there will be no major reduction in seats for BJP. "Definitely we will get a few more seats in states like Uttar Pradesh. In Maharashtra, our numbers have come down by 25-30 and it will impact a little bit. But overall in the entire round of elections, we will not be losing many seats," he added. About the ongoing violence in Meghalaya, Madhav said there are certain issues regarding general safety and security of non-tribals in Shillong. "Those issues are in the notice of the state government, which has taken steps to ensure the security for each and every citizen, whether tribal or non-tribal, in Meghalaya. "As far as I know, the chief minister has taken steps to ensure that the state remains peaceful and law and order is maintained," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bollywood biggies Rohit Shetty and Akshay Kumar came together as the trailer of Sooryavanshi was unveiled. Loaded with dangerous stunts, Sooryavanshi has Akshay fighting terrorism. In his mission, he is backed by Ranveer Singh and Ajay Devgn as Simmba and Singham, respectively as Katrina Kaif plays a part. Meanwhile, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar trailer gave a glimpse of Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor starrer. The two actors have earlier featured together in Ishaqzaade and Namaste England and Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar marks their on-screen paring for a third time. Also, Netflix series She is available for streaming starting March 20. Check out the trailer below. She The crime drama is penned by filmmaker Imtiaz Ali. A police constable is sent on an undercover mission to bust an underworld gang as she rises above her own expectations to find power in the most unexpected ways. Sooryavanshi Rohit Shetty cop universe is all set to introduce its new crop in town with Akshay Kumar starrer Sooyavanshi. It is the fourth installment in Rohit's cop universe after Ajay Devgn-fronted Singham and Ranveer Singh's Simmba. Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar The trailer reveals that Sandeep (Parineeti Chopra), who is seeking Pinkys (Arjun Kapoor) help to run, is a corporate executive who is being chased. Locked in together by stroke of luck or misfortune, both Sandeep and Pinky set out to escape the mess and find themselves sheltered. Greyhound In the early days of WWII, an international convoy of 37 Allied ships, led by captain Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) in his first command of a US destroyer, crosses the treacherous North Atlantic while hotly pursued by wolf packs of enemy boats. Antebellum Successful author Veronica Henley (Janelle Monae) finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery before its too late. Check back next week for more trending trailers from film and TV world. Follow @News18Movies for more Yes, theres good news out of Rio Arriba County. There are signs that the county is making progress in fighting opioid overdoses, a chronic and tragic scourge certainly not unique to Rio Arriba, but one that the county has struggled mightily with for decades, racking up nationally high rates of overdose deaths. Overdose cases at Presbyterian Espanola Hospital decreased from 166 to 104, and there was only one such death there from 2018 to 2019, according to the state Department of Health. There has also been an overall drop in OD deaths in the county over the past few years, thanks to efforts that include the use of the naxolone overdose-reversal drug, sending addicts to treatment rather than jail, and a less bureaucratic and more collaborative system of care. Dedicated efforts by such good people as Lauren Riechelt the countys indefatigable Health and Human Services director are paying off. They are showing there really are ways to push back on what has heretofore been an intractable problem in northern New Mexico. But a recent report by Journal North reporter Edmundo Carrillo suggests an equally dedicated effort may be needed to address another issue in the county public corruption. Through a public records request, Carrillo obtained investigative documents from the state Attorney Generals Office in the case against married couple Lianne Martinez and Joseph Torres, a former lobbyist for Rio Arriba County. They each face numerous counts of fraud and racketeering, for which they could go to prison for up to 33 years. The documents say their company, Enviro-Kleen, made about $18,000 in illegal profit by overcharging Espanola Public Schools on six different invoices. Essentially, the AGs Office alleges that Enviro-Kleen was doing something the school district could do itself order janitorial supplies and then adding a mark-up to the price. Based on available information, Enviro-Kleen does not ship, transport, package, install or manufacture any janitorial supplies, the AG documents say. The company had the school district as its only client and didnt have a commercial location. Martinez and Torrez also had other companies that did business with the school district. The defense lawyer for Martinez and Torrez has said the overcharges by Enviro-Kleen were a mistake and have been paid back. But the AGs documents more broadly portray a corrupt culture that extends beyond the school district to city and county government officials. Former County Commission Barney Trujillo faces his own charges three counts of unlawful interest in a public contract and failing to disclose campaign contributions in relation to a questionable marketing contract he had with the school district. Several companies were keeping invoices under $5,000 some of them at $4,999 to avoid requiring school board approval. There were also complaints that work wasnt getting done and that products werent being delivered to schools. EPS employee Paula Johnson came upon the questionable procurement practices when she conducted an audit of the districts warehouse in April 2015. In particular, there is a pattern of vendors that are politically connected submitting multiple invoices that are just under the EPS discretionary purchasing threshold of $5,000, the documents say. Johnson said she brought the irregularities to the attention of then-Superintendent Danny Trujillo, who ordered her to shut down the audit. She then went to the Attorney Generals Office. Johnson said the school districts procurement policy was all about political connections. There was a pattern of politically connected vendors receiving non-competitive contracts/purchase orders, often several, for services just under the discretionary spending limit of $5,000, an agent for the AGs Office wrote. There also are allegations of school board members getting kickbacks. Fortunately, there have been political changes since the events described in the investigative documents took place. The school board majority flipped and local stalwart Bobbie Gutierrez, formerly superintendent in Santa Fe, appeared to right the ship at Espanola schools during her subsequent tenure. Barney Trujillo, term-limited as a county commissioner, is out of power, having failed as a candidate for state representative. And there are other good signs in Rio Arriba. Northern New Mexico College, another institution where incompetence and worse reigned in the past, has gotten its act together under president Richard Bailey and is working with Los Alamos National Laboratory to expand its offerings. The planned Lowrider Museum should provide a way for Espanola to open the worlds eyes to its vibrant local culture. But its just sad that a community that struggles with difficult issues, such as drugs and addiction, has been saddled with public officials accused of making self-enrichment a priority. Amtrak has suspended its non-stop service to New York and a church service was canceled Sunday after its reverend was the first person confirmed to have coronavirus in Washington DC. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Saturday that the initial case to come out of the District of Columbia was a man in his 50s, and the following day Christ Church revealed that one of its senior leaders tested positive for COVID-19. The Rev. Timothy Cole, the church rector, was in stable condition after being hospitalized Saturday night, according to a statement from the Rev. Crystal Hardin, the assistant rector. 'Out of an abundance of caution, has canceled all activities including church services until further notice. We recommend that concerned community members contact their health care providers,' the statement said. The Rev. Timothy Cole of Christ Church in Georgetown was the first person in Washington DC to test positive for coronavirus Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Saturday that the initial case to come out of the District of Columbia was a man in his 50s but didn't initially identify the man From Tuesday to May 31, Amtrak will be taking its Acela service off the tracks due to lack of demand 'Above all else, we know that whether we meet in person or in spirit, not one of us is alone while we have each other. And, we firmly believe that we are held in Gods embrace through it all. Praying without ceasing for all affected, for all in fear, and for all who are working to find solutions.' As of Sunday evening 537 people in the US had tested positive for COVID-19 and 21 people had died. Globally 109,835 people tested positive for coronavirus and and 3,803 people had died. From Tuesday to May 31, Amtrak will be taking its Acela service off the tracks due to lack of demand. There had not been any coronavirus-related travel restrictions between New York and Washington DC. 'We are closely monitoring the coronavirus and are taking action based on guidance from public health experts,' Amtrak said in a statement. Earlier this week, the company had waived change fees. 'We understand you may have concerns, and as a valued customer we will waive change fees on all existing or new reservations made before April 30, 2020,' Amtrak said in a statement. 'We will continue to monitor the coronavirus situation closely and adjust this policy as necessary.' As well as the reverend, a second local positive test involves a man who visited the Washington area from Nigeria, but he was being hospitalized in Maryland, Bowser said. The reverend started exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 in late February. He was admitted to a Washington hospital on Thursday and appeared to have no history of international travel and no close contacts to any other confirmed cases across the U.S., Bowser said. However, the man was tested for COVID-19 because he was considered to be at risk for complications, said Dr. Anjali Talwalkar, the principal senior deputy director for the districts health department. On Sunday, health officials said they had determined as part of their investigation that 'an individual's visitation to Christ Church Georgetown (pictured) warrants precautionary measures' and recommended the church cancel services Cole, the church rector, was in stable condition after being hospitalized Saturday night, according to a statement 'With his test yielding presumptive positive, D.C. Health has started its investigation in keeping with CDC guidelines,' Bowser said. According to the church's website, Cole has been the rector since September 2016. 'He brings with him the depth of his experience in service with and to young people and families, a dedication to pastoral care and community building through outreach and prayer, a joy in traditional liturgy and music, and a commitment to scripture,' the site says. He is married and has two children. The second man, who passed through Washington, is also in his 50s and lives in Nigeria, but had been staying with family members in Washington recently, officials said. He tested positive in Maryland, where he remains hospitalized, Bowser said. On Sunday, health officials said they had determined as part of their investigation that 'an individual's visitation to Christ Church Georgetown warrants precautionary measures.' They recommended a temporary halt to services. In response, the church publicly identified Cole as the victim. In a statement, they recommended the church temporarily halt services, and district health officials were reaching out to congregants and visitors. The church's rector did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. 'We are currently conducting an intensive investigation to identify any exposures to COVID-19 that may have occurred at the church,' the statement said. President Donald Trump said he wasn't concerned 'at all' about the coronavirus getting closer to the White House after the first Washington case was confirmed and officials said an attendee of a recent political conference in the capital where Trump himself had spoken also tested positive for the virus Officials had no plans to cancel any events, including the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, which starts on March 20 and draws thousands of tourists. 'We recognize that it is fluid and every day we will monitor the situation on the ground in the district,' Bowser said. Officials also stressed they were prepared for the spread of the virus and have been coordinating preparedness with a variety of agencies. Dr. Jennifer Smith, who leads Washington's public health laboratory, said officials have the capability of testing about 50 patients per day. The district has also ordered more than 42,000 masks to be delivered to the district's fire and emergency medical workers, officials said. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CORONAVIRUS? Like other coronaviruses, including those that cause the common cold and that triggered SARS, COVID-19 is a respiratory illness. The most common symptoms are: Fever Dry cough Shortness of breath Difficulty breathing Fatigue Although having a runny nose doesn't rule out coronavirus, it doesn't thus far appear to be a primary symptom. Most people only become mildly ill, but the infection can turn serious and even deadly, especially for those who are older or have underlying health conditions. In these cases, patients develop pneumonia, which can cause: Potentially with yellow, green or bloody mucus Fever, sweating and shaking chills Shortness of breath Rapid or shallow breathing Pain when breathing, especially when breathing deeply or coughing Low appetite, energy and fatigue Nausea and vomiting (more common in children) Confusion (more common in elderly people) Some patients have also reported diarrhea and kidney failure has occasionally been a complication. Avoid people with these symptoms. If you develop them, call your health care provider before going to the hospital or doctor, so they and you can prepare to minimize possible exposure if they suspect you have coronavirus. Advertisement Officials said they were in contact with their counterparts at health departments across the U.S., including in New York and California, after two people who attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee event in Washington were diagnosed with coronavirus. Meanwhile, Maryland officials warned Saturday that a person who attended the recent Conservative Political Action Conference in the suburb of Oxon Hill had tested positive for the virus. Both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the conference. The White House said Saturday there was no indication that either had met or were in 'close proximity' to the infected attendee. When asked whether his campaign rallies would would continue in light of the CPAC case, the president replied, 'Well have tremendous rallies.' Trump held his most recent campaign rally last Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina. He waved off other questions to join a dinner for the president of Brazil, who was visiting Trump at the president's home in south Florida. A Marine at Fort Belvoir was the first military case of coronavirus reported inside the U.S., said a Pentagon official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the case. The Marine was being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, located south of Washington, and had recently returned from an overseas assignment, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said on Twitter. Dr. Benjamin Schwartz, director of epidemiology and population health for the Fairfax County health department, said the Fairfax man developed systems of respiratory illness on Feb. 28 and was hospitalized on March 5. He remains hospitalized but is in stable condition and not in an intensive care unit, Schwartz said. 'Fortunately, the individual had limited contact with others while ill, and therefore the risk to the general Fairfax community remains low,' said the county's health director, Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensa. Virginia state epidemiologist Dr. Lilian Peake said testing for the Fort Belvoir case was done at Walter Reed medical center, and testing for the Fairfax resident was done at a state lab in Richmond. 'The two cases are not related,' Peake said. 'At this point, there are no signs of the virus spreading in the community in Virginia.' Trump said he wasn't concerned 'at all' about the coronavirus getting closer to the White House after the first Washington case was confirmed and officials said an attendee of a recent political conference in the capital where Trump himself had spoken also tested positive for the virus. 'No, I'm not concerned at all. No, Im not. We've done a great job,' Trump said. What cooking ingredients will help to boost immunity? Mushrooms They are a powerhouse for supporting the immune system and have been acknowledged by eastern medics for thousands of years for their superpowers. The therapeutic component in these wonderful fungi act as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and cell-regenerating agents. Ginger These ingredients provide antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action to relieve the unfavorable symptoms of flu. Garlic, chilli and onion Supporting your body's natural defense system. Allicin, a compound in garlic, is known to boost the white blood cells response to illness. Onions also have multiple immunity-supporting compounds, whilst green chillies are rich in vitamin C to boost resistance to infection. Advertisement In China, a study is under way to see if high doses of vitamin C can help fight off coronavirus (officially known as COVID-19). Scientists at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University are testing its effects on 120 patients who have the virus, giving them daily infusions of 24g of vitamin C for seven days. Results have not yet been published. The dosage being used in China is around 60 times as much as the NHS daily recommended amount. Dr. Mike Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London, says we wont know vitamin Cs value against coronavirus for some time, and says the dose being tested is massive. Theyre doing the trial, Skinner said. Lets see if it has any benefit. As coronavirus panic spreads, one London clinic has noted increased interest in vitamin injections to help boost the immune system. Vitamin Injections London recommends vitamin C a part of preventative measures. The clinic administers IVs starting at 1,000mg and up to 10,000mg per day, no more than twice a week, in a healthy person. 'We create bespoke intravenous cocktails,' Vitamin Injections London founder Bianca Estelle said. Estelle adds that the UK government recommendation is 490mg per week for women or 630mg for men, but says the advice is too general. 'It does not consider factors such as age, environment, stress levels and other individual factors when determining needs. These things a far more important than gender,' she says. Elderly people with underlying health conditions are considered to be at far greater risk than other individuals who test positive for COVID-19. CORONAVIRUS TRAVEL TIPS As the novel coronavirus spreads across the globe, health experts advise plane travelers to sit in a window seat, disinfect their table trays and window blinds, and warn that wearing a mask won't prevent infection. Officials say the best way to avoid catching the virus, which is spread through viral particles within mucus or saliva, is to keep your hands clean, disinfect your space, and avoid touching your face. It is also advised that plane travelers choose a window seat to have less contact with potentially sick people. 'Book a window seat, try not to move during the flight, stay hydrated and keep your hands away from your face,' Vicki Stover Hertzberg, professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, said. 'Book a window seat, try not to move during the flight, stay hydrated and keep your hands away from your face,' a professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, said Hertzberg helped conduct a study that followed passengers and crew members on 10 three to five-hour flights during the flu season and found that passengers who sit in the window seats had less contact with ill people. Wearing a mask on the plane may not prove helpful as the air in the aircraft is considered sterile because there are so few microorganisms at such a high altitude and the plane draws fresh air from the outside. About 50 percent of the air in cabins is recirculated but it goes through sophisticated air filters similar to those used in surgical environments, before it's its pushed back into the plane. A problem with paper masks is that they don't have a respirator to filter out infectious air articles. That means passengers are more likely to catch the virus through direct contact from someone with the virus or surfaces rather than through the air. But one study found that the other coronaviruses - such as SARS and MERS - remains on metal, glass, and plastic surfaces for up to nine days. Top tips include: - Good hand hygiene: Frequently wash hands for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitzer - Disinfect your space: Bring your own wipes and wipe down window blinds, seat belts, arm rests, touch screens and tray tables - Choose a window seat: Sit near the window and avoid moving around the cabin to limit exposure to potentially sick people - Use touch screen with a tissue: Avoid contact with surfaces that may hold the virus - Avoid touching your face: 2019-nCov is spread through viral particles in mucus or saliva. Avoid touching your face and transferring germs picked up from surfaces Advertisement The devastated family of the first pedestrian to be killed in a collision with an electric bicycle have called for the silent killers to be banned. Sakine Cihan, 56, died after being struck by an e-bike being ridden by Thomas Hanlon at 30mph double the legal speed limit for e-bikes on a 20mph road in East London. The 32-year-old bricklayer, whose 850 bicycle was souped up with a high-powered motor, fled the scene of the tragedy. But he walked free from court last week after he was acquitted of careless driving. Sakine Cihan, 56, died after being struck by an e-bike being ridden by Thomas Hanlon at 30mph double the legal speed limit for e-bikes on a 20mph road in East London Ms Cihans heartbroken sister Sehriban Tezerdi told The Mail on Sunday: Something urgently needs to be done before anyone else dies. In court they said she stepped out in front of the bike and that she walked straight into it. Im certain its because these electric bikes are silent they are silent killers and there was no sound to alert her to its fast approach. They need to be banned... I know it was an accident but there will be many more if something isnt done now. By law, bicycles with an electric motor can be driven without a licence or insurance only if their power is limited and the motor switches off at 15.5mph. But the court heard Mr Hanlons bike could travel at double that speed so it was classed as a motorcycle, and a rider would need a licence. More than 60,000 e-bikes were sold in 2018, and their popularity is rising. But critics say the bikes and e-scooters which are illegal to ride on roads are dangerous because they are quiet and can be tuned up to travel at speeds above 40mph. The 32-year-old bricklayer, above, whose 850 bicycle was souped up with a high-powered motor, fled the scene of the tragedy. But he walked free from court last week after he was acquitted of careless driving Witnesses to the fatal crash in August 2018 recalled seeing arms and legs flying into the air before Ms Cihan lay motionless and bleeding from the mouth, nose and ears in the middle of the road. She was rushed to hospital but died the next day from a catastrophic brain injury. Mr Hanlon, from Hackney, East London, sobbed after he was cleared at the Old Bailey trial which heard Ms Cihan had tried to cross the road despite the traffic lights being green. Ms Cihan, from Golbasi, a small town south of the Turkish capital Ankara, had moved to Britain in 2001. Mrs Tezerdi, 52, from Ankara, said: My sister was the gentlest soul alive. I dont want her death to be in vain. One of the former officials who testified in the impeachment hearings against Donald Trump has warned that Vladimir Putin has the US "exactly where he wants us". Speaking to CBS's 60 Minutes in her first major interview since her testimony last year, Fiona Hill said that while the Russians did not invent the divisions in US politics and society they knew how to exploit them. British-born Dr Hill was Donald Trump's Russia expert at the National Security Council. In November she testified to the House Intelligence Committee's impeachment hearings that Trump defenders spinning conspiracy theories about Ukraine were playing into Moscow's hands. The Democrat-controlled House impeached the president on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for trying to pressure Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election by digging up or fabricating dirt on his political opponents. In January he was cleared of those charges by his Republican allies in the Senate. Speaking to 60 Minutes in an interview being aired this weekend, Dr Hill said: "Putin, sadly, has got all of our political class, every single one of us, including the media, exactly where he wants us. "He's got us feeling vulnerable, he's got us feeling on edge, and he's got us questioning the legitimacy of our own systems." Asked to what extent she thought the increasing polarisation of US politics came from Russia, she said: "Well certainly in 2016 a lot of it did but they don't invent the divisions. "The Russians didn't invent partisan divides. The Russians haven't invented racism in the United States. But the Russians understand a lot of those divisions and they understand how to exploit them." Fiona Hill: 'What we're seeing here as a result of all of these narratives is this is exactly what the Russian government was hoping for' All 17 US intelligence agencies say that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election, partly to support Mr Trump but also to worsen political divides in the country more generally. The president has rejected the claim, at one point saying at a press conference with Mr Putin in Helsinki that he believed the Russian president's denials over his own experts. Fiona Hill confirms the story that at age 11 a boy set her pigtails on fire during a test He has repeatedly insisted that the Mueller investigation into links between the Trump campaign and Moscow was a politically-motivated hoax. The fall-out from the Mueller investigation is continuing, with a federal judge last week demanding to see the full version of the report, and suggesting attorney general William Barr a fervent Trump loyalist may have mischaracterised it in his public summary to make it sound less damning to the president. When you combine passion, knowledge and business acumen, success comes naturally, if not easily. Joanna Styles, the brain and braun behind Guide to Malaga knows exactly what that feels like. In under five years Joanna, 54, has built up a successful business by marketing her adopted home city to local businesses and English-speaking residents and visitors alike. WOMEN IN BUSINESS Virginia Calvo, owner of Malaga gaming company The entrepreneur has lived in the province for over 30 years and in Malaga city for five. Since the early beginnings in September 2015, Joanna has built up a hugely successful website which attracts upwards of 25,000 visitors per month. She explains that 30 per cent of these are Costa del Sol residents, another 30 per cent are from the UK and a further 30 per cent are from northern European countries and the USA. "It is a very niche market as obviously it is only about Malaga city and only in English," Joanna explains. The website also provides advice to businesses and self-employed people who work or are thinking of working in Malaga. She was awarded the Costa Press Club Communicator award in 2016 and the website was featured on a BBC evening news programme in summer 2018. Joanna has a background in journalism and copywriting and says that she has never felt that she has been treated differently or experienced sexism. "Journalism nowadays isn't really seen as men's or women's work. I don't feel that as a woman I have ever been at a disadvantage," she reflects. While Joanna says there may have been times in meetings when she felt she was "not talking on the same level" with a client, she is also keen to point out that as a Brit working in Spain on a website that is not written in Spanish, this could have been down to cultural differences with regard to doing business. She says that most of her client base for marketing Guide to Malaga is Spanish and demonstrating that an English-only platform will work for Malaga-based companies can be challenging, rather than her gender being an issue. Joanna also makes the point that much of her work is done online, which she says means working with a generally younger demographic and therefore with people with a different work ethic from older generations. "The online business world is in a sense gender neutral and I don't feel that my gender is important," she says. "I think people are interested in the quality of my work, not whether it is being done by a man or a woman," she adds. Joanna says that she thinks in general attitudes are changing and that there is more gender equality in business. With her flashing rings, green-streaked hair and "Hack the patriarchy" laptop stickers, Nighat Dad is a digital warrior. But this human rights award winner and founder of Pakistan's first cyber-harassment helpline still tears up as she describes receiving calls from women afraid of being killed by male relatives for using the internet. "We sometimes find ourselves helpless... Somebody calls us and asks for help while crying that 'Please, please save my life'," she tells AFP at the offices for her non-profit Digital Rights Foundation in the eastern city of Lahore. Much of Pakistani society lives under the patriarchal, outdated code of so-called "honour" that systemises the oppression of women by preventing them from, for example, choosing their own husband or working outside the home. Activists have denounced pervasive, sometimes deadly violence by men -- usually male relatives -- against women who break those taboos. The situation is dire enough in the offline world. But Pakistan is only just beginning to grapple with what violent notions of honour mean for women online, in a country where internet penetration is at 22 percent and growing, but digital literacy is low. There have been examples of men attacking women for using the internet in ways that much of the rest of the world considers normal, such as publishing photos of themselves on a Facebook page. - Women are suffering - Dad formed the Digital Rights Foundation, a think tank tackling digital rights through a gender lens, in 2012, winning her recognition as one of Time magazine's next generation leaders in 2015 and a Human Rights Tulip award in 2016. She launched the cyber-harassment helpline that same year, funding it with the 100,000 euros ($108,000) in Tulip prize money. The idea, she says, "came out of anger" at the violence women were suffering. The helpline now receives up to 20 calls a day and the number is increasing. Callers range from celebrities to poor women in deeply conservative areas whose male relatives do not allow them to leave their homes. Many call about the non-consensual publication of their intimate images. The issue can be damaging enough to women in developed countries. In Pakistan, even less severe cases can see families forbidding women from attending school or forcing them into quick marriages to save their "honour", while in the most severe it can be deadly. Much of the work the helpline does is to explain to women what recourse they have. Social media companies are playing ball, Dad says -- some have even agreed to establish "escalation channels" for getting content off the internet quickly when a woman's life is in immediate danger. But she warns that community guidelines developed by such companies, usually US-based, are not appropriate in Pakistan. "I think they need to do more," Dad says. More than three years on, the Tulip money has run out. Now the helpline survives only by the grace of small grants from groups such as the Netherlands-based Digital Defenders Partnership, which supports rights activists. - Dangerous work - Much of Dad's activism is rooted in what she describes as her "privilege" -- having parents who, though illiterate themselves, fought to give their six children an education. Her father defied more conservative relatives when he insisted she leave an abusive marriage, fight for custody of her son, and study law at a co-ed university. Listing other ways he has supported her, she smiles. "It... tells me that you don't need all this education to be a feminist," she says. Now she feels she must do the same for others -- but she is keenly aware that her work is dangerous. Earlier generations of feminists took on state oppression. Her generation is confronting the issue in the home and the workplace, meaning it is no longer an abstract criticism for the men in their lives. That, she theorises, is one reason why the backlash can be so severe. She cites last year's International Women's Day march in Pakistan, which saw women turn out in unprecedented numbers loudly celebrating divorce and periods, among other things. The response was swift and shocking in its intensity, with Dad describing mullahs making rape and death threats against the march organisers in videos widely distributed online. The 2016 murder of social media star Qandeel Baloch has also impacted her, she says. Baloch divided Pakistan with her videos and selfies, tame by Western standards but provocative in Pakistan. She was strangled by her brother in 2016 in what has been called the country's most high-profile "honour" killing. "She was a hero for me... she did what she wanted to do, and not every woman can do this in Pakistan," Dad says. Dad says she cannot help but see the similarities between herself and Baloch. They are from similar backgrounds, both left abusive marriages, and both have gained fame by loudly challenging social taboos online -- though admittedly not in quite the same way. Her murder "shook me badly," she tells AFP. "It was enough to shake us all." Emily Webb and her fiance Kevin Beach are getting married in San Diego in early April. Many of their guests for the 200-person wedding are based locally, but a few dozen of them are planning to fly in from across the country. For many couples getting married this spring and summer, there are so many unknowns with the coronavirus continuing to spread. That's prompting anxiety, and in many cases, a "wait and see" approach. Weddings are expensive and can take months to plan. Postponing or canceling them might mean that couples are on the hook for thousands of dollars in lost deposits for vendors. The Knot, a wedding website, estimates that couples in the U.S. on average spend more than $30,000 on their ceremonies and receptions. "I keep wondering how this could all snowball and impact everything from the bachelor party to the honeymoon, to the wedding," said Webb, who works in public relations, by phone. "But as far as we can know right now, we're sticking to everything as planned." The couple are planning to communicate to their guests that it's not worth it to attend if they feel uncomfortable or potentially unsafe about traveling to California, which now has reported about 60 cases of the coronavirus. Many Americans are increasingly wary about getting on a plane as the coronavirus continues to spread, and carriers are starting to cancel flights. The coronavirus recently surpassed 100,000 cases globally, and at least 14 people have died in the United States. The wedding industry is among the industries that has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus. Many industry professionals rely on dresses shipped from China, which first reported cases of the virus. And flights are being canceled to popular international destinations like Italy. Moreover, many wedding insurance policies won't cover health outbreaks, especially if there are still flights available for guests to travel. That lack of certainty is prompting some couples to postpone their weddings until the next year. "I think a cancellation would be considered a choice that the couple is making, so couples may be less likely to get refunds," said Samantha Capone, a New Orleans-based wedding planner with Three Little Words (Capone also happens to be this reporter's own wedding planner). Capone notes that could change if the situation takes a turn for the worse. "If travel restrictions prevent the couple or most guests from attending the wedding, that would be beyond the control of the couple and they would be more likely to get refunds if they have to cancel," she said. Capone said she's monitoring the situation "day by day" and advises couples at this stage to look into their vendor contracts to assess their policies around postponement and cancellation. Awal Dairy Company, the first Bahraini company specialised in the field of dairy products, has successfully concluded its participation at Gulfood 2020 exhibition held recently at the Dubai World Trade Centre. A major industry event, Gulfood 2020 drew the participation of 5,000 exhibitors - including 120 national pavilions - showcasing their innovative products before more than 100,000 visitors from 200 countries around the world. The Awal Dairy said through its participation at the expo as part of the Bahrain National Pavilion, it had succeeded in showcasing its products before thousands of visitors. Also the expo gave the company's senior executives an opportunity to interact with top officials of leading food companies and its acquaintance with the latest technologies and global industry trends. The Bahraini pavilion, organized by Worksmart for Events Management in partnership with Alwane Society, was at the Gulfood expo for the seventh consecutive year. The participation at the Gulfood comes within the framework of Awals endeavour to open regional and global markets for its products, thus promoting its Bahraini brand and contributing effectively to the kingdom's economy. Established in 1963 in Bahrain, Awal Dairy is a specialist in the production and distribution of dairy products in addition to natural juices and ice cream using the best raw materials and ingredients.-TradeArabia News Service Thousands took to the streets across Asia for International Women's Day on Sunday even as the coronavirus outbreak forced the cancellation of events in the region. In China -- the epicentre of the epidemic that has killed more than 3,500 people and infected over 100,000 worldwide -- state broadcaster CCTV highlighted the work of female medical workers on the frontlines in the fight against the virus. Despite growing fears over the worsening epidemic, marches went ahead in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines while women rallied in ultra-conservative Pakistan demanding "freedom". A women's marathon planned in India was postponed over virus concerns as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said prominent women would run his social media accounts for the day. In South Korea, where more than 7,000 virus infections make it the hardest hit country outside China, several events were cancelled. "Although we can't be physically together, our minds for realising gender equality are stronger than ever," the country's gender equality minister Lee Jung-Ok said in a video message. Many feminist groups held online campaigns instead of street marches, using hashtags such as #FemaleStrike, #PowerUp and #38InternationalWomensDay to raise awareness of gender inequality. In Bangkok, protesters called for improved labour protections amid the epidemic that has infected dozens in Thailand, and greater rights under a military-aligned government. But turnout was lower than last year with organisers saying some had stayed away because of virus fears. Hundreds of women and men rallied in the Philippine capital Manila, burning a giant effigy of President Rodrigo Duterte -- who they accuse of misogyny -- to mark the day. "The violence and poverty among women are getting worse," Joms Salvador of women's group Gabriela told AFP. "While we have 37 laws related to women's rights, on the ground what is happening is a widespread violence in the forms of domestic abuse, sexual harassment and rape," he said. At a march in the Indonesian capital Jakarta hundreds of people, some wearing rainbow make-up, demanded the government revoke laws seen as gender discriminative. They also called for laws against sexual violence and for the protection of domestic workers. A big crowd turned out in Melbourne to watch the women's Twenty20 World Cup final between India and Australia, with US singer Katy Perry -- wearing an outfit emblazoned with the female symbol -- performing her hit single "Roar" ahead of the game. burs-rbu/amj A 50-year-old man tested positive for the deadly coronavirus in Pakistan on Sunday, taking the total number of the COVID-19 infections in the country to six, officials said. The new case was found in Karachi where the first patient of coronavirus recovered on Saturday and was sent home from hospital. "The 50-year-old patient is a resident of Karachi and was tested positive today (Sunday)," said Meeran Yousuf, the media coordinator for the Sindh health minister. Yousuf said all persons the coronavirus patient came in contact with were quarantined and that doctors were looking into his travel history. In a coronavirus meeting in Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was told that so far tested 107 people were tested in the province out of whom 103 tested negative for the infection. All four cases were from Karachi. Other than the screenings, 265 people have been quarantined in their homes. Further, the provincial government was preparing to quarantine 300 pilgrims, who were returning from Iran and were presently at the Taftan border. Meanwhile, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani announced that all educational institutions would reopen on March 16 as planned. So far, no coronavirus related death has been reported in Pakistan. Sindh and Balochistan provinces have already closed their schools and colleges after the deadly virus surfaced in the country. The novel virus that first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year has claimed over 3,500 lives and infected more than 100,000 across 95 nations and territories. The World Health Organisation last week raised the global virus risk to maximum level after the outbreak spread to sub-Saharan Africa and stock markets around the world plummeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West and Central Asia The situation Afghanistan continues to dominate the worldwide opium market. In 2015, the country still accounted for almost two thirds of the global area under illicit opium poppy cultivation. Most of Europe is supplied with Afghan opiates through the "Balkan route", via the Islamic Republic of Iran, Turkey and South-Eastern Europe, which continues to be the most important conduit for heroin trafficking. The total value of illicit opiates trafficked on the Balkan route is estimated to amount to an average of USD 28 billion per annum, which is roughly a third bigger than the entire GDP of Afghanistan, while only a fraction of these profits remain in the source country. The "southern route", through Pakistan or the Islamic Republic of Iran by sea to the Gulf region and Africa (particularly East Africa), has grown in importance. The "northern route", from Afghanistan to neighbouring States in Central Asia, the Russian Federation and other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, has started to undergo a resurgence after a decline in the period 2008-2012. However, Afghanistan and its neighbours are not only affected by trafficking as the drugs are moved to their key destination markets. Of the globally about 17.4 million past-year users of opiates, particularly South-West Asia is marked by high levels of opiate use and the highest prevalence of HIV among people who inject drugs. In Afghanistan alone, 2-2.5 million people are estimated to use drugs. Additionally, an emerging trend in Afghanistan, and similarly in Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, is the use of amphetamines. * Opiate trafficking generated by production in Afghanistan [image to be added] Source: UNODC World Drug Report 2016 Integrated UNODC Solution for West and Central Asia Aiming to address the security, economic, governance and development challenges in Afghanistan, which are of an interconnected nature, UNODC developed a concerted solution for Europe, West and Central Asia with interventions at three distinct yet closely inter-connected levels: country, regional and inter-regional. The initiative, which is referred to as the ' UNODC One Concerted Approach for Europe, West and Central Asia', brings together the achievements and impacts of country, regional and global programmes in an integrated manner, builds on lessons learned and focuses on key areas where UNODC is envisaged to have the greatest added value and impact in the period 2016 till 2019. The focus is on a series of prioritized common deliverables with joint milestones in three key areas: i) Law Enforcement Cooperation; ii) Criminal Justice and Judicial Cooperation; and iii) Social and Human Development. It is based on joint and harmonized planning, implementation and monitoring between country, regional and global level programmes. This 'three-tier' approach brings the comparative advantages of each UNODC office in West and Central Asia (i.e. Country Offices in Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Pakistan as well as the Regional Office for Central Asia) together in an integrated programming effort, with coordination through the Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries. The Paris Pact Initiative provides strategic guidance through its Policy Consultative Group Meetings and related consultations with Member States. Global programmes that work in the region are also full partners, including the Global Programme on Money Laundering, the Container Control Programme, the Afghan Opiate Trade Project and the various Global Programmes on HIV/AIDS as well as Drug Use Prevention, Treatment and Care. Joining country, regional and global support helps to scale up the work conducted under several well-established initiatives including: the Triangular Initiative (TI) involving cooperation between Afghanistan, Pakistan and (the Islamic Republic of) Iran focusing on the Southern Route, as well as on the Balkan Route; involving cooperation between Afghanistan, Pakistan and (the Islamic Republic of) Iran focusing on the Southern Route, as well as on the Balkan Route; the Afghanistan-Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan (AKT) Initiative focusing on the Northern Route; focusing on the Northern Route; the Regional Working Groups , including on Precursors, Forensics and Law Enforcement Training, involving all countries in the region; , including on Precursors, Forensics and Law Enforcement Training, involving all countries in the region; the 'Central Asia and Southern Hub' ( CASH) and 'Network of Prosecutors and Central Authorities from Source, Transit and Destination Countries in response to Transnational Organized Crime in Central Asia and Southern Caucasus' ( CASC) Initiatives, to address money laundering in the wider region, including facilitating cooperation between the Financial Investigative Units (FIUs), the creation of networks among judicial offices and financial investigators, development of practical tools and provision of training. In addition, maritime regional cooperation is strengthened to address the growing use of maritime routes for trafficking illicit drugs originating in Afghanistan as well as precursors destined for illicit drug manufacture in Afghanistan. With the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre ( CARICC), the Joint Planning Cell ( JPC) and various Border Liaison Officers ( BLOs) across the region, UNODC continues to support countries to build a foundation for coordinated action and information sharing. Paris Pact Initiative The Paris Pact Initiative (PPI) represents the international community's determination to combat the trafficking in opiates originating in Afghanistan in a balanced and comprehensive manner. Since its inception in Paris in 2003, the broad international coalition - recognising its common and shared responsibility - has grown to 58 partner countries and 23 partner organizations, including UNODC. At the 3 rd Ministerial Conference in 2012, the partnership adopted its road map, the Vienna Declaration, which centres on four areas for enhanced cooperation: regional initiatives; financial flows linked to illicit traffic in opiates; preventing the diversion of precursor chemicals; and reducing drug abuse and dependence. From the start, UNODC provided coordination support to the partnership with its global Paris Pact programme, now in its fourth phase, which seeks to enhance synergies and increase cooperation among partners, including UNODC, and continues to drive forward its three well-established components: the Consultative Mechanism at expert and policy level; the Research and Liaison Officer network based along the major trafficking routes out of Afghanistan; and information management through the PPI online hub ADAM and the Drugs Monitoring Platform. ... for more information on the Paris Pact see ADAM - www.paris-pact.net Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries (2016-2019) Building on the UNODC mandate and experiences in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries, the new phase of the Regional Programme (RP) is closely coordinated with all respective country and sub-regional programmes. Its approach allows UNODC to ensure counter-narcotics and rule of law to remain a central theme of the policy debate, and regional governments to receive the support required to develop necessary capacities. The UNODC response to the complex reality in Afghanistan and the surrounding region aims at identifying and addressing all major aspects of the drug and crime situation, including building regional cooperation in the law enforcement, judicial and health sectors through advocacy in the policy arena and practical implementation in the field, as well as increasing capacity to more broadly analyse and counter the illicit narco-economy. The Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries (2016-2019) is composed of four Sub-Programmes, all grounded in a gender responsive, human rights-based approach: regional law enforcement cooperation; international cooperation in legal matters; prevention and treatment of drug dependence among vulnerable groups; and trends and impact analysis. The RP seeks to maximize synergies with existing and new programmes in the region (listed below). It further builds on the Inter-regional Drug Control Approach and ensures effective linkages with other UNODC Regional Programmes operating in regions affected by Afghan opiates traffic including the trafficking of precursors, notably along the Balkan, northern and southern routes. ... more on the website of the Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries Programme for Central Asia (2015-2019) The Programme for Central Asia represents the overarching strategic framework under which UNODC provides technical assistance within the five Central Asian States. It builds on previous UNODC assistance within the sub-region and aims to deliver effect in an integrated and comprehensive manner. It is aligned with the UN Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAF) for the Central Asian States and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Programme for Central Asia aims to enhance both, national level capabilities and sub-regional cooperation, between and within the Central Asian States. ... more on the UNODC Central Asia website Country Programme for Afghanistan (2016-2019) The vision of the County Programme for Afghanistan is to strengthen the capacity of the Government, assist with the policy framework and provide accurate data and information to counter the consequences of drugs and crime in the country. The programme's goal is to improve security and stability, advancing good governance, and promoting the rule of law and respect for human rights, particularly in relation to women and girls. The Programme is structured along four thematic areas: law enforcement; criminal justice; health and alternative development; and advocacy, policy and research. ... more on the UNODC Afghanistan website Country Partnership Programme for the Islamic Republic of Iran (2015-2019) UNODC Iran, jointly with the Government of Iran, has developed a Country Partnership Programme, which is made up of four sub-programmes: 'Border Management and Illicit Trafficking' to enhance national drugs and precursors control capacities; 'Crime, Corruption and Criminal Justice' to support the national institutions' progress under the UNTOC, UNCAC, and countering of terrorism; 'Drug Use Prevention, Treatment, Rehabilitation and HIV Care' to strengthen national and NGOs capacities; and 'Alternative Livelihoods and Sustainable Development' to enhance job creation schemes in the Eastern provinces of (I. R. of) Iran bordering Afghanistan. ... more on the UNODC Iran website Country Programme for Pakistan (2016-2019) The Country Programme for Pakistan builds on UNODC's national, regional and global strategic priorities as well as the priorities of the Government of Pakistan with an explicit focus on vulnerable groups and the application of a rights-based approach. The Programme aims at "Working together against illicit trafficking, drug use and crime, while promoting the rule of law, towards a safe society for all in Pakistan". The Programme consists of the three main programmatic pillars: illicit trafficking and border management; criminal justice and legal reforms; and drug demand reduction, prevention and treatment. ... more on the UNODC Pakistan website * Sources of this paragraph: 60 th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, 2017: Report of the Secretariat on the world situation with regard to drug abuse ( E/CN.7/2017/4); and Report of the Secretariat on the world situation with regard to drug trafficking, problem focusing on illicit drug trafficking and related offences ( E/CN.7/2017/5); UNODC, World Drug Report, 2016; UNODC, Drug Money: the illicit proceeds of opiates trafficked on the Balkan route - Executive summary, 2015 Far too many voices on both the right and left are arguing that Joe Biden's recent success is a repudiation of Marxism. This is so fantastically wrong that it is a little surprising how often we're seeing and hearing it this week. Ben Shapiro argued that Democrats "will rally around the banner that is anti-President Donald Trump but Biden isn't an anti-American communist, and his nomination won't mean the deepening of Sanders' vile worldview" and that "Republicans and Democrats should both celebrate Sanders' precipitous fall. It means that perhaps we still have something in common after all: opposition to a radical philosophy that sees America as a nefarious force in the world and sees constitutional principles as oppressive hierarchical dominance." This is a bad take. A Biden presidency would do plenty to advance Sanders's vile worldview and further damage constitutional principles. James Carville gushed that Jim Clyburn saved the Democrat party, which in the short term may very well be true. He could also have credited Elizabeth Warren, who pulled double duty by both destroying Mike Bloomberg and sticking around on Super Tuesday to pull in votes that would have likely been destined for Sanders. These views that Marxism was somehow repudiated are dangerously naive, misread what happened, and underestimate just how much that radical Marxist philosophy has already shaped the Democrat party. Bernie Sanders came within an eyelash of becoming the nominee of a major political party despite being an avowed Marxist with a long record of pouring praise on history's vilest regimes. He did it while running under the worst possible conditions for a Marxist. A scorching hot economy improving the lives of nearly all Americans does not create fertile ground for a Marxist revolution. He also did it while running as a very old, health-challenged, and not particularly charismatic standard-bearer in a party with a strong allegiance to identity politics. Finally, he did it in a year where nearly every Democrat was clamoring to find the most electable candidate, which served as a net drag on his candidacy. On top of that, he spectacularly self-sabotaged by blowing kisses to Fidel Castro, practically rule number one on the "don't" list for remaining a viable candidate in politics due to the importance of Florida. Yet without massive and ruthless Machiavellian establishment interference at the last possible moment where it would actually make a difference, Sanders would have carried at least a plurality of delegates into the convention. That is the sign not of an ideology on life support but of one that is very much ascendant. A society's move to Marxism is typically more a process than a singular event, and Sanders's setback amounts to little more than a bump in the road. Sanders's success in 2016 was the canary in the coalmine. A lot of people shrugged it off, assuming that his success was more attributable to the sheer awfulness of his political opponent. Anyone harboring those beliefs saw them dispelled in 2020. The increase in Democrat support for Marxism will likely continue to climb as older Democrats with strong history-created anti-Marxist antibodies are replaced by younger voters indoctrinated to believe that socialism is a wonderful idea. The rise of the Marxist radicals will produce one of two results. Either it will fracture and split the Democrat party and, in the process, destroy it. Or these radicals will take over the party. The second outcome is far more likely in a party where even the most strident Democrat Sanders critics, such as Carville, admit that they would vote for him over a Republican. A poll taken this year indicated that 76 percent of Democrats would vote for a socialist. Frankly, that shocking number is probably low, since it does not factor in how someone's view might change in a binary election. Democrats are terrified of offending this growing wing of their party, which is why Amy Klobuchar, in an attempted Hail Mary pass, was the only candidate to raise her hand at the February 7 Democrat debate when the candidates were asked if they would be bothered if a Democrat socialist represented the party in the general election. Nope. It would be grand. Nothing to see here. Next question. If the candidates weren't already cowering before their changing base, all the hands would have shot up in a race to be first. But there is a lot more going on than a simple unwillingness of Democrat candidates to challenge socialism. Every single Democrat is "evolving" to this new reality. This is why these critiques that socialism went down hard are ridiculous. Because of the growing strength of this wing of the Democrat electorate, "moderate" Joe is mostly ordering from the same Marxist menu. His domestic policy positions generally lead to the same hellish place as Sanders's, which is a government takeover of the health care industry, destruction of the energy sector, open borders, favoring illegal invaders over Americans, implementing massive new taxes, offering full-throated support to abortion under all circumstances, and support for the $90-plus-trillion Green New Deal that is practically a how-to guide on creating a Marxist failed state. If Sanders were able to put his policies into place, it would lead to societal collapse. But so would Biden's stated policies. Biden is the political version of Wile E. Coyote in that he has raced so far to the left that he is left flailing in open air with nothing but reality waiting below. He tacked this far to the left not because he believes this nonsense. He went there because the Marxist wing is the animating force in the party. Its impact is seen in every pronouncement and position Biden adopts. Sanders didn't make Biden and the Democrats more Marxist. He was simply the first candidate to openly ride the rising wave of this movement to national prominence. He won't be the last. Barack Obama rode the same wave, which is why his radical history was shrugged off. He was just less open about it. The cause at this point is obvious. Academia has been mass-producing Marxists for decades. These Marxists take positions of influence throughout society. They are the smiling elementary school teachers greeting America's kids in the morning and the sinister intelligence agency leaders plotting coups against a duly elected president. They are the script-writers producing the television shows Americans are devouring and the national media representatives preening about democracy dying in darkness. In other words, they are now everywhere and in complete control of culture and communications, which is why most conservatives, especially on university campuses but also throughout society, self-censor. Conservative thought and speech are largely deemed off-limits in many places. The best way to address this issue is to ruthlessly and persistently attack the source, which is America's universities. Conservatives need to spend a lot more time focused on this issue, which will admittedly not be easy, since this noxious ideology is now so entrenched. But it is a parasite that will eventually kill the host if ignored. Conservatives also need to develop far more competing educational institutions that actually encourage and send conservatives back out to become professors and cultural influencers. There are a handful of superb small colleges, such as Hillsdale College in Michigan and Grove City College near Pittsburgh, but they are a drop in a toxic bucket compared to the mammoth influence of broader academia. We need schools like this dotted across every state, which means we also need the professors to fill them. Conservatives must fight to retake the cultural high ground, or at least to diminish leftist dominance of it, since whoever holds the heights has a massive advantage. Despite the sighs of relief by some on both the left and right at what is possibly the collapse of Sanders's candidacy, the time to address the problem is running out. Fletch Daniels can be found on Twitter at @fletchdaniels. Image: Marc Nozell via Flickr. An animated video highlighting the achievements of women around the world is this years theme for Googles International Womens Day 2020 doodle. The struggle for gender equality and labor movements from both this century and the 1900s are depicted through multi-coloured layers in the video which Googles guest artists Julie Wilkinson and Joyanne Horscroft from London have highlighted through a 3D-paper mandala animation. The black-and-white layer in the first part of the video highlights the suffragette movement and movements in which women sought for equal rights in labor during 1800s to the early-nineties. The second part of the video which is a colorful outer layer signifies the struggle for gender equality and fight for changes to the status quo of women during 1990s to present day. The Google Doodle pays tribute to the continuous struggle women have gone through and still do as they question societal norms and reclaim their spaces. Animated by Zurich-based guest animators Marion Willam & Daphne Abderhalden from DRASTIK GmbH the Google Doodle video celebrates the fight for gender equality and legacy of equal rights for women. A Happy International Womens Day to everyone out there. Money laundering: Jaqueline to appear before ED on Dec 8 From Lous Vuittons to Hermes to Gucci gym clothes: What conman Sukesh gifted Jacqueline Fernandez ED arrests Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Mumbai, Mar 08: The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Yes Bank promoter, Rana Kapoor in connection with a money laundering case. The case is related to the Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd. He was arrested after being questioned for nearly 30 hours. He will be produced before a court, where the ED would seek his custody. The ED would probe whether the Doit Urban Ventures, a dummy company controlled by Yes Bank received Rs 600 crore as kick-backs from the scam hit Dewan Housing Financial Corporation Ltd for loans worth Rs 4,450 crore granted by the bank. Evaluating draft reconstruction scheme for Yes Bank: SBI The ED had searched Rana's residence in the upscale 'Samudra Mahal' complex in the Worli area on Friday night and had grilled him there too. The questioning of Kapoor is continuing, they said. The case against Kapoor is linked to the scam-hit DHFL as the loans lent by the bank to the company allegedly turned non-performing assets (NPAs), they said. Action against Kapoor is being conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the ED. NEWS AT 3 PM MARCH 8th, 2020 The central agency is also probing Kapoor's role in connection with the disbursal of loans to some corporate entities and the subsequent alleged kickbacks reportedly received in his wife's accounts. Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoors residence raided by ED in Mumbai Other alleged irregularities are also under the agency's scanner, including the one related to the alleged PF fraud in the Uttar Pradesh power corporation, they added. The CBI has recently taken over investigation into the 2,267-crore Employees' Provident Fund fraud in Uttar Pradesh, where hard-earned savings of power sector employees were invested in Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL). The ED action came after the Reserve Bank on Thursday imposed a moratorium on the capital-starved Yes Bank, capping withdrawals at 50,000 per account and superseded the board of the private sector lender with immediate effect. Yes Bank will not be able to grant or renew any loan or advance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse any payment. Sitharaman hits back at Chidambaram for jibe over Yes Bank crisis As per the RBI's draft reconstruction scheme, State Bank of India will pick up 49 per cent stake in the crisis-ridden Yes Bank under a government-approved bailout plan. Lydia O'Sullivan was staying at an eco-retreat (Picture: SWNS) A British backpacker whose family reported her missing was actually staying at an eco-retreat in the Fijian mountains. The relatives of Lydia OSullivan, 23, from Whitehaven, Cumbria, contacted police when they did not hear from her for nearly a week. She usually messages her family daily but she had not been heard from since February 28. It turned out Ms OSullivan, who has been travelling abroad for the past two years and recently arrived in Fiji from New Zealand, was staying at the Namosi Eco Retreat. Read more: Man who stabbed officer was convinced he was using 'Jedi-like' mind powers Ms OSullivan was staying at a retreat in the Fijian mountains (Picture: Getty) Her sister Franciene Nicholson wrote on Facebook: "We are absolutely elated that Lydia O'Sullivan has been found safe and well on an Eco retreat in the Fijian mountains. "My mother has just spoken to her and she is safe and well oblivious to the world search party looking for her. "We would like to thank the police forces in Fiji and England for there hard work and dedication to find Lydia. "But mostly we would like as a family to thank our amazing friends and everyone that has sent well wishes and offers for help. "The Fijian people have been so kind. They all went the extra mile to help find Lydia. The retreat also posted a picture of Ms OSullivan online, adding: "A HUGE thank you to Lydia for staying with us this week. The village kids miss you already! Safe travels and God Bless." Read more: Mum given suspended sentence after admitting launching furious attack on cabin crew Cumbria Constabulary issued an urgent appeal to help find Ms OSullivan on Friday and a major search was launched. A police spokesman said: "Cumbria Constabulary is liaising with Lydias family and agencies including the police in Fiji but would ask anyone with any knowledge of her whereabouts to contact police immediately." Prior to visiting Fiji, Ms OSullivan had been living and working in Auckland. Post Malone is addressing fans health concerns after video went viral of him stumbling on stage during a concert. Im not on drugs and I feel the best Ive ever f---ing felt in my life, the Syracuse-born rapper told the crowd at a performance in Memphis, Tennessee, on Friday. And thats why I can bust my ass for these shows, and f---ing fall on the floor, and do all that fun s--t. During a performance earlier in the week, Posty appeared to lose his footing and roll around on stage while performing I Fall Apart, slurring his words and prompting fans to post tweets worrying about potential alcohol or substance abuse. Page Six reports another viral clip showed the 24-year-old hip-hop star rolling his eyes while singing the 2017 hit Rockstar." Malones manager, Dre London, and tour photographer, Adam DeGross, assured fans that its all part of the act. Thanks for you concerns! Im sure I would have let you know if something was wrong! Falling while performing I Fall Apart guys," London wrote on Instagram. This has been one of the most fun tours weve been on, Degross added. No one does drugs, no one is going nuts, everything is all good. He legit blew his nose during the space ghost Bigfoot video, which theres like 40 Minutes more footage of. We just pass the time by making funny videos. The stage is made of grates, so you can see the light shine up, he caught his foot, and played it off. Then he always makes those faces during Rockstar has done it for the last 100 shows. Malone himself also recently told GQ that he stopped smoking marijuana after a pot-induced anxiety attack and now likes to consume nothing stronger than alcohol. He starred in a beer commercial during the Super Bowl last month for the new CNY-made Bud Light Seltzer. The rappers father, Richard Post, also addressed speculation on Twitter. I dont want to come across as dismissive to those of you who have expressed concerned about Austin. Your sincerity and kindness regarding him is certainly heartwarming and appreciated, he tweeted. Stop attacking one another. Be kind, understanding and considerate. Theres a saying that goes Think Global, Act Local. A lot of you have shared concern regarding addiction and mental health for someone you may have never actually met. We meet people daily who are experiencing these who are right next to us. Share the same with them. Post Malone, who was born Austin Post in Syracuse, N.Y., lived in Central New York until he was 10 years old, when his family moved to Dallas. The four-time Grammy nominee has topped the Hot 100 chart four times since 2017; his hits include Rockstar, Psycho," Sunflower and Closer. Malone, reportedly nearing the end of his U.S. tour dates before heading to Europe for eight more shows. According to XXL Mag, hes expected to release a new album later this year. He also stars in the new Netflix movie, Spenser Confidential, opposite Mark Wahlberg. The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks! Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics. The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc. The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics. The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates. Access to college recruiters and advisors its harder to line up higher education. Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family. Vote View Results Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi: The number of coronavirus cases rose to 39 in India on Sunday, after a couple and their son, who had flown from Italy last month and evaded airport screening, and their two relatives tested positive in Kerala, prompting the state authorities to warn of strict action, including prosecution, against those hiding travel history and symptoms of the infection. Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja said the state has been put on high alert in the wake of the new cases, reported more than a fortnight after India's first three coronavirus patients medical students from Wuhan were discharged from hospitals in the state. The minister said all the passengers who travelled with the infected family in the Venice-Doha Qatar airlines QR 126 flight on February 29 and Qatar Airlines flight QR514 from Doha to Kochi that arrived at 8.20 am on March 1 should get in touch with health authorities. The airlines, in a statement, said it was working with Indian health authorities in this regard. The state health department said failure to inform authorities about travel history and symptoms would be considered a crime, while the state police separately said it was "illegal and punishable" if anyone hid such information. "Strict action, including prosecution, will be initiated against them. Directives of various government agencies should be followed in this regard," a police release said The Kerala government, however, has decided to go ahead with "Attukal Pongala," one of the largest all-women religious congregations to be held on Monday, while issuing fresh guidelines including asking those coming from abroad especially from the affected countries to make the offering in their hotels itself. The minister said the couple in their fifties and their 24-year old son had taken a flight from Italy to India on February 29 and evaded health screening at the airport. The two others affected are their relatives, Shailaja said, adding they hail from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district, she said. "As of now their condition is stable. But there is need to take extra care", the minister. Two nonagenerian members of the family will be shifted to the Kottayam Medical College hospitals as precaution, she added. The three, who had returned from Venice, at first refused to cooperate with health officials, following which they were forcibly admitted to the isolation ward of the Pathnamathitta general hospital. "The Italy-returned family hid their travel details from the health authorities. Such practises have to seen as a crime. Those who come from countries like Iran, Italy, South Korea and China should report to the health department immediately," Shailaja said. The number of COVID-19 cases in India, which was just six till last Tuesday, now stands at 39 including 16 Italians. The figure also includes the three Kerala patients who were discharged last month following recovery. The minister said persons showing any symptoms of the virus should keep away from the congregation at Attukal temple complex. Temple officials would be asked to ensure that people with fever or any other symptoms do not participate in the festivity. Medical stall and ambulances will be stationed near the temple complex and video clippings of the festivities would also be taken, the minister said. Meanwhile, a cruise ship with a Panama flag 'MSC Lirica' was turned back at the New Mangalore Port on Saturday following the Centre's advisory to deny entry to cruise ships till March 31 in the wake of the coronavirus scare. In Tamil Nadu, a 15-year old boy who arrived in Chennai from the US via Doha with his father was sent to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai as he showed some symptoms associated with fever durig screening at the airport, officials said. After Sikkim, the Arunachal Pradesh government has also decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners to check the spread of coronavirus. It is "learnt that the spread of the coronavirus in India is primarily from visitors who had history of travelling abroad recently or through tourists who have visited India," the government order said. "In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) in Arunachal Pradesh, it has been decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permit (PAP)...," it added. Isolation facilities are being augmented in several hospitals across the country. The Union Health Ministry has asked the AIIMS administration in Delhi to designate a part of the new emergency wing for setting up of isolation beds for suspected COVID-19 patients. Six other AIIMS have been directed to keep an isolation bed capacity between 12-15 for coronavirus patients, which can be scaled up to 30 if need arises, an official said. Besides, the ministry has asked the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Jhajjar to augment its isolation bed capacity to 125 from the existing 25. Also, the Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry has been asked to keep aside 13 beds for isolating patients. The Delhi government has ordered DTC and cluster buses, metro and hospitals to be disinfected on a regular basis as a precautionary measure to deal with the novel coronavirus, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said 168 isolation beds had been set up at 25 hospitals for coronavirus patients. He appealed to the people in Delhi to inform the government if any person in their neighbourhood had returned from abroad in the last 14 days. The chief minister, who chaired a state task force on Sunday, said the government was fully prepared to deal with the novel coronavirus, adding that people do not need to panic. The Union Health ministry has made 52 laboratories functional for testing samples while 57 labs have been designated for helping in sample collection to enhance the capacity for diagnosis and detection of the virus. As of March 6, a total of 4,058 samples from 3,404 individuals have been tested by the network, officials said. The number of novel coronavirus cases stood at over 105,800 including 3,595 deaths, across 95 countries and territories. China, where the epidemic emerged in December, had 80,695 cases, of which 3,097 were fatal. Think Sydney, with its combination of world-famous Bondi Beach and bustling (now lockout-law-free) nightlife, is the best place in Australia to visit? Think again. How about Melbourne and its much-loved laneways and street art? Yeah, right. No, in fact, the best town to visit in Australia is the home of the Big Banana, Coffs Harbour. The town, on the mid-north coast of NSW, was crowned Aussie Town of the Year by online travel site Wotif. The awards, now in their third year, recognise towns throughout Australia that deliver the goods when it comes to affordability, tourist accommodation and traveller interest. With Coffs Harbour being home to one of the most photogenic giant fruits in the land, not to mention a must-stop destination on popular tourist drive between Brisbane, Byron Bay and Sydney, its no wonder it came top of the list. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shoba Manoj Lasaria (@see_how_we_travel) on Jan 31, 2020 at 4:29pm PST Despite the bushfire crisis that affected several regional areas of the country, Coffs Harbour has managed, in the eyes of Wotif, to provide the best all-round experience for tourists. The travel site also found that Aussies are starting to gravitate towards domestic travel, with 41 percent promising to explore their own country in the year ahead. Wotif managing director Daniel Finch said of the win, Size matters, and when it comes to hospitality, scenery and community, theres nowhere bigger than the home of the Big Banana. We hope that it apeels to many and encourages Aussies to get travelling to this coastal gem! And as for the awards themselves, Finch added, During what is an incredibly tough time for many parts of the country, this years awards are more relevant than ever, as a way of recognising the hardworking tourism operators and local businesses who make up Australian tourism the driving force behind many regional communities. He also urged Aussies to holiday in their own backyard, instead of jetting off overseas (and avoiding the cliche destinations in the process), Whether its a weekend getaway or a week-long escape, 2020 is the year to discover your own backyard and book a getaway that gives back. The Queensland towns of Mackay and Airlie Beach rounded out the top three, while Batemans Bay in NSW took fourth place. You can view the full top 10 list here. Read Next Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he will hold talks in Brussels Monday as he called on Greece to "open the gates" for migrants at Turkey's border trying to get to Europe. "I will have a meeting with European Union officials tomorrow (Monday) in Belgium," Erdogan said during a speech in Istanbul on Sunday. He added he would discuss the migration issue after Turkey opened its borders. "I hope I will return from Belgium with different outcomes." Turkey repeatedly rails against what it describes as unfair burden-sharing, since around four million mostly Syrian refugees live in Turkey. In 2016, Turkey and the EU agreed a deal in which Brussels would provide billions of euros in aid in exchange for Turkish authorities preventing the flow of migrants. But Ankara has repeatedly accused the bloc of not fulfilling promises made as Europe suffered the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War. Over a million people fled to the continent in 2015. Erdogan's top press aide Fahrettin Altun has said one of the unmet conditions was that the EU would take in refugees from Turkey. During the same televised speech, Erdogan urged Greece to open its border after clashes in recent days between migrants and Greek police. "Hey Greece! I appeal to you... open the gates as well and be free of this burden," he said, adding: "Let them go to other European countries." Thousands of migrants massed on the land border with Greece after Turkey last month said it would no longer prevent people from leaving the country. Turkey's decision sparked an escalating row between Ankara and Brussels, as well as a war of words between Turkey and Greece. But Erdogan on Friday ordered the Turkish coastguard to prevent risky Aegean sea crossings after more than 1,700 migrants landed on Lesbos and four other Aegean islands from Turkey over the past week. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and European Council President Charles Michel met Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday. Erdogan has felt extra pressure as nearly a million people in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib fled towards the Turkish border during the recent Syrian regime assault backed by Russia and Iran. But Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed a ceasefire on Thursday after Turkey launched an offensive against Damascus following the deaths of 59 Turkish soldiers in recent attacks blamed on the regime. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Nigerian has tested positive to Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Washington, US, the Mayor of Washington DC, Muriel Bowser, said on Saturday. Today News Africa reported that Ms Bowser said the Nigerian man spent time in Washington DC and tested positive for Covid-19 at a hospital in neighbourhood Maryland. She said the Nigerian does not live in DC, but travelled to the area from Nigeria where he had been staying with relatives before he fell ill. She, however. did not give further details. Ms Bowser gave the information when updating the public on the first presumptive case in Washington. She said there were two cases in Washington the first one was a Nigerian who spent time in Washington DC and tested positive in Maryland, while the second case was that of a DC resident in his 50s who tested positive and has been hospitalized in the district. The DC resident is the first to test positive for Covid-19 in Washington. US cases Meanwhile, the U.S. has also been recording increasing numbers of cases in the last weeks. The U.S. recorded the first confirmed death from coronavirus on February 29. The man in his 50s had underlying health conditions, and there was no evidence he had close contact with an infected person or a relevant travel history that would have exposed him to the virus. Now the rapidly-spreading virus has killed 19 people in the U.S. and affected more than 30 states and the District of Columbia, turning into a health crisis. Federal health officials announced the first case of coronavirus in the U.S. on January 20. The patient was in Washington state, and had just returned five days prior from Wuhan, China, where the outbreak started. The outbreak in the U.S. has been raising alarms among its citizens as many of them are not happy with the way the Trump administration was handling the outbreak. However, the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said Friday that he was confident that the United States would handle the novel coronavirus better than any nation in the world. Mr Pompeo expressed the optimism during an interview with CNBC, in response to a question about whether the U.S. response could as good as that of China without interfering with peoples civil liberties. China imposed severe restrictions on travel in an effort to contain the virus. Im confident we can handle it here. Im confident well handle it better than any nation in the world, Mr Pompeo said. Washington, D.C. has its first case of coronavirus. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the patient was a resident in his 50s who began feeling ill in February. He does not have a history of international travel and no close contacts with any COVID-19 patients. Bowser said a second patient visited Washington, D.C. and then presented with symptoms in Maryland. That patient, who is also in his 50s. had traveled from Nigeria to Washington, D.C. and is now being treated in Maryland. Marine tests positive for coronavirus A U.S. Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir in Virginia tested positive for coronavirus and is hospitalized, the Pentagon confirmed. The Marine is stationed in the U.S. but recently traveled overseas for official business. He is being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. A U.S. Navy sailed stationed in Naples, Italy has also tested positive for COVID-19. Number of deaths reach 19 The number of coronavirus deaths in the U.S. has reached 19. Sixteen people have died in Washington state, two in Florida and one in California. More than 100,000 people have been infected worldwide. There are no confirmed cases in Alabama. White House says no contact with coronavirus patient The White House says there is no indication President Trump or Vice President Pence had contact with an attendee of a recent political meeting who was later was diagnosed with coronavirus. The patient attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland in February. The person later tested positive for coronavirus. Trump spokesperson said there is no indication that either President Trump or Vice President Pence met with or were in close proximity to the attendee. Who is at greater risk for coronavirus? According to the Centers for Disease Control, older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease seem to be at higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness. Early data suggest older people are twice as likely to have serious COVID-19 illness. How to clean you phone Health officials have recommended people step up their handwashing in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus. But what about your phone? Its important to keep it clean, too. Wondering the best way to do that? You can get more info here. Deepak Sathish By Express News Service COIMBATORE: As many as 18 people, including six women, from Tamil Nadu have been quarantined on a Nile cruise ship near Luxor in Egypt after at least 33 people on board tested positive for novel coronavirus. Passengers from Tamil Nadu told Express they were in isolation on the ship for at least two days. According to AFP, the A Sara docked in Luxor days after authorities were alerted that a foreign tourist who had previously disembarked had contracted the virus and infected others on board. The boat was carrying 171 people 101 foreigners and 70 Egyptian crew Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said Saturday. While AFP reported that all passengers disembarked on Sunday, Vanitha Rengaraj (60) from Pollachi and Logan (60) from Chennai told Express in a telephonic conversation that they were on the ship. After some passengers tested positive for novel coronavirus on Friday morning, blood samples were taken from the others on the ship. According to Logan, on Saturday, a man from Chennai in his 50s was shifted to a hospital in Alexandria after he showed symptoms of the disease. All the people from Tamil Nadu are safe except for the man who has symptoms. He was seen using the swimming pool. However, officials are taking great care of us by providing us enough facilities including food and Wi-Fi, Logan said on Sunday evening. Vegetarian food cooked from outside is being given to passengers by Egypts Tourism Department. The Indian Embassy is ensuring the safety of all the Indians on the ship. A doctor has been deputed to keep tabs on the health of the passengers. Vanitha and husband R Rengaraj (62) said they left India on February 29 and joined the cruise at the beginning of the week. We were supposed to check out on Saturday morning. Everything was very normal. We did not wear any masks but officials collected blood samples from us on Friday night, after a few people tested positive, Vanitha said. She said they had to stay on the ship for a few more days as WHO recommended a quarantine period of two weeks. She claimed to have asked the travel agency if it was safe to travel to Egypt amidst the Coronavirus scare, but was told not to worry. Her daughter, Saranya, had posted about her parents predicament on Facebook on Sunday. Arun Pandiyan, general manager of Grand Royal Tours (Private) Limited which arranged the trip, said the agency was in touch with the Indian Embassy. Officials are coordinating with us and giving us updates, Pandiyan said.A top shipping ministry official told Express that the Director-General of Shipping was aware of the situation. We had notified the Ministry of External Affairs, which is working on bringing back the stranded passengers, the official said. However, the official refused to share details on the health status of the Indians or where they hailed from. Quick facts The group from Tamil Nadu quarantined on ship near Luxor includes 6 women Among the stranded passengers, a man from Chennai in his 50s reportedly shifted to a hospital in Alexandria (With inputs from C Shivakumar in Chennai and AFP) Erik Prince is the billionaire mercenary who behind the private military contracting empire of Blackwater and their many war crimes. He's also the brother of US education secretary Betsy Devos (who in turn is married to the guy who pioneered pyramid schemes) and has served as a kind of "shadow advisor" to Trump, including an effort to privatize the entire war in Afghanistan and an alleged secret trip to the Seychelles to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He's basically Destro from GI JOE, but in real life, and somehow more evil (and without the shiny head). The Intercept had previously reported that the Trump Administration had considered using Prince's black-ops services to counter the made-up threat of the "Deep State." Now the New York Times has confirmed that this happened, in a way that's both shadier than I would've expected and somehow still not all that surprising: One of the former spies, an ex-MI6 officer named Richard Seddon, helped run a 2017 operation to copy files and record conversations in a Michigan office of the American Federation of Teachers, one of the largest teachers' unions in the nation. Mr. Seddon directed an undercover operative to secretly tape the union's local leaders and try to gather information that could be made public to damage the organization, documents show. Using a different alias the next year, the same undercover operative infiltrated the congressional campaign of Abigail Spanberger, then a former C.I.A. officer who went on to win an important House seat in Virginia as a Democrat. The campaign discovered the operative and fired her. This is exactly the kind of immoral intelligence tactics that Trump has complained about when it happens to him, while simultaneously encouraging it to happen to other people. Perhaps even more frustrating is that this spy work was done on behalf of Project Veritas, the sleazy conservative sting operation that has elevated entrapment in a new kind of propaganda art. (You may remember them that deceptively edited Planned Parenthood video that allegedly "proved" that they gleefully sell baby parts for profit none of which actually held up under scrutiny, unless you were already firmly convinced that Planned Parenthood was evil, in which case, it effectively re-confirmed all of your biases about the liberal mainstream elitist blah blah blah.) Project Veritas has of course always asserted itself to be apolitical and agendaless the pinnacle of journalistic integrity. But as this demonstrates, they're basically just a wing of a right-wing operation that literally views every non-conservative as an literal enemy insurgent in an ongoing war that they are determined to win. Why else do you hire private military contractors known for war crimes to target a teachers union? Erik Prince Recruits Ex-Spies to Help Infiltrate Liberal Groups (Mark Mazzetti and Adam Goldman / New York Times) Trump White House weighing plans for private spies to counter "Deep State" enemies (Matthew Cole and Jeremy Scahill / The Intercept) Image: Miller Center / Flickr (CC 2.0) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 10:17:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The first case of the novel coronavirus has been confirmed in Washington D.C., said the city's mayor Muriel Bowser on Saturday. Late Saturday afternoon, testing at the Public Health Lab at the DC Department of Forensic Sciences yielded its first presumptive positive COVID-19 case, Bowser told a press briefing. The patient is a Washington D.C. resident in his 50s who showed symptoms in late February and was admitted into a hospital on March 5, she said. The man had no international travel history, nor was he known to have contacted any confirmed case, said the mayor. Also, a U.S. Marine assigned to Fort Belvoir of Virginia, near Washington D.C., tested positive on Saturday for COVID-19, said Jonathan Hoffman, assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, in a statement. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States have risen to 424 by Saturday evening with 17 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering, while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 213 cases and 11 fatalities as of 4 p.m. (2100 GMT) Friday. Drivers have a lot of questions in front of them when they start the process to acquire a new car. Color, make, model, and everything else will cross through a driver's mind when they are in the market. One thing some drivers dont take the time to think about is whether they should buy or lease a car. Most drivers buy a car, but leasing a car has a lot of benefits. It often helps drivers get into newer cars to stay up to date with the latest technology. Most cars for lease are also usually under warranty to help drivers feel protected. Carter County Hyundai offers a different kind of lease program for drivers that are interested. Hyundai PLUS is a new lease program that works different compared to everything else you are used to. It is a subscription payment service that includes the lease, insurance, and maintenance payments all into one price. It is only offered for a few Hyundai vehicles, but it cuts out a lot of the hassle and stress of the leasing process. Drivers who are interested in taking advantage of the Hyundai PLUS are encouraged to reach out to Carter County Hyundai as soon as possible. The dealership can be reached via the chat function on their website. Drivers can also call the dealership at 580-319-4949 or visit their location at 616 Holiday Dr, Ardmore, OK, 73401. A Hays County woman was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility for parole for the grisly murder of her 5-year-old daughter in 2017. Krystle Villanueva, 27, was found guilty Wednesday after a two-week trial of capital murder of a child under 10 and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. According to previous reports, police were called to Villanueva's Kyle residence near the 200 block of Willow Terrace on Jan. 5, 2017 after she attacked her father-in-law Eustorgio Arellano, who called the police saying Villanueva attacked him without warning, stabbing him in the back and head before he was able to run from the home. SWAT was called after authorities learned that Villanueva's 5-year-old daughter, Giovanna Larae Hernandez, was still in the house with her. From inside the house, Villanueva called 911 and said she had killed Hernandez because she "asked for cereal," the Hays County District Attorney's Office said in a news release. READ ALSO: Sheriff: Central Texas woman mutilated 5-year-old daughter during altercation with relative When SWAT officers broke into the home, they found Villanueva standing in the front room completely naked, freshly showered, the release said. She was later found to have alcohol and marijuana in her system. In a bedroom, authorities found Hernandez stabbed to death with her head decapitated. At the trial, Villanueva's defense team tried to convince the jury of an insanity plea, arguing that at the time of the attacks, Villanueva had believed that her daughter and father-in-law had been replaced by clones and had to be killed to bring back her real family. While Villanueva had been previously treated for mental health problems, the prosecution argued that her treatment had coincided with prior drug abusewhich medical experts testified can exacerbate existing mental conditions and she hadn't exhibited that behavior before the incident or since. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox A case like this leaves an unforgettable mark on everyone involved, especially the childs family, said Hays County District Attorney Wes Mau. Every law enforcement member who worked on this case will forever be traumatized by what Ms. Villanueva did to her innocent daughter. I commend all the investigators and officers who endured this horror with calm professionalism so that justice could be done. The jury rejected the insanity plea and Judicial District Judge Bill Henry sentenced Villanueva to life in prison plus 20 years for the attack on Arellano. Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, MySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested crisis-hit YES Bank Ltds founder Rana Kapoor on charges of money laundering on Sunday and a court in Mumbai sent him to police custody till March 11. In mounting trouble for the 62-year-old private banker, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), too, was probing Kapoor and his family for alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption. On Saturday evening, CBI filed a case against Kapoor, Doit Urban Ventures Pvt Ltd (a company linked to his family), Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL) and DHFLs Kapil Wadhawan. HT first reported on Sunday that CBI, too, was moving to probe Kapoor. According to EDs remand papers accessed by Hindustan Times, Kapoor is suspected to be involved in the laundering of Rs 4,300 crore. He allegedly received a kickback of Rs 600 crore from DHFL and needs to be questioned about the nefarious deals, the agency said. Around 4am on Sunday, ED, which probes financial crimes, arrested Kapoor after questioning him for about 20 hours at his residence and at the agencys office. Searches were conducted at his and his daughters residences in Delhi and Mumbai. In the Mumbai court, where Kapoor was produced later in the day, ED also said the banker was arrested for not cooperating with the probe a charge that he and his lawyers denied. The agency alleged that Yes Bank bought Rs 3,700 crore worth debentures of DHFL, which granted a Rs 600 crore loan to Doit, a company in which Kapoors three daughters are directors. ED counsel Sunil Gonsalves said the agency believes the loan to Doit was a kickback for Yes Bank subscribing to the debentures of DHFL. DHFLs Kapil Wadhawan (chairman and MD) and Kapoor entered into a criminal conspiracy to defraud public money, Gonsalves said. It appears that there is criminal conspiracy between DHFL and Kapoor to receive loans and the money laundered by Kapoor has been used for personal purpose. Kapoor, who was present in the courtroom, rejected allegations by ED that he was not cooperating and informed the court that he extended all help when ED searched his residence. The banker and his lawyers said the debentures were AAA rated and Doit is servicing the debt on time. An interest of Rs 130 crore has been paid on loan taken by my daughters company. There has been no delay in the payments to DHFL, Kapoor said. Advocates Yusuf Iqbal and Zain Shroff, who appeared for the banker, said: Kapoor is having serious cardiac issues and the medical reports are being submitted as proof. He needs to sleep and will apply for bail as early as tomorrow. He is under psychiatric treatment. The advocates also sought the dismissal of the remand application, but the request was turned down by the court. The ED remand paper said it is suspected that Kapoor has similarly misused his official position in several other transactions and obtained illegal kickbacks directly or indirectly through entities controlled by him or his family members. Rana Kapoor obtained undue pecuniary advantage from DHFL in the matter of investment in the debentures of DHFL by Yes Bank, through the companies held by his wife and daughters, the documents said. The agency alleged that in April-June 2018 Yes Bank invested in the short-term debentures, and Wadhawan paid the kickback of Rs 600 crore to Kapoor and his family members in the garb of a loan to Doit. Furthermore, it was found that daughters of Rana Kapoor Roshni Kapoor, Radha Kapoor Khanna and Rakhee Kapoor Tandon are 100% shareholders of DOIT through Morgan Credits Pvt Ltd. The loan of Rs 600 crores was given on the basis of mortgage of substandard properties having very meagre value and by considering its future conversion from agriculture land to residential land, ED alleges. In addition, the ED remand paper says, a loan of Rs 750 crore was sanctioned by Yes Bank to RKW Developers Pvt Ltd, a DHFL group company, and the whole amount was siphoned by Wadhawan. On Thursday, the Reserve Bank of India took control of Yes Bank and said it would work on a revival plan. Two days later, the State Bank of India (SBI) said it would invest funds to buy a 49% stake in Yes Bank as part of the initial phase of a rescue deal for the troubled lender. In November, the central bank superseded the board of troubled mortgage lender, DHFL, citing governance concerns and defaults. Wadhawan was arrested by ED in January and is currently out on bail. His lawyer could not be contacted for comments. In Retrospect: News from the Jan. 13, 1922 and Jan. 12, 1972 Souderton Independent I see God in you: PM Modi turns emotional India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 08: Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned emotional when a woman beneficiary of his government's generic medicine programme told him that she had "seen god in you". Dehradun-resident Deepa Shah, who suffered paralysis in 2011, was interacting with the prime minister through video-conference on the occasion of Jan Aushadhi Diwas. "I have not seen god, but I have seen god in you," she said, tears rolling down her eyes. Women's Day: PM Modi to interact with 'Nari Shakti' awardees Modi was visibly emotional as the woman repeated her remark. She also thanked the Uttarakhand chief minister and others who had helped her all along and said doctors had once told her that she cannot be cured. "But on hearing your voice I have become better," she told Modi while profusely thanking the prime minister for his efforts to reduce the cost of medicines. An emotional prime minister paused for a moment before telling her that it was her courage that had won over her disease and that she must carry on with the spirit. Shah was expressing her plight and how she had suffered due to high cost of medicines after she suffered from paralysis in 2011 and has now started saving Rs 3,500 every month after benefitting from the government's low-cost generic medicines programme. Soon after Shah rose to express her views, Modi asked her to sit and speak as he said she was uncomfortable while standing. "You have defeated disease with your own will power. Your courage is your god and that same courage has given you the strength to emerge from such a big crisis. You should carry on this confidence in you," Modi told her. He said some people still keep spreading rumours about generic medicines, going by their past experience, wondering how can medicines be available so cheap and that there must be something wrong with the medicine. "But, by seeing you countrymen would gain confidence that there is nothing wrong in generic medicines. These medicines are not at all of inferior quality than any other medicine. These medicines have been certified by the best laboratories. These medicines are made in India and is 'Make in India' and are cheap," the prime minister said. He said there is demand for generic medicines from India across the world and the government has made it mandatory for doctors to prescribe generic medicines to patients, unless necessary. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 10:40 [IST] Mary Lou McDonald has called for a meeting of party leaders to discuss the threat posed by coronavirus. As the number of cases of Covid-19 in Ireland reached 19, the Sinn Fein leader said on Twitter that she has contacted Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to urgently convene talks on the outbreak. On Monday, the Cabinet sub-committee will meet to set out measures to deal with the impact of the virus and consider strengthening employment protection laws. Sinn Fein health spokeswoman Louise OReilly said the public are asking questions about coronavirus in constituency clinics across the country. The public need assurances that the plans in place are adequate to contain the Coronavirus and to deal with this public health emergency. I have contacted @LeoVaradkar to urgently convene a meeting of party leaders to assess the situation. #coronavirus Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) March 8, 2020 She told RTEs The Week In Politics programme: People need information, everybody wants to play their part but they need to know how to do that. We also have a situation where we have a caretaker Government so we know that in all likelihood the people who are sitting around the Cabinet table wont be the same people who are going to be sitting around it in a couple of weeks time. So all of the main parties need to be involved at a centralised level in this decision-making process because what we cannot afford is, when the government is formed, for those people in charge to take two weeks to read themselves into their brief they need to hit the ground running. This is a very, very serious public health issue. We also need the voice of working people at the table because workers are very concerned. In a time of a public health emergency sick pay actually becomes an issue of public health, not industrial relations. Fine Gaels parliamentary party chairman Martin Heydon said the Dail will sit before its next scheduled date if emergency legislation needs to be passed to fast-track sick pay. I have no doubt we will act in unison on that and we will leave aside party politics to deal with what is a really serious threat, he added. I think we need to reassure and not to scaremonger. Important decisions that need to be made are being made with clinical advice of the Chief Medical Officer (Dr Tony Holohan), following the guidance of the World Health Organisation. Fianna Fails Jim OCallaghan called for the Department of Foreign Affairs to assess its travel advice after Italy restricted the movement of people living in its central and northern provinces. He said: (Italian) Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte made a decision that they were going to quarantine the northern part of Italy, in particular Lombardy, and theyre told they cant travel outside that region. Yet we still have flights coming into Dublin from northern Italy, so thats a development that needs to be looked at by the Government to see to what extent measures need to be put in place to restrain people travelling on public health grounds. We said before the last election that we wouldn't go in with Sinn Fein, maybe we were too definitive about thatJim O'Callaghan, Fianna Fail The senior Fianna Fail TD also said his party might have been too definitive in ruling out going into government with Sinn Fein. With the impact of the coronavirus putting a strain on government formation talks, Mr OCallaghan said he is not ruling anything out. He added: We said before the last election that we wouldnt go in with Sinn Fein, maybe we were too definitive about that but we said it and said the same about Fine Gael. However I think we all need to get together to try to establish a government. Im not ruling in or out anything, but we need a government and we need a government promptly. I think all party leaders should meet in respect of discussing government formation, we should be meeting to discuss a national agreed response to this. The Sunday Business Post has reported that health officials in Ireland fear 1.9 million people will fall ill with coronavirus, with 10% of them likely to need ICU care. People Before Profit TD Brid Smith said the number of ICU beds in Ireland is below the EU average. She told RTE: Were in a big problem here and it has been said internationally that of all the countries across the EU, Ireland faces the biggest challenge because our health service is so underfunded and our nurses havent been treated properly. The head of Australia's peak industry body has warned high-end and discretionary retailers will be the hardest hit from plunging foot traffic and supply chain issues caused by the coronavirus, resulting in an "abject" performance for the struggling sector over the next two months. On Friday, trade data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revealed the retail sector had experienced its worst-ever December-January trade period, with sales for January dropping 0.3 per cent against expectations of no decline. "Let's be honest about it. The numbers are not good and I can't see February being anything fantastic at the moment because that was the start of the coronavirus," Russell Zimmerman, executive director of the Australian Retailers Association told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. Retail industry bodies have warned of a double-whammy effect as supply delays and concerned consumers hurt merchants. Credit:Ben Rushton The ABS said the coronavirus was expected to impact retail trade in coming months following a warning from economists at the National Australia Bank and Commonwealth Bank that the virus would "weigh significantly on aggregate demand" for February and March. "I retired this year and asked my financial advisor how much of my portfolio was managed by women. His answer was zero. I felt a call to action," said Kim Jordan, recently retired senior R&D executive at Procter & Gamble. By simply asking the question, Kelly Williams and Kate Mitchell, co-CEOs of the Private Equity Women Investor Network (PEWIN), hope its newly announced initiative will highlight to allocators that investors care about gender parity - and that it will spur investment in female-led funds and have a trickle-down effect into venture capital and private equity, female founded companies, public boards and even politics. According to Morningstar, nine out of ten fund managers are male. Private Equity Women Investor Network (PEWIN) is hoping to change that by launching a new campaign similar to the #IceBucketChallenge, #TimesUp and #MeToo. The campaign is called #HerWorth. The #HerWorth challenge is simple: Participants ask their financial advisor, "What percentage of my portfolio is managed by female fund managers?" and post their results online with the hashtag #HerWorth. Then they challenge three others to do the same. "The goal is to raise awareness among retirees and investors like Kim Jordan and to highlight to large institutions that investors like Kim their clients care about this issue," said Elizabeth Edwards, member of PEWIN and Managing Partner of H Venture Partners, a consumer venture fund. Participants can point their financial advisor to female fund managers some of which are listed at 100 Women in Finance, PEWIN and All Raise among other sources or ask, "What female-led funds can I invest in, specifically funds like private equity, venture capital, real estate, hedge funds, and mutual funds?" "Women will control two-thirds of the wealth over the next 10 years," Williams said. "If we want to see gender parity in the investment community, as well as other parts of society, we have the opportunity to use our investment portfolios to demand the expansion of the market." According to joint research by Pitchbook and All Raise, 87% of venture dollars are controlled by men and only 14% of venture dollars were invested in female founders. These statistics have budged only slightly over the last 20 years, and groups like All Raise and VentureForward hope to change that. "The data is clear that it is not just good but smart to build diverse investing and management teams," says PEWIN Co-CEO, Kate Mitchell. The #HerWorth challenge costs nothing and may even improve investment outcomes. The International Finance Corporation did a study of over 800 funds and found gender balanced private capital teams outperformed the 70% of firms with all-male leaders by 10-20%. A study by First Round Capital found that companies with a female founder performed 63% better than their investments with all-male founding teams. Large investors globally are also focused on the diversity of fund managers. The Institutional Limited Partner Association (ILPA) has taken the step of adding diversity to its due diligence guidelines and sharing what it sees as best inclusion and diversity practices among fund managers. The #HerWorth Campaign was announced today, International Women's Day, during the #IWD2020 #EachforEqual campaign and will launch with global partner organizations on Aug.18, 2020, 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which finally guaranteed women's right to vote in the United States. "It took women 144 years from the Declaration of Independence to get the right to vote," Edwards said. "It's time they have the right to invest. It's time to vote with our wallets." About PEWIN: PEWIN is the preeminent membership organization for senior women in private equity from endowments, foundations, pension plans, fund of funds, family offices, venture, buyout and mezzanine firms, consultants, and select advisory firms. PEWIN provides opportunities to network, share ideas and make deep connections between peers, and works to empower women to succeed at the highest levels in the private equity industry. SOURCE PEWIN Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 16:29:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing said Saturday that it plans to provide free protective plastic films for police vehicles nationwide amid the epidemic. To date, 28 cities have started to install the protective facilities including Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak. Over 1,000 police vehicles have been equipped with the films to avoid cross-infection between drivers and passengers in the back seats. Didi will also take charge of the replacement of the films. Since Feb. 11, Didi has required all its drivers to wear face masks and report their temperatures every day. The company has also invested 100 million yuan (14.4 million U.S. dollars) to install protective films in contracted vehicles across the country. A massive fire caused significant damage to a refugee shelter on the Greek island of Lesbos as tensions continue to mount over the ongoing refugee crisis. The One Happy Family (OHF) centre confirmed the fire had fully burned down the shelters school building and offices on Saturday night. No casualties were reported. It is unclear how the fire began, but it comes as Greece announced further restrictions on asylum seekers attempting to cross from Turkey into the EU. The centre said in a statement on Facebook: Dear all, unfortunately there has been a fire on OHF ground this evening. The fire brigade and the police [are] there, our team on the ground as well. The fire has been put off, but the damage is big. The school building is fully burned, some other smaller buildings too, our offices as well. No one got hurt, but we cant say more at the moment. Thank you for your solidarity. Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Show all 20 1 /20 Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Migrants from Afghanistan arrive on a dinghy on a beach near the village of Skala Sikamias, after crossing part of the Aegean Sea from Turkey to the island of Lesbos, Greece Reuters Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Migrants waiting on the Turkish side of the border AFP via Getty Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece A migrant woman holding her child sits in a field near the Meric (Evros) River at the Turkish-Greek border EPA Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Migrants run to avoid tear gas thrown by Greek police during clashes near the Pazarkule border gate AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Refugees walk back after a failed attempt to pass the Greek border near the Meric EPA Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece A child cries as migrants arrive at the village of Skala Sikaminias AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece A migrant runs during clashes with the Greek police AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Migrants use an inflatable boat as they attempt to enter Greece from Turkey by crossing the Maritsa river, near the Pazarkule border gate in Edirne, Turkey, 29 February 2020 AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece A migrant from Cameroon detained by Greek authorities sits in a room in the village of Marasia AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Migrants walk towards the Greek border near the Pazarkule border gate in Edirne, Turkey, Saturday, 29 February 2020. AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece A migrant carries his belongings as he walks toward Meritsa river AFP via Getty Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Riot police detain a migrant AFP via Getty Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Migrants prepare an inflatable boat as they attempt to enter Greece from Turkey by crossing the Maritsa river, near the Pazarkule border gate in Edirne, Turkey, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. On February 29 2020, AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Migrants use an inflatable boat as they attempt to enter Greece from Turkey by crossing the Maritsa river, near the Pazarkule border gate in Edirne, Turkey, 29 February 2020 AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Migrants walk to the Greek border near the Pazarkule border gate at Edirne, Turkey AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Migrants walk to the Greek border near the Pazarkule border gate at Edirne, Turkey, Saturday, February 29 2020 AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Greek border guard use teargas on migrants trying to enter Greece, at Pazarkule border gate, Edirne, Turkey, Saturday, 29 February 2020 AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Greek border guard use teargas on migrants trying to enter Greece, at Pazarkule border gate, Edirne, Turkey, Saturday, 29 February 2020 AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Greek border guard use teargas on migrants trying to enter Greece, at Pazarkule border gate, Edirne, Turkey, Saturday, 29 February 2020 AP Migrants trapped between Turkey and Greece Greek border guard use teargas to push back migrants who try to enter Greece AP At the Greece-Turkey border, refugees clashed with Greek police on Saturday after trying to pull down a fence and hurling rocks at authorities, who responded by firing teargas at the group. More than 38,000 refugees were stopped from attempting to cross the border, said Greek authorities, and 268 people were arrested. The Greek government said in a statement that around 600 people, alongside the Turkish army and military police, also threw teargas at the Greek side of the border overnight. It added: Attempts at illegal entry into Greek territory were prevented by Greek forces, which repaired the fence and used sirens and loudspeakers. The crisis deepened after Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced last week that Turkey could no longer cope with over 3.5 million Syrian refugees in the country and declared its previously guarded border with Europe open. Greeces prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, told CNN that Europe cannot be blackmailed by Turkey, who is using refugees and migrants as geopolitical pawns. He said: Greece has demonstrated its humanity throughout this crisis but what we are not willing to do is engage in a process where another country systematically uses and exploits these people in an attempt to send them across the border. I dont see why we should be accused of something we have publicly said we will do. We have every right to protect our borders and that is exactly what we are doing. Turkeys interior minister, Suleyman Soylu, accused Greek authorities of mistreating refugees on Saturday and claimed some 1,000 Turkish special operations police deployed on the border started to thwart the actions of Greek law enforcement teams assembled to drive migrants back. He said: Their masks have fallen. The ruthlessness of those who gave lectures on humanity has become evident. On Friday, the EU chief of foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, urged refugees in Turkey not to go to the border because it is a closed door, and warned countries involved to stop this game. In his appeal, he said: The news of the alleged openness [of the border] is false and people should not try to move there. If we want to avoid critical situations, people have to know the truth. Lets stop this game. Additional reporting by agencies MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th March, 2020) UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths has met with new Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf to discuss the situation in the Arab country, the office of the special envoy said on Sunday. "Griffiths met earlier today in #Riyadh with @GCC new Secretary-General, Nayef bin Falah Al-Hajraf to discuss the situation in #Yemen. He thanked him for the consistent collaboration and support by the Gulf Cooperation Council," the office wrote on Twitter. Yemen has been facing a severe humanitarian crisis since 2015 due to the ongoing military conflict between the government forces, headed by President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, and the Houthi rebel movement, which controls the country's north, including the capital of Sanaa. The Arab coalition supports the government by conducting air strikes against the Houthis. Agri Aware Executive Director Deirdre OShea has officially departed her role at the helm of the Irish agricultural educational body after three and a half successful years leading the organisation. The Laois womans vibrant and driven leadership enhanced the communication of Agri Awares mission to increase the understanding of Irish agriculture to the general public, while maintaining and building on its strong patron base. On her departure, Ms OShea stated: Id like to thank the Agri Aware board, chairman and all of the patrons who have been a support to both Agri Aware and me personally. You can only be a good leader if you are aligned to good people and the Agri Aware team is second to none. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has been challenging but a good challenge. Thanks to everyone for making it a great journey for me. I wish Marcus OHalloran the best in taking over the role. Marcus OHalloran, former IFA development executive and former UCD Student Union president from Cloneen, Co Tipperary was officially appointed the new Agri Aware Executive Director at the Agri Aware AGM in Dublin today. I look forward to following in Deirdres footsteps and joining the Agri Aware team, said Mr OHalloran. Theres a large body of work to be carried out and it will be challenging but one Im looking forward to. Agri Aware will continue to play a pivotal role in communicating the benefits of Irish farming to the consumer going forward and turn around negative narratives. Id like to pay tribute to Deirdre and the work she has achieved. Agri Aware chairman Alan Jagoe also added: Id like to acknowledge the great work that Deirdre has achieved over the last three and a half years. She has been a great help to me and has enhanced the platform of Agri Aware. Im looking forward to working with Marcus going forward as I think he is a great appointment. Thats a lie. I never said that, Bellamy said in an interview. Ive never said to him, youve got to get me out of this. Why would I say to Mike Signer, youve got to get me out of this? Bellamy said that Signer is just angry that he got politically outmaneuvered by somebody he thought was a novice 20-something-year-old. Signer said in an interview that he kept a journal throughout his time as mayor and based his book off of it. He did not conduct additional interviews and he stands by the statements he attributed to Bellamy. I just told the facts as they happened and I want to leave it for other people to interpret them, he said. I cant speculate about his interior life; I can only say what I was seeing and how much it seemed how much this compromise seemed to be what he wanted from what he was saying. That was all that I know. Signers book also says Bellamy called him saying that Jones and Thomas should be fired. Bellamys response: Thats a lie. There were the Iowa caucuses, when glitches with an untested new app delayed the states election results for havoc-filled days that turned into weeks. Or the Texas Democratic primary, where some Super Tuesday voters waited in line to vote for more than six hours while others simply gave up. Or the California primary that same day, when faulty new touch-screen voting equipment triggered hours-long waits in Los Angeles County. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 18:53:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Iran's flag carrier IranAir announced on Sunday that it has suspended all its flights to and from Europe until further notice, official IRNA news agency reported. The reason for the suspension is "restrictions" imposed by Europe "for unknown reasons," IranAir said. Iran has been the hardest-hit country in the Middle East region by the coronavirus epidemic, with the death toll rising to 145 on Saturday. So far, Iran's total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases was 5,823. Since Feb. 19, when the first case of the coronavirus was detected in Iran, major international flights to and from the country have halted. When Theodore and Liza Herrera were planning their wedding, they were looking for azure waters and a sunny, tropical backdrop. They didnt plan for the panic of a global pandemic to set their nuptials off course. The San Antonio couple loved Corpus Christi and Galveston, but they were looking for prettier shores for their wedding. So they booked a Carnival cruise with a planned stop in Jamaica on Tuesday, where a local baker and photographer would meet them and their two dozen family members and friends. But the massive Miami-based cruise line announced earlier in the week it would switch up the ports of call for two of its lines, sending the Herreras plans off the plank. It was very stressful, said Liza Herrera, 40, a private care nurse. A day after the cruise liner had set sail from the Port of Galveston, its 3,300 passengers received letters in their cabins announcing that Carnival was rerouting them away from planned stops in the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. Jamaican officials told cruise companies to provide detailed health and travel records of passengers. At the end of February, Italian passengers aboard a Carnival ship were prevented from coming ashore as the country enacted strict travel restrictions, according to the Jamaica Gleaner. Carnival rerouted its ships after Jamaican officials did not relent on the records, the news outlet reported. We value the cruise industry and the benefits that it brings in terms of the tourists that come, Jamaica Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Christopher Tufton told the Jamaica Gleaner. But at this point in time, the reality is that the health and safety of the Jamaican people and population in light of the coronavirus is an absolute priority. Theodore Herrera, who proposed to his now-wife on a different cruise ship a year prior, found himself begging hotel director Nikhil Khanna for a way to make the wedding happen. As soon as I found out I was on the phone with whatever reception I could get, said Theodore Herrera, a 39-year-old police officer with Balcones Heights. All of us on board were heartbroken when we learned that Liza and Theodore werent able to go ashore for their wedding, Khanna said in a statement. We got together as a team and promised to deliver the dream wedding that they deserve. Instead of taking their flowers and the brides dress into Jamaica, the Carnival cruise crew threw them a wedding reception complete with three-tiered wedding cake and a heart-shaped ice sculpture. Sanitizing the ship was also key for Carnival staff members. Meals were served, rather than set out buffet-style, and passengers were encouraged to use hand sanitizer before entering common spaces and sitting down to eat. The two had heard bits and pieces about coronavirus concerns in Texas especially Liza Herrera, who is a private care nurse but did not hear about the 11 cases in the Houston area until they were arriving back to Galveston. Eventually, the Herrera intend to go back on a cruise to Jamaica when the government begins accepting ships again. Maybe it was a blessing, Liza Herrera said. gwendolyn.wu@chron.com Twitter: @gwendolynawu The Governors Traffic Safety Committee and Department of Health are reminding motorists of the dangers of driving drowsy as daylight saving time, with its potential to disrupt sleeping patterns, takes effect on Sunday, March 8. Fatigue/drowsy driving or driver fell asleep was a contributing factor in 2,096 police-reported crashes, according to preliminary 2019 data from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research. This would be a more than eight percent decrease from 2018, when they were listed as a factor in 2,302 crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 100,000 police-reported crashes are caused by driver fatigue nationwide each year. Hot Spots Route 9 southbound, over I-90, in Albany: Watch for single right lane and shoulder closure over I-90 to intersection with Livingston Avenue, weekdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., for bridge maintenance work. See More Collapse Young people, shift workers, commercial drivers and business travelers are among the populations most likely to drive while tired, according to the National Sleep Foundation. A 2002 poll found that adults between 18 and 29 are 71 percent more likely to drive while tired than other age groups. A 2005 poll found that 60 percent of adult drivers reported that they had driven a vehicle while drowsy in the past year, and 37 percent said they had fallen asleep at the wheel. State officials advise motorists who feel tired to pull over into a well-lit area and take a 20-minute nap, or let someone else drive. Q: It would seem the majority of the driving public today has forgotten what they studied in the Motor Vehicle manual prior to receiving their license. On a daily basis, on numerous occasions, I have encountered drivers in front of me in anticipation of making a right turn, activating their turn signal either right at the point of turning, already turning and putting on the signal, or applying brakes first then putting on the signal as they turn. Can you please advise what is the proper method , as prescribed by the Motor Vehicle Law, of advising other drivers of your intentions regarding use of directional signals in turning? John E. Olenik, Ballston Spa Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. A: Section 1163 of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law begins by stating that drivers should not make any turn without giving an appropriate signal in the manner herinafter provided. The section goes on to say that drivers should signal continuously during not less than the last one hundred feet traveled by the vehicle before turning, and that drivers should not put on their turn signal before they slow their vehicle. Road closure: The New York State Thruway Authority will begin replacing the bridge that carries Old State Road in Guilderland over the Thruway on March 23. The project will close Old State Road in both directions for seven months, according to Thruway Authority estimates. Peter Dejong / Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands The families of people killed when a missile shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 set out 298 white chairs outside the Russian Embassy on Sunday in a silent protest against Moscows lack of cooperation in the investigation into the downing of the passenger jet. The chairs laid out in rows like seats in an airplane represented the victims who died when a missile fired from territory held by pro-Russia separatist rebels shot down the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight on July 17, 2014, killing all on board. Two adults, two teens and two dogs were discovered shot to death Sunday morning in an apparent murder-suicide in Fort Bend County. Deputies believe the deceased were all family membersa father, mother, their two children and their pets. Fort Bend County Sheriff, Troy Nehls said that he received a call at around 4:15 a.m. Sunday. The caller was a woman who said she was concerned about her son. Deputies were asked to do a welfare check at 9200 block of Sabastian Drive. When officers arrived, they found the two teens, two adults, two dogs shot to death inside of the home. Rules of origin pose questions for sectors jostling for position The Vietnamese economic picture was given a shot in the arm two weeks ago as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) was officially ratified by the European Parliament, with the deal slated for adoption by the European Council and Vietnams National Assembly this summer. Last year, Vietnam raked in export turnover of $41.7 billion from the EU, with the biggest earners being garments and textiles ($4.4 billion) and wood products ($900 million). According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), the EVFTA will theoretically provide immense opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to boost exports to European markets via cuts in import taxes, especially in many items that are Vietnams strengths such as agro-forestry-fishery products and garments and textiles. After the EVFTA takes effect, a zero tax rate will be applied to coffee, pepper, vegetables, fruit, and natural honey. About 83 per cent of tax lines will be removed for wood products, and the remaining 17 per cent will be phased out in a roadmap from three to seven years for wood fibre, woodchips, and plywood. For garment and textile products, the existing average tax rate of 12 per cent will be reduced to zero over a period of three to seven years. However, in order to benefit from such tax reduction, enterprises in Vietnam must meet the EVFTAs strict rules of origin (ROO), depending on the industries they are operating in. For example, while those in the wood industry feel at ease, those in the garment and textile industry may not be happy with the changes. Under the EVFTA, all businesses exporting goods from Vietnam to the EU have two options concerning compliance. Depending on their status with the Vietnamese government, exporters must either complete a certificate of origin and origin declaration form or a specialised origin declaration form. Compliance associated with these alternatives is outlined below. a) Certificate of origin EU based exporters should compile information pursuant to the form available on page 37 of the EVFTAs Annex III to obtain a certificate of origin. Those seeking to export to the EU from Vietnam will have to meet requirements that, while similar to those mentioned above, are to be outlined in Vietnamese legislation. In addition to the application forms listed above, it may be necessary to produce any of the following supporting information: - direct evidence of the manufacturing or other processes carried out by the exporter or supplier to obtain the goods concerned, contained for example, in his accounts or internal book-keeping; - documents proving the originating status of materials used, issued or made out in a party, where these documents are used in accordance with domestic law; - documents proving the working or processing of materials in a party, issued or made out in a party, where these documents are used in accordance with domestic law; and - proof of origin proving the originating status of materials used, issued or made out in a party in accordance with this protocol. b) Origin declaration Made out by any exporter for consignments the total value of which is to be determined in national legislation of Vietnam and will not exceed 6,000 ($6,475). Or c) Origin declaration Exporters that have been approved by the Vietnamese government may forgo the issuance of a certificate of origin once their approval status has been relayed to relevant EU authorities. Source: Dezan Shira & Associates Boosting wood exports Since early this year, New Zealands Sequal Holdings Ltd. has boosted export of its Radiata pine wood materials to Vietnams Vinafor Saigon following a co-operation deal inked last October in Hanoi. With a clear origin, Radiata pine wood from New Zealand is a sustainable plantation-grown timber. We aim to boost exports to the EU and other markets, said Vinafor Saigons general director To Ngoc Ngoi. The two businesses co-operation means Vinafor can meet ROO in not only the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in which Vietnam and New Zealand are members, but also in the EVFTA, which stipulated that materials of export products shipped to EU member states must be sourced in Vietnam or the EU, or in a third party with which the EU has an FTA. The EU-New Zealand FTA has been under negotiation since 2018 and is expected to conclude within two to three years, according to New Zealands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Last June the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA) between Vietnam and the EU officially took effect. Facilitating fruitful implementation of the EVFTA, it will help improve forest governance, address illegal logging, and promote trade in verified legal timber products from Vietnam to the EU and other markets, said Heidi Hautala, a member of the European Parliament. Under the FLEGT-VPA, all timber and timber products arriving in the EU from Vietnam have been carrying a FLEGT license issued by Vietnam. According to the Timber and Forest Product Association of Vietnam (Vifores), the EVFTAs ROO does not mean a barrier to Vietnam-based wood product exporters. Besides the FLEGT-VPA, almost all timber materials are from EU nations such as France, Germany, and Spain. So enterprises can boost exports to the EU without any worry about ROO, Vifores vice chairman Nguyen Ton Quyen told VIR. The EU currently purchases 30 per cent of Vietnams wood exports, which were worth $900 million last year and expected to be $1.2 billion this year. Quyen said almost all exporters have secured export orders from the EU for 2020, such as Woodland ($70 million) and Nafoco Nam Dinh ($40 million) in the north; Tien Dat, Dai Thanh, Hoa Hung, Phu Tai, and Thang Loi in the central province of Binh Dinh ($400 million in total); and Can Pacific, Minh Duong, Minh Phat, Hiep Long, and Long Viet in the south ($400 million in total). Vietnam has expanded its wood exports to the EU from traditional markets of Germany, France, Italy, the UK, and Spain to newer markets of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Bulgaria, Quyen added. Bui Nhu Viet, general director of Long Viet Wooden Technology JSC, said that firms like his are about to enjoy a zero tax rate when exporting products to the EU under the EVFTA. Many exporters are shipping their products to the EU, and the EVFTA will be a big boost. They have planned to increase export revenue from the EU by 10-25 per cent in 2020, Viet said. They have all legal wood materials and are not anxious about the EVFTAs ROO. Material barriers Meanwhile, according to the MoIT, to benefit from tax slashes in the EVFTA, Vietnamese textiles and garments must strictly obey ROO, meaning product materials must be sourced from Vietnam or the EU, and the cutting and sewing processes must take place in either, too. However, the EVFTA also allows materials sourced from South Korea or Japan, with which the EU has FTAs, to be eligible for tax incentives. But currently, the majority of materials used by Vietnam to produce garments and textiles have been imported from China and Taiwan which have no FTA with the EU. This means it would be impossible for firms to benefit from the incentives if they continue depending on materials from China and Taiwan. In a specific case, Nguyen Van Hung, chairman of textile manufacturer Corporation 28 in Ho Chi Minh City, said that though 40 per cent of the firms key products of high-end suits are exported to the EU, it may not benefit from tax reductions under the EVFTA. It is because we have still had to import wool materials from China, Hung said. Elsewhere, Viet-Taiwanese joint venture Phuong Hai Garment and Textile JSC in the northern province of Hung Yen, said it will also be unable to enjoy the EVFTAs tax reductions. We are now importing materials from China and Taiwan. If we want to benefit from the incentives, well have to shift to importing materials from the EU, Vietnam, South Korea, or Japan. But it is not an easy job, said Nguyen Ngoc Phuong, vice director of the company. However, some firms are to benefit from the incentives. For example, Than Duc Viet, general director of Garment 10 Company, said that his company is happy with the ratification of the EVFTA, with not much to worry about regarding ROO, because Garment 10 has been able to self-secure materials for production. Currently 40 per cent of the companys products are exported to Germany, the Netherlands, and France. Many investors have built their factories in Vietnam to produce textile and garment materials. We have forged good relations with suppliers in order to secure sufficient materials for our production and exports, Viet said. In fact, over the past few years, many foreign firms have built factories to produce garment and textile materials in Vietnam, in order to cash in on ROO in FTAs that Vietnam has with partners. Last year, the southern province of Binh Duong allowed South Koreas Kyung Bang Vietnam to expand its investment by an additional $40 million to raise its annual cotton yarn production capacity to 9,000 tonnes and blended yarn production capacity to 11,000 tonnes. With this additional capital, the project now has the total investment of up to more than $219 million. Meanwhile, Taiwans Far Eastern Group has also invested hundreds of millions of US dollars into a project of fabric and chemical yarn in Binh Duong, and is continuing to hire more land there to expand investment. In addition, Singapores Herberton Co., Ltd. is operating a textile and garment factory in the northern province of Nam Dinh, with the total investment of $80 million. The factory has an annual capacity of 25,000 tonnes of fabric and 15 million apparel items, and offers jobs to around 3,000 people. In 2019, Vietnams garment and textile export turnover from the EU hit $4.4 billion, up 2.23 per cent on-year and holding 11.3 per cent of Vietnams total garment and textile export turnover. - Actress Kris Aquino took to social media to thank her children Josh and Bimby for taking care of her while she was struggling because of her health condition - Kris posted on Instagram that Bimby came to help her when she fell down and landed her body hard after she took a shower the other day - She then expressed her gratitude to older son Josh for assisting her when she was in pain without being asked - Kris, who is battling "a form of lupus" said she still feel blessed because she have her two sons which she called giants PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Actress Kris Aquino, who is battling an auto-immune disease, took to social media to thank her children Josh and Bimby for taking care of her. Kuya Josh & Bimb deserve this GRATITUDE post, Kris wrote on Instagram to begin her gratitude post for her sons. In her post, the Queen of all Media revealed that she fell out of her bed last month after her 49th birthday. "I took a tumble from my bed a day after my birthday, my windows are all soundproof, but the door isnt. Kris shared. I kept shouting for help (in a household w/ more than a dozen staff) but in my estimation it took more than 20 minutes before 2 people came, by then i was already crying uncontrollably... we now have a baby monitor in my bedroom. She likewise let the public know that she also fell down and landed her body hard the other day. "Yesterday after my shower, I took a step out and my left leg flew under me and I landed hard on my right side, she said. Kris then shared that his younger son James Aquino Yap Jr. or Bimby, her son with ex-husband James Yap, came to aid her. I shouted out for Bimb and he came running... he had the presence of mind to wrap me in a towel & said to not move because i may have dislocated something; he called Alvin and Tin but i said i could go on my hands & knees & try to get up. He helped by practically carrying me," she stated. She then expressed her gratitude to Joshua Aquino Salvador or Josh, her son with Philip Salvador, for assisting her when she was in pain. Today 6 AM , the very mild pain medicine i can drink wore off & my right side throbbed... i asked kuya if he could accompany me to breakfast & he said ill take care of you, mama. It was a struggle to put on my joggers & he helped without being asked, she stated. Life is far from perfect but this mom knows how blessed she is because of her 2 giants, Kris added. It can be recalled that in a Facebook Live broadcast last year, Kris said she is battling "a form of lupus." "Ang inamin ko po sa inyo was the chronic spontaneous urticaria and that is true. I did not want to specify, because my attorney told me na huwag ko sabihin iyong mga allergies kasi pinapadali mo for your enemies to kill you," Kris announced. PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! In a previous report by , Charo Santos and Kris Aquino's exchange of online comments earn various reactions. Kris Aquino, born on February 14, 1971, is a famous actress, host, and endorser in the Philippines. The star is mostly active as a social media personality after leaving ABS-CBN. Please like and share our amazing Facebook posts to support the KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinions about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts and views on different matters! Actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith shared with KAMI that having a K-drama fan sister like Anne Curtis adds pressure to her to better portray her role in Descendants of the Sun. Check out all of the exciting videos and celebrity interviews on our KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: KAMI.com.gh Matt Schlapp (L), Chairman of the American Conservative Union, hosts a conversation with Laura Trump (not pictured), President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law and member of his 2020 reelection campaign, and Brad Parscale (not pictured), campaign manager for Trump's 2020 reelection campaign, during the Conservative Political Action Conference 2020 (CPAC) hosted by the American Conservative Union in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 28, 2020. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images) CPAC Chair Had Brief Contact With Coronavirus Patient at Conference Matt Schlapp shook Trump's hand on final day of conference The chairman of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) confirmed that he had brief contact with an attendee of an event who has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, but added that hes unaware of anyone else contracting the virus, including himself. Matt Schlapp told the Washington Post and Fox News that he interacted with the COVID-19 patient and told the broadcaster that he had incidental contact with the attendee very briefly. On the final day of the conference March 7, Schlapp appeared on the stage with President Donald Trump and shook the presidents hand. In a Twitter post, he wrote that the attendee, who is now sick, did not attend the event on March 7 when Trump delivered his remarks. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told news outlets that neither Trump nor Vice President Mike Pence were in close proximity to the attendee who was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. Trump told reporters on March 7 that hes not concerned at all, adding that he will still hold tremendous rallies in light of the worldwide outbreak. I can verify that he had no contact with either the president or the vice president, Schlapp told Fox on March 8. I can tell you, when the president was on site at CPAC, he lives by what he tells us, because I saw him scrub down his hands and clean his hands more than once while he was on the premises, and I did the same, by the way. Important Health Notification for CPAC 2020 participants and attendees. pic.twitter.com/NtahNO8st3 ACU (@ACUConservative) March 7, 2020 Schlapp said he called everyone he knows who might have had contact with the patient. Nobody who was at the conference should panic about what happened, he said. Were going to take all the necessary steps. On March 7, the American Conservative Union, which hosts the high-profile CPAC, confirmed that one of its attendees tested positive and is now under quarantine. The conference was held on Feb. 26 to Feb. 29 in National Harbor, Maryland, inside the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. A New Jersey hospital tested the person, and CDC confirmed the positive result, the organizer wrote in a statement. The health and safety of our attendees and participants is our top priority, the statement added. Any attendee who has questions can contact ACU or the Department of Health for the State of Maryland. In addition to Trump and Pence, other prominent figures who spoke at the conference included Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), presidential adviser and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. A woman, wearing a face mask, carries a suitcase at Milans Central Station in Milan, on March 8, 2020. (Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images) Were obviously concerned about the patient, said Schlapp in the Fox News interview, adding that he spoke with the patient on March 7 over the phone. This patients feeling better. I believe [he] is on the mend, so thats good news. Im taking precautions. Im talking to my doctor, he said. I talked to my mom last night, who was at the conference, who is 80 years old. She feels like a million bucks. I feel healthy as a horse. My kids do as well, so theres no indications from anybody Ive talked to that there are any more problems. Elaborating further, Schlapp said the patient didnt walk around the conference and spent more time in a small area. The virus is believed to have emerged in mainland China in late 2019, sickening tens of thousands of people and triggering Chinese Communist Party officials to put hundreds of millions of people on lockdown, while forcing numerous Chinese workers to stay home, prompting fears of a worldwide economic downturn. An attendee of a conservative conference where President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke last week has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the events organizer. The organizer, the American Conservative Union, which hosts the annual Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, said the attendee was exposed to the virus before the four-day event and tested positive for it Saturday. This attendee had no interaction with the president or the vice president and never attended the events in the main hall, the group said in a statement. The Trump administration is aware of the situation, and we will continue regular communication with all appropriate government officials. The attendee has been quarantined in New Jersey, the statement said. Trump said Saturday that he was not worried that the infections seemed to be getting closer to the White House. No, Im not concerned at all, no, he told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where he was spending the weekend. The president said he had no plans to curtail his campaign rallies even though other large gatherings of people were being cancelled across the country. Were going to have tremendous rallies, he said. Praising health officials for a fantastic job, he added, Weve had tremendous co-operation with other countries and all over the world and weve made it very, very tough, very strong, stringent borders. Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, said in a statement that there was no indication that either President Trump or Vice President Pence met with or were in proximity to the attendee. The presidents physician and United States Secret Service have been working closely with White House staff and various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the first family and the entire White House complex safe and healthy, Grisham said. Others who spoke at the conference included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia. Also in attendance were Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and adviser, and Donald Trump Jr., the presidents eldest son. Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland said in a statement that state health officials were informed by the New Jersey Department of Health that the person who tested positive for the virus was in Maryland from Feb. 27 to March 1, attending the conference in National Harbor. The statement said those who attended or worked at the conference may be at some risk for contracting the virus. Due to the scale of this conference, we are urging attendees who are experiencing flu-like symptoms to immediately reach out to their health care provider, Hogan said. The American Conservative Union said the event drew thousands. The groups chairman, Matt Schlapp, said he had had incidental interaction with the person and added, I feel bad for my friend who is in the hospital. Weve talked to him, Schlapp said. He sounds very good. At the conference, Trump gave his administration good grades for its handling of the coronavirus outbreak, while his acting chief of staff at the time, Mick Mulvaney, said in a separate speech that journalists were hyping the coronavirus because they think this will bring down the president. Mulvaney also minimized concerns over the virus. The flu kills people, he said. This is not Ebola. Its not SARS, its not MERS. Its not a death sentence; its not the same as the Ebola crisis. Founded in 1974, CPAC was for years a major gathering where libertarians and establishment Republicans mingled with fringe conservative activists. This year, the theme of the conference was America vs. Socialism, and it turned into a stage for Trump and his top advisers and allies to fire up his base and market-test messages for the 2020 presidential election. Republicans who have broken with the president and his agenda, like Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, were disinvited from the conference, and the mention of Romneys name by one conservative speaker elicited boos from the audience. Read more about: Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 18:37:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China has sent 415 psychological counselors to Hubei Province to offer mental counseling services to patients and medical workers fighting in the center of the COVID-19 outbreak, He Qinghua, a senior official with the National Health Commission, said Sunday. Eleven hotlines and seven online platforms have been launched to serve medical workers, He said at a press conference in Beijing. "Focusing on medical workers on the front line, we have come up with targeted psychological intervention guidelines and measures for possible mental problems," He said. A total of 613 free hotlines are now available to individuals seeking help for psychological issues during the virus outbreak, according to He. Medical workers and the public can find tips for self-adjustment on the official WeChat account of the commission, He added, pledging further support for the mental health of medical workers and the general public. Good Morning, welcome to Information Nigerias Newspaper headlines for today, 8th March 2020. Here are the major headlines. We Are Still Tracing 93 Other Co-passengers With Italian Man Exactly one week after Nigeria recorded its first case of coronavirus through an Italian man who came into the country via the Lagos airport, the minister for health, Osagie Enahire has maintained that 93 co-passengers who boarded the same Turkish Airlines flight with the Italian are still being traced. FG Releases N620m For Fight Against Coronavirus The federal government has released N620 million, the second tranche of funds, provided to address coronavirus. Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi, the special adviser to the minister for finance, Zainab Ahmed has confirmed the release of a fresh N620 million to health ministries to strengthen them in their fight against the deadly coronavirus. Nigeria Would Have Been Poorer Without The Igbos Gowon Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, on Thursday said he believes in the bright future of the country and Igbo. Gowon attributed the countrys current economic potentials to the people of the Southeast. Coronavirus Delaying Lagos-Ibadan Rail NRC Boss Mr Jerry Oche, the Lagos Railway District Manager, has backed claims by Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transport, claim that the outbreak of coronavirus might affect the timely completion of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project. Buharis Loan Spending Plans NTA Gets $500m Following the reports that the National Assembly has approved President Muhammadu Buharis plan to borrow $22.7bn Loan, TheCable has published a report on how he intends to disburse the cash on arrival. According to the report, the Lagos-Kano rail project would take the larger share of the money with $5.53bn earn marked for it. Police Apprehend LASTMA Official For Beating Bus Conductor Into Coma A LASTMA officer, seeking to collect bribe, has been apprehended for beating a bus conductor into coma. A Policeman is seen forcing the LASTMA officer to take the poor victim to the hospital as onlookers watched the drama between the law enforcement officers. Senators Are Loyal To Buhari Instead Of Nigerians Reno Omokri, a staunch critic of President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed that the Nigerian senate under the leadership of Ahmad Lawan is not working for the progress of the general populace. APC To Hold Meeting To Determine Oshiomholes Fate The All Progressives Congress (APC) will be holding an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. This was announced in a statement by the acting National Secretary, Chief (Hon.) Victor T. Giadom in Abuja on Friday night. Pastor Adeboye Predicted My Supreme Court Win Governor Diri Bayelsa state governor, Doye Diri has revealed that he visited Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer of the Redeem Christian Church of God(RCCG) before the Supreme court ruling ushered him in as governor. I Have No Plans To Take Over From Buhari Fayemi Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti state, says he has no plans of taking over from President Muhammadu Buhari. The governor spoke through Segun Dipe, his senior special assistant on public communications. Amid the unprecedented coronavirus outbreak, Macao has reportedly repatriated 57 of its residents from the Chinese city of Wuhan. According to international media reports, the evacuees returned to the city on a chartered flight on March 7. However, one evacuee was also prevented from joining the flight as his body temperature was above Hubei immigration services' permitted maximum. According to the government press release, the evacuees were aged from three months to 77 years old and they were immediately transferred to a public facility for a 14-day quarantine. Furthermore, they will be required to take three tests to detect any traces of the deadly coronavirus. Recently Macao also announced a mandatory quarantine on travellers from Germany, France, Spain and Japan. READ: Guj: Samples Of 42 Suspected Coronavirus Patients Test Negative The government officials reportedly said that all travellers who have been to the four countries in the past two weeks will need to undergo a 14-day quarantine in designated facilities. As per reports, Macao residents will be required to undergo quarantine at home and non-Macao residents will need to pay to stay in one of the hotels designated for quarantine. The measures will reportedly come into effect from March 8. READ: Five More People From Kerala Test Positive For Coronavirus Death toll in China surpasses 3,000 First detected in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei Province of China, the virus outbreak has now spread across more than 80 countries since December 2019. As per reports, the total number of confirmed cases within China has reportedly hit 80,696 and more than one lakh worldwide. According to reports, the death toll in China has also surpassed 3,000 and the National Health Commission also confirmed more than 45 new cases. The death toll due to the deadly virus across the world also mounted to 3,600. According to the reports, amid mounting cases of the deadly COVID-19, China resorted to stepping up its quarantine measures on the foreign nationals as well. It also offered assistance to the countries abroad like Iran and Japan which are severely impacted by the contagion. Minister of China's National Health Commission (NHC) Ma Xiaowei told a news conference that despite some success in containing the strain of the new virus, there was a risk of the epidemic rebounding. READ: Coronavirus: ISKON Not To Regulate Entry Of Visitors In Mayapur Temple On The Occasion Of Doljatra READ: US Reports 19 More Coronavirus Deaths, New York Declares State Of Emergency A cruise ship on which at least 21 people are infected with coronavirus will dock in Carlifornia and unload its passengers despite Donald Trump saying he wanted them to stay on board to keep the number of US cases down. The Grand Princess is expected to arrive in Oakland on Monday. It has been anchored off San Francisco for several days. So far 19 employees and two passengers have tested positive for Covid-19. Another 24 people tested negative and one case was inconclusive. There are about 3,500 passengers on board. On Friday, Mr Trump said he wanted to keep passengers and crew on board so that US cases would not "double". He said: "They would like to have the people come off. I'd rather have the people stay. But I'd go with them. I told them to make the final decision. I would rather because I like the numbers being where they are. I don't need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn't our fault." The US currently has more than 400 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 19 deaths. Virginia has now reported two cases, including a US Marine, the first American military personnel to have the virus on US soil. On Saturday evening the mayor of Washington DC, Muriel Bowser, confirmed the first case in the capital, a man in his 50s with no history of recent international travel and no close contacts to anyone known to have the virus. The captain of the Grand Princess, John Smith, in a recording by a passenger quoted by the Associated Press, said: "An agreement has been reached to bring our ship into the port of Oakland. "After docking, we will then begin a disembarkation process specified by federal authorities that will take several days." Passengers who need medical treatment will be taken to healthcare facilities in California, while state residents who don't require acute medical care "will go to a federally operated isolation facility within California for testing and isolation". American passengers from other states will be transported by the federal government to facilities elsewhere. Crew members will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship. It was not immediately clear what would happen to foreign nationals on board the liner. On Sunday morning, Mr Trump who has faced criticism for repeatedly trying to play down the crisis and for his administration's response -- tweeted: "We have a perfectly coordinated and fine tuned plan at the White House for our attack on CoronaVirus. We moved VERY early to close borders to certain areas, which was a Godsend. The Grand Princess cruise ship anchored off San Francisco, California (REUTERS) "V.P. is doing a great job. The Fake News Media is doing everything possible to make us look bad. Sad!" The Associated Press contributed to this report I never thought in a million years that I would be controlling nuclear weapons, says 26-year-old 1st Lieutenant Janet Neufeld, a combat crew commander at F.E. Warren U.S. Air Force Base (AFB) in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Lt Neufeld admits that at the beginning of her own training, she was one of the many people who dont realize the Air Force even deals with nuclear weapons. In fact, this branch of the military is responsible for two-thirds of the countrys nuclear capabilities. In addition to Wyoming, there are two other Air Force bases, one in Montana and another in North Dakota, that house B-52 bomber aircrafts and 400 to 450 nuclear capable intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Each day, 90 people across all three bases are grouped in pairs and lowered about 60 feet underground into a missile command area called the capsule. They stay in the capsule for at least a full 24-hour shift manning a console that controls up to 15 ICBMs at a time. In short, there are 90 missileers constantly ready to jump into action if the President were to call for a missile launch. And on International Women's Day, all 90 of those missileers are women. These rotations have been going on since the 1950s. But about five years ago, one high ranking female official decided to shake things up a bit. I had moved to Minot AFB in the summer of 2015, says Colonel Stacy Jo Huser, who was then an operations group commander at Minot. And later that fall, a lot of us women started looking around and realizing there were a lot more of us than there used to be. She and a group of her peers came up with the idea to celebrate the uptick in female missileers by filling all 30 slots on alert at the Minot base with women on International Womens Day. They even designed a special Rosie the Riveter patch to commemorate the day. And since then, the idea has caught on. Now, each year, all three bases celebrate in the same way. Courtesy Janet Neufel Though the military as a whole still has its challenges in terms of diversity beyond male and female gender roles, it's clear times are changing. And women are seizing the opportunity to lead the way. Were finally getting more women who are staying, and those women are using their platform to make it better for all of us, says Captain Sheila Koebel, an executive officer at Malstrom AFB and single mom to two young boys. Story continues I realize, yeah, I look different. I might be the only girl here today, adds Lt. Neufeld. [But men] talk to me the same; we're paid the same, we have the same responsibilities, and we have the same expectations. So, from my experience, I've never felt treated differently just because of my gender. Neufeld notes that all military salaries are listed online. Raises primarily depend on time in service, rank, and specialized skills, so it's one industry that's relatively immune to the gender pay gap women feel in most other workforces. Captain Eboni Simpson, a 26-year-old missile squadron instructor at Minot AFB, also says she doesnt feel like she has something extra to prove as a woman in her field. It's more so proving it to myself than to my male counterpart or even to other females, she says. I don't think I'm treated differently. And in today's society and today's military I feel like more men are receptive to actually hearing [me out] than they might've been back in the day. Courtesy Though the military is notoriously slow to accept change, outside influences like the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements seem to have penetrated the armys stubborn armor. Those movements, paired with the success of Hollywood films like Captain Marvel (Brie Larson actually based her Captain Marvel character on real-life fighter pilot and now Brigadier General Jeannie Leavitt), have all contributed to a newfound sense of understanding, openness, and willingness to improve. I think any of those women's movements, whether you're onboard with them or not, they're helping, Capt. Koebel says. And I think the Air Force truly understands that we all bring something unique to the table and without varied perspective, you're going to have tunnel vision as a force. As a senior leader who has served for the past 24 years, Col. Huser agrees. Our services, United States Strategic Command, Global Strike Command, where the women's alerts started all of them recognize the value of diversity. I love that, and it's probably one of the reasons that I have stayed all these years, she says. And so, in the future, when you go to meetings and all the important people are sitting around the table, it's not going to be all men. There's going to be representative women there. And that's significant, because we need those diverse voices helping with our nation's decision-making. Courtesy Janet Neufel RELATED: Meena Harris Won't Stop Fighting to See a Woman President Capt. Koebel had her own chance to speak up in 2016 when she got pregnant with her second child and realized that the breast pumps approved for use within the capsule were outdated. She partnered with another lieutenant to make things better for moms by updating the manual and developing five new-mothers' rooms for the base. I don't think that you should have to choose between a career and a family. And I think historically women have felt forced to make a choice, she says. Aside from the fact that nuclear weapons themselves remain a divisive subject, deciding to accept the position of missileer and go on alert up to eight times per month is no easy feat. For starters, the missileers are used to being snowed in, stuck in their capsules for up to 72 hours until weather conditions overhead improve. Inside the shipping-container sized capsule, there is a single double-sized bed, a microwave, a fridge, a well-loved coffee machine, and a very small bathroom without a shower. In some cases, there is a stationary bike down there for exercise. But considering the close quarters, getting sweaty is not exactly encouraged. This all sits behind a large blast door that resembles a bank vault from a Hollywood heist movie. Unlike what is sometimes depicted in Tinseltown, however, there is no singular button on the capsules console that sets off any of these missiles. We're not going to fall on the big red button or anything like that, Capt. Simpson says with a laugh. In fact, between the moment the President calls for a nuclear attack and the moment a missile is set off, there is an undisclosed but considerable number of safeguard steps. One of those includes both missileers, in each capsule that is tapped to launch, simultaneously turning separate keys. So, I can't rage while Janet's sleeping and be like, I'm launching this weapon today, Capt. Koebel says. That is not physically possible. Courtesy Sheila Koebel The discipline missileers perfect through their work within the military in potentially high-stress environments tends to also help them succeed beyond the capsules walls. Capt. Simpson, who is also a trained childbirth doula, built and launched her own hair product company Riah Safari while she was a crew member at Malstrom Air Force Base in Montana (before her time at Minot). The hardest part about starting a business is starting. But I was like, You know what, I'm going to do it, she says. Riah Safari is for people with all types of hair. And I actually came out with my satin-lined beanies for military members. So, I'm working on getting all colors approved right now. Whether these women are channeling social justice movements or maybe even the spirit of Captain Marvel herself it appears women in service have become a whole new kind of force to be reckoned with. I'm a single mom. I have two kids and I do this job. I breastfed in the field for two and a half years, says Capt. Koebel. You can do anything if you're committed and dedicated and you have that personal drive and that discipline. Thats what it comes down to. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 21:36:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China is accelerating the construction of "new infrastructure," which is expected to bring new drivers for the economy, especially in sectors like new consumption, new manufacturing and new services. The country will accelerate the construction of new infrastructure such as 5G networks and data centers, said a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on March 4. In the industrial era, infrastructure is represented by railways, highways and airports, but in the digital era, digital facilities such as optical cables and mobile communications have become increasingly important. Liu Duo, president of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), said 5G is crucial for digital transformation in many sectors to boost innovation and underpin the growth of the economy and society. The accelerated construction of new infrastructure, such as 5G, data centers and industrial internet, is important to achieve stable investment, steady growth and high-quality economic growth, she said. By 2025, China's 5G network construction investment will reach 1.2 trillion yuan (about 172.66 billion U.S. dollars), which will bring about 3.5 trillion yuan of investment in the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, the CAICT forecast in an industry report on 5G. In the next five years, the economic output indirectly driven by 5G businesses in China will hit 24.8 trillion yuan, the report said. New infrastructure construction will cover not only internet infrastructure, but also computing infrastructure, according to market insiders. "Cloud is defining everything, and everything is defining cloud," said Liu Song, vice president of Alibaba. The computing landscape has changed greatly compared with five years ago, he said, adding that hardware is important, but it is also important to strengthen the coordination between machines and improve computing capacity. Cloud computing has maintained rapid growth, creating conditions for many intelligent applications. Among the distinct trends that have emerged in the digital era, the online office is gaining strong momentum, as more people have stayed at home to engage in remote work and online education amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Zhang Qingyuan, chief operating officer of Chinese software company Kingsoft Office, said its WPS Office software had more than 239 million monthly active users as of March 2. He believed 2020 will be the first year of the online office, an important development for many online office software developers. New business modes are expected to boom amid the accelerated construction of new infrastructure. Unmanned delivery is one of them. The catering chain brand Xiaoheng Dumplings, for example, has cooperated with an unmanned vehicle enterprise to pilot unmanned vehicle delivery services in Beijing. Li Heng, founder of Xiaoheng Dumplings, believes unmanned delivery is the future of the industry as it is safer and more efficient. The total amount of information consumption brought by 5G commerce will exceed 8.3 trillion yuan by 2025, said the CAICT report. The spillover effect of new infrastructure construction is significant, as it will boost new consumption and new manufacturing to become a fresh driver of development, said Wang Zhiqin, vice-president of the CAICT. Three people who returned from coronavirus-affected regions in the past nine day were on Sunday quarantined for suspected exposure in Indore in Madhya Pradesh, a senior health official said on Sunday. Indore District Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Praveen Jadia said the three, including a 34-year-old woman, had returned from the United States and Malaysia. The samples of 19 people kept in isolation wards for suspected exposure to the virus returned negative, while reports of two others are awaited, Additional Director, Health, Dr Vina Sinha said. No positive novel coronavirus case has been reported from Madhya Pradesh so far. She said 218 of the 600 people who returned to the state from coronavirus-affected countries have been kept in home isolation, while the surveillance period of 342 has ended. She said all passengers coming from such countries are being screened at Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur airports. Two new coronavirus testing laboratories, at Bhopal's AIIMS and Jabalpur's National Institute of Research in Tribal Health (NIRTH), have been identified, Sinha informed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) RFI African football chiefs on Sunday told sides competing at the Cup of Nations that they will not be able to use mass coronavirus infections in the squad as an excuse and will have to play their fixtures as long as 11 players are fit. The continents most prestigious national football team tournament starts on Sunday afternoon with hosts Cameroon taking on Burkina Faso in Group A at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde.The match is followed by the second clash in the pool between Ethiopia and Cape Verde. As Torontonians inject fentanyl and other drugs without fear of arrest or fatal overdose, Philadelphia officials are struggling to open the first supervised injection site in the United States. Despite lessons learned from Toronto and Vancouver, officials with the city of Philadelphia and non-profit Safehouse are so far stymied. Community rejection of the sites where users bring and shoot up their drugs under the watchful eye of medical personnel, while being offered treatment options and other services continues in the face of an overdose death toll outstripping that of any other U.S. or Canadian city. Ed Rendell, a former Philadelphia mayor and Pennsylvania governor, is on the Safehouse board. He acknowledges a key mistake in trying to get a supervised injection site open, but blames the backlash on not in my backyard syndrome. You're hearing NIMBY on steroids from people who know that almost 1,200 Philadelphians fatally overdosed last year, and that action needs to be taken just not in their neighbourhoods, Rendell said in an interview with the Star. If our homicides last year jumped to 1,200 people, we would be calling in the National Guard, Rendell said. We believe supervised injections sites can be done with very little intrusion or problems for the community, and we believe it will be nothing but beneficial. It's not the answer to the opioid crisis, it's one of several answers and it will save lives. Safehouse officials were part of a delegation to Toronto a year ago. They were followed by another meeting with city officials, including Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, who toured supervised-injection sites in Vancouver and Toronto and talked to activists, public health officials, politicians and police. Rendell said most of them were favourably impressed and encouraged. It was really helpful for us to see the variety of settings, said Eva Gladstein, Philadelphias deputy managing director for health and human services. We saw one (site) within a medical facility that could immediately connect people to other services and also the value of a peer-run site that was less formal and might be more welcoming to other folks. Philadelphia is opting for the more formal approach, in which users register and are offered services including drug treatment and housing help, said Gladstein. She added that her city and mayor are supportive of Safehouse but not directly involved in the plans. After a landlord at a proposed site got cold feet, Safehouse regrouped and said in late February it would open in south Philadelphia the following week. That set off a firestorm, with the local councillor saying a supervised injection site should not be near daycare centres, seniors homes or schools. When another landlord backed out, Safehouse retreated again. Rendell blames himself. My instinct was to have a community meeting, even though some people in the community will never be persuaded no matter what you say, he said. But I let (Safehouse officials) talk me out of that and I take the blame for it. I could have stopped it. So we are without a home. We are continuing to look for a home but we are also looking at mobile RVs fitted out to our needs. I think that may be the better way to go, temporarily but eventually we're going to go to a medical building somewhere. Vancouver pioneered supervised-injection sites in North America with Insite in 2003. Torontos first site was launched in Moss Park in 2017 by harm-reduction activists, who said the death toll had grown too high to wait for government approval. Now Toronto has nine sites: six provincially funded consumption and treatment services; The Works site within Toronto Public Health offices near Yonge-Dundas Square; and two overdose prevention sites that lost provincial funding. The unfunded sites saw 5,500 visits in 14 months, the Star reported in January, and are run almost entirely on private donations by front line workers and volunteers. While they have saved the lives of many Torontonians, Coun. Joe Cressy, chair of the citys public health board, says too many people are still dying from drug overdoses. Government figures reported 118 opioid deaths in Toronto between August and October 2018; that number dropped to 77 in the three spring months of 2019. Cressy said while delegations from New York City, Boston and Japan have all been eager to see how Toronto handles supervised-injection services, which are now offered in many Canadian cities, he has watched his Philadelphia counterparts struggle to establish a U.S. beachhead. "Good complex policy is often controversial, especially when you're the first, Cressy said. In addition to public consultations, Cressy noted that Toronto opened injection sites in three locations at the same time, which may have had the result of watering down opposition to any one in particular. His advice for Philadelphia? Follow the evidence and the research. The longer you delay implementing these services the more people will die. Cressy says the effort should include a range of champions and actors from those in police services who support it, to parents who never thought they'd be advocates for harm reduction but lost their own kids, to those on the front lines. Everybody needs to be at the table and the conversation needs to represent all of them. Rendell, who took up the cause after a friends son fatally overdosed, is undaunted, noting a once controversial needle exchange program is now widely admired. Americans have been taught by their politicians that people who use drugs are bad and ought to be in prison for long sentences and we're finding out the folly of that, he said. There's a little bit of a drug-war culture here that never existed in Canada, and that makes it a bit of a harder sell here. But people will accept when they understand. If you could turn the clock ahead five years from now there will be three or four sites, an accepted part of life. What you see: If you can solve one little problem getting there Half Moon Bay State Beach provides miles of arcing beach frontage and the start of the 6-mile Coastside Trail along the bluffs that connect north to Pillar Point Harbor. That one little problem is traffic, and theres a way to solve it. Traffic note: From a guy whos lived here, do not try to drive Highway 1 from San Francisco to Half Moon Bay on a Sunday, when the hamster procession often comes to a stop in Pacifica and Pillar Point Harbor at Princeton. Instead, get an early start, without the crowds, and take Highway 92 and go directly to the state beach and the Coastside Trail. Location: Half Moon Bay State Beach and its base, Francis Beach, is located off Kelly Avenue, just west of Highway 1 from downtown Half Moon Bay. Cost: $10 per vehicle parking, free passage for bikes. When you arrive: The park provides access to a gorgeous beach that arcs north for miles. The beach backs up to a cliff face and bluff top. A short walk, either on the beach or the bluff, where you literally go the extra mile, will allow you to leave all the traffic far behind. The state beach spans 4 miles north, nearly to Miramar, with two other access points off Highway 1. Coastside Trail: On a clear spring day, this is one of the great, easy bike rides. You get views that span across the ocean and beaches on one side, and on the other, the flank of the extended wilderness ridge that extends south from Montara Mountain. The Coastside Trail extends through Miramar and then past congested Surfers Beach and the Princeton Jetty en route to Pillar Point Harbor and its restaurants, kayak rentals and commercial wharf. Bike rentals: The Bike Works is located 0.8 of a mile from the entrance to the Coastside Trail. Rentals: 7-speed Specialized, $10 per hour, $40 day; Slasa Beargrease Fat Bike, $15 per hour, $60 day; Focus Carbon road bike, $50 half day, $80 day. Contact: The Bike Works, 650-726-6708. Closed Mondays. Camping: To turn the trip into an overnighter, campsites are perched on the open bluff with spectacular views, though the sites are exposed to wind and provide less privacy than parks with forested sites. Drive-in sites, $35; RV sites with electrical hookups, 40-foot maximum, $50. Reserve online at www.reservecalifornia.com or call 800-444-7275. Facilities: Restrooms with coin showers (bring quarters); visitor center; RV dump station. Rules: Leashed dogs permitted on Coastside Trail, in campground, picnic areas and paved roads. Dogs not permitted on beach. Horses permitted on Coastside Trail, all others yield to them. No beach fires, beachcombing, drones. Rip tides: Stay out of the water here without a tethered board or floatation; rip tides with undertow are dangerous, and the beaches have warning signs. How to get there Park map/brochure: PDF at state park website Getting there: GPS: Use 95 Kelly Ave., Half Moon Bay Other access: Two other access points available north of Half Moon Bay off Highway 1: Venice Beach at end of Venice Boulevard; Dunes Beach at end of Young Avenue. Distances: 14 miles from San Mateo, 29 miles from San Francisco, 29 miles from Hayward, 34 miles from Sausalito, 39 miles from Dublin, 41 miles from San Jose. Contacts: Half Moon Bay State Beach, 650-726-8819, www.parks.ca.gov; weather forecast, Pillar Point Harbor, 650-726-6070, Ext. 2. Tom Stienstra Advertisement By West Kentucky Star & PSAD Staff Mar. 07, 2020 | PADUCAH By West Kentucky Star & PSAD Staff Mar. 07, 2020 | 03:09 PM | PADUCAH West Kentucky Community and Technical College's Paducah School of Art and Design (PSAD) opens two exhibitions with a reception March 5 and March 10, both at its 2D Graphic and Design Building at 905 Harrison St. Retrograde-select works by Shannon Duffy and Erich Neitzke opens March 5 and the 21st Century McCracken County Community Centers opens March 10. Both events begin at 5 pm and are free and open to the public. Retrograde features works by PSAD adjunct instructors Shannon Duffy and Erich Neitzke, with Duffy exhibiting jewelry and metalsmithing and Neitzke, exhibiting relief prints, screen prints, and print inspired wall pieces. The 21st Century McCracken County Community Centers exhibition features works by McCracken County public school students participating in this year's 21st Century art program, encouraging participation in afterschool educational programs in other areas of academic need. Participating schools include Heath Middle School, Hendron-Lone Oak Elementary School, Lone Oak Middle School, McCracken County High School, Reidland Elementary School, Reidland Intermediate School, and Reidland Middle School. "PSAD is pleased to recognize both the skills and expertise that our adjunct faculty members bring to our classroom and studios and the artistic accomplishments of the diverse 21st Century art students and their determination to increase skills and knowledge in other areas of study," said art school director Paul Aho. The exhibitions will remain on display through April 10. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4 pm; Saturday 10 am to 4 pm. West Kentucky Community and Technical College's Paducah School of Art and Design offers an associate in fine arts degree in visual art and an associate in applied science degree and certificate programs in visual communication: multimedia, as well as studio art classes for students of all levels and disciplines. Classes are offered on WKCTC's campus; at 905 Harrison Street; and at 919 Madison Street. For more information about PSAD, call 270-534-3901. Bangladesh's security agencies are ready to avoid any "untoward situation" during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country next week, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Sunday. Modi is expected to travel to Dhaka on March 17 at the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina to attend the centenary celebrations of Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "We will welcome Prime Minister Modi with the state of honour. Members of our law enforcement agencies will act alongside armed forces across the country to ensure his security," Khan was quoted as saying by the Daily Star. His remarks came days after some people held protest in Dhaka and other districts against Prime Minister Modi over India's new citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The protestors demanded Prime Minister Hasina to cancel Modi's visit. The Bangladesh home minister said the law enforcement agencies are ready "so that no one can create any untoward situation" during Modi's visit. During the visit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to assuage Bangladesh's concerns over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the NRC, sources in New Delhi have said. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla was in Bangladesh earlier this month and during his visit he had assured Bangladesh that the updation of the National Register of Citizens will have "no implications" for its people, asserting that it is a process that is "entirely internal" to the country. Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Home Minister Khan cancelled their visits to India in December over the situation following the passage of the citizenship bill by Parliament. Dhaka was also apparently upset following the roll out of the NRC in Assam even though India conveyed to it that the issue was an internal matter of the country. Responding to a query over border killings by security forces at the border, the home minister said he has brought up the issue with his Indian counterpart on numerous occasions. Claiming that the incident of border killing increased this year compared to last year, Kamal said discussions between the BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh is going on to bring border killings to zero. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, March 8, 2020 11:32 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206911eba 1 SE Asia COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,Singapore,coronavirus Free Singapores Health Ministry has announced that another Indonesian national tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The patient, identified only as a 62-year-old woman who entered Singapore on a social visit pass, is the city-state's 133rd case, the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore said in a statement on Sunday. The embassy will be closely monitoring and coordinating with the local authorities. With regard to Singapores Personal Data Protection Act, the identity of the patient cannot be disclosed to the public, the statement said. According to the statement, the patient has no history of traveling to countries or regions affected by COVID-19 but reported to a general health practitioner on March 1 after claiming to have experienced symptoms a day prior. She then went to the Pioneer Polyclinic to be screened on March 4 and was transferred to Singapore's National University Hospital (NUH) on March 6. She tested positive for COVID-19 that same day. Before being hospitalized, the patient had been staying at her residence at 61 Jurong West Street and claimed to have attended a dinner event at SAFRA Jurong on Feb. 15, which has been linked to at least 21 cases of COVID-19 so far. The Straits Times reported on Saturday that the Feb. 15 event was a Chinese New Year's dinner celebration attended by members of a Hokkien singing group, although not all 21 patients linked to the event attended. The 62-year-old woman is the second Indonesian national to test positive in Singapore, after a 44-year-old domestic worker tested positive on Feb. 4. The woman, whose employer also tested positive for COVID-19, has since recovered and has been discharged from hospital. Judha Nugraha, the Indonesian Foreign Ministrys director for citizen protection overseas, said on Sunday that a total of 12 Indonesian nationals have tested positive outside Indonesia, of whom 7 people have recovered. As of Saturday evening, Singapore has reported 138 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the Times reports. A total of 90 patients have fully recovered and been discharged from hospital. Of the 48 still in hospital, most are stable or improving, while eight are in a critical state in the intensive care unit. The embassy called on Indonesians in Singapore to remain calm, take care of their personal health and hygiene, wash their hands regularly after going outdoors and avoid crowded places. Go to the doctor's as soon as you have symptoms, follow the instructions of the Singaporean authorities and stay updated with any developments regarding COVID-19, the embassy said. The embassy has set up a hotline to assist Indonesian nationals (+6592953964) and urges citizens to seek out information on COVID-19 from the Singapore Health Ministry's website or general inquiry hotline (+6563259220). Editor's note : Updated to reflect total number of Indonesians infected overseas. Sunday, March 8, 2020 at 12:59PM It seems some third-generation Apple iPad Air tablets have some issues with its displays suddenly going dead. So, the company is offering a new repair program for tablets manufactured between March 2019 and October 2019. Apple said screens on a "limited number" of iPad Airs briefly flash or flicker before permanently going black. The company didn't elaborate on what's causing the issue, though. If your device has experienced this problem, you can take it to an Apple Authorized Service Provider or Apple Store, or you can contact Apple Support if you want to mail it in. If eligible, the repair will be free of charge. But you can only have it repaired in the country you purchased it and within two years after its first retail sale. About Us The Terrorism Prevention Branch (TPB) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is the key United Nations entity with the mandate and expertise to deliver counter-terrorism legal technical assistance to Member States for the ratification, legislative incorporation and implementation of the international legal instruments against terrorism. Specifically the Branch works to: promote the ratification of the 19 international legal instruments against terrorism; support the drafting and review of national legislation in order to incorporate the legal standards of these international legal instruments; build the capacity of national criminal justice officials to implement these standards; and support regional and international cooperation in criminal matters in particular in relation to requests for mutual legal assistance and extradition. Since 2003, the Branch administers the Global Project on Strengthening the Legal Regime against Terrorism which provides the operational framework for UNODC's specialized legal and capacity building assistance related to terrorism. The Global Project is implemented by the Terrorism Prevention Branch staff at headquarters and in the country and regional offices, in close coordination with UNODC's other thematic branches and with other international and regional organizations. Click on the links below for more information on: By ANI NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Sunday detained two suspected Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) terrorists in Okhla who were allegedly actively involved in the recent anti-CAA protests. Informed sources, meanwhile, alleged that the couple was planning to carry out suicide attacks in the country. A Delhi Court sends the couple Jahanjeb Sami and Hina Bashir Beg to police custody till 17th March. The couple identified as Jahanzaib Sami and his wife Hina Bashir Beigh from Srinagar were detained by Special Cell of Delhi, said Pramod Singh Kushwaha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell). The police recovered electronic gadgets and incriminating material promoting jihadi thought from their possession. "A couple, Jahanjeb Sami and Hina Bashir Beigh linked to Khorasan Module of ISIS were apprehended from Jamia Nagar, Okhla. The couple was instigating anti-CAA protests," said Kushwaha. Informed sources told ANI that Sami came under scanner due to his activities on cyberspace which revealed his intention to carry out suicide attacks in the country. He was in "association with senior ISKP members in Afghanistan". He was earlier also in contact with Khurasan-based Huzaifa Bakistani (Amir of Wilaya Hind who has since been killed). During his interrogation, Jahanzaib Sami revealed that he was actively involved on various social media platforms calling on the Indian Muslims to unite and fight against the Indian establishment in protest against the CAA legislation, sources said. Sami also revealed he was trying to arrange firearms and ammunitions for his planned activities against the CAA. Sami told Police that he was actively involved in the propagation of recently published IS magazine 'Sawt al-Hind' (Voice of India) in the month of February 2020. Sami has also revealed that one of his close associates, Khattab, was in fact Abdullah Basith who is currently lodged in Tihar jail as an undertrial in ISIS-related cases. Meanwhile, his wife Hina was also active on pro-IS social media platforms under the name of Catijah al Kashmiri/Hannabee and played a role of facilitator in spotting talents on cyberspace and further motivating them. PennLive recently reported that Pennsylvania hosts more organized wildlife killing contests than any other state in the country (Pennsylvanias organized coyote hunt season gets under way as some other states ban the hunts, January 17). A bit more research exposes these competitions as wasteful slaughter rather than ethical sporting events. The horrible details and appalling pictures of slain creatures piled high one upon another are unacceptable learning and viewing for our youth. During the course of a few weeks, nearly 50 contests in Pennsylvania will draw thousands of participants to systematically massacre hundreds of coyotes, foxes, and bobcats in gruesome form. This is pointless killing for the sake of killing, bragging rights, and prize money for the heaviest male and the most kills. Unbelievably, sometimes prize money goes for dispatching the smallest animal. This shameful tradition does not involve standards of fair chase or principled wildlife management. It is antithetical to responsible sportsmanship and respect for nature that should be the representation of outdoor life in Pennsylvania. While other states are banning such practices, the Keystone State remains the killing contest capital of the U.S. Its time for Pennsylvania to quit these reprehensible and grisly spectacles. Anita Sardo, Washington Township, Northumberland County How the president responds to a disease outbreak is important, but it is only one aspect of multifaceted efforts at every level of governmental. Does a county have a system for prioritizing who receives virus tests and for delivering the results quickly? Will public transit be sanitized? Answering questions such as these is the real work of disease management - and it is not done by the White House. For all the speculation about whether coronavirus will doom President Donald Trump's reelection, voters motivated by the outbreak would do well to focus further down the ballot, on the state and local races that will determine who bears the lion's share of responsibility for the response. As the coronavirus spreads in communities, it will be mayors, county judges and school superintendents - not federal officials - who make the tough calls about whether to declare a state of emergency or shutter public schools and other institutions. Sometimes, those calls will even be at odds with what the White House recommends. During the 2014 Ebola crisis, for example, the governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, put a health worker returning from West Africa under quarantine. Christie clashed with President Barack Obama and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials, who thought the lockdown would be ineffective and discourage other health workers from going to Africa to assist with the crisis. But it was Christie, not Obama, who had the jurisdiction to decide. Today in Maryland, it is Republican Gov. Larry Hogan - not Trump - who is working with county officials to track down contacts with the three people in the state who have tested positive for covid-19. Hogan was easily reelected in 2018 in part because Marylanders appreciated his efficient governance across party lines. The coming weeks will tell whether voters' confidence was well placed. To the degree that the federal government does have jurisdiction in battling the coronavirus, it relies on state and local leaders to carry out its response measures. For the first time in more than 50 years, the CDC issued a federal quarantine, applied to a planeload of Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China. But federal quarantines are enforced by state officials. And once passengers disembark a plane, they are subject to the jurisdiction of the 2,800 state, local and tribal health departments across the country who are responsible for setting quarantine rules and providing the staffing to trace viral exposure. Having knowledgeable, competent state and local officials often matters more in how a community fares during a disaster than who occupies the Oval Office. Consider Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The federal government was heavily criticized for the inadequate response to the devastation along the Gulf Coast, but it was New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, a Democrat, who delayed issuing an evacuation order, let hundreds of buses available to carry New Orleans residents to safety sit idle and saw a 15% desertion rate among the city's police force after the storm. And it was Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco, a Democrat, who delayed the federal government's assistance by not submitting a timely formal request for help. Katrina exposed what happens when state and local officials fail to lead and prove incapable of coordinating with one another and with federal authorities. Alarmingly, with the coronavirus, we're already seeing states, localities and the federal government butting heads. In the Seattle area, there are signs that the virus spread undetected and caught health officials flat-footed. State and local officials are trying to ramp up testing and erect temporary housing for homeless people who may be ill while at the same time blaming the CDC for being slow to test. Pressure is mounting to permit state and local labs to run their own testing. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, criticized the CDC for releasing a woman from quarantine in San Antonio after she tested "weakly positive" for the virus on the third of three tests. San Antonio city officials sued the CDC and asked for more testing before people quarantined at Lackland Air Force Base are released. The mayor banned people released from Lackland from entering the city until they have undergone further testing. Our system of government is not designed for efficiency or unilateral decision-making. Response to disasters - whether a hurricane or a disease - is still primarily a state and local responsibility; the federal government intervenes at the request of a state. If voters head to the polls with the coronavirus in mind, they should remember that who sits in state and local offices, and how they engage with federal authorities, may be the most important decision they have to make. - - - Roberts is a political scientist focusing on public management and the policy process at the nonprofit, nonpartisan Rand Corp. He is the author of "Disasters and the American State." A Christian televangelist has been ordered by New York's attorney general to stop promoting a "cure" for the coronavirus to the public. The cease-and-desist letter was sent to the Jim Bakker Show after it had naturopathic doctor Sherrill Sellman as a guest on 12 February. During the show, the doctor was asked if her $125 "Silver Solution" sold online would work against the coronavirus. "Let's say it hasn't been tested on this strain of the coronavirus," Ms Sellman said, "but it's been tested on other strains of the coronavirus and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours." Mr Bakker went on to promote the Silver Solution on his own website. Lisa Landau, the chief of the state Attorney General's Health Care Bureau, sent the cease-and-desist letter on 3 March, giving Mr Bakker 10 days to comply or potentially face a $5,000 fine per violation. "Your show's segment may mislead consumers as to the effectiveness of the Silver Solution product in protecting against the current outbreak," Ms Landau wrote. "Therefore, any representation on the Jim Bakker Show that its Silver Solution products are effective at combating and/or treating the 2019 novel coronavirus violates New York law," she added. The World Health Organisation says there is no FDA-approved drug or vaccine currently on the market to help treat or prevent the coronavirus for patients. Researchers are working on a vaccine, but it isn't anticipated for public use for another 18 months to two years at the earliest. Televangelist Jim Bakker advertised a $125 "cure" for the coronavirus on his show and on his website (Wikimedia Commons) In a statement, Attorney General Letitia James warned the public against believing advertising for products that claim they provide protection against the virus. "As we experience more cases of coronavirus, it is imperative that New Yorkers remain calm, but stay vigilant," she said. "In addition to being mindful about our health, we must also beware of unscrupulous actors who attempt to take advantage of this fear and anxiety to scam or deceive consumers. I encourage anyone who believes they are the victim of a scam or predatory action to contact my office and file a complaint," she added. The televangelist was previously convicted of fraud and served five years in federal prison after his illicit fundraising activities connected with his show Praise The Lord Club. New York cracking down on false advertising relating to the coronavirus comes after the state declared a state of emergency on Saturday. Positive cases of the coronavirus continue to rise, and Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed on Sunday there were 105 cases in the state. A man allegedly armed with a machete has been stabbed after a wild brawl spiralled out of control, leaving shaken diners in western Sydney fearing for their lives. Police remain at the cordoned off scene following the incident at Merrylands just after 8pm on Sunday. A police hunt for the other second man involved is underway. Witnesses said two men got involved in a fight outside a bakery on Merrylands Road when one ran to a nearby kebab shop to grab a knife. He sprinted back to the bakery and stabbed the other, witnesses said. Police speak to bystanders following a stabbing on the main strip of Merrylands on Sunday The incident was witnessed by shocked diners, where the stabbed man was allegedly armed with a machete They claimed the armed man then tried to attack other bystanders in the street before police arrived minutes later. The chaos unfolded in front of young children. 'I was across the road with my family, going to a cafe to have a coffee and then I saw an argument in front of the bakery,' one witness said. 'Then the guy ran to the pizza shop to grab a knife and went towards the other person he had an argument with. 'Before he had the knife in his hands, I thought I could help him out or ask him to calm him down . When he came running back with the knife, I thought it was better to walk away. I wasn't feeling safe, especially with the kids.' The chaos unfolded outside a bakery and nearby kebab shop on Merrylands Road This bystander was walking to a nearby cafe with his young family when chaos erupted When police arrived minutes later, police found a man allegedly armed with a machete suffering a stab wound to his arm. 'After surrendering his weapon, officers placed the man under arrest before he was taken to Westmead Hospital where he is currently being treated for a non-life-threatening injury,' a NSW Police statement read. 'As inquires continue police are searching for a second man who they believe may be able to assist with inquiries.' The injured man remains in hospital under police guard. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Three years after President Emmanuel Macron swept to power promising a "revolution", have French voters definitively soured on him? The first round of municipal elections next weekend is expected to test backing for Macron's ambitious reform agenda following a second winter of discontent marked by mass protests. Polls showing Macron's four-year-old Republic on the Move (LREM) party struggling in the March 15 vote, to be followed by a second round on March 22, which come amid a furore over the government's decision to force through unpopular pension reforms by decree. The elections also follow the "yellow vest" rebellion of 2018-2019, which lifted the lid on the widespread anger in rural France against a leader seen by critics as the president of the rich. The coronavirus epidemic -- which has killed a dozen and infected hundreds in France -- looms large over the vote. The government has ruled out postponing the election but analysts have warned that fear of contamination could be a big turn-off for polling station volunteers and voters alike. Macron, who is set to seek a second mandate in 2022 polls, has attempted to downplay the significance of the vote for more than 500,000 councillors and nearly 35,000 mayors. "I don't believe that people will vote for this or that candidate because they do or do not support the president," he told reporters in January. But a fresh electoral setback after the LREM in last year's European elections finished behind the far-right National Rally would nevertheless show that "Emmanuel Macron's magic powers are no longer that magic," Bruno Cautres, a researcher and lecturer at Sciences Po university in Paris, told AFP. - Winning hearts - The results will be closely watched for signs of whether Macron's party of entrepreneurial political upstarts has managed to put down roots in the provinces. "This election will be a precious indicator of the penetration of Macronism at the local level," Martial Foucault, director of the Cevipof research centre at Sciences Po university, told AFP. The signs for the party are inauspicious, with its candidates struggling in cities such as Paris and Lyon where it cleaned up in the parliamentary elections held after Macron came to power in 2017. "Municipal elections always bring failure for the ruling party... They have always been used to punish them," Jean Garrigues, a political historian and professor at the University of Orleans, told AFP. In a sign of its difficulty in recruiting candidates, the ruling party has presented lists in just one out of four towns with 10,000 or more inhabitants -- a far cry from 2017 when dissident politicians from the left and right queued up to join Macron's camp. In Paris, where a sex video leaked by a Russian dissident forced a last-minute switch in the ruling party candidate, former health minister Agnes Buzyn is trailing the Socialist incumbent, mayor Anne Hidalgo, and a rival from the right-wing Republicans. - Local mandates - For Foucault, the pendulum has swung back towards the entrenched, left-right political divisions that former investment banker Macron vowed to transcend on his march to power. "For many French people the ruling party's 'neither of the left nor the right' has not lived up to its promises," he said. Leftist voters particularly are up in arms over Macron's move to fuse the country's 42 different retirement schemes into one, which prompted unprecedented transport strikes in December and January. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who has already announced a third bid for the presidency in 2022, is also hoping to profit from Macron's woes. But polls show voters more exercised by security, their town's economy and the environment than their pension when it comes to picking a mayor. The Greens, long a marginal force in French politics, could pull off some of the biggest coups, buoyed by a new wave of environmental activism among French youth. In a bid to boost their credibility with voters, including the "yellow vest" demonstrators behind months of often violent protests in late 2018 and 2019, 10 members of Macron's cabinet are seeking local mandates. They include Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who is running for his old job as mayor of the Normandy port city of Le Havre, which he ran between 2010 and 2017. It is a risky venture for Philippe but Macron has said ministers who fail at the ballot box will not automatically be shown the door. Polls show Macron's party struggling amid a furore over the government's decision to force through unpopular pension reforms by decree 2019 General Assembly A/RES/74/170 Integrating sport into youth crime prevention and criminal justice strategies A/RES/74/171 Follow-up to the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and preparations for the Fourteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice A/RES/74/172 Education for Justice and the rule of law in the context of sustainable development A/RES/74/173 Promoting technical assistance and capacity building to strengthen national measures and international cooperation to combat cybercrime, including information-sharing A/RES/74/174 Countering child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse online A/RES/74/175 Technical assistance provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime related to counter-terrorism A/RES/74/176 Improving the coordination of efforts against trafficking in persons A/RES/74/177 Strengthening the United Nations crime prevention and criminal justice programme, in particular its technical cooperation capacity ECOSOC E/RES/2019/16 Integrating sport into youth crime prevention and criminal justice strategies E/RES/2019/17 Follow-up to the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and preparations for the Fourteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice E/RES/2019/18 Education for Justice and the rule of law in the context of sustainable development E/RES/2019/19 Promoting technical assistance and capacity building to strengthen national measures and international cooperation to combat cybercrime, including information-sharing E/RES/2019/20 Countering child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse online E/RES/2019/21 Technical assistance provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime related to counter-terrorism E/RES/2019/22 Enhancing transparency in the judicial process 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corrupt practices and the transfer of proceeds of corruption, facilitating asset recovery and returning such assets to legitimate owners, in particular to countries of origin, in accordance with the United Nations Convention against Corruption ECOSOC Resolution 2014/21 Strengthening social policies as a tool for crime prevention Resolution 2014/22 Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the post-2015 development agenda Resolution 2014/23 Strengthening international cooperation in addressing the smuggling of migrants Decision 2014/229 Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its reconvened twenty-second session Decision 2014/230 Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its twenty-third session and provisional agenda for its twenty-fourth session Decision 2014/231 Appointment of members of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute Decision 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responses to protect cultural property, especially with regard to its trafficking A/RES/68/187 Technical assistance for implementing the international conventions and protocols related to counter-terrorism A/RES/68/188 The rule of law, crime prevention and criminal justice in the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015 A/RES/68/189 Model strategies and practical measures on the elimination of violence against children in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice A/RES/68/190 Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners A/RES/68/191 Taking action against gender-related killing of women and girls A/RES/68/192 Improving the coordination of efforts against trafficking in persons A/RES/68/193 Strengthening the United Nations crime prevention and criminal justice programme, in particular its technical cooperation capacity A/RES/68/194 United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders A/RES/68/195 Preventing and combating corrupt practices and the transfer of proceeds of corruption, facilitating asset recovery and returning such assets to legitimate owners, in particular to countries of origin, in accordance with the United Nations Convention against Corruption ECOSOC Resolution 2013/30 Follow-up to the Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and preparations for the Thirteen United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Resolution 2013/31 Strengthening crime prevention and criminal justice responses to protect cultural property, especially with regards to its trafficking Resolution 2013/32 Technical assistance for implementing the international conventions and protocols related to counter-terrorism Resolution 2013/33 The rule of law, crime prevention and criminal justice in the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015 Resolution 2013/34 Model strategies and practical measures on the elimination of violence against children in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice Resolution 2013/35 Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners Resolution 2013/36 Taking action against gender-related killing of women and girls Resolution 2013/37 Improving the quality and availability of statistics on crime and criminal justice for policy development Resolution 2013/38 Combating transnational organized crime and its possible links to illicit trafficking in precious metals Resolution 2013/39 International cooperation in the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of economic fraud and identity-related crime Resolution 2013/40 Crime prevention and criminal justice responses to illicit trafficking in protected species of wild fauna and flora Resolution 2013/41 Implementing of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons Decision 2013/245 Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its reconvened twenty-first session Decision 2013/246 Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: extension of the mandate of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Decision 2013/247 Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its twenty-second session and provisional agenda for its twenty-third session CCPCJ Resolution 22/1 Implementation of the budget for the biennium 2012-2013 for the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Fund Resolution 22/2 Improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: recommendations of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Resolution 22/3 Renewed efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and 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on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice 2012 General Assembly A/RES/67/184 Follow-up to the Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and preparations for the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice A/RES/67/185 Promoting efforts to eliminate violence against migrants, migrant workers and their families A/RES/67/186 Strengthening the rule of law and the reform of criminal justice institutions, particularly in the areas related to the United Nations system-wide approach to fighting transnational organized crime and drug trafficking A/RES/67/187 United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems A/RES/67/188 Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners A/RES/67/189 Strengthening the United Nations crime prevention and criminal justice programme, in particular its technical cooperation capacity A/RES/67/190 Improving the coordination of efforts against trafficking in persons A/RES/67/191 United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders A/RES/67/192 Preventing and combating corrupt practices and the transfer of proceeds of corruption, facilitating asset recovery and returning such assets to legitimate owners, in particular to countries of origin, in accordance with the United Nations Convention against Corruption ECOSOC Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish Resolution 2012/12 Strategy for the period 2012-2015 for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Resolution 2012/18 Improving the quality and availability of statistics on crime and criminal justice for policy development Resolution 2012/19 Strengthening international cooperation in combating transnational organized crime in all its forms and manifestations Decision 2012/237 Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on its reconvened twentieth session Decision 2012/238 Report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and 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and piracy New Delhi, March 8 : As the Yes Bank crisis weighs on investor sentiments, becoming a major reason of concern for the bank's depositors, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Krishnamurthy Subramanian on Sunday said there is no reason to worry as India's banks have adequate capital. He also noted that ratio of deposit to M-CAP (market capitalisaion) is not the correct instrument for assessing the safety of banks and instead Capital to Risk (Weighted) Assets Ratio (CRAR) should be guaged. The CEA said banking sector experts and regulators use CRAR among other metrics to guage the financial health of banks, and Indian banks fare well in terms of CRAR. "It is important to keep this in mind that the international norm for CRAR is 8 per cent and Indian banks on average have a CRAR of 14.3 per cent. So 8 per cent is the mandated minimum norm and our banks have 14.3 per cent. Now 14.3 versus 8 translates into almost 80 per cent greater capital than the international norm," he said. Describing that M-CAP ratio is not the right instrument to assess banks, he added: "The M-CAP ratio essentially is the ratio of the deposits that a bank has to the market capitalisation. Now if you compare, for instance, a private sector bank with the State Bank of India. SBI would have an order of magnitude of higher M-CAP ratio, but the SBI is as safe as any other bank in the world. It is the only Indian bank to be part of the top 100 banks internationally." He noted that M-CAP ratio is affected by market capitalisation and the stocks of the bank may change every minute,so the M-CAP ratio will also change frequently, but solvency cannot change that fast. Market capitalisation itself is affected by things such as the prospective growth of the bank, the interest margin, the efficiency of the banking operations, none of which have anything to do with the safety of the bank and these primarily affect future earnings, Subramanian added. "What regulators and experts use is the CRAR and other assets are the debt-to-assets ratio. All of which are actually quite good for the Indian banks. Compared to the 8 per cent norm of CRAR, which is capital adequacy our banks have way more capital," he said. He observed that our banks on an average are "well capitalised" and there is no reason to worry. "Together with the fact that our banks are well capitalised and the fact that the deposits are well taken care of, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to worry," he said. Investors and stakeholders in the Indian financial markets have been concerned after the Reserve Bank of India on Thursday placed Yes Bank under moratorium for 30 days and capped the withdrawal limit at Rs 50,000 because of deteriorating financial health of the private lender. The apex bank on Friday released a draft reconstruction scheme for the bank as per which the State Bank of India would acquire up to 49 per cent stake in the bank. In 2019, the state legislature passed a bill to allow Washington to remain permanently on daylight saving time. Yet a few months later, we "fell back." Now, it's time to "spring forward" again at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 14. But it (theoretically) could be for the last time, depending on what happens at the federal level between now and November. The problem is, staying permanently on daylight saving time (the "sprung forward" time) has not yet been recognized by the federal government. The states that currently do not recognize DST, Hawaii and most of Arizona, are allowed to do so because they remain on standard time, which is allowed under federal law. And with the past year being devoted to the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of daylight saving time has fallen off the radar. In 2019, House Bill 1196 passed both the Washington state House and Senate and was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on May 8, 2019. Now, Congress needs to approve a state's ability to remain permanently on DST for Washington and seven other states that have passed similar legislation to be able to do so. Oregon and California are among those seven other states, meaning it would be a shift for the entire West Coast if approved by Congress. DST currently lasts from March to November, meaning it already makes up eight months of the year. It's not yet known when Congress may consider such a law to allow for permanent DST. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) put forward the Sunshine Protection Act in 2019 that would have forced all states to remain on DST, but it fizzled and has not yet been reintroduced. Florida is another state that has passed a bill to enact permanent daylight saving time across the country. There are many reasons for the decision to flip permanently. It had been discussed several times in the recent past, including bills proposed in 2017 and 2015. The reasons are simple, and obvious to anyone who wakes up the days immediately following a time change: When the clock changes, humans have a hard time adapting, which can cause stress. "When we spring forward, the clocks on the wall advance, but our body clocks do not change so readily," University of Oregon organizational psychologist David Wagner wrote in a 2018 opinion piece. "It generally takes a few days for us to adapt to the time change in a way that allows us to fall asleep at our typical time. The upshot is that Americans sleep approximately 40 minutes less than usual on the Sunday to Monday night following the switch." Meanwhile, while we wait for Congress to allow the change to permanent DST, Washingtonians should set their clocks forward one hour starting at 2 a.m. on Sunday. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, March 8, 2020 16:26 673 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad2069258e8 1 City coronavirus,#coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,#Jakarta,panic-buying,data-privacy Free In times of panic, people may forget about others and focus only on themselves as they try to cope with fear. This includes in Jakarta, where humanity and conscience appeared to wane after the discovery of cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). People hoarded groceries and hygiene goods, including instant noodles, antiseptic wipes and face masks until there was almost nothing left in the market for others in need. Where there were supplies, the prices had skyrocketed. Some even took advantage of the outbreak, allegedly manufacturing low-quality illegal masks and intentionally stockpiling hundreds of boxes of real masks to create artificial scarcity, in various cases being investigated by the police. Prying public curiosity about the disease has also impinged upon the privacy of patients, as people scrambled to get information of any kind, including through the patients social media accounts, and later spread their profile images and personal details on online messaging apps. Read also: COVID-19 patients become victims of Indonesias lack of privacy protection Yet a few conscious people have been trying to maintain humanity in Greater Jakarta amid mounting public fears. One of them is Erwin, a 60-year-old grocer in Teluk Gong, North Jakarta. Speaking to The Jakarta Post on Friday, Erwin said many customers had rushed into his minimarket in a stampede seeking to purchase all available food from the shelves in bulk, leaving him in extreme confusion. Seeing customers scooping up boxes of instant noodles, bottles of cooking oil and cans of biscuits last Monday, Erwins 57-year-old wife, Susanna Indrayani, ordered them to put everything back except a maximum of five of each item. Some customers tried to insist upon exceeding the limit. However, Susanna stood by her rule while Erwin tried his best to calm the crowd down. Erwins grocery shop, which went viral on social media after its owners, Erwin and Susanna, limited excessive purchases of food amid coronavirus panic, is located in Teluk Gong, North Jakarta. (JP/Galih Gumelar) All I kept thinking at that time was that I needed to save some of the food for people who were really in need and not sell everything to panicked customers, said Erwin, who has been running his business for 30 years. He described the panic buying as a ridiculous act, saying that people should not have allowed panic to turn into greed. Stockpiling goods, he said, would only result in shortages across the capital and a surge in prices which would be particularly unfair to families with low purchasing power, including his regular customers who were mostly low-income households, small retailers, small-scale food vendors and school canteens. Selling everything to panicked customers could also keep others from running their businesses, he added. Read also: Stocking up to prepare for a crisis isn't 'panic buying'. Its actually a pretty rational At that time, I didn't even realize that President Joko [Jokowi] Widodo had announced the first two confirmed COVID-19 patients, which apparently was the reason why people rushed into my shop," Erwin said. "But even if I knew the information earlier, I wouldnt have wanted to gain profit from that situation." Not long after, his store went viral on social media after an unknown netizen uploaded a video on Twitter and Instagram of Susanna stopping the customers from buying excessive quantities of goods. Netizens applauded her. People have also praised Anis Hidayah a neighbor of the first two COVID-19 patients in Depok and an activist with Migrant Care for defending the privacy of her neighbors in a Facebook comment that also went viral. Please stop the constant live coverage of our housing complex. Enough!" Anis said, voicing her frustrations about local broadcasting station TV One's coverage of her neighbors. Anis went on to defend the patients, whom she described as a respectable lecturer and a professional Javanese dancer with international achievements. She also claimed that the public thirst for information had led the media to report falsehoods about the neighborhood. She and fellow residents have threatened to report media outlets to the Press Council. "[She is] humble, friendly to her neighbors and cares about them, she said. "Stop judging the patients. Stop spreading pictures of the patients." Personal details and pictures of the two patients popped up online, with unclear origins, not long after the governments announcement of the confirmed cases. The Health Ministry has denied responsibility for the leak. People are born with survival instincts, which naturally emerge when they are in distress, said Daisy Indira Yasmine, a sociologist at the University of Indonesia. They tend to put their own personal interests ahead of others when dealing with hard situations. Fear also leads panicked people to take in everything they hear about the disease, whether it is credible information or misinformation, even if it compromises the privacy of others, she added. People might seem not to care about each other during frantic times. That doesnt mean that people are doing it on purpose; they are just following their basic instincts, Daisy said. But, that doesnt mean that we can justify such behavior. It can harm others. As for this case, the government should calm people down by providing valid information about the disease and about how people can cope with the outbreak carefully." (glh) A 50-year old man was injured in a 'minor' explosion of an abandoned chemical liquid container at a garbage heap in Adugodi area in the city on Sunday, police said. The chemical, used for cutting granite, was exposed to the sun for quite some resulting in the explosion, they said. "Minor explosion of an abandoned chemical liquid container at Adugodi used for cutting granite. One person injured. Nothing to worry and panic," Bengaluru Commissioner of Police Bhaskar Rao tweeted. The man, identifiedas Narasimhaiah, was injured in his left leg and had been admitted to a hospital, police said. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Srinath Joshi, the man was sitting near the heap of garbage, close to a Ganesha temple, when the explosion took place. "It has come to our light that there was a chemical lying there, which was exposed to the sun for quite some time. No other object nearby was damaged. It was not caused intentionally. For further investigation, we have called people in the Forensic Science Laboratory, he told reporters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Photo credit: Caroline Delbert From Men's Health The math wizards at Numberphile have brought back an age-old multiplying algorithm known as halves and doubles, peasant math, Egyptian math, oras math presenter Johnny Ball describes itRussian multiplying. To do the method, begin by writing the two numbers you want to multiply at the top of two columns. In the left column, you progressively halve the number and take the integer floor of any and a half values, all the way down to 1. In the right column, you double the number as many times as there are digits in the left column. Photo credit: Caroline Delbert With your completed table, scan through and remove any rows where the left column has an even value. That includes the original term at the very top. Photo credit: Caroline Delbert Now, when you add the remaining terms in the right column, you get the solution. Photo credit: Caroline Delbert The method works for all numbers, and it works either way you arrange your original terms. Photo credit: Caroline Delbert Wait, What's Going On Here? Johnny Ball presents the method as a fun thing he was taught long ago while hanging out in the "children's room" of a pub. (Never change, U.K.) The person who taught it to him called it Russian multiplication, and Ball explains that the method originated not in Russia, but thousands of years before in ancient Egypt. And, critically, the method maps to a binary number system. Binary is the common term for what's technically the base-2 number system, where values are represented by 0 and 1 positioned in powers of 2. Here are a few integers written out as binary values so you can see the value at each position. Photo credit: Caroline Delbert If you're noticing that the "halving and doubling" method bears at least a superficial resemblance to how binary values double from column to column, you're right. Making binary numbers from decimal (base-10) values is kind of like making change: you find the highest denomination that fits your number without going over, then subtract it. Then you find the highest denomination that fits your new number without going over, and subtract that. Story continues Ancient people still had to do math, but imagine calculating even fairly simple things without any scratch paperor if you were never taught to write. The method most children learn in school, long multiplication, involves many steps with separate products you have to note and recombine later. Halving and doubling let our ancestors use physical counters and do calculations by "making change." If you're like me, you spent much of the Numberphile video wondering if the method was a trick, like that trick that relies on math facts about the number 9 to make sure you guess someone's "secret number" right every time. And maybe you also wondered about exceptions to this method. As far as I can tell, there really are none. Even a power of 2 itself will break down so that you've crossed out everything in both columns except the final onethe final "1," actuallyand that single value is your answer. Photo credit: Caroline Delbert You Might Also Like A triple-zero call reporting a man walking along Brisbane's Boondall Wetlands Bikeway carrying a gun, triggered a major police response on Sunday morning. Police searched the bikeway and the bushes on either side, before concluding the reported "gunman" was in fact a man carrying an umbrella. The umbrella-wielding man Mr Sartor said police spoke to, before sending him on his way. Credit:Ben Sartor - Supplied Witness Ben Sartor said he saw at least nine police officers involved in the search of the area and saw them escorting a man with an umbrella back towards their parked police cars at one point. "I was having a leisurely ride along Kedron Brook towards Nudgee Beach, close to the airport, which is pretty heavily used by cyclists and runners," he said. Japan on March 8 reported 47 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 pushing the nationwide toll past 400, international media reported citing the countrys health ministry. Coronavirus has reportedly infected over 461 cases and killed 6 people across the nation. According to media reports, the tally also includes the 696 people who contracted the virus onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship. New measures to combat the outbreak Meanwhile, Japan is constantly upping measures to curb the virus outbreak. On March 5, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reportedly said that the nation will quarantine all passengers from China and South Korea in a bid to contain the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. According to an international media outlet, the measure will take effect on March 9 and last through March 31. While speaking to a Japanese media outlet, Abe said that the visas that have already been issued to people from the two countries will be further suspended. Read: South Korea Increases Travel Alert Level For Japan Amid Coronavirus Fears The Japanese PM in a public statement said, We will strengthen immigration quarantines on people from the two countries. We will ask them to stay in designated areas for two weeks and not to use public transport. As per reports, the Japanese government is also considering an entry ban on visitors from parts of Iran. China, the epicentre of coronavirus, has by far the largest number of infections and South Korea and Iran, on the other hand, has also seen a surge in recent days. On the other hand, South Koreas Foreign Ministry announced on March 7 that it was raising the travel alert across all regions of Japan. The announcement was made in light of growing concerns regarding the number of coronavirus cases in Japan. The threat level increase will go into effect from March 9 onwards. Read: Japan's Ancient Sport Of Sumo Grappling With Harsh Reality Of Coronavirus Outbreak Last week, Seoul had advised 'caution', which is a threat level lower than 'restraint' which is what has been announced now. According to reports, during its announcement, the ministry claimed that it had taken the drastic step because of the continued spread of the coronavirus in Japan and its effect on Koreans. Read: South Korea Increases Travel Alert Level For Japan Amid Coronavirus Fears Read: Coronavirus Dread: Two Australian Women Fight Over Toilet Paper, Watch Two people in Florida who tested positive for the coronavirus died, health officials said. According to the authorities, the cases mark the first US coronavirus deaths outside California and Washington, reported CNN. "Both of the deceased in Florida, including one patient in their 70s, had recently returned from international trips. Their destinations were not publicly disclosed," officials said. Earlier this week, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had advised people over 60-years-old and those with severe chronic medical conditions to 'stay at home' as much as possible. According to the Health Organization (WHO), there are currently 101,927 coronavirus cases, over 80,800 of them in China. There have been 3,073 deaths from COVID-19 in China and 413 deaths from the coronavirus disease outside of China. Over 90 countries have been affected by the deadly coronavirus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Under heavy clamour in the international arena in 2019, the term populism came out of the domain of political science, and into the public sphere The term populism became associated with influential politicians on the international scene, such as: Boris Johnson, Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen, Bernie Sanders, Narendra Moody and Viktor Urban for years. Last year was best described as the era of turmoil. Despite the volumes of literature written on populism, the contemporary context has evolved in the past years, after the election of Trump in the US, and the British vote to leave the European Union (Brexit). Populism now indicates that politicians can speak directly to the masses through social media, without resorting to traditional media. That is in addition to the exploitation of right-wing extremist parties, such as the Alternative Party in Germany, the National Front in France and Fox in Spain, of austerity measures, economic stagnation and the refugee crisis to continue to fan the streets to reap political gains by awakening national sentiments. Hence, there are two dimensions of populism in todays world: the first feeds on economic conditions and inequality; and the second exploits cultural factors and nationalism. Some researchers believe that the rise of populism is a reaction to events that occurred in the past decade, the most important of which are: the global financial crisis in 2008, the failure of the eurozone and failed military interventions, especially the Iraq War that perpetuated global mistrust and unleashed repercussions of international magnitude. For example, populist, leaderless movements and mass uprisings emerged in 2019 against the ruling elites, as was the case in Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, Algeria and Iran in the Middle East. Critics of traditional government policies believe traditional political elites spread the fear of popular movements that express their anger by going out on the streets. The same applies to voters in democratic countries who have lost confidence in major political parties, against the backdrop of their failure to raise incomes or provide jobs in the past two decades. Peter Baker expressed this trend in The Guardian in January 2019, saying: We cant really talk about populism without talking about our conflicting conceptions of democracy and the question of what it truly means for citizens to be sovereign. But populists in different societies do not represent a homogeneous or united bloc, nor are they united by one opinion, logic or current. They extend from the far right to the far left. However, what unites them is presenting the people as the ultimate holders of truth in the face of the existing policies or in the face of the other those who are politically, ideologically, ethnically or religiously different in certain cases. In the foreseeable future, populist policies are expected to gain the support of larger sectors around the world, in light of the increasing crises of the global capitalist system, imbalances in capital flows and globalisation. These factors will give populist movements more power, and will exacerbate economic and cultural conflicts between elites benefiting from the existing order and the majority suffering from marginalisation and economic hardships in various parts of the world. Therefore, the relationship between populism and the emergence of national identity will come in the limelight in 2020. The emphasis on national identity has become a strong reaction to the frustrations that the existing international system poses, and an opportunity for national governments to divert attention from internal failures. However, populist governments that came to power failed to offer convincing economic alternatives, just as much as traditional elites failed, which portends greater chaos at the international level due to the absence of convincing alternatives. There is a great diversity in the growing global manifestations of populism. Playing on identity, as is the case towards white ethnic nationalism by Trump and Johnson, in what is called Western sphere, may increase in the coming months before the US presidential elections in November and the UKs scheduled exit from the European Union in a few months. Likewise, the largest democracy in the world, India, is witnessing a raging dialogue about identity after its Prime Minister Narendra Modi, disclosed policies that support the ideas of Hindu nationalism. In the same manner, the Arab region is witnessing the continuation of fundamentalist currents in an attempt to raise the issue of Islamic identity, whether in the face of the ruling regimes, or to gain international supporters. In light of the global economic downturn, and the failure to confront corruption, the atmosphere is conducive to the continuation of. leaderless demonstrations in the main squares in a large number of countries, as happened in 2019. The middle classes and the working and industrial classes that do not feel an improvement in economic conditions are equally enraged. Politically, the populist parties gains in the past year represent a threat to the centre-right and left parties in Europe and other regions. Despite the economic promises and social welfare policies that populist parties from the right and left wings pledge to garner votes, many liberal intellectuals at present see that it is not only the issue of inequality that drives the wave of populist election. They believe culture is the main driver of popular votes, and that there is an increasing trend to include the politics of identity and culture in the public ballot in the next decade, putting populism at the forefront of global debate in the coming years. Identity questions the world over take populist currents to new levels in the new year, and between them lies the Middle East, struggling with questions of sectarianism, doctrinism and ethnicity, as well as interventions by foreign powers, some of which say they are trying to prevent the reasons for the growth of populism in their countries. *A version of this article appears in print in the 5 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Lisa as Marie Curie in a scene from the musical "Marie Curie" / Courtesy of Live Contents Group By Kwon Mee-yoo Scientist Marie Sklodowska Curie (1867-1934) was a woman who believed that science has great beauty. The life of the Polish-French scientist who discovered polonium and radium and pioneered research on radioactivity is staged in the new musical "Marie Curie" at Chungmu Arts Center's Middle Theater Black in central Seoul. "I am among those who think that science has great beauty. A scientist in his laboratory is not only a technician: he is also a child placed before natural phenomena which impress him like a fairy tale," Curie once said. Instead of approaching her life in biographical style, the musical focuses on a slice of her life around her discovery of new elements polonium and radium and its two-faced impacts cancer treatment and radium poisoning. Curie also had to struggle with prejudices against women and immigrants throughout her career. For a more dramatic plot, some fictional characters including Marie's friend Anne and entrepreneur Ruben were put into the show. The musical begins with Marie at her later years, conversing with her daughter and scientist Irene who cannot understand her mother's sole devotion to science, leaving a will requesting an autopsy on her own body for her long exposure to radiation. Marie tells her daughter of her lifelong scientific pursuit, beginning with how she met Anne on a train to Paris and Anne respected Marie as the star scientist of Poland. Her story continues to her early days at the University of Paris and her encounter with Pierre Curie, who later becomes her faithful husband and scientific partner. Kim So-hyang as Marie Curie, right, and Lee Bomsori as Anne Kowalski / Courtesy of Live Contents Group "Marie Curie" was selected for the second season of "Glocal Musical Live," an original musical competition organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency in 2017 and ARKO Selection hosted by the Arts Council Korea in 2018. When the production premiered in December 2018 on a short-run test, Marie was mostly stuck in her lab, experimenting and researching, while her husband Pierre came to the front, in a struggle with antagonist Ruben who conceals the side effects of radium which was used in self-luminous paint for watch dials at his factory. The current version drastically changed the plot, empowering Marie as an independent scientist and emphasizing her relationship with her friend Anne, a fictional character who worked at Ruben's radium factory. Their friendship begins in a train compartment, but it grows into a more significant one as Anne takes a stand for her colleagues dying from radium poisoning. Marie, who agonizes over her struggle to secure her position in the scientific world, accepts the consequences of her discovery and tries to use them for a good cause. Jeong In-ji as Marie Curie in a scene from the musical "Marie Curie" / Courtesy of Live Contents Group We arrived yesterday at Word of Life Florida in Hudson, a few miles north of Tampa. We'll be here for the next three weeks. I've been coming to the conference center for 29 years, ever since Tom Phillips asked me to fill in for a speaker who had to cancel in 1992.Back then the conference center seemed like it was in the middle of nowhere. Now the area around it has been hugely developed. Today this ministry includes a conference center, a Bible institute, plus a youth camp and an RV park. Word of Life Florida has become a bustling center for Christian ministry. This week I'm doing a new series called "Big Promises: God Says You Are, You Have, You Can, You Will." Here are the messages in the series: You are Forgiven: Gods Answer to Guilt You are Never Alone: Gods Answer to Fear You Have a Way Out: Gods Answer to Temptation You Have a Great Future: Gods Answer to Failure You Can Learn to Forgive: Gods Answer to Resentment You Can Do More Than You Think: Gods Answer to Despair You Can Live in Peace: Gods Answer to Anxiety You Will Get Better: God's Answer to Hopelessness Please pray for clarity and boldness and for open hearts to receive God's Word. PS Click here to sign up for the free email sermons. L ondoners have stripped supermarket shelves of essential items amid the growing UK coronavirus outbreak, despite warnings there is no need to stockpile. Photos on social media show scantily stocked aisles in Tesco, Sainsburys and Waitrose, while a video has emerged of mass purchases being made at wholesalers in Hampshire. It comes as some supermarkets began rationing essential items in a bid to stop panic buying leaving their shelves empty. Tesco has started rationing essential food and household items, limiting the amount of hand gels, wipes and sprays, dry pasta, UHT milk and some tinned vegetables to five items per customer. The limit applies to shoppers both online and in store. A spokesman for the supermarket said it is in talks with suppliers to ensure the heightened demand for essentials is met. Sainsbury's told the BBC that it is not currently rationing any products online or in store. Meanwhile, Waitrose said it has introduced a temporary cap on some items on its website, including some anti-bacterial soaps and wipes. A spokeswoman told the Standard: "In-store, we are currently not putting a cap on any products. "We have introduced a temporary cap on certain products on Waitrose.com including some anti-bacterial soaps and wipes, to ensure our customers have access to the products they need. Coronavirus: Empty supermarket shelves amid panic buying "We continue to work with suppliers to help meet demand." There are also reports of Asda restricting some types of hand sanitiser and Morrisons limiting purchases of online handwash and children's medicine. The move follows in the footsteps of retailer Boots, who announced this week that customers could only buy two bottles of hand sanitiser in one go. It comes as people across the UK continue to post pictures of empty shelves in supermarkets. One Londoner said: Interesting shopping experience yesterday at Sainsbury's Streatham common in London around 5.30pm. "Was trying to do my normal weekly shopping (10 voucher expiring on that day)... no pasta, rice, loo roll, canned veg, Longlife milk etc! Another added: Im in a supermarket in London and the two things it would appear that Londoners are stockpiling are pasta and slimline tonic. One Twitter user added: A selection of the shelves in London. People stockpiling mainly pasta, eggs, milk and water. Another said: Either the people of west London are stockpiling or Waitrose genuinely gets its pasta from Italy. One Twitter user said: Empty shelves in London today. People are panicking! hence stockpiling. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) on behalf of supermarkets, said it was working constructively with Government officials to ensure that supermarkets remain stocked and supply chains continue to function as normal for the foreseeable future. She added: While coronavirus has increased the demand of certain products in the short-term, we are confident that any disruption will remain limited and consumers will continue to be able to choose from a wide selection of foods and other products in stores across the country. Andrew Opie, the BRCs director of food and sustainability, said retailers were taking necessary steps to meet the rise in demand for some hygiene and long-life products. He said: Our members are working as hard as they can to ensure all consumers have access to the products they need. Even where there are challenges, retailers are well-versed in providing effective measures to keep retail sites running smoothly and we are working with suppliers to ensure this continues. He said retailers reported an uptick in online deliveries and are consequently taking all necessary steps to meet this rise in demand so that all consumers continue to have access to the products they need. The Government has pledged the public will continue to have the food and supplies they need during the Covid-19 outbreak amid fears of panic buying and empty shelves. Environment Secretary George Eustice held talks with supermarket and trade body bosses over food supply contingencies on Friday and said he was reassured retailers were taking all the necessary steps to keep shelves well-stocked. He said: I spoke with chief executives from the UKs leading supermarkets to discuss their response to coronavirus. The retailers reassured me they have well-established contingency plans and are taking all the necessary steps to ensure consumers have the food and supplies they need. Retailers are continuing to monitor their supply chains and have robust plans in place to minimise disruption. Meanwhile, Doctor Abdu Sharkawy of the University of Torontos Division of Infectious Disease wrote on Facebook that he was not scared of the virus, but was scared of the implications of mass panic. He said: What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic, stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world. I am scared of the N95 masks that are stolen from hospitals and urgent care clinics where they are actually needed for front line healthcare providers and instead are being donned in airports, malls, and coffee lounges, perpetuating even more fear and suspicion of others. Oil majors including Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are facing uphill battles to convince U.S. courts to enforce multi-billion dollar arbitration awards they secured against Nigerias state oil company. The companies accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. of taking more crude than it was entitled to under four deals that were signed in 1993 to incentivise them to develop deep offshore blocks. Those projects today account for about 30% of the countrys 2 million barrels of daily output. Independent arbitration tribunals seated in Nigeria sided with the companies and awarded them damages. But the NNPC successfully challenged the awards in the Nigerian courts, which ruled the disagreements were either tax disputes and not subject to arbitration, or the tribunals had no right to impose the penalties. INTERNATIONAL: Papua New Guinea calls off talks with Exxon In September last year, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed a lawsuit filed by Exxon and Shell units that aimed at enforcing a 2011 arbitration ruling requiring NNPC to pay them $1.8 billion for a contractual breach. Judge William Pauley noted that the companies had multiple appeals pending in Nigeria. No Justice The companies have appealed the U.S. judgment, saying the Nigerian courts denied them due process by annulling the award and they are now owed $2.7 billion with accrued interest. The case was filed in the U.S. because Nigerias courts have never ordered NNPC to pay monetary damages to a foreign plaintiff over two decades and lack the political independence to render impartial judgments in a high-value dispute, the companies said in a court filing. It could take at least a decade for Nigerias Supreme Court to adjudicate in the appeals process, which renders the prospect of justice so illusory as to amount to no justice at all, they said. Umar Gwandu, a spokesman for Justice Minister Abubakar Malami, didnt respond to a request for comment. NNPC must file its response to the U.S. appeal by April 10. DEMAND: IEA plans to revise down oil demand forecasts due to virus The companies face a formidable challenge to persuade a U.S. judge to reinstate damages already set aside by a Nigerian court, said Tafadzwa Pasipanodya, a Washington-based partner in Foley Hoag LLPs international litigation and arbitration department. Read more about another legal dispute has with the oil majors. Separate tribunals in Nigeria instructed NNPC to pay a Shell-led consortium $1.4 billion in damages in 2013, and Eni SpA more than $500 million the following year, while Chevron Corp. and Equinor ASA secured a $1 billion award in 2015. Those awards were also set aside by the local courts. Chevron and Equinor initiated their own proceedings in the Southern District of New York in March 2018 to enforce their award, with oral argument scheduled to be heard on April 20. Eni approached the same court in mid-2017, but suspended its legal action in November while Nigerias Federal High Court considers the matter. While U.S. courts can enforce arbitration awards made and subsequently overturned in other countries, they apply a strong presumption in favor of following the foreign courts ruling, according to Jonathan Blackman, New York-based senior counsel at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. The parties must show the decisions of the Nigerian judiciary were repugnant to basic U.S. principles of justice and fairness or due process, he said. This is a difficult -- but not impossible -- standard to meet. FUEL FIX: Get our energy news in your inbox each weekday Industry Support The case brought by Exxon and Shell meets that threshold, according to the American Petroleum Institute, which filed a brief in support of the companies appeal. The conduct of Nigerias courts runs contrary to central concepts of justice in the United States, it said. Spokesmen for Exxon, Chevron and Equinor said their companies dont comment on ongoing litigation. Representatives of Shell, Eni and NNPC didnt respond to requests for comment. There is an example of an arbitration decision that went against Nigeria being enforced in the U.K., which threatens to put further strain on the nations already stretched finances. In September, a British judge ruled that Process & Industrial Developments Ltd. can collect on a compensation award for losses incurred on an aborted gas-processing project in Nigeria -- a claim that now stands at $9.6 billion, or more than a quarter of the nations foreign reserves. Nigerias government, which is appealing that ruling, alleges the company paid bribes to secure the contract. P&ID denies any wrongdoing. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. The fate of foreign visitors stuck in red zones in northern Italy was not immediately clear. Italy announced a sweeping quarantine early Sunday for its northern regions, igniting travel chaos as it restricted the movements of a quarter of its people in a bid to halt the new coronavirus' relentless march across Europe. Shortly after midnight, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree affecting 16 million people in the country's prosperous north, including the Lombardy region and at least 14 provinces in neighboring regions. The extraordinary measures will be in place until April 3, ABC News reports. "For Lombardy and for the other northern provinces that I have listed, there will be a ban for everybody to move in and out of these territories and also within the same territory," Conte said. "Exceptions will be allowed only for proven professional needs, exceptional cases and health issues." Around the world, other countries have been increasingly imitating China where the virus first emerged late last year by imposing travel controls and shutting down public events. China has suffered about three-fourths of the world's 106,000 coronavirus infections and most of its nearly 3,600 deaths. Read alsoNo coronavirus found in six patients earlier hospitalized in Chernivtsi with covid-19 symptoms There was chaos and confusion in the hours before Conte signed the decree, as word leaked to the news media about the planned quarantine. Italy on Saturday reported its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases since its outbreak began on February 21. The number of infected people rose 1,247 in the previous 24 hours, taking the total to 5,883. Italy's death toll rose to 233. Regional politicians were taken aback by the lockdown. Stefano Bonaccini, president of the Emilia Romagna region, said parts of the decree were confusing. The mayor of Asti, in the Piedmont region, posted an irate video on his Facebook page slamming Rome for not keeping regional leaders in the loop. The fate of foreign visitors stuck in red zones in northern Italy was not immediately clear. Vikki Campion has broken two years of silence to announce her return to parliament, but denies claims her partner and former boss Barnaby Joyce got her the job. The mother-of-two revealed she is returning to Canberra to work part-time as a media adviser for federal parliament's deputy speaker Llew O'Brien. Mr O'Brien is known to be close with the couple after calling a spill last month in the hopes of getting Mr Joyce to once again become leader of the Nationals party. But Ms Campion has dismissed rumours her partner helped her land the job. Scroll down for video Vikki Campion (pictured with boyfriend and member for new England Barnaby Joyce) will be returning to parliament in a casual role Vikki Campion has announced her return to parliament but denies claims her partner and former boss Barnaby Joyce got her the job 'Barnaby had nothing to do with it,' she told The Australian's Media Diary. Ms Campion said while she loves her children, two-year-old Sebastian and nine-month-old Thomas, she is ready to be known once more as a professional. 'I adore my kids, but I also want to challenge myself with more than wiping babies' faces. And I haven't worn high heels in two years!' she said. Ms Campion will return to work during parliamentary sitting weeks. Working four hours a day, she will be writing op-ed pieces, speeches and doing administrative work for Mr O'Brien. However, Ms Campion's role will not involve any direct media-facing. The former journalist also stressed she will be paid according to Mr O'Brien's casual electorate office allocation. 'This move has nothing to do with money. To be honest, the job will be lucky to pay for the cost of childcare in Canberra,' Ms Campion said. Ms Campion welcomed her second son, Thomas Michael Timothy, with Mr Joyce in June 2019. The birth came just a year after their first son, Sebastian, was born, while Mr Joyce has four daughters from his marriage with his now estranged wife Natalie. The mother-of-two revealed she is returning to Canberra to work as a part-time casual for federal parliament's deputy speaker Llew O'Brien Ms Campion slammed rumours she landed the job because of her partner Barnaby Joyce (pictured together after the birth of their first son Sebastian) The New England MP resigned as deputy prime minister and Nationals leader in February 2018 after revelations surfaced of his affair with Ms Campion - who was pregnant with his love child at the time. During his resignation, the former deputy prime minister asked that his departure be the 'circuit-breaker' for coverage on his new relationship and unborn son. 'I'd like to say that it's absolutely important, it's incredibly important that there be a circuit-breaker, not just for the parliament, but more importantly, a circuit-breaker for Vikki, for my unborn child, my daughters and for Nat,' he said. 'This has got to stop. It's not fair on them. It's just completely and utterly unwarranted, the sort of observation that's happened.' Joyce had been married to now estranged wife Natalie Abberfield for 24 years. The two have four daughters together Mrs Joyce (pictured with Barnaby and their four daughters Bridgette, Julia, Caroline and Odette) later broke her silence on the scandal revealing she had confronted her husband's mistress after catching wind of their affair The politician issued a public apology to his wife and children saying he was 'deeply sorry for all the hurt this has caused'. He also apologised to his electorate for the 'personal issue' going into the public arena'. Natalie Joyce later addressed the scandal in a bombshell interview with Women's Weekly, revealing she had confronted her husband's mistress after getting wind of their affair. 'I turned to her and said, ''My husband is out of bounds, off-limits, he's a married man with four children'', and then I called her a home-wrecking wh***. It was not one of my finer moments but, looking back, I'm proud I stood up to her'. The mother-of-four also revealed she and Mr Joyce had always planned to name their boy Sebastian should they ever have a son. When the name of their love child was revealed, Ms Joyce said it felt like 'another malicious taunt in a very long line of appalling behaviour'. She told the publication she decided to break her silence to defend her family's 'fine name'. The neoliberalist who all of a sudden now is coming back to life, and the catalyst was my own black people. Oh, Im so disappointed, he said. What has happened to our black leadership? Some have just sold out. The decision to let the panelists provide the message was an unusual one, particularly for a candidate who has cast his campaign as a multiracial coalition that can mobilize a movement of working-class Americans. He didnt want to speak on behalf of people of color when there were people of color on the panel, said Mike Casca, a campaign spokesman. Bernie does not have those experiences. Hes a white Jewish man. The event itself was an acknowledgment that Mr. Sanders is still struggling to improve his standing among black voters four years after he lost his first run for president in part because of his inability to gain their support. On Super Tuesday last week, Mr. Biden outperformed Mr. Sanders by 40 points or more among black voters in Texas, North Carolina and Virginia. In several states, Mr. Sanders came in third among black voters, behind not only Mr. Biden but also Michael R. Bloomberg. In Flint, Mr. Sanders drew only a smattering of nonwhite voters to his Saturday night event, advertised as a racial and economic justice town hall with the candidate. A Virgin Media employee delivering a digital tv reciever. (Photo by: Newscast/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) An unsecured database that left the personal details of almost one million Virgin Media (LBTYA) customers accessible to unknown parties allegedly contained data that could link customers to pornographic sites. Virgin media apologised for the breach on Friday, which affected around 900,000 customers, and insisted that limited contact information had been accessed. However TurgenSec, the cyber security company that discovered the breach, said the database included details of explicit and violent content. These included "requests to block or unblock various pornographic, gore related and gambling websites, corresponding to full names and addresses," according to TurgenSec. Read more: Toxic ideas of masculinity are bad for all employees Information about customer subscriptions to the different aspects of Virgin Media services, including premium components, was also left accessible. The database was reportedly left unsecured since April 2019. A Virgin Media spokesman said: "Out of the approximate 900,000 people affected by this database incident, 1,100, or 0.1%, had information included relating to our Report a Site form. "We strongly refute any claim that we have acted in a disingenuous way. In our initial notification to all affected people about this incident, we made it clear that any information provided to us via a webform was potentially included in the database. "All individuals have been given details on how they can get in touch with us directly to address any queries, or for support and advice. We will be further contacting customers, where appropriate, to provide additional guidance. Read more: Virgin Atlantic bosses to take 15% pay cut in coronavirus response "In addition, we are currently building a bespoke, secure online tool which will allow any individual to find out if they are affected and which data types relating to them was included in the database. "We once again apologise to those who have been affected." The duchess with some of the schoolchildren at the Dagenham school. (Press Association) The Duchess of Sussex has revealed her secret visit to a secondary school in Dagenham was to mark International Womens Day. Meghan was seen at the Robert Clack Upper School on Friday, but no details were released of her visit. Now, Buckingham Palace has confirmed she made the visit for International Womens Day, choosing the area because of its connection to the Ford plant, where women went on strike for equal pay in 1968. The strike eventually led to the passing of the Equal Pay Act 1970. The duchess was joined by one of the women who went on strike, Geraldine Dear. Meghan gave a speech in an assembly in what is likely to be her final solo royal engagement. She said: When we thought about what I wanted to do for International Womens Day this year, for me it was incredibly important to be with the women of our future. And that is all of the young women here, as well as the young men who play a very large part in this. Specifically coming to your school made a lot of sense for me because of this social justice and the impact that its rooted in. Read more: International Women's Day: The Royal Family's most feminist moments She challenged one young man to come to the stage and say what International Womens Day meant to him, a challenged taken up by the schools head boy, Aker Okoye. He appeared to kiss her on the cheek when he greeted her, and was given a hug and praised for his confidence after he spoke. Okoye, 16, had told his fellow pupils that "she really is beautiful, innit" as he joined her on the stage. The duchess continued: I think whats really key for all of you to remember is especially looking at the people who have paved the way for you to get to this point in your lives and be able to have the access that you do, its not just an opportunity to continue that, its a responsibility. So I just encourage and empower each of you to really stand in your truth, to stand for what is right, to continue to respect each other, for you young men to continue to value and appreciate the women in your lives and also set the example for some men who are not seeing it that same way. Story continues The duchess gave a speech to mark International Women's Day. (Press Association) She hugged Aker after he took on her challenge. (Press Association) Read more: Duke and Duchess of Sussex get standing ovation at Mountbatten Festival of Music Closing with remarks which could be seen to reflect the sentiment of the statement made by Prince Harry when she was first revealed to be his girlfriend, she told men to protect the women in their lives. She said: You have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life, protect them. Make sure that they are feeling valued and safe and lets all just rally together to make International Womens Day something that is not just on Sunday, but frankly feels like every day of the year. Speaking afterwards, Aker, 16, said: I just had to stand up, I had to look around because I wasnt sure if there was anybody else. I thought to myself, this day means so much to me, itd be an insult for me not to speak. He continued: It means a lot to have her here because its not every day that youll meet someone from the royal family. With all the negative news and everything thats spread such as the coronavirus and whatnot, its heart-warming to see theres still good in the world and we can still celebrate our achievements. The Duchess of Sussex (centre) poses with school children making the 'equality' sign following a school assembly. (Press Association) Read more: Meghan Markle says it's 'nice' to be back as she joins Prince Harry at Endeavour Fund awards The struggle for equal pay in the Ford Motor Factory was depicted in the 2010 film Made in Dagenham. It came about when the mostly female sewing machinists were classed as working in an unskilled job, meaning they were not paid the same as men in the other departments. One of those who made history with the strike, Dear, said: She said it was an honour to meet me and I said it was the other way around. I said the girls should believe in themselves. I did ask her how Archie is and she said to me hes 10 months old today and hes just trying to walk. Meghan was joined at the days events by Olivia Collins, 18, who spoke about her experiences as a working-class young woman from the borough of Barking and Dagenham. Afterwards, she told the Press Association: Its a huge thing to have our borough, which is often overlooked, recognised by someone so huge in the media and somebody who many people believe is a symbol of female autonomy, is a symbol of a powerful woman who is not afraid to do what she wants, which is best for her and her family. The Duchess of Sussex is greeted by pupils at the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham. (Press Association) The Duchess of Sussex is presented with a school jacket as she joins in a discussion of the 'Senior Debate Squad'. (Press Association) Read more: Harry and Meghan will join royals at Commonwealth Day service - but Andrew won't Fiona Addai and Harvi Shehi, both 11, were chosen to greet the duchess. Fiona said: First I got told that it was a lady, but when she pulled up, when she was coming out I thought it would be Kate by the hair, then she came out, shes my biggest idol so I was really happy to see her. I was so happy, I thought I was going to faint because shes my biggest idol and I really love her. Harvi added: I was amazed because I thought it was going to be a male but it turned out to be Meghan, which was fabulous to see as well because it wasnt expected. The royal couple will release more material from the visit throughout Sunday on their Instagram. Footage and photos emerged on Friday afternoon of Meghan at the school, but no announcement of the visit had been made. It followed another secret visit, to the National Theatre in London, of which she will remain a patron even after she and Harry step back from their senior royal roles. Read more: Meghan Markle wears 29 Topshop blouse for private National Theatre visit The Sussexes confirmed the details after the theatre visit on their Instagram. Meghan shared details of Fridays visit on Instagram on Saturday, after she and Harry attended the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall. The couple was given a standing ovation as they took their seats. Harry was in attendance in his role as Captain General of the Royal Marines. After 31 March, he will not use his honorary military roles, but will retain the titles and ranks he earned while in the military. The roles will not be reallocated to other members of the Royal Family immediately. A decision is likely to come in April 2021, at the 12 month review stage for the Sussexes. Harry and Meghan are likely to return to Canada after the Commonwealth Day Service on 9 March, their final engagement as senior royals. They will pay back the renovation work on Frogmore Cottage, where they have been staying while back in the UK, and will stop using their HRH stylings. They will also not be able to use the word royal, meaning an end to the brand Sussex Royal. By Thomas Escritt BERLIN, March 7 (Reuters) - Social Democrat state premieres on Saturday called for Germany to take in vulnerable refugees from crowded reception camps in Greece, in the latest sign of discord in the ruling coalition over the prospect of a new refugee wave hitting Europe. Tens of thousands of migrants have been trying to get into Greece, an EU member state, since Turkey said on Feb. 28 it would no longer try to keep them on its territory as agreed in 2016 with the EU in return for aid. But since Chancellor Angela Merkel's 2015 decision to let in more than a million migrants, migration has been among Germany's most divisive issues, splitting her conservative party and fuelling a far-right surge. The Social Democrats, Merkel's national coalition partners, control seven of the 16 states that make up the German Federal Republic, and represent a more urban voter base which is more relaxed about immigration. "Putting all political calculation aside, now is the time to act and at the very least get at least children and young unaccompanied refugees out of this situation," said Michael Mueller, mayor of Berlin. While immigration is a federal issue, Germany's states have great autonomy and control huge budgets that can be allocated to related areas ranging from refugee integration to healthcare and housing. In Saturday's statement, the left-wing premieres, including the mayors of the three city-states of Berlin, Hamburg, and Bremen, and the minister-president of Lower Saxony, a major industrial region, demanded a "pact of humanity" under which vulnerable refugees could be shared out across the country. The leaders' intervention comes as Merkel's Christian Democrats squabble over who should succeed the 65-year-old as party leader. She remains personally popular 14 years after taking office, but her potential successors have different positions regarding her signature act from 2015. While two candidates are seen as close to Merkel on migration, Friedrich Merz, the contender from the party's right, has said the refugees must be sent back to Turkey and be given no hope of entering the EU or Germany. Many observers believe his victory would strain the coalition beyond repair. (Reporting by Thomas Escritt Editing by James Drummond) A doctor has advised hospitals to prepare for up 96 million coronavirus infections and 500,000 potential deaths as a worst-case scenario for the potential extent of the outbreak, leaked documents reveal. The documents, obtained by Business Insider, come from a presentation made during a webinar hosted by the American Hospital Association (AHA). Dr James Lawler, a professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Centre, shared a series of slides with attendees about what his "best guess" was when estimating how the outbreak could impact hospitals and health officials. His webinar, titled "What healthcare leaders need to know: Preparing for the COVID-19", was presented on 26 February. He estimated 96 million could become infected, and of those people 480,000 could die from the coronavirus based on how the virus might spread. Leaked documents from his presentation also showed the expert anticipated the virus would hit the elderly population the hardest. People aged 80 and over have a 14 per cent chance of dying if they have the infection, Dr Lawler estimates. Those aged 70 to 79 and 60 to 69 have an estimated mortality rate of 8 per cent and 3.6 percent if they contract the virus. Medical conditions can also influence someone's risk. Dr Lawler estimates those with heart conditions would have a one and 10 chance of dying from the disease. For people without any pre-existing medical conditions, there is only a one in 100 chance they could die. Dr Lawler reported his estimates to encourage hospitals to prepare for high numbers so each facility can limit those who die. A spokesperson for Nebraska Medicine told Business Insider the figures Dr Lawler presented represent his views and "interpretation of the data available". "It's possible that forecast will change as more information becomes available," the spokesperson added. The AHA also told the publication the views were that of Dr Lawler. "The American Hospital Association said the webinar reflects the views of the experts who spoke on it, not its own," a statement said. Dr Lawler served as a member of the Homeland Security Council for President George W. Bush and as a member of the National Security Council for President Barack Obama. In recent weeks, he's helped treat US patients with the coronavirus who travelled from China and the Diamond Princess cruise ship. Response to the coronavirus has heightened in recent days with Mr Trump signing an $8.3bn emergency funding package on Friday to go towards combating the spread. New York state announced a state of emergency after the total number of cases increased to 76 on Saturday. The US death toll from the virus has also increased with 19 people dying, 16 of whom lived in Washington state. In total, the US has experienced more than 400 cases of the coronavirus. Globally, the number of cases has increased to more than 105,000 with over 3,500 deaths. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 00:15:05|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- As the International Women's Day is marked under the theme "I am generation equality: realizing women's rights," the African Union (AU) has reiterated its commitment to further scaling up efforts towards addressing gender parity on the African continent. In a statement on Sunday, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Mousa Faki Mahamat, said the 55-member pan-African bloc is endeavoring towards achieving gender parity and ensuring that women and men have access to equal opportunities. The AU Commission joins the global community to celebrate and honor African women for their contributions in the development and well-being of the continent, said the Chairperson, reiterating that the Day marks important milestones in the continental and global calendar for gender equality and the empowerment of women. At the continental level, this year marks the end of the African Women's Decade 2010-2020 on Grassroots Approach to Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment. Globally, 2020 commemorates the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 20th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. This year is also the fifth anniversaries of Africa's Agenda 2063's First Ten Year Implementation Plan and the United Nations Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, it marks the beginning of the United Nations-led multigenerational campaign captioned "Generation Equality: Realizing women's rights for an equal future", which the African Union is supporting. "All these milestones provide an opportunity to take stock of women's achievements, and reflect on how action can be accelerated to fully achieve the goals of gender equality and women's empowerment in Africa," said the AU statement. The AU heads of states at their recently concluded 33rd summit in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, declared 2020 to 2030 as the African Women's Decade on Financial and Economic Inclusion. The AU, in collaboration with the UN Economic Commission for Africa, has also launched the African Women Leadership Fund with the aim of mobilizing resources from the global private sector to fund women initiatives and promote an enabling environment for the increased participation of women across the continent. Furthermore, the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement promises to benefit women in business, especially women cross-border traders across the Continent, said Mahamat. "The AU remains committed to eradicating violence against Women and Girls in its all ramification as well as protecting the girl child from all forms of abuse including early marriage and other harmful traditional practices," he said. Early this week, Boris Johnson will take his seat in the COBRA briefing room in the Cabinet Office of 70 Whitehall and be told by his senior medical advisers that the time has come to officially move to the Delay phase of the Government's four-part coronavirus action plan. He will then be given an extensive 'menu' of measures to be enacted in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. And the options he selects, how effective they are, and how Britain responds to them will define the first year of his premiership perhaps even his entire term. 'Things are going to get a lot more difficult,' a No 10 adviser explains. Yes, if necessary, Boris can pick up the cudgels, wade headlong into the midst of our raging culture war, and more than hold his own. But in his mind's eye, Prime Minister Johnson is a national unifier, rather than a political disruptor 'What we do next is going to have real-life consequences. There's potentially going to be significant disruption.' Boris's critics are convinced the coronavirus pandemic will find him out. That what we're witnessing is his Great Smog moment, mirroring an episode of TV's The Crown about the London air pollution crisis of December 1952. In it, the ageing Churchill is unprepared for and incapable of responding to the unprecedented environmental catastrophe that sees a blanket of pollution descend on the capital. Over the past few weeks, there were times when it appeared he was becoming little more than a construct of his controversial adviser Dominic Cummings. Or even worse, giving credence to Jeremy Corbyn's caricature of him as a 'part-time Prime Minister'. But the past seven days have seen Boris becoming the PM he has always wanted to be Public transport, ambulances and other vital services grind to a halt and 12,000 Londoners perish. The warnings of his Ministers are ignored. Churchill finds himself outflanked by Clement Attlee as public anger mounts. And it's only the loss of his own personal secretary that finally brings home the enormity of the situation. The PM's enemies think life and death is about to mirror art. Boris has too little attention to detail. His No 10 operation is too dysfunctional. Just look at the response to the floods, where the Prime Minister was missing in action, they crow. What's certainly true is no one can predict how Britain will respond to the trials ahead. We are no longer the nation that stood defiantly against Hitler but a land of 'snowflakes' and 'safe spaces' with a toxic addiction to social media. But there are signs that contrary to the narrative being crafted by the Left this crisis may not be the undoing of Boris Johnson but the making of him. His timing over when to be seen to be taking personal charge of the Government's response was well judged. As a Minister explained: 'The main thing with something like this is to understand that there are lots of things that you can do and be seen to be doing, but if you move too early it can make everything worse rather than better. It was important early in this crisis that we focused on making preparations without creating an unnecessary panic.' I'm told the key moment came at the start of last week, after the PM had received the latest assessment from his health officials, coupled with new figures for the growing scale of infections in Italy. The PM's enemies think life and death is about to mirror art. Boris has too little attention to detail. His No 10 operation is too dysfunctional. Just look at the response to the floods, where the Prime Minister was missing in action, they crow. People are pictured wearing face masks in central London According to one aide: 'He just looked up and said: 'OK, it's time for me to get in front of this now.' ' Importantly, when he did come out in front at Tuesday's Downing Street press conference, the tone that was struck met the moment. 'He wanted to give people the facts, but he also wanted the message to be 'Keep Calm And Carry on', says an ally, 'and he succeeded. His opponents criticise his supposedly laid-back style. But people like his optimism and realism. It's what's needed at a time like this.' But, significantly, the last week has been about much more than style. The experts are back. Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance were stationed prominently at the PM's side as he addressed the nation (above). The selective boycott of broadcasters has been dropped. And the Government's response has been driven by a pact reached early in the crisis by Boris and Health Secretary Matt Hancock that every response had to be led by clinical advice. But there are signs that contrary to the narrative being crafted by the Left this crisis may not be the undoing of Boris Johnson but the making of him. His timing over when to be seen to be taking personal charge of the Government's response was well judged 'Back in January, we decided we had to conduct the battle on two fronts,' a Department of Health source reveals. 'And they were the battle against the disease and the battle for public confidence.' The PM and Hancock agreed that winning the trust of the public couldn't just be left to spin teams to sell after the event but had to be in the forefront of decision-makers' minds as they were forging policy. They also agreed that symbolic gestures with no practical public health benefit would prove counterproductive as soon as it became clear they were having little tangible effect. 'When countries such as Italy were introducing screening at airports, people were saying, 'Why aren't we doing that?' ' explains a Department of Health source. 'But the medical experts told us with a 14-day incubation period, most positive cases wouldn't be picked up. 'Similarly, if we started banning flights, it would have caused massive disruption, but would slow the spread of the virus by only a few days. That's why we opted for a targeted approach of isolating patients and tracing confirmed cases.' Boris's critics are convinced the coronavirus pandemic will find him out. That what we're witnessing is his Great Smog moment, mirroring an episode of TV's The Crown about the London air pollution crisis of December 1952. The crisis is pictured above But there is one other key component of the way the Government is approaching the coronavirus crisis. It is doing so in a way designed to finally allow Boris to be Boris. Over the past few weeks, there were times when it appeared he was becoming little more than a construct of his controversial adviser Dominic Cummings. Or even worse, giving credence to Jeremy Corbyn's caricature of him as a 'part-time Prime Minister'. But the past seven days have seen Boris becoming the PM he has always wanted to be. Assembling a team. Delegating and deferring. Leading the country in a calm, confident, reassuring way. This is what his allies call 'the London model', a return to the governance style that served him so well during his two successful turns as London Mayor. Yes, if necessary, Boris can pick up the cudgels, wade headlong into the midst of our raging culture war, and more than hold his own. But in his mind's eye, Prime Minister Johnson is a national unifier, rather than a political disruptor. There is a long way to go. We are much nearer to the start of the coronavirus epidemic than the end. But in our moment of crisis, the country has been looking for leadership. And last week we may have found it. Allies of Amber Rudd have been shedding light on the working practices of outgoing Home Office Permanent Secretary Sir Philip Rutnam. 'When she was Home Secretary, she used to have a role in making senior departmental appointments,' a friend tells me. 'She'd interview the candidates, then rank her preferred options in order: first choice, second, third. It would then be up to Rutnam to make the final decision. Every time he would come to her and say, 'This is the person I've appointed.' And it would be her third option. After a while she thought, 'What is the point of me even doing this?' ' It's not just Priti Patel who had trouble with Sir Humphrey. This page contains only evaluation reports published after 2014 From honouring achievers in various spheres to special all-women services, the country on Sunday celebrated 'Nari Shakti' amid calls for taking steps for their empowerment and giving them a safe environment. In a unique social media initiative on International Women's Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over his accounts on various social media platforms to seven woman achievers from different fields to share their life journeys and messages. Modi shared brief videos of the women on his Twitter and Instagram pages and their achievements on his Facebook page. The achievements were shared under #SheInspiresUs. President Ram Nath Kovind awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar to 15 women for their contribution in acting as game changers and catalyst of positive change in the society. As part of Women's Day celebrations, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) made entry to monuments across the country under it free for women, while the Air India operated 52 flights with all-women crews. The Maharashtra government has decided to raise an all-woman battalion of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) in Nagpur district and all-women crew operated the Coimbatore KSR Bengaluru UDAY Express. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's in his message on the occasion said, "May you grow from strength to strength," He also posted Mahatma Gandhi's quote on Twitter, "If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior." Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda pitched for implementing the Women's Reservation Bill, while CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury sought to know why it was not tabled in Parliament yet. Women members of the Trinamool Congress marched in a rally denouncing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens in central Kolkata. The party's chief Mamata Banerjee, who is also West Bengal chief minister, tweeted welfare and empowerment of women were the pillars of society. Chief ministers Amarinder Singh, Manohar Lal Khattar, Pramod Sawant and Naveen Patnaik extended their greetings and laid stress upon women empowerment. Patnaik said a separate department would be formed for self-help groups (SHGs) for the development and empowerment of women. The women chosen to use Modi's accounts included Sneha Mohandoss, who works to eradicate hunger, Malvika Iyer, who survived a gruesome bomb blast that blew off her hands and damaged her legs when she was 13 and is now a motivational speaker, disability activist and model, and Arifa Jaan from Kashmir who promotes traditional crafts of Kashmir. Others were Kalpana Ramesh, a water conservator, Vijaya Pawar, who promotes handicrafts from the Banjara community of rural Maharashtra, Kalavati Devi of Kanpur, who collects money to build toilets, and Veena Devi, who is from Munger in Bihar and made her name by growing mushrooms under her bed due to lack of space. Those who were awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar included a lady mason, a centenarian athlete, Jharkhand's lady Tarzan and a "mushroom mahila". To mark the occasion, a jawan of the border guarding force ITBP, Arjun Kheriyal, composed and sung a Hindi song. The 7:24 minute audio-visual song, titled 'Lado, meri lado', was released by the force on its official social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Kheriyal is a singing talent of the force. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh's security agencies are ready to avoid any "untoward situation" during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country next week, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Sunday. Modi is expected to travel to Dhaka on March 17 at the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina to attend the centenary celebrations of Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "We will welcome Prime Minister Modi with the state of honour. Members of our law enforcement agencies will act alongside armed forces across the country to ensure his security," Khan was quoted as saying by the Daily Star. His remarks came days after some people held a protest in Dhaka and other districts against Prime Minister Modi over India's new citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The protestors demanded Prime Minister Hasina to cancel Modis visit. The Bangladesh home minister said the law enforcement agencies are ready "so that no one can create any untoward situation" during Modi's visit. During the visit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to assuage Bangladesh's concerns over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the NRC, sources in New Delhi have said. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla was in Bangladesh earlier this month and during his visit he had assured Bangladesh that the updation of the National Register of Citizens will have "no implications" for its people, asserting that it is a process that is "entirely internal" to the country. Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Home Minister Khan cancelled their visits to India in December over the situation following the passage of the citizenship bill by Parliament. Dhaka was also apparently upset following the rollout of the NRC in Assam even though India conveyed to it that the issue was an internal matter of the country. Responding to a query over border killings by security forces at the border, the home minister said he has brought up the issue with his Indian counterpart on numerous occasions. Claiming that the incident of border killing increased this year compared to last year, Kamal said discussions between the BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh is going on to bring border killings to zero. PTI PMS ZH PMS Haiti - Culture : Launch of the project Woman Street Art : for an inclusive urbanization As part of the celebration of International Women's Day (March 8), the Collective For the Promotion of Urban Arts and Contemporary Art (CPAUAC) launched this week the "Women Street Art : for a inclusive urbanization" project funded by Global Affairs Canada in the presence of, among others, of Stuart Savage the Ambassador of Canada accredited to Haiti, the Canadian artist Mono Sourcil and the Project Coordinator Jean Widler Pierresaint. The "Women Street Art..." project aims to promote the emergence of young Haitian women artists who can contribute, through culture and street arts, to the promotion of gender equality, to non-gender-based violence and the social, commercial and tourist revitalization of Port-au-Prince. As part of this project, in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy in Haiti and its local partners, notably the town hall of Port-au-Prince, CPAUAC is organizing a slam and graffiti workshop from March 9 to 12, 2020 to the intention of young women with bases in drawing and painting. This workshop will offer selected participants a voice of innovative expression for the promotion of women's empowerment and respect for their rights in Haiti; tools to help beautify our neighborhoods; a platform for engaging in dialogue with pairs and co-constructing, with all of the project stakeholders (elected officials, citizens, merchants and graffiti artists), citizen actions promoting the participation of as many people as possible in the districts. HL/ HaitiLibre The Stars Editorial Board endorses candidates and ballot propositions that we conclude, after much research and discussion, are the best option. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 01:45:31|Editor: yan Video Player Close ALGIERS, March 8 (Xinhua) -- At least two Algerian soldiers were killed in an improvised explosive device blast in Chlef, a province 200 km west of capital Algiers, the defense ministry said in a statement on Sunday. "The explosion occurred when the army was digging for a homemade bomb when it went off and killed two soldiers," according to the statement. It stressed the army "will continue unabated efforts, whatever the sacrifices, to pursue the remnants of these criminals and eliminate them wherever they are found throughout the entire national territory." President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, also defense minister and commander-in-chief of the army, expressed his condolences to the families of the soldiers. The Algerian army frequently announces the discovery and destruction of homemade bombs. The security situation in Algeria has remarkably improved in the last decade, but clashes between security forces and groups designated as "terrorists" are still occasionally reported. SAN FRANCISCOA cruise ship hit by the new coronavirus is headed to the port of Oakland, California, the captain told passengers, though they were destined to stay aboard the ship for at least another day. Grand Princess Capt. John Smith, in a recording provided by passenger Laurie Miller of San Jose, told guests the ship will dock in Oakland. Princess Cruises says its expected to arrive on Monday. The ship is carrying more than 3,500 people from 54 countries. An agreement has been reached to bring our ship into the port of Oakland, he told passengers Saturday night. After docking, we will then begin a disembarkation process specified by federal authorities that will take several days. Passengers who need medical treatment or hospitalization will go to health care facilities in California, while state residents who dont require acute medical care will go to a federally run isolation facility within California for testing and isolation, the California Governors Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) said in a statement Sunday. The crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship, but importantly, the ship will only stay in Port of Oakland for the duration of disembarkment. This ship will depart Oakland as soon as possible and will remain elsewhere for the duration of the crews quarantine, the CalOES statement said. U.S. guests from outside California will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said numerous passengersabout 90 of them Texas residentswill be transferred to a military base in San Antonio for testing for the coronavirus. It was not clear when the group would arrive. Smith said the information he was given did not include any information about what would happen to passengers from other countries. The CalOES statement did not provide those details. The Grand Princess had been forbidden to dock in San Francisco amid evidence that the vessel was the breeding ground for a cluster of nearly 20 cases that resulted in at least one death after a previous voyage. Meanwhile, the U.S. death toll from the virus climbed to 19, with all but three victims in Washington state. The number of infections swelled to more than 400, scattered across the United States, as passengers aboard the ship holed up in their rooms. Steven Smith and his wife, Michele, of Paradise, California, went on the cruise to celebrate their wedding anniversary. The Smiths said they were a bit worried but felt safe in their room, which they had left just once since Thursday to video chat with their children. Crew members wearing masks and gloves delivered trays with their food in covered plates, delivered outside their door. Theyve occupied themselves by watching TV, reading, and looking out the window. Thank God, we have a window! Steven Smith said. The ship was heading from Hawaii to San Francisco when it was held off the California coast March 4 so people with symptoms could be tested for the virus. Cruise officials on March 7 disclosed more information about how they think the outbreak occurred. Grant Tarling, chief medical officer for Carnival Corporation, said its believed a 71-year-old Northern California man who later died of the virus was probably sick when he boarded the ship for a Feb. 11 cruise to Mexico. The passenger visited the medical center the day before disembarking with symptoms of respiratory illness, he said. Others in several states and Canada who were on that voyage also have tested positive. The passenger likely infected his dining room server, who also tested positive for the virus, Tarling said, as did two people traveling with the man. Two passengers now on the ship who have the virus were not on the previous cruise, he said. Another Princess ship, the Diamond Princess, was quarantined for two weeks in Yokohama, Japan, last month because of the virus. Ultimately, about 700 of the 3,700 people aboard became infected in what experts pronounced a public-health failure, with the vessel essentially becoming a floating germ factory. Hundreds of Americans aboard that ship were flown to military bases in California and other states for two-week quarantines. Some later were hospitalized with symptoms. An epidemiologist who studies the spread of virus particles said the recirculated air from a cruise ships ventilation system, plus the close quarters and communal settings, make passengers and crew vulnerable to infectious diseases. Theyre not designed as quarantine facilities, to put it mildly, said Don Milton of the University of Maryland. Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 100,000 people and killed more than 3,400, the vast majority of them in China. Most cases have been mild, and more than half of those infected have recovered. By Daisy Nguyen and Janie Har A nurse checks a passenger's body temperature as a preventive measure against the new coronavirus, COVID-19, at the Aurora International Airport, in Guatemala City, on March 4, 2020. (Johan Ordonez/AFP via Getty Images) British Columbia Declares COVID-19 Outbreak at Long-Term Care Home VANCOUVERBritish Columbia declared a COVID19 outbreak at a long-term care home in North Vancouver after two residents were diagnosed with the virus on Saturday. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the two residents were diagnosed with COVID19 following an earlier diagnosis of a care worker at the Lynn Valley Care Centre. She said the Lynn Valley Care Centre is now in an outbreak protocol. The two care home residents are among six new cases of COVID19 diagnosed today. The last two cases really are the most concerning to us, Henry told reporters, becoming choked up at one point and wiping tears from her eyes. The message that I think is so important for British Columbians today is that you need to stay home if youre sick, Henry said. We are in an extraordinary situation. We need everybody to be aware, to look after your children. Henry said two of the other new cases are related to travel to Iran. Another two people were infected while they were on an earlier cruise on the Grand Princess, a ship that is now waiting to be allowed to dock in the United States after more people were diagnosed with the virus on a new trip. British Columbia said Friday it activated a pandemics coordination plan to respond to the COVID19 outbreak and is prepared to escalate the plan if needed. Henry says of the 27 people who have now tested positive for the new coronavirus, four have recovered and three are now in hospital, with one woman in her 80s in an intensive care unit. She said the patient in intensive care is currently recovering. For weeks, Mishel Karen has been billed as a 'teacher' on Married At First Sight. But it turns out this isn't 100 per cent accurate, as the 49-year-old mother-of-two doesn't actually work at a school. She is instead employed by Queensland Police as a policy trainer, but was asked by her bosses not to disclose her job title. Hmm! For weeks, Mishel Karen has been billed as a 'teacher' on Married At First Sight - but it turns out this isn't accurate, as the 49-year-old mother-of-two doesn't actually work at a school Mishel, who is paired with barbershop owner Steve Burley on MAFS, told Woman's Day: 'I am a qualified teacher but I am currently the policy trainer for new Queensland police. 'I never wanted to deceive the public, but my work asked me not to reveal it.' Furthermore, Mishel was once known as Mishel Trajceski, which is her former married name. She also sometimes goes by her maiden name, Bogdanovski. Karen is understood to have been her middle name originally, but Mishel has since adopted it legally as a surname. 'I didn't want to deceive the public': Mishel is instead employed by Queensland Police as a policy trainer, but was asked by her bosses not to disclose her job title Mishel isn't the first MAFS participant who has kept their employment history a secret on the Channel Nine reality show. Mark Scrivens from last year's season also did not acknowledge his previous job as an officer with the Australian Federal Police. He was instead billed as a personal trainer who previously served in the Army. Under wraps: Mishel isn't the first MAFS participant who has kept their employment history a secret on the Channel Nine reality show. Mark Scrivens from last year's season also did not acknowledge his previous job as an officer with the Australian Federal Police Meanwhile, Mishel and Steve's relationship is hanging by a thread on Married At First Sight after a difficult week. Things had been going well until Steve admitted to his 'wife' that he wasn't physically attracted to her. She felt betrayed because he'd already shared these concerns with producers without telling her. But after a heartfelt conversation with her 18-year-old daughter, Eva, she decided to fight for her marriage and voted to stay at Sunday night's commitment ceremony. 13.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Bernie Sanders was dreaming up picking up a net 300 delegates over Joe Biden in CA, but Bidens surge has limited him to a 56 net delegate gain. Nate Silver tweeted his California delegate projection: We have Sanders netting out 56 delegates over Biden in California based on currently-reported results. If late-reported ballots further cut his lead in CA (which seems likely) Biden could wind up ahead by 100 or so delegates nationally. Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) March 7, 2020 Before South Carolina, pundits and projections were suggesting that Sanders could net a minimum 150-200 net delegates more than Biden. Instead, Sanders is going to end up with a net delegate advantage of 56 in the nations largest primary. The delegate rules that Bernie Sanders helped to craft, including the 15% viability threshold for a candidate to earn delegates, have been his campaigns undoing. The Sanders strategy to win the nomination was always to stay consistently at 25%-30% support in a large Democratic field where the vote was split. Sanders has never received 51% of the vote in any contest so far. Even in his home state of Vermont, Sen. Sanders finished at 50.7% of the vote. Bernie Sanders invested millions upon millions of dollars in California. The state was critical to his entire argument for the nomination, but Bidens momentum was more powerful than Bernies cash, and the tiny net delegate advantage that Sanders is getting out of California is why it is going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible for him to catch Joe Biden. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Singapore has recorded eight new cases of coronavirus, including one in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's constituency, taking the total number of people infected by the deadly virus in the city-state to 138. The cases reported on Saturday also include the patrons at a private dinner at an armed forces club and one case was linked to a church. On Saturday evening, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said one of the new COVID-19 cases is from his constituency of Teck Ghee's Zone J. He called on members of the zone to cooperate with the Health Ministry if they are approached and to "share information fully" in order to reduce the risk of transmission. Effective Saturday, a 14-day suspension was imposed on all activities and classes attended by the confirmed cases at the affected community clubs and residents' committees. Giving update on Saturday, the Health Ministry announced precautionary measures at seven community clubs and eight residents' committees, after it was found that some patients had attended dinner at the army officer club SAFRA Jurong, reported local television network Channel Asia. Eight COVID-19 patients are in critical condition in the intensive care units of hospitals and 48 are stable and improving, said the Ministry. The latest infection reporting brings Singapore's total number of COVID-19 cases to 138. One of the patients, a 37-year-old female Singapore permanent resident had been in London from February 23 to 27, said the ministry as Singapore monitors recent travel history of patients as part of screening and tracing contacts made by the infected people. Another case is a 62-year-old Indonesian woman on a social visit pass in Singapore. The ministry also reported a likely imported case. A 36-year-old Italian male work pass holder in Singapore who was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on March 6 afternoon and is currently warded in an isolation room of a hospital. Another imported case is a 37-year-old female Singapore permanent resident who had been to Germany. She reported onset of symptoms on March 5. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stuff Political Editor Luke Malpass writes: The Governments approach to the diseases spread, which seemed pretty well on track last week, has fallen woefully short this week. As Covid-19 has moved to a new phase in New Zealand, the Government has not adequately moved with it. Incredibly, it even refused to even take a commonsense approach with the official number of cases. It admitted that one person had caught the disease off another who had been sick but was now better, and hadnt been tested so they would not count them. Just silly to play games like that with the numbers. Yet this issue especially now that the virus is in the country is not one of technocratic finessing: it is one of political and crisis management. That requires regular briefings from the Government and much better information flow. Telling people to go to a website doesnt cut it. I have been covering this issue for days now and, besides knowing which international travellers cant come, which should self-isolate and that wearing a mask doesnt help, I know little off the top of my head about symptoms and what I should expect if I were unlucky enough to catch corona. The Government should have been repeating these details so much that I and everyone else reflexively know the key points without thinking. I suggested a few days ago that the Government should use the civil defence facility to message all cellphones in New Zealand and use that to provide updates, specifically referring them to a comprehensive up to date website. An Utting Research poll run exclusively by Stuff on Thursday showed that less than half of the country thinks the Government is handling the crisis well, four in 10 are worried about catching the virus, and over 50 per cent think New Zealand should stop accepting visitors from countries that have coronavirus deaths. I dont think we can close the border with Australia. National has already publicly called for the Government to move on wage subsidies for affected areas, and Stuff understands the Government has already been considering these. Under John Key, such subsidies were employed to good effect in Kaikoura and Christchurch after earthquakes, and they have the advantage of being relatively cheap and comparatively easy to administer. They are also perhaps unusually sort of in keeping with both parties political philosophies. For Labour they are targeted, temporary interventions for those in need; for National it is giving individuals the ability to spend their own money, which will inevitably be better spent than if it were funnelled through some bureaucratic government programme. Normally Im against subsidies but if thousands of businesses face going under due to temporary circumstances outside their control, I think it is better to help out, then have tens of thousands more people on the dole. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Shankkar Aiyar By We will not allow any institution to fall off the cliff. That was Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman assuring masses and markets on Friday, shortly after private sector Yes Bank joined the parade of financial institutions crumbling into a heap. The assurance is doubtless touching and powerful, but the credibility of the assurance itself depends not on words but on past actions. The Finance Minister may want to run a check with officials in her ministry and the regulator Reserve Bank of India on the status of previous collapses. For instance, of Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) in the fall season of 2018, of Dewan Housing Finance Corporation in the summer of 2019, and most recently small savers institution Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank. The script of each of the institutions follows a familiar storyline of hype, hubris, flawed financial models. Fragility, Nassim Nicholas Taleb says, is the quality of things that are vulnerable to volatility. And vulnerability in the financial sector is defined by diligence and disclosure levels. Typically the collapse of the institution is preceded by graft and siphoning, followed by cases of money laundering filed by the ED. The collapse of IL&FS, an event this column described as Indias Lehman Moment, was triggered by a two-line letter issued by IL&FS to the BSE expressing its failure to honour a Letter of Credit issued by IDBI Bank. Nearly 18 months after the collapse of IL&FS, the fate of creditors, banks and mutual funds and depositors and the monies is in the domain of what Donald Rumsfeld would define as known unknown! DHFL went down in September 2019 its decimation was not entirely unconnected to the collapse of IL&FS. Like the IL&FS, housing finance outfit DHFL was felled by hubris and horrific management. As with the controversial and hyper visible IL&FS, DHFL was a marquee player in the financial markets. In March 2020, neither the creditors of DHFL nor the depositors with nearly Rs 5,000 crore stuck in the outfit have got their money back. The PMC Bank, which once again was connected to another crumbling edifice called DHFL, tottered at the brink of a run and complete collapse following the discovery of unexplainable holes in its balance sheet stemming from lending to borrowers, 73 per cent to one borrower, apparently on the basis of assurances of promoters with dubious political connections. Notwithstanding loss of life and agitations, the savers, living across six states, are yet to find closure to their grief. Yes Bank is no different from that of the examples cited. It was set up by a hyper-ambitious Rana Kapoor in 2004 and had set itself the goal of Building the Best Quality Bank of the world in India by 2015. Kapoor propelled the expansion of Yes Bank even as many in Mumbai would ask in typical Bombay lingo boss whats the magic here. In 2018, the first glimpse of the Yes Bank magic and the signs of fragility came to the fore when it was discovered its lending growth was nearly twice its deposit growth. At risk: depositors monies, and that of Lord Jagannath at Puri, adding up to over Rs 2.1 lakh crore. It is good to know that the finance ministry will not allow any institution to fall off the cliff and honourably it had no other option given the systemic risk the bank represents. Indeed, the staged rescue of Indias fourth largest private sector bank by public sector owned SBI is essentially nationalisation of costs by another name. But the persistence of failures begs a question, the finance minister must ask, of her mandarins and the RBI, as to how these institutions land up on the brink of the cliff. There is at the corporate level poor governance the boards of the institutions were steeped in sloth, the auditors flailed and failed in diligence, the actions of rating agencies have been post mortem. There is also the spectre of regulatory pusillanimity.The RBI, for instance, was aware of chinks in the IL&FS model in 201415 but did nothing. It knew of the tango of NBFCs and mutual funds, of promoters and banks. It got Kapoor off the board of Yes Bank, but then allowed a fishing expedition for new investors even as conditions worsened. The series of collapses is reminiscent of the Sherlock Holmes story about the curious case of the dog that did not bark. The regulators curiously did not know or probe what the markets knew and were reacting to. This column had mentioned how a housing finance unit, an NBFC and a private sector bank were enveloped in rumours and had underlined the cohabitation of Cabals and Credit Contagion. At the crux is the lack of capacity in the regulatory realm and within the finance ministry to assess, analyse, imagine scenarios and engineer instruments for preclusion and resolution. Financial markets and institutions are like circuits wired in serial if one bulb burns out, the entire circuit is rendered fragile. A $ 2.8 trillion economy cannot afford the luxury of parade of collapses in the most critical segment of the economy. Failure is embedded in market economics. The debate is not about what cannot be prevented but about what could have been done but was not done. As part of an ongoing investigation by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), into the involvement of non-Irish nationals in suspected fraudulent insurance claims, arising from suspected staged road traffic collisions, a number of addresses were searched in Co Roscommon as part of Operation Vantage on February 26 & 27. A number of business and domestic premises were searched over the course of the two-day period. Also read: Longford army colleagues fondly remember the late Paddy Neilan Two individuals were arrested on February 26 for breach of work permits and immigration related offences. One of these individuals has since been removed from the jurisdiction with the second due before the Criminal Courts charged with immigration related offences. A number of these businesses were also found to have breached employment legislation and are subject to Work Place Relations investigations and prosecutions. GNIB, assisted by Social Welfare Inspectors, also identified two business premises which were in breach of Social Protection protocols. Enquiries were also carried out at a number of residences in relation to European Union Treaty Rights applications. Seven of these applications are believed to be non-genuine cases and will now be subject to further investigation, and reported to Immigration Service Delivery. Prior to the commencement of Operation Vantage nine EU nationals were identified as being involved in staged Road Traffic Collisions and false insurance claims. Based on criminal history and convictions, applications for EU Removal Orders were submitted for seven of these individuals. Also read: Glowing tributes paid to Longford Town unsung hero and gentleman, the late Michael Ghee 2 1 of 2 Jana Asenbrennerova / Special to The Chronicle 2019 Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Eric Risberg / Associated Press Show More Show Less The Transbay district, downtown San Franciscos sparkling colony of new skyscrapers, may be a ghost town Monday, as civic and corporate orders meant to fight the spread of the coronavirus take hold. Salesforce asked its nearly 10,000 employees at its headquarters an urban campus of three high-rises near the transit center that bears its name on Saturday to work from home starting Monday, following a move to close its offices in Seattle after an outbreak of the coronavirus in Washington state. COLLINSVILLE From an early age, U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, watched his father, Gene, study and graduate with an associate degree from the local, still somewhat new Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Since then Shimkus, two sisters, his wife and his son have followed in Gene Shimkus footsteps, graduating from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. I have watched SIUE grow and expand into the successful university it is today, said Shimkus who is preparting to retire after 24 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He credits the university for playing a part in his legacy; he earned a masters in business administration from SIUE in 1997. My SIUE degree helped me as a member of Congress, said Shimkus. You have to know the language of business. Were a capitalistic society, and to be able to understand and talk the language is helpful. Shimkus initially earned a bachelors degree in general engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1980. After completing more than five years of active duty in the Army, he returned to southern Illinois. I love southern Illinois because its home, he said. I enjoy the four seasons. Its close to St. Louis, but there are still several small towns. For much of my life, when I was home, I only lived about 1- miles from my mom and dad, and my siblings lived in the area, he said. Many of my siblings still live in this area. Because of his love for the community, Shimkus ran for local office in 1990 and was elected Madison County treasurer. I had no business background and thought I needed to get some more education, he said. Many of these political offices are management. So, I applied to the local university to get my MBA, and Nancy Belk was the chancellor at the time. I was not a traditional student, and took classes nights and weekends, like many students in the MBA program, he continued. Eventually, I graduated in spring 1997 and was the student speaker at commencement. SIUE has been good me, and its been good to my family, said Shimkus. Other Shimkus family members with SIUE degrees include: Dorothy Joyce, his sister, bachelors degree in recreation, 1974; Jana Heuer, his sister, bachelors degree in accounting, 1990; Karen Shimkus, his wife, masters degree in music/music performance, 1990; David Shimkus, his son, bachelors degree in engineering computer science, 2017. In November 2019, Shimkus announced last year he would house his Shimkus Collection of records, correspondence, photos and more at SIUEs Elijah P. Lovejoy Library. I look forward to continuing my relationship with the university, Shimkus said. I think alumni will agree that SIUE is affordable, accessible and credible. The degrees coming out of this university will stack up to any other in the country. SIUE has a bright future. WASHINGTON - With Joe Biden holding a significant lead in the race to amass a majority of delegates to the Democratic convention, Bernie Sanders' campaign is pouring resources into Michigan in advance of Tuesday's primary, which is shaping up as a critical contest between the two. Sanders denied in television interviews Sunday that the primary was "make or break" for his campaign but agreed that it was "enormously important." "Michigan is very, very significant in terms of the primary process," he said on CNN's "State of the Union." Among the six states holding primaries or caucuses Tuesday, Michigan has the largest number of delegates at stake, 125. Both campaigns have made a major push here, with Biden taking advantage of strong fundraising in recent days to sharply step up his advertising in the state and draw even with Sanders' spending. Biden is widely expected to win heavily in Mississippi, where Sanders canceled events to focus on Michigan. Biden also has an edge in Missouri, while Sanders' campaign is hoping that his strength in the West will continue with a victory in Washington state. North Dakota and Idaho also vote, with few delegates on the line. ADVERTISEMENT Sanders won Michigan's primary in 2016 in an upset against Hillary Clinton. But he faces a more challenging task this time around, both because Biden may be stronger among white, working-class voters in the state than Clinton proved to be and because of Biden's strong support from African American voters. At a rally in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Sunday afternoon, Sanders touted an endorsement from the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Sanders supported Jackson's 1988 bid for the nomination in which Biden was one of the opposing candidates. Sunday, Jackson introduced Sanders and praised the Vermont senator's support for racial justice. Sanders called the endorsement "one of the honors of my life." "Back in 1988, Jesse Jackson won this state; in 2016 I won this state, and on Tuesday, if we stick together, if we bring our friends out to vote, we're going to win it again," Sanders said in a fiery speech that hit his oft-stated themes of fighting climate change, forgiving student debt and combating "the greed of Wall Street." "Brothers and sisters, let's go forward!" he shouted. Sanders' campaign in Michigan has stepped up attacks on Biden's decadeslong voting record in the Senate, especially his support for trade agreements that contributed to a loss of blue-collar jobs in the state over the last generation. The senator also continued to complain that he has been unfairly targeted by the Democratic Party's leadership. "One of the things I was kind of not surprised by was the power of the establishment to force Amy Klobuchar, who had worked so hard, (and) Pete Buttigieg, who had really worked extremely hard as well, out of the race," Sanders said on ABC's "This Week." The senator from Minnesota and the former South Bend, Ind., mayor dropped out of contention and endorsed Biden heading into last week's Super Tuesday primaries. ADVERTISEMENT Buttigieg's "decision to get out of the race was his and his alone," his spokesperson, Lis Smith, responded on Twitter. His comments about establishment pressure put Sanders in the awkward position of sharing a theme pushed by President Trump, who habitually issues gibe-tweets suggesting that the race for the nomination is rigged against Sanders, something he did again early Sunday. "We have now learned for sure that the Democrats don't want anything to do with Crazy Bernie," Trump wrote in a post-midnight Twitter thread, employing his customary derogatory nickname for Sanders. "Dirty double dealing? Nobody knows for sure, & history will be the judge." Unlike the contest with Clinton in 2016, however, Sanders also praised Biden as a "friend" and repeated in his interviews that he would support the former vice president if he becomes the party's nominee. As Sanders pushed for African American support in Michigan, the Biden campaign countered with another raft of prominent endorsements, led by Sen. Kamala Harris of California, who in December abandoned her bid to become the first female president of color. Harris voiced "great enthusiasm" for Biden's candidacy in a video posted Sunday on Twitter in which she said she planned to campaign in Detroit on Monday. "I believe in Joe - I really believe in him," said Harris, who is the ninth former rival for the nomination to back Biden. On Twitter, Biden offered thanks on behalf of his family, referencing Harris' friendship with his late son, Beau, when both were state attorneys general, she in California and he in Delaware. ADVERTISEMENT "You've spent your whole career fighting for folks who've been written off and left behind - and no small part of that alongside Beau," he wrote, addressing her as "Kamala." The Biden camp had hoped Harris would endorse the former vice president before the March 3 vote in California. In what might have been an effort to dispel any hard feelings - particularly as she is being touted in some quarters as a potential running mate to Biden - Harris cast her timing as a mark of respect for fellow female senators who remained in the running until last week. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts exited the race Thursday after falling far behind on Super Tuesday, including a loss in her home state. "Like many women, I watched with sadness as women exited the race one by one," Harris said in a written statement Sunday, which is International Women's Day. "This is something we must reckon with, and it is something I will have more to say about in the future." Sanders, in his CNN interview, was asked whether he thought sexism remained a barrier for female candidates, now that the race has essentially dwindled to two septuagenarian white men. "The short answer is yes, I do," he said. "I think women have obstacles placed in front of them that men do not have. " But he cited "progress in the last 40-50 years in terms of the number of women now in Congress." In addition to Harris' endorsement, Biden has also received the backing of Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who beat a Sanders-backed candidate in her primary in 2018. The Biden campaign hopes that the suburban, moderate voters who were crucial to Whitmer's victory will turn out to help put him over the top in the state Tuesday. African American voters are another key part of his coalition. Biden credits African American support with reenergizing what had been widely viewed only last month as a faltering bid for the nomination. Black voters propelled him to victory in South Carolina, a key lead-in to Super Tuesday. On Sunday, campaigning in Mississippi, Biden was introduced at an appearance at Jackson's historic New Hope Baptist Church by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) as the "comeback kid." "If I am the comeback kid, it's because of one reason: the African American community across the country," Biden responded. Biden has also leaned heavily on his eight years as vice president under Barack Obama, the first black president, even though Obama has so far stayed on the sidelines while the nomination drama plays out. "We did a lot under Barack," Biden said in the Mississippi church appearance. "But we can do more now, because people realize how many people were marginalized." --- Staff writer David Lauter in Washington contributed to this report. --- (c)2020 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. It is one of the honors of my life to be supported by a man who has put his life on the line for the last 50 years fighting for justice, he told a largely white crowd of thousands gathered for an outdoor rally. Everything that Jesse Jackson said is what this campaign is about. Mr. Sanders has cast his two presidential campaigns in the lineage of Mr. Jacksons 1988 presidential bid, telling advisers in 2015 that he hoped to model his 2016 operation after that effort. Political contemporaries, the two septuagenarian liberal activists are longtime allies: In 1988, Mr. Sanders, then the mayor of Burlington, Vt., was slapped by an irate citizen after supporting Mr. Jackson in the states caucuses. Michigans caucuses that year marked a high point for Mr. Jacksons campaign. He beat Mr. Dukakis in the state by building support among black voters and liberal white caucusgoers a similar coalition to the one Mr. Sanders hopes to rally when the state votes in its primary on Tuesday. Mr. Sanders hopes that by beating former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. in this Midwestern state, he can reclaim ground in the presidential race after losing a majority of states on Super Tuesday largely on the weakness of his support among black voters. Michigan has emerged as a pivotal moment for his campaign, as the race moves into a series of delegate-rich primaries in Southern and Rust Belt states that are expected to be less favorable ground for Mr. Sanders. Yet as he has campaigned across the state, he has drawn overwhelmingly white audiences, raising questions about whether his effort is breaking through with black voters who make up a significant share of the primary electorate. At a Saturday night town-hall-style event in Flint, Mr. Sanders largely ceded the stage to African-American activists who attacked Mr. Bidens record on criminal justice and on housing policies that they argue devastated communities of color in places like that predominantly black city. A crowded cashier counter at Coopmart Ha Dong supermarket in Hanoi on the morning of February 7, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Hue. Big supermarkets in Hanoi have raised their volume of goods dramatically to meet Covid-19 induced demand in the city. After authorities announced the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the capital Friday, thousands of residents rushed to markets and supermarkets to stock up on supplies. The most popular items were dry food, instant noodles, cooking oil, rice and fresh meat. Some big supermarkets in Hanoi told VnExpress on Saturday that there would be enough goods for the worried shoppers. Nguyen Thi Phuong, deputy general director of Central Retail Group, said that because of concerns over the Covid-19 epidemic, the number of customers to the groups outlets has spiked, leading to simultaneous shortage of different goods. "Today, we have been working with suppliers to increase delivery frequency. Since the outbreak, the Central Retail food retail system has actively increased inventories by 3-4 times," Phuong said. "With the initiative and efforts of supermarkets and suppliers, we expect in the next few weeks to have enough goods to meet customer needs," she added. A spokesperson for Lottemart said they had prepared two backup plans for all scenarios. "All basic commodities are still quite plentiful. Dry goods in particular is plentiful in stock, still," he said. Big C, run by Central Retail, said it has arranged more staff to work during the day and overtime at night. The supermarket also promised not to increase prices, especially of essential food products. Duong Thi Thanh Tam, deputy general director of Vincommerce, owner of the VinMart & VinMart+ supermarket system, said the chain will respond to the rise in demand and not increase prices nationwide. "Our suppliers will refill the stock continuously throughout the day, especially of essential commodities like clean meat and vegetables, instant noodles, rice, spices, hand sanitizers and soaps, and face masks," she said. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Trade advised people to stay calm and not panic over the virus. The ministry has directed goods distributors to increase supply and meet the needs of the people. "Today supermarkets will receive goods from suppliers outside Hanoi to increase supply to the city," the spokesperson said Saturday. Hanoi Party Committee Secretary Vuong Dinh Hue said at a meeting Saturday that the city has ample supplies to be able to meet its residents needs. "I hope people will stay calm. You should not rush to supermarkets to shop," he said. Tran Phuong Lan, deputy director of Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, said at another meeting Saturday: "Even if people buy 1.5 to 2 times more goods than usual, there will enough supply to meet their needs. Hanoi commits to make sure there is enough goods every day." She also said that in February, Hanoi had devised a plan to ensure sufficient supply of goods. "Distribution outlets have increased the amount by 30 to 40 percent compared to the pre-novel coronavirus period." Her department has also prepared scenarios and plans to ensure there is sufficient supply, even if Hanoi reports 1,000 infections, Lan added. At Hanoi's Coopmart Ha Dong supermarket at 9 a.m. Saturday, the fresh meat stall was already empty. The staff said they had received two shipments in the morning, but "every single product that came out of it was bought". Meat, rice, and instant noodles were completely out of stock at the Aeon Mall Long Bien and Vinmart Cau Giay. Even traditional wet markets saw a significant increase in buyers Saturday morning. Hong, a merchant selling pork at the Vinh Phuc market in Ba Dinh District, said that around 9 a.m., all the meat was sold out. She usually sells about two thirds of what she lays out only by noon. "People bought so much today, I had to call my husband and son for help. The price is the same as usual, though, no increase," she said. On Saturday, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Hanoi People's Committee to formally request corporations, companies and food supply businesses to supply more goods to supermarkets and stores in the capital city. The PM also instructed the Northern Food Corporation, DABACO Group and C.P Vietnam Livestock Joint Stock Company to provide enough rice and food for retailers in the city. He said the retail network should sell rice until 11 p.m. Vietnam confirmed its 17th infection case on Friday after 22 straight days without any new infection. The new patient was 26-year old Nguyen Hong Nhung in Hanoi whod returned from Europe. She has been quarantined and is undergoing treatment at Campus No.2 of the Hanoi Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases. The country has recorded five new infections since Friday. Other patients are a 27-year-old man returning to Vietnam from South Korea's Daegu City (18th patient), the personal chauffeur and an aunt of Nhung (19th and 20th) and a 61-year-old man who was on the same flight as Nhung (21st patient). The 18th patient hails from northern Thai Binh Province and has been quarantined in Ninh Binh Province, northern Vietnam. The four remaining patients are all Hanoi residents. All 16 persons confirmed with Covid-19 infections in Vietnam earlier had been discharged from hospitals. The global death toll has reached nearly 3,600 in 102 countries and territories, mostly in mainland China (3,097), followed by Italy (233), Iran (145) and South Korea (50).] Starting Saturday, everyone arriving in Vietnam is required to make health declarations. Sen. Kamala Harris endorsed Joe Biden for president on Sunday, becoming the latest in a string of presidential hopefuls who have dropped out of the race to throw their support behind the former vice president. Harris, who ended her presidential campaign in December, is now the sixth former rival to endorse Biden since the former vice presidents big victory in the South Carolina primary established him as the clear moderate alternative to Sen. Bernie Sanders. Former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and former Texas lawmaker Beto ORourke all endorsed Biden before Super Tuesday. Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg endorsed Biden after he dropped out of the race Wednesday and former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick endorsed Biden on Friday. Advertisement .@JoeBiden has served our country with dignity and we need him now more than ever. I will do everything in my power to help elect him the next President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/DbB2fGWpaa Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 8, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have decided that I am with great enthusiasm going to endorse Joe Biden for president of the United States, Ms. Harris said in a video posted to Twitter. I believe in Joe. I really believe in him, and I have known him for a long time. Harris also released a statement in which she said that there is no one better prepared than Joe to steer our nation through these turbulent times, and restore truth, honor, and decency to the Oval Office. Advertisement Advertisement Harris also mentioned Bidens late son, Beau, who was attorney general of Delaware when she held the same post in California. I got to know Joe more than a decade ago through his sonmy dear friend, the late Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, Harris said in her statement. As attorneys general during the financial crisis, Beau and I were leaders in the fight to take on the biggest banks in the nation and secure billions of dollars in relief for homeowners across the country. And I can tell you that Beau inherited his strength of character, selfless courage, and commitment to public service from his father, Joe. Biden also mentioned his son when he sent out a tweet to thank Harris for her endorsement. Advertisement Kamala Youve spent your whole career fighting for folks whove been written off and left behind and no small part of that alongside Beau. From our family: thank you.https://t.co/ePtRKVjzXB Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) March 8, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement The endorsement came months after Harris attacked Biden in a debate for his ties to segregationist senators. The heated exchange amounted to one of the most personal attacks in the early part of the Democratic contest. It was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country, Harris said in the first Democratic debate. And it was not only that, but you also worked with them to oppose busing. And, you know, there was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bused to school every day. And that little girl was me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those keeping close tabs on the campaign, the endorsement didnt really come as a surprise. Biden seemed to preview the endorsement on Saturday when he included Harris supporters as he talked about how his campaign was the best choice for Democrats whose initial preference for nominee had dropped out of the race. To all of Amys folks. To all of Petes folks. To all of Kamalas folks Betos folks, he said. I tell you what, what a gigantic difference its made. Advertisement Advertisement Once again we would like to thank the government for allowing us to embark on the grain importation scheme, which we are implementing so that we complement the administrations efforts of ensuring national food security. With several cases of coronavirus in the Houston area, the possibility of this disease coming to Southeast Texas or any other part of this state can no longer be ruled out. Most of those cases involved people who had traveled together abroad and returned in late February, but other cases in the United States involve people who became infected elsewhere and spread the virus to people in this country. It seems inevitable that at some point, those kinds of secondary transfers will happen in Texas, or even in our region. So what to do? First, none of us should panic. COVID-19, the technical name for this disease, is serious, but more than 80 percent of people who have contracted it worldwide have experienced mild to moderate symptoms and fully recovered. In that sense, it is comparable to previous viral diseases like SARS or MERS. But no one wants even a mild case of a disease, and there are some common-sense ways to reduce those chances. Do use hand-sanitizers and wash your hands frequently. Avoid touching your face and shaking hands with other people. Even a fist bump could spread an infection. For the time being, a simple wave from a few feet away seems like a good way to greet someone. Dont waste time on the disposable face masks that so many others have adopted worldwide because they dont provide the protection that some people think they do. These masks just dont prevent virus particles from being inhaled. Paradoxically, dont buy the kind of mask that will work, an N-95 mask available in places that sell medical equipment. Right now, we dont have enough of them, and the ones we have should be reserved for medical workers on the front line of this battle. Do keep a close watch on family members and friends in case they start to show symptoms of COVID-19. If they do, isolate them and check with a doctor or hospital about your next step. As with any illness, the elderly or those with other medical issues are most vulnerable. Dont just bring them into a clinic or emergency room and sit them beside other people there for other reasons. That could help spread the disease. Call first. Do shield any cough or sneeze, with either the inside of your cupped hand or the inside crook of your elbow. Clearly, an unprotected sneeze or cough near other people is just about the easiest way this virus could spread. Dont believe in quack cures or wacky theories about this illness you may find online. Trust in medical professionals who have studied outbreaks like this and who know the best options. They know what theyre talking about, and a lot of other people dont. If COVID-19 hits Southeast Texas, we might face things like the cancellation of public events or even school classes. That would be a major disruption, and at this point those options are not needed. But of course these decisions depend on how many local infections are detected. Eventually, this threat will recede, just like all other infectious diseases. But no one knows when that will be, or how many more people could die. Until the health experts confirm that COVID-19 is gone, all of us should practice the above precautions. Being vigilant and alert are not just good ideas for you and your family. They could make the difference between surviving this disease and being one of its victims. A teenager was rushed to hospital with serious injuries following an assault in broad daylight on the capital's main thoroughfare. The young man (18) is believed to have been punched after leaving a premises on OConnell Street between 3.30pm and 4pm yesterday. He was rushed to the Mater Hospital with serious injuries. Gardai later arrested a male (18) who was detained in Store Street Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. He was released in the early hours of this morning. Gardai are appealing for witnesses of the assault to come forward. Gardai in Store Street are appealing to any persons who may have witnessed the assault on O'Connell Street, Dublin 1 on Saturday afternoon between 3.30pm and 4pm to contact them at Store Street Garda Station, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station, a spokesperson said. Athens, March 8 : A fire ripped through a refugee centre on the Greek island of Lesbos as tensions over a surge in migrants from Turkey have continued to escalate. Flames engulfed the One Happy Family centre, near the island's capital Mitilini, on Saturday, the BBC said in a report, adding that it was not immediately clear how the blaze started. No causalities have been reported. Hundreds of migrants have attempted to reach the island since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced last week that he was "opening the doors" for refugees to enter Europe. But on Saturday, Erdogan partially reversed his position and ordered the Turkish coastguard to stop migrants from crossing the Aegean Sea to Greece because it was unsafe to do so, the BBC report said. Amid the escalating tense situation, clashes have also erupted at the land border between Greece and Turkey. While Turkey's Interior Ministry said 149,000 had left the country for Greece, Athens said only 252 had made it across and all were detained and returned, reports Efe news. Greek officials have claimed to have prevented 36,649 from crossing. Meanwhile, the European Union called on Turkey to counter "false information" to stop refugees from gathering on the border with Greece. Erdogan had opened his borders last week not long after a Syrian government airstrike killed at least 34 Turkish soldiers who had been stationed in Idlib province. Idlib is the last province held by Syrian rebels. Turkey already hosts some 3.7 million Syrians but the conflict in Idlib has led to nearly a million more fleeing to its southern border. Deputy FM Dung, who is also head of Vietnams ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM ASEAN), informed delegates about the working programme of the upcoming 36th ASEAN Summit, including ASEAN leaders special meeting on gender equality and womens empowerment, and the improvement of the quality of dialogues among leaders of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly. He also elaborated the roadmap to implement Vietnams initiatives as well as their expected outcomes in 2020. The Deputy Minister stressed the significance of enhancing coordination among pillars of the ASEAN Community, and the overall approach in implementing ASEANs commitments and cooperation plans to build the ASEAN Community. The delegates expressed their support for initiatives proposed by Vietnam in 2020, including the mid-term review of the realisation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the kick-off of discussions on the post-2025 ASEAN Community Vision, the review of the implementation of the ASEAN Charter, the organisation of an expanded Mekong dialogue and activities regarding womens empowerment. The meeting looked into measures to foster inter-sectoral cooperation within ASEAN in such spheres as fighting COVID-19, optimising opportunities generated by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, promoting reciprocity between the ASEAN Vision 2025 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030. The delegates reached consensus on the proposed working programme, agenda and documents of the 36th ASEAN Summit, and pledged to closely join hands with Vietnam to successfully organize the summit. At least 43 people have been rescued after a hotel used for coronavirus quarantine collapsed in east China's Fujian Province, said local authorities on Saturday evening (local time). The Ministry of Emergency Management has sent a work team to the Quanzhou area to help with rescue and investigate the cause of the accident, Xinhua reported. The ministry also urged all-out efforts to rescue the victims and emphasized the prevention of secondary disasters, while ensuring the safety of rescue teams. A preliminary report said about 70 people were trapped. A total of 147 rescue workers have been sent to the scene of the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF A GLOBAL EFFORT TO ADDRESS TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS The United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children was established in 2010 within the UN Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, in line with the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. As the first global legally binding instrument to protect and assist the victims of trafficking with full respect for their human rights, the Protocol frames the specific efforts to prevent and combat human trafficking, as well as to reinforce the implementation of existing instruments and promote cooperation among States Parties. USD 7.9 million in contributions from a wide range of supporters. Grants disbursed to over 100 NGO projects through Small Grants Programmes, totalling USD 4.0 million for projects in over 50 countries. Over 5,000 individuals directly supported every year through its NGO partners. Operating three separate grant windows in 2020-2021 under the fourth Call for Proposals, with emergency and longer term capacity building grants. USD 1 million reserved for the fifth Grant Cycle starting from 2021. Access to justice, legal advice and assistance, including legal representation for victims to obtain legal status, compensation and/or aid packages. UNVTF 10th anniversary. Join #UNVTF10 New Call for Proposals The UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons has launched the sixth Call for Proposals (Sub-grant Programme 1) on 17 December 2021. [click [click here for details] UNVTF Supported Projects The Fourth Grant Cycle [Details on the funded-projects of sub-programme 1 short-term emergency aid: link] [Details on the funded-projects of sub-programme 2 medium-term comprehensive support: link 1, link 2] The Third Grant Cycle [Click here for the press release] Disclaimer: the maps are artistic visual references of geographic information with no guarantee of accuracy or completeness. The information contained on the maps is not to be construed or used as any legal description. UNVTF Updates on Response to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) UNVTF Conducted Impact Survey on TIP Survivors & Mitigation of NGOs amid COVID-19 UNVTF is supporting its partners to identify and plan mitigation against risks related to COVID-19 in line with UN processes. As part of its risk assessment and Contingency Plan, the Trust Fund is working closely with NGOs grantees to collect country-specific information to minimise the risks and impact of COVID-19 on project implementation. UN Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking, Managed by UNODC, Responds to COVID-19 through Support to 10 NGOs With growing attention to the impact of COVID-19 on victims of trafficking in persons globally, the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking, in the context of its first ever emergency response window, will support 10 new NGOs across the following world regions: West Africa, East Africa, North Africa, South Asia and Western Asia. [Click here to read the Press Release] News 2/11/2021 - 10 new NGO projects selected for sub-grant programme 2 of the 5th Call for Proposals [Click here for details] 30/7/2021 - On 30 July World Day Against Traficking In Persons, UNVTF undertook a number of fundraising and advocacy initiatives in support of victims with our partners. [Click here for details] 23/6/2021 - 20 new NGO projects selected for emergency grants of the 5th Call for Proposals [Click here for details] 19/5/2021 - Co-sponsored by the governments of Spain, Philippines and Australia, UNVTF organized a high-level event on the margins of the 30th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) entitled Front-line impact and innovation: grassroots responses to women and girl victims of human trafficking in transitioning beyond Covid-19 sharing innovative approaches of front-line NGO grantees in responding to the changing needs of victims amid Covid-19 and beyond. [click here for social media message] 22/2/2021 - The UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons (UNVTF) participated in a training for Coyote Logistics on combating and preventing human trafficking. [Click here for details] 8/3/2021 - The UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons (UNVTF) delivered a high-level virtual Special Event at the 14th UN Crime Congress International on the International Womens Day to commemorate its 10-year anniversary. The event highlighted the cooperation between UNODC and Member States in the provision of direct assistance to victims of human trafficking over the past decade as well as the collective achievements of the Fund. [Click here for details] [Click here to watch the event] 11/12/2020 - The UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons has announced that a further six projects have been selected for funding under sub-programme two of its fourth call for proposals. [Click here for details] 18/11/2020 - The UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons has launched a new brochure to mark its 10-year anniversary, presenting human impact stories and testimonials from its NGO grantees around the world [Click here for the brochure] 12/11/2020 - Board of Trustees for the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons Appoints New Chair [Click here for details] 20/10/2020 - A new Board of Trustees has been elected for the UNODC-managed United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children in its fourth Board term. As determined by the General Assembly, the Board is composed of five experts with relevant experience in the field of trafficking in persons who are appointed on the basis of fair equitable geographical distribution, in consultation with Member States and the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). [Click here for details] 13/10/2020 - UNVTF Trust Fund hosted a virtual high-level side event entitled: The UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons (UNVTF) 10 Years Since Inception: Achievements and Best Practices on the margins of the 10th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) Co-sponsored by Belgium, the event marked the 10-year anniversary of UNVTF established by the UN General Assembly as an important component of the UN Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. [Click here for details] 28/8/2020 - UNVTF Trust Fund announces 16 NGO Projects Selected for 4th Grant Cycle Medium-term Aid Window UNVTF has announced the results of its fourth call for proposals for sub-grant programme two, focused on the provision of medium-term direct assistance to vulnerable victims of trafficking in persons, under its small grants programme. [Click here for details] 25/8/2020 - UNODCs First Virtual Music Concert Raises Funds for Victims of Human Trafficking 30 artists from around the globe performed on this years World Day against Trafficking in Persons on 30 July at the first-ever live virtual fundraising concert in support of human trafficking victims through the UNVTF. [Click here for details] 10/7/2020 - UNVTF Publishes Annual Report showcasing its impact and achievements UNVTF has published its 2019 Annual Report, providing an overview of the achievements and management of the Trust Fund in 2019. [Click here for details] 20/4/2020 - UNVTF Announces 10 NGO Projects Selected for New Emergency Aid Window of 4th Grant Cycle The UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking (UNVTF), managed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has announced the results of its fourth call for proposals for subgrant programme one in the first ever, fast-track emergency aid window under its small grants programme. The new short-term, compact programme focuses on delivering swift humanitarian aid to victims of human trafficking in or fleeing from imperative crisis scenarios. [Click here to read the Press Release] Click for more news about the Trust Fund and human trafficking issues Publications 2020 Annual Report Web story Newsletter Basic Fact 2020 UNVTF Brochure Introductory Brochure CONCERT | World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 30 July To mark World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on 30 July, the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking, Especially Women and Children, managed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), together with the Rukus Avenue Music Group. [Read more here] Advocacy Campaign The city of Thiruvananthapuram is all geared up for celebrating 'Attukal Pongala' festival on Monday. The festival is all about the annual ritualistic offering to the presiding deity of the Attukal Bhagavathy temple by women. According to locals, around 45 lakhs devotees are expected to attend the festival. Several women from across the state and country have arrived in the city. In the year 2009, the event had registered its name in the Guinness Book of Records for having the world's largest gathering of women, around 25 lakh. "I came from Pathanamthitta. I am coming to the festival for several years. Everything I have is because of the blessing of the goddess," said Madhavikutty Amma, a devotee. The women will cook Pongala, which is made of rice, jaggery, coconut, and ghee - over makeshift brick hearth and offer it to the goddess. A 63-year-old woman, Pankajakshi, was seen selling Pongala items in the city. "I have been selling Pongala items here since childhood. It gives me tremendous joy to sell this to those who come to offer their prayers to the goddess," said Pankajaksh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Update: 08-03-2020 | 21:04:35 Countries in Southeast Asia are taking drastic actions in response to the COVID-19 outbreak as they have confirmed more infected cases over the last few days. Tourists wear face masks while visiting a destination in Siem Reap province of Cambodia on March 5 Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has ordered all schools in Siem Reap city to be shut down temporarily after the country confirmed the first Cambodian to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, on March 7. The patient, a 38-year-old man living in northwest Siem Reap province, was tested positive for the virus by the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia. He was among the first four persons who had direct contact with a COVID-19-infected Japanese man who travelled to Siem Reap province on February 28 and was tested positive for the virus by the Japanese health authorities on March 4 when he returned to Japan. Meanwhile, the three others were negative for COVID-19, according to the Cambodian Health Ministry. The Siem Reap patient was the second confirmed case of COVID-19 in Cambodia. The first is a 60-year-old Chinese man from Chinas Wuhan city. He was tested positive for the virus on January 27, and discharged from hospital on February 10 after completely recovering from the disease. So far, health authorities of Siem Reap province have found a total of eight persons having direct contact with the Japanese COVID-19 patient, and they were put in quarantine. The 40 others having indirect contact with him have been instructed to self-isolate at home, and their health are being closely monitored, the Health Ministry said. Meanwhile, the Bank of Thailand has put more 500 THB banknotes into circulation to raise the percentage of cash thats free of SARS-CoV-2 contamination. Somboon Chitphentom, assistant governor of the central banks banknote management group, said that the notes have never been in circulation before and are hygienic. Besides, the bank is also collecting and quarantining banknotes for 14 days, the incubation period for the virus, after which theyll go back into circulation. As the number of customers visiting shopping malls has been declining due to the COVID-19, the Emquartier and Emporium malls in Bangkok have installed tunnels with sanitiser sprinklers to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus before customers enter the building. They are the first EM Auto Sanitising Gates in Thailand, which can reduce chances of the virus spreading by 90 percent. Thailand has recorded 50 COVID-19 cases, including 18 currently under treatment. Aside from one death, 31 other patients have been discharged from hospital. The two new cases announced on March 7 are Thai citizens returning from Italy, the epicenter of the outbreak in Europe. In another development, Malaysia and Thailand have barred the Costa Fortuna, a cruise ship carrying about 2,000 people, including dozens of Italians, from docking due to fears about COVID-19. The ship was first turned away from Phuket island of Thailand on March 6 despite there being no suspected virus cases aboard, according to its operator. Thai authorities had imposed restrictions "on Italians that have transited in Italy in the last 14 days", Costa Cruises said on Twitter. The ship is carrying 64 Italians, according to Malaysian officials. On March 7, the vessel tried to dock in the northern Malaysian state of Penang but was also refused entry. The decision was taken as Malaysia had decided to restrict entry of all cruise ships to the country's ports. After being denied entry by Malaysia, the ship was heading to neighbouring Singapore, a Malaysian politician said. VNA morningstar ratings Morningstar ratings are a system for evaluating the strength of an investment based on how it has performed in the past. On a scale of one to five stars, a Morningstar rating measures investments based on backward-looking data. The more stars, the better a fund or stocks historic returns. What is Morningstar? Morningstar is a rating system which classifies the strength of investments based on their historic returns. The system also rates stocks. However, fund ratings comprise the most common way that people use Morningstar ratings. It updates every month, providing investors with a quantitative way of judging their decisions. It primarily evaluates the performance of funds. While many systems rate and rank investments, Morningstar ratings have become the most widely cited and influential in the world. There are two forms of Morningstar ratings: The Star System The star system rates funds on a scale from one to five stars. It ranks funds based on their past performance, with five stars meaning that a fund has historically posted the largest returns. These ratings are updated at the end of every month. The star system is a purely backward-looking. This is the most widely referenced form of Morningstar ratings. The Medal System Morningstar also provides Analyst Ratings and Quantitative Ratings. Both of these systems rate funds on a scale of Gold, Silver, Bronze, Neutral and Negative. In both cases, the medal system is a forward-looking assessment of how Morningstar believes a fund will perform in the future. The better the ranking, the more likely Morningstar feels it is that the fund will outperform the market. The analyst ratings make this judgment based on the opinion of Morningstar analysts. The quantitative ratings make this judgment based on statistical models. What Morningstar Ratings Mean morningstar ratings Morningstar rates funds against each other. This means that a five star rating is not necessarily an objective statement about a funds strength. Rather it means that the fund has historically performed better relative to similarly situated investments. Story continues The rating system determines whether two funds are similarly situated based on two metrics: the category of the fund and the risk involved. Two funds are considered peers when Morningstar places them in the same category, and the returns of any two peer funds are evaluated based on the degree of risk that the fund assumed. (Safer funds which generate higher returns are considered stronger investments than more risky funds generating a comparable return.) Morningstar categories include several different points of reference, including: Size of assets in the fund, such as large value/small value; large blend/small blend; and market capitalization. Industry of assets in the fund, such as funds which focus on industrials, real estate, technology or other investments. Geographic region of the fund, such as funds that invest in certain regions or municipal bonds focused on certain states. Typically funds will be listed under several broader and more narrow categories, allowing investors to compare them among several different types of investments. How To Use Morningstar Ratings Try to read a Morningstar rating in context. Star Rated Investments A fund with a high star rating has historically outperformed other funds investing in the same category of assets with comparable levels of risk. This is an historic-looking measurement. This means that investors using star ratings should do so on the basis of evaluating past performance. A high star rating means that under comparable conditions, investors might expect comparable performance. However as an investor you should carefully review market conditions before you judge what to expect moving forward. For example, an investor might decide that a specific industry is poised for growth in the coming year. In that situation, they might use a Morningstar rating to find funds which have historically outperformed their peers in their space. Analysis Ratings Morningstars Analyst Ratings and Quantitative Ratings ideally provide prospective advice. These ratings judge the funds which Morningstar feels are most likely to outperform similarly situated funds going forward. Like with the star ratings, though, the analysis ratings are entirely subjective. A gold rating does not necessarily mean that the fund will perform well by objective measures; just that it will do better than other funds that hold similar assets with similar degrees of risk. In particular, investors should exercise caution when using Morningstars analysis ratings. As with all investment advice, this is based on the firms best judgment. As a result, there are no guarantees that well rated funds will necessarily outperform their peers, no less the market. Meanwhile, as with Morningstars star ratings, investors should often use the ratings as one part of their larger toolkit. The Bottom Line morningstar ratings Morningstar ratings evaluate funds, ranking how well they performed historically. A higher rating means that the fund has posted stronger returns than other, similar investments. If youre considering mutual funds or ETFs, Morningstar ratings may be useful to you. Investment Tips Want to talk to someone about the right funds for your own portfolio? Consider speaking with a financial advisor. Finding the right financial advisor that fits your needs doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. If youre ready to be matched with local advisors that will help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. Morningstar ratings arent the only such fund ratings available. If you would like to compare alternatives, consider looking into the alternative Lipper system. Photo credit: iStock.com/Darren415, iStock.com/choicegraphx, iStock.com/photofriday The post How to Read and Use Morningstar Ratings appeared first on SmartAsset Blog. Tylee Ryan, 17, and her seven-year-old brother JJ Ryan, have been missing for months: FBI The FBI has asked anyone who may have seen the missing children of Lori Vallow in Yellowstone national park to come forward with photos or videos to help investigators. Seventeen-year old Tylee Ryan and her seven-year-old brother JJ Ryan have been missing since September. Their mother, 46, was arrested in Hawaii last month and has been extradited to Idaho, where the children were living and where she was due to appear in court on Friday, charged with child abandonment. Divorce documents filed by her deceased ex-husband reportedly claimed Ms Vallow believed she was "a god assigned to carry out the work of the 144,000 at Christ's second coming in July 2020". She and her current husband, Chad Daybell, were both involved in an Idaho-based group that promotes preparing for the apocalypse, or biblical end times. The bizarre case spans several states and includes investigations into three mysterious deaths. Now, federal authorities have released images showing the children at the popular nature reserve on 8 September. Further pictures showed the silver Ford F-150 pickup truck the family was travelling in with Ms Vallow's brother, Alex Cox. The FBI hopes that people who visited the park on 8 September may have captured images of the family and that this may assist officers in the investigation. The new photo was recovered from Ms Vallow's Apple iCloud and is the last known image of Tylee Ryan, CBS News reported. The #FBI, @RexburgPolice are asking any visitors to @YellowstoneNPS on 9/8/19 submit multimedia that may show missing kids, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan, their mother Lori Vallow and uncle, Alex Cox. Photos/videos can be submitted online at https://t.co/8jl2wJCAza. pic.twitter.com/LyujbanGh6 FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) March 5, 2020 Members of the public can upload any relevant photos to a website set up by the FBI at at fbi.gov/rexburg. Story continues Investigators asked the public to continue reporting tips in the case to the Rexburg Police Department at (208) 359-3000 or the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST). Additional reporting by Associated Press Read more Republican threatens Joe Biden and Beto O'Rourke in sinister gun video SXSW cancelled amid coronavirus outbreak Nasa executive charged with second-degree murder New Delhi: A war of words broke out between the BJP and Congress on Sunday (March 8, 2020) over the Yes Bank crisis with the ruling party seeking to link it with the Gandhi family, while the opposition wondered if the prime minister and finance minister were "complicit" as the bank's loan book grew manifold. Posting on Twitter a clip of a news channel report that Rana Kapoor, the arrested Yes Bank founder, had bought a painting from Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, BJP's information and technology wing in-charge Amit Malviya alleged that every financial crime in India has "deep links" with the Gandhis. The Congress termed the charge "fake". It said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had sold an M F Hussain painting of her father Rajiv Gandhi to Kapoor for Rs 2 crore, and the entire amount was disclosed in her income tax return of 2010. Malviya tweeted, "Every financial crime in India has a deep link with the Gandhis. Mallya used to send flight upgrade tickets to Sonia Gandhi, had access to MMS (Manmohan Singh) and PC (P Chidambaram). Is absconding. Rahul inaugurated Nirav Modi's bridal jewellery collection, he defaulted. Rana bought Priyanka Vadra's paintings." Rubbishing the allegation, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was a "diversionary" tactic by the government. He noted that the bank's loan book rose from Rs 55,633 crore in March 2014, the year Narendra Modi became prime minister, to Rs 2,41,499 crore in March 2019. "Why did the loan book rise by 100 per cent in two years after demonetisation i.e from Rs 98,210 crore in March 2016 to Rs 2,03,534 crore in March 2018? Were PM and FM sleeping, ignorant or complicit?" he asked. The entire amount Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had received was in cheque and was fully disclosed in the income tax return, Singhvi said. Rana Kapoor, 62, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in Mumbai after charges of alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement in the bank's operations surfaced and the RBI and Union government initiated action to control its affairs. Emmanuel Macron struck an unusually humble tone as he stared down at the shrinking glacier on the slopes of Mont Blanc. "Such rapid melting," he said. "It's dizzying." On the trip to the French Alps, he also walked through a tunnel that leads deep inside the ice and lunched with local politicians and scientists. Macron said he wanted to see the impact of climate change for himself. But there was also a political dimension to the highly publicized Feb. 13 visit: A green revolution is picking up steam in France and Macron's political survival -- already uncertain because of widespread anger over his reform plans -- could depend on winning environmental voters. The fragmentation of mainstream parties has upended traditional politics across Europe, and given Green groups an opening. In Austria, the right-wing People's party turned to the Greens to form a coalition and the environmental faction in Germany has surged to within reach of Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party. Two rounds of mayoral elections starting March 15 will give an indication of how the French president's defenses are holding up. "You shouldn't underestimate the importance of the municipal elections," says Christophe Bouillaud, a political science professor at Sciences Po Grenoble. "For decades they've played a role in measuring the popularity of the incumbent government and structuring the opposition parties." Governments are watching for an indication of Macron's prospects for securing another term in 2022. Macron blew up France's two-party system when he swept to power nearly three years ago by promising a new kind of politics. Facing the far-right Marine Le Pen in the run-off meant that he had the progressive vote in the bag. He was lauded for sparring with President Donald Trump over climate change and vowing to "make the planet great again," but he's failed to live up to the hype. Today, tensions within Macron's En Marche party have been laid bare by public feuds and defections. Strikes against inequality and plans to overhaul a pension system may have subsided, but anger is palpable. About two thirds of voters don't think he's a good president, according to a Odoxa-CGI poll published Feb. 25. With the Socialists and the right still languishing, the Greens are laying claim to the center ground that Macron carved out for himself. David Belliard, who's running for mayor in Paris for the Green party, says that's a pragmatic approach. "I am the open green," he told reporters Thursday. "I am open to right-wing people joining the movement if they share our ideas. I am open because it is an emergency situation." The party only ever had a few ministers in the previous socialist government and didn't field a candidate in the 2017 presidential ballot. In May, it doubled its share of the vote in European parliamentary elections, coming third with 13%. It's the first political force among 18-to-34-year-old voters and is polling first or second in several cities including Bordeaux, Lyon and Grenoble -- the only large city held by a Green mayor. Macron by contrast wasn't able to present a candidate in half the country's big cities. The Greens are critical of nuclear energy, want to expand public transport over cars, ban pesticides, support urban and organic agriculture and favor local economy. While other parties embrace many of these ideas, The Greens say they're the most credible and consistent advocates. They lack a powerful leader, but one could emerge after the municipal elections. The contest will be watched especially closely in Paris. As the country's capital and most populous city a win here can make up for losses elsewhere, and the prestigious mayoral job has often been a springboard for the presidency. So far, current mayor, leftist and environmentally friendly Anne Hildago, is polling ahead of En Marche's Agnes Buzyn who only entered the race last month after Macron's preferred candidate, Benjamin Griveaux, dropped out because of a sex tape. The Greens "can be close to the left, but not only," says Belliard, 41, when discussing his candidacy. He says he advocates an "economy that's not predatory" and wants to "move away from over-consumption." He doesn't want voters to think of the Greens as people "who look for water kilometers away and wash themselves once a month." The move to the center may not go down well with the Green's base, especially in cities like Strasbourg or Besancon where they are emerging as the leaders of potential left-wing coalitions. But Belliard is optimistic. "If the Greens come out of these elections stronger, it will give us momentum to build an alternative choice in the presidential elections," he said. For Macron, the problem is persuading voters of his sincerity. His own environment minister resigned in 2018, accusing the government of not doing enough. His attempt to increase taxes on fossil fuels has crumbled and the expansion of renewables is still slow. Macron's one big achievement, the closure of the country's oldest nuclear plant, started under Francois Hollande. "There's not much to get your teeth into," according to Bruno Cautres, political scientist at Cevipof. It looks like voters agree. One fifth of those who backed the Greens in the EU elections had voted for Macron in 2017. The Odoxa-CGI poll meanwhile shows the president's popularity declined by 3 percentage points after his Mont Blanc appearance, with the sharpest drop among Green sympathizers. "The environment is a topic of concern in French society and Emmanuel Macron is essentially campaigning to be the Green presidential candidate," Cautres says. "But if protecting the environment is so essential, you may as well put a Green in as head state." In addition to smartphones, Realme launched its first fitness tracker in the country alongside the new Realme 6 series phones. With the introduction of the Realme Band, the company is now going head-to-head with Xiaomi's fitness trackers. Well, Xiaomi has already established a strong foothold in the country with its Mi Band and therefore it'll be interesting to see how Realme competes with that. Here's a quick comparison to see which one is better and worth your money: 1. Design & Display Karthik Iyer/ MensXP Both the Realme Band and the Mi Band 4 have a generic-looking design and there's nothing new to expect here. You're looking at the same display and a touch bar at the bottom to control the interface. However, what's different here is the way you remove the bands and charge the tracker itself. The Realme Band's band snaps very easily from both sides to plug it directly into a USB port for charging. In Mi Band 4's case, however, you'll need a proprietary charger to keep it powered. In terms of the display, the Realme Band 4 features a 0.96-inch TFT-LCD panel with a 3D tempered glass, whereas, the Mi Band 4 comes with a 0.95-inch AMOLED panel with a 2.5D tempered glass. The Mi Band 4 has a slightly high-resolution display, but honestly, you're not going to see much of a difference in the small size. It's, however, worth pointing out that the Mi Band 4 features a full touch screen panel whereas the Realme Band doesn't. Karthik Iyer/ MensXP 2. Battery Life The Realme Band features a 90mAh battery whereas the Mi Band 4 features a light bigger i.e., a 135mAh battery. So it goes without saying that the Mi Band 4 is going to last longer than the Realme Band. But as we mentioned earlier, it's much easier to charge the Realme Band than the Mi Band 4. With Realme Band's easy Direct USB charge feature, you won't have to worry about carrying a charger all the time or think about keeping it safe. 3. Other Features As for the rest of the features, both the fitness bands can track your activities and give you a heart rate reading. You can also track the quality of your sleep and get alerts for things like drinking water, sedentary reminders, etc. Both the fitness bands can also track and record various activities, so I'd say they're equally good. Both bands will also show you notifications like calls, SMS, and more. Lastly, it's worth pointing out that the Mi Band 4 is water-resistant up to 50 meters whereas the Realme Band comes with an IP68 rating and is water-resistant up to 1.5m. 4. Pricing & Availability In terms of the pricing, the Realme Band is cheaper than the Mi Band 4. The Realme Band will cost you Rs. 1,499 whereas the Mi Band 4 will cost you Rs. 2,299. The Realme Band comes with three strap color options such as yellow, black, and green. The Mi Band 4 is, however, available in four strap color options i.e., black, orange, purple, and burgundy. The City of Durham, North Carolina, was the last victim in order of time of the infamous Ryuk ransomware that infected its systems. The City of Durham, North Carolina was forced to shut down its network after its systems have been infected with the Ryuk Ransomware during the weekend. According to the local media, the City of Durham was hit with a phishing attack aimed at delivering the Ryuk Ransomware on the victims systems. According to the SBI, the ransomware, named Ryuk, was started by a Russian hacker group and finds its way into a network once someone opens a malicious email attachment. Once its inside, Ryuk can spread across network servers through file shares to individual computers, reads a post published by SBI. IT officials are working to get the communication systems back online. While it is an inconvenience for them to be disconnected, its safer for the state as a whole due to the critical nature of this network for all of North Carolinas Law Enforcement, reads the security breach notification sent by email. To mitigate the threat and prevent it from spreading inside the city network the City of Durham has disabled all access into the DCI Network for the Durham Police Department with the result that 911 call center was shut down. To prevent the attack from spreading throughout their network, the City of Durham has temporarily disabled all access into the DCI Network for the Durham Police Department, the Durham Sheriffs Office and their communications center. reported BleepingComputer. This has caused the citys 911 call center to shut down and for the Durham Fire Department to lose phone service. 911 calls, though, are being answered. At the time it is not clear if the attackers have stolen any data from the City of Durhams systems. A few days ago EVRAZ, one of the worlds largest multinational vertically integrated steel making and mining companies, has been hit by the Ryuk ransomware. The list of the victims of the Ryuk ransomware is very long and includes the US government contractor Electronic Warfare Associates (EWA), US railroad company Railworks, Croatian petrol station chain INA Group, and parts manufacturer Visser Precision. Pierluigi Paganini A third patient has died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus, chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said. The man, aged in his 60s, who had underlying health problems, died at North Manchester General Hospital having recently returned from Italy. A spokesman for the hospital said: We can confirm that sadly a patient being treated for Covid-19 has died at our specialist regional Infectious Diseases unit at North Manchester General Hospital. The man in his sixties tested positive after travelling to Italy and had a number of underlying health problems. Our thoughts are with the patients family who are being supported by our specialist bereavement staff. Prof Whitty said: I am very sorry to report that a third patient in England who tested positive for Covid-19 has sadly died. I offer my sincere condolences to their family and friends and ask that their privacy is respected. He said that contact tracing was already under way. The announcement of the death follows confirmation on Friday that an 83-year-old great-grandfather had become the second person to die in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus. The man, who also had underlying health conditions, died on Thursday while being treated at Milton Keynes University Hospital. His family paid tribute to him as a truly loving and wonderful person. On Thursday evening, another patient, reported to be a woman in her 70s, became the first person in the UK to die after being diagnosed with Covid-19, while at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Bernie Sanders at a Grand Rapids rally on Sunday continued his calls for revolutionary change, but made the pitch to voters three days of Michigans primary that he is also well-positioned to take on President Donald Trump in the general election. Well, weve got news for Trump. We are going to beat him, because we are bringing the American people together, Sanders told a cheering crowd gathered at Calder Plaza in Grand Rapids. He brought Jesse Jackson, who recently endorsed him, to Michigan and said he aimed to build an all-inclusive rainbow coalition as Jackson had strived to do in his presidential run years ago. And he drew a line between Jacksons efforts to break down racism and other barriers and the election of the last Democratic president, Barack Obama. If there was no Jesse Jackson, in my view, there would not have been a President Barack Obama, Sanders says. Michigan leaders including former gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed, former UAW president Bob King and former Sen. Don Riegle Jr. spoke in support on Sanders ahead of the event. We need a candidate that can win. And Bernie Sanders, Ive been through a lot of elections, he is our strongest candidate in November, Riegle said. In the crowd, many said they would vote for the nominee, whoever it was. But for many, Sanders was their first choice. Alex Beecroft, who was at the rally with his kids, said that as a parent he sees the need for the drastic change Sanders is calling for. If its Biden, its just going to be more of the same, he said. Related: Bernie Sanders could seize second Michigan presidential primary win, this time as Democratic front-runner Related: The big question for Michigan Democrats: Is Biden or Sanders more likely to beat Trump? Sanders drew big applause with lines that advocated for gun control, marijuana legalization and his signature Medicare for All health care plan, which would replace the current health insurance system with universal coverage for all U.S. citizens. He also railed against corporations. The only way we win is when millions of people together stand up and fight for justice. When they say to the corporate elites, sorry, this country belongs to all of us, not just the wealthy few, Sanders said. Sanders made the stop as part of a big weekend push ahead of Michigans primary on Tuesday. He stopped in Detroit, Flint and Dearborn earlier this weekend and has plans for an Ann Arbor rally tonight. Related: A complete Guide: How to see Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders campaign events in Michigan this weekend, Monday Related: As Bernie Sanders makes a big push in Michigan, Joe Biden sends surrogates Paul Baker, of Alpine Township, said he was glad Sanders came to Grand Rapids. Im a progressive and I really want Bernie to be the nominee, he said, although he said he would vote blue either way. Samuel Kison, of Marcellus in Cass County, said hes talked to a number of his friends who support Sanders but arent very political, otherwise. He thinks theres a lot of that on the west side of the state. I do think that he has a lot of support here, even if its maybe hidden from the public eye sometimes, Kison said. He said he agreed with most of Sanders policies, and his election could be revolutionary. But if it came down to Biden as the nominee, I would support him, but a little reluctantly. Sanders and others onstage urged Michiganders to get to the polls, because Michigans Tuesday primary is very important. In 1988, he said, Jackson won the primary here. In 2016, he won it. And on Tuesday, if we stick together, if we bring our friends out to vote, were going to win it again, he said. One major advantage NCIS: New Orleans has over the other two iterations in the franchise is that its filmed on-location. Because of this, stars of the show either permanently moved into the city or commute between filming dates. The shows leading man, Scott Bakula, has a little insight on how he learned to embrace the city. What is Scott Bakulas favorite part about filming in New Orleans? Scott Bakula as Special Agent Dwayne Pride and Joanna Cassidy as Mena Cantrell | Sam Lothridge/CBS via Getty Images Playing Dwayne Cassius King Pride is second nature to actor, Scott Bakula. For six seasons, Bakulas graced TV screens with his supervisory skills and approachable demeanor. The Missouri-grown star didnt always live in New Orleans. Bakula commutes, living in the city for work and flying home to California to see his family during off days. That said, Bakula learned a thing or two while living in the city. In a previous interview with Parade, he called New Orleans a very warm place. He credits the music scene. Im a huge music guy, and being in the place that birthed jazz is almost incomprehensible to me at times, he said. He noted the food and history of the city are equally comparable. Living in the city on a daily basis, its been eye-opening. Its a remarkable place. Its full of a bunch of resilient, tenacious people, he said. The citizens are so proud of the town. I lived in New York for 10 years, but you never heard people walking around saying, How do you like my city? They literally say that in New Orleans. Theres a sense of pride. If youre going to visit New Orleans, do as Bakula says Bakula noted in another interview with Parade that of all the cities hes lived in (New York, Los Angeles), New Orleans holds a special place in his heart. Theres a great joie de vivre down here thats pretty unusual. They say my all the time. I think its because theyve gone through so many difficult times. Theres a feeling of living through a battle together that bonds you, he said. Bakula advises tourists visit Preservation Hall in the French Quarter where newcomers can hear old-time New Orleans jazz. He reckons it with the way it was many years ago (no air-conditioning, three shows per night, and wall-to-wall people). When hes not filming, the NOLA star loves biking along the Mississippi River just as he did growing up in St. Louis. As for advice on how to get all you can from the experience of New Orleans, Bakula said to be sure you stay more than 24 hours. Things move a little slower here. Youre not going to get your food as fast. You might get a little bit of a story with it. You can either be impatient and ugly about it, or you can just let it be, he said. Why Bakula and Pride are similar in a lot of ways As an actor working on a show that revolves around Navy Criminal Investigative Services, Bakula has a deep respect for everything Pride represents. My dad spent a couple of years in the Navy, and I had one uncle in the Army and the other one was in submarines in World War II, he said. Im so proud to be putting out stories about the military. Though Bakula fancies himself a good soldier in the kitchen, he still relies on advice from his father. My dad always said, Youre only as good as your last impression which became oddly prophetic, given the business that Im in, which really is pretty fickle, he said. NCIS: New Orleans airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on CBS. A teenager has become the first NHS patient to have her spine straightened with pioneering robotic surgery. Emma Mayamine, 14, was diagnosed four years ago with scoliosis, a condition in which the spine starts to grow unevenly and curves to one side. Scoliosis is thought to affect thousands of people in Britain, including Princess Eugenie. She suffered the condition as a child, and on her wedding day in 2018 wore a dress that showed a long scar down her back from surgery. She was praised for giving courage to other sufferers by doing so. Emma Mayamine (above), 14, has become the first NHS patient to have her spine straightened with pioneering robotic surgery. She was diagnosed four years ago with scoliosis - a condition in which the spine starts to grow unevenly and curves to one side Known as the Mazor X Stealth EditionTM, the robot surgeon can be used to plan the spinal operation in detail in advance. It also uses real-time 3D images during the procedure, automatically moving the robots arm exactly where it is needed to secure the screws safely to the vertebrae The new robotic operation is being offered at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London, where Eugenie, then 12, was successfully treated using an older method. Schoolgirl Emma was severely affected by scoliosis and had to wear a brace around the clock to hold her spine in place. Doctors warned that without intervention, she could be left with agonising pain. She underwent the procedure last November and is now 2in taller standing at 5ft 7in thanks to her straightened spine. Emma was incredibly self-conscious while wearing the brace and it really knocked her confidence, says her mother Lisa, 48. Now she is much more confident and can wear fashionable clothes that fit her. She is a happier person all round. Doctors still do not fully understand why scoliosis happens, but it is often first picked up during puberty a time of rapid growth and mainly affects girls. Many patients can be treated using physiotherapy or by wearing a rigid brace that corrects the growth. Surgery is necessary in severe cases and involves placing two rigid titanium alloy rods almost 8in long either side of the spine. These are fixed with screws to the vertebrae, the 33 individual bones that form the spinal column, to straighten the spine and stop it twisting. Emma is now much more confident and can wear fashionable clothes that fit her. She is a happier person all round Emma's mother, Lisa The procedure is complex and carried out very close to the spinal cord. It means that any damage could result in paralysis, stopping messages being delivered from the brain to the rest of the body. Now a new robot specially designed for spinal surgery is helping experts perform the complex procedure with greater precision than ever before. The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital is the first in the NHS to have the device. The robot gives an unprecedented level of accuracy during spinal surgery, says Sean Molloy, a consultant spinal surgeon at the hospital. Known as the Mazor X Stealth EditionTM, it can be used to plan the operation in detail in advance. It also uses real-time 3D images during the procedure, automatically moving the robots arm exactly where it is needed to secure the screws safely to the vertebrae. We can design a surgical plan before the patient goes into theatre, just as you might put a postcode into a satnav to plan a specific route, Mr Molloy explains. Once surgery is under way, the robotic arm guides us to place spinal implants precisely. Scoliosis is thought to affect thousands of people in Britain, including Princess Eugenie. She suffered the condition as a child, and on her wedding day in 2018 wore a dress that showed a long scar down her back from surgery (pictured, with now-husband Jack Brooksbank) He adds: Spinal surgery has well recognised risks of nerve damage, and by using the Mazor X we can perform safer surgery on our patients. Lisa, a nursery manager, first noticed that her daughters right shoulder was slightly higher than the left when she was aged ten. Scans revealed that Emma had scoliosis. For three years, she had to wear a rigid plastic back brace for 23 hours a day to prevent the curve getting worse as she grew. It was horrible it was really hot and quite tight, and I had to sleep in it too, Emma says. I had to give up trampolining, and wear loose clothes to cover it. Doctors had hoped the treatment would stabilise Emmas spine, but it was still distorting. Last November, she became the first NHS patient to undergo robotic-assisted scoliosis surgery and the first paediatric patient in Europe. The operation, which takes around seven hours, is carried out under general anaesthetic. Detailed scans of the back are processed and computer software is used to plan the operation. In theatre, a long incision from the shoulder blades to the waist is made to expose the spine. A drill is used by the surgeon to create holes and screws are attached into each vertebra. These are then fixed to the two rods, which are positioned either side of the spine. The drill is held in place by the robotic arm, which can automatically position itself according to the operation plan to ensure maximum precision. Clamps are added to the screws and hooked to the long rod down the back. This pulls the spine straight, correcting the curve. The incision is then closed. The implants help to hold the spine in place until it fuses with existing bone, forming a solid column. Emma was in hospital for 11 days after the operation but she was well enough to return to school in January. Hopefully Ill be able to go trampolining again later this year, and start horse-riding again, too, she says. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 8) President Rodrigo Duterte is not shutting down Philippine offshore gaming operators despite multiple allegations of crimes linked to their operation, his spokesperson said Sunday. Wala namang reason para i-shut down. Ano bang reason para i-shut down? Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told CNN Philippines, adding that the allegations have yet to be proven. [Translation: There's no reason for a shutdown. What reason is there for a shutdown?] In recent months, Chinese nationals working for POGOs have been tagged in a wide range of criminal activities, including corruption, money laundering, bribery, tax evasion, kidnapping and sex trafficking. In view of these allegations, Panelo had previously said Duterte may order POGOs to halt their operations, in the same way he declared lotteries illegal over "massive corruption." READ: Duterte may suspend POGO operations spokesman Demand for POGO ban Vice President Leni Robredo has joined calls for the administration to make a decisive action on POGOs, and she says that the countrys income from these companies does not make up for the social costs of the crimes allegedly committed by Chinese nationals. Lawmakers, for their part, have called for a ban of the offshore gaming companies, saying that the revenues brought in by POGOs do not equal the social ills they cause. Senator Frank Drilon previously condemned the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) when it said it is still in favor of POGOs, as these are sources of taxes for the state. "I am disappointed at the statement of PAGCOR saying [they] are in favor of POGO continuing in our shores because of the income we earn such a short-ranged statement," the senator said. "The social problems they have brought in[to] our country is not worth the regulation fees that you earn," he added. "Why are we so in love with POGOs?" Surigao del Norte representative Robert Ace Barbers also urged PAGCOR to cancel POGOs licenses and stop the construction of proposed offshore online gaming hubs in Pampanga and Cavite. Dapat i-cancel ang permits of these to operate. Hindi naman na kailangan ng legislation diyan. Itong nangyaring pagpasok nila, hindi naman kailangan ng legislation, Barber said. [Translation: Their permits to operate should be cancelled. Theres no need for legislation to do that. Their entry to the Philippines doesnt even need legislation.] Echoing the statement of Senator Panfilo Lacson, Barbers also said its likely that some of the Chinese nationals in the country are not POGO workers, but spies using the Philippines lax rules on POGO to freely conduct their operations. Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy dismissed the crimes allegedly committed by Chinese nationals in the country as isolated incidents and condemned what they called irresponsible remarks based on fake news. Workers on Sunday rushed to prepare an empty pier at the Port of Oakland for the arrival of a luxury ocean liner with more than 3,500 people on board including at least 21 with coronavirus setting in motion what one federal official called an unprecedented and difficult operation. The 11-acre site at Pier 22 will be the disembarkation point for the Grand Princess, which has been held offshore since the first cases were identified on Thursday. Once docked, the liner will remain in fenced-off isolation while passengers are examined and then either sent to hospitals, put into quarantine in California or sent out of the state. The ship and its crew will then return to sea. If all goes well, the unusual transition from ship to shore should be completed within two to three days, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Sunday. The setting in Oaklands Outer Harbor, across the water from the Bay Bridge toll gates, should ensure that no residents or regular port employees have contact with cruise passengers who might carry the mysterious and potentially lethal virus. But Newsom also warned that with the entire process being developed on short notice, the specific details are in flux including when the liner will dock. We are not able to tell you exactly when the cruise ship will come into the port, Newsom said at an afternoon news conference in Oakland attended by federal, state and local officials. We are still working out the enormity and complexities of making sure we prepare the site, and prepare it for a quick turnaround. News on Sunday morning that the cruise ship would drop anchor in Oakland quickly brought complaints from residents and local politicians concerned that the presence of infected passengers within city limits might hasten the spread of the virus. At the news conference, however, Mayor Libby Schaaf called the temporary mooring the right thing to do. We have to not let our fears impede our humanity, Schaaf said. She emphasized that passengers will be confined to the pier until theyre transported elsewhere. I have received some very strong assurances that nobody will be quarantined in Oakland or released to our community. One concerned resident was Bonnita Hall, 70, who immediately started making calls to local politicians and city leaders. Now Playing: Here is what you need to know about the coronavirus. Video: Manjula Varghese A retired executive assistant who suffers from congestive heart failure, Hall told The Chronicle she is concerned about exposure to the virus, despite the official assurances. She suggested that San Francisco would be better equipped to handle the immense job of monitoring thousands of passengers and crew members in secure isolation. We dont have the resources that San Francisco has to deal with it, Hall said. We dont want this ship. Theres no reason for the ship to come here. At the Sunday news conference, Newsom went through the review process that made Oakland the best choice. Pier 22 is on the northwest edge of the port, which is separated from residential neighborhoods by Interstate 880. The site is large, and the prior tenant left two years ago. Its an empty berth for loading and unloading container ships with easy access to Oakland International Airport, where passengers from outside of the United States will either take chartered flights back to their home countries, Newsom said, or be sent to quarantine sites on military bases in Texas and Georgia. Its also relatively convenient to Travis Air Force Base where most of the liners 962 California passengers will be kept in isolation for 14 days while theyre watched for coronavirus symptoms. Todd Trumbull A closed naval station on the island of Alameda was ruled out because it has silted up to an extent that would make it difficult for the liner to pull in, Newsom said. San Franciscos cruise terminal on the Embarcadero is smaller than Oaklands Pier 22; it also is in the middle of a heavily trafficked area at the base of Telegraph Hill. Newsom stressed that the review and disembarkation process will be carried out largely by federal employees. This is primarily a federal operation, a state operation, Newsom said. Were not looking to bring in any of the port workers. ... Were looking to get out of here quickly, and the site will be completely scrubbed and cleaned up so there will be no concerns once (regular) people go back in. The governor also sent words of consolation to the passengers of the Grand Princess who were heading toward San Francisco on Wednesdaywhen they instead were stopped roughly 10 miles outside of the Golden Gate. We cannot be more deeply empathetic to those that are stranded off our coasts, Newsom said. I know theres a sense of deep frustration that many of the passengers have on the ship. That was the case with Daniel Healy, a 56-year-old London resident who boarded the Grand Princess on Feb. 21 with his wife, Tracy Healy, 59. The couple were taking the cruise to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. Daniel Healy has been assured he will be in the first group of passengers to disembark because of his nerve disease, diabetes and other autoimmune ailments. But he said the uncertainty of whether he and his wife will be separated to different facilities for testing and quarantine after disembarking is unnerving. Thats the frustration, not knowing where were going or what were going to be doing, Daniel Healy said. Its just a lack of communication. Thats whats killing people the not knowing. Matt Lagesse, a Texas resident whose mother and aunt are on board, voiced similar sentiments. Theres a lack of planning, a lack of coordination, Lagesse said. The whole thing just seems very haphazard in terms of the response. The exact arrival time at Pier 22 will be determined by the bays current and tides: The bottom deck of the Bay Bridge begins roughly 190 feet above sea level, while the Grand Princess tops off at about 180 feet above the waters surface. That means passage will need to be calibrated to Mondays low tides, which are at approximately 6:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Assistance to the cruise ship began on Sunday, according to one federal official at the afternoon news conference. Medical teams were being transported to the liner to conduct rapid assessment of people (who might have) unmet medical needs not related to the COVID-19 infection, said Dr. John Redd of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Once the ship is moored at Pier 22, Redd said, medical crews will handle the disembarkation in stages. After a rapid assessment of all passengers, the ones leaving the liner first would be ones needing to be admitted to nearby hospitals. Next off: Passengers who live in the state would be transported to Travis Air Force Base or the Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego. The final group to be released would be foreign passengers. They would be sent straight to military quarantine areas out of state or to Oakland International Airport if theres a charter plane waiting from their country of origin. As of now, we dont have indications that there are additional people with COVID-19 symptoms on board the Grand Princess, Redd said. He also called the elaborate but quickly planned disembarkation process a really unprecedented and difficult operation. But Dr. John Swartzberg, a clinical professor emeritus in the division of infectious diseases at UC Berkeleys School of Public Health, said that the long stay on the Grand Princess increased the chance of additional infections. I cant tell you how great a risk it is for another 24 hours, I can only say it does increase risk the longer they are on there, Swartzberg said. On the other side of the equation, we dont want to disembark people without a very good plan of how everybody is going to be dealt with. Tatiana Sanchez, John King, Lauren Hernandez and Michael Cabanatuan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: tatiana.sanchez@sfchronicle.com, jking@sfchronicle.com, lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com, mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @TatianaYSanchez, @JohnKingSFChron, @LaurenPorFavor, @ctuan Married At First Sight's Natasha Spencer did her part to celebrate International Women's Day on Sunday. The 26-year-old financial analyst attended an art class over wine at Sydney's Cork and Canvas, alongside season 2019 star Melissa Lucarelli, 39. Dressed to impress in coordinating pink ensembles, the girls proudly showed off their artistic talents - a flower goddess on canvas. Cheers! Married At First Sight alumni Natasha Spencer (left), 26, and Melissa Lucarelli (right), 39, celebrated International Women's Day with an art class over wine in Sydney on Sunday Natasha highlighted her figure in a vibrant form-fitting Rebecca Vallance frock with tie detail at the shoulder. She boosted her height with black pointy-toe heels and added a touch of bling in the form of delicate drop earrings. Natasha styled her brunette locks into a sleek ponytail at the nape of the neck, drawing attention to her striking facial features. The Channel Nine star's makeup included defined brows, false lashes, a touch of blush and a glossy pink lip. Having a ball: Dressed to impress in coordinating pink ensembles, the girls proudly showed off their artistic talents - a flower goddess on canvas Ensemble: Natasha highlighted her figure in a vibrant form-fitting Rebecca Vallance frock with tie detail at the shoulder, and boosted her height with black pointy-toe heels Meanwhile, Melissa opted for a pale pink high-neck number and silver strappy heels. She swept her long brunette tresses into a high ponytail, and finished off the look with bold brows, false lashes and a natural colour on her pout. Natasha said shortly after the event: 'I think it's so important to surround yourself with positive women and men in your life, not only on International Women's Day, but every day! 'Cork and Canvas was such a relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon with the girls.' Glamorous: Meanwhile, Melissa opted for a pale pink high-neck number and silver strappy heels Beauties: Natasha and Melissa both styled their tresses into ponytails, drawing attention to their striking facial features Natasha said shortly after the event: 'I think it's so important to surround yourself with positive women and men in your life, not only on International Women's Day, but every day!' Natasha made headlines recently when she chose to 'leave' Married At First Sight. The beauty came to a mutual decision with 'TV husband' Mikey Pembroke that they're better off as friends. Melissa was paired with Dino Hira on last year's season, but their 'marriage' was short-lived. She has since become a social media influencer, brand ambassador and red carpet regular. Single: Natasha made headlines recently when she chose to 'leave' Married At First Sight. She came to a mutual decision with 'TV husband' Mikey Pembroke that they're better off as friends One person was shot at a rap concert inside a west Birmingham arena Saturday night. The Lil Baby concert was shut down after shots were fired. The gunfire erupted inside the Bill Harris Arena and the victim was taken to UAB Hospital for treatment, said Sgt. Rod Mauldin. At approximately 10:20 p.m. Saturday during Lil Babys stage performance a physical altercation ensued among promoters and entourage members in the backstage area of the Bill Harris arena, according to a Sunday afternoon statement from Mauldin. The fight escalated and resulted in one person being shot. The victim was transported to UAB Hospital with life threatening injuries. The victims condition has since been updated to stable, Mauldin stated. More officers responded to the scene and order was restored without further incident, Mauldin stated. No injuries occurred to any concert patrons or citizens in the general vicinity of the Bill Harris arena. As of Sunday afternoon there were no one in custody. The Atlanta-based rapper whose real name is Dominique Armani Jones was performing at the arena. According to concertgoers, some kind of altercation broke out and then at least one shot was fired inside. Multiple people screamed and dropped to the floor. Others ran out of the building. A video posted to YouTube showed a physical altercation to the side of the stage and then one shot could be heard fired. The concert was stopped, and police quickly cleared the arena and surrounding area. Efforts to reach Lil Baby for comment were not successful. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Birmingham Police Department Investigative Bureau at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. This story will be updated if more information is released. Updated at 5:15 p.m. March 8 with additional details of the fight and shooting As yet another group of coronavirus evacuees heads to San Antonio, some of the regions elected officials are pushing the federal government to keep them confined to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland to the maximum extent possible. Local officials were informed late Saturday that the government intends to send about 100 passengers from the Grand Princess, a cruise ship idling off the California coast, to Lackland for quarantine. At least 21 people on board are infected with the new coronavirus. But only symptom-free passengers will be sent to Lackland, federal authorities said. The group could arrive as early as Monday night, San Antonio officials were told. About 90 are Texans, and the rest live in surrounding states, Mayor Ron Nirenberg told the Express-News on Sunday. All of them will be tested for the virus upon arrival in San Antonio, he said. Lackland has already been used to quarantine a total of 235 evacuees from China, where the coronavirus outbreak began, and from cruise ships, which have proven susceptible to its spread. The Defense Department has said JBSA has some of the largest lodging capacity among U.S. military installations, including many single rooms without shared bathrooms, which are ideal for isolation efforts. WIN TICKETS: Spurs Nation is giving away four box seat tickets to the March 22 home game Since the first evacuees arrived here in early February, relations have grown frayed between local officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has overseen the quarantines. After a dozen of those evacuated from the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship docked in Japan, tested positive for the virus, city officials asked that patients with mild symptoms not be transported to local hospitals outside Lackland for treatment a request that was ignored. On Sunday, with a new group of evacuees on the way, Nirenberg said city and state officials have proposed measures to minimize the quarantines burden on local hospitals and the risk that the virus could spread into the community. Stay on federal grounds For instance, officials have asked that evacuees be kept on Lackland as much as possible, and that infected patients who do not have severe symptoms be treated at medical facilities on JBSA. The gist of the requests is that the federal operation stay on federal grounds and that they use base facilities for the execution of this mission, Nirenberg said. The entire purpose of a quarantine mission is to ensure that the public is not exposed, the mayor said. The spread of COVID-19 in the United States, if these quarantine missions are done properly, will have nothing to do with evacuated, repatriated Americans. On ExpressNews.com: There is something wrong: Inside the release of the Lackland evacuees U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio Democrat, said his office has asked whether evacuees could be treated at Brooke Army Medical Center rather than in civilian hospitals off-base. The Defense Department has been obstinate about not wanting anyone infected with the virus to remain on JBSA for long, Castro said in an interview Sunday. But he said things may be different now that the city and county have declared public health emergencies over the release of the Diamond Princess evacuees. That was smart of the mayor and the county judge to make that declaration, because it has forced the CDC to take into consideration, or take more seriously, the citys legitimate requests, Castro said. U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, a San Antonio Republican, said he also wanted to work with the Defense Department on using on-base medical facilities BAMC and the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center to treat coronavirus patients. At the end of the day, Hurd said, all health care providers are going to have to potentially deal with this. Cruise ship seeks port The Grand Princess cruise ship has waited off the California coast for days as federal officials tried to decide what to do with the more than 3,500 people onboard. At least one former passenger, a California man, has died of the virus, health officials have said. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Sunday that the Grand Princess would dock at a non-passenger port in San Francisco Bay, allowing the passengers to disembark and travel to military installations for medical screening, testing and quarantine. But after the boat was turned away there, plans were made for it to dock Monday in Oakland. Almost 1,000 of the passengers who live in California are being sent to Travis AFB, northeast of San Francisco, or Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego. Those who live in other states will be flown to Lackland and to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia, HHS said. The State Department is helping to coordinate the return of several hundred international passengers to their countries of origin. John Wittman, spokesman for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, said Sunday that the governor had discussed the arrival of the latest group of passengers with Vice President Mike Pence, who is overseeing the governments coronavirus response. All of the repatriated citizens will remain at Lackland under quarantine until they clear the revised and heightened testing protocol to ensure they are not affected by the COVID-19 virus, Wittman said in a statement. Once cleared, Texans will be released to return home while non-Texans will be safely transported to their home state using the same public safety protocol used for Diamond Princess passengers who were previously quarantined at Lackland. On ExpressNews.com: CDC, local officials battle over evacuees The Grand Princess is owned by Princess Cruises the same company that operates the Diamond Princess. Some 144 Diamond Princess passengers were flown to Lackland on Feb. 17. After completing their two-week quarantine, 127 of the evacuees were released on Tuesday despite protests by San Antonio officials, who feared they could still pose a danger to the public and who unsuccessfully sought to extend their quarantine. The CDC has not yet relinquished the on-base hotel where evacuees have been isolated from military personnel. As of Friday, six evacuees remained in extended quarantine there, after coming into close contact with people who later were found to be infected with the virus. The facility can accommodate up to 250 people. On ExpressNews.com: Diamond Princess evacuees are finally going home Mistaken release The first group of evacuees at Lackland included 91 people from the epicenter of the outbreak the city of Wuhan in central China. They were brought to the base in early February. All but one person in that group was released from quarantine late last month. That last evacuee from the Wuhan group became the subject of much consternation last week, when she was released before it was known that she still had low levels of the virus in her system. The woman had tested negative twice and appeared recovered on Feb. 29, which qualified her for release under CDC guidelines in effect at the time. After she was released, she visited North Star Mall, one of San Antonios busiest retail centers, and a hotel near the airport. Then health officials learned of positive results from a third test sample taken from the woman. She was returned to the Texas Center for Infectious Disease, where she had been treated earlier. The Metropolitan Health District is monitoring at least 21 people who came into contact with her. Afterward, the CDC changed its guidelines for discharging coronavirus patients. They now require two consecutive negative tests 24 hours apart, without any results pending. The mix-up fueled calls by San Antonio officials to retest all the Diamond Princess passengers. However, officials ultimately worked with the CDC to amend the protocols for releasing people from quarantine so that evacuees have as little contact with the public as possible on their way out of San Antonio. It was clear that last week was a reckoning, in many ways, for how these (evacuees) are handled, he said. On ExpressNews.com: Calm the panic: With impending release of cruise ship evacuees, San Antonio health officials begin pivot to community coronavirus plan Hurd said theres a reason why Lackland continues to be tapped for quarantines. I dont think theres another top 10 city that has the military presence that we do and the first-rate medical infrastructure that San Antonio does, Hurd said. Everybody in San Antonio understands the responsibility and the duty that comes with that. Much has changed since the Diamond Princess group was released, he added, including federal lawmakers passage of $8.3 billion in coronavirus-related funding. Of the total, more than $35 million is earmarked for infection control and preparedness efforts in Texas. As of Friday, 11 people with coronavirus were isolated in hospitals in San Antonio. All had been evacuated from either Wuhan or the Diamond Princess. Two recovered patients were discharged from the hospital on Thursday and Friday. Lauren Caruba covers health care and medicine in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | lcaruba@express-news.net | Twitter: @LaurenCaruba A British Airways stewardess who was seriously injured when a lorry crashed with a car and killed three of her friends is now out of a coma. Lauren Feeney was rescued from a Toyota Yaris following the horrific smash near Heathrow Airport on New Year's Eve. Her BA colleagues Rachel Clark, 20, Joseph Finnis, 25, and Dominic Fell, 23, died in the accident. Lauren Feeney (pictured) was rescued from a Toyota Yaris following the horrific smash near Heathrow Airport on New Year's Eve But Ms Feeney, 25, is now out of danger, one of her friends has revealed. They told The Sun Online: 'Lauren is going to be OK. We are all so relieved.' BA said: 'We are so pleased to hear of Laurens progress. We remain in contact and wish her well in her recovery.' Hospital workers are so confident in her recovery that she's been moved for treatment in Glasgow, closer to her Renfrewshire family home. Emergency services were called to the scene at the junction of Bedfont Road and Long Lane at 11.39pm following the collision between a white Mercedes HGV and a white Toyota Yaris The front of the Yaris (pictured above) was completely smashed and the doors were also damaged Her parents were staying in temporary accommodation while their daughter was being treated, Mourners and well-wishers joined them for a vigil at the hospital in London in a show of support. The driver of the lorry was unharmed after the car was believed to have been rushing back to a pub in Longford so its passengers could see in the New Year. Stephen Paul Crook, a member of cabin crew at British Airway set up the fundraising page for the families of those affected. The map above shows the area where the crash happened near the junction at Long Lane in Stanwell Writing on the page, Mr Crook said: 'As you are now all probably aware, on New Year's Eve we lost three fellow Mixed Fleet Crew in a fatal car crash, and another is in hospital in a serious condition. 'I have set up this fund to raise money so that we as a fleet can send a nice flower arrangement to the three crew members funerals and hopefully make a nice donation to a charity of the families choosing. 'Also the crew member who is in hospital will need all the support and help they can need after they get out of hospital and as such I would like to be able to give them a nice sum of money, to help them in those first few months. 'I know it is January and I know that money is tight but I know that as a fleet we will pull together and make this happen.' Police officers are pictured above on the scene following a crash in the Longford area of Middlesex A fundraising page has been set up for the families of those affected, with tributes flooding in on the GoFundMe page (above and below) Commenting on the fundraiser, Ruth Atkins said: 'Such tragic and devastating news. Sending love and deepest sympathy to their families.' And Gemma Waddington said: 'Such sad news. Lovely to see the BA family coming together to support each other though.' Jai Dillon, a British Airways Pilot Ambassador and Recruitment Pilot, was among those paying tribute to the cabin crew today. He said: 'Thoughts are with the friends and family of the three crew who were tragically taken from us last night whilst driving home from work to be with their loved ones for New Year.' While the British Airway Flying with Confidence course Twitter account also tweeted: 'Last night we tragically lost three members of our British Airway family. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with their friends and families during this very difficult time.' The group collided with the freight truck that had been destined for the airport and was believed to have been loaded with dangerous goods that were due to be shipped to Amsterdam. It is believed that all four cabin crew were friends and two of them had finished work at about 6pm, while the other two were on a day off and not scheduled to be on duty. RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia Democrats nearly completed their reshaping of state government on Saturday, wrapping up most of a historic General Assembly session in which they shattered 20 years of Republican leadership on social and environmental issues. The state budget was the primary area left unfinished, preventing the 60-day legislative session from ending as scheduled Saturday after an avalanche of last-minute dealmaking. Legislators were bracing for a late night, but most expected to return at the start of the workweek to wrap up the $135 billion, two-year spending plan. Swept by elections last fall to their first consolidated hold on power in a generation, Democrats unleashed a cyclone of pent-up legislative change. On Saturday, lawmakers completed action on measures to transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2045, give undocumented immigrants a way to drive legally and repeal the requirement that voters show photo identification at the polls. Other big-ticket items went unresolved by early evening, including bills that would decriminalize marijuana, legalize casino gambling in five cities, give localities the authority to remove Confederate statues and raise the state's minimum wage. In some cases conference committees were hashing out differences between House and Senate versions; in others, bills were caught up in procedural spats. Many of the delays were a consequence of a backroom fight over the budget. In particular, the Senate was refusing to go along with a House plan to freeze tuition at public colleges and universities for the coming year. House Democrats retaliated by refusing to "transmit" to the Senate its version of a proposed constitutional amendment to set up a redistricting commission. "All that's going to do is make us hold up their bills," Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, said, meaning that the Senate would stop sending conference reports on House measures until the stalemate ended. "They're not going to get one thing out of here." The showdown didn't affect action on gun violence prevention, which was the session's marquee issue from start to finish. On Saturday, bills restricting handgun purchases to one per month and expanding background checks cleared the legislature and headed to the desk of Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, for his signature. They were the last of seven gun-control measures advocated by Northam that passed the legislature after years of such bills being quashed by Republican majorities. An eighth part of Northam's package - a ban on assault weapons - cleared the House but never made it through the Senate. A record number of bills introduced this year led to complaints from Republicans that new leadership was trampling on parliamentary customs in a rush to shake things up. The scope of change caused backlash. Thousands of gun-rights advocates from around the country protested in Richmond in January, some making threats that drew a massive police response. Democrats banned guns in the Capitol, and residents of rural areas complained that their way of life was under attack. Soon after, national women's rights groups celebrated Virginia becoming the 38th state to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. Lawmakers went on to extend new LGBT protections, remove restrictions on access to early-term abortions and make it easier to vote - including making Election Day a holiday and canceling a holiday honoring Confederate generals. The undoing of so many Republican priorities led some conservatives to advocate giving blue parts of northern Virginia back to the District of Columbia or ceding red counties to West Virginia. Democrats defended their agenda as carrying out a mandate from last fall's elections, which gave the party majorities of 55 to 45 in the House and 21 to 19 in the Senate. "I'm very proud of the work that the House has done in delivering on the promises that we made," Del. Marcia Price, D-Newport News, said. Even more than specific bills, Price said she was proud of "the philosophy of putting people first that we took to the legislative process." The elections gave women and minorities unprecedented gains in leadership. Several female lawmakers paused during Saturday's session to note Del. Eileen Filler-Corn's status as the first woman to serve as House speaker in the body's 401-year history. "For being an example for all the young girls, for everybody who thought they'd never see it, we appreciate you," Del. Jeion Ward, D-Hampton, said. The remarks sparked applause on both sides of the aisle - a moment of accord on a grueling and partisan day. Dealmaking continued down to the wire, even on gun-control bills that have been percolating since the General Assembly convened on Jan. 8. The background-check measure hit a snag earlier in the session, with the Senate taking a more conservative stance than the House. The Senate wanted background checks to be required only for firearms purchases, while the House wanted them on sales and transfers. The Senate's version prevailed in committee, and both chambers voted to approve the deal. The final vote came in the Senate shortly after noon on Saturday. The Senate also won out in a tug of war over the gun-purchase-limit measure, getting the House to agree to exempt concealed-carry permit holders from the limit. Another gun-related bill heading to the governor's desk would require home day-care facilities that register with the state to keep firearms unloaded and locked up when children are present. Also voted out Saturday were bills to halt the practice of suspending driver's licenses for failing to pay fines and to give local governments the option to impose a five-cent tax on disposable shopping bags. Another bill on its way to Northam would lift a requirement that jailers report all undocumented immigrants charged or convicted of any crime to federal immigration authorities. Under the version that passed, jailers still would have to report felonies but not misdemeanors. The House and Senate approved legislation that would make a limited class of inmates eligible for parole, which was abolished in 1995. The bills would apply to 310 inmates sentenced by juries who were not told about Virginia's parole ban during the five years before a 2000 state Supreme Court decision requiring that notification. In a surprise move, the Senate shot down a transportation safety bill that would have allowed police to pull over a vehicle if a driver or any passengers were not wearing seat belts. Current law only requires seat belts for drivers, front-seat passengers and children. The bill would have extended the requirement to all adult passengers and make not wearing a seat belt a primary offense - meaning police would be able to make the stop solely for that reason. Democrats and Republicans raised concerns that the measure would be a pretext for police to target more drivers who are young and ethnic minorities. Budget negotiations continued behind the scenes on Saturday. Del. Luke Torian, D-Prince William, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said conferees working with the Senate had made progress on areas related to spending for public education, commerce and natural resources, public safety and general government. But disagreements between House and Senate negotiators persisted in areas of higher education, compensation for public employees and capital spending plans. Lawmakers appeared set to extend the session to continue seeking common ground. A city firefighter was injured while battling a two-alarm blaze at DejaVu nightclub in Allentown. The initial call for the fire was 3:31 a.m. Sunday at the nightclub, 343 Hamilton St. Crews began fighting the fire in the basement area; flames were mostly contained in the wall of the basements first floor and in a loft area above the first floor, said Allentown Fire Department Capt. John Christopher. Club owners escaped the building before fire crews arrived; all club-goers also had left the building -- the nightclub closed hours before the fire broke out, Christopher said. Tenants in three apartments above the club also were forced to evacuate and have been displaced mostly due to utilities being turned off, he said. Christopher added the apartments did not sustain fire damage, but likely some smoke damage. A LANTA bus was stationed as a temporary shelter for the apartment tenants until the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley arrived at the scene. The fire was extinguished in about an hour and a half, Christopher said. One Allentown firefighter was hurt in a fall and taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township for treatment, he said. The cause of Sundays blaze remains under investigation. The nightclub has been the scene of a number of police incidents in recent years. This included a mass shooting in June 2019 that injured 10 people. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Television Family Karma: A new reality series about a group of young Indian-American friends in Miami, dealing with family expectations and their own interests. (9 p.m. Sunday, Bravo) The Outsider: The thriller adapted from Stephen Kings novel has turned out to be a bit of a gloomy slog. I bailed a while back, but if youre still watching, the series finale airs tonight. (9 p.m. HBO) Rob Riggle: Global Investigator: Actor/comedian Rob Riggle goes around the world looking into mysteries. (10 p.m. Sunday, Discovery Channel) Ride With Norman Reedus: The Walking Dead star returns for Season 4 of his travel-by-motorcycle series. (Midnight Sunday, AMC) The Bachelor: Season Finale Part 1: Who will pilot Peter pick? Does anybody really care, after a season filled with unconvincing drama, and bachelorettes who seemed more interested in screen time than pretending to find love, er, finding love? Anyway, this is the first of the two-night Season 24 finale. (8 p.m. ABC; stream via Hulu + Live TV) Cosmos: Possible Worlds: Neil deGrasse Tyson returns to host a new season of the space series, which looks at different eras and planets. (8 p.m. Monday, National Geographic) The Bachelor: Season Finale Part 2: There are plenty of rumors swirling about what happened at the end of Season 24. All we know is that ABC says this second part of the two-part finale features Peter, Madison and Hannah Ann sitting down with Chris Harrison to talk about what happened. (8 p.m. ABC; stream via Hulu + Live TV) Eating History: A new reality show featuring a vintage food expert called Old Smokey, and his pal, as they tour around in search of foods from the past. (10 p.m. Wednesday, History Channel) Streaming Marc Maron: End Times Fun: The acerbic comedian and podcaster returns for a new stand-up special. (Available to stream beginning Tuesday, Netflix) Dirty Money: The series that investigates corruption and other not-too-admirable aspects of the financial world returns for a second season. (Available to stream beginning Wednesday, Netflix) On My Block: The comedy about a group of friends coming of age in a gritty neighborhood returns for Season 3. (Available to stream beginning Wednesday, Netflix) Already Streaming Amazing Stories: Steven Spielberg is an executive producer of this reimagining of the original anthology series, featuring different tales, directors and casts. (Apple TV+) Ugly Delicious: Chef David Chang returns for a second season of globe-trotting to learn about food, culture and people. (Netflix) ZeroZeroZero: Andrea Riseborough, Dane DeHaan and Gabriel Byrne star in a crime drama about a family involved in the cocaine trade and organized crime. (Amazon Prime Video) -- Kristi Turnquist kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Photo Illustration by Kristen Hazzard/The Daily Beast / Photo Getty Former Vice President Joe Bidens Super Tuesday victories in 10 out of 14 state primaries caused shock waves not only in the United States, but in Russia. State media there have been confidently predicting the Democratic Party's nomination of Bernie Sanders, which would lead, they are sure, to the re-election of their favorite, President Donald J. Trump. Kremlin Media Still Like Bernie, Cause They Love Trump Joe Bidens win in South Carolina gave those Russian media pause, but his buoyant resurgence on Super Tuesday left the Kremlins mouthpieces nearly speechless. Reporting on the U.S. elections for Russian state TV channel Rossiya 24, Alyona Pivkina made a gesture of surprise and said: Suddenly, Biden surged ahead. The revelation was followed by an awkward moment of silence between Pivkina and the seemingly stunned host of the news broadcast. The pro-Kremlin newspaper Vzglyad complained that Biden rose from the ashes like a phoenix, prevailing in spite of the corruption scandals that have long been alleged and cultivated by the Russiansand the Republicansconcerning his son, Hunter, and his own activities in Ukraine. With notable irritation, Vzglyad griped about Joe Bidens state primary victories in North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Alabama, claiming that the pro-Biden votes in rural states were secured by rednecks, who shoot skunks for fun, bowl, beat their wives and associate the word socialist with the communist threat. The newspaper bitterly surmised that through Bidens anticipated nomination, the U.S. elites won yet another Cold War against socialism. Much like the Russians, Senate Republicans were caught off guard and visibly disappointed by Bidens resurgence as the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham told CNNs Manu Raju that Biden is going to be tough to beat, as opposed to the self-proclaimed socialist Sanders. According to The Hill, an unnamed Republican senator expressed his hope that the primary fight between Sanders and Biden would scar the Democratic Party, dragging into the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this July: It doesnt mean the Sanders folks all fall into line. They didnt last time. Hes pretty out there. Story continues Russian propagandists echoed that anticipation. Appearing on Rossiya 24, analyst Dmitry Drobnitsky predicted that in the event Sanders does not receive a nomination, street protests and violence will follow: There will be unrest in Milwaukee There will be a repeat of the 1968 Democratic Convention [riots] in Chicago. Last year, Special Counsel Robert Muellers report identified "dozens" of U.S. political rallies organized on social media by the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russian troll farm whose operatives were indicted for interfering with the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The Kremlins minions will most certainly amplify any efforts to cause public unrest and disrupt the Democratic convention, while also elevating the standard propaganda theme of rigged elections. Describing Bidens re-established lead as unexpected, Russian state TV network Rossiya 24s headline predicted that the kompromat will determine the outcome of the elections. Vladimir Vasiliev, a senior research fellow at the Institute for U.S. and Canadian Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, said: Dont forget that Ukraine is hanging around Bidens neck, along with Burisma Holdingsthe energy company where Hunter Biden had a lucrative seat on the board. Moscow's repeated pitch on Russian-language state media for domestic consumption and for the sizable community of Russian speakers in the United States is that Joe Biden is damaged goods and Donald Trump is inevitably going to be re-elected. But the messaging doesn't stop there. The Kremlin's English-language media aim to influence Americans on their home turf. RT actively promotes conspiracy theories targeting Biden while lauding Trumps efforts to investigate his leading political opponent. RT predicted that Trump will win a second term, claimed that Biden is cognitively unraveling and surmised that allegations of corruption are doing real damage to his presidential bid. Vladimir Soloviev, who hosts an evening news show on the state TV network Rossiya 1, anticipated that Trump would promptly dredge up kompromatcompromising materialagainst Biden in order to undermine his candidacy. Soloviev suggested that the dismissal last week of Ukraine Prosecutor General Ruslan Ryaboshapka was directly tied to his decision not to pursue charges in cases related to Burisma Holdings. Discussing the reasons for Ryaboshapka's removal, the chairman of Ukraines ruling Servant of the People parliamentary faction, David Arakhamia, made no mention of any causes related to the Bidens. But Soloviev insinuated that Ryaboshapka's incoming replacement would pursue an investigation into Hunter Biden in order to please President Trump. Russian propagandists and U.S. Senate Republicans seem to be guided by a common beliefor perhaps a goalthat the outcome of the upcoming presidential elections in the United States will be artificially altered by continued pursuit of the proverbial dirt against Biden in Ukraine. Soloviev couldnt hide his glee discussing the fact that one of the Republican senators who voted not to remove President Trump from office for withholding aid to Ukraine on condition it investigate Biden is now leading an investigation of the former vice president. Russian politician Sergey Stankevich asked Soloviev: Have you heard the latest news? Senator Ron Johnson demanded and stepped out with an initiative to go to court in order to obtain a dossier on Hunter Biden. Stankevich opined that the outcome of this investigation might determine the outcome of the election. Soloviev readily agreed and added: Like I said from the very beginning, thats also why Ryaboshapka is being removed. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, needed no special introduction on Russian state television. He was one of the Republican lawmakers who elected to celebrate the Fourth of July in Russia in 2018, where all of the GOP visitors agreed to meet with their Russian counterparts in a secret room. Photos, videos and news coverage of the unusual GOP pilgrimage were featured extensively by Russian state media. Upon Johnson's return to the United States, he called the U.S. sanctions against Russia useless, which garnered even more attention in the Russian media. In October of 2019, Johnsons statements about his mistrust for the FBI and the CIA provided priceless propaganda for the Kremlin and were prominently aired on Russian state television. The record shows Johnson underwent a remarkable transformation with respect to the former vice president's activities in Ukraine, with Johnsons views morphing only when Biden became a leading rival to the sitting president. In 2016, Johnson signed a letter urging Ukraine to make "reforms" in the office of Ukraines former prosecutor, Viktor Shokin. The United States and other Western nations publicly urged Ukraine to remove Shokin, who was widely criticized for turning a blind eye to corrupt practices. But come 2019, casting the facts aside during the impeachment proceedings, Johnson called for a review of whether former VP improperly used his office to have Shokin removed, and claimed to have no recollection of the 2016 letter he'd signed. On Wednesday, Johnson said he will likely release an interim report of his committees Biden probe within the next one to two months, openly hoping that voters will take the findings into account. Likewise, Russian political scientist Sergey Mikheyev predicted that Bidens candidacy would be drowned by the Ukraine investigations. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The family of Sean Ford, 15, has paid tribute to the 'truly one in a million' boy who was killed yesterday in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Police were called to Charles Street area in Wishaw, Craigneuk, at around 5.05am following a report that Sean had been seriously injured. The teenager was taken to Wishaw General Hospital, where he later died. His death is now being treated as murder, after a 20-year-old male suspect was arrested and charged in connection to the incident. Sean's family said in a statement: 'Sean was such an outgoing and intelligent young boy who brought laughter and smiles to everyone around him. Pictured: Sean Ford, who was killed on Charles Street in Wishaw yesterday. His family paid tribute to 'truly one in a million' and 'outgoing and intelligent' Sean Sean's family said in a statement: 'Sean was such an outgoing and intelligent young boy who brought laughter and smiles to everyone around him' Pictured: Officers at an address in the Charles Street area of Craigneuk in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, at around 5.05am on March 7 Pictured: Officers at an address in the Charles Street area of Craigneuk in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, at around 5.05am on March 7 'He was always making sure others were ok. He was truly one in a million and we will never forget his big beautiful smile. He will be forever young. 'We are overwhelmed with the amount of support from his friends and would like to thank every last one of them. 'He was so cruelly and cowardly taken away from us and we will get justice for Sean. We are so heartbroken and just ask to be left to grieve.' Detective Chief Inspector Alan Sommerville of the Major Investigation Team said the male suspect is due to appear at Hamilton Sherriff Court on Monday. Pictured: Officers at an address in the Charles Street area of Craigneuk in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, at around 5.05am on March 7 WILTON A middle-aged town resident has become the first Connecticut presumptive positive case of coronavirus, and officials are now trying to determine how far he may have spread the illness. The patient, who state officials described as being between 40 and 50 years old, is being treated at Danbury Hospital, Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement released Sunday. The patient is a man and was hospitalized for showing symptoms, Av Harris, spokesman for the state Department of Health, wrote in an email Sunday evening. The man had recently returned from a work-related trip to California, according to a source who was briefed on the case. The patient is believed to have contracted the illness while in California and sought medical treatment shortly after returning home, Lamont said. The case is presumptive until its confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The mans illness is not related to the two confirmed cases involving Connecticut hospital employees who are New York residents. Harris said he did not know the condition of the two employees. Lamont said the state Department of Public Health and his administration are working to determine who has been in recent contact with the Wilton resident. All people who have had direct, face-to-face contact with this person are being instructed to stay home and self-isolate, he said. Dr. John Murphy, president and CEO of Nuvance Health, the system that includes Danbury and Norwalk hospitals, repeated the assurance of around-the-clock work. We want our patient and their family to know that we are here for them, Murphy said in the governors press release. State Rep. Gail Lavielle, whose district includes Wilton, told Hearst Connecticut Media the man in her town could soon be the first of many coronavirus patients in the state. What they tell us is, within days, there will be numbers, and each case will not be possible or constructive to follow to that degree, she said Sunday. Its always difficult to hear it is in your town the first time, but thats going to change very quickly. Harris said the 36 other test samples have all come back negative. Harris confirmed the Wilton man was showing symptoms of the illness, and referred further questions to the hospital. Amy Forni, a spokeswoman for Nuvance Health, said she could not disclose the patients condition, citing HIPAA laws. Forni said the hospitals have not set up outposts like exterior trailers or tents as outlined by Lamont on Friday as a way of isolating coronavirus patients. Forni said the hospital group has an adequate number of required rooms and supplies including ventilators, disposable N95 masks, disposable gloves, disposable gowns, and more than 100 negative pressure rooms (NPR) across our health system. Forni said NPRs are used to contain airborne contaminants within the room. She also said the group has the capacity to expand isolation based on demand. We have implemented provisions for all personnel within the health system who might see an infected patient, in order to have a thorough understanding of the appropriate guidelines for care, Forni said. How fast can this spread? More Information Connecticut coronavirus by the numbers Positive cases: 1 Patients who tested negative: 46 See More Collapse The best data on coronavirus suggests that when someone is coughing or sneezing, or is speaking and has a sore throat, that person spreads small droplets that are infectious, said Dr. Michael Parry, chairman of Infectious Diseases at Stamford Hospital. Patients reduce their risk of spreading the virus by washing their hands, wearing masks and distancing themselves from social situations, he told Hearst Connecticut Media. Beyond that, the rest relies on what we know from influenza and on conjecture, Parry said Sunday. If someone has no symptoms, theyre incubating. Are they actually contagious at that time? We think probably not, in most of those circumstances. With the flu, people can incubate the virus for about 12 hours before getting sick. During that time, it is possible, but far less common, to transmit the virus, Parry said. Whether this applies to coronavirus is unknown, he said. Wilton officials have been in contact with the state Department of Public Health, but information has been limited, First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice said in a statement. The public will be updated as more information becomes available, Vanderslice said. We have been prepared for this possibility, she said. Our thoughts and prayers are with the patient and any family. The health director has not advised Wilton Public Schools to close, Vanderslice told Hearst Connecticut Media on Sunday. While Wilton public schools will be in session on Monday, school-sponsored before- and after-school activities have been postponed this week to reduce the number of non-essential group gatherings, according to a letter sent Sunday to parents by Maria Coleman, who handles the districts emergency operations. We are taking this course of action out of an abundance of caution, not because of a specific event or concern about a person or group of people within our schools, she said. Some in Wilton are not ready to panic. John Ruane, who was eating ice cream Sunday afternoon at Wilton Deli, said the publics mass hysteria about coronavirus has led to stores running out of supplies. The question is, why do we worry about it? Everyone gets sick at some point, he said. Coronavirus crosses state lines On Friday, Lamont announced an employee of Danbury and Norwalk hospitals who is a New York resident tested positive for the virus. On Saturday, a Bridgeport Hospital doctor who is also a New York resident, was announced as also having coronavirus. The two hospital employees cases have been traced to the outbreak in New Rochelle, a city in Westchester County, officials confirmed. RELATED: Employee at Danbury and Norwalk hospitals diagnosed with coronavirus Westchester County is a warning flag for us, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a press conference Sunday at Northwell Health on Long Island. Of New Yorks 105 confirmed cases, as of Sunday afternoon, 82 of them were in Westchester County. One person in a large gathering can infect many people very quickly, Cuomo said during the press conference. That is why we want to avoid large gatherings, we want to avoid density. Cuomo declared a state of emergency on Saturday that allows for additional resources for local health departments to deal with the outbreak. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton and Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling said Sunday afternoon the employee of Norwalk and Danbury hospitals remained quarantined in her Westchester County home. Boughton said he did not know if she was showing symptoms. Nuvance Health and the state health department have said the situation we are going through right now is relatively contained, Rilling said. Thats the good news. Rilling said his local health official has been receiving updates every few hours from the state health department. Downplaying exposures to the virus? The Bridgeport Hospital doctor with coronavirus has also been self-quarantined in his Westchester County home. Bridgeport Hospital isolated the very small number of patients who interacted with the physician, although the CDC advised officials that was not necessary because the doctor did not exhibit symptoms while seeing patients, Bridgeport Hospital President Anne Diamond said. The CDCs website does say that some spread might be possible before people show symptoms, although this is not the main way the virus spreads. The messages seem mixed because there are still many unknown variables, Parry said. We know symptomatic patients can spread coronavirus, and we know that asymptomatic patients can have the virus in their secretions and that they probably represent some level of risk, he said. (But) we dont know how to quantify the risk; that is why youre getting mixed messages. We dont know who to identify and how much risk they pose. It may be worth expanding the definition to be extra cautious, Parry said, but that poses logistical problems for running hospitals. Health officials are focusing on people showing symptoms because eventually, health care workers will come into contact with COVID-19 patients both with and without symptoms. Murphy said Nuvance Health hospitals have been preparing for the outbreak for weeks, and have years of experience effectively dealing with infectious diseases. Our readiness for COVID-19 cases at our hospitals is thorough and standardized across our health system, Murphy said. We have been, and will continue to work closely with local and state health departments and follow guidelines for preparedness and care. Considering hundreds in Connecticut have been hospitalized each week for the flu and there were seven influenza-related deaths last week alone, Parry said its important to not panic over the coronavirus. We need to put this in perspective, he said. Staff reporter Peter Yankowski contributed to this story. jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.com Tourism in Vietnam continues to face heavy losses as the epidemic is spreading across several countries, especially South Korea, Japan and Europe, leading to total cancellations of tours, flights and international travelers. Hit hard On 25 February, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism issued an Official Letter 75/TCDL-LH on measures to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic, requesting all departments of tourism and related enterprises to closely monitor the situation of the spread of the epidemic in South Korea and in some other markets that send across groups of tourists to Vietnam. The official letter recommended that international travel businesses must suspend taking tourists to Deagu City, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and other epidemic stricken areas, and also restrict travel to areas marked by local authorities. At the same time, not to welcome tourists coming into Vietnam from such epidemic infected areas as well. At present, both arrival and departure of tourists has dropped sharply because of the Covid-19 epidemic fear in many countries. Many travel businesses have announced cancellation of tours in March, even extending into April to ensure safety for travelers. TST tourist agency said they have stopped all tours to South Korea that have a departure schedule for March and April. For the Japanese market, the company is still holding seats for the Cherry Blossom Season tour in late March and early April, but has a backup plan with the aviation industry and other partners to cancel the tour, in case of an emergency. Saigon Tourist has also canceled all tours to South Korea in March, while some other businesses have moved tours to Japan, South Korea, Iran and other epidemic stricken regions to a later date. In recent years, Vietnam has seen a surge in tourists from South Korea and Japan. In 2019, Vietnam welcomed 4.3 million South Korean visitors, ranking second after Chinese visitors. Therefore, when the number of tourists from this market plummeted, the damage to the tourism industry has been enormous. Now with the epidemic spreading across Europe, the US, and in Iran, visitors from many markets have also decreased. Mr. Vu The Binh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, estimates that the number of visitors to Vietnam in February and March decreased by 60%, while domestic tourists decreased by 80%. According to preliminary calculations by the Department of Tourism in Ho Chi Minh City, which is the largest tourism hub of the country, in February alone the tourism business lost about 60% of revenue. Many companies are now going in for cost cutting by laying off personnel and adjusting salaries of employees. Enterprises in related fields such as restaurants and hotels are also seriously being affected as a result of decline in tourism. Stimulus program for tourism On 21 February, the Vietnam Tourism Association announced a coalition to stimulate the Vietnamese tourism industry to overcome the Covid-19 epidemic situation. Many localities, aviation businesses, travel businesses, restaurants and hotels joined in this alliance. Participating units committed to a minimum discount of 20% and a maximum of upto 80%. According to information from the Tourism Association, during the epidemic period, the alliance will focus on two main tasks, namely, professional fostering of the management team of key employees of an enterprise and building and creating new tourism products. During the epidemic decline period, it will focus on implementing tourism restoration in safe areas. By the end of the epidemic phase, the focus would be to launch an entire new system, one that will be a breakthrough in tourism development. Also on 21 February, Ho Chi Minh City announced a stimulus program for tourism in Vietnam and for Ho Chi Minh City specifically. Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association received registration from tourism businesses with committed discount price of 25% to 50%, from aviation 50%, and from road and railways 40%. With the participation of many businesses, road tours in the stimulus promotion group, designed by the City Tourism Association, decreased by 15% to 18%. The sudden and rapid spread of the Covid-19 epidemic has put the tourism industry in a difficult situation, as no one knows when the epidemic will pass and when the industry will be able to get back on its feet or launch appropriate products to once again stimulate growth in the industry. -Mr. Phan inh Hue, Director of Viet Circle Travel Company. Enterprises also had stimulating tours ready to offer immediately during and after the epidemic, marking priority destinations for the tour program, with criteria for safe areas, attractive stimulus prices, covering localities such as Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Mekong Delta, and the Central Highlands. Many large travel agencies, such as Saigon Tourist and Vietravel, also offered many great discount programs on this occasion. Vietravel has launched a package of immediate crisis measures, with discounts of upto 40%, domestic tours from VND 299,000, and foreign tours starting from VND 2.9 million. Most businesses believe that in the current situation of an epidemic, to stimulate tourism, whether during or after the epidemic, it is also necessary to target domestic visitors. International visitors need time to plan, and are unable to make immediate travel plans. In addition, we also have to compete fiercely with other countries in the region in attracting visitors soon after the epidemic ends, one formidable rival being Thailand. In recent years, domestic tourism has grown strongly. In 2019, domestic visitors reached 85 million, and spending also increased rapidly year by year. Mr. Phan Dinh Hue, Director of Viet Circle Travel Company, said that Vietnamese tourists are the ultimate destination tourists at this time. The discount program will soon impact domestic guests. But Mr. Hue also noted that in the context of serious epidemic fears, we should be organized in small groups, for short-term and to localities and areas not yet affected by the epidemic. However, it is extremely difficult to lure customers in the current epidemic situation because of warnings against visiting crowded places. Even airlines that are constantly launching promotions, and offering discounts, are failing to draw passengers to travel on many routes, despite discounts of even upto 40% to 50%, which are also making many people question the quality of the service. Translated by Kristine Thai Ha In honor of the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, Alabama Public Television is shining light on the suffrage movement and todays progress with womens equality. Unstoppable: The Road to Womens Rights," will be live-streamed on March 11 at 9:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. CST from our nations capital for classrooms all over the state. The educational display is intended for students in grades five through eight, according to a press release from APTV. The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. The live, interactive event follows two young hosts as they visit Seneca Falls, NY, and Washington, D.C., to learn about the women that came before them in the fight for womens rights." The two hosts will visit iconic sites of suffragist protests and take a tour with Congresswomen Terri Sewell. The live segments will offer an opportunity for the audience to engage with Coline Jenkins, author and great-great-granddaughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, womens right pioneer. Registration is open. Former Law minister and senior Congress leader Hans Raj Bhardwaj died after a cardiac arrest at a hospital in New Delhi on Sunday evening. He was 83. Bhardwaj breathed his last at the Max Hospital, Saket, where he was admitted since Wednesday due to Kidney-related issues, his family said. He will be cremated at the Nighambodh Ghat on Monday at 4 pm, his son Arun Bhardwaj said. He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters. A 21-year-old Pakenham man has been charged with a string of dangerous driving offences following a high-speed crash which left his passenger in hospital and closed the Monash Freeway on Sunday morning. Detectives from the Major Collision Investigation Unit believe a Holden station wagon was travelling inbound at speed in the emergency lanes on the Monash Freeway at Narre Warren, when it clipped a truck and lost control about 7.30am. A male passenger in the station wagon was taken to hospital where he remains in a stable condition. Police arrested the 21-year-old driver at the scene and have charged him with negligently causing serious injury, dangerous driving causing serious injury, conduct endangering life, conduct endangering serious injury, driving at a dangerous speed and driving in a dangerous manner. He was also charged with refusing a preliminary oral fluid test, refusing evidentiary breath test and refusing a blood sample. Germany-based Schuco International KG has announced the signing of a rental contract with Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (Saif Zone). Headquartered in Bielefeld, Schuco International KG develops and sells system solutions for windows, doors and facades. With more than 5,400 employees worldwide, the company operates in more than 80 countries and achieved a turnover of 1.67 billion euros in 2018. As per the deal, Schuco will lease 14 warehouses covering a total area of 8,400 sq m, making it the biggest number of warehouses rented for a single company inside the free zone, said Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of SAIF Zone, after signing the deal with Dr Jorg Westphal, the Executive Senior VP at Schuco International KG. The signing ceremony was attended by Ammar Alul, Managing Director at Schuco Middle East and Stephan Weiss, Operations Manager at Schuco Middle East and a number of senior officials. Schucos decision to open a new branch in Sharjah is yet another global testament to the competitive advantages that we offer to investors looking forward to availing our growing investment opportunities in the real estate sector, stated Al Mazrouei. We are happy to have a reputable global company such as Schuco joining SAIF Zone. It was a step in the right direction since the construction sector is playing a growing pivotal role in Emirate and the wider region. It is indeed one of the mainstays of the economic diversification strategy developed by the emirate to prepare for the future," he added. The Trump campaign filed a libel lawsuit against CNN for a column about the president and election help from Russia, the third such action against a news organization taken in the past two weeks. The campaign said a piece by Larry Noble posted last June on the CNN website falsely says that the campaign considered seeking Russias help in the 2020 campaign and decided to leave that option on the table. It made the complaint in a lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Atlanta, where CNN is based. Documentaries can achieve great impact and ABCs War on Waste has seen extraordinary outcomes, not the least of which is influencing the end of plastic bags. But as presenter Craig Reucassel told the Australian International Documentary Conference last week, real change didnt come from Canberra but the suburbs. I came to War on Waste with the wrong perspective on how things work, he explained. I thought wed put pressure on politicians and the change would come through them. But a couple of politicians have said to me, We dont lead, we follow. What happened was .after it became a groundswell within the community, thats when you started to see political change. Reucassel said the business community also reacted following the broadcast. Before the show went to air, I had meetings with people from the supermarkets. They said There is no way well change the plastic bag rule without it becoming legislation. A month after the show went to air they did it themselves, because pressure started coming from their consumers. Power is from the bottom up, not just the top. Reucassel is next set to front two climate change specials, beginning with Fight for Planet A and its been a learning curve to strike a balance that communicates the science without alienating an audience. This is the logic we have in Australia. We get angry that the government says Were only 1.3% of emissions, were so small we cant do anything,' he continued. But so often the people that are angered with that opinion are themselves saying Im so small, it doesnt really matter what I do. Climate change requires action from everyone. Thats the only way were going to deal with this problem. The new constitutional theorem is that to have a stable government in Sri Lanka, the SLPP must have not only the executive presidency but also a two-thirds majority in parliament. by Rajan Philips The Sri Lankan parliament finally stands dissolved (to adapt SWRDs famous line on the still more famous B-C Pact: "the Pact stands abrogated"). Parliament escaped premature dissolution in October-November 2018 when the Supreme Court cut short Maithripala Sirisenas amateurish attempt at executive overreach. It could and should have been dissolved soon after the court verdict by (two-thirds) parliamentary consent, but Ranil Wickremesinghe, rather than taking a very favourable political tide at the flood, chose to prolong the parliaments life to suit his inscrutable calculations for one last presidential run. In the end, he couldnt run anywhere and opened the gate for the resounding return of the Rajapaksas. Now, Mr. Wickremesinghe is talking like a political Cardinal, advising the people to vote wisely in the upcoming parliamentary election. People generally vote wisely, no thanks to him. The problem is with the unwise choices that they are presented with and the unwise ways in which those who are elected act after the elections. The coming election will likely be no different. Buoyed by the presidential election victory the SLPP and its leaders are well positioned to best lay out the plans for the parliamentary election. The UNP alliance, or whatever that will come of it, seems worse positioned than it was for the presidential election in November. Sajith Premadasas newness raised false hopes then. Now, reality has set in even among its most faithful supporters. The JVP keeps striking all the right notes, but still hasnt found an electoral base anywhere in spite of all the trying. The TNA will have its own battles to fight against rivals who will have much to criticize the TNA for the last five years without having to offer anything meaningful for the next five years. The Muslim political parties and the upcountry Tamil political parties are unevenly divided between the two main alliances. The SLPPs problem might be that it is aspiring for too much power with too many plans. The single-minded purpose that propelled Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the presidency now appears to have been lost. That purpose, even promise, was to make government clean and efficient, and to remove the countrys physical bottlenecks from garbage to drainage to power supply to drinking water to sewerage treatment and to traffic. Now, there are too many distractions and too little focus. For the Presidents entourage of family and supporters, winning the presidency itself is not enough. The new constitutional theorem is that to have a stable government in Sri Lanka, the SLPP must have not only the executive presidency but also a two-thirds majority in parliament. This is recipe for ad hoc constitutional amendments that would be worse than the spate of amendments that President Jayewardene pushed through as he kept changing his own constitution. For those with memories of the 1970s, two-thirds majority is synonymous with parliamentary tyranny. Half a century later, it will be double jeopardy squared, for one political party to simultaneously control the executive presidency and two-thirds majority in parliament. What are both needed for anyway? The latest reasoning is about the role of independent commissions and an apparently too independent a member of the Election Commission. Does the country have to go through a whole election and a constitutional change to rein in just one member of a statutory body? There also appears to be some confusion, or double standards, about what high post officials can and cannot do outside their official duties. To what extent could or should they be padlocked, in the case of members of statutory commissions? Can someone continue with her or his professional practice after being appointed as a Provincial Governor? By that token, ministers who are lawyers can still show up in court and provide service to the public for a thumping fee. And that is a whole world different from case of the University Grants Commission reportedly barring a law professor from appearing in habeas corpus cases in Jaffna after a complaint by the Sri Lankan Army. Do we need a constitutional change or changes to put an end to these double standards? Or, will a two-thirds majority come in handy to regularize the irregular? To modify an earlier political turn of phrase from the 1950s, there are seeds of authoritarianism in all of this, and perhaps in spite of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and not because of him. The President has notably promised that there will be no going back to the 18th Amendment. Should that be a relief? Is he striking a different line from the rest of the family, rather the SLPP? The promise will surely prompt editorial praises that Mr. Rajapaksa is not showing any signs of being the authoritarian president that his critics had warned he would be. There are two ways to look at this. Either the alarms and criticisms were misplaced and overblown, or they are having a mellowing effect on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Time will tell. At the same time, even the diehard constitutional busybodies will know that trying to bring back 18A risks provoking a huge backlash, one that the new President will do well to avoid. There is also another way to look at it. Campaigning for a two thirds majority is politically not very smart. What happens if you dont get a two-thirds majority? Then you will have no mandate to even talk about changing the constitution. As a campaign issue, it gives the (UNP) opposition a rallying point to do better than they are expected to do. No doubt, there are changes needed to rectify the mostly drafting errors in the 19th Amendment and also to reform the current electoral system. On both counts, the government could and should work with the opposition to bring about the required changes after the parliamentary elections. In fact, these changes could have been easily done by the now dissolved and lame duck parliament after the November presidential election. The same way the 19th Amendment was passed between the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2015. Inexplicably, the new Administration sat on it for three months. Just as Ranil Wickremesinghe sat on it for a whole year, for reasons that only he can fathom. Untimely headwinds The government has done a neat finesse on the MCC for the election, but it will have to play its card soon after the election. The MCC Experts Committee has done its mite per directions, and given the government the cover it needed before the election. It will turn out to be another downsized Mahaweli Development Scheme that was undertaken in 1970. There is not much room left in the political spectrum for history to repeat itself with an accelerated MCC, similar to the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Scheme of 1977. Mixing metaphors, the political landscape is all over the map! Whatever happened to the children of 1956, the children of 1977 from across the political spectrum have now become Sri Lankas cosmopolitan anti-imperialists. And they form a core constituency of Rajapaksa politics. Like market socialism, there is now a case for anti-imperial capitalism. Anti-Americanism is par for the course in Sri Lankan politics even for, especially for, US-Sri Lankan dual citizens. The not so minor flies in the ointment are crime, corruption, and nepotism. Add to them, from last week, Dayan Jayatillekes fourth dimension universal human rights. And this week, the International Criminal Court authorized the investigation of alleged war crimes by US and Taliban forces in Afghanistan. The signposts for the future are cropping up. But there are miles and miles to go before anyone gets there. Donald Trump, running out of arguments for the November election, will use the ICC decision as a political weapon in his campaign. Just as the Sri Lankan government will use Geneva and the UNHRC as weapons in the unfolding election campaign. It is one thing to run against the UNHRC in an election, but it would be quite a different thing to run away from it after the election. The annual trek to Geneva will be a fact of Sri Lankan political life unless the Sri Lankan government and Tamil political leaders take it upon themselves to address postwar accountability head on. To revert to Dayan Jayatillekes formulation of the fourfold framework, the need to find a practical balance between national sovereignty and universal human rights, is a constraint not only for the government but also for the Tamil leadership. The lesson from the Palestinians cannot be clearer. It is not enough not to keep missing opportunities, you should also look to creating new opportunities. None of this will be front and centre in the current election. But they will be after the election. The real headwinds in the campaign are going to be from outside. The coronavirus and its economic fallout may have unpredictable effects in the election. Come to think of it, Sri Lankans have never gone to a poll in a time of such global uncertainty over health and the economy as they are going to do now. It really is a double whammy. The irony also is that Mahinda Rajapaksa called an early presidential election in 2014/15 to avoid facing the electorate amidst an economic downturn that he expected for 2015/16. Now, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is wading into a parliamentary election in the midst of a global pandemic (which is what it is in all but name) and economic panic. Given its size and location, Sri Lanka might escape the worst. But isolation is not the answer. It never is, even if it were possible. No political party can have a winning message in a situation like this. But the test is for the government to show competence. Anything less will not go unpunished. A prudent question for the President is whether targeting a two-thirds majority is appropriate for the present situation. Never mind it is not appropriate in any situation. No political party in Sri Lanka has ever campaigned expressly for a two-thirds majority. Not even Dr. Colvin R de Silva for the United Front in 1970, or JR Jayewardene for the UNP in 1977. Should it be different now? Laura Whitmore is reportedly set to sign a deal that will see her return as host of Love Island. Laura had stepped in for Caroline Flack as presenter of Love Island for its recent winter series. Advertisements Following the tragic death of Caroline, Laura is now set to return as host for the summer and next winter series. "Laura was an instant hit on Love Island, and when the winter series wrapped, the producers knew straight away they wanted her back," a source claimed to The Sun newspaper. Shes a real professional, with a easy camera manner, and they love the combination of her hosting with her boyfriend Iain Stirling providing commentary." The tabloid claims that Laura's deal is set to be worth 1 million and is "expected to be signed off in the coming weeks." There had been doubts over the future of the show following the sad passing of former presenter Caroline. However applications have since opened inviting singletons to apply for the series as usual this summer. A casting call reads: "ITV2 are looking for vibrant singles from across the UK who want to head to the sun, in search of love. Advertisements "The chosen cast will spend time in a luxury villa, getting to know one another, but to remain in paradise they must win the hearts of the public and their fellow Islanders who ultimately decide their fate on Love Island." Applications for Series 7 of Love Island in 2020 are open now at ITV.com/LoveIsland. The summer series typically airs from Majorca in Spain. Love Island's first ever winter series took place in a brand new villa in Cape Town, South Africa. It was Finley Tapp & Paige Turley who won Love Island's first ever winter series last month, splitting the 50,000 cash prize. Advertisements They beat Siannise Fudge & Luke Trotman while Demi Jones & Luke Mabbott finished in third and Jess Gale & Ched Uzor were fourth. You can catch up on episodes of Love Island online via the ITV Hub. A confirmed case of coronavirus has yet to arrive in Montana at least, as of the weekend but residents and officials say theyre staying vigilant. Nine people in Montana are being monitored for COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services reported Friday, and residents and agencies remain on alert. As of Saturday, the illness had claimed 19 lives in the United States, 16 of them in Washington state, according to the Associated Press. More than 400 people in the United States are infected, with cases reported in half the states, and the worldwide total surpassed 100,000, with 3,400 deaths, the AP reported. The Missoula City-County Health Department continues to ask county residents who have been to China, Japan, South Korea, Italy or Iran in the last two weeks to call department staff at 406-258-3896. Alisha Johnson, the departments public information officer, said the department had heard from some travelers since putting out its request on Wednesday Our infectious disease nurses are following CDC guidance regarding monitoring for symptoms and (monitoring for) whether that persons movements are limited, Johnson said, referencing the federal Centers for Disease Control. She declined to provide an exact count of the number in Missoula. Health department spokesperson Jon Ebelt wrote in an email that "DPHHS has received 2 test kits from (the CDC), which equates to testing for approx. several hundred individuals. To date, weve tested 11 individuals all with negative results. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are reining in their employees travel. As of Thursday, Tribal Council must approve any work-related travel to known hotspots of the outbreak: Washington, California, Oregon, China, Iran, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Italy. This rule applies to employees not just of the tribal government, but also of Salish Kootenai College and tribally owned corporations. S&K Technologies Inc., a group of six firms headquartered in St. Ignatius, reports having hundreds of employees and several government and military contracts in the United States and overseas. Missoula International Airport has not yet imposed any special screening or restrictions on passengers, airport Director Chris Jensen said Friday. Well certainly respond as directed and well certainly assist our airlines, he said. For our part, weve changed the cleaning products that were using, opting for ones that weve been told are effective against the virus. Jensen, the airport director, hasnt yet seen a drop in passenger volume into or out of Missoula. Were not immediately seeing any impact, but its a little hard to quantify as well, he said. This is typically our slow time of the year. Friday saw the cancellation of the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, the music and tech conference that draws hundreds of thousands of people every year. In Missoula, though, people don't appear to be shying away from concerts, said Nick Checota, whose company Logjam Presents, owns the Wilma and other popular entertainment venues. While Logjam is paying attention to the situation, he said that at this point, we dont see any reason to adjust our schedule. Susie Turner hasnt seen any drop in attendance at Peak Health & Wellness, where she serves as executive director. I think the biggest thing we are doing is stepping up our cleaning and sanitizing at the club, she said. We are asking our staff and members to be diligent about handwashing and if they have been exposed to or are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19 to stay home until symptoms subside. We are in contact with Missoula (City)-County Health Department, DPHHS, and implementing suggestions from them as well as the CDC. As a team, were working together to clean hard surfaces more diligently. Coronavirus has yet to arrive in Montana at least, as of Friday but residents and officials say theyre staying vigilant. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte wont stop the operations of online casinos targeting Chinese gamblers even after the industry was linked to millions in dollars of suspicious funds flow, his spokesman said. He will not suspend it nor will he stop it, Dutertes spokesman Salvador Panelo told Inquirer Radio on Sunday, when asked about the presidents decision on the fate of the Philippine offshore gaming operators or POGOs that employ hundreds of thousands of Chinese workers. Duterte was briefed by gaming agency officials on the flourishing sector that has also propped up the property market, and wants to tap funds generated from online casinos to support the governments measures in fighting the spread of the novel coronavirus, Panelo said. Dutertes finance chief seeks tougher laws on illicit cash At a Senate hearing last week, the money-laundering watchdog flagged as suspicious about 14 billion pesos ($276 million U.S.) worth of transactions involving POGOs from 2017 to October 2019 some of which may have been used for drug trafficking, fraud and e-commerce law violations. Lawmakers will continue their probe on the suspicious funds flow this week. Read more about: Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani has taken to social media to join the world in celebrating women in Nigeria on the International Womens Day. The former lawmaker from Kaduna pointed out that there are some women in the country that should be specially celebrated on this auspicious day. According to the former lawmaker, widows of Nigerian soldiers combatting insurgency in the country and widows of victims of bandit attacks should be celebrated and honoured in Nigeria. Also Read: International Womens Day: Peaceful Peace Sends Classy Message To Fans He wrote: #InternationalWomenDay2020 The Widows left behind by victims of the Insurgents and Bandits,and the Widows left behind by our gallant soldiers in the frontline of the battle against terror,are the most important women to be celebrated and honored in our country on this day. A couple linked to the Islamic State's Khorasan module was on Sunday detained from south Delhi's Jamia Nagar for instigating anti-Citizenship Amendment Act riots in the national capital, police said. They have been identified as Jahanjeb Sami and his wife Hina Bashir Beg, said Pramod Singh Kushwah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell). "They were involved in instigating anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests," he said. The police recovered electronic gadgets and incriminating material promoting jihadi thought from their possession. Sami came under the scanner due to his activities on cyberspace which revealed his intention to carry out suicide attacks in the country. He was in "association with senior ISKP members in Afghanistan". He was earlier also in contact with Khurasan-based Huzaifa Bakistani (Amir of Wilaya Hind who has since been killed). Rekha Khatri remembers that there were many army men among her relatives when she was a child. But, no woman she had known had become a soldier. Today, she leads a Nepal Army company that includes only women as officials and personnel, the first of its kind in the country. *** Maybe because of the family background, Khatri, born in Nalinchok of Bhaktapur district, east of Kathmandu, got motivated to be in the army; she always had a special place in her heart for the army uniform. In 2003, she gave her 12th-grade exams from Nobel College, Sinamangal. And that was when she heard from her uncle that the army opened applications for women in the army for the first time. Nepal Army had begun recruiting women, as technical professionals, in the 1960s. However, it was only in 2003 that the national military institution accepted the intake of women as soldiers/fights. Khatri applied and got into the army as an officer cadet. After six long months of hardcore training, along with her, there were around 70 other women who were given the positions of the second lieutenant. She was posted at the Kali Prasad (Combat Engineering) Battalion inside the Tribhuvan International Airport. Since having women in the army was a new scenario, getting used to the working environment with male counterparts took time for Khatri. There was constant uncertainty troubling her regarding how the male counterparts would work together and behave with women. Maybe it was because it was the first time ever women were in the army, she says. Now after 15 years, Khatri, as a major, is leading the Narayanhiti-based Gorakh Kali Company. Interestingly, all officials and personnel in Khatris company are women. *** Some two weeks ago, the women in their barracks were busy. About 178 technical helpers including drivers, plumbers, electricians, and personnel responsible for weapon cleaning and maintenance were present there. After the country adopted the federal governance model, the system within the Nepal Army has also become more inclusive with the promotion of womens participation in all kinds of work, Khatri shares. Considering the same, on July 16, 2017, our company was established with a mission to include women only. Before Khatri, Major Shristi Khadka and Major Jamuna Bista had led the company. The company has played an important role to develop and groom management and business skills in women, says Khadka. The company has been given ceremonial duty, which means it prepares mock drills as a presentation in various events and programmes, for example, those to be organised on the Army Day, the Constitution Day, and more. *** Women today are present in all of the armys units except in the special forces. The number of women army officials and personnel has reached about 7,000. This equals to 7 per cent of the total army population, informs Nepal Army spokesperson Bigyan Dev Pandey. According to Pandey, the Nepal Army has plans to establish more women-only companies in the near future. Accordingly, for women candidates, the Nepal Army has shortened the length in the racecourse and the weight of loads they have to carry during training. They are not required to do the commando training also, which is said to be the toughest training of all. Apart from these few exceptions, female army personnel have to go through the same training as male officials. They have to follow the same routine; they are also guided by the same list of rules and regulations. It means the officials are promoted or given certain positions only after they meet certain requirements in competitions with their male counterparts. *** The participation and presence of women in the army have increased. However, the female army officials still feel that hesitation to talk about their problems in many of the men-led units. On the contrary, they do not feel the hesitation in women-led units, shares Shila Thapa, an official in the company. Here is an example. A warrant officer (second class) in the company, Shanta Pandey, looks after the ration records. She was two children, a boy, and a girl. An army official generally gets 30 days of annual leave. But, she says the official leaves fall short when it comes to fulfilling her duties as a mother and a wife. Women have to play the role of a wife, a mother, a daughter-in-law and other roles in parallel without a miss, and this makes our problems more different than those of our male counterparts. It is difficult to even voice our problems in men-led units. But, it is easier to share those with women bosses, according to her. The Health Minister's statement to the Dail last week was 2,720 words long, and it only took 200 of those before he honed in on his target: "People are following social media and at times they can be exposed to myths and misinformation about coronavirus." This was before he'd uttered a single word about the Government's plans to delay the spread of the virus and to handle the anticipated outbreak. Ticking off social media is hardly the most pressing issue at hand during a pandemic. Most people just want reliable and regular information. It's the Government which is creating a climate of mistrust by refusing to give it to them, even as Ireland remains in a containment phase, before any likely spike in cases. The official approach to informing the public has been begrudging from the start, and they justify it by insisting that saying more would both breach patient confidentiality and potentially "create a sense of panic". Why does government always think that the general public is irrational and prone to overreaction at any moment? If confronted about this, the minister's response is invariably to state that he is following the advice of medical professionals, as indeed he should; but a decision on whether to withhold or share information is a political, not a medical, one, and it's unlikely that the HSE is micromanaging the Government's communications strategy. It has better things to do. Even if it was, any advice to keep details to a minimum can still be challenged. As former justice minister Alan Shatter said last week: "Ireland is not China." Of course, that works both ways. There are measures which have been introduced in other countries which would be resisted by people in Ireland as too draconian, but that doesn't mean we can't learn from places such as Singapore and South Korea, where information about the spread of the virus is shared openly by authorities, down to naming streets. Irish ministers are hiding behind a fiction that they'd love to say more, but that the scientific advice on how to handle matters is settled, when the truth is that there are plenty of alternative voices in the medical community. One former regional director of Public Health England says the public should be "equal partners in tackling this", and "need to know if it's in their area on a daily basis". Unfortunately, there are far too many people in positions of authority in this country who are comfortable with keeping people in the dark for as long as possible, all with the excuse that it's for their own good - even as the Health Minister admits that "anything that lessens trust or confidence is not helping in terms of containing the virus here or globally". Is he even listening to his own words? Those happy to see silence prevail are not just in government or associated agencies. Of the party spokespersons who responded to Simon Harris's Dail statement, only Fianna Fail's Stephen Donnelly expressed disquiet at the department's strategy of "erring too much on the side of withholding information". He returned to the first case of infection, the woman who arrived back from Italy to Dublin Airport and proceeded to make her way to Belfast on public transport. "I am not criticising the minister or the advice given by the healthcare officials," Donnelly said. "However, I saw no benefit in not sharing with the public the mode of transport concerned. I see a real cost in terms of spreading fear and concerns of information being withheld." Others appeared to have no quibble with it at all. Take Sinn Fein's approach to the crisis in the North, where it is in government. Is it championing openness? Don't be silly. In his famous study, the German sociologist Max Weber showed how bureaucracy exploits technical and practical knowledge of how things work to keep the little people in their place and to increase the power of those who administer the system. It's not a left/right divide. It's ingrained in the system. That's why opposition politicians happily collude in the culture of silence, as the number of unanswered questions about the current state of coronavirus in Ireland grows exponentially. When officials told a press conference last week that "many people" have now been asked to self-isolate to safeguard public health, the obvious question was: How many? Everybody's idea of what constitutes "many people" is different. A simple number would have ended all speculation. Instead, omerta prevails. When approached, the community hall at the centre of that by now infamous fake/not fake letter asking members of a band to self-isolate after exposure to a student who tested positive said: "We have been advised not to speak to the media, to refer everything back to the HSE." But what if the HSE in turn says nothing? Earlier this week, I contacted the HSE with a simple query, and received a cut and paste reply that it was its policy "not to discuss individual cases, groups of cases, or individual acts of preparedness". They can't then shake their heads disapprovingly when rumours spread. It's only human to speculate, especially when the coronavirus touches your own community. Dismissing those who share what they've heard as purveyors of fake news is a form of gaslighting, designed to shame them into feeling like hysterics. Other countries are not descending into dystopian chaos because they openly disclose such information to the public. Only the Irish, it seems, are not to be trusted by their own government. An effective strategy must involve getting information to where it's needed. That means to those who are respectful of authority and do as their told, and those who are more suspicious, and need more persuasion. There's no clinical value in directing public pronouncements at only one group. It's not as if the HSE and Department of Health have proved themselves wholly trustworthy of late. The cervical cancer screening scandal also revolved around a reluctance to just provide affected women with relevant information as soon as it became available. Officials knew there had been misdiagnoses, but left it to individual doctors to decide whether to tell patients, when they ought to have had a right to know from the start. They promised to listen and learn after the cervical cancer scandal, but how easily they slipped back into bad habits of secrecy and concealment. Misinformation cannot be tackled with silence. The media needs to confront ministers every time their answers don't make sense, such as when they insist that everyone who has been in contact with confirmed cases so far has been identified and properly advised, because common sense says that cannot be true, that it is in fact impossible; but it's as if everybody is being too polite to say so. No one is blaming the authorities for being unable to track down everyone of interest in an open and vibrant society such as ours. But don't say that you can, and that you have, because that's how distrust in authority grows, in the compost of implausible claims. It's important to challenge this culture of cap-doffing reticence now, when the virus remains at a pre-crisis level, because it won't be long before the situation reaches a critical stage, and then it will become more crucial than ever to trust what the Government says. If we can't believe what they're saying now, why should we believe them at that point either? Oakland Fire Chief Darin White is leaving his post to become the new fire chief in San Rafael, further thinning the city of Oakland's leadership ranks. White's departure follows Mayor Libby Schaaf's decision to fire Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick on Feb. 20 and City Administrator Sabrina Landreth's announcement in December that she will leave her post on March 11. White was a deputy fire chief when a fire at a music party struck the Ghost Ship warehouse on Dec. 2, 2016, killing 36 people. The Oakland Fire Department and then-Fire Chief Teresa Deloach-Reed were heavily criticized for not investigating numerous complaints about the dangerous conditions at the warehouse. Deloach-Reed went on leave shortly after the fire and ultimately retired in May 2017. White, 52, became interim chief in early 2017 and was appointed permanent chief on Oct. 19, 2017. At his swearing-in ceremony, White said he wanted to restore the community's trust in the fire department. A Palo Alto boy riding a bicycle was killed Friday night after colliding with a flatbed truck, Palo Alto police said. The bicyclist and the truck were both headed east on California Avenue, with boy riding on the sidewalk, about 7:40 p.m. when the truck made a right turn onto El Camino Real and collided with the cyclist, police said. The middle-school-age boy was pronounced dead at the scene. Police did not release his name. The driver, a Palo Alto man in his 60s, stayed at the scene and cooperated with police. He was not cited or arrested, pending the outcome of an investigation. Police do not believe that drugs or alcohol were a factor in the collision. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision and who has not already spoken with police about it is encouraged to call the police department's 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voicemail to (650) 383-8984. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through a free mobile app, downloadable at bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay. California state Sen. Scott Wiener introduced legislation on Friday that aims to increase affordable housing production throughout the state by easing zoning restrictions. Under Senate Bill 899, nonprofit hospitals and faith institutions like churches, synagogues and mosques, would be able to build up to 150 affordable housing units on their excess property, regardless if local zoning prohibits that type of housing. The legislation mandates that any organization building this type of streamlined affordable housing must maintain the affordability of the homes for a minimum of 55 years for rental properties and 45 years for properties that can be owned. In addition, density and height restrictions will depend the location of the housing property and its proximity to major thoroughfares and commercial corridors. In low-density residential neighborhoods, affordable housing can be streamlines for projects with up to 40 units and three stories tall, while in mixed-use areas or commercial corridors, affordable housing may be streamlined for projects with up to 150 units and five stories high. The California Highway Patrol on Saturday reported a fatal collision on northbound U.S. Highway 101 in San Jose. The collision was first reported at 5:44 a.m. on the highway at the Brokaw Road off-ramp, according to the CHP. There were at least two vehicles involved in the collision. The CHP issued a Sig-alert at 5:52 a.m., because all lanes of northbound U.S. Highway 101 were blocked at the scene due to the collision. A woman was killed Friday in a residential structure fire in Oakley. Firefighters with the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District responded Friday at 5:41 p.m. to a structure fire at a residence on Norcross Lane. Firefighters arrived at the scene to find thick smoke and heavy fire coming from a duplex, and additional units were called in due to a woman reportedly still being inside the building. Due to the heavy fire conditions inside the structure, fire units were deployed in a defensive fire attack from the exterior of the building and extinguished the blaze. Once the fire was extinguished, fire crews conducted a primary search of the unit and found a deceased woman inside. Crews conducted a secondary search of the unit and then conducted mop up, salvage and overhaul operations. There were no reported injuries to firefighters. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Golden Gate Park Senior Center closed its doors Saturday and all winter seniors programming citywide-- from the Cantonese Women's Club to Senior Argentine Tango -- will be cancelled for the next two weeks in an effort to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The senior facility closures are in addition to other recent large cancellations this weekend in San Francisco that include Sunday Streets in the Mission District, the Arbor Week eco fair and a tree-planting kickoff scheduled for Saturday. San Francisco Recreation and Parks officials said the senior center in Golden Gate Park will be shuttered for at least the next two weeks and registration for programs there will not take place on Saturday. The new tentative registration date for spring classes at the Golden Gate senior center will be Monday, March 23. In addition, citywide winter senior programming will be cancelled for at least two weeks. A list of senior events that are cancelled can be found on the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department website, at https://sfrecpark.org/1487/CANCELLED-SENIOR-CLASSES-March-7-21-2020 Registration for spring 2020 senior classes held at other city recreation centers will continue as normal and registration will open at 10 a.m. Saturday. Registration for all other programming will proceed as planned and will also open at 10 a.m. Saturday. A mountain lion was spotted Friday afternoon near a hiking trail in Edgewood County Park, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said. The animal was not aggressive, but hikers should be vigilant this weekend in the area of the park, located at 2195 Edgewood Road, authorities said. The mountain lion was seen near the near the Sylvan hiking trail late Friday afternoon, the sheriff's office said. Safety tips about mountain lions are available at https://www.nps.gov/nava/planyourvisit/upload/MountainLionSafetyAndFactsNAVA.pdf Two people shot in Hayward early Saturday managed to make it to Oakland, but one died after police located them, Hayward police said. About midnight, Hayward officers responded to a possible shooting in the area of Mission Boulevard and Blanche Street but they didn't find any victims there, police said in a news release. About 30 minutes later the victims, described only as males, were found in Oakland at a location that was not released by police. One died at the scene and the other was treated and taken to a hospital, police said. Investigators determined they had been hit by gunfire at the Hayward location. The name of the victim who died was not released pending notification of family. The death is the fourth homicide this year in Hayward. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call police at (510) 293-7176. A Milpitas man arrested this week in connection with two recent home break-ins allegedly assaulted a police officer by ramming his car into an unmarked police vehicle, authorities said. Lukus James Phillips, 43, was arrested Tuesday following an investigation into a Feb. 6 home burglary and another break-in on Feb. 27. In the first burglary, Phillips broke into a home in the 600-block of Berkshire Place around 2 a.m. Feb. 6. On Feb. 27, officers said he attempted a second burglary at a home on the 1100 block of Eagle Ridge Way but fled when the homeowner confronted him. In both incidents, Phillips allegedly turned off the power to the targeted home. A tip about a suspicious vehicle parked on Ethyl Court led officers to identify Phillips as the suspect in the two burglaries and Milpitas detectives obtained a $100,000 court-approved warrant Feb. 28 for his arrest. Officers located Phillips' vehicle March 3 on the 300 block of Junipero Drive and waited until he got into the vehicle to try to detain him. Phillips then allegedly rammed his 2003 Mitsubishi Montero head-on into an unmarked police car and became wedged between multiple vehicles. Detectives eventually convinced Phillips to exit the vehicle and were able to arrest him without incident. The detective in the unmarked police vehicle sustained injuries as a result of the collision and was taken to a local hospital. He was later released and is expected to make a full recovery. A Santa Cruz County resident who recently traveled on the Grand Princess cruise ship is the county's first confirmed case of COVID-19, officials said Saturday. Test results on Friday night confirmed the diagnosis, county Public Health Division officials announced Saturday morning. The resident, whose identity and hometown were not released, had traveled on the Grand Princess from San Francisco to Mexico from Feb. 11-21. The ship, carrying more than 3,500 passengers, was recently on its way from Hawaii to San Francisco but remains off the coast of California while authorities determine a "non-commercial port" for it to dock. Officials say 21 people aboard the ship have tested positive for the virus and that 19 of them are crewmembers. Santa Cruz County officials are investigating any possible exposures the resident may have had with others. "We are taking this situation seriously and are taking steps necessary to protect the health and safety of Santa Cruz County residents," said Dr. Gail Newel, County of Santa Cruz Health Officer. The California Department of Public Health previously alerted counties of an exposure risk due to several travelers returning from the Grand Princess cruise ship, including travelers residing in Santa Cruz County. Updated Marin County election results late Friday afternoon show Measure C, a 10-cents-per-square-foot building tax to provide $19.3 million annually to support coordinated wildfire prevention measures is passing by a 1.6-percent margin. The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority's measure needs 66.7 percent approval and has received 68.3 percent. The Marin County Registrar of Voters said Friday morning 33,000 mail-in ballots and 6,000 provisional ballots remained to be counted. Registrar of Voters Lynda Roberts said it might be another two weeks before all the ballots are processed and tallied. Election workers will work 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, and the public is welcome to observe their efforts at the Elections Office, Suite 121 in the Civic Center at 3500 Civic Center Drive in San Rafael. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, March 8, 2020 11:41 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206912e87 1 National coronavirus,Indonesia,explainer,#PostScript,outbreak,COVID-19 Free It goes without saying that Indonesia is not immune to the novel coronavirus that has infected more than 100,000 people in more than 60 countries around the world. After weeks of claiming to have zero cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a claim that befuddled many and led to suspicion that the country is either unable to detect cases or covering them up, the country finally announced that citizens within its borders had also contracted the virus. Below is what you need to know about the outbreak in the country. Confirmed cases The country has recorded at least 27 COVID-19 cases within its borders as of Wednesday. Case 1 and Case 2 are a 31-year-old woman and her 64-year-old mother from Depok, West Java. The daughter is believed to have contracted the virus after visiting a Jakarta restaurant where she took part in a dance event that was also attended by an infected Japanese woman. The Japanese national, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in Malaysia, traveled to Indonesia in January and February. The country announced two more cases linked to the first two patients on Friday. Details about these new patients are still sketchy. The government has been extra cautious in providing information on the cases. One of the first two confirmed patients claimed to have suffered mentally after her private information had been disclosed by the authorities and later exposed by the mainstream media and Internet users. Two more patients tested positive for the virus on Sunday. One, Case 5, is a 55-year-old man who is linked to Case 1, the Health Ministry said, while the other, Case 6, is a 36-year-old man who was among the Indonesian crew members of the virus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship that was docked in Yokohama, Japan. The ministry announced 13 cases on Monday. It said two of the 13 new cases were foreign nationals, but did not specify which countries they were from. Seven of the cases were also identified as imported cases, which means that the patients likely contracted the virus outside of Indonesia. The government reported the first possible community transmission in the country on Tuesday, after a citizen with no link to certain confirmed cases or travel history to affected countries tested positive for the virus. The 33-year-old man was Indonesias 27th confirmed COVID-19 patient, it said, adding that the patient did not have a clear link to the other confirmed COVID-19 patients in the country. Case 27 did not contract the virus abroad and his exposure to coronavirus was still vague. At least 12 Indonesian nationals have been infected with SAR-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, overseas. One in Singapore and another in Taiwan have recovered from the disease. Nine others were infected while onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship. Four of the nine crewmen have recovered, the ministry said. Suspected patients The Health Ministry defines suspected patients as those showing COVID-19 symptoms and having a travel history to countries affected by the outbreak. All suspected patients must take a throat swab test to confirm whether or not they have the virus. Only recently did the government decide to test those having had contact with infected people even though they did not show symptoms. The ministry said on March 5 that it had tested samples from 388 suspected patients, including 188 from the World Dream cruise ship. It is unclear, however, how many suspected patients are currently being treated in hospitals across the country. As of now, five suspected COVID-19 patients have died, but the health authorities have said that they had been found to be negative of coronavirus. The five patients were treated in Semarang, Batam, Cianjur, Yogyakarta and Jakarta. Who leads the fight against coronavirus in Indonesia? Indonesia does not have an independent centers for disease control and prevention. The Health Ministry is now leading the management of the health crisis, with its secretary, Achmad Yurianto, being recently appointed as its sole spokesman. Some experts, including those leading the fight against the bird flu outbreak between 2006 and 2010, have called for the creation of a special committee similar to the now-defunct National Commission for Avian Influenza to lead the battle against the virus. The ministry, however, insisted that such an agency was not needed. The country once had a national committee for zoonosis tasked with handling virus outbreaks. It was disbanded by President Joko Jokowi Widodo in 2016. Indonesia has appointed secretary Achmad Yurianto (center) of the Health Ministry's disease control and prevention directorate general as the spokesperson for coronavirus-related matters following the country's first confirmed cases of COVID-19. (Tribunnews.com/Fransiskus Adhiyuda) How does Indonesia test suspected patients? The government claimed to have used a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a gene sequencing analysis to test specimens from suspected patients as per WHO standards. The Health Ministrys Balitbangkes was once the sole agency tasked with conducting tests. The ministry then decided to assign its laboratories in 10 regions to perform the PCR testing too after reporting the first two cases.The cities are Batam, Medan, Palembang, Makassar, Manado, Ambon, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Banjarmasin. Denpasar, the capital of Bali, is not on the list despite being a major tourism hotspot and one that had direct flights to and from Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus outbreak. Why has Indonesia only recorded few cases? Some scientists believe that the government might have under-reported cases, saying that, given the large number of visitors not only from China but also from other affected countries, it is hard to believe that Indonesia only had four cases. They have called on the government to be more transparent in the handling of the outbreak by involving more scientists in its work. Critics, including foreign governments, have questioned why Indonesia, which has a population of more than 250 million, has only conducted a small number of tests. South Korea, by comparison, has tested more than 100,000 samples. The Indonesian government, however, argued it followed WHO recommendations. The number of confirmed cases rose to 19 on Monday after health officials had begun tracing and testing those with no travel history to China and other affected countries but having had contact with infected people in Indonesia. Some scientists have argued that the tropical climate has made the virus less virulent and slowed down its spread, but that has not been proven yet. It is true, though, that the transmission of influenza is dependent on humidity and temperature. Other Southeast Asian countries have reported far more cases than Indonesia, but the numbers are still lower than those reported in South Korea, Iran and Italy. As of Sunday, Singapore has had 138 cases (90 have recovered), Malaysia 93 (25 have recovered) and Vietnam 18 (16 have recovered) and the Philippines 6. What has the government done to contain the virus? The government has imposed a travel ban on people from mainland China and people from coronavirus-hit regions of Iran, South Korea and Italy. It has finally released its official protocols for dealing with the COVID-19 coronavirus. Members of the public are expected to follow the protocols if they find they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. If you are experiencing one of the COVID-19 symptoms, such as a 38-degree Celsius fever, please rest. Drink a lot of water, Health Ministry secretary-general Oscar Primadi said on Friday. According to Oscar, the protocols are meant to guide the actions of people when they gather in public places. The protocols deal with educational areas, public areas, public transportation, health access, first aid and identifying the infection. The government will also build a special hospital for COVID-19 patients at a former Vietnamese refugee camp in Galang, Riau Islands. Hospital staff and visitors wear masks at the Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital's isolation building in Jakarta on March 2. (JP/Seto Wardhana) Does Indonesia have adequate healthcare infrastructure to handle mass contagion? President Jokowi said the government was well-prepared to handle COVID-19. We have prepared more than 100 hospitals with isolation rooms with good isolation standards. We also have equipment that meets international standards, he said. A WHO official also claimed on jan. 29 that Indonesia was well prepared to anticipate a coronavirus outbreak. Authorities have implemented preventative measures to defend against the epidemic at 135 points of entry to the archipelago, including at airports, seaports and border areas, such as installing thermal scanners and medical check-up posts to examine suspected carriers of the virus, a representative of the Geneva-based United Nations agency acknowledged. Indonesia has a functioning early warning system and 100 hospitals in various locations that serve as referral [centers] and can handle cases with proper measures as well as effective infection prevention, " WHO representative for Indonesia, Navaratnasamy Paranietharan, said as quoted by Antara. Indonesia has prepared eight hospitals to treat coronavirus-positive patients: Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital (RSPI) in North Jakarta, Persahabatan Hospital in East Jakarta, Gatot Subroto Army Hospital (RSPAD) in Central Jakarta, Pasar Minggu General Hospital (RSUD) in South Jakarta, Cengkareng General Hospital (RSUD) in West Jakarta, Mintohardjo Navy Hospital in Central Jakarta, Bhayangkara Police Hospital in East Jakarta and Fatmawati Hospital in South Jakarta. Regional administrations have also prepared for the outbreak. Editor's note: The article was updated on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at 12:45 a.m. Two new cases of Coronavirus confirmed in Wales residents in the Pembrokeshire area This article is old - Published: Sunday, Mar 8th, 2020 This morning the Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton, has confirmed two new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19). The statement says that the patients, who are from the same household, are resident in the Pembrokeshire local authority area and have recently returned from Northern Italy. The patients are being managed in a clinically appropriate setting. Dr Atherton said: I can confirm that two additional individuals in Wales have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of positive cases in Wales to four. Both individuals are resident in the same household in the Pembrokeshire local authority area and have recently returned from Northern Italy. They are being managed in a clinically appropriate setting. All appropriate measures to provide care for the individuals and to reduce the risk of transmission to others are being taken. Id like to take this opportunity to assure the public that Wales and the whole of the UK is prepared for these types of incidents. Working with our partners in Wales and the UK, we have implemented our planned response, with robust infection control measures in place to protect the health of the public. To protect patient confidentiality, no further details regarding the individuals is being released. Yesterday Wales NHS has launched a new online symptom checker today for those worried about coronavirus. People who think they may have symptoms of COVID19 are being urged to use the new service as a first port call. The new service is aimed easing some of the strain off the NHS 111 telephone helpline which has seen a huge spike in the number of calls it is dealing with. We know lots of you are worried about Coronavirus. Thats why weve developed our new online symptom checker. This should be your FIRST port of call for advice. 111 is very busy so bear with us especially if youre awaiting a call back. While waiting the best idea is to stay home The new symptom checker can be found here: www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has designated Rossett Clinic near Wrexham as drive-thru coronavirus testing unit for the east area of North Wales. Patients who have been referred will get tested without having to leave their cars. As of Sunday no official information has been released regarding that testing centre. The Countess of Chester Hospital opened a dedicated coronavirus support centre with isolation area on-site early last month. The Chhattisgarh government has issued a show-cause notice to NMDC Ltd asking why the second stage clearance for forest land allotted for an iron ore project in Dantewadas Bailadila Hill, considered by local tribes to be sacred, should not be cancelled. The forest department also asked NMDC to file its reply within seven days in the notice issued on Friday. The notice came after a probe report submitted by collector Dantewada Topeshwar Verma on March 4 showed that the consent of gram sabha at Hiroli in Dantewada was not taken before the approval of the mining at deposit number 13 of Bailadila. Consent of the gram sabha, a representative body of all villagers, was key to approval of mining of the Bailadila iron deposit with an estimated annual capacity of 10 million tonnes. The five-point notice of the forest department says that the diversion of 315.813 hectares of forest land for Bailadila Deposit 13 project permission or final approval was granted by the Union ministry of forest and environment and on January 9, 2017. When the incumbent collectors investigation has found the gram sabha to be void Hence no option is left except to nullify the entire process, the notice said. The notice asked why should not the Chhattisgarh government cancel second stage clearance. Also read: Baghel government to review mining in Bailadila The mine would be operated by Adani Enterprises Limited under the central governments mine developer and operator (MDO) scheme was given to NCL, a joint venture of NMDC and Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC), in 2014. Pankaj Sharma, chief executive officer of NCL, said he had not received the notice till Saturday and will respond after reading it. Under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, forest land cannot be used as non-forest land for any project until the process of diversion of forest land as per the procedure mentioned in this law is completed. The approval for the diversion is given in two stages, first and last. Also read: Chhattisgarh stops mining in Bailadila hills after protests by tribals Aloke Shukla of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, an activist group tracking environment regulations for the past 15 years, said the gram sabhas consent had been taken through fraudulent means in several mining projects. After the recognition of forest rights act came into existence, Section 4 sub-section 5 of the law and the order of July 30, 2009, of the Union ministry adds another process to diversion, Shukla, Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolans president, said. In the case of deposit number 13, no consent of the gram sabha was taken as per the probe of the collector and hence the state government under Section 2 of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, can cancel the second and final stage of forest clearance, he pointed out. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Amidst the crisis involving Yes Bank and Punjab & Maharashtra Co-operative Bank that raised concern among depositors, the Reserve Bank of India on Sunday clarified that people should not be worried. "Concern has been raised in certain sections of media about safety of deposits of certain banks. This concern is based on analysis which is flawed," the apex bank said in a two-part tweet. The RBI said solvency of banks is internationally based on Capital to Risk Weighted Assets (CRAR) and not on market capitalisation. "RBI closely monitors all the banks and hereby assures all depositors that there is no such concern of safety of their deposits in any bank," it said. Concern has been raised in certain sections of media about safety of deposits of certain banks. This concern is based on analysis which is flawed. Solvency of banks is internationally based on Capital to Risk Weighted Assets (CRAR) and not on market cap. (1/2) ReserveBankOfIndia (@RBI) March 8, 2020 Five fresh coronavirus cases, including three who evaded screening on return from Italy, were reported in Kerala, prompting the government on Sunday to sound a renewed alert and warn action against those hiding travel history to affected nations. All the five, who tested positive for the infection days after the country's first three coronavirus patients from the state recovered, are relatives and hail from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district, Health minister, K K Shailaja told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram. The Left front government intensified efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by tracking persons with whom the three latest infected people came into contact since arrival and put the state on high alert, especially in Pathanamthitta district where all public programmes and religious gatherings have been called off. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asked everyone to follow the guidelines issued by the health department in the wake of the fresh cases. Those who have come from nations affected by the virus, should get in touch through telephone with district medical officers or government hospitals without fail. People who come to know about such cases also should inform authorities, Vijayan said in a Facebook post. The three overseas returnees -- a couple in their 50s and their 24-year-old son -- had taken two connecting flights from Venice in Italy and arrived in Kochi international airport on February 29, but did not report their foreign travel to officials authorities and evaded screening, Shailaja said. Two others affected are their close relatives staying at their home in Pathnamthitta. Ranni MLA Raju Abraham said the affected persons had attended a wedding, gone for shopping, went to the office of a police official and it is assumed visited at least 300 friends and relatives near their home. They went to a taluk hospital where they were first examined by medical personnel without using any masks or gloves, Abraham told PTI. The medical superintendent later examined them after taking precautions and they were directed to get admitted to the isolation ward, which they refused at first. Later they were forced to get admitted to the general hospital's isolation ward on March 6 and tests confirmed late Saturday that they had contracted the virus. As a matter of abundant caution, the infected couple's parents, in their 90s, have also been hospitalised at Pathnamthitta. The five fresh cases has been reported days after the southern state had successfully treated India's first three corona patients-- medical students from Wuhan who have been discharged from hospitals. Their home quarantine period is also over. The health department said failure to inform authorities about travelled history and symptoms would be considered a crime, while the state police separately said it was "illegal and punishable" if anyone hid such information. "The Italy-returned family hid their travel details from the health authorities. Such practices have to seen as a crime. Those who come from countries like Iran, Italy, South Korea and China should report to the health department immediately," Shailaja said. "What they have done is irresponsible.But our concern now is to save their lives. Those who have come from corona affected countries should inform the health department immediately," she said. Those who come from abroad should be in house surveillance for 28 days, a government release said. The government released the flight details of the three people who traveled from Venice-Doha-Kochi. They had taken the Venice-Doha Qatar Airlines QR 126 flight on February 29. For one-and half-hours they were at the Doha airport and took another flight QR514 of Qatar Airlines to Kochi from where they reached their home in Pathnamthitta by a car. All the passengers who travelled in the two flights should get in touch with health authorities, Shailaja said. With the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta district is all set to open for monthly pujas on March 13, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages it, asked devotees not to visit the temple if they have any symptoms of the virus. Shocked over the official report that the three infected people had evaded health screening, Ernakulam district administration on Sunday took stock of the arrangements at the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL). After a high-level meeting held at the airport, Ernakulam Collector S Suhas requested all co-passengers of the three people to get in touch with authorities as early as possible. Airport sources said there were 182 passengers on the Doha-Kochi flight, which the trio had taken. An operation has been launched for tracing all passengers on the flight and their secondary contacts and the employees who attended to them on February 29, a CIAL statement said. Also, a massive disinfestation drive would be initiated from CIAL's side, it said. The report of the five new cases came a day ahead of the all-women "Attukal Pongal" festival in Kerala on Monday when thousands of women from various parts of the state and outside, including foreigners, are expected to participate. Those having cold, sore throat or showing any other symptoms of the virus should offer pongala in front of their homes instead of in crowded places, the Health Minister said. An advisory from devaswom board said any person with travel history to COVID 19 affected countries or person with contact with such a traveller, whether they have symptoms or not, must remain in home isolation and offer pongala prayers at their respective places of stay. "Their self isolation is the real prayer for the good of the community, their family and themselves", a statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A couple from Kashmir, accused of links with the Islamic State - Khorasan Province (ISKP), has been detained by the police from south Delhis Jamia Nagar on Sunday morning, people familiar with the development said. Highlights Kashmiri couple living in Delhis Jamia Nagar detained by police Police have accused the couple of links with subcontinental branch of IS Couple exploiting anti-CAA sentiment to sign up people for terror activities: Cop The couple, a senior official associated with the intelligence-driven early morning operation in the national capital Delhi alleged, had been in touch with senior ISKP members in Afghanistan to exploit the ongoing agitation against the amended citizenship law to incite Muslim youth to carry out terror strikes. Jahanzaib Sami and wife Hina Bashir Beigh, a couple from Srinagar in Kashmir, have been detained. We are in the process of completing the formalities to place them under arrest, a senior police officer told Hindustan Times. Jahanzaib Sami had come to the notice of the Indian intelligence operatives some time back for his association with senior members of ISKP in Afghanistan. The ISKP is the Afghanistan-based affiliate of IS. It appears that he intended to carry out terror strikes including a suicide attack and had also been attempting to procure weapons for this purpose. WATCH| Delhi couple held for alleged ISIS links, plan to exploit anti-CAA protest Also read: Govt bans new offshoots of Al-Qaeda, ISIS under anti-terror law For the present, however, Jahanzaib Samis activities were largely confined to propaganda for the proscribed terror group on cyber space and had been advocating that the group should expand its focus to the Indian hinterland, and not just Jammu and Kashmir. Intelligence officials say that Jahanzaib Sami had also been in touch with Huzaifa al-Bakistani, the Pakistani commander of the Islamic States Khorasan wing who played a key role in efforts to radicalise Kashmiri youngsters to join the terror group. Huzaifa al-Bakistani, a Pakistani national who first joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba before upgrading to the IS, was a well-known online recruiter for IS. Huzaifa al-Bakistani was killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan. His death was confirmed in July last year by the media channel of IS which claimed he had given sleepless nights to Indian agencies. Jahanzaib Samis wife Hina Bashir Beigh was also active on pro-IS handles on social media and facilitated in spotting what the group considered talent for its terror activities, a Delhi Police officer said. Also read: Indian agencies point to Pak link in anti-CAA protests In his initial questioning, Jahanzaib Sami is alleged to have told a group of interrogators about his role in publishing and publicising the February edition of the IS magazine Sawt al Hind (Voice of India). In this edition of the digital magazine, the Islamic States subcontinental branch had called on Indian Muslims angered by the Citizenship Amendment Act to abandon political protest, and instead turn to jihadist violence. Democracy is not going to save you, the terrorist groups magazine released online on 24 February said. It is assessed that the magazine, which also ridiculed mainstream Muslim leaders for what it considered deceiving the communitys interests, may have influenced a section of society, particularly Muslim youth, an intelligence official familiar with investigations against Jahanzaib Sami said. The official said Jahanzaib Sami had spoken about the role of some other people in connection with the magazine that had attempted to provoke the youth to join jihadi violence. The effort to identify these alleged associates - including one who he has identified as Al Hind - is still on. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The region around Milan and Venice have been shut out to contain the coronavirus outbreak A woman wearing a face mask stands in a subway train in Milan, Italy. New quarantine restrictions announced by the government have effectively shutdown the northern region of Lombardy. (AP) Rome: Mllions of people were placed under forced quarantine in northern Italy early Sunday as the government approved drastic measures in an attempt to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus that is sweeping the globe. Prime minister Giuseppe Conte said on Twitter he had signed on plans to strictly limit movement into and out of a large area including Venice and the financial capital Milan for nearly a month. "#Coronavirus, the new decree is finally approved," Conte wrote, confirming reports published by Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper and other media. With more than 230 fatalities, Italy has recorded the most deaths from the COVID-19 disease of any country outside China. According to Corriere Della Sera, without a "serious" reason that cannot be postponed people will not be allowed to enter or leave the entire Lombardy region around Milan -- home to 10 million -- as well as areas around and including Venice and the cities of Parma and Rimini. Museums, nightclubs, gyms and casinos will be closed in these areas, the newspaper reported, adding that the measures would be in place until April 3. There were chaos and confusion in the northern city of Padua in the Veneto region as word spread late Saturday evening that the government was planning to announce the quarantine. Packed bars and restaurants quickly emptied out as many people rushed to the train station in Padua. Travelers with suitcases, wearing face masks, gloves and carrying bottles of sanitizing gel shoved their way on to the local train. Milken Institute Global Conference Rescheduled to July 7-10, 2020 Following extensive consultation with stakeholders and experts, the Milken Institute Global Conference has been rescheduled to July 7-10, 2020. The 23rd annual gathering, which brings together international leaders in business, government, science, philanthropy, and academia, will be held in Los Angeles at a venue to be announced in coming weeks. "Even though attendee registration and commitments from major speakers were outpacing previous years, we felt it was important to make this decision now to help our key constituents plan accordingly," said Michael Klowden, Milken Institute CEO. "Through our centers in the United States and abroad, and together with partners in the public and private sectors, we will continue our efforts to advance understanding and catalyze solutions to major economic and health challenges, including the current crisis.We look forward to convening a productive and timely Global Conference in July." Future updates, along with details about media registration, speakers and the agenda for the 2020 Milken Institute Global Conference will be posted online at https://milkeninstitute.org/ and on social media @milkeninstitute About the Milken Institute The Milken Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that helps people build meaningful lives in which they can experience health and well-being, pursue effective education and gainful employment, and access the resources required to create ever-expanding opportunities for themselves and their broader communities. For more information, visit www.milkeninstitute.org View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200307005016/en/ BRUNSWICK, Ohio -- Its not every day one sees a silo in an industrial park. Especially at a software and labeling company -- until you notice a small sign that says West Branch Malts beneath one for Tharo Corp. For more than two decades, the Thatcher family has owned and operated a software firm on Nationwide Parkway in the Brunswick Industrial Park. Tom Thatcher is founder of the firm. When their products became more and more available and the economy slowed, they decided they needed to diversify in order to continue to employee a staff that had been with them for most of those years. Randy Thatcher, who is a partner with his father and grew up in Strongsville, said they looked to another family member for what would become their next venture -- malt. It made sense, Thatcher said, because there are so many craft breweries and distilleries popping around the country, many of them in the Northern Ohio area. The ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2018 for the malt house took place in front of the gigantic kilns. From left are Grant Aungst, Tom Thatcher, Brunswick Mayor Ron Falconi, Randy Thatcher, Jaime Thatcher, Colleen Friel and Michael Paterson. (Photo Courtesy of West Branch Malts) Scott Rhue, who has been working for the Thatchers for 20 years, explained that Randys brother-in-law in Southern Ohio has a floor malt operation. It means what it sounds like: The barley is spread out on the floor and one walks back and forth to separate the seeds. He noted that several employees were home brewers, and the idea caught on. Randy was educated as a Maltster by Hartwick College, N.Y., in 2016 and they went all in, building a silo to house 5,000 bushels of barley. They have been purchasing barley from an area mill, but are looking for local farmers to work with. Barley is a winter crop and it actually harvests earlier than winter wheat, so they are hoping to partner with many farmers looking for additional income. The whiskey is placed into wooden barrels, now occupying a small space in the factory, then bottled, where it can be seen in the tasting room. (Sam Boyer, special to cleveland.com) Tours of the malting facility are fascinating, as the grain moves on conveyers from the silo to a large tank inside. The idea is to actually make the barley sprout by adding and removing water in cycles until the barley is fully hydrated. The grain then goes through a germination and kilning procedure in massive tanks until the grain is ready to be cleaned, stored and bagged. Longtime employee Michael Paterson is the malt house manager. Once the malting was under way, Randy took the necessary classes for licensing and West Branch began distilling its own whiskeys and vodka, adding a tasting room right in the industrial building. Visitors can tour, have a tasting session and purchase a bottle (only two allowed under their license). Randy is also the salesperson for the firm, which recently began selling its whiskeys and vodka to area taverns, pubs and saloons. You can find them in Brunswick at the Geeked Out Pub in Towne Center, for instance, or at Collision Bend Brewing Company in Cleveland. Because Randy is busier, the newest member of the team is Maltster Cody Lund. Colleen Friel was the firms office manager before learning to become a distiller. She also is the customer service person. The distillery began taking over the facility from a small space on one end of the malt house. So West Branch is expanding to create a larger distillery where its unique products will be created and bottled. You can learn more about the process and how to tour at westbranchmalts.com/ or by calling 330-273-9635. Read more from the Brunswick Sun. The plan to lock down large swaths of the north was the first major attempt by a democracy during the coronavirus crisis to radically halt the routines of daily life an effort that will have significant impacts on civil liberties. But in the hours before and after the measure became law, people continued to stream out of the northern hubs of Milan and Venice on trains and planes for southern Italy or elsewhere in Europe. MUDLARKING by Lara Maiklem (Bloomsbury 9.99, 336 pp) MUDLARKING by Lara Maiklem (Bloomsbury 9.99, 336 pp) Mudlarking was once the desperate last resort of Londons poorest inhabitants, who salvaged scraps from the muddy banks of the Thames. Now it has become a hobby for amateur archaeologists, who patrol the shoreline hoping to discover some precious long-lost object from the past. Lara Maiklems account of her own passion for mudlarking takes us on a journey from the rivers tidal head at Teddington to the estuary, where the Thames meets the sea. Along the way she reveals the wonders she has salvaged, from a 16th-century posy ring, engraved with the message I live in hope X (she correctly declared the ring to the Finds Liaison Officer at the Museum of London), to the remains of hearty Tudor feasts at Henry VIIIs vanished Palace of Placentia at Greenwich. Her captivating book is a love letter to the hidden history of the banks of Londons great river. THE DOLL FACTORY THE DOLL FACTORY by Elizabeth Macneal (Picador 8.99, 384 pp) by Elizabeth Macneal (Picador 8.99, 384 pp) In November 1850, a young woman sits painting in a dollmakers shop. Iris Whittle and her twin sister, Rose, work at Mrs Salters Doll Emporium on Londons Regent Street. Neither girl intended to end up working for the fearsome Mrs Salter: Rose, a beauty until smallpox robbed her of her looks, hoped to marry well, while Iris has ambitions to be an artist. In the sinister alleys of Soho, Silas Reed keeps a taxidermy shop, hoping for a unique curiosity to make his fortune. Artist Louis Frost is one of Silass regular customers, but their interest in stuffed creatures is not their only bond. While Iris agrees to model for Louis on condition that he teaches her to paint, Silas has a sinister project in mind for a truly exceptional new curiosity. Elizabeth Macneals compelling debut is a darkly brilliant tale of Gothic suspense. THREADS OF LIFE THREADS OF LIFE by Clare Hunter (Sceptre 9.99, 320 pp) by Clare Hunter (Sceptre 9.99, 320 pp) When Clare Hunter was a child, her mother taught her to embroider and she learned that it was not just a pastime but a portal to another way of life. Her school steered her towards more academic subjects, but Hunter never forgot her first love, eventually becoming a community textile artist. Beginning with the Bayeux Tapestry, her award-winning book explores the ways in which embroidery has been used over the centuries as a form of secret self-expression. From the scraps of cloth left as identifying tokens with babies taken in by Londons Foundling Hospital to the autographed quilts made by women prisoners in Changi jail during World War II, this is a compelling account of how needlework has given a voice to the voiceless. In her speech, Nga said the honour is to recognise the FVFAs active contributions to strengthening solidarity, friendship and cooperation between the two peoples. Founded in 1971, the association has stood side by side with the Vietnamese people in the struggle for national reunification and construction and defence over the past five decades, she said. The FVFA has offered support to the Vietnamese people via humanitarian and charity projects, such as the one on cooperation with Vietnamese women in six communes of Hoa Binh province and Hanoi during the 1996-2003 period, and another on credit for women in four communes of Son La province from 2001-2007. In Finland, the FVFA regularly holds fund-raising activities in support of Vietnam, seminars popularising the country, its culture and people, as well as offers consultations to Finnish individuals, organisations and businesses that want to explore cooperation opportunities with Vietnamese partners. Nga expressed her belief that the FVFA will continue serving as a bridge linking Finnish and Vietnamese peoples, and partnering with the Vietnamese people in national development process. FVFA President Mauri Raveala, for his part, affirmed the basic task of the association of introducing Vietnams culture to Finnish people and assisting the Vietnamese people via charity projects for the poor. He also pledged that the FVFA will continue making positive contributions to promoting friendship between the two countries in the time to come. SEATTLE A week after a deadly coronavirus outbreak was reported inside a nursing home in the Seattle suburbs, officials from the long term care center said Saturday that 70 staff members were out sick with symptoms resembling coronavirus and six residents were also ill. A federal strike team of nurses and doctors arrived Saturday to support the staff at the long-term nursing home, Life Care Center of Kirkland, Washington, where officials have announced the deaths of 13 residents and a visitor who were infected with the virus. Tim Killian, a spokesman for the care center, praised the workers who continued to show up even as 70 of the nursing homes 180 employees have developed symptoms. The amount of work and stress that these staff and employees and caregivers are under is tremendous, Killian said. They truly are heroes. Earlier Saturday, Killian said that the center was still unable to get all of its staff members tested for coronavirus. The home had received 45 virus testing kits, Killian said, which was not enough for the 63 remaining residents and dozens of staff members. Later in the day, Life Care managers said the state had provided additional test kits, enough for all of the residents. It was not clear whether there were also enough kits to test staff members. Killian said that six of the residents who were still living at the center, where visitors have been restricted from entering, had developed symptoms. We cannot make any promises that further exposure in the facility is not happening, he continued. At another nursing home outside Seattle, Issaquah Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, officials said two residents who had been sent to a hospital Thursday were confirmed to have the coronavirus. Another facility, Aegis Living Marymoor in Redmond, also near Seattle, reported that one of its staff members who went home ill at the end of February has now been diagnosed with coronavirus. A senior living complex in Seattle, Ida Culver House Ravenna, previously said that one of its residents had tested positive Friday. A number of officials, including Vice President Mike Pence and Dow Constantine, the King County executive, have vowed in recent days to bring in extraordinary government resources to help the hardest-hit nursing home in Kirkland as new illnesses and deaths have been reported. The center has been associated with at least 44 cases of coronavirus and has been the scene of infection for most of the deaths from the virus in the United States. Federal and state guidance on who may be tested for the virus has expanded in recent days, though much uncertainty remains. Washington state health officials have said that there are no restrictions on who can get tested, but they also have said that not everyone needs it. The coronavirus outbreak was identified at the Kirkland center a week ago, though testing has since revealed that a patient who went to the hospital earlier was also infected, Killian said. Within our population, we have seen some results that have frankly concerned us with how quickly symptoms have shown, become acute and led to even death, Killian said. As the crisis unfolded, Pence visited Washington state and pledged the federal governments full resources to help, noting, in particular, that he would work to make sure that the Kirkland nursing home and other care centers for older adults around the country were safe. Constantine, the King County executive, has said that the county, too, would provide extensive support, including looking for ways to provide equipment to enable residents to move out of Life Care and into family homes when possible. The Seattle area has been one of the hardest hit in the country, and the test kits have not been the only challenge. Nurses have expressed concern about the availability of protective equipment. Blood banks have been strained. Curt Bailey, who leads the nonprofit Bloodworks Northwest, which supplies blood to 90 hospitals in the region, said the coronavirus outbreak has led to a rare confluence of factors that is keeping donors away: Many businesses have told employees to work from home and have canceled blood drives; older people, who are among the most frequent blood donors, are particularly at risk from coronavirus and have been staying home; and some people are avoiding any group assembly point. Bailey said he has been encouraging people to visit donation centers in order to avert the possibility of a blood shortage. It has the potential to become extremely dangerous, he said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. UPDATE: On March 12, Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department released a statement that said a blood test of a dog that was initially found to have a "low-level infection" of the coronavirus through other measures came back negative. The result indicates that "there is not a strong immune response and that there are currently not measurable amounts of antibodies in the blood," according to the statement. But the possibility the dog is infected with the COVID-19 virus has not been ruled out. Another blood sample will be taken and analyzed. The dog remains in quarantine. The statement also said there is currently no evidence that pets can infect people with the coronavirus. News that a dog tested positive for the coronavirus in Hong Kong likely set off alarm bells this week among pet owners. While there's no indication the virus can spread to humans from dogs, some experts say there may be a need for quarantines among pets of owners who contract the virus. Hong Kong officials collected samples on Feb. 26 from a dog of a patient who had COVID-19 and found "low levels" of the coronavirus in its nose and mouth the following day. If you have a dog, cat or ferret, and you're isolating at home, those animals should be isolated at home with you. - Prof. J. Scott Weese, University of Guelph's Ontario Veterinary College Followup tests determined the dog tested "weak positive" for the virus. Then, international experts at the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) concluded the dog has some degree of infection, likely caused by human-to-animal transmission. "I think this dog has a low level of infection," Thomas Sit, assistant director of the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), said Thursday. "According to experts, it's likely the human infected the dog. Sometimes animals infect humans and sometimes [it's] the other way around." Story continues The dog, which is reportedly a 17-year-old Pomeranian, has been in quarantine in Hong Kong under close surveillance, but has displayed no symptoms of the COVID-19 illness. How did the dog get infected? Prof. J. Scott Weese of the University of Guelph's Ontario Veterinary College, who studies diseases that can pass between animals and humans, said it was initially thought the dog became infected due to contamination from living in close contact with its owner. "The fact that it was positive two days later and they weren't calling it a 'weak positive' the second time would suggest that it was more of a true positive that's more consistent with the dog actually being infected," he said. "The dog is clinically normal, which is good for the dog, but it also [shows] why we need to sort this out." Dr. Mike Ryan, director of the World Health Organization's emergency program, said it's not unusual to find animals that can be "transient hosts" in infectious disease outbreaks, carrying the disease without spreading it. He said similar issues have been seen in the SARS epidemic of 2003 and the ongoing MERS outbreaks in the Middle East. "This dog is a victim..." he said. "We need to establish quite clearly what part animals might play in further transmission, but that is unknown." Aly Song/Reuters Dr. William Karesh, executive vice-president of the EcoHealth Alliance and a veterinarian based in New York working with the OIE on this case, said it's possible other animals could carry the virus. At least two cats were found to be carriers of SARS after an outbreak in a Hong Kong apartment complex during the 2003 epidemic. "They tested positive for SARS because they were living with so many people that were infected," he said. "But they never transmitted the disease to anyone. There was no evidence that they spread the disease." Could the dog infect humans or other pets? The dog will be repeatedly tested over the coming days and Hong Kong officials say it will only be released after it tests negative. Genetic tests are also reportedly being done on the coronavirus taken from the dog, to determine if it mutated after infection. "We don't have enough data to have a 100 [per cent] answer whether it's infectious to other dogs or not," Sit said. "But if the dog owner is positive, it's better to take precautionary measures to prevent onward transmission." Aly Song/Reuters The World Small Animal Veterinary Association said in a statement that while tests revealed a small quantity of COVID-19, they did not indicate whether there were "intact virus particles" that are infectious or just fragments of the genetic material that are not contagious. "Just like there are different types of people that might be more likely to show clinical disease, the same thing may be true with our animals," said Dr. Jason Stull, a veterinary epidemiologist and assistant professor at the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of P.E.I. "We need more information. The fact that Hong Kong has started to do this, I think will be overall helpful and better [for] understanding what the true risk might be." Should pets of COVID-19 patients be isolated? Weese said one scenario that needs to be ruled out are "perfectly healthy" animals that show no signs of infection but are still able to shed the virus. "So even if they can't get infected, we're worried they could track it around," he said. "That's why I want to get the awareness out that if you have a dog, cat or ferret, and you're isolating at home, those animals should be isolated at home with you." Hong Kong's AFCD says it "strongly advises" that dogs and cats from the homes of COVID-19 patients be put under quarantine as a precaution, while the World Health Organization says it is monitoring the situation closely. "We're only aware of this one animal that's tested positive and he's doing well," Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist with the WHO, said at a news conference Thursday. "We don't believe that this is a major driver of transmission but again it's only one example of this and so of course it deserves much more study." Should Canadian pet owners be concerned? The Public Health Agency of Canada says there is currently no evidence to suggest that any animal native to Canada (wild, livestock or pets) harbours the virus that causes COVID-19 and animals in Canada don't pose a risk of infecting people with the virus. The agency recommends that, until we know more, patients infected with COVID-19 and have a pet or other animal should: By Colleen Shalby | Los Angeles Times The toll of the illness has so far been especially pronounced in the West Coast, where at least 16 deaths have been reported in Washington state and at least one in California. But the decrease in donations has been widespread, with the American Association of Blood Banks saying that a number of blood drives in the U.S. have been canceled, including one that was expected to collect 500 units enough to help about 1,500 patients. The American Red Cross, one of AABBs partners, has also reported cancellations in blood donations. There is currently no shortage of blood supply in the country. But Eduardo Nunes, vice president of quality, standards and accreditation for AABB, said that it would be cause for serious concern if the decline continues for weeks over fears of falling ill to COVID-19. Experts say the decrease may simply be related to peoples fears of gathering in public and contracting the virus from others. A blood donation has a shelf life of 42 days. To keep the supply stable, constant donations are necessary. The use of blood seems to be steady at this point while collections are dropping, Nunes said. Weve had a steady depletion of inventory over the past few weeks, with no sign that well be able to make up deficit. Before the outbreak of coronavirus, there was already a strain on the blood supply, said Dr. Claudia Cohn, chief medical officer for AABB. One possible reason for that is that older people who have been deemed one of the most at-risk for the virus had been the most engaged when it came to giving blood. But as this demographic shrinks, others are not filling in the void. Younger generations are not showing up in the numbers as the Greatest Generation Cohn said. That is the fact. Officials are already taking precautionary measures to boost donations. The San Diego Blood Bank in San Diego County, which has not yet reported any confirmed cases of the virus, is asking for donations in anticipation of possible travel restrictions that may arise as cases continue to grow. In Washington state, where at least 16 people have died, the public health department said last week that the coronavirus has affected the states blood supply. The COVID-19 outbreak is starting to impact the blood supply in WA. Anyone who is symptom-free is encouraged to donate blood! the department tweeted. Curt Bailey, the CEO of Seattle-based nonprofit Bloodworks, issued a public call for 1,000 people to donate at a local community blood center. Still, the Red Cross is asking that people who have recently traveled to China, Iran, Italy and South Korea or have come into contact with a person suspected of having the virus, refrain from making a donation for 28 days. We ask that only healthy people give blood, Claudia said, stressing the fact that people are unlikely to be exposed to a knowingly sick individual at a blood drive since good health is a requirement to donate. According to the AABB Interorganizational Task Force on Domestic Disasters and Acts of Terrorism, which was created in 2002 before the SARS outbreak, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not reported any cases of a transfusion-transmitted respiratory virus, including COVID-19, thats emerged over the past two years. That also includes two previous coronaviruses SARS and MERS-CoV. We are all very concerned about what the next few weeks may look like, Nunes said. Theres a potential need for much more dire messaging in the future. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Panic struck the state and the Health Department swung into action after five persons from Pathanamthitta three who had returned from Italy and two of their relatives were tested positive for COVID-19 on a single day on Sunday. Kerala had successfully identified three cases, all returning students from the Chinese city of Wuhan, and helped them recover but its task on hand is far more laborious this time as the family did not alert the airport officials or the health authorities on their arrival on February 29, but roamed freely in their native Ranni and beyond, attending a wedding, doing shopping, visiting a church and also going to the SP office. The Health Department has now encountered a problem that it dreaded the most local transmission. To check it, nearly 3,000, including students busy with examinations, are expected to be quarantined. The infected a man, his wife and their son and two relatives who came into contact with them are undergoing treatment in the isolation ward of Pathanamthitta General Hospital. Their condition is said to be stable. Two elderly people who were in touch with the Italy-based family and developed symptoms like fever and fatigue, were shifted to the Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital. The family slipped through the system by evading officials attention at the airport, letting down the state which has been vigilant otherwise. Officials put the blame on the three for concealing key facts to avoid screening. The Health Department realised the threat only after one of the relatives of the Italy returnees arrived at the Government Taluk Hospital on Sunday with symptoms similar to that of COVID19. Only while inquiring them the department realised a group of three had returned from Italy. When their samples were sent for testing, it turned out to be positive. The returnees had visited two private hospitals earlier and consumed medicine for fever.The persons might have concealed the travel history. It came to light only when one of the relatives arrived at the taluk hospital, said a Health Department official. Health Minister K K Shailaja said there was no need to panic. As of now, there is nothing to panic. The department has started tracing the contacts of the infected. The family flew from Venice to Doha and after one-and-a-half hours halt at the Doha airport, they boarded the Doha-Kochi flight. The co-passengers of these two flights will also have to be traced, Shailaja said. The minister said a team headed by Principal Secretary (Health) Rajan Khobragade is overseeing the prevention and control activities being undertaken by the district administration of Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam. The church at Ranni, where the family attended a mass, has been closed. Both the districts have been asked to remain alert. Ernakulam was included as the family had hired a taxi from the airport to travel to Pathanamthitta. A group of doctors from Alappuzha has been deputed to assist the Pathanamthitta team, added the minister. The Health Department will take a call on the students future after consulting the Education Department as it is the time of examination, including SSLC. NO NEED TO PANIC As the coronavirus scare barrels through the travel industry, forcing cancellations of business trips, meetings, events, and vacations, demand for air travel has taken a nose dive. Usually, when demand falls, so do prices. But so far in this crisis, we've not seen much broad-based fare discounting. Sure, there have been spot sales, such as the one earlier this week with California-to-Hawaii fares plunging under $200. (Those fares may still be available, if you are interested.) Airlines are also deeply discounting the number of frequent flyer miles needed for trips on a handful of routes. For example, I snagged a late March roundtrip flight between SFO and Atlanta on United for just 32,500 MileagePlus miles, but saw them as low as 25,000 miles. That's cheap, especially since late March is peak spring break season. The Thrifty Traveler site, which tracks airline deals, recently reported that American is offering roundtrips from San Francisco and other cities to Buenos Aires for as few as 30,000 miles. Last week, it reported ultra-cheap SkyMiles redemptions on flights to Japan, even in business class. In addition to these spotty springtime fare and mileage specials, to boost demand, airlines have loosened restrictions on changes and cancellation fees for those brave enough to book in the midst of such uncertain times. Those policies seem to be changing every day, so check airline web sites for the latest versions all have links to the policies on their home pages. Regrettably, most airlines are not waiving change/cancel fees on all reservations; instead, they are only waiving fees on reservation made after March 1 (or thereabouts). But airlines are not discounting fares in a big, broad way and definitely not for the summer months. Why? Like passengers, airlines are fearful and uncertain, and taking a wait-and-see approach before promoting deep fare cuts. Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly explained it this way at an aviation industry conference on Thursday: "We could discount prices tomorrow and it wouldn't do any good ... [this crisis] has a 9/11-type feel. Hopefully, well get this behind us quickly." Instead of fare sales, airlines are cutting capacity, with United announcing an 11 percent cut in domestic flying and 20 percent reduction internationally. JetBlue also said it would cut capacity by about 5%. In Europe, Lufthansa said that it is cutting its flight schedules in half. Late Friday, El Al announced that it would make deep cuts to its schedule, including the elimination of its relatively new SFO-Tel Aviv flight. European carrier Flybe just went belly up, further reducing capacity in Europe. Now, all eyes are on Norwegian Air, which serves SFO, as it has been on shaky financial footing over the last year. Can it survive this? At the aviation conference, Kelly also said that Southwest has not yet decided on whether to cut capacity in light of evaporating demand. Alaska Airlines, the second-largest carrier at SFO, is said to be mulling capacity cuts, but has yet to make it official. Wondering what might happen to aviation here here, I look to what happened in China since the coronavirus crisis started in early January. According to FlightRadar24, airline capacity there declined a whopping 80 percent since the beginning of the year. There's some hope in the latest numbers that show a slight uptick in the number of flights (see chart below). Will flights in the US decline as much as 80 percent as COVID-19 spreads? FlightRadar24.com If things get really dire, U.S. airlines could ask the government for help, as they did after Sept. 11 and they got $5 billion. The Trump administration is already hinting about offering airlines a tax break to keep them afloat, if necessary. So until we see a light at the end of the tunnel, fare sales will likely remain spotty, as airlines, and travelers, try to chart their way through this crisis. But once we get an "all clear" from health officials, we'll likely seem some big, broad and heavily publicized fare sales, the likes of which we have not seen since the year following Sept. 11. We will also see airlines use their frequent flier programs to lure travelers back in the air with perks like mileage bonuses, or liberalization of elite status requirements. If COVID-19 begins to clear by Easter (April 12) as the weather warms, we could see some of the best summer fare sales in years airlines will do all they can to get people back on planes, getting over their fears about flying, and relieving their pent-up demand to travel. But if we see a deepening of the crisis in coming months, both the peak spring and summer seasons could be a bust for airlines, and the travel industry as a whole. Until then, it's going to be wait and see for both airlines and passengers. How do you feel about flying in the next 90 days? Share what you are thinking in the comments. Read all recent TravelSkills posts here Chris McGinnis is SFGATE's senior travel correspondent. You can reach him via email or follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Don't miss a shred of important travel news by signing up for his FREE biweekly email updates! SFGATE participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Boris Johnson has pledged a further 46 million for research into a coronavirus vaccine. (Getty) Volunteers from the UK are set to be deliberately infected with coronavirus as scientists race to develop a cure for the deadly disease. As many as 24 human guinea pigs will be paid 3,500 to take part in the trial which will see them infected with a coronavirus and banned from physical contact with the outside world for two weeks. Those taking part will be held in a special quarantine lab in east London owned by medical testing company Hvivo, according to The Times. Scientists are aiming to develop a vaccine by next winter to protect the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. Scientists worldwide are working to develop a cure. (AP) A total of 20 firms and public sector organisations are taking part the a global effort to develop a cure, with more than $2bn (1.53bn) invested worldwide so far. Earlier this week, Boris Johnson pledged a further 46 million for research into a coronavirus vaccine and rapid diagnostic tests. The Prime Minister announced the funding during a tour of a Bedfordshire laboratory, where British scientists are working on a quick and cheap way to diagnose coronavirus. There is currently no vaccine available to protect people against Covid-19, but Mr Johnson said he hoped one will be ready in about a year. Englands Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty has previously said the UK will not have a vaccine available for the first wave of a pandemic, but that it is still important to develop one for any future waves. Global human trials of eight possible vaccines could start later this year. But firms would then face the task of mass-producing and distributing them. Public Health England (PHE) has developed methods of testing for coronavirus, but more rapid tests are needed as these currently rely on samples being sent to a lab. Downing Street said the UKs investment into Covid-19 vaccine research is now worth 65 million, with 91 million in total for international work to stop the spread of the virus. On the trail: Biden launches biggest ad blitz of his campaign, Sanders attacks amid 'bloodbath' warning FILE PHOTO: Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidates Senator Bernie Sanders shakes hands with former Vice President Joe Biden after the tenth Democratic 2020 presidential debate at the Gaillard Center in Charleston By Trevor Hunnicutt and Michael Martina ST. LOUIS/DEARBORN, Mich. (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders campaigned in the Midwest on Saturday, as the two prepare for a showdown in Michigan, Missouri and four other nominating contests next week. Sanders, 78, who until recently was the front-runner in the party's race to face Republican President Donald Trump in November, is now trailing in delegates and desperate to regain momentum after Biden, 77, received a rush of endorsements from party establishment figures following his strong "Super Tuesday" showing this week. Below is a summary of Saturday's events. BIDEN LAUNCHES BIGGEST AD BUY OF HIS CAMPAIGN With a rush of momentum, endorsements and campaign contributions flowing in after his strong Super Tuesday showing this week, Biden launched the biggest advertising blitz of his presidential campaign, according to a campaign spokesman who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Until recently, Biden's campaign was struggling to raise funds. Now, as he looks ahead to Tuesday and more big contests on March 17, Biden is spending $12 million on a six-state ad buy. The online, digital and TV ads will run in Michigan, Missouri and Mississippi - three states that vote on Tuesday - and Florida, Illinois and Ohio, three of the four states voting on March 17. Biden's campaign said on Friday it had raised about $22 million in five days. BIDEN PREACHES UNITY, AS SANDERS ATTACKS Biden called for Democratic unity against Trump at a rally in St. Louis, Missouri, shortly after Sanders attacked his record and Biden had warned against a primary "bloodbath." Were going to unite this party and unite this country," Biden said. Biden thanked former Democratic White House rivals who recently dropped out of the race and endorsed him, including Pete Buttigieg, the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor, and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Story continues Biden also unexpectedly thanked supporters of Kamala Harris, fueling speculation that the former Democratic presidential candidate may be about to endorse him. Harris, a U.S. senator from California, has been weighing such an endorsement, according to a person familiar with her thinking. Sanders attacked Biden at a Michigan rally on Saturday, hours after Biden's warning against a "bloodbath" in the primaries involving the U.S. senator from Vermont and self-described democratic socialist. Speaking to a crowd in the Michigan suburb of Dearborn, Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, lambasted the former vice president for voting in support of the Iraq war and for trade deals he says cost millions of American jobs, including in Michigan and the Midwest. Joe Biden voted for those agreements. I wish I didnt have to tell you what you already know. Those agreements turned out to be an absolute disaster, Sanders said, referring to trade deals including the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Sanders also decried Biden's acceptance of campaign contributions from some billionaires. At the end of the day people understand that if you are taking lots of money from billionaires, youre not going to be there standing up for the working class and the middle class of this country, Sanders said. Sanders questioned whether Biden could generate enough energy and enthusiasm to prevail against Trump. But he also called Biden a friend, and said both were in agreement that they would support the other against Trump should the other win the nomination. On Friday night, Biden told a crowd at a fundraiser in Bethesda, Maryland, he was worried his battle with Sanders for the Democratic nomination could turn ugly. What we cant let happen is let this primary become a negative bloodbath. We cant tear this party apart and re-elect Trump. We have to keep our eyes on the ball," Biden said as he telephoned in to the Bethesda event. TWO-MAN RACE The race has become a two-man contest between Biden and Sanders. Tulsi Gabbard, a Hawaii congresswoman, is the only other Democratic candidate still in the nominating contest, but has virtually no chance of winning. Biden and Sanders will face off on Tuesday in Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Washington state, North Dakota and Michigan. A big win for Biden in delegate-rich Michigan would deliver a major blow to Sanders' hopes of becoming the nominee. The two will likely be the only candidates on stage at the next debate in Arizona on March 15, after new qualifying rules essentially eliminated Gabbard from taking part. BIDEN WINS DOZENS OF ENDORSEMENTS IN MISSOURI The moderate wing of the Democratic Party has been rapidly coalescing around Biden to stop a Sanders nomination, since Biden's big win in South Carolina on Feb. 29. On Saturday morning the Biden campaign announced another slew of endorsements from Democratic lawmakers in Missouri - over 60. Missouri is one of six states to vote on Tuesday, where Biden was due to hold two events on Saturday. Jay Nixon, the state's former Democratic governor, swung his support behind Biden, leading a well-choreographed army of Missouri officials - 68 in all - to come out in support. They included current and former state politicians, judges, council members and aldermen. After his rally in St. Louis Biden was heading to Kansas City, Missouri, where he is scheduled to be joined by U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, a former Congressional Black Caucus chairman who endorsed Biden in September. SANDERS FOCUSES ON MICHIGAN Sanders' appearance in Dearborn began a weekend of campaigning in the crucial battleground state of Michigan, which offers 125 of the 1,991 delegates needed to win the nomination. Sanders, who won the Michigan primary in 2016 when he ran unsuccessfully for the nomination against Hillary Clinton, was heading to Flint, Michigan, after Dearborn for a town hall focused on racial and economic justice. On Sunday he is set to visit Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in St. Louis, Michael Martina in Dearborn, Mich., Tim Reid in Los Angeles and Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Calif.; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Matthew Lewis) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, March 8, 2020 16:13 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad2069253e3 1 National Women,women-rights,women-empowerment,violence-against-women,violence-against-women-in-Indonesia,Central-Jakarta,rally,International-Women-Day,international-womens-day,feminism Free Hundreds of people of all genders took to the streets on International Womens Day in Jakarta on Sunday to demand that the government put a stop to systemic violence against women. Protesters gathered at the Elections Supervisory Agency headquarters in Central Jakarta and marched from there to the nearby State Palace. They carried flags and posters with various messages such as Lets smash the heteropatriarchy, I hate patriarchy, not men, and Pass the sexual violence bill, reject the job creation omnibus law. Today were not just celebrating the annual International Womens Day. Today were asking the state to fulfill womens rights that have been ignored for too long, Lini Zurlia, coordinator of the Womens Movement against Violence Alliance (Gerak Perempuan), said in front of the crowd. She said that violence against women was rooted in the patriarchal values embedded in the government and its policies. The state is the perpetrator; they legitimize violence against women through repressive regulations such as the family resilience bill and the job creation omnibus bill. Women participate in the international women's day 2020 in Sarinah, Central Jakarta, on Sunday 8 March 2020. (JP/Donny Fernando) Gerak Perempuans demands include the establishment of a system to protect women, the passing of pro-women laws, the revocation of discriminatory regulations, the rejection of bills that threaten womens rights and the recognition of gender diversity. Sujirah, a 52-year-old worker who came from Tangerang, Banten, to join the rally, said she was there to fight the omnibus law, which she believed posed a particular threat to women workers. The protection for women laborers is already lacking. With the omnibus law []. Were getting more alienated, she said. Zakwannur, one of the many male protesters, said that it was important for men to support the rally. Most of the perpetrators of violence are men. Therefore, we need men to act as allies by spreading awareness to more men to stop violence against women, he said. Another protester, Novi Yani, 36, said she joined the rally to speak up about gender equality. I hope more women are able to speak up and stand up for themselves. I also hope women are aware of their potential, she said. (aly) Father Ernesto Cardenal, who died last Sunday aged 95, was one of the most extraordinary Catholic priests of the 20th Century, combining the roles, not always happily, of poet, Marxist revolutionary, mystic, monk, sculptor, academic and politician in his native Nicaragua, as well as becoming a familiar figure on the international circuit. Born on January 20, 1925, into a privileged family in Granada, Nicaragua, Cardenal began his university studies in literature first in Managua, and later at university in Mexico. In the post-war period he studied at Columbia University in New York, and then went on an extended tour of Europe before returning home to Nicaragua in 1950. During this period his first poems appeared in print. In 1954, there was an attempted revolution against the repressive regime of the American-backed President Anastasio Somoza. The young Cardenal was implicated in this failed coup d'etat and he subsequently left for America, where, after undergoing a religious conversion, he decided to become a monk, joining the Trappist Monastery at Gethsemane in Kentucky. In 1959, Cardenal transferred to another monastery in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and in 1965 he was ordained as a diocesan priest in his home town of Granada. He was assigned to the parish of the Solentiname Islands, an idyllic archipelago in the middle of Nicaragua's largest lake. It was while posted on the islands that his book El Evangelio de Solentiname ("The Gospel in Solentiname") emerged. It became a classic work of liberation theology. Also dating from this period were Cardenal's Psalms of Struggle and Liberation, a retelling of the Psalms influenced by the revolutionary struggle then going on in the country against the Somoza dictatorship. In 1970, Father Cardenal visited Cuba, and this led to what he called a second conversion, this time to Christian Marxism and revolutionary fervour. In 1977, the National Guard raided the islands and burned the base community to the ground, in reprisal for an anti-government attack in the provincial capital. Cardenal fled to Costa Rica. He later joined the rebels and became their field chaplain. Two years later, the tables were turned, and the Sandinistas' insurgency overthrew the dictatorship, while Somoza fled the country. As soon at the Sandinistas took power, Father Cardenal was appointed minister of culture. The new minister was now at the centre of a regime that, though it had come to power through a violent insurgency, was greatly admired by the international left and many progressive Catholics the world over. While his brother Fernando, another priest, took over as minister of education, Ernesto Cardenal campaigned for what he termed "a revolution without vengeance". But when Pope John Paul II visited Nicaragua in 1983, Father Cardenal was there to greet him on his knees on the runway of Managua airport. Despite this show of humility and loyalty, Cardenal won a finger-wagging rebuke from the Pontiff, who reminded him that as a priest he was forbidden by canon law to have any active political role. The next year, after Cardenal had failed to resign from government, he incurred the canonical penalty of loss of the clerical state. This meant that, while still a priest, he was forbidden to practise as such. He was to remain culture minister until 1987. Only in 2014, 30 years later, was Cardenal's laicisation rescinded, on the initiative of Pope Francis. Cardenal left the Sandinista movement in 1994, though he continued to describe himself as a Christian Marxist. By this time he was one of the most recognisable Nicaraguans on the planet, thanks to his poetry, which was widely admired. Later, his poetic spirit was drawn to other subjects, in particular to ecology and the celebration of the work of Charles Darwin, in whom he saw some echoes of Christian metaphysics. Travelling the world, receiving prizes and giving poetry readings, Cardenal became a fixture on the international stage. He continued to describe the Nicaraguan experience of the Sandinista government as "a beautiful revolution". Though championed by the left, and lovers of Latin American literature, he was anathema to conservative Catholics, particularly in the United States, who saw in the beret-clad priest, at worst, one whose Christianity had been seriously and dangerously eroded by Marxism, or at best a dreamer and deluded idealist. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] The anticipation was felt in the air as attendants waited for the panel of experts to take the podium, led by one of Egypt's most respected and loved figures in the field of science, Sir Magdi Yacoub. Magdi Yacoub who was bestowed with the title of Sir by Queen Elizabeth II is a pioneer in the field of cardiovascular surgery and the founder of the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation in Aswan, which is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation providing free world-class medical services to the less privileged in Egypt and throughout the region in the field of cardiovascular diseases. The event, held 6 March in collaboration with the private sector pharmaceutical Janssen, shed light for the first time on a disease once classified among rare disorders and now regarded differently. "Pulmonary hypertension is a fatal disease, one that is rampant in many developing countries. Many Egyptians now are diagnosed with the condition. We used to regard the disease as rare and called it the 'orphan disease.' Well, not anymore," said Yacoub. "It is very important to raise awareness that science can reach with a helping hand to those who are suffering the condition, whether through medication or surgery, provided that early diagnosis occurs," he said. According to the World Health Organisation, pulmonary hypertension is a certain type of high blood pressure that affects arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. The risk of developing pulmonary hypertension is augmented in young age, and in the case of being overweight, having a family history of the condition, using illegal drugs, or certain appetite-suppressing medication. Dr Ashraf Hatem, former minister of health, explained that pulmonary hypertension is classified into five types, four of which are due to other health issues, including bilharziasis, and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The fifth occurs independently, due to defects in the arteries, or to unknown reasons. The latter was one of the main concerns of the 6 March convention. The problem of late diagnosis was a focal point of discussion. "A study on patients in Kasr El-Aini Hospital revealed that 20 percent of pulmonary hypertension is unrelated to other ailments and occurs separately. And unfortunately, 70 percent of patients come to us at the third or even the fourth stage of the disease, due to misdiagnosis, as the symptoms are perplexing even too many doctors," Hatem said. The perplexing symptoms could be overlooked or linked to other health problems, all of which augments the problem of late diagnosis. "Symptoms include dizziness, short breath, fatigue, chest pain, heart palpitation or swelling in the leg or ankle," explained Dr Medhat Abdel Khalek, professor of pulmonary medicine at Cairo University. Dr Youssef Amin, head of the pulmonary hypertension unit at Kasr El-Aini Hospital, underlined that tackling the disease necessitates the collaboration of many fields of medicine in the process of diagnosis and treatment. Sir Yacoub drew attention to the fact that the numbers are alarming, especially that the disease affects people at a very young age. "Women are more vulnerable. It strikes them as early as in their thirties. It saddens me when young people perish needlessly at such an age, when with proper awareness among people as well as doctors, their precious lives can be saved, he said. "After raising awareness as a top priority, two issues are of utmost importance. First, is the urgency of providing medication for the disease, and affordable to patients and institutions. The second is the importance of further introducing the issue of organ donation and transplantation to the mainstream. Our current constitution underlines the sacredness of human lives and the necessity of all measures to preserve lives. Many patients living with pulmonary hypertension may need transplants, and again media and religious institutions should further tackle the topic and dispel misconceptions in that regard." "We are all in service of the human being and science. No life should perish needlessly," Yacoub concluded. Search Keywords: Short link: With five more people testing positive for coronavirus, Kerala is keeping its fingers crossed as more than three million women are set to converge in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday for Attukal Pongala - a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Temple in the heart of the city. The women prepare a gruel made of rice, jaggery, coconut and ghee and offer it to the goddess of the temple. The festival is considered the worlds largest congregation of women. Keralas health minister K K Shailaja has on Sunday appealed that those who have fever or cold should not participate in Attukal Pongala. Irresponsible behavior will be dealt with sternly, she said at a press conference while announcing the five new coronavirus cases. Shailaja also visited the temple to review the situation Given Keralas high population density, the government is worried that any laxity could prove costly. Thiruvananthapuram district collector K Gopalakrishnan urged devotees from abroad to perform Pongala in their hotels instead. It will help contain infection if any, he said. The government has also convened an emergency meeting at the Cochin international airport in the evening following revelation that the aircraft in which three of the five people infected with coronavirus travelled from Doha, had 350 passengers on board. Airport authorities have handed over to health officials the list of passengers who traveled in the Qatar Airways flight on February 29. It is war against the virus, said a senior official of Cochin international airport. The three persons had been screened at the airport as part of the protocol the Centre had announced to combat coronavirus but the infection was not detected. All public functions will be cancelled in Pathnamthitta district in view of the coronvirus threat. District collector P B Nooh has requested people to cooperate with the government to stop the infection from spreading. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 16:12:24|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KABUL, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Police in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province arrested five drug traffickers, the country's Interior Ministry said on Sunday. Counter-Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) in coordination with Afghan National Police arrested two men driving a vehicle in Nangarhar's Muhmand Dara district on Saturday after receiving a report that the men was transporting a batch of drugs, the ministry said in a statement. The CNPA seized 17 kg of heroin and 2.5 kg of methamphetamine and confiscated the vehicle. Three suspects were arrested and some amounts of drugs were seized in provincial capital Jalalabad city, according to the statement. Further investigation was underway. Washington Vice President Mike Pence has long been a one-man political cleanup crew for President Donald Trump. From his day trip last fall to Turkey to negotiate a cease-fire in northern Syria to his takeover of the chaotic presidential transition, Pence is used to being diverted from his reliably anodyne schedule. Now he has moved into one of the biggest political janitor jobs of all time. Trump, who in recent weeks was infuriated by early decisions to allow coronavirus patients into the United States and irritated by public health officials offering their assessments to the public, has turned to Pence, an unfailing loyalist, to tamp down on messaging efforts and wrangle competing offices within the White House. "Having the vice president gives me the biggest stick one could have in the government on this whole-of-government approach," Trump proclaimed last week when he appointed Pence to lead the administration's coronavirus task force. He did not mention that one of Pence's jobs is to clean up after a font of misinformation, the president himself, who has said he has a "hunch" that the virus is not as lethal as experts say and that everything will be better by April. Pence, who maintains the emotive exterior of a block of marble, is a new daily fixture in the White House briefing room, where he offers 5 p.m. updates on the crisis and is disciplined with his words his nickname on the 2016 Trump campaign was "On Message Mike." On Friday it was Pence who projected calm as he announced that of 46 passengers tested on the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of California, 21 were positive for the virus. But Pence has already had to clean up some messes of his own. Early in the week Pence declared that "any American could be tested" for the virus, but by Thursday had to tell reporters that "we don't have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward." On Wednesday, Pence said several times that the Department of Health and Human Services had ensured that insurance companies, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, would all provide coverage for coronavirus tests, by designating the lab test an "Essential Health Benefit." But his assertion substantially misrepresented the reach of that legal authority, which was established under the Affordable Care Act, and ignored the fact that Republicans in Congress had specifically targeted that provision for removal in 2017. His performance led critics to say that the coronavirus is not a political or public relations battle but a public health crisis that is immune to spin. "If you want to build public trust in an emergency, people have to believe you're telling the truth," said Gregg Gonsalves, an epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health. "You get this sad feeling like they're doing political damage control rather than thinking about how to handle this." Still, the vice president has been credited with a demeanor more dignified than the ramblings and political attacks that often come from Trump when he talks publicly about the virus. White House aides say Pence has instilled a measure of order in task force meetings, at least one of which he opened with a prayer. On Thursday, Pence flew to Minnesota to meet with medical equipment manufacturers before flying to Washington state, which has reported 84 cases and 14 deaths, where he bumped elbows with the governor. The president, speaking at a Fox News forum in Pennsylvania on Thursday night, praised Pence for working "20 hours a day or more." The president also tried to tamp down pervasive speculation in Washington that he will remove Pence from the 2020 ticket should he mishandle the virus effort. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "I get along great with the vice president and I keep hearing that I'm replacing him but he's doing a phenomenal job," Trump said at the forum. "He's a great guy and a loyal guy and he works so hard." As Marc Short, Pence's chief of staff, put it: "He is uniquely qualified for this because of his close relationship to the president. Basically there's no confusion that the president's in charge.'' Pence, former governor of Indiana, has no public health expertise, and is remembered in his home state for slow-walking a decision to approve the distribution of clean needles for intravenous drug users, which he initially opposed on moral grounds. His decision is cited as a main reason that an HIV crisis in a rural community ballooned to epidemic proportions. "When it comes to a public health emergency, I would question whether or not he has the capacity to really listen to the experts in making informed decisions rather than grappling with his own personal beliefs," said Dr. Carrie Lawrence, an assistant research scientist at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. Pence's allies say that his appearances in the White House briefing room show that he is listening to public health experts, and point to how he steps back and relies on their knowledge when he doesn't know the answer. "Get used to this," he told reporters at a briefing Tuesday, as he gestured for Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to take the podium. Pence's official advice echoes a Twitter bulletin issued by President Barack Obama, the gist of which is: Wash hands, leave masks for health care workers and listen to experts. Pence has also been to Capitol Hill with his team to brief lawmakers, who praise the time he has spent with them but not always the information provided. "They answered a lot of questions," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., the minority leader, said. "The problem is they didn't have as many answers as we needed." Some state officials say they are appreciative of Pence's efforts. Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon, a Democrat, said she had been surprised by the amount of attention Pence had given her state, which has reported three coronavirus cases, and the administration's decision to convene governors from across the country to discuss their needs. "I would put them as extremely responsive right now," she said. The Old Boys Club of portfolio managers has become a bit more coed especially in Asia. But the glass ceiling remains hard to break, even in a Me Too era that has cast a broad spotlight on women in the work world. As International Womens Day is celebrated today, women in mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan have made more progress in being elevated into powerful roles in the financial world than in other parts of the world, as shown in a Morningstar report. About one in four portfolio managers who build assets of private and institutional clients are women in these places, versus only one in 10 in the US. Yet, underscoring how hard it is to change this male-dominated role, the numbers have barely budged in the past decade, other than in Hong Kong. The global average of 14 per cent of portfolio managers being women in 2009 and 2019 stayed the same. It remained essentially the same in the UK (12.7 per cent versus 13 per cent over the past decade) and the US (10.9 per cent versus 11 per cent). Stock prices of companies with more women executives outperformed peers for almost a decade, Credit Suisse says Singapore has seen a tiny bit of improvement (from 25.4 per cent to 29 per cent ). Only Hong Kong has seen significant movement, with women in portfolio management rising from 16.7 per cent to 28 per cent in the time period, Morningstar reports. (No comparison data is available for Taiwan and mainland China, but the 2019 figures stood at 28 per cent.) But women in the field say they are hopeful that more progress is coming, though changes in workplace policies, encouragement of girls to go into finance and networking will be needed. Women in Asia have a head start because they are more likely to have attained the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification, according to Germaine Share, associate director for manager research at Morningstar Investment Management Asia. In addition, some reports show diversity can lead to better fund performance, and that can be expected to affect decisions about hiring and promotions, women in the field say. Story continues One report by Credit Suisse, for example, found that companies with women in at least 20 per cent of their executive management positions outperformed those without by 3.6 per cent in the annual growth rate of share prices since 2010. So, the fact that Asia has more women with the background to be portfolio managers translates into a bigger opportunity to capitalise on such findings. Women bring balance to decision making a different point of view. That alone is a huge plus, said Jayne Bok, head of investments Asia, for brokerage and advisory firm Willis Towers Watson (WTW). Women also have a tendency to think of wider stakeholders when they make decisions. Meanwhile, in the case of women with children, the availability of affordable domestic help in Asia makes it easier for women to put in the gruelling hours such high-pressured jobs can require. Hong Kong needs to talk about the gender pay gap, not just who wears the trousers or apron From a demographic perspective, China has a relatively high labour force participation rate for women, and majority of students in higher education institutions are female, said Rachel Wang, Morningstars director of manager research, China. Against this backdrop, we would naturally expect more women working in the fund industry, which has a relatively high education entry requirement. Potential employers banned from asking women about marital status and pregnancy: Beijings new sex discrimination policies Different views bring innovation, creativity and quality said Elaine Wu, head of J.P. Morgans Asia ex-Japan power utilities and environmental research. By its very nature, a diversity of views will result in debate, and at times disagreement, but thats what makes the end result a more robust one. Amy Cho, Hong Kong and head of intermediary, Asia Pacific, at London-listed, global asset management firm Schroders, sees positive changes. From my observation, the asset management industry in Asia seems to be more diverse than the Wests, she said. She said around 40 per cent of Schroders senior leaders in the region are female, while the Hong Kong office has strong female representation in senior roles across different sectors. But much more needs to be done, women in the field said. Women need to be encouraged to enter and stay in the investment world, particularly those needing flexibility around families, said Deborah Bannon, head of institutional distribution, APAC ex-Japan, and consultant relations, APAC, for global investments company BNY Mellon Investment Management. There are very few firms, even in Asia, that have very clear policies around flexible working arrangements, she said. It goes back to that issue around as a female if you are trying to build your career around financial services, do you really want to be perceived as the one asking for flexibility? Or are you going to assume that in order to succeed you need to be chained to your desk 24/7? Its a bit of a trade-off. A culture change is needed in workplaces, said Kimberley Stafford, managing director and head of global investment management firm PIMCO, Asia Pacific. For the industry to be more successful in promoting gender diversity, it will require a strong and long-term commitment of senior managers to lead change and create a culture of diversity, inclusion and support, she said. PIMCO has formed a partnership with the Bloomberg Women Buy-side Network, which this week launched in Hong Kong, following Singapore and India. The first-of-its-kind programme in Hong Kong aims to bring together a community of senior and middle level buy-side professionals, to discuss investment trends, promote inclusion in the industry and educate the younger generation. Similarly, six women who met during a mentoring programme run by Hong Kong non-profit organisation The Womens Foundation set up a non-profit group called Girls Just Want To Have Fund$ in 2018. Through events like panel discussions and lunches, as well as a WhatsApp group that already has 140 members, it aims to build a community of women of all ages to share information and experiences about investing. These kinds of support networks are essential to help educate the younger generation of women to work in the industry and change the status quo, said Deborah Bannon, head of institutional distribution, APAC ex-Japan, and consultant relations, APAC, for global investments company BNY Mellon. What is needed is, educating young, intelligent females at school age and above that this industry is not a dinosaur industry that is a boys club, but actually there are a wealth of opportunities that you can get into, she said. There are a few groups that have been doing that, but I think that needs a lot of government support behind it. More from South China Morning Post: This article Asia leads world in women breaking into the Old Boys Club of portfolio management but progress is stubbornly slow first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. Born and brought up in Kolkata, Taniya Sanyal is the first woman firefighter to be appointed by the Airport Authority of India (AAI). Until 2018, AAI recruited only men as its firefighters, but the rules were relaxed last year and Sanyal emerged as the strong woman candidate to enter the field dominated by males. Moreover, she now trains both men and a handful of women aspiring to be firefighters with the AAI. She had to pass the written, medical, driving and physical tests that were required to be cleared by firefighter aspirants. Among other tasks, they need to showcase their physical strength, run long distance, sprint, climb ladders and carry a 40kg sandbag for a distance of 60 meters. Taniya was also awarded the Citizen Safety Award 2019 by Safety Professional Association of India (SPAI) held on October 2, 2019. Apart from this, she had also received the DCW Achievement Award from the Delhi Commission of Women, Government of India. In a conversation with us, Taniya told us why she decided to become a firefighter, her parents reaction, the rigorous training schedule and coping in those situations when she is surrounded by fire on all sides. When and why did you decide to become a firefighter? Since my childhood, I always dreamt of taking up challenging tasks and wanted to choose the path less traveled. I dreamt of becoming a person who can do something that would bring a positive change in the society. I completed my formal education by doing Masters in Botany and was exploring my options in disaster management, when I came across the recruitment advertisement in the newspaper for firefighters. I knew this was something I wanted to pursue and I applied for the position. What was your parents reaction when you first told them you wanted to be a firefighter? My parents had been very supportive at every stage of my life. When I broke the news to my parents that I had not only cleared both the written and physical test but was also the first woman ever to do so, they were shocked and amazed and felt proud that I got the kind of job which I had always hoped for. How do friends/family/people react when you tell them what you do? More or less, the reaction was the same. Everybody greeted me and cheered for me, as I was the first woman firefighter chosen by the Airport Authority of India, I was being interviewed and my stories were shared. People called me to wish me luck and my relatives called to let me know how proud they were of me. The most interesting aspect I want to mention here is, when you live a life thats devoted to the service of others and your country, people treat you differently. I was greeted with the utmost respect. Till date express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for the same. How did you train for the physical strength that a firefighter needs? I have been a firm believer that the word Impossible has only one meaning, I am possible. With that same belief I applied for this role. I received my initial training at Fire Training Center, New Delhi. It was a five month training that involved both written and physical tests. The training was challenging and tiring, and one might feel like quitting every day. That is when your mental capacity is tested; you need to push yourself through self-talk and your strong belief. Apart from a few days, I enjoyed the training to the fullest; we used to follow a tough schedule on a daily basis. Our day started with morning running and sprints, post that there were physical exercises, yoga sessions, squad drills and appliance drills. From 6 am to 9:30 am we were totally occupied with the morning physical training. Post that we had to attend theory classes from 10 am to 1 pm and after which there were afternoon ground classes, which continued till 5 pm. Each module ended with various exams. I was supported by my instructors and trainers at every level. Hard work cannot be eradicated in any field but everyone needs the right guidance and support. I knew if I had to succeed, I needed to step out from my comfort zone. How do you cope when surrounded by fire all around during an operation? The day I took up the task of becoming a firefighter, I was well aware regarding the life threatening risk involved with the job. But then, our own zeal is all that matters. In other words, when you fight the fire, literally or metaphorically, there is always something that can destroy you. There is always a possibility that you too might get affected, which is why one needs to be practical, smart, tactful, and most importantly, physically and mentally fit. You have to master the technicalities and need to be cautious but the essence is your own self trust and gut that keeps you moving. You need to stay calm and focused to successfully extinguish the fire. The author tweets at @shadowwarior and can be reached at kabir.bhandari@htdigital.in and Instagram.com/kabirsinghbhandari Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kabir Singh Bhandari Kabir Singh Bhandari is a journalist and stand up comedian. He has 10 years experience in journalism and has worked in India, Bangladesh and Thailand. ...view detail The Duchess of Sussex may have been sending a subtle message she's focusing on 'good fortune' and her 'growing love' for Prince Harry during Megxit, with the help of her jewellery. Meghan Markle, 38, has favoured gold charm necklaces on recent appearances, selecting jewels with hidden messages for two of her public appearances since returning to the UK on Thursday. The royal, who is known for her love of highly personalised jewellery, opted for a 'Love pendant' by designer Sophie Lis for her visit to the National Theatre gallery on Thursday, which refers to a French poem about enduring and growing love. Meanwhile she donned a Edge of Ember's Kismet Charm necklace during her appearance at a school in Dagenham on Friday, which features a four-leaf clover as a 'good fortune icon'. The Duchess of Sussex, 38, has worn a series of personal gold charm necklaces while making final royal engagements, including one which appeared to reference her growing love for Prince Harry, 35 (pictured, Meghan Markle wearing the garment while visiting the National Theatre on Thursday) The 'Love pendant', made by designer Sophie Lis, bears a reference to a French poem which translates to 'Every day I love you more, more than yesterday less than tomorrow.' Meghan opted to wear one dainty piece while visiting the National Theatre on Thursday, donning a monochrome white outfit to highlight the striking piece. The medallion, made by designer Sophie Lis, carries the engraving 'Qu'hier' after a diamond encrusted plus sign, and 'Que Demain' followed by a ruby minus sign. Online, Sophie revealed the message is borrowed from the poem 'The Eternal Song'. The reference is an an ode from the 19th century French poet Rosemonde Gerard which translates to: 'Every day I love you more, more than yesterday less than tomorrow.' Meanwhile the Duchess opted for a different gold pendant during a visit to a Dagenham school on Friday Meghan opted for the Edge of Ember's Kismet charm necklace, which features a 'lucky number 7' and a four leaf clover to represent 'good fortune' The designer shared a photo of Meghan wearing the piece, titled the 'Love Pendant', on Instagram yesterday. She wrote: 'Can't stop admiring this special lady. Praying for her marriage to be a lasting success. And that her family should reconcile so that she lives in peace. Love Harry and Megan.' Ten per cent of the sales of each necklace, which comes with a pricetag of 400, go to the animal welfare charity Wild at Heart Foundation. Meanwhile on Friday, the royal also opted for a gold pendant when visiting a school in Dagenham. The Duchess opted for a gold necklace which was describe online as a 'modern-day talisman' which was 'inspired by vintage coins found in Asia' during her visit to a school in Dagenham on Friday The Duchess selected the Edge of Ember's Kismet Charm Necklace, which costs just 125, for the visit. Online, the piece is described as a 'modern-day talisman' which was 'inspired by vintage coins found in Asia' which represent icons of good fortune. It features a four leaf clover with the lucky number 7, for two doses of good fortune. Meghan has long favoured delicate gold jewellery and has become known for selecting highly personal pieces for royal appearances. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are currently undertaking their final official duties before stepping back from royal life on March 31 (pictured together at an engagement last night at the Royal Albert Hall She has often worn pendants with the initials of Prince Harry and their son Archie. The appearances over the last week have marked the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes' first official trip to the UK since announcing they would be stepping back as senior royals. The couple have had a number of appearances scheduled which will culminate tomorrow when they will join senior royals including the Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Commonwealth Day service in London. It is thought these will be Harry and Meghan's last official duties before their royal roles officially come to an end on March 31. Four persons were killed and two others injured on Sunday after an MUV collided with a motorcycle and a scooter near Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, police said. The incident occurred in Eitkhedi area, about 15 kms from Bhopal, Additional Superintendent of Police Dinesh Kaushal told PTI. Prima facie, the MUV driver was responsible for the collision as the vehicle was being driven rashly on the wrong side of the road. All the four persons, identified as Rasheed Khan (28), Munnu Shah (30), Ramzan Khan (35) and Babulal Sahu (72), died during treatment. The driver of the MUV fled after the accident with the vehicle, Kaushal said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The secret beauty regime of Thandie Newton can finally be revealed and it would seem that, unlike the stars who spend hours getting ready, theres not a lot more to it than a quick bath and some smashed avocado on toast. The actress shared this intimate snap of her soak and snack before slipping into an orange gown to attend a press conference about the new series of her sci-fi drama Westworld. And copying Thandie is easy all you need is a suite at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, top chefs providing room service, and a choice of designer dresses The secret beauty regime of Thandie Newton can finally be revealed and it would seem that theres not a lot more to it than a quick bath and some smashed avocado on toast, at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills The actress shared the intimate snap of her soak and snack before slipping into an orange gown to attend a press conference about the new series of her sci-fi drama Westworld No one can deny that Liz Hurley looks fantastic for her age. And now she has revealed one of the secrets behind her appearance isnt just healthy eating its sleeping with a window open. Liz Hurley has revealed one of the secrets behind her appearance isnt just healthy eating its sleeping with a window open The 54-year-old actress and model made the confession during an interview for Susannah Constantines My Wardrobe Malfunction podcast and her reasoning behind it is even more strange. She says she was warned by her grandmother that failing to ventilate her bedroom could leave her looking pasty like the Germans. Crush of the week: Douglas Booth Just when I thought Douglas Booth couldnt get any more delightful, he sent fans into meltdown with this adorable picture. The 27-year-old actor, who shot to fame in the BBC adaptation of Great Expectations, shared the snap with his 1.1 million Instagram followers after taking his pals puppy on a hike with comic Jack Whitehall. Dougy doggy daycare! I also look after comedians, he wrote. Not surprisingly, the snap had lots of fans swooning. Unfortunately, Douglas is off the market hes dating actress Bel Powley. The Tibetan Welfare Office in Nepal is urging Tibetan residents not to celebrate the March 10 anniversary of a 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule, saying Tibetans must follow local laws to avoid a crackdown by police. "Because the Nepali government tends not to allow Tibetans to observe the March 10 anniversary, we are asking all Tibetans to abide by the laws of the land," the Tibetan Welfare Office in Nepal said in an announcement on Friday. "Instead, Tibetans are encouraged to perform virtuous deeds by performing prayers and religious ceremonies on the anniversary date," the Welfare Office, which is responsible for settling refugees and looking after the wellbeing of Tibetan residents of Nepal, added. Nepali Police already has been deployed in-and-around Tibetan Refugee settlements around the Kathmandu Valley to inspect and keep a watch on their activities. Last year, the District Administration Office has had denied permission to hold an event to mark on the birth anniversary of Tibetan Spiritual Leader Dalai Lama after it was exerted pressure directly by the Chinese Embassy in Nepal. On March 10, 1959, Tibetans in Lhasa rose up in protest of Beijing's tightening political and military control of the formerly independent Tibet, sparking a rebellion in which thousands were killed. Chinese authorities now maintain a tight grip on Tibet and on Tibetan-populated regions of western Chinese provinces, restricting Tibetans' political activities and peaceful expression of cultural and religious identities, and subjecting Tibetans to imprisonment, torture, and extrajudicial killings. Nepal cites its growing economic ties with Beijing, with promises of millions of dollars of Chinese investment in Nepalese development projects, in cracking down on Tibetan activities in the country, including elections in the refugee community and birthday celebrations for exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Savitribai Phule was the first to set up an Indian girls school, in Pune in 1848, and worked to end gender and caste-based discrimination Savitribai Phule and Jyotirao Phule played a huge role in the social reform of Maharashtra and the education of underprivileged people during a period when Brahmins forbade lower castes, especially Dalits, from being educated. The featured image is from the illustrated publication 'Savitribai: Journey of a Trailblazer', published by Azim Premji University, available freely at https://thestorytellerscollective.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/savitri-phule-azim.pdf Chennai: Ask Google Assistant about an inspiring woman and it will tell you about Indias feminist icon Savitribai Phule. An enduring symbol of empowerment of women and oppressed peoples such as Dalits, Phule is one of 12 inspiring women featured on Google Assistant, celebrating International Womens Day and Womens History Month. Savitribai Phule was the first to set up an Indian girls school, in Pune in 1848, along with her husband Jyotirao Phule, and worked to end gender and caste-based discrimination. She and her husband played a huge role in the social reform of Maharashtra and the education of underprivileged people during a period when Brahmins forbade lower castes, especially Dalits, from being educated. The couple faced a huge backlash from the Brahmins. Savitribai was routinely pleted with stones and dung by upper caste people opposed to her educating people of the lower caste. However, they soldiered on, and by 1851 had three girls schools with a total of 150 students enrolled. In all, they ran 18 schools in their lifetimes. Other feminist icons that Google Assistant is featuring this month include Dolores Huerta (an American labor rights activist), Savitribai Phule (often called the mother of Indian feminism), Rachel Carson (an American marine biologist, conservationist and author) and Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya (an activist empowering girls to access education in Kenya), the Google blog said. To know more about inspiring, activate Google Assistant with these commands: Hey Google, Happy International Womens Day, Hey Google, tell me about an inspiring woman, Hey Google, tell me quotes from inspiring women or Hey Google, play a podcast about inspirational women. Jerri-Lynn here. Yves had a draft post on McKinsey that she started months ago and had scheduled for a future date, which is what the site writers often do with pieces in progress. But that future date arrived and Yves had not kicked the auto-launch time back. The unintended posting has impelled Yves to get the piece done, and she intends to run it Monday. ***** Rats avoid harming other rats. The finding may help us understand sociopaths. National Geographic Like a Ball of Fire London Review of Books. Andrew Cockburn on hypersonic weaponry. Know yourself Times Literary Supplement. Will Self. Physicists Think We Might Have a New, Exciting Dark Matter Candidate Science Alert (chuck l) Curcumin is the spice of life when delivered via tiny nanoparticles Medical Express (furzy) How the humble potato changed the world BBC Royal Opera House cancels performances by Placido Domingo amid allegations he sexually assaulted more than 20 women Daily Mail #COVID-19 Health Care For everyone who prioritizes consumer choice over a single payer healthcare system, understand that when you force peoples access to healthcare to be tied to their employment, you actually take away their freedom and increase the precariousness of their lives https://t.co/1Q6tcLEFum Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) 7 March 2020 Class Warfare Yes Minister Fan Fiction Craig Murray. UserFriendly: I had no clue what this was about until recently. It looks like Nicola Sturgeon framed up a Me Too claim to get her current position. Thats unfortunate, I liked her. Waste Watch Patagonia will teach you how to repair clothes TreeHugger Big Brother IS Watching You Watch 737 MAX The Boeing 737 MAX Nightmare Keeps Getting Worse Daily Beast 2020 India China? Syraqistan Trump Transition Antidote du Jour (via): See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. But their progress was accompanied by the steady rhythm of growth through exploitation, he said. Tea let British dealers, and the British government, reach the Indian subcontinent, the Caribbean and the American colonies. Tea sent unimaginable riches back to Britain and created, among a new consumer class, a desire for exotic goods. Iris Moon, another Met curator who worked on the British galleries, said that telling that story let the Met move away from an aristocratic, privileged, upper-crust narrative and really turn the focus to the entrepreneurs, the merchants and the middle class, and think about whos making the stuff that became the backbone of commerce and in many ways British identity. But the wall texts in the Mets new galleries also point out that the riches from tea were built on the labor of slaves and on resources appropriated from colonies. We are thinking deeply about the stories told in our galleries, said Max Hollein, the director of the Met, and how every object on display is an outstanding work of art but also embodies a history that can be read from multiple perspectives: A beautiful English teapot speaks to both the prosperous commercial economy and the exploitative history of the tea trade. Two takes on a single object: That is how complicated the history of something as mundane as tea is. Lets go out for a cup of tea sounds pretty harmless, the British culinary historian Seren Charrington-Hollins said in an interview, but tea has a far more illicit history than any drug or hard liquor or anything. It was really dark because of the harm it did to people if you look at the conditions on the plantations. They were shocking, but nobody cared. Even by the standards of overpriced San Francisco, the Sea Cliff neighborhood is astronomically expensive. Nestled between two gorgeous parks and with what a realtor might describe as commanding views of the Golden Gate, it could hardly be different. Homes in the area routinely go for more than $10m. Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter and the payment service Square, recently bought a place here for $21.5m next door to his $18m present home. The 0.62 acre compound is recessed from the street and perched on a cliff overlooking the beach. Related: The Clean Water Act was a staggering bipartisan achievement. Now Trump is gutting it | Blan Holman And thats where things get interesting, because cliffside living has become an increasingly risky proposition in California. Warming ocean temperatures are whipping up stronger surfs and more brutal winter storms, causing cliffs to crumble ever faster into the sea. The consequences for thousands of cliff-top houses such as Dorseys could be catastrophic. Still, @Jacks bet isnt a bad one: depending on when the house goes over the edge, it might well be the rest of us that gets stuck with the bill. Thats because most of the cost of protecting California properties from coastal erosion, wildfires and other effects of the climate crisis will be met by the state, with public money. This means those costs wont fall on the disproportionately white and wealthy people who own property. Rather, theyll be increasingly borne by the working- and middle-class Hispanic, black and brown Californians that make up the majority of the state, many of whom dont own real estate. Without really grappling with this reality, the state is slipping step by step towards a massive wealth transfer from the general public to the owners of private property. Its one more way in which the climate crisis is also a crisis of racism and inequality. What Sea Cliff could look like in a few years time can be glimpsed in the town of Pacifica, 14 miles to the south. Parts of the town, which is much more middle-class than Sea Cliff, sit directly on beautiful bluffs that overlook and are tumbling into the Pacific Ocean. When the towns mayor proposed a managed retreat from the coast, home owners and local realtors revolted: the proposal would have effectively taken their homes off the market, cutting them off from potential profits. (Owners does not mean residents: about a third of Pacificas housing stock, including many of the most threatened buildings, consists of rental units.) So instead of a managed retreat, the city is taking money from the public coffers and using it to protect property investments by building sea walls and replenishing eroding beaches with trucked-in sand, among other measures. Story continues This is a dynamic weve seen throughout the late capitalist economy. The sociologist Ulrich Beck described it as a change from a logic of wealth distribution to one of risk distribution. Profits are privatized, but risk is made public. The banks made a bunch of bad bets on crappy mortgage debts? Bail them out with public money and give the executives multimillion-dollar bonuses. Someone half bakes a fundamentally unprofitable tech business? Let them IPO it so they can liquidate hundreds of millions of dollars of stock options while transferring the ultimately worthless company into the hands of public pension funds and workers 401ks. Sections of land missing from coastal properties in Pacifica, California, in 2016. Storms and powerful waves have intensified erosion along nearby coastal bluffs and beaches in the area. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images Thats the same thing that is now happening in California, where the land is uniquely threatened and at the same time uniquely valuable. There is a concerted political effort not to manage the risk, but rather to keep it from impacting value by making the public bear the costs of the climate crisis through things such as the sorts of publicly funded disaster relief programs and state-subsidized insurance payouts that Jack Dorsey could theoretically benefit from. This is, in fact, what many of the owners of capital and real estate think the government is for: protecting the value of private property at all costs. Its one of the reasons we have a climate crisis instead of a robust, rapid transition away from fossil fuels in the first place. The sheer immensity of the climate crisis, and of California, ensures that more and more of the costs will be borne by the public. The LA Times estimates that $150bn in California property might be impacted by coastal flooding and erosion by 2100. Thats $150bn in private wealth which the government has made it a public priority to preserve. But those costs are dwarfed by the risks created by the regions intensifying wildfires, which threaten millions of properties around the state. The financial response to wildfires so far shows how these risks will inevitably be collectivized. It will go something like this: as houses become astronomically expensive, insurance payouts become astronomically large. In response, in threatened areas, private insurers will cancel coverage, or multiply rates to the point of unaffordability. The state will be forced to step in to stabilize the rates, and keep the land valuable, which will likely involve something like the National Flood Insurance Program, which subsidizes flood insurance provided by private insurers and underwrites the full extent of their losses. The racist dimension to this wealth transfer must not be overlooked. Fewer than 55% of California households own their dwelling and only 42% of Latino households and 33% of black ones do. Non-urban space, open space, and at-risk space in California is today particularly white, or at least white-owned. Especially in the sorts of rural areas threatened by wildfire, that disparity is highly dependent on Californias history of racial violence and exclusion. The genocide of Californias first peoples; restrictions on the citizenship status of Asian immigrants; the seizure of Japanese American land during the second world war; the arrogation of land for infrastructure projects in the postwar period; discriminatory lending practices, racial covenants and other racist real estate policies, perpetuated by de facto segregation all worked to ensure that non-white property ownership in rural California has remained low and concentrated in dense cities. All of this creates an unjust mismatch: the collective that is underwriting the risk of climate catastrophe is not the same as the group that is incurring it. As a result, the siphoning off of public wealth to protect private property favors white Californians. Of course, thats one of the reasons its been politically acceptable. It would be difficult to imagine the government sanctioning a massive wealth transfer in the other direction, for example by relieving the mortgage debts of the black and brown Americans who were the primary victims of the subprime crisis. But when fire and other types of home insurance markets fail, as they are already beginning to do and inevitably will, the state will have to step in to shore up the largely white property market with black, brown, working and middle-class public money. As the incalculably large price tag of climate change comes due, those excluded from the property market will increasingly foot the bill for Californias cult of the homeowner. It remains to be seen whether that cult will endure, or whether the state can rethink its relationship to real estate. On the eve of the trial of three Russians accused of murder over the downing of MH17, the Russian ambassador to Australia has accused the Australian Federal Police of a cover-up. In a rare interview, Dr Alexey Pavlovsky, a long-time Russian diplomat, claimed key photographic evidence was falsified and withheld from the public. Its a claim denied by the Australian Federal Police. Dr Alexey Pavlovsky. Credit: Thirty-eight Australians were among 298 people killed when a BUK missile shot down the Malaysian airlines flight in Ukraine in 2014. BAY CITY, MI - When 95-year-old Don Carlyon leads the 2020 Bay City St. Patricks Day parade on March 15, hell do so aboard a rare automobile. I will be riding in an automobile that is older that I am," said Carlyon, of the 1921 Detroit Electric car supplied by Dave Gomez, a collector of antique and classic cars in the area. It is a beautiful car, Carlyon added. "The electrics back in the 20s were all one seat coupes, they were not sedans as we knew them. And they were rather high and of course all cars in those days were black. The 66th annual St. Patricks parade in Bay City will be held at 2 p.m. on March 15 on Center Avenue. Carlyon was unanimously selected as the 2020 parade marshal by the Bay City St. Patricks Day Parade Association. I really was very surprised and very flattered at being asked to be the grand marshal," he said. Originally from a small town of 200 people in Nebraska, Carlyon made his way to the mid-Michigan area when he started work as the Chief Financial Officer Delta College in 1960, the year before the college opened its doors to students. He served in this position for four years before being appointed to the position of Deltas president on June 2, 1964, which also happened to be his fathers birthday. Carlyon has kept busy and active in the community after his years of service at Delta. He said that hes been on dozens of area boards and committees throughout his time in the Bay City. Carlyon was a chair of the State Theatre Board and Development Committee when it was renovated and saved and was involved in the revitalization of the historic Battery Park downtown. According to Carlyon, he has been involved organizations such as Rotary Club, Torch Club and the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra for more than 50 years. In addition, hes the longest serving member in the Bay City Downtown Development Authority and is on the Bay Area Library Board. Being the grand marshal for the Bay City St. Patricks Day parade is yet another chance for Carlyon to serve the community he loves. I take a great deal of pride in Bay City, I think Bay City is a wonderful town. There is a great deal to be proud of in this town," he said. "People work together in Bay City, all different organizations work together and they like working with each other. Its very nice, its a wonderful town, Im very proud of it and hope I have been able to contribute. The first St. Patricks Day Parade was hosted on March 17, 1955 on a weekday with a route that spanned from Center to Monroe, ending at City Hall. According to the St. Patricks Day Parade Association, 10,000 people attended the parade and included 40 different organizations and groups marched in it. The tradition is continuing this year with the theme of Bay City United in Green" with over 120 entries included in the parade. They do say that the day of the parade, everybody in Bay City is Irish," Carlyon said. Click here for more information on the parade. US President Donald Trump announced Friday he had chosen staunch ally Mark Meadows to be his new chief of staff -- the fourth person to hold the position since he took office. Meadows, a Republican congressman from North Carolina, will replace the ultra-conservative Mick Mulvaney, who had been serving as acting chief of staff since Trump fired John Kelly in December 2018. "I have known and worked with Mark, and the relationship is a very good one," Trump tweeted, making the announcement. "I want to thank Acting Chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well," Trump added. "He will become the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland." In December, Meadows, 61, announced he would retire from Congress. But "my work with President Trump and his administration is only beginning," he said in a statement posted to his website. In October, in the midst of the impeachment proceedings against Trump, Mulvaney was criticized for his admission during a press conference that the president had tied military aid for Ukraine to Kiev opening a probe into the Democrats. "We do that all the time with foreign policy," Mulvaney told reporters. "Get over it. There is going to be political influence in foreign policy." He walked back that admission only hours later. The chief of staff is a key position in the White House, acting as the president's right-hand person and the coordinator of administrative action. Trump's first chief of staff was Reince Priebus, the former leader of the Republican party, who left the position before he had even passed the 200-day mark. A second person has tested positive for coronavirus in Tamil Nadu, according to reports on Sunday. A person has been identified positive with Coronavirus and is under surveillance here at a hospital. We are tracing contact history. Further, we are screening every person coming from outside, ANI quoted Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Beela Rajesh as saying. The first person to be infected with coronavirus in Tamil Nadu had visited Oman, the state health minister C Vijayabaskar had said Saturday. The number of infected people in the country has now risen to 40 out of which 14 are Italian tourists who have quarantined at an ITBPs facility in Chhawla in Delhi. Two other Italian tourists in the same group had tested positive for coronavirus in Jaipur. Earlier on Sunday, Kerala announced that five more people have tested positive for the virus. Three of them had returned from Italy via Doha. All five belong to the same family. The number of people testing positive for the virus has risen sharply over the past week. In Tamil Nadu, the first person to be detected with coronavirus had arrived at the airport here on February 28 where he was subjected to screening and isolated for further treatment at Chennais Rajiv Gandhi Government hospital PTI quoted Vijayabaskar as saying. The minister had said that the patient was stable and under observation. The minister said the government was continuously monitoring the situation across the state. Women members of the Trinamool Congress marched in a rally denouncing the CAA and the NRC in central Kolkata on the occasion of the International Women's Day on Sunday. During the 2 kilometre-long march, women protesters also demanded food for every family in the country. Many of the rallyists held empty pots on their heads with 'We don't NRC, we want rice' written on them. They also shouted slogans against the economic policies of the Centre, which they claimed triggered price spiral of essential commodities. Senior party leaders such as Chandrima Bhattacharya and Dola Sen took part in the rally. "Woman of every household in the country is facing distress due to demonetisation and other economic policies of the BJP-led government at the Centre," Bhattacharya alleged. On this day, women should protest against the economic policies of the central government and its "attempts to create division in society," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 964 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard International Womens Day is on Sunday. It will remind us that women who lead get things done. This is true even if at the moment in America, election to the presidency remains an unbreakable glass ceiling. This past week, we saw two great women, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, suspend their presidential campaigns. This means that glass ceiling remains intact and it means that even before a single ballot is cast, we know a white man in his seventies will be elected president this year. We saw very different women campaign for the presidency. They had different styles and political views. Different policies and different strengths. Elizabeth Warren, especially, stood out because she was going her own way. Its overly simplistic to categorize her as someone from the Bernie wing of the party. She has progressive ideas, but they are based on knowledge stemming from a lifetime of research not merely embracing ideology. She was the best communicator there. She also gave the personal touch in a time when communication has given way to messaging. America isnt ready for women like Elizabeth Warren, women who are comfortable in their own skin and develop their own ideas. We saw it as another primary that began with a diverse group of capable people was whittled down to two old white guys. Either of them would be a better president than Donald Trump, but the fact remains womens fight for a return from the political exile imposed by Trump remains unfinished. It is a little ironic that tomorrow is International Womens Day. It marks another year in which that day is commemorated while American women and girls see the presidency overtaken by male egos and misogyny not only among candidates but in the media coverage as well. International Womens Day also marks another year in which most political news is written by men, which means the narrative is defined pretty much exclusively from a white male perspective. If shes lucky, the rare woman who writes about politics might get some crumbs after men have firmly established the parameters of political discussion, saying which issues merit discussion and who qualifies as a strong contender against Donald Trump. If youre an intelligent woman and comfortable in your own skin, youre a bigger threat to the male ego than any other kind of woman. That was true when my mother was the lone woman standing in her class of biochemists. It was true of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg when she had difficulty getting a job despite excelling in law school. The women of that generation had to surpass men in ability just to be equal. In reality, that hasnt changed. The pursuit of equality for women in the classroom and the workplace remains an uphill battle for subsequent generations. And, were losing ground in other areas, as reflected in the Supreme Courts decision to take up a case that could send our personal autonomy back to the Dark Ages. The election of Donald Trump proved that misogyny remains a driving force in America. There is no place in Trumps America for smart women, regardless of where they were born. With the exception of his propaganda machine, women were erased from the Trump administration. A notable exception on the policy side is his daughter, Ivanka, whos greatest accomplishment is inappropriately sitting in for daddy at the G-20 Summit. Then theres Elaine Chao who is under investigation by the Senate her husband controls for ethics violations. Gee, were all wondering how thats going to turn out. Even with these two women and Trumps mouthpieces, misogyny had single party control of the Federal government for two years, achieving nothing before Nancy Pelosi and a group of women retook the House in 2018. Breathing became a bit easier then. The one political institution that is led by a woman is also the only thing protecting democracy from a brutal assault by Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the Roberts Supreme Court. The women on the Supreme Court continue to issue insightful and legally substantive dissents, yet the misogynistic majority all but states out loud how cute it is when some smart women over think things. Well, maybe women should do more of the thinking. The world wont fall apart when women take charge. In fact, women make things happen, as we saw with Golda Meier, Benazir Bhutto, and even Margaret Thatcher. Anyone with knowledge of European politics knows Angela Merkel has a legacy of success and she was one of a handful of people who stood up to Donald Trump. Moreover, there are many girl wonders who are already making their voices known to the world. Girls like Greta Thunberg. Tomorrow Ill be celebrating all the women who broke down and go on breaking down barriers built by the privileged white male establishment. That establishment sees Trump, Biden and Sanders united in the same drive for power. That drive unites more strongly than anything else including ideology and money. And Ill be celebrating how women who lead get things done, and get things done despite white male privilege. But most importantly, Ill be celebrating the girls who I hope will see the day when it is normal for women to run for the presidency and is normal for them to win. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 06:48:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Stanford University has become the second large university in western United States that has canceled on-campus classes over growing concerns about the rapidly evolving coronavirus epidemic in the country. Stanford Provost Persis Drell said late Friday that beginning on March 9, campus classes at the university will move to online formats to replace in-person instruction where it is "feasible." "Any winter quarter final exams that were scheduled to be administered in person will need to be administered in take-home format," she said in a message to all Stanford staff and students. Stanford said its campus will remain open, but it has halted this year's Admit Weekend, a three-day event for incoming undergraduate freshmen to explore the campus scheduled for next month. In addition, the university is canceling, as of next Monday, other campus tours and information sessions for prospective first-year students who have been or will be admitted to Stanford. The preventive measures taken by Stanford came after school officials told local media that a faculty member of the Stanford School of Medicine has tested positive for coronavirus. The faculty member has suspended work at a clinic after displaying symptoms, and the clinic has been closed for cleaning since Friday, said the school officials. Drell confirmed two Stanford undergraduate students have been in self-isolation after possible exposure to the virus. She said the two students have not experienced symptoms and their test results will be available in 24 hours. "Both students have moved out of their regular undergraduate housing and are in self-isolation elsewhere," Drell said. The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus has climbed to 24 by Friday in Santa Clara County, where Stanford is located. The county's confirmed cases are the largest in California. On Friday, the University of Washington (UW) announced suspension of all in-person classes for this semester due to the expansion of coronavirus spread. Starting on next Monday, all classes on UW campus will no longer meet in person and instructors will conduct classes and exams online until March 20, said the institution. Meghan Markle has long been a fierce feminist and supporter of women's rights. Her career in activism started early when she wrote to Proctor and Gamble in 1993 at the age of 11 years old, to protest the sexist language in one of the company's soap adverts. The advert used the slogan "women all over America are fighting pots and pans", and Markle explained in a subsequent interview that she wanted the company to change it to the word "people. She continued, "I don't think it's right for kids in America growing up thinking that mum does everything... It's always mum does this, and mum does that." Meghan, who turns 39 years old today, has since spoken out about everything from climate change to Black Lives Matter. Prior to joining the Royal Family, she was also a UN Womens advocate and used her platform as an actress on Suits to address topics such as racial identity in interviews If you see something that you don't like or offended by on television or any other place, write letters and send them to the right people and you can really make a difference, not just for yourself but for lots of other people." Although she and her husband Prince Harry may have stepped down as senior royals on March 31, they have continued to champion the causes closest to their hearts. To celebrate Meghans birthday today, here is a breakdown of some of Meghans best and most inspiring quotes. In honour of International Womens Day here is a breakdown of some of Meghan's best and most inspiring quotes. On women in politics: Women need a seat at the table, they need an invitation to be seated there, and in some cases, where this is not available, they need to create their own table. We need a global understanding that we cannot implement change effectively without women's political participation Article for the Sydney Herald Oprah Winfrey said the pair had to do what is best for their family / AFP via Getty Images On being yourself and following your passions Keep finding those Tig moments of discovery, keep laughing and taking risks, and keep being "the change you wish to see in the world." Above all, don't ever forget your worth - as I've told you time and time again: you, my sweet friend, you are enough In her closing piece for The Tig website On how being a feminist and being feminine are not mutually exclusive: You can be a woman who wants to look good and still stand up for the equality of women. Create & Cultivate 2016 Meghan Markle gives a powerful graduation message On Black Lives Matter "I wasnt sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that I wouldnt or that it would get picked apart. I realised the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing because George Floyds life mattered, and Breonna Taylors life mattered, and Philando Castiles life mattered, and Tamir Rices life mattered. Speaking to the 2020 graduating class of Immaculate Heart, her former high school On girls education: "When girls are given the right tools to succeed, they can create incredible futures, not only for themselves, but also for those around them." Create & Cultivate 2016 On how she deals with prejudice: "It's a shame that that is the climate in this world, to focus that much on that, to be discriminatory in that sense. I think, you know, at the end of the day, I'm really just proud of who I am and where I've come from and we have never put any focus on that. We've just focused on who we are as a couple." Harry and Meghans engagement interview On the misconceptions about her and her career: I've never wanted to be a lady who lunches; I've always wanted to be a woman who works. And this type of work is what feeds my soul." In an open letter to ELLE in 2016 Getty Images On the sexism in adverts: I dont think its right for kids to grow up thinking these things that just mom does everything, 11-year-old Meghan said in a clip following her engagement news. Its always, mom does this, and mom does that. Her first interview aged 11 On inspiring young women: "With fame comes opportunity, but it also includes responsibility to advocate and share, to focus less on glass slippers and more on pushing through glass ceilings. And, if I'm lucky enough, to inspire." In her open letter to Elle UK Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their baby son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor / Getty Images On using your voice: "Women make up more than half of the world's population and potential, so it is neither just nor practical for their voices, for OUR voices, to go unheard at the highest levels of decision-making." International Women's Day, 2015 On knowing your worth: I think the biggest part of being a girl boss, in the office or at home, or anywhere you go is just knowing your value. InStyle 2015 On gender equality: "It is said that girls with dreams become women with vision. May we empower each other to carry out such vision because it isn't enough to simply talk about equality. One must believe it. And it isn't enough to simply believe in it. One must work at it. Let us work at it. Together. Starting now." A cancelled All Nippon Airways flight to Osaka shows on a screen at Incheon International Airport, Friday, a day after the Japanese government announced enhanced entry restrictions on people traveling from Korea amid the spread of COVID-19. / Yonhap By Jun Ji-hye Airlines and travel agencies, already hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak, are taking another hit from Japan's recent decision to tighten entry restrictions on people traveling from Korea, company officials said Sunday. Asiana Airlines, the nation's second-biggest airline, suspended all flights to Japan from Monday to the end of March for the first time since the company launched its Seoul-Tokyo route. Top flag carrier Korean Air will suspend flights on 16 out of 17 routes to Japan, except for the Incheon-Narita route, from Monday until March 28. Budget carriers, most of which have been under emergency management following a sharp decline in air travel demand due to the fast spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, have also suspended all or most flights on their routes to Japan. Jeju Air, the nation's largest low-cost carrier, has decided to operate only two routes from Incheon to Tokyo and Osaka, and suspend others. "The number of customers has already decreased, and is expected to decline further, but we decided to keep at least the two routes for passenger convenience," a Jeju Air official said. On Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tokyo would quarantine all visitors from Korea and China for two weeks on arrival, starting Monday, and suspend its 90-day visa-waiver program, citing the need to contain the contagious disease. In response, the Korean government announced it would also suspend a visa waiver program for Japanese visitors and invalidate already issued visas from midnight Monday. This is expected to lead to a sharp decline in inbound and outbound travelers between Korea and Japan. This adds to woes at air carriers and travel agencies that have suffered rapidly falling profits, with fears over COVID-19, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, having led to an increasing number of tourists canceling their overseas trips. Travel agencies are also in a poor state, with some small enterprises even expected to file for bankruptcy. Japanese travelers account for about 20 percent of tourists visiting Korea, according to officials. Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul, one of Korea's most popular tourist attractions, is quiet even during the weekend amid fears of the COVID-19 epidemic. / Yonhap Race Across The World 2020 is over - meet the contestants who took part in series 2 and the winner and results. Race Across The World sees pairs of travellers will race from the start line in one part of the world to the finish thousands of miles away - without the use of air travel or any of the trappings of modern day life. Advertisements They must navigate their way through the varied landscapes of countries at ground level, with only the cash equivalent of the airfare to their final destination. For 2020, Race Across The World sees the teams going from the top to bottom of Latin America - from Mexico City to the most southerly city in the world, Ushuaia in Argentina. Up for grabs is a cash prize of 20,000. Each team started with 1,453 - here's who took part and who won in the results. Race Across The World 2020 contestants and results Five teams of pairs took part in series 2. Emon and Jamiul - WINNERS Emon, Jamiul Uncle and nephew Emon, 35, and Jamiul, 25, from Oldham, Lancashire. Emon spent ten years apart from Jamiul, reuniting at a family wedding three months before the race. Says Emon: "My nephew motivated me to do this challenge - since we have rekindled our relationship, it would be a fantastic journey to go on with him and I wouldnt do this challenge with anyone else. I was a very active explorer back in my twenties, but Ive recently become lazy in my lifestyle. I also want to do this before starting my own family." Jamiul added: "My main motivation to do this competition is to rebuild a relationship between myself and my uncle. To learn from one of my oldest role models, and understand what it takes to have a winning attitude and boldness. "I like to think that Im capable of doing whatever it takes to get what I want in terms of working hard and taking risks, but finishing first isnt necessarily the focus for me, Id rather make meaningful relationships. I have always done things with a support system to keep me from falling, so I believe this trip will push both me and my uncle in ways we have never experienced." They won the 20,000. [adbox_repeat] Rob and Jen - RUNNERS UP Robbie, Jen Married couple Rob and Jen, both 33, are from Reading. Jen and Rob have been together for nine years and married for five for them. As a child, Rob suffered from Cholesteatoma, which has left him deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other. Jen said: "I have several motivations for doing this trip. The first is the cash! I want to finally sort my house out and make it liveable! I also want to see the world, but most importantly, I want to share this experience with Robbie. I want him to achieve something and to see his confidence zoom right back up. "He loves to travel, and I want to share a good experience with him after all of this heartache weve been through. I want to remind him what fun is, and show him that everything is OK and yes, youve had to adapt to a new life, but look what we can achieve together." Rob added: "To get a break from the daily grind, find out what we really want from life, explore the world and spend more time with my wife. Due to my hearing loss, we dont communicate as much anymore so I want this to challenge and force us to improve our communication." They were runners up. Dom and Lizzie - THIRD PLACE Dom, Lizzie Dom, 22 and Lizzie, 21, are a brother and sister pairing from Wetherby, West Yorkshire. Born just 16 months apart, the siblings drifted apart as teenagers and now only see each other three times a year. Says Lizzie: "My motivation for taking part in Race Across the World is to get the chance to build a stronger relationship with my brother, as I believe we have a lot more in common than we both think. I also want to give myself a chance to find more confidence as an individual, as I struggle to have faith in my abilities. I want to prove to myself I can complete a challenge like this with only myself to rely on." Dom added: "The main reason why me and my sister want to take part is that we used to be so close when we were younger and it is something we both acknowledge and have a desire to get back. Also, at this stage in my life Im not sure whats next for me, Ive recently dropped out of university and I feel like Im lacking inspiration and motivation. I want this experience to give me some perspective and help me take the next step." Dom and Lizzie finished in third place. [adbox_repeat] Jo and Sam - WITHDREW Jo, Sam Mum and son Jo, 54, and Sam, 19, are from Manchester. Jo first went backpacking over 30 years ago. Now in her 50s, she wants to teach her son Sam - who lives with ADHD - how to explore the world, and support him before he decides to take on adventures of his own. Jo says: "Adventure and travel with my son, to be able to challenge myself again and regain my zest for life. My son and I get on so well and he is desperate to travel, but Im nervous of him going off on his own. I want the trip to help him grow, and see how the world works. To watch him experience this will be fantastic. Hes come such a long way and I would love to see him achieve his dreams." Sam adds: "Travelling with mum, getting to see different places and to get to go on adventures. Mum and I are very close - we often think or say the same things. She has travelled a lot in her life, so I think it would be fun to do it with her. She always seems to get things right, she can speak to people and fix things - shes amazing." Joe and Sam withdrew after the seventh leg after running out of money. Michael and Shuntelle - WITHDREW Shuntelle, Michael Michael, 47, and Shuntelle, 40, are a couple from South London who have been together three years - but have yet to move in together. Practical and cautious Shuntelle is used to high-class business travel and the safety of all-inclusive resorts when going on holiday. Whereas ex-military man Michael prefers a bit of danger somewhere in the great outdoors. Shuntelle says: "I am 40 and have been sensible all my life. Ive always made the right choices and never taken any major risks. Ive entered a new stage in my life and feel I want more. Its time to move away from the all-inclusive holidays in Jamaica and see what else the world has to offer. I also want to show my boyfriend that I'm not made out of cotton wool." Michael adds: "To win the competition by doing something that I like to do. We also see this as a test of our relationship and how we get along with each other." The pair withdrew from the race after the third leg after running out of money. Race Across The World aired on BBC Two. You can catch up now via BBC iPlayer. Advertisements Alongside the BBC Two series, a Celebrity Race Across the World spin-off has been confirmed to air on BBC One. Celebrity Race Across The World will air over six episodes. An air date and line up has yet to be confirmed. TOPEKA, Kan. - A Kansas City-area woman who recently travelled to the Northeast is the first case of coronavirus in Kansas, officials confirmed Saturday. Gov. Laura Kelly and health officials said the woman, whos under 50, is isolating herself at home after seeing her doctor over the common symptoms of the new coronavirus, including a cough, slight fever and shortness of breath. She lives in Johnson County, the states most populous county. The patients doing well, by the way, said Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Mary Beverly, the interim director of Johnson Countys health department, said the woman reported feeling ill Sunday, started wearing a mask and was tested Monday or Tuesday. Beverly said the womans family members are likely to be the only people at risk of being infected by the new virus that causes COVID-19. Health officials declined to provide more information about the woman or her travels, saying they want to protect her privacy. This individual everything right, Beverly told reporters. They used a mask and then self-isolated. They notified their physician before going into the doctors office so that others would not be infected. Beverly said health officials dont know whether the woman came directly into contact with someone with coronavirus but she travelled to a region of the United States where we knew we had some positive cases. The Kansas announcement came as Florida reported two coronavirus deaths, the first outside the West Coast. The total U.S. death toll reached 19. The number of U.S. coronavirus cases swelled to 400, with cases in about half of the states. Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska and Pennsylvania also recently reported their first cases. The confirmation of the first Kansas case came four days after the states health department launched an online resource centre on coronavirus and three days after Kelly and the departments top administrator said the state was prepared for an outbreak. Norman had said the state was monitoring up to a dozen people a day as possible coronavirus cases. He said the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is providing the state with a list of people whove travelled to China, where the new virus originated, or South Korea, which also has seen an outbreak. He added that about 80 people are on the list, with some dropping off as they pass the 14-day contagious period and others being added. Health officials had said Kansas was at lower risk of a coronavirus outbreak than other states because of its lower population density. Johnson County is home to sprawling Kansas City suburbs, but Beverly said its health department does not believe that public events must be cancelled or schools, closed. No one should panic over this new virus or this confirmed case. Kansas still is considered at low risk for the spread of the virus, Kelly said. ___ The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna 223 Shares Share 109. This is the number of people who died each day from firearms in the U.S. in 2017, the most recent year for which the CDC has published data. It is a staggering number, one that deeply damages the fabric of communities and tears families apart. Whats perhaps most disconcerting is that this number 109 may not come as a shock. We have become so numb to the perpetual violence that these weapons cause that 109 daily deaths no longer alarm us. But put that number in context in the U.K., 126 people died in the entire year of 2015 due to firearms. Here in the U.S., we have nearly that many people dying each day for the same reason. We ought to acknowledge there is more we can do. Gun violence impacts all communities from urban Chicago, to suburban Parkland, to rural Montana. Roughly 6 in 10 firearm deaths occur due to suicide, affecting predominantly white rural populations. The remaining 4 in 10 are homicides that affect predominantly black and Latino urban populations. This is clearly not an isolated issue, and it demands the national attention it deserves so we can achieve better outcomes for our families, friends, and patients from all walks of life. So, how can we begin to solve it? For one, we as a medical community must lead this fight and tell the stories of our patients. There is perhaps no institution more well-positioned to lead the charge against gun violence than the medical field. When an individual is shot, they come to doctors and nurses not the gun lobby for help. We entered this field to promote the wellbeing of our patients, and it would be irresponsible to ignore the public health crisis we have on our hands. We must speak up and share our experiences to reduce the harm that we see daily due to firearms. As part of this charge, the medical community must further the middling research thats currently available. Until just two months ago, firearm research had not received government funding in over 20 years, due in no small part to the Dickey Amendment. The gun lobby pushed the Dickey Amendment as a response to a thoroughly peer-reviewed study from 1993, which revealed gun ownership as a major risk factor for homicide and suicide in the home. In the nearly three decades since, over 600,000 individuals have died from gun violence in the U.S. Fortunately, Congress recently approved $25 million in firearms research for the CDC and NIH. It is a small but important first step in the march towards developing evidence-based approaches to gun safety. However, this crisis demands far more research funding than it currently receives, and health care organizations are uniquely positioned to tackle such a problem. Recently, Northwell Health launched a call-to-action for the 25 largest health care organizations in the U.S. to each pledge $1 million to fund gun safety research. With the weight of their world-class reputations, monetary support, and renowned research arms, these institutions should and can accomplish significant research to help guide our communities and public officials in promoting the safest gun practices. While these health care organizations have expressed interest in pledging to such a cause, most have not yet put their money where their mouths are. For those who work for such organizations, we must demand action from our leadership and implore them to lead the charge in combating gun violence. Additionally, we must educate our patients about the safety measures available to them. For instance, many states now have Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) laws, or red flag laws, that temporarily suspend individuals access to firearms if they are deemed to be a present danger to themselves or others. While family members or police typically file such reports, physicians often find themselves at the intersection of gun violence and mental health. Alarmingly, suicide rates and gun-related deaths are up 33 percent since 1999. Therefore, it is our duty to make patients and their families aware of the mental health options they have and educate them that ERPO laws exist for their protection. Such laws are not meant to permanently restrict ones gun ownership rights. Instead, they help patients and providers weather the current storm presented by gun access and acute mental illness, emotional distress, or drug use to improve outcomes in the long term. Early data already suggests that these laws have helped to reduce suicide and homicide rates among gun owners. Finally, we must advocate for reasonable gun safety legislation. The language is crucial here gun safety is not the same as gun control. Regardless of individual interpretations and opinions of the Second Amendment, it has been thoroughly litigated and is not likely to change soon. Instead, we must focus our efforts on ensuring the highest level of safety for everyone in our country, while also preserving the right of responsible gun owners to own firearms. When automobile-related deaths rose in the 1960s and 1970s, we didnt eliminate cars. Instead, we gathered robust research to redesign cars, redesign roads, and redesign how people are trained to drive. Automobile-related fatalities have plummeted since. The same approach is essential to reduce gun violence in our country. We must redefine our relationship with guns and the purposes they serve in our communities. Mandatory and robust background checks, bans on semiautomatic weapons, and restrictions on gun ammunition purchases are important starting points that we must champion to secure safer communities and better outcomes for our patients. On the second anniversary of the Parkland shooting, physicians, nurses, medical students, and other health care professionals are called to lead the way in achieving better outcomes for our patients. We have the narrative evidence, the financial leverage, the research prowess, the legislative influence, and the compassionate hearts needed to elicit real change in the face of this public health crisis. Gun safety is a crisis that impacts all our lives, and today more than ever, it requires the medical intervention that it deserves. Michael Dorritie is a medical student. Image credit: Shutterstock.com The Allahabad High Court will hear, at 3 pm on Sunday, the case related to hoardings put up by the Uttar Pradesh government, with names, addresses and photographs of those accused of violence during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The High Court was scheduled to hear the case at 10 am today. Taking suo moto cognizance of the matter, the High Court t had decided to hear the case on Sunday in spite of it being a holiday. The court of Chief Justice Govind Mathur has summoned the District Magistrate and Divisional Police Commissioner of Police of Lucknow in this case. On Thursday, the district administration installed hoardings with photos and addresses of 53 anti-CAA protesters at prominent crossings across the city. The hoardings included pictures of Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas, former IPS SR Darapuri and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar, all of whom were named as accused in the violence that swept the state capital on December 19 last year. Activist Deepak Kabir has said that the hoardings put up by the government bearing names of anti-CAA protesters are creating an atmosphere of fear. He said that people whose names are mentioned in posters can be lynched anywhere."It is shameful. There was no need for that. The government is creating an atmosphere of fear. People whose names are mentioned can be lynched anywhere. The environment after Delhi violence is not safe. Government is putting everyone at risk," Kabir told ANI. Darapuri had also termed the administration's action as 'unconstitutional' and said that the government is trying to defame protesters. Uttar Pradesh Minister Mohsin Raza had alleged that people whose names have been put up in hoardings destroyed public properties. "Photos have been put off those people who tried to create unrest under the garb of the Citizenship Amendment Act. They harmed people of the state and tried to destroy public properties. Now damages will be recovered from them," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Toyota Camry has a reputation, even within Toyota itself, for being a humdrum car. But gosh does it ever sell. The Camry was the top-selling passenger car in the United States in 2019, and is one of the bestselling vehicles of all time. It remains one of Toyota's most successful vehicles of any shape, despite the fact that it is trying to compete in a market that is tilting in favor of sport utility vehicles and crossovers. That isn't to say the shift hasn't away from cars hasn't hurt it. Sales are falling, from a peak of about 473,000 in 2007 to about 337,000 today. Unlike U.S. automakers, which have cut production of their own sedans and coupes, Toyota is not pulling out of traditional passenger cars anytime soon. The company sees the abandonment of these segments by others as an opportunity to grab market share, which it has. In the standard midsize sedan segment, Toyota told CNBC it gained 5 percentage points of market share between 2015 and 2019, rising from 15% to 20%. It is possible that the pendulum of consumer taste could swing back toward low-slung passenger cars, but many auto industry observers think the slide toward higher-riding crossovers and sport utility vehicles is here to stay. The Camry was once Toyota's bestselling vehicle, but now that title belongs to Toyota's RAV4 midsize crossover SUV. So the automaker has been spicing up the Camry, in keeping with Toyota President Akio Toyoda's directive to stop producing "boring" cars. For example, it shocked many in the industry when it released a sport-tuned version of the humble sedan bearing the Toyota Racing Development badge for the 2020 model year. In a tougher market for cars, it helps to take some risks. Correction: Toyota told CNBC that in the standard midsize sedan segment, Camry gained 5 percentage points of market share between 2015 and 2019. An earlier version misstated the percentage point gain. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 02:11:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close AMMAN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- King Abdullah II of Jordan on Sunday reaffirmed the country's support for the efforts to reach an agreement to resolve the dispute over Ethiopia's Nile dam project, which will safeguard Egypt's water security rights. The king made the remakes at a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who delivered a letter from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, according to a Royal Court statement. Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia have been trying to reach a deal, recently through the U.S. mediation, on resolving the dispute on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Egypt is worried that, as a downstream Nile basin country, its water security could be affected by the GERD. So far the three parties have failed to reach a deal on the filling and operation of the GERD. Filling the reservoir, whose total capacity is 74 billion cubic meters, may take several years. Egypt seeks to prolong the period to avoid the negative effects of water shortage, which is a main point of the dam talks. During the meeting, the Jordanian king asked Shoukry to convey his greetings to Sisi, reaffirming the deep-rooted and strategic ties between Jordan and Egypt, and Jordan's keenness to expand bilateral cooperation in varied sectors. The two sides also discussed the efforts to reach political solutions to regional crises that would restore security and stability in the region. Enditem The king made the remakes at a meeting in Amman with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who delivered a letter from Egypt President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. Five people of a family, including three who recently came back from Italy, tested positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in Kerala, prompting authorities to put the state on high alert, health minister KK Shailaja said on Sunday. Three of the five people in Pathanamthitta district had returned from Italy last month and two other relatives were infected after they came into contact with them. Shailaja said that all the five infected patients have been kept at an isolation ward in the Pathanamthitta general hospital and their condition is stable. They were admitted to the hospital on Friday when they complained of fever and throat infection and tested positive at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Alappuzha, which has been designated as the state nodal laboratory for testing Covid-19 cases. Their samples were sent to the NIV in Pune and the institute confirmed their positive status late Sunday evening. The minister said that three persons had failed to inform health officials about their return from Italy and warned people of stern action if they hide their travel history. Two other elderly family members of the five infected patients show symptoms of the disease, and have been shifted to the Kottayam Medical College hospital as a precaution, Shailaja said. Older people and those with pre-existing health conditions are more at risk of developing serious illness from the virus. The situation is under control. We have started tracing their contacts, said PB Nooh Pathanamthittas collector . Health officials said the three had returned to Kochi from Italy via Doha, Qatar, on February 29. Officials at the international airport in Kochi said 350 people had travelled on the Doha-Cochin QR 514 flight on that day and they had handed over their details to health authorities. Thermal checking was done at the airport and they did not show any symptoms then, they added. The government has asked all the people who travelled with them to report to the nearest hospitals and at least 75 of them were quarantined in their homes. Officials in Pathanamthitta have said all public functions will be cancelled in view of the latest developments. At least 25 rapid action teams have been formed and doctors from neighbouring districts are called to help contain the spread of the virus. Nooh has requested people to cooperate with the government to stop the infection from spreading. The Kerala government is worried that any laxity could prove costly because of the southern states high population density and mobility of people. The latest cases came to light at a time when Kerala, which had reported the countrys first three cases of coronavirus in January, was being lauded for its efforts after the patients recovered. Officials said a disturbing factor in these new cases is that two of the affected are secondary infections. Kerala is also keeping its fingers crossed as over three million women are set to gather in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday for Attukal Pongala. It is a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Temple in the heart of the city and is considered the worlds largest congregation of women. Shailaja also appealed that those who have fever or cold should not participate in Pongala. Thiruvananthapuram district collector K Gopalakrishnan has urged devotees from abroad to perform Pongala in their hotels instead. It will help contain the infection, if any, he said. Later in the evening, the health minister rushed to Pathanamthitta and chaired a high-level meeting. District health officials said at least 2000 people will be put under observation and they have prepared a list for this. We have information that Italy returnees had participated in prayers, attended a wedding and even went to the district police superintendents office for some work, said Ranni MLA Raju Abraham. After their irresponsible behaviour triggered enough protests, the state police said it will take strict action against those who dodge their travel history. State police chief Loknath Behra has issued a directive warning action against such people. Schools have been closed for three days in Pathanamthitta . Ten more samples sent for test. In Kolam, too, five persons showed symptoms for virus. 24x7 call centres opened in all districts. These measures were taken after the meeting. Another worrying point is that hill temple Sabarimala, situated in Pathanamthitta district, is opening for monthly poojas in a couple of days. The Travancore Devasom Board (TDB), which runs the temple, has advised people who came from abroad and others suffering from ailments to skip their pilgrimage this time. We have to be extremely careful, said TDB president N Vasu. So far, the Centre has confirmed that 39 people have been infected with coronavirus across the country. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared in their first public engagement in the United kingdom since the infamous Megxit, Thursday. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at London's Mansion House for the annual Endeavor Fund Awards amid the pouring rain, smiling broadly as they stepped out of their car. As the couple made their way to the event, the place was surrounded by royal fans who cheered at them, but there was one boo from an onlooker that stood out. The booing, however, did not spoil the mood as Meghan told the audience that she was glad to be back. Meghan and Prince Harry were present at the event to give honor to the achievements of the injured, wounded and sick men and women who took part in adventure challenges and sporting events last year. However, all eyes were on the former 'royal' couple who has not made appearances in the country since announcing that they were stepping down from their royal duties in January and retreated to Canada with their son Archie, many to the Queen's distress. Meghan upped the glamour stakes as she graced the event wearing a form-fitting turquoise dress designed by Victoria Beckham and wore heavy make-up. She matched the outfit with her blue suede heel, gold earrings and tied her hair back in a ponytail. Read also: Kate Middleton May Quit Royal Duties Like Meghan Markle Due to This Reason Prince Harry who was previously made to give up his official patronages after he decided to leave the royal life and move to Canada with his family was allowed to keep his private links to some organizations including The Endeavour Fund, which he is a patron of. The aforementioned charity supports people who use challenges with their physical, psychological, and social rehabilitation after injuries and illness. During the event, Harry spoke to the audience and said that as some of the people have expressed their support for him, he assured them that they also have his full support always. His wife also took the stage and told the audience how incredible it felt to be back in the event. Meghan presented the 'celebrating excellence' award to a rower who serves the Royal Marines for 24 years and lost his leg responding to a traffic accident, Lee Spencer. The event is now on its fourth year and brings together hundreds of injured, wounded and sick serving veterans and personnel with their families and supporters from the military community, yearly. During the reception, Harry and Meghan chatted with the wife of awardee Lee Spencer who complimented her on her amazing looks even when she just had a baby. When Spencer's 52-year-old wife was asked on what were her thoughts on Harry stepping back from his royal duties, she said that she believes that Harry and Meghan are doing amazing and should be allowed to live the way they want to live. Harry and Meghan have been center of talks in the past few weeks due to issues surrounding their bowing out of royal duties and has been escalated after talks of not retaining their " Sussex Royal" brand which they accepted but not without throwing shade saying that the British monarchy does not have jurisdiction over the word 'royal'. Related article: Meghan Markle Allegedly Rejects Million Dollar Offer for Hollywood Comeback @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. East Wall, in Dublin's docklands, played an important but forgotten role in the development of horses that won the Aintree Grand National. While East Wall was known as the home of dockers' families and local industry, it also had a successful role in horse-training and horse trading. Within a decade of Ireland achieving independence, three horses trained on land in East Wall had gone on to win the English Grand National. Now local historian Hugo McGuinness intends to raise public awareness of the docklands' rich history in the horse trade. Around a century ago, there was still a lot of open land in East Wall which was suitable for training horses, he said. "A three-and-a-half-acre field in East Wall was known as Nugent's Field. It was a matter of local pride that it was a place for developing successful horses," he said. A Hollywood movie, Sergeant Murphy, was made about the horse which won the Aintree Grand National in 1923 as a 100/6 outsider. It starred future US president Ronald Reagan. Bred in Ireland in 1910 by GL Walker, Sergeant Murphy was trained in Nugent's Field in East Wall before being sold to a wealthy American student, 'Laddie' Sandford, said the historian. The American brought the horse to England, where he planned to use him as a hunter. But he was unable to handle him and the horse was placed with Newmarket trainer George Blackwell. The horse ran in several Grand Nationals at Aintree, starting in 1918. Sergeant Murphy fell in the 1922 Grand National but still finished fourth. A year later, ridden by Captain GN Bennet, he became the first American-owned horse to win it. In the 1930s, the film Sergeant Murphy was released, although the story was significantly altered for the movie. A painting of Sergeant Murphy by Sir William Orpen will be displayed at the Irish Horse exhibition at the National Gallery next month. Sadly, Capt Bennet was fatally injured a few months later in a racing fall which directly led to riding helmets becoming compulsory. The next Aintree winner to come through Nugent's Field was Gregalach, bred by Michael Finlay, which won in 1929 as a 100/1 outsider. Yet another Aintree winner to come through Nugent's Field was Grakle in 1931. A difficult horse to handle, a special noseband was invented to control him in the shape of a figure-of-eight. To this day, these nosebands are known as grackles. All three horses achieved their Aintree victories some years after their association with East Wall. "The Nugents had little financial gain from the wins of Sergeant Murphy, Gregalach or Grakle, as their role was to bring the horses to a stage where they were competitive and would fetch a good price, with the honour and glory going elsewhere," said Mr McGuinness. James Nugent, from Co Armagh, had arrived in Dublin around the turn of the last century and followed in the footsteps of the Bollan and Shiels families in horse training and dealing in East Wall. "The Nugents were the last in a line of East Wall horse breeders and dealers who supplied many of the armies of Europe, including Austrian, French and British cavalry regiments. They did so up to World War I," he said. They sold much of their remaining land in the 1930s. The Nugents lived in Seaview House, at the corner of Church Road and Seaview Avenue, until the 1950s. The entrance to Nugent's Yard still remains alongside Seaview House, which was recently refurbished. Mr McGuinness continues to research the lore of horses in East Wall as part of ongoing tourism initiatives and would welcome contact at eastwallhistory@gmail.com. Jaime Lopez then got out of the car and fired several shots at the 38-year-old victim and two juveniles with him, Betts said. The man, who turned 39 in January, was struck in the head and both legs, authorities said. As Lopez continued firing at the two juveniles, one of the shots went into the nearby residence and struck the girl, who police previously said was watching television with her cousins that morning. Advertisement Up to 4,000 passengers are stranded on board another cruise ship off the coast of California while they wait for the outcome of a coronavirus test on one sick passenger. The Carnival Panorama cruise ship has been docked in Long Beach and passengers are being ordered to stay on the boat while the woman, whose age is unknown, is tested for the deadly disease. If the case is confirmed, this marks the latest in a string of outbreaks aboard cruise ships, which are fast becoming hotbeds for the virus. At least 21 people on the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of California have tested positive for coronavirus so far. The Carnival Panorama cruise ship (above) has been docked in Long Beach and passengers are being ordered to stay on the boat while the woman, whose age is unknown, is tested for the deadly disease If the case is confirmed, this marks the latest in a string of outbreaks aboard cruise ships, which are fast becoming hotbeds for the virus This followed a mass outbreak on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship last month, which resulted in 700 being infected and six people dying as it fast became a hive of illness off the coast of Japan. The Carnival Panorama remained docked Saturday evening after the guest identified as a possible coronavirus case was transported off the ship to a local hospital that morning to be tested. The Centers for Disease Control ordered that all passengers stay on the ship pending results of the test. The ship will not set sail until results come back confirming a negative test. Plans have not been revealed for the possible scenario that a positive test is returned. The Carnival Panorama remained docked Saturday evening after the person identified as a possible case was transported off the ship that morning to a local hospital to be tested The Centers for Disease Control ordered that all passengers stay on the ship pending results of the test and that the ship will not set sail until results come back confirming a negative test. Plans have not been revealed for the circumstance where a positive test is returned Kate Kuykendall, a spokesperson for Long Beach's joint information center, confirmed the female guest was being tested but insisted there were no confirmed cases in Long Beach or on the cruise ship. 'We want to make sure that residents know that we care about our residents and visitors and those who live and work in the city of Long Beach,' she said. 'Our primary concern is for all the parties involved and maintaining the safety of the public.' Matt Mitcham, cruise director for Carnival Panorama, issued a statement on Facebook seeking to quell fears, saying testing was only being done 'out of an abundance of caution'. He said the ship would be held in Long Beach until 'at least 6pm PST related to a medical situation with one of our debarking guests'. Mitcham said the company 'cannot discuss their specific condition' but confirmed that the guest was a US citizen who had not recently traveled internationally and does not meet the CDC criteria that puts them in an at risk category for coronavirus. Passengers wait for news on the Carnival Panorama cruise ship in Long Beach, California, as they are stuck on board Officials confirmed the female guest was being tested but insisted that it was 'out of an abundance of caution' and that there were no confirmed cases in Long Beach or on the cruise ship Matt Mitcham, cruise director for Carnival Panorama, confirmed that the guest was a US citizen who had not recently traveled internationally and does not meet the CDC criteria that puts them in an at risk category for coronavirus Holidaymakers planning to join the voyage at Long Beach have also been kept at bay on dry land One woman stranded on the ship said passengers are not being isolated in their rooms and have been allowed to gather in the bars and communal areas. Holidaymakers planning to join the voyage at Long Beach have also been kept on dry land. Passengers planning to board the ship for Saturday's departure told LB Post that warning signs started emerging that morning when they were told to arrive an hour later than planned. They were later told the issue was a pending medical test and that results would be available that evening. People busied themselves with a trip to local restaurants while others ordered from food delivery services as they waited for news. Passengers planning to board the ship for Saturday's departure have not been allowed to board and have been busying themselves in the local area as they wait for news Sherrie Trisdale, who flew from Nashville to board Saturday, told LB Post she was glad the cruise line was taking precautions. 'There's nothing we can do about it, it's better know that they're taking great precautions rather than not,' she said. The Carnival Panorama is a new ship that takes passengers on week-long voyages stopping in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. It holds around 4,000 passengers, but it is now known exactly how many passengers are on board. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GRAND PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS STILL IN LIMBO As news of the latest cruise ship stuck in limbo off the coast of California emerged Saturday, relatives of the 3,500 passengers stranded on board the coronavirus-hit Grand Princess pleaded for their loved ones to be evacuated before they become seriously ill. At least 21 people on the Grand Princess have contracted Covid-19 - just under half the number of those tested. California's Governor, Gavin Newsom, is now refusing to allow the vessel to dock in San Francisco. On Saturday, the daughter of one 90-year-old passenger said her father's health is rapidly deteriorating as he remains stuck on the cruise liner. 'Keeping people on the ship is going to be a death sentence for many of the elderly passengers,' panic-stricken Lisa Egan told The Telegraph. The Grand Princess cruise ship passes the Golden Gate Bridge as it arrives from Hawaii in San Francisco. Twenty-one people on board have tested positive for the coronavirus 'He has to take several medications daily, and he's going to run out today [Saturday]. I'm sure that's true for many passengers'. John Miller, who is on board the Grand Princess, told ABC7 Saturday that news the Grand Princess was prohibited from docking in San Francisco was 'the worst possible' thing he could have heard. Overnight, the captin of the ship announced the Coast Guard was arriving to airlift a passenger who required 'medical assistance' to the mainland. A helicopter arrived shortly after, with the unidentified person flown to San Francisco for treatment, according to CNN. It's unclear whether the person was one of the 21 who tested positive for coronavirus. The Grand Princess moved closer to land overnight, and is now floating around 20 miles off the coast of San Francisco - but there are still no details as to where or when the ship will port. An epidemiologist who studies the spread of virus particles says keeping passengers contained on the vessel will amplify the rate of infection. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MORE THAN 700 CASES AND SIX DEATHS FROM DIAMOND PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP In the worst cruise ship crisis so far, 706 people tested positive on the Diamond Princess after Japanese authorities imposed a two-week lockdown in Yokohama. At least six people have died after they were taken to hospital from the doomed vessel. Passengers were confined to their cabins during the lockdown but several countries eventually lost patience with Japan and airlifted their citizens home. Japan was widely criticised for its handling of the ship, with one disease expert saying the quarantine was 'completely inadequate' after viewing the conditions on board. Kentaro Iwata said the situation on board the vessel was worse than outbreaks he had dealt with in the past, such as Ebola in Africa and the 2003 SARS crisis in China. The Kobe University infectious diseases expert said conditions on the ship were 'completely chaotic' and violated quarantine rules. Japan had initially impounded the ship after a passenger who left the ship in Hong Kong in January subsequently tested positive. The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, adopted by General Assembly resolution 55/25 of 15 November 2000, is the main international instrument in the fight against transnational organized crime. It opened for signature by Member States at a High-level Political Conference convened for that purpose in Palermo, Italy, on 12-15 December 2000 and entered into force on 29 September 2003. The Convention is further supplemented by three Protocols, which target specific areas and manifestations of org anized crime: the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children; the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air; and the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition. Countries must become parties to the Convention itself before they can become parties to any of the Protocols. The Convention represents a major step forward in the fight against transnational organized crime and signifies the recognition by Member States of the seriousness of the problems posed by it, as well as the need to foster and enhance close international cooperation in order to tackle those problems. States that ratify this instrument commit themselves to taking a series of measures against transnational organized crime, including the creation of domestic criminal offences (participation in an organized criminal group, money laundering, corruption and obstruction of justice); the adoption of new and sweeping frameworks for extradition, mutual legal assistance and law enforcement cooperation; and the promotion of training and technical assistance for building or upgrading the necessary capacity of national authorities. The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, was adopted by General Assembly resolution 55/25. It entered into force on 25 December 2003. It is the first global legally binding instrument with an agreed definition on trafficking in persons. The intention behind this definition is to facilitate convergence in national approaches with regard to the establishment of domestic criminal offences that would support efficient international cooperation in investigating and prosecuting trafficking in persons cases. An additional objective of the Protocol is to protect and assist the victims of trafficking in persons with full respect for their human rights. The Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, adopted by General Assembly resolution 55/25, entered into force on 28 January 2004. It deals with the growing problem of organized criminal groups who smuggle migrants, often at high risk to the migrants and at great profit for the offenders. A major achievement of the Protocol was that, for the first time in a global international instrument, a definition of smuggling of migrants was developed and agreed upon. The Protocol aims at preventing and combating the smuggling of migrants, as well as promoting cooperation among States parties, while protecting the rights of smuggled migrants and preventing the worst forms of their exploitation which often characterize the smuggling process. The Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition was adopted by General Assembly resolution 55/255 of 31 May 2001. It entered into force on 3 July 2005. The objective of the Protocol, which is the first legally binding instrument on small arms that has been adopted at the global level, is to promote, facilitate and strengthen cooperation among States Parties in order to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition. By ratifying the Protocol, States make a commitment to adopt a series of crime-control measures and implement in their domestic legal order three sets of normative provisions: the first one relates to the establishment of criminal offenses related to illegal manufacturing of, and trafficking in, firearms on the basis of the Protocol requirements and definitions; the second to a system of government authorizations or licensing intending to ensure legitimate manufacturing of, and trafficking in, firearms; and the third one to the marking and tracing of firearms. Vijaya Pawar, who hails from rural Maharshtra, showcased the traditional Gormati art and handicrafts by the Banjara community by taking to Prime Minister Narendra Modis social handles on Sunday. As the prime minister gave away his social media accounts for a day, on the occasion of International Womens Day, seven women achievers took over to talk about their unparalled journeys. Pawar has been instrumental in preserving and continuing the handicrafts of the Banjara community of rural Maharashtra. You have heard about handicrafts from different parts of India. My fellow Indians, I present to you handicrafts of the Banjara community in rural Maharashtra. I have been working on this for the last 2 decades and have been assisted by a thousand more women- Vijaya Pawar pic.twitter.com/A3X47245E3 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2020 You have heard about handicrafts from different parts of India. My fellow Indians, I present to you handicrafts of the Banjara community in rural Maharashtra. I have been working on this for the last 2 decades and have been assisted by a thousand more women, Pawars message on PMs Twitter account read. To promote Gormati art, Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only encouraged us but also helped us financially. It is a matter of pride for us. I am fully dedicated to the preservation of this art and feel proud on the occasion of Womens Day, she shared. Other inspiring women also received the opportunity to share their stories and talk about their groundbreaking initiatives through PMs social media accounts. Among them were Chennais Sneha Mohandoss - a crusader against hunger, water innovator Kalpana Ramesh and bomb blast survivor Malvika Iyer. Ukrainian teachers are known to have been retrained to teach Russian, while the number of classes assigned to Ukrainian was cut back in 2014. The self-proclaimed and Russian-controlled "Donetsk People's Republic" has announced that Ukrainian will no longer be a "state language" there, and has claimed that only the Russian language will hold that status. The move is explained as being in recognition of "the integration processes between 'DPR' and the Russian Federation", and makes a nonsense of western-supported plans for reintegration of the so-called "republics" with the rest of Ukraine, Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group reports. On March 6, the self-styled "DPR parliament" had voted to change the "constitution", stripping Ukrainian of its state language status. It was claimed that the bill "is aimed at the defense and support of the Russian language as state language of the Donetsk people's republic". This is a void document of a pseudo "republic", which even Russia has stopped short of formally recognizing, the NGO wrote. In December, "DPR" leader Denis Pushilin first proposed stripping Ukrainian of its official status, and introduced a "bill" proposing that only learning Russian be compulsory in schools, with Ukrainian being optional. Read alsoRussia "fully destroyed" political rights in Crimea Freedom House It seems unlikely that any but the most daring of parents will insist on education in Ukrainian since such a "pro-Ukrainian" position could well get them arrested as spying for the Ukrainian Security Service or Armed Forces. The same very probably applies to speaking Ukrainian in everyday communication. Ukrainian teachers are known to have been retrained to teach Russian, while the number of classes assigned to Ukrainian was cut back in 2014. The mantra-like repetition by "DPR leaders" that they are "defending" the Russian language stems from Russia's narrative about the war in Donbas being "in defense of Russian speakers". Russia has constantly pushed the line that Russian speakers faced persecution and restrictions in Crimea and Donbas. Unless one considers "persecution" the fact that citizens of a country learn the state language of that country, this was never the case. In both Crimea and Donbas, Russian was commonly and completely freely used in both private and official communication. It was the Ukrainian language that immediately came under attack as soon as Russia took actual or effective control, as well as Ukrainian history and culture. The New York Times, March 7, 2020 By Mohammed Hanif Mr. Hanif is a novelist. KARACHI, Pakistan a Last week, outside a shopping mall in the city, two somber men stood holding a banner that read: aMen are guardians of women.a In other parts of Pakistan, other self-appointed guardians have been busy tearing down posters that women activists put up to announce Aurat March, a series of rallies across the country to celebrate International Womenas Day on March 8. Only in its third year, Aurat March has become the most important day on the calendar for many Pakistani women. I recently asked a roomful of students in their early 20s what was the defining historical feature of their lifetime. After the war on terrorism, the killing of Osama Bin Laden, Malalaas shooting and TikTok, many women said that Aurat March was what had most affected their lives. But much like the event has politicized many young women across Pakistan, torrents of misogyny have been unleashed by the prospect that women might get together in large numbers in public spaces and not invite a man as their chief guest. Some religious political groups have threatened to disrupt this yearas gatherings; others have announced that they will mark the day as the day of Muslim Womenas Dignity. Grown men are asking, frothing at the mouth, what do these women want? Organizers of Aurat March have put out a comprehensive list of what they want, including safety from sexual harassment, access to property rights and equal pay. But thatas not what men are really scared of. They are worried about hundreds of young women huddling in small groups with paint brushes, markers and stencils to make placards. The signs from the last march have been giving our men nightmares for a year. The ones from the year before still rankle. These placards and their slogans have poked neat little holes in Pakistanisa collective idea of amardangi,a or manhood. The first sign that shot amardangia through the heart was, aWarm up your own food,a from 2018. That was so outrageous it caused a small national meltdown, prompting men to draw up their own lists of things women should do themselves: aSew your own clothes,a afix your own flat tire.a You can talk about your property rights and harassment in the workplace, but how dare you ask me to press that button on the microwave? You really have it coming. Things got a lot worse for men during the second Aurat March, last year, when they had to read a poster that said, aHow do I know where your socks are?a Another sign that posed a direct challenge to the social order was an illustration of a woman sitting, fully clothed, with her legs open, just like men do. It read, aLook, I am sitting properly.a Young girls are told over and over again to sit properly, with their legs closed. That a woman would claim a full seat has been called awomanspreadinga and declared vulgar and repugnant to our culture. Then thereas the sign that says, aMy Body, My Consent.a After the human rights activist Marvi Sirmed repeated the slogan on TV earlier this week, one of the panelists, a TV and film writer, lashed out: aWhat is in your body? Have you seen your body? A man would not spit on your body!a Then he called her names that are usually never uttered on the air. Many journalists condemned the outburst, but the panelist became a hero of sorts to some men for, as they saw it, putting Ms. Sirmed back in her place. Other TV programs scrambled to invite him to give his side of the story. But really, what has had the patriarchy drop all pretense of civility is a placard that asked men to keep to themselves selfies of their penises. aLahol wala aa was the reaction of a senior journalist on live television as he started to recite a prayer thatas meant to ward off Satan. Then he went on to proclaim that the slogan was a violation of his basic human rights and the judiciary should take action. Yet look into the inbox of any woman in public life, and you will see a lot of unsolicited pictures of menas genitalia or references to it. And for a young woman to hold up a placard saying to stop doing that is seen as a threat to the national moral order. What these placards have achieved is remarkable. They have taken the discussion about womenas rights from Parliament, the courts and the workplace straight into the kitchen and the bedroom. They have challenged the most sacred institution of all: family. More than 1,000 women are murdered in the name of honor in Pakistan every year, the overwhelming majority of them by relatives. Pakistan has had a glorious history of womenas activism. Women have confronted military dictators and fought on the streets against discriminatory laws. But a new generation of female activists has brought a new language to the discourse. Even some veteran women activists have said that this hectoring is disrespectful to our social norms. And some men who think they are sympathetic to womenas causes and can stand vocal women apparently canat stand vocal women who are witty. Itas one thing for your authority to be challenged; itas another to be mocked for being, you know, a man. Pakistani men, right and left, have found a common cause against Aurat March. They invoke religion; they invoke tradition. Sometimes they invoke Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto as evidence that women in Pakistan get equal opportunities. They conveniently forget to say that Ms. Bhutto was assassinated in 2007 and her killers were never punished. That was as much a political assassination as a national-level honor killing. The men in Pakistan who claim to stand guard over women are only standing guard for themselves. They donat want to look for their own socks, and they donat want to control that manly urge to take selfies of their private parts and send them to random women. Mohammed Hanif (@mohammedhanif) is the author of the novels aA Case of Exploding Mangoes,a aOur Lady of Alice Bhattia and aRed Birds.a He is a contributing opinion writer. The BJP core committee on Bihar met here on Sunday to discuss the names of potential candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in the state, which would be sent to the party's central leadership for final approval. Held at the party's state headquarters here, the meeting was attended by state BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal, Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Nityanand Rai and Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Rajya Sabha member C P Thakur. When approached by journalists with queries, Jaiswal said, "Of course, the list includes more than one name since we are only recommending the names. A decision has to be taken by our national president J P Nadda." He also declined to answer questions as to how many candidates the BJP was looking forward to field for the elections to five seats. Among the five seats from the state, which will fall vacant next month upon the expiry of terms of members, two are currently held by the BJP while the remaining three are of its alliance partner JD(U), headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. However, in view of a notable fall in the respective tallies of both parties in the assembly polls held in 2015, which also saw RJD and Congress contesting in alliance with the chief minister's party and improving their respective numbers exponentially, the ruling coalition is likely to yield two of its seats to the opposition formation. Of the three which the NDA can expect to win with the help of nearly 130 members in the 243-seat assembly, the JD(U) is expected to stake claim to two, leaving one for the BJP. Although filing of nomination papers has to be completed by March 13, both the parties are faced with a tough decision of giving up claim to at least one each. Among the JD(U) members whose terms are set to expire are Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, social activist- turned-politician Kahkashan Parveen and Ram Nath Thakur - son of Nitish Kumar's late mentor and former Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur. The BJP MPs, who are at the end of their tenures are C P Thakur, a former Union minister and Ravindra Kishor Sinha, one of the state's leading businessmen, who has deep roots in the Sangh Parivar. C P Thakur, who started off as a Congress MP in the 1980s, has been one of the city's leading medical practitioners and belongs to the Bhumihar caste, which has been loyal to the BJP for quite some time and has a sizeable population unlike the Kayastha community - to which Sinha belongs. Bhumihar leaders of the BJP had thrown a fit during the Lok Sabha polls last year when many of them had threatened to revolt against the party for giving ticket to only one candidate from the community - Giriraj Singh. The party's national general secretary in-charge for the state Bhupendra Yadav had to intervene by arranging their meeting with the then BJP chief Amit Shah. An announcement was made before the press here later that due representation will be ensured by giving preference to the caste in Rajya Sabha and legislative council elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) KYODO NEWS - Mar 8, 2020 - 12:41 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Sony Corp., Honda Motor Co. and other major companies in Japan are cancelling or postponing their spring initiation ceremonies for new recruits in response to the government's call to avoid mass gatherings to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Sony scrapped a plan to hold a ceremony at its Tokyo headquarters for around 900 new recruits and instead plans to show them an online video message from its president and CEO, Kenichiro Yoshida. (An initiation ceremony for new employees of Toyota Motor Corp. in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture on April 1, 2019.) Honda and ANA Holdings Inc., parent of All Nippon Airways Co., also cancelled their ceremonies for new employees, while Toshiba Corp. and Mizuho Financial Group Inc. decided to hold ceremonies online. Other companies such as retail chain Aeon Co. and internet mall operator Rakuten Inc. will put off their welcome events. Events to welcome new recruits hired straight from university or high school are usually held April 1, the start of the new fiscal year in Japan. "We would like to consider holding the event when things calm down as we monitor the situation," a Rakuten spokesperson said. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asked organizers of big sport and cultural events in late February to consider cancelling or postponing them, saying the next two weeks or so would be "critical" in determining whether the pneumonia-causing virus would spread further. In Japan, more than 1,100 cases have been confirmed, including nearly 700 from the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship that was quarantined near Tokyo, and at least 12 people have died. Japan became the fifth country to top 1,000 infections after China, South Korea, Iran and Italy. The virus, which originated in China in December, has now spread globally, infecting more than 98,000 people and killing more than 3,300. Some Japanese companies are also reviewing their training programs for new hires, which usually follow initiation ceremonies. Sony said it halted a planned week-long training event from April 1 and is now considering alternative plans. Mitsubishi Electric Corp. abandoned a plan to hold a three-day event involving an initiation ceremony and training in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. The company will instead hold ceremonies and training sessions separately at local offices. By ANI MUMBAI: Wife of Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor, Bindu Kapoor, on Sunday, arrived at Enforcement Directorate's office here in Mumbai as her husband has been arrested by the probe agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED officials are likely to quiz Bindu in connection with the case. Rana Kapoor, who was taken to the ED office for questioning on Saturday, is scheduled to be produced before a Mumbai court later in the day. He left the ED office along with the officials of the central probe agency this morning. The agency had conducted raids at Kapoor's residence located at 'Samudra Mahal' residential tower in Mumbai on Friday and registered a case under the PMLA against him. On Thursday, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had said a moratorium has been imposed on Yes Bank, stressing that the bank's financial capability has undergone a steady decline largely due to the inability of the bank to raise capital. During the period of moratorium, the Yes Bank Ltd will not, without the permission in writing of the RBI, make in the aggregate, payment to a depositor of a sum exceeding Rs 50,000 lying to his credit in any savings, current or any other deposit account. The arrest comes after charges of alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement in the operations of the private bank surfaced and the RBI and Union government initiated action to control its affairs. The sources revealed that ED is investigating whether a dummy company owned by Kapoor and two of his daughters by the name of Doit Urban Ventures had received Rs 600 crore as kickbacks from DHFL in return for sanctioning of loans to the tune of Rs 4,450 crore from Yes Bank. ALSO READ | Public money not for private loot, bring Yes Bank under government control: AIBEA The investigating officer of the case had recorded Kapoor's statement under the PMLA when he was first interrogated on Friday night at his upscale residence in 'Samudra Mahal' complex in Worli area here. He was brought to the ED office on Saturday noon for a fresh round of questioning. On Saturday, the agency widened its probe in the case as the premises of Kapoor's three daughters in Delhi and Mumbai were searched to gather more information and evidence. According to officials, Kapoor's wife Bindu and daughters -- Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Roshni Kapoor and Radha Kapoor -- are allegedly linked to some companies to which the suspected "proceeds of crime" have been traced. The central agency is also probing Kapoor's role in connection with the disbursal of loans to some corporate entities and the subsequently alleged kickbacks reportedly received in his wife's accounts. Other alleged irregularities are also under the agency's scanner including the one related to the alleged PF fraud in the Uttar Pradesh power corporation, they added. ALSO READ | Yes Bank crisis: PayNearby says functioning 'without any disruption' The CBI has recently taken over the investigation into the Rs 2,267-crore Employees' Provident Fund fraud in Uttar Pradesh, where hard-earned savings of power sector employees were invested in Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL). The ED action came after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday imposed a moratorium on the capital-starved Yes Bank, capping withdrawals at Rs 50,000 per account, and superseded the board of the private sector lender with immediate effect. Yes Bank will not be able to grant or renew any loan or advance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse any payment. As per the RBI's draft reconstruction scheme, State Bank of India will pick up 49 per cent stake in the crisis-ridden Yes Bank under a government-approved bailout plan. (With PTI and ENS Inputs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, March 8, 2020 15:26 674 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad2069208ad 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,Malaysia,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,outbreak,outbreak-in-Indonesia Free A Malaysian woman has tested positive for COVID-19 in Kuala Lumpur after returning from a visit to Indonesia, Malaysian state news agency Bernama reported on Thursday. The woman is the ninth COVID-19 patient abroad to have tested positive for the disease after traveling to Indonesia. According to the Bernama report, the 46-year-old woman visited Jakarta and Bogor with her husband and two children from Feb. 13 to 19. Read also: How bad is the COVID-19 situation in Indonesia? She was treated at the Taman Desa Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur before being transferred to Hospital Kuala Lumpur shortly after testing positive. In a press conference on Sunday, Health Ministry Disease Control and Prevention Directorate general secretary Achmad Yurianto said that authorities were tracking down those who had had contact with the woman. Indonesia has announced four confirmed COVID-19 cases, all of which are connected to a Japanese woman who tested positive for the disease in Malaysia after visiting Indonesia in early February. (vny) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar Sun, March 8, 2020 20:01 673 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad20692c65a 1 National cruise-ship,Benoa,Benoa-harbor,BenoaBay,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,Bali-Airport,denpasar Free After initially being denied entry by the Bali provincial administration due to COVID-19 fears, passengers of the Viking Sun cruise ship have gotten the all-clear from local health authorities and disembarked at Benoa Port in Denpasar on Sunday. Benoa Port Authority head Agustinus Maun told The Jakarta Post that the port authority had no reason to deny entry to the ship, its passengers and crew members after health authorities gave them the clearance. All the passengers and crew have undergone detailed health examinations, and all of them have been declared healthy, Agustinus said. Carrying 738 passengers and 442 crew members, the Viking Sun arrived in Bali waters on Saturday morning, one day earlier than scheduled, after it was barred from docking in Surabaya, East Java, when local authorities received information that two passengers aboard the ship were suffering from a cold and fever. The rejection and quarantine of cruise ships are the latest efforts by governments around the world seeking to contain the COVID-19 outbreak ever since Japan quarantined the virus-stricken Diamond Princess and its 3,700 passengers in Yokohama. Bali Governor I Wayan Koster initially said the Viking Sun and its passengers would not be allowed into Bali, but the decision was reversed after medical personnel from the Benoa Port Health Office as well as the Bali Health Agency and Bali Mandara Hospital completed health examinations on everyone on board. Agustinus said the health examination had been conducted in accordance with the World Health Organization protocols. So, there is no reason not to allow the cruise ship to dock here, he said. Following the health clearance, all passengers were allowed to disembark on Sunday morning via a tender boat. The cruise ship itself will not dock until Sunday night, as another cruise ship is still docked at the port. Agustinus said some passengers had decided to stay in Bali for a one-day tour, while 378 passengers had cut their cruise short and departed for their respective home countries via Ngurah Rai International Airport. The cruise ship is scheduled to depart from Bali for Colombo at 6 p.m. on Monday. Responding to the decision to allow Viking Sun passengers to disembark in Bali, Denpasar city administration spokesperson Dewa Gede Rai said the Transportation Ministry and Health Ministry had made the final decision. The most important thing is that local authorities have warned that a detail examination should be done. We dont want to try to stop tourists from coming to Bali. We just want to protect our residents from the virus. Its for our residents safety, Dewa said. Rev. Jesse Jackson addresses the Rainbow PUSH Coalition Annual International Convention in Chicago, Tuesday, July 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Amr Alfiky) Associated Press Rev. Jesse Jackson announced his endorsement for Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2020 presidential campaign Sunday morning. "With the exception of Native Americans, African Americans are the people who are most behind socially and economically in the United States and our needs are not moderate," Jackson said in a statement. "A people far behind cannot catch up choosing the most moderate path. The most progressive social and economic path gives us the best chance to catch up and Senator Bernie Sanders represents the most progressive path." Back when he ran for president in 1988, the civil rights leader was endorsed by Sanders. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Rev. Jesse Jackson, one of America's most prominent civil rights leaders and a former presidential candidate, endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2020 campaign Sunday morning. In a statement, Jackson highlighted Sanders' progressive principles and record. "With the exception of Native Americans, African Americans are the people who are most behind socially and economically in the United States and our needs are not moderate. A people far behind cannot catch up choosing the most moderate path. The most progressive social and economic path gives us the best chance to catch up and Senator Bernie Sanders represents the most progressive path. That's why I choose to endorse him today," Jackson said. Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) March 8, 2020 Jackson added that unlike Sanders' campaign, Biden's had not reached out to him for an endorsement. Later on Sunday, the reverend praised Sanders' appeal to young voters. "We look to our youth for energy, expansion and inclusion which leads to growth," Jackson tweeted. "The youth that come to these rallies represent hope, healing and promise for our nation. It's a joy to 'feel the Bern' with Bernie. Keep Hope Alive!" Story continues When Sanders was the mayor of Burlington, Vt. he endorsed Jackson who for the second time was running for president in 1988. "I am proud to tell you that in 1988, a long time ago, I was one of the few white elected officials I was mayor of the city of Burlington who endorsed Jessie Jackson, who brought him to Vermont and we won Vermont for Jessie Jackson," Sanders said in South Carolina last month at a breakfast for the National Action Network. Read the original article on Business Insider Vietnamese women rising to the top BRG Group chairwoman Madame Nguyen Thi Nga last week became the first Vietnamese person to receive the Woman of Impact Award at the 2020 Women Entrepreneurship Summit, which took place in the Philippines. The Woman of Impact Award is an annual award granted to the most exceptional businesswomen in the ASEAN region who have proven impact, recorded contributions to the economy, and illustrated innovative practices in their respective industry. The event also provides prominent local and international female business leaders with a platform to share their inspiring stories of success, in order to help encourage other aspiring businesswomen to grasp the secrets of entrepreneurial success. For me, being a female entrepreneur is a great honour. I am not only a woman of my own family but also a person who has acquired the ability to foster inspiration inside a larger business family consisting of 22,000 committed staff at BRG Group, explained Nga to attendees at the event. Demonstrating the message of making the impossible possible through her story of constructing the Sheraton Grand Danang Resort in record time to serve the APEC 2017 gala dinner for 21 world leaders and 600 VIP guests, Nga hoped to prove that female entrepreneurs in the ASEAN possess the know-how that can build understanding, achieve success, and overcome difficulties in order to expand businesses and contribute to a countrys socio-economic wellbeing. With great achievements in business, Nga has previously been named among the top 50 most powerful Asian women by Forbes. Along with Nga, many other businesswomen are contributing to the development of economy and society in Vietnam. On the Forbes Vietnam Under-30 list for 2020 is Nguyen Thi Thu Ha. The 25-year-old managing director of MindX takes care of a huge coworking space of 5,000 square metres for five facilities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, serving over 9,000 people. I always dream of a little Silicon Valley in Vietnam and want to build an eco-system of schools training Industry 4.0 skills, Ha said. In 2015, Ha became the Google student ambassador in Vietnam and had a chance to travel to almost all Southeast Asian countries. These trips showed me that technology can change our lives, she said. Returning to Vietnam, Ha decided to realise her dream, offering evening tech classes for children on robotics, programming, and graphic design, which have attracted many young learners. When her tech classes began to gain traction, Ha realised that it would be very wasteful not to use the space during the day, so she asked some friends to join her project and create a coworking space with an investment of $500,000 from ESP Capital. Many women think of a stable and safe job and limit themselves at some level. I think that there is no limit preventing people from pursuing their dreams, Ha said. According to the latest international Grant Thornton study, in 2019, the rate of female business leaders was relatively high. In which, Vietnam ranked second in Asia with 36 per cent, only after the Philippines at 37.5 per cent. The proportion of female-owned enterprises also increased from 4 per cent in 2009 to 27.8 per cent in 2017, the highest in the Southeast Asia. On the occasion of the International Womens Day, VIR is proud to introduce some outstanding ladies who are contributing to the development of the country. Bui Kim Thuy, Country representative for Vietnam, US-ASEAN Business Council As a person directly participating in the negotiations of many free trade agreements (FTA), my main concern is to help the Vietnamese business community to understand its abilities and advantages in the global value chain. According to my observations, the negotiation process of an FTA mostly benefits traders, not manufacturers. So enterprises must focus on creating their trademarks as the money comes from them, rather than the products. I like the book Lam Nhu Choi by Thich Minh Niem, in which the author makes no distinction between day and night, early weekdays and weekend, and working time. Through this book, I got a lot of inspiration for my work life with the wish to make my country better. I think that when the aim is clear, the path is easy to follow. Whatever public or private project you are working on and whoever you are, an employee or employer, let your job and your working place be the means to carry out your lifes goal. I have been a learner for my whole life and always bow before good things. I wish to repay the luck that I have been given through my activities. This country is mine and yours, let us act to make it better each day. Quy Vo-Reinhard - Co-founder and CDO, HIT Foundation In my opinion when we talk about work, it is about performance and gender does not decide the success of a person. Nowadays, women are successful in different positions, with many in advanced leadership roles. The key is working for what you are really passionate about. Women should love themselves and have a healthy life. When we are health, we automatically are happy, feel beautiful, and are self-confident to gain success. I see myself as a cheerful woman who is always full of energy and inspiration. I love sports, yoga, hiking, dancing, and motor racing. Doing exercise gives me energy to follow my passion. As a PhD in biomedicine, I dedicated my work to healthcare innovations, aimed at providing equal opportunities and benefits to all stakeholders. I wish to apply blockchain also to agricultural supply chains and help women, especially Vietnamese, to embrace technology and close the existing gender gaps. In 2018, I was honoured to be among the 100 overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and scientists who were invited to deliver strategies on sustainability growth in Industry 4.0 to the Vietnamese government. Since then I have continuously travelled, even during pregnancy, to give lectures about application blockchain in healthcare and health data strategy. I have spoken at events like the Vietnam Sustainability Forum in Hanoi and the Vietnam Global Leaders Forum in Paris. In the same year, I decided to invest a five-figure amount in USD in Vietnams healthcare to apply blockchain in some hospitals, wishing to bring more advanced healthcare solutions to the country and improving peoples access to healthcare services. Furthermore, I founded Give Him The Light, an international charity project that aims to save lives and solve problems for people in need. Nowadays, I am also a member of the board of directors of different Vietnamese associations globally, such as the International Vietnamese Academics Network and the Association of Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts in Switzerland to promote networking and collaboration among Vietnamese academics and university students living in Vietnam and abroad. Dang Phuong Hang - Managing director, CBRE Vietnam As the only female managing director of a foreign-invested real estate consultancy firm in Vietnam so far, I have faced many challenges but I have always highly appreciated the energy of my team. My philosophy is that if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Keeping the leading seat at CBRE Vietnam definitely comes with a lot of pressure. In order to build and maintain relationships with clients, I have to work much harder than my male colleagues. Along with that, I am also pressured to emulate my predecessor, Marc Townsend, who achieved great things in Vietnams real estate industry. When referring to CBRE, people always refer to Townsend as a symbol. When I joined CBRE Vietnam and got the position of managing director, I was often compared to my predecessor. However, after taking the position over three years ago, I have tried my best to let my customers and employees acknowledge my efforts. I chose to focus on teamwork in my development strategy - a strong structure in which everyone supports each other and enables high-level management officers to show off their advantages. For CBRE Vietnam, our staff is the most valuable asset. I always highly appreciated the strength of a team. No matter how good, a person can only do so much, but a whole team of good people will build the great things. I was fortunate to attain a very exciting and enthusiastic senior management team that has been working for CBRE for quite a long time. Together, we continue to look for further opportunities to develop the company and solve the upcoming challenges to make our business more effective. Ly Thi Phuong Trang - General director, Daikin Vietnam It was fortune that led me to study mechanical and electrical refrigeration, but passion that has caused me to stay this long in the industry. When I chose a major to pursue a university degree, my parents wanted me to become a medical student. However, I persuaded them to let me try studying at Hanoi University of Science & Technology (HUST) since I was in love with math and physics. I promised I would pursue their choice if I failed that year. Luckily, I passed and graduated in the field of mechanical and electrical refrigeration after five years. Thanks to my background in this field, I became a sales agent and was later invited to take the position of CEO at Viet Kim Company in 1995, specialising in distributing Daikin air conditioners in Vietnam. In 2008, Viet Kim became a member of Daikin Group. At this time, I was strongly promoting Daikin as a brand for air-conditioners, hoping that people would always associate these two terms. With this ambition in mind, through years of making an effort, in 2013, Daikin became the market leader for air conditioners. In 2015, Daikin Vietnam ranked first with the highest market share for residential products. I think this fruitful outcome mainly comes from my familys support, and is the result of me balancing family and work. A womans role in the Asian mindset always includes preserving and cultivating happiness. I always think that I was quite lucky. First of all, because I am my mothers child. She is a wonderful person and always knows how to keep the fire alive and connect family members. I was greatly influenced by her. Furthermore, I can count myself lucky to have a peaceful family. My husband is my high school classmate and we had been loving each other for 10 years before we got married. We can always share and sympathise with each other. We try not to bring work home. We spend more than a third of the day at work, the rest should be for oneself and the family. Cat Thao Nguyen - Managing director, Global Ready LLC I did many jobs in the past to get by. At the age of 18, I delivered pizza in areas that were so dangerous that no insurance company would insure cars back then. I was the only female in many districts delivering pizza. Then I worked in a factory; taught English to young students; and sold flowers, cookies, and banh mi. For decades after arriving in Australia, my family remained poor because we trusted people who ultimately cheated on us. I lived in an area with gangs and violence, and some of my friends were addicted to heroin. There were many times when I thought I had no future. But my parents believed in the power of education. They taught me that we are luckier than many others. I watched them face hardship with grace and honesty, without complaints. In life, we must face challenges with hard work and integrity. As a CEO, I had to restructure a company and fire about 40 employees. However, after they got their final payments, some of them came back after working hours to volunteer to help me. I learnt that there is no difference between professional and personal life - it is how you live each day. To live a good life is not to have lots of money but to make the society you live in a better one for everyone. In 2015, my heart broke after giving birth to my baby Angie Mai Khiem Tran. She died but I learnt that the purpose of suffering is to deepen compassion. The doctor said that she would have had many disabilities and never live past 12 months. My husband and I wanted to inspire people to do acts of kindness in her name. Hundreds of people around the world joined us, and at her funeral we could share how her short life made a difference to the world. Courage is not just surviving but choosing hope, choosing to dream, and choosing to live responsibly so that others live better because of you. With the help of my husband, family, and friends, I choose courage. It started as a Golden Girls parody puppet show during the Sydney Mardi Gras called Thank You For Being A Friend. It ended in a bitter falling out between friends and a costly Federal Court fight. On Thursday, the court dismissed two lawsuits brought by scriptwriter, director and producer Jonathan Rockefeller, a protege of Baz Luhrmann, against his one-time friend and writing partner Thomas Duncan-Watt and theatre producer Neil Gooding, which made allegations ranging from defamation to misleading and deceptive conduct. The Golden Girls was a critically acclaimed American sitcom in the 80s and 90s, Justice Thawley said. Credit:AP At the heart of the dispute was a Muppets-style musical theatre parody of the US sitcom, described by Federal Court Justice Thomas Thawley as a "critically acclaimed" show centred on the lives of four women "living out their 'golden' years as house-mates in Miami, Florida" that was "well known for its acerbic humour, racy dialogue [and] sexual innuendo". The parody show, titled Thank You For Being A Friend in a nod to the sitcom's popular theme song, debuted at the Comedy Store in Sydney in February 2013 during the Mardi Gras Festival and was co-written by Mr Rockefeller and Mr Duncan-Watt. The bulk of the writing was done by Mr Duncan-Watt, Justice Thawley said. Domestic violence one in five Irish women has been assaulted by a current or former partner Domestic violence is one of the world's biggest problems, lurking in plain sight. In the US, 50 women are killed each month by their partners by guns alone; in the UK, two women are murdered weekly. One in five Irish women has been assaulted by a current or former partner. Traditionally these crimes have been minimalised as family quarrels that are nobody else's business; that affect a minority, people who have made poor life choices. Rachel Louise Snyder is determined to overturn such assumptions in this passionately written, highly intelligent and lucid book. No Visible Bruises arose from her reporting for the New Yorker, where she probed ways to combat crimes that she prefers to describe as "intimate partner terrorism". It won rave reviews when it appeared in the US and was a New York Times and Esquire book of the year. It's not hard to see why. Snyder weaves compelling personal accounts through her deeply researched narrative. She knows that while facts are important, human stories, in all their complexity, are the best data points. She begins by turning a lens on a single family. A young mother, Michelle, was brutally murdered by her husband, Rocky, along with their two children. Snyder follows various threads of the narrative, speaking to Michelle's mother, father, friends and sisters, as well as to Rocky's parents. She traces how their relationship evolved, showing how it had many of the predictors for violence from early on. They got together at a tender age - Rocky was 24, Michelle was just 14 - and were immediately inseparable, enmeshed. Rocky took drugs and became increasingly violent and controlling, stalking Michelle when she tried to take classes. By foregrounding Michelle's story, Snyder pays her a respect she didn't receive when she was alive, and at the same time showcases the human impact of domestic violence. The book's delicate focus on women like Michelle doesn't diminish Snyder's use of statistics. She tells us that 137 women are killed by their partners across the globe each day, 50,000 in 2017 alone; that every minute in the US, 20 people are assaulted by their partners. Between 2000 and 2006 - a period including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - just over 3,000 American soldiers perished, but more than 10,000 Americans died in "domestic homicides". Video of the Day Then there is the meagre response. In 1990s America, pet shelters outnumbered domestic violence shelters by three to one. Although men are also victims of domestic violence, Snyder is not afraid to put her finger on an unspoken part of the picture, which one researcher describes as the elephant in the room. "It is men who are violent," she writes. "School shootings are carried out by young men. Mass murders. Gang warfare, murder-suicides and familicides and matricides and even genocides: all men. Always men." And why? A culture of toxic masculinity that prevents many men from expressing emotion while also suggesting they are superior to women, at the top of the hierarchy. Yet the murderers whom Snyder meets aren't different from the norm; they are often terrifyingly normal - charming and more appealing than their victims (although as she acknowledges, they have often been victims of abuse as children). As a community worker she interviewed put it: "The average batterer is pretty likeable." An expert storyteller, Snyder deploys sophisticated narrative devices, whetting our curiosity by disclosing key facts, then telling us she will come back and explain them later. She also brings herself into the account, which makes it both more personal and - since she's a woman - more self-aware. Snyder is an interesting figure, a university professor who dropped out of high school. She's white and successful, inherently more privileged and protected than many of those she speaks to. When she visits one of her interviewees in prison, she can't help cracking a joke at an unsmiling guard. Afterwards she tries to imagine one of the regular visitors, "the black woman who comes every Sunday, trying to get away with what I'd tried to get away with," and is filled with shame. Domestic violence does not play out in a vacuum but maps onto a host of public health worries, from mass shootings (in the US, abusing or killing one's partner is often a first step towards more widespread violence) to child welfare to homelessness. It's also clear that fixing the culture would benefit both women and men. When Snyder speaks to Michelle's father and father-in-law, each grieving the loss of their child and grandchildren, she observes how hard they try not to cry, and considers, "How unfair it is that we live in a world in which they're made to believe their tears are shameful." No Visible Bruises is much more than a long-form study of a thorny problem; it's literary non-fiction at its best, an authoritative, multi-dimensional work that melds hard-headed reporting with self-reflective analysis. By shedding light on a form of violence that's not only hidden but also ignored, Snyder's book is likely to play a part in making it visible, understood and, perhaps one day, addressed. West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Sunday named four former Lok Sabha members as the partys nominees in the Rajya Sabha elections for five seats in the state. The seats are falling vacant with the end of the tenures of painter Jogen Chowdhury, former bureaucrat-turned-minister Manish Gupta, industrialist K D Singh and newspaper editor Ahmed Hassan Imran, on April 2. Of the four new nominees, former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi, theatre personality Arpita Ghosh and former Congress MP Mausam Noor had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but lost. Announcing the decision on Twitter on Sunday afternoon, Mamata Banerjee wrote, I am glad to announce that @AITCofficial will be nominating Arpita Ghosh, Mausam Noor, Dinesh Trivedi and Subrata Bakshi to the Rajya Sabha. As a part of my constant endeavour towards woman empowerment, I am proud that half of our nominations are women #InternationalWomensDay Based on the strength of the party on the floor of the Assembly, TMCs victory is certain in the four seats. The fifth seat that falls vacant with the end of expelled Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Ritabrata Banerjees tenure is likely to go to the Left and Congress if they support a single candidate. Whether TMC would field a candidate in the fifth seat will be decided later, said a leader of the party. In the 245-seat Rajya Sabha, Upper House of the Parliament, the TMC has 13 members. The elections are scheduled on March 26, along with polls in 50 other seats from across the country and March 13 is the last date of filing nomination. The Left and Congress have agreed on putting up a united candidate in the fifth seat but are yet to reach a consensus over the united candidate. According to a senior CPI (M) leader of the partys state unit who spoke on condition of anonymity, the partys politburo has rejected the state committees proposal of nominating party general secretary Sitaram Yechury for the fifth seat. Yechury had earlier represented Bengal in the Rajya Sabha. High prices, increased competition and a largely unchecked illegal market have taken the bloom off San Franciscos budding cannabis business. Its a mess, said Erich Pearson, a longtime cannabis activist and CEO of SPARC, which operates three cannabis outlets in the city. And no one knows how to fix it. A recent report from the city controller showed total retail sales of medical and recreational cannabis rose steadily each year to $223 million in 2018 thats $100 million more than in 2015. Recreational cannabis became legal in late 2016, while medicinal sales have been permitted since 1996. Total sales have more than doubled in the past five years but, on average, sales at individual stores and dispensaries are falling. According to the controllers report, individual outlet sales dropped 45% from $6.3 million to $3.4 million in 2018 in part because 44 new retailers and delivery services entered the market, creating more competition. You can think of it as the pie getting bigger, but the average slices getting smaller, said Jeff Pomrenke, an analyst in the controllers office who is one of the reports authors. At the same time, the average price of cannabis in San Francisco increased 41% to $19.87 per gram since adult-use recreational cannabis was legalized. The national average is $14 per gram. By contrast, researchers found the average price for a gram in May 2019 in was $15 in San Jose, $16 in San Diego, and $12 Los Angeles. The lowest price on the West Coast was $6 a gram in Portland, Ore. The fixed costs are more expensive here, Pearson said. Pearson said the reasons behind the price disparity include the citys higher rents, higher taxes, higher employee costs, plus the red tape, the bureaucracy and the requirement that retailers provide community benefits all of which cost money. And, if anything, the market is expected to get more crowded as new social equity applications are approved. There were 212 cannabis businesses authorized to operate in the city as of August 2019, 59 operating with medical cannabis dispensary permits and 153 with temporary permits. Add to that the 133 equity retail applications in the pipeline, submitted by people who were unfairly impacted by past marijuana laws. The intent of the program is to help minority owners get in on the cannabis gold rush. Only three have been approved. The fundamental problem is that there was a general assumption that all these businesses were making money hand over fist and that it was time to start spreading out the wealth, Pearson said. It was well-intentioned, when voters passed Proposition 64 to make recreational cannabis legal in 2016, but that really hasnt happened. And then there is the citys famous bureaucracy. The average equity applicant currently in the queue can likely expect to wait 18 to 24 months before being permitted, due to the intensive process of a multi-departmental application review and the current backlog of applications, the report states. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The controllers report suggests that the Board of Supervisors and Mayor London Breed should consider a moratorium on new storefront retail applications and offer incentives for applicants to change pending storefront retail applications to other business activities. The city could likely support 100 retailers, Pearson said. After that, you are setting people up for failure. San Franciscos retail cannabis industry is still in its infancy, but its clearly facing some growing pains, San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman said. Regulatory requirements are tough for small businesses generally, and the additional burdens placed on cannabis businesses are particularly challenging. As policymakers, we clearly need to work with equity applicants, industry stakeholders and the Office of Cannabis to shorten permit approval timelines and address market oversaturation, Mandelman added. Meanwhile, the illegal cannabis market, where the product costs less and the sellers pay no taxes, shows little sign of slowing down. A 2019 audit, conducted by the United Cannabis Business Association, a state industry trade organization, found approximately 2,835 unlicensed dispensaries and delivery services operating in California, compared to 873 licensed sellers. You dont see illicit operators in San Francisco so much, but the further north you go, where cannabis is grown, the illicit market is stronger, Pearson said. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phil Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KGO-TV morning and evening news and can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @philmatier Matthew Baum of Harvard found that people in red states were indeed less likely to get vaccinated and more likely to die of swine flu. In the end, that swine flu outbreak wasnt as lethal as many had feared, but it still killed or contributed to the deaths of as many as 400,000 people worldwide. In the United States, it infected 60 million people, caused 274,000 hospitalizations and killed 12,469 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Theres a slow, brooding quality to T K Sandeeps photographs, videos and his life story too. It was a slow and long journey to where he is today, from a little schoolboy in Kochi who struggled with English to a Malayalam-medium school student in Thalassery where boys used to call me karuppandi (black Tamilian). Stunningly beautiful, with burnished skin, Sandeep was friendless and bruised by the insults, and so turned my concentration to books and studies. I got my first library membership during my fifth standard. Sandeep was even more troubled by what he thought of as a dark secret, his desire for men, particularly older men. I knew I was different and I thought it is really sick to have abnormal feelings for men who are really old and I thought I am the only one suffering from this and I thought it is a secret that I am going to carry to my grave. He turned even further inward, keeping to myself as a way of avoiding people. I was scared if someone got close to me, they would find my secret. While desultorily doing a BBA like any Malayali boy doomed to the mainstream, Sandeep went to visit his school friend who was now studying in the Trivandrum Fine Arts College. His life changed: I used to go and stay in his hostel. That is the first time I came to know there is a course for arts, and photography can be art; my tastes for music and movie changed. The internet allowed him to explore relations with older men who were artists, and his evolution as a photographer and videographer grew from all he learnt from them and from the pain and shards of love and loss. Many of Sandeeps videos and photographs tell these stories in a fragmented and searing bildungsroman made of bits and pieces. These bits and pieces have made him, and he tells these stories both in visual and textual form with a barely audible yet plangent sound, like the depths of the sea to which he is relentlessly drawn. Precisely all the men I have been in love with are artists and I was doing everything to impress them. I couldnt paint; all I was able to do was to take photos, he says disarmingly. Painter and cultural icon Suresh Jayaram of 1, Shanthi Road in Bangalore is whom he credits with his transformation as an artist. My transition to an artist and a professional photographer is thanks to Suresh. Everything started after that. Sexuality is a key part of Sandeeps sensibility. What would my life have been if I wasnt queer? I certainly would not be an artist!But it also taught him empathy. One of his recent projects was a calendar in which he got hijras and transgenders in Kerala to tell him their dream professions, and then he photographed them dressed as those professionals. The work was showcased as part of Gender Bender 2019 in Bangalore; then it travelled to Pune and Delhi for the India Artfair. Owning up the identity of a Queer takes time, courage and inspiration, Sandeep says, but also sometimes I see myself in other people and I think Oh its a similar story. His own work consists of moody video poems and photo poems. I take a lot of selfies. I also make videos. I have been making videos with the love letters I wrote to my lover. Slowly but steadily Sandeep is gaining a foothold in the contemporary Indian art scene.This year, against all odds, he received the INLAKS fine art award instituted by InlaksShivdasani Foundation for 2020. Another email informed him that he is the Recipient of the Robert Bosch grantCrossing Borders for 2021 and he will be continuing his work in Europe with a project entitled We Walk Together under the Rainbow. Sandeep TKs video poem And You Told Me will be screened at the Bangalore Queer Film Festival this weekend. By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 25 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. The Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns and sniper rifles. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding regions. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Marketing. Video games. Cybersecurity. All of these industries have pulled the plug on conferences in the Bay Area recently because of fears of coronavirus infection. That doesnt necessarily mean the events wont happen. While some companies have postponed or canceled conferences altogether, many are shifting to digital-only meetings that stream the events. It is not yet clear how that will work technically and what their value might be, and companies are scrambling to figure that out as the list of Bay Area conferences switching to an online model grows. To name a few, Googles I/O developer conference set for Mountain View in May was called off and the company said it is looking at how it can evolve the event in the coming weeks. Software maker Nvidias GTC GPU Technology conference slated for this month in San Jose will become an online event complete with a keynote address and other talks, but ticket purchases will be refunded. San Francisco software company Okta also canceled its annual event at the Moscone Center and said it will pivot to an online model free of charge, with streaming talks and virtual linkups so attendees and sponsors can interact. There are pluses and minuses to both in-person and web-only events. You could learn certain things online, said Sherrif Karamat, president and CEO of the Professional Convention Management Association. But working in person you can immerse yourself in that learning environment and collaborate more easily, he said. Now Playing: Here is what you need to know about the coronavirus. Video: Manjula Varghese On the other hand, companies can potentially beam their brands further afield with streaming talks and events, he added, noting online events have virtually unlimited capacity. While that may be fine for speeches and presentations, conference sessions focused on learning a skill are more impacted, he said. One way to regain the collaborative experience while dialing down virus exposure risk is to have relatively small gatherings even for people who all live locally connected by technology. Thats an increasing trend, according to Ben Hindman, the co-founder and CEO of Splash, an event marketing software used by conference planners. A lot of companies are focusing on 50-or-fewer-person events, Hindman said. The coronavirus makes it more urgent, but it also predates the current situation. Megaconferences, with tens of thousands of people, have long been necessary but expensive events that increasingly lack intimacy, Hindman said. Over the past 10 years some of these larger conferences have lost some of the intimacy of some of the more regional gatherings, he said. Smaller gatherings on the sidelines of a huge conference are often the best chance for attendees to make new connections and business leads, he said. There are financial questions involved in going digital, however, not least when determining how sponsorship dollars can be repurposed. One company in that situation is Yext, a New York software firm that signed up to sponsor the Adobe Summit in Las Vegas, which had been scheduled to begin in late March, before that event got canceled. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Were working with them to determine how we can bring our sponsorship into digital, said Lindsay McKenna, Yexts vice president of revenue marketing. She said Adobe has also rolled her companys sponsorship to the 2021 event in the hopes it will go off without a hitch. McKenna said that in light of other cancellations, the company is looking at how to create the smaller local events she called an event in a box, by having a curated audience that would come to a room sit down and listen to a talk and be able to network. Small groups would assemble and talk with other groups, with food, drink and other items provided like at a larger conference. Yext most commonly uses digital meeting software from San Joses Zoom for virtual events, but it is exploring other technologies as well as it seeks to optimize the sense of community and networking, McKenna said. As conferences go virtual, the economic pain is severe, with major impacts to hotels, airlines and restaurants, among other services. Contracts inked months ago with venues like the Moscone Center also have to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis, according to Bill Barnes, speaking on behalf of the San Francisco City Administrators Office. Relative to the contracts with Moscone, those contracts are binding, and people will hopefully make good on them, he said, adding, Well work with people. Barnes said it was too early to tell how much revenue had been lost because of conference cancellations and noted that some conferences, like the large annual Game Developers Conference, had only been postponed. He added that some conferences are still planning to put on the same talks and presentations at the Moscone Center and use its crews to set up but have the halls empty of attendees. He added that about 10% of the years 50 conferences had changed their plans because of the virus. Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice This week in Christian history: Tennessee bans evolution, Iconoclasts defeated, UK Christian group formed Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Christianity is a faith with a long and detailed history, with numerous events of lasting significance occurring throughout the ages. Each week brings the anniversaries of great milestones, horrid tragedies, amazing triumphs, telling tribulations, inspirational progress, and everything in between. Here are just a few things that happened this week, March 8-14, in Church history. They include the founding of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, the restoration of icon veneration in Orthodox churches, and Tennessee banning the teaching of evolution. 1 2 3 4 Next She has been on cloud nine since being crowned the winner of The X Factor: Celebrity. And Megan McKenna cut a stylish figure as she departed the Sintallite party at 100 Wardour Street in London with a friend on Saturday. The former TOWIE star, 27, donned a white blazer for the evening which she wore over a black low-cut minidress. Out and about: Megan McKenna, 27, cut a stylish figure as she departed the Sintallite party at 100 Wardour Street in London with a friend on Saturday Megan added height to her frame with a pair of black thigh-high boots while she also carried a matching handbag. Styling her blonde locks into an updo, the Essex native completed her look with a pair of gold hoop earrings. Megan looked in good spirits as she departed the venue after recently returning to the UK from Malibu, California. The reality star revealed that she shared her newly-recorded music with boss Simon last week. Outfit: The former TOWIE star donned a white blazer for the evening which she wore over a black low-cut minidress Posting a snap with the mogul, Megan posed with him at his swanky Malibu home, both looking relaxed and jovial. Clearly now pals, the pair both wore breezy summery ensembles as they laughed by the pool. Megan captioned the snap: 'Meeting and listening session with the big boss @simoncowell Cant explain how excited I am for everyone to hear what weve been working on. #albummode'. This was met with fanfare from her followers - including famous faces such as fellow reality stars Gemma Collins, who wrote: 'You worked so hard for this x'. sTYLE: Megan added height to her frame with a pair of black thigh-high boots while she also carried a matching handbag Jess Wright posted, 'Go Megs!', while David Potts from Ibiza Weekender gushed: 'OMG youre basically JLO. I just cant!!! Congratulations hun you soooooo deserve it!' Megan posted another image shortly after the meeting, captioning it: 'Every little part of my life has lead up to a trip like this... writing every day with incredible people, recording in the hills and meetings in Malibu! 'Ive worked so hard to live in moments like these, and like the lyric says in my song, out of a hundred Nos, you only need one Yes! See you reallll soon LA. #albummode #dreambigdreams' Megan's success comes after it was reported that X Factor reportedly won't return for another series in 2020. Listening session: Megan has been in the US recording new music, which she shared with Simon Cowell last week at his swanky Malibu home, both looking relaxed and jovial Insiders at ITV have revealed that Simon has made the decision to 'rest' the talent series for 12 months, meaning its usual competition won't return to screens until 2021. The X Factor is contracted for one more series, but head boss Simon feels it's the 'right time' to put the show on a one-year break, so future series can benefit. Sources told The Sun: 'Simon wants to really think through the show and how to reinvigorate it for the future. 'Although The X Factor is contracted for one more series, ITV totally understand the rationale behind the idea of resting it this year and want to give Simon and the team the time to do what they feel is right.' Latitude Commercial has secured a trademark for its globe logo. The Schererville-based commercial real estate brokerage that represents properties across Northwest Indiana and the south suburbs of Chicago, federally registered and trademarked the green and white or grey and white globe that's seen on signs on storefronts, offices and many other commercial properties for sale or lease across the Calumet Region. "It didn't take as long as I thought," Latitude Commercial founder and President Aaron McDermott said. "We found a patent attorney and the process probably took around six to nine months. It wasn't lengthy at all." A marketing firm helped create the logo with its spare horizontal lines and the name Latitude Commercial when McDermott founded the company. "We just kind of thought it kind of represented the concept of latitude well," McDermott said. Latitude Commercial, which is relocating its headquarters to Crown Point, will now be responsible for policing its trademark and sending cease-and-desist letters to anyone who infringes on its intellectual property. As everyone whos glanced at anything Guerrilla Girls-related knows, collections across the U.S. are less than welcoming to women and nonbinary artists. A new initiative seeks to change that. One curator says, Its diving into our history and examining who was and wasnt collected. Its taking a critical lens to our own collecting practices. The New York Times CoVID-19 has taken its toll in international travel industry. The virus, which first emerged in Wuhan, has elicited worries all over the globe. Governments have been closing borders with affected countries and subjecting passengers especially from outbreak areas to quarantines. If travelling anytime soon, it is important to monitor your travel destination and protect yourselves by taking precautionary measures like wash hands frequently. (Photo : Pixabay) CoVID-19 has taken its toll in the international travel industry. The virus, which first emerged in Wuhan, has elicited worries all over the globe. Governments have been closing borders with affected countries and subjecting passengers especially from outbreak areas to quarantines. Passengers have been canceling flights, international events have been canceled and tourist destinations are temporarily shut. If traveling anytime soon, one must take these matters into serious consideration: Elderly passengers and those with pre-existing conditions should delay or avoid traveling to areas that are reported to have local transmission of COVID-19. COVID-19 is known to be fatal for people above 65 years old, and to those with an underlying health condition and must avoid countries with the transmission. Every government has imposed its own travel advisories and warning. British Foreign Office, for instance, is advising against travel to mainland China, and South Korea. The US issued a ban on travel or Alert Level 4 advisory for China and Iran. Unnecessary travel to South Korea, and Italy and are also posted. Travelers must also be aware that one may be caught up in quarantine if an outbreak occurs. Should this happen, one may be stuck somewhere for an extended period of time and one must be prepared for it. The availability of quality health care in the area of destination must be considered, Crystal Watson, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said. Several tourist attractions have been shuttered and major events called off. Events such as the Muslim pilgrimage to holy sites in Saudi Arabia, pop group BTS's tour of South Korea and cherry blossom festival has been canceled. Museums in Paris, Japan, and theme parks in Asia such as Universal Studio in Japan are temporarily closed. It is best to check advisories on the status of an event or the vacation destination prior to traveling. Tourists are advised to reconsider cruise journeys to or within Asia, warning that passengers are at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. After the major coronavirus outbreak on Diamond Princess cruise liner that was quarantined off the coast of Japan's in February, many cruise ships have modified or canceled their schedules. Enhanced protocols were issued by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) to its members to prevent coronavirus spread. Individual cruise lines also imposed their own policies and screening procedure for protection against the illness. For airline flights, expect flight plans to be disrupted. There are large numbers of cancellations and no-shows among passengers, even on areas with no outbreaks. Passenger will bear the burden of cancellation fees in the event of flight cancellation. In some instances, travel providers may show a certain degree of flexibility with their customers such as waiving off cancellation fees. Thus, contacting the travel provider is a must. When booking flights, it is advisable to opt for the more "cancel for reason" coverage so as to include cancellations due to fear about the destination which covers this case. Should one need to go ahead with the travel plan, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends washing hands frequently, covering nose and mouth when coughing and avoiding close contact with people showing symptoms. In the absence of handwashing facilities, hand sanitizer may be used. A probe panel set up by the Bauchi government says two immediate past governors of the state allegedly looted N1 trillion while in off... A probe panel set up by the Bauchi government says two immediate past governors of the state allegedly looted N1 trillion while in office. Lawal Ibrahim, a member of the panel, said Isa Yuguda and Mohammed Abubakar, his successor, looted the states treasury alongside their associates. Ibrahim said this while addressing journalists in Bauchi, the state capital, on Saturday, the PUNCH reported. Bala Mohammed, Bauchi governor, had set up the assets and recovery panel to investigate the past administrations shortly after he assumed office. Ibrahim said the panel traced some of the state governments property to Abubakars house, and that the former governors must refund the state all they allegedly looted. As the committee was rounding off its activities, it received a whistleblower tip of items being carted away and transferred outside the state by the family of former Governor Abubakar, he said. The committee visited the house of the former governor at Fadaman Mada and was able to recover only a few items like 105 Pasta making machines, 10 sewing machines, a carton of surgical hand gloves and several office furniture belonging to the Bauchi state government. The committee had earlier recovered four tractors, a luxury bus and a house belonging to the state government which Abubakar sold to himself. The house is located opposite government house adjacent Wikki Hotel. Ibrahim was also quoted as saying not less than 16 plots of land and two properties in Kaduna with certificates of occupancy belonging to the Bauchi government were traced to the two former governors. Rapper Riz Ahmed has said his latest album is his 'breakup' with Brexit Britain after releasing The Long Goodbye on Friday. The actor released a statement saying it represented a split with 'your country' and his record references the Vote Leave slogan 'Take Back Control'. In a song portraying a white woman who doesn't want him anymore, he says: 'I came home one day and she changed the locks/ Said she blamed me for lately now she's feeling lost/ Now she's taking back control and wants me to f*** off.' The performer, who played Bodhi Rook in Star Wars: Rogue One, has also released an 11-minute short film to complement the album. The album (pictured) chronicles what Riz Ahmed calls his breakup from Britain, with one track referencing the Vote Leave slogan 'Take Back Control' The star - also known as Riz MC - said in a statement: 'The record is a breakup album -- but with your country. So many of us feel like we're being dumped by the place we call home, a home that we built. 'This album takes you on the journey of this breakup; through the stages of denial, anger, acceptance, and finally self-love to counter the hate.' His film, directed by Aneil Karia, shows white people watching on as a racist gang executes a British family of South Asian descent in the street. On Instagram on Friday, Ahmed, who is of Pakistani descent, said: 'My country's broken up with me. We had our ups, but now it's broken down. Let me break down the whole f******.' Riz MC (pictured) has released a short film showing white racists executing British Asians in the street while other white people watch on He previously told the BBC That the bleak portrayal of the UK was inspired by the fact that 'hate crime is spiking across the world'. Figures compiled by the Home Office in October last year claimed that there were 103,379 hate crimes committed in 2018. The Government said the record numbers cam after a 10 per cent rise on the year before. The UK voted to leave the EU in June 2016. Douglas Murray, the author of The Strange Death of Europe, said at the time that the rise was due to changes in the way hate crime is recorded. He said that incidents are recorded as hate crimes if the act in question is perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by malice or ill-will towards a social group as opposed to whether or not there is hard evidence. Health authorities confirmed on Sunday that two more people have been diagnosed with coronavirus with both infections contracted in the community and not from Italy or travel from other at-risk areas. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre confirmed on Sunday evening that it has been informed of two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in Ireland. They are: - 1 case of community transmission, a female in the east of the country - 1 case of community transmission, a male in the south of the country, is associated with the Bon Secours Hospital, Cork, and a risk assessment is underway It's been reported that the female on the east of the country is understood to be seriously ill. The male has already been treated for pneumonia. He was admitted to hospital in late February. The cases announced to three the number of community cases which means health authorities do not know the source of infection. There are now 21 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. More than 1,000 people have been tested. The HSE said on Sunday that is now working rapidly to identify any contacts the patients may have had, to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread. However, its chief executive did not dispute figures published by the Business Post which estimated that 1.9 million could become infected. "This is unprecedented," its Chief Executive Paul Reid told RTE. There are also 177 hospital staff in self-isolation who work at hospitals in Cork and Limerick. Health authorities in Ireland are expected to publish figures this week which will estimate the scale of the outbreak in the Republic. On Sunday, the Department of Foreign Affairs advised that no non-essential trips be made to parts of Italy. This followed the announcement in Italy that an area occupied by 16 million people would be quarantined to stem the flood of cases there. Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health, said: Ireland remains in containment phase with 21 cases to date, three of which are associated with community transmission. Most people who become infected with Covid-19 experience a mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for some. Every individual needs to be aware of how to protect their own health and the health of others. The most important way they can do this is by following public health advice,". Dr Holohan said central to this are the protective measures as follows: - washing your hands regularly with soap and water. - maintaining at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing/sneezing. - avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. - practice cough and sneeze hygiene - covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough/sneeze and dispose of the tissue immediately. -stay informed: keep up to date on latest Covid-19 information from the HSE. It can take up to 14 days for symptoms of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) to show. Symptoms may include: a cough shortness of breath breathing difficulties fever (high temperature) Ratification Kit - Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (English) The Ratification Kit was designed to assist interested States wishing to consider becoming ratify or accede to the Firearms Protocol, UNODC-GFP created a Ratification Kit to explain and facilitate the process of ratification of the Protocol. The purpose of the Kit is to explain and facilitate the process of ratification of the Protocol. This document provides an explanatory note on the main requirements and notification of obligations under the Protocol as well as alternative template formats of the ratification and deposit of the instruments. Model Law Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, 2011 (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish) The Model Law Against Illiict Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition was developed in 2010 by UNODC in response to the request of the General Assembly to the Secretary-General to assist State Parties in strengthen their domestic legal framework in a manner consistent with the international legal regime on firearms. The Model Law represents a concrete help for policy and lawmakers to translate the treaty language of the Firearms Protocol into domestic legal provisions and help them in strengthening their legislative regimes on firearms in a manner consistent with the Firearms Protocol. Legislative Guide for the Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols Thereto. (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish) The purpose of this guide is to promote and assist States in their efforts to ratify and implement the Protocol. The Guide facilitates the understanding of the provisions that are mandatory, optional or only to some degree compulsory under the Convention and its Protocols thereto, and the elements of those provisions which are particularly essential to ratification and implementation efforts, and provides detailed and specialized advice on how to interpret. A dedicated part of the Guide is deserved for the Firearms Protocol. Technical Guide to implement the Protocol Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition. (English) Comparative Analysis of Global Instruments on firearms and other Conventional Arms: Synergies for Implementation (English, French) This Paper reviews and analyses the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), approved on 2 April 2013; the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition (Firearms Protocol); the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (PoA), of 2001; and the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (International Tracing Instrument or ITI) of 2005 to identify synergies and complementarities between them, and to assist States parties to these instruments, or those considering accession to them, in implementing the relevant provisions at the national level. Guiding Templates for Firearms-related Investigations (English, French, Spanish) The Guiding Templates aim at facilitating the process of generating and collecting data on seized firearms and their criminal context throughout the criminal justice chain. The collected information through these templates, moreover, helps the States to generate and record all the requested under the UN Illicit Arms Flows Questionnaire (IAFQ), which is the methodology developed by UNODC to monitor illicit firearms trafficking flows, to identify firearms trafficking trends and patterns at global level, as well as to collect data requested under SDG indicator 16.4.2. WASHINGTON (AP) The National Symphony Orchestra canceled the five remaining performances in Japan of its Asian tour because of a new virus epidemic. The orchestra originally was to play eight concerts in its first international tour with music director Gianandrea Noseda. On Feb. 4, the NSO called off shows in Beijing on March 13 and 14 and one in Shanghai on March 17. In an announcement Thursday night, the orchestra scrapped performances from March 6-11 in Fukui, Sakai, Hiroshima and Tokyo. It cited a recommendation from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that major cultural events be canceled for the next two weeks. "After multiple consultations with officials at U.S. government agencies and recommendations from the Japanese government, it became clear that these evolving circumstances are beyond our control," NSO executive director Gary Ginstling said in a statement. The NSO is based at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and hopes fill the void in its schedule with orchestra and chamber music in the Washington area. The Boston Symphony Orchestra canceled an Asian tour from Feb. 6-16 that had included performances in Seoul, South Korea; Taipei, Taiwan; Shanghai and Hong Kong. The COVID-19 illness caused by a new type of coronavirus has sickened tens of thousands of people, most of them in China. Japan and South Korea also have been hard hit among Asian countries. A portion of the newly renovated Mount Greylock Regional School sustained significant water damage after a joint on a water main pipe failed on Friday. Pipe Failure Causes 'Significant Flooding' in Mount Greylock School Crews work on cleaning up water in the hallway of Mount Greylock Regional School on Friday after a joint failure on a water main pipe failed on Friday. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. A portion of the newly renovated Mount Greylock Regional School sustained significant water damage after a joint on a water main pipe failed on Friday, Superintendent Kimberley Grady said in an email to the school community on Saturday evening. Offices in the Guidance Suite sustained water damage when the water main pipe joint failed on Friday, causing flooding. A "T-joint" failed in the wall between the Guidance Suite and first-floor bathrooms located near the gymnasium, causing the water to flow upward and shower through the ceiling tiles into the Guidance Suite and bathrooms. According to the email, the water was quickly turned off, but "significant flooding" did occur in the Guidance Suite, bathroom and hallway leading to the gym. In the Guidance Suite, all offices have some water damage; Grady said some records got wet but nothing that can't be replaced. Grady said in her email that contractors spent Saturday drying out the spaces and preparing them for restoration. Initial estimates are for the Guidance Suite to take between six and eight weeks to restore. The bathroom should be restored much more quickly, as there was less damage, Grady said. The hallway is being evaluated for water damage. As of 8 p.m. Saturday, Grady said, staff has laid out all wet items to start the drying process, met with the insurance company, contacted the flooring company and developed a plan to relocate guidance staff as well as safely dry and store confidential student files during the restoration process. The electrical work has been inspected, she said. There will be some disruption to staff and students, she said: The guidance staff is being relocated to the library, so classes that were taught in the library will have to be moved to other classrooms in the academic wing for the duration of the restoration. Grady said in the email that In conjunction with the school's insurance company, a root cause analysis is being done to find out why the T-joint failed. An insurance adjuster has been in and has asked that school bring in an engineer to look at the pipes on Monday. This is not the first pipe leak the school has experienced, she said, there was one in the art room in October or November and in the stained glass room just two weeks ago. Mubarak Mahgoub Musa 08.03.2020 LISTEN Perhaps both the most telling and strongest statement made by Sudans Prime Minister in his joint press conference, with the visiting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Khartoum on the 27th of February 2020, was that Sudan as rich country, with unlimited untapped resources, wouldnt actually need grants or charity, but rather needs instead to build effective win-win economic and trade partnerships with all friendly countries. Indeed, Sudan only needs to be redeemed of external fetters and restrictions that have been for long, curbing and putting down its ability to fully exploiting its potential as an awaited world food basket. The deepening grip of economic crisis, might partly explain the motivation behind, the rising albeit muffled roars of dissatisfaction and even betrayal, amidst relatively a large proportions of the Sudanese people toward the American Administration. A natural corollary to Washingtons hitherto lukewarm and at times elusive positions, with regard to the situation in Sudan, ever since the toppling and ousting of Omar Al-Bashir's regime. Washington's lions share in the said public discontent and criticism is mainly due to the perceived dichotomy between US as a symbol of freedom and democracy, and what increasingly looks like a systematic policy of mobile agenda that continue - without restraint - to increasingly shape its policy toward the Sudan, in complete disregard for the sacrifices made by the Sudanese people, yearning for freedom and democracy. Paradoxically, the relatively long-awaited bilateral normalization in the post Al-Bashir era in Sudan, simply turned into peeling away of onions; borrowing the same analogy that was recently used by Tibor Nagay the U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs in Khartoum , describing the uphill task of Sudan's to achieve the desired normalization with Washington; stalemate spawns yet another stalemate, shattering sine die, Sudanese people's legitimate dream of escaping once and for all, the stigma of terrorism in one hand, and joining on the other hand, the ranks of modern democratic states that participate in the development o f of universal civilization. Perhaps another important area of betrayal and ingratitude, is the unwarranted disregard for the great roles Sudan has been playing, in addressing issues of illegal migration and human trafficking in its regional and national setting, together with hosting for decades, millions of refugees from neighboring countries, in an inherent generosity that stems from the people's cultural heritage, sharing with them its meager resources in adversities and most difficult times, devoid of any arrogance or injury. In fact, one of the major manifestations of the current economic crisis today, stems from the fact that Sudanese subsidized goods, like flour, gas and fuel, continue to find their way, sneaking over the vast borders, to end up in local markets in many neighboring countries. Sudan has been destined for a quite long time, to feed its neighbors even during crisis and hard times. Therefore, the world must always be concerned on odds of Sudans decline to the precipice of failure and collapse. Eminent dignitaries like Antonio Guterres, United Nations secretary-general was earlier in pinpointing the importance of lifting Sudan out of the morass of the food, fuel, financial and economic crises and bringing Sudan back to the path of development. To that effect, lets recall here that the Secretary General, at a press conference on the sidelines of the 74th session of the General Assembly in New York, urged on Washington, to quickly end both sanctions and the designation of Sudan as a country that supports terrorism, warning at the same time, that any disregard for the transformation in the Sudan, jeopardizes the made gains in democracy, human rights, and political solutions in the Sudan. Heading in the same direction, a reputable journal of opinion like Foreign Policy magazine, in its December 2019s edition, warned that the US designation of Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism continues to unnecessarily place an enormous economic and political burden on a government that works to lead Sudan to democracy. The global magazine havent forgotten to call to mind that the Government of Sudan has - paradoxically enough - continued to pursue counter-terrorism operations alongside regional partners, including operations, to counter threats targeting the interests of the United States and American personnel in Sudan. Correspondingly Sudan should by no means fit into the category . On the other hand, concurrently with severe economic crisis, Sudan is currently passing through ( the acute shortage of basic commodities, especially bread and fuel) reactions have varied in Khartoum press, vis-a-vis the very timing, feasibility and usefulness of the letter of confirmation, received couple of days ago, by the Sudans Central Bank, from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury, confirming the end of all forms of economic sanctions on Sudan which was issued by the former Obama's administration in 2017. Many economic analysts come to almost similar conclusion; the said letter merely serves in stating what is obvious and only something on paper. Taking into account that Sudan's economic crisis is caused - in the first place- by unjustifiable presence of the Sudan in the American SST. Of course, it should not be the only reason; however, the notorious SST remains the mother of all evils in Sudans current economic predicaments; causing international and regional financial institutions and foreign investors alike, to fear and panic dealing with Sudan. The systematic reluctance and panic in dealing financially with Sudan can better be understood within the context, of the record fine of almost $9 billion on BNP Paribas in 2014, for simply violating U.S. sanctions against Sudan and other two countries. Arguably the exaggerated punishment was meant to send - per se - a clear and indelible message to other financial institutions around the world. Correspondingly, lip services and isolated statements here and there, by American officials, are not sufficient enough to dispel such outstanding fears; Washington needs to go extra mile, if it is truly earnest in this regard. Interestingly, and since tree is known by its fruit, Washington could easily pass a simple litmus test of credibility; Explicitly instruct local banks in the United States, to help and enable thousands of American Sudanese citizens, currently living in the United States, who hitherto continue to find it extremely difficult if not impossible, to transfer their personal remittances for the benefit of their respective families and loved-ones in Sudan. Doesnt charity starts at home? It should have been more appropriate, for the American banks, to pick up the gauntlet and abide by the respective (OFAC) laws and regulations, before expecting foreign bands to follow suit? Contrary to the serious attempts made by several U.S. senior officials in recent months, many of their European counterparts, who commented on the situations in the Sudan, came to see eye to eye with the Sudan; in cherishing no confusion of what so ever, vis-a-vis, the direct relationship between, the chances of Sudan's re-integration into the world banking system on one hand and its designation in the SST on the other. Several European dignitaries in countries closely allied to the US, including France, Germany and Italy, have added their respective voice, in calling upon Washington - in different occasions- to remove Sudan off the SST list, at the very least to ensure the success of the transitional period in the Sudan. The Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Emanuel C. Del Re, for instance stressed in Khartoum last Tuesday, the importance of this step - more than any before -in enabling Sudan to normalize its relations with the international financial institutions and reintegrating into the international system. She further indicated Italys readiness lead a special campaign to accelerate the delisting and lifting the US sanctions. On his part, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in his historic two-day visit to Sudan last week, indicated his countrys commitment to work with Friends of Sudan Group "to remove barriers to cooperation with international financial institutions and remove Sudan from the sanctions lists that continue to prevent German companies from cooperating with it" President Frank-Walter Steinmeier likewise, urged the international community to enable Sudan to gain access to the international financial institutions, reminding the worlds conscience that the officials leading the transitional government today - to say the least- are not responsible for the problems caused by the previous regime. Likewise, in an extension of such supportive positions, the regular meeting the African Unions Peace and Security Council (PSC) held on 30 January has noted with concern that the continuation of listing of Sudan by the U.S. of Sudan as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, continues to negatively affect the political, economic and security transition of Sudan. Only yesterday, the African Union announced, through its chief commissioner, Mr. Musa Faki, the launching of a campaign at all levels, especially with donors and friendly countries, to remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Such statements were very timely, in reinforcing similar convictions made by Sudanese officials in different occasions; in September 2019, shortly after taking office, as prime minister, and during a joint press conference with the visiting German Foreign Minister Heikou Maas, Dr. Hamdok indicated that all efforts to muster Sudans latent energies to increase production and create a suitable environment for investment and investors , were regretfully destined to collide with a solid rock of the SST and its associated sanctions. By the same token, couple of days ago, Sudan's Transitional sovereignty Councils member Dr. Siddiq Taur, in a meeting with political parties in south Kordofan, expressly confirmed that the main obstacle in the current economic crisis, is caused by the US attitude, in a reference to Sudan's continuous presence in the US infamous list, albeit sacrifices and all positive transformation. Every cloud has a silver lining; the ongoing exchanged of high level visits, between Sudan and some important Western capitals in the aftermath of December revolution, have started to bring about some tangible results and opened up inter alia new horizons for the Sudanese economy. EU has already announced a package of assistances to Sudan, focusing primarily on support to economic reforms, economic opportunities for youth and women, and the peace process and democratic governance. Perhaps most importantly among which, is granting Sudan the opportunity to take the full advantage of the system of trade preferences offered by the European Union to developing and less-developed countries, in what is known as the Initiative of Everything Except Arms whereby Sudanese products and exports to European markets would enter with zero tariffs and free quotas. . Similarly, in Germanys ongoing efforts to open up with Sudan, and in anticipation of the first visit of Sudans Prime Minister Dr, Hamdok and his subsequent meeting with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel last February, the German parliament initiated a courageous and historic steps to lift the ban and sanctions placed on Sudan since 1989, and to resume development, technical, political and financial cooperation between the two countries. Post Al-Bashirs Sudan has been heavily counting on reaping the immediate benefits of the normalization with Washington, to break its foreign isolation and ease its recurring stifling economic crisis. At the end of the day, they say hope is a renewable option: if you run out of it at the end of the day, you get to start over in the morning. Such hope could also be enhanced by news arising today, that the Foreign Affairs Committee in the American Congress, has presented a new law on Sudan, in which it requested the American administration to submit a new strategy, in support of the civilian led transitional government. To that effect and at the backdrop of the official invitation rendered to the Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdul Fattah Al-Burhan to Washington shortly, let us keep our hands crossed, that the forthcoming visit comes out with yet more concrete understanding. which paves the way for Sudan out of the recurring economic and political bottleneck. Sudanese people deserve better in life. The company signed its first such five-year furniture-leasing deal last week with Kildare Chamber as part of a refurbishment of a startup innovation hub. Photo: Getty An Irish office furniture supplier has launched a new 'personal contract plan-style' product aimed at smaller companies which are under pressure to kit out their offices to the same high-spec as multinationals. Eoin Gannon, of Kildare-based Gannon Office Solutions, said employers were feeling pressure in a tight labour market because younger workers expected the very high standard of office fit-out used by tech companies such as Google and Facebook. Personal contract plans (PCP) for cars have sometimes proved controversial, but Gannon said they had increased access to new better cars for many. The equivalent business contract plan established by the firm, which allowed for monthly payments and flexible ownership options at the end of a set period, could allow SMEs set up "their office of the future", he said. The company signed its first such five-year furniture-leasing deal last week with Kildare Chamber as part of a refurbishment of a startup innovation hub. Overall, the Irish office furniture market is expected to be worth over 1bn in 2020, said Gannon. They hope to secure Baghdads permission to place Patriot batteries in Iraq, but those systems have limited range and will provide incomplete protection. U.S. facilities in the country have been targeted in repeated rocket or mortar attacks since the Dec. 27 strike that killed a U.S. contractor and kicked off the dramatic events of the past two months. U.S. officials say more American bloodshed is a virtual certainty. IranAir, the state-owned civilian airliner, has announced that all its flights to and from Europe have been suspended until further notice. The company announced Sunday, March 8, that the reason for the suspension is restrictions imposed by Europe for unknown reasons. Iran has the second largest coronavirus epidemic outside China, and it has been identified as the source of spreading the virus to more than a dozen countries around the world. According to official figures announced a day earlier, close to 6,000 cases have been confirmed and around 150 people have died. However, critics say the governments response to the health crisis has been haphazard, failing to establish quarantines and hospitals in some cities are overflowing, with supplies running low. IranAir did not say if the restrictions imposed came from the European Union authorities or some member countries. Earlier, Sweden had suspended flights from Iran as a coronavirus preventive measure. The country has a large Iranian immigrant community. Austria also announced the suspension of all direct flights from Iran this week to prevent people infected with coronavirus from entering the country. All of Irans immediate neighbors have either completely closed their borders to land travel from Iran or imposed restrictions. POJOAQUE PUEBLO It was worth the wait for Teresa Leger Fernandez and Laura Montoya, the two candidates who assured themselves a spot on the ballot in Junes Democratic primary in the 3rd Congressional District after Saturdays state Pre-Primary Convention in Pojoaque. About two hours after state party chairwoman Marg Elliston announced results were almost ready later saying that ballots were being counted and recounted what was still described as preliminary results were read. But they left no doubt that Leger Fernandez was the overwhelming favorite of the 425 delegates casting votes in a field of seven candidates. The Santa Fe attorney originally from Las Vegas, N.M. won 178 votes, or 41.9%. How huge is this? said Leger Fernandez, who tipped off the results by dancing in the aisles of the Tewa Ballroom at Buffalo Thunder Casino and Resort about 20 minutes before the results were read. When you have this big a margin, it shows you have a lot of enthusiasm behind you. Along with the win, Leger Fernandez earned the top spot on the ballot in the June 2 primary election. Earlier, in her speech to a crowd that included 1,200 total delegates, Leger Fernandez, 60, said she was someone who reflected New Mexico. She said she grew up with it and knew its beauty, poverty, obstacles and promise. Our diversity is what makes us strong, she said. Montoya, the Sandoval County treasurer, got the support from that part of the district, which covers the northern half of the state. She received 87 votes, just two votes more than she needed to meet the 20% threshold to guarantee her name is on the primary ballot. This is the perfect example that every vote counts, she reminded the crowd. Candidates who failed to win 20% of the delegate vote can still get their name on the ballot in June but are required to submit a larger number of voter petition signatures within the next 10 days. No one else came nearly as close. First Judicial District Attorney Marco Serna of Santa Fe was next, garnering 13.4% of the vote, followed closely by state Rep. Joseph Sanchez of Alcalde, who got 12.23%. Former CIA operative Valerie Plame, whose campaign was winning the money race through 2019 with more than $1.1 million raised and national name recognition that made her one of the favorites, finished fifth, getting 22 votes, or 5.2%. Former Obama Administration and state government official John Blair of Santa Fe received 19 votes, and environmental attorney Kyle Tisdel got 10 votes. New Mexico Democrats are hoping to keep the state blue through the elections in November. The party holds both Senate seats and all three House districts in Washington, D.C. It also dominates at the state level, with Democrats holding every position in the executive branch of state government. Wearing a deep blue skirt and jacket, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham set the tone for the event as the opening speaker. She highlighted her own first year in office, noting increases in state spending for education, salaries for teachers and early childhood education. She talked about raising the minimum wage, diversifying the economy and job growth. Thats what Democrats do. We deliver, she said. She also criticized President Trump, who she called the worst President in the history of the United States. He is unfit, unfair, and he must go, she said. All three of New Mexicos representatives in Congress Deb Haaland of the 1st Congressional District, Xochitl Torres Small of the 2nd Congressional District, and Ben Ray Lujan also gave short speeches and stressed the importance of keeping New Mexico blue. Lujan is vacating his 3rd Congressional District position to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Tom Udall, who is retiring. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 06:14:09|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close French Health Minister Olivier Veran (front) leaves after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, March 8, 2020. France, where more than 1,000 positive cases of coronavirus have been detected, would put a temporary ban on public gatherings of more than 1,000 people to contain the outbreak, Health Minister Olivier Veran announced on Sunday. (Jack Chan/Handout via Xinhua) PARIS, March 8 (Xinhua) -- France, where more than 1,000 positive cases of coronavirus have been detected, would put a temporary ban on public gatherings of more than 1,000 people to contain the outbreak, Health Minister Olivier Veran announced on Sunday. All the events expected to draw 1,000 people are now banned across France except those considered "useful for national life", Veran said after a meeting at the Elysee Palace on the disease. The French government had previously banned all gatherings of 5,000 people in confined spaces as well as certain events in an open environment across the country. In another measure to help contain the virus, Veran pledged to "simplify patient access to teleconsultation" by signing on Monday a decree facilitating the use of telemedicine. The minister reiterated the necessity to respect barrier gestures, including frequent hand washing, use of single-use tissues, to cough or sneeze into the elbow and avoid handshakes and hugs. He also recommended to limit visits to elderly people, who are most vulnerable to a coronavirus infection. "We have a logic for all the measures that we have taken and which include slowing down the entry of the virus into the territories where it is absent, and curbing it" where it is spreading, Veran said. "France has anticipated and adapted its responses by taking progressive measures adapted to each territory to guarantee a proportionate response to this crisis," he added. Local authorities of heavily affected regions, notably northern department of L'Oise and Haut-Rhin in eastern France, have ordered the closure of all educational institutions for 15 days starting from next Monday, in addition to public gatherings including markets and Sunday Mass to limit the virus spread. According to Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer, 155,000 students are involved in l'Oise and 127,000 in Haut-Rhin, all of whom will be able to follow "class at home". In Corsica, the French Mediterranean island, the authorities ordered the closure of all the schools and banned the gatherings of more than 50 people in Ajaccio where 23 people tested positive for the COVID-19. The country, the first in Europe to diagnose people with the disease, remains at stage 2 of its epidemic plan, which means "our priority is to do everything to slow the spread of the virus," according to the minister. Early Sunday, the Heath Ministry confirmed that the novel coronavirus claimed 19 fatalities, a rise of 3 in one day, while infection cases climbed to 1,126, up by 177. Advertisement Italian attractions usually brimming with tourists have been deserted in recent days amid fears of the spread of the deadly coronavirus. Today, the Italian government rolled out a harsh coronavirus containment strategy after the number of deaths spiked by 36 in a single day. The number of tourists pictured at some of the country's most popular destinations has dwindled as the tally of deaths has risen. The spike in deaths lifts the number of fatalities to 233 - the highest death rate outside of China, prompting the government to draft in retired doctors to battle the crisis. Italy has seen the biggest coronavirus outbreak in Europe with 233 deaths and more than 5,883 cases and the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has now put 16 million citizens in the north of the country under a coronavirus lockdown as Democratic party leader Nicola Zingaretti revealed he has also caught the bug. Slide me The Colosseum in Rome is pictured before and after the deadly coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed the lives of 233 in Italy so far The Porta Garibaldi city gates - usually popular with tourists - were left deserted after the government imposed a lockdown on the region to take effect next month Milan's iconic Duomo square is virtually deserted after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte put the city - that is in Italy's Lombardy region - on lockdown A man wearing a face mask in Milan, where streets have been left virtually empty after the Prime Minister issued a decree for mass lock downs in the north that will take effect on April 3 One couple were pictured kissing in Milano Centrale railway station in Milan after Prime Minister Conte signed a decree saying the area would be quarantined The new set of national emergency measures is due to be released tonight, which will ban entry to, and exit from, the entire Lombardy region around Milan to limit the spread of the coronavirus as well as areas around and including Venice and the northern cities of Parma and Rimini. A draft of the government resolution obtained by Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper and other media said movement into and out of the regions would be severely restricted until April 3. Milan is the Italian financial capital and has a population of just under 1.4 million people. The entire Lombardy region is home to 10 million. The government decree also covers parts of the Veneto region around Venice as well as Emilia-Romagna's Parma and Rimini. Those three cities have a combine population of around 540,000 people. It was not immediately clear from either the decree or the media reports as to when the measure would go into effect. The decree, a draft of which was published by La Repubblica this afternoon, will also close shopping centres during the weekend and gyms, swimming pools, museums and ski resorts, among others, all week round. Civil and religious ceremonies, including funerals, are suspended and schools in the 11 provinces will be shuttered until at least the 3 April. Few tourists walk along the Spanish Steps, in Rome, Thursday. Italy's virus outbreak has been concentrated in the northern region of Lombardy, but fears over how the virus is spreading inside and outside the country has prompted the government to close all schools and Universities nationwide for two weeks Slide me The Baroque Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy are all but abandoned after the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus, which has infected 5,883 in the country The decision to bring in 20,000 additional staff to fight the escalating epidemic was one of several measures adopted by the government during an all-night cabinet meeting after the country reported 49 more deaths in one day. Italy has recorded the most deaths of any country outside China and the third-most COVID-19 infections after China and South Korea. Official figures showed the number of people receiving intensive care in hospitals jumped to 567 from 462 on Friday. The Italian government has been watching closely to see if cases are spreading from the richer north to the poorer south, which has fewer medical resources. It comes as the WHO told all countries to make containment 'their highest priority' as the global death toll reaches 3,000 with more than 100,000 confirmed cases. The WHO called the spread of the coronavirus 'deeply concerning'. The new set of national emergency measures is due to be released tonight, which will ban entry to, and exit from, the entire Lombardy region around Milan to limit the spread of the coronavirus as well as areas around and including Venice and the northern cities of Parma and Rimini. Pictured: The empty Spanish steps in Rome Slide me St Peter's Square is pictured both before and after the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus, which has killed most people in Italy, outside of China A woman wears a protective face mask at Milan's Porta Garibaldi railway station today, after it was announced that the area would be under quarantine A man walks past a historical landmark in Milan after the Italian government imposed a virtual lockdown on the north of the country The Italian government said its medical recruitment drive should help double the staff of hospitals' respiratory and infectious disease departments. It should also increase the number of intensive care beds from 5,000 to 7,500 in the coming days. The southeastern region of Puglia around the city of Bari recorded its second death on Saturday. Italy's civil protection service also revealed that the northern Lombardy region around Milan that has seen well over half of all infections had started 'experiencing difficulties with the (number of) beds available in hospitals'. 'We have beds available in other regions to help Lombardy,' civil protection service chief Angelo Berrelli told reporters. Similar methods are being adopted in China where veteran Dr Dong Jie - who helped combat the SARS outbreak in 2003 - has been drafted back in to help deal with coronavirus. More than 60 people are believed to have caught coronavirus after attending a funeral in northern Spain. A new case of coronavirus has been identified in Ireland, bringing the total number of people diagnosed to 19. A map shows the spread of the red zones since 27 February A man wearing a protective mask passes by the Coliseum in Rome today amid fears of the Covid-19 epidemic Italy is recruiting retired doctors in a bid to battle the spread of deadly coronavirus as the World Health Organisation warned all countries to make containment their 'highest priority'. Pictured: A woman wearing a mask poses for photos at the bottom of the Spanish Steps in Rome Italy has seen the biggest coronavirus outbreak in Europe with 197 deaths and more than 4,600 cases. Pictured: A tourist wearing a face mask takes pictures inside the Duomo cathedral in Milan The Department of Health confirmed on Saturday that a male, in the east of the country, had travelled from northern Italy. The HSE said it is working rapidly to identify any contacts the patient may have had. Today, another passenger on the Diamond Princess cruise ship has died, bringing ship's death toll to seven. The passenger, a non-Japanese male, died on Friday. A general view during the Serie B match between Empoli FC and Trapani at Stadio Carlo Castellani today in Empoli, Italy Tourists visit the Colosseum, in Rome, today. People in hard-hit Lombardy, and 11 other affected regions, are being asked not to enter or leave, and to avoid moving around the areas except for essential working needs and emergencies An iconic balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet, virtually deserted as Italy battles a coronavirus outbreak, in Verona, Italy today Health chiefs have confirmed they are looking at 'one isolated event' as the source of the outbreak that has potentially infected about 60 people from Alava and La Rioja, according to the results of tests carried out at the National Centre for Microbiology. The death toll in France has now reached 11 with 716 cases confirmed. One of the two fatalities was confirmed in the northern part of France, the other in Normandy, the health ministry said in a statement. Egypt confirmed 33 new cases of coronavirus on a cruise ship on the River Nile that officials said the previous day had been struck by the virus. None of the cases were showing symptoms of the illness, Health Minister Hala Zayed told reporters. The Vatican is also unrolling unprecedented health precautions designed to keep the tiny city state's 450 mostly elderly residents safe. Pictured: A man wearing a mask in St Peter's Square at the Vatican There are now 102,000 coronavirus cases and more than 3,480 deaths across the world, according to a tally of government announcements. Most cases and deaths have been in China but numbers are mounting outside its borders. Italy has reported the second highest number of fatalities at 197, followed by Iran at 124, then South Korea at 42. Around 90 countries outside China have reported infections, with Colombia, Costa Rica, Cambodia, Malta and Paraguay reporting first cases in the past 24 hours The virus has returned to Vietnam, which reported its first new coronavirus case in three weeks as a woman who had returned from a trip to Europe during which she visited London, Milan and Paris. Nguyen Hong Nhung, 26, was admitted to a hospital in the Vietnamese capital on Thursday suffering from a fever. Greece said today it had recorded 21 new cases, bringing the total in the country to 66. Most of the cases were individuals in a travelling party that had gone on a pilgrimage to Israel and Egypt, the health ministry said in an announcement. The group returned to Greece on Feb. 27. One of the travellers, a 66-year-old man, was in intensive care in the city of Patras in the western Peloponnese. A row has erupted there between doctors and the influential Church of Greece over whether to restrict Holy Communion amid a rising number of coronavirus cases. In Italy one of the big impacts has been loses of billions among the nation's hotels, restaurants and popular tourist sites. The federation of hospital doctors this week stressed that no exception 'for religious, sacramental or metaphysical reasons' should be made to state health warnings to please the Church. Greece has so far confirmed 45 coronavirus cases, most of them among a group of pilgrims that travelled to Israel and Egypt last month. But in the run-up to Orthodox Easter in April that traditionally sees a high turnout, the church is holding its ground. 'It's not possible to shut down churches, or to not give out Holy Communion,' bishop Chrysostomos of Patras, one of the areas with the most virus cases, said this week. 'Whoever believes that holy communion is life has nothing to fear, it's a matter of faith. 'Across the centuries, there is no case of sickness spreading through Holy Communion,' he told Open TV. In Romania, the Orthodox Church has allowed worshippers to bring their own spoon to communion and to kiss icons in their own homes. The accelerating spread of coronavirus emptied Italian train stations and airports while turning parts of Rome into a ghost town. Many of the city's outdoor restaurants and cafes were either closed on Friday night or had free tables. The expansive street that runs from Rome's Colosseum along the Forum was deserted and the magnificent ruins weren't swarmed by tourists. The sharp drop in visitor numbers is wreaking havoc with the Italian tourism industry and contributing to fears that the anaemic economy is about to tip back into recession. They close Carrick-a-Rede rope Bridge when the wind reaches 35 miles per hour. It's at a mere 20 miles per hour when we get to it so off we wobble, taking turns to pose for the obligatory photo. The rough seas around us make the already spectacular views all the more dramatic. The rope bridge is the only attraction on this sightseeing friendly North Antrim coast that is weather dependent, and as we have seen, it takes more than a breeze to shut it down. Thanks in part to Game of Thrones, some of which was filmed in the area, tourism in North Antrim has increased dramatically in the last decade. Locations get busy so there is a lot to be said for weather proofing and making the trip out of season. The clifftop walk from the car park to Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge is lovely in itself, the bridge access times are staggered to avoid queuing in peak times and it is best to book online before you get there (Adults 9, children 4.50 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/carrick-a-rede). Crossing the bridge doesn't take long, there are steep enough steps down to it and although you register the churning sea on either side, and below, only the very height-phobic would find it disturbing. Expand Close The clifftop walk to the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge is a sight in itself / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The clifftop walk to the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge is a sight in itself There's a cafe and gift shop - The Weighbridge - right in the car park should you need sustenance or shopping afterwards. The cafe gets its name from the disused quarry on the other side of the bay from the rope bridge. Larrybane was the setting for a GOT duel scene but the walk along the base of the cliffs and the islands nearby, Sheep Island and Rathlin, are nature lovers' paradises in terms of bird watching, plant life and geological idiosyncrasies. On the 18-minute drive west towards the area's most famous destination, it is nice to take the little detour into Ballintoy Harbour, a gorgeous surprise at the end of a short windy road. It's just particularly pretty and well worth investigating before heading on to the Giant's Causeway. Like Carrick-a-Rede, it is managed by the National Trust, Northern Ireland's largest conservation charity. It does remarkable work with no government funding and is currently engaged in a rather unique study to work out how to best manage tourism to minimise impact on the landscape. The Giant's Causeway is Northern Ireland's only UNESCO World Heritage Site and was visited by more than one million people in 2019. Its 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns stretch out into the sea and look like a prehistoric pavement. The mythology that named it is that local giant Fionn Mac Cumhaill laid down the causeway to get to Scotland to meet his great rival Benandonner. But spying the Scot and realising he was too big to beat, Fionn ran home, losing his boot along the road, and he asked his wife Oonagh for help. She dressed Fionn as their baby Oisin and put him in his cot, when Brenandonner saw the size of the "baby" he decided the father must be enormous so he turned tail back to Scotland, ripping up the causeway as he went and leaving only what remains today. I quite like that story, of feminine brains trumping macho posturing. The story was first written down in the 1840s just when tourism to the Giant's Causeway was becoming popular. No Victorian tourist visiting Ireland could miss out on it - and unfortunately some were allowed to bring home souvenirs in the form of pieces of the Causeway. To this day there is a pile of discarded pieces, ones that were ripped up and deemed 'imperfect'. The Middle Causeway is where the famous Wishing Chair sits and perhaps visiting men should make a special point of sitting in it, making their modest wish and wiggling their bum three times as per the rules, because for many years men were not allowed to sit in it. And to the far side of the Grand Causeway is the stone called Fionn's boot, estimated to be a size 94. Access to the Giant's Causeway is via the Causeway Visitor Centre (12/6 https://giantscausewaytickets.com/buy-tickets) where there is a cafe and a retail zone of which 80pc of the products are produced locally. There are audio guides which give a full account of all of the local mythology, a history of the site and a good insight into the geological background, the interactive version with a real human which is great when you want to ask questions. Our midwinter weather is mixed, a brisk wind carrying what varies from heavy enough rain to drizzle to bursts of sunshine. The light is changeable and beautiful and the sea brisk and rousing. But you don't holiday in Ireland in the winter, arguably in the summer either, banking on good weather and sometimes the elements can be part of the fun. Along the way you can take shelter in the guided tour of Bushmills', Ireland's oldest working distillery which is enjoying a time of enormous growth. For 9 you get a very informative tour and glass to taste. Or, if you're the sad driver, your companion gets two glasses. Distilleries aside, being out in the elements makes the walks bracing, you feel all awash in outdoorsy virtue and afterwards most deserving of the tipple in the hotel bar, a hot bubbly bath and a movie in bed after dinner. We were staying in the Causeway Hotel, the name of which could not be more literal, it is right beside the Causeway and visitor centre. Built in 1836 to accommodate the new brisk tourist trade in the area it has been modernised but very much maintains a historic feel. The breakfast room especially felt Victorian and the views out over the sea are spectacular. We had a really nice room with sea views and a side terrace. One of the nights was so cold and clear, the view of the stars was quite breathtaking. Knowing it was chilly and brisk outside made horsing into the very good breakfast feel not only excusable but positively wise. Dinner too was great and the staff in the hotel were beyond-the-call-of -duty nice in that way Irish people can just sometimes be. There is a lot to be said for trips that don't involve airports and there are some real gems within driving, or indeed bus distance, so don't let the weather get in the way. Get there Enjoy two nights bed & breakfast, and one evening meal at the Causeway Hotel with its Spring Getaway package including free access to the Giants Causeway Visitor Experience. Prices start from 145 (167) midweek and 160 (185) for weekend based on two adults sharing excluding bank holidays and Easter week. Valid until May 31. thecausewayhotel.com NB: This feature originally appeared in The Sunday Independent. The representative of Irans health minister in the northern province of Gilan is quoted as saying that more than 200 people have died of coronavirus in that province alone. A local news website quoted Mohammad Hossein Qorbani as saying on Sunday, March 8 in a special meeting of Gilans health commission that around 800-900 are infected with the virus in the province. The number of deaths Qorbani has announced for Gilan is more than the total national figure of 194 announced by the government on Sunday. Hundreds of messages on social media and eye-witness accounts have cast doubt on casualty figures being announced daily by the central government. People claim many more have died, and, in some instances, bodies are even buried in mass graves without needed safety measures. Irans first coronavirus cases were revealed by officials on February 19 and two people died on the same day, leading to speculations that the presence of the disease was known to the government much earlier than their official announcement. The holy city of Qom was the epicenter of the epidemic in February but the government refused to quarantine the city and soon dozens of cases were reported in the capital Tehran and in the northern provinces, with popular resort areas. ERBIL, Iraq A religiously diverse group of women from Iraqs Ninevah Plains launched a women's magazine called Women of Ninevah on March 8, International Women's Day, to give a voice to women's issues in the region. The Ninevah Plains and Mosul endured the worst of the fighting with the Islamic State (IS), which killed and enslaved thousands particularly minorities and women in the ethnically and religiously diverse area. Much of Iraq is currently engulfed in anti-government protests against corruption, sectarianism and lack of employment opportunities. The Ninevah Plains and Mosul, however, are quiet. Many residents fear a crackdown by militias of the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Units that control much of the area if they join the protest movement. Some female activists and journalists from the area want to address womens issues with the new magazine that would show women as they are not as IS saw them. They [IS militants] taught people that no one can see a woman without a cover, Rasha Wahab, one of the founders of the magazine, told Al-Monitor. Through this magazine, people can see it is normal for women to not cover. The magazine is the brainchild of the Peace and Freedom Organization (PFO), an Iraqi nongovernmental organization (NGO) that works to improve relations between northern Iraqs different ethnic and religious groups. The Dutch NGO PAX also supports the magazine financially. Wahab, who is from Mosul but now lives in Dahuk in Iraqs Kurdistan Region, is the organizations gender adviser and previously worked as a journalist at the Iraqi outlet Sharqiya. She and veteran Kurdish journalist Rezgar Suleiman, also from PFO, ran a training for the magazine in the Kurdish capital Erbil in February. At the training, the writers activists and journalists from the areas different sects, and Christians, Shabak, Yazidis, Shiites and Sunnis wrote articles for the magazines first issue. The writers were mostly women, but there were also men among them. They decided on the magazine's name during the session. At the training, Wahab and Suleiman went over headline writing, conducting interviews and article structure. They aim to print Women of Ninevah monthly, and volunteers will distribute it throughout the region, Suleiman said. Women in Ninevah lack access to and representation in the media, Wahab said, noting, We have no independent media in Iraq, especially in Ninevah." She added that there was no platform where "women can discuss their issues. Women in villages cant talk about their problems, she said. Some are uneducated, or cant read or write. Most are poor. Many are unaware of their legal rights." Asked whether the rural women would be able to read the magazine, Wahab said that hopefully their children will be able to read it to them. A major goal of the magazine is to increase understanding among the women of different religious beliefs in Ninevah. They dont talk [to each other], so they have incorrect ideas about each other, Wahab said. There are religious tensions in Ninevah post-IS. Some Christians accuse members of the Shabak religious minority of taking their homes. Others believe in incorrect stereotypes about the Yazidis, including the belief that they worship the devil. The first issue of Women of Ninevah addresses diverse social topics. One article warned of the effects video games have on children. Another included basic information on the coronavirus. Others were in line with the goal of improving communal relations. One article, titled, How a Sunni imam helped Christian and Shiite families remaining in Qaraqosh," carried an interview with Imam Abd al-Hakim Qasim. Interviewed by a Shabak woman, Qasim told the story of how most Christian and Shiite families fled the town when IS came in 2014, but a few stayed. He used his relatively safe position as a Sunni to bring food and water to them. When Christians and Sunnis left the town, he took belongings and money from their homes and sent them to the families, including gold Christian cross-shaped jewelry. Qasim also told the story of how he had cared for an elderly Christian woman who failed to flee IS, but ultimately did not survive. I was continuously bringing her food [to help her survive], Qasim said in the interview. I was shocked and saddened by her death. Some of the writers who attended the training said they feared rejection from the community or trouble with the authorities due to their work with the magazine. Marwa Hussein, a Shabak activist from the town of Bartella, said she did not include her picture in the magazine due to local customs. Many Iraqi women do not post pictures of their faces on social media. Hussein wrote an article about the different types of women's fashion in Bartella, an Assyrian town that is located in northern Iraq about 21 kilometers (13 miles) east of Mosul. For Hussein, writing for the magazine is a matter of representing her community. There are Shabak women in the Mosul area who left [to get away from IS], Hussein told Al-Monitor. I want to give a voice to them with my stories. JACKSON, MI Scott Fleming has found his way back to Jackson nearly a decade after leaving his role as the CEO of the Enterprise Group of Jackson. The Jackson Anchor Initiative has named Fleming its new president and CEO. The group is a consortium of some of the larger Jackson-area employers, with the goal of encouraging private-sector development and transforming downtown. Fleming was CEO of the Enterprise Group from 2008-11 and then worked in economic development in Texas and Illinois. After a few years of consulting, Fleming made his way back to Michigan serving as CEO of the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance from 2016 until taking this new job. Fleming was chosen by the Anchor Initiative because of his background in attracting new businesses, strengthening downtowns and collaborating with local and state groups, per an Anchor Initiative news release. "We really built up a little metropolis out there in Marshall," Fleming said. "Which was a little sleepy town, and now it's pretty active." In Jackson, Fleming said he wants to help bring in larger events, spur tourism downtown, encourage new housing developments, bring high-tech businesses to downtown and get more retail and restaurants to open up. "I look forward to his leadership and contributions as we continue to fulfill the Anchor Initiative's mission of making downtown Jackson an even better place to live, work, and play, Anchor Initiative Board Chairman Terry Mierzwa said in the release. Mindy Bradish-Orta had led the Anchor Initiative as well as the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and Experience Jackson but recently took a job at Consumers Energy. The Anchor Initiative board has decided to separate its position from the others, Fleming said meaning the new leader of the chamber will be somebody else. Retired CP Federal Credit Union President and CEO John Crist is the interim leader of the chamber, while the board finds its next CEO. More Jackson news: Gas station set ablaze, coronavirus prep begins: Top Jackson headlines from March 1-5 With snow gone, Jackson restarts leaf pickup unfinished from fall Sanitation worker injured when dumpster falls on him in Jackson, police say Researchers at Dalhousie are joining the global fight against novel coronavirus after receiving $1.9 million to explore the social implications of the disease, identify sources of misinformation about COVID-19 and develop a device that can quickly indicate the severity of the illness. Three Dal faculty members doing three separate projects were awarded funds from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) as part of a Novel Coronavirus Rapid Research Funding Opportunity announced today (Friday, March 6) in Montreal. Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu and Navdeep Bains, Canadas minister of innovation, science and industry, say roughly $27 million will support 47 research teams focused on the development, testing and implementation of measures to address the outbreak. Dal COVID-19 information: dal.ca/coronavirus Point-of-care support for emergency room doctors David Kelvin, an immunologist in Dals Faculty of Medicine, will work on a point-of-care device that can be used by emergency rooms doctors to quickly predict whether someone presenting with the disease will have a mild or severe case. That critical information will allow them to immediately direct patients to the appropriate unit. The innovation could be a vital asset in the delivery of care at emergency rooms and ICUs that have been overwhelmed since the outbreak of the new coronavirus in Wuhan, China, which has infected more than 80,000 people and has caused roughly 3,000 deaths. In China during the peak of an epidemic, thousands of people were going to ER, so we really need a system that helps make the decision about who is going to develop severe illness, says Dr. Kelvin, who received $1 million in CIHR funding. We want to develop biomarkers to identify those who will become seriously ill so those people can be placed at the front of line. Dr. Kelvins work is part of an international effort to find a set of biomarkers and gene expression assessment of COVID-19 patients. The data from these screenings will be used to determine which biomolecules are associated with mild, severe and critically ill patients. The work will be conducted through the Canadian COVID-19 Research Network, which includes researchers from China, Vietnam, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Cote DIvoire, Mozambique, the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Kelvin, an infectious disease specialist, says his previous work on the SARS outbreak in 2002 and pandemic influenza in 2009 showed that biomarkers and leukocyte gene expression could be used for molecularly defining the differences between mild and severe cases of SARS. In this outbreak, you would take a medical history and determine whether someone was likely to have coronavirus infection and if you felt that they did, you would simply withdraw a sample of blood and test it for biomarkers and within 20 minutes you would have an indication of whether they were at risk of serious illness, he says, explaining that the testing could be done on a device the size of a toaster or even smaller. Impacts on public policy and cultural considerations Scientists are also looking at the social implications of the disease, which has led to widespread quarantines, event cancellations and restrictions on travel globally in a bid to contain the disease. Scott Halperin, an infectious disease professor in Dals Faculty of Medicine, will examine public health policy and the cultural dimensions of the COVID-19 epidemic after being awarded almost $500,000. He and colleagues in Canada, Bangladesh and China will explore how individuals and communities understand and react to the disease, and how public health policy affects them. For example, restrictive measures such as quarantines can impose social and economic burdens on people that may be disproportionate, depending on their socioeconomic status and other factors. The researchers will consult with the public and health-care providers, study documents distributed by government officials and interview key decision makers about public health policies. Outbreaks are outbreaks and understanding how policy can be more effective will have implications not just for this outbreak, but for future ones, Dr. Halperin says. Certainly, we learned a lot from the SARS outbreak and those learnings are already being used by policy makers in this one. The importance is making sure that policy makers have those learnings so mistakes arent repeated and the public health response is better each time. Addressing stigmas and misinformation Jeanna Parsons Leigh, an assistant professor in Dals Faculty of Health, received $400,000 over two years and will work with clinicians, researchers and the public across Canada to gauge peoples perceptions of COVID-19 and combat misinformation, stigma and fear around it. She and a team of researchers from several universities and organizations will gather the information through a national survey and focus groups in five provinces. Their findings will ultimately be used to develop a campaign to enhance public knowledge, identify sources of misinformation and develop targeted interventions to address knowledge gaps. The team will examine where people are getting their information about COVID-19, the accuracy of that information and whether it is prompting people to change their behaviour. The research will also explore whether different demographic groups respond differently. We want to really understand where people are getting their information related to COVID-19 and the factors that are influencing their perceptions and behaviours. This could look very different depending on your age, sex, gender, socio-economic status, ethnic or cultural background and those are the pieces that we really want to drill down into because it will give us invaluable information about how to best reach people, says Dr. Parsons Leigh, a medical sociologist. The ultimate goal is to educate and empower people to be informed stewards of their health during the current and future infectious disease outbreaks. 08.03.2020 LISTEN Human Consciousness is not localized in the body. It is not bound by Time and Space. Consciousness can project into the Future, into the Past, be present anywhere, at any time. In December 2013, I was preparing to go to Ghana. We had sent money, for our family house to be painted in my favorite colors. The recipient of the money decided otherwise, and painted the house the colors he preferred. I was in the family room with my spouse when, in a flash, I saw that our family house had been painted in different colors. I complained to her, Adwoa, they have painted the house pink and white instead of the blue and white. One week later, I reached home; the house had been painted in Pink and White colors, the same colors I had observed at a distance of 5000 miles away. Emmanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) Emmanuel Swedenborg was a Swedish philosopher who lived in Stockholm, during the 18th century. Swedenborg was returning to Sweden after a visit to England. He had reached the coastal city of Gothenburg and was in the company of a group of people when he suddenly became anxious. He sensed that there was a fire outbreak in his neighborhood community in Stockholm. He saw that a neighbors house had burned to ashes. This was about 4p.m. that day. At about 8 p.m. he told the gathering that the fire had been extinguished. Gothenburg was 300 miles away from Stockholm. Confirmation came two days later. That was the 1759, Great Stockholm Fire. Alex Haley, the author of Roots Alex could not figure-out how the captured slaves were packed into the slave-ships during the long passages to the New World. He woke up one morning and had the idea concretized in his mind. The Universal Consciousness? Consciousness does not reside in the body; it is part of the Universal pool of Consciousness. We tap into the Universal Consciousness when we enter into our subconscious states and connect to the Universal consciousness. The phenomenon is similar to radio broadcast. We can listen to the radio only when we tune our radios to the radio-broadcasting stations. If we do not turn-on our radios, and tune-in to a particular station we would not hear any broadcast from those stations. The Universal Consciousness/Mind has been broadcasting the necessary information all the time. Some people can tune in to gather specific information and inspirations. There are Neurons in the Heart and Brain that act as specific antennae/receptors for signals emitted from the Universal Mind/Consciousness. There is also a constant flow of information through neurons, between the Heart and Brain. It is known as the heart-brain coherence. Human minds appear to compete with the Universal Consciousness for attention. In most people, it is the Mind that dominates. Any activities that could temporarily silence the mind, enables us to access the universal mind/consciousness. The human mind is an ego-based analytic tool, designed for self-protection and self-preservation. Most of the minds activities are guided by fear. This is due to past experiences and a lack of awareness on how nature truly works. The Universal Consciousness is Omniscient, Omnipresent and Infinite (timeless). By tapping into the Universal Consciousness, we could gain insight into Past-events, Future-events, and Current events that occur in the outer and inner worlds. Brain-waves Every part of the body vibrates at their own frequencies and so does the brain. Brain activity could be monitored with an Electroencephalogram (EEG). The average human has 5 different types of brain activities that show on EEG with characteristic waves patterns. Frequencies are measured in Hertz (Hz) Gamma waves. (30-80 Hz) Gamma waves are the fastest brain activities and they occur during high level Mental activity and Problem-solving activities. Beta waves (12-30 Hz) The normal brain activity when we are fully awake and alert. Alpha waves (7.5-12Hz) This is the brain activity when we are calm, relaxed and not thinking much. We become detached from the noise and haste of the outer world, as it occurs in Meditation. There is improvement in our Imaginations, Visualizations, Memory, Concentration, Learning, Understanding, and Intuition. Theta waves (4-8 Hz) The Theta state is the final stage that we drift into prior to falling into deep sleep; it is also the first state we enter when we come out of Deep Sleep, while lying in bed. During the Theta state of brain activity, the outer world is completely blocked. We enter into the Subconscious state that will automatically connect us to the Universal mind. Once connected to the Universal mind, we find solutions to bothersome problems. We can do Remote-viewing and Remote-sensing of events anywhere. This was the mental state in which Emmanuel Swedenborg was, when he saw the 1759 Great Stockholm fire, at a distance 300 miles away. Delta waves (0.4-4 Hz) This is the stage of Deep Sleep (non-REM). We become totally Unconscious of the external environment. The Akan people of Ghana have a proverb, Adwendwen wo sumii mu. Translated as a pillow solves problems for the mind Our brain activities enter into Theta waves as we come out of the state of Deep-sleep. We naturally drift into the Universal Consciousness (and tap ideas) when we are in Theta state. Experts believe, we can best tap into the Universal mind when we slow-down our brain activities to the frequency of 7-8 Hz, through various relaxation techniques. BRAIN ACTIVITIES IN CHILDREN. Do you know why kids are always happy and energetic? They are happy because they are in tune with the Universal mind, their Divine nature. Children are always in heaven. Heaven is not a place outside of us; heaven is a place within us, Heaven is a State of Mind. Matthew 18:3 Truly I tell you, He said, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven Luke 17:20-21 (KJV) 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, the kingdom of God cometh not with observation:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Children naturally, have slower brain activities; they readily connect to their Subconscious mind, which is the gateway to the Universal mind. Brain activity of Infants: Infants do have the Delta brain activity of 0.4-4Hz. The state of deep sleep. They care less about the outside World. 2-6 years old: Theta brain activity (4-8Hz.) This is the state of deep relaxation. The outer world does not bother them; they are naturally connected to the Universal mind. 2-6 years old kids, dont judge other people; they greet and welcome strangers, and even fairies, into their lives. They believe everything is possible. They focus their attention on their gut feelings only. They are open to suggestions. They take whatever you tell them as the gospel truth. It is a state for great learning; they learn so many new things at this stage. TRAINING THE MIND TO TUNE TO THE UNIVERSAL MIND. The mind has to be trained to tune into the lower frequency states. Meditation is one way of tuning into the subconscious and the Universal mind. Other activities include: . Going outdoors and into Nature. . Listening to pleasant Music. . Observing a quiet time Child prodigies are kids who are in tune with the Universal mind, constantly. They have access to information from the Universal mind, at all times. 24year-old Isaac Newton was relaxing under an apple tree in Woolsthorpe Manor, England in 1666 when he developed the Theory of Gravity. Archimedes was relaxing in a public bathtub when he found the solution to a problem he had been tasked to solve. It was about isolating counterfeit gold from pure gold jewelry. Michael Jackson composed most of his songs in solitude, as he climbed trees to be in tune with the Universal mind. We all, are connected to the Universal intelligence; the same force that created the universe. The Universal mind is omnipotent and omnibus. The subconscious mind is both a gateway and a part of this Universal mind. We must enter into the subconscious state, in order to gain access to the Universal mind/Consciousness. STAY IN BED A LITTLE BIT LONGER As we wake up from sleep, we should develop the habit of staying a little longer, in bed. Our brain activity is in the Theta state at that time. It is during the theta state that we easily get connected to the Universal mind, to obtain New Ideas, Information, and Answers to Bothersome Questions and Problems. Alarm clocks prevent us from entering into Theta state. Get rid of Alarm clocks. Visionaries; Inventors, Artistes, Musicians, Great Leaders often tap into the Universal pool of Consciousness to gain Ideas and Inspiration. The Universal mind is always waiting for volunteers to partner with her and co-create desirable things for humanity. The Universal mind helps us find optimal solutions to our daily problems. We must, each develop special quiet times for ourselves, each day. We can then tap into the ever-present Universal Consciousness during our quiet times. Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - A memorandum of understanding has been signed in Brazzaville between the Congolese government and the Danish company, JGH Marine, for the rehabilitation of navigation units of Congolese River Transport Company (Socotraf) and the construction of a shipyard in Congo Violent demonstrations were held by yellow vest protesters in Lyon, France, on March 7, with 44 people reported injured and seven arrested, according to local media. Le Progres said police clashed with protesters at multiple locations in the French city, where transport was brought to a standstill by the demonstrations. Yellow vest protests were also reported in other French cities on March 7, including Toulouse. In this video, a crowd of chanting protesters can be seen marching down Rue Victor-Hugo, one of the citys premier shopping streets. Credit: Guillaume via Storyful Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 09:27:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close South Korean army soldiers wearing protective suits spray disinfectant in Daegu, South Korea, March 2, 2020. (Photo by Lee Sang-ho/Xinhua) Viruses do not respect borders; neither do they distinguish between races or nations. Therefore, responsible governments worldwide should stand firmly against hatred and racism, and join hands to promote disease prevention and clinical treatment as well as vaccine development. BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide exceeded 100,000 on Saturday, the world must recognize that the fight against the epidemic has come to a critical juncture. As the clock continues to tick, countries around the world must join together to contain the novel coronavirus before it grows into a global pandemic. After weeks of strong and rigorous measures to rein in the spread of the disease, China's efforts have paid off. The number of new COVID-19 cases in the country dropped to double-digit figures on Friday for the first time since Jan. 20. Photo taken with a mobile phone shows a 98-year-old woman patient (in a wheelchair) and her daughter (3rd R) taking a group photo with medical workers before leaving the Leishenshan hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 1, 2020. (Photo by Gao Xiang/Xinhua) China's practices have shown that by speedy and committed containment efforts, the spread of COVID-19 can be thwarted. Therefore, it is imperative to form a global consensus on the importance of prompt COVID-19 prevention and control measures. To conquer the outbreak, governments around the world should act with speed, scale and clear-minded determination, and, in the words of World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, pull out all the stops. They should take prevention and control measures seriously and demonstrate the level of political commitment that matches the level of the peril the world is facing. To push back the disease, all countries should also strengthen coordination and cooperation at all levels at home. Staff of Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education arrange boxes of donated masks by China in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 25, 2020. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua) China's efforts in the past weeks have yielded positive results only after a collective, coordinated and comprehensive method which has motivated the entire machinery of the government and all walks of life in Chinese society. Meanwhile, countries also need to strengthen mutual assistance and collaboration and work with regional and international organizations to properly tackle the virus. Since the beginning of the outbreak, China has conducted active international cooperation, including its timely sharing of such critical information as the whole genome sequence of the virus, and such badly needed materials as test kits. A member (R) of "Mask Panda Action Team", a volunteer group initiated by local Chinese community and later joined by more people in Japan, hands out masks to local people to help with the prevention of the novel coronavirus disease in Tokyo, Japan, Feb. 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi) Viruses do not respect borders; neither do they distinguish between races or nations. Therefore, responsible governments worldwide should stand firmly against hatred and racism, and join hands to promote disease prevention and clinical treatment as well as vaccine development. "This is not just a threat for individual people, or individual countries. We're all in this together, and we can only save lives together," said the WHO chief at a recent media briefing. His words should be taken seriously. Cooperation is truly indispensible now if we want to make the difference between life and death. Beijing Officials in California were deciding Saturday where to dock a cruise ship with 21 coronavirus cases aboard and four U.S. universities canceled in-person classes as Western countries imitate China by imposing travel controls and shutting down public events to contain the outbreak. The Grand Princess cruise ship was waiting off San Francisco with 3,500 people aboard. Authorities want it to go to a non-commercial port for everyone aboard to be tested amid evidence the ship was the breeding ground for a deadly cluster of 10 cases during an earlier voyage, The Associated Press (AP) reported. Those that will need to be quarantined will be quarantined. Those who will require medical help will receive it, said Vice President Mike Pence. President Donald Trump, speaking at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, said he would have preferred not to let the passengers disembark onto American soil but would defer to the recommendations of medical experts. On Saturday, the port of Penang in Malaysia turned away the cruise ship Costa Fortuna with 2,000 passengers and crew because there were 64 people aboard from Italy, the center of Europes epidemic. It was the second port to reject the ship after Phuket in Thailand on Friday. The Costa Fortuna was making its way to Singapore, according to Phee Boon Poh, an executive councilor of Penang state. The global death toll has risen past 3,400, with more than 100,000 cases reported. South Korea, the hardest-hit country outside China, reported 448 new cases for a total of 7,041. China, where the disease first emerged in December, reported 99 new cases on Saturday, its first daily increase of less than 100 since Jan. 20. The government reported 28 deaths in the 24 hours through midnight Friday. China has 22,177 patients in treatment and has released 55,404. The epidemic appears to be easing in China but countries elsewhere are reporting increasing numbers of cases. The World Health Organization has warned against false hopes that the disease will fade when warmer summer weather arrives in northern countries. The Netherlands reported its first virus death Friday. Serbia and Slovakia in Europe, Peru and Colombia in Latin America and Togo and Cameroon in Africa announced their first infections. Authorities in Florida reported the first two U.S. deaths away from the West Coast. They said the two patients were in their 70s and one had underlying health problems. The University of Washington and two other universities said campuses in Seattle would hold classes online instead of in-person. Stanford University, south of San Francisco, announced similar plans. Also in Seattle, Starbucks announced an employee of one of its cafes was diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. The company said the store would reopen after a deep clean. On Saturday, South Korean officials said a Korean Air flight attendant who was in Los Angeles on Feb. 18-21 has tested positive for the coronavirus. The 36-year-old woman began suffering fever and muscle pain on Feb. 27, said Mayor Baek Kun-ki of Yongin, a city near Seoul, on Facebook. Officials at Korean Air didnt respond to repeated phone calls. The woman in Yongin was the second Korean Air flight attendant to test positive for the virus. The earlier case was a flight attendant who worked on a flight from Israel to South Korea on Feb. 15-16. The 100,000 figure of global infections dwarfs other major outbreaks such as SARS, MERS and Ebola. The virus is still much less widespread than annual flu epidemics, which cause up to 5 million severe cases around the world and 290,000 to 650,000 deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization. Governments have imposed restrictions on visitors from China, South Korea, Italy and Iran. In Switzerland, which reported 210 new cases Friday, the military was being readied to provide support services at hospitals. Serbia said it might deploy the army. The top U.N. climate change official said her agency wont hold meetings in person until the end of April. French Health Minister Olivier Veran said children would be banned from visiting patients in hospitals and other health facilities. He said patients would be allowed one adult visitor at a time. Spanish officials announced a monthlong closure of 200 centers in and around Madrid where the elderly go for daytime care and activities. The global economy faces mounting damage due to anti-virus controls that shut down much of Chinas economy and are disrupting travel and trade worldwide. Airlines, hotels, cinemas and other businesses have lost billions of dollars in potential revenue. China, the worlds biggest trader, reported Saturday its exports tumbled 17.2% from a year earlier in January and February. Imports sank 4%. China extended its Lunar New Year holiday to keep factories and offices empty. That sent shockwaves through Asian economies that supply components and raw materials to manufacturers who produce the worlds smartphones, toys and other consumer goods. Chinese manufacturers are reopening but arent expected to return to normal production until at least April. A total of 78 million migrant workers have returned to work, or about 60% of those who went to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced Saturday. Chinese authorities have eased some travel controls but most people in Wuhan, a central city of 11 million people where the first cases were reported, still are barred from leaving their homes. A deputy premier, Sun Chunlan, who visited a Wuhan apartment complex this week was met with complaints that its management neglected sanitation and food delivery. Residents said the complex was hurriedly cleaned just before Suns visit. Its all fake! a resident can be heard shouting on videos circulated on social media. A commentary in the main Communist Party newspaper, Peoples Daily, criticized the apartment managers for trying to deceive officials. Off the California coast, passengers on the Grand Princess waited in their cabins for word on its fate. The ship was bound from Hawaii to San Francisco when it was ordered Wednesday to keep its distance from shore so 46 people with possible coronavirus symptoms could be tested. On Thursday, a military helicopter crew lowered test kits onto the 951-foot (290-meter) ship by rope and later flew them for analysis at a state lab. The tests were ordered following the death of a passenger who was on a previous voyage in February. Authorities say at least 10 other people on the same journey also were infected. Some passengers on that trip stayed aboard, which increased crew members potential exposure to the virus. Airbnb later issued its own statement, saying the company has been in touch with investigators. It also said the safety of its community is its top priority and that it is outraged by the criminal violence. In an email, an Airbnb spokesman said house parties are not altogether against its rules, but open-invite parties, such as when details are shared on social media and anyone can attend, are banned. Thirteen more cases of COVID-19 were confirmed by New York State on Saturday night, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 89. All 13 new cases are located in Westchester County. Earlier on Saturday Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency because of new coronavirus cases. The breakdown of cases by location is: Westchester -- 70 New York City -- 11 Nassau -- 4 Rockland -- 2 Saratoga -- 2 Earlier on Saturday, Cuomo confirmed the first two cases of the virus in Upstate New York. Tests in Saratoga County confirmed a pharmacist -- along with a woman who came in contact with a person with the coronavirus while at a conference in Miami -- have COVID-19, Cuomo said. Many of the new cases in Westchester can be traced back to a New Rochelle lawyer, Cuomo said. Nursing homes in the county have been asked not to let in outside visitors. Cuomo encouraged seniors and New Yorkers with compromised immune systems to consider avoiding large gatherings. The governor stopped short of saying events such as conventions, sporting events and festivals should be cancelled. State officials have received reports of businesses gouging prices of goods people are buying to prepare for the coronavirus, Cuomo said. To report price gouging, call the states new hotline at 1-800-697-1220. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Chris Libonati via the Signal app for encrypted messaging at 585-290-0718, by phone at the same number, by email or on Twitter. Thanks for visiting Syracuse.com. Quality local journalism has never been more important, and your subscription matters. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. A West Bengal resident returning home from Saudi Arabia was on Sunday admitted to an isolation ward in a state-run hospital here with fever and cough amid the coronavirus scare, a health department official said. The man from Murshidabad district was taken to the hospital after he underwent thermal screening at the NSC Bose International Airport. His blood samples and swabs were collected and sent to the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) in Beliaghata. "After thermal screening, the youth suffering from fever and cough was taken to the Beliaghata ID Hospital in a specialised ambulance. He was admitted to the isolation ward and is currently under observation," the official said. Special arrangements were made as per guidelines of the central and state health departments to take him from the airport to the hospital. "A doctor, a nurse and another person, as well as the driver of the ambulance in which the youth was taken to the hospital wore special jackets meant to protect from coronavirus infection. All forms of precautionary measures were taken," the official said. A Bangladeshi woman who had landed in Kolkata airport from Chittagong on Thursday is also in the isolation ward of the same hospital. She had also been suffering from fever and cough. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Grand Princess cruise ship is currently under quarantine off the coast of San Francisco, California. (AP) The families of Britons trapped onboard a US-bound cruise ship have blasted the decision to quarantine the vessel as a death sentence. The Grand Princess has been stopped from docking in San Francisco amid evidence it was the breeding ground for a cluster of nearly 20 cases of Covid-19 that had resulted in at least one death after a previous voyage. More than 3,500 people from 54 countries were heading from Hawaii to San Francisco and are now being held off the California coast so people with symptoms can be tested for the virus. But the worried relatives of 140 British nationals onboard the Grand Princess have spoken of their concern at the decision. Medical personnel checking passengers on the ship this week. (AP) Lisa Egan, whose 90-year-old dad Cliff is on board, told The Sun: Im worried he wont survive if he has the virus. Keeping people on board is going to be a death sentence for many. While passenger Jackie Bissell, of Dartford, Kent, said: We are waiting for the ship's captain but I think hes as much in the dark as we are. Jackies daughter Michelle said that passengers onboard had been told that only Americans allowed to disembark for testing. She said: I just want Boris to get involved now. My mum has been told that the Americans are going to leave the ship. She hasnt been outside for three days. The food is inedible now, and Im really quite concerned. Another passenger, Sharon, 58, said she fears there may be deaths during the quarantine. Im thinking more and more that this is going to end up like the Diamond Princess with hundreds getting it, she said. Theres definitely a very good chance there could be deaths while were in quarantine most of the passengers are over-70s, so theyre the most vulnerable. The longer were on here, the more frightened and anxious were getting. The staff are all wearing masks and run away when we try to speak to them. On Saturday, cruise officials disclosed more information about how they think the Grand Princess outbreak occurred. Story continues Grant Tarling, chief medical officer for Carnival Corporation, said it is believed a 71-year-old Northern California man who later died of the virus was probably sick when he boarded the ship for a February 11 cruise to Mexico. Read more: Pope delivers Sunday blessing via video The passenger visited the medical centre the day before disembarking with symptoms of respiratory illness, he said. Others from several states and Canada who were on that voyage have also tested positive. The passenger probably infected his dining room server, who also tested positive for the virus, Mr Tarling said, as did two people travelling with the man. Maharashtra minister Jayant Patil has said BJP leaders from the state should urge the saffron party-led government in Gujarat to sign the agreement for inter-state water sharing projects. This will help the Marathwada region also and the Maharashtra government has given preference to solve water problems in the drought-prone region, the irrigation minister told reporters after a meeting with department officials here on Saturday. Asked about criticism from BJP leaders about no provision made for the Marathwada region in the annual budget of Maharashtra, he said, "Thirty projects are planned and of them, eleven are completed to channelise water towards Marathwada. Seven more such projects will commence in the coming times." "The BJP leaders, rather than pointing at us, if they think projects for Marathwada are important, they should insist upon their Gujarat leaders to sign the inter-state agreement. This will benefit the drought-prone Marathwada region also," Patil said. In fact, the Maharashtra government has given preference to the issue of water woes in Marathwada, he said. "We will take care that water from Marathwada does not go to any other region, rather we are planning to bring water to Marathwada," the minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) OLATHE, Kan. - Johnson County officials met on Satruday night to give more information on the first positive coronavirus case in the metro and the state of Kansas. "We're doing everything possible to make sure our public is safe," Mary Beverly, interim director of Johnson County Deparment of Health and Environment, said. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is planning a more forceful measure. He says he will invoke a law allowing the Intelligence Committee to vote to release classified information in its possession. Following through on that would probably require a vote by the full Senate, which could not succeed unless Republicans supported it. They should. At stake is not only whether the administration will disclose what it knows about the horrific murder of a journalist but also whether Congress will insist on compliance with its lawful mandates. The Union health ministry on Sunday confirmed five more cases of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Kerala, taking the total number of infected patients in India to 39 even as states across the country stepped up efforts to stem the spread of the virus that has shown little signs of abating globally. Two other people one in New Delhi and one in Agra tested positive for Covid-19 in preliminary tests, adding to the five others who were diagnosed a day before. A confirmation for the suspected cases is awaited from the Union governments National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, which is the final certifying authority for all positive tests in the country. The novel coronavirus, officially named SARS-Cov-2, has killed over 3,600 people and affected more than 108,000 across 95 countries since its outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. The Indian government has been screening all international passengers entering the country since Thursday. The Centre on Sunday added the US, France and Spain to the list of 15 high-risk countries from where passengers arriving in India will not just be screened for symptoms but will also be isolated from others through separate aerobridges, and will be put under a stricter community surveillance programme if the disease is suspected. There are now 39 confirmed cases in the country: 25 housed in the National Capital Region, followed by Kerala (8), Jaipur (2), Ladakh (2), Telangana (1) and Tamil Nadu (1). This figure includes 16 Italian tourists, who are in isolation centres in NCR, and three Kerala students who have recovered from the disease. The number of infections in the country has spiked since last week, seeing a nearly eight-fold jump since Monday (March 2), raising the spectre of community transmission of the virus, although all the patients who have tested positive so far either have a history of travel to virus-hit countries such as China, Italy and Iran, or were in contact with someone who got infected while travelling to these countries. Authorities across the country have launched contact-tracing operations to contain the viruss spread. Till Thursday, the Union health ministry said nearly 30,000 people were under close observation for symptoms of the illness. The government has not updated this figure since then, though a lot more people are expected to be in the net by now. In Kerala, three of the infected family from Pathnamthitta district a couple in their fifties and their 24-year-old son returned from the Italian city of Venice to Kochi via Doha last week, state health minister KK Shailaja said on Sunday. The remaining two are their relatives who contracted the virus from them. The minister said that the couple and their son evaded health screening at the Kochi airport, and had to be forced into isolation wards at the Pathnamthitta General Hospital after they initially refused to cooperate with authorities. The incident also prompted the state health department to warn people that the failure to inform authorities about travel history and symptoms was considered a crime, while the state police separately said it was illegal and punishable to hide such information. The minister said that all the passengers who travelled with the infected family in the Venice-Doha Qatar Airlines QR 126 flight on February 29, and the Qatar Airlines flight QR514 from Doha to Kochi (arrival March 1, 8.20am) should get in touch with health authorities. Two other elderly family members of the five infected patients showed symptoms of the disease, and have been shifted to the Kottayam Medical College hospital as a precaution, Shailaja said. Older people and those with pre-existing health conditions are more at risk of developing serious illness from the virus. Kerala has also been put on high alert after the disease resurfaced in the state on Sunday, just a fortnight after three students, who had returned to India from Chinas Wuhan, were discharged following a full recovery. In Delhi, a woman who was in contact with an infected patient, a Paytm employee, and a 38-year-old woman in Uttar Pradeshs Agra tested positive for Covid-19 in preliminary tests, according to state health officials. Besides these, five more people are believed to have contracted the virus in preliminary tests two each in Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, and another in Agra. Meanwhile, the central and the state governments have introduced precautionary measures and cancelled official events ahead of Holi to contain the spread of the virus as more suspected cases were reported on Sunday. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged people to remain calm and said public transport, including buses and Metro trains, will be disinfected regularly. Addressing a press conference, he also appealed people to inform the government if anyone in their neighbourhood had returned from foreign countries in the last two weeks. Following Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh became the second state to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners, it said in a government order on Sunday. External affairs minister S Jaishankar, too, said that efforts were underway for the return of Indian pilgrims stranded in Irans Qom. This is top priority and Indian Embassy in Iran is fully engaged on this, he tweeted on Sunday. His statement comes a day after a special flight from Iran brought swab samples of 110 Indians, which are currently being checked for the disease. New Delhi has said it will evacuate the Indians who test negative for Covid-19. While the coronavirus outbreak appears to have peaked in China, infections in countries across the world are surging, with Italy (366 deaths), Iran (194) and South Korea (50) emerging as new breeding grounds. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Michiganders will head to the polls Tuesday to select their preferred nominee for president. On the March 10 ballot, voters will see presidential candidates as well as local proposals for schools, public safety, and a 10-year property tax renewal supporting the Detroit Institute of Arts, which totals 0.2-mills ($0.20 per $1,000 taxable home value). Michigan, with 125 Democratic delegates at stake, the ninth-most overall, will hold one of the most significant primary contests after the March 3 Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses, and is expected to be a crucial battleground state in November. There are 73 pledged Republican delegates up for grabs. According to a recent poll, conducted by The Detroit News and WDIV-Local 4, Biden holds a 6.7 percent lead over Sanders (29.2 percent to 22.5 percent) heading into Tuesdays primary. The poll surveyed 600 likely Democratic voters statewide from Feb. 28 through March 2 to choose from the 14 Democratic candidates that will appear on the ballot. Sanders and Biden planned to campaign in Michigan ahead of the states March 10 presidential primary election with stops in Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Grand Rapids and Detroit. As of March 6, the Democratic presidential candidates who havent folded their campaigns included: Former Vice President Joe Biden U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont The Republican candidates include President Donald J. Trump and former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld. Although no longer running for president, 12 other Democratic candidates and two other Republican candidates will also appear on ballots as state law required the candidate listing to be finalized in December. Votes cast for them will be counted. On Super Tuesday, Biden won 10 states (Alabama, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Maine, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Texas) with Sanders winning four (Vermont, Colorado, Utah, and California). Heading into Michigans primary, Biden has an estimated 627 pledged delegates to Sanders 551 pledged delegates, according to The Associated Press. It will take a minimum of 1,991 pledged delegates, of the 3,979 total, to win the Democratic nomination on the first ballot. A total of 771 automatic delegates, or superdelegates, will not participate on the first ballot unless the nomination is uncontested, a change from 2016. Over the past week, U.S. Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, businessman Tom Steyer, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg ended their campaigns. Klobuchar, Buttigieg, and Bloomberg have endorsed Biden. Warren and Steyer have not endorsed a candidate. What is a closed primary? In Michigan, the presidential primary election is closed, meaning voters must select candidates from one political party only. Once voters arrive at the polls or request an absentee ballot, they must choose between a Democratic ballot, a Republican ballot, or a ballot that shows just local proposals. Both the Republican and Democratic party ballots will include local proposals. Voters can view a sample ballot by visiting https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/ and entering in their personal information including name, birth month, birth year, and zip code. Am I registered to vote? You can find out if youre registered to vote by visiting the Michigan Voter Information Center at https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/. Although the deadline to register to vote online has passed (Feb. 24), you can register to vote and update your address by visiting your local clerks office through 8 p.m. on Election Day. When registering to vote at your local clerks office, you must present some form of ID or physical/electronic document proving your residence. If you plan on registering to vote on Election Day, youre required to cast your ballot in the clerks office, not at your polling location. Documents verifying identification include: Michigan drivers license or state ID Current utility bill Bank statement Paycheck Government check Another government document If youre in the military or plan to vote overseas, visit https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_8716-511653,00.html for information about how you can cast your ballot. Where is my polling precinct? When are the polls open? Sometimes, communities will adjust both the number and location of precincts and polling locations based on population shifts and anticipated future development. If youre already registered to vote, you can find your polling place location at https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on March 10. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Voter Assist Terminals will be available for voter with disabilities and any other voters who wish to use them. What do I need to vote? You can still vote even without presenting a photo ID. In this case, you will have to sign an affidavit before casting your ballot. Any one of the following will work for ID at the polls: A Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) operative was arrested on Sunday for allegedly torturing and killing a journalist in 2007. Superintendent of Police, Bara, Krishna Pangeni said Narendra Faujdar aka Kundan, 50, was arrested from his residence in Baragadhi Rural Municipality after his phone was tracked using the Global Positioning System. Acclaimed print and broadcast journalist Birendra K Shah was allegedly killed by two Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) associates -- Narendra Faujdar and Ram Ekwal Sahani -- in October 2007. Sahani is on the run. The killing took place a year after the Maoists signed a 12-point peace deal with a seven-party alliance, representing the Nepal government, following a decade of insurgency. "Faujdar, aided by local politicians, was in hiding. We were successful in nabbing him in the fourth attempt," said the senior police officer. Faujdar will be present at the district court on Monday to deliver his court statement. He is one of the five accused in the case. Journalist Shah was abducted in Pipara Bazaar in Bara district near the Nepal-India border on October 4, 2007 when he was on an assignment. He was taken to a jungle area and tortured before being shot dead. Shah's body was discovered in Tangiya Basti in the district a month later. Two days after people of Kolkata complained of non-availability of the N95 masks in the city, Kolkata Polices Enforcement Branch visited the medicine markets to crack down on the hoarders. On Friday and Saturday, officers of Kolkata Polices Enforcement Branch visited the medicine markets and raided the chemist shops besides carrying out searches to find whether any shopkeeper was found holding on to the stocks. However, senior officials of Kolkata Police highlighted that the stocks of N95 masks were short in supply and none in the city was found holding on the stock. During raids the availability of the masks, prices of both disposable and reusable masks were checked. There are some signs of shortage of masks in the market. Bills of purchase were checked too. The owners or the proprietors of the medicine stores were contacted and they were asked to sell the masks in reasonable prices. Raids would be continued. All the traders were directed to sell those masks in reasonable prices and not to take excessive rate by hoarding the same. We will maintain sharp vigil on the medicine shops, said a senior official of Enforcement Branch, Kolkata Police. On Friday, the raids were conducted at Mehta Building, Bagri Market. A day ago, searches were conducted at Chittaranjan Avenue, College Street, vicinity of RG Kar Hospital and SSKM hospital. A day ago, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while chairing a high level meeting on Coronavirus, directed police and other agencies to ensure that traders do not hoard masks leading to a panic and rise in prices of the same. President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, as he celebrates his 63rd birthday anniversary.... President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, as he celebrates his 63rd birthday anniversary. In a telephone call Sunday afternoon to his deputy, the President commended Prof. Osinbajos loyalty and dedication to the administration. A statement forwarded on Sunday by Garba Shehu, Buharis media aide, said that President Buhari notes that the intellectual capacity of the Vice-President has impacted positively on the overall accomplishments of Federal Government, most notably, in the economic and social intervention programmes. The President joins family members, friends and associates of Prof. Osinbajo in wishing him joyous birthday celebrations. He also prays Almighty God to endow the Vice-President with greater wisdom and long life to continue to serve the nation and humanity. Seoul: South Korean officials have warned against prematurely calling the peak of the coronavirus outbreak while expressing hope the country is nearing a "turning point" in the crisis as the pace of new infections slowed. A South Korean soldier adjusts his goggles before setting off on a disinfecting mission as part of South Korea's multi-billion dollar coronavirus blitz. Credit:Bloomberg The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 69 new coronavirus cases on Monday. The new cases brought South Korea's total infections to 7382, while the death toll rose by one to 51, the KCDC said. The rate of increase in new infections fell to its lowest level in 10 days. "I'm still extremely cautious but there's hope we can reach a turning point in the near future," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Monday before returning to Seoul from the hard-hit southeastern city of Daegu. Health authorities say the number of new infections being identified has dwindled as most of the roughly 200,000 followers of a fringe Christian church at the centre of the epidemic in Daegu have now been tested. Vice-Health Minister Kim Gang-lip said it was premature to say the crisis was over as new cases continued to emerge from smaller clusters. "There are still many patients arising from Daegu and nearby regions ... and sporadic infections continue to emerge elsewhere, though they're not spreading as fast," Kim told a briefing. Reuters Australia's broadcasters say it will be business as usual despite the cancellation of one of the year's two key international television content markets, April's MipTV, over coronavirus fears. Two smaller adjacent events, MIPDoc and MIPFormats, which focus on documentaries and TV formats, have also been cancelled. A fourth event, the CanneSeries TV festival, has been moved to October. The Palais des Festivals in Cannes. While the cancellation will disrupt the transactional economy that drives TV sales globally, Australia's key program buyers say their emphasis on other markets and strong international relationships will minimise the impact on local TV screens. Taking a bigger hit will be small- to medium-sized Australian content producers who now lose one of only a few opportunities to showcase local shows in front of potential international buyers and investors. Soldiers of the Vietnamese Army's Chemical Division in protective gears prepare to spray chemical to disinfect the neighborhood on Truc Bach Street in Hanoi's Ba Dinh District, March 7, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy. With four infections in short order, Hanoi is bracing itself for more Covid-19 cases by preparing hospital beds, testing centers and quarantine forces. Municipal authorities have asked six hospitals in the capital city to spare 1,000 beds in total for quarantining and treating coronavirus patients. The six hospitals Bac Thang Long in Dong Anh District, Dong Da in Dong Da District, Thanh Nhan in Hai Ba Trung District, Duc Giang in Long Bien District, Saint Paul in Ba Dinh District and Ha Dong in Ha Dong District are being equipped with enough medicine and medical devices and their staff trained to receive Covid-19 patients. The quarantine facilities at the six hospitals will have to be available around the clock to accept patients and for taking samples from people suspected of carrying the novel coronavirus as and when needed. The municipal health department has worked with the Hanoi Capital City Special High Command of the People's Army of Vietnam to complete a plan on building two field hospitals with 600 beds each to serve the quarantine process. The plan will be submitted soon to the citys administration. Hanoi has already set up five rapid-response teams in charge of localizing stricken areas, tracking down suspected cases and collecting samples for testing. If necessary, the city can deploy Covid-19 prevention forces in each district to support the five teams in efforts to keep an outbreak under control. Nguyen Khac Hien, director of the Health Department, has asked all relevant units to focus on preventing and monitoring the community to detect any infection and limit its spread to the best of their abilities. Hanoi recorded its first Covid-19 case - 26-year-old Nguyen Hong Nhung returning from Europe - Friday night. On Saturday, it was confirmed that Nhungs personal chauffeur and an aunt had been infected. Sunday morning, a 61-year-old man who was on flight VN0054 with Nhung also tested positive for the novel coronavirus. In all, Hanoi now has four infection cases. Hoang Duc Hanh, deputy director of the health department, said Hanoi has been preparing itself for the eventuality of new Covid-19 infections, but now it has to be on high alert. He urged each medical staff and Hanoi citizen to remain alert and calm, keep themselves updated on the ongoing epidemic via official sources, and follow all healthcare steps including maintaining a high level of personal hygiene as guided by the Ministry of Health. Two more testing centers The Health Ministry has given the green light for two more hospitals in Hanoi the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh District and the National Children's Hospital in Dong Da District to carry out tests for the novel coronavirus. Both these hospitals have already admitted and successfully treated Covid-19 patients. The two hospitals join a list of 30 institutes across the nation that have been approved to conduct tests for the virus. In Vietnam, it takes at least 5.5 hours to get the results of a Covid-19 test. As of Sunday afternoon, Vietnam has confirmed 30 Covid-19 infections, with the latest nine being foreign tourists who were on the same flight from London to Hanoi as Nguyen Hong Nhung. All the nine foreigners have been quarantined. Globally, a total of 106,211 Covid-19 infections have been recorded in 103 countries and territories. The death toll has climbed to 3,600, more than 3,000 of them in China, 233 in Italy and 145 in Iran. Bangladesh on Sunday announced it was scaling down and postponing several events related to the celebration of the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from March 17 following the detection of three coronavirus infections in the country. Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, chief coordinator of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee, told a hastily convened news conference late on Sunday night that the public rally on March 17, which was to kick off the celebrations, would be held later in the year. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired a meeting to review the situation, especially with regard to the celebrations of Rahmans birth centenary, following the detection of the cases. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit Dhaka on March 17 to attend the inaugural ceremony of the celebrations at the National Parade Square and to deliver the main address. The visit by Modi was being largely seen as an outreach move amid protests against Indias Citizenship (Amendment) Act in the neighbouring country. Protests have taken place across several cities in Bangladesh against CAA, communal violence in north-east Delhi and to oppose PM Modis planned visit. Chowdhury made it clear that the rally at the National Parade Square would be held later in the year and that the events to be held on March 17 would go ahead on a small scale without any public gatherings. He said Hasina would inaugurate the celebrations on a small scale. It could not immediately be ascertained whether Modi would join the small scale inauguration. Modis visit was also meant to have had a bilateral component, including a meeting with Hasina. In response to questions on whether the foreign guests would be present at the inauguration of the celebrations, Chowdhury said the event was being rescheduled. It is going to be held on a big scale later and we hope all the guests from within the country and abroad will participate. Asked specifically whether Modi would attend the event, Chowdhury replied: I cannot say anything on this issue at this momentWe will hold the programme later and we hope our guests will also come later and join us. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON February 18, 2020 Dave Carney , 520-723-3172 COOLIDGE, AZ On Saturday, February 29th, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument will host travel writer Roger Naylor for a special presentation and book signing event. The presentation will begin at 12:00 pm and immediately after Roger will be signing and selling copies of his book, Arizona State Parks: A Guide to Amazing Places in the Grand Canyon State. Roger Naylor is one of Arizonas premier travel writers. In 2018, he was inducted into the Arizona Tourism Hall of Fame. His work appears most weeks in the Arizona Republic. He has also written for The Guardian, USA Today, The Week, Arizona Highways, Go Escape and dozens more. He is the author of several books including The Amazing Kolb Brothers of Grand Canyon, Boots & Burgers: An Arizona Handbook for Hungry Hikers, and Arizona Kicks on Route 66. For more information, visit www.rogernaylor.com. The entire story of Arizona can be told through its award-winning system of state parks. With travel writer Roger Naylor as your guide, explore these hidden treasures that represent the staggering diversity of the statesaguaro-dotted desert, rugged mountains, red rock canyons, rolling grasslands, shady forests, and a playground of rivers and lakes. Its all captured in Naylors latest book, Arizona State Parks: A Guide to Amazing Places in the Grand Canyon State. The book offers even seasoned travelers a chance to experience a whole new side of Arizona. Besides the vivid stories, Naylor enhances each park chapter with a list of nearby attractions, activities, and popular events. Arizona State Parks: A Guide to Amazing Places in the Grand Canyon State reconnects readers to the scenic wonders, rich history, and recreational opportunities contained within the extensive park system. Handy maps, indexes, and beautiful photos make it easy to plan your adventures. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument protects the multi-story Great House and the ruins of other ancient structures built by the people of the Sonoran Desert over 800 years ago. The monument is open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, May through September, and from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, October through April, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Independence Day holidays. Directions and additional information are available on the monuments website, http://www.nps.gov/cagr. You may call (520) 723-3172, or follow us on Facebook by searching for Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. -NPS- Coronavirus has spread across 80 countries with over 100,000 people globally and claimed over 3,400 lives. The disease that started from Hubei province in China has now scattered across the globe, taking a strong grip in countries like South Korea, Italy and even Japan. Even here in India, 34 people have been confirmed as COVID-19 positive, and there are fears that more people will fall victim to Coronavirus in such a densely populated country like India. Reuters The virus has seen an even darker twist in Japan, with over 6000 infected people across the entire country. With the toll rising, more and more companies are looking at ways to minimise the accumulation of large groups together. Many companies have cancelled their spring initiation programmes -- a ceremony for the new recruits this time around. Companies are also urging people to work from home until situations in Japan stabilise. However, some companies are taking this a step further. According to a tweet, a company in Japan has sent a letter to its employees thanking them for their hard work and support in these troubled times. However, along with this letter was 30,000 Japanese Yen (around Rs 21,000) in cash. Twitter: @the_folkees The letter (first shared by Soranews24), when translated, states, New-type Coronavirus Countermeasure Support Funds. In the letter, the company has given reasons for providing the amount along with the letter. The company says you can use it to stock up on facemasks and hand sanitisers, especially since the shortage has resulted in the prices to hike or stock up on groceries, food etc. It even suggests people to rent movies using the amount to make their stay indoors more enjoyable. So very cool and how thoughtful, right? The coronavirus has caused several major conventions across the globe to get cancelled including the Mobile World Congress, Game Developers Conference, Facebooks F8 Developers conference and most recently, Google I/O. Many fear the next major event to be axed will be the 2020 Olympics, looking at Japans situation with respect to the novel Coronavirus. A new study by Chinese researchers suggests not only that two major strains of the deadly new coronavirus exist, but also that Chinas intrusive lockdown measures at the center of the outbreak may have concentrated the more infectious strain in the disease-hit city of Wuhan. The study was published this week in the National Science Review, a peer-reviewed journal affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It compared 103 publicly available genomes of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the pneumonia-like illness called Covid-19. Researchers concluded that the ongoing epidemic may be caused by two main virus strains, one of which spreads faster and replicates more rapidly inside the body than the other. They also suggested that human intervention may have restricted the spread of the more infectious variety beyond Wuhan, and that infection by multiple strains of the virus at once may be possible. Two major types By analyzing the 103 genomes, scientists found that the virus has evolved into two main types, which they called S and L. The ancestral S type accounted for 30% of the samples, while the L type, which seemingly evolved from it later, made up the remaining 70%. That led researchers to conclude that the S type is less transmissible and slower to replicate than the L type, which also had a much higher number of derived mutations, suggesting a higher rate of replication. Thus, our results suggest the L might be more aggressive, the studys authors wrote. It remains unclear whether the L type is more harmful to human health and whether it evolved from the S type in humans or in an intermediate host, researchers said. Evidence also suggests the L and S types do not account for all infections. For instance, a virus isolated from one Covid-19 patient in Shenzhen had traits belonging to neither type, the researchers noted. Wuhan: A hotbed for L-type infections? According to data in the study, 26 out of 27 viruses isolated from patients in Wuhan were of the L type while only one was S type. But outside Wuhan, only around 60% of the viruses researchers obtained were L type. In addition, chronological data shows the L type was more prevalent in the early stages of the outbreak and that its frequency decreased after early January 2020, the study said. Based on that information, the authors hypothesize that L type is significantly more prevalent in Wuhan than in other places and may have been prevented from spreading farther out of the city by the effective lockdown and quarantining of large parts of Hubei, the province where Wuhan is located. These human intervention efforts might have caused severe selective pressure against the L type, researchers wrote. However, the studys authors cautioned that the analyses were based on very patchy collections of genomes and that more comprehensive data and further testing of the hypothesis were necessary before drawing conclusions. Infections may result from multiple strains at once The researchers cited one example of a U.S.-based patient whose virus sequence, isolated Jan. 21, had seemed to feature characteristics of both L and S types of SARS-CoV-2. Although novel mutations could lead to this result we inferred this patient might have been infected by at least two different strains of SARS-CoV-2, the researchers wrote, adding that while a few other examples appeared similar, they did not find any other instances of co-existence of the two strains of the novel coronavirus, and that further study was necessary. The virus animal hosts remain a mystery, but this is different from SARS According to the study, the new coronavirus only bears about 79% similarity to the one that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which infected thousands of people in southern China and killed 774 globally between 2002 and 2003. It is also only about 50% similar to the pathogen that causes the deadly Middle East respiratory syndrome. Based on genome comparisons with other coronaviruses, scientists ranked a bat-borne SARS-like pathogen called SARSr-CoV; RaTG13 most similar (96.2%) to the Covid-19 virus. That was followed, in order of decreasing similarity, by two pangolin-borne viruses, two more bat-borne viruses, the human SARS virus, and finally another bat-borne virus. The scientists cautioned that the genetic variations between SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses were greater than they appear. Despite its overall similarity with the bat-borne RaTG13, the virus at the center of the current outbreak seems to behave more like one of the pangolin-borne pathogens in the way it enters human cells. Still, the authors concluded that, based on their analysis, the similarities to the pangolin virus may be coincidental evolution based on a high mutation rate and strong natural selection rather than as a result of recombination. Contact reporter Dave Yin (davidyin@caixin.com) and editor Matthew Walsh (matthewwalsh@caixin.com) An investigation into who the eight known Houston-area coronavirus patients had contact with before they were aware they could be infected led to the quarantine of nearly a dozen health care workers Saturday. The Houston-area patients were among 17 who returned around Feb. 20 from the same Nile River cruise in Egypt. About a week later, they learned a different person on the trip had contracted the new coronavirus, placing them at risk. Eight of those passengers spread across Harris County, Fort Bend County and Houston tested positive since Wednesday. The status of the other nine Houston-area people on the trip is unclear. No additional cases were reported Saturday, as the health care officials continued their extensive contact investigation, said Harris County Public Health spokeswoman Elizabeth Perez. We start mapping out and indexing anyone they came into contact with during the incubation period. Who were you with this day and this day,? Perez said. The county cannot yet estimate how many people may have inadvertently been exposed to coronavirus because of the Houston-area cases, Perez said. Harris County Public Health notified St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Hedwig Village that one of the eight patients attended an Ash Wednesday mass, and urged congregants who sat nearby to contact the health department. The county has not determined the need to issue any similar warnings to other facilities patients may have visited, Perez said, but would do so if there was a clear risk to the public. She said health officials seek to balance the privacy of patients against the need to keep the community safe. We dont want individuals who potentially could be at risk or could be positive for coronavirus to be afraid their neighbors are going to find out, or worried about being alienated in the community, Perez said. Memorial Hermann announced Saturday the hospital system had asked 11 health-care workers to self-quarantine for the next two weeks after learning that a patient who was treated for gastrointestinal pain had been on the cruise ship in Egypt and later tested positive for the new coronavirus. Doctors at Memorial Hermann said that the patient hadnt initially been screened for COVID-19 and the patient was released from a Memorial Hermann medical facility about a week ago. They declined to identify the location of the clinic or hospital, citing privacy concerns. The virus threw us a curve, said Dr. David Callender, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System. At the time, Egypt wasnt identified as a concern for travelers, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea hadnt yet been noted as a potential warning sign of the disease, hospital officials said at a press conference. Eleven Memorial Hermann employees were potentially exposed to the patient during the first visit at the medical facility, and three of those workers are showing mild symptoms, said Dr. Angela Shippy, chief medical and quality officer at Memorial Hermann. All 11 workers have been tested for COVID-19. Officials expect to receive test results within 24 to 48 hours. Fort Bend officials said Friday they had asked 10 people to self-quarantine who had come into contact with a patient there, while at Rice University 14 people who had interacted with a patient, a school employee, were under quarantine. The eight local patients traveled on the German river cruiser M.S. ASara on the Egyptian river in late February. Three Maryland residents also were onboard and later contracted coronavirus, that states governor said Friday. Egypt is not currently on the federal Centers for Disease Controls restricted travel list. Egyptian health officials said the cases aboard the ASara were traced to a Taiwanese-American woman who traveled on the vessel in January, the New York Times reported. Twelve crew members tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday and the ship was moved to a remote stretch of river to be disinfected, the newspaper reported. Mayor Sylvester Turner called for all Houston residents who have traveled internationally to take precautions when they return home. Out of an abundance of caution, I encourage people who recently traveled internationally to self-quarantine for 14 days. Also, if you have traveled or plan to travel internationally, I advise you wait two weeks before visiting nursing homes or senior living facilities, as an added precaution. And, people who are sick need to always stay home to prevent infecting others, he wrote on Facebook Saturday night. zach.despart@chron.com One New Jersey jail is placing inmates on lockdown twice a week to thoroughly sanitize the housing units. Others have suspended contact visits for prisoners. Many are ordering additional supplies of soap, sanitizers and disinfectant and adding hand sanitizer stations at their entrances. At some facilities, those who are being processed will be screened to ensure they are showing no signs of having the coronavirus. With the threat of coronavirus (COVID-19) growing, these are just a few ways jails and prisons across New Jersey. Thousands of men and women are held in tight quarters that can be overcrowded and unsanitary, and administrators are trying to prevent an outbreak that could also have the potential of spreading to the community. New Jersey have officials confirmed the fourth presumptive positive case of the coronavirus. While there are no reported cases inside U.S. prisons or jails, Dr. Homer Venters, the former chief medical officer of the New York City Jail System, wrote on TheHill.com that once the virus arrives in a community, it will show up in jails and prisons" because of the countrys high rate of incarceration and the number of visitors and employees who go in and out of correctional facilities daily. Correctional facilities are also extremely crowded and can often have subpar health care options, creating a closed-quarter environment that experts say the coronavirus, which is transmitted person-to-person, could spread rapidly. Because of close living quarters, spread of disease can be quicker and access to basic medical services can be substandard, Leah Pope, a senior research fellow at the Vera Institute of Justice, told Mother Jones. In a statement released earlier this week, Nina J. Ginsberg, the president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, urged correctional facilities to make the prevention of the virus an immediate priority. Given the volume of incarcerated people in America, the conditions under which they are detained, and the current spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, there is every reason to question whether American detention facilities, as a whole, are up to this challenge, she said. NJ Advance Media contacted all 21 county jails, as well as the states Department of Corrections and the federal Bureau of Prisons to see what they were doing to prevent the virus as well as what their protocols are for dealing with an inmate someone who may be showing signs of having the virus. The majority of facilities who responded to NJ Advance Medias inquiry said they will follow protocols already in place to help prevent the spread of illness, such as influenza and other communicable diseases. Our protocol includes tactical strategies informed by our medical team to mitigate the spread of germs and the virus, including proper sanitization, and is being amended to include medically supported personal protective equipment, where and when determined to be medically necessary, said Liz Velez, the spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Corrections. In addition, a number of facilities have ramped up their preparedness protocols. In Bergen County, where one man is hospitalized with coronavirus symptoms, and Hudson and Monmouth County, contact visits, where inmates can typically sit with family and friends in an open setting, have been suspended due to the virus. Regular visits, conducted between the glass partition, are continuing at this time, spokesmen at the jails said. A Camden County jail spokesman said their facility is currently still allowing visits, but may move to video conferences in the future. We are offering sanitizer and wipes to all visitors, the spokesman added. Because the coronavirus spreads person-to-person, the jails and prisons have put an emphasis on sanitation. Linda Gilmore, a spokeswoman for the Atlantic County jail, said their facility would be adding hand sanitizing stations throughout. The facility is also developing a schedule to routinely disinfect common surface areas, such as door knobs, railings and phone handles. But the most extreme measure taken may be happening in Morris County. On Thursday, the Morris County jail locked all inmates in their cells as part of a new protocol for three hours while all areas within the seven occupied housing units were thoroughly sanitized, said Peggy Wright, a spokeswoman for the Morris County Sheriffs office. The sanitization will happen every Monday and Thursday, she said. The cleanliness and sanitary environment of the Morris County Correctional Facility is fundamental to its operation," said Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon. As soon as the coronavirus was identified as a potential major health concern, enhanced sanitation protocols and safety checks were established to minimize the risk of contagion. In a memo that went out to Passaic County jail staff Wednesday, employees were reminded to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom" and to stay home when you are sick. The memo also said the jail had ordered additional supplies of soap, sanitizers and disinfectant, as well as implemented new sanitation protocols, including the utilizing an electrostatic sprayer with a disinfectant. As the jails process new inmates daily, a number of them have put an emphasis on screening. The Morris County jail will ask everyone three questions prior to processing: Did you travel to China or other COVID outbreak area within the past 14 days? In the past 14 days, have you had close contact with a person who is under investigation for coronavirus? Do you currently have a cough, shortness of breath or a fever? If the person answers yes to any of those three questions, the healthcare provider conducting the intake must notify staff to place the inmate in a cell by him or herself until the staff physician, who will make the decision on the next steps to take, is called, Wright, the spokeswoman, said. In Bergen County, the Sheriffs Office is working with the Bergen County Department of Health Services to establish a quarantine plan in the event of a suspected case, said spokesman Derek Sands. Any person processed at the Passaic County jail will undergo COVID-19 specific screening and anyone suspected of having the virus, a spokesman said, will be placed in a mask and transported to St. Josephs Regional Medical Center emergency room. If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, enter your email address below. Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Follow on Twitter @monavage. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A Welsh couple stranded on a coronavirus-hit cruise ship off the coast of California were only on the stricken vessel because their holiday to Asia was cancelled due to the killer bug. Patrick and Kim Maguire were meant to visit Cambodia, Singapore and Thailand to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary but the killer bug - that originated in Wuhan, China, and rapidly spread through Asia - forced them to change their destination. They instead chose the US as they thought it would be 'a bit safer' and went aboard Grand Princess for a two-week tour from San Francisco to Hawaii. Welsh couple Patrick and Kim Maguire who are stranded on a coronavirus-hit cruise ship off the coast of California were only on the stricken vessel because their holiday to Asia was cancelled due to the killer bug But the ship's 3,500 passengers are now under quarantine after 21 people tested positive for the virus - which has infected 100,000 people world wide and killed more than 3,000. The couple from Gwent, Wales, have been confined to their cabins for more than two days as officials in California are yet to decide where to dock the ship. Patrick, 56, described how they are coping being confined to a cabin, uncertainty over what happens next and that the trip was part of their wedding anniversary celebrations. Mr Maguire said: 'It's a little frustrating because there's no plan. That's no fault of Princess Cruises, the captain and crew have been amazing. 'They are doing the best they can. But there is a little bit of cabin fever at the moment.' Mr and Mrs Maguire were meant to visit Cambodia, Singapore and Thailand to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary but the killer bug - that originated in Wuhan, China, and rapidly spread through Asia - forced them to change their destination He said that passengers have been told they will all need to be tested for the virus, but that he and his wife feel 'fine and well'. Passengers were told to return to their cabins on Thursday lunchtime where they've remained since. It comes as the daughter of a British passenger on board the cruise has urged the British government to get involved. Jackie Bissell, 70, is one of the trapped passengers. Her daughter Michelle said: 'I just want Boris to get involved now. Jackie Bissell, 70, is one of the trapped passengers. Her daughter Michelle has urged the British government to get involved Michelle claims the food fed to her mother and fellow passengers is 'inedible now' and her mother hasn't been outside for three days. Pictured: One of the meals onboard '[My mother] hasn't been outside for three days. The food is inedible now, and I'm really quite concerned. 'My mum is still in limbo. She said that, at the last lunch before she was confined to her cabin, it was a free-for-all. 'There was fighting, people were grabbing food and taking it back to their cabins. 'The first day of isolation she couldn't get through to room service and was only given two bottles of water.' Mr Maguire said updates on board are provided over a loud speaker around three or four times a day. He added: 'We don't have a clue what's going to happen. They've put us in a holding pattern around 50 miles out, we can't see land. 'Because we are confined to our cabins we only have a little bit of contact.' The couple have set up a group chat on WhatsApp with a couple from Somerset and another couple from America onboard, who they have been speaking with. Mr and Mrs Maguire were able to opt for either a refund or an alternative trip when their initial holiday was cancelled. The ship's 3,500 passengers are now under quarantine after 21 people tested positive for the virus - which has infected 100,000 people world wide and killed more than 3,000 Mr Maguire said: 'We had already made arrangements for time off work so we booked another holiday. 'We thought we'd book somewhere a bit safer so we thought the USA. 'When we booked it I don't think were any cases in the US then. We thought we'd be alright on the other side of the world. 'This trip is part and parcel of our 30th wedding anniversary celebrations.' The couple boarded the ship in San Fransisco on February 21. There is evidence the ship now idling off San Francisco was the breeding ground for a deadly cluster of almost 20 cases during an earlier voyage. The Grand Princess cruise ship passes the Golden Gate Bridge as it arrives from Hawaii in San Francisco. Twenty-one people on board have tested positive for the coronavirus A California National Guard helicopter brought coronavirus tests to the ship Thursday Nineteen of the 21 diagnosed on board the ship are crew members. US President Donald Trump appeared to be in favour of leaving the Grand Princess's passengers where they are - apparently to avoid increasing the nation's infection total. But US Vice-President Mike Pence said on Friday that the Grand Princess, with more than 3,500 people on board, including 142 Britons, had been directed to a non-commercial port for testing. In an update on its website on Saturday, Princess Cruises, owners of the ship, said it was 50 miles off the coast of San Francisco awaiting instructions on where to proceed. Additional personal protection equipment, including gloves and face masks, have been delivered via US coast guard helicopter on Friday night. The Grand Princess is owned by Princess Cruises, and a spokesman said on Friday evening: 'We are awaiting official specific plans for future positioning of the ship from relevant authorities. 'Princess Cruises will continue to closely follow the guidance of the CDC and other federal and state government authorities.' The Duke and Duchess of Sussex received a standing ovation as they made one of their final appearances as working royals, as they attend the Mountbatten Festival of Music. Prince Harry and Meghan are the only senior royals at the event at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday evening. It comes ahead of their Commonwealth Day Service appearance, when they will be publicly reunited with Prince William and Kate, as well as the Queen, and Prince Charles and Camilla. Prince Harry is attending in his capacity as Captain General of the Royal Marines. The duchess wore a striking red floor length gown by Safiyaa to match her husbands uniform, with red Aquazurra shoes, a Manolo Blahnik clutch and earrings by Simone Rocha. Read more: Meghan Markle says it's 'nice' to be back as she joins Prince Harry at Endeavour Fund awards The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stood out in red at the festival. (Press Association) The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were greeted by marines on arrival. (Press Association) The duke and duchess received a long round of applause and a standing ovation from the crowd in the Royal Albert Hall as they took their seats in the royal box. The Sussexes have made a number of public and private engagements this month, two months after they announced they wanted to step back as senior members of the Royal Family. They were in public together for the first time on 5 March, when they attended the Endeavour Fund awards, both giving out an award, and with Harry making a speech. But all eyes will be on Mondays event, when they will join the rest of The Firm for what could be the last engagement of its kind. Harry and Meghan got a standing ovation from the audience. (Getty Images) Although they do not officially step back until 31 March, there are no engagements planned beyond the 9 March. Read more: Meghan Markle wears 29 Topshop blouse for private National Theatre visit As well as public engagements, the duchess has been making private visits while in the UK. On Thursday, before the Endeavour Fund awards, she went to the National Theatre, where she is a royal patron, to visit the immersive storytelling studio. Story continues Keeping the visit secret, she announced she had been on Friday, sharing pictures on Instagram, and writing: The goal of this method of virtual reality is to enable us to better connect and empathise with each other as people, regardless of race, age or nationality. Read more: Harry and Meghan will join royals at Commonwealth Day service - but Andrew won't The post also confirmed the couple had recently been at Stanford University in California, looking at similar types of technology. On Friday, she was seen at a school in Dagenham, east London. They were greeted by five members of the marines when they arrived. (Reuters) Harry and Meghan only have a couple of weeks left of being working royals. (Reuters) Read more: Duchess of Sussex makes surprise visit to London school The couples latest engagements have not been featuring on the court circular, which keeps track of the events royals attend. The Mountbatten Festival brings together world-class musicians, composers and conductors of the Massed Bands of Her Majestys Royal Marines. This year, the performance will mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the 80th anniversary of the formation of Britains Commandos. Proceeds from the event go to the Royal Marines Association The Royal Marines Charity and CLIC Sargent, who support cancer victims aged under 25 and their families. Reese Witherspoon put an elegant spin on California casual when she was glimpsed in Los Angeles this week. The 43-year-old was glimpsed going for a Starbucks run in Brentwood with her second husband, agent Jim Toth. She slipped into a Hamptons chic blue and white striped shirt dress and warded off the chill with an olive green coat. Stepping out: Reese Witherspoon put an elegant spin on California casual when she was glimpsed in Los Angeles this week Reese could be glimpsed carrying a copy of Erik Larson's new book The Splendid And The Vile: A Saga Of Churchill, Family And Defiance During The Blitz. As its title indicates the book takes place between the Mays of 1940 to 1941, Britain's famed 'finest hour' as it faced off alone against the Nazi war machine. The book pays particular attention to the lives of Churchill's wife Clementine and their four children during the crisis. Reese has lately been producing and starring in projects based on novels, including the hit HBO series Big Little Lies based on a 2014 book by Liane Moriarty. Staying caffeinated: The 43-year-old was glimpsed going for a Starbucks run in Brentwood with her second husband, agent Jim Toth Her upcoming mini-series Little Fires Everywhere, which she co-executive produced with her co-star Kerry Washington, is based on a 2017 novel by Celeste Ng. Covering the March issue of InStyle, Kerry revealed she called up Reese Witherspoon for tips before starting her production company Simpson Street. 'I knew that Reese had several production companies through the years and had learned a lot during the various stages of their development,' said Kerry. Off they go: She slipped into a Hamptons chic blue and white striped shirt dress and warded off the chill with an olive green coat 'I said to her: "Youre killing it now, but tell me all the mistakes you made so I dont have to reinvent the wheel."' After giving Kerry her two cents about the producing business, Reese shared: 'Not a single other actress has called me to have this conversation.' Reese and Jim share a seven-year-old son called Tennessee, and she has two children, Ava, 20, and Deacon, 26, by her ex-husband Ryan Phillippe. Chicago Police officers outside of the Chicago Mercy Hospital in a file photo. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP/Getty Images) Man Who Was Shot in the Head Drives Himself to Chicago Hospital: Police A 28-year-old man who was shot in the head drove himself to a hospital on Sunday, said police in Chicago. The man, who was not identified, is currently in serious condition, officials told ABC7. He arrived in a small SUV and admitted himself into Stroger Hospital at around midnight on Sunday with a gunshot wound to his head, according to the report. Officials think he was driving around the 1600 block of West Ogden Avenue when he was shot in the head. Police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding his shooting. The victim wasnt able to provide details about the incident. Its not clear if the shooting was accidental or targeted. The incident was among 13 shootings over the weekend across Chicago, according to figures compiled on Sunday afternoon by NBC5 in Chicago. At least one person was killed. At around 8:30 a.m. Sunday in the 1200 block of West Garfield Boulevard, a man was walking across the street when two suspects approached him and shot him several times in the chest, police said. Police were called to the scene and found the victim lying unresponsive on the pavement, according to the station. He was later pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center, authorities said. So far in 2020, 337 people have been shot in Chicago, which is 72 more than during the same time period last year, according to a tally provided by the Chicago Tribune. Seventy-four people have been killed in gun violence this year, says Heyjackass.com, which compiles media reports of shootings and fatalities in Chicago. Last month during one weekend, 11 children were among 26 people who were shot across the city, although none of the children died, police said at the time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will mark International Women's Day on Sunday (March 8) by interacting with the winners of Nari Shakti award and he will also give women achievers an opportunity to handle his Twitter account on Sunday. PM Modi will interact with Nari Shakti awardees after President Ram Nath Kovind gives away the Nari Shakti awards at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday. The Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Saturday (March 7) that Twitter account of PM Modi would be handled by women achievers on the occasion of International Women's Day on Sunday. Notably, the Nari Shakti awards are given to individuals, groups, institutions in recognition of their exceptional work towards the cause of women empowerment. On Tuesday (March 3), the prime minister had announced that he would be handing over his accounts on various social media platforms to inspiring women to mark International Women's Day. "This Women's Day (March 8), I will give away my social media accounts to women whose life & work inspire us. This will help them ignite motivation in millions," he had tweeted. This Women's Day, I will give away my social media accounts to women whose life & work inspire us. This will help them ignite motivation in millions. Are you such a woman or do you know such inspiring women? Share such stories using #SheInspiresUs. pic.twitter.com/CnuvmFAKEu Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 3, 2020 PM Modi is one of the most followed politicians on social media globally with 44 million followers on Facebook, about 53 million followers on Twitter and more than 35.2 million followers on Instagram and 4.5 million subscribers on Youtube. He is the most followed Indian on Twitter and most followed world leader on Instagram. The Indian Prime Minister is very active on social media and is often seen posting pictures and sharing thoughts. Published on 2020/03/08 | Source The Chosun Ilbo, the oldest newspaper still in circulation in Korea, marks its 100th anniversary on Thursday. The Chosun Ilbo has recorded Korea's history every day for the past 100 years, covering both the major upheavals that changed the fate of this country as well as the lives of ordinary people. Advertisement The Chosun Ilbo first hit newsstands in 1920 under the Japanese occupation, aiming to voice the opinions of the Korean public and protect their right to information. Honoring the spirit of the March 1 Independence Movement, the Chosun Ilbo was launched on March 5, 1920 and has since striven to report the truth through countless trials and tribulations. Circumstances permitting it hopes to keep delivering unbiased factual news for the next 100 years. Now the past 100 years of history come alive in digital format to mark the anniversary. The archival website (newslibrary.chosun.com) opens on Thursday with facsimiles of archival records and articles. The daily invested W10 billion over the last three years to restore in digital format some 261,589 pages with around 2.9 million articles from 1920 to 1999 (US$1=W1,185). Part of the restoration involved changing the old style of Hangeul to modern format with the assistance of the Yonsei Institute of Language and Information Studies. Efforts to launch the website began in July 2016. It took more than two years to digitize the pages of old editions. Archival pages and others contained on microfilm were scanned one by one, while staff scoured the entire country to look for missing pages. Their efforts did not end there but continued through the revision of a hundred million words written in old-style Hangeul to the modern format. President Moon Jae-in sent a congratulatory video clip to the daily on Wednesday. In the clip, he said the 100th anniversary of the Chosun Ilbo is "history itself" and expressed his best hopes of the daily, "which has served as one of the most influential Korean newspapers for over a century, to open another chapter of history". By Express News Service KOCHI: Federal Bank, the Aluva-headquartered private bank, has taken possession of a running shopping mall in Kodungallur, Thrissur, after it defaulted on a loan amounting to nearly Rs 8.5 crore. Federal Bank officials said Njarakkattu Basheer, an NRI, took the loan for the four-storeyed Centro Mall. After defaulting on the loan, he started to collect rent from tenants in cash, instead of depositing it directly into the bank account. This forced the Federal Bank to take possession of the mall. The four-floor shopping mall includes the basement and has 29 tenants. Federal Bank invoked the provisions of the SARFAESI Act, 2002, to take over the shopping mall, officials said.The bank also invoked the powers of Section 13 (4) (d) and Section 13 (5) of Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002, whereby notices were also served on the tenants in the shopping mall, calling upon tenants to remit the rent with the bank, a statement by Federal Bank said here. Around 30 officers of the banks Recovery Department participated in the action.Officials said the total dues from the borrower group is Rs 8.5 crore and the bank took over the mall for the default of the personal loan of Rs 1.5 crore.A few months ago, Federal Bank had been in the news when it took possession of an aircraft by invoking the provisions of Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code 2016 to recover loan dues. Now the sale process of that aircraft is under way. The Federal Bank recovery team was led by Babu K A, senior vice-president and Mohamed Sageer T A, vice-president, head office. Babu said the bank move should be a warning for other big defaulters who purposefully default on loans after availing of large sums from the banking industry. He said similar and more intensive measures are being planned against other big defaulters. Against the backdrop of alleged poaching attempts by the BJP, the Congress-led Madhya Pradesh government will expand its Cabinet soon, a senior leader of the state's ruling party said on Sunday. The Congress recently alleged that the BJP "abducted" 14 MLAs to bring down the Kamal Nath government in the state. However, the BJP denied the allegation, saying it has nothing to do with the development, which it claimed was the result of "infighting" among Congress leaders ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled on March 26. "We are going to expand the state Cabinet shortly. There is no threat to the government now as the BJP 'money bag operation' has failed," a senior Congress leader told PTI. A political observer, however, said the Cabinet expansion would be a herculean task for the state government as it has to accommodate MLAs of "different factions" of the ruling Congress, and its allies and Independents. Earlier, it took time for the Congress to expand the Cabinet one year ago, after formation of the government in December 2018, due to "infighting" among groups of senior party leaders Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia, he said. The Congress holds a thin majority in the 230-member Assembly with its own 114 MLAs and support of two legislators of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), one of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and four independents. The BJP has 107 legislators while two seats are vacant. The state Cabinet currently has 29 members, including Chief Minister Kamal Nath. The Congress can induct six more ministers into the Cabinet to placate the disgruntled MLAs. Ten legislators, including two of the BSP and one of the SP went 'missing' on Tuesday, following which Digvijaya Singh alleged that they were taken to a hotel in Haryana by the BJP, which offered them bribe to topple the Kamal Nath government. The ruling party in the state has been successful in bringing back seven of these MLAs - six from Delhi and one from Bengaluru. Three Congress MLAs -- Hardeep Singh Dang, Bisahulal Singh and Raghuraj Kansana -- are reportedly still untraceable. A resignation letter purportedly written by Dang went viral on social media recently, but the MLA could not be contacted for verification. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal A few months ago, our old gas clothes dryer died. Lets try to get along without a dryer, lets put in a clothes line, I enthusiastically said. So, we had a clothesline put in the backyard at a cost of about $150. We hung our clothes out and they dried quickly. But the complaints began. The clothes are wrinkled. The towels are as rough as sandpaper. We tried shaking the clothes out carefully before we hung them, but that didnt help much. Neither of us likes to iron. The whine-o-meter began running almost constantly. Before long, we were shopping for a new dryer. The compromise: always wash clothes with cold water, try to hang most larger items like sheets and blue jeans outside, and only use the dryer once a week. Gas is cheaper than electricity (about 37% less), but we have solar on our roof, so it made sense to convert to electricity. For those of you who are without solar capacity, there are other reasons to change to an electric dryer. Natural gas is not a clean source of fuel. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, it has 50-60% of the CO2 emissions of oil or coal. Moreover, New Mexico recently passed the Energy Transitions Act, requiring that all electric generation be 50% emission-free by 2030, 80% by 2040 and 100% by 2050. PNM, Kit Carson and other utilities promise to beat those requirements. Luis E. Reyes Jr., CEO of Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC), recently announced, we will achieve 100% daytime solar by 2021. KCEC will meet the requirements of the New Mexico Transition Act 19 years earlier than mandated, he stated. That is pretty impressive. In 20 years or less, most of our electricity will come from clean sources. If you live up north in KCEC territory, think two years. So, it will make more and more sense to convert to electric appliances. Another thing to consider is your dryer use. As a family of two, we rarely use our dryer more than two times a week. Our electric use is probably no more than $60 a year. According to the online Energy Use Calculator (energyusecalculator.com), the electric use of a dryer for an average family costs $100 a year. When you buy a replacement dryer that is energy efficient, you can get a $75 rebate from PNM. Most other utilities also offer rebates. Energy Star dryers are about 20% more efficient than those that are not rated. As we work on becoming a household with a lower carbon footprint, our decisions are based on whats practical. There are many things we can all do to cut our carbon footprint. There are tools available that can help you compute your carbon footprint. Check out the carbon footprint calculator on the EPA website: www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/. It is a useful exercise and will give you lots of ideas about how you can lower your household emissions. Once you have computed your household carbon footprint, compare your footprint with those of people in other countries. Europeans typically have a carbon footprint that is about half of ours. A clothes dryer might seem like a really small way to attack your carbon footprint, but because we all need to replace appliances periodically, its one thing that we can all do. When we shopped around, the staff at Home Depot and Best Buy were very helpful. But we had to ask, What will it cost to run this model? What is its efficiency rating? They looked everything up for us. Consider getting the most energy-efficient appliances you can afford. It is simply a mistake to think that as individuals there is very little we can do about climate change. We cant just rely on governments to compel changes that lower our carbon footprint. There is a lot that we can do now in our individual households and that is where we need to start. WASHINGTON - A man in his 50s tested positive for coronavirus the first presumptively confirmed case in the nations capital and another person who travelled through the city has also tested positive in Maryland, officials said. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said Saturday the man in the initial case started exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 in late February. He was admitted to a Washington hospital on Thursday and appeared to have no history of international travel and no close contacts to any other confirmed cases across the U.S., Bowser said. With his test yielding presumptive positive, D.C. Health has started its investigation in keeping with CDC guidelines, Bowser said. The investigation includes tracing the mans movements, though the mayor declined to say where in Washington the man lived. Virginia recorded its first case Saturday when a U.S. Marine stationed at Fort Belvoir was found to have the virus. President Donald Trump said he wasnt concerned at all about the coronavirus getting closer to the White House after the first Washington case was confirmed and officials said an attendee of a recent political conference in the capital where Trump himself had spoken also tested positive for the virus. No, Im not concerned at all. No, Im not. Weve done a great job, Trump said. Though the man in the initial Washington case had no travel history and no contact with anyone confirmed to have coronavirus, the man was tested for COVID-19 because he was considered to be at risk for complications, said Dr. Anjali Talwalkar, the principal senior deputy director for the districts health department. The second man, who passed through Washington, is also in his 50s and lives in Nigeria, but had been staying with family members in Washington recently, officials said. He tested positive in Maryland, where he remains hospitalized, Bowser said. On Sunday, health officials said they had determined as part of their investigation that an individuals visitation to Christ Church Georgetown warrants precautionary measures. In a statement, they recommended the church temporarily halt services and district health officials were reaching out to congregants and visitors. The churchs rector did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. We are currently conducting an intensive investigation to identify any exposures to COVID-19 that may have occurred at the church, the statement said. Officials had no plans to cancel any events, including the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, which starts on March 20 and draws thousands of tourists. We recognize that it is fluid and every day we will monitor the situation on the ground in the district, Bowser said. Officials also stressed they were prepared for the spread of the virus and have been co-ordinating preparedness with a variety of agencies. Dr. Jennifer Smith, who leads Washingtons public health laboratory, said officials have the capability of testing about 50 patients per day. The district has also ordered more than 42,000 masks to be delivered to the districts fire and emergency medical workers, officials said. Officials said they were in contact with their counterparts at health departments across the U.S., including in New York and California, after two people who attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee event in Washington were diagnosed with coronavirus. Meanwhile, Maryland officials warned Saturday that a person who attended the recent Conservative Political Action Conference in the suburb of Oxon Hill had tested positive for the virus. Both Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence spoke at the conference. The White House said Saturday there was no indication that either had met or were in close proximity to the infected attendee. When asked whether his campaign rallies would would continue in light of the CPAC case, the president replied, Well have tremendous rallies. Trump held his most recent campaign rally last Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina. He waved off other questions to join a dinner for the president of Brazil, who was visiting Trump at the presidents home in south Florida. The Marine at Fort Belvoir was the first military case of coronavirus reported inside the U.S., said a Pentagon official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the case. The Marine was being treated at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, located south of Washington, and had recently returned from an overseas assignment, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said on Twitter. ___ Superville reported from Palm Beach, Florida. AP National Security Writer Robert Burns contributed to this report. Actor GK Pillai passes away: Who was veteran Malayalam artiste died at the age of 97? Veteran DMK leader Anbazhagan passes away India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Chennai, Mar 08: Veteran DMK leader K Anbazhagan passed away here on Saturday following a brief illness, the party said. Anbazhagan (97), the senior most DMK leader and a close friend of late party patriarch M Karunanidhi, was not keeping well for some time due to age-related ailments and was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals on February 24 after his health conditions deteriorated, DMK chief M K Stalin said. A nine-time MLA, Anbazhagan was the party's general secretary for 43 years. He had been staying away from active politics for some time due to his illness. Former Congress minister P Sankaran passes away at 72 In a statement, Stalin said Anbazhagan passed away at 1 am and party flags would fly at half mast for seven days. All the DMK programmes were postponed for a week, he added. Stalin had visited the ailing DMK leader when he was hospitalised. Known as "Perasiriyar" (professor) in the DMK circles, Anbazhagan had served as the Tamil Nadu finance minister and minister of public welfare. Following the demise of Anbhazhagan, a host of leaders cutting across party lines offered their condolences to the bereaved family. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Chief Minister K Palaniswami, Deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, Superstar Rajinikanth, actor-politician Kamal Haasan, Congress leaders P Chidambaram, K S Alagiri, VCK leader Thirumavalavan and DMDK Chief Vijayakanth were among those who expressed their condolences. "I am deeply saddened to learn about the demise of the veteran of the Dravidian movement, former Tamil Nadu minister, scholar politician and DMK general secretary K Anbhazhagan", Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said in a tweet. "Perasiriyar as called by his admirers was a great orator and a scholar. His widom, his ability to constantly pursue the ideology he believed in and his commitment to the cause of people inspires all," he said. "I pay my heartfelt condolences to bereaved families members and followers. May his soul rest in peace," he tweeted. In a statement, Palaniswami said Anbazhagan's demise was a huge loss to the state. "I extend my deep condolences to his family members and party men in this hour of grief..." the chief minister said. Speaking to reporters after paying homage to the departed DMK leader here, Actor Rajinikanth said, "I extend my deep condolences to his family members and DMK cadres." After his demise, Anbazhagan's body was taken to his residence in the city. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 9:19 [IST] Eight-year-old climate activist Licypriya Kangujam, who turned down Prime Minister Narendra Modis honour of joining the #SheInspiresUs campaign, said that she rejected the offer because nobody paid heed to any of her demands over the years. Speaking to PTI, Kangujam said that initially she was both happy and sad to learn about the honour, but eventually decided to turn it down since politicians never take the issue of climate change seriously. Over the years they havent listened to any of my demands despite protesting continuously in front of the Parliament and many other places across the country with thousands of children and youths, she lamented. She recalled, in June last year, seven MPs of the Rajya Sabha after her protest in front of the Parliament House, moved a Calling Attention Motion on the issue, but the minister of Environment and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar said that India would not bow down to international pressure on climate change. The ministers response was not up to her expectations, she said. Kangujam is known as Indian Greta, after being compared to award-winning Swedish teenage environment activist Greta Thunberg, for her passion towards the fight against climate change. Ever since her foray into climate activism, Kangujam, who was conferred the Rising Star by the Washington DC-based Earth Day Network last year, made her demands clear -- that the government should enact a climate law to regulate carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases. Such a law will bring in transparency, she said. She also demanded that climate change should be made a compulsory subject in schools because she believes that it will help in the fight against climate change from the grassroots level. It will also help in educating our leaders as they would learn about the issue from their children and grandchildren, she said, adding that the leaders just cannot believe that science and climate change is real. Planting of at least three trees by a student to pass their exam will lead to the plantation of at least 3.5 billion trees a year as we have 350 million students asserted Licypriya who believed it will make the country green in five years. She is certain that the policies would help fight climate change and also to change the system of the world. The #SheInspiresUs is a social media campaign dedicated to women whose life and work will help ignite motivation in millions. Insurance giant Prudential will be hoping to fend off coronavirus fears and pressure from activist investors as it posts its latest figures next week. The FTSE 100 firm is also expected to highlight the impact of the demerger of its UK business M&G, when it announces its full-year results for 2019 on Wednesday March 11. The company split off its UK arm in October, leaving it with operations in the US and Asia, and a head office in London. Theres a certain logic to a split, in so far as the logic for keeping the two units together isnt immediately clear,Nicholas Hyett, Hargreaves Lansdown Last month, activist hedge fund Third Point bought a 5% stake in the company, worth about two billion US dollars (1.54 billion) and argued that Prudential should shut its UK head office and separate its US and Asian operations. Prudential has yet to publicly respond to the fund led by Daniel Loeb, but said there would be a strategic update with its results announcement. Theres a certain logic to a split, in so far as the logic for keeping the two units together isnt immediately clear, said Nicholas Hyett, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. But were not really convinced splitting up would deliver many benefits either. However, talk of a further demerger could take a back seat as the business, which has significant Asian operations, looks to deal with the imminent impact of coronavirus. In its previous set of full-year results, it posted a 6% rise in operating profits on a constant currency basis to 4.8 billion for 2018, driven by the Asian business. The company has seen its share value slip by 20% in the past three weeks as traders have become increasingly fearful over the spread of the virus. Prudentials Asian operations have driven growth but there may also be concerns over the companys more mature US business. Mr Hyett warned that its focus on variable annuities makes it very exposed to a sustained downturn, meaning both the US and Asian arms could see an impact. Nevertheless, some analysts have suggested that the firms position in offering health insurance policies could prove to be positive. Kevin Ryan, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, wrote in a note that Prudential generates almost half its operating profit in Asia and health and protection products are a significant part of its offering. He added that in the first nine months of 2003, when Sars spread, Prudential reported a 17% rise in new business sales in local currency. Analysts will be on tenterhooks to see how much Prudential learned from the Sars outbreak, or if coronavirus will leave its international business reeling. (Newser) Two senior princes in Saudi Arabia are under arrest for not supporting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has consolidated control of all major levers of power with the support of his father, King Salman, two people close to the royal family said Saturday, the AP reports. The arrests on Friday of the king's younger and beloved brother, Prince Ahmed bin Abdelaziz, and the king's nephew and former counterterrorism czar, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, came after an accumulation of behavior that was provocative to leadership, one person in Saudi Arabia with knowledge of the arrests said. Both princes had served previously in the post of interior minister, overseeing security and surveillance inside the kingdom. story continues below The move came as a surprise, given that Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 60, was widely known to be under close surveillance since he was shunted out of the line of succession by the king's son in mid-2017, a person close to the royal court said. The arrest of Prince Ahmed, 78, was also unexpected since he is the king's full younger brother and also a senior member of the ruling Al Saud family. Prince Ahmed, however, has long held unfavorable views of the 34-year-old crown prince and was one of just a few senior princes to abstain from pledging allegiance to him. The Wall Street Journal first reported the arrests, quoting unidentified sources allied with the royal court as saying the princes were plotting a palace coup that would halt the rise of the crown prince. (Read more Saudi Arabia stories.) On the day after one of the most dreaded days of the year, as far as Hoboken police are concerned, Police Chief Ken Ferrante declared victory. Citing the drastic reduction in hospital visits attributed to the all-day drinking affair known as LepreCon from 166 in 2011 to 12 Saturday Ferrante said in a tweet That is the main number which shows this day has finally been brought under control. Other statistics confirm the stark difference between 2011, when the LepreCon was staged before, during and after the citys last St. Patricks Day Parade, and Saturday, the 11th LepreCon in Hoboken. Ferrante reported that there were six arrests Saturday, compared to 34 nine years ago, and 16 summonses for violations of city ordinances Saturday, compared to 555 in 2011. Also Saturday, police responded to 377 calls for service over 20 hours and there were 32 moving violation summonses. Dozens of Hoboken police were joined by 25 Union City police officers who worked a 4-to-midnight shift. Ferrante pointed out in a tweet that the city had no reports of sexual assaults or sexual offenses, and no complaints against any Hoboken and Union City police officers. Of the six arrests, one was for drugs, two were for driving while intoxicated and two were charges of disorderly conduct, Ferrante said. Here is a summary of the arrests: A 22-year-old from River Vale for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, at 74 Hudson St. A 23-year-old from Nanuet, New York for disorderly conduct and obstruction of justice at 74 Hudson St. A 31-year-old from the Bronx, New York, for six drug charges, including possession with intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine at 33 Newark St. A 24-year-old from Lincoln Park for obstruction at 89 Washington St. A 31-year-old from Newark for DWI at 80 River St. A 24-year-old from Kendall Park for DWI at 62 Newark St. Ferrante credited the bar owners for their cooperation in making it a relatively peaceful day. Unlike some residents who leave town during LepreCon and SantaCon, a couple non-participants interviewed Saturday didnt mind the extra activity in the city. Jorge Aguirre, 43, has been selling honey roasted nuts on the corner of Newark and Hudson streets for six years. He said hes seen LepreCon and Santacon at their worst and believes the event is now beautiful and police have been doing a good job. Theres been a few that drank too much, but thats normal, Aguirre told The Jersey Journal. (LepreCon) is good for business and tourists come from any city. ... The event is good as long as people are safe. Francisco Fernandez, 82, who has lived in Hoboken 60 years, sat in front of City Hall Saturday afternoon as LepreCon participants passed by on Washington Street. Theres more control now and they make money, Fernandez said. To me, this is a great day. ROSE (roz) n. One of the most beautiful of all flowers, a symbol of fragrance and loveliness. Often given as a sign of appreciation. RASPBERRY (razbere) n. A sharp, scornful comment, criticism or rebuke; a derisive, splatting noise, often called the Bronx cheer. We hereby deliver: ROSES to John Stanley, who died March 2 at the age of 63 after a battle with cancer. Stanley, who was employed by Oregon State University, was one of the unsung heroes of search and rescue efforts in the mid-valley. Since 2001, Stanley had volunteered his services as a radio operator to facilitate communications during search and rescue operations. He was an integral part of the annual Search & Rescue Academy put on by the Benton County Sheriffs Office and taught numerous amateur radio licensing classes over the years. He also lent his talents to the local branch of the Amateur Emergency Radio Service, Marys Peak Search & Rescue, the Civil Air Patrol and the American Radio Relay League. In a statement issued this week, the Benton County Sheriffs Office had this to say about Stanley: Johns skills and passion to help and willingness to serve will be missed greatly. Please keep Johns family in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time. To which we can only add: amen. ROSES to a couple of veterans whose names were recently added to the roll of honor at Timber-Linn Memorial Park in Albany. Cpl. Sidney Montgomery of the 26th Infantry became Albanys first World War I casualty when he was killed in France on Oct. 8, 1918, barely a month before the armistice was signed. Sgt. William Crocker Jr. of Corvallis, an aircraft gunner with the 343rd Bomb Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group, survived two years of duty in World War II only to be shot down on June 1, 1951, during the Korean War. Crocker was flying on a B-29 tasked with bombing rail bridges in North Korea when his plane was hit by enemy fire and went into a spin. Four parachutes were spotted in the air before the aircraft exploded, and it was believed that four crew members were taken prisoner by the North Koreans. In 1954, his family was notified that his status had officially changed from missing in action to deceased. Both men had their names chiseled in stone at Timber-Linn late last month, courtesy of the Linn County Veterans Memorial Association. The volunteer group recently applied for a $15,000 grant to expand the memorial. The memorial currently has 30 panels, each of which can hold 65 names. There are only two open panels left, and sadly, if history is any indication, more space will soon be required to hold the names of the honored dead who fall in war. ROSES to Lisa Avery, who was announced this week as the next president of Linn-Benton Community College. Avery will succeed Greg Hamann, who will retire at the end of June after 10 years of outstanding leadership at LBCC. Avery, who has been president of Portland Community Colleges Sylvania campus since 2015, brings a solid resume to her new role. She holds a bachelors degree from Ball State University and masters and doctoral degrees in social work from the University of Chicago. Before going to work for PCC, she taught at Eastern Washington University and served as vice provost of Community Colleges of Spokane. In a press release announcing her hire, LBCC officials touted Averys leadership and experience, citing her record as an advocate for student success, access to education, sustainability and diversity. We wish her well. But we also have to deliver a RASPBERRY to the LBCC board for the way it handled Averys hiring. The process to choose Hamanns successor began with an admirable degree of openness (in stark contrast to the cloak of secrecy that shrouded the search for a new president at Oregon State University last year). While the full list of applicants was never made public, LBCC did announce the names of the three finalists for the colleges top job and scheduled forums where the public could meet the contenders in person (one of those forums was canceled after one of the candidates withdrew from contention). The final hiring decision, however, was made at a special meeting on Tuesday rather than the boards next regularly scheduled meeting on March 18, leaving interested members of the public without an adequate opportunity to observe the proceedings. Given the boards earlier commitment to an open hiring process, this last-minute change of course was disappointing. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Nigeria-born fighter, Israel Adesanya, has successfully defended his UFC middleweight title after he secured a unanimous decision win over Yoel Romero early Sunday morning The judges scored the five-round fight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 in Adesanyas favour. As expected, there was less fireworks in the first round as the two fighters were literally dancing around each other inside the Octagon. There were only seven strikes, with Romero landing four to Adesanyas three, including a blow above the Nigerians left eye. Romero landed another big shot early in the second round, where the duo kept a close eye on each other. In the third, Adesanya began to land some big blows of his own, mainly kicks, with the crowd in Las Vegas expressing displeasure at the overall lack of action. As the fourth round began, the referee told both fighters: Youve got to give the judges something to score. Stuff Nation, a New Zealand publication, reports that the fight was stopped midway through the fourth, after Adesanya poked Romero in the eye, prompting an inspection by a doctor. It added that Adesanya was using kicks to Romeros right leg to great effect, wearing down the explosive Cuban heading into the fifth and final round. The champ had done enough to win, landing more strikes in each round after the first. Romero came at him late but to no avail. READ ALSO: Adesanya didnt have to fight 42-year-old Romero, as the UFC was prepared for him to wait for top contender and fellow undefeated star Paulo Costa to recover from injury. With Adesanya itching to fight, he was pitched against Romero who did give him a run for his money. Adesanya became the UFC interim middleweight champion last April, when he beat Kevin Gastelum by unanimous decision at UFC 236 in Atlanta, Georgia. He then beat New Zealand-born Australian Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 in Melbourne last October to become the undisputed champion. 'He took a secretary, Sylvia Adams, seated her in front of a screen and asked her what she would like to be able to do with a document. From this came such innovations as selecting text by dragging a cursor and cutting and pasting' (stock photo) Larry Tesler, who has died in California aged 74, was among the chief architects of the way we now use computers. Those in the industry knew him as the creator of design features such as cut and paste. Yet his true impact was in helping turn computers from business machines aimed at skilled technicians into appliances easily operated by anyone. In 1973, Tesler took a job at the Palo Alto Research Centre (Parc) of Xerox, the copier company. He worked on Gypsy, a program for creating text documents on Xerox's pioneering but hefty word-processors. Although these were the first to use on-screen graphics for functions instead of typed commands, the obligation to switch between modes for different operations such as editing and inputting was off-putting, especially to novices. Tesler was so keen to get rid of this that he had a T-shirt and number plate bearing the words 'NO MODES'. His solution was to make all modes always available, so that text could be inserted by simply clicking with a mouse at the chosen point on the screen. Next, he took a secretary, Sylvia Adams, seated her in front of a screen and asked her what she would like to be able to do with a document. From this came such innovations as selecting text by dragging a cursor and cutting and pasting. Another term which Tesler created was 'WYSIWYG' - what you see (on the screen) is what you get (on the page). He later worked on Xerox's project for a portable computer, developing for it a system to search software that he called a browser. But Xerox's attention was focused on the threat from Asian manufacturers of cheap copiers and the idea foundered. Somebody else, however, was interested: Steve Jobs. In 1979, in return for Xerox having an option to buy shares in Apple, its staff were shown around Parc. Jobs was astonished not only that its engineers had created features such as WYSIWYG and cut-and-paste but also that Xerox had not appreciated their potential. The following year, Tesler made a speech at a conference revealing Xerox's innovations. With no trade secrets to protect, he was subsequently able to join Apple, which he realised was about to revolutionise personal computing. He worked on the Apple Lisa, which incorporated much of Parc's development of windows, icons and, at Tesler's suggestion, a mouse with a single button. Although it was a relative failure, Lisa led to Apple's first success, the Macintosh. The second of three children, Lawrence Gordon Tesler was born in New York on April 24, 1945. His father was an anaesthetist. Larry Tesler is survived by his second wife, Colleen, and by his daughter. He died on February 16, 2020. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] All public events in Pathanamthitta have been cancelled till further notice even as five people tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala on Sunday. The state has been put on high alert and schools have been closed for the next three days. Ten more samples have been sent for testing and 24x7 call centers opened in all districts. These measures were taken after a high-level meeting chaired by state Health Minister K K Shailaja. Five people from a family, including three who recently came back from Italy, tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala on Sunday. Three of the five people in the southern states Pathanamthitta district had returned from Italy last month and two others were infected after they came into contact with them. The infected people were admitted to the hospital on Friday when they complained of fever and throat infection and tested positive after a laboratory in Alleppy sent their reports on Sunday. The samples have also been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune and reports are expected soon. The health minister said the three people had failed to inform health officials about their return from Italy and warned people of stern action if they hide their travel history. They acted in a highly irresponsible manner. They have done injustice to the state and those who toil day in and out to contain the virus. People who behave like this will be dealt with sternly, the health minister said. Shailaja also said that all the five have been kept in an isolation ward in the Pathanamthitta general hospital and their condition was stable. In the evening the health minister rushed to Pathanamthitta and chaired a high-level meeting. District health officials said at least 2000 people will be put under observation and they have prepared a list for this. MH17 Open source Judge Yolande Waynobel who is responsible for working with the media within the MH17 case does not rule out that new materials and new suspects may be involved in the process. Waynobel said this in an interview with Interfax. "The prosecutors office has handed over a lot of materials to us. Now the matter is much larger than it was in November. The question is whether these materials are complete. On Monday, the judge will answer this question. If he considers that the file is finished, he can decide to look into the case. But this does not mean that new materials cannot be added to the file," - the judge noted. According to her, both the prosecutor and the lawyers of the suspects can send additional documents. The materials themselves will be considered when the case is at work, after the completion of the investigation. In addition, prosecutors may decide that there is enough evidence to hold new suspects accountable. However, both the prosecutor and the court can decide whether to prosecute new suspects in the same case, or open a separate one. It is known that the first court hearing in the case of the Netherlands against three Russian suspects and one Ukrainian is scheduled for March 9. Four persons involved in the case may be convicted in absentia in accordance with the laws of the Netherlands. As we reported before, according to lawyers, the trial of four suspects in the case of the crash of the Malaysian airliner MH17 will take four or five years. Precautions have been in place at Berkshire Medical Center for weeks. Berkshire County's First Coronavirus Case Confirmed PITTSFIELD, Mass. Berkshire Medical Center has confirmed that a patient has tested as presumptive positive for COVID-19. In a statement of facts to press, Director of Media Relations Michael Leary said the patient is an older man who lives in Berkshire County. He is listed in stable condition. The patient could not be tested before Friday, when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the state Department of Public Health rules were changed to allow him to be tested. The CDC had limited testing to those who had traveled to areas where the disease was prevalent or had contact with someone who had. The man had been admitted to BMC several days earlier but at that time did not meet the CDC requirements to permit testing at the only authorized laboratory a DPH lab in Jamaica Plain Leary said the Board of Health in the individual's home community has been notified by the DPH and BMC and that board is responsible for conducting tracing of those who have come into recent contact with the patient. Several first-responders who came in contact with the patient were reportedly asked on Saturday to self-quarantine. The recommended quarantine is 14 days. Also, two students at Monument Valley Regional Middle School have also self-quarantined, according to Berkshire Hills Regional Superintendent Peter Dillon, who notified parents. The students had been visiting a country that the CDC had raised the warning level for after they had returned. The state now has one confirmed case of the coronavirus and 12 "presumptive." According to the state website, 719 individuals have been subject to quarantine and 470 have concluded the two-week period. Another 249 are still in quarantine. The DPH reported eight presumptive cases on Friday morning and five more on Saturday afternoon, including the Berkshire County man described as being in his 60s. Three of the cases had a "direct connection" to an employee conference for Biogen held in Boston last week, according to DPH, and a fourth had traveled to northern Italy. DPH said the fifth presumably the Berkshire County case was under investigation. The vast majority of those who contract COVID-19 will not have severe symptoms but may have fever, coughing and shortness of breath. There is also the possibility of pneumonia. Older individuals and those with underlying medical issues are at greater risk. The disease has spread to more than 70 countries and killed more than 3,500, with the highest numbers in China where the virus originated. Nineteen people have died in the United States, 16 of them in Washington state. Vermont reported its first case late Saturday night. BMC says it has been following CDC and DPH guidelines for caring for the patient and is identifying staff who may have been exposed to the patient prior to when he was tested. Anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms is being asked not to visit Berkshire Health System facilities until their symptoms are gone. Anyone with severe symptoms should contact their physician by phone before going to their office or the hospital emergency department. If anyone in the community feels the need to visit the hospital because of flu-like symptoms, BMC officials are urging them to first call the hospital at 413-447-2000. For 30 years, Kate McVeys lived in her four-bedroom home steps from Moravian Colleges campus, taking great pride in her Bethlehem home. With room to spare, McVeys discovered that renting a single room on Airbnb helps her keep her home updated and her bills paid. Id like to think I am a good neighbor, McVey told Bethlehems City Council last week. Her guests have spanned all ages, exposing her to wonderful people in town for a job interview or a special event, she said. Folks often Uber from the airport or bus station and dont take up a parking spot on Lorain Avenue where parking can be at a premium, McVey said. McVey was one of three Airbnb hosts who spoke at a city council hearing Tuesday on a proposed zoning ordinance to share their concerns about a proposal to more tightly regulate the citys short-term rental market. Bethlehems trying to rein in the practice of investors snatching up properties in the Historic District solely for renting them on home sharing sites like VRBO, Airbnb and HomeAway. But residents and some members of council expressed concerns that the restrictions might go too far and inhibit legitimate home-sharing efforts, which the city says it doesnt want to discourage. This is a tourist city, Councilwoman Grace Crampsie Smith said. The quality of life for residents is paramount, but it is a shame a few bad apples are ruining the process, Crampsie Smith said. Council members floated modifying the ordinance, but city Director of Planning and Zoning Darlene Heller warned any tweaks would reset the clock and require a lengthy, new advertising and public hearing process. Council took no action on the ordinance Tuesday night, just held the required public hearing. Under the proposed changes, a homeowner must be living in their property, present for all rentals and renting no more than two rooms. A home could not be rented for more than 30 consecutive nights under the proposal and the city requires annual licensing and inspections. The proposed zoning change also requires two off-street parking spaces per home and a third space if two rooms are rented. This does not apply to homes in the central business district, per the proposal. This means a Lehigh University professor couldnt rent their home on VRBO while abroad doing summer research and a West Bethlehem resident cant flee during Musikfest and collect some coin from a 'Fest fan. McVey expressed concerns about the parking restrictions, but was told they wouldnt apply to her property. Councilman Bryan Callahan opposes investors offering up city properties on home-sharing websites, but he has no problem with a resident renting their house for a month while they are on vacation, he said. The city currently has 20 short-term lodging facilities that are properly licensed and inspected. But a few online searches turn up plenty operating outside the bounds of the regulation. Councilman J. William Reynolds called this a balancing act between protecting neighborhoods and individual property rights. Much of it depends on how a judge interprets the regulations, he said. It will be very difficult to prove someone is renting their owner-occupied home when they are away, Reynolds said. With four children under 5, council President Adam Waldron said if an Airbnb isnt an option, his family isnt going there. The key is finding a balance, because a hotel may not be the solution for every family or situation and some operate rentals the city should be happy to have, he said. Historic District resident Barbara Diamond, who opposes whole house short-term rentals, applauded the citys efforts to strengthen its regulations. But she said she sees a professor or other resident trying to rent their house for a short period as a very different situation than a commercial investor. She hopes the updated rules will allow the city to shut down the illegal Airbnbs operating in the Historic District, which draw resident complaints for drunk visitors, parking battles and late-night parties. Resident Wendy Martel said it sounds like the city is dealing with two very different problems: commercial investors gobbling up homes for short-term rentals versus legitimate home sharing. She rents out a floor of her home on Airbnb and shes had wonderful guests who shop and eat downtown. But under this proposed change now she cant spend the night at someones house if she has a guest. Bethlehem first sought to regulate short-term rentals in 2017 and passed an ordinance requiring them to be owner-occupied, licensed and inspected and set limits on the length of rentals. But the citys efforts to enforce the new law failed in court when a Northampton County judge indicated it didnt pass legal muster. A recent state Supreme Court decision reopened the door to short-term rental regulations, so the city is floating zoning amendments and updates to the original ordinance to more clearly spell out where the city allows home-sharing and define whats permitted. The city is also laying out what makes a property a hotel -- a building with one or more rental units renting to transient visitors -- thats not a short-term rental or bed-and-breakfast. Earlier this year, Bethlehem City Council unanimously passed a resolution declaring the two changes pending ordinances, which means any new uses from Jan. 21 on would be subject to the new zoning. Council scheduled a public hearing on the new zoning rules for March 3. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email her. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The FDNY is pulling back firefighters from call responses that are associated with coronavirus symptoms, according to a report by the New York Daily News. The report states that fire companies with certified first responder training are being told to stand down and let Emergency Medical Services handle those calls. This includes any 911 calls for asthma attacks, fever, coughs and difficulty breathing. However, an FDNY spokesman said the move was to prioritize resources, stating firefighters will continue to respond to all high-priority medical calls, even if they are potentially COVID-19. Firefighters continue to respond to the highest-priority medical calls, whether they are potential COVID-19 calls or not, including Segment 1 incidents, cardiac and respiratory arrests, choking and trauma incidents, FDNY spokesman Frank Dwyer told the News. After making more than 4,000 quilts and raising $306,000 for local charities, the 40th annual JOY Spring Auction will be the last for the local ministry. Doors will open at 9 a.m. and the live auction will begin a half-hour later on March 18 at Lamb of God Lutheran Church, 57210 Allen Road, in Slidell. Admission is free and a complementary light lunch will be served at 1 p.m., after which the auction resumes until the last item is sold. Its been a lot of cutting, ironing and stitching, said longtime volunteer Elva Ellermann, 86, who also serves as the auctioneer. The volunteers dress in the colors and embellishments based on the annual theme. This years (color) is ruby, for the 40th anniversary, Ellermann said, and what they wear, from their hats and pins down to the scarves on their necks, are up for grabs at the charity event. About 150 to 200 quilts will be auctioned, in addition to many other handmade items and donated baked goods. Funds raised will go to Community Christian Concern, NAMI, STARC and the Mount Olive Feeding Ministry. People know it is the last one, so they have brought in special things for the sale and auction, she said. There will be a variety of tied quilts, handmade quilts, machine made quilts, baby quilts and their most popular favorites, the jeans quilts and quilts made with pants pockets. There will be a Sunbonnet Sue quilt made from squares that someone had kept in their family for years, then donated for the JOY quilters to finish. Then theres the LSU Tigers quilt, three years in the making, that is already up for bid. It features LSU T-shirt squares throughout and a Tiger Paw quilting pattern in gold. Ellermann provides lighthearted commentary throughout the auction that lets the bidding public know the special details and interesting stories behind each item. It gives a glimpse into the love and devotion these women have put into 40 years of sewing. Volunteers carry the items throughout the fellowship hall where the seated guests who register for auction numbers can look at and feel the items for sale. Thats what we have, things you cant find anywhere else, she said. Lunch is made up of salads brought by the volunteers. Ellermann said it is like the 40 loaves and fishes in the Bible: Theres somehow always been enough. St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up At the heart of the ministry is the "Jesus, Others and You, JOY," fellowship, a womens Bible study that has helped sustain its members through births, deaths, triumphs and tragedies. Many of the members, like Ellermann, are widowed and in their 70s and 80s. They will still keep making quilts to give away to charities, and have a spring and fall sale at the church, but the auction is too big to sustain. The auction started as a mission project. Members took apart clothing donated to them and made scrap quilts. The joke was be careful where you put your jacket, or it might become part of a quilt, Ellermann remembers. Now, their fabrics are cut and neatly sorted into boxes that allow them to design by color, texture and pattern to create each quilt. Ellermanns children have helped with the ministry, and her grandchildren and great grandchildren all have JOY quilts. But not all of them have seen me in action at the auction, she said. This final auction will be extra special as three generations of immediate family will travel from as far as Colorado and Illinois to celebrate with her, the final JOY auction. Other charities that have benefited from the JOY auction over four decades include Safe Harbor, The Caring Center, Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran Womens Missionary League, American Red Cross, Rainbow Child Care Center and Habitat for Humanity East St. Tammany. The LSU quilt is on display and open for bid at Lamb of God. The bid has started at $250, with $20 increments. For more information, email lambofgodslidell@gmail.com or call (985) 641-4752. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Sunday he wasn't surprised that the "power of the [Democratic] establishment" forced Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg both of whom he said worked very hard on their campaigns out of the Democratic presidential race in an attempt to elevate former Vice President Joe Biden and keep Sanders from the nomination. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Super Tuesday results: "One of the things I was kind of not surprised by was the power of the establishment to force Amy Klobuchar, who had worked so hard, Pete Buttigieg who had really worked extremely hard as well out of the race." https://t.co/FMsEFyFDY3 pic.twitter.com/9C5lLFJCR5 ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) March 8, 2020 But Sanders received some pushback on the comments from observers who argued it wasn't the Democratic establishment that caused the downfall of the Klobuchar and Buttigieg campaigns, but their inability to, well, conjure up enough support from voters, and African American voters in particular. After all, Klobuchar and Buttigieg were, to put it mildly, trounced by Biden in South Carolina, where the Democratic electorate is comprised of a majority of black voters, suggesting they had little room for improvement going forward. It wasnt the establishment that forced Klobuchar and Buttigieg out, it was their lack of support with black voters. And while were at it, those same black voters broke for Biden over Sanders by 45 points on Super Tuesday.https://t.co/W3NcGxAVcb https://t.co/Z373EnT20u Cameron Peters (@jcameronpeters) March 8, 2020 Bernie Sanders blames his Super Tuesday losses on the "establishment" pressuring Klobuchar and Buttigieg's to drop from the race. No mention of their SC trouncing and inability to attract African American voters. pic.twitter.com/xqOxFMYPbh Natasha Korecki (@natashakorecki) March 8, 2020 More stories from theweek.com Trump reportedly told aides he fears journalists will purposefully try to infect him with coronavirus on Air Force One As markets plummet, Trump says White House to seek possible payroll tax cuts Trump retweets White House photo of him fiddling, says he doesn't know 'what this means' How to Clip Click and hold your mouse button on the page to select the area you wish to save or print. You can click and drag the clipping box to move it or click and drag in the bottom right corner to resize it. When you're happy with your selection, click the checkmark icon next to the clipping area to continue. Nicholas Tucci, star of Syfy's Channel Zero and horror film You're Next, has died. He was 38. Tucci's father announced the news on the actor's Facebook page. On Tuesday, March 3, Nick died at the Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut," Alexander Tucci wrote. "Nick chose to keep his illness private so that he could continue to pursue his professional and artistic dreams for as long as possible. In the last year, he was able to audition, go on location, and continue the work he loved so much. To those of you in the film, television, and theatre communities ... thank you for guiding, encouraging, and supporting Nick. To those of you who enjoyed Nicks work on the screen and stage ... thank you for recognising his talent and appreciating his efforts. To all ... thank you for your gift of friendship to my son. A rep for the actor told PEOPLE, Nick and I recently started to work together again and Nick was very excited about his future in the business. I was shocked to receive a phone call from his dad a couple days ago informing me of his passing. Originally from Middletown, Connecticut and best known for his work on Channel Zero and You're Next, Tucci also logged roles in horror film Long Lost, games Wolfenstein: The New Order and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, and TV shows Ramy, Pose, Homeland, Quantico, The Blacklist, and Daredevil. He currently has three movies set for release in 2020: Ten Minutes to Midnight, Come Home, and Ballad of a Hustler. Related content: The financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak is beginning to be felt as retailers at a major shopping centre report a drop in sales and express concern about the future of their businesses. A number of shoppers and shop owners at the Macquarie Centre on Saturday said there had been a significant decline in foot traffic. Shoppers at the Macquarie Centre take their own precautions to avoid the spread of coronavirus. Credit:Steven Siewert In contrast, Coles and Woolworths appeared to be doing a roaring trade in toilet paper, tissues and large bags of rice - happily without the violence between customers that has erupted at other Sydney supermarkets. The Macquarie Centre is located in northwest Sydney where several coronavirus cases have been discovered at Epping Boys High School, Ryde Hospital, Macquarie University and Macquarie Park. Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth, one of India's first female fighter pilots, on Sunday said flying MiG-21 Bison fighter jet is a "matter of pride" for her. "This is a very-very capable aircraft. And to fly one is a matter of pride for me," Kanth told ANI responding to a question about how she felt flying MiG-21 Bison which came to limelight in the aftermath of Balakot airstrikes. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman had shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet with his Mig-21 Bison during a dogfight on February 27 last year Flight Lieutenant Mohana Singh too said she was "honoured" to fly the MiG-21 Bison. MiG-21 Bison is a single-engine, single-seater multirole fighter/ground attack aircraft of the Russian origin. Being a first or being a woman does not matter but being a fighter pilot matters, says India's one of the first three fighter pilots Flight Lieutenant Avani Chaturvedi said. Speaking to ANI she said, "We are very lucky that we have got an opportunity to fulfil our dreams because when we joined there was no option for women to join fighters' team." They are the first three women pilots commissioned into the Fighter Stream with six more having joined the IAF as Fighter Pilots since their pioneering feat. Last year in February, during the aerial skirmish that erupted after IAF foiled an attempted attack by PAF on India's military installations, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman had shot down a much-advanced F-16 while piloting a MiG-21 Bison. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The AI Forum of New Zealand representing organisations from across New Zealand's artificial intelligence ecosystem has published a set of principles designed to help build public trust in the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in New Zealand. The use of AI has become a contentious topic in New Zealand in recent years. In April 2018 the University of Otago called for government use of AI analytics to be regulated. Then, in May 2019 the New Zealand Law Foundation warned against the unregulated user of artificial intelligence algorithms by government. In response, in November 2019, the Government announced it would examine regulation of AI with the World Economic Forum. AI Forum executive director Emma Naji said the principles provided overarching high-level guidance for anyone involved in designing or developing AI to get them thinking about how to work towards ethical development of AI. We want to raise awareness that ethical and legal issues need to be identified and addressed as early as possible, she said. AI does not exist in a legal void. Existing laws and regulations such as privacy, human rights and liability all apply, but people tend to forget that in the face of AI. The fundamental purpose of publishing these principles is a succinct, useful reference point that can help lay some groundwork in building and informing good practice. The Trustworthy AI in Aotearoa AI Principles document (Aotearoa is the indigenous Maori name for New Zealand) sets out five principles covering: fairness and justice reliability, security and privacy transparency human oversight and accountability well-being The authors say they have drawn on common themes emerging from the growing body of published AI ethical principles. We believe AI stakeholders that design, develop and use AI systems in accordance with these principles will be better able to manage many of the identified risks and unintended consequences of AI. As a result, the public will be more likely to trust AI, ultimately enhancing the ability of all New Zealanders to enjoy the benefits of AI. This New Zealand initiative follows the launch by the global Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), on 27 February of the OECD AI Policy Observatory designed to help countries enable, nurture and monitor the responsible development of trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) systems for the benefit of society. She is currently hosting Crufts Extra, bringing all the backstage gossip from the biggest dog show in the world. And Scarlett Moffatt looked radiant on the last day of the event which took place in Birmingham on Sunday. The 30-year-old presenter completed her look with black tights and boots and put on a very animated display when bumping into The Wanted's Nathan Sykes. Adorable: Scarlett Moffatt looked radiant in a red dress on the last day of Crufts which took place in Birmingham on Sunday The Gogglebox star wore her brunette tresses in a sleek topknot and left a few loose strands to frame her face. She brought glamour to the Terrier and Hound day with a pop of red lipstick on her pout and posed alongside an adorable German Shepherd. Nathan, 26, cut a very casual figure in a navy T-shirt and hoodie on the outing. He could not keep the smile off his face, no doubt delighted by the surrounding pooches. Gorgeous: The 30-year-old completed her look with black tights and boots and put on a very animated display when bumping into The Wanted's Nathan Sykes Later in the day the TV star met the winner of Crufts, Maisie the Wire Haired Daschund. Scarlett looked gorgeous when she headed onto the pitch to greet the little dog and her owner. When the adorable pooch took her victory lap with owner Kim McCalmont, she hilariously went to the toilet on the green turf. Animated: The Goggle Box star wore her brunette tresses in a sleek top knot and left a few loose strands to frame her face Scarlett's appearance comes after she teased engagement plans with her boyfriend Scott Dobinson during a family getaway to Orlando, Florida. The former Gogglebox star took to Instagram to hint that her police officer beau should propose during a day out to Universal Studios. Scarlett shared a sweet loved-up snap of herself and Scott outside Hogwarts castle at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Thumbs up: She brought glamour to the Terrier and Hound day with a pop of red on her pout and posed alongside an adorable German Shepherd Winner: Later in the day the TV star met the winner of Crufts, Maisie the Wire Haired Daschund She penned on her Instagram Story: 'Imagine being proposed to feeling like real life Hermione! Hint hint ha!! @universalorlando.' (sic) Scarlett went on to share a sweet selfie together during a meal out at STK, they were also joined by her parents, Mark and Betty, and younger sister Ava-Grace. The reality star also posted a picture of herself and Scott in a lift, which she captioned: 'My love @scottdobby,' followed by a heart GIF. In January, Scarlett and Scott celebrated their one-year anniversary with a romantic getaway to Barcelona, Spain. Cute: Scarlett looked gorgeous when she headed onto the pitch to greet the little dog and her owner Hilarious: When the adorable pooch took her victory lap with owner Kim McCalmont, she hilariously went to the toilet on the green turf She penned: 'One official year of being @scottdobby girlfriend. I can safely say the best year of my life. 'Lovely little trip to Barcelona (one to tell the kids one day ha!) next trip is with all the Moffatts (so excited for that especially as sometimes I feel like my family love you more than they love me ha!) 'Its took me to the ripe age of 29 to find the one, so dont panic if youre turning 30 or older and feel like wow I dont have a family yet! Love happens in mysterious ways & at mysterious times #love #anniversary #barcelona.' Having fun: Nathan, 26, cut a very casual figure in a navy T-shirt and hoodie Good boy: Nathan could not keep the smile off his face, no doubt delighted by the surrounding pooches A 'character actor,' as the dictionary demarcates is usually a character, not the leading man and can often be charmingly eccentric or unusual person. The term found its origin in the 19th century theatre criticism to describe actors who submerged themselves in the role armed with idiosyncracies and all manner of accouterment. Hollywood, reports suggest, adapted it much later in the 1930s to describe actors who played specific types of roles. Closer home, in Hindi films, character actors have held a special place for long even if its been a limiting and formulaic one. The faithful family retainer, often endearingly named, Ramu Kaka, played many times by AK Hangal, or the upright and honest inspector owned by Jagdish Raj and Iftikar, the quintessential suffering mother embodied by Nirupa Roy, the Vamp, as defined by Bindu or Helen are a few with instant recall. Then there were the comediansthose most dependable of all supporting charactersMehmood, Johnny Walker, Mukri, Utpal Dutt, whose tomfoolery lent films the much-needed levity. And, of course, one cannot forget Praan the gentleman villain and an occasional Mr Nice-guy too. It is to characters actors--the unsung heroes of the film industry-- such as these that director Hardik Mehta doffs his hat to in Har Kisse Ke Hisse- Kaamyaab. An endearing homage of a film starring Sanjay Mishra in the lead, it evokes nostalgia and affection. Mishra plays Sudhir, a character actor who during the course of an interview discovers that he has acted in 499 films. He decides to complete his 500th, and we join him on his journey thereon. Kaamyaab and its characters are quite evidently fashioned on the formula films of the 70s and 80s perfect for hamming and high-pitched histrionics. It also weaves in small but telling anecdotes that resonate well with viewers. For instance, in many real life cases, character actors who have done a wide variety of roles in films are remembered only for a certain few punch lines that they have delivered in some film. In Sudhirs case, it is one of his dialogues from an old film Enjoying lifeaur option kya hai which has travelled down generations. A poignant way to sub-text the character's journey. Hardik Mehta, the young director of the film had started off on his own journey with the idea of a documentary on actor Viju Khote who became famous as Kaalia in the film Sholay for being asked Kitney aadmi they by Gabbar Singh. Eventually, Mehta's initial idea gave way to a full-length dramatic feature, which draws upon his wealth of facts and infuses them into his fictional narrative of a character actor played by Sanjay Mishra. Casting Mishra is astute because he owns the roles and makes it both believable and likeable. A charming detail to the film is its showcase of multiple character actors from yesteryear films like Avatar Gill, Guddi Maruti, Liliput who play themselves. A telling moment in the film is when Sudhir, attending his grandchilds school function is asked to fill in because the Chief Guest a big starhas been delayed. Sudhir steps in reluctantly and just when he has the audience completely under his spell with his gimmicks, the superstar walks in and the crowds once again turn to the Star they are fascinated with. That scene succinctly captured the hardships of a life of quasi-fame, a reality that character actors often live with. Fortuitously, the evolution of cinema at large and Hindi movies in particular has given character actors a commanding presence of their own. The shift away from formula films has made specificity necessary for casting people. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra (who incidentally, almost seems to be the inspiration behind Deepak Dobriyals character in Kaamyaab) opines that Shekhar Kapurs film Bandit Queen was among the first to break away from stock characters that did injustice to the accomplished actors who played them. Gangs of Wasseypur followed it up in right earnest with an expansive cast with the likes of Huma Qureshi, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Zeeshan Qadri, Viineet Kumar, each of them unique and memorable, he says. Over the last decade and a half we have seen the character actor come of age where they have moved away from the old script and invented new personas for themselves. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Manoj and Seema Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao, Pankaj Kapur, Sanjay Mishra, Pankaj Tripathi are a few who have created a significant repository for character actors. And the list is only expandingSurekha Sikri, Sayani Gupta, Tilottama Shome, Manu Rishi Chaddha, Deepak Dobriyal, Manav Kaul, Vijay Varma are a few that have caught the audiences eye. Pankaj Tripathi lead the Amazon web series Mirzapur while Nawazuddin Siddiqui who after a succession of small roles has also headlined films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Photograph besides getting top billing in Netflix crime series Sacred Games. Today no producer can think of a film without getting the right supporting cast with good character actors in the mix. Now a film poster will have supporting actors like Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta on a poster and publicity material, something that was rare earlier, points out Chhabra who has been instrumental in breaking the norm of stock casting. Of course, there could have been no better script on how far character actors have come, than releasing a film starring the affable Mishra in the lead role. Mishra himself was a character actor till such time that his talent could not be ignored, and he began landing important supporting parts and eventually even played lead roles- a journey that Sudhir, the character that Mishra plays in Kaamyaab, would envy. Follow @News18Movies for more Crisis-hit Yes Bank has said customers can withdraw money with their debit cards, days after the Reserve Bank Of India (RBI) took control of the private lender, imposed limits on withdrawals and said it would work on a revival plan. You can now make withdrawals using your YES BANK Debit Card both at YES BANK and other bank ATMs. Thanks for your patience. @RBI @FinMinIndia, bank tweeted late on Friday. Thousands of panic-gripped Yes Bank customers have been queueing up to withdraw their money after the central bank capped the withdrawal limit to Rs 50,000 per account per month. RBIs directive which came into effect at 6am on Friday will be effective till April 3, 2020. Yes Bank, in a letter on Friday, assured its customers that their deposits are safe. The government and RBI have also assured that account holders money was safe with the bank and that it will be restructured soon. Indias biggest bank, State Bank of India (SBI), has expressed its willingness to make an investment in Yes Bank and participate in its reconstruction scheme, RBI has said. It will receive suggestions on it up to March 9 and thereafter take a final view. SBI said on Saturday it will pick up a 49% stake in Yes Bank for Rs 2450 crore and clarified that all the deposits and liabilities of the reconstructed bank will continue in the same manner. A scheme floated on Friday to bail out the cash-strapped lender by the central said SBI shall pick up a 49% stake in the reconstituted Yes Bank. Yes Bank Ltd Reconstruction Scheme, 2020 is largely dependent on the infusion of funds by the government-owned SBI. Arc. Asema Achado, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue, has appealed to politicians in the state to shelve party differences and find solutions to the incessant attacks on communities. Achado made the call in a statement he personally signed on Saturday and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Makurdi. He regretted that instead of uniting to confront the common enemy, Benue politicians were busy playing politics with the attacks. Achado said that majority of Nigerians had little negatives against APC as a party apart from issues of insecurity in the country and urged the Federal Government to urgently find solutions to it. I call on people of the state to put politics behind them and collectively emancipate the citizenry from the trouble that is enveloping us. As an ardent member of the All Progressives Congress, I plead with the APC-led Federal government to take more proactive steps in bringing the re surging security situation in Nigeria and Benue in particular under control. Outside this security situation, Nigerians have very little negatives to talk about our party and government. The gunmen do not spare APC, PDP, APGA or SDP members and the earlier we remove politics from the attacks, the more united we will be in confronting the marauders, he added. Achado further said that as a politician, he was worried with the attitude of most people in the state as they were more interested in discussing the politics of the attacks instead of finding solutions to it. I am however more worried that many people in Benue are more interested in discussing the politics of these heinous attacks than the damage they have visited on Benue. They prefer to apportion blames and counter blames, as though the gunmen attack only members of a particular tribe, group or political party; This is uncalled for, to say the least. In times of extreme carnage and troubles, we need to team up to resist an invading enemy rather than cut ourselves to pieces. Suspected armed herdsmen attacks all over Nigeria have become a recurrent tragedy and here in Benue, no year passes by without such attacks, for many years now. While people from other states are battling with this same problem and finding internal solutions, we seem to be putting too much politics into our quest for solutions, rather than attempting a coordinated approach to confront the problem headlong. he said He said provision of security was the primary responsibility of the government at all levels, but everyone has a role to play by volunteering useful information to curb the menace. I acknowledge the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Army through Operation Whirl Stroke in Benue, but the number of people still living in the IDP camps and the influx of armed herdsmen into Benue show that more needs to be done. Many farmers have been driven away from their ancestral lands and their homes occupied by the suspected armed herdsmen. The Benue State Government also deserves commendation for the Anti-Open Grazing Law which is aimed at ensuring modern ways of animal husbandry in the state, but more sincere implementation is needed, distancing the law from politics. People of the South West have put before us a very big difference between party politics and common interest. By embracing the Amotekun Security Network, the south-westerners, irrespective of political affiliation have sent a stern signal that they are willing to safeguard their people and their party differences could wait. Why cant we do same in Benue? he said. Houston is indelibly defined by its rich diversity, flourishing in neighborhoods spanning from Greater Fifth Ward to East Downtown, Midtown to Houstons Heights. On Saturday, Houstonians celebrated the African-American culture which has strengthened and energized the Bayou City from its inception. Houstons Black Heritage Music and Arts Fest kicked off at noon Saturday at Midtown Park in downtown Houston. Assam Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami on Saturday said he will discuss with the state government and opposition parties the issue of the budget being uploaded on an official website hours before its tabling in the House. Though "leaking" of the budget is not a breach of privilege, but data security is prime in the age of digitisation, Goswami said. "I will discuss the issue with the parliamentary affairs minister, law and justice minister and the leader of the opposition to see what can be done to prevent such incidents in future," he said. Hours before Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma read out the state budget for 2020-21 on Friday afternoon, the copy of the speech was uploaded on the official website of his department, but pulled down later. The incident led to chaos in the assembly with the opposition interrupting Sarma while he was presenting the budget. They alleged breach of privilege, which was turned down by the Speaker. The Opposition Congress had staged a walkout in protest. A US cruise ship stranded by a coronavirus outbreak off the coast of San Francisco will dock in Oakland, a passenger on board the vessel and US media reports said Saturday. "We are docking in Oakland tomorrow (Sunday)," Grand Princess passenger Carolyn Wright told AFP. "We will arrive sometime in the afternoon. It will take several days to disembark." California governor Gavin Newsom had given the vessel permission to dock, the San Jose-based Mercury reported, citing comments by Oakland councilman Larry Reid. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bollywood superstar Akshay on Sunday urged people to maintain proper hygiene amid novel coronavirus scare across the globe. The novel virus originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year and has claimed over 3,000 lives in the country. Many events around the world have been cancelled amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including film festivals and music concerts. Release of much-awaited James Bond film "No Time to Die" has also been pushed by seven months to November. When asked if the Hindi film industry will be struck by the growing concern around coronavirus in the country, Akshay told PTI, "There will be some effect but how much that is difficult to say. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said people shouldn't go to crowded places and safety measures should be taken." "It all boils down to maintaining proper hygiene. One has to be very careful. We all have come down to the basic way of greeting people, that is 'namaste'," he added. The Union Health Ministry had recently advised to either avoid or postpone mass gatherings to prevent spread of COVID-19. In case such gatherings are organised, the respective states should take necessary action to guide the organisers on precautions to be taken, a communication from the Ministry had said. Apart from China, over 3,400 people have died of the deadly disease and over 101,000 have been infected from the virus globally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], Mar 7 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has brought back Sunny Kalra, an accused in a bank fraud case, from Muscat, Oman) on Saturday. Further details are awaited. The extradition request from CBI in respect of Sunny Kalra was made by the Ministry of External Affairs in 2018. (ANI) Informal Expert Group Meetings to Update the UNODC Model Law on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters In response to paragraph 15(d) of Resolution 10/4 of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, UNODC has organized two Informal Expert Group Meetings (IEGM) to Update the UNODC Model Law on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (2007). The first IEGM was held virtually, from 17 to 18 March 2021 (See Agenda). The second IEGM will take place in Vienna, from 11 to 12 November 2021. These IEGMs are due to the generous financial support of the Governments of Japan and the United Kingdom. The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS), has advised President Muhammadu Buhari, his administration and Governments of c... The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS), has advised President Muhammadu Buhari, his administration and Governments of countries affected by coronavirus to impose an international travel ban on their officials. TIEMS Director (Nigeria/West Africa), Ismail Sani, made the call in a statement on Sunday. He lamented that despite the alarming rate the deadly virus was spreading, some government officials in Nigeria and elsewhere were still travelling outside their countries for conferences and events. The government should as a matter of urgent national importance suspend all foreign trips for its officials until further notice, he noted. Foreigners and other travellers should also be subjected to thorough health check and screening on arrival at the ports, no matter their status in order to safeguard the lives of the populace. The outbreak of the coronavirus has claimed lives and hospitalised so many in the last couple of days, hence the urgent need to be more proactive in approaching the situation at hand, the TIEMS added. Nigeria recorded its first case in Lagos, Nigerias commercial hub, on February 27. The affected individual is an Italian, who works in Nigeria and returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos, on February 25. Coronavirus broke out in Wuhan, China in mid-December 2019. Currently, over 100,000 cases have been reported in 88 countries with more than 3,500 deaths. The former stripper who gave birth to Hunter Bidens child is asking an Arkansas judge to hold the former vice presidents son in contempt for defying court orders in the ongoing child support case. Lunden Alexis Roberts, 28, is accusing Biden, 50, of missing a March 1 deadline to submit financial documents to Independence County Circuit Court. Biden is said to have failed to comply with an order to hand over discovery materials like his source of income over the past five years as well as unredacted copies of his tax returns from 2017 and 2018. He is also required to submit other documents that indicate his phone number and address as well as those of his wife, 32-year-old Melissa Cohen Biden, according to Page Six. Lunden Alexis Roberts, 28, the former stripper who had a baby from Hunter Biden (right), is accusing the former vice president's son of failing to meet deadlines to file paperwork in their ongoing child support case Biden was hit with a paternity suit last May by Roberts, who claimed he was the father of their 18-month-old child, after the two met at a strip club that she worked at in Washington D.C. Roberts is also seeking documents containing the contact information for Biden's new wife, Melissa Cohen Biden (above) Roberts lawyer, Clint Lancaster, slammed Biden, saying he has no respect for this courts orders, the legal process in this state, or the needs of his child support. Biden also failed to produce documents listing the companies that he owns as well as other financial documents, Roberts lawyer says. Biden was hit with a paternity suit last May by Roberts, who claimed he was the father of their 18-month-old child, after the two met at a strip club that she worked at in Washington D.C. Last month, a judge rejected Bidens bid to delay his deposition in the case until April 1. The judge ordered Biden to appear in court in mid-March. In January, the court ruled Biden was indeed the father, but a permanent child support arrangement still needs to be set. So far, Biden has missed several deadlines and skipped out on two court hearings. The judge, Holly Meyers, previously said that she would dismiss previous contempt motions if Biden submitted the necessary paperwork to Roberts by March 1. A deposition has been scheduled for March 11 in Little Rock, according to a notice of deposition filed on Thursday. A pretrial hearing has also been scheduled for March 13. 'Unless his hair is on fire, he needs to be in Arkansas and he needs to be in a deposition, the judge told Bidens lawyers last week after she rejected his motion to delay his deposition. She also scoffed at Biden's limited availability, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. She asked: 'My question to you is, why could your client not be available until after April 1? 'All the information I have is that he's unemployed.' A piece that ran in The New York Times last week reveals Biden has taken up painting as a hobby, telling the paper it's 'literally keeping me sane', adding: 'For years I wouldnt call myself an artist. Now I feel comfortable saying it.' He said he viewed painting as a form of therapy, admitting he had been addicted to crack cocaine for four years. He added: 'I want to protect this [art studio space]. The one thing I have left is my art. Its the one thing they cant take away from me or conflate with anything else.' Roberts' legal team now wants to know if Biden is making money from his art. Meyer allowed for the deposition to be pushed back by a few days, stating he needed to turn up in Arkansas on either March 11 or March 12. Biden has been laying low in Los Angeles with his new wife Melissa Cohen, who is expecting their first child together, DailyMail.com first revealed last year. Hunter Biden is the son of former Vice President Joe Biden (seen above in April 2016) The businessman had been prepping in case he was called to testify in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial over his ties to an Ukrainian energy company. His father, former vice president Joe Biden, is in the running to become the Democratic party's presidential candidate for the 2020 election. Last month, Biden and Roberts finally came to an agreement for temporary child support. Biden agreed to pay an undisclosed amount each month for their child, which started on February 1. As part of the agreement, Biden has to retroactively pay support from November 2018, meaning he'll have to cough up 14 months worth of support by March 1. He will also have to pay Roberts' legal fees and costs, according to court documents. The child, whose gender is being kept secret, was born in August 2018. Roberts had been demanding her former lover to turn over the past five years of his financial records to establish how much he should pay in support. The agreed upon amount has been redacted from the court filing, but the court noted that because it 'lacks sufficient information to determine child support based off the defendant's income... it reserves judgement on temporary child support and final child support until after adequate discovery is completed and relevant evidence is available for a child support determination.' It adds: 'The Court specifically reserves the right to retroactively amend or modify child support without the need for the filing of a proper motion by either party to modify support. 'If the evidence indicates that the defendant should have paid more in support than the amount set forth in this Order, the Court may order that he pay an additional amount after reviving credit for what he has paid.' Activists gathered in Bishkek square to march against gender-based violence on International Womens Day. Police in Kyrgyzstan have detained dozens of protesters, mostly women, at a rally to mark International Womens Day after masked men attacked them and tore up their placards. Dozens of women were placed in police vehicles in the centre of the capital, Bishkek, where womens groups had begun to rally against gender-based violence on Sunday, according to an AFP news agency correspondent. The detentions of the women came after they were attacked by the masked men, some of whom wore traditional Kyrgyz white felt hats. The attackers tore up the protesters posters, popped balloons with toy pistols and threw eggs at the women before fleeing the scene. Erlan Atantayev, deputy head of the Sverdlovsky police department where the women were taken, told AFP that the protesters had been detained for their safety and because police had not been warned about the rally. Clashes began between the demonstrators and men wearing the face masks, said Atantayev. We detained (the women) for violation of public order. Atantayey told AFP police were carrying out explanatory work with the detained protesters. He added that some of the demonstrators could face fines for resisting police. Police also detained three male assailants but did not chase after those who ran away, AFP reported. Activists say womens rights are deteriorating amid a resurgence of right-wing ideology [Vladimir Pirogov/Reuters] Journalist Nurjamal Djanibekova said one of the attackers broke her telephone to prevent her from filming the attack. Djanibekova said 70 people were being held in the Sverdlovsky police station. A court in Kyrgyzstan this week banned rallies in the centre of Bishkek until July 1 in response to a request by the city administration. But the city authorities later withdrew the request and the court lifted the ban. Atantayev told AFP that he was unaware of the lifting of the ban, which the city administration had initially said was necessary to preserve public order and counter the threat of the new coronavirus. Kyrgyzstan has so far had no confirmed cases of the virus that has killed 3,500 people and infected more than 100,000 across 95 nations and territories. A March 8 demonstration last year angered conservative groups, who have grown in strength in recent years and complain the rallies promote gay rights. Activists say womens rights are deteriorating amid a resurgence of right-wing ideology. Last December, a Feminnale exhibition at Kyrgyzstans National Art Museum that centred on womens economic freedom generated a huge backlash, including threats of violence against all participants. The government chose to censor a number of the artworks that were deemed too provocative, hanging signs reading censored in their place. The museum director was forced to resign following threats to her and her staff. A picture of victims of the MH17 crash rests on empty chairs during a protest outside the Russian Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 8, 2020. (Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters) Dutch Trial Over Downing of Flight MH17 to Start Without Suspects AMSTERDAMFour fugitive suspects go on trial in the Netherlands on Monday charged with the murder of 298 passengers and crew aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, shot down with a Russian-made missile over eastern Ukraine in July 2014. Wreckage of the Boeing 777 fell into fields surrounding the Ukrainian village of Hrabove in territory held by pro-Russian separatists fighting Ukrainian government forces. It was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when it was hit by a surface-to-air missile. There were no survivors. Arrest warrants were issued last year for three Russians and a Ukrainian identified by a Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which spent several years collecting evidence. Family members of victims of the MH17 crash protest outside the Russian Embassy, lining up empty chairs for each seat on the plane, in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 8, 2020. (Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters) The four, Russians Sergey Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov, and Igor Girkin, and Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko, had senior positions in the pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine in 2014. The JIT said they had not pulled the trigger, but colluded to carry out the attack. Girkin, a vocal and battle-hardened Russian nationalist, was minister of defense in the self-declared Donetsk Peoples Republic (DNR) in Ukraine. Dubinsky, Pulatov, and Kharchenko were members of the separatists military intelligence unit. The defendants are at large and are not expected to show up for the hearings at a high-security courtroom near Amsterdams Schiphol airport where they will be prosecuted under Dutch law. If they do not appear, or fail to send lawyers, the judges could rule that the trial be held in absentia. They also face preliminary allegations of obtaining a missile launcher with the intent to bring down an aircraft. Russia has consistently denied any involvement or providing financial or military support to pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the Kremlin would wait to see how the trial panned out before commenting, but said Russia had always had doubts about the objectivity of the Dutch-led investigation. A protest sign stands next to rows of empty chairs, lined up by family members of victims of the MH17 crash, during a protest outside the Russian Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 8, 2020. (Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters) Uncovering the Truth The court will conduct its work independently, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told journalists in The Hague on Friday. This is a very important step toward uncovering the truth and seeking justice for the victims and their survivors. Rutte said the trial would most likely not be the end of the legal process because: The investigation into the involvement of other individuals is ongoing. The JIT includes judicial authorities from Australia, Malaysia, Belgium, and Ukraine, in addition to Dutch police and prosecutors. The aircrafts downing led to sanctions against Russia by the European Union. It also heightened tension between Russia and Western powers who blame it for the disaster, which killed 196 Dutch, 43 Malaysian and 27 Australian nationals, among others. The largest criminal investigation in Dutch history painstakingly reconstructed events leading up to and on July 17, 2014. Police and prosecutors examined tens of thousands of pieces of evidence, including videos, communication tapes, satellite imagery, photos, and social media posts. Among the evidence are images plotting the missile launchers journey as it crossed into Ukraine ahead of the disaster. A reconstruction presented by prosecutors showed it returning to Russia a day later with one fewer missile. Intercepts released in November by the JIT showed two of the suspects had been in contact with Vladislav Surkov, a Putin aide, and Sergey Aksyonov, a Russian-appointed leader in Russian-annexed Crimea, it said. The communications between the DNR militant leaders and Russian government officials raise questions about their possible involvement in the deployment of the [missile], which brought down flight MH17, the JIT said. Two weeks have been scheduled for the initial proceedings, which could be largely procedural. The trial is expected to run through 2020 and maybe longer. The JIT concluded in May 2018 that the missile launcher that took down flight MH17 belonged to the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade of the Russian Federation. It was based at the Kursk military base, just across the Ukrainian border, it said. The Russian Defence Ministry said at the time: Not a single air defence missile launcher of the Russian Armed Forces has ever crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border. By Anthony Deutsch and Stephanie van den Berg Out of sight, out of mind. Its easy to shirk responsibilities when that thing needing attention is thousands of miles away. Especially when there are issues here at home to tend to. I can easily distract myself with Australias current events, or our local concerns in Collingwood, or the laundry piling up in my closet. And if I really want to worry myself sick, Ill focus on the coronavirus and my eight-year-old daughter, and that petri dish of a school she goes to. A vote for Bernie is a vote for a different kind of cult. Credit:Bloomberg But I cant let life here be an excuse to ignore a responsibility elsewhere. Voting is mandatory in Australia, not so in the US. As easy as it would be to turn a blind eye to the American election altogether and just not vote, its a right and responsibility I respect. Im also concerned for my homeland and what a potential four more years of Trump will do to the soul of the country how irreversible the damage to our national character will be. Still, Ive taken a while to choose my nominee. I faxed my ballot back to the US just before the deadline. The problem is no candidate ticked all my boxes. I was looking for strong moral character and the ability to beat Trump. Well deal with the rest later. Men wear face masks as they ride the subway on March 8, 2020 in New York City. Kena Betancur | Reuters The coverage on this live blog has ended but for up-to-the-minute coverage on the coronavirus, visit the live blog from CNBC's Asia-Pacific team. Here are today's key headlines: Oregon becomes the latest state to declare an emergency after cases double. Washington state could impose mandatory measures to contain the outbreak as deaths increase. The State Department warns against travel on cruise ships after 21 people test positive on Grand Princess. The U.S. Army is restricting travel to South Korea and Italy. Here are the latest figures on the outbreak: Global cases: More than 109,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University Global deaths: At least 3,801, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University U.S. cases: At least 511, according to data compiled NBC News U.S. deaths: At least 21, according to data compiled by NBC News 5:40 pm: Grand Princess will head to port Monday, crew will be quarantined on ship California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the Grand Princess cruise ship, which has been idled at sea since Wednesday after passengers previously on board tested positive for COVID-19, will be brought to the port of Oakland some time Monday. The company Carnival's Princess Cruises previously said the ship would be brought to port Sunday, but has since revised the statement. Newsom said that passengers who are California residents will disembark first and be moved to either local hospitals for immediate medical attention or to 14-day quarantine at a federal facility. Then the remaining passengers will disembark and be taken to Oakland airport, Newsom said, and either be repatriated or flown to one of two federal facilities for quarantine in Texas or Georgia. The more than 1,000 crew members on board the ship, he said, will be quarantined for 14 days on the ship. Of 46 people tested, 21 have tested positive for COVID-19, Newsom previously said. He added that 788 people have now been tested, though he did not discuss the results of those tests. Feuer 5:26 pm: US cases now top 500, at least 21 deaths The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. now stands at 511, according to data compiled by NBC News, and there are at least 21 deaths attributable to the virus. Washington state is the worst hit, with at least 116 confirmed cases and 18 fatalities. New York has identified 106 cases and California has confirmed 102 people who have tested positive. Oregon joined a growing number states to declare emergencies to contain the virus after the state's confirmed cases doubled to 14. New York declared a state of emergency on Saturday. California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Utah and Washington have also declared emergencies. Pennsylvania has issued a disaster declaration and the city of Austin, Texas has issued a local disaster declaration. Kimball 4:36 pm: White House overruled CDC, official says, did not warn older Americans against flying The White House overruled health officials who wanted to recommend that elderly and physically fragile Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines because of the new coronavirus, a federal official told The Associated Press. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention submitted the plan as a way of trying to control the virus, but White House officials ordered the air travel recommendation be removed, said the official who had direct knowledge of the plan. Trump administration officials have since suggested certain people should consider not traveling, but have stopped short of the stronger guidance sought by the CDC. The person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity did not have authorization to talk about the matter. The person did not have direct knowledge about why the decision to kill the language was made or who made the call. Associated Press 4:13 pm: New York City could soon have over 100 cases, mayor says New York City could have 100 or more coronavirus cases in coming weeks, up from 13 now, Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "That pace is going to pick up due to community spread," de Blasio told a news conference. "At some point, we could easily be hundreds of cases." Feuer 3:40 pm: Israel may impose entry restrictions on all countries Israel is considering broadening its entry restrictions to include travelers from all countries, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. The move would effectively cut off foreign tourism. At a news conference, he said that the measure, if taken, would require anyone arriving in Israel to go into home quarantine for 14 days and that a decision would be made, in consultation with health experts, on Monday. Israel already requires self-quarantine for travelers arriving from 15 countries. Netanyahu has discussed coronavirus concerns with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. Both men agreed to follow up their telephone call with discussions later on Sunday between U.S. and Israeli health officials on technological and scientific cooperation and ways to "confront the challenges" posed by the virus, Netanyahu's office said in a statement. Reuters 3:24 pm: Seattle-area officials announce 12 new cases, two deaths Seattle and King County officials announced 12 new cases and two deaths, bringing the total in the county to more than 83 infections and at least 17 deaths. That brings the total infections in Washington state to at least 114 with 18 confirmed deaths across the state. Of the 17 deaths in King County, 16 are related to the Life Care residential home in Kirkland, Washington, that has become the source of an epidemic. Feuer 3:21 pm: Oil now a 'bigger problem for markets than the coronavirus,' analyst says Oil prices plunged last week as OPEC and its allies failed to reach an agreement on production cuts, and as prices look set to continue cratering, some are warning about the impact on the broader economy. "Crude has become a bigger problem for markets than the coronavirus," Vital Knowledge founder Adam Crisafulli said Sunday. "It will be virtually impossible for the [S&P 500] to sustainably bounce if Brent continues to crater," he added. Stevens 3:10 pm: Smoking and vaping are risk factors, NYC mayor says John Keeble | Getty Images Smoking or vaping makes people more vulnerable to COVID-19, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. He said there's evidence that the virus becomes more severe in people who smoke or vape. De Blasio also said people over the age of 50 and with heart disease, lung disease, cancer, immune system vulnerability or diabetes are at a higher risk of becoming infected with the virus and could face a more severe infection. Feuer 2:55 pm: NYC to provide relief for small businesses New York City will provide no-interest loans and grants for some small businesses impacted by COVID-19, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. The city will provide no-interest loans of up to $75,000 to small businesses that qualify, he said, adding that the city will offer $6,000 grants for "mom and pop" businesses with five or fewer employees to retain staff. "We're going into phase 2 now where the dominant reality is community spread," he said. Feuer 2:35 pm: State Department warns against travel by cruise ship Members of media gather at the Diamond Princess cruise ship, operated by Carnival Corp., docked in Yokohama, Japan, on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Toru Hanai | Bloomberg Getty Images The U.S. State Department has advised all Americans, especially those with underlying health conditions, to avoid travel by cruise ship. The announcement comes after 21 passengers and crew members aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship, owned by Carnival's Princess Cruises, tested positive for COVID-19. Passengers will disembark Monday at the port of Oakland, California, officials said in a statement, and all passengers will face a 14-day quarantine on a variety of military bases. California officials added that the nearly 1,000 crew members on the ship will be quarantined on the ship, and not allowed to disembark. Feuer 2:16 pm: Oregon declares emergency as cases double to 14 Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a 60-day state of emergency as COVID-19 cases in the state doubled to 14. "We will do everything in our power to keep Oregonians safe," Brown said at a news conference. Reuters 1:12 pm: Cases in France rise to 1,126 People wear a face mask on the Trocadero esplanade in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, February 29, 2020 (Photo by Mehdi Taamallah/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Taamallah | NurPhoto via Getty Images French health officials said cases have risen to 1,126 across the country, including 19 deaths. That's up from 949 confirmed cases on Saturday, according to Johns Hopkins University, and 11 deaths. Feuer 1:04 pm: Italy's death toll surges as officials move to lock down Milan An official from Italy's Lombardy region, which is the worst-hit part of the country, said 257 people in the area have died, up from 154 a day ago. Nationwide, the country reported 366 deaths, up from 233 on Saturday. Italian officials imposed a virtual lockdown on the country's wealthiest and most populous region, which includes the financial capital Milan, as part of tough new measures to try to contain the coronavirus outbreak. The new rules include telling people not to enter or leave Lombardy, which is home to some 10 million people. The virus has infected at least 5,883 people in Italy, according to Johns Hopkins University. Feuer Faithful attend the live-broadcasting of Pope Francis' Sunday Angelus prayer during the Coronavirus emergency at Saint Peter's Square, on March 8, 2020 in Vatican City, Vatican. Antonio Masiello 12:25 pm: 'Life can't stop,' surgeon general says, as presidential campaigns move forward In response to a question about whether presidential candidates should stop traveling amid the outbreak, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams told CNN's "State of the Union" that "life can't stop." He added that the containment measures China has taken to curb the spread of the virus are "draconian." Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders also appeared on the show and said his campaign is moving forward despite the outbreak. The campaign is in touch with public health professionals ahead of every rally, he said. "We will not endanger the health of anybody in this country," he said. "We are watching this thing very, very carefully." In response to a question about whether he should slow down his travel, Sanders said, "Well, in the best of all possible worlds, maybe." Feuer 11:34 am: New York cases rise to 105 Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday announced 16 new cases in New York, bringing the state's total to 105. Cuomo said most cases are in Westchester County and 12 are in New York City. Cuomo also called for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to authorize "automated testing" for COVID-19 and testing at private laboratories. "You have misinformed the public about your testing capacity," Cuomo said at a news briefing in reference to the CDC. The CDC did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the governor's remarks. Feuer 11:05 am: Washington state is considering mandatory containment measures Washington state is considering whether mandatory measures are necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Jay Inslee said on the CBS program "Face the Nation." Washington is the hardest-hit state, with more than 100 cases and at least 16 deaths. "We certainly are contemplating requirements for what we call social distancing," Inslee said Sunday. "We are contemplating some next steps, particularly to protect our vulnerable populations, and our nursing homes and the like, and we are looking to determine whether mandatory measures are required." Feuer 10:49 am: Cases in the UK rise to 273 and 2 more die The number of COVID-19 cases in the U.K. rose to 273, the Department of Health and Social Care announced, adding that two more people in the country have died of the virus. There were 209 confirmed cases in the country on Saturday. U.K. health officials have tested just over 23,500 people in the country. Feuer Woman wearing a face mask to protect against potential coronavirus at the Million Women Rise march on 7th March 2020 in London, United Kingdom. Mike Kemp 10:30 am: German health minister urges public to cancel large gatherings All public events with more than 1,000 participants should be called off, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said, adding that up until now organizers had been too reluctant to do this."Given how fast things are developing, that should change quickly," he told news agency DPA. Reuters 9:45 am: New Hampshire reports two news cases of coronavirus The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services reported two new presumptive positive test results for the coronavirus. One patient is a man from Grafton County who was in contact with an infected person at Hope Bible Fellowship, a church in West Lebanon, New Hampshire. The second patient is a man from Rockingham County who traveled to Italy. Newburger 9:40 am: Passengers on Grand Princess cruise ship in California will face quarantine The Department of Health and Human Services said Sunday that passengers on the Grand Princess cruise ship will be transferred to military facilities for medical screenings and a 14-day quarantine. California officials said earlier this week that there are more than 3,500 people aboard the ship, which has been idled at sea, about 50 miles from San Francisco, since Wednesday. The ship will move to the port in Oakland, California, on Sunday to begin disembarking guests. The nearly 1,000 passengers who are residents of California will be quarantined at Travis Air Force Base and Miramar Naval Air Station, HHS said, and residents of other states will complete the mandatory quarantine at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland in Texas or Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia. Vice President Mike Pence said Friday that there were at least 21 people infected by COVID-19 on the ship, 19 of whom were crew members. HHS did not say whether crew members will face quarantine or disembark from the ship. Feuer 9:30 am: US Army restricts travel to Italy, South Korea over virus On the next episode of Axios on HBO," amid Trump supporters at a bar in the swing state of Wisconsin, Axios co-founder Jim VandeHei and Donald Trump Jr. have a lively discussion about the 2020 election, the role of the media, Hunter Biden, Russian meddling and more. Watch the full interview on March 8 at 6 pm ET/PT on all HBO platforms. Today the world is celebrating International Women's Day. International Women's Day is celebrated on the 8th of March every year. It is a focal point in the movement for women's rights. After the Socialist Party of America organized a Women's Day in New York City on February 28, 1909, German delegates Clara Zetkin, Kate Duncker and others proposed at the 1910 International Socialist Woman's Conference that "a special Women's Day" be organized annually. After women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917, March 8 became a national holiday there. The day was then predominantly celebrated by the socialist movement and communist countries until it was adopted by the feminist movement in about 1967. The United Nations began celebrating the day in 1977. On March 8, 1917, on the Gregorian calendar, in the capital of the Russian Empire, Petrograd, women textile workers began a demonstration, covering the whole city. This marked the beginning of the February Revolution, which alongside the October Revolution made up the Russian Revolution. Women in Saint Petersburg went on strike that day for "Bread and Peace" demanding the end of World War I, an end to Russian food shortages, and the end of czarism. Revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky wrote, "23 February (8th March) was International Woman's Day and meetings and actions were foreseen. But we did not imagine that this 'Women's Day' would inaugurate the revolution. Revolutionary actions were foreseen but without date. But in the morning, despite the orders to the contrary, textile workers left their work in several factories and sent delegates to ask for support of the strike which led to mass strike... all went out into the streets." Seven days later, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated, and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. Following the October Revolution, the Bolshevik Alexandra Kollontai and Vladimir Lenin made it an official holiday in the Soviet Union. MOUNT STERLING A site has been selected for an early childhood learning center being opened by the Tracy Family Foundation. The Brown County Early Learning Center will be at 210 Country Lane, according to a representative of the foundation, which is funding 100% of the purchase of the building and renovation costs. Work will begin this spring, with the facility expected to open in early 2021. The YMCA of West Central Illinois will operate the Brown County Early Learning Center, which will welcome all families in Brown County and neighboring communities. Families interested in enrolling their children at the Early Learning Center will be able to get on a waiting list this summer. There is a big need in Brown County for an early childhood learning center and the YMCA is excited to be part of the solution, said Jim Chamberlain, CEO of the YMCA of West Central Illinois. The idea for the center was a result of reports showing that many families in Brown County and neighboring communities struggle to find childcare because existing providers are at capacity. In Brown County, 89% of children age 5 and under have working parents, including single-parent families. Every young person in Brown County and its neighboring communities deserves a high-quality education and that starts with providing access to early childhood education programs, said Jean Buckley, Tracy Family Foundation board president. We know there is a great need for this type of care and education in west-central Illinois and were really happy to do our part to help address it. My mom, Dorothy Tracy, was a teacher, and in our house, the importance of education was paramount. Thats why education is one of Tracy Family Foundations focus areas and why this project is such a great fit. The Brown County Early Learning Center will serve about 80 children infants, toddlers and preschoolers and will be open from early morning to early evening. We know that the first five years of a childs life encompass some of the most critical brain development, Tracy Family Foundation Executive Director Dan Teefey said. Were really happy to partner with the YMCA of West Central Illinois to help lay a solid foundation for more area children and get them ready for kindergarten and beyond. SAN FRANCISCO As the U.S. death toll from the new coronavirus reached at least 21, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the mayor of Oakland sought Sunday to reassure the public that none of the passengers from a ship carrying people with the virus will be released into the public before undergoing a 14-day quarantine. The Grand Princess carrying more than 3,500 people from 54 countries is expected to dock Monday in Oakland, in the east San Francisco Bay, and was idling off the coast Sunday as officials prepared a port site. Those needing acute medical care will come off first. This is a time that we must be guided by facts and not fears, and our public deserves to know whats going on," Mayor Libby Schaaf said. Officials worked on plans to transport passengers to federal facilities around the county and local officials began ordering the closure of schools and public spaces to try and stop the spread of the virus. The largest school district in Northern California has canceled classes for a week after it was discovered that a family in the district had been exposed to COVID-19. The Elk Grove School District, which is near Sacramento, has nearly 64,000 students. Gov. Gavin Newsom warned Sunday that more closures are likely around the state as the virus spreads. On Sunday, the U.S. State Department issued an advisory against travel on cruise ships. U.S. citizens, particularly travelers with underlying health conditions, should not travel by cruise ship," the department said in a statement on its website. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes increased risk of infection of COVID-19 in a cruise ship environment." Meanwhile, the number of infections in the United States climbed above 500 as testing for the virus increased. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the National Institutes of Health's allergy and infectious diseases chief, said Sunday that widespread closure of a city or region, as Italy has done, is possible. You dont want to alarm people, but given the spread we see, you know anything is possible and thats the reason why weve got to be prepared to take whatever action is appropriate to contain and mitigate the outbreak, Fauci said on Fox News Sunday." U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said communities will need to start thinking about canceling large gatherings, closing schools and letting more employees work from home, as many companies have done in the Seattle, Washington, area amid an outbreak at a care home that has killed 18. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency Sunday after the number of confirmed cases there doubled from the previous day to 14. On the Grand Princess, Donna LaGesse and her sister-in-law Jackie Eilers had a small celebration in their cabin Saturday night after the captain announced the ship would soon dock. She said they're maintaining a positive attitude, watching exercise videos and re-runs of The Love Boat." Were keeping our senses of humor. Were laughing at the whole situation, said LaGesse, 64, of Greenville, North Carolina. Were lucky because we have a room with a balcony so we can get some fresh air. Fellow passengers Steven and Michele Smith of Paradise, California, said they hope their time spent on the ship in quarantine will count toward the 14-day quarantine period on land, but they said officials have not yet provided an answer. We would love to get credit for the three or four days weve spent in our cabin, Steven Smith said. Beginning around 2 p.m. Sunday, authorities began taking passengers out of their cabins for escorted walks to get fresh air on the port deck. They are starting with people from the interior cabins without windows, Steven Smith said, although they could not see the people and could not be sure how long the free periods lasted. The Smiths do not know when their exercise period will occur or how long it will last. If they let me out of my room I wouldnt want to come back, Smith joked. The Oakland port was chosen for the ship to dock because of its proximity to an airport and a military base, Newsom said. U.S. passengers will be transported to military bases in California, Texas and Georgia, where they will be tested for COVID-19 and remain under a 14-day quarantine, federal officials said. The 1,113-member crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship, which will dock elsewhere, Newsom said. That ship will turn around and they are currently assessing appropriate places to bring that quarantined ship but it will not be here in the San Francisco Bay, he said. The Department of State was working with the home countries of several hundred passengers to arrange their repatriation. Canada announced it was sending a plane to collect nearly 240 Canadians on the Grand Princess. Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said those who have not shown any symptoms of the new virus will be taken to a military base in Trenton, Ontario, for a two-week quarantine. The Grand Princess had been forbidden to dock in San Francisco amid evidence the vessel was the breeding ground for a cluster of at least 20 cases, including one death, after a previous voyage. It was held off the coast Wednesday so people with symptoms could be tested. Grant Tarling, chief medical officer for Carnival Corporation, said it's believed a 71-year-old Northern California man who later died of the virus was probably sick when he boarded the ship for a Feb. 11 cruise to Mexico. The passenger visited the medical center the day before disembarking with symptoms of respiratory illness, he said. He likely infected his dining room server, who also tested positive for the virus, Tarling said, as did two people traveling with the man. Off the coast of Florida Sunday, the Regal Princess cruise ship was awaiting test results for the new coronavirus on two crew members, then cleared hours later to enter port, authorities said. The Regal Princess was supposed to have docked Sunday morning in Port Everglades but was instead sailing up and down the coast. The crew members in question had transferred more than two weeks ago from the Grand Princess cruise ship in California where nearly two dozen on board have tested positive for the virus, including 19 crew members, according to Princess Cruises. The cruise line said in a statement earlier Sunday that the crew members of the Regal Princess did not exhibit respiratory symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and were well beyond the advised 14-day virus incubation period. Another Princess ship, the Diamond Princess, was quarantined for two weeks in Yokohama, Japan, last month because of the virus. Ultimately, about 700 of the 3,700 people aboard became infected in what experts pronounced a public-health failure, with the vessel essentially becoming a floating germ factory. Hundreds of Americans aboard that ship were flown to military bases in California and other states for two-week quarantines. Some later were hospitalized with symptoms. Private companies and some public venues in the U.S. have been taking safety measures in an effort to limit the virus' spread. Columbia University in New York released a statement Sunday night that said a member of its community has been quarantined because they were exposed to the virus. The university suspended classes Monday and Tuesday, and will hold remote classes the remainder of the week. The community member has not been diagnosed at this point with COVID-19, according to the statement. The largest school district in Northern California canceled classes for a week when it was discovered a family in the district was exposed to COVID-19. Elk Grove Unified has nearly 64,000 students. Kendyl Knight learned Saturday that her prom was off while she was in a salon chair getting her makeup done. You cant really be mad about it, but it is very disappointing," said the 16-year-old, who went out for dinner and got photos taken with her friends anyway. She said she may be young and naive," but she is not concerned about the new virus. Honestly the decision to cancel school seems kind of extreme," Knight said. On the campaign trail, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said he would consider when it may become necessary to cancel large campaign rallies. President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden had no plans to curtail theirs. In the best of all possible worlds the three candidates should probably limit travel and avoid crowds, Sanders told CNN, but right now, were running as hard as we can. -- The Associated Press Ships are moored next to the 8-kilometer-long West Sea Barrage, a system of dams, lock chambers, and sluices that close off the Taedong River from the Yellow Sea, in Nampo, North Korea, on Feb. 7, 2019. (Carl Court/Getty Images) North Korea Continues to Violate UN Sanctions With Chinas Help, Report Says China has been aiding North Korea to evade international sanctions, including by allowing the latter to export resources within its waters, according to a recent report. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a London-based defense and security think tank, published a report on March 5 analyzing satellite photos, commercial vessel information, and ships automatic identification system (AIS), which emits a location signal that can be picked up by satellites and radio equipment to prevent collisions at sea. A large fleet of North Korean cargo ships continues to deliver coal to China in contravention of U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, in what appears to be a large-scale, coordinated effort to evade sanctions imposed on the country over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, the report concludes. International sanctions have been placed on North Korea since 2016, following the latters nuclear and ballistic missile tests. In August 2017, the UNSC adopted Resolution 2371, banning the regime from exporting products such as coal, iron, iron ore, and seafood. In December of the same year, the UNSC slapped North Korea with Resolution 2397, targeting the countrys oil imports, setting a limit of 500,000 barrels per year. According to the report, North Korean vessels would load coal and other resourceslikely sanctioned commoditiesbefore sailing to Chinese waters around the Zhoushan Islands, an archipelago that is part of coastal Chinas Zhejiang Province. Those shipments were likely meant for Chinese shipping terminals, the report said. Zhoushan is one of Chinas naval bases. It houses the East Sea Fleet, with destroyers, frigates, and corvettes stationed there. The islands are also home to facilities operated by the China Coast Guard, the China Maritime Safety Administration, and the Zhoushan Port Authority, according to the report. Despite such a heavy military presence, the think tank found that based on satellite images, North Korean ships werent stopped or detainedeven when the ships were transmitting fraudulent AIS signals to disguise themselves. Some of the North Korean vessels were blacklisted by the UNSC. U.N. Resolution 2397 states that U.N. member states shall seize, inspect, and freeze (compound) any vessels in their ports and territorial waters, if they have reasonable grounds to believe that the vessel is engaged in illicit activity prohibited under the resolution. But the Chinese regime appeared to let North Korean vessels go unhindered. On Feb. 1 this year, for example, a Chinese maritime patrol boat sailed through a cluster of North Korean vessels at 03:40 UTC. Chinas failure to take action against North Korean vessels raises very serious concerns either about Chinas ability to effectively patrol the waters around one of its most important naval bases, or that it has no appetite to enforce UNSC resolutions it has itself supported in response to North Koreas ongoing nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, the report stated. The report also found evidence supporting a 2019 U.N. report, which claimed that North Korean ships were conducting illicit ship-to-ship transfer operations at sea, a practice prohibited by the U.N. resolutions. The U.N. report said that North Korea may have breached its 500,000 barrel annual quota within the first four months of 2019, and exported a total of 930,000 metric tons of coal during that same period, in violation of sanctions. Additionally, the U.N. report found that North Korean vessels conducted ship-to-ship transfers in the waters off the coast of northern Vietnam and off the Chinese city of Ningbo, a major port city in Zhejiang Province. On May 10, 2019, RUSI spotted a North Korean-flagged ship flanked by two unidentified lighters or barges with a floating transloading platform, near the Zhoushan Islands. In some of these instances, [Chinese] barges could be observed sailing towards North Korean vessels before dropping AIS signals, only to appear back on tracking systems days later before sailing back to bulk-handling facilities along the Yangtze River, RUSI stated. In response to the U.N. report, China said that the claims were ambiguous and not enough to constitute a full evidence chain or basis for further investigation. RUSI noted Chinas response, saying, If that evidence, in addition to that presented here, is insufficient to induce China to act, then it is difficult to imagine what body of facts would prompt the country to meet its UNSC obligations. The RUSI report came just one day after Washington-based profit Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS) issued a report claiming that North Korea violated a 2017 U.N. resolution preventing it from supply, selling, or transferring sand, according to Reuters. Between March and August 2019, C4ADS observed a large fleet of vessels originating from Chinese waters traveling to North Korea to dredge and transport sand from [North Koreas] Haeju Bay, C4ADS said. C4ADS drew its conclusion based on analyzing AIS data, but it was still gauging how much sand might have been exported from North Korea. Brazil, U.S. sign agreement to develop defence technology Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Commander of the U.S. Southern Command Admiral Craig S. Faller shake hands during an agreement signing ceremony, in Miami MIAMI (Reuters) - Brazilian and U.S. governments signed on Sunday an agreement for development of defence projects that may give the South American country access to financing. The agreement allows partnerships in development of defence technology by private companies, that may use public financing from both countries. Companies may request financing from the U.S. defence research fund. Brazil's defence industry has around 220 companies and exports to around 85 countries. Although President Jair Bolsonaro is looking for a closer cooperation with the United States in defence and intelligence, Brazil's decisions regarding 5G technology are seen as a potential hurdle, according to an Trump administration official. In a briefing on Saturday, the official, which asked for anonymity, pointed out that the activity of Chinese company Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, a big supplier of equipment to the Brazilian telecom sector, may prevent a stronger cooperation. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu in Miami; Writing by Tatiana Bautzer; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) T he Prime Minister was met with heckles of traitor as he arrived in Worcestershire to visit ongoing efforts to tackle flooding. Boris Johnson arrived on the banks of the River Severn in Bewdley on Sunday afternoon, and was taken to view the still-erected flood defences by Environment Agency staff. The town has been overwhelmed by flood water in recent weeks and properties and businesses have been inundated with water. Last month was the wettest February on record for the United Kingdom, with a succession of storms bringing widespread flooding to many areas. Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets with locals affected by the flood / Reuters Mr Johnson was repeatedly criticised by opposition politicians at the height of the flooding for not visiting affected communities. Television footage showed one man shouting "Traitor!" at the prime minister. Prime Minister Johnson has been criticised for taking weeks to visit the flood-hit area / Getty Images Some residents said they were happy that he had now visited. "There is no water here but you can still see the effects," local resident Paul Smith, whose home was flooded, told Sky News. "We are just glad to see him here eventually." 384 Shares Share A radical change is emerging from within our health care system: Rather than deny or defend medical errors, some hospitals are acknowledging them upfront. This enlightened response has been gaining ground since 2001 when the University of Michigan Hospital introduced one of the first medical error disclosure programs: the Michigan Model. Hospitals that adopt the model also promise to explain why the error occurred, apologize, offer fair compensation, and learn from the mistake. Unfortunately, while the program is promoted as an ethical approach that serves to protect the patient, three gaps enable these hospitals to prioritize their own interests instead: 1. The selective-disclosure gap. Rather than disclose all medical errors, the model leaves hospitals free to cherry-pick which errors to disclose. Selective disclosure is described in a prominent study as hiding errors that are likely to trigger lawsuits, cost a lot, or both. 2. The conflict-of-interest gap. While risk managers protect hospitals financially, the model requires that they also offer harmed patients fair compensation. These competing objectives require harmed patients to take it on faith that the risk manager will act against the hospitals financial interests, and instead will fully and fairly compensate them. 3. The transparency gap. According to its architect, the models core value is transparency. Yet these hospitals routinely discharge their patients without providing any information about their disclosure program they even fail to disclose that they have a disclosure program. The first two gaps have been discussed in other articles, but the transparency gap has not. I first encountered it as a patient and later in my own research. My findings indicate that my experience is prevalent; the transparency gap impacts many injured patients. The medical error. I was a professional dancer and choreographer, but now I cant balance on one leg, even for a few seconds. My career ended when a medical error and life-threatening complication resulted in brain damage permanently affecting how I talk, think, and move. The pathologist caught the error and documented it in his report: my surgeon thought he removed my brain tumor but removed my healthy pituitary gland instead. Yet, the hospital opted not to disclose the error (i.e., the selective-disclosure gap), and discharged me without mentioning their disclosure program (i.e., the transparency gap). After 18 months filled with MRIs and specialists who finally pieced together what happened, a neurologist noticed something curious: my surgeon failed to document the unexpected removal of my pituitary gland anywhere in my 170-page medical record. Moreover, when I arranged to have the tumor removed at a different hospital, my surgeon offered to provide a copy of the operative report. Instead, he sent an altered version failing to observe any of the legal documentation standards: there was no line through the original entries, no explanation for the changes, and no signature or date. I sued the surgeon. Still, the hospital neglected to inform me of its disclosure program. Instead, they arranged for me to participate in mediation without revealing that it was part of their disclosure program. The mediation. The hospital was now faced with the pathology report confirming the error and the steps my surgeon took to hide it the omissions in my medical record and the altered report. The hospitals lawyer would know that each is a potential basis for license revocation. He would also know that altering a medical report is widely considered the kiss of death for any malpractice defense and is a felony under their states law. Old habits die hard. The hospital refused to admit any malpractice or wrongdoing even when confronted with the two, contradictory, signed versions of the operative report. And, despite the risk managers obligation under the disclosure program to offer fair compensation, the settlement offer was only a tiny fraction of what would typically result from a brain damage case like mine (i.e., the conflict-of-interest gap). Searching for transparency. I first learned about disclosure programs a year later when I saw an article about the Michigan Model. Then, I read every disclosure program story I could find, and joined ProPublicas Patient Harm Community on Facebook to get other victims viewpoints. I asked members to recount their experiences with disclosure programs and received two dozen heart-wrenching stories about medical errors yet not one knew whether their hospital had a disclosure program. I found this discovery so incredible that I called their hospitals to ask one simple question: Do you have a disclosure program? But rather than answer, they equivocated. I was told that they werent sure, they werent authorized to answer, or they were uncomfortable talking about it. Unsatisfied, I scoured the websites of 33 hospitals with disclosure programs and consistently found that program information, if available, requires entering precise words or phrases into the websites search box. The effect is that, if a patient does not already know about their hospitals disclosure program, they are unlikely to learn about it from the website. This transparency gap explains why the group members didnt know if their hospital had a disclosure program. In my case, I had assumed it was an isolated oversight. But, after calling the hospitals and inspecting the websites, I realized that failure to inform patients about disclosure programs might instead be a feature of the model (i.e., the transparency gap). Why hide disclosure programs? By concealing their disclosure programs, hospitals are in the best position to control which errors come to light. And, while it has long been known that injured patients rarely sue, research indicates one reason is that patients simply dont realize they have a claim. By hiding disclosure programs, hospitals would avoid alerting patients to the possibility of malpractice and put themselves in a position to better protect their bottom line. In fact, a study of the University of Michigan Hospital found that after implementing their model program, claims dropped 36 percent, and lawsuits dropped 65 percent. The monthly cost of total liability and patient compensation dropped 59 percent, and legal costs dropped by 61 percent. Closing the gaps. Fixing the three gaps may mean that the programs no longer deliver large financial benefits. This leaves hospitals with a hard choice: Will they take the principled and honest approach the University of Michigan has been promising since 2001? Or will disclosure programs remain ripe for abuse? Gail Handley is a patient advocate and can be reached at Disclosure Gaps. Image credit: Shutterstock.com NSW will become the last state to ban single-use plastic bags, although the new policy could be up to a year away with the Berejiklian government to first seek feedback on the plan. Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Environment Minister Matt Kean released the government's discussion paper on tackling the use of plastics and reducing waste on Sunday. Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Environment Minister Matt Kean and Manly MP James Griffin made the plastics announcement at Queenscliff Surf Lifesaving Club. Credit:AAP The government will draft legislation based on the feedback, which is likely to be introduced late this year, and plastic bags will be phased out six months after the legislation is passed. Ms Berejiklian said the government's plastics plan and waste strategy would make NSW a leader when it came to "reducing waste, maximising recycling and protecting our environment". State Bank of India said on Saturday it would need to invest up to 24.5 billion rupees ($331 million) to buy a 49% stake in YES Bank Ltd as part of the initial phase of a rescue deal for the troubled lender. "We are the largest bank in the country and we have a role to play," SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said, adding that India's largest state-run lender had been asked by the government to stand behind YES Bank. "Any restructuring plan will now become more credible both with the depositors as well as the potential investors," he told media, saying the survival of India's fifth-largest private bank as "a must". YES Bank, weighed down by an increasing pile of bad debt, has struggled for months to raise the capital it needs to stay above regulatory requirements, without any success. On Thursday, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) took control of YES Bank, imposed limits on withdrawals to protect investors and said it would work on a revival plan. The move led to a 56% fall in YES Bank's share price on Friday and spooked depositors, who rushed to withdraw funds from the bank. Analysts said the moves to bring in SBI to stabilise things was a good first step but more funds would be needed to bail out the lender. In a client note, Macquarie Capital analyst Suresh Ganapathy estimated that YES Bank could need as much as $3 billion of new funding in the next 12 to 18 months. "So the question arises, would SBI bring in more capital in the future if required?" said Ganapathy. Analysts also noted speed was crucial at this stage. "An immediate equity infusion will be critical to prevent any significant damage to the business," said Acuite Ratings & Research, in a note. SBI said it would try to implement reconstruction of YES Bank much before the end of a 30-day moratorium imposed by the central bank. It also said it was in talks with others keen to invest in the troubled bank. Kumar also acknowledged SBI's investment in YES Bank could increase to as much as 100 billion rupees ($1.35 billion) over time, depending on the lender's capital requirements. The rescue plan states SBI will not be allowed to reduce its stake to below 26% for at least three years. "Now that SBI's there for at least for three years, there's a possibility that now you might get some serious players coming to invest," said Siddharth Purohit, a research analyst at SMC Institutional Equities. Also Read: YES Bank crisis: Rana Kapoor sent to three-day ED custody till March 11 Also Read: YES Bank ATMs up and running now; withdraw from others too Also Read: Women's Day: Why corporate boardrooms need more woman power BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8 By Rufiz Hafizoghlu Trend: Turkey-Uzbekistan trade turnover made up $180.6 million in January 2020, which is increase by $13.3 million compared to the same month of 2019, Trend reports referring to Turkeys Ministry of Trade on March 6. "In January 2019, Turkey's export to Uzbekistan amounted to $71.1 million, and import from Uzbekistan made up $109.4 million," the ministry said. Turkey is one of the largest five trade partners of Uzbekistan. Turkeys foreign trade turnover in January 2020 exceeded $33.9 billion. In the reporting period, the export from Turkey exceeded $14.7 billion, which is increase by 6.4 percent compared to January 2019. Turkey's import increased by 18.8 percent in January 2020 compared to the same month of 2019 and exceeded $19.2 billion. From January through December 2019, trade turnover between Turkey and Uzbekistan has exceeded $2.2 billion. Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-09 02:12:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Israel will set up an assistance fund worth 4 billion new shekels (about 1.15 billion U.S. dollars) for companies affected by the spread of COVID-19, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday. At the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu detailed the steps the Israeli government is taking to deal with the situation. "I have also spoken with many world leaders in the past 72 hours and have initiated a conference video call that we will hold with them this week in order to discuss mutual international assistance," the Israeli prime minister added. Meanwhile, the Israeli police have launched nine criminal investigations against civilians who violated their 14-day home quarantine they had to follow, after returning from certain countries or been in contact with COVID-19 patients. The Israeli police have also announced that they are acting to prevent the spread of fake news that misleads the public and causes panic. In addition, the Israel Airports Authority has closed one of the two terminals of Ben Gurion International Airport for international flights. The decision, which will be valid until the end of April, follows a reduction in airport manpower due to the spread of the virus. WASHINGTON - When cybercriminals struck Lake City, Fla., last June, city officials had to make a tough choice: Pay the hackers or restore systems on their own. A ransomware attack had hijacked the government's computer network and held it hostage for several weeks. While the attack didn't affect the police, fire or financial departments, it wreaked havoc on phone lines, email, utility records and many other services. The hackers first demanded about $750,000 in bitcoin, a cryptocurrency, from the small, rural city to give it back control of its network. The city tried to recover the data on its own, City Manager Joseph Helfenberger recalled, but that failed. Its insurance company negotiated with the hackers and got the ransom down to about $470,000. It recommended paying, and officials figured that was the best option because the city would have to cover only the $10,000 deductible. "This is not a rich community. They can't afford to spend money they don't have," Helfenberger said. "You have to look at what is going to serve the community the best." ADVERTISEMENT There were at least 113 successful ransomware attacks on state and local governments last year, according to global cybersecurity company Emsisoft, and in each case, officials had to figure out how to respond. Some states have passed laws to target cybercriminals who deploy ransomware, but prosecutors have rarely used them. And local officials often are left vulnerable. In Baltimore last May, hackers crippled thousands of computers, then demanded a ransom of about $76,000 in bitcoin. Democratic Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young refused to pay. Workers were unable to access online accounts and payment systems for weeks. The attack ended up costing the city at least $18 million - a combination of lost or delayed revenue and the expense of restoring systems. Young said in a statement last June that the FBI advised the city not to pay, and that it was "just not the way we operate," adding, "We won't reward criminal behavior." The mayor's office did not respond to Stateline requests for comment. Baltimore and Lake City aren't alone. The majority of publicized ransomware attacks in the United States last year targeted local governments, according to a recent report by the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. Yet no one knows how many local and state governments have been hit by a ransomware attack. There is no national clearinghouse that collects all that information. Nor is every attack publicly reported. The FBI, which tracks national crime data, couldn't be reached for comment before publication. Sophisticated hackers and cybercriminals zero in on local and state governments because their networks contain lots of valuable information, such as Social Security numbers, birth certificates, bank account details and credit card numbers. For cybercriminals, local governments can be easy prey, with fewer resources to protect themselves than state governments. They also provide essential services to residents, which means they must have access to their data to function effectively day-to-day. ADVERTISEMENT "Ransomware attacks against state and local governments were the top cybersecurity industry story in 2019, and it will continue to get worse in 2020, with new forms of ransomware," said Dan Lohrmann, chief security officer for Security Mentor, a national security training firm that works with states. Threats also are evolving. Rather than just encrypting data and demanding ransom in exchange for providing a decryption key, experts say some cybercriminals will threaten to make public sensitive information if they don't get their money. That's already happened in Pensacola, Fla. Hackers in December threatened to release files if the city didn't pay a $1 million ransom. When it didn't, they posted what they claimed was a 2 gigabyte archive of city files on a public website. City spokeswoman Kaycee Lagarde said there is still an active FBI investigation, but city officials don't think the hackers accessed any personal data, such as Social Security and driver's license numbers, from employees or residents. The city had backup for its major systems and was able to recover totally within two weeks without needing outside help, she said. But it ended up spending a total of about $372,000 to hire a company to do a cyber assessment and for another company to provide identity protection for 57,000 employees and residents, out of "an abundance of caution." "In the past, ransomware incidents were simply a very expensive inconvenience. Now they are becoming data breaches that can result in a lot of very sensitive information being posted online," said Brett Callow, a threat analyst for Emsisoft. "A government can find itself in a situation in which data has been stolen and it has no good options." It's hard to know how much state and local governments have spent dealing with ransomware attacks. "It's embarrassing for them to have to admit that," said Tom Holt, a criminal justice professor at Michigan State University who specializes in cybersecurity. "They don't want to announce the breadth of cyber insurance coverage and what they've had to pay." ADVERTISEMENT While state governments apparently haven't paid ransom, a review of media reports shows that local governments shelled out at least $1.9 million in 2019, from the city of Washington, Pa., which paid $21,250 to hackers, to Riviera Beach, Fla., which authorized its insurer to pay $600,000. Washington's mayor did not respond to calls requesting comment. Riviera Beach City Manager Jonathan Evans wrote in an email that the FBI had advised officials there not to comment because it is still an active investigation. And it cost local and state governments that refused to pay ransom at least $27.1 million to restore their systems and upgrade cybersecurity protection, media reports show. That includes lost revenue while services were put on hold. Some local governments pay ransom because they feel it's the best option. They need their data back quickly and might not have the expertise or resources to do it themselves, or the money it would take to restore the system. Other local governments say "No way" to ransom demands, declaring that they refuse to be extorted. And some governments wind up in the middle. In New Bedford, Mass., which was attacked in July, cybercriminals demanded more than $5 million in ransom. Mayor Jon Mitchell made a counteroffer of $400,000, using insurance proceeds. The hackers didn't agree, so the city opted to restore its system from backups. New Bedford spokesman Jonathan Carvalho said in an email that the city doesn't have an estimate of the cost because much of the restoration was done in-house and consultants were paid through an insurance policy. "The reality is that municipalities, corporations, and even private individuals are in an arms race with cybercriminals who operate in far flung places across the globe," Mitchell said in a statement in September. "Every advance in anti-viral technology is effective until the criminals figure out how to get around it." Lohrmann, of Security Mentor, said there isn't an easy answer for local governments to the question of whether to pay ransom. "This is the $6 million question. It's nuanced. It depends on the circumstances," he said. "If it's 'pay $30,000 or it's going to cost me $5 million to restore all my systems,' I can see why they want to pay." The FBI cautioned in an October online alert that paying ransom only encourages more criminal behavior and emboldens cybercriminals, and it doesn't guarantee the victim will regain access to the data. But the agency noted that it "understands that when businesses are faced with an inability to function, executives will evaluate all options to protect their shareholders, employees, and customers." CyberEdge, a cybersecurity research and consulting firm, found in 2019 that about 39% of public and private entities around the world that were hit with ransomware attacks over a 12-month period paid ransoms and lost their data anyway. In July, the U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution urging local governments not to pay ransom to hackers. That's the right position, said Alan Shark, executive director of the Public Technology Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that provides training and other support to local government information technology executives. "The danger is you pay, and they decide to walk away and still don't unlock the files," Shark said. "And your system may be so infected that if you pay, maybe they'll come back again." But for Lake City official Helfenberger, that was a risk that officials had to take. "It's easier for more affluent communities to not pay ransom," he said. "For communities that are poor like us and don't have resources it's much more of a struggle." And it would have cost "a whole lot more" than what the insurance company paid the hackers to try to restore everything, the city manager added. "There is no way we would have been able to recreate all the utility maps, the (meeting) minutes from the beginning of creation and all the other records. It's just not possible." All 50 states have computer crime laws, and most address unauthorized access or computer trespass, according to Pam Greenberg, a senior fellow at the National Conference of State Legislatures. Ransomware potentially could be prosecuted under those statutes or extortion laws, she said. But at least five states - California, Connecticut, Michigan, Texas and Wyoming - have made the use of ransomware or other forms of computer extortion a crime. This year, Greenberg said, at least seven states are considering measures related specifically to ransomware. Legislation proposed in Maryland, for example, would create criminal penalties for possessing ransomware with the intent to use it without authorization. Violators could face up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. "The state attorneys want it. They want to be able to charge people if they can find them," said Maryland Democratic state Sen. Susan Lee, who sponsored the measure. "At least there would be a law on the books. If it's not there as a criminal offense, it's not a deterrent." But some technology experts say ransomware could be covered under existing computer crime laws. And most ransomware attacks come from overseas countries such as Russia, Iran and China. That means finding and prosecuting perpetrators on the state level would be difficult, if not impossible, they say. "I think it is a waste of time," said Shark of the Public Technology Institute. "It sounds terrific, but most of these actors are in other countries. The money is going to bitcoin, and it's untraceable." Legislators in Iowa and New York are considering another way to deal with ransomware: They've introduced bills that would prohibit local and state governments from paying ransom. "We will only continue to see these attacks increase if we don't put this policy in place. We have to cut off the money supply," said New York Democratic state Sen. David Carlucci, the bill's sponsor. "For years, the U.S. has had policies of not negotiating with terrorists or kidnappers. A similar idea should prevail about paying ransom for cyberattacks." Daniel Castro, vice president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a nonprofit think tank in Washington, D.C., agrees. "I think it's the right kind of strategy," he said. "If you take away the option of them paying, the attackers are going to look for someone who can pay. They're a for-profit enterprise." But others argue that barring government officials from paying ransom won't eliminate the problem. "I think it's not going to work," said Security Mentor's Lohrmann, "although the intentions are good." There's no way right now to stop cybercriminals from launching ransomware attacks on local and state government, he said, so the best approach is to be prepared. "Is there a perfect solution, a silver bullet? No," Lohrmann said. "But if you've got great backups and a really good restore system and staff training and other protections in place, you can dramatically reduce the likelihood that ransomware is going to have a major impact on you." That's what Lake City ended up doing. After the attack, Helfenberger said, the city immediately started staff cybersecurity training, and it has spent about $300,000 doing multiple system upgrades and continues to do more. "You've got to consider that cybercriminals are gaining knowledge constantly," he said. "If you stay the same, you're going to get behind and it's not going to work." --- (c)2020 Stateline.org Visit Stateline.org at www.stateline.org Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. KYODO NEWS - Mar 8, 2020 - 19:30 | World, All Ten people have been confirmed killed in the collapse of a hotel used as a coronavirus quarantine facility in southeastern China's Fujian Province, local media reported Sunday. A total of 48 people have been rescued and 23 others remain trapped in the rubble of the Xinja Express Hotel in the coastal city of Quanzhou, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. (Supplied photo shows the collapsed Xinja Express Hotel.) The 80-room hotel, which was being used for medical observation of people who had contact with coronavirus patients, suddenly collapsed around 7 p.m. Saturday. Of the 71 people who were in the hotel at the time it collapsed, 58 were people under quarantine, according to media reports. More than 700 firefighters were dispatched to the site, working through the night to pull people from the rubble, according to the local authorities. Although it is not clear what caused the collapse, Xinhua reported that two supermarkets on the first floor were undergoing remodeling when the accident happened, adding that the owner of the building has been put under police control. Quanzhou is about 1,000 kilometers away from Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. gettyimagesbank 'Tax Collector' gives insiders' view of how a once-hated agency came to win taxpayers' hearts By Kang Hyun-kyung The Bible gives some insight into the historical perception of tax collectors. In the Gospel of Luke, for example, Jesus sympathizes with the tax collector Zacchaeus, causing outrage from the surrounding crowd. The Gospel also tells of a parable about the self-righteous Pharisee and a self-deprecating tax collector who describes himself as a sinner. Tax collectors were despised, just as the biblical descriptions suggest. There has been little change in the general public's attitude toward the tax service. In many countries, including Korea, people tend to display a "visceral dislike" toward tax agencies. A 2019 public opinion survey of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission shows the National Tax Service was one of the lowest-ranked public agencies in terms of transparency. The book "From Feared Tax Collector to Popular Service Agency" co-authored by Anders Strich and Lennart Wittberg, however, presents a different narrative. "Tax Collector" was recently translated into Korean and published by Sesang, a local publishing house established by Korea Taxpayers' Association. Their findings are stunning. In Sweden, the tax service is one of the most trusted government agencies. How is it possible for the tax agency of a country well-known for generous spending on social welfare to be favorably accepted by the public? In "Tax Collector," Strich and Wittberg give an insiders' view of how a once hated tax agency was able to earn the taxpayers' trust. The authors say their workplace, the Swedish Tax Agency, changed public opinion through its decades-long continued, strenuous efforts to revamp the agency to better serve their clients the taxpayers. According to the book, in 2011 the Swedish Tax Agency won the top award given to the most modern and innovative public agency out of 337 Swedish public service organizations. In 2019, the tax service made the top 10 of the most innovative organizations in both the public and private sectors. A 2012 public opinion survey found that 83 percent of Swedish people trusted the tax agency, 15 percent up from the poll taken in 2006. Strich joined the tax agency in 1990, and Wittberg has worked with the agency since 1988. At the start of their careers, they said the reputation of their agency was not positive, so they felt uncomfortable when asked what they did for a living. Tax agency-taxpayer relationship was hierarchical and officials treated taxpayers in this manner. Tax officials were like hunters looking for prey. Once tax evasion cases were spotted, they were ruthless. The arrogant, aggressive tax officials began to question the effectiveness of their forceful, old practice of hunting down tax evaders from the 1970s. The turning point was a high-profile tax case involving the Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007). In January, 1976, Bergman was arrested by two undercover police officers on charges of tax evasion, while rehearsing August Strindberg's "The Dance of Death" at the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm. Later on, the court cleared the filmmaker of the charges. Bergman, however, was outraged not because of the investigation, but because of the way the tax agency treated him. He reportedly said that he was insulted by "prestige-seeking poker players." The humiliating experience led him to leave Sweden for Germany. "From Feared Tax Collector to Popular Service Agency" co-authored by Anders Strich and Lennart Wittberg, was recently translated into Korean and published by Sesang, a local publishing house established by Korea Taxpayers' Association. In the wake of the global health crisis over coronavirus outbreak, porn sites have begun to cash in on the situation by circulating w... In the wake of the global health crisis over coronavirus outbreak, porn sites have begun to cash in on the situation by circulating warped videos of people having s3x in hamzat suits and face masks. According to Vice, some of the movies featured on the adult websites include TSA Agent Detains Woman Suspected of Coronavirus and Deserted Wuhan. Spicy, a member of the Spicy x Rice p%rn duo said to be behind the coronavirus-themed porn videos told the news outlet that the films were meant to further sensitize people about the killer virus. I think people are attracted to the COVID-19 themed p*rn the same way people who are scared of their shadow are attached to horror movies, Spicy said. We are all searching for things that make us come alive. COVID-19 is something that brings fear and mystery to pretty much everyone in the world right now. Spicy also pointed out that such videos remain the better way to make you feel something than the global crisis we are all in right now. We thought we would use our porn as an avenue to get some legitimate information out with some comic relief included to get people interested and reduce our chances of being banned, Spicy said. This sparked the idea, knowing every current event ends up as a p*rn eventually, we knew people would be searching for it on less censored platforms like Pornhub. Checks by TheCable Lifestyle for the COVID-19 on Pornhub returned a number of coronavirus-themed porn videos like Face Sitting Corona Virus No Mask and COVID-19 Coronavirus: Horny S**t Has To Use Protection during OutBreak!. Globally, there are over 100,000 confirmed cases of the deadly COVID-19 and close to 4,000 deaths, mostly in China. Nigeria recorded its first case on February 27. The index case is an Italian who came into the country for business. Last month, a survey had also shown that some American beer-drinkers are avoiding Corona Extra, a Mexican beverage brand, since the outbreak of the virus. Nebraskas First Coronavirus Patient Taken to Biocontainment Unit, Officials Say Officials in Nebraska confirmed the states first COVID-19 coronavirus case and took the woman, who had recently traveled to the United Kingdom, to a biocontainment unit on March 6 night. The 36-year-old woman is very seriously ill and was in the Methodist Hospital in Omaha before she was taken to the unit via an ambulance, officials told local news outlets. The unit is located at the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus, and Associated Press photos showed officials in biohazard suits and masks transporting the woman inside an isolation pod into the ambulance. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and health officials announced the unnamed woman is the first COVID-19 patient in the state, reported the Omaha World-Herald. Between Feb. 18 and Feb. 27, the woman was traveling in the UK with her father before she contracted the virus, said a state infectious disease expert, Dr. Robert Penn, in the report. Until March 5, her symptoms were described as relatively mild, and, according to Penn, a chest CT scan showed that the disease evolved into acute respiratory distress syndrome. Later, Dr. Adi Pour, director of the Douglas County Health Department, added that the female patient is currently stable and said she had a number of underlying health problems, KETV reported. A woman who tested positive with the coronavirus is brought to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. (Chris Machian, Omaha World-Herald / The Associated Press) Officials in Nebraska said that epidemiologists were arriving in Omaha to trace where she went and her contacts, but they said its not clear at the moment. We dont know those answers right now, Im afraid, said Dr. Gary Anthone, Nebraskas chief medical officer. Pour noted that the patient made five visits to three separate healthcare facilities around Omaha and came into contact with dozens of healthcare workers. Care providers who may have had contact with the woman have been asked to self-quarantine, Pour said. The patients father, meanwhile, has begun displaying symptoms and may place himself under self-quarantine, according to officials. There is no evidence that the virus has spread throughout Nebraska, and state health officials have warnedechoing remarks made by authorities elsewhere in the United Statesthat the disease will likely spread. We may see additional confirmed cases in Nebraska, said Dr. Tom Safranek, Nebraskas state epidemiologist, in the report. We have to take it seriously, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert told the World-Herald. But that does not mean the entire city will be shut down. We just have to be smart about it. New technology from an Irish company could transform the way projects such as wind farms are presented to local communities and stakeholders. Innovision, which is based in Strandhill, Co Sligo, is the first company in Ireland to create virtual reality (VR) visualisations for such projects, using real location imagery, for proposed developments. Using VR headsets, stakeholders can immerse themselves in a full view of the current landscape before switching to a visualisation of the same area with the proposed project in place. It is understood that some large projects are already planning to use the technology. Most large-scale developments require some form of visualisations depicting how they will look and sit in the landscape. "Many large projects are difficult for people to comprehend or visualise. The VR headsets immerse them in the location and show them the real impact of the development," said John Flanagan, founder of Innovision. WB: TMC nominates four candidates for RS polls India oi-PTI Kolkata, Mar 08: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Sunday announced the names of Arpita Ghosh, Mausam Noor, Dinesh Trivedi and Subrata Bakshi as the party candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls. In a tweet, the West Bengal chief minister said in keeping with her "constant endeavour" towards women's empowerment, she was proud that half of the TMC nominees for the March 26 polls were women. While Noor lost from the Malda Uttar seat in last year's Lok Sabha polls, Ghosh had unsuccessfully contested from Balurghat and Dinesh Trivedi from the Barrackpore constituency. Bakshi did not contest from Kolkata Dakshin, the seat he had won in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. TMC sources said Banerjee's decision to nominate two women for the Rajya Sabha polls was part of her objective to bring more women in parliamentary politics and delegate responsibility. Rajya Sabha polls to the five seats of West Bengal will be held on March 26. The election for the fifth seat will be a litmus test for the CPI(M)-Congress tie-up in the state. According to the distribution of seats in the West Bengal Assembly, the ruling TMC will get four seats to the Upper House of Parliament, whereas a joint candidate of either the CPI(M)-Congress or the TMC-Congress will have to win the fifth one. The Congress had earlier taken the TMC's support for the elections of their candidates Pradip Bhattacharya and Abhishek Manu Singhvi to the Rajya Sabha. Since the Lok Sabha poll debacle, the CPI(M) and Congress have been unitedly fighting against the TMC and the BJP in the state. The fifth seat was held by Ritabrata Bandopadhyay, who was elected as a CPI(M) nominee in 2014, but was expelled from the party in 2017. Since his expulsion and post-2019 Lok Sabha polls, the CPI(M)'s West Bengal unit does not have any representation either in the Lok Sabha or in the Rajya Sabha. This has happened for the first time since the party's inception in 1964. With just eight MLAs, the BJP is not a contender in the Rajya Sabha polls. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 16:32 [IST] Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 17:46:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese health authority said Sunday it received reports of 44 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 27 deaths on Saturday on the Chinese mainland. All the 27 deaths were in Hubei Province, the center of the epidemic, according to the National Health Commission (NHC). Meanwhile, 84 new suspected cases were reported, said the commission. Also on Saturday, 1,661 people were discharged from hospital after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 225 to 5,264. The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 80,695 by the end of Saturday, including 20,533 patients who were still being treated, 57,065 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,097 people who had died of the disease. The commission said that 458 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus. The commission added that 23,074 close contacts were still under medical observation. On Saturday, 4,021 people were discharged from medical observation. Also on Saturday, three imported cases of novel coronavirus infection were reported on the mainland, including two in Beijing and one in Gansu Province. By the end of Saturday, 63 imported cases had been reported, said the commission. By the end of Saturday, 109 confirmed cases including two deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), 10 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR, and 45 in Taiwan including one death. Fifty-five patients in Hong Kong, 10 in Macao and 13 in Taiwan had been discharged from hospital after recovery. The Chinese mainland excluding Hubei Province Saturday reported no new indigenous cases for the first time, with each of the three new cases imported from outside the country, said Mi Feng, a spokesperson for the NHC, at a press conference. The number of new confirmed cases in the city of Wuhan dropped to 41 Saturday while the whole province excluding Wuhan had reported no new confirmed cases for three consecutive days, Mi noted. "The latest figures indicate that the current prevention and control measures are scientifically sound and effective, and the epidemic situation keeps improving," Mi said, warning against risks of imported cases. A four-year-old was shot in North Philadelphia Saturday night. Read more A 4-year-old boy was shot once in the hip Saturday evening in a house in the 5000 block of North Fourth Street in Philadelphias Olney section, police said. Police took the boy to Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, where he was listed in stable condition. Police said they have identified the shooter, but have not yet made an arrest. Whether youre working from home, your favorite coffee shop, or in a bustling office, distractions have become a familiar fixture of the modern workplace. In some cases, specifically for creative tasks, distractions can be a good thing. That may sound counterintuitive but distractions can help us get out of a rut known as cognitive fixation. We also have an internal urge to be distracted. However, considering that we get interrupted every 11 minutes and it takes 25 minutes for our brains to refocus on the original task -- workplace distractions should be avoided as much as possible. According to a survey conducted by Udemy, workplace distractions negatively impact performance, productivity, and potential. Whats more, to compensate for these interruptions, people work faster. A UC Irvine study shows that this increases stress and frustration. And, even a brief interruption doubles an employees error rate. In short, constant distractions dont just affect the bottom line. They can also be detrimental to an individual's health. How can you address these workplace distractions before they become an issue? You need to start by identifying whats exactly distracting your team. Knowing what the distraction is and how it is happening can help you make a plan to squash these interruptions. Here are 12 of the most common disturbances that you should address in your workplace -- ASAP. 1. Smartphones No surprise here. After all, the average person in the U.S. views their phone 52 times a day. And, its easy to understand why. Were bombarded throughout the day with emails, texts, social media notifications, and phone calls. Additionally, we use our phones to jot down reminders, view our calendars, listen to a podcast, or go shopping. No wonder were addicted. Overcoming your reliance on your smartphone is no easy task, but its not impossible. The tried and true methods are to put your phone on airplane mode or use the phone's do not disturb function. This action can be done on both Android or iPhone. You can also place your phone in another room or leave it in a desk drawer, bag or purse. Scheduling specific times throughout the day also helps cut down on "during work-hours usage." For example, I turn my phone on silent when I need to focus solely on my work. Usually, this takes around two hours. After Ive completed my work, I check my phone to make sure I havent missed anything important. To ensure that I dont get too consumed, I only give myself 10 minutes of phone-time before diving back into work. Related: 10 Powerful Ways to Master Self-Discipline 2. Emails We send out a lot of emails. How many? Well, in 2017 a staggering 269 billion emails were sent daily worldwide. That email figure is expected to jump to around 333 billion in 2019. Like your smartphone, theres also the temptation to stop what youre doing and check your inbox as soon as a new message arrives. Unfortunately, if you did this all day, how could you possibly get any work done? The easiest solution is to turn off your email notifications on your phone. You should also close any apps or web browsers containing your email. I also use an app like SaneBox to manage my inbox because it filters out the messages that arent important. The most important thing to remember is if theres an emergency, you arent just going to be notified via email. People will call you or knock on your door. Everything else can wait until you have the scheduled time to go through your inbox. 3. Background noise Take a moment and really listen to all of the noise going on in an office. People are talking, machines running, phones ringing, and doors opening/closing. Thats not even getting into the annoyances like coughing, loud snacking, or music playing. Background noise is inevitable. If it becomes too distracting, you should invest in noise-canceling headphones or relocating to a quieter area when you need to give a task 100 percent of your attention. Ive also found that apps like Noisli can drown-out background noise, while also improving my focus. 4. People interruptions Like background noise, interruptions from employees, customers, suppliers, and family are unavoidable. Engineers on Quora identified, shoulder tapping," as one of their most common distractions. One way around this is keeping your office door closed when you dont want to be disturbed. For good measure, place a "do not disturb" sign on the door. If you work in an open office space, send signals like wearing headphones and being honest. If someone has a direct and work-related question, give them the answer and move on. Another tactic is to plan for these interpretations. For example, you could block out in your calendar a period where you're available for pop-ins. I also add some buffer time between tasks and meetings. This way if someone comes to me with a question its not going to throw my entire schedule out-of-whack. 5. Clutter While in small doses a little clutter can encourage a creative mind, the fact is that a messy workplace affects your ability to focus and process information. Confusion and disorder are essentially a to-do-list that reminds you of everything that needs to be done. As such, it pulls you away from being present. Over time, this makes you more anxious and stressed. The fix? Keep your workspace clean and organized. Toss out the items you no longer need. Place paperwork in the appropriate files. Ideally, you should put as much paperwork on the cloud as possible to reduce the number of filing cabinets. Make sure that all of your office supplies have a home and are returned at the end of the day. Even if you dont do this daily, you should at least clean your workspace every week. For example, on a Friday afternoon is perfect. Youve probably already mentally clocked-out for the week, so this is a soft task that can be done quickly. Related: Your Office Isn't Big Enough for Clutter and Productivity 6. Multi-tasking Im sure weve all been guilty of juggling too many tasks at once. Youre a successful entrepreneur -- why cant you juggle multiple responsibilities at once? The truth is that our brains are not capable of focusing on more than one thing at a time. Multitasking doesnt save time or make you more productive. It actually slows you down. "Switching from task to task, you think you're actually paying attention to everything around you at the same time. But you're actually not, "neuroscientist Earl Miller told NPR. "You're not paying attention to one or two things simultaneously, but switching between them very rapidly." Additionally, when you multitask you make more mistakes, reduce creative thinking, and are potentially damaging your brain. Multi-tasking was one of the more difficult bad habits I had to overcome. There are still times when I find myself doing more than one thing at once. Ive been able to change this habit by creating blocks of time for specific tasks into my calendar app. For example, I set aside a couple of hours to write this article. During this timeframe, my phone was off, and the office door closed. When my mind began to wonder, I would stand-up and walk around the office for a couple of minutes to clear my head. Sounds simple, but this habit is not easy to break. Leaving my desk for a few minutes encouraged me to only focus on composing this piece instead of doing five other things at the same time. Only then did I jumped into my next priority. 7. Co-workers Conversing with your employees, colleagues, and business partners are all essential for building a friendly and collaborative company culture. However, spending too much talking about Game of Thrones or gossiping isnt just a major distraction. Hearsay, itself, can also create a toxic workplace. As a leader, you just can not allow gossip in the workplace. It needs to be addressed and handled immediately -- even if its something dire like letting an employee go. As for friendly chit-chat, you need to set boundaries. If someone engages you in a conversation, and youre busy, politely tell them that you currently dont have time to talk, but you can catch-up with during lunch. And, as mentioned above, you can also send-out signals without saying anything by wearing headphones when you dont want to be disturbed. 8. Micro-management Although you should know whats going on with your business, being a helicopter boss isnt just a distraction for your team. They also find it frustrating, unnerving and anxiety-producing. Instead of encouraging ownership and letting your team do what you hired them to do if youre continually interrupting them by obsessing over every detail. Just imagine that youre in the model of a project and your boss barges in pointing out everything that you did incorrectly. How productive do you think youll be? Disruptions stifle creativity, self-growth, and destroys the trust between you and your employees. Giving-up some control is never easy for entrepreneurs. But, you need to let your team do their thing. If you are not a micro-manager, it doesnt mean thoroughly checking out. It means keeping tabs on everyone and guiding them without interfering with their work throughout the day. 9. Hunger Its almost impossible to focus when your stomach is growling. Unfortunately, we satisfy this craving with junk food because its quick and readily available. It takes a lot of willpower to avoid the vending machine or call-in a pizza delivery. But, you need healthier options that will eliminate your hunger while keeping you focused and energized. Stack your office with healthier snack options. For instance, I always have almonds nearby. Whenever I feel famished, I just snack on a handful of almonds. Ive also started looking into options like Snacknation who will deliver healthy snacks to the office. 10. Needlessly strict policies. When it comes to culture, a lot of employers like to enforce a set of policies to encourage employees to arrive on time, wrote Andre Lovie in a previous Entrepreneur article. Punctuality is obviously important to consider in order to run a successful organization. However, overly strict policies can be more stress-inducing. If employees are worried and hurry during their traffic-heavy commute, theyre starting off the day on a bad foot, continued Lovie. This can hurt overall employee morale, especially for those who travel long distances five days a week. They may be showing up to work already drained and frustrated, as a result. If youre in a leadership position, Lovie suggests that you, focus more on building a culture that celebrates employees who are productive and A players. Strong message employers can send is that punctuality is important, but whats more important is performance. Also, you could offer employees a flex schedule where they can arrive at work later in the morning to avoid the hectic commute. Another option would be allowing them to work remotely occasionally. If youre an employee, you could ask your boss if any of these are possible resolutions to your hectic commute. 11. Meetings Meetings are notorious for being unproductive and distracting time-suckers. Time is lost because people are pulled away from their work and then forced to sit in a meeting for an hour -- even though they dont have to be in attendance. Before scheduling a meeting, think long and hard if its necessary. In most cases, you may be able to skip the meeting and communicate with your team via email, Slack, or a project management tool like Trello. If a meeting is needed, only invite critical stakeholders, create an agenda, and keep it as short as possible. Another option is to set aside one day per week when meetings are not scheduled, such as the famous No Meeting Wednesday. Having a day with no meetings each week allows everyone to work on their most important tasks without being interrupted. Related: Starting With an Agenda Is How You Have Effective Meetings in a Crazy Busy World 12. Decision fatigue As explained in a New York Times article, No matter how rational and high-minded you try to be, you cant decide decision without paying a biological price. Whats the price? Usually, this is being unable to focus or take action. Just think about how well you can concentrate on a task when youre mentally exhausted? The possible fix is to reduce the number of decisions that you make daily. Barack Obama, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg did this by wearing the same outfits every day. Others have found success by prepping their meals for the week, delegating tedious responsibilities, and automating specific tasks like canned email responses and scheduling appointments. Related: How to Stop Your Mind from Wandering To Find Solutions, Try Unfocusing. Here's How. Create a More Focused Workplace with These 10 Amazing Presidents Day Weekend Deals Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved W hat do Streetbees, Farewill and CharlieHR have in common? Theyre all start-ups based in London and they have managed to achieve gender diversity with a 50/50 split of men and women on their teams, according to data from tech recruitment start-up Otta. Over the past few years, "women in tech" has become more than a buzzword with initiatives and organisations aiming to increase gender diversity in the tech sector. Around 17 per cent of the UKs tech industry workforce are women yet the evidence that more diverse teams make more money a report by McKinsey in 2018 stated that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15 per cent more likely to have financial returns above the industry average demonstrates the need to change this. This is something Otta wants to tackle. The recruitment start-up launched in July 2019 by three former Nested employees, Sam Franklin, Theo Margoluis and Xav Kearney, in order to improve the job search for candidates seeking roles in high-growth tech companies. We saw there was a load of effort being put in by companies to improve their ability to hire candidates. But we realised that people were ignoring the candidates experience that they were going through, explains Franklin. The more people we spoke to who were looking for jobs, the more we realised there wasnt really a place for people to be supported. As part of its bid to fix the broken job-searching market, Otta started looking at the gender diversity of the companies on its platform. These came about for a few reasons: its userbase is about 52 per cent women, 48 per cent men and so feedback from those looking for new roles demonstrated that a companys diversity make up is high on the agenda. As well, it was also a desire to shine a light on the companies doing well, who shouldnt be tarred by the male-dominating brush that so much of the tech industry is. So how did they work it out? The team pulled together the top 450 start-ups in London and used tech to scour the LinkedIn pages of the companies employees. Then it analysed the names of the employees, checking them against an established global names database to determine if the person was a man or a woman. Its an 80 per cent solution, but as long as the company is big enough it gets you very good results, says Franklin. The companies which ranked the highest with women employees tend to be the ones that cater to women-focused consumer products, such as Bumble, Refinery29 and Elvie. In the 50/50 gender diverse set, the start-ups included fashion data company Lyst, digital members club Pollen and the fintech TransferGo. Pollens CEO and co-founder Callum Negus-Fancey told the Standard: We have hugely ambitious goals and in order to achieve them we have to make sure we are attracting, considering and retaining a broad talent pool that not only represents our customers and understands their needs but means we have as many different perspectives as possible to drive the best results. The start-up says 35 per cent of its engineers are women, above the industry standard, but its not just about gender diversity. Around 32 per cent of the team come from ethnic minorities, nine per cent identify as LGBTQA and 14 per cent are neurodivergent. One example of the ways we've attracted a diverse team is that 18 months ago we went fully pay transparent in order to join the fight to close inequality in pay for both gender and ethnicity. We know people join organisations based on what they do, not just what they say and we believe that pay transparency is a clear signal that were committed to creating an open, honest and diverse environment, which means we will attract a more diverse talent pool, he added. Over at Streetbees, founder and CEO Tugce Bulut says the start-up has managed to achieve a diverse team by hiring the best staff possible and creating an inclusive company that everyone wants to work for. For me, culture is a living being and one of the most crucial elements is fore senior management to be open to letting other people in the team influence it. Otta didnt just examine the gender make-up of the staff at these start-ups but also the people leading them. According to Ottas data Londons start-ups were founded by 771 men, and 92 women. There are almost more founders named Ben, James, David, Tom or Daniel (75 total), then there are women tech founders. Theres been lots of reports by Diversity VC on how women entrepreneurs just arent funded as much as men, says Franklin. Again, this is part of our attitude of, lets put this transparency out there to start the conversation. How is Otta going to use this data for its own purposes? If you click on a companys profile on Otta, the gender stats will be displayed there along with who the founders are, so people can get a feel for a company before applying for a role. Franklin says in-house, they know all too well how difficult it can be to get that culture balance right from the start. I founded the company with two male friends, so at one point we were all men. Weve just hired our first engineer, a woman, so now were 75/25 per cent, he explains. I would love to get to that 50 per cent. Its really tough to get there when youre small but it makes business sense. Already, our engineer is saying I know lots of other fantastic women engineers and you sort of create that environment of diversity and inclusion early on. In addition, Otta hopes to work with companies on how they can improve their statistics. For the companies that arent necessarily as strong on their gender diversity, [we want to say] maybe these are the three steps that they can do to improve their ability to attract great talent. Dr Yaw Baah, the Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), has endorsed the Punctuality Campaign with a call on public sector workers to eschew time wasted on unproductive activities to facilitate national development. Many often waste too much time on activities that contribute little or nothing to the country's productivity and the growth of the nation, he said, a situation which requires attitudinal change and a renewed mindset if the country is to achieve its developmental goals. "We waste too much of our time engaging in activities that will not add anything to our lives and the development of this country. Look at the amount of time we use in churches and funerals. I'm not saying we should not pay respect to our departed but why do we spend so much time on things that will not bring anything to this country or us as individuals? "God wants us to worship him, but he has not said we should spend the whole day in a church. We should be careful what we do with time because time is life," he said. The punctuality awareness and education campaign seeks to promote punctuality in all spheres of national life and is a support to the President's call for a "positive change of attitude to work." The campaign has so far received endorsement from over 30 leading public figures and officials, including Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, Speaker of Parliament; Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Minister of Labour and Employment; Dr Mustapha Hamid, Minister of Inner City and Zongo Development; and Apostle Dr Opoku Onyinah, immediate past Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, among others. It has also received endorsement from some leading officials of the diplomatic corps like Mr Ronald Stikker, Netherlands Ambassador, Mr Christoph Retzlaff, the German Ambassador and Mr Philipp Stalder, the Switzerland Ambassador, among others. Dr Baah, therefore, becomes the 32nd person to endorse the campaign since its inception in 2017. The Secretary-General of the TUC said it is high time people took responsibility for their actions and upheld principles of high standards. "When you were applying for employment you didn't do it in collective, likewise, when you are being paid it is done individually and so why would you say that you are not alone when you are late? The idea is that we have to change our attitudes and ways." While commending the Punctuality Foundation for embarking on such a laudable campaign, he assured them of TUC's commitment in ensuring that the initiative made the required impact to achieve the desired results for development. He appealed to the President to give his support to the campaign by publicly signing on to it to send the strongest of signals to the citizenry on the need to cultivate positive attitudes toward time. Mr Emmanuel Amarquaye, the Lead Punctuality Crusader, urged public institutions, particularly service providers to prioritise on their Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to maximise revenue mobilisation for national development. This, he said, should also correspond with a change in attitude towards work and delivery of service to patrons of such services. Mr Amarquaye said IGF of many public institutions would significantly improve if many of such public institutions delivered services timely to their clients. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The first-ever Pride Parade in County Kildare will be kicking off this year in Athy on May 31. Organisers said the parade is a positive new initiative to celebrate the diversity of rural Ireland. The Kildare Pride event is designed to be a day packed with family-friendly events. A colourful parade will terminate in Athy Town Park where local musicians will be performing. The committee behind this event was formed in October 2019. Chairperson of the Kildare Pride committee, Julie Buckley said: We believe Kildare needed a pride festival and parade to show there is support for the community all across Kildare. We held a couple of meetings in Clancys of Athy and the ball rolled from there. Our committee is people from all walks of life each bringing something completely different to the table. Buckley added: It means the world for me to have this in my home town and especially my county. It's very positive to have a day to celebrate the LGBTI community of Kildare and its allies. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said on ABC's "This Week" that he will officially receive the endorsement of the Rev. Jesse Jackson at a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Sanders supported Jacksons 1988 presidential bid and helped Jackson score a primary win in Vermont. Now, as concerns mount about Sanders' ability to garner the support of black voters, Jackson is returning the favor. MORE: Kamala Harris endorses Joe Biden, the 9th former rival to back his presidential bid "Later on today, we're going to have the support -- I believe here in Grand Rapids -- of Jesse Jackson. And, as I think you well know, you know Jesse -- Jesse has been one of the great civil rights leaders in the modern history of this country," Sanders told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. "He changed American politics with the concept of the Rainbow Coalition -- getting the blacks and whites and Latinos together in '84 and '88. He's been a leader in helping to transform this country, an aide to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., so we're proud." JUST IN: Sen. Bernie Sanders tells @GStephanopoulos that civil rights activist Jesse Jackson will endorse him later today. "We have the support of virtually every major grassroots organization." https://t.co/X1LhrSyd0J pic.twitter.com/ABbajFTKab This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 8, 2020 The endorsement comes after a poor performance on Super Tuesday, losing 10 of 14 states to former Vice President Joe Biden, including all of the Southern contests. It also comes shortly after Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., tweeted her endorsement of Biden Sunday morning. She is the ninth former rival to back his presidential bid. Story continues PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Sen Bernie Sanders at a campaign rally at Venice Beach in Los Angeles, Dec. 21, 2019. (Monica Almeida/Reuters) Sanders is working to invigorate his efforts to reach African American voters, hiring one of its surrogates, justice reform activist Phillip Agnew, to shore up organizing in black communities. His campaign also rolled out a policy proposal dubbed "The Reproductive Health Care and Justice for All" which aims to tackle issues of access to reproductive health care and eliminate health disparities, namely black maternal mortality rates, which according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are three times higher for black women than for white women in the United States. MORE: DNC unveils new qualifying rules for Arizona debate The changes come as concerns mount about Sanders' ability to garner a significant portion of the black vote after losses in the South. Sanders has previously blamed his struggles with African American voters on Biden's connection to the first African American president, Barack Obama. In a press conference with reporters, Sanders said there could be other reasons he wasn't doing well with the voting bloc. "I can't give you a definitive answer. I think his tie to Obama is certainly one of the reasons," Sanders said. "But there may be other reasons as well." Sanders told Stephanopoulos that the results in Michigan won't make or break his campaign but called it important to his path to the nomination. "Every state is important. Michigan is very, very important. Last time around, in 2016, I was told, 'Impossible. You can't win Michigan.' In fact, the day before the election, we were 20 points down in some of these polls," said Sanders. .@GStephanopoulos: "Do you agree that Michigan is make or break for you?" Sen. Bernie Sanders: "No, I don't... we got a long, long way to go to the Democratic nomination." https://t.co/XEWW2qkyZB pic.twitter.com/ryttJPdgxr This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 8, 2020 "I think we got a great shot to win in Michigan, I think we got a great shot to win in Washington, maybe some other states as well. We have a long, long way to go to the Democratic nomination. We're going to fight for every vote that we can get," he added. Sanders has been focusing his efforts in Michigan, canceling planned events in Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois to focus efforts on the Great Lake State. Much of his campaigning in the state has been about bringing out a diverse coalition to vote for him on primary day. Sanders' campaign hosted an event in the predominantly Arab American, Muslim community of Dearborn, Michigan. The Detroit suburb heavily supported Sanders in 2016. Sanders also held a town hall in Flint, Michigan, with all-black female participants. MORE: After Super Tuesday, Joe Biden Is A Clear Favorite To Win The Nomination When asked by Stephanopoulos to explain his poor performance in Super Tuesday states, Sanders said he believes that Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg suspended their campaigns under pressure from the "establishment" of the Democratic party. "One of the things that I was kind of not surprised by is the power of the establishment, to force Amy Klobuchar, who worked so hard, Pete Buttigieg, who, you know, really worked extremely hard as well, out of the race," Sanders said. "What was very clear from the media narrative, and what the establishment wanted, was to make sure that people coalesced around Biden and tried to defeat me. So that's not surprising." Sen. Bernie Sanders on Super Tuesday results: "One of the things I was kind of not surprised by was the power of the establishment to force Amy Klobuchar, who had worked so hard, Pete Buttigieg who had really worked extremely hard as well out of the race." https://t.co/X1LhrSyd0J pic.twitter.com/Kj8dAl7kBL This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 8, 2020 Sanders also hinted at how far he far he would take his campaign should he not regain a delegate lead. MORE: Sanders, Biden spar on Twitter over Social Security, beating President Trump "We will fight for every vote that we can as we try to win this election. I'm not a masochist who wants to stay in a race that can't be won. But right now, that's a little bit premature. Let's not determine what will happen on Tuesday and what will happen in the future," said Sanders. "I think we got a great chance to win Michigan, Washington, New York state, some of the major states that are coming up, but I think the people in those states have a right to cast a vote for the candidate that they want to see become president of the United States." Sen. Bernie Sanders challenges Joe Biden's voting record: "What I'm saying here is that people want somebody who has a history of standing up and making the tough decisions in tough times." https://t.co/YRspNTKeLY pic.twitter.com/5s0Ez894I6 This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 8, 2020 On the campaign trail, Sanders has expanded his criticism of Biden's record. He's hit Biden on trade, the war in Iraq and Wall Street bailouts. Now Sen. Sanders has added Biden's votes for the Defense of Marriage Act and support of the Hyde and Helms amendments, which prohibit federal funds to be used for abortions, to that line of attack. "I was there when the going was tough, Joe was not. In terms of DOMA, it was not an easy vote, as you will recall. All that Im saying is people have a right to know who is going to be there when the going gets tough," said Sanders. ABC News' John Verhovek contributed to this report. Jesse Jackson to endorse Bernie Sanders at Michigan rally originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Overview The Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants - Bangladesh (GLO.ACT - Bangladesh) is a four-year (2018-2022) joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). GLO.ACT-Bangladesh builds on a global community of practice set in motion in GLO.ACT 2015-2019 in 13 partner countries across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Through targeted, innovative and demand-driven interventions, the project aims to support the Government of Bangladesh and civil society organizations to more effectively fight the crimes of human trafficking and migrant smuggling across the country. The project works on d eveloping evidence-based information on trafficking and smuggling patterns and trends, legislative review and harmonization, capability development of criminal justice actors, and international cooperation. The project also provides direct assistance to victims of human trafficking and migrants in vulnerable situations through the strengthening of identification, referral, and protection mechanisms This project is funded by the European Union. For vacancies, please see here. The sales tax is getting a lot of attention as a result of Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed Invest in Iowa Act. One phase of this act calls for a 1-cent sales tax increase. Three-eighths of it would be for the purpose of funding the voter-approved Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund. The remaining five-eighths of the sales tax increase would be used to reduce individual income tax rates and reduce the county mental health property tax levy. The possibility of a sales tax increase has raised concerns one of which being sales tax is considered a regressive tax, meaning it disproportionately impacts lower-income earners, resulting in economic hardship for lower-income Iowans. However, sales taxes are considered the least harmful of taxes, especially when measured against the income tax. In regard to the sales tax being regressive, some economists have argued as consumption rises, the impact of sales taxes may actually impact households with higher lifetime incomes. Jorge Barro, an economist and fellow in public finance at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy, argues if taxable consumption increases with income, we have no reason to conclude that the tax burden falls more heavily onto households with lower lifetime incomes. As incomes increase, individuals or families have greater resources to spend on goods and services, which would increase the sales tax burden. Barro notes the burden of an increase in the sales tax rate may actually fall more heavily on households with higher lifetime incomes. The impact of sales taxes is hard to measure because they are difficult to track in comparison to other taxes. Individuals file income taxes each year and property owners receive a direct bill, both of which explain how much tax they paid. However, sales taxes are paid by individuals and collected by businesses who then remit the tax to the state. It is probably fair to say that not too many people keep track of the amount of sales tax they pay each year. A high number of sales tax exemptions can cause the sales tax to be more regressive. Iowa exempts many services from the sales tax, and many of these are consumed by wealthier households. Exemptions force the sales tax rate to be higher. It is possible to lessen the regressive nature of the sales tax by broadening the tax base. Broadening the sales tax base would result in making the sales tax fairer and more neutral. Several of the exemptions are on specialty services such as accounting and marina boat-docking which are often utilized more by people with higher incomes. Many assume broadening the sales tax will make Iowas sales tax more regressive, but it can make the tax more progressive. Base broadening would ensure a more equal playing field in terms of who is paying sales taxes. Another advantage to broadening the sales tax base is it can lead to more revenue, which could be used to lower the sales tax rate or another tax, such as the income tax. Governor Reynolds proposed sales tax increase, just as any tax increase, should be carefully examined, but it should not be dismissed because of fear that this would result in a more regressive sales tax. The regressive nature of the sales tax can be counteracted by base broadening and lowering other tax burdens in the case of the Invest in Iowa Act this means income and property tax relief. Walt Rogers iis deputy director of Tax Education Foundation of Iowa, a public policy think tank, based in West Des Moines. Walt is a former state representative from Cedar Falls and was chair of the Education Committee. is Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 A senior official of the Union Territory of Ladakh on Sunday said that a 73-year-old man from Leh died of urinary tract infection and not from coronavirus. Commissioner secretary Rigzin Samphel said, The patient had urinary tract complications. We have sent his samples and have not received the results as yet but the cause of his death was not the coronavirus infection. Ali Mohammad, 73, who hailed from Yaukuma Chochuk village was hospitalised in a Leh hospital on March 7. Apart from the urinary tract infection he also had high pyrexia. He died on Sunday morning. Samphel also informed that the two patients, who have tested positive for the coronavirus infection, have been kept in isolation. They are hale and hearty. They were quarantined from day one at the hospital, said Samphel. Both the quarantined patients had a history of travelling to coronavirus-hit countries. They had returned from Iran. Meanwhile, reports of the two persons with travel history to Iran and South Korea, who have been admitted in an isolation ward of the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu, were still awaited. Dr Shafqat Khan, who has been nominated by the government as the nodal officer for coronavirus prevention in Jammu and Kashmir, said, They have high viral load and they may test positive but their final report is still awaited. Theres probability of testing positive and they have been kept in isolation at the Government Medical College and Hospital Jammu, said Dr Khan. Both the cases had left the hospital against medical advice and had to be brought back. The samples of both were sent to the National Centre for Disease Control(NCDC), New -Delhi. Both the persons fled from the hospital on Wednesday night, alleging that there were inadequate facilities in the isolation ward of the hospital but were brought back on Thursday. Meanwhile, all primary schools in Jammu and Samba districts have been closed till March 31 with immediate effect. All biometric attendance in Jammu and Kashmir has also been suspended immediately till March 31. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Police beat student protesters demanding wages in Wuxi, Jiangsu Location: Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province Date: Feb. 27 Despite the widespread Coronavirus infection, many college students still worked part time during the winter break instead of going home. On Feb. 27, hundreds of police showed up as hundreds of student workers went on strike. Outside of Green Point Technology Co. in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, protesters gathered demanding their year-end bonus. They did not expect to be beaten by police. Xiao Wang (a pseudonym) from Henan told Epoch Times: A lot of students work during the holiday to relieve the financial burden on their families, because most of us are from rural areas. Its good to earn some allowance ourselves. Xiao Wang revealed that during the Chinese New Year this year, regular employees received an incentive bonus of 3,000 yuan ($432.57), but none of the part-time student workers received the money. The part-time workers have gone to various departments to discuss the issue since Feb. 19. On Feb. 27, a protest began with hundreds of part-time workers gathering at the east gate of the company. The Local government mobilized more than one hundred special police to the scene. Some physical clashes occurred between the two sides, and several students were arrested. In China, most of the students go through labor agencies to get part-time jobs. Oftentimes the agencies exploit the students making unreasonable deductions from their wages and social security, but the student workers often kept silent. As the numbers of victims increased labor agencies were making more and more bad money. A recording at the scene showed the police beating the protesting students. Police beat people. Show it to the people across the country! Why do the police beat people? In the name of maintaining stability, local governments often serve as the tools to oppress the weak and support the unlawful opportunist. Police Beat A Man to Death and Claim He Died from Coronavirus Woman Stayed At Home for A Month, But Got Infected after Picking Up Food Deliveries Beijing Citizen: Central Authorities Shift Responsibility Mumbai, March 8 : Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan is looking for the right script to work with her elder sister Karisma Kapoor in a film. "We have always wanted to work together but till now we haven't got that kind of script. We have not liked anything. Somebody should come with a good script then, we will consider," said Kareena at a special screening of Karisma's debut web series, 'Mentalhood'. 'Mentalhood' marks Karisma's return to acting after a long time, and Kareena feels fans were waiting for the comeback to happen. "I think everybody is excited especially for Lolo (Karisma's pet name). I think we all, as fans, have waited for her, to watch her on screen. We wanted her to come back after so many years. So, I am as excited and nervous as she is. I know that she feeling very nervous. 'Mentalhood' is a relevant topic today, especially for all mothers," Kareena said. -IANS iv/vnc/kr Alabama Dog Parks paid $600,000 for the former Haint Blue Brewing Company building at 806 Monroe St., in downtown Mobile, according to Cameron Weavil of The Weavil Company, who represented the buyer. The buyer, Jim Ivy, owner of Infinity Homes, plans to open BrewHounds, featuring a state-of-the-art dog park for dogs to enjoy and brews for their owners and non-pet owners as well. The dog park will include artificial turf and obstacles for the dogs. BrewHounds is scheduled to open in April. Lewis H. Golden of Hamilton & Company represented the seller. An out-of-town investor paid $227,500 for an office/warehouse on 2.6 acres at 208 Baldwin Road in Satsuma, according to Tracy Womack and Sharon Wright of White-Spunner Realty. The current tenant will continue to operate at the location. Gianos Bakery has leased 1,600 square feet of space in Shore Oaks Shopping Center at 1539 U.S. 98 in Daphne, according to Colby Herrington of Herrington Realty. Out-of-town investors sold a 3,000-square-foot renovated industrial space at 654 Western Drive in Mobile for $125,000, according to Brandon Broadus of NAI Mobile. The buyer will use the space for his business. Gulf Coast Mens Clinic has leased 1,580 square feet of office space in Grelot Professional Park at 5920 Grelot Road in Mobile, according to Angie McArthur of Stirling Properties. Data Byte, Inc. has relocated to University Place at 820 University Blvd., in Mobile, according to Nathan Handmacher of Stirling Properties, who represented the landlord. The professional IT company will occupy 2,452 square feet of space. The law firm of Brady, Radcliff & Brown has leased 4,200 square feet of space in the Riverview Office Plaza at 63 S. Royal St., in Mobile, according to Gavin Bender Jr. of Bender Real Estate Group, who represented the landlord. Mike Reid of White-Spunner Realty worked for the tenant. Global Security Group has leased 800 square feet of space in Montlimar Place at 1110 Montlimar Drive in Mobile, according to Janet Keene of Bender Real Estate Group, who represented the tenant. Tommy Gleason of NAI Mobile worked for the landlord. Java Hut Coffee has leased land in front of Piccadilly Square Shopping Center at 6347 Airport Blvd., in Mobile and plan to construct a small building with a double-drive thru window, according to Chris Harle of White-Spunner Realty. Developers are seeking site plan approval to build a 9,100-square-foot Dollar General store on Canal Road west of Bear Point Plaza in Orange Beach, according to the Orange Beach Planning Commission. . , , , Politico. 700 2014 2020 ., , , , , ... This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 4, 2020 shows workers disinfecting a bus and parking lots to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Sinuiju, North Pyongan Province. Authorities in North Korea have put in a rush order for medical supplies necessary to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus from China, sources within the isolated country told RFAs Korean Service. North Korea has yet to officially report a single confirmed case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, but state media recently reported some 7,000 of its citizens were being closely monitored. The country has taken many preventative measures, including quarantining entire counties near the Chinese border and canceling major events that would bring large numbers of citizens in close proximity. The governments priority appears to be keeping the virus out of Pyongyang, especially away from the countrys elites. A warehouse manager in Sinuiju, North Pyongan province, just across the river from China, told RFAs Korean Service Friday that a shipment of medical supplies bound for Pyongyang came across the border that day. Two large trucks from Dandong Customs in China carrying emergency supplies crossed the Yalu river bridge and arrived here at Sinuiju customs yesterday afternoon, the source said. The trucks were carrying quarantine suits, disinfectants and masks because of the coronavirus, said the source. The source said that the trucks were thoroughly disinfected, then the goods were unloaded and put on another truck. They immediately entered a road connected to Pyongyang, so its pretty obvious that [the medical supplies] will be taken to Pyongyang, said the source. RFA reported late last month that authorities set up a quarantine center in the 4.25 Hotel in Pyongyang. The hotel, named in honor of the April 25, 1932 foundation of the Korean Peoples Revolutionary Army, has a capacity of 20,000. Sources said that the focus on Pyongyang is disproportionate to the rest of the country as the countrys leadership seeks to protect itself. The warehouse manager said that the quarantine center at the hotel was still in operation. Even now, when Pyongyang citizens get so sick that they are suspected of having COVID-19, they are sent away to the 4.25, the source said. The chief of the Ministry of the Peoples Armed Forces is also known to have been placed in isolation and is going through intensive examination by doctors since Feb. 15 after he too became a suspected case, said the source. The source said that although Pyongyangs medical facilities were top notch relative to the rest of the country, they lack supplies. They have hospitals for the exclusive use of high-ranking officials, like Namsan Medical Center. However there are no medicines for the coronavirus and there are not enough quarantine suits for doctors, said the source. So if the high-rollers are in such a dire situation, how do you think it is for ordinary people when they get put in quarantine? Another source, a North Korean living in Dandong, on the Chinese side of the Yalu river across from Sinuiju told RFA on the same day that the medical supplies were not smuggled. North Korea requested them from China. Perhaps it is true that the coronavirus is spreading in North Korea, said the second source. I heard from a member of the North Korean Consulate here in Dandong that the North Korean government asked the Chinese government to deliver medical supplies to help fight coronavirus, the second source said, adding that it was still not known whether the supplies were of Chinese origin or if they were supplied by the United Nations or the international community. The second source also witnessed Chinese trucks loaded with medical supplies cross the Sino-Korean border Thursday. Considering the fact that the goods were transferred to a North Korean truck at the customs office in Sinuiju, its pretty clear that this is neither official nor unofficial trade; this is Chinas aid to North Korea, the second source said. The second source also said that the Chinese truck drivers who went to Sinuiju were tested for coronavirus and placed in quarantine for two weeks upon their return to China, lending credence to the likelihood that the virus has entered at least North Koreas border regions. Reported by Hyemin Son for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti's daughter, Iltija Mufti, on Sunday asked the Centre to spare the "tokenism of women hashtag theatrics" as it was women who the government was scared of the most. Iltija, who uses her mother's verified Twitter handle to comment on developments and events, said the government "illegally" jailed the first woman chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. "Spare us tokenism of women hashtag theatrics. GOI (government of India) illegally jailed the first woman CM of J&K, encourages rape & death threats against brave female journos & is petrified of daadis at Shaheen Bagh. For all their talk of Nari Shakti, it is truly women they fear the most," she tweeted. The comments come as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he would hand over all his social media accounts to women as part of International Women's Day. Iltija has been tweeting from Mehbooba Mufti's Twitter handle after the PDP president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister was taken into custody on August 5 last year following abrogation of Article 370. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The move is seen as retaliation for American sanctions hindering Nord Stream 2 gas pipe completion. On Friday, Russia's energy minister Alexander Novak told his Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman at the OPEC HQ in Vienna that Russia was unwilling to cut oil production further. The Kremlin had decided that propping up prices as the coronavirus ravaged energy demand would be a gift to the U.S. shale industry. The frackers had added millions of barrels of oil to the global market while Russian companies kept wells idle, YahooFinance reports. Now it was time to squeeze the Americans, Russia thought. Oil prices fell more than 10%. For over three years, President Vladimir Putin had kept Russia inside the OPEC+ coalition, allying with Saudi Arabia and the other OPEC members to curb oil production and support prices. On top of helping Russia's treasury energy exports are the largest source of state revenue the alliance brought foreign policy gains, creating a bond with Saudi Arabia's new leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Read alsoUkraine in talks with U.S. on how to ultimately "bury" Russia's Nord Stream 2 Naftogaz CEO But the OPEC+ deal also aided America's shale industry and Russia was increasingly angry with the Trump administration's willingness to employ energy as a political and economic tool. It was especially irked by the U.S.'s use of sanctions to prevent the completion of a pipeline linking Siberia's gas fields with Germany, known as Nord Stream 2. The White House has also targeted the Venezuelan business of Russia's state-oil producer Rosneft. "The Kremlin has decided to sacrifice OPEC+ to stop U.S. shale producers and punish the U.S. for messing with Nord Stream 2," said Alexander Dynkin, president of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations in Moscow, a state-run think tank. "Of course, to upset Saudi Arabia could be a risky thing, but this is Russias strategy at the moment flexible geometry of interests." The tombstone of Count Daniele Pecorini-Manzoni. When Giorgio Olivotto visited it in October 2005, he was so touched by the Count's tale that he took it on himself to clean the site and lay flowers. Courtesy of Giorgio Olivotto, October 2005 By Robert Neff Count Daniele Pecorini-Manzoni when he traveled to the United States in 1914. Courtesy of Diane Nars Aquila's tale of dangerous adventure, salacious gossip and tragic love is, unfortunately, just that a tale. Paolo dall' Aquila was a fictitious character based on his creator's (Count Daniele Pecorini-Manzoni) own life, mixed in with a healthy dose of self-aggrandizement and facetious libel of his peers. Like his character's life, Count Daniele Pecorini-Manzoni's real life is also filled with inaccuracies and mysteries. We know he was born in Padua, Italy, on October 16, 1871, and, if we use his account in his book "Japanese Maple," he made his way to England where he did find employment with the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs and was soon on his way to the Far East. Daniel Pegorini (the name he used in Korea) arrived in China in November 1897, where he worked at one of the open ports as an assistant a member of the indoor staff. In 1898, he was transferred to Chemulpo (modern Incheon) and was probably pleasantly surprised to discover some fellow Italians on the staff. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Italian community in Korea was very small basically a handful of men. Unfortunately, very little is known about them except, perhaps, dashing young Ugo Francescetti di Malgra the first Italian consul in Korea. The consul, who was six years younger than Pegorini, was extremely popular with the men and women of the foreign community. He was so popular that even a young woman named Christine Collbran and her stepmother competed with one another for his attention. Naturally, this caused friction within the household and Mr. Collbran forbade the consul to visit again. He soon, most likely, regretted his harshness. Japanese Maple. Robert Neff Collection On October 12, 1902, the Italian consul died of typhoid and, just a little over a month later (November 18), Christine died from the same disease. They were both buried in Yanghwajin cemetery and their stones can still be found relatively near one another. It should be noted that the consul's grave is empty his mother came and had his body removed to Italy. Pegorini wrote the consul's obituary which was published in the Korea Review and described him as having spent all his time in study. "No sport, no pleasure seemed to attract him outside his house, and yet this severity of life did not interfere with his being a most amiable and accomplished gentleman." It is a fitting example of Pegorini's mastery of weaving a tale to enhance the memories of friends. He was also able to weave tales that depicted those, like the missionaries, in a less-favorable light. "Japanese Maple" is filled with truths, half-truths and, perhaps, outright lies. The Russian Tseredine and his secret love Christina seem to be based, in part, on the Italian consul and Christine Collbran. Many of his characters in the book correspond to people in Chemulpo and Seoul their true identities concealed somewhat lazily by changing only one or two letters of their names. Pegorini worked in Chemulpo until 1903, when he was transferred to Fusan and for a short time was the temporary commissioner until the real commissioner returned. He continued to work at Fusan as an assistant until about 1905. According to most sources, he then returned to China where he worked at one of the open ports until 1911. One source claims that he then returned to Italy where he worked at a Chinese consulate. According to the same source, he never married, which seems to give credence to his tragic relationship with Fujisan. Unfortunately, this isn't quite true. The engraving on the tomb: "More nimble than the flight of the maple leaf carried by the wind is that thing called life." Courtesy of Giorgio Olivotto, October 2005 Highlights Teacher arrested for sexual assault on schoolgirls Case registered under Pocso and CrPC New Pocso courts are yet to come up in Odisha An Odisha primary school teacher was arrested for allegedly raping two schoolgirls in Jajpur district over a period of the last few months, police said on Sunday. Police said the accused Mohan Bhuyan used to assault them after school hours. He used to sexually assault them on the pretext of teaching them after school hours. He also threatened the girls of dire consequences if they revealed anything, said a senior police official of Jajpur district. The matter came to the fore after one of the victims told her mother that she didnt want to go to school anymore. On prodding, she revealed she was being sexually assaulted by the teacher. Two cases under Pocso Act, as well as CrPC, have been lodged against the teacher. Two days ago, a principal of a private school in coastal Odisha district of Bhadrak was arrested after an audio clip of his lurid conversation with a Class 9 student went viral on social media. Though Pocos cases are on a steady rise in Odisha, a large number of such cases are pending disposal due to lack of an adequate number of courts. State women and child development minister Tukuni Sahu last month told Odisha Assembly that 1,105 cases were registered under the JJ Act and Pocso Act during the last five years. However, only 263 cases were disposed of during the period. The State government said last year that it would set up 24 Fast Track Special Courts for disposal of cases of rape and other sexual offences against children, but they are yet to be established. - with reporting from Noel Baker, Digital Desk staff Staff at Cork's Bon Secours Hospital have been told of a confirmed case of Covid-19, bringing to two the number of cases of the virus now in hospitals in the city. A message sent to staff today said: "Bon Secours to all staff. We have a confirmed case of Covid-19. We are satisfied appropriate measures have been put in place. "The Hospital continues to function as normal with visitor restrictions in place." The message concluded that staff information systems will be held on Monday. A statement from the hospital read: "Bon Secours Health System can confirm that a patient who has tested positive for Covid-19 is at Bon Secours Hospital Cork. The patient is being cared for in a single room and contact precautions have been in place since the patients arrival. "To protect patient privacy, we will make no further comment on the case." The statement added that coronavirus response teams "have been in place at the Bon Secours Health System for some time, with working groups at each facility and at Group level. Bon Secours Health System is working closely too with the HSE and Public Health colleagues. "Guidance on protocols to minimise risk to patients and staff are being shared on an ongoing basis. Visitor restrictions are in place at all Bon Secours Health System facilities since Friday and are detailed on our website: one visitor per patient, no children, no visitors with symptoms of flu. "Elective surgeries will continue as normal in Cork except in a very small number of cases and those patients are being contacted." The National Public Health Emergency Team confirmed the case along with another in the east of the country. A statement revealed that both are cases of community transmission. Read More: It comes as the HSE chief executive Paul Reid told RTE that some of the almost Read More: Mr Reid said the staff who return would not be symptomatic and would be regularly tested and assessed. He said the staff would need to return as there was a necessity to balance containment measures and the need to keep the health system functioning at a time when more confirmed cases are expected. Meanwhile, the HSE has said it cannot dispute projections that 1.9 million people in the Republic of Ireland may fall ill with coronavirus. A report in the Business Post says half of those people are expected to contract the virus over a three-week concentration burst. However, the Health Service Executive also said that the modelling scenario has not been completed yet. They pointed out that trends in Italy indicate large numbers of cases are possible. If Jason Kakaire had screamed Allahu akbar! as he went about his bloody work, you would have heard of him, and he would have been debated in the House of Commons. But because Kakaires five cruel and devastating knife attacks in London could not possibly be given any political or religious motive, there is barely a ripple of interest in his case. This is a mistake. There are two reasons for the error. The first is that our bloated but unsuccessful security apparatus, assisted by posing politicians, likes to use supposed terrorism to boost its power and budgets. Kakaire is of course a long-term user of marijuana. He should not have been. If the police enforced the law of the land, as happens in Japan in South Korea, he would not have been. But they do not. So he is It hopes nobody will notice that in fact it is almost entirely useless at preventing such attacks. Why? Because they have much more to do with drugs than with politics. And so they keep happening however much surveillance we have and however many extra powers we give the police and MI5. The second is that our political and media upper deck is crammed with people who are or have been marijuana users. Many let their children smoke the drug at home. And such people hate any hint that their chosen pleasure is in fact a terrible danger, should stay illegal, and should be fought with proper enforcement of existing drug laws. So let me introduce you to Kakaire. He haunted the London suburb of Edmonton with his knife, stabbing solitary defenceless people in the back. If Jason Kakaire had screamed Allahu akbar! as he went about his bloody work, you would have heard of him, and he would have been debated in the House of Commons. Forensics officers are pictured above in Edmonton where one of his stabbings took place At the time, these events were slightly covered in brief mentions on inside pages. The crimes had no conceivable aim. They were just mad, as so much drug-related crime is. He stabbed his victims so hard that the knife typically sank almost 4in into their bodies. In one miserable case, he severed a womans spinal cord and left her paralysed. My regular readers will know what comes next. Kakaire is of course a long-term user of marijuana. He should not have been. If the police enforced the law of the land, as happens in Japan in South Korea, he would not have been. But they do not. So he is. This terrifying drug, many of whose users become insane and violent, is falsely plugged as harmless, and even as a sort of miracle medicine. Greedy rich people hope to make huge profits out of its legal sale, if they can persuade governments to allow it. Many let their children smoke the drug at home. And such people hate any hint that their chosen pleasure is in fact a terrible danger, should stay illegal, and should be fought with proper enforcement of existing drug laws [File photo] Their hopes are rising because politicians are running out of things they can tax to pay for their wild spending and borrowing. Income tax, VAT and pension raids have reached their upper limits. I suspect the current plan to raise petrol duty will run into big opposition. The only really reliable wells of money are sin taxes, imposed on things people like so much that they will pay over the odds to buy them. I also suspect that many in government foolishly reckon that a doped population will be too apathetic to be discontented. Some may be. But a worrying number, some of them near you, will become like Kakaire. He absurdly claims to have smoked marijuana so as to stop the voices in his head which almost certainly resulted from him smoking it in the first place. I am in a way sorry to keep highlighting such cases (though there is no shortage, and many weeks go by when I let it go). But the campaign for legalisation never lets up and is frighteningly close to success. You should let your MP know now that you will never support such a disastrous policy. Or you will wake up one morning soon and find that it has happened, and there will be many more Kakaires not far from your home. The world isnt this black and white I would be interested to know in detail what black Britons think of the new BBC series Noughts + Crosses. This depicts an imaginary UK in which the skin colours are reversed. No doubt white people such as me need reminding of the cruelties, humiliations and insults of racial bigotry. The scene where a white servants wound was bandaged with dark brown sticking plaster was very telling. Good. If we learn, we will behave better. But there are always people who will exploit true grievances for their own ends. I happen to think that exaggerated charges of racism have often been used for that aim. I would be interested to know in detail what black Britons think of the new BBC series Noughts + Crosses. This depicts an imaginary UK in which the skin colours are reversed I cannot work out whether the Albion of the BBC drama is meant to be a reversal of apartheid South Africa or of modern Britain. There is legally enforced segregation, which we have never had here. Are the dramas whites a conquered but proud people under colonial rule? Or are they recent migrants wanted for their cheap labour but not otherwise welcome? Surely these are completely different things which would have different outcomes. Are there no poor black people? Are there no black opponents of bigotry and black campaigners for equality? Think about it for a moment and you will see that such a looking-glass world needs to be lot more subtle than this one seems to be, to make sense. Quiz takes a puzzling turn For some years now I have been getting more and more bored with University Challenge. Its question devisers are obsessed with the flags of small African states, the periodic table of the elements, Chinese dynasties, and fantastically obscure and specialised scientific queries. But it reached its ludicrous peak last week with this question, which I am sure Jeremy Paxman did not understand: An unpolarised beam of light is incident on a pair of ideal polarisers whose transmission axes have an angle of 60 degrees between them. What fraction of the original incident intensity is transmitted through the pair? I have forgotten the answer because, as with so many of these questions, I did not care that I did not know. Surely a quiz only works if you wish you had known the answers, and kick yourself for not doing so? It occurs to me that if we had not discovered that the coronavirus existed, and so had not descended into a constant floundering panic about it, it would be doing far less damage than it is. Alas, some people fall ill and die, but they always have and always will. This is not the Black Death, and we might be better off if we stopped behaving as if it was. The most dangerous and frightening political leader in our part of the world is Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Not only does he ceaselessly stir the pot of war in Syria, making it almost impossible to end that terrible, tragic conflict. He is now making grotesquely cynical use of migrants. The most dangerous and frightening political leader in our part of the world is Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan To get his way in Syria, he deliberately encouraged these poor people towards the Greek frontier in a blatant, almost medieval piece of blackmail. At home he has destroyed formerly free media and independent courts, and flung scores of journalists into prison. But he is, alas, our Nato ally and we dare not undermine him. So we go on and on about Vladimir Putin instead. If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens click here The city of El Cajon, which found itself under an international spotlight because of its ban on feeding the homeless, lifted the temporary order on Tuesday. City officials enacted the ban on sharing food in city parks in October as a safety measure after the San Diego County Board of Supervisors declared the regions growing hepatitis A outbreak a public health emergency. On Tuesday, the county ended its health emergency declaration and the city of El Cajon followed suit. Were happy that the hep A emergency is over, said El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells. As we always said, the ban was lifted the moment we were aware of that. Advertisement Critics called El Cajons ban a punitive measure meant to dehumanize and criminalize the homeless and in protest staged several food-sharing events at one of the citys most popular parks, Wells Park near the downtown hub. International media, including the BBC, picked up on the ban after volunteers distributing food earlier this month were arrested. It also attracted plenty of national attention, much of it unflattering, to the East County city of nearly 100,000. Activist Mark Lane, who organized a group called Break the Ban, was one of dozens of people who shared food in Wells Park several times with the homeless in spite of the ban. Lane and 10 others were cited with misdemeanor charges for violating city code. Lane said lifting the ban is good news for the homeless and for the groups that want to share food in the citys parks with those in need. The groups that had been sharing food regularly with the homeless will be able to go back and do that again and thats a great thing, Lane said. Lane reiterated, however, that the ban was unconstitutional and one of four in a series of criminalizing ordinances in El Cajon. Lane said he and other protesters believe that El Cajon very clearly has a plan to move the homeless out of their city in order to not have to give services to them. Shane Parmely, another advocate for the homeless, said she felt the ban was the latest in a series of ordinances that criminalize homeless residents of El Cajon. Its still illegal for a homeless person to lay down and try to sleep. She said the move by Wells and the City Council was a completely discriminatory, unconstitutional and unscientifically justifiable ban on sharing food with homeless people. Wells said the issue of homelessness is the most important issue that our region faces. While El Cajon being in the spotlight because of the ban has been an uncomfortable situation, he said, the topic of food sharing in the citys parks was beneficial. It got people talking about it, he said. Wells said he was still having a difficult time understanding the controversial nature of the citys ban. This has always been about preventing the spread of hepatitis, Wells said. Ironically, its the homeless that are most likely the ones who were most protected by this ban. karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com Behind the Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, a gate blocks the entrance into the one-time Atlantic City Race Course. Even though it was miles outside of its namesake, the track was home to numerous horse races over its 69-year history until it closed five years ago. However, there was one three-day event in 1969 that may have been the biggest that ever happened on its grounds: The Atlantic City Pop Festival. For just $15, concert-goers were treated to 36 hours of an all-star lineup that included the likes of Janis Joplin, the Santana Blues Band who would later become Santana, Chicago, Iron Butterfly, Little Richard and other prominent acts. It was just two weeks before the Woodstock Festival in New York. The festival left its mark for the acts who performed, the number of people who attended, and the random, unusual occurrences of the festival-goers. #OnThisDay in 1969 the Atlantic City Pop Festival kicked off the first of three music-filled days pic.twitter.com/3v2oN3rLFN CCR (@TheOfficialCCR) August 1, 2016 Photographing history In Potomac, Maryland, 17-year old Peter Stupar read about the upcoming music festival in a newspaper. His parents told him he couldnt go unaccompanied to the festival but that didnt stop him. After leaving a note saying he was leaving, he went down to Washington D.C. to rent a Nikon camera, and with six rolls of film in his possession, hitchhiked his way to New Jersey. I had no hotel and no sleeping bag, Stupar, now a 67-year-old resident of Maryland said. I slept in the parking lot. It poured rain. It was awful. All I did was bury the camera underneath me so that nothing would happen to it. The gambit was worth it. Stupar was one of the few photographers at the event and he ended up with some of the most iconic shots. I ended up jumping over the fence every day, the photographer said. The security people just figured I was with the press because of my camera, and they let me go. I assumed that is what happened because I got all these great pictures from standing in front of the stage for all three days. He went on to capture the bands as they performed for an estimated 100,000 people. Stupar had Joe Cocker belting out his distinctive voice and style. He was there when Frank Zappa played one 40-minute long song. He photographed 3 Dog Night and B.B. King during their sets. He also saw Joni Mitchell leave the stage after the crowds reaction to her set, an experience that supposedly led to Mitchell deciding not to perform at Woodstock. She did not play Woodstock because of her bad time in Atlantic City, said Stupar. She came on stage and, after the second or third song, said I just sang that verse twice, and no one noticed. She broke down in tears and walked off, and that was it. After Little Richard closed the festival during the hot and humid Sunday, Aug. 3, and, by most accounts, tore the house down, it rained heavily again. Tired from taking 36-hours worth of pictures, Stupar hitchhiked his way back down to Potomac carrying what would later become music history. August 1, 1969 Joni Mitchell performed at the Atlantic City Pop Festival, Atlantic City Race Track, Atlantic City, NJ - Photo by Peter Stupar - peterstupar.com - jonimitchell.com/chronology/detail.cfm?id=1258 Posted by Joni Mitchell Fans on Thursday, August 1, 2019 Dancing cops and scared ducks The music was not the only colorful thing to come out of the gathering. Media reports began to circulate across the country, describing what the conclave of music fans were up to at the track. A couple danced on the track itself and before long 1,500 clung to each other in a rock can-can kicks, swung along, or danced in pairs with anyone they happened to face at the moment, the Associated Press wrote. A nude young man casually chatted with seemingly oblivious companions. Another young man, undressed atop a huge amplifier and commanded attention and drew applause as he swayed in the altogether. It did not stop with the concert-goers. Three policemen had joined in on the fun, dancing on a platform to the music, the Associated Press reported. Two people climbed up on loudspeakers, and, after being chased by 100 security guards, disappeared into the crowd and evaded capture, another report read. With temperatures in the mid-to-upper 80s, someone felt as if they needed to cool off. They headed for a lagoon inside the racetrack area. The idea looked so good that hundreds more decided to join in and skinny dip, frightening a collection of ducks that were enjoying their summer day and sending them to the other side of the lagoon, the press reported at the time. The show was stopped, and police and performers pleaded with the swimmers to go back to the grandstand area. Atlantic City Pop Festival - August 1, 2 and 3rd, 1969 (at the Atlantic City race track) (thanks to Giovanna Penso) Posted by Frank Zappa for President on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 Brushing elbows Barbara Steinman Kornbluh, a 19-year-old college student, convinced her parents to lend her the car so she could drive herself and few friends from the familys Vineland home down to Mays Landing. Moments from the concert are still etched in her mind. My biggest memory, as vivid as can be, is Janis Joplin dressed in pink, slugging drinks out of her Southern Comfort bottle in her strappy shoes, singing Me and Bobby McGee, and thats my biggest memory, Kornbluh said. It was amazing. Little did she know, her future husband Mel was there that day, too. The two would later share stories with each other on what they saw and who they heard playing. We probably brushed elbows with each other but did not meet for another couple of years," she said. Theyve now been married for 48 years. Now a classical music teacher and bicycle clothing entrepreneur, Kornbluh looks back at the festival as a time where young people were able to gather, listen to music, and not have any worries. There was not a lot of danger out there, Kornbluh said. It was just a bunch of kids who got together from all over all kinds of backgrounds. It did not matter who you were, what language you spoke, what color your skin was. We just all were there to love music and love each other. It was great. It is really how it should be today. Concertgoers heading to the racetrack for the Atlantic City Pop Festival. It looks like this may be Wrangleboro Road. Courtesy of Wilhelm Ludwig. Posted by Mays Landing Yesteryear on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 This article is part of Unknown New Jersey, an ongoing series that highlights interesting and little-known stories about our past, present, and future -- all the unusual things that make our great state what it is. Got a story to pitch? Email it to local@njadvancemedia.com. Read More Unknown New Jersey stories like this: Chris Franklin can be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @cfranklinnews or on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. A father who walked away with a $650 fine and no conviction for bashing a teacher has prompted the Australian Principals Federation to push for mandatory sentencing of adults who assault school staff. An anonymous principal, from a "very middle-class, eastern-suburbs" Melbourne primary school, said the verdict was "not even a slap on the wrist" and made him question whether it was worth reporting assaults on school staff. I write to share my frustration in what cannot be seen as anything other than an unbelievable lack of respect and protection for educators," he wrote in the federation's newsletter. Police attend Byron Bay Public School after a scissors stabbing incidents last year. "This parent entered a school classroom, without any discussion whatsoever, punched a teacher in the face, then pushed him to the ground and kicked him. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 17:47:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese medical team members arrive at Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 7, 2020. A team of Chinese experts arrived on Saturday night in Iraq's capital Baghdad as part of China's assistance in confronting the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country. The team includes seven experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and is expected to stay in Iraq for one month to help the government tackle the coronavirus disease such as testing, treating and following up the cases. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) BAGHDAD, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A team of Chinese experts arrived on Saturday night in Iraq's capital Baghdad as part of China's assistance in confronting the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country. The team includes seven experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and is expected to stay in Iraq for one month to help the government tackle the coronavirus disease such as testing, treating and following up the cases, Tao Zhongquan, leader of the expert team sent by the Red Cross Society of China, told Xinhua. "China has gained great experience in combating coronavirus. Iraqis can benefit from its prevention, control, detection and treatment of the disease," he said. For his part, Jasim al-Falahi, Iraqi deputy health minister, thanked the Chinese government for its humanitarian aid. "We really appreciate the support of the government and the people of China at this very specific time. We speak highly of China's procedures and arrangements to contain the spread of coronavirus," al-Falahi told reporters. "The arrival of Chinese experts and medical equipment will enhance prevention and control of the coronavirus epidemic in Iraq," he said. Zhang Tao, Chinese ambassador to Iraq, expressed China's great concerns for the developments of the coronavirus epidemic in Iraq. "The Chinese government and people are very concerned about the epidemic in Iraq which suffers weak health services after years of war," Zhang said. So far, 54 cases of the novel coronavirus have been detected in Iraq, of whom four have died, according to the Iraqi health ministry. The Iraqi authorities have been taking a series of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus after cases were confirmed in the country. JOHNSTOWN Elizabeth Cady Stanton seemed to have it all wealth, status and a brilliant mind. The curly haired young woman, whom a local womens rights historian described as bright and charming, lived in one of the citys finest homes, donned the silkiest fashions and attended one of the best schools for young women of her time the Troy Female Seminary, now known as the Emma Willard School. But the favorite daughter of the citys Judge Daniel Cady could not get hold of what she really wanted womens equality through the right to vote. Womens suffrage is something she fought for her entire adult life in a battle so fierce that it strained her relationship with her beloved father and alienated her closest allies in the battle including Frederick Douglass. And while her efforts eventually led to a womens right to vote, 18 years after her death, those who study Stanton say the leader of the womens movement who was born and raised in Johnstown would still be fighting today. All she wanted still hasnt happened, said Sandy Maceyka, vice president of the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Womens Consortium. We can vote, but we still dont have rights equal to men. The Equal Rights Amendment was never passed. Even today, we only make 80 cents to a mans dollar. We are still second-class citizens. Raising her profile That's one reason Maceyka is working to elevate the profile and writings of Stanton. For the past 20 years, Maceyka's group has hosted a biannual symposium on womens rights. This years conference, the Elizabeth Cady Stanton 2020 Symposium, will be held on March 28 at the HFM BOCES in Johnstown. The day-long event will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment that granted the womens right to vote. As part of the celebration, the Paul Nigra Arts Center for the Creative Arts in Gloversville is hosting an exhibition that is inspired by Stanton, Womens Movement: Art By, About and For Women. It runs until March 31. The celebration will continue in Johnstown in August, when the consortium will unveil a statue of Stanton in Sir William Johnson Park on West Main Street, between her childhood home and the courthouse where her father presided. The life-size bronze of a young Stanton will depict her sitting on a bench where visitors can also confer with her likeness. The unveiling also will include the start of a bicycle tour from Johnstown to Seneca Falls where Stanton eventually settled. Among the guests at the unveiling will be Coline Jenkins, the great-great granddaughter of Stanton. Jenkins, who lives in Greenwich, Conn., said she will be there to honor the woman whom she describes as a philosopher and a broad thinker with ideas that germinated in her father's office in Johnstown. She had a very unusual upbringing, Jenkins said. She grew up in a soup of law. All around her was law. the language, the logic, the context. She was a lawyer before women could be lawyers. Maceyka said that many of the movement's ideas grew out of Stanton's legal mind. But because she had seven children, she did not have the freedom to travel the country like the unmarried Susan B. Anthony. Therefore, Stanton, she said, is too often the forgotten figure with much of the crediting going to Anthony. She said that should not be the case, as Anthony's words on the suffrage trail were written by Stanton. Earlier: Susan B. Anthony's Washington County home may finally get its due. Events will mark women's rights milestone Campaign continues for Johnstown suffragist statue Elizabeth wrote all the speeches, Maceyka said. Susan delivered all the speeches. ... Susan would come and babysit the children and Elizabeth would write. Susan spoke her words. Jenkins called the two the yin and yang for the cause saying Elizabeth loaded the canon. Susan B. Anthony fired it. Johnstown's influence Their complementary relationship that shaped the movement began in 1851 in Seneca Falls But it was Stanton's early years in Johnstown that formed her thoughts on women's rights. Born on Nov. 12, 1815, her mother was Margaret Livingston Cady, a woman raised in a political prominent family whose father was a Revolutionary War officer. Her father, whom Jenkins calls a self-made man, was a lawyer and judge who had served in the state Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives. Stanton was one of 11 children, of which only six survived. The loss of her brother Eleazar, the last of the family's boys, was the most difficult for the 11-year-old Stanton. He died at age 20 just as after graduating from Schenectady's Union College. Her father was broken-hearted, Maceyka said. She decided she would do everything she could to make up for this boy her father lost. Maceyka said she rode horses, studied Latin and Greek, winning a prize in the latter. But often her fathers reactions to her successes was a lament, I wish you were a boy. People make a lot out of that, Jenkins said. They think she did everything to please her father. They had a complicated relationship. The law is a conservative profession, a male profession. And yet, here you have a daughter who basically doesnt have the opportunity." Certainly, Stanton radical ideas on womens right were developed in her father's chambers where she would spend hours perusing his law books. While there, she often listened to destitute women divorced, widowed or victims of their husbands ruinous acts who sought Judge Cady's help. More for you Susan B. Anthony's Washington County home may finally get its due Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. In those days, if a man divorced the wife, the man got to keep the children, Maceyka explained. If you inherited a house from your dad and you got married, the house was automatically your husbands. If you got divorced, you didnt have a house anymore. If your husband died, your son got the house. You never got the house back. These women ended up with nothing. Jenkins said this hit home with Stanton when a law clerk asked her about her coral necklace. Women's events in Fulton County Elizabeth Cady Stanton Women's Consortium 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28 HFM BOCES, 2755 Route 67, Johnstown https://www.ecswc.org/ Women's Movement: Art By, About and For Women 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays through March 31 Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts, 2736 Route 30, Gloversville https://www.pncreativeartscenter.org/ See More Collapse He asked who owns her necklace, Jenkins said. Elizabeth said, I own it. The clerk told her Well when you get married, your husband will own it and he can swap it for cigars. It will go up in smoke. Maceyka said that Stanton got so upset about one womans plight, losing her inherited farm to creditors her husband owed, that she threatened to grab scissors and cut the laws out of her fathers law books. But. Maceyka said, her father explained that would do no good as copies of the books exist around the state and that it was the state legislature that Stanton would have to address one day. A young Stanton felt what she called the cruelty of the law and vowed to change it so that women could own property, keep their wages, have custody of their children and work in professions including medicine and law. She knew that the only way to guarantee that change was to give women a voice in government through the right to vote. Jenkins recalls a letter her grandmother wrote President Theodore Roosevelt shortly before her death in 1902. Surely, there is no greater monopoly than that of all men denying all women a voice in the laws they are compelled to obey, Jenkins recited. Try to argue against that. Isnt that powerful?" Ties with abolition Like many women of the time, her efforts around women's rights were tied to abolition. Her earliest exposure to the horrors of slavery were revealed to her on visits to her cousin, abolitionist Gerrit Smith, who harbored runaway slaves in his home in Peterboro, Madison County. On one occassion, she met fellow abolitionist Henry Stanton at Smith's house. They fell in love and, against her father wishes, because Henry Stanton had no income and traveled around giving speeches on abolition, she married him in 1840. They honeymooned in London to attend the Worlds Anti-Slavery Convention, an event that wouldnt allow women to speak, which angered Stanton, Maceyka said, and made her all the more determined to end the sex discrimination. Eight years later in 1848, she and a group of other women including Lucretia Mott hosted the first womens convention in Seneca Falls where Stanton and her husband and children were living in a house her father bought for her. For the event, she re-wrote the first lines of the Declaration of Independence, inserting that all men and 'women' are created equal and calling for the right to vote. While Mott was for property rights for women, she did not agree to women voting saying "Thou will make us ridiculous." But Frederick Douglass, the former slave, backed Stantons idea of a womens right to vote at the convention. And thus, the suffrage movement was born. Elizabeth was very comfortable with the idea of women voting, Jenkins said. If you dont have the fundamental right of citizenship then you are outside of the system. She and Anthony met three years later, forming a symbiotic bond that weathered the divide in the movement after black men were granted the right to vote and women were not. Stanton and Anthony felt the language of the 15th amendent should include women. Their old ally, Douglass, did not. "She was very upset, very upset," said Macyka of the split that never mended. Now, said Jenkins, the issue of women's right to vote is dead and that she won by using "every weapon in the arsenal of democracy except a gun." "There is no question whether women should have the right to vote," Jenkins said. "In many ways, she was 50 years ahead of her time....The legal right to vote is fundamental to citizenship. But what about all your other rights. Are they protected in the Consititution? There is a patchwork quilt of rights and laws, but you dont have a federal right to equality. She would still be doing things to her capacity." Help India! TCN News Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has initiated its relief and rehabilitation work for riot victims in northeast Delhi after a series of visits to assess damage of life and property. Support TwoCircles Jamaat will establish a temporary hospital at our control center for those who require medical attention, said JIH National Secretary, Mohammed Ahmed. Ahmed is heading the relief initiative which is set up as a control center to coordinate its relief activities in a coordinated and phased manner in northeast Delhi. Ahmed discussed that JIH is also helping in the work of registering FIRs and legal prosecution with help from associated organizations and a team of dedicated volunteers. He discussed that some major activities under the programme include surveying to assess the scale of damage, helping the victims to complete the documentation required for claiming the government-announced benefits and psychological counseling of the victims. Ahmed commended women and girls for actively leading the relief control set up. Ahmed further gave specific details of the relief work carried out by JIH in riot-hit areas as of March 6, 2020 by stating that it has supplied 2400 food-kits including rice, sugar, cooking oil, biscuits, bournvita and chocolates in 8 camps in East Delhi, medical emergency relief and medicines worth Rs 1 lakh, baby food kits and sanitary napkins about 550 in number, mattresses and pillows about 1500 in total and free treatment to riot-affected victims at Al Shifa Hospital in Abul Fazal Enclave. The Jamaat has also sent a team of professional counselors (both male and female) for extensive counseling of riot-affected patients at the GTB and LNJP Hospitals. Ahmed informed that a specialist from Delhi University was engaged last week to conduct a workshop for training of Survey Volunteers. He said that JIH is currently working to provide legal aid and compensation to victims and more than 100 forms have been filled of late. JIH is also planning to meet Imams of mosques that were vandalized during the riots. This comes after JIH President Syed Sadatullah Hussaini said last week that Delhi violence clearly indicates that it was preplanned in which lives, businesses and properties of Muslims were specifically targeted. On asking about the Jamaats activities regarding CAA-NRC, he said that relief activities are also underway for protest victims and citizens excluded in the NRC. After visits to the relief camps set up different social organizations in the aftermath of Delhi riots, Hussaini opined that, the quantum, method of execution and ferocity of the attacks on the localities indicate a meticulous planning, weapons training given to attackers with a specific objective of targeting the Muslim community, their businesses, properties and places of worship. He added that it is the job of the police to find who was behind the violence but everyone knows who is peddling the ideology of hate and polarizing society. He blamed the provocative speeches by politicians who sparked the violence. He continued, But the role of the police as can be seen in various videos and reports has been very disturbing. JIH chief, Hussaini also condemned the ban on Media-One and Asianet asserting that the government has failed to act on channels that spout hate but banned those who reported without fear and favor. According to them, this biased action of the government only shows that the government wants to control the media narrative and it is a dangerous trend that must be resisted. (Newser) Want a hired killer? The site Azerbaijani Eagles will charge $5,000. Slayers Hitmen, $50,000if you also want torture. But buyer beware: There's almost no known case of a site following through and committing the actual assassination, according to the New York Times. "It's a fantastic opportunity to defraud people because you give them just enough sense of danger," says Emily Wilson, who heads a security firm that targets websites on the so-called dark web. "What are you going to do if they don't go through with it?" Indeed, nearly all hitman-site cases involve people caught for sending the money. One such story was about an Illinois nurse who got 12 years for paying over $10,000 in Bitcoin to have her boyfriend's wife murdered. story continues below One of the more grisly cases involves a Minnesota man arrested for killing his wife after his $6,000 payment to the Besa Mafia site failed to produce a corpse, as Wired reported last year. Yet the sites continue to maintain their efficiency, with one, Darkmamba, saying there's little evidence of their success because they use ricin, a poison from castor beans. But a British hacker who delved into hitman sites found messages saying the owners had no intention of actually killing anyone. One downside of all this coverage? Wilson says it distracts from real dark-web crime, like drug markets and sales of people's personal data. "There is actual crime, but we are too busy talking about some guy who wants to kill his ex-girlfriends new boyfriend," she says. (Read more dark web stories.) The adoption of a child by a Hindu couple is valid only if there is a proof of such a ceremony and consent of the wife under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, the Supreme Court has ruled. An adoption will not be valid unless the two conditions are proved, a bench of justices L Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta held, turning down the petition filed by one M Vanaja for division of properties of a person whom she claimed was her adoptive father. The two important conditions as mentioned in Sections 7 and 11 of the Act of 1956 are the consent of the wife before a male Hindu adopts a child and proof of the ceremony of actual giving and taking in adoption. The mandate of the Act of 1956 is that no adoption shall be valid unless it has been made in compliance with the conditions mentioned in Chapter I of the Act of 1956, the judgment which was delivered on Friday said. Section 7 of the Act states that a male Hindu person can adopt a son or daughter only with the consent of his wife. Section 11 of the Act mandates that there must be proof of actual giving and taking in adoption which shows the intent to transfer the child to the adoptive family. Vanajas biological parents had passed away when she was very young and she was cared for and brought up by her maternal aunt, Sarla Devi and her husband Narasimhulu Naidu. As per, the school and college records and other documents that were filed in court by Vanaja, the names of Sarla Devi and Naidu were entered as parents of Vanaja. Even in the government records like ration card, Vanaja was mentioned as daughter of Sarla Devi and Naidu. It was Vanajas case that after Naidu passed away in 2003, Sarla Devi turned against her due to the ill-advise of her relatives and attempted to alienate properties which had belonged to Naidu. Vanaja filed a suit in the Hyderabad city civil court to declare her as the owner of half of the properties of Naidu. She argued that there was overwhelming record to prove that she was brought up as adoptive daughter of Naidu and Sarla Devi. She also submitted that it was not possible for her to prove the manner in which the adoption took place as she was very young at that time. The city civil court and the Andhra Pradesh high court had dismissed her petition. The Supreme Court made it clear that after Act of 1956 came into force, the two essential conditions, i.e. the consent of the wife and the actual ceremony of adoption will have to be proved in order to establish a valid adoption. In this regard, the court referred to its 2011 judgment in Ghisalal v. Dhapubai in which it was held that consent of the wife is mandatory for proving adoption. Though the Appellant has produced evidence to show that she was treated as a daughter by (Late) Narasimhulu Naidu and the Defendant, she has not been able to establish her adoption..The two essential conditions i.e. the consent of the wife and the actual ceremony of adoption have not been established, the top court held rejecting Vanajas appeal. People stand in front of a drug store in Daegu, South Korea, March 3, 2020. REUTERS Tech companies had a tough first week in March 2020 as the industry continued to grapple with coronavirus woes. It has raised a lot of questions about the preparedness of these firms and has made them rethink the way they work. The change kicked off with the cancellation of Mobile World Congress, an annual trade show dedicated to mobile telecommunication industry, that was supposed to happen in Barcelona, Spain between February 24 and 27. Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn had shut down its operations in Wuhan. Other companies had suspended travel to China and those who had recently travelled to the region were asked to remain in home isolation for 14 days. During the IT industrys annual summit NASSCOM Technology and Leadership Forum last month, IT executives raised concerns about the growing epidemic. Till now, we dont see much of an impact. But if it continues for another couple of weeks, I think we might be in trouble. It is going to take some time to assess the impact though, said one of the executives. Analysts pointed out that the longer the factories are shut, the higher the impact it would be on the tech supply chain that is dependent on China for manufacturing. In the last two weeks, coronavirus has spread across 80 countries with 95,000 confirmed cases. India has close to 30 confirmed cases. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show Manufacturing According to cnet.com, Microsoft and Apple had already warned investors that the companies are likely to miss their revenue targets due to the virus outbreak. Both companies have manufacturing base in China for production of iPhones and Surface products. This calls for geographical diversification of manufacturing apart from China more than ever. Deal closures The virus has spread across the world, overseas travel bans are in place to China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Iran and Italy. Companies have asked employs to suspend any unnecessary travel overseas affecting business prospects. None of the companies has put in place a mechanism to handle such scenarios. "In our defence, we have not seen a health disaster at this size and scale. So we cannot account for everything," pointed an executive. This is a problem as well. Overseas travel is necessary for sales activity and deal closures for the next quarter. Hence, the ban will have a direct impact on the deal pipeline for tech firms. Sure, video conferencing or local personnel could take that forward. But it does not always work that way, explained a mid-level executive in an IT firm. While the onsite personnel can close the deal, there are details that have to be addressed such as onsite-offshore mix, which only the person handling project offshore will know better, he added. Most executives concurred they are in for deal deferrals. Of course, Business Continuity Plans have been rolled out to ensure that operations continue with a significant portion of employees working from home (WFH). Innovation All this has prompted tech firms to think beyond office spaces and WFH for selected personnel. In some cases, some of them have used the opportunity to innovate. For instance, Chennai-based tech firm Zoho has launched a suite of remote working tools. According to a Sridhar Vembu in a tweet said, The suite of products for communication and collaboration to enable remote work. This launch process happened with most of us working remotely. Few days before, Sundar Pichai, CEO, Alphabet Inc, the holding company of Google said that the company is launching free trials of its enterprise G-Suite that has conferencing tools till July 2020. AUBURN Experts spoke about the health of Owasco Lake and efforts being made to prevent and mitigate harmful algae blooms in the lake at an event at Auburn Public Theater Saturday. Dr. John Halfman, a professor at the Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, gave a presentation Saturday in Auburn on the status of the lake. He said there have been improvements in the lake's water quality in recent years, with the amount of nutrients coming into the lake now being about equal to the amount going out. The amount of blue green algae and toxins in the water have increased, but the number of blooms went down, Halfman said, stressing that it's important for the amount of nutrients getting into the lake to be reduced. More nutrients stimulate more algae, although all algae may not have harmful toxins, he said. Dr. Lewis McCaffrey, senior scientist for the Finger Lakes Water Hub, which was established by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to address water quality issues within the Finger Lakes, also spoke at the event. He encouraged people to report any blooms found in the lake through the state's website and spoke about work being done to monitor and mitigate blooms. Other speakers included Doug Kierst, executive director of the Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District. During a break between presentations, Jesse Miller and his mother, Maryfaith, said they have a cottage on the shoreline of Owasco Lake. Jesse, 12, said he wanted to learn more about the lake's health and added that he learned some new information such as the different kinds of algae but already knew other things that had been presented by that point in the event. "I think all of this is just wonderful, trying to get people involved in this, it might be helping quite a bit," Jesse said. Owasco Watershed Lake Association board member Rick Nelson said that Bob Brower was the natural person to name the association's annual scientific symposium after. Brower, a former association president and staunch water quality and environmental advocate, died in 2018. Auburn Mayor Mike Quill altered the event's name last year. Nelson, an association board member, said the symposium was Brower's brainchild to prompt more outreach and education. "He was just a bright, pleasant, incredibly knowledgeable fellow," Nelson said. Nelson said the water quality of the lake affects drinking water and impacts agriculture and tourism, which he said are the two biggest industries in the area. He feels water quality affects different aspects of the quality of life for people. "Good water qualify is the lifeblood of this community," Nelson said. Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Amid uncertainties over the leadership issue, senior Congress leader and former Union minister Ajay Maken has said it is high time Rahul Gandhi comes back as party president as he is the most acceptable leader. The former president of the Congress' Delhi unit, Maken, in an interview to PTI, also batted for veterans to gradually make way for younger leaders, saying if parties do not change their leadership with time, then people change parties. Vouching for Rahul Gandhi as Congress chief, he said there is no other face as acceptable as Rahul who also has good intent at heart, zero baggage and consistently takes an aggressive stand in fighting against the might of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Maken also argued for a long-term advisory role for interim president Sonia Gandhi saying her experience and expertise in handling Congress affairs would be much needed by the new president. The party constitution can be amended to ensure that, he said. "I think it is high time Rahul Gandhi came back. I am saying this with very strong conviction and strong reasons behind this. Rahul Gandhi is universally acceptable in the Congress party. There is no other face who is as much acceptable as Rahul Gandhi is, Maken said. So, a person who is universally acceptable, no baggage, good intent at heart and who has been consistent and most aggressive against the BJP and Modi, and has been the voice amplifier of farmers, Dalits and minorities. I think, he single-handedly deserves to be Congress president, he said. Asked about what would be the right time for Rahul Gandhi to return, Maken said, the sooner, the better, because it will end uncertainty. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also said Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are deeply wary of the unwavering conviction and fearlessness with which Rahul Gandhi has taken on the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). "Rahul Gandhi has adequately proved his mettle. Time has come to rise above the parochial issues of regional leadership and work towards strengthening and rebuilding the Congress. Needless to add that Rahul Gandhi is the obvious and only choice to lead the Congress," he said. Maken noted that the country needs a person with "good intent at heart, not good content in speech". "We have seen the country is paying the price to just follow good content in speech and the present situation where our country is in, the economy is in doldrums, there is a social strife, the riots going on in the national capital and the government not doing anything, is just because the people voted for good content in speech of Narendra Modi. They never saw the intent at heart of the leader," the Congress leader said. Commenting on the old versus young debate in the Congress, Maken strongly argued for gradual change of guard in the party and said parties must change their leadership in time. I am among the biggest supporters for change, but it has to be gradual. It can't be in one big sudden change. But it has to be there. That change is required because if the parties don't change their leadership in time, then the people change the parties, he said, adding that the electorate wants change. On whether Congress veterans will be given an advisory role, he said it should be voluntary and not be imposed on them, as has happened in the case of party veterans in the BJP. On voices backing organisational elections in the Congress, Maken said elections to the post of party president and working committee members alone would not help, and an overall organisational poll from bottom to up is needed. Only elections for the president or the working committee will not empower the workers, said Maken. He noted that Rahul Gandhi has championed holding elections not only for the working committee, and president, but a series of elections at all levels in a transparent manner. That is what Rahul Gandhi has always stood for. He has wanted transparent elections throughout and even ticket distribution should be held through primaries and elections, where workers should decide who should be given the ticket, Maken said. On the Congress suffering two general election setbacks under Rahul Gandhi, he said as far as winning and losing elections is concerned, this is part of the process. How many elections under Atal Bihari Vajpayee did the BJP had win. In the 1990s the Vajpayee-Advani duo always used to lose election. The BJP never threw their leaders out of the party, as it was, they who got the BJP into power, the former Union minister said. Maken also called for spelling out clearly the Congress' ideology on issues of social, economic and nationalism, to avoid leaders speaking in different voices in public on key issues. "We should have firmly laid down our ideological stand on key issues, as this would end any kind of confusion and it would also help Congress workers to have their loyalty and allegiance towards a particular philosophy or ideology," he said. Maken also said the Congress lost ground in Delhi because it stopped attacking Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal starting January 2019. BJP's polarisation agenda also helped the AAP, he said, rejecting the widely held belief that the Congress, under a deliberate electoral strategy, vacated the Delhi turf for the AAP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (Newser) Italy announced a sweeping quarantine early Sunday for its northern regions, igniting travel chaos as it restricted the movements of a quarter of its people in a bid to halt the new coronavirus' relentless march across Europe. Shortly after midnight, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree affecting 16 million people in the country's prosperous north, including the Lombardy region and at least 14 provinces in neighboring regions. The extraordinary measures will be in place until April 3. For Lombardy and for the other northern provinces that I have listed, there will be a ban for everybody to move in and out of these territories and also within the same territory," Conte said, per the AP. "Exceptions will be allowed only for proven professional needs, exceptional cases, and health issues. Italy on Saturday reported its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases since its outbreak began Feb. 21. The number of infected people rose 1,247 in the previous 24 hours, taking the total to 5,883. Italy's death toll rose to 233. Elsewhere: story continues below In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged older adults and people with severe medical conditions to "stay home as much as possible" and avoid crowds. A federal official told the AP that the White House had overruled health officials who wanted to recommend that elderly and sick Americans not fly on commercial airlines. The Grand Princess cruise ship, where 21 people have tested positive for the virus, was headed to the port of Oakland, California, after idling off San Francisco for days. There is evidence the ship was the breeding ground for a deadly cluster of almost 20 cases during an earlier voyage. The ship, which is carrying more than 3,500 people from 54 countries, is expected to reach Oakland on Monday. In Egypt, a cruise ship on the Nile carrying more than 150 people was under quarantine in the southern city of Luxor after 45 people on board tested positive for the virus. The port of Penang in Malaysia turned away the Costa Fortuna cruise ship because 64 of the 2,000 aboard are from Italy. The ship, which had already been rejected by Thailand, was heading to Singapore. (Read more coronavirus stories.) London: When Meghan Markle entered the royal family less than two years ago, she made no secret of her ambition to put feminism front and centre of her public work. As she stepped out for her final solo job as "Her Royal Highness", the Duchess of Sussex used her last royal platform to urge the next generation to look past race and gender to "speak up for what is right". Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, smiles as head boy Aker Okoye speaks during her surprise visit to the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham, in east London, to celebrate International Women's Day. Credit:AP Appearing at a school in Dagenham, Essex, alongside one of the women who fought at the picket line for equal pay, she urged teenage boys to "appreciate and protect" the women in their lives in a rallying speech for International Women's Day. The duchess, who greeted 700 stunned pupils in assembly, said young men should make sure their mothers, sisters and girlfriends are "feeling valued and safe" as she asked them to set a good example for "some men who are not seeing it the same way". STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Though they are spelled with the same set of letters, few people conjure ballet when they think of the word battle. Few people think rap when confronted with royalty. Fourth-graders at PS 9 in Concord do, however. Thats because theyre enrolled in a lottery school of 326 students whose mission is to teach academics using the arts as a catalyst. Social studies is a prime case in point. According to Graziella Casale, who teaches fourth-grade at the school, the New York state curriculum at this level calls for students to study Native Americans, the American Revolution and immigration. For the past two years, the schools fourth-grade students have learned about the Revolutions adversaries King George III and George Washington, and founding fathers like Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton, not by reading about them in a textbook, but by assuming their characters on stage. Each fourth-grader plays a part in producing an original stage piece called Revere: A Musical Revolution. It was written during summer 2018 by Casale and her colleague at the school, David Immiti, who teaches music and theater. Fourth-grade teacher Graziella Casale, left, and David Immiti, who teaches music and theater, wrote the musical Revere in 2018. The play, about the American Revolution, has been staged for the past two years as part of the social studies curriculum at PS 9. (Marjorie Hack for the Staten Island Advance) Marjorie Hack Students do all the singing, dancing and speaking. Those not appearing on stage in a role, or as part of the ensemble, are key members of the stage crew learning to work lights and sound, and cuing up props and scenery. This year, Revere was staged Feb. 11, and again, Feb. 12, for students from PS 9, PS 48, and family members. An overflow crowd of some 500 were treated to the shows, reported Casale, who described both performances as tremendous. Staging a show is a far more productive and rewarding exercise than simply asking kids to turn a page, look at a map or listen to a lecture, say the educators and the students. After reading the script one time, I knew history better, admitted Ryan Berntsen, who played Alexander Hamilton in one of the performances, and was in the ensemble for the other. LEARNING BY DOING By training, teachers are comfortable working with raw material. But consider that this years cast of 57 was no older than 10, and, unlike the blockbuster Broadway show Hamilton, there were no trained voices or marquee stars to anchor the action. What carries the day with art, however, is just that: Fresh faces. The kids have the spunk and curiosity that only fourth-graders can bring to a project. Combine that with the real-life David and Goliath story-line of the American Revolution, and youve got the makings of one great history lesson. The experience also imparts far more than history for the youngsters. Jeremy Romero was one of two students who assumed the role of King George. When asked to talk about the hardest part of playing the role, Jeremy replied, Portraying your character. Hes something different than what you are. You have to bring out the other side of you. Hes outraged and angry. Ryan learned about social stratification and job seniority. You get to talk to the general and the president of the United States, he noted, when asked about his role. Who gets to do that? Nobody. Madina Hall played the narrator, Abraham Lincoln, for one of the performances. She understood that her role was to provide some comic relief for the weighty subject at hand. This is filled with serious stuff, but hes goofy. He makes people laugh, she said. One of her lines as she introduces the action to come? I have such bad luck with theater. Fourth-graders Marin Caldarella and Kingsley Horace perform at PS 9. (Courtesy of PS 9) Courtesy of PS 9 SONG AND DANCE The musical begins with an ensemble piece a satirical number titled Its a Wonderful Day in Boston even though the young student colonists have come to understand over five months of studying the Revolution that there is nothing wonderful about being taxed without representation. The number is reprised at the musicals end, after the long, arduous war has ended in victory for the colonies. This time, however, the word wonderful really means just that. In between, students belt out nine other songs written by Immiti, a gifted tunesmith. Theres a swashbuckling ditty, Lets Have a Party in the Harbor, that tells of dumping British tea into the waters off Boston; a song in the style of a German lieder that speaks to Paul Reveres fraught ride through the city warning of a British invasion (There seems to be some tension, notes Revere in the song); and Forge On, an anthem to perseverance led by four of Washingtons beleaguered soldiers as they try to boost morale among their war-weary comrades. The action ends with a balletic depiction of the decisive Battle of Yorktown, with the colonists, at last, victorious. Immiti said that the musical has been such a successful teaching tool that hes going to revisit, and complete, a musical he roughed out several years ago this one about Native Americans. It should be noted that other staffers lent a hand in this undertaking. In addition to Casale and Immiti, the creative team of teachers included Jacqueline Molinari, who developed compelling, story-enhancing choreography, and Fran Rizzo, who oversaw the creation of multiple stage sets and period-perfect costuming. The principal of PS 9 is Deanna Marco; the assistant principal is Lisa Bonello. To all, take a bow! Knowing that local elected officials stand guard on Ohios watchtowers helps voters sleep better. So commissioners in more than 25 of Ohios 88 counties, mainly but not just rural counties, have vowed to uphold the Second Amendment. You know about the Second Amendment, yes? Its the promise our Founding Fathers made almost 231 years ago: that every American has a Heaven-sent right to brandish a loaded gun. The commissioners resolutions are symbolic; they have no legal effect. Commissioners swore to uphold the Constitution when they took office. The timing is interesting, though. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, of Greene Countys Cedarville, wants the General Assembly to pass his STRONG Ohio plan. DeWine hopes it will reduce gun violence in Ohio. Senate Bill 221, sponsored by Sen. Matt Dolan, a Chagrin Falls Republican, incorporates DeWines proposals. The bills co-sponsors are Republican Sens. Peggy Lehner, of Kettering, and Frank Hoagland, of Jefferson Countys Adena. Coincidentally or not, Greenes commissioners voted 2-0 last week (with one commissioner absent) to uphold the Second Amendment. Whatever the motives, these resolutions can generate good p.r. for commissioners and for a group promoting them, Ohio Stands United (OSU). A headline in a county seat weekly counts for a lot. And give gun-rights advocates this much: They keep up on what they consider attempts to crimp the Second Amendment guarantees. If other Ohioans were as committed to pushing their causes, Ohio might be a better-run state. Still, just because a voter asks a local government to do something doesnt mean it should. And gun confiscation is beyond unlikely. Its impossible. Beto ORourke, the Texas Democrat then running for president, said this last year about firearms: There are 390 million guns out on the streets of a country of 329 million people. PolitiFact, the Poynter Institutes fact-checking program, reviewed ORourkes statement that there are 390 million guns circulating in the United States: The latest study of civilian-owned firearms in the United States supports this statement. We rate this claim True. That means there may well be 14 million guns circulating among Ohios 11.7 million residents. No government agency or official is capable of locating and confiscating that many firearms. But lots of people build piles of publicity or win lots of votes by pretending that gun confiscation is not just feasible, but likely. Maybe when the Martians land and take over, the invaders could pull that off. No earthling could. Notably, in many of the counties whose commissioners have adopted rah-rah pro-gun resolutions, poverty and drug abuse are bigger problems than guns and ammo. Of the 26 counties whose commissioners OSU says have proclaimed devotion to the Second Amendment, two are north of U.S. 224: Huron (Norwalk) and Seneca (Tiffin). Among the others, 16 counties are in officially defined Appalachian Ohio. In 15 of those Appalachian counties, median household income is lower than the statewide median.The exception is suburban Cincinnatis Clermont County (Batavia). Its median household income is $64,822. Thats 19 percent greater than Ohios statewide median household income ($54,533). The median in non-Appalachian Greene County (Xenia) is $67,109. In the remaining counties whose commissioners may imagine themselves marching as patriots in Archibald Willards celebrated Spirit of 76 painting, median household incomes are less than Ohios statewide median in two counties Marion and Clinton (Wilmington). Median household incomes are higher than statewide in six: as noted, Greene (Xenia), plus Knox (Mount Vernon), Morrow (Mount Gilead), Pickaway (Circleville) and Wayne (Wooster) counties, and in western Ohios Preble (Eaton) County. In 2018, latest year available, state Health Department data show that in the 26 counties whose commissioners have passed Second Amendment resolutions, 500 men and women died due to unintentional drug overdoses, with 78 of those deaths in Clermont County, 49 in Greene. Given the horse-and-buggy governments in many Ohio counties, it may be hard to fault the inaction of local officials in the face of flat or declining incomes and accidental drug deaths. Instead, Second Amendment grandstands pop up. Even so, public service is supposed to be just that providing and managing services. Amid the words spoken in some county seats about the Second Amendment, theres another word someone at their courthouses should remember: Priorities. Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens. To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@cleveland.com, 216-408-9474 Editors note: This column was updated at 1:09 p.m. to clarify the time elapsed since the Bill of Rights was submitted to the states for ratification -- in September 1789, almost 231 years ago. Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email comments or corrections on this opinion column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. Dexus boss Darren Steinberg and Powerhouse chief Lisa Havilah Credit:Shakespeare The aphorism never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity has not become a philosophical guideline for no reason. Take, for example, Arts Minister Don Harwins handling of the Powerhouse Museums move to Parramatta. It takes a particular talent to spend $645 million on a state-of-the-art institution and still anger residents near the present Ultimo precinct and at the museums new site. Then theres the question of what to do with the lucrative plot of land left over once the Powerhouse officially the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences moves. As CBD revealed in December, Dexus chief executive Darren Steinberg unexpectedly quit the museums board in August due to a possible conflict over the sale of the land. These are the most-read letters from last week. A pony was lost at sea this afternoon despite the best efforts of search and rescue services to recover the animal from the base of a cliff in Co Clare. A multi-agency search and rescue operation was mounted after it was reported that a man was trapped at the bottom of a 30ft cliff at Kilcrona near Carrigaholt on the Shannon Estuary. It later emerged that the man was not trapped but was trying to rescue a pony that had bolted earlier from a local beach. The incident was reported to emergency services shortly before 1pm and watch officers at the Irish Coast Guards marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry set about alerting and mobilising search and rescue assets. It is understood that the man was walking the pony along a local beach when the animal broke loose and bolted into the water. The agitated pony later came ashore on rocks a short distance away. The Kilkee unit of the Irish Coast Guard and Kilrush RNLI lifeboat were alerted and requested to respond. The lifeboat launched and quickly located a man who was trying to hold onto a pony. While the lifeboat crew remained off-shore, Irish Coast Guard personnel approached the area from land side. The Doolin unit of the Coast Guard was also requested to send members to assist with the rescue operation. Gardai were also alerted and attended the incident. Coast Guard volunteers reached the man and gave him a lifejacket and also managed to get him and the pony onto a higher and safer ledge. Later, the RNLI lifeboat crew managed to get a rope to the animal and coax it to swim behind their vessel. The man then climbed back to the cliff top to safety accompanied by Coast Guard personnel. The lifeboat took the pony on tow and brought it as close to the shore as safely possible before releasing it in the hope that it would swim ashore. Conditions in the area at the time were reported to be challenging and prevented the lifeboat from getting any closer to shore. However, after the lifeboat had left the scene confused animal would not go ashore and began to swim away from land and was not recovered. The animal was lost at sea and feared drowned. No persons were injured in the incident. Vietnamese medical staff in protective gears during a quarantine drill on March 4, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran. A Hanoi man who was on the same flight as the citys first Covid-19 patient has been confirmed to contract the novel coronavirus. The Ministry of Health announced Sunday morning that this man, 61, is a local living in the same neighborhood on Truc Bach Street in Hanois Ba Dinh District with 26-year-old Nguyen Hong Nhung, who tested positive for Covid-19 Friday. According to the ministry, he sat in the business class near Nhung on flight VN54 of Vietnam Airlines from London to Hanoi on March 2. He has been quarantined at Campus No.2 of the Hanoi Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases where Nhung is being treated. There were 201 passengers on the flight, including 21 in the business class, Vietnam Airlines General Director Duong Tri Thanh said Saturday. Eighteen of the business-class passengers were foreigners while the remaining three were Vietnamese nationals, including Nhung, Thanh said. City authorities have been cooperating with Hanois Noi Bai Airport to collect information about 217 passengers and crew members on the flight. Vietnam has recorded four new infections since Nhung became Hanois first Covid-19 patient Friday and the 17th nationwide. Before she tested positive, the country had gone 22 days with no new infection. The 18th, 19th and 20th patients are a 27-year-old man returning to Vietnam from South Korea's Daegu City, the personal chauffeur and an aunt of Nhung. The latest case, Vietnam's 21st Covid-19 patient, has raised Hanoi's infections to four. The man returning from Daegu hails from northern Thai Binh Province and has been quarantined in Ninh Binh Province, northern Vietnam. The global death toll has reached nearly 3,600 in 102 countries and territories, mostly in mainland China (3,097), followed by Italy (233), Iran (145) and South Korea (50). America is approaching one of its most contentious hours, and officially, it's one that doesn't exist. On the issue of daylight saving time, which begins officially at 2 a.m. Sunday - or is that 3 a.m.? - America is a nation divided. Either way, the citizenry loses a precious weekend hour; in exchange millions more folks get to eat their dinners before dark. According to the National Conference of State Legislators, lawmakers in 32 states are considering bills that would change the current system of splitting up the year into about eight months of daylight time and the rest, standard. "It's been a hot issue," said Jim Reed, an NCSL official. And it's getting hotter, he added. Every year more state lawmakers are considering changing the system. The preponderance of them are pushing for year-round daylight time, although Congress has forbidden states from doing so. Yet, if the issue were put to a national primary, all-standard, all-the-time would win decisively, according to an AP-NORC poll conducted last year. More than 70% of those surveyed said: Please stop with the changes, period. ADVERTISEMENT The nation did try year-round daylight time back in 1974, during an energy crisis brought on by an oil shortage. It was not well-received. It went into effect on Jan. 3, and a whole lot of folks didn't like the idea of the sun rising over what used to be their coffee-break time. By the end of the month, the national school boards association called for an immediate cease-and-desist order because school buses were ferrying kids in the dark. Florida state officials blamed morning darkness for eight deaths. On Sept. 30, Congress decreed an end, and the clocks went back on Oct. 27, 1974. According to the Congressional Research Service, DST began in Germany on May 1, 1916, as a war-conservation measure. The idea caught on across the continent and eventually landed in the United States in 1918. The first DST clock move-up didn't go over well. It occurred March 31, which happened to be Easter. Clergy and church-goers were not pleased at how this affected sunrise services. Congress eventually abolished the plan, but reinstated it for good (depending on one's perspective) in 1966. But not everyone cooperates: The clocks don't change in Arizona or Hawaii, which is about halfway to tomorrow from the Eastern Time Zone. Through the years, DST has encroached on standard time, which is by no means the standard anymore. It's in effect only about four months a year, including day-challenged February. Daylight saving time now constitutes two-thirds of the year. DST critics have pointed to studies pointing to possible connections to an increase in heart disease when the clocks go up, and the impacts of disrupted body rhythms resulting from disrupted sleep patterns. ADVERTISEMENT Proponents say later sunsets mean more Vitamin D and more opportunities to luxuriate in the later twilights. All that said, we are confident that the clock change will not be particularly popular on Monday morning. --- (c)2020 The Philadelphia Inquirer Visit The Philadelphia Inquirer at www.inquirer.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Recently Senator Bernie Sanders acknowledged that he had been briefed by U.S. intelligence on Russias attempts to interfere in U.S. elections on his behalf. In response to reporters, Sanders said It was not clear what role theyre going to play. We were told that Russia, maybe other countries, are going to get involved in this campaign, and look, heres the message to Russia: stay out of American elections. President Trump suggested that Moscow would prefer Sanders to win, since he had once honeymooned in Moscow. This point was echoed by Robert OBrien, Donald Trumps national security adviser. I am not a political pundit, so I wont attempt to speculate on who Moscow would prefer as the U.S. president. But there is at least one area in which the Russians would love to see Sanderss policies implemented. On energy policy, there are two things that Sanders has promised that would make the Russians (and OPEC) very happy. Fracking Boosted American Energy Independence The combination of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and horizontal drilling has led to a renaissance in U.S. energy production. Since 2006, net imports of petroleum and petroleum products into the U.S. have fallen by 13 million barrels per day (BPD). That means hundreds of billions of dollars that were being sent to countries like Russia and Saudi Arabia for oil imports are now staying in the U.S. economy. Related: The 3 Hottest Inverse Energy ETFs U.S consumers have benefited tremendously from the practice. Multiple studies have shown that consumers are now saving hundreds of billions of dollars per year in energy costs. Bernie Sanders has vowed to end this practice if elected President. He has already introduced legislation to do just that. Making Russian Energy Great Again Russia would be a significant beneficiary of a U.S. fracking ban, as it would allow them to recapture market share that was lost as U.S. oil and gas production surged. U.S. oil production would fall, but so would natural gas production. That, in turn, will also help Russia retain its control of the global natural gas export market. Senator Sanders has also promised to sign an Executive Order re-implementing the ban on U.S. crude oil exports because of his view that climate change is a national emergency. President Obama signed legislation in 2015 repealing the 40-year old export ban in the face of rapidly rising U.S. crude oil production. That repeal helped U.S. production continue to grow, at the expense of other international oil producers like Russia. Related: Has U.S. Electricity Lost Its Spark? The logical flaw in Sanderss plans is his belief that reducing U.S. oil production will make a meaningful impact on climate change. It will not. If U.S. production falls, both Russia and OPEC have spare production capacity that they can ramp up to meet the shortfall. And when that shortfall becomes too great, oil prices and natural gas prices will spike back to levels they were before the U.S. shale boom. That, in turn, might have some modest impact on U.S. consumption because it would drive up energy costs for American families (money that will once again start flowing in part back to Russia). But oil demand has shown itself to be pretty inelastic, which means the net impact on climate change would be negligible. But the benefit to Russia would be enormous. By Robert Rapier More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Samsung Galaxy A31 launch nears as support page goes live on official site The Samsung Galaxy A31 recently bagged Bluetooth certification, hinting at an imminent launch. Now its support page has gone live on Samsung's official Russian site, suggesting the smartphone will be unveiled soon. The support page doesn't divulge anything about the Galaxy A31, but thanks to Geekbench we know it will boot to Android 10 and have 4GB RAM on onboard. There will likely be other memory options as well that are yet to be confirmed. Galaxy A31 support page on official Russian site (machine translated from Russian) Geekbench also revealed the Galaxy A31 will have MediaTek's MT6768V/CA under the hood, which could be the Helio P65 chipset. The Galaxy A31 is rumored to pack a 5,000 mAh battery, have 64GB of base storage, and sport a 48MP main camera on the back joined by a 5MP macro unit. More details about the Samsung Galaxy A31 should surface in the coming days. Source (in Russian) | Via (in Dutch) The parts of Delhi affected by the riots are limping back to normalcy. Those who indulged in this mindless violence deserve the harshest condemnation and punishment.While the law must take its own course, as a democratic society, we have to think about certain key issues that led to this violence. The most significant is the way one should and can engage in public activism including protests, in a democratic polity. It is quite apparent that the manufactured unrest, promoted by a section of politicians, over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or the CAA, led to unfounded suspicions and mistrust. Repeated clarifications by government leaders that the CAA has nothing to do with taking away citizenship, as it essentially aims only at fast-tracking citizenship to persecuted minorities from three specified countries who have taken shelter in India, had little effect and Opposition parties continued fuelling paranoia. This not only legitimised fear-mongering but also encouraged a degree of obstinacy among the protestors. One of the fundamental flaws in the present-day discourse is in our approach to dissent in democracy. True, democracy will be meaningless if it cannot encompass differences of opinion. However, while dissent is an inseparable aspect of democracy, dissent and divergence of views need not and cannot be the only parameters to measure democracy. Like disagreements, agreements are equally legitimate in a democratic polity. Democracy must not just provide space for, but also respect, differences of opinion. But democracy shouldnt be deemed as suspicious in the absence of different approaches and views. Sadly, the Westminster model of democracy provides for an inherently flawed approach. It needlessly presupposes a perennial difference of opinion and institutionalises this. As a result, the Treasury and Opposition are constantly at loggerheads. This divide is not always required nor is it always relevant. There is reason to believe that an unduly strong opposition to the CAA and hardening of positions by several anti-CAA groups are products of this presupposition. The very presupposition being used to legitimise opposition to the CAA in itself is born out of prejudice. This prejudice is the product of a systematically cultivated suspicion which goes against the grain of democracy. This unenlightened opposition coupled with exaggerated statements about hypothetical scenarios has provided fertile ground for miscreants to sow the seeds of paranoia. A strong case in point is that of the initiators and organisers of the Shaheen Bagh protest. Although there can be a significant element of spontaneity in this sit-in, everything doesnt deserve to be taken at face value. It is unimaginable that Muslim women for whom men in their families staunchly refuse freedom from triple talaq are allowed to spend days and nights out of their homes. Keeping women and children in the forefront, and waging a political struggle while hiding behind them might be considered a smart strategy, but it is also inhuman and anti-women. Had the judiciary not indirectly contributed to the legitimisation of this politics of obstructionism, this would have become a fit case for investigation by the National Commission for Women and the National Human Rights Commission. Obstructionism could, at best, be a one-time tool, used in exceptional situations. However, equating obstructionism with activism is not only erroneous but also an insult to those who oppose this. Giving protection to aspiring law-breakers for months together eventually disincentivises law-abiding citizens, eroding the credibility of the rule of law, irreparably. It is not out of place to question as to how the judiciary would react if a Shaheen Bagh-type demonstration is held, equally peacefully, right in front of a court building obstructing access to litigants, and that too, for months together. Will those demonstrators not site Shaheen Bagh as a precedent? Is this not a recipe for anarchy? In a move which smacks of anti-constitutionalism, several chief ministers announced that they wont implement the CAA. Imagine, how the chief ministers of Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states would get roasted should they refuse to implement Acts granting so-called minority educational institutions the freedom to not implement quotas for the socially marginalised sections. Their opposition to minority appeasement notwithstanding, they have to implement what is passed by Parliament. The refusal to accept the supremacy of Parliament in lawmaking is an open invitation to anarchy. One can understand the despondency of a section of our political class. But the moot question is: How can we as a society afford to allow frustrated politicians to encourage anarchy masquerading as activism? Vinay Sahasrabuddhe is national vice president, Bharatiya Janata Party The views expressed are personal This week, we take a trip back in time to an era when the Fortress of Luxembourg was under siege by France in 1794. The villages of Differdange, Oberkorn, and Niederkorn would feel the wrath of the French occupiers. Luxembourg City was hotly contested in 1794. The House of Habsburg held the fortress when the bloody French Revolutionary Wars were raging in Europe. The siege of the fortress by France kicked off in 1794 and lasted until 7 June 1795. The French inavaders did not manage to breach the walls of the city, which acquired a reputation for being amongst the best in the world at the time. The fortress nevertheless had to surrender after slightly more than seven months. Fun fact: Luxembourg City internationally became known as "the Gibraltar of the North" after the leader of the defence Lazare Carot called the city "the best [fortress] in the world, except Gibraltar." "Siege de Luxembourg" 1794-1795, by Charles Caius Renoux. The times were turbulent to put it euphemistically. The French revolutionary army was based in the fortress of Longwy and planned its operations from there. Differdange was nestled between the respective spheres of influence of the House of Habsburg (and Luxembourg City) and the French invaders - and consequently morphed into a target of the bellicose French troops on more than one tragic occasion. The local abbey and the castle became the scene of many violent altercations because they were perceived as symbols of the feudal system. Charles-Ferdinand Vesque was the main officer who started to organise the armed resistance against the French. Many locals happily joined the cause. The baron of Soleuvre provided them with weapons and ammunition. The resistance fighters did not take too kindly to the French and did not shy away from making their profound aversion known. 1794 was marked by countless ambushes on French troops that dared to venture too close to the villages of Differdange, Niederkorn, and Oberkorn. On 17 April, nine French horse riders took the fateful decision to approach the barricades near Differdange. The locals reacted promptly and shot one of the riders in the chest. The remaining soldiers quickly retreated. The village knew that there would be retribution for the killed soldier. Shortly later, the French vengeance materialised in the form of a 6000 soldiers who approached from Oberkorn and butchered a multitude of armed farmers. Vesque avoided capture by hiding but an abundance of locals were violently killed or taken hostage. The French troops proceeded to take the majority of Niederkorn's population as prisoners. A spine-chilling fate awaited all of them: they were forced to dig their own mass grave before being shot in the back of the neck. The so-called "French Cross" ("Franzousekraiz") has been erected at this site to commemorate the many Niederkorn villagers who met their at the hands of the French troops, according to an information post (in Luxembourgish) at the cross. You can still visit the cross today. The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question. ____ Sources: hikersbay.com Information poster at French cross. See also: Differdange magazine 3/20 - a monthly magazine published by the municipality of Differdange. Histoire due Siege de Luxembourg by Mercure Galant. Google Maps A man and a 3-year-old were seriously injured Saturday night when they were hit by a car in north Harris County. Authorities said a silver Nissan Altima fled the scene just in front of the Houston Adventist Academy on Lake Forest Drive, just east of Grant Road. Both victims were taken to the hospital by Life Flight. Optimistic. Prosperous. A country of rare beauty, blessed with abundant natural resources. Australia has all the golden eggs needed to position itself as a global leader, to help its Asia-Pacific region leapfrog to a new energy future, and to guarantee Australian prosperity in the process. Watching this summers unprecedented firestorms, I was heartbroken by the sheer scale of the human and ecological tragedy. This must be the tipping point on climate politics in Australia, I said to myself. Surely now the politicians will join hands and forge a bipartisan plan for a better future." The bushfires have not stopped the climate wars in Australia. Credit:Nick Moir Instead, the climate wars have returned, driven by a handful of deniers afraid to let go of longstanding vested interests, and given air by powerful media sympathisers and a Prime Minister unwilling to fully embrace the science and stare them down. For Australia, the choice between danger and opportunity is clear, and that choice must be made now. Since the 2008 Stern Review, the world has known that the cost of not acting is much greater than the cost of our current path. And since the 2008 Garnaut Review, Australians have known that without stronger action, droughts and bushfires would become more frequent and intense, and observable by 2020. It is time to move on from denial, delusion and delay towards preparedness, productivity and prosperity. Hillary Clinton said Bernie Sanders was not the 'strongest nominee' for Democrats to take on President Donald Trump this fall but she stopped short of endorsing Joe Biden over her 2016 primary rival. 'I do not think hes our strongest nominee against Donald Trump,' Clinton told CNN's 'Fareed Zakaria GPS' in an interview that aired Sunday. But she said her comment on Sanders, who ran against her for the Democratic nomination four years ago, should not be taken as an endorsement for Joe Biden. 'Im not endorsing,' Clinton said. Hillary Clinton said Bernie Sanders was not the 'strongest nominee' for Democrats to take on President Donald Trump this fall Clinton and Bernie Sanders battled it out for the 2016 nomination and some Democrats complained the Vermont senator stayed in the race too long and damaged Clinton in the general election The former secretary of state has long been critical of Sanders' candidacy but her comments carry more weight now that the field is down to essentially the Vermont senator and the former vice president. There is no clear path for Tulsi Gabbard to win the number of delegates she needs for the nomination. Clinton also indicated Biden could suffer the same fate she did in 2016, getting politically damaged in a long, drawn-out primary process. Many Democrats were angry at Sanders four years ago for not dropping out of the race once Clinton was on track to win the nomination, claiming it damaged her for the general election. Sanders' supporters complained that party officials were rigging the process to ensure Clinton's nomination. Clinton warned of a possible repeat scenario. 'I think what Joes victories on Super Tuesday showed is that he is building the kind of coalition that I had basically. Its a broad-based coalition. I finished, you know, most of the work I needed to do for the nomination on Super Tuesday, and then it kind of lingered on,' she said. Sanders said on Sunday that he would not linger in the race if it couldn't be warned but he also noted the next two Tuesdays have big states voting. 'Look, we will fight for every vote that we can, as were -- as we try to win this election. Im not a masochist who wants to stay in the race that can't be won,' he said on ABC's 'This Week.' 'But right now, that's a little bit premature. Let's not determine what will happen on Tuesday, what will happen in future,' he said. The Vermont senator also argued he was the strongest candidate to defeat Trump in November. 'I believe that we are the strongest campaign to defeat Donald Trump, A, because we have a grassroots movement that is unparalleled, B, because we have a voting record that speaks to the needs of working families,' he said on CNN's 'State of the Union.' Michigan and five other states vote Tuesday. Then Florida, Ohio, Illinois, and Arizona are among those states that vote on March 17. The former secretary of state also said she hoped, if Biden was the nominee, Sanders would support the former vice president, complaining their lack of support for her hurt her in the general. She also pointed out that she supported Barack Obama after he defeated her in the 2008 Democratic primary. 'I hope so because his failure and the behavior of a lot of his top aides, and certainly many of his supporters -- up to the convention, at the convention, and even up to Election Day was not helpful. I had thought we would unify, that's what we'd always done before and that's what I expected. I certainly tried to do that when I ran against Barack Obama and worked very hard for him. So I don't know what his plans, or the people around him are planning. I can only hope that they understand we all have to have a singular goal of defeating Donald Trump. There is nothing more important,' Clinton said. Clinton said she hoped the eventual Democratic nominee picked a female running mate Clinton stopped short of endorsing Joe Biden but said she thought he could unit the Democratic Party Clinton did concede that 'I will support the nominee of the Democratic Party.' She also said she'd love to see a woman as the vice presidential candidate but said the decision was up to the eventual nominee. 'Im going to let whoever ends up being the nominee make that decision. There are so many factors that go into it. Personally, Id love to have a woman on the ticket, finally -- again. Weve had two women vice presidential candidates -- one for the Democrats, one for the Republicans. But obviously Id like to keep that moving, and actually have it happen in this election that someone would be the first woman vice president,' she said. By Express News Service PATNA: The state health department in Bihar claimed on Sunday to have screened a record number of 1.20 lakh passengers at different transit points along the Indo-Nepal border since January 15 this year after the outbreak of coronavirus. An official statement issued on Sunday said that a total number of 1,20,955 passengers were screened at 49 transit points besides other places by the medical teams. "The Bihar state has strengthened surveillance and control measures against the COVID-19. As on March 8, 128 passengers, who have returned from affected countries after January 15, and have been suspected and placed under home-quarantine by the state surveillance system", said an official statement. Bihar's seven districts share a border with Nepal with a total 30 blocks. In all these districts, 6,364 villages are located near the Nepal border, which is open. Besides, six Buddhists tourist spots including Vaishali, Gaya and Nalanda have been brought under high alert following the outbreak of coronavirus. As many as 67 passengers, besides those who are under home quarantine, have already completed the 14-day long observation in Bihar. The awareness drive on the prevention of COVID-19 infection has been launched in 6,016 schools out of a total 96,034 schools in districts. Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, who successfully underwent his second kidney transplant surgery here last week, is likely to be discharged from the hospital on Monday, according to a media report. Oli, 68, underwent his second kidney transplant surgery on Wednesday at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) and is currently under medical supervision of a team of doctors, The Himalayan Times reported. He is feeling better... and has started moving around the hospital bed. His health is better and his vital signs are sound. If everything goes well, the PM will be discharged on Monday," Uttam Kumar Sharma, the head of the Urology department at TUTH, was quoted as saying in the report. Oli, who is also the chairman of the ruling Nepal Communist Party, was hospitalised on March 2 and later underwent dialysis to remove toxins ahead of the transplant. This was Oli's second kidney transplant. The first was performed in India in 2007, after both his kidneys failed. He has been visiting hospitals abroad for health check-up ever since. Oli also underwent an appendicitis surgery in November last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 3 people at events attended by Pres. Trump, VP Pence test positive for coronavirus Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment At least one person who was at last weeks Conservative Political Action Conference attended by President Donald Trump, and two people at an American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference this week, where Vice President Mike Pence was a speaker, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to reports. The American Conservative Union has learned that one of our CPAC attendees has unfortunately tested positive today for coronavirus, the ACU said in a statement Saturday about CPAC, which was held in Maryland, Feb. 26-29. The exposure occurred previous to the conference, it added. This attendee had no interaction with the President or the Vice President and never attended events in the main hall. The attendee, who was not identified, was tested at a New Jersey hospital, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the positive result. The individual is under the care of medical professionals and has been quarantined. Our children, spouses, extended family, and friends attended CPAC, the statement continued. During this time, we need to remain calm, listen to our health care professionals, and support each other. We send this message in that spirit. The Presidents physician and United States Secret Service have been working closely with White House Staff and various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First Family and the entire White House Complex safe and healthy, the White House said. The AIPAC also said that at least two attendees at its conference held March 1-3 in Washington, D.C., had tested positive, according to USA Today. The AIPAC conference was attended by Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., former 2020 Democratic candidate Michael Bloomberg, former candidate Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and many other lawmakers. We have continued to remain in constant communication with the Westchester County Health Department and the DC Health Department which is coordinating with the New York Health Department, and national health authorities, the AIPAC said in a statement. The D.C. Department of Health said that there is no identified risk to conference attendees at this time. All attendees and members of the public are urged to follow the well-established prevention tips like staying home if sick and calling ahead to a health provider if experiencing symptoms, it said. Meanwhile, the death toll for the COVID-19 rose to at least 19 in the United States on Saturday as Florida reported the first two deaths on the U.S. East Coast, according to The Wall Street Journal. New deaths were reported in Washington state. New York state has also declared a state of emergency. The Trump administration spoke to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, urging more stringent measures to contain the infection. Pence, who is coordinating a federal coronavirus task force, met with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last week in the wake of the confirmation of four cases of infection in addition to four cases among people repatriated to the U.S. The U.S. has recorded more than 410 cases. More than 100,000 people across the world have tested positive, over 80,000 of them in China, from where the virus originated. Galway 1-12 Tipperary 0-4 Galway capitalised on Corks shock loss to Donegal to move top of the Lidl Division 1 table with victory over a lacklustre Tipperary side in Tuam Stadium. Despite receiving pre-match injury blow to Olivia Divilly, Tim Rabbitts side went 0-3 to 0-0 up after ten minutes through scores from Fabienne Cooney, the impressive Ailbhe Davoren, and Andrea Trill, and from there they never looked back. Midfielder Caitlin Kennedy replied with a score for the Premier County but Roisin Leonard (free) and Lynsey Noone roared back for the Tribeswomen. Anna Carey clipped over a score from a tight angle and Noone got on the end of a Trill pass as last years runners-up led 0-6 to 0-2 at the interval. Upon the resumption, Galway nailed home their advantage, as Roisin Leonard hit her first effort from play, and Noone almost bulged the net but her shot fizzed across the face of the goal. Nevertheless, in the 37th minute, Galway were awarded a penalty after Roisin Leonards shot on goal was saved by Lauren Fitzpatrick and Noone was fouled when going for the rebound. Roisin Leonard duly obliged by converting her spot-kick as Galway led 1-7 to 0-2. Star forward Ashling Moloney, who was shackled well throughout, replied with a free until Lucy Hannon and Emma Morrissey traded scores and the Tribeswomen led to 1-8 to 0-4 after 41 minutes. On the three-quarter mark, Roisin Leonard hit her second goal but her left-footed shot, which had beaten Fitzpatrick, rattled off the right-hand post. Three minutes later, Hannon hit the score of the day as she dummied her marker and stroked over with the outside of her boot. Substitute Ailish Morrissey almost had a goal, as she got the end of a brilliant team move which involved Trill and Hannon but her shot blazed over the bar. As both sides emptied their benches, Tracey Leonard opened her account with Trill getting her second point of the day, as the Tribeswomen won at a canter. Scorers Galway: R Leonard 1-2 (1-0 pen) (1f), L Noone 0-2, L Hannon 0-2, A Trill 0-2, A Davoren 0-1, F Cooney 0-1, A Morrissey 0-1, T Leonard 0-1. Tipperary: C Kennedy 0-1, A Carey 0-1, E Morrissey 0-1, A Moloney 0-1 (1f). GALWAY: D Gower; S Molloy, S Lynch, Chelsie Crowe; C Cooney, F Cooney, L Coen; S Divilly, A Davoren; L Noone, T Leonard, A Trill; R Ni Fhlatharta, R Leonard, L Hannon. Subs: M Glynn for Ni Fhlatharta (h-t), C Miskell for Noone (41), N Connolly for F Cooney (46), A Morrissey for R Leonard (46), A Coen for Divilly (56), Chloe Crowe for C Cooney (56), B Murphy for Davoren (59), S Conneally for T Leonard (59). TIPPERARY: L Fitzpatrick; E Moore, L Spillane, E Cronin; B Condon, S Lambert, M Heffernan; L Dillon, C Kennedy; K Davey, E Morrissey, E McCarthy; A Carey, A Moloney, R Daly. Subs: M Curley for Dillon (10, inj), K Cunningham for Carey (34), A McGuigan for Daly (34), M Creedon for McCarthy (41), C Davey for Lambert (47), S McKevitt for K Davey (47), A Delaney for Moloney (52). Ref - Mel Kenny (Mayo). International Women's Day Special: Where is the media with women's sport? Is America Ready for a Woman President? Commentary No sooner had Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) bowed out of her campaign for the Democratic nomination for president than the articles and tweets began, accusing Americaand voters of all political ideologiesof sexism. Although Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) is still officially in the race, her poll numbers are low and its expected the primary will come down to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Vice President Joe Biden, two old, white mena significant contrast to Warren and Gabbard. Since Warren was the last woman standing strongly, women across the internet have observed one thing, in groupthink unison: Elizabeth Warren is not to blame for her failed campaign. Sexism is to blame. Libertarian and right-leaning conservatives responded with the now-prosaic retort that sexism had nothing to do with it, Warren was just a bad candidate. While I tend to lean toward that view, I do think it might take some time for a female to rise to the rank of president in the United States. This doesnt mean Americans are sexist, or that any or all women who attempt such a feat should automatically cinch their partys nomination and win the highest office in the land, just because shes a woman. It just means that doing things differently might take time. At the same time, no one should feel pressured into electing a woman to be president for reasons other than their obvious qualificationsso, of course, only the most qualified should run. The lefts insistence that the United States is just blatantly sexist, without even considering the kind of candidate Warren was, is irresponsible to the point of arrogance. The Atlantic observes America punished Elizabeth Warren for her competence. Jessica Valenti fretted at Medium, It will be hard to get over what happened to Elizabeth Warren. The subhead reads, Ive had to come to terms with Americas sexism again and again. Vanity Fair reported Hillary Clinton says Warren lost because she is a woman. A headline for an opinion piece at the Dallas Morning News read, Like so many women, Elizabeth Warren turned invisible. Nevermind that multiple women were vying for the Democratic nomination, or that one ran for president against Donald Trump four years ago and came pretty close to winning, Americans went from being progressive, cool, dependable voters, to sexist misogynists overnight. Stunningly regressive to a fault: How can voters even be trusted? Warren was not only a particularly unqualified, dishonest, boring candidate, but the media seemed to rally to her corner almost reflexively because of her gender. This is disingenuous, and Americans are nothing if not wary of this kind of gaslighting. The American electorate might be a lot of things, but voters tend not to cast their ballots for people for whom the media is obviously shilling even as the candidate seems disqualified, dishonest, and vapid. As I have observed the utter outcry, complete with accusations of betrayal by women in the media, I wonder if America is ready for a female president, or if any female is truly ready to be U.S. president yet? While I dont think sexism is nearly as rampant in America as feminists and progressives tend to claim, these facts cannot be disputed: Only men have held the Office of the President, there are still more men in politics and cabinet positions (although that number is slowly decreasing), and the concept of women running for the office is relatively new, under a decade. While there are good, persuasive reasons for the fact that no woman has been elected president, including the way women are generally wired, the choices they make about family and work, and the priorities they develop as they age, it would be absurd not to also admit that it will take some time for Americans to adjust to the way a woman campaigns and the way a woman would behave as president, as well how she will complete this incredible task. After all, I assume feminists believe a woman would be a different, maybe even a better president. If this is the case, half the country will need to get on board with a different kind of leader, running the country a different way. This, just like the undoing of any kind of marginalizationeven a small bitin American society, will take some adjusting to. As we all know, theres no substitute for time. That said, if women want a woman to be president, we would do well as a collective (to whatever extent this is possible) to represent our gender well when it is in power. This doesnt mean we need to act like men, downplay our strengths, or even hide our weaknesses. But if were in front of a microphone, lets not scream about abortions, or lie about our age or ethnicity, or claim that because were female we should swing to the far side of sexism and get more of a leg up than a man. This would not be a true win, but a placating demoralization of everything true feminists fought for, for decades. Two things can be true at once: Warren wasnt a great candidate, not because of her gender but in spite of it. America still has a way to go before electing a female president. Nicole Russell is a freelance writer and mother of four. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, Politico, The Daily Beast, and The Federalist. Follow her on Twitter @russell_nm. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. If someone sleeps from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and then we spring forward, on Monday morning were asked to now be driving when we should normally be sleeping, she says. So that can be a big impact because our body is under the impression it should be asleep when were asking it to perform a pretty complex task. KAMPALA A total of 14 judicial officers from the Zimbabwean Judiciary will this week be in Uganda to benchmark on how to have an orderly, expeditious, efficient and cost effective forum for adjudication of corruption and corruption-related cases. This was revealed by the Head of the Anti -Corruption Division (ACD) of the High Court, Justice Lawrence Gidudu, during a Court Users Meeting at its premises in Kololo last Thursday. Judge Gidudu informed the meeting that following a request from the Zimbabwe Judiciary, ACD will later this month host six magistrates from Zimbabwe who will be in the country on a benchmarking exercise of the Division. Similarly, the Court will next month host eight Judges from Zimbabwe for a similar exercise. This comes on the heels of a week-long training that the Head of Division had in Zimbabwe, with the Judiciary there, ahead of the establishment of anti-corruption courts. The Judge equally informed the stakeholders that the Court has clocked 10 years which called for a celebration. He called upon all stakeholders to work with the Court and the Judiciary Communications Unit to produce a comprehensive report on the 10 years of the Anti-Corruption Court. The Judiciary Principal Communications Officer, Solomon Muyita, was tasked to identify a team of ACD court reporters and identify team leaders who will become peer trainers on matters pertaining reporting on the Court. The meeting was informed that SUGARTAF was winding up next month and it was agreed that the Deputy Registrar would interact with JLOS to see how to best fill the gap. According to Legal Notice No. 9 of 2009 which established the ACD, the Court Users Committee is an advisory body of the Division. The Thursday meeting was chaired by the head of Division, Justice Gidudu with Judges; Margaret Tibulya, Jane Okuo Kajuga as well as all the Judicial Officers at the Division taking part. M The meeting drew participants from the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution, Inspector General of Government, Justice Law and Order Sector, Uganda Police Force among others. Related Continue Reading Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja on Sunday (March 8) confirmed that five people have now tested positive for coronavirus in the state. Shailaja said that three of the infected persons have travel history from Italy and the other two are their close relatives who came in contact with them. Notably, three people had been infected in Kerala few weeks ago but they had been discharged after treatment. Address a press conference, Shailaja said the family failed to share their travel history at the airport and were not screened by airport authorities. "They also refused to be hospitalised initially and we had to persuade them," the minister said. It is learnt that one among the five who tested positive is a child. "The child and the parents had recently travelled to Italy. After returning, they met some relatives. It was the relatives who approached a hospital with symptoms and they were isolated. The family which travelled to Italy was also isolated late," the minister said. With these five cases, India's total number of coronavirus cases has now risen to 39. It is to be noted that three positive cases were reported on Saturday (March 7), two persons from Ladakh and one from Tamil Nadu. Both Ladakh citizens were found to have travel history to Iran, the one from Tamil Nadu had recently returned from Oman. All the three individuals are said to be stable and treatment is underway. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday warned against rumour-mongering in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, saying people must take the advice of their doctors. "In such times, rumors also spread quickly. Some people say this is not to be eaten, that is not to be done, some people will bring four new things that coronavirus can be avoided by eating this. We have to avoid these rumours too. Whatever you do, do it with the advice of your doctor," he said. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry gave royal fans the shock of their lives when they announced their exit from the British Monarchy. Ever since then, Megxit has been making headlines, and everyone wants to know what will happen next. We know that the couple has been enjoying a quieter, more peaceful life in Canada, which is what they wanted all along. Another thing that most people are well aware of is that the other senior working royals, especially Prince Charles and Prince William, have been under extreme stress since Meghan and Prince Harrys departure, as they are working tirelessly to finalize all of the details. To say that Meghan and Prince Harry have been dealing with way more than their fair share of drama ever since they got married is a huge understatement. They were constantly being hassled and scrutinized by the British tabloids, and it got to the point where they had enough and decided that life in the spotlight was just not for them. So, will they ever come back? Well, as it turns out, Prince Harry and Meghan have a billion reasons to never return to royal life. What we know about Megxit so far As of Spring 2020, Meghan and Prince Harry will no longer be known as their royal highnesses. So, what do we know about Megxit so far? According to Insider, the royals are trying to stay strong as they carry out their duties. Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge were recently seen with Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall on a visit to a rehabilitation center. This took a lot of people by surprise, considering that an engagement such as that would have usually taken place with Prince William, Kate, Meghan, and Prince Harry. However, we can expect to see some major changes coming up in the near future, as one of the things that we have learned about Megxit is that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are going to be stepping up and taking on more responsibility. Can Prince Harry and Meghan return? Prince Harry and Mehgan Markle | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Apparently, there is. According to Insider, Megxit could be reviewed in a year and it is possible that Meghan and Prince Harry could decide to return to royal life. The next twelve months are going to be a transitional period for them, so things could definitely change in the future. Although many people are disappointed that we wont be seeing Meghan and Prince Harry at royal engagements any longer, at least for now, we are happy for them that they are living the life that they want and deserve. However, even the queen has said that she wishes that her grandson and his wife could remain as working royals, although she wants what is best for them as well. While it is true that no one knows what will happen in the future, it still remains a possibility that Meghan and Prince Harry could decide to resume their official duties as working members of the royal family. Most recently, Queen Elizabeth had a four-hour heart-to-heart with her grandson Prince Harry. Reportedly, the queen told him he will always be welcome back to the royal family. She made it very clear to him that he and Meghan are always able to come back if they change their minds and she will welcome them with open arms, a source told the Sun. So, if that is his wish, he certainly can return. Prince Harry and Meghan have a billion reasons to never return to royal life Even though Prince Harry and Meghan could possibly return to royal life, they actually have a billion reasons never to do so. Why is this? Well, as it turns out, they are on track to make quite a bit of money now that they have stepped back from royal duties. According to Business Insider, they are all set to create a global brand that will be quite lucrative for them. Currently, Prince Harry and Meghan are reportedly worth $30 million. But experts say the two could easily create a billion-dollar global brand. David Haigh, the CEO of Brand Finance, a brand-evaluation firm in London, told WWD that he believes Meghan and Prince Harry can harness their celebrity power into a billion-dollar brand, much like what Kylie Jenner did with her beauty and makeup brand Kylie Cosmetics. Jonathan Shalit, a celebrity agent and chairman of London-based InterTalent Rights Group, told The Associated Press, adding that the Sussexes may become a billion-dollar brand. Shalit notes that the Sussexes are 100% more valuable than the Obamas because the Obamas arent royal. In addition to their royal Klout, theyre marketable. Make no mistake about it, Harry and Meghan are incredibly marketable, incredibly marketable, said American producer and legal analyst Harvey Levin. Marc Cuban even went on record to say the couple can potentially make an ungodly amount of money post-royal exit. The key, says Cuban, is staying authentic. As long as they stay authentic, as long as they limit their projects and dont try to sell everything and anything, then I think they are the new Obamas, Cuban said on Harry & Meghan: The Royals In Crisis. They will have such a valuable brand that they will be able to pick and choose whatever they want to do. Theyre gonna be living the dream. Chances are, they will be much more wealthy now that they have decided to become financially independent and step down as senior royals. Delhi Police on Sunday detained two suspected Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) terrorists in Okhla who were allegedly actively involved in the recent anti-CAA protests. Informed sources, meanwhile, alleged that the couple was planning to carry out suicide attacks in the country. The couple identified as Jahanzaib Sami and his wife Hina Bashir Beigh from Srinagar were detained by Special Cell of Delhi, said Pramod Singh Kushwaha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell). The police recovered electronic gadgets and incriminating material promoting jihadi thought from their possession. "A couple, Jahanjeb Sami and Hina Bashir Beigh linked to Khorasan Module of ISIS were apprehended from Jamia Nagar, Okhla. The couple was instigating anti-CAA protests," said Kushwaha. Informed sources told ANI that Sami came under scanner due to his activities on cyberspace which revealed his intention to carry out suicide attacks in the country. He was in "association with senior ISKP members in Afghanistan". He was earlier also in contact with Khurasan-based Huzaifa Bakistani (Amir of Wilaya Hind who has since been killed). During his interrogation, Jahanzaib Sami revealed that he was actively involved on various social media platforms calling on the Indian Muslims to unite and fight against the Indian establishment in protest against the CAA legislation, sources said. Sami also revealed he was trying to arrange firearms and ammunitions for his planned activities against the CAA. Sami told Police that he was actively involved in the propagation of recently published IS magazine 'Sawt al-Hind' (Voice of India) in the month of February 2020. Sami has also revealed that one of his close associates, Khattab, was in fact Abdullah Basith who is currently lodged in Tihar jail as an undertrial in ISIS-related cases. Meanwhile, his wife Hina was also active on pro-IS social media platforms under the name of Catijah al Kashmiri/Hannabee and played a role of facilitator in spotting talents on cyberspace and further motivating them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut on Sunday condemned the Centre's move to sell its entire 52.98 per cent stake in Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and asked that the decision be scrapped. The Narendra Modi government on Saturday invited expressions of interest for the strategic sale of BPCL by May 2, the Centre's Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) said in the bid document. "We condemn the Centre's decision, which will virtually end reservations for backward communities. It will destroy job opportunities. The decision should be withdrawn," Raut said in a statement. Raut said the Modi government was ending reservations by privatising public sector undertakings (PSUs) which have quotas in jobs. Raut said BPCL earned 40 per cent profit in the last quarter and was a goldmine for the government. "As the Modi government has emptied state coffers by offering largesse and waiving bank loans of Rs 7 lakh crore of rich businessmen, it is now selling BPCL to raise funds for expenditure," Raut alleged. Questions have been raised about whether British airports were carrying out so-called enhanced monitoring on flights coming from Italy's affected regions - as the UK reported its third death due to coronavirus. The man, who had recently returned from Italy, was said by health officials to be in his 60s and being treated at a specialist unit for infectious diseases at North Manchester General Hospital. It came amid confusion over checks for passengers arriving in the UK from Italy, which is at the epicentre of the European outbreak and yesterday saw an extraordinary crackdown by the authorities when 16 million people were quarantined. Health chiefs have come under fire for their enhanced monitoring checks at airports. Pictured above are passengers at London Heathrow terminal 5 during coronavirus outbreak Passengers are pictured at Heathrow terminal 5 during the coronavirus outbreak The man, in his 60s, died from coronavirus at North Manchester General Hospital (pictured) Enhanced monitoring involves travellers being told to alert crew members if they are unwell during the flight and the captain having to obtain permission from the airport before anyone can disembark. Leaflets are then handed out to all passengers about calling NHS 111 and self-isolating if they experience a cough, sore throat or temperature. Yesterday the Italian government banned the movement of all people living in its northern regions, including Milan, Venice and Lake Como. Last night the Department of Health urged anyone returning from the affected regions in Italy to self-isolate for 14 days even if they have no symptoms. And the Foreign Office urged Britons against all but essential travel to those regions. Despite these unprecedented measures, there was confusion last night over whether passengers flying into the UK from Italy were undergoing proper monitoring. Public Health England claimed it had been carrying out enhanced monitoring of all flights from northern Italy since last Wednesday. Thousands of flights from southern Italy are not undergoing the precautions, which means travellers may be coming into the UK with the virus and not being picked up. A woman was pictured wearing a face mask as she attends a protest in central London today A woman and her two children are pictured wearing face masks in China Town in London, UK Several travellers from Italy including Milan said they had passed through UK airports without seeing any officials. Checks from hotspots Public Health England carries out enhanced monitoring on direct flights from nine countries and provinces, all in the Far East. They include China, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Macau. A message tells passengers to inform crew if they are ill, so they can be isolated aboard. Leaflets detail symptoms and tell them to call 111 if they think theyre infected after arrival. If a case is suspected on board, the pilot must tell the airport at least an hour before landing so medics can isolate the individual immediately upon landing. Advertisement PHE said it would be extending the checks to all flights from Italy this Wednesday, although that is more than two and a half weeks since cases out there first began to escalate. Federico Gatti, of the UK bureau of Italian broadcaster Mediaset, tweeted yesterday: Just landed in London from Milan. Zero checks. No info. How can it be possible? A spokesman from PHE said they welcomed feedback, adding that enhanced monitoring should be in place for all flights from northern Italy. Earlier, Professor Hugh Pennington, a microbiologist at the University of Aberdeen, said he was surprised checks were apparently not being carried out. Professor Jonathan Ball, a virologist from the University of Nottingham, said it absolutely makes sense for these measures to be implemented. As the UK reported 64 new cases yesterday its largest daily increase so far taking the total to 273: Britains top GP, Professor Martin Marshall, warned that routine operations would be scaled back The number of global cases reached 107,800, with 3,661 deaths across 95 countries France banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people as its death toll hit 19 British passengers trapped on a cruise ship quarantined off the US coast pleaded with the Government to bring them home Boris Johnson will today lead a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee, at which experts will discuss what measures the UK needs to take as it moves into the delay stage of the outbreak. Previously the Government had been trying to contain the virus, but this second phase could lead to staff being encouraged to work from home, the cancellation of mass gatherings, and extra precautions for the elderly. Supermarket shelves have been cleared at this Waitrose in Sheffield as Brits fear a Wuhan-style lock down due to coronavirus Empty shelves pictured at a Tesco's in Cambridge on Sunday morning. The sign tells customers that hand gels have been rationed to six per customer Scientists were earlier concerned over claims that Public Health England (PHE) was not carrying out enhanced monitoring of flights from Italy, where 7,375 cases and 366 deaths have been confirmed. This process is in place for flights from nine countries in the Far East, including China, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Yesterday China reported just 52 new cases of coronavirus, South Korea 272, Japan 51, Hong Kong seven and Malaysia six. Italy saw 1,492 new infections, and there were 743 in Iran. Last night the Foreign Office urged Britons against all but essential travel to all of Lombardy, including Milan and Como, as well as Venice, Treviso, Parma and Modena. Professor Pennington said extending enhanced monitoring to flights from Italy and Iran would be a very good idea. He said: These are two places where there are far more new cases of coronavirus than there are in China. Professor Ball added: Given the fact that the advice for people travelling in from Italy is to self-quarantine... it absolutely makes sense for those measures to be implemented. 4. Brian Michelz of Madison, Wis., is buried in debt. Bernie Sanders has offered him an out. Once apolitical, Mr. Michelz, 29, above with his wife, Sarah, was driven to support Mr. Sanderss presidential campaign by the crush of the Great Recession, of medical bills and of college loans, for which the socialist senator has promised relief. As the fight for the Democratic nomination approaches a critical stage in primaries on Tuesday, Mr. Sanders is depending on voters like Mr. Michelz to turn out in larger numbers than they have so far. And as other Democratic campaigns have dissolved, laid-off staffers are getting alerts on the money-transferring app Venmo that their former colleagues (and rivals) are sending funds to buy them drinks. Relatives of victims of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 have set up 298 empty chairs in front of the Russian Embassy in The Netherlands to protest the Kremlins continued refusal to admit its role in shooting down the passenger airliner in July 2014. The March 8 protest in The Hague was staged a day before a trial is due to begin in the Netherlands against three Russian citizens and a Ukrainian separatist who are charged with murdering all 298 passengers and crew members aboard the ill-fated flight. "This is for me a very beautiful symbol for 298 people who perished, said protester Piet Ploeg, whose older brother Alex was killed when a Russian antiaircraft missile struck MH17 in July 2014 while it was flying from the Netherlands to Malaysia. They are gone. My brother never returned," Ploeg said. "The idea of the action is to make perfectly clear to the Russian state that they have to cooperate with the investigation." The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement in the MH17 tragedy despite dossiers of evidence collected by a Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) and the Britain-based Bellingcat open-source investigative group. Moscow also continues to deny that it has provided any military or financial support to pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine. The independent investigators determined that MH17 was shot down over separatist-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine by a Russian antiaircraft missile that was sent to help the Moscow-backed separatists fight Ukrainian government forces. The victims included 193 Dutch citizens, 43 Malaysians, and 38 Australians. Russia has been held politically responsible by the Netherlands and Australia. The suspects going on trial on March 9 are Russian citizens Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky, and Oleg Pulatov, and Ukrainian separatist Leonid Kharchenko. Girkin had been the so-called defense minister of a Russia-backed separatist group that calls itself the Donetsk Peoples Republic. The other suspects were members of the formations military intelligence unit. None of the suspects is expected to attend the opening of the trial on March 9. If they fail to appear and do not send legal representatives, the Dutch court is expected to order that their trial be conducted in absentia. Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa Britain's Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle received a resounding standing ovation during one of their final official engagements as frontline royals this week before they step back at the end of this month. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were the guests of honour at the Mountbatten Festival of Music at Royal Albert Hall in London on Saturday when the couple received a particularly long round of applause from the audience as they took their seats in the royal box. Prince Harry, 35, appeared in a Royal Marines officer's red mess jacket, matched by his 38-year-old wife's designer red dress. The music festival brings together world-class musicians, composers and conductors of the Massed Bands of Her Majesty's Royal Marines and Saturday's performance marked the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 80th anniversary of the formation of Britain's Commandos. Proceeds from the event go to the Royal Marines Association the Royal Marines Charity and CLIC Sargent, which supports people with cancer aged under 25 and their families. Earlier, Markle made one of her last official solo visits to a school in Dagenham, east London, on Friday where her message to the 700 young boys and girls was to "speak up for what is right". According to reports, she used her visit to the Robert Clack School to highlight her favourite themes of women's empowerment, social justice and gender equality. According to 'The Sunday Times', the school assembly had been told it would be addressed by a "mystery guest". There were cheers when Meghan appeared and called for "the women of our future" to "believe in themselves" and "really stand in your truth, to stand for what is right, to continue to respect each other". The couple will next join Queen Elizabeth II and the rest of the royal family for the annual Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on Monday to mark Commonwealth Day. It would be the first time the entire royal family is seen together in public since Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping down from royal duties. They will formally stop representing the Queen from April 1 as they plan to spend a majority of their time in North America. Under the arrangement finalised with Buckingham Palace, their exit plan will be reviewed at the end of a 12-month transition period with the option for the couple to return to the frontline if they change their mind. But meanwhile they have declared plans to start a new financially independent life with their nine-month-old son Archie and focus on charitable projects close their hearts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This article originally appeared in The Inquirer on June 13, 2005 If war and prejudice hadnt interrupted her education in 1942, Mary Matsuoka Davidson wouldnt have had to wait 60 years for her high school diploma. Davidson, 78, of Warrington Township, Bucks County, will receive her diploma today at C.K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento, which she was forced to leave when her family and other Japanese Americans were relocated by the government during World War II. While interned at Tule Lake in California for nearly four years, Davidson received a diploma from the camp's school. But she recalls with regret the abrupt end to her education at McClatchy, where she was an honor student who loved English and history and had friends. Even now, I wonder, she said. What if? In an effort to make amends, California passed legislation last year allowing those interned during their high school years to apply for diplomas. More than 200 diplomas have been awarded in the last two years, said Naomi Funahashi, coordinator of the California Nisei High School Diploma Project. Many people received the honors earlier from schools that were issuing diplomas before the legislation. "I'm just sad that my parents and my one brother aren't alive to see it," Davidson said before heading to Sacramento with her husband, William, 77, and three children, Louise, 53, Jerry, 51, and Mary Lynne, 47. McClatchy also will award a diploma to Davidson's brother Frank, two years her senior, who is too ill to make the trip. Prior to the internment, Davidson said, her familys movements were restricted to the house and fields of their rented farm. Davidson stopped going to school. The family relied on neighbors to fetch things at the store. Then executive order 9066 was posted in February 1942, and one of Davidsons brothers came home with the news of relocation. "We had to leave everything," Davidson said. "The only things you could take were things you could carry in your hands. " They were bused to a temporary camp until the Tule Lake relocation center, now a California state historic site, was ready. Their lives, once unrestricted amid the cornfields and apple orchards that stretched for acres, was confined to a few barracks in a barren camp. The family of six was expected to sleep on Army cots in a small room with a coal stove. Davidsons brother Frank moved in with a smaller family to give his own more space. Davidson remembers her life at Tule Lake episodically, climbing the stony hill behind the barracks, eating lamb curry three times a week, showering in stalls that offered no privacy. She grows melancholy about her parents, Japanese immigrants who sacrificed to farm the land and feed their family. Before Pearl Harbor, their burden had eased as two of their children finished school and started working. I felt bad for my parents, Davidson said. All their lives, they worked hard and had no pleasures. Her father died in Japan, where most of the family had gone after the camp closed in 1946. They found work in the rebuilding effort. There, Davidson met her husband, who is originally from Philadelphia. The Davidsons settled in Bucks County. William worked for Bell Telephone. Davidsons mother and brothers eventually resettled in California. When she addresses the Class of 2005 today at McClatchy, Davidson will share her story with young people three generations removed from World War II. "If it was up to me, I would say, Put the diploma in the mail, " she said. Im doing this for my parents. And because it was history. A new decade has begun, leaving behind the 2010s. Today we continue a special T&D series looking back at the years 2010 through '19. Were identifying the big stories as selected by The T&D at the end of each year and in some instances offering perspective on those stories with the luxury of hindsight. When we're done, you'll get a chance to weigh in. We'll ask you to vote via our Facebook page on a story of the decade and give us your reasoning. We'll conclude with an editorial comparing our choice and yours. --- Orangeburg County officials discussed consolidating the three existing school districts into one for years. In 2018 it stepped much closer to reality, becoming The Times and Democrats top story for the second consecutive year. Lawmakers approved legislation in 2017 requiring the merger of the countys three school districts into one by July 2019. Ultimately, the three districts ended their work on June 30, 2019, with July 1, 2019, being the first official day of operation for the new, consolidated school district. In 2018, an 18-member Orangeburg County Consolidation Transition Committee did its work. "I think we did pretty good," Chairman Donnie Hilliard said. "Each one of us walked in there with 20 different opinions and 20 different ideas on how to do it. After seven months, we all came in one accord. We did not have one fight." Over an eight-month period, the OCTC researched the three existing school districts and came up with recommendations for the new, single school district board. The recommendations were compiled with the understanding the new countywide school board would have the option to either accept or reject the recommendations. In November, county voters elected nine new school board members from a field of 32 candidates. Voters generally cast their ballots in support of candidates with education experience. The nine board members are: Betty Macon Pelzer, Vernell H. Goodwin, William OQuinn, Peggy James-Tyler, Idella W. Carson, Ruby Edwards, Mary Berry Ulmer, Ralph Lee Poppy Brown and Debora B. Brunson. Other big stories for 2018 were: Several companies, including foreign firms, announced they were bringing new investments and jobs into Orangeburg County. The county welcomed the first Volvo supplier into the state. Also, companies from both Italy and China announced they will be locating their plants in the county. Orangeburg County reached its lowest unemployment rate in the 28 years. Two Orangeburg County legislators said they were committed to moving the county forward in the aftermath of a legal dispute in which one accused the other of assault. A jury of five men and one woman found Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg, not guilty of third-degree assault and battery. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, said Govan grabbed her right arm and twisted it, causing her to fall back, on May 11, 2017, at the Statehouse in Columbia. The incident centered around debate over school district consolidation. Claflin University President Dr. Henry N. Tisdale announced on April 17 the end of a journey that has took him and his wife through more than two decades of ensuring academic excellence, community pride and enhanced quality of life at and beyond his beloved alma mater. Tisdale announced his retirement effective June 30, 2019, during a press conference held at Ministers' Hall. St. Matthews-based Tri-County Electric Cooperative made history in 2018 as energized members ousted existing board members and elected an entirely new board amid allegations board members received high pay and perks. Next Sunday: 2019 Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This article is part of our latest special report on Museums, which focuses on the intersection of art and politics. In the early 1940s, the artist Ben Shahn created a painting for the Office of War Information with images depicting suppression, starvation, slavery, torture and murder. He called it We Fight for a Free World! The painting was supposed to lead to a series of propaganda posters, but the government rejected the project. Still, the original painting survived and has a new life today as the heart of a show at the Jewish Museum in Manhattan: We Fight to Build a Free World: An Exhibition by Jonathan Horowitz. The exhibition, which is to run from March 20 through Aug. 2, examines the ways that artists have taken on issues like oppression, intolerance and authoritarianism, and raises questions about anti-Semitism, racism and xenophobia. With about 80 works in a range of media, the Jewish Museum covers a great deal of ground in sometimes startling ways. WESTFIELD More than 125 plungers participated in the Polar Plunge fundraiser at the Hampton Ponds State Park that was hosted by Special Olympics Massachusetts Saturday afternoon. Despite a brisk wind and air temperature only in the low to mid-40s that didnt discourage the participants. Each participant had pledged to raise at least $100 toward their plunge with proceeds benefiting the 13,000 Special Olympics Massachusetts athletes throughout the state. The organization provides year-round training for those with intellectual disabilities. The event was sponsored by the Law Enforcement Torch Run which allows members of the law enforcement community the opportunity to help support the Special Olympic athletes. This year, the West Springfield (police) Cop-sicle team participated and raised more than $5,800 along with West Springfield Fire Department members donating more than $2,000. According to the Special Olympic Massachusetts website Saturdays plunge raised more than $20,000. Team and individual awards were presented to the Keene (New Hampshire) State University Phi Lambda Chi Fraternity team which raised more than $2,800, Erica Ireland, team captain for the Westside Cop-sicles with a $2,600 donation, and picking up the Best Costume award went to the Cyclonaut Multisport team. For more information on the Special Olympics Massachusetts check out their website at https://www.specialolympicsma.org Miami, March 8 : US President Donald Trump hosted his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro at the former's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and hailed the latter for doing a "great job", but refused to answer questions over possible tariffs on Brazilian products. "I don't make any promises," Trump told reporters on Saturday night when asked about the tariffs before hosting a dinner for Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro, often dubbed as the "Trump of the tropics", will on Sunday officially kick off a three-day visit aimed at improving political and economic ties, reports Efe news. Trump said relations with Brazil were "very good" and that Washington had always helped Brasilia. The dinner was closed to the press but before it started Trump spoke to a selected group of journalists covering the meeting. "Brazil loves him. The US loves him. Great job," Trump said about Bolsonaro, who is accompanied by his son Eduardo - a lawmaker, Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo and Defense Minister Fernando de Azevedo. Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, who work as senior advisors to the President, also attended the dinner. Ahead of the visit, Bolsonaro tweeted about his meeting with "my friend Trump" and said the two sides would discuss cooperation in trade, economic and defence-related areas. A White House official said in a press conference on Saturday that the political crisis in Venezuela could dominate the discussion between the two leaders, apart from topics such as trade and the COVID-19 outbreak. Bolsonaro is a close ally of the US in its policy to pressurize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro into holding fair and democratic elections in the South American country. Both Washington and Brasilia have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela, and recently Bolsonaro announced the withdrawal of all of his diplomats from Caracas. On Sunday the Brazilian president would visit the headquarters of the US military's Southern Command, situated in Doral, a city close to Miami, where he is set to sign a cooperation agreement that would allow Brazil to sell arms and defensive equipment in the US. The next day he is scheduled to visit a business summit before meeting US politicians and attending an event with the Brazilian diaspora in Miami. On Tuesday, the last day of his visit, Bolsonaro is expected to visit a factory of Brazilian aeronautical manufacturer Embraer before heading back. The latest visit comes after Trump had hosted Bolsonaro at the White House in March 2019. Attorney General William Barr speaks about an initiative to prevent online child sexual exploitation as international politicians look on, at the Justice Department in Washington on March 5, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Governments, Big Tech Team Up Against Online Child Sexual Exploitation WASHINGTONPowerful testimony from the Phoenix 11, a group of child sex abuse survivors, kicked off the announcement of a new collaboration between governments and tech companies to stop the online sexual abuse of children. Last year, we all took a bold step to overcome the fears about ourselves, to band together to become a force for change, the group said in a video presented at the Department of Justice (DOJ) on March 5. We are survivors of sexual torture, child rape, erotic photoshoots, pedophile sleepovers, elementary school sex shows, streaming BDSM, and twisted sexual desires whose digital images were trafficked worldwide to fulfill the endless needs of an evil perverted community which takes pleasure from our pain. In efforts to prevent child sexual abuse online, the United States, along with the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, have created new voluntary principles that tech companies are promoting. Facebook, Twitter, Google, Microsoft, Roblox, and Snapchat have all endorsed the principles, which ask them to prevent child sexual abuse material from being made available on their platforms, and taking action against advertising, soliciting children, and the livestreaming of child-related sexual abuse. The principles stop short of asking tech companies to address end-to-end encryption, which is an ongoing tussle about where the line exists between privacy protection and the protection of criminals. The DOJ has said end-to-end encryption without a backdoor for law enforcement stymies criminal investigations. Tech companies say a backdoor presents a security risk for users. Predators supposed privacy interests should not outweigh our childrens privacy and security, said Attorney General William Barr on March 5. Technology has made it easier to produce, conceal, and distribute child sexual abuse materials. The DOJ has seen a 160 percent increase in cases involving the production of videos and images of children who were sexually exploited and abused over the last decade. The CyberTipline for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 1.1 million reports of child online sexual exploitation in 2014. In 2019, it received 16.9 million reports. Barr credited Facebook for submitting 94 percent of those tips (almost 16 million). The tipline reports included 69.1 million images, videos, and other files related to child sexual exploitation, according to NCMEC. Sexual-abuse imagery can be preserved online for much longer periods of time and disseminated more broadly, Barr said. Victims incur not only the initial harm of abuse, but are victimized again and again when those images are recirculated. For example, sexual abuse imagery of one particular victim has been found in almost 21,500 separate U.S. investigations over the last 20 years. UK Security Minister James Brokenshire said that the problem is vast and the new coalition with the tech industry is an important milestone in addressing it. Child sex offenders exploit technological advances to inflict misery, sharing vile materials and tips on how to target children. They unite to isolate, ensnare, and manipulate our young people and cause pain and suffering that can last a lifetime, he said. The scale of the global threat is horrifying and we know that its getting worse. More than 3.5 million accounts are now registered to the worlds most depraved dark web sites. Brokenshire said encryption remains the elephant in the room, and pointed to Facebook Messenger. Last year, he said, Facebook submitted around 12 million reports of child sexual exploitation on its Messenger app. Facebook now plans to encrypt the app, much like what it did with its WhatsApp messaging app. End-to-end encryption ensures only you and the person youre communicating with can read whats sent, and nobody in between, not even WhatsApp, states Facebooks WhatsApp site. Facebook added end-to-end encryption to its WhatsApp service in April 2016, but in August the same year, said in its privacy policy that it would include limited data sharing with Facebook. In 2019, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company is moving toward encryption. In the last year, Ive spoken with dissidents whove told me encryption is the reason they are free, or even alive, he said. When billions of people use a service to connect, some of them are going to misuse it for truly terrible things like child exploitation, terrorism, and extortion. We have a responsibility to work with law enforcement and to help prevent these wherever we can. But Brokenshire said encrypting Facebook Messenger would mean Facebook would be blind to the 12 million instances of child sexual exploitation. Ive got to say that putting our children at risk, what I believe are marginal privacy gains is something I really struggled to believe any of us want, Brokenshire said. In Congress, a group of bipartisan senators introduced a bill on March 5 that would create incentives for companies to earn liability protection for violations of laws related to online child sexual abuse material. The Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act (EARN IT Act) would amend Section 230 of the Communications and Decency Act. It would also allow individuals to sue tech companies that dont comply with best practices or establish reasonable practices to prevent online child exploitation Technological advances have allowed the online exploitation of children to become much, much worse over recent years, said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif). Companies must do more to combat this growing problem on their online platforms. The 11 Principles Principle 1: Companies seek to prevent known child sexual abuse material from being made available to users or accessible on their platforms and services, take appropriate action under their terms of service, and report to appropriate authorities. Principle 2: Companies seek to identify and combat the dissemination of new child sexual abuse material via their platforms and services, take appropriate action under their terms of service, and report to appropriate authorities. Principle 3: Companies seek to identify and combat preparatory child sexual exploitation and abuse activity (such as online grooming for child sexual abuse), take appropriate action under their terms of service, and report to appropriate authorities. Principle 4: Companies seek to identify and combat advertising, recruiting, soliciting, or procuring a child for sexual exploitation or abuse, or organizing to do so, take appropriate action under their terms of service, and report to appropriate authorities. Principle 5: Companies seek to identify and prevent child sexual exploitation and abuse facilitated or amplified by livestreaming, take appropriate action under their terms of service, and report to appropriate authorities. Principle 6: Companies seek to prevent search results from surfacing child sexual exploitation and abuse, and seek to prevent automatic suggestions for such activity and material. Principle 7: Companies seek to adopt enhanced safety measures with the aim of protecting children, in particular from peers or adults seeking to engage in harmful sexual activity with children; such measures may include considering whether users are children. Principle 8: Companies seek to take appropriate action, including providing reporting options, on material that may not be illegal on its face, but with appropriate context and confirmation may be connected to child sexual exploitation and abuse. Principle 9: Companies seek to take an informed global approach to combating online child sexual exploitation and abuse and to take into account the evolving threat landscape as part of their design and development processes. Principle 10: Companies support opportunities to share relevant expertise, helpful practices, data, and tools where appropriate and feasible. Principle 11: Companies seek to regularly publish or share meaningful data and insights on their efforts to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. For Help or to Submit a Tip Contact NCMEC 1-800-843-5678 www.CyberTipline.org Kim Kardashian joined the rest of the Kardashian-Jenner clan at mom Kris Jenner's lavish villa in Palm Springs on Saturday. And although the 39-year-old was able to escape the confines of Los Angeles for the weekend, she was still enjoying some quality time with her four children. Husband Kanye West and eldest daughter North were missing from action, while Kim captured precious portraits of her little ones taking over a playground. Mommy first: Although Kim joined her family for a weekend getaway in Palm Springs on Saturday, the 39-year-old still have motherly obligations to tend to The first round of pictures, shared to the KKW Cosmetics founder's Instagram page, featured her youngest children - son Saint, four, son Psalm, nine-months, and daughter Chicago, aged two. The tiny trio each occupied their own swing on a wooden jungle gym complete with a squiggly slide, vast climbing apparatus, and plenty of sand to jump in. Chicago, with her tendrils tied up into precisely formed space buns, donned a bright yellow dress for the sibling-only play date. Baby Psalm swung slowly in a safety seat in between his elder siblings. Simple pleasures: In a series of pictures shared to Kardashian's Instagram story, her sons Saint, four, Psalm, nine-months, and youngest daughter Chicago, two, were seen enjoying some air time on a swing set Helping hand: Saint was captured attempting to push younger brother Psalm's swing Older brother Saint proved to be the most adventurous of the three as he swung higher and higher with each pump of his legs. At one point in the sibling's swing time, Saint latched onto one of the chains attached to Psalm's swing, in order to help the pint-sized West achieve a more exciting ride. Kim followed up her slew of jungle gym photographs with a solo portrait of Saint braving a colorful rock climbing wall. Wild child: Saint appeared to be the most adventurous of Kardashian's kids, as he braved a colorful rock climbing wall Always time to stunt: Even with mom duty in full swing for Kim and sister Kylie Jenner, the curvaceous pair managed to step out in true sultry form for their poolside hangout Even with mom duty in full swing, the mother of four graced the pool deck in true 'Kim Kardashian' fashion by slipping her signature curves into a slinky black bikini. The KUWTK star gave fans an eye at her drool-worthy look, when sister Kylie Jenner, 22, posted a photo of the pair posing poolside. Jenner, who brought along her two-year-old daughter Stormi for the family gathering, made heads turn in a ruched caramel brown two piece. The whole gang: Kourtney's eldest children Penelope (left), seven, and Mason (right), 10, joined their mom In one video captured by model sister Kendall Jenner, Kylie, Khloe, and Kourtney can be seen chasing their toddlers in the shallow end of the luxurious backyard pool. Kendall, being the only sister without offspring, appeared to be more than content with her barren nest. The 24-year-old supermodel soaked up the sun in a green bikini and gave a hearty thumb sup proclaiming 'still no kids' while watching Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, and Kylie chase their children in the pool. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has paid tribute to Libyan women on the occasion of International Women's Day, saluting their pioneering role in the search for peace in the country despite the persistence of "gender stigma and inequality" due to the insecurity affecting their living conditions The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on March 8 said that bank depositors should not worry about the safety of their money in the midst of moratorium imposed on the embattled Yes Bank. In a series of tweets, the central bank quashed concerns about the safety of deposits, saying that the concern is based on analysis which is flawed. Concern has been raised in certain sections of media about safety of deposits of certain banks. This concern is based on analysis which is flawed. Solvency of banks is internationally based on Capital to Risk Weighted Assets (CRAR) and not on market cap. (1/2) ReserveBankOfIndia (@RBI) March 8, 2020 RBI said that the solvency of banks is internationally based on Capital to Risk Weighted Assets (CRAR) and not on market cap, adding that it is closely monitoring the situation. The statement comes after the RBI imposed a month-long moratorium on the beleaguered Yes Bank. This will restrict the withdrawals that customers can make from their Yes Bank accounts to Rs 50,000 until April 3, 2020. Also Read: Yes Bank: Salary account, EMI, fund redemption frozen? Heres what you should do immediately The move by RBI comes nearly six months after it did the same with Mumbai-based Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank. Yes Bank has been grappling with mounting bad loans and has been struggling to raise fresh capital. Luxembourg's rail history has come a long way since the laying of its first tracks in 1855. Situated in the heart of Europe, Luxembourg quickly found itself to be a strategic hub for logistics, resulting in huge amounts of freight and cargo entering and leaving the country from all directions. But there were also dark chapters in history, namely during the German occupation. This week's Knowledge Bite takes you through two centuries of rail history! 1850 - After initial negotiations with a British company failed, the Luxembourg government is granted the right to lead discussions with companies on who would lay the first rail track in the Grand Duchy. 1853 - Meanwhile, engineers and economists from Luxembourg are becoming more and more fond of a rail network, promoting the economic advantages for steel, agriculture, and trade should routes linked to neighbouring countries be established. Germany and Belgium are already far ahead when it comes to rail transport in 1853, so Luxembourg has some catching up to do. One of the most prominent voices is Luxembourger Francois-Emile Majerus, an engineer and geologist that spent much of his time in Mexico. 1855 - After five years of negotiations, the Chamber passes the first law to connect Luxembourg's rail tracks with bordering countries. Works on five tracks begin: Luxembourg - Bettembourg - France; Luxembourg - Kleinbettingen - Belgium; Luxembourg - Wasserbillig - Germany; Luxembourg - Ettelbruck - Belgium Apart from these "regular" lines, two "mini" lines are constructed with the aim of transporting iron ore from Bettembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette and Noertzange to the blast furnaces in Dommeldange. 1857 - The "Societe Royal Grand-Ducale des Chemins de Fer Guillaume Luxembourg" (GL) is founded, with its headquarters in Luxembourg. 1858 - The first stone of Luxembourg City's station is laid. The initial idea is to have the station within the city's fortress, but thanks to the Prussian occupation the railway is forced to be constructed 1,500m away on the Bourbon Plateau. The station's distance from the city is also the reason for building the Passerelle and the Adolphe Bridge. The station is made of wood. The carriage on the first leg between Luxembourg City and Hesperange is pulled by a horse, as the track is not long enough to accommodate a proper steam locomotive. 1859 - Luxembourg City is now reachable from Thionville and Metz in August, and from Brussels and Arlon in September of 1859. 1869 - In the spring of 1869, the Prince Henry Railway Company is founded, named after the current Lieutenant-Governor of Luxembourg. The idea is to create a secondary network of railway lines, complementary to the main lines granted to "Societe Royal Grand-Ducale des Chemins de Fer Guillaume Luxembourg", also called Compagnie Guillaume Luxembourg. The idea of the line is to go from Wasserbillig up to Ettelbruck, then across to the Belgian border and via Kleinbettingen to Petange and Esch-sur-Alzette. To avoid tunnels, the leg between Wasserbillig and Ettelbruck follows the Sauer river. 1877 - With decreasing sales in Luxembourgish iron ore, the Prince Henri company goes bankrupt. The government steps in to save the project and forms the Societe Luxembourgeoise des Minieres et Chemins de Fer Prince Henri, also abbreviated as "PH". The lines are finished off and Luxembourg's longest tunnel of 700m is dug out. Train tickets are looking very classy at this time: National Archives of Luxembourg, FCF-00085 1880 - The first direct express train between Luxembourg and Paris is launched. 1907 - Almost 50 years after its inauguration, the "Gare de Luxembourg" is in need of urgent restoration. The half-timbered building from 1858 changes and gradually takes the shape of the current building. The German architects Rudell, Jusgen and Scheuffel choose the Moselle baroque style for the main building and its bell tower. 1942 - With the Second World War and forced Germanisation, Luxembourg not only experiences its darkest hours in history, but also faces problems with its railway system. The Luxembourg rail network is forcibly incorporated into the German railway network "Deutsche Reichsbahn". Although day-to-day services are continued with Luxembourgish staff, technical aspects are adapted according to German standards. 1944 - Luxembourg station and its surroundings are heavily bombed, but the main building survives. When it becomes clear that it is only a matter of time for American troups to reach the region, trains are used to transport German forces east to Wasserbillig and get them out of the country. Fun fact: did you know you can still travel on an old steam train in Luxembourg? The Minett Park has two trains running between Petange and Fonds-de-Gras on the former mining line. This train was opened in 1874, and you can still get the true experience of it today between May-September. Have a look here. Tony Krier / 1944 / VdL 1946 - In the aftermath of the Second World War, an agreement between the Luxembourg, French and Belgian governments is signed, and the Luxembourg National Railway Company (CFL), headquartered in Luxembourg, is founded. 1951 - The length of the Luxembourg rail network had been reduced by almost half in the span of twenty years, from 500km in 1948 to 275km in 1968. In 1951, the CFL decides to set up a bus service to provide alternative means of transport on old railway lines. 1956 - The Luxembourg rail network takes a big step forward with the electrification of the Brussels - Luxembourg and Luxembourg - Metz lines. Pol Aschman /1927 / VdL 1979 - With Luxembourg becoming an increasingly important hotspot for cargo services in Western and Southern Europe, the Bettembourg freight terminal is built. Today, the terminal can handle 700 metre-long trains, has warehousing facilities, routes to Antwerp, Lubeck, Helsingborg, Le Boulou, Milan and Trieste, and even has possibilities to repair and manage fleets. 1993 - The CFL extends the electrification of the national rail network. This time of the northern line from Luxembourg to Troisvierges (Gouvy). Grand Duke Henri is one of the first to travel on the electric line. 70 million to be invested in northern railway line, CFL trains to be fitted with wifi 1994 - Railway signalling has been controlled manually until this day, but it is gradually being automated, and thus signaling stations are being equipped accordingly. Paul Gudendorf 2004 - This is the year of the CFL fleet modernisation. It receives the colours and logo that we know today. With a total of 22 companies and more than 4,600 employees, the CFL Group ranks among the country's largest employers. In 2013 it carried 20.7 million passengers and 804 million tonnes of goods. 2019 - the first CFL freight train sets off from China to Luxembourg after years of planning and discussion. The train travels 10,000 km in two weeks, passing through Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany before arriving in Bettembourg in southern Luxembourg. 2020 - Free transport in Luxembourg, 170 years after the first decision to get started with rail transport in the Grand Duchy. Ever been curious as to what view the driver is having during a train ride? Have a look at this video below on the route between Luxembourg and Kleinbettingen! Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said that Kerala has been put on high alert after five Covid-19 cases were confirmed in the state. "The state has been put on high alert following confirmation of five coronavirus positive cases. Those returning from Covid-19 affected countries should immediately contact the health authorities," Vijayan said in a statement. He also urged people to follow the guidelines issued by the health department. Earlier, Centre had suspended visas and e-visas granted on or before March 3 to people traveling from Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan, effective immediately, after a surge in cases of Covid-19 in these countries. India has 39 confirmed cases of deadly coronavirus. The disease has caused deaths of 3300 people globally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 16:37:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ROME, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Italian experts have praised China's anti-virus efforts while dismissing a U.S. Fox News television host's calling for a "formal apology" from China for the coronavirus outbreak. Last Monday, U.S. Fox News host Jesse Watters demanded China apologize for the virus outbreak. However, the fact that China first reported the virus outbreak doesn't necessarily make it the virus's origin. The WHO has said the spread of the virus is a global issue and that research to track the source of the coronavirus is still underway. "I think we have to move beyond the temptation to give nationality to diseases," said Massimo Galli, a biomedical professor and head of the infectious diseases section at the L. Sacco Hospital in Milan. "I was on a conference call with researchers in China just this morning and believe me, they are doing everything they can do to confront this problem, sharing the results of research and strategies with complete openness," he said. With some 6,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, Italy is among the countries most heavily hit outside China. Fabrizio Pregliasco, a researcher at the Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health at the University of Milan, said, "I don't think there's anything to be gained by pointing fingers or trying to assign blame." "I would be much more interested in knowing that the kind of behavior that allowed the virus to spread so quickly is being addressed," he said, adding, "it would be helpful to hear 'Lesson learned.'" Pregliasco noted that in recent weeks, China's scientists and political leaders have made efforts to help the world understand the coronavirus and contain its spread. On China's fight against the coronavirus, Matteo Bassetti, director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic at the San Martino Hospital in the Italian port city of Genoa, said, "They have been successful." Concerning the coronavirus outbreak, Gian Franco Gallo, a political risk analyst with ABS Securities, said, "This is a global problem." "Ebola started in Africa, the Spanish flu was first found in the United States. The next one could start in Europe. The world has to work together to solve these global problems," he said. Gardai in Kilkenny are warning that motorists are being targeted by thieves seeking the palladium in their vehicles' catalytic converters, with three having been stolen here recently. Palladium, known as 'White Gold' due to its value as a precious metal, is used in cars' exhausts to convert gases into less harmful gases. However, knowledgeable thieves are taking their time with their crime as they jack up cars and remove the converters. "There has been a sharp rise in the UK and Ireland over the the last 12 months of Catalytic converter theft from cars," local gardai report on social media. "It is understood that a massive spike in the value of the precious metal Palladium, used in these devices has driven the increase. Hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius have been particularly targeted with 3 thefts in Kilkenny in recent weeks." There are ways to reduce the risk of falling victim to this crime trend: 1. Park in a well lit and conspicuous manner. 2. Speak to your garage about having a theft deterrent cover fitted. Do not attempt to do this yourself unless qualified to do Check with your insurance company if they require any certification for modifications carried out. "The most effective way however is for us all to be vigilant of any suspicious activity around parked vehicles. In general people will only jack up a car in a car park to change a wheel, if they're doing more it is suspicious, so please ring us immediately. Be vigilant," say gardai. Cathal McNaughton was returning to Delhi after winning a Pulitzer Prize for his photography of desperate Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar. Without explanation, the Indian authorities escorted him back to the plane hed flown in on and marched him down the aisle to his seat. Before he was fully aware of it, he found himself flying back to Toronto. His job, his apartment, his friends, his possessions: all were left behind in Delhi. McNaughtons life, as he had known it up until then, had disintegrated. Now he doesnt even own a camera. The Irish Times The International Womens Day is an occasion to ponder over the impact of Shaheen Bagh and many such protests in other big and small places like Aligarh, Allahabad and Lucknow. We desire not to evaluate political outcomes of the anti-CAA protests. We dont even intend to have a patronising attitude towards the protesting women by merely appreciating their efforts. What we are interested in is the potential of change in the consciousness of the country and society about gender realities through the efforts of the protesting (Muslim) women. Never before in India, Muslim women came out in large number to protest for their rights: whether constitutional or related to personal laws. After the Supreme Court delivered its verdict in the Shah Bano case, directing that she receive maintenance under the religion-neutral Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the country witnessed all male agitations opposing the apex courts decision. Muslim women, to a great extent, did not find platforms to explore their right to resist. There are only few occasions when they crossed the boundaries sanctioned by religion to agitate. Some protests were organised against attempts of NDA-II government to criminalise triple talaq in which participation of women was not substantial, even though the issue was directly related to them. However, participation of Muslim women in the anti-CAA agitation is unparalleled in the history of India and therefore, it requires a serious study into the social outcomes of these protests. The world over, there are numerous instances where women led the movements from the front. In South India, there was a movement that called for covering the upper part of the female body. Women of so-called lower castes were not allowed to cover their breasts. The immoral, irrational and inhuman practice was successfully spearheaded by women. Whether it is Cairos Tahrir Square protests, which led to the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak or the anti-nuclear power plant protests in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu or the Narmada Bachao Movement, women were the major force who brought these movements to fruition. Universities in India also saw frequent protests by students for their right to accessible public education, better hostel facilities and safety of students on the campus. The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has had all-women students protests over law and order problems in the university. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) also witnessed protests by women students demanding better facilities in hostels and library. These protests yielded results as the administration brought positive changes in the way universities are administered. Now, as far as anti-CAA protests are concerned, women emerged as the fulcrum. The huge participation of Muslim women is not only surprising but also intriguing, given the fact that most of them have never come out of the confines of their homes. Through these protests they seem to reclaim the public spaces to register their fight for equal citizenship rights. The Shaheen Bagh phenomenon has been analysed in terms of political outcomes and as a celebration of the coming out of Muslim women by many. However, we are interested to analyse the protest in terms of its sociological outcomes and to measure its potential to realign society in terms of justice (including gender justice). At the political level, what it has achieved is discernible to all. Analysing it through a sociological angle will give us an idea as to whether it has changed consciousness among women vis-a-vis gender issues. Feedback from regular visitors to protests and their interactions with women at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, and demonstration sites in Aligarh and Lucknow threw up some interesting conclusions. When asked about the schedule of the women protesters, most of them answered that they join the protest in the evening after completing their domestic chores. They carry out the protest in shifts but maximum strength of numbers is at night. At the end of the day when people unwind in the comfort of their homes, the women who have taken upon themselves the responsibility of resistance are also paving the way for a culture of doing discomfort. Asked if men in the family share domestic responsibilities, the feedback was that they rarely cooperate in cleaning, cooking or washing chores but they do accompany women to the protests for safety purposes. So, in a way women have had to bear double responsibility- at home and at the protest site. However, few women also observed that male members of the family do look after the children at home while they are at protest site. So, men in a way are taking care of children at home while their wives are out for the protest. This seems to indicate that patriarchal structures are intact but womens efforts and mens accountability can give some hope and scope for a shift in consciousness. Its because of these patriarchal values; women need to double up their efforts. Observing and reading the protests closely, one thing that can be said for sure is that these women-led protests are creating the sense of camaraderie in them. Women are protecting each other, sharing their experiences with each other and also grasping many other values of a dignified and democratic life. The language and the nature of protest, too, have undergone change. Women present there said these protests are more democratic, peaceful and disciplined as compared to the protests led solely by men. These protests were first initiated as reaction to violence unleashed by police on Jamia students. Women came out in large numbers to protest as they believed that if men would have gone out and protested, they would have met the same fate as that of the students. So, as a protective shield, women started agitating to thwart the atrocities of the police on Jamia students. Meanwhile, the Dadis of Shaheen Bagh led the all women protest. The protesting women asserted that the nature and language of the protest have changed due to the overwhelming presence of womenfolk. Through the experiences of these women, a conclusion can be drawn that women become sufficiently trained in terms of political language and behaviour if they participate in protests in huge numbers, even when these demonstrations may not be directly related to womens issues. Since these women are now better equipped with language and methods of dissent and presenting their point of view in more nuanced ways, they may be ready to reassert themselves against the unequal ecosystem existing in their abodes. It would be interesting to see the impacts these changing women would produce to create an equal society. Anti-CAA protests may die down but their impact on the social lives of women would be felt in the times to come. They have learnt the new language. They have become more articulate. Women in the past have shifted the consciousness, they would do it again. They might use this training to wage struggles for equal space within the social, political and cultural structures. It is the responsibility of the society to acknowledge and align itself according to many outcomes these acts of dissent might bring about. Tarushikha Sarvesh is an Assistant Professor of Sociology, Advanced Centre for Womens Studies, Aligarh Muslim University and Abdul Hafiz Gandhi is an Assistant Professor of Law at Unity PG Degree and Law College, Lucknow. Views are personal. The Ministry of Health announced on Saturday evening that a fourth person tested positive for coronavirus in the Grand Duchy. The ministry said in a press release that the infected person has an "epidemiological link" with Northern Italy. The patient is exhibiting mild symptoms and receiving medical care. The ministry also confirmed that the second test of the third person came back positive. The public is invited to consult the FAQ available on the site for general information and preventive measures. A hotline is available for any questions or concerns under the number 8002 8080. By Ben Blanchard TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang party, which traditionally favours close ties with China, on Saturday voted in as its new leader a rising star lawmaker, who promptly promised to lead a reform effort following a trouncing in an election in January. Johnny Chiang, 48, a lawmaker from Taiwan's second-largest city Taichung, won election as new party chairman over one-time Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin, 67, the son of a former premier and general during Taiwan's authoritarian era. By Ben Blanchard TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang party, which traditionally favours close ties with China, on Saturday voted in as its new leader a rising star lawmaker, who promptly promised to lead a reform effort following a trouncing in an election in January. Johnny Chiang, 48, a lawmaker from Taiwan's second-largest city Taichung, won election as new party chairman over one-time Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin, 67, the son of a former premier and general during Taiwan's authoritarian era. Driven out of China in 1949 after losing a civil war, the Kuomintang soundly lost both the presidential and parliamentary elections to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), whose promises to stand up to China's threats contrasted with its own platform to be more conciliatory towards Beijing. Since then, the Kuomintang, which ruled all of China until forced to flee to Taiwan, has being trying to re-invent itself and rethink its unpopular China policy. Speaking at party headquarters in Taipei, under a large portrait of party founder Sun Yat-sen who overthrew the last Chinese imperial dynasty in 1911, Chiang said he knew party reform would be "very complicated". "I have confidence there can be step-by-step reform of the Kuomintang," he said. "I believe that the Kuomintang after reform will make you feel proud again." Chiang, who formally takes up his new position on Monday, did not offer any details as to what reforms he will seek, though he has promised to "redesign" the party. Post-election, the Kuomintang has been riven by disagreement over what its policy towards China should be. There have been suggestions that it drop the China reference in its name, which translates literally as Chinese Nationalist Party, though for now that looks unlikely. China claims Taiwan as its sacred territory, to be taken by force if needed. President Tsai Ing-wen won re-election by a landslide by positioning Taiwan as an independent country defending its democratic system against autocratic China. During campaigning the Kuomintang proposed returning to the "92 consensus", a vague deal it struck with the Chinese Communist Party in 1992, by which both agreed there is only one China, though each can have its own interpretation of the term. The DPP used that proposal to drive home a message that the Kuomintang wanted to sell out the island to the Communist Party. While the Kuomintang emphatically denied that, it had trouble shaking the accusation on the campaign trail. Beijing insists the "92 consensus" must be the basis for any talks with Taipei. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by James Drummond) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Mayank Tiwari By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The Telangana government is all set to increase the market value of land by 50 per cent in areas falling under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and by 50-100 per cent in other smaller municipal corporations and municipalities in the State. The market price of land has not been revised in Telangana since the State formation. The last time the market value was revised by the government was on April 1, 2013, which is still being followed though the market value quoted by the real estate businessmen has increased manifold. The revision of the market value by the State government and the resultant rise in land value is expected to increase the funds flowing into the governments coffers through Registration and Stamps Department by at least Rs 3,000 crore. Registration fee hike unlikely The department has been requesting the government since the past four to five years to revise the land rates and increase the registration fee. However, while the government is looking to revise the market value of lands, the registration fee is not expected to be increased from the current rates. Nonetheless, the revision of market value would lessen the gap between the government price of land and the market price quoted by real estate developers. This would result in an increase in the money received through land registrations. The revenue receipts from the Registration and Stamps Department remained low this year due to economic slowdown. In the FY 2019-2020, it received a revenue of Rs 5,989 crore. At Facebook on Thursday, the questions from spooked employees came thick and fast. The evening before, the social network had disclosed that the coronavirus had been diagnosed in a contractor in its Seattle office and had said all employees in that city should work from home until March 31. Other Facebook employees, some of whom had recently travelled for work, soon began asking their managers and one another: Who was the contractor? Had that person been near them? And what did that mean for their work? That same alarm has now spread through other companies around the world, despite escalating efforts by many of the firms to deal with disruptions from the coronavirus outbreak that started in China. Microsoft, Amazon, Ford Motor, CNN, Citigroup and Twitter have put employees through work-from-home drills, dusted off emergency-response plans and ordered increasingly stringent safety measures to protect their workers. Even so, the coronavirus has moved faster than their preparations. Amazon said this week that two employees in Europe, who had been in Milan, were infected with the virus and that one employee at its Seattle headquarters had also tested positive for it. HSBC said on Thursday that the coronavirus had been diagnosed in an employee at its global headquarters in London. And AT&T said a retail employee at one of its stores in San Diego had tested positive. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show The challenges faced by workplaces have become a new front in the battle over the coronavirus, which has spawned more than 90,000 cases and caused more than 3,000 deaths around the world. While factories in China had already been closed by the outbreak and are now just ramping back up, global white-collar companies have rarely grappled with this scale of disruption or the level of fear that has gripped workers. No one has a playbook for this, said Dan Levin, who runs a small company outside Chicago, Cain Millwork, which makes furniture and wall panelling. He said he was planning to have some of his office employees work from home. Many corporate memos, including those from HSBC and Facebook, now mention deep cleaning of office spaces and self-quarantining. Face-to-face job interviews have been all but banned by some firms, in favour of interviews conducted by teleconference. At Microsoft, which is based in Redmond, Washington, near a cluster of coronavirus cases, employees swapped stories this week about the outbreak in internal chat rooms. In one online conversation on Wednesday, which The New York Times reviewed, a Microsoft employee wrote of a rumour that someone at headquarters had been infected. Could it be true? he wrote. FWIW, he noted, the corporate emails telling employees to work from home dont mention that NO Microsoft employees had been infected. Frank Shaw, Microsofts chief spokesman, said the company was not aware of any verified cases in its workforce. He said Microsoft had tried to communicate clearly to its employees that we are using the advice being given from local officials and public health officials. Inside Amazon, while some workers emailed each other about whether masks provide effective protection, many were scrambling to deal with business problems caused by the virus, according to four employees who were not authorized to speak publicly. Those included whether Amazon will have enough products to offer for Prime Day, its summer sale event, or have enough drivers to handle a surge in online grocery orders as the virus spreads. The depth of employee anxiety has forced senior executives to take calming measures. Uber sent out a memo to staff on Wednesday saying it had formed an internal task force to handle its response to the virus, according to a copy viewed by The Times. The ride-hailing company urged employees to have empathy for one another, to make data-driven decisions and to restrict all nonessential travel until April. Uber added that it was working with an epidemiology consultant for further guidance. Much of this situation is new not only for Uber, but for the world, Andrew MacDonald, a senior vice president at Uber, wrote in the memo. We wont get everything right from the start. At its headquarters in Mountain View, California, Google also increased the amount of hand sanitizer available to employees, putting it in conference rooms and kitchen areas. Other companies have tightened their travel restrictions. Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase have said senior managers must approve international business trips. Walmart said on Thursday that employees could travel internationally only for business-critical trips and that it was limiting their travel to conferences and trade shows in the United States. And at CNN, the chief executive officer has begun personally vetting all intercontinental travel. How companies have altered their response to the coronavirus over time has been evident with Twitter. On Sunday, the San Francisco social media company said it was suspending all nonessential travel for employees. A day later, it encouraged all of its employees it has just over 5,000 to work from home if they were able to. Then on Thursday, Jack Dorsey, Twitters chief executive, appeared at a financial conference in San Francisco and said he was rethinking a plan he had formulated to work remotely from Africa for three to six months this year. Everything happening in the world, particularly with coronavirus, I have to reconsider whats going on and what that means for me and for our company, said Dorsey, who is also facing a challenge from activist investors. The measures that companies are taking in response to the virus may shift workplace behaviour over the long term. Telecommuting, which has been in and out of favour for decades, may become more ingrained. The use of digital tools for remote collaboration may also rise. Yet in the near term, having workers stay home could be devastating for some smaller businesses. Robert Luft, who runs a company in Cincinnati that installs technology in health care facilities and distribution centres, said an outbreak that prevented his technicians from showing up to work would put his business in a precarious situation. If its unsafe for people to have them on site, that definitely impacts my business, Luft said. Unfortunately there isnt any type of contingency plan. Because Microsofts employees in the Seattle region are supposed to work from home for several weeks, the company does not need as many services from the vendors whose workers staff its cafes, drive its shuttles and support other on-site needs. On Thursday, the company said it would continue to pay the 4,500 hourly employees who work in its facilities, even if they are needed for fewer hours. At Facebook, the company has been working on contingency plans for the impact of the coronavirus since January. Executives have tried to walk the line of hewing closely to advice from public health officials while trying not to cause a panic among employees, two Facebook employees said. The social network quickly cancelled its participation in a half-dozen events from its annual F8 developer conference to its presence at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas and has worked to use its products to help health experts study the spread of the virus. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive, said in a post this week the company was giving unlimited free Facebook ads to the World Health Organization to distribute information to users. When one of its contractors was found to have the virus on Wednesday, Facebook shut down two of its four offices in the Seattle area in Bellevue and Redmond for a deep cleaning, according to two employees. An Amazon employee who was later found to have the virus had also separately visited one of Facebooks Seattle offices last month, prompting fresh concerns among employees. Facebook said it carried out targeted deep cleaning and enhanced sanitation measures at the office building that the Amazon employee had visited. The company has also tried to keep its 44,000 employees sticking to business as usual. On Wednesday, it held a training session for managers on how to supervise teams of remote workers, the two employees said. And the social network was staying on course with a weekly question-and-answer session led by Zuckerberg on Thursday, which would be live streamed from Facebooks Silicon Valley headquarters. c.2020 The New York Times Company Ms. Aimee Comrie is the Project Coodinator for GLO.ACT Asia and the Middle East. Aimee was previously the policy lead on GLO.ACT from 2015-2018, supporting project management and policy oversight across the 13 partner countries. A qualified lawyer with 15+ years of experience in international investigations/prosecutions, she has investigated sexual enslavement, forced labour and the use of child soldiers in DRC, Sudan and Uganda among other countries for the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (2004-2011), leading the collection of evidence in situations of conflict. At the ICC, she helped develop policy guidelines on interviewing vulnerable victims and witnesses including children. As legal adviser to the OSCE Special Representative on human trafficking (2011-2015), she designed and delivered capacity building to judges, prosecutors and law enforcement, as well as led research and policy development on TIP for organ removal and financial investigations. She is a member of the New York State Bar, a Certified Fraud Examiner, a graduate of Oxford University (Masters in Forced Migration Studies) and McGill University (Civil Law, Common Law, Anthropology). She recently published on TIP and situations of conflict, and on international criminal investigations, and is fluent in English, French and Spanish. Ms. Euridice Marquez is the GLO.ACT Officer in Charge overseeing the implementation of the project across the 13 partner countries. Euridice is a Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer in the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section, Organized Crime Branch at UNODC. She has over 10 years of progressive working experience at UNODC and IOM on the prevention and fight against trafficking in persons (TIP) and the smuggling of migrants (SOM). Euridice is trained on human rights and crime prevention issues, gender equality and gender mainstreaming, results-based management, SAP/UMOJA, as well as programme monitoring, evaluation and learning. Euridice conducts assessments and capacity building trainings, engages in policy development as well as in programme development, management, monitoring, evaluation and learning of the UNODC Global Programmes against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants and liaises with different stakeholders and donors. Before joining UNODC, she worked for more than 6 years as a Regional Migrant Assistance Coordinator at the International Organization for Migration's Regional Offices in Brussels and Vienna, respectively, and supported IOM field offices and in turn the national governments in the development and implementation of their national strategies against TIP and SOM and the provision of direct assistance to victims of trafficking and migrants in vulnerable situations. She also worked at Spanish and Moroccan Human Rights NGOs. Euridice studied Political Science in Spain and France and holds a Master's degree in Political Science specialising in European Union Affairs from the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. Besides her mother tongue (Spanish), Euridice is fluent in English, French and German. Ms. Samantha Munodawafa is the Policy lead for GLO.ACT Asia and the Middle East. She has worked for 6 years at the UNODC Regional Office for Southern Africa, where she coordinated the regional human trafficking and migrant smuggling project implemented in the 15 member states of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), first as a National Project Coordinator, then later as a Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer. This included provision of technical assistance to member states to develop and update counter-trafficking legislation and policy, provision of capacity building assistance to the criminal justice sector, establishment of data collection systems and supporting regional intelligence-driven law enforcement operations. Before joining UNODC, she worked for various human rights organisations, most recently, Lawyers for Human Rights in South Africa as a Legal Counsellor, and then as Head of its Refugee Law Clinic. Samantha is an admitted attorney of the High Court in South Africa, who holds a Master's degree in Law (LL.M.) from the University of Pretoria. Ms. Emmanuelle Kunigk is the GLO.ACT Communications Officer and has 10 years of communications experience in the not for profit sector as well as the private sector. Emmanuelle also worked for the UNODC as Regional Communications Officer in the Southeast Asia and the Pacific office. As the communications consultant, Emmanuelle plays an integral part in the way organisations communicate the impact of their work on their intended beneficiaries, as well as in helping to secure some major grants and awards. Prior to working as a consultant and for UNODC, Emmanuelle worked for the National Anti-Corruption Commission of Thailand. Ms. Joana Daniel Wrabetz is the GLO.ACT Policy Lead. Joana has 14 years of experience dedicated to issues related to Trafficking in Persons. Joana was the former Director of the Observatory on THB, from the Ministry of Interior of Portugal, the National Focal Point for the European Commission Anti-Trafficking Portal, a Member of the European Commission Expert Group on THB, and Director of the Research and Documentation Unit of the NGO STOP Trafficking and Oppression of Children & Women, in New Delhi, India, which she continues to support on a pro bono, ad hoc basis. Joana has also worked as an International Consultant on issues related to TIP and SOM with various non-governmental and International organizations (UNODC, ICMPD, IOM), designing and delivering capacity building trainings, training of trainers, training manuals, country assessments, data collection and analyses. Ms. Irina Abzalova is the GLO.ACT Associate Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer working on monitoring, evaluation and learning. She also supports the management, coordination and implementation of GLO.ACT. Prior to that, Irina worked as a consultant in the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section, where she maintained the monitoring and data collection mechanism concerning anti-trafficking in persons and anti-smuggling of migrants activities and helped facilitate the UNODC wide implementation of this mechanism. She also carried out reporting tasks of HTMSS and supported the implementation of GLO.ACT. Before joining UNODC, Irina worked in the legal department in the private sector and undertook internships at International Organization for Migration and United Nations Industrial Development Organization. Irina holds a Master's degree in Law (LL.M.) from the University of Vienna and Master's degree in International Relations from Saint-Petersburg State University. She is fluent in English and Russian. Mr. Ashenafi Gebreegziabher has been a Programme Assistant at UNODC Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section since December 2011. Previously, he worked as an IT trainer with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the Information Technology Service section UNODC for ten years. He is the focal point for financial and administrative matters of the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section at HQ and in the field. His tasks include preparing budget proposals, financial reports to donors, monitoring the financial status of the three global projects within the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section and Regular Budget including assisting on the recruitment of staff. Mr. Aleksander Piecyk is the GLO.ACT Project Support Officer. His role includes project management and implementation, monitoring, reporting, as well as training field staff on project tools and data collection. Alex worked in Bangkok in the UNODC Border Management programme where he helped develop a secure communication platform to collect and share information at border locations to combat transnational organized crime. He has led workshops across Southeast Asia, training national officers along with national representatives on using mobile technology for data collection and intelligence sharing. He briefed senior officers of the Thai Royal Police on the importance of implementing technology to improve border security. Alex has worked with UNODC experts to develop academic training modules on anti-narcotic policies, smuggling of migrants, trafficking in persons, wildlife and forest crimes and the training of border officers and investigators. ANN ARBOR, MI -- Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders is bringing U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to a rally on the campus of the University of Michigan two days before the presidential primary. Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive freshman congresswoman whose Green New Deal" influenced the climate change agenda of several candidates, will join Sanders Sunday for a rally in Ann Arbor. Sanders scheduled a series of rallies campaign events before the March 10 primary, visiting Detroit, Dearborn, Flint, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. Ocasio-Cortez worked as an organizer for Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign and has been campaigning across the country with him in 2020. She is among a young group of first-term House Democrats elected in 2018 who drew inspiration from the Vermont senator. The Ann Arbor rally is hosted by Students for Bernie at the University of Michigan. It is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on the Diag. Admittance starts at 4:30 p.m., and its free and open to the public. A Grand Rapids event is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. Sunday in Calder Plaza, located at 351 Ottawa Ave. NW. Doors open to the public at 11 a.m. Sanders earned the endorsement of civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., who is scheduled to speak at the rally in Grand Rapids. Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden are turning their focus to Michigan with only a few days left to sway voters before the primary. Biden holds a narrow lead in the delegate count after winning a majority of states on Super Tuesday last week. Both campaigns are jetting across Michigan to sway undecided voters in the final days of the election, planning a flurry of rallies and smaller events throughout the weekend. The former vice president is scheduled to hold two rallies in Grand Rapids and Detroit Monday, the day before Michigans primary. U.S. Rep. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., announced she will join Biden in Michigan after offering her endorsement this weekend. Biden dispatched U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., to Detroit, Southfield and Grand Rapids on Friday and Saturday. Ocasio-Cortez also has a close relationship with U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, who introduced Sanders to roughly 6,000 supporters who attended a rally in Detroit Friday. Tlaib will serve as the Michigan state chair for the Sanders campaign. The New York congresswoman, a favorite target of President Donald Trump and Republicans, endorsed Sanders after he suffered a heart attack in fall 2019. The health incident briefly took Sanders off the campaign trail, but he remerged with Ocasio-Cortez at a massive rally in New York. Read more on MLive: A complete guide: How to see Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders campaign events in Michigan this weekend and Monday Biden and Sanders compete for black votes ahead of Michigan Democratic presidential primary Bernie Sanders says Joe Biden cant take on Trump at Detroit rally before Michigan primary The big question for Michigan Democrats: Is Biden or Sanders more likely to beat Trump? Joe Biden has Michigan Democrats fired up, Amy Klobuchar says in Detroit area Gretchen Whitmer to give Michigan a voice in Joe Biden campaign strategy Bernie Sanders talks Flint water crisis, recovery at town hall meeting Photo credit: Charles McQuillan - Getty Images From ELLE Can't a woman leave her home to buy some books? Kate Middleton was out in London this weekend shopping at U.K. bookstore Waterstones, per MailOnline. A source told the site that the mother of three asked the sales assistant for children's books on history and military-themed books, suggesting that Prince George and/or Princess Charlotte have an interest in the topic. She wore a light blue sweater and overcoat with black loafers during her outing, which just seemed to be a casual weekend errand. This Kate sighting follows her and Prince William's trip to Ireland, where Kate paid tribute to the country by wearing green. She also debuted some subtle bangs and a shorter haircut on the trip. Kate has been busy in 2020. Last month, she promoted her "5 Big Questions" survey, which encouraged parents to talk to each other about the first few years of child rearing. While doing an interview with the podcast Happy Mum, Happy Baby, Kate talked with host and author Giovanna Fletcher about the importance of getting outside with her kids. "I remember that from my childhooddoing the simple things, going for a walk together, and thats really what I try and do with my children as well because it totally strips away all the complications, all the pressures," Kate said. "It's something I'm really passionate about. "I think it's so great for physical and mental wellbeing and laying those foundations. It's such a great environment to actually spend time in, building those quality relationships without the distractions of 'Ive got to cook' and 'I've got to do this.' And actually, it's so simple." Besides spending their time at Kensington Palace, Kate, William, and their kids also have a home at Anmer Hall, in Norfolk. It was there, William recently revealed, that the children learned the handy farm skill of lambing. Maybe we will see Kate picking up some books about farm life soon, too. Those kids seem to have some well-rounded interests. You Might Also Like BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 6 By Yusif Aghayev Trend: Azerbaijan Industrial Insurance company has launched a new campaign on comprehensive car insurance (casco), Trend reports referring to the company. The women who insured their cars in the Azerbaijan Industrial Insurance company will receive a 28-percent-discount upon standard tariffs existing in the company as part of the comprehensive car insurance campaign. The campaign launched on March 6 is dedicated to the International Women's Day which is celebrated on March 8. The campaign will last during 18 days. Clients will be able to draw up an insurance contract without even visiting the companys office. The companys employees will carry out insurance transactions online and send the insurance policy at the request of customers to their houses or workplace. The ladies who have drawn up comprehensive car insurance contract will have the opportunity to take advantage of special discounts on other voluntary types of insurance throughout the year. Besides the abovementioned aspects, the insurance company allows its customers to pay the insurance premium in instalments. Azerbaijani Industrial Insurance company was established in December 1996. The company operated as CI-Insurance until 2008 when it was re-registered as an open joint stock company. Presently, the authorized capital of the company reaches four million manat ($2.3 million). The company operates as a full-scale insurance company engaged in the non-life insurance segment. The company is licensed to carry out four compulsory and 29 voluntary types of insurance. In late January 2020, the company collected insurance premiums in the amount of 1.7 million manat ($1 million) and paid insurance indemnities in the amount of 125,000 manat ($73,529), ranking 11th among Azerbaijani insurance companies. Today, 22 insurance companies and one reinsurance companies operate in Azerbaijan. (1 USD = 1.7 AZN on March 6) They came to stage a march of solidarity against violence on International Women's Day. But instead women's rights activists in Kyrgyzstan were themselves attacked, before dozens were detained by police. The protesters were gathered in one of the capital Bishkek's squares on Sunday (March 8) when masked men, some of whom wore traditional Kyrgyz white felt hats, attacked and tore apart their banners. This woman says eggs where thrown at them and they were physically assaulted. The men left when police arrived but the ordeal was not over. Officers then detained around 50 activists, mostly women. It was unclear what charges they could face; the Bishkek police department could not be immediately reached for comment. Citing multiple cases of forced marriage and domestic violence, activists say women's rights are deteriorating in the former Soviet republic amid a resurgence of right-wing ideology. Warwickshire Search and Rescue is looking to recruit new members to help save lives in the region. The charity is part of the UKs Lowland Rescue service, which is regularly deployed by the Police to conduct high-risk missing person searches. A recruitment selection event is due to be held on 19 April and successful candidates will typically undergo 9-12 months training before becoming search technicians. From there opportunities to specialise in other roles such as Water Search Specialists, Dog Handlers, Medical First Responders, Team Leaders, Search Planners are also available. A solid grounding in outdoor skills will be a major advantage, but these can be taught during training. At the selection event, candidates will need to demonstrate good judgment, mental resilience, positive attitude, physical fitness and teamwork. The team naturally attracts current & former members of the emergency services and armed forces, but recruits candidates from a wide range of backgrounds. The team is especially keen to hear from people who may be available to deploy when others are not, such as shift workers, those who are retired/semi-retired and the self-employed. Anyone wishing to apply must be over the age of 18, in good physical health, with good eyesight, and have a full UK driving license with their own transport. Due to the nature of the teams work, all successful candidates will need to pass a Police vetting process. If you are interested in joining Warwickshire Search and Rescue visit https://www.warksar.org.uk/join-us/ or look on the charitys Facebook page. Supermarkets will rush food supplies to coronavirus hotspots in the UK as part of an emergency plan to prevent empty shelves. Environment Secretary George Eustice will hold crunch talks today with supermarket chiefs, aimed at stopping panic buying and ensuring Britains food supply is not disrupted in areas worst affected by the outbreak. The move comes after shoppers stripped supermarket shelves of essentials such as food, toilet rolls and medicines yesterday. In a meeting last Friday, major retailers asked the Government to share its data on the areas of the country where large numbers of Covid-19 cases are confirmed. Panic buying and stockpiling of toilet roll continues. These are the scenes at Costco in Farnborough in Hampshire on Saturday Britain's Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs George Eustice is seen outside Downing Street in London This would then allow them to move extra supplies to replenish under-pressure supermarkets in those areas. They have also asked ministers to scrap curfew rules that ban lorries from delivering food to stores in the middle of the night. Whitehall officials examined the proposals last weekend and they will be discussed today. They will also consider how the supermarkets will deliver food to elderly people and other vulnerable groups who are forced to self-isolate because of the epidemic. This comes amid growing concern over how retailers will cope with a surge in customers ordering online and demanding home deliveries. Online deliveries currently make up only about seven per cent of total grocery sales and it is feared supermarkets will not have enough vans or drivers to cope with a spike in demand. Chopped tomatoes have flown off the shelves in a Tesco store. People have said they are setting up 'contingency plans' in case a disaster strikes in the UK As a result, retail bosses want the Government to extend the maximum number of driving hours for delivery drivers. The emergency plan comes after supermarket sources last week cast doubt on assurances made by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who said that food supplies would not be disrupted by the outbreak. But sales of cupboard basics such as pasta and tinned goods have rocketed, and shelves in some stores have emptied. Incidents of panic buying have also increased. A video posted on Twitter yesterday showed shoppers at a Costco in Farnborough, Hampshire, frantically stockpiling toilet rolls. Supermarket bosses are also planning for how to cope should large numbers of staff get ill. A Downing Street source last night said: Government and industry will remain in regular contact on this issue, and we stand ready to work with retailers to ensure that the UKs resilient food supply is maintained. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-08 18:52:38|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close The Grand Princess cruise ship shows up on the San Francisco Bay Area, the United States, on March 9, 2020. The cruise ship linked to a cluster of COVID-19 cases on Monday docked at the Port of Oakland in the state of California. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) SAN FRANCISCO, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. cruise ship linked to a cluster of COVID-19 cases will dock on Monday in Oakland, a California port near its original destination San Francisco, media reports said. The ship Grand Princess with more than 3,500 people aboard had been idling in waters off California after being forbidden to return to San Francisco over its link tracked to a cluster of cases of COVID-19, including at least one death. On Wednesday, the ship, back from Hawaii, was held at sea off San Francisco for checking virus infections, and on Friday, U.S. authorities said that 21 crew members and passengers aboard the vessel on a previous voyage had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Media reports cited the ship's owner Carnival Corp as saying that its information about the Grand Princess's destination came from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Passengers were also reported to be informed of the decision on their disembarkment by the captain, as well as of part of the follow-up quarantine and hospitalization arrangements for crew members and U.S. passengers in different conditions. The passengers' disembarkment is expected to take several days, according to the reports. Despite repeated warnings over the spread of novel coronavirus, roads leading to resorts in Irans northern province of Mazandaran were reopened March 7 by government decision. Mazandaran, by the Caspian Sea, is one of the favorite destinations for domestic tourism. Earlier on Thursday, the Governor of Mazandaran had declared that, as a precaution all roads leading to the province would be closed to tourists and non-residents of the region. But unexpectedly on Saturday the Deputy Governor of the province announced that since the Iranian weekend came to an end on Friday, access roads from other provinces will be open. Nevertheless, according to the Islamic Republic's official news agency, IRNA, people from cities highly contaminated by coronavirus were hitching rides on trucks to travel to Mazandaran. "People from cities highly hit by the novel coronavirus, including the holy city of Qom, escape from their homes, and travel on trucks to Mazandaran, in search of safe houses for short term rent," IRNA disclosed. Seventeen people have died of Covid-19, and 658 are suspected of contracting coronavirus in Mazandaran, so far. However, residents of the province say on social media both the infection rate and the death toll is much higher than what the government says and hospitals cannot accept any more coronavirus cases. "With so many people rushing toward Mazandaran, the region, particularly the city of Babol, is struggling with the complicated dilemma of how to contain the spread of the deadly virus," the representative of Babol to Majles (Islamic parliament), Ali Najafi Khoshroudi, lamented. In the meantime, while roads to two other northern provinces of Gilan and Golestan were also declared closed, the Iranian Road management Center (IRMC) reported heavy traffic in Tehran-Bumehen-Jajroud road, leading to the northern parts of the country. Moreover, the restriction on freeways from Tehran to north, and Qazvin to Rasht has also been removed. Earlier, travel to the provinces of Isfahan, Fars, Hamadan, Ilam, Kerman, Khorasan Razavi, Qazvin, and Yazd was also banned. Meanwhile, all roads even to the epicenter of the novel coronavirus in Iran, the city of Qom, has remained open. Several influential clerics, as well as officials have rejected proposals to isolate the Shiite holy city, which received tens of thousands of pilgrims every day before the government admitted the outbreak. Many citizens and some public figures have accused the government of not telling the public earlier about the spread of coronavirus in order to have a higher turnout in parliamentary elections, held February 21. But even after the first cases in Qom were announced, clerics resisted quarantining the city and critics say this led to the fast spread of the virus throughout the country. Earlier, government authorities had warned they might use "force" to limit travel between cities. It appears that nobody has taken the threat seriously. The Islamic Republic Health Ministry spokesman, Kianoush Jahanpour, acknowledged last Friday that the virus had hit all of Iran's 31 provinces. Iran and Italy have the world's highest Covid-19 death tolls outside of China.